An unexpected tea-spot on the Moroccan Mountains
We were on our second hiking day on the Atlas Mountains, negotiating our way towards Imlil through steep slopes, waterfalls, and valleys, when we stumbled on the impromptu café of El Hussein, a middle-aged Berber who welcomed us with a friendly smile and open arms, filling our glasses with tea and nudging us to rest on the surrounding boulders.
An old, slightly-chipped pot, a few glasses, a flat rock to serve as a table, a piece of warm bread on a headscarf, a group of friends, and a stunning view: one does not need more than that to be happy.
We removed our backpacks and basked under the sun, sipping the aromatic Moroccan tea, and exchanging jokes with El Hussein who was more talkative than any other Berber I met in Morocco. There was silence – except for our own presence – and serenity which, despite our fatigue, made us feel fulfilled and content. We lolled for a while before resuming our pace with revived vigour, carrying with us, as a talisman, the joy of the experience that survives to this day.
Photo credits: © Konstantina Sakellariou
