Morocco is home for the best authentic vintage collection of rugs. The Moroccan Berber rug is a real beauty of art and a perfect representation of culture and tradition. This kind of rug is a unique handcrafted masterpiece. Wool derived from sheep is used in making this rug.

The crafters of a Moroccan Berber Rug

The Berber tribe is a nomadic community responsible for crafting the Moroccan Berber rug and has overtime become the gurus of weaving these rugs. The Berber tribe is made up of 17 other tribes who also live at the Atlas Mountains. Among them is the Beni Ourain tribe, which makes the Beni Ourain rug. The Beni Ourain rug is a derivative of ancient weaving by the Berber community.

In ancient times these rugs were traditionally made by women for their utility purposes. They formerly served as blankets to combat the cold weather in the mountains and were also used as bedspreads. They were symbolic in their patterns and were often associated with traditional elements that had a particular meaning.

A real beauty of art & a perfect representation of culture & tradition, the Moroccan Berber rug is a unique handcrafted masterpiece. Discover why it has become quite popular in the modern world of interior design.
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Why a Moraccan Berber Rug is chic

The Moroccan Berber rug has become quite popular in the modern world of interior design. You can never go wrong by getting yourself this rug. It has several uses and benefits. It serves as a decorative element in our homes by enhancing the appearance of a room with its distinct beauty depicted by the Berber patterns. The soft texture of the rug gives a warm feel and enhances comfort.

Its authenticity and originality make it a symbol of a family heirloom that passes from one generation to another. Its value grows as time passes away. This Moroccan rug is made of materials that are organic and contain natural fibers; thus, one does not have to worry about hazardous materials that could bring about adverse health effects upon use. Wool is an excellent filter of dust and other pollutants.

The material composition is durable and can last long with proper care and maintenance; thus, they are considered a worthy investment for our homes. The rug is crafted in various designs and styles; these include traditional, transitional, and contemporary, among other forms. One can choose to give a modern look to the rug as it is customized to match your needs.

The traditional aspects of this rug give nature an imagery reflection through the designs, color, and patterns displayed. Natural dye is used when it comes to colors, for example, leaves, flowers, and roots. Natural dyes give a more permanent look and don’t fade off. The rugs are made with much attention given to detail and could take quite a long time to get complete. The result is a perfect look with minimal or no errors at all. The beauty in this rug is extraordinary, from the making to just glancing at it or having it in your home. Visit City Cows website for more information.

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The post The Magical Beauty of The Moroccan Berber Rug appeared first on The Bucket List Project.

When it comes to travel it can often feel like there’s so much to do in such little time – and the trend of “slow travel” in someway seems a little backward, as today, we are focused on experiencing more, more, more and packing as much into our time as possible – particularly our holidays.

See, we often treat travel like a Chinese takeaway rather than a slow and luxurious Sunday Brunch; meaning we are dashing about here there and everywhere in order to satiate our quest to explore as many parts of the world as possible – in fact, we can be running around so fast that we barely get chance to enjoy our travels and truly absorb the experiences we are having.  This is where “slow travel” comes in.

Slow travel, basically means one will spend a reasonably long period of time in one place; such as a month, often working and fully integrating with the culture of the destination.  Some could argue that slow travel allows for the the best holiday possible as you get to truly know your destination, whilst for others, they might argue it’s limiting and perhaps even lazy, or boring, on the basis you aren’t experiencing the whole world – just one little pocket of it.

The thought behind “slow travel” is that by spending more time in one location, be that a few weeks or a few months, you can experience the place in more depth and perhaps more authentically, than the veneered view of a tourist.

The term “like a local” is often used to describe the enhanced experience a traveller has when getting beneath the surface of a city, however it takes time to get to this level, and isn’t something a guidebook can point out.

Slow travel, be it a few weeks or a few months, helps you experience anywhere in more depth & more authentically! Read some destination inspiration as to where to head to in order to engage in slow travel. #slowtravel #travelslow
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Whereas, if you were to spend, let’s say a month, integrating with the local culture you will experience a whole new side of the city that is much richer than the limits of the typical tourist trail.

