Postcard from Salé

The character Robinson Crusoe in Daniel Defoe's novel escaped from the pirates and sailed off to liberty from the mouth of the Bou Regreg river

If it were a fairy story or folk tale, then Salé would probably be the ugly sister or maybe the ugly duckling. Sitting next to Rabat, Salé has been seen as the twin sister. Nice to look at from the train on the way to Fez, maybe, but certainly not a place high on the list of those "must visit" places. But now the team from The View from Fez can report that the "ugly duckling" is a myth - a beautiful swan beside the Bou Regreg river, is a more appropriate image.

Salé is a fascinating place. Its history is full of mystery and mayhem, of piracy, slavery and a journey from riches to rags. And the history goes a long way back.

In Pirate Utopias, Peter Lamborn Wilson says: Salé dates back at least to Carthaginian times (around 7th century BC). The Romans called the place Sala Colonia, part of their province of Mauritania Tingitane. Pliny the Elder mentions it (as a desert town infested with elephants!). The Vandals captured the area in the 5th century AD and left behind a number of blonde, blue-eyed Berbers. The Arabs (7th century) kept the old name and believed it derived from "Sala" (sic., his name is actually Salah), son of Ham, son of Noah; they said that Salé was the first city ever built by the Berbers.

In the 17th century, Salé became a haven for Moriscos-turned-Barbary pirates. The Salé pirates (the well-known "Sally Rovers") roamed the seas as far as the shores of the Americas, bringing back loot and slaves. They formed the Republic of Salé.

These days the city is a large "dormitory town" with its critics claiming it has little community life and is devoid of a "centre" of its own. Most of its influential and wealthy inhabitants have departed to live in Rabat on the other side of the river.

However, things are changing rapidly and Salé has a lot of potential that will make this an important and interesting place to visit. Recent developments, including a new bridge for the Sale-Rabat tram system, marina and coastal development, all show that this is changing with the government and private development companies pouring money into the area.

When visiting Salé, take a pleasant stroll along the walls (pictured above) until you come to the view of the old cemetery (pictured below). It is fair to say that in Salé, the dead have the best real estate, right on the foreshore.


After enjoying the views, cross the road behind you and go into the old medina. While not as spectacular as that in Fez, or as tourist-oriented as Marrakech, it does have a charm of its own and some wonderful hidden treasures.

Locally made grass matting

Relaxed shopping in the souqs

...and when you need a rest, the park.

There is a peaceful central park, a Mellah, or old Jewish quarter and several interesting souqs. One of the specialities of the city is the production of grass matting designed for mosques, but now sought-after for other interior design functions.

The Great Mosque

Look out for the Great Mosque which was completed in 1333. Situated at the top of a small incline, it has the Medersa of Abu al-Hassan on the left with an exquisite gate and carved balcony. The madrasa admission is 10dh, open daily 9.00-12.00 and 14.30-18.00. Do check out the view of Rabat from the roof.

Through an alley on the left of the mosque you can make your way to the orange/yellow door surrounds of the Tijani Zaouia on a corner to the right. Keep on along the alley and you will eventually come to the Sidi Abdullah ibn Hassoun Zaouia. Just in front of the zaouia is a short lane that takes you back to the road and the sea wall. It is a lovely circuit to walk in the early evening.

The mosque interior

Finding good accommodation in Salé used to be a problem. Thankfully this too is changing and there are a growing number of places to stay. One that we checked out was The Repose. With an easily accessible address in the Medina, it is stylish without being over the top.

The Repose - a haven in the Medina

The peaceful atmosphere is enhanced by superb staff and very hospitable owners who speak a variety of languages including English. The food is vegetarian, but not of the bland variety. Stuffed peppers, delightful salads and wicked chocolate desserts are the order of the day and reasonably priced.

All in all, we regretted that it took so long for us to "discover" Salé. With all the improvements that are in train, we suggest it is a tranquil and interesting place to stay. And, of course, if you are after more high octane nightlife, well, Rabat is merely a bridge away. Of course, if the weather is good and you are in a romantic mood, forget about bridges and taxis and after making your way down to the marina, haggle over the price to be rowed across the river in one of the splendid little blue boats.

Information: You can reach Salé by train, by car or Grand Taxi from Rabat.
For more information on The Repose, email info@therepose.com

See all The View from Fez POSTCARDS HERE.

Moroccan News Briefs

Etihad Airways will extend its codeshare agreement with state-run Moroccan airline Royal Air Maroc to give its customers access to more destinations in Morocco and West Africa.

