Morocco's Festival Season Continues

The Moroccan Ministry of Culture and Communication is responsible over the period from April to November of each year, for more than 23 festivals, spread over the different regions of the Kingdom

The festivals aim to present Morocco's heritage in new ways, celebrating the authentic artistic expressions of the different regions of the Kingdom, in order to preserve the national memory, to make known to the younger generations the richness and the diversity of the components of the Moroccan civilisation and to pay tribute to the great names of intangible cultural heritage.

The Ministry of Culture forms partnerships with public institutions, local authorities and civil society organisations in order to contribute to the preservation of the authenticity of this cultural and artistic heritage.

The Volubilis Festival moves to Meknes as music may damage the ruins!

The 9th Volubilis International Festival of Traditional World Music will be held from August 4 to 7 in Meknes under the patronage of HM King Mohammed VI.

The Festival is assisted by the Ministry of Culture, in partnership with the Council of the Fez-Meknes region and the commune of Meknes ,and aims celebrates the music and arts of the world and to act as a bridge for intercultural dialogue and the mixing of musical styles, in a Morocco of cultural diversity and openness to the world.

This 19th edition will, however, be deserting the historical monuments and archeological sites of the city of Volubilis and take place at the  Mohammed El Manouni Cultural Centre and the Place Lahdim in Meknes, because of the harmful effects  on the Roman ruins of the decibels and the vibrations produced by the high volume of music.

The city of Safi is hosting from August 10th to 12th, the "OxyJeunes" Festival under the theme "African cultural diversity at the service of sustainable development"

The theme chosen for this event, married the new vision of King Mohammed VI on African integration, as well as the new ambitions of the Kingdom for an Africa that is distinguished and develops its cultural wealth, says a statement of the association "Young Abir", organiser of this event.

"Festival OxyJeunes" is by far the most important cultural event in the city, at the same time as being a real platform to promote tourist and cultural values.

Artists from several African countries including Benin, Cameroon, Congo, Ivory Coast, the Comoros Islands, and of course Morocco, are expected to share with their culture with the public. OxyJeunes Festival this year is expanding the panel of activities and has introduced in addition to music, comedy and theatre shows, as well as the screening of African films.

The program also includes a children's village that will offer them various entertainment and education activities, a Breakdance and Skate competition, as well as a big carnival that will bring together several hundred Moroccan and African artists, in a single unit.

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Shisha Crackdown in Meknes

The Mayor of Meknes has made a bold move in his struggle against the growth of  hookah cafes which have sprung up around the city. For now, tourists may find it difficult to find a venue for enjoying shisha.

In the latest raids 100 shisha cafes have been ordered to close their doors until further notice. Crowds of local people were astonished to see, not only the closing of their favourite cafes, but also  the arrest of many customers, managers and waiters.

The businesses targeted were all located in the city centre in the busy area of ​​Al Hamria. Other areas of the city have been told to expect similar raids as officials want to eradicate the shisha industry in Meknes.

Other cities in the country may be less keen to follow the example of Meknes as the smoking of shisha is popular with tourists. However, Meknes authorities are resolute in their drive to wipe out shisha as they believe it exposes adolescents to crime and prostitution and to a significant and dangerous trend of out-of-school education.

Tourism operators are not concerned and offer the shisha experience to their clients. Many tourist websites claim shisha is part of the experience of Morocco. Some have guides to the etiquette of shisha smoking.

"When visiting another country, engaging in some of the more unique local practices is something you should try out. While in the mystical city of Marrakesh, taking part in a shisha-smoking session will let you experience an ancient communal event and appreciate the culture of Morocco a little better." - Canadian Traveller.com

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Freestyle Urban Dance Festival in Meknes

The 14th edition of the International Festival of Urban Cultures will take place from the 4th to 17th of September in Meknès. It is the initiative of the Association "Espoir Jeunesse Morocco Freestyle Urban dance", this event will take place in several areas of the city of Meknès

Organised in partnership with the French Institute and the town of Meknes, this edition will see the participation of more than 800 national and international artists and athletes. The program includes competitions, workshops, training courses, meetings, artistic residencies and a socio-sportive and cultural caravan.

Professionals from Morocco and elsewhere were invited to supervise the workshops and trainings. They will also take part in the juries of the different competitions scheduled during this edition.

The artists participating in this festival, considered the biggest artistic event in the category "Competition" for urban cultures in Morocco, compete in several categories, including hip-hop and breakdance, djing, graffiti, freestyle, beat box and rap.

The "Espoir Jeunesse Maroc Freestyle Urban dance" Association, founded in February 2008, has as its main objective the supervision and training of young people in the field of urban cultures.

