THE PHOTO ESSAY MOROCCO – A STEP BACK IN TIME

By Michael Doherty

Michael Doherty is a film and television Michael Doherty is a fi lm and television editor editor based in Toronto. He is also an avid based in Toronto. He is also an avid traveller. traveller. The photos and commentary are The photos and commentary are from his visit from his visit to Morocco in 2019. to Morocco in 2019.

Morocco was the last stop on a trip that had taken me to Paris, Bordeaux, Biarritz, San Sabastián, Bilbao, Pamplona, Andorra, and Barcelona. In many ways, it was a step back in time. I stayed in a beautiful riad, a traditional Moroccan house built around a courtyard and garden. It was in the middle of the medina, the old, historic walled area of Marrakech.

The Marrakech medina, founded in 1070, is split into quarters, each with a mosque, a hammam (bathhouse), a communal bread oven, a madrasa (educational institution) and a water fountain. In the medina are souks, the traditional marketplaces.

The souks are a maze of alleys and narrow streets, changed little since they were first laid out. At times, it felt as if I was seeing people go about their day in exactly the same way their ancestors did 200 years ago.

The souks are chaotic, dynamic, and an explosion of colour and spicy aromas. Incredibly fascinating, even if a bit overwhelming. I shared the crowded, tiny alleyways with pedestrians, cyclists, mule carts and wagons, and crazy-fast mopeds. Staying vigilant was necessary at every moment. Locals were continuously asking me where I was going or telling me I was heading the wrong way, each of them hoping to be my “guide” – for a fee. It is very easy to get lost.

Morocco – definitely worth a visit for anyone with a sense of adventure.