The deal will allow Etihad passengers to travel from Casablanca to the Moroccan destinations of Agadir, Laayoune, Fez and Marrakech, as well as Nouakchott in Mauritania and Dakar in Senegal.

In return, Maroc will offer travellers access to Etihad Airways services beyond Abu Dhabi to Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Singapore.

Etihad Airways' Chief Executive Officer James Hogan, said: 'An important part of Etihad's growth strategy is to offer customers access to as many global destinations as possible, whether this be through opening up new routes on our own or through strategic agreements with other airlines, adding breadth and depth to our network.

'The expanded cooperation with Royal Air Maroc will significantly enhance access to destinations for our customers flying beyond Casablanca throughout Morocco and to West Africa.'

Chairman and chief executive officer of Royal Air Maroc, Driss Benhima, said: 'This new agreement confirms the confidence we have in each other's operations and services, and helps meet our aims of enhancing the travel experience for our customers and providing them with new destination choices.'

Moroccan triumphs at the  Fifth Avenue Mile road race.

Morocco's Amine Laalou surged past two-time Olympic medallist Bernard Lagat of America in the final straight to win the Fifth Avenue Mile road race on Sunday.

Amine Laalou

Defending champion Shannon Rowbury led a US sweep in the women's race.
Laalou won in 3 minutes, 52.83 seconds in his first appearance in the race on the famed New York City avenue.

International plan to save the Mediterranean Basin ecosystem unites 34 countries on 3 continents

The first ever comprehensive plan to preserve the unique and beautiful ecology of the Mediterranean Basin was launched today (Wednesday September 29, 2010) at the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) in Paris.

The five-year plan, which will focus on delivering the biggest conservation impacts by targeting resources carefully at the most threatened and biologically important areas, has been devised by the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) - a partnership of the World Bank, the Global Environment Facility (GEF), , the Government of Japan, The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and Conservation International.

The plan was also funded by the Mava Foundation and the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation. A first $10 million installment is available to support biodiversity conservation over the next 5 years.
With nearly half a billion people living around the Mediterranean Basin and more than 220 million tourists visiting the region each year, efforts to reduce pressures on the ecosystem are vital, and new approaches are needed to ensure that the region maintains the services and biodiversity that have supported civilization in the region for millennia.

Efforts to overcome unsustainable use of the region’s limited fresh water and to ensure that tourism brings economic benefits without “killing the goose that laid the golden egg” and destroying the ecosystems that made the Mediterranean such a magnet for vacations will be critical.

And where does Morocco fit in? The answer is that the Atlas Mountains will be a major focus. The reason is obvious as this mountainous region of 12,812,888ha  contains 30KBAs is the source of the most important rivers in the Maghreb region.

The vast array of unique species found here include 237 endemic flowering plants, the Atlas CedarCedrus atlantica, the Snub Nosed Viper (or Lataste’s Viper) Vipera latastei and the Critically Endangered Addax, or Screwhorn Antelope Addax nasomaculatus, which has been reintroduced to the region.

It also contains one of only three remaining breeding colonies of the Bald Ibis Geronticus eremita. The biggest threats are overexploitation of plants – the area is particularly important for wild species of flowering bulbs, unsustainable water management, in particular damming for irrigation and water storage, agricultural intensification, and overgrazing causing soil erosion.

National Geographic magazine to start in Arabic

After decades of turning out yellow-framed covers featuring Egyptian artifacts and other Mideast treasures, National Geographic magazine will for the first time soon start printing in Arabic.

The picture-packed science magazine lining countless bookshelves plans to issue its first Arabic edition next month, making its more than century-old publisher the latest Western media company to tap the growing Middle East media market.

"The stories in this magazine talk about all countries and all cultures," said Mohamed al-Hammadi, editor-in-chief of the new edition, who expressed hope it would give Arab readers a deeper understanding of the planet and how others live.

"The readers here, they need this," he said in an interview.

With backing from the oil-rich emirate of Abu Dhabi, "National Geographic Al Arabiya" aims to reach readers across 15 countries from Morocco to the Persian Gulf. It will contain translated articles from the 122-year-old U.S. edition and original pieces tailored to the region.

On Wednesday, the magazine named a panel of seven Arab experts who will serve as advisers and contributors. They include Egyptian archaeologist Zahi Hawass, female Saudi medical researcher Khawla al-Kuraya and Essam Heggy, a Libyan-born planetary specialist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

The goal is to produce at least a fifth of the articles locally, al-Hammadi said.

