New Year greetings

The View from Fez wishes all its readers a very happy, peaceful and prosperous 2010!

Jordi Savall at the Fes Festival of World Sacred Music

As always, The View from Fez brings you news of the Fes Festival. We start with Jordi Savall, world-renowned Catalan musician and composer who will perform at Bab el Makina at 20h30 on Wednesday 9 June.


Jordi Savall is long been one of the foremost figures in early music, ranging from medieval, to Renaissance to Baroque. He is largely responsible for bringing the viol (viola da gamba) back into play. Savall was recently awarded the National Prize for Culture by the Catalonia National Council for Culture and the Arts. This will be his second appearance at the Fes Festival.

Pliny described Jerusalem as 'by far the most illustrious city of the Orient', and in this latest piece presented by Jordi Savall, Jerusalem - la ville des deux paix, the music retraces 3200 years of the history of this sacred city. Jordi calls it a magical journey, outside of time, of Sufi music and Hebrew lamentations.

Savall will be accompanied in Fez by his choral groups Hesperion XXI and Capella Reial de Catalunya as well as various guests, representing Spain, Morocco, Iraq, Greece, Israel, Galilee and Armenia. This prestigious melange of Jewish, Christian and Muslim musicians echoes the foundations of the city they celebrate. Jerusalem is presented as a welcoming city, and although peaceful at the moment, it lives in hope of reuniting the two 'peaces' of its name.

Music by Jordi Savall and Montserrat Figueras; story and text by Manuel Forcano.

See the Festival programme here.

Fez facelift

In addition to all the splendid new fountains gracing Fez, there are also plans afoot to upgrade the central square, Place Florence.

Plan for a re-vamped Place Florence, with Boulevard Hassan II on the right

The square, less well-known as Place Yacoub al-Mansour, does look pretty seedy at the moment, with its dusty trees and bare concrete. It's not at all in keeping with the elegant swathe of palm trees and fountains along Boulevard Hassan II, so this will be a very welcome addition to the Ville Nouvelle.

This plan has been submitted by the Mikou Design Studio, owned by Fez-born sisters Salwa and Selma Mikou. It's gratifying to see yet another proposal from Moroccan women architects and urban planners - Aziza Chaouni's plans for the tanneries and R'cif (see the story here) is another example.

Artist's impression of the new square

Mikou Design Studio explains that Place Florence is situated in a strategic area in the new town, and has important pedestrian flow. The remodeling of the square aims to create a space for encounters and meetings at a pedestrian scale and the scale of the neighborhood, but also a place clearly identifiable as a representative part of the modern Fez.

"This symbolic place evokes Florence to the people of Fez, inspires and moves them", says the design team.

"It is a vehicle for dialogue between cultures and recalls the journey of architectural forms. In designing the square, we were inspired by a strong and symbolic figure in the Florentine urban landscape, the octagonal form of the Baptistery of San Giovanni. We felt it essential to bring strong architectural elements to Place Florence to give it an urban presence and limit it spatially.

Salwa and Selma Mikou attended school in Paris and Lausanne, and received their diplomas in Architecture and Urban design in 2000. Since then, they have worked in Paris, Doha, Los Angeles, Seoul, Beirut, Rabat, Kuwait and London. They founded Mikou Design Studio in 2005.

Architectural gem opens in Fes

In July, The View from Fez reported on progress at Dar Bensouda (see the article here). We're pleased to announce that renovation is now complete, and the house has opened as a guesthouse this week.

From looking like this only a few months ago ...

Dar Bensouda courtyard July 2009 (photo: Suzanna Clarke)

... it now looks like this:

December 2009

Well-known Marrekchi hotelier and renovator par excellence, Abdellatif Ait Ben Abdullah, has been careful to retain as much of the original decoration as possible, resisting the urge to replace worn mosaics or paint faded plasterwork. His diligence has paid off. Not that it's all finished yet; there'll be a garden and pool come summer.

There are a number of bedrooms ranging in price from Dh916 to Dh1838 (in high season), all with beautifully-appointed bathrooms and air-conditioning/heating. The restaurant is open to all, not just guests, and will be a welcome addition to fine dining in the medina.

plasterwork, carved and painted doors, and mashrabiya (wooden trellis work)

New Year Celebrations
If you'd like to see the house but are not staying there, the restaurant will be open on new year's eve and will feature Sufi music til dawn. Here's the menu:

Welcome cocktail
Assorted Moroccan salads
Stuffed briouates
Chicken pastilla
Tanjia Marrakech-style
Chocolate pastilla with dried fruit
Mint tea or coffee with honey pastries
1/2 bottle of wine and water

Cost per person: Dh850

the central fountain reflects the columns

Bookings for dinner: Mahmoud +212 535 638 949; for accommodation: Fez Riads

Photos: Catherine Bendayan

Lonely Planet's top 10 countries for 2010

Recently Lonely Planet released its top ten countries for 2010. To our delight, Morocco was once again included. The destinations were arranged alphabetically, so there was no special ranking, but here is the list: El Salvador, Germany, Greece, Malaysia, Morocco, Nepal, New Zealand, Portugal, Suriname, USA.