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Meknes International Festival of Animation

The 15th edition of the Meknes International Festival of Animation (FICAM) will take place between March 25th and 30th in Meknes

Organised by the French Institute of Meknes and Aisha Foundation, this 15th edition is expected to attract the general public, art school students and audiovisual and film professionals

The festival will focus on the animated documentary form and include a retrospective devoted to the Romanian director Anca Damian.

Anca Damian

Anca Damian studied at the Academy of Theatre and Film Arts in Bucharest where she majored in cinematography and later obtained a Doctor's degree in Film. She has worked as the director of photography for two feature films and many other documentary films. Her work includes Crossing Dates (2008), Crulic - The Path to Beyond (2011),  A Very Unsettled Summer (2013) and the animated docu-drama The Magic Mountain (2015)

I'm digging and experimenting at every stage. One of my targets is not to repeat things, to try to be fresh. Life is a mix. Life is dark with light, tears with laughing - if life is complex why shouldn't my film be? - Anca Damian

Included in the festival is an exhibition, Travel Portraits from French director Bastien Dubois who is known for Madagascar, a Journey Diary (2010), Cargo Cult (2013) and Portraits de voyages Japon: Hôjô Jutsu (2013).

Bastien Dubois

The opening session will screen the documentary The Prophet by American Roger Allers who was inspired by the work of Gibran Khalil Gibran. The film, was a pet project of Selma Hayek who produced as well as taking the lead voice role alongside Liam Neeson. It has received mixed reviews.

The jury, chaired by the Moroccan director El Mahassine Hachadi, will have their work cut out with  32 films and 230 short films vying for one of the 6 major prizes.


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International Freestyle Urban Dance Festival in Meknès

Meknès will be hosting this year’s International Freestyle Urban Dance Festival in which young performers are given the opportunity to present their moves, skills and music to a large public. The festival will run from the 7th to the 20th of September.

Festival Director Wakrim Amine 

Wakrim Amine is the director of the International Festival of Urban Cultures of Meknes organised by L’Association Espoir Jeunesse Maroc, Freestyle Urban Dance Maroc. He says that this year, the festival's 12th, will see the participation of a large number of artists and dancers from many countries including France, Spain, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, England, Russia, USA, Algeria and Tunisia.

There will be 18 competitions in various disciplines that make up the hip-hop and urban culture, including graffiti, golf, freestyle, breakdance, house dance football, beatbox, rap and others. More than 800 athletes, artists and dancers will attend as well as more than 5,000 young beneficiaries from more than 10 countries. Another innovation that will mark this edition is the contribution from the Moroccan Royal Federation of Aerobic Sports who will select the hip-hop team to participate in the 2015 World Championships. The program also includes, hip-hop training and workshops that will be held at the French Institute.

National and international artists will be mentoring and guiding the talented participants in Meknès and its surroundings. The graffiti workshops will be supervised by the French artist Jaké and the Moroccan young artists will be supervised by Anass Dou and Soufian Zourgane.

In the last edition of 2014, the festival successfully gained support and recognition from many known personalities in the field of urban arts, including Emilio Austin (Buddha Stretch) who was Michael Jackson’s choreographer and the Moroccan musician, Amir Ali.

The performances in Meknès will be held at: Place l’Agora, Théâtre Lahboul, Théâtre de l’institut Français Place Administratifs, Maison des Jeunes Abdelkarim El Khattabi and Maison des Jeunes Mohamed V.

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Volubilis Music Festival 15th Edition

The 15th Edition of the International Festival of Volubilis Traditional World Music in Meknes ~ July 31 to August 3

The program includes an interesting mix of artists from around the world including the Palestinian group Dalal and the extremely popular Moroccan Gnawa musician Maalem Hamid Kasri. 

Hamid El Kasri

Under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, the Ministry of Culture has organised the 15th edition of the International Festival of Volubilis Traditional World Music. 

The 15th edition intends to build bridges between the past, present and future with the celebration of archaeological sites through their integration into the economic, cultural and environmental dynamism of the country.

The programme this year includes performers from Palestine, Spain, Ukraine, Ivory Coast, Italy, Gabon and Morocco.

This edition will pay tribute to two great pioneers of Moroccan music, Mahmoud Al-Idrisi and Amal Abdelkader.

Programme
Parade of troops 19 + Show: 00 Thursday, 31/07/2014
Opening Ceremony Site Volubilis 8:30 p.m. Friday, 01/08/2014
Troupe Anwar DAKAKI-Morocco
Tribute: Mahmoud Al Idrisi and Amal Aberlkader
Troupe Dalal-Palestine
Ukrania Theatre Troupe Arkou-Lahboul 8:30 p.m. Saturday, 08/02/2014
Flamenco troupe, led by artist Maria Molyneux Spain
Troupe Maalem Hamid Kasri-Morocco
Troupe "Onoanzi" Côte d'Ivoire Theatre Lahboul 8:30 p.m. Sunday, 08/03/2014
Troupe Neapolis Oonsompel-Italy
Troupe Oulad Bouazaoui-Morocco

Contacts
M.Bouselham Daif
Mail: bouselham.daif @ gmail.com


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Building Collapse in Meknes and Another Bus Accident Near Essaouira

Forty families had to spend the very cold night outside their homes because of the collapse of the basement of a building in Meknes

There was a state of panic today in the city of Meknes, after a collapse  under an apartment building where the digging works were carried out in order to establish a business housing a series of markets.

