Rock The Casbah
Morocco.
The cream or grey, sometimes blue or pink, exterior walls in the narrow alleys of the medina (old town) in Fes give no clues to the myriad secrets and treasures on the other side. Indeed, to the uninitiated the sameness of these windowless, three or four-level bastions, hardly entice investigation. Unlike Western homes, traditional abodes in a Moroccan medina are deliberately discreet. But step through the small dual-doorway of a riad (house with garden) or dar (house with courtyard only), and you enter a whole new world.
Exquisite mosaic-tiled courtyards, carved wood and plaster work, landscaped gardens and sometimes a pool are found in this secret heart of the home. Balcony-like walkways leading to bedrooms surround the beautifully furnished courtyard; a rooftop terrace affords sweeping views over the medina and beyond.
Fes’ medina and its hidden riads encapsulate Morocco’s vibrant visitor appeal: culture, tradition, design, style, luxury, discovery and cuisine, all infused with a mix of Berber, Andalusian and Moorish cultures. The riads and dars in Fes have been citizens’ homes since the city’s founding in 789AD; today, many are used as tourist accommodation.
Morocco’s other main cities – Casablanca, Marrakech, Rabat, Meknes, Tangier, Essaouira and Agadir – also have walled medinas hiding their own treasures. These are, of course, the souks (markets) and squares that bring the medina to life. Locals and tourists alike jostle to bargain for food, spices, jewellery, clothes, rugs, textiles,
ceramics, brass and silverware, art, leatherwork and trinkets of every description. The motorbikes, mules, carts and trolleys that transport goods through the souks are a constant reminder that a medina is the lifeblood of the community. With or without inquisitve tourists, life in the medina must go on.
Traditional Berber rugs, ceramics, leather goods and jewellery are the best buys in the souk. Bargaining is de rigueur; start at a quarter of the asking price and perhaps go higher, but never offer more than half. When the shop seller chases you down the souk to accept a seemingly brazen offer, you know you’re on the money.
The five elements of the medina – a square, mosque, hammam (public bath), madrasa (school) and bakery – are at the heart of Moroccan society, and all are ubiquitous. Five times daily, commencing before sunrise, worshippers are called to prayer, the imam’s call echoing throughout the medina. It’s a reminder of Morocco’s Muslim heritage, which is practised with more tolerance and more moderately than in some other Islamic nations.
For sheer intensity and diversity, the medina in Marrakech – the largest and most chaotic in Morocco – has romantic, though quirky, appeal. Snake charmers, musicians, touts and innumerable vendors of oils, fruits, juices, spices and soaps, artisans crafting their wares and throngs of tourists create a constant hubbub in and around the Djemaa El-Fna (main square). Ample cafes and restaurants cater for western and Arabic tastes; some even serve alcohol.
Marrakech, on the ancient trading routes between north Africa and southern Europe, has always been Morocco’s melting pot. The 1000-year-old medina is the focal point of a beguiling inland city unashamedly revealing its cultural divergence: luxury hotels, golf resorts, palm-lined boulevards and Andalusian-style villas.
It’s little wonder Marrakech became the second home of French fashion designer Yves St Laurent and his partner Pierre Bergé. In 1980, the pair bought the Jardin Majorelle, saving it from development. The incredible one-hectare garden, created by French artist Jacques Majorelle in the 1930s, is a cool oasis in the often very warm city. Today, the Jardin Majorelle, along with the Djemaa El-Fna,
Berber and Yves St Laurent museums, are the top tourist attractions in Marrakech. Jardin Majorelle is also a place of homage for fans of Yves Saint Laurent, who died in 2008. His ashes are scattered in the garden, which also has a memorial plinth in honour of the designer.
