Casablanca and Beyond
A tall man with a weather beaten face, wearing a turban and a flowing ochre djellaba, is tending his small flock of sheep in a dry field delineated by a low stone wall. A painting of the scene could illustrate some ancient religious writings. But beyond the low wall lies the main runway of Casablanca International Airport from whence huge Boeings roar into the sky over the shepherd and his flock.
To say that a country is one of contrasts is a popular description for travel writers, yet this cliché is indeed apt and it is these contrasts which make Morocco so unique.
Morocco is a country of modern towns and medieval cities, of lush gardens and hot bustling streets, a land where the Rif and Atlas Mountains shield the temperate coastal region from the Sahara in the south, creating an exceptionally varied landscape and climate. Yet it’s not so very far from North America, and certainly not far from Europe, and its long popularity with Europeans has resulted in a stable tourism infrastructure.
This short trip will take you from the resort town of Agadir on the Atlantic coast, inland to the medieval walled town of Taroudant, then through the Atlas Mountains to exotic Marrakesh, and from there, briefly, to Casablanca.
Agadir is a popular beach destination for Europeans wishing to escape the winter and for Moroccans wanting a respite from the heat of their inland summers. It is a pleasant but unremarkable town that was almost completely destroyed by an earthquake in 1960 and has since been rebuilt in a mish-mash of what might be called “Mediterranean styles”. Thus it is hardly a typical Moroccan town. Here, modern resorts and hotels face the golden Atlantic beach where men lead their camels against the backdrop of the setting sun.
An attractive hotel, more Moroccan in style than most, is the Al Madina Palace, set well above the main street a few blocks from the beach but with ocean views (Blvd. du 20 Aout, tel: 84-53 53). You won’t cross the Atlantic just to see Agadir, but it is a pleasant enough place to relax briefly after traveling. If you rent a car it is a good point from which to explore the southern coastal region and then the interior, where you will find the real Morocco. Taroudant is nearby and from there, the road crosses the foothills and then climbs through the Atlas mountains to Marrakech.
The ancient walled city of Taroudant is worth a visit, especially if you treat yourself to a stay in the charming Palais Salam Hotel where the city ramparts form part of the lovely gardens. Rooms start at Cdn. $80 but if you do pay more you may find yourself in a split level suite that will make you feel as though you are living in the Arabian Nights. (Tel: 85 21 30.)
In Marrakesh, along with its gardens, mosques, palaces and famous souk, you’ll find Djemma el Fna, surely one of the world’s greatest city squares where the uninitiated feel they’ve strayed into a film set. From early morning when the square acts as a market place, to evening, when the food stalls are erected, this is a place of a million sights, sounds and smells. Here gather medicine men and dentists, acrobats and jugglers, snake charmers and water carriers, weavers of spells and tellers of fortunes. And when you are tired of walking around you can sit in one of the nearby rooftop cafes and continue to watch the ever-changing scene beneath you as you sip your mint tea.
Then, of course, there is the souk, the permanent market of an estimated 10,000 small shops. Time is definitely needed, since the merchants expect and enjoy the haggling that should accompany any purchase. In the souk you’ll find herbs and spices, exotic jewelry, embroidered slippers, leather goods, copper, beautiful ceramics and of course, carpets. Here you’ll see makers of cauldrons, dyers of skeins, toolers of leather, traders of spices, and merchants of khol and Berber lipsticks.
Those venturing into the souk for the first time may want to take a government-licensed guide, which can be arranged at your hotel. Once you are used to this labyrinthine, you may be comfortable venturing on your own. Try not to become annoyed with the constant pressure you will receive to look and buy. Just firmly tell those who approach you that you're merely looking aorund. If you get lost, ask a local child, “Ou est la place?” and you will be escorted out to the main square in return for a few coins.
While in Marrakech try staying at the western-style Atlas Asni Hotel in the modern section of town (Av. de France, tel: 44 70 51). If your pockets are very deep, you might choose The Mamounia, regarded as one of the world’s great hotels. Possessing a colorful past, The Mamounia is featured prominently in Alfred Hitchcock’s The Man Who Knew Too Much , and its guests include Winston Churchill, who often stayed for months, painting in the gardens or on the nearby ramparts. (Av. Bab el Jdid, tel: 44 89 8. Even if you’re not an overnight guest, you can still soak in the architecture and lovely gardens by walking around or drinking mint tea or coffee at the hotel’s cafe.)