At around 12.30 on Saturday shop workers were surprised at the collapse of the bottom of an existing building on an intersection of Avenue des FAR in central Meknes.

The collapse happened under residential accommodation and led to the partial collapse and cracking in an adjacent apartment building, without causing casualties, with the exception of a worker who was injured in the incident.

Security authorities and civil protection cordoned off the scene, and directed all the inhabitants of residential accommodation to spend the night outside their apartments, for fear of another collapse. Very few were allowed to collect baggage or clothing from their apartments.

Later reports say there were back injuries among pedestrians who were transported to hospital for treatment, while civil protection workers are checking the rubble to make sure there are no deaths among construction workers who were present. There were said to have been dozens of workers at the site.

The collapse occurred on a building undergoing renovation and was caused by a technical malfunction, according to some sources.

The sources also denied reports that circulated saying about 58 people were killed in the accident.

Another bus tragedy

An accident between a car and a minibus carrying tourists has left twelve injured near Essaouira, in the southwest of Morocco on Saturday.

Twelve people were injured in a collision between a minibus and a car near Essaouira. The victims included eight tourists.

The minibus, carrying 18 tourists from Belgium, France and Germany, collided with a car traveling in the opposite direction. The wounded were evacuated to Essaouira. Seven of them were then taken by helicopter to the University Hospital of Marrakech.

During the summer of 2012, Morocco had seen the worst bus accident in its history: 42 people died after the fall of their bus into a ravine between Ouarzazate and Marrakech.

This incident highlights the danger of Moroccan roads on which more than 4,000 people died in 2012.


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Volubilis International Festival ~ A gem of an event, small but perfectly formed

The Volubilis International Festival, Meknes July 3-8, seems to take place under the radar of the ‘cultural tourism’ circuit. Virtually no foreign visitors were in evidence at this 14th edition. Gabe Monson, from The View from Fez,  felt privileged to be there and offers her take on the highlights.

Local audiences embraced Volubilis Festival’s six nights of Moroccan and world music, with good reason. The program was free, diverse and well chosen. Local acts ranged from sing-along favourites and established genres to rising ‘New Scene’ groups. Stage, sound and lighting production was excellent. Security was friendly, the atmosphere relaxed in both the riverside Jardin Lahboul, and the bustling Place Lahdim, by the landmark Bab Mansour

International theatrical troupes included Turkish Folklor Kuruma and the gloriously costumed acrobatic Peking Opera of Heilongjiang, touring Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia.

Peking Opera of Heilongjiang

As well as music from Guadelope, Peru, Spain, Poland and France, Africa was well represented. Paille (Martinique) provided contemporary dancehall sounds, while Ivory Coast group N’GOHA OBV opened their set at the level where most groups aim to climax. If Place Lahdim had a roof, they surely would have lifted it off.

During their set I wondered for a moment how the long established Moroccan folkloric group Izenzaren Iggout, waiting in the wings, were feeling, listening to the riotous act they were to follow.

However, Moroccans love their own, and within a few bars, the audience was as enthusiastic for their poetic Amazigh songs as they had been the night before for Cheb Kader’s urban Rai, his challenging lyrics laced with funky guitar riffs and delicious fiddle.

The program became more focused on Moroccan music towards the end of the week, spiced with exuberant Spanish flamenco and fusion jazz.

Maria Angeles Gabaldon

Indeed, the Festival, organised by the Ministry of Culture in partnership with the region Meknès-Tafilalet, provided a great showcase of Moroccan music across the regions and generations. It was clear from the audience responses that traditional forms continue their relevance and appeal, as superb musicians play creatively with lyrics and diverse instrumentation.

Jil el Maana combined Southern Gnawa rhythms with melhoun poetic quatrains. New York based SSAHHA, led by Moroccan born jazz pianist Amino Belyamani, featured perhaps the most unusual instrumental combination of the Festival, or maybe any festival. A traditional Gnawa guimbri sat alongside a grand piano, tuned to the quarter tones needed to mesh with an (electric) oud.

Moroccan born jazz pianist Amino Belyamani

Saturday night saw rising ‘New Style’ groups in a packed Place Lahdim. Amazigh language band Fuzz Anaruz (Fusion Hope) from Khemisset supported Heat Spirit from El Jadida. These articulate young performers shone a light on contemporary issues with clearly written songs going directly to the experience of their young audience.

