Yet, the reality is so very far from the story drip fed to us on a daily basis.
These lands are rich with a sumptuous and ancient culture and one that is intrinsically welcoming to all ways of being
The open door and open heart is contingent to these desert people and sharing is a way of life.
Salaam Alaikam is uttered by all as they smile and gently touch their hearts.
This is no mere salutation, it is a blessing heaped upon chance encounter within the winding medieval alleys of the Medina.
Beauty and tradition are to be found in equal measure wherever one’s gaze comes to rest.
It is a feast for the senses and balm for the soul.
The desert steals a part of the heart from all those who venture into the interior, I will return to find it, lying as it does within the burnished dunes of the Sahara.
Inshalla إن شاء الله
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Photo courtesy of the author.