March 12, 2022: Tétouan

From Tangier we headed to Stephen O’Dowd’s old Peace Corp stomping grounds, Tétouan, where the Rif Mountains meet the Mediterranean.

Mary Margaret and her mother traveled to see Stephen for 10 days in March of 1983. It was fun time traveling back to see things that have changed and those that have remained the same. Dale Roberts, a family friend, also spent time here recently as a resident artist at Green Olive Arts. Before heading into the Medina, we stopped by Green Olive Arts to see Dale’s painting and to learn more about the programs offered to international and local artists. 

We headed out, past the large square that included the Palace (King Mohammad VI visits once a year) and into the Medina.

It wasn’t long before we heard Moroccan Arabic shouts of greeting, being stopped every few meters to talk to Stephen. So fun! Fortunately, Rhonda was able to assure Mary Margaret that he wasn’t bartering away her future!

Onward to the Berber women selling textiles and trying to make Mary Margaret look like a “mountain woman”.

We stopped into a small but informative museum about Moroccan history, led by a tour guide who was able to play photographer. We felt the need for a quick bite before heading to our last destination, Chefchaouen, stopping in a sandwich shop Stephen had frequented as a young Peace Corp Volunteer. We left Tétouan in the late afternoon, taking new memories along with us.

Tétouan brought back so many memories yet it was clear there had been significant progress over the last 39 years. It retains the flavor of a genuine Arab/Berber city, lacking the hustle and bustle of Euro tourists. It is definitely a city worth visiting again if we are fortunate enough to do so while Stephen and Rhonda are here.

This photograph is of Old Tétouan, since demolished in a futile effort at urban renewal. Stephen remembers this location as an energetic, charming center with a bit of danger thrown in during an uprising. It is his story to tell.