The Conversationalist

It’s week twenty six and that means I’ve officially hit the ‘halfway’ point of my travels! I celebrated by leaving Morocco and going to France. And by doing other stuff. Watch and find out!

Dear Family and Friends, I write you today from a crumbling 17th Century Chateau in the south of France. The plaster is crumbling off the walls and there is a resident bat who patrols the grounds at night.

This week I introduced you to my Mohammed, my hammam-ist, as well as a glimpse into the world of bracelet making and didgeridoo rocking. Plus, I sold my new friend Sophie for a few thousand camels. That’s a good price, right?

Dear Family and Friends, It’s been a week of hopscotching across Morocco. I’ve wandered the alleys of Essaouira, slept in a scuzzy Casablanca hotel, dealt with the stomach flu in Rabat and got hustled in Fez.

Morocco is known for many things: delicious tajine meals, stunning desert landscapes and a rich history of Arabic, Africa and European intersections. But that’s not all. For travellers who enter into the many souks (markets) of the cities, they will attest to the many handcrafted products that inevitably present the question, “How much extra space in [...]

A selection of imagines from my month working, playing and touring in Morocco.

I did a lot of eating this week. Whether that meant the food stalls and goat brains of Marrakech, or the delicious tajines of Essaouira, anything resembling edible did not stand a chance. Oh yes, there’s also a REALLY cute kitten. But I didn’t eat that.

Dear Family and Friends, I write you today from the windy rooftop of an Essaouira hostel. It’s a humid, overcast day. The seagulls provide a squawky soundtrack, a random melodic line over the constant white noise of the Atlantic Ocean’s unyielding movement. I am alone. I am with you.

This week you get to meet my camel, Petunia. But that’s not all. I take you to Marrakech’s most beautiful garden and most popular hammam. And then you get to jam to the sounds of Morocco’s new generation. It’s just a week in the life of Mr. Baylis.

Dear Family and Friends, I write you today from my dingy little hotel room, a shouting distance away from the glorious gong show of Jemaa el-Fna. At various points throughout the day, I can hear the screech of a Berber’s horn and the echo of the muezzin’s holy voice as he calls the people to prayer. [...]

Hi. My name is Daniel. And these are some photos that I took when I went on a two-day camel riding excursion in Morocco.

Hello Morocco! It was an epic journey to arrive, but any tribulations were quickly discarded as I began to soak up the deliciousness that this culture has to offer. Such as epic-looking desert head scarves.