Emily and Jon In Morocco – A place where friends and family can better understand a couple’s experiences in Morocco.

Emily and Jon in Morocco

Here is a look at why this blog was nominated for the 2011 Bombies.

This was a trip that happened fairly early on in our service, in March 2010. It was our first time in the southern region of Morocco, so the landscape alone was something completely foreign to us. It was a pretty typical trip I guess you can say and we did the same things that many other volunteers have done. We rode camels in Merzouga to a Berber camp site were we spent the night and climbed at least part way up the big dune and looked at the stars. In Todra we hiked up to the top of the gorge where we were rewarded with a beautiful view (and Jon was rewarded with a shoe shine, but that’s a different story). It was a great opportunity to see the parts of Morocco that I tend to enjoy more…the smaller towns and rural areas. They beat Marrakesh and Fes any day. There was a core group of four volunteers that went, with others meeting up and leaving along the way, but always great company.

To nominate a blog for the Best of Morocco Blogs, just make sure it fits the criteria at this post and then let us know about it!

Life in Marrakesh – The chronicles of an American lady who grew up in Marrakesh, Morocco, has two degree, three children, speaks four languages. Laugh, cry or roll your eyes as you read her chronicles of what life is really like in Marrakesh.

Life In Marrakesh

Here is a look at why this blog was nominated for the 2011 Bombies.

Ramadan has made the transition back to Morocco, after two months in the states, very kind. Most people are being the best they can be. Those who generally “know better”, in Ramadan actually “do better”. When I walk by, I can recognize the young men who might, if they weren’t fasting, make boorish cat-calls to me and any other female. But because it’s Ramadan, they just lower their gaze (and I don’t need to puke, thank you very much).One of the Islamic teachings about Ramadan is that “demons are chained up, and the gates of heaven are thrown open”. It does seem that people are freed from their demons, because when you give up food, smoking, sex, drinking and drugs, for 14 hours a day, what demons are left? I drove through the empty streets of Marrakesh, and really that was a treat in itself. There is no other time when the driving is that pleasant.The Koutoubia mosque was built some 1000 years ago (ok, I’m a little loose with dates), by the founders of Marrakesh, the Almoravids. It was then partially destroyed and rebuilt by the Almohads around 1150 C.E. It stands at an impressive 69 m (221 ft) which was quite an architectural feat for its time. Tonight, the towering minaret is all ablaze with lights. Atop the minaret are 4 decorative golden balls, tour guides will often perpetuate the urban myth that highest ball was donated by the wife of Sultan Yaqoub el Mansour, who melted down all her gold jewelry, as penance for breaking her fast. (I find this Arabian nights-esque tale rather implausible, as there are 3 ways of atoning for a fast that is broken for no reason: either freeing a slave, or if that’s not possible, then feeding 60 poor people, or fasting 2 months back to back).

To nominate a blog for the Best of Morocco Blogs, just make sure it fits the criteria at this post and then let us know about it!

Morocco Blogs is proud to be working in concert with Rough Guides to bring you the best Moroccan travel and tourist advice available anywhere. Look forward to more great Morocco travel information in the future from Rough Guides and Morocco Blogs!

Morocco: things not to miss in Marrakesh

For Westerners, Morocco’s perceived foreignness gives it an immediate and enduring
fascination – even though it’s just an hour’s ride on the ferry from Spain. And visiting Marrakesh, or Morocco City as early travellers called it, is a good way of getting a taste of the country. This pleasure city, a marketplace where the southern tribesmen and Berber villagers bring in their goods, spend their money and find entertainment, is packed with things to do. So we’re taking the hassle out of trip planning and bringing you the places not to miss in Marrakesh – taken from The Rough Guide to Morocco and The Rough Guide Marrakesh.