Predictably, Lonely Planet got a strong reaction from around the world of those who liked the list and others who thought it was a little on the tame side. A couple of commentators even criticised Morocco being included because of bad experiences that they had suffered. One, not so happy camper, detailed her objection... I completely DISAGREE with Morocco. My passport was stolen TWICE before I even left the airport. The airport personnel were very unwilling to explain directions on getting through the screen machine. All of the Americans on the flight were herded into a corner. It was VERY uncomfortable. After leaving the airport and by the time two hours had passed, I was chased by a man with a monkey, chased by a man with snakes, hit by a donkey cart, and hit by a motorcyle. Being a girl, I was once offered 500 camels for my ownership and another time I was just straight-up asked how much I cost. I was very modestly dressed although it was blazing hot outside. Not surprisingly, I left Marrakesh, Morocco the very next day.

Lost her passport twice? With that much bad karma, maybe she should have stayed home? Seriously though, as one Australian woman recently told us "I feel safer and more relaxed in Morocco than I do in Melbourne."

"Every path, every corner, a new delight"

Here's what Lonely Planet had to say about Morocco:

‘Hello, bonjour, salaam alaykum, labes?’ Street greetings sum up everything you need to know about Morocco in a word: it’s Berber and Arab, Muslim and secular, Mediterranean and African, worldly wise and welcoming. Morocco sees how the Middle East is portrayed via satellite news and the internet, and is as concerned with violent threats and abuses of power as anyone else in the modern world. But as you’ll see, most Moroccans are plenty busy working to get by, get their kids through school and greet the king’s planned 10 million visitors by 2010 with the utmost hospitality. Every visitor helps Moroccans realise these goals by creating new economic opportunities, and can make a Moroccan’s day by returning the greeting: ‘Hello, good day, may peace be upon you, are you happy?’

You can read more about Lonely Planet's thoughts about Morocco here: Lonely Planet, Morocco

Season's Greetings from The View from Fez

May all of our readers have

a wonderful,happy and

peaceful festive season.

All women tour groups in Morocco

Colleen Cassar

Colleen Cassar is a practicing artist in assemblage, sculpture, painting, sustainable fashion and jewelry. She lives in Melbourne, Australia. She travels annually to Morocco, facilitating relaxed adventures and invites groups of 6 - 10 women to travel with her. Her friends call her 'the fun whisperer'! The View from Fez invited her to reflect on her Moroccan experiences.

ROAM LIKE QUEENS!

A GROUP OF AUSTRALIAN WOMEN EXPERIENCE MAROC

Having just returned from another wonderful trip to Morocco where adventures and treasures always unfold I now take the time to reflect and write about our journey and its highlights.

We arrived in Casablanca, as always, to be met with the warmth and welcome of my friends at Hotel Guynemer. ‘Returning” is a celebrated sentiment in Morocco, taken to heart and a sign of respect and honour of friendship. Like so many of its beautiful traditions and rituals, Morocco and its people never cease to amaze me with open heartedness.

A good nights rest behind us, de-jetlagged, we are ready to prepare for our trip to Fes. Not far from our hotel is the art deco building of Marche Centrale……housing colourful stalls of fresh produce, fish and flowers for sale. We buy figs, plums, nectarines, strawberries, dates and nuts, all plump and fresh for our afternoon snack whilst travelling by train to the ancient city of Fes.

Of course, we had lots of exciting things to look forward to in Fes, traditional sacred music, exploring the maze of 10,000 streets in the ancient medina with my dear girlfriend Hakima, breathtaking architecture and its intricacies, soothing our bodies in the healing hot springs of Moulay Yacoub... But the icing on the cake was our invitation to a local wedding.

We were the guests of honour at my friends wedding and so the days proceedings started with a 12.30pm welcome by friends and family all clad in their kaleidoscopic, djellaba finery. Wearing our western style “Sunday best” we were met with lots of welcoming kisses and were sat down with the bride and groom to a traditional celebratory feast of pastilla, tagine and couscous. After we ate our fill from the many courses of eye pleasing, central dishes we were encouraged to do the customary “lounge about” on ornately brocaded Moroccan lounges and banquettes whilst sipping mint tea and nibbling small delicate pastries. This was to be the “calm before the storm”.

Our relaxation, poste lunch, was broken by the magnificent sound of traditional trumpets and wild, powerful, rhythmic drumming played in the street at the doorway to the home we were in, as if to exorcise any negativity and to herald blessings to the wedding couple and their loving supporters. The musicians entered the small courtyard of the dar and sat amongst the potted palms and citrus trees and played and played and played until we all fell over with exhaustion from the heat of the day and the exaltation we instinctively felt compelled to celebrate on this honoured occasion. The trancelike drumming carried us. We danced with the children, the women, the men. We cried tears of joy and were all very deeply moved by this memorable wedding day.

