Fez Food: restaurant news

This week some of the best restaurants and cafes in Fez are re-opening after the summer break, while others have kept their doors open. There are also exciting new places to experience

Australian chef, Analiese Gregory, offers a creative approach at Resto 7 

Resto 7 

On Monday night the The View From Fez was fortunate to attend a delicious dinner at Resto 7, prepared by their new chef in residence from Sydney, Australia, Analiese Gregory. The four course meal showed her creative flair using locally sourced ingredients.The menu will change depending on what is fresh in the souq.

Dinner featured an entreé of sardines escabeche with sun blushed tomato and a tomato basil consumme and oven dried black olives, accompanied by tomato aoli with deep fried sardine bones. The main was roast pigeon with an amlou sauce, barley semolina, purslane and end of summer greens, scattered with puffed wild rice and a carrot puree. This was followed by fig leaf panna cotta with fresh figs and milk and honey granita, then rose and ras al hanaout mashmallow.

"My cooking is French influenced with some Chinese, due to my grandmother's cooking. And the pastry kitchen has always been my first love," says Analiese.

Over the past 15 years, she has worked at prestigious restaurants such as the Ledbury in London with Brett Graham, Le Meurice in Paris with Yannick Alleno and most recently at Quay in Sydney with Peter Gilmore.

You can try Analiese Gregory's fare from now until the end of October at Resto 7.

Resto 7 is located at 7 Zkak Rouan, 30200 Fez Medina. Contact: + 212 (0) 535 638924 
or reservationsat7@gmail.com   More info: CLICK HERE

Fez Café

Set in the lovely grounds of Jardin des Biehn, Fez Café has just re-opened. Manager Paul Biehn says, "During the break, we have updated the kitchen a lot; it is now much more professional."

Chef  Hicham Mousid continues to head the kitchen, as he has for the past five years. Previously he worked for a decade at Villa Mandarine in Rabat.

Paul says that this summer's Fez Café menu includes a starter of avocado and calamari tart, perfumed with preserved lemon and coriander. Mains include sea bass pavé with wild rice, as well as a traditional dish from Marrakesh, veal tanjier with red onions and spices. An example of their dessert menu is peach salad with saffron and lemon juice.

Fez Cafe is located at 13, Akbat Sbaa, Douh 30100, Fez Medina. Contact: +212(0)664 647 679 or contact@jardindesbiehn.com   More info: CLICK HERE

Dar Roumana

Chef Vincent Bonnin continues his excellent run at Dar Roumana, while his wife Vanessa Bonnin manages the place, which also offers accommodation. It's located near Bab Guissa, and like a number of the top restaurants, they offer a free porter to escort you to and from your residence.

Vincent has worked for Michelin-starred restaurants in the UK, The Gordelton Mill with Toby Hill and Fleur de Sel with Michel Perraud. In 2005, he worked for legendary French chef Paul Bocuse's right hand man, Philippe Mouchel, at The Brasserie in Melbourne, Australia before moving on to be head chef at several Australian restaurants. After relocating to Fez, he worked at the Majestic in the Ville Nouvelle.

The couple have just returned from a break in the United States. "We have been garnering new inspiration from the amazing restaurants in New York that we explored during our travels," says Vanessa.

While the menu naturally changes according to the freshest produce available, it may feature dishes such as a starter of smoked duck salad with fresh figs and pain d'epice, a main of char-grilled butterflied poussin marinated in date molasses with pomegranate seeds. A dessert may be poached pear with lemon and star anise, duet of orange and chocolate Sauce with roasted pistachios.

Dar Roumana is located at 30 Derb el Amer, Zkak Roumane, Fes Medina. 
Contact: +212 535 74 16 37  or +212 660 29 04 04 (mobile) or info@darroumana.com
More info: CLICK HERE


The Ruined Garden

Run by Robert Johnson and Sue Bail, The Ruined Garden is a firm favourite for casual lunch or evening dining. Tables and chairs are set among foliage, in the ruins of an ancient house in the grounds of the hotel Riad Idrissy.

The chef is Najia El Amrani. Once she was the housekeeper for the riad's former owners, but she now works with Robert creating the dishes for the restaurant. "Although most Moroccan women can cook, we were very lucky to find someone who was prepared to be innovative," Robert says.

The menu style of Ruined Garden is an eclectic fusion of Moroccan and Western flavours, which focuses mostly on seasonal, locally sourced produce. The hand written daily menu includes items like a starter of smoked aubegine, goat and cow cheese paté with fresh figs, a main of barbecued sardines with cold cooked Moroccan salads and a dessert of plain chocolate and espresso mousse.

The Ruined Garden is located at Sidi Ahmed Chaoui, Siaj, Fez. Contact: +212 (0) 649 19 14 10

More info: CLICK HERE

Mezzanine

After being extensively revamped with the help of new manager Pippa Smith, Mezzanine has re-opened. It's in a pleasant location opposite the Jnan Sbil gardens, which can be seen from the roof terrace. This bar/cafe/restaurant has benefited from an updated and much lighter colour interior, with taupe tadelkt walls, red leather cushions inside and comfortable sofas on the terrace.

Their new tapas menu features brioutes of seafood and minced beef, roquefort and walnut. There is also tabbouleh salad, salad nicoise and ceasar salad, as well as standards like hamburger and fries. For dessert there is apple crumble with vanilla ice cream or tart au citron.

Mezzanine is located at 17 Kasbat Chams, Fez. Contact: +212 (0) 611 07 83 36  or mezfez@gmail.com

More info: CLICK HERE


Hotel Sahrai

The newly opened Hotel Sahrai, in the road behind Borj Fez mall, has a wonderful view over the Fez medina. The colonnaded verandah is an excellent place to sit and enjoy a drink, or to sample their snack menu.

They have two formal restaurants - Relais de Paris which features typical French dishes such as the starter salade gourmande au foie gras, magret fumé et gésiers de canard and the main filet de Saint-Pierre, écrasé de pomme de terre à l’huile d’olive, with tarte aux fruits rouges being one of the desserts. There is also a Moroccan restaurant, Amaraz, which has the usual standards such as beef and prune tagine and a dessert of milk and grilled almond pastilla.

