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Arts

The Road to Morocco from Malden: A Pressing Event

November 19, 2017 bzoe42 1

This is the last part of the Road from Malden to Morocco series By Bonnie Blanchard Our whirlwind visit in Marrakesh left our imaginations, memories and cameras full of sensations, stories and pictures. With a visit to the city of Essaouira we were winding down for our journey back home. Like vagabonds we wound our way to a rambling little coastal town with a view of the ocean from our lovely little hotel. We unwound with a walk on the windy beach. Camels and horses were competing for ride business, but we were not too eager for repeat lumps, so we contented ourselves by walking along the village shoreline. Essaouira is a laid-back old port town on the Atlantic Ocean. In the mid 1700s the then installed sultan liked the area and engaged the services of a French architect to create a city there. It is rather off the beaten path and windy, so there are not too many beach goers. Essaouira remains a fishing village where folks can buy their catch of the day […]

Arts

The Road to Morocco from Malden: Marrakesh

November 5, 2017 bzoe42 0

By Bonnie Blanchard Fourth of five parts Take the train from Casablanca going southBlowing smoke rings from the corners of my my, my, my, my mouthColored cottons hang in airCharming cobras in the squareStriped Djellebas we can wear at home Would you know we’re riding on the Marrakesh Express Would you know we’re riding on the Marrakesh Express All aboard the train “Marrakesh Express,” by Graham Nash, 1969 Many of those from the 1960s “hippie” generation remember the lyrics to the Crosby, Stills and Nash song “Marrakesh Express.”  The Marrakesh Express ran from Casablanca to Marrakesh and was a widely sought ticket. This song sums up the cultural reflections of singer Graham Nash on a trip he took in 1966  through India and North Africa. Fast forward 50 years and I find myself in that same world, snake charmers and all. One of the most colorful open air markets in the world, Djemaa el-Fna is something not to miss in Marrakesh. It would be akin to going to church and not praying. It is a […]

Arts

The Road to Morocco from Malden: Into the Sahara

October 22, 2017 bzoe42 0

By Bonnie Blanchard Part Three of Five Parts Getting on a dromedary is like straddling a furry bathtub. It’s not the most graceful of feats. You begin the mount while the beast is lying down. You have to figure out how to get your feet across both sides; their bodies are wider than that of a horse. There are no stirrups to lock your feet into, only a steel bar in front of the hump to hang onto. A layered blanket pack is the saddle. When each member of my group was finally aboard their ship of the desert, we started our journey into the Sahara. As I bounced and hung on, I had visions of rolling off to the side and being deposited on the desert floor. It was a premonition of things to come. This camel-back journey had begun after an exhausting yet exhilarating day driving from Fez to Ouarzazate, the entrance to the Sahara Desert, in another leg of our Morocco trip. As our van crossed through rosemary-dotted hills and cedar groves, […]

Arts

Scenes from a holiday bazaar

February 19, 2016 annedr 0

The holidays may be long over but I’m left with a memory of a special event in my neighborhood, a pop-up (private) party featuring crafts from local artists in the basement of a home transformed into a Moroccan-style bazaar. On behalf of the seven artists that banded together to create this special event, I wanted to share photos and some video highlights that have not yet been shown to the public. Local artist and community activist Elena Martinez says it all started with a “WHAT IF moment.” She and local artist Bonnie Blanchard were discussing the lack of space where artists could collectively work together. As the holiday time approached, they were looking for venues to sell their work. They decided to hold a “pop-up” event in the basement of Bonnie’s home and invite guests to attend. It would be a small neighborhood event that would offer holiday arts and crafts for a two-day stint just before the holiday shopping frenzy began. It would also be a showcase for a handful of locally renowned artists […]