Chefchaouen - a riot of blue.

Next port of call - Chefchaouen - an ice blue washed village in the Rif Mountains in Northern Morocco. Ah, a welcome relief after the busy life of the Fes Medina. Gentle walks, fresh sheep's milk cheese and mountain honey, village life with lots of coloured cloth and carpets, lots of people watching at cafes in the public square and quiet nights on the roof terrace at sunset.

As gentle a scene I am setting, it seemed that a frenzy swept over the women I was travelling with. This was the shopping hub for lots of local cloth, carpets and antiques and the girls did not hold back! On day four in Chefchouen we did a carpet count between seven women…..twenty one carpets. How would we ever embark and disembark the train to Marrakech? Where there is a will there is a way, after all, we were a group of pragmatic, driven Australian women. We planned our strategic attack on the Moroccan train system beautifully, even if it meant that we bought one six-seater carriage just for our luggage. We laughed and laughed and were laughed at...but we made it to Marrakech successfully.

Before our train adventure to Marrakech we had a small interlude at the lagoon village of Moulay Bousselham where seven middle eastern saints lay to rest in white vaulted crypts. This is a town of pilgrimage and many people from all over Morocco come to celebrate annually, drumming and dancing their celebration and reverance to the saints. We settled into our beautiful apartments literally perched on a sand dune overlooking the wild Atlantic Ocean and had lots of quiet time reading, napping in hammocks, writing postcards, walking, cooking together, boating in the lagoon and birdwatching.

On to the madness that is Marrakech. Always offering up a photo opportunity, the famous square of Jemma Elfna was abuzz with snake charmers, dancers, acrobats, musicians, storytellers, orange juice wagons, lotions, potions and small ceramic bowls aglow with frankincense, myrrh, licorice root and rose oil – my all time favourite smell in Morocco.

After meeting with our teacher and shopping for ingredients in the souks with the locals, we cooked up a Moroccan multi-course feast in the beautiful setting and courtyard of a traditional riad tucked in the backstreets of the medina; a full day's culinary encounter, absolutely delicious and shared with fellow travellers from all over the globe.

Feeling the warmth of Marrakech in June (35-40 deg) and after a busy, hot time in the interior of the country what better way to unwind than for a day spa indulgence. For four hours we were steamed, bathed, exfoliated, mud-covered, moisturised, soaked and massaged. We could barely grunt at one another after this blissful experience and so there was nothing left to do but spend the remainder of the day quietly resting before exploring the evening for a new dining experience.

We savoured our last maze-like medina amble on our itinerary by getting delightfully lost and led back out to the square by young boys happy to earn some small change for their efforts. The colours and textures of this medina are a visual artists palette and inspiration. All forms of exotica available for a small price here…..lemon wood scissors, tree resin incense, pink olives, fresh lemon verbena, rosebuds, chameleons, henna tattoos, jellabas, baboosh slippers, beaded tassels, velvet prayer rugs, leather stitched ottomans, turquoise, red coral and silver jewellery, just to name a few.

It was time for us to leave the heat and bustle of Marrakech and seek out the pleasures of the Essaouira Gnaoua Festival on the coast, only a 3 hour bus ride away.

Seaside Essaouira, a strong arts and music community contained in a small city with a very manageable, grid-like medina designed by the French…..a welcome relief from labrynthine streets. Three weeks in, by the time we get to Essaouira, my fellow travellers are very comfortable and confident with the Moroccan way of life. They have seen plenty and experienced diverse countrysides and its people, and so Essaouira is for relaxing and reflection, celebration and dance, introducing my local friends and watching them perform.

Gnaoua musicians

Gnaoua music is used to restore health or good fortune through trance, dance and incantation. During the festival it is not unusual to see people lose themselves in this ritualistic music brought to Essaouira by slaves centuries ago. The ability and willingness of the Moroccans, young and old, to totally surrender to the music is amazing to witness and brings me to the realisation that our dance style in the west can look terribly contrived and without freedom.

I take my responsibility as tour leader very seriously and hit the dance floor. What did Nelson Mandela say in his inaugral speech… .“as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same”. One by one, the women in my group indulge themselves to the lure of the Moroccan dance floor, sharing the music with abandon, men, women and children.

After many late nights enjoying the music festival, our last destination on the itinerary was the lagoon village of Oualidia, the last jewel in the crown. Imagine this, large sand dunes, the kings abandoned pleasure palace, swaying eucalypts, a lone arab stallion galloping at the waters edge and lipstick pink fishing boats in the distance. Nothing to do here but enjoy the catch of the day barbecued before our eyes, rest under umbrellas in the gentle sun and contemplate.

All of this beauty is guarded by the white tomb of Sidi Douad which sits on a small cliff nearby. Now, quietly reflecting, we relive the highlights and give thanks for a memorable and intoxicating journey. Savouring the last moments, we really have "roamed like queens"!

