Photos of market day in Sefrou, Morocco
Farmers’ produce on sale in Sefrou, Morocco
On our visit to the village of Sefrou we were lucky to be there on market day. Sefrou is about 30km from the city of Fes. The farmers from the surrounding countryside bring in their produce and set up stalls in the streets and lane ways. It brings the town to life and the hustling crowds flock to buy their fruit, vegetables and other goodies – like the pastries shown below.
We couldn’t resist and bought some delicious bananas and mandarins.
On reflection, these markets are not so different to what we have here in Australia. Certainly, there is much variation in some of the produce for sale – no local farmers grow bananas or dates here in South Australia, for example. But they bring what they grow and local people flock to these events knowing that they are buying good quality food produced locally. It’s a growing trend here in Australia, but I’d say that in places like Sefrou it has been a tradition for many years, perhaps even centuries.
Farmers’ produce on sale in Sefrou, Morocco
Farmers’ produce on sale in Sefrou, Morocco
Market day in Sefrou, Morocco
Market day in the village of Sefrou, Morocco
One aspect of travelling in Morocco that I looked forward to was the food. I believe that sampling the food delights of a different country, and especially a totally different culture like Morocco, is high up on my list of reasons for travelling. Mind you, I am generally very conservative in my selection of food when not travelling, whether that is at home or eating out in a local restaurant. On our touring I think I surprised myself in what I sometimes selected to eat; I know I really surprised my wife and daughter. I was often quite the adventurous one, and now I have some wonderful memories, not to mention a desire to travel the more exotic destinations.
While we were staying in Fes we took a day trip to the village of Sefrou some 30km away. Added to the delight of our visit was the fact that it was market day. Farmers from around the district descended on the town with their produce. They set up their stalls everywhere in the streets. Over the next few days I will share some of the photos taken at the market. The fruit and vegetables on display were not only colourful – they looked delicious.
And they tasted great too – we bought some bananas and mandarins.
Market day in the village of Sefrou, Morocco
Market day in the village of Sefrou, Morocco
A delightful little restaurant in Fes, Morocco
Owners of a small restaurant in Fes, Morocco
There were many highlights on our tour of Morocco. One of them was finding delightful little shops or hidden away restaurants. During our stay in Fes we found this delightful little family restaurant right next door to the hotel where we were staying. We could have dined in style in the hotel restaurant but this eatery had so much more character.
It wasn’t huge; it had enough seating for about 6 to 8 people; there were no more chairs, and the dining room was hardly a room at all. The cooking and counter took up half the room, and some equipment had to flow out onto the footpath. Most of the customers were people passing by, grabbing a bite to eat on their way to work or back home. The establishment was run by the lady shown in the photo above, assisted by her young daughter.
The mother could only understand a few words of English but the daughter spoke it fluently. We engaged her in conversation and found out she was working her way through university, studying to be a teacher. My wife, daughter and I are all teachers, so we found this very encouraging. My guess is that not many Moroccan girls are teachers, and few go to university. Women in the professions are most definitely in the minority in this country, but this is changing.
We were very pleased to support this family and their tiny restaurant on several occasions during our stay.
And the food was delicious.
Dining in style in Fes, Morocco
Beautiful restaurant in Fes, Morocco
On one of the days during our visit to Fes, Morocco, we had a delightful lunch in this magnificent restaurant. As stunning as it was, the most astonishing thing about it was the nondescript sign and entrance in the street outside (see photo below).
The lane outside was very plain with all the usual stalls, small shops and the always milling crowds and noise. The only indication of the restaurant’s presence was this simple sign (below). On moving through the door the restaurant opens up like an Aladdin’s magical cave, revealing a spacious, beautifully maintained and with an exotic decor in keeping with the local culture. Amazing.
The part of restaurant where we ate is seen though the doorway at the far end of the room. It was shrouded in luxurious looking carpets, drapes hung from the ceiling and low level lighting gave a truly exotic feel to the experience. And when we sat down we sank into deep, soft cushions.
As a bonus the food was wonderful. It’s just that we had so many great meals in Morocco I’ve completely forgotten what I ate that day. I didn’t even take a photo of the dish I had.
Restaurant in Fes, Morocco
Decorations inside a beautiful restaurant in Fes, Morocco
Sydney Fish Markets
Boat moored near the Sydney Fish Markets
During our recent stay in Sydney, my son suggested that we all head into the city one day and visit the Sydney Fish Markets for lunch. We all love seafood, so we needed very little convincing that this was a good idea.
We travelled first by train to Central Station and then caught the light rail tram to the markets.
The markets were extremely busy but this was the day after New Year’s Day, so I guess that we were just one of many groups of visitors in the city on that day. I believe it can also be quite busy during non-holiday times.
The sights, smells, sounds and atmosphere of these markets are a wonderful assault on the senses. I can only share a little of the visual impact; I didn’t record the smells to share with you on this blog!
Inside the Sydney Fish Markets
Anzac Bridge and boats near the Sydney Fish Markets