Morocco's Economy - a report card

Despite adverse economic conditions in the EU, the Moroccan economy grew by 4.9% in 2009. Its relative resilience is owed to its diversification towards export-oriented industries and services, and to the large investments in infrastructure and housing that have been driving the economy in recent years. Furthermore, due to their limited integration in the global financial system and stringent regulation by the central bank, Moroccan banks were not directly impacted by the crisis. However, in 2010, manufacturing and tourism have been affected by the increased economic difficulties of the EU, Morocco's main trading partner.

As it has not been endowed with raw materials (except phosphates), Morocco faces a high energy dependence. This is partly offset by substantial revenues from tourism and by remittances from emigrant workers and growing foreign direct investment (FDI). Morocco's current account balance deteriorated in 2009 and is expected to post a deficit of over 4% of GDP in 2010; this is mainly due to lower receipts from exports and tourism, as well as declining remittances from expatriate workers, which were affected by the economic slowdown in the EU. Fitch does not expect a quick return to the pre-crisis situation of current account surpluses.

The stability of the political system is a key credit strength for Morocco. Radical Islamism is marginalised, as the regime has liberalised political life and allowed the emergence of moderate Islamist parties. The king benefits from a real legitimacy among the population, due to his role as leader ("Commandeur") of Moroccan Muslims. However, poverty remains high in rural areas, and social indicators remain well below those of investment grade peers. The mounting frustration among the poorest segments of the population could potentially lead to political instability over the longer term.

In other financial news, Morocco on Tuesday sold 1 billion euros worth of euro-denominated, 10-year bonds, returning to international capital markets for the first time in more than three years, Thomson Reuters' IFR reported.

The new bonds were priced at 99.495 with a coupon of 4.5 percent. They will pay investors an yield of 4.563 percent, or 200 basis points over midswaps, IFR said.

Morocco took advantage of the strong market appetite for yield to price the bonds at the lower end of the yield guidance provided by the lead of the managers -- HSBC, Barclays and Natixis.

The amount issued was above initial expectations of some 750 million euros. Fund managers in London heard that demand for the bonds was around 2 billion euros.

Moroccan Photography Competition #93, #94, #95

Window to the world, Tangier. Photographer Koós Kinga

Tagine man: Photographer: Jeremy Nicol

Morocco: Photographer Richard Lawson

(click all images to enlarge)

IMPORTANT ! The photography competition is now closed ! We will post the last few entries over the next couple of days and then the big job of judging will begin. Our jury will select the top ten finalists but we will be inviting you to send us your top three choices. There will be two prizes - the Jury Prize and the People's Choice. We will give you information about voting in the next few days.

The winners will be announced at our birthday party in October, with some wonderful prizes, including a very generous accommodation package for two in Fez, donated by the good folks at Dar El Menia, a sumptuous meal for two at Cafe Clock as well as a luxury hammam and other goodies to be announced.

View all photographs in our photojournal.

Morocco to host African Cup of Nations?

Twenty years after hosting the African Cup of Nations, Morocco is leaving no stone unturned to bring the games back to the north African kingdom. They intend to host the games either in 2015 or 2017, reports Afrik-news.

"The Moroccan bid will be officially presented at the next CAF meeting on September 29," said Ali Fassi Fihri, president of the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football, adding that the north African country stands a good chance of winning the bid to host CAN in 2015 or 2017.

According to Fassi Fihri, Morocco should have six stadiums by 2011 in order to meet the international standards required by the football governing body. Three of the stadiums are already finished (Casablanca, Rabat and Fez). Work on three additional stadiums in Marrakech, Agadir and Tangier, is in the final stages.

Marrakech stadium

An inspection commission is expected to travel to Morocco at the end of November, ahead of the official announcement of the countries selected to host the 2015 and the 2017 games.

Morocco first hosted the African Cup of Nations in 1988, following the withdrawal of Zambia. That year, the Atlas Lions under the direction of their Brazilian coach, Jose Faria, were eliminiated in the semi-final against Cameroon, who went on to win the race.

But analysts believe that Morocco’s bid to host the games in 2015 could be rejected due to the CAN administration’s tendancy to alternate between northern and southern hemisphere countries. The organization of the 2013 event by Libya could therefore throw Morocco’s 2015 ambitions off track.

But while some football analysts say the CAF’s rules are not written in stone, others believe that the host nation for the 2017 games will definitely be Morocco.

Countries selected to host the 2015 and 2017 editions of the African Cup of Nations will be announced at the end of November 2010.

Guinea has also announced its intention to host the competition.

From Fez to Senegal - A Sufi Festival

Great news for those who want to discover more about the Sufi brotherhoods. A festival, to be held in Senegal will feature Tijaniya and also the very popular Hamadcha brotherhood from Fez. It starts on January first and you will find more information here: Senegal Sufi Festival

To give you a taste of what is in store during the five day festival here are some of the highlights.