For more information on Colleen's tours please check here: All Women Tour to Morocco

New Fez Railway Station has free wifi hotspot

Great news for those travellers who are addicted to checking their emails, messages, stock prices, weather forecasts, Facebook status and twittering about their adventures. Quite by accident, The View from Fez was in the new Fez railway station when updates started arriving on our phones. A free wifi hotspot? It seemed to good too be true, but within minutes we had taken the photographs in this post and uploaded them, all without leaving the station.

This new service by the Moroccan railways - ONCF - is a real plus and we can only hope that it will be the first of many railway and bus terminals with wifi.

Story posted courtesy of ONCF wifi hotspot.

A Moroccan plastering demonstration

Moroccan plaster techniques and zellij tile work are now being copied all around the world as designers, renovators and decorators search for new inspiration. So how is a traditional Moroccan arched doorway actually made?

How do you turn this (above) into this (below)?

To see the whole process, visit our photo essay on The View from Fez Photo Journal.

Fez Festival of World Sacred Music 2010

The provisional programme for next year's Fes Festival of World Sacred Music has been announced.

The festival runs from 4-12 June in Fez medina, and promises some interesting innovations such as morning ragas at the Batha Museum and a night in the medina, when artists will perform in various locations, including the Bouanania Medersa and Riad Sheherazade.

The 16th annual

Fes Festival of World Sacred Music
4-12 June 2010

Provisional Programme

Theme: In Search of the Sacred Other

Friday 4 June

Bab Makina 20h30

Royal Ballet of Cambodia (Cambodia) The Legend of the Creation of the Khmer Kingdom

Saturday 5 June

Batha Museum 16h00

The Young Gotipuras Dancers (India) Ritual acrobatic dance from the temples of Orissa

Bab Makina 20h30

Ben Harper (USA) The roots of popular American music, from gospel to blues, from reggae to folk

or

Al Green (USA) Gospel (to be confirmed)

Sunday 6 June

Batha Museum 16h30

Shakila Saidi & the Rajab Suleiman Trio (Tanzania) The art of taraab in Swahili tradition

Bab Makina 20h30

Africa Spirit: The Sufi Ensemble Mtendeni Maulid (Zanzibar) and Les Maîtres Tambours (Burundi) Sufi ritual and sacred rhythm

Monday 7 June

Batha Museum 16h30

Ahmed Essyad and the Accroche Note Ensemble (Morocco) Forbidden Voices: mystical poems of Hussain Mansour Al-Hallaj

A Night in the Medina 20h30

Various locations including the Bouanania Medersa, Riad Sheherazade, Dar Jnan Sbil, Dar Adiyel Conservatoire and Dar Ba Mohamed Chergui:

The Constantinople Ensemble and Barbara Furtuna (Iran & France) Canti di a Terra

Parvathy Baul (India) The poetry of God's fools

Poets and musicians from Kabul (Afghanistan) (in partnership with the Aga Khan Initiative)

Epi (Mongolia) Songs of the Steppe Nomads

Gülay Haçer Toruk (Turkey) Songs of Anatolia

Raïs Qenawi Bakhit Qenawi and the Mizmar Ensemble (Egypt) Songs of Luxor

Tuesday 8 June

Batha Museum 16h30

SamulNori Hanullim Ensemble (South Korea) Percussion and Sacred Dance of Korea

Bab Makina 20h30

Shahram Nazeri (Iran) with Mohamed Bajeddoud (Morocco) and the Arabo-Andalusian Orchestra of Fez The poetry of Jalâl ud Dîn Rûmî

Wednesday 9 June

Batha Museum 16h30

Camille (France) Sacred songs

Bab Makina 20h30

Jordi Savall and the Hesperion XXI Ensemble (Spain) with guests from Morocco, Iraq, Greece, Israel, Galilee and Armenia Jerusalem, City of Heavenly Peace and Earthly Peace

Thursday 10 June

Batha Museum 08h00

Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia (India) Morning ragas on a bansuri flute

Batha Museum 16h30

Bagdad-Jerusalem Ensemble (Israel & Iraq) Music of the Jewish tradition of Baghdad

Bab Makina 20h30

Sizero Tabla Experience (India & United Kingdom) Rhythmic India

Friday 11 June

Batha Museum 16h30

Dhafer Youssef and his Ensemble (Tunisia) Sufi Songs revisited

Bab Makina 20h30

Sabah Fakri and the Aleppo Singers (Syria)

Saturday 12 June

Batha Museum 16h30

David Murray and the Gwo Ka Masters invite Archie Shepp (USA & Caribbean)

Bab Makina 20h30

Gospel Voices:

1st part: Sista Kee (USA)

2nd part: The Blind Boys of Alabama (USA)

FEZ MEETINGS (formerly known as Fez Encounters Colloquium)

and

FESTIVAL IN THE CITY PROGRAMME

to be announced

Useful links:

For full details of these artists, see the Festival website.

