HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

Send your mom a virtual bouquet, courtesy of BiggerBrighterBolder! Enjoy!

MOROCCAN TREAT

Although the tajines in Morocco were incredibly yummy, somehow they missed their photo opportunities. This "orange honey" desert - quite colorful and photogenic - was a welcome bit of sugar to get us through our first day's jaunt through Casablanca. So tasty and crispy, it was perfect to share with my mom in the serendipitously discovered courtyard cafe.

My favorite "Moroccan snack" was definitely the endless supply of mint tea. Sweet. Minty. Warm. It was the perfect after lunch, after dinner drink. Need a break from the long bus journey? Mint tea is served. Ready to negotiate on your carpet? Mint tea is served. I even bought a cluster of mint back at home to replicate the sweet goodness.

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.

MOROCCAN VENDING MACHINE

ETSY FRIDAY: MOROCCAN JEWELS

Gold, silver and amber? Turns out that in traditional Berber culture, women's beaded jewelry was a form of currency. Beads were traded like coins and displayed as a fashion statement. Maybe silver and gold poufs will be the next modern currency?

silver or gold pouf // coral necklace // silver cobalt necklace