The Majorelle Garden

The Majorelle Garden, or Jardin Bou Saf, is a meticulously planned twelve-acre botanical
garden, created in the 1920s and 1930s by French painter Jacques Majorelle, and now
owned by fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent. The feeling of tranquillity in the garden is
enhanced by verdant groves of bamboo, dwarf palm and agave, the cactus garden and
the various lily-covered pools. Don’t miss the pavilion – Majorelle’s former studio is now a
museum of Islamic arts exhibiting Saint Laurent’s fine personal collection of North African
carpets, pottery, furniture and doors.

The Koutoubia Mosque

The symbol of Marrakesh, the Koutoubia’s twelfth-century minaret is a dramatic
landmark in the otherwise architecturally sparse Djemaa el Fna square. At nearly seventy
metres high, the minaret is visible for miles on a clear morning and is the oldest and most
complete of the three great Almohad towers. Work on the minaret probably began shortly
after the Almohad conquest of the city, around 1150 – you’ll see in it many of the features
that were to become widespread in Moroccan architecture.

The Bahia

By far the most ambitious and costly of the mansions north of the Mellah was the Bahia
Palace, originally built in 1866–7 for Si Moussa, a former slave who had risen to become
grand vizier. Visitors enter the palace from the west, through an arcaded courtyard which
leads to a small riad (enclosed garden), part of Bou Ahmed’s extension. The riad is decorated
with beautiful carved stucco and cedarwood, with salons leading off it on three sides. The
eastern salon leads through to the council room and then through a vestibule – where it’s
worth pausing to look up at the lovely painted ceiling – to the great courtyard of Si Moussa’s
original palace.

The Djemaa el Fna

There’s nowhere in Morocco like the Djemaa el Fna – no place that so effortlessly
involves you and keeps you coming back for more. You’ll be fascinated by the remedies
of the herb doctors, with their bizarre concoctions spread out before them. Or for a more
traditional entertainment there are performers, too – the square’s acrobats have for years
supplied the European circuses, though they are perhaps never as spectacular as here,
thrust forward into multiple somersaults and contortions in the late afternoon heat.

You can read her award winning entry below. Her prize is a two night stay in the Fes Medina at the luxurious Dar Othmane. Congratulations Miranda…if you ever want to write a guest post about Morocco or travel here, you are always welcome!

My favorite Moroccan destination isn’t so much a destination as it is a state of mind, though it does have a name and a place on the map.

My partner and I visited the ancient medina-city of Fes el Bali for the first time three years ago. Our love was still new and when we arrived it was like having travelled to the centre of someone else’s dream; we stood at the base of Bab Boujoloud, the gaping blue-green gate, our eyes hot, sweating diamonds onto a street paved with dust.

We held hands shyly as we explored; we learned the smell of each other’s sweat, the intimacy of shared anxieties and happinesses.

We spent our days walking imperfect circles, coming across sudden palaces, half-decayed, women scrubbing the rot of orange blossoms from the tiled floors. We never quite knew where we were and we never once felt lost.

From a good terrace we could see the curves of the city and look down onto the mysterious pear-shaped Medina and we could try to decipher it; but two thousand streets is too many to understand, and what would be the point anyway?

In the medina we were able to simply be; the air hanging always with a candid, unbridled pungency, the sky above open and honest and blue.

One night, full of meat and couscous from the Tajine, and cinnamon-spiced oranges, and chunks of hearty bread, we wandered with no aim but to quiet our bulging stomachs, and to enjoy the coolness that the dark brings. We took a turn away from the main drag, where late night merchants beckoned us into stalls full of leather bags and extravagant rugs, where children ran screaming past us and beggars rattled coins.

Suddenly it was quiet: we had come upon a small square, which once, perhaps, was fully enclosed, for along one side was a half-collapsed wall, and in one corner, a single, elegant archway. The ground was patterned with blue tiles.

We heard the echo of one last call to prayer; from our secret plaza, it sounded distant and foreign. We felt ourselves suspended in time.

Every day for a thousand years, I knew, the muezzin had sung from minarets for men to come and pray. Maybe this was the only way to mark the passing of hours here: by the clockwork of five Adhans a day.