Saturday, January 1st

4:00 pm
Opening Ceremony

7:00 pm

Ritual: "Wazifa", Tariqa Tijaniya
Founded in 1781 in Ain Madi located in what is now Algeria by Sheikh Sidi Ahmed Tidjani.  At around the age of fifty, he had a vision of the Prophet (PBUH) in a state of an old man, who taught him the Wird of the Tariqa. The doctrine of Tidjaniya is based on the Quran and Sunnah, without retirement or removal from obligations of life. The intellectual and cultural center of the Brotherhood is now in Fez (Morocco) where the mausoleum of Sheikh is situated. In addition, Tivaouane (west of Senegal) and Kaolack (central Senegal) are known to be the two holy cities of the Tijaniya in West Africa. According to the latest census, today Tariqa Tijaniya has more than 200 million practitioners worldwide.

7:00 pm

Concert: Ensemble Al Anfass (Morocco-Senegal)
Created in 2002 in Fez by the initiates of Sheriff  Sidi Ibrahim Tidjani, the ensemble presents its songs which are based on "Qasida" of great Tidjani Sheikhs of Maghreb and West Africa.

Sunday, January 2nd

6:00 pm
Concert: Al Kauthara (Spain)A fusion of several musical styles, from Andalusian music traditions to Eastern Syrian and Turkish to flamenco. . Al Kauthara is a Spanish group with a strong commitment to the Muslim culture. The lyrics of their songs are religious in nature: praise to the Prophet, Sufi poetry expressing divine love. Its music contributes to spreading of the values of Islam. "The name of our group " Al Kauthara" is inspired by the river of Paradise."
www.alkauthar.es

8:30 pm
Concert: Ismael Lo (Senegal)
Born on August 30, 1956 in Dongo Buti (Niger), Ismael Lo is a famous Senegalese musician. Affiliated with a family of Sufi followers for generations, Ismaël Lô has a repertoire of spiritual music that reflects his life experience both as a mystic and an artist

Monday, January 3^rd

4:30 pm

Arabic Calligraphy Workshop

7:00 pm

Sacred Song and Ritual: Tariqa Qadiriya Hamdushiya
Founded by St. Sidi Ali Ben Hamouche (ASL) in the seventeenth century, the brotherhood of Hamadcha is one of the most important popular Sufi brotherhoods of Morocco's. Examining mystical trance, Hamadcha lives intensely its spirituality in a remarkable ritual through the beauty of its poems and the warmth of its rhythms.

8:30 pm

Concert: Toumani Diabate (Mali)
Toumani Diabate is a musician from Mali, born in Bamako in a family of griots. He is the son of Sidiki Diabate, recognized throughout West Africa to be the king of the kora. Toumani Diabate started to learn playing music from the age of 5.  At 13 he participated at the Biennale with the Ensemble of Mali Koulikoro, which won the award for best traditional orchestra. He then joined the National Ensemble of Mali.
Toumani Diabate has played with another great kora player Ballaké Sissoko, as well as with Taj Mahal  and Ali Farka Toure with whom he produced the album "In The Heart Of The Moon" in 2005. In 2006, this album won the Grammy as the best traditional world music album.

Tuesday, January 4

5:00 pm

Arabic Calligraphy Workshop

7:00 pm
Ritual songs of Tariqa Muridiya
Founded by Sheikh Ahmadou Bamba (1853-1927), the Muridiya is a brotherhood that is attached to the tenets of Sufism and the enhancement of science and work.
It is one of the most influential Tariqas of Senegal. Each year, many faithful disciples flock to the holy city of Touba in the center of the country where the tomb of Sheikh Ahmadou Bamba (ASL) is located.

Wednesday, January 5

7:00 pm.
Concert: Hathira Sama (India-Australia)
Hathira Sama was formed in 2006 in Sohar, Oman as a collective exploration of music as a station in the mystic’s journey. Inspired by the traditions of dhrupad singing from the east and free improvisation from the West, Hathira Sama delve into an ocean of sound to find pearls of wisdom. Hathira Sama are Rebecca Lemaire on bansuri and vocals, Rajinder Deo on tabla, and Mark Pedersen on electronics, shakuhachi and incidental percussion.

