Aerial view of autumn allotment gardens

Mist rests on the braided river channels near Tétouan as the first light of dawn breaks through the clouds. Below, a patchwork of allotment gardens spreads across the valley floor, their rectangular plots forming a geometric mosaic of dormant browns and fading greens. Late autumn leaves scatter across the soil, creating a textured carpet between the cultivated rows. A brief sun shower creates a shimmering haze over the water, softening the edges of the riverbanks. The gardens appear as distinct, orderly blocks against the wilder, braided waterways that wind between them. Thin lines of irrigation channels cut through the earth, connecting the plots in a precise network. The light falls through the mist, casting a cool, silver glow over the entire landscape. At the far edge, the river splits into multiple shallow streams, their surfaces reflecting the pale sky above.