Eating places abound in Marrakech, from the stalls on the square to the nearby Restaurant Al Baraka which serves typical Moroccan cuisine in a lovely setting (tel: 44 23 41). Your hotel will have information on a trip out of town to the tourist attraction called Chez Ali, a palace turned restaurant with an arena where Berber horsemen display their skills. Yes it is touristy (with prices to match) but the food is authentic and succulent: spit-roasted lamb, the aromatic local stew known as tajine, couscous, and Morocco’s crowning culinary glory, the flaky concoction called bastilla, all accompanied by Moroccan wines.
Your stay in Casablanca might be brief, but you should be there long enough to be surprised. This is a modern, bustling city of wide boulevards, fast-moving traffic and luxury hotels. Here you'll see the recently completed Hassan II Mosque, one of the largest in the world and uniquely situated beside the pounding surf of the Atlantic Ocean.
Morocco is a peaceful Islamic country, proud of its tolerance and the fact that it is both ancient and modern. Driving in Morocco Car rentals are widely available from international and local companies; try bargaining. Main roads are generally fairly decent while roads through the mountains are not suitable for the fainthearted. Police often stop cars to check papers and count the occupants. Efficient train service links the major cities north of Marrakech.
Morocco —general Most Moroccans speak French as well as the official Arabic, but English is also widely spoken in major tourist areas. Take pens to give to children who seem to appear from nowhere whenever a tourist vehicle stops. Tips are expected for any small service, so keep change handy. Morocco is a good winter destination although spring and fall are the most popular with tourists. Avoid the heat of the summer months.
The atmosphere in Morocco will be different during Ramadan, during which no Moroccan customers will be found in restaurants during daylight hours but every evening becomes a celebration. Unlike other Muslim countries, Morocco observes the Monday to Friday work week. Many museums close on Tuesdays.
A tall man with a weather beaten face, wearing a turban and a flowing ochre djellaba, is tending his small flock of sheep in a dry field delineated by a low stone wall. A painting of the scene could illustrate some ancient religious writings. But beyond the low wall lies the main runway of Casablanca International Airport from whence huge Boeings roar into the sky over the shepherd and his flock.
To say that a country is one of contrasts is a popular description for travel writers, yet this cliché is indeed apt and it is these contrasts which make Morocco so unique.Morocco is a country of modern towns and medieval cities, of lush gardens and hot bustling streets, a land where the Rif and Atlas Mountains shield the temperate coastal region from the Sahara in the south, creating an exceptionally varied landscape and climate. Yet it’s not so very far from North America, and certainly not far from Europe, and its long popularity with Europeans has resulted in a stable tourism infrastructure.
This short trip will take you from the resort town of Agadir on the Atlantic coast, inland to the medieval walled town of Taroudant, then through the Atlas Mountains to exotic Marrakesh, and from there, briefly, to Casablanca.
Agadir is a popular beach destination for Europeans wishing to escape the winter and for Moroccans wanting a respite from the heat of their inland summers. It is a pleasant but unremarkable town that was almost completely destroyed by an earthquake in 1960 and has since been rebuilt in a mish-mash of what might be called “Mediterranean styles”. Thus it is hardly a typical Moroccan town. Here, modern resorts and hotels face the golden Atlantic beach where men lead their camels against the backdrop of the setting sun.
An attractive hotel, more Moroccan in style than most, is the Al Madina Palace, set well above the main street a few blocks from the beach but with ocean views (Blvd. du 20 Aout, tel: 84-53 53). You won’t cross the Atlantic just to see Agadir, but it is a pleasant enough place to relax briefly after traveling. If you rent a car it is a good point from which to explore the southern coastal region and then the interior, where you will find the real Morocco. Taroudant is nearby and from there, the road crosses the foothills and then climbs through the Atlas mountains to Marrakech.
The ancient walled city of Taroudant is worth a visit, especially if you treat yourself to a stay in the charming Palais Salam Hotel where the city ramparts form part of the lovely gardens. Rooms start at Cdn. $80 but if you do pay more you may find yourself in a split level suite that will make you feel as though you are living in the Arabian Nights. (Tel: 85 21 30.)