9:00 pm
Concert: Amadou and Mariam (Mali) (Festival closing ceremony)

Amadou and Mariam are a couple. These musicians and singers from Mali met at the Institute for Young Blind in Bamako. Their blindness is not of birth: Amadou lost sight at age of sixteen, while his companion became blind at the age of five. Passionate about music, they pledged themselves to the stage, tying the knot in 1980 and starting a career in music popular at that time.
They became well-known in early 2000 when they gain notoriety and sympathy of the French public. Amadou and Mariam were crowned in 2005 by the World Music award for the album Dimanche Bamako. That was achieved with the help of Manu Chao, who calls himself a fan of the duo. Introduction and a meeting with a Tidjani Sufi Cherif Mohamed Kebir Tidjani in Fès, Morocco.

Moroccan Photography Competition #90, #91, #92

Morocco:  Photographer: Gigi Stoll

Sahara:  Photographer: Gigi Stoll

(Click images to enlarge)

Middle Earth:  Photographer Bilan Abdillahi

The photography competition will be closing September 30th and then the big job of judging will begin.

The winners will be announced at our birthday party in October, with some wonderful prizes, including a very generous accommodation package for two in Fez, donated by the good folks at Dar El Menia, a sumptuous meal for two at Cafe Clock as well as a luxury hammam and other goodies to be announced. So get your entry in !

Submit a photograph.

Send your photograph in jpeg or gif form to: theviewfromfez@gmail.com and please put the words "photo entry" in the subject line.

View all photographs in our photojournal.

Art Exhibition at Cafe Clock

The opening of the art exhibition of works by painter Abderrahim el Hassani will take place at 18h00 on Friday 24 September at Cafe Clock, 7 Derb el Magana, off Tala'a Kebira in the Fez Medina. All are invited.

El Hassani says that discovering painting was like discovering himself. 'I realised why I had been born. Painting is my best way of communicating; it's the bridge between my interior world and the world at large.'

painter Abderrahim el Hassani

Moroccan Photography Competition #87, #88, #89

The Weaver - Ait Ben Hadaou

Desert dweller - Jebel Sahro

Gotcha! -Djemaa el Fna

(click images to enlarge)

Photographer Annah Evington

The photography competition will be closing shortly, and then the big job of judging will begin.

The winners will be announced at our birthday party in October, with some wonderful prizes, including a very generous accommodation package for two in Fez, donated by the good folks at Dar El Menia, a sumptuous meal for two at Cafe Clock as well as a luxury hammam and other goodies to be announced. We will accept entries until September 30th. So get your entry in !

Submit a photograph.

Send your photograph in jpeg or gif form to: theviewfromfez@gmail.com and please put the words "photo entry" in the subject line.

View all photographs in our photojournal.

Postcard from Rabat

On our trip up the coast of Morocco in search of new stories for The View from Fez, the team is now in Rabat, the capital.

the new train station in Rabat

The first thing to strike you if you're arriving in Rabat by train, is the newly refurbished station. The lovely old building has been retained, but inside it's all black marble and chrome, and very smart indeed. Upstairs is a food court with a number of different outlets serving anything from paninis to tagines to pizzas. On the ground level is a Budget rental car agency, a post office, foreign exchange bureau, Venezia icecream parlour, coffee shop, and a newspapers and magazines outlet. Wifi is free everywhere, as in Fez. There are lifts and escalators to take you to each floor.

RABAT-SALE TRAMWAY

The greatest innovation that is changing the face of Rabat is the tramway, due for completion later this year.

With two lines, the tramway will link Sale to Rabat much more than just the road. It will be a boon for the local population, and will also open Sale up to more tourism as it will be more easily accessible. At present, petits taxis cannot take passengers from Rabat to Sale; only the grands taxis can ply that route.


Traffic congestion and parking problems will be eased, and of course a tram is much more ecologically sensitive than cars and buses. The fare is likely to be about Dh7 per trip. This is on a par with a short taxi ride around town, but slightly more expensive than a bus.

See all The View from Fez POSTCARDS HERE.

Moroccan Photography Competition #84, #85, #86

Volubilis after rain

Photographer: Vanessa Bonnin

Casablanca Beach in May

 Photographer Rafik Elassab

A random rooftop in Fez

Photographer: Clay Chaszeyka

(Click images to enlarge)

The photography competition will be closing shortly, and then the big job of judging will begin.

The winners will be announced at our birthday party in October, with some wonderful prizes, including a very generous accommodation package for two in Fez, donated by the good folks at Dar El Menia, a sumptuous meal for two at Cafe Clock as well as a luxury hammam and other goodies to be announced. We will accept entries until September 30th. So get your entry in !

Submit a photograph.

Send your photograph in jpeg or gif form to: theviewfromfez@gmail.com and please put the words "photo entry" in the subject line.

View all photographs in our photojournal.