For festival accommodation, see Fez Riads

Ticket collection service

Searching for Morocco on the internet - Trash and treasure!

Searching the internet for stories that relate to Morocco is something The View from Fez team spend a lot of time doing. It is often like rummaging through a trash-n-treasure stall at a market; lots of junk and only a few good items.

One of the tools we use is a Google Alert that picks up key words like Fez, or Casablanca and so on. However, it pays to check the alerts carefully because some stories take a very long time to surface. You can imagine our delight at being alerted to news about a "British Mission to Fez" - and our amusement at how long such news took to reach us. Here is the item:

BRITISH MISSION AT FEZ. London June 5.

Mr. Gerard Louther, the British Minister has arrived in Fez on a visit to the Sheriffian Court. The object of his mission is to assist in carrying out the Anglo-French agreement in respect to Morocco. The British Mission mission was given a brilliant reception by the Moorish tribes upon its arrival at the capital.

That little gem was from page 5 of The Argus, Melbourne, Tuesday June 6 1905!

Another rare and unexpected find was this news that turned up on the internet this morning.

Morocco: The Sultan of Morocco has dismissed the Governor of Anghora for disloyalty. The French are extending their authority throughout Morocco, and have taken possession of several caravans proceeding through the oasis of Taal, which is equidistant from , Morocco, Algiers, and Tunis.

Google Alerts found this from the Tasmanian newspaper The Mercury, dated February 20, 1892!

But today's best find was not an historical oddity that had chosen this moment to pop up, but rather news that there is an extraordinary amount of accommodation available in Kelaat M'Gouna!


Now, for those of you who are not aware of Kelaat M'Gouna, it is home to the famous Rose Festival, visited by over 20,000 people every year. Given that lodgings are hard to find we were delighted to read the following:

Kelaat M'Gouna Vacation Home Rentals
Kelaat M'Gouna offers great vacation house rental and home rental-by-owner deals for the knowledgeable traveler. No matter what budget or level of comfort you seek in your holiday to Kelaat M'Gouna, there's surely a great local vacation home rental available to meet your needs. Browse the list below for information on Kelaat M'Gouna cabins, condos, bed & breakfast inns, luxury suites, corporate apartments and vacation packages.

Well, naturally we couldn't wait to "Browse the list". This is what we found

Vacation Rental Homes in the Kelaat M'Gouna Area.
Bed and Breakfast Kelaat M'Gouna - Morocco - For 26 people.
House. 10 bedroom(s), 1 bathroom(s), sleeps 26

26 people in ten rooms and one bathroom? Mmm...2.6 persons per room... interesting. We are sure it is very nice, but we'll be giving that one a miss. Needless to say there was nothing else on the list.

In the meantime, we are still looking for a house in Fez... with sea views.

Roast turkey Moroccan style

As turkey is a traditional dish at Christmas time, The View from Fez offers a Moroccan version flavoured with nuts and spices, and with a honey glaze.


Turkey is also a favourite bird in Morocco, for high days and holidays. This recipe will serve 8-10 people.

Ingredients:
5kg turkey, including giblets
175g blanched almonds, finely chopped
2 tbsp sesame seeds
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ground coriander
2 tbsp ground cinnamon
2 teasp ground ginger
1 teasp ground cloves
5 whole cloves
1 onion, peeled
25g butter
500ml chicken stock
125ml honey
2 cinnamon sticks
salt and pepper

Set the oven to 180 degrees C. Spread the almonds and sesame seeds on a baking tray and brown in the oven, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes. Set aside.

Mix the cumin, coriander, cinnamon, ginger and ground cloves and season with salt and pepper. Rub this spice mixture all over the skin of the turkey and inside the cavity. Stick the whole cloves into the onion, put this inside the bird and sew up the opening.

Put the turkey on a rack in a roasting tin and spread the butter over the skin. Cut the giblets into pieces and arrange them and the cinnamon sticks in the tin around the bird.

Stir half of the stock into the honey. Pour the mixture over the turkey and roast for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Turn the bird to brown on all sides, and baste frequently with the honey and stock mixture. When the turkey begins to brown, add the rest of the stock. Cook until the juices run clear when the thickest part of the thigh is pierced.

Around 30 minutes before the turkey is to be served, remove it from the roasting tin and set aside. Strain off the juices into a pan and skim off the fat. You should have around 250ml of sauce to be used as a glaze. If necessary, reduce the mixture over high heat. Stir in the almond and sesame mixture.

Return the turkey to the tin, spread with the glaze and continue to cook, basting frequently, until the skin is crisp and a rich golden brown.

Remove from the oven, spoon over any remaining glaze, and leave it to rest for 10-15 minutes before carving.

Bon appetit!

A reminder about free classified advertising.

