Sojourn in Casablanca

NeilLNeilL Registered Users Posts: 4,201 Major grins
edited July 27, 2009 in Journeys
Casablanca...

I followed the trail of your name in books and movies...

casa blanca... white house...

with a mystery others had entered...

but I arrived when your colors were already faded and drifting away on twilight with the moon...

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stained and losing hold on tired walls...

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and almost all your windows abandoned to forgetting.

I didn't recognise you from your fame...

you were dying,

but as a tree dies,

still opening new green leaves to suck on your decaying body,

new life in your rickety cradle hanging from an *unsheltering sky...

I found signs of life...

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the age-old fascination with beauty...

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sweetness... and play...

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companionship...

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and goodness...

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Queens still rule in your alleys...

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a canary still sings...

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Here's lookin' at you, kid...

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... at last!







*Paul Bowles, American composer and writer, is best known for his Moroccan novel "The Sheltering Sky".

Neil

Canon 40D, 24-70mm F2.8L
"Snow. Ice. Slow!" "Half-winter. Half-moon. Half-asleep!"

http://www.behance.net/brosepix

Comments

  • Chrissiebeez_NLChrissiebeez_NL Registered Users Posts: 1,295 Major grins
    edited July 25, 2009
    hey Neill!

    love your narrative to go with the shots (so really nice ones as well there!) I can see you really dive into the culture and social aspects of foreign lands as well! Getting to the essence of a culture and taking a plunge right in the middle of it, THATS travelling! thumb.gif
    Visit my website at christopherroos.smugmug.com
  • saurorasaurora Registered Users Posts: 4,320 Major grins
    edited July 25, 2009
    Chrissiebeez_NL wrote:
    hey Neill!

    love your narrative to go with the shots (so really nice ones as well there!) I can see you really dive into the culture and social aspects of foreign lands as well! Getting to the essence of a culture and taking a plunge right in the middle of it, THATS travelling! thumb.gif

    15524779-Ti.gif Your narrative and the photos you presented work wonderfully together and makes for an excellent and unique journey posting. thumb.gif
  • athosathos Registered Users Posts: 237 Major grins
    edited July 26, 2009
    great stuff and the narrative to go along with it!

    i was recently in Morocco. we had 10 days and most of what we read and heard was to avoid Casablanca, Tangiers & Rabat if you really wanted to get the flavor of Morocco within that limited timeframe. too Europeanized, etc... one thing good about those cities it seems, is that people are ok with their pictures being taken, whereas in other cities, it was very unwelcome for the most part. it seems you found some of the more real, gritty and old-school flavors of Casablanca, Kudos!

    we ended up spending one night there though. it was in a touristy area, not so great. i wish we had more time to explore and see the things you did there, but instead we went with Marrakech, the desert, Fez.

    http://athos.smugmug.com/Travel
    www.simplyathos.com

    Gear
    *Canon 40D: 17-55IS - 70-300IS - 100mm Macro - Sigma 10-20EX
    *Imagination
  • ChatKatChatKat Registered Users Posts: 1,357 Major grins
    edited July 26, 2009
    Rabat/Taurodant
    We were in Casablanca and Tangiers about a year and a half ago. While Casablanca was too city-like and at the time unsafe for Americans (Bomb warnings), we were in Taurodant and it was a wonderful experience. We did have a number of people refuse to allow us to take photos of them, but the most part they were warm and inviting. I do always ask ahead if I can shoot them. Frequent they asked for $$$
    Kathy Rappaport
    Flash Frozen Photography, Inc.
    http://flashfrozenphotography.com
  • Tee WhyTee Why Registered Users Posts: 2,390 Major grins
    edited July 26, 2009
    Nice, I like the one with the donkey the most.
    My Gallery
  • NeilLNeilL Registered Users Posts: 4,201 Major grins
    edited July 27, 2009
    Chrissiebeez_NL wrote:
    hey Neill!

    love your narrative to go with the shots (so really nice ones as well there!) I can see you really dive into the culture and social aspects of foreign lands as well! Getting to the essence of a culture and taking a plunge right in the middle of it, THATS travelling! thumb.gif

    Hey, Chris! You have a point!

    Thanks for your appreciation!

    N
    "Snow. Ice. Slow!" "Half-winter. Half-moon. Half-asleep!"

    http://www.behance.net/brosepix
  • NeilLNeilL Registered Users Posts: 4,201 Major grins
    edited July 27, 2009
    saurora wrote:
    15524779-Ti.gif Your narrative and the photos you presented work wonderfully together and makes for an excellent and unique journey posting. thumb.gif

    Thanks for your kind comments. Glad you enjoyed the post!

    N
    "Snow. Ice. Slow!" "Half-winter. Half-moon. Half-asleep!"

    http://www.behance.net/brosepix
  • NeilLNeilL Registered Users Posts: 4,201 Major grins
    edited July 27, 2009
    athos wrote:
    great stuff and the narrative to go along with it!

    i was recently in Morocco. we had 10 days and most of what we read and heard was to avoid Casablanca, Tangiers & Rabat if you really wanted to get the flavor of Morocco within that limited timeframe. too Europeanized, etc... one thing good about those cities it seems, is that people are ok with their pictures being taken, whereas in other cities, it was very unwelcome for the most part. it seems you found some of the more real, gritty and old-school flavors of Casablanca, Kudos!

    we ended up spending one night there though. it was in a touristy area, not so great. i wish we had more time to explore and see the things you did there, but instead we went with Marrakech, the desert, Fez.

    http://athos.smugmug.com/Travel


    Very nice to get your comments! I had a look at your SmugMug galleries. Left a comment in the Morocco gallery. Your work is very accomplished, and you handle your subjects with a sure eye and technique. I find myself agreeing with most your decisions, while hoping someday to be able to produce that quality.

    N
    "Snow. Ice. Slow!" "Half-winter. Half-moon. Half-asleep!"

    http://www.behance.net/brosepix
  • NeilLNeilL Registered Users Posts: 4,201 Major grins
    edited July 27, 2009
    ChatKat wrote:
    We were in Casablanca and Tangiers about a year and a half ago. While Casablanca was too city-like and at the time unsafe for Americans (Bomb warnings), we were in Taurodant and it was a wonderful experience. We did have a number of people refuse to allow us to take photos of them, but the most part they were warm and inviting. I do always ask ahead if I can shoot them. Frequent they asked for $$$

    Yes, Kathy, that's more or less the scene. I'm just realising that maybe the trick is to "employ" a sympathetic local to facilitate introductions to people and places for photographic opportunities.

    N
    "Snow. Ice. Slow!" "Half-winter. Half-moon. Half-asleep!"

    http://www.behance.net/brosepix
  • NeilLNeilL Registered Users Posts: 4,201 Major grins
    edited July 27, 2009
    Tee Why wrote:
    Nice, I like the one with the donkey the most.

    Thanks, Tee Why! I'll pass that on to the donkey, next time I'm in Casa!:D

    N
    "Snow. Ice. Slow!" "Half-winter. Half-moon. Half-asleep!"

    http://www.behance.net/brosepix
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