Empieza

Excuse my laziness, I don’t quite feel like making this a bilingual post- so you guys get a break from scrolling- this one is all in English!

These images are a combination of 2 trips. A scarf store, and strictly tapesttry (rugs, blankets, etc) store. 

The process is really intricate, and I could never even attempt to operate the machinery.

At this particular store, I learned that blankets (above) were the mens’ work, and rugs (below) were the womens’ work.

Although that store was pretty pricey, it wasn’t hard to see why- all of the patterns were amazingly intricate, and the fabric was of high quality. Some of it made of wool, and quite a lot made from camel’s wool (interesting, right?)

Although I didn’t make a purchase from that shop, I went crazy in the scarf store, where the workers were gracious enough to teach us how to tie scarves in different styles. 

Check me out with the gypsy style!

¿Recordaís que todas están hecho a mano?

Después, los ponen en hornos para un *glaze* lol

Y los hornos cambian los colores tambien.

Después, usan un patrón [pattern?] para hacer los estilos diferentes. Es interesante que pongan las cerámics debajo del patrón, y las rompan, sin verlas.

Pues, estamos al fin del proceso. ¿Pero las cerámicas? ¡Habían MUCHÍSIMO!

Tables, fountains, vases and more! The ceramic “factory” and store was an amazing experience. That table above is my favorite! (Here’s a close up, I know you wanted one! lol)

I found it interesting that everything was handmade- from the beginning of the pottery, to the freehand designs on the little glasses. From there, the pottery went into ovens for glazes, and the original colors often changed to other colors (I think blue turned to purple… or the other way around lol).

It was ALSO interesting to find out that the mosaic designs were made with a pattern- but done upside down. So by the time you were finished, you could only hope you put the colors in the right spots lol, because the ceramics were UNDERNEATH those star patterns.

As if all of this wasn’t enough

I soon found myself in the store. For some reason, that picture isn’t uploading, but imagine all of that^ everywhere. In every shape and form. Napkin holder? Spoon holder? Ash try? Salt&Pepper Shaker? Vase? Teacup?

They had it.

So I bought it! Lol. Only a tea cup&saucer for myself and an ashtray for my dad. But everything was so gorgeous. If you ever want to see ceramics done right, find your way to Fes!

Una ciudad llena de arte, historia y cultura, me gustaban todos los sitios en Fez (tambien se deletrea “Fes”). Voy a empezar con cada sitio y poco detalles. Después, voy a hacer más *posts* (lol) de lo más importante- la cerámica y tapicería. 

Al principio, nuestra guía (se llama MoMo, y es un guía a personas famosas), nos trayó a las puertas del palacio. Hay 7 puertas en total, y significan los 7 cielos. (Falta una puerto en mi foto, ¡lo siento!) 

Luego, la vimos la ciudad con una vista muy chulo.

Superguay (Me encanta esa palabra- “superguay” lol). 

Pues, ¿habeis sabido que la primera universidad está en Fez? Es la verdad- una mujer que se llamaba Fatima, empezó la primera universidad del mundo en 859.

Y ahora- empezamos- en serio lol. Tengo demasiado fotos de la cerámica y las otras tiendas. Recordad- pocos detalles aqui, y mucho más posts lol…

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[Can’t say my Spanish or English is amazing right now, but speaking both daily makes for great Spanglish! As usual, first part Spanish, summary in English]

Pues, fui al desierto Sahara. Después de muchas horas en el autobús, llegamos al hotel y muchos camellos.

¡La primera vez en un camello! Él se llama Bob Marley (¡no lo he eligido el nombre!) y era pequeño. Tenía un poco de miedo, pero todo pasó bien. Montamos por los camellos 40 minutos, mas o menos, hasta los campos muy lejos del hotel…

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La semana pasada, fui a Marreucos. Era un viaje muy interesante, en tres sitios- Marrakech, Sahara, y Fes.

Aqui, voy a añadir fotos de la tierra. Soy de Brooklyn, Nueva York. No he visto tierra sin edificios y personas como allí en Marreucos. No podía creerlo, la belleza de todo. Por lo menos, era un viaje humilde.

Una montaña con nieve arriba

Yo, en el centro de ningun sitio

Yo, en las montañas

I might have been a little picture happy- but like I said, I’m from Brooklyn! I’ve never seen so much landscape in my life! I’m accustomed to a house, a school, a church, restaurant, some kind of building on every street.

I was obviously a long way from the skyscrapers of N.Y.C. (somewhat in the middle of nowhere, Morocco), and had to take the time to appreciate it all.

I have so many more pictures and things to share from my trip, I hope you guys enjoy!