A Trip To The North ( Part 1 )

Omar EL MOUZ is a high school teacher of  English. He got his BA from the department of  English at Ibno Zohr university, Agadir. He is interested in writing articles and stories, translating written works from English to Arabic or Arabic to English.


Agadir, Morocco

It is generally said that travelling is a chance for many gains. So was the case for our short trip to the North. As previously agreed upon, we decided to have a stress-free stay in one of the most beautiful zones in Morocco. We collected our package bags and headed to Rabat, the usual starting point of our annual trips. My three friends and I had set an itinerary in mind which was not so fixed and fully determined. However, we devoted a space for modification depending on the unexpected.

On a sunny day, during 2015 summer holiday, we felt great delight to enlarge our memory and relate our feelings to the people of the North. We started with great enthusiasm first to see new things there and second to forget some of the downs we had experienced the previous year. Our minds were fed up with things related to the field of work. Therefore, we felt a great need for a moment of relaxation and rest.  

Not until that we approached Qnitra, the sixth biggest city in Morocco, did we feel our stomachs had already started their musicality. We directed ourselves towards one of the most outstanding fish restaurants in the city. We enjoyed the meal as well as the atmosphere. We were served with great welcome and warm hospitality. We had a bottle of cold water to refresh our livers and then got into the car. Along the way, some small villages were seen scattered beside the road. We could notice some women taking care of their cattle and others displaying some of local products for passers-by to purchase. We stopped for a time to buy some figs for which the region of Gharb is known. We kept faithful to our quarrels, discussions, and giggles, but sometimes we just resorted to silence.  

When we reached Laraach, we decided to have a short break for both biological and spiritual reasons. We prayed then and had a tour in the Old Medina. The city is generally known for having witnessed four major civilizations in history, namely the Phoenician, the Carthaginian, the Roman, and the Islamic civilizations. The features of these civilizations could be noticed through the city’s castles, towers and old buildings. 

After the short break, we proceeded straight to one of the most beautiful cities in the north; it was Asila. That city was also famous for its direct contact with the colonial campaigns which targeted Morocco in the 20^th century. We went sightseeing to discover the old walls built centuries ago. We had an eye on some landscapes and old buildings which still host new visitors nowadays. The beauty of the city was kept safe in our minds till we discovered how much waste covered every spot in the beach. It was unfair for such a touristic city to be kept ignored while its image is still being promoted to have clean touristic zones.