An hour’s drive from Marrakech is The White Camel, a newly opened luxury tented camp by tourism operator Jawad El Rhannami and a business partner in the unforgiving but spectacular Agafay Desert. Reminiscent of the tented safari camps elsewhere in Africa, there are abundant pleasures on offer, ranging from camel treks to quad biking and a to-die-for gourmet menu. Rising in the distance are the majestic Atlas Mountains, snow-covered in winter, that separate Morocco’s Mediterranean and Atlantic coastlines from the Sahara. Invitingly, they beckon modern-day adventurers to hike, trek and explore Berber villages and the desert beyond.
If there is any counterculture in Morocco, it’s in Essaouira, a former Portuguese trading port west of Marrakech, where the walled medina is lapped by the Atlantic Ocean. Essaouira so captivated Ernest Hemingway, Jimi Hendrix, Ira Cohen and other artistes that it became the Goa of the eastern Atlantic. Tourists from all over the world continue to flock to the laidback city, attracted by an eclectic mix of music (including several festivals every year), art, water sports, Berber culture, riads, coffee, antiques and night markets.
Casablanca is the entry point for most long-haul visitors to Morocco. The coastal city in the north-west of the country offers a tantalising mix of Arabic, French and Spanish culture, architecture and cuisine. The combination is no surprise: France and Spain colonised Morocco simultaneously (Spain in the north and south; France in the central region) between 1912 and 1956/1958. The influences are obvious.
Rick’s Café, recreated from the movie Casablanca, is a must-visit for drinks or dinner. Authentically decorated in 1940s splendour, it presents a fascinating cameo of Moroccan-French colonial style and, unsurprisingly, is packed every night.
There’s also a religious draw to the city. Hassan II mosque, on the seafront, is the third largest mosque after shrines in Mecca and
Medina; its 200-metre high minaret is the world’s tallest.
Unlike most, Hassan II mosque is open to non-Muslims and accommodates 25,000 worshippers at any one time. It’s a sight to behold: a 1100-tonne retractable roof, meticulously carved friezes, fountains in the marble basement, and decorative windows and doors that filter the bright light outside.
After you return home, what will linger longest in your mind is Morocco’s individuality and style, particularly that of the people and food. Moroccans display friendliness, openness and a softness, often with multi-lingual expertise – as well as Moroccan Arabic, French is widely spoken. Spanish can help in the north; English is spoken in many tourist hotspots. Apart from being hassled by touts and shopkeepers, Morocco poses few perils for visitors. Indeed, merhaba (hello) and shukran (thank you) are two Arabic words that will serve you well.
In this traditional yet progressing society, women are becoming increasingly empowered: Nawal El Hriti and Nora Fitzgerald Belahcen are two of the local women leading the way. Nawal is a clothing and jewellery designer whose boutique, Aya’s, is hidden in the Jewish quarter of the medina in Marrakech. Her distinctive, simple but elegant handcrafted jewellery and clothing are made mostly by women, sometimes surreptitiously, to provide them a modicum of financial independence. Eventually, Nawal plans to open a boutique in New York. Nora, Morocco-born but US-raised, has operated Amal, a non-profit training centre in Marrakech, for the past six years. Here, vulnerable women undertake a six-month, hands-on course in cooking, catering and hospitality to prepare them for full-time work, self-fulfilment and independence. The on-site restaurant, serving traditional Moroccan fare, is a hotspot for lunch (only) and is one of the most highly rated restaurants in the city.
And the food? Oh, the food! It may not be the only reason to visit Morocco, but it’s a pretty good one. Tagines, olives, dates, breads, pastries and sweets, with spices and garnishes galore, entice every palate. Tagine is a slow-cooked stew made in a conical earthenware vessel of the same name and is the centrepiece of almost every Moroccan gastronomic experience. Served on its own, with flatbread or couscous, tagines come in all combinations and sizes. The choice of ingredients is regional – mostly chicken, beef or lamb, sometimes fish near the coast, or vegetarian – along with tomatoes, vegetables and spices. A traditional Moroccan pastilla (pie), usually made with chicken and served as an entrée, also rates highly. And, of course, tea. How Moroccans love their tea...
Ah, Morocco. What a delight. As locals say when showing you around: yalla habibi! Let’s go, my dear. #