Just a reminder that you can get free classified advertising on our ArtiZany site. The site is read across the country so it doesn't matter if you are in Tangier or Agadir. And check it out for all kinds of things - the latest is a very cheap camper-van!

Visit ArtiZany!

Moroccan News Briefs

Swine Flu (A/H1N1) deaths rise to 12

According to a statement from the Moroccan Health Ministry, two people suffering from chronic diseases died in the northern cities of Larache and Tangier from the A/H1N1 virus, bringing the death toll among the infected people to 12

The same source said that thirty new cases were documented and confirmed in Rabat, Meknès, Chefchaouen, Tangier, Oujda, Agadir, Casablanca, Khouribga and Marrakech.

Speaking at the House of Advisors' question time, Health Minister, Yasmina Baddou, said that all preventive and control measures were being taken, including Tamiflu treatment, in accordance with the department's national and sectoral strategies.

The Moroccan vaccination campaign against the A/H1N1 flu virus was launched on Wednesday in the great Casablanca region and on Thursday will be expanded to the rest of the country.


The campaign will benefit 60% of the population. Vaccines will be administered in 1258 health centers and hospitals in the rural and urban areas, the ministry said in a statement. 600 vaccination teams are mobilized for people living in remote rural zones with 2300 physicians and 7200 nurses are involved in this campaign.


Morocco and France sign fishing agreement

Morroco and France signed two fishing cooperation agreements on Monday afternoon, in Casablanca, under the framework of the new Moroccan fisheries development strategy, called Halieutis 2020, informed an official source.

The agreements were signed by the National Office for Moroccan Fisheries (ONP), FranceAgriMer (the state organisation in charge of the fishing and agriculture sectors) and the French port operating authority CEP Veolia.



The agreements, signed in the presence of the Moroccan minister of Fisheries and Agriculture, Aziz Akhannouch (pictured above), and the French ambassador in Rabat, Bruno Joubert, include numerous aspects “mainly related to the organisation and commercialisation of seafood, procedures in fishing ports and the modernisation of the sector.”

Not long ago, Morocco began implementing the Halieutis 2020 plan, whose objective is to “improve the performance and competitiveness of the sector through better management,” said the same source.

Morocco is France's 15th largest seafood supplier, exporting over 30,000 tonnes of fish and seafood to the country in 2008, according to the source.

Morocco is “dedicated to fortifying its cooperation in raw material and fishing with French private organisms,” said Majid El Ghaïb, director general of the ONP, during the signing ceremony for the agreements.

Sir Ben Kinglsey honoured at Marakech Film Festival

Born in 1943, Sir Ben Kingsley has won four major motion picture acting awards, receiving Oscar, BAFTA, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild awards throughout his career and so it was fitting that the 9th Marrakech International Film Festival paid a tribute to him on Wednesday.

Sir Ben Kingsley who described this privilege as an honor from a country "very close" to his heart. "Since my first visit to Morocco, where I shot six movies, I felt that this country is very special," he noted, adding "this country brings me great joy." Later he summed up by saying, "Morocco is the Hollywood of North Africa!"

"There is nothing like the Moroccan hospitality." - Sir Ben Kingsley.

Just before the ceremony, the public joined the actor to watch one of Sir Ben Kingsley's masterpieces "Ghandi" in his presence in the famous square Jamaa El Fna

Fans can watch a selection of the best movies of the British actor such as "Bugsy" by Barry Levinson (1991), "Schindler's List" of Steven Spielberg (1993), "Death and the Maiden" of Roman Polanski (1994), "Sexy Beast" of Jonathan Glazer (2000), "House of Sand and Fog" of Vadim Perelman (2003), "Oliver Twist" of Roman Polanski (2005) and "The Wackness" by Jonathan Levine (2008).

Jamie Oliver films in Morocco

Hot news for culinary buffs is that Marrakech has been selected by British Chef Jamie Oliver as one of the locations for his next television series. According to television insiders, the actor was taken with the location and has selected the up-market boutique hotel, Maison MK, as a place to film from the rooftop terrace. He had apparently been scouring the city seeing as many as 26 riads before making his selection.


The hotel, located in the heart of Marrakech, boasts both an upper and lower-roof terrace. While the former entices guests with a view of the snow-capped Atlas Mountains, the latter is transformed with orange parachute silk and flickering candlelight, to a star-gazing bar by night. Sounds just right for Jamie.

Don't expect him to cook a tagine with chicken and preserved lemons, but rather something with the more international flavour that the "red city" is becoming famous for.

Chefchaouen - Morocco's mountain retreat

Chefchaouen is a blissful retreat in the Rif mountains that makes for a relaxing few days en route from Tangier to Fez. The View from Fez team reports.

Uta al-Hammam Square

While the new part of Chefchaouen clambers down the mountain, it's the medina perched up high that draws visitors. Clustered around the main square, Uta al-Hammam, the houses, doors, walls and even some pavements are painted various shades of blue that range from turquoise to mauve. The square is dominated by the sandstone kasbah that's now a museum, and has fascinating photographs of the town through the years. There's a peaceful garden inside the complex, too.