Now it seems to me a sweet city of perpetual wandering. You are carried by the wind, driven by the whims of your own nostrils, by the way the light strikes a building; and the aimlessness of a day spent lost-but-not-lost in the medina is as beautiful as any mountain or medersa.

This series will showcase their advice to visitors of their city in Fes, Morocco. All work is published with the permission and consent of the authors.

Of course, not all of them had wonderful things to say….

Dear Visitor,

I don’t recommend you visit my city of Fes, Morocco. As you know it doesn’t have many view points and the night life is sooooo boring. However, if you want to come, you shouldn’t miss a tour in the old Medina and tasting some local Moroccan dishes.

One nice thing about Fes is that it has a very nice countryside around it. It’s located right in the middle of the Morocco and it is beautiful.

Mourad
Age 19

This series will showcase their advice to visitors of their city in Fes, Morocco. All work is published with the permission and consent of the authors.

Dear Visitor,

I’m excited that you will visit my city. It is the fourth largest city in Morocco, but in my opinion it is the nicest.

In Fez, you must have a camera. I think it may be the law for tourists because there are so many beautiful places to visit. You’ll want to take your memories home with you.

When you visit the old medina, you will discover historic monuments and also don’t forget that Fez is surrounded by some simple and beautiful towns. You shouldn’t miss the countryside sight-seeing. You will enjoy it.

The weather in Fez can vary, you will come in summer so you have to know that it’s too hot, but you shouldn’t worry about it because there are many swimming pools and the neighboring cities are less hot.

I suggest you come in Spring since it’s better then than in the other seasons. I promise you that you will never regret visiting Fes.

Zineb
24 years old

This series will showcase their advice to visitors of their city in Fes, Morocco. All work is published with the permission and consent of the authors.

Dear Visitor,

I want to tell you about the amazing sight-seeing in my city of Fez. As you know, Fez is a wonderful city so I’m sure you will bring your camera.

You won’t regret it. Also, don’t forget to bring good shoes for walking since you will probably visit the old medina and a lot of museums. In the Medina there is the al-Karaouiyine and of course the famous blue gate Bab Boujloud, Bauananiya.

I think you’d better bring your credit cards for buying the wonderful Moroccan gifts and memories. the Moroccan foods such as Chhiwat, Couscous, Tajine, and our most famous, pastilla.

I advise you to bring your swimsuit for the pools at the hotels, but don’t worry about medicines or a first aid kit since we have a lot of pharmacies. The spacious riads of Fes have big gardens, exciting parks and lots of huge rooms with fantastic architecture.

You will find Fassi people to be very friendly and honest, just please don’t be arrogant with us!

I think this will be the best place you have ever seen. Don’t miss Fez. Believe me, you’re going to enjoy it.

Salma
Age 15

This series will showcase their advice to visitors of their city in Fes, Morocco. All work is published with the permission and consent of the authors.

Dear Visitor,

I’m so happy that you have decided to visit Fes. It’s the spiritual capital of Morocco and of course it is also a very beautiful city.

In Fez, you will find traditional Moroccan clothes, shops, plus tasty and delicious Moroccan foods like Tajines and the famous Fassi Khiliaa candies.

You absolutely must visit the old medina, The weather is good, sunny in the summer and cold in the winter so you should bring suitable clothing.

In addition, there are many beautiful neighboring cities around Fes such as Sefrou, Immouzir, Sidi Hrazem, Moulay Yacoub, and of course Ifrane.

I promise you won’t regret coming to this exciting and beautiful Moroccan city. Don’t forget your camera. I’m sure you are going to have a wonderful time.

Sincerely,

Hajar, age 25

This series will showcase their advice to visitors of their city in Fes, Morocco. All work is published with the permission and consent of the authors.

Dear Visitor,
I’m so happy you are going to visit the exciting city of Fes. It is one of the most beautiful cities in Morocco. It has a mixture of modern and old things.

Fes is famous for it’s monuments such as the Karaouiyine University and Bouaonoiya, and the mosque of Moulay Idriss. There are a lot of old things in the medina.