Hotel Sahrai is located at Bab Lghoul, Dhar El Mehraz, 30 000, Fez. Contact: +212 (0) 535 94 03 32 or reservations@hotelsahrai.com

More info:CLICK HERE

Cafe Clock

Owned by Mike Richardson, the Cafe Clock is much more than just a cafe - it's also a vibrant cultural hub where art exhibitions, concerts, films and workshops are held. It's a lively meeting place for both travellers and local Moroccans, and a cooking school. In fact the concept has been so successful, Mike has recently opened a new Cafe Clock in Marrakech.

Opposite the famous Medersa Bou Inania, a favourite Fez tourist destination, Cafe Clock is a great place to head for breakfast, lunch or a refreshing soft drink or cup of tea. They also make excellent coffee.

The menu lists items like aubergine and goats cheese quiche with ras al hanout potatoes, grilled chicken and citrus salad, and their famous Clock camel burger with Taza ketchup, salad and fries.

Cafe Clock is located at 7 Derb El Magana, (off the Ta'laa Sghira), 30000 Fez. 
Contact: +212 (0) 535 63 78 55 or fez@cafeclock.com

More info CLICK HERE

Cafe 44

Owned and managed by Zahra, the menu of Cafe 44 offers French style breakfasts - brunch including eggs and yoghurt - and a variety of light meals. You can choose from savoury dishes such as vegetable tart with salad; mixed salads and pastas including one with eggplant and crushed almonds. There are a variety of delicious fresh juices.

They have a two level terrace, and it's a low key and relaxing place to head for tea or coffee, lunch or a snack.

Cafe 44 is located Derb Bensalam, Talaa Kbira, Fez Medina. 
Contact: 06 34 70 75 13 or le44fes@gmail.com
More info: CLICK HERE

Coming soon...  Maison Moi Anan

Thai fashion designer Moi Anan is set to open the first Thai restaurant in the Fez Medina. Work is progressing on the interior and it is planned to open later this year, in combination with a boutique selling his designs. Thai flavours will be a welcome addition to increasing the diversity of food available in the Medina.

For more info on Moi Anan CLICK HERE

Story: Suzanna Clarke

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Water Purity in Fez Put To the Test

For years tourist operators and travel websites have warned visitors to Fez not to drink the tap water. While that advice was well meaning, it has now been proved wrong. Not only did it cause apprehension about health concerns, it fuelled massive consumption of bottled water and huge amounts of plastic waste. It also produced huge profits for the bottled water companies

The bottled water use in local riads is enormous. Fred Sola, who commissioned the water quality report, did so when he calculated that each month Riad Laaroussa supplied staff and guests with more than 600 1.5 litre bottles of water.

The bottled water industry is booming, recording strong total volume growth of 16% and 15% growth in total value sales in 2014.

Growth was mainly driven by the fact that in some Moroccan cities, domestic water was sometimes thought to be unclean and salty, which encouraged a large number of families to shift to bottled water.

This was illustrated by the fact that many companies launched 5-litre plastic bottles for family use at prices ranging between MAD 9.00 and MAD 11.00.

This week, independent laboratory analysis of tap water in Fez proved what the water authorities have been saying for years - tap water in Fez is clean, pure and uncontaminated.

Fez Medina tap water analysis details

The critical factors in the measurement of water purity are alkalinity, chlorine content, electrical conductivity, clarity, odour and bacterial content. As the recent report shows - detailed below - all of these measurements are better than the national standards demand, and in many cases, Fez tap water is better than that of many cities in Western countries.

The report shows that the pH of drinking water in Fez is 7.58. The pH is a measure of the acidity or alkalinity. As a comparison UK water quality regulations specify that the pH of tap water should be between 6.5 and 9.5. National standards in Morocco say that the pH should be between 6.5 and a maximum of 8.5.

As in all treated water there are normally traces of free chlorine also known as residual chlorine. Free chlorine in drinking water indicates that a sufficient amount of chlorine was added initially to the water to combat the bacteria and some viruses that cause diarrhoea; and the water is protected from recontamination during storage. The presence of free chlorine in drinking water correlates with the absence of most disease-causing organisms, and so is a measure of the potability of water. In tap water in the Fez Medina, free chlorine residue is around 0.3 mg/litre. The World Health Organisation (WHO) guideline value for free chlorine in drinking water is a maximum of 0.5 mg/L.

Electrical Conductivity is the ability of a solution to transfer (conduct) electric current. It is the reciprocal of electrical resistivity (ohms). Therefore conductivity is used to measure the concentration of dissolved solids which have been ionised in a solution such as water. However when water temperature increases, so will conductivity. For every 1°C increase, conductivity values can increase 2-4%. Temperature affects conductivity by increasing ionic mobility as well as the solubility of many salts and minerals 30. This can be seen in diurnal variations as a body of water warms up due to sunlight, (and conductivity increases) and then cools down at night (decreasing conductivity).

Specific conductance at 25 degrees C
is used as a standard of comparison
 for different water sources as conductivity
 ratios change with temperature.

Conductivity is usually measured in micro-siemens per centimeter (uS/cm).

Due to temperature’s direct effect, conductivity is measured at or corrected to a standardised temperature (usually 25°C) for comparability. In Fez testing showed tap water conductivity of 895 uS/cm. The maximum allowable in Morocco is 2700. Again, for comparison, potable water in the USA ranges up to 1500 uS/cm.

Turbidity is the cloudiness or haziness of a fluid caused by large numbers of individual particles that are generally invisible to the naked eye, similar to smoke in air. The measurement of turbidity is a key test of water quality. Turbidity is measured in Nephelometric Turbidity Units (NTU).

The WHO establishes that the turbidity of drinking water should not be more than 5 NTU, and should ideally be below 1 NTU. Across Morocco the maximum allowable is 5 NTU, but the good news is that in Fez the drinking water turbidity is 0.178.

Odour intensity in water is normally scored in a range between 0 and 4, with 0 having no taste or odour through to 4, which is very strong.

The report on Fez drinking water describes taste and odour as being very low "at the threshold of perception" and rated as below 1. Water colour was also minimal at 1. The national maximum standard in Morocco is below 3 for odour and below 20 for colour.

