Melting (Tagine) Pot

The riad we find in Iminifri just a bit outside of Demnate (with the help of the newlywed Belgian friends we made on the way) is the perfect departure from the city.

Silence. Dirt paths. Friendly, small-town community feel of Berber people. Tree-covered, purple-tinted mountains. Garden in the backyard. Home-cooked meals (this area is known for having the best tagines). Room built of straw and packed reddish brown mud. Cold showers. Twinkling, vibrant night sky.

I feel like I can breathe again.

There are three other couples staying with us from a combination of Whales, Belgium, Spain, Morocco. We sit by the fire outside, sip Pastis and mint tea, grill flat bread, eat sheep tagine (incredible!), converse in a mix of English, Arabic, French and Spanish.

I think it's worth mentioning that the guy from Whales is a freelance circus performer. He worked for a few months in India on stilts as the mascot for a cricket team called the Calcutta Night Riders.
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