Slow travel may or may not be up your street, but if you’re curious as to where to head to in order to engage in slow travel and integrate with the local culture, here’s some destination inspiration:

1. THAILAND:  CHIANG MAI

Many people would describe Chiang Mai as a land of temples, rice paddies, monks and natural jungle.  This is true for the areas around Chiang Mai, but the city itself can be a pretty bustling place that is like a much more relaxed version of Bangkok.

Finding somewhere cheap to live in Chiang Mai is pretty simple.  There are several modern apartments available on www.airbnb.com at a cost of just $10 per night (presuming you are renting for over a month).

Chiang Mai is a great place to have as a base whilst exploring the rest of Thailand as there are direct flights to beautiful islands such as Krabi, Phuket and Koh Samui meaning you can go on mini breaks to more exotic locations, whilst benefiting from being in the cheaper and some could argue friendlier North of the country.

2. TURKEY: ISTANBUL

Whilst there are the occasional political demonstrations in Istanbul, on the whole Istanbul is a very safe, peaceful and calm city that is tourist friendly and extremely polite.

Istanbul is a lot like London, New York and Paris – but a lot warmer, both in terms of the weather and the people.  It’s also a lot cheaper. Istanbul is unlike any other city in the world due to the fact it is separated by the Bosphorus Strait meaning the city is split into two sides, each on a different continent (Europe and Asia).

The European side offers well known brands occupying prime real estate on busy high streets with independent hipster bars and coffee shops found closer to the river, akin to the vibe one might find in San Francisco, whilst the Asian side has a much more rustic and raw vibe, where in parts, you could feel like you were in modern day Morocco.

3. MOROCCO: MARRAKECH

Talking of Morocco, Marrakech is an incredibly colourful and vibrant city that has a lot to offer tourists – yet most will visit only for a few days.

Whilst you may not choose to live in Marrakech for a whole month, it can be a fantastic place to base yourself for a few weeks whilst exploring the hidden gems of Morocco such as the Sahara Desert and Atlas Mountains.  Indeed, a more relaxed and much nicer alternative to Marrakech is Essaouira which has a far more chilled out coastal vibe akin to Portugal.

4. INDONESIA: BALI

Made famous by the film Eat Pray Love, Bali is a spiritual hotbed of hippie travelers all trying to make ends meet on the beautiful island of Bali.  That said, it isn’t all hippie creativity, there’s also a lot of pollution, congestion and club life; as Bali serves the same purpose for the young Australian crowd that the likes of Ibiza does in Europe.

Admittedly, Bali isn’t the cheapest destination in SE Asia, though it is one of the nicest – particularly if you head toward the Northern part of the island, away from the trashiness of Kuta.  Moreover, Bali is a good starting point to explore other parts of Indonesia, and these parts can be incredibly cheap yet equally as beautiful as Bali.

In fact, the lesser known parts of this country made up of hundreds if not thousands of tiny islands are in some ways even more magical than Bali because they retain their true essence without being corrupted by tourism.

5. SINGAPORE

Singapore is a melting pot of cultures with an incredible foodie scene.  Whilst Singapore isn’t particularly cheap as a place to travel long-term, you can earn a decent wage here, meaning if you were travelling long term and looking for a way to top up your travel fund this could be a good option.

Hotels can be pricey, but there are some great deals to be had on long term apartments; particularly through AirBnB.  That said, due to how polite people are in this region, it would be just as easy to live with someone on a roommate basis rather than renting an entire apartment.

Singapore makes a great place to have as a base for exploring other parts of Southeast Asia as there are very cheap flights to the majority of popular tourist destinations with flights just a few hours long.

You can ensure that you get the best out of your Slow Travel experience with a bit of simple planning. Check out some destination inspiration for a great slow travel adventure! #slowtravel #travelslow #SeeTheWorld
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Though some people might worry that slow travel could be boring, you can do a lot to ensure that you get the best out of your travel experience with a bit of simple planning. Where else would you consider as a great place for those looking to experience slow travel? Let us know in the comments below!