Also, we organize a lot of festivals here such as the Fes Festival of Sacred Music which just happened a few weeks ago. It is a very interesting time to visit.

Fes is famous for it’s many fountains and delicious Moroccan foods. Taste it and I’m sure you are going to love it.

If you are feeling ill you can visit the hot springs at Moulay Yakoub. It really works. You should bring your camera and of course some money. There are a lot of things to buy here and you will find it very cheap.

If you come to Fes, you will have a very amazing time. It’s an important place.

Come to Fes!
Zineb C aka Swan
17 years old

The contest will run for the entire month of June and the winner will receive 2 nights accommodation at Dar Othmane in the Fes Medina.

It’s a simple contest, just tell us about your favorite Morocco destination. Read all the details of the June Morocco Travel Contest

This entry comes from Charlotte who blogs at Bishaha.

Picture Essaouira: a breezy town where, like in any other seaside village, the heart of the city lies at its outer edge. Imagine a broad ‘corniche’ – a boulevard made for promenading, for seeing and being seen – running alongside a sprawling beach that gives way to sparkling blue water. Just across the road, the visitor finds a long stretch of restaurants and hotels, each decorated with its own take on the white-and-blue theme that dominates this coastal town.

Picture a bend in the road as the corniche curls to the left, heading for the town’s port, and picture the ochre walls of Essaouira’s medina rising up on the right – showing a glimpse of the white-and-blue theme that continues inside these old Portuguese walls. The corniche finally ends on a large square flanked by ramparts, another large stage set up at its far end, across from the bank. On the other end – the seaside end – imagine a few evergreen trees and small kiosks, where merchants grill fish and offer simple meals of sardines and shrimp to hungry tourists. There is no more beach; the water reaches right up to a concrete wall along the sidewalk. Picture a mix of tourists and local families seated on that wall, enjoying the last light of the day, and imagine groups of boys boisterously diving into the water, one after another, their dark, wet skin glistening in the sun. Feel the wind in your hair as you head into the narrow medina streets, and smell the saltiness in the air as it mixes with the smell of grilled fish and other seafood emerging from the restaurants and ‘snacks’ that line the street. Hear the seagulls clucking to one another as they fly overhead.

Picture three tourists – an Arab, a Berber, and a Gawriya – taking a stroll through Essaouira’s port at sundown. Dark blue wooden rowboats have already been anchored for the night, tied to another they are like a flock of ducks on the water, floating safely in a little walled basin close to the medina. Further down, larger fishing boats (likewise blue) have been moored along the single dock that comprises this port. Weathered men with browned faces and worn shirts haul the last fish from their vessels; though large and visibly heavy, they grab the silver, slippery bodies by the gills and carelessly toss them into carts waiting on shore. Along the Portuguese ramparts that protect the dock from the sea, other men – and the occasional woman – sell the day’s catch to passers-by. Sardines, crab, eels, stingrays with leopard-print skin.

The three tourists walk down the dock as it tapers to a narrow tip, braving strong winds and the pungent smell of seagull droppings. When there is no further to go, they climb the steep ramparts, a few meters in height, and stroll back toward the medina. Here and there they stop and look out over the oddly-shaped concrete breakers that prevent the waves from eating up these walls. The two men smoke a cigarette as the woman leans into the wind and watches the sunset.

Picture a scene at Essaouira’s yearly Gnaoua festival – a group of brightly colored musicians up on stage, swaying their heads just so, the tassels on their skullcaps effortlessly circling their head like propellers, dancers bending forwards, backwards, on the rhythm of the music. People from all walks of life seem to have gathered here this evening. You see European women in bright, revealing sundresses, and old jellaba’d men in white skullcaps. You watch dreadlocked tourists making the acquaintance of Moroccan Rastafarians as you are shoved around by overly energetic local teens. There are homeless children who try to sell single packs of tissues for a dirham each, veiled Moroccan mothers who have brought their own plastic stools to the concert, and young Moroccan girls who feel a bit intimidated by these large crowds and the cover they give to boys that are up to no good. You stand there amongst them all and watch them dance, no trace of the distance that usually separates strangers. Temporary friendships are made as Moroccan girls dance hand in hand with Dutch women, and eager local boys copy the dreadlocked Europeans who dance with an air of complete liberation. Look up: the airborne traffic of seagulls is as busy at night as it is by day. Illuminated by the street- and stage lighting, their winged bodies create a beautiful contrast against the black of the night sky.