Fez water is clear, clean and safe to drink

Almost all natural waters contain chloride and sulfate ions. Their concentrations vary considerably according to the mineral content of the earth in any given area. In small amounts they are not significant. In large concentrations they present problems. Usually chloride concentrations are low. Sulfates can be more troublesome because they generally occur in greater concentrations. Low to moderate concentrations of both chloride and sulfate ions add palatability to water. In fact, they are desirable for this reason. Excessive concentrations of either, of course, can make water unpleasant to drink.

In Fez, tap water testing shows around 115 mg/Litre for chlorides and 24.6 mg for sulphates. The maximum set by Moroccan regulations is 750 for chlorides and 400 for sulphates. By comparison the American EPA Secondary Drinking Water Regulations recommend a maximum concentration of 250 mg/1 for chloride ions and 250 mg/1 for sulfate ions.

Coliforms are a broad class of bacteria found in our environment, including the feces of human and other warm-blooded animals. The presence of coliform bacteria in drinking water may indicate a possible presence of harmful, disease-causing organisms. There are zero present in Fez tap water.

E. coli is a type of fecal coliform bacteria commonly found in the intestines of animals and humans. E. coli is short for Escherichia coli. The presence of E. coli in water is a strong indication of recent sewage or animal waste contamination. Again there are zero in Fez water.

The same zero result was indicated when testing for Enterococci and bacterial spores.

The laboratory tests were carried out by the specialist environmental company Laboratoire QEE S.A.R.L. in Fez, and Fred Sola told The View From Fez that he intends to repeat the analysis each month to ensure there are no fluctuations in quality.

ONEP was recognised for its water quality programme for Fez

Water purity in Morocco is governed at the national level by ONEP (Office National de l'eau Potable) and at the local level in Fez by RADEEF - the office for distribution of water and electricity. On January 6 this year, the water branch of ONEP was recognised for the quality of its water treatment in Fez.

Advice for tourists

So, if Fez tap water is safe, why does the myth continue? One of the reasons is probably a hangover from the days before sophisticated water and waste treatment.

Even major tourist companies still peddle out-of-date information:

Drink lots of water. The city streets can get hot and close during the afternoon. When buying bottled water on the street, check that the seals on the lid have not been opened. Sometimes people fill bottles with tap water. The safest thing to do is to drink bubbly water, which can't be faked ~ Fodor's "Fez: A Survival Guide"

Moroccan travel expert Tim Cullis looks at the issue and explains why people often get ill and says it is not from the water.

Tim Cullis writes that Morocco's ONEP (Organisation National de l'Eau Portable) invested nearly $700 million last year in domestic water projects.

"Tap water within towns is perfectly safe to drink. Yes, sometimes there's a faint chlorine taste when it's first poured, but I sometimes find that in the UK as well. My favourite drink in Morocco is qhwa nus nus (milky coffee--literally coffee half-half) and this is normally served with a glass of tap water. If not, you can ask for a glass of water, "cas diel l'ma arfak".

"Often cafés will provide free bottles of tap water from the fridge. The popular bottled mineral waters are Sidi Ali, Sidi Harazem (Saint Ali, Saint Harazem) etc., the joke phrase for tap water is Sidi Robinet (Saint Tap).

"Well water is often used outside of towns, and if it's for public consumption (restaurants, guest houses) the well mechanism has to include filters and have to have a certificate. But I've had tea in the middle of absolutely nowhere made from water from a basic well, and not suffered."

The most sensible advice ~ wash your hands!

Tim Cullis emphasises, however, that it's vital to do what your mother taught you as a child. "Wash your hands before eating. Most upset stomachs are caused by handling dirty bank notes and other items, then eating eating bread with your hands and transferring the bacteria to your stomach.

"Moroccans are fastidious about washing their hands before eating and every cafe, no matter how humble, will have a sink with running water for washing your hands. Mime 'hand washing' and you'll be pointed to it. You'll also gain street credibility amongst Moroccans who are generally amazed at the poor personal hygiene of Europeans."

Waste Water Treatment - Clean and Green

Belgian company, Waterleau, designed and built the municipal wastewater treatment plant of the city of Fez, which has a population of 1.3 million.

Waste water treatment in Fez is state of the art

Waterleau is also responsible for the operation and maintenance of the plant for a period of 10 years. The plant reduces 85% of the pollution of the river Sebou, treating 120.000 m³ of sewage water per day or 40 million m³ annually.

Half of the plant's energy requirements come from biogas, provided from digestion of the sludge, an important by-product of the biological wastewater treatment process. Daily, 28.800 m³ of methane is produced, providing 2.75 million Kwh per year. The plant allows a considerable reduction of greenhouse gases: the treatment process reduces 103.000 tons of CO2 per year.

So the next time you are sitting at a cafe in Fez, and are given a glass of tap water, along with your qhwa, there is no reason to hesitate.

The View from Fez would like to thank Fred Sola for making the report available.

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Practical information for tourists in Fez

Is this a hammam?

Recently we have met two distinct types of tourists. Those who did a lot of homework before coming to Fez - others who had done none. Now while there may be great joy in plunging into the unknown, some cities are better enjoyed with some basic information already stored in your head! Fez is such a city.

If you are going to visit Fez in the future it pays as our first group of tourists did, to study up. The quality of their time in Fez was enhanced by already having basic tourist information about currency, drinking water, the geography, climate and history. The couple we interviewed already knew the names of the main streets in the Medina and where the most famous buildings were located. Their time in Fez was maximised by having done the homework.

There are a lot of internet sites with practical tourist information such as maps of the Fez Medina and suggestions for sightseeing and so on and our links will also take you to some of the better ones. For restaurants you can see a guide here : Fez Restaurants or our listings with photographs Fez Food Guide




For those who are new to The View from Fez, this is a reminder that you can search the site using the search box at the top of the home page. We have hundreds of stories rangiing from renovation to culture, antiques to music and, of course, all the gossip and news.

If you are interested in buying property in Morocco or a riad in Fez, then it would be worthwhile browsing our Moroccan Property pages.

Lifestyle issues ( restaurants, bar guides and accomodation) can be found on The View from Morocco.

