MOROCCAN NOMAD FAMILY

One of the most touching moments on our trip was the visit with this Nomad family in the remote Atlas mountains. The Atlas mountains are a few hours away from the main Moroccan cities by SUV and worlds away by lifestyle. We drove through steep gorges - passable only a few months of the year on the dry river beds with impressive drivers and high tech cars - and witnessed a nomadic lifestyle that seemed centuries old. With the help of our Wilderness Travel Guide, this woman invited us into her tent and introduced us to her children. As a person who does not normally travel to such remote parts of the world, I deeply appreciate the wake up call to see how some people still live. It was almost more shocking to see the contrast between this lifestyle and the highly westernized lifestyle of Marrakech, than between this Berber home and our homes in America.

Things seemed so different, yet also strangely familiar. The dog was still barking. The kids were still shyly hiding. I didn't know what to say, even if I could communicate in the local Berber tongue. I still don't. In honor of Mother's day, though, I wanted to share this personal portrait and a mother's welcoming smile.