Picture another sunset – this one on the Scala, the ramparts that protect the medina’s northern flank from the sea. Picture the ochre of the walls, highlighted by the light of the receding sun, contrasting beautifully with the deep blue of the ocean ahead. Watch families promenading up and down the ramparts, taking photographs of their children astride old canons that still stand at the ready between the turrets, keeping a watchful eye over the ocean. You reach a walled circular lookout point and hear gnaoua music, so you climb up the walkway and enter this space. Groups of local boys have gathered here to watch the sunset. They sit high atop the walls, and stand in the openings between the turrets. You spot the source of the music: on the far end, along the wall, a group of young men sits on the ground. One of them has a sintir and plays to the rhythm of the qraqeb, the metal cymbals that really define the gnaoua sound, worked by a few others. On either side of these musicians sits a boy, singing gnaoua melodies. You sit down and let yourself be carried away by the hypnotic tunes, and you look at their clothing – their Nike sneakers and Ed Hardy T-shirts creating an interesting contrast with this ancient-sounding music.

Picture a French-run coffee bar housed in an old stone building beside the medina walls, its large patio separated from the garden beyond by pillars spaced a few meters apart. It is about eleven o’clock at night, and as you walk by you are drawn by its inviting lantern light. You take a seat on one of the tan leather couches sprawled across this space and order hot chocolate. You lean back and listen to the tribal house, played by the DJ there in the corner. You wonder how this place can exude such calm, when the music’s beat reverberates through you at maximum volume. A few daring European tourists move toward the center of the patio and begin to dance – they twist, curl, grind, and shake in perfect harmony with the DJ’s rhythms, their limbs moving so freely, yet in such perfect coordination with one another. When you peel your eyes away from them, you notice that the music has attracted a crowd – a wall of onlookers now encloses the patio. Suddenly, the dance floor fills up, local boys taking over, once again enthusiastically mirroring the wild movements of dance around them. The crowd swells and swells – people on their way to see Cheb Khaled in concert, drawn in by the tribal rhythms just like you were. The crowd swells and swells and swells – and right when it’s at its peak, the dance floor clears out, the DJ winds down his session, and out steps a simply clad man with a large drum. Behind him, four others jump out. They are dressed in simple pants and wife beaters – all in white – and you get excited, because you see “essaouira capoeira” emblazoned on their shirts. And indeed: two by two, the men crouch, do a brief shake of hands, and jump out in a dazzling show of capoeira moves. Limbs are everywhere as they twist and turn in feigned fighting, a back-and-forth in perfect harmony, never touching another, but always keeping that tension alive.

Picture Nass el Ghiwane in performance on the beach. It is close to one AM, and all of Essaouira seems to have come out for this show. Nass El Ghiwane are the Moroccan Beatles, if you will. They sang politically sensitive songs in the 70s, to the great frustration of the late King Hassan II. Though the group is no longer complete (courtesy of a few deaths), their poignant lyrics and use of traditional North African instruments and rhythms has lent them everlasting fame. Their songs are played everywhere and known by everyone – tonight, all generations are present, and all sing along with equal enthusiasm. You dance with the friends you came with and the new ones you made, joining their singing with the few lines that you know. This is the largest crowd you have seen yet at this festival, but the atmosphere is communal, friendly. Once in a while, a wave of running boys stirs the crowd – a new fight has broken out, and excited onlookers chase the brawling pair to the waterside to fight in peace.

And finally, picture the sparkling water, starry night, and perfect music, all of which fill you with a tranquil happiness you hope to hold on for a long time to come.