Morocco |
| Monday, 13 April 2009 00:00 |
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Travelling is all about discovering new, exotic places, smelling unknown scents, sampling strange foods, and getting to know fascinating cultures. You can do all that in Morocco. Moroccan history reads like a novel: an ancient Roman province with its capitals Tingis and Volubilis (which you should definitely visit), became a proud monarchy, which lasted for centuries, before the French and Spanish colonized in the early 20th century.Since 1956 Morocco and its 33m citizens have been an independent monarchy, though the influences of the former colonial powers are still evident. The towns of Ceuta and Melilla on the Mediterranean coast are Spanish territory in Moroccan terrain; and French is still an official language (just like Arabic), though in the cities and tourist areas you will be able to communicate in English. If you like to discover places away from mass tourism you should not limit your vacation to popular cities like Casablanca, Agadir, and the capital, Rabat. Renting a car allows you to take just the trip you desire. A good starting point for your itinerary is Tanger, which has an airport. From here you may want to go south, but take your time: stop at small towns like Tetouan with its charming markets, emitting the smell of exotic spices and delicious food, and enjoy the Rif Mountains with their unusual flora, and spend a few days in Meknes. This town has a great number of protective walls and mighty gates that have made it onto the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Just a day trip from Meknes is Volubis, an ancient Roman settlement where you can see perfectly preserved Roman architecture and ancient ceramics. Before you return to Meknes stop in Moulay-Idris for a refreshing peppermint tea. Back in Meknes you should spend the evening on the Place el Hédim, which is bustling by nightfall and provides a heady taste of the Orient. Next on the itinerary is Fez and specifically its famous market. Do not miss the Medina (Old Town) which you enter through the Bab Boujeloud Gate. Numerous little shops offer leather goods and carpets all over town. Very interesting, albeit rather smelly, is a visit to the Fez tanneries, where leather and fabrics are tanned and dyed in a traditional, slightly odorous procedure that is characteristic of Morocco. Leaving Fez to the south, where the roads are quite good, you pass the Sidi Harazem springs, which you will recognize from water bottles. Rest for a couple hours in Ifrane, a small skiing village that looks almost alpine, before continuing to Midelt in the Central Atlas, where you should spend the night. Taking a trip into the surroundings of the city you might be lucky enough to watch monkeys play with their young or you could even buy some shiny minerals. Travel on to the Sahara, where after passing the small town of Tafilalt the sand turns red. Turn west here, and go to the gigantic canyons of Todra and Dadès, where you can sample some of the local food in one of the restaurants tucked away under the cliffs. Try some Tajine, a tasty stew dish made from chicken, lamb, vegetables, and fish. There is free-climbing for extreme adventurers. Moving on across the country you should not miss the historic Kasbah Road, connecting a large number of massive defensive fortifications made of clay (Kasbah), these days used mainly to store grain. You will get offered a tour by a local guide, and it is usually well worth taking the time. Aït Benhaddou is an old fortified city, abandoned these days, where you will find a number of well-preserved Kasbahs; it is a stunning place that has also made the prestigious UNESCO club. The last stop, and at the same time an unforgettable one, is Marrakech. You will need a few days to explore this city, on the Djemaa el Fna market alone you could spend a whole day and night. Fuelling up on freshly squeezed orange juice for just 3 MAD (Moroccan dirhams, 3 MAD is roughly 40 ct), you are well prepared to take in the spectacle that is Djemaa el Fna: acrobats performing in colorful costumes, snake charmers taming their venomous reptiles with their enchanting flute playing, all back-dropped by the countless street vendors offering delicious local delicacies. Behind the large square in the souk, a maze of little shops, you can find handicraft and souvenirs, spices and the latest gossip. Spend your last night in this mystical country under the starry sky on a roof terrace of a restaurant, overlooking the medina. You won’t find it easy to go home, but you will do so with a head full of brilliant memories, thinking “Ma assalaama, al-Maghribiya!” – Good bye, Morocco, see you soon.
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Travelguide Morocco
Chefchaoen The first thing one might notice about Chefchaouen, Morocco is that it’s extremely unique. Situated picturesquely in the Rif Mountains, Chefchaouen was founded in 1471 by mostly Jewish settlers.......more |
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