The rest of the square is lined with lots of restaurants with pavement tables. Here you can while away your time, sipping mint tea and people-watching ...


... or chewing the fat, like the locals:


Food at these pavement cafes is generally good, though the menu is always the same, basic Moroccan fare. Otherwise, there are some reasonably good restaurants on offer (the same menu again, though). The View from Fez was disappointed with the food at Casa Hassan, which seems to have lost the plot - lots of items on the menu were not available and what was on offer was pretty nondescript. Much better was Casa Aladin, with its three floors and a roof terrace and some interesting art on the walls that's all for sale.

There's a huge range of budget and medium-priced accommodation available in and around the medina, but little in the upper range. The Parador Hotel near the square is a pretty soulless place, but one of the only places with a bar. High up on the hill is the Atlas hotel with its disco and bar, but unless you're very fit, you'd need a car to get there.

The View from Fez team stayed at the colourful Dar Meziana on the northwestern edge of the medina. It's very comfortable and has great views over the medina from the roof terrace. Be warned, though, that prices include dinner at Casa Hassan; only breakfast is served at Dar Meziana itself.

Dar Meziana is up this pretty street

What to do in Chefchaouen
The main interest of many visitors to Chaouen is, apparently, partaking of the local herb ... but there's more to the town than that. There is an abundance of shops specialising in local clothing, jewellery, antiques, fossils and ceramics.

The shopping is good in Chefchaouen

On the hill opposite the town is an old, ruined mosque. This is now being restored and will be a working mosque, but visitors will still be welcome to climb the minaret for spectacular views across the valleys, and there'll be a cafe on site too.

The mountains around the town are great for hiking. If you're more adventurous, you could try climbing here too. Jonathan Ayrton is a qualified rock-climbing instructor who lives in Chaouen. He enthuses about the wide range of grades in the area; the limestone routes are bolted. A day's instruction costs around Dh550, or he'll accompany you if you're an experienced climber; phone him on 0615 435 018.

The New Railway Station in Fez

Back on November 27 The View from Fez brought you the news that HM King Mohamed VI was officially opening the new railway station in Fez (see story here).

Now, for those who have not had a chance to see it, we can report that it is up and running. A beautiful addition to the city, the railway station will still need some time to fill the shops inside. At the moment you need to buy provisions before arriving at the station. Hopefully that will change in the near future, inshallah.

Fez - فاس
click photo to enlarge

Tangier - the truth

Full of hustlers, swindlers and corrupt officials perpetrating nefarious dealings and endless scams to outwit the tourist ... that's Tangier, right?

the Grand Socco at night

Wrong! The View from Fez recently spent a couple of days in a city that has a lot more charm than the guidebooks would have you believe. True, we were offered a watch or a pair of sunglasses on one occasion, and once someone offered to show us the medina, but that was as far as the hassles went. With its colourful past and busy port, the city still has a raffish air to it, redolent of the days when it was an International Zone and attracted artists and writers. Nevertheless, it offers some interesting places to visit, good accommodation in all price brackets, excellent restaurants and a fascinating medina that isn't too daunting to explore.

One charming guesthouse is La Tangerina, perched right at the top of the Kasbah and overlooking the sea, with views across to Spain.

the terrace at La Tangerina

Next door is the exclusive Nord Pinus guesthouse with equally stunning views. It has fabulously romantic rooms and an excellent restaurant; the retro bar and terraces are perfect for an aperitif.

the dining room at Nord Pinus

The Kasbah is a good place to start a wander through the medina. Here you'll find the newly renovated Kasbah Museum set in the Sultan's Gardens. Further down into the medina, Majid's shop is a must-see. Three floors of jewellery, carpets, hendiras, fabrics, embroidery, ceramics and wooden artefacts will have you drooling.

a tempting display at Majid's

Next stop is the Petit Socco, a small square with lots of cafes where you can watch the world go by.
Just outside the medina, The American Legation is definitely worth a visit. Entry is free to this beautiful Moorish house that houses maps of Morocco, a room devoted to Tangier resident Paul Bowles and fine art by various artists including James McBey: the famous portrait of his servant has earned the title of Morocco's Mona Lisa.

portraint of Zohra, American Legation Museum

After all this walking, you'll have earned a glass of mint tea in one of the cafes surrounding the Grand Socco, or even a drink in the Caid's Bar at the old-fashioned but stylish El Minzah Hotel.


Where to eat in Tangier
A excellent option in the medina is the newly-opened Le Nabab at 4 Rue Al Kadiria (ph 0661 442 220). Set in a well-restored former souk, it has interesting decor, very friendly service and good traditional fare. There's a fireplace for cold winter nights, and musical events on some weekends.