The free classified advertising pages are at ArtiZany

Other quick links:

Eating out in Casa

Eating out in Fez

Marrakech guide

Meknes bar guide

Tangier Bars

Rent a Fez Riad

Some basic contacts:

Police-Emergencies phone number is 19
For the Fire Brigade phone 15
If you have a car breakdown or want to report an accident to the police - 177
It is wise to post valuable articles from the Central Post Office · Grande Poste, on the corner of Avenue Mohammed V and Hassan II.
There is an all-night pharmacy Av. Abdelkrim El Khattabi - Tel: 62.33.80
Omar Drissi Hospital is in Place de l'Istiqlal (phone) 63.45.51
For Ghassani Hospital phone 62.27.76 / 77
Tourism Office · Place de la Résistance, Tel: 62.34.60 / 62.62.97
Railway Station · Rue Imarate Arabia - Tel: 62.50.01
Fès - Saïss Airport · Route d'Imouzzer - Tel: 62.47.12 / 62.43.00
Royal Air Maroc · 52, avenue Hassan II - Tel: 62.04.56 / 57
Renting a Riad in the Medina contact: http://www.fez-riads.com

Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news

Fez Medina ~ Morocco's "Must Visit" Destination

Fez has become the Moroccan destination of choice for discerning travellers wanting to avoid the mass tourism in places such as Agadir and Marrakech. The View From Fez took to the streets of the Medina to find out why.

Fez tourists ~ relaxed and happy

On a typical Sunday in Fez the overwhelming majority of people on the Medina streets are Moroccans; either local or visiting from around the country. Overseas tourists are in a minority, which is understandable, given the size and population of the Medina.

Maria, a visitor from Spain, points out that what struck her most about visiting Fez was the fact that it exists primarily for local people. "The shops are selling to Moroccans and not aimed directly at the visiting tourists. Which is probably why we were hassled less in Fez than in other places."

Visitors report that the Medina shopkeepers are friendly and helpful

Gunter, a solo traveller from Hamburg, says that he likes the fact that Fez is so laid back compared to Marrakech. "And there are none of those annoying motorbikes." He adds that what he likes best is people-watching. "Sitting in a café for an hour or two over a mint tea, the whole world goes by. It is like sitting in a documentary film! Everything is so photogenic."

Hamid, a shopkeeper on the Talaa Kbira, says things are very quiet at the moment. "Maybe it was the heatwave, or maybe events in Tunisia and France that have kept tourist numbers down." He gestures up the street, "Humdullilah, it is cooler now and, inshallah, the tourists will come back."

Shopkeepers are "really helpful when you are lost" 

Talking to visitors, one thing that is constantly remarked on is the friendliness of the Medina's shopkeepers. "Yes, there are some who hassle, but not as bad as other places I have been. They are also really helpful when you are lost," says Yvette from France.

Also regularly mentioned is that those who had done a bit of research before coming to Morocco, were opting to stay longer in Fez and using it as a base from which to do either day, or overnight excursions. "There is so much to see in and around Fez, that I regret only booking in for a week," says Charles, from Canada.

Experienced Tour operators such as Plan-it-Fez, based in Fez, now have developed expertise in catering to travellers who would like to experience more than the usual one day itinerary. On offer are everything from mountain excursions, culinary experiences and artisan tours.

"Everything is so photogenic"

Sitting people-watching, one thing that becomes apparent is the small number of large tour groups compared to solo travellers or family groups.  Tour guides say they are working a lot with couples or families. There are also fair number of female travellers.

Another indication of the growing awareness of Fez as a 'must visit' destination, is that the ancient city is becoming more sophisticated in what it offers.

Fez is welcoming an increasing numbers of female travellers

Richard Alleman. in a recent article, wrote,"For more than a decade, Marrakesh has been the Moroccan destination on everyone’s list, with its ever-more-luxurious hotels, nightclubs, and attainable whiff of the exotic. Fez, about 240 miles northeast of Marrakesh, was often an afterthought. Those who went there raved about the medieval medina—still totally inaccessible to cars, still genuinely Moroccan. But with few upscale places to stay, conservative Fez was never more than a quick stopover.

Times are changing. Slowly, quietly, a sophisticated scene is taking root in Fez, much as it did in Marrakesh 15 years ago. It started with expats and locals restoring riads, and continues as hotels, restaurants, and galleries pop up. So far, overdevelopment isn’t an issue. Whether this will last—especially with this year’s debut of an upgraded airport, set to accommodate 2.5 million passengers, five times the current volume—is anyone’s guess. Don’t wait to find out. For those who fell in love with Marrakesh before it became an international party hub, this is the moment to see Fez.

Restaurant No. 7 

On the culinary front, Restaurant No. 7 has been making waves with a rotating series of acclaimed guest chefs, a novel concept for Fez. Set in striking black- and-white-tiled rooms, it is the brainchild of British food writer Tara Stevens and American Stephen Di Renza, who swings between Fez and Marrakesh, where he is the creative director of Yves Saint Laurent’s Jardin Majorelle.

“Fez is multi-layered, multi-faceted,” Stevens says. “Every time I go out the front door, I discover something. This is a city on the cusp of change—and it’s exciting to be a part of that.”

The Ruined Garden

Another success story is the more informal Ruined Garden restaurant which has been very popular for lunch or dinner, right through the hot season. A surprising and welcome addition to the restaurant range has been Maison Moi Annan, a genuine Thai restaurant, offering a welcome change to those who want a break from tagines.

While some Riad owners have seen a downturn over the last couple of months, others report that tourist numbers are on a par with the same time last year.

"Business is steady" - Fred Sola from Riad Laaroussa

Fred Sola, from Riad Laaroussa, says that while he is aware of reports of lower numbers of French tourists, he has maintained steady bookings with a majority of his clientele being American, Australian and British. "However, whenever a budget European airline has a couple of weeks of lower airfares, there is a spike in tourists from those countries," he says.

According to riad owners, bookings are flowing in for the next couple of months. Welcome news for everyone in the Fez Medina.

Fez scores 11th place in Lonely Planet 500

Lonely Planet’s community of staff and writers have ranked the 500 best places to see on the planet, creating the definitive bucket list for every type of traveller. Number 11 out of 500 is the Fez Medina. Fez was also the only African site in the top 20.

