The Third Largest Mosque in the World, The Little Thief + Our Blue Oasis

After walking to the Hassan II Mosque, which was just too large—not to mention stunning—to capture with my sad, little point and shoot dcam, LB + I dodged this deranged little pickpocket who kept plopping down ten feet away from us, eyeing LB’s purse from the corner of his eye. Ten cuidado con tu cartera, I told her, every time I felt his little eyes scanning the bulges in the purse. When we couldn’t take it anymore, we walked to the beach, where el ladronito eventually followed us again after a half an hour, our cue to leave for sure.

We walked back to our hotel, stopping my La Sqala on the way to eat a light snack. La Sqala was a former defense encampment. Now, the lushly blue café Mauré is there: there were gurgling fountains, a gazebo, blossoming trees, blue tilework + a trellis. It was idyllic, especially after our walk in the sun. For food, we ate small, flavorful dishes of lemon lentils, mint hummus, red pepper + artichoke, cucumber + tomato salad, a bowl of seasoned Moroccan olives, soft, traditional Moroccan bread + a perfect smoothie of strawberry, pineapple, peace + cardamom. For dessert, we indulged in fresh pineapple, kiwi, apple s+ banana slices, dipping each piece into a bowl of melting chocolate. It was—how can I say this?—fucking fantastic. And all for less twenty-eight dollars.

At the hotel, we drank more Moroccan tea + checked our email in the beautiful lounge, softened with Sultan pillows + colored lamps, listening to walls shake as the adjacent café erupted with men shouting after Barcelona scored a goal. Today was simple, kinetic + nurturing, which is ideal after a day of heat, complications + paralysis.