We arrived in Asilah mid-morning and were greeted by a parade of hosts

First we were escorted onto a bus where a Moroccan woman sat with a live chicken in a plastic bag, counting down the hours till Fatur

Then it was a trio of children that followed Kempie, our Pied Piper, along the narrow and vibrant streets, marching towards our abode.

Once settled, we set out to explore the Medina, an artistic maze much different than the one in Fes

Hugging the Atlantic coast, some of us snapped pictures while others bargained for earrings, or took in the intricately painted murals that adorned the walls

As the sun set, we made our way to the rocks where the sky put on a show

At first dark shades of blues and grays…

Then a wider assortment of hues…

That tossed themselves into a rainbow, our eyes reaching from below

Then as the sun settled peacefully into the sea, the call to prayer sounded…

And we made our way home

The next day after a slow seaside morning…

We set out on a horse-drawn carriage to Paradise’s shore

Five apiece, we galloped through the many faces of Asilah’s landscape

As the air grew thick with salt, we knew we had reached the coast

As soon as the horses’ legs began to buckle we were off and running towards the blue

Then, refreshed, relaxed and re-inspired we sat down with pen in hand to reflect

With traces of sand and breaths of sea salt air…

We are ready for our return.