1. Temples of Angkor, Cambodia              11. Fez Medina, Morocco
2. Great Barrier Reef, Australia                 12. Twelve Apostles, Australia
3. Machu Picchu, Peru                                13. Petra, Jordan
4. Great Wall of China,                               14. Tikal, Guatemala
5. Taj Mahal, India                                      15. British Museum, England
6. Grand Canyon National Park, USA      16. Sagrada Familia, Spain
7. Colosseum, Italy                                     17. Fiordland National Park, New Zealand
8. Iguazu Falls, Brazil-Argentina              18. Santorini, Greece
9. Alhambra, Spain                                     19. Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
10. Aya Sofya, Turkey                                20. Museum of Old & New Art, Australia

Tom Hall, Editorial Director of Lonely Planet, said of the Top 500 “This book has been years in the making and brings together the most compelling places in the world according to our team of globetrotting travel experts. Every traveller has got a list of places they simply have to see – places heard about, read about or dreamed about. Of course, what makes somewhere special is different for everyone and we’d love to hear about other people’s top spots. But this is our definitive list. And one we hope will inspire many other travel wish-lists.”

Lonely Planet describes Morocco as one of the most diverse countries in Africa and given Morocco's array of ancient cities, vast dessert landscapes and rough coastline it placed it in the top 10 countries to visit in 2015. With 9 UNESCO World Heritage listings, the history of Morocco is rich and opportunities for exploration are endless. Thankfully it is also a very secure destination being ranked as safer than France!

This was a good result for tourism in Fez. As one local put it, with a wry smile, "It certainly can't hurt."

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Travel Writing About Morocco #26

This week our travel writing sleuths have come across three interesting examples. One is from a high circulation newspaper, another a mass market book and the third, a small blog. Book reviewer and literary critic, Ibn Warraq, takes up the story...

HASSAN the driver asked: "Would you like to meet a Berber troglodyte?"

This is the opening line from a better than average piece of writing on Morocco. Good, that is, in the world of newspapers. I add that because many times it is obvious that a sub-editor has taken to a piece with no sense of the overall integrity of the whole. This appears to be the case in Phil Hammond's story in the Australian Courier Mail, the countries highest circulation newspaper, as the later part of the article seems to be quite truncated. Hammond's opening line is a good one and his quirky take on things continues - not in the usual places (Marrakesh, Essaouira, Erg Cherbi) but parked on top of someone's cave.

He was easing the LandCruiser along a very rough track in an arid valley. The steep walls of this western Saharan mountain range, called Jebel Sarhro, displayed strata lines in dozens of hues of brown, red and cream. It was 46C of dry desert heat outside the vehicle.

Hours before, we had left the cool, fountain-graced courtyards of our hotel in Ouarzazate for a real Moroccan adventure. As the wheels crunched to a stop, we peered out for signs of a cave. All to be seen were the rolling, stony foothills splotched with weedy ground cover.

Then a Muslim woman appeared below and smiled a toothless welcome. Two dogs were too heat-stressed to raise a bark, and a nubian goat kept on munching. We had parked on the roof of her cave. Venturing down, we found a steep-sided bank with a row of four cave entrances. Each tunnelled five or six metres horizontally into the hillside and none was high enough to stand up straight in.

The first cave contained the kitchen, or rather a clay oven. The second was the family's lounge room, where our hostess had a sizeable loom on which was the start of a Berber carpet. From grubby plastic canisters, she poured water into a tiny teapot and fired up a small spirit stove. In the tradition of Moroccan hospitality, we were invited to sit on the cave floor and sip mint tea from small glasses.

With Hassan to translate, we learnt the third cave was the sleeping quarters and the fourth sheltered animals on cold nights. The woman said she had raised 11 children in her cave home. A distant movement showed dad and some youngsters were bringing a flock of sheep and goats from the water supply.

Phil Hammond writes well and his word pictures are wonderfully evocative.

The saving grace in this part of the world is that even in drought, water does keep trickling. Soon we were bouncing down into the Dades River Valley. Snow from the High Atlas mountains melts and permeates the rock, providing, at this time of the year, a modestly running creek. It is sufficient to sustain a vivid green ribbon below dramatic rock formations like melted toffee. These hillsides dwarfed mud-plastered villages where every home is allocated a riverside allotment.

Downstream, we had poked along through the Valley of a Million Kasbahs... (Well, we could knitpick and point out that it is usually only a "thousand kasbahs", but what the heck.) A kasbah here is an imposing, fortress-like house. Rich French people have "discovered" them for holiday homes and renovations among the groves of date palms are impressive.

You will find Phil Hammond's full story here: Mix of Culture

The iconic kasbah at Ait Ben Haddou

The Quest for a good book on Kasbahs.

Recently The View from Fez was sent a review copy of the new travel adventure book by Richard Bangs. For those who do not know Richard, he is the author of more than a dozen adventure books which cover half the planet. He is a full time explorer and adventure junky.

When Bang's latest book Quest for the Kasbah arrived on my desk, I was keen to dive into it because the subject of the Moroccan kasbahs was one we had recently been discussing. It starts with a description of a descent of the Omo River in Ethiopea and his travels with his friend Lew - "Though Jewish, Lew had spent time traveling through North Africa." Imagine that.


What soon came clear was that this book is not so much about kasbahs, as about Richard Bangs. In fairness, it should be pointed out that Quest for the Kasbah is a TV tie-in, marketed to go with a the PBS special Morocco: Quest for the Kasbah and as such will probably be enjoyed by many. Thee book's observations about Morocco are at times poetic - "With Walker just a few steps behind we passed through a gate of three symetrical horseshoe arches and kneaded (sic) down a smokey, teeming alley, thick with the tintinnabulations and perfumes of North Africa."

Bangs observations are unfortunately simplistic snapshots that fail to go beneath the surface. In describing the urban layout of Fez, Bangs falls into the trap of failing to see beyond those first impressions. Instead of describing a city that has grown organically along the river and then developed along Islamic lines (each area having its own mosque,bakery, medersa, fountain and hammam), Bangs tosses off the standard cliches.

"...so tendrilled and tortuous that even those living just outside the walls often do not enter for fear of getting lost. There are no maps, no street signs. Hell is better organised."

