Perhaps because I grew up in a small town, I just love the little Berber villages scattered on mountain-sides throughout the Atlas Mountains.

Colourful houses lead to welcoming homes.

A simple way of life. Where brand-name clothes and accessories don’t seem to matter. Or getting a table at the newest restaurant in town is low on the priority list.

Where everyone knows everyone. And while that can be annoying, it provides a sense of community.

I once had the pleasure of spending a fascinating week with a friend and his family in Todra Gorge, enjoying couscous in their one-room kasbah-style home. Listening to stories about various members of the family and the challenges they faced, there were quite a few in that little kasbah!  Walking through the village, chatting with the locals. Waking up to fresh bread baking before enjoying it with a cup of mint tea with the entire family. Buying all the fruits and vegetables at the local market before heading home in a grande taxi. Watching the local women wash the laundry in the local river. It was in fact one of the best weeks I’ve ever spent in Morocco.

While I may be a city girl, some days I long to live in a small little village again.