I loved the comment in my post about Casablanca, that said the people in the corridor looked like they were making a drug deal. I guess anything is possible in Morocco. And, anything is possible with my content since I am posting, for the first time, strictly from my phone. So please forgive any irregularities.
Jewish History
We arrived in Fez last night and woke up to another rainy day. But it didn’t dampen our spirits as we set out with our Audley Travel-arranged guide to explore our second Imperial City and its UNESCO sites.
We headed to the Royal Palace of Fez and then literally across the street to what was the Jewish quarter. There is a lot of Jewish history here, including a big migration after the Spanish Inquisition in the 1400s. This area is now occupied by non-Jewish residents and only a small (very successful) Jewish population remains in Morocco.
Artisans in Action
It was interesting to visit a certified co-op where they make the famous Fez blue clay pottery and mosaics. That’s about when today’s weather was worst and it made it very easy to stay indoors and shop.
Medina Meanderings
The highlight for me was wandering through the narrow streets and courtyards of the old Medina and seeing just some of the hundreds of tiny shops lining the souks. An incredible array of smells give you clues to what’s up ahead (or just past). Out of nowhere, healthy large trees are growing. There are no cars, but hand carts, bicycles, motorbikes, and even donkeys will cause you to jump to the side. And there are cats everywhere! This is a cat-loving country (and they also conveniently control the rodent population).
Souks are organized by category and this afternoon we had a sample. We were, of course still with our knowledgeable local guide, a must in this crazy maze. Speaking of samples, he stopped along the way and got us several tasty treats, including sweet pastries, fried sardines, and a delicious potato-filled dumpling I need to identify!
BTW – Rose Water and Orange Water are also used prolifically here. I’m not a big fan of the Rose Water scent or taste.
Everyone who visits here sees the tannery, the country’s oldest. It’s incredibly hard work to clean, process and dye the goat, lamb, sheep, and cow skins. They gave us a bunch of mint to smell and ward off the odors, but they weren’t bad this day. I recognized this site from The Amazing Race.
Abdullah, at his namesake Thé & Café, made us unique and amazing mint tea, in the same cramped upstairs shop as his father and grandfather before him. The most surprising of the many mints and herbs included – absinthe.
Besaha (to your health)!
It was a gorgeous day for a visit to this capital city. Rabat was a surprise. We got off the expressway and took a more scenic route into the city. The six-lane coastal road was lined with tall palms and beautiful Atlantic vistas.
This appears to be a very affluent area and many of those who work here, live across the river in Sale. On one of our stops, we walked out on a long pier, and watched the surfers and crashing waves.
Once we met our local guide, Youssef, we headed for the Oudaia Kasbah and it’s bright white Medina. Originally the walls were blue (like the famous blue city of Chefchaouen), but the government wants each city to have a unique identity – so white it is in Rabat.
The 1196 Hassan Tower and columns from the incomplete Hassan Mosque are an impressive site. On the opposite side is the massive Mausoleum of Mohammed V, a former King. Matching pairs of horses guard the gates. Arabians on one side and white Berber horses the other.
Our final visit was to Chellah Necropolis, site of Roman ruins and a medieval Muslim burial ground.
The site was dominated by Storks, and you could spot them guarding their huge nests on top of most ruins.
We made it to Casablanca! A few morning showers were not going to derail the start of our Moroccan adventure.
After our overnight flight, my friend Sarah and I hit the ground running. We are doing an indecent trip booked through Audley Travel. First stop, with our knowledgeable guide Naima, was the impressive Hassan II mosque, right on the Atlantic.
Casablanca is the economic center of the country and home to close to 8 million. Although often serving as entry point to the country it doesn’t offer many of the more exotic experiences found elsewhere.
It was, however, a very good introduction to Moroccan culture and I felt starting with the mosque was a perfect (and respectful) launch to our visit.
I’ve always loved beautiful doors and Morocco has so many incredible entryways. The doors shown above are from the mosque and around the Medina (old city).
In the Medina, we were also intrigued by the community oven and grateful for the free sample of a delicious almond pastry offered by the area’s most famous local bakery (Patisserie Bennis Habous).
Because the French controlled the area from 1912 until 1956, their influence is evident everywhere, and deco architecture can be spotted throughout downtown. French is widely spoken.
Our driver Mohammed did a great job getting us around town, including to see a variety of Atlantic vistas. We ate more than we needed for lunch at the lovely seaside restaurant Cabestan, with vista of waves crashing against the rocky shore. Although totally modern, they are celebrating their 100 anniversary.
Dinner at Rick’s Cafe lived up to expectations. They did a fabulous job recreating the club featured in the 1942 movie Casablanca. And the food and service were wonderful. It was a fun experience.
Now it was time for a protest. As mentioned in a previous post, Chile is getting a new president. The first thing we noticed as we set out to explore our Lastarria neighborhood was green scarves thrown over various statues. Then, we begin to hear crowds chanting, saw people rushing down the street, and noticed more police than usual. So, we headed in the opposite direction, and our guide spoke to the police. It was an impromptu protest staged by communist sympathizers (who are not pleased with the recent election).
We were taking a private walking tour arranged through our hotel, with charming Margarita. A former actress and current artist, she had the perfect personality for this arts-focused morning.
Passing the dogwalkers and joggers, we wandered through Parque Forestal. Margarita shared some lovely stories about her grandparents’ courtship in the park, two generations past.
Creative Inspiration
Statues inspired conversation about literature, romance, and mythology before we stopped in at the Belle Époque art museum (Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes). The museum is the oldest art museum in Latin America and is free to visit.
The massive GAM Cultural Center has been repurposed from its political/military origins and now houses rotating art exhibits and pop-up performances. It’s become an airy, inviting hub for local artists of all sorts.
The narrow streets of the Lastarria neighborhood are filled with restaurants and shops. I particularly loved the cat-work of one artist famous for painting his images on buildings. There is also a rich history in this area, being adjacent to the historic Santa Lucia Hill, which played an important role in Mapuche culture, missionary worship, and defense of the city.
A Dramatic Reminder
A more recent history lesson led us to the Neoclassical Parroquia de la Veracruz, a striking red-toned church that was burned during civil unrest in 2019. Named a historical monument in 1983, the reliquary is said to house relics of the Holy Cross originally found in Jerusalem. Today, the church is left partially restored and has exhibits as a reminder of what happened.
In the afternoon, we enjoyed a breezy ride around town on a hop-on bus – retracing many of our steps and gaining an insightful overview of everything we’ve seen in the last two days.
The Wonderland Café provided a whimsical spot for some late-afternoon refreshment, featuring crunchy scones and sinfully rich chocolate cake. The Café offers three stories of Alice in Wonderland food, fantasy, and gifts. An appropriate ending for our magical trip to Chile.
