Destination Africa

• Casablanca may be the cosmopolitan, industrial and economic heart of Morocco (and its largest city), but it is one of the less endearing of the country’s sights. With a small, unassuming medina and a traffic-congested ville nouvelle, travellers arriving via Casablanca may be tempted to find the first train out of to nearby Rabat. The awe-inspiring Hassan II Mosque and happening nightlife, however, are worth at least a day of your Moroccan itinerary.
The King Hassan II Mosque, a relatively recent mosque, it’s one of the largest in the world and the largest in Morocco, and has the tallest minaret on the planet. It is situated on a promontory looking out to the Atlantic, which can be seen through a gigantic glass floor with room for 25,000 worshippers. A further 80,000 can be accommodated in the mosque’s courtyard. It’s one of the two main mosques in Morocco open to non-muslims.
The Parc de la Ligue Arabe (formally called Lyautey) is the city’s largest public park. On its edge is situated the Cathedrale du Sacré Coeur, which is disused, but is a splendid example of Mauresque architecture.
Le Vieux Port (The Old Port) restaurant is one of Mohammedia restaurants, which is located just in front of the fishing port, offering a magnificient view. It specialises in sea food, and crustacees.
Modern, hip and slightly seedy, Casablanca is a mixed bag of Moroccan extremes.

(read more…)

Essaouira. An ancient sea-side town newly (re)discovered by tourists. From mid june to august the beaches are packed but any other time and youll be the only person there. Good music and great people.
The beach dominates the Essaouirans’ leisure time. Although the strong wind and currents makes relaxed tanning and swimming a little difficult at times, it is perfect for windsurfing. With good winds for most days of the year, Essaouira is a windsurfer’s paradise. The best spots are reported to be Essaouira Bay, Sidi Kaouki, Cape Sim and Mouley Bouzertoune. Equipment can be hired from the Windsurfing Club on the beach front.
The nearby town of Diabat and its beach is allegedly where Jimi Hendrix once spent some time. Even if the stories aren’t true, this long, windswept beach with its ruined fort, about 5km from Essaouira, is a lovely place to walk to. Diabat is an empty, concrete Berber village that is practically devoid of attractions except the Hendrix ruin and a Hendrix Cafe. It’s best visted in the early morning via taxi and then return to Essouiara via a short and very romantic walk on the beach past the castle in the sand of Hendrix fame.
Essaouira’s craftsmen are renowned for their woodwork and lacquerware. Intricately inlaid boxes, chessboards and curios can be found for good prices in the city’s hundreds of shops; however, beware that extensive deforestation is taking place in the area due to these woods not being replanted. Artwork of all kinds can be had here.

(read more…)

Fez is the medieval capital of Morocco, and a great city of high Islamic civilization. It also has the best-preserved old city in the Arab world, the sprawling, labyrinthine medina of Fes el-Bali, which is incidentally also the world’s largest car-free urban zone.
It is famous for the hats of the same name, which originated here, and also for its ancient walled city, which many compare to the walled city of Jerusalem.
Ignore the travel guides that tell you that you’ll get lost in the medina and that you must hire a guide. Most guides will simply take you from shop to shop where you will be pressured to buy. There are some basic landmarks that you can use to get around, and there is an increasing amount of signage. The main drag is the Talaa Kbira, which runs from the Bab Boujloud area to the Karaouiyne mosque in the heart of the medina. Once you get into the narrow, windy heart of the medina, you can find your way out again by constantly heading downhill. That way you will eventually come out onto the Place R’cif, a dropoff for buses and taxis, where you can get a petit taxi out of the medina.
One of the most fascinating activities to do in Fez is a trip in the medina (Old City Market). The medina is so complex to navigate that sometimes it’s easier to simply lose yourself in the hustle and bustle of the market, and find your way out once you have had enough of all the sights, sounds, and smells that will overwhelm your senses.
Make sure you find an opportunity to escape from the bustle of the streets and see the medina from one of its rooftops - some shops and restaurants have rooftop terraces. The view is particularly spectacular after dark.
The Berber pharmacy in the Medina has hundreds of jars of twisted root and twig neatly lined up along the walls. Don’t eat the seed-pod like things the proprietor offers you. Although he’s eating them also, they are very high in oestrogen and can cause a man’s nipples to be sore for several days afterwards.
Just walking around, you will see a great deal! Bou Inania medersa, a breathtaking 14th-century religious college, is the best example of Islamic architecture a non-Muslim can see in Fez, with wooden walls elaborately carved with geometric patterns and Arabic calligraphy, and a beautiful minaret. In the courtyard there is a portico with a still-functioning mosque, separated by the rest of the courtyard by a small moat.
The view from the hills surrounding the old city is spectacular- there are two fortresses overlooking the old city, the Borj Nord which contains an armaments museum, and the Borj Sud, which is being developed for tourism.
Fez is safe, but crowded. Take standard precautions regarding wallet, purse, etc. Appear to know where you are going, even if you don’t, or you will get offers from false guides. False guides are not dangerous but they can be exasperatingly tenacious.

(read more…)