Now, we wouldn't quible if that was not so demonstrably wrong. There are maps. There are signs in French, Arabic and English and the Fez Medina is certainly not ... "endless and circular, a maze within a knot inside a honeycomb within a skein within a web." To compound the problem, Bangs then goes on about the great adventurers who got lost. Starting with Moses he details, Livingstone, Kit Moresby, Shackelton, Herzog, Amelia Earheart, the list goes on. Yep, know how they felt, just like being in the "cosmic soup that is the Medina of Fez".

Richard Bangs

Another unfortunate habit of Mr Bangs is to see the world through a myopic and slightly imperialist set of glasses. He is take on traditional cafe culture: " ...with its luxury of unmeasured time the Moroccan cafe is out of harmony with western concepts." Bangs' spends a lot of time through the book commenting on mobile phones and modern communications. In fact it seems he spends more time on that subject than talking about kasbahs. But even his writing on communications is hard to take seriously after his observation about mobile phones in Fez: "...In the midst of all the bustle I don't see a single person with a cell phone, PDA or any digital device..." It makes one wonder if he was actually in Fez at all. The cell phones are, as any casual observation will confirm, in plague proportions.

Quest for the Kasbah ultimately is an unfullfilled quest. But now I understand my European friends when they tell me I have been"banging on" too much.

Quest for the Kasbah is published by Open Road Publishing.

Advice to Travellers.

My last quick review this week is of a website promoting Fez that was sent to us by a concerned Moroccan guest house owner who complained that the site made it sound as though staying in the Medina of Fez was a second rate option.

"Much of the city is still holding on to its French roots. Thus around 200000 of Fez's inhabitants stay in the city of Fez el Bali. Staying a few days in Fez el Bali will make you recognize that it's hard to avoid the paradox of the place. Fez el Bali is a place with a constant source of interest.
Accommodation
You can either stay in the modern hotels of Ville Nouvelle with a reliable water supply, or in the basic hotels of Medina in Fes el Bali and Fes el Djedid. There is frequently a shortage of hotel space so be sure to book well in advance. A small number of the better hotels have swimming pools and also offer the advantages of nearby restaurants and pubs.
Restaurants
Ville Nouvelle is the center for most of the cities restaurants, bars, cafes, bookshops and other facilities. Fes el Bali and Fes el Djedid have no bars and a few Palace-Restaurants that are very basic and only open for lunch. They mainly cater for tourists"

While we agree that the information is inaccurate and does paint the wrong picture, the site itself is well meaning. Visitors probably check more than one website before booking accomodation in Fez and can be assured that they have "reliable water" supplies!

See our Travel Writing about Morocco series here. Travel Writing Index


Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news

Travel writing about Morocco #25

"One of the most interesting development in the last eighteen months has been the way that a majority of travel articles have switched of attention away from Marrakech or Casablanca and focussed firmly on Fez" - This was what one travel editor told us. So today we did a quick search for the latest articles related to tourism in Morocco and here is a sample of what we found. The quality of the writing varied quite markedly but they did concentrate on Fez. We have included one article by a blogger which was a little weird in that it appeared to have been translated by Babelfish (we suspect from French). It looked like a tourism commission plan, but was inaccurate and out of date. We have included an extract from it simply for comparison.

Writer:
Daniel Drolet. (For Ottawa Citizen; Canwest News Service)

Headline:
Morocco offers a surreal mix of old and new - (Donkeys transport cargo through twisting alleys and passersby talk on cellphones)

Excerpt:

FEZ, Morocco - In alleyways barely as wide as my outstretched arms, the city's bustle pushes past me in waves -- giggling schoolchildren chasing each other, veiled women on their way to market, wizened old men in traditional djellabas walking hand-in-hand, Moroccan style, and chatting.

Every minute or two, weary donkeys laden with cargo trot past, their masters yelling "Balik! Balik!" as a warning to get out of the way. I sometimes have to push myself flat against the walls of the houses to let them pass.

Thin shades pulled overtop of these labyrinthine alleyways keep out most of the sharp North African sun and create a dark, dappled place where the scent of orange blossoms mingles with the acrid smell of ammonia. Somewhere nearby, in a cubbyhole off the street, there is a schoolroom, and I can hear the angelic voices of children chanting their lessons. The sound of it is as sweet as honey.

For a moment I am disoriented, unsure not only of where I am, but also -- more strangely -- of when I am. Is this the 21st century?

A man talking on a cellphone walks past. I am not in the 13th century after all. I am in the medina of Fez, the ancient capital of Morocco. And Fez, like all of Morocco, is a strange mix of new and old, modern and traditional, cellphones and donkeys.

...The medinas are daunting mazes -- and the most fascinating things I saw.

The medina of Fez is the most amazing of all. Now a World Heritage Site, it is 1,200 years old and feels it. The buildings are too tightly packed for motorized transport. You visit on foot, and commerce moves on the backs of donkeys.

The most amazing of all the craft shops of Fez is the city's tannery. After being given branches of mint to wave under our noses for the smell, we are led up a narrow set of stairs to a shop full of leather goods. At the back of the shop is a balcony, and from the balcony is the most amazing sight.

Writer:
Elena Fenrick (Edmonton Journal)

Headline:
The Western Kingdom

Excerpt:

Buying a train ticket to Fez is an easy transaction; getting on the correct train is not quite as easy. Six of us spent a half-hour stranded in Kenitra, waiting for the train we should have taken.

Fez was fantastic and fulfilled my childhood dream of being in Disney's Aladdin. The Medina, famous for its tanneries and one of the world's oldest universities, comprises thousands of medieval streets and alleyways.

Our guide led us to an Amazigh (Berber) carpet house, a women's co-operative that produced silk scarves, a herbal pharmacy and the famed tanneries.

In my opinion, Morocco's greatest asset is its people. Family is a priority to them, and time isn't measured as rigidly as it is in Canada.

The genuine kindness of strangers was a recurring theme wherever we went. People wanted to help us. Yes, there were those who wanted to sell us something such as a henna tattoo or their guiding services. But, many were simply curious about why we were there and wished to show hospitality to foreigners.

The local shop owners in the souk (marketplace) and waiters at certain cafes began to exchange pleasant greetings with us. When I brought a few friends back to a specific jewelry shop, the owner recognized me and gave me a tiny, silver Hand of Fatima necklace as commission.

