mud bricks and tea trays

During the course of my meanderings around the world wide web last week, I stumbled across these images here 

No copy or explanation was attached so I can't offer you any more of an insight or information,

other than I assume it is in morocco,
and that it appealed to me because a lot of the design elements are
 simple and true to a beldi/country home in morocco.
 From the basic building elements of mud brick and plaster through to the lanterns and silver tea trays.

So, as I was saving it to my own files for future reference, 

 I thought I would share it with you as well.  

images via

tea in . . . hong kong

or Le Souk in Soho to be more precise!

After a long day of temples and incense, dim sum and chopsticks

 we were a little unsure of where to rest our weary limbs . . .

but amidst all the neon of the Hong Kong night, 

the more gentle glow of lanterns drew us in

 (lighting being an important consideration at my age - overhead neon is not the most flattering!)

a little glass {or 2} of Spanish Rioja at a bar decorated with hanging teapots
soon became a relaxed and drawn out evening of goat cheese and mint, couscous and baklava
and other middle eastern flavours

and yes . .  the image is a little blurred around the edges
 as it was taken after our lovely host Hero had plied us with several more glasses of wine!

So if like us, you find yourself in Hong Kong
 (Staunton Street, SoHo to be precise)
and you feel like stepping off the sidewalk to partake in a tagine,
or need to satisfy your craving for hummus and baba ghanoush,
look no further 

 and yes, I can recommend the Rioja!

Le Souk 

it would be great if you could . . .

why morocco

in black and white . . .

via

I have been sitting at my desk this week with a to-do list as long as my arm, involving flights, hotels and on-line bookings, dates and decisions . . . and at moments it has felt a little overwhelming.

I love travelling and moving about,

 but sometimes I feel like taking my rocking chair (if I had one) and finding a place where I can anchor it soundly for the rest of my days,

 while I simply read good books and drink good coffee  - and possibly the odd Moroccan mojito?

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On the home front,we are in one of those murky in-between periods,

 and as I explained when I first started tea-in-tangiers,

 one of the reasons behind the blog  is my attempt to shift the balance of our lives,

 to make morocco a base and a home rather than the vacation.

 So putting it in black and white and out there for you to read helps me to focus on the end vision.

I try to make my posts visual and enticing, nothing too serious . . .

but today I decided to write this somewhat more wordy post to remind myself why we are doing this.

Why I feel so strongly that is something both I and We need to do,

and that it is a journey begun and one we need to continue

 until I am content in that rocking chair gazing at my olive trees in the countryside of northern morocco!

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So, "why morocco?" I frequently get asked

That question always takes me back to a very specific moment . . .

Our first holiday as a family (I had spent months planning an epic three week trip that took us on a long triangular road trip around the country), was full of memorable moments from the madness that is Marrakech to the perfect quietness of the desert,

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There was one  moment that is etched in my memory, not because it was grand or spectacular but because it felt like we had found that missing piece of the jigsaw.

First let me remind you that we were, at the time, living in the UK, amidst the green  (and damp) rolling hills of Wales and we were missing  sunshine, as well as other less quantifiable things.

 On our way out of the desert and down the coast to Assilah we were a little lost - the kind of lost when you think you are heading in the right direction but uummm not sure whether to go right or left at that stop street .  A moment of indecision as we consulted the map.

It was early evening and  there was a lot of traffic going in every direction just to confuse us more,

 when a taxi/van pulled in front of us.

 The music was loud and the doors and windows were all open as a couple of young men ran off the pavement into the traffic,and jumped onto the rear bumper in one fluid movement,

 precariously holding on to what they could where they could, to get where they needed to be.

Mark and I looked at each other and smiled . . . 

it might have been right on the northern edge, but we were back in Africa and it felt good!

So there it is , in black and white.

 The realisation that we were in a place we felt comfortable in,

 but one that was still foreign and exciting. 

Since then we have met some lovely people, seen beautiful places ( as well as some not so beautiful), eaten good food, and of course planted our olive trees.

 But quite honestly that moment is always my answer to the question

 "why morocco" 

 It just feels right
&
we need to remember that.

sunset at Assilah