Restaurant Le Nabab

Our favourite for dinner was Les Passagers de Tangier, overlooking the Grand Socco. The food was refreshingly different and of a very high standard. The View from Fez team sampled coquilles St Jacques in a garlicky sauce, and the magret de canard with mango and peach sauce. There's a terrace as well as comfortable seating inside.

dinner at Les Passagers de Tanger

All in all, we'd say that Tangier has left its bad reputation behind and is a city definitely worth exploring for a day or two.

Photographs: Sandy McCutcheon

Tarik ~ Ambassador to Disney Land

Tarik and Mike and the famous lemon tart mixture

There were tears on the faces of many of the staff from Café Clock last night as they said farewell to Tarik, the master chef who has worked with Mike Richardson, Max and the crew, since the café opened.

Tarik is off, not on a holiday, but on the trip that will change his life. He has been accepted as a trainee at two major restaurants in Disney Land. The View from Fez caught up with Tarik yesterday and found him excited beyond belief that the "boy from Fez" was off not to Paris or London, places he has dreamed of working, but the USA.

"I will be in Orlando, Florida working in restaurants that specialise in Mediterranean and North African food," Tarik says. He has a grin a mile wide on his face. "It came by chance. A year ago I found a website offering training abroad. I applied to go to Paris, or London. Then, after I sent some documents, to my surprise I was offered a job in the USA. It was a huge surprise."

So, armed with a visa, Tarik leaves today and by the time most people read this, he will have landed abroad for the first time in his life. Mike Richardson is sad to see Tarik go but as he says "It's an opportunity of a lifetime and our best wishes go with him."

And will he return?

"It will be a great experience and I will learn a lot of things and they will be helpful for me here in Fez. Maybe I might try and get experience in France. But I will always come back to Fez,' Tarik says. "I will be back cooking lemon tart like before, but with new ideas."

And in Disney Land Tarik says, he thinks he would like to dress up as Mickey Mouse. The View from Fez wishes Sidi Tarik Mouse all the best.

Tarik is farewelled by Mike

The minaret ban ~ Switzerland's shame.

A sight you won't see in Switzerland - a new minaret.

The action of the far right Swiss People's Party (SVP) to call for a ban on the building of minarets in Switzerland was not originally seen as anything but a rather foolish attempt to cash in on Islamaphobia. Few commentators gave it much chance of getting support. But now Switzerland has seen more than 57% of voters and 22 out of 26 cantons vote in favour of the ban. The official government position was that it would harm Switzerland's image, particularly in the Muslim world.

The result of the referendum has created a major problem for the country. For the first time the campaign by the SVP has resulted in a rise in hate crimes against Muslims and even attacks on mosques. Martin Baltisser, the SVP's general secretary, says: "This was a vote against minarets as symbols of Islamic power."

The Islamaphopobic campaign poster

Swiss Justice Minister Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf said: "Concerns about Islamic fundamentalism have to be taken seriously. However, a ban on the construction of new minarets is not a feasible means of countering extremist tendencies." She was quick to reassure Swiss Muslims, saying the decision was "not a rejection of the Muslim community, religion or culture".

Switzerland is home to some 400,000 Muslims. This represents just 5% of the population and comprises many people of Balkan origin, most of whom are not mosque attendees. Though there are many prayer rooms in the country, Switzerland has just four minarets.

Harmony? A Swiss minaret and a steeple.

"The most painful thing for us is not the ban on minarets but the symbol sent by this vote. "Muslims do not feel accepted as a religious community." - Farhad Afshar, president of the Coordination of Islamic Organisations in Switzerland

A Syrian-style minaret in Tangier

In the aftermath of the referendum, Switzerland has been criticised from within and without. A demonstration outside parliament, had people placing candles in front of a model of a minaret and making another minaret shape out of the candles themselves. They held up signs saying, "That is not my Switzerland,". "We're sorry," said another sign. A young woman pinned to her jacket a piece of paper saying, "Swiss passport for sale."

A beautiful minaret in Chefchaouen

The SVP campaigned unsuccessfully in previous years against immigrants with campaign posters showing white sheep kicking a black sheep off the Swiss flag and another with brown hands grabbing eagerly for Swiss passports. But their success now is a dangerous sign of the fear of migrants and Islam in Europe. Sadly for Switzerland the result will damage investment, business and the image of the country abroad. It will also increase tension within the various communities. Geneva's main mosque was vandalized last Thursday when someone threw a pot of pink paint at the entrance. Earlier this month, a vehicle with a loudspeaker drove through the area imitating a muezzin's call to prayer, and vandals damaged a mosaic when they threw cobblestones at the building.

A typical Moroccan minaret

Sunday's surprise result also prompted anger and dismay from the Vatican to Iran and Egypt. In France, Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner was quick to react: "I am a bit shocked by this decision," Mr Kouchner told France's RTL radio on Monday. "It is an expression of intolerance and I detest intolerance.I hope the Swiss will reverse this decision quickly."

Sadly that does not seem likely.