Writer:
Millie Ball (Newhouse News Service, Star Tribune, Minneapolis.)

Headline:
Offerings of peace amid the excitement in Fez, one of Morocco's great ancient cities.

Excerpt:

Of the million people who live in greater Fez, about 350,000 live in the crowded medina, mostly above shops. Fez's old city is immense, with 187 neighborhoods -- each with its own mosque, bakery, hamman (a public bath), Qur'an school and fountain. The medina's 9,000 maze-like streets incline gradually so that by the end of the day, you have climbed a good bit.

Seeing photos of old Fez is one thing. Being here is something else. Being here means smelling spices and cooking meat and baking bread. It means walking past a wall case of false teeth advertising a dentist's services and surveying offerings in a warehouse of rental wedding thrones. Being here means hearing the noises of the medina, the warnings about donkeys, hawkers' attempts to lure buyers, calls to prayer that begin with what sounds like low moans and escalate to a piercing, rhythmic cry.

...We climbed steep stairs and a young, skinny waiter brought us small dishes of spicy mashed fava beans, caramelized onions, lentils in tomato sauce, chicken shish kebab cooked with red peppers and cumin, and chicken with onions. We ate the delicious food Moroccan style, with bread rather than forks.

Back downstairs after our meal, we were welcomed heartily by Hamid Berrada, the owner, a bearded man with laugh lines. "What's the name of this place?" I asked Saida, who looked puzzled. Nobody calls it by a name.

Writer:
Michael Schneider (Star Tribune, Minneapolis)

Headline:
Cooking class offers taste of Morocco

Extract:

Donkey carts clattered across cobblestone streets; butchers wielding cleavers hacked away at sides of lamb, beef and camel; women haggled in Arabic, French or Tamazight, a local Berber language. We were in Fez's meat, produce and spice market, maneuvering through the chaos with the guidance of Lahcen Beqqi, a master chef and expert on Moroccan cooking.

My wife, Ruth, and I had signed up for a one-day cooking class taught by Beqqi to learn more about Morocco and its cuisine. Beqqi, a 32-year-old baby-faced Berber from a small mountain village, made a fitting teacher. He had moved to Fez, the country's food capital, in 2002 and had cooked at some of the city's finest restaurants until he opened a school, Fes Cooking, in 2006. His classes offer not only cooking instruction (and eating, of course), but also an introduction to Moroccan shopping and mealtime traditions.

Lahcen with Rick Stein

...As we relished the meal during two glorious hours, Beqqi related stories of the multiethnic influences that have produced this distinctive cuisine: the Berbers of southern Morocco who brought tagines and couscous; seventh-century Arab invaders who introduced grilled meats and a love of dried fruits and nuts; Moors who contributed their taste for olives, oranges and lemons, and Sephardic Jews of North Africa who popularized the pickling and preserving of fruits and meats, plus the gastronomic contributions of Ottoman and French colonists.

I lay back on the sofa and sipped my last glass of tea, feeling like a pampered pasha. At 4 p.m., after a busy but gratifying day, Beqqi called a taxi to take us back to our hotel, a trip whose cost was, thankfully, based on distance, not weight.

Writer:
Unknown

Headline:
Tourism in Fez

Excerpt:

Tourism in Fez is a cyclic activity without any clear trend in terms of growth.

Tourist activities in this city are marked by a stable inbound tourism which has accounted for more than 70% of overnight stays recorded in the destination over the last decade.

Compared with inbound tourism, it is worth noting that Fez doesn't make full use of the potential of outbound markets. From a historical point of view, the city targets only one segment of the French market (circuits' clientele).

Finally, it should be noted that:

• Fez is not a destination in its own right: it is merely a stopping place in the tour of imperial cities;
• Fez is a product designed for a kind of clientele of a single market (circuits' clientele, French market);
• Fez is not marketed as a City Break at a time when it may be fit for this type of product which has witnessed a sustained growth in different markets

Classified as a world heritage by the UNESCO, the Medina of Fez is the Key Resource of the destination as well as the most attractive sightseeing tour of the region, and that is all thanks to:

• its numerous patrimonial resources (9 monumental gates, 7 medersas, more than 100 mosques/mausoleums and 64 monumental fountains),
• its human whole as well as its authentic lifestyle which is viewed as unique in the world.*

*This last extract was from a website called "Tourism in Morocco". The article that has been, translated, re-posted and may well be an old document. The claim about targeting French tourists is certainly out of date ( the targeting of Canada, for example, brought more than 32,000 visitors to Fez last year)

The View from Fez - travel writing index

Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news

Essential reading list - Fez & Morocco

The View from Fez gets a lot of enquiries about what books to read before coming to Morocco. So we have decided to make up a suggested reading list of books that we and others have found invaluable. If you wish to purchase a book simply click on the linked book title

The novel is a rare example of contemporary English fiction drawing on traditional Moroccan folklore. Written in gripping English prose fused with Arabic words, the novel gives an authentic insight into a Westerner’s experience of modern Moroccan society, whilst simultaneously exposing the reader to the country’s rich cultural history by weaving classic Moroccan folk takes and the mysteries of Sufism into its fabric. The book not only explores the point where East and West merge, but the collision of the human world with the world of the djinns – mysterious shape-shifting creatures of an unseen realm.

Through the Peacock Gate takes you on the journey of a foreigner in Morocco, whose unexpected infatuation leads him into the very heart of the Sufi mystical experience. His descent into madness is exacerbated by his guilt over a tragedy in his past. As he recovers, he is forced to confront a female djinn during a Sufi ceremony in an encounter that could once again tip him back into insanity.

The novel is a rare example of contemporary English fiction drawing on traditional Moroccan folklore. Written in gripping English prose fused with Arabic words, the novel gives an authentic insight into a Westerner’s experience of modern Moroccan society, whilst simultaneously exposing the reader to the country’s rich cultural history by weaving classic Moroccan folk takes and the mysteries of Sufism into its fabric. The book not only explores the point where East and West merge, but the collision of the human world with the world of the djinns – mysterious shape-shifting creatures of an unseen realm.