 Don’t forget to Pin this to your Bucket List Board!

The post Slow Travel: Is It The Way Forward? appeared first on The Bucket List Project.

It’s that time again, time for reflecting and planning out my 2017 Bucket List Hopes and Goals!

I was home from India for barely a week when I started getting that same damn question, “So what’s next on the Bucket List Project?” It is a question that sometimes bothers me. I appreciate that people are excited for the next adventure (as am I), but sometimes I just want the chance to enjoy the items previously accomplished and tell that story before moving on to the next. Regardless, 2016 was a great year of amazing adventures, new experiences, and wonderful new friends.  See all the Bucket List items I scratched off in 2016 by CLICKING HERE!

So what’s next on the Bucket List Project?

Trying to figure out what I want to do next can be a rather daunting task, especially since I am such a bucket-luster (is that just a dreamer of buckets?) that dreams of big adventures. Being that 2016 was filled with amazing travel and personal experiences, continuing that level of success can add to the difficulty.

But, for the past several weeks, I have been pondering what exactly my 2017 Bucket List Hopes and Goals are going to be.  Some of the items came easy, as they are items I’ve had on my mind, while others popped up for various reasons.  So, with the use of a modern technology (pen & paper) and a time tested strategy (the line graph), I believe I have come up with a great rough draft of my 2017 Bucket List Hopes and Goals.

Now I know that this technology is somewhat foreign to many, therefore I will post below what is written on my 2017 Bucket List Hopes and Goals graph for easier reading.

Reading the 2017 Bucket List Project's Hopes & Goals. Have you seen this list yet? #bucketlist
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Here is my 2017 Bucket List Hopes and Goals:

February

• #129) Learn How to Make “GrandMom’s Pizza Pie”
• #130) Eat weird things:
  • #18) Eat Pop Rocks & Drink a Coke and Not Explode

March

• #17) Travel to The Republic of Ireland
• #143) Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland
• #210) Explore the Giant Causeway & walk across the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge in Northern Ireland

April

• #18) Travel to Scotland
• #130) Eat weird things:
  • #8) Haggis in Scotland
• #16) Travel to England

May

• #5) See my 6 Pack Abs

June

• #188) See the Synchronous Fireflies in Elkmont, Tennessee
• #100) Do 3rd of 4 Urban Adventures in random city in the U.S

July

• #187) Travel to Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada
• #108) Do 4+ OutDoor Adventure “Mud Races” (4th & Final is the Spartan near Banff, Alberta, CA)
• #198) Witness Pink in Nature:
  • c) See a Pink Waterfall
• #118) Geocache in the 2nd of 4 Cities (Edmonton or Calgary)

August

• ????

September

• #66) Travel to the Berlin Wall
• #132) Drink Beer at OktoberFest in Germany
• #189) Travel to Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany

October

• #156) Travel to Chefchaoueh (the Blue City) of Morocco
• #158) Visit my 5th of the 7 Continents (Africa)

November

• 197) Go to Notre Dame vs Navy football game in South Bend (11-18-2017)

December

• ???

Whenever Possible this Year

• #200) Continue to Explore my home state of Louisiana
• #203) Continue Reading my 11 Classic Adventure Books
• #37) Be in a Movie: Be seen
• #38) Be in TV Show Episode
• #39) Be in a National Commercial
• Try to Make Amends with 1 Person on my List
• #103) Fullfill 1 Bucket List Item for Anyone who helps me with 1 of mine!

Now this definitely looks like a lot.  Obviously, this is just a rough draft because with life, especially mine, things are always subject to change. But as a list-maker, I feel writing it all out not only allows me to maintain focus but keeps me accountable.

So what do you think about The Bucket List Project’s 2017 Bucket List hopes and Goals?  Is there anything on the calendar you think is missing that I need to put on there this year? Please let me know in the comments below!

Also , what is on your 2017 Bucket List? I would love to hear about your hopes and goals for 2017!

Don’t forget to Pin this to your Bucket List Board!

The post 2017 Bucket List Hopes and Goals appeared first on The Bucket List Project.