In Marrakesh, along with its gardens, mosques, palaces and famous souk, you’ll find Djemma el Fna, surely one of the world’s greatest city squares where the uninitiated feel they’ve strayed into a film set. From early morning when the square acts as a market place, to evening, when the food stalls are erected, this is a place of a million sights, sounds and smells. Here gather medicine men and dentists, acrobats and jugglers, snake charmers and water carriers, weavers of spells and tellers of fortunes. And when you are tired of walking around you can sit in one of the nearby rooftop cafes and continue to watch the ever-changing scene beneath you as you sip your mint tea.
Then, of course, there is the souk, the permanent market of an estimated 10,000 small shops. Time is definitely needed, since the merchants expect and enjoy the haggling that should accompany any purchase. In the souk you’ll find herbs and spices, exotic jewelry, embroidered slippers, leather goods, copper, beautiful ceramics and of course, carpets. Here you’ll see makers of cauldrons, dyers of skeins, toolers of leather, traders of spices, and merchants of khol and Berber lipsticks.
Those venturing into the souk for the first time may want to take a government-licensed guide, which can be arranged at your hotel. Once you are used to this labyrinthine, you may be comfortable venturing on your own. Try not to become annoyed with the constant pressure you will receive to look and buy. Just firmly tell those who approach you that you're merely looking aorund. If you get lost, ask a local child, “Ou est la place?” and you will be escorted out to the main square in return for a few coins.
While in Marrakech try staying at the western-style Atlas Asni Hotel in the modern section of town (Av. de France, tel: 44 70 51). If your pockets are very deep, you might choose The Mamounia, regarded as one of the world’s great hotels. Possessing a colorful past, The Mamounia is featured prominently in Alfred Hitchcock’s The Man Who Knew Too Much , and its guests include Winston Churchill, who often stayed for months, painting in the gardens or on the nearby ramparts. (Av. Bab el Jdid, tel: 44 89 8. Even if you’re not an overnight guest, you can still soak in the architecture and lovely gardens by walking around or drinking mint tea or coffee at the hotel’s cafe.)
Eating places abound in Marrakech, from the stalls on the square to the nearby Restaurant Al Baraka which serves typical Moroccan cuisine in a lovely setting (tel: 44 23 41). Your hotel will have information on a trip out of town to the tourist attraction called Chez Ali, a palace turned restaurant with an arena where Berber horsemen display their skills. Yes it is touristy (with prices to match) but the food is authentic and succulent: spit-roasted lamb, the aromatic local stew known as tajine, couscous, and Morocco’s crowning culinary glory, the flaky concoction called bastilla, all accompanied by Moroccan wines.
Your stay in Casablanca might be brief, but you should be there long enough to be surprised. This is a modern, bustling city of wide boulevards, fast-moving traffic and luxury hotels. Here you'll see the recently completed Hassan II Mosque, one of the largest in the world and uniquely situated beside the pounding surf of the Atlantic Ocean.
Morocco is a peaceful Islamic country, proud of its tolerance and the fact that it is both ancient and modern. Driving in Morocco Car rentals are widely available from international and local companies; try bargaining. Main roads are generally fairly decent while roads through the mountains are not suitable for the fainthearted. Police often stop cars to check papers and count the occupants. Efficient train service links the major cities north of Marrakech.
Morocco —general Most Moroccans speak French as well as the official Arabic, but English is also widely spoken in major tourist areas. Take pens to give to children who seem to appear from nowhere whenever a tourist vehicle stops. Tips are expected for any small service, so keep change handy. Morocco is a good winter destination although spring and fall are the most popular with tourists. Avoid the heat of the summer months.
The atmosphere in Morocco will be different during Ramadan, during which no Moroccan customers will be found in restaurants during daylight hours but every evening becomes a celebration. Unlike other Muslim countries, Morocco observes the Monday to Friday work week. Many museums close on Tuesdays.
Perhaps the most famous which is preferred because of Spanish tourists in general and celebrities visiting Morocco.One of the most interesting places with countless tourists attractions is the Jemma el Fna Square which is World Cultural Heritage.(UNESCO)
ReplyDeleteMorocco tourism
Between visits to monuments and gardens,stroll through the medina,relax in the hammam and shopping in the souks there are things to do in Marrakech.Besides it is a strategic starting point for good numbers of trips to the High Atlas Mountains,the desert or the southern beaches of Agadir and d 'Essaouira.
ReplyDeleteMarrakesh Attractions