“Sandy McCutcheon’s latest novel Through the Peacock Gate is the kind of book those of us who live between Occident and Orient have waited an entire lifetime to read. The interweaving layers, the quality of the prose and, most of all, the raw bedrock of cultural knowledge on which it is founded, makes this an invaluable handbook to the mysteries and complexities of Eastern lore. Its pages conjure the mesmerising, magical heart of secret Morocco.”
Tahir Shah, author of The Caliph’s House

The novel set in Fez is essential reading!

Read review here : First review

Where to Buy a copy:
The Arabic Language Institute in Fez,
2 Rue Ahmed Hiba, Fes, Ville Nouvelle 30000
Beacon Books (UK)
Amazon (USA)
Amazon (AUS)

Morocco (Country Guide)

Simply the best and most up to date guide book available.

















Fez Encounter

Discover twice the city in half the time with this is essential pocket sized guide book for Fez

…full-color pull-out map to help you navigate the medina with ease
…our resident author, Helen Ranger, recommends the best sights, restaurants, shops and entertainment
…unique itineraries and highlights to make the most of a short break in the world's last intact Medina.
…local experts reveal Fez’s secrets: from Si Mohammed el-Amrani on medicinal herbs to Dr. Armand Guigui on Jewish heritage in the Mellah.






Moroccan Arabic: Lonely Planet Phrasebook

Don't leave home without it! It is very easy to use and the locals will appreciate even a few well chosen phrases.















Morocco - Culture Smart!
a quick guide to customs and etiquette

Jillian York's insiders view of how not to mess things up! A sharp guide for the unwary.



A House in Fez: Building a Life in the Ancient Heart of Morocco

Suzanna Clarke's bestseller is a real insight into life in Fez - not just about restoration but wonderful and heart-warming descriptions of everyday life in the Medina. There are English, Australian, American and Korean editions.

Please note! There is a new book out called The House in Fez - the title capitalising on the popularity of A House in Fez - A bit cheeky and it is a romance and nothing like Suzanna Clarke's book.












Lords of the Atlas: The Rise and Fall of the House of Glaoua, 1893-1956

British author Gavin Maxwell (Ring of Bright Water) details the daily life, customs, and rituals in pre-independence Morocco and of recounts the rise and fall of El Hadj T'hani El Glaoui, the legendary tribal warlord through whom the French ruled one of their prize colonies in North Africa. He shows how the blend of Berber, Arab, and black African races created an extraordinary cultural mosaic and explains how the French colonialists recruited the Atlas Mountain tribal warlords to subdue the other tribes. As the chief beneficiary of this policy, El Glaoui was able to rule most of southern Morocco in an absolute fashion, until Morocco's independence from France in 1956 brought an end to the rule of a very colorful warlord. The book contains many superb color photographs that enhance Maxwell's lively narrative.




Fez: City of Islam - Titus Burkhardt

Fez: City of Islam is undoubtedly one of Titus Burckhardt's masterpieces. It conveys a profound understanding of the sacred roots that nourish Islamic culture and civilisation. As a young man in the 1930s, Burckhardt spent some years in Morocco where he became acquainted with several remarkable representatives of the spiritual heritage of the Maghreb. Although he committed much of this experience to writing, it was not until the 1950s that these writings were developed into a book. In Fez: City of Islam, Burckhardt writes of the history of a people and their religion and history that was often violent, often heroic and sometimes holy. The book relates the teachings, parables and miracles of the saints of many centuries and demonstrates not only the arts and crafts of Islamic civilisation, but also its sciences and administrative skills. Burckhardt's unique black and white photographs from the 1930s are included. In addition 41 new colour illustrations have been specially selected to enhance Burckhardt's originals. Here, text and illustrations come together to provide an insight into the way the life of a people can be transformed at every level by a religious tradition.



Dreams Of Trespass: Tales Of A Harem Girlhood

Fatima Mernissi's rich, magical and absorbing growing-up tale set in a little-known culture reflects many universals about women. The setting is a "domestic harem"in the 1940s city of Fez, where an extended family arrangement keeps the women mostly apart from society, as opposed to the more stereotypical "imperial harem," which historically provided sex for sultans and other powerful court officials. Moroccan sociologist Mernissi ( Islam and Democracy ) charts the changing social and political frontiers and limns the personalities and quirks of her world.


Fiction & Literature




Spider's House: A Novel

This is the classic by Paul Bowles. A must read. The dilemma of the outsider in an alien society, and the gap in understanding between cultures, recurrent themes of Paul Bowles's writings, are dramatized with brutal honesty in this novel set in Fez, Morocco, during that country's 1954 nationalist uprising. Totally relevant to today's political situation in the Middle East and elsewhere, richly descriptive of its setting, and uncompromising in its characterizations, The Spider's House is perhaps Bowles's best, most beautifully subtle novel.









The Cobbler's Apprentice

Sandy McCutcheon's explosive international thriller contains some wonderfully evocative scenes in Fez.

''The best of the current crop of terrorist thrillers ... This intelligent novel blends the machinations of the spy novel with the action and geopolitics of the international thriller to produce a credible and truly scary read ... This is McCutcheon's finest novel to date.'Jeff Popple (Canberra Times)

'This book is nothing less than a rip-roaring action thriller with politicians and thugs, scientists and spies — and an unnerving sense of the possible.' Samela Harris (Adelaide Advertiser)

'It's a gripping read because of its eerie prescience. But in McCutcheon's professional hands, it will also have you reading on the edge of your seats.' Jan Hallam (Sunday Times)

Secret Son

These two books by the wonderful author Laila Lalami are highly recomended!
















Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits



















The Caliph's House: A Year in Casablanca
Tahir Shah's bestseller tells of his adventures, trials and tribulations when he purchases and old house in Casablanca.







Other Moroccan authors.

Tahar Ben Jelloun
This Blinding Absence of Light Leaving Tangier: A Novel The Sand Child

Mohammed Choukri

For Bread Alone
Streetwise
In Tangier

Leila Abouzeid
Year of the Elephant: A Moroccan Woman's Journey Toward Independence

Anthology translated by Paul Bowles
Five Eyes: Stories by Abdeslam Boulaich, Mohamed Choukri, Larbi Layachi, Mohammed Mrabet, Ahmed Yacoubi.

See other suggestions from readers in the comments below.To purchase a book, simply click on the book title.

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Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news