The crowd roared along with Heat Spirit’s current single Boustane Jamil. As lead singer Soukaina FAHSI explained; ‘This song is about the difference between the version of the world we are told in school- get good marks, and everything will be OK -and the reality of life; that it is such a struggle.’

Soukaina is a girl to watch in the future, her confidence and stage presence way outshining the limited opportunities that these young groups get to perform live. Indeed, these young bands and musicians deserve a separate article, which will follow on The View From Fes shortly.

Soukaina is a girl to watch

On the last night, Fatima Zahraa Laaroussi’s set of well known, operatically ornamented love songs was delivered with a sense of generous joy. She sang like the cat who’d got the cream. And truly any singer who can front a capacity audience and the Meknes Orchestra, (including five male backing singers, five percussionists and a four piece string section) so warmly, while looking so good in a little black caftan, and rousing whole areas of youth to football-style chanting, deserves to enjoy herself.

Fatima Zahraa Laaroussi

But the real finale was yet to come.

A little confused by the program booklet (which runs backwards in non-English) thought the night was over, the orchestra just a little slow to leave, when suddenly the lights strobed, the audience went berserk and pop superstar Saad Lamjarred bounded onto the stage.

A cross between Bruce Springsteen and a Jet from West Side Story, this man has the action. Oh yeah, the boy can play. The son of famous performer parents, with the energy of a soccer player and the smile of a corsair, charisma pours from his pores.

pop superstar Saad Lamjarred

He strutted, leaped, joked and teased the crowd, encouraging people to come forward, even onstage. He kissed babies and young men, danced with ladies and reassured the sudden line of burly security; It’s OK, it’s OK. He was the Boss.

Afaf Razouki, summed up the Volubilis festival in Le Matin with: ‘This opening on the world confirms the will of the organisers to reinforce the values of exchange, tolerance and friendliness, while celebrating the art of living in ancestral and warm-hearted Morocco.’

I would sum it up by quoting Saad Lamjarred’s opening stage line: ‘I’m so glad to be here’. So was I. Now, you know about this little gem of a Festival too. Next year, be there. I will.

Text and photographs: Gabe Monson
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The 2013 Volubilis Festival ~ The Music is Pumping

Meknes is currently enjoying the 14th edition of the Volubilis International Festival under the patronage of King Mohammed VI, whose commitment to cultural events is becoming legendary. Gabe Monson reports for The View from Fez

Peking Opera of Heilongjiang

These events provide well-produced showcases for local musicians, introduce international styles to local audiences and open an accessible but authentic window for visitors onto the diversity of Moroccan culture. Indeed, it seems possible to ‘Festival hop’ across the country, from major urban events such as Fes, Rabat and Essouira, to lesser known reaches of the kingdom, such as Sidi Ifni and TanTan.

Meknes seems to fall between the two. Although a centrally located Imperial city, only 55kms west of Fes, it is somewhat overshadowed as a destination by that more famous neighbour.

A pity, as Meknes is a surprisingly green and pleasant place to spend time. Its park-lined river, dividing a manageable Medina from the bustling and friendly Ville Nouvelle, gives a spacious feel and welcome sense of orientation for visitors. And the Festival is a perfect excuse to visit.

Concerts, all free, take place from sunset in two accessed venues at the Medina edge. Theatre Jardin Lahboul, a small riverside amphitheatre, hosts the more intimate events, while cafe-lined Place Lahdim rocks out into the small hours as youth and families gather, snack, sing along and promenade within the ramparts by the landmark Bab Mansour.

Le Chauffeur et Dans le Pre

The opening days of the six-day event (3-8 July), have displayed a well chosen mix of international and local acts. International acts so far have included the Peking Opera of Heilongjiang, whose physical comedy and gorgeous costumes delighted the family audience.

Pumping African and South American groups such as Cumbia All Stars (Peru) and N’goha OBV (Ivory Coast) have had the audience shouting and dancing, while intricate and musically theatrical French group Le Chauffeur et Dans le Pre challenged and impressed as they switched in a moment from contrapuntal fugues to comedic ‘circus’ music.

Mostafa El Herfi’s Andalucian orchestra

Local acts have ranged from Mostafa El Herfi’s Andalucian orchestra and Berber favourites Izenzarn to contemporary Rai with Cheb Kader and hip young fusion acts such as Heat Spirit.

A fuller account of these and other event highlights will follow. For now, suffice to say; if you are in the area, and love music, make your way to Meknes, enjoy the genuine friendliness of the people and some great sounds under the stars.

Text and photographs: Gabe Monson

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2013 Volubilis Festival Programme Announced

The 14th edition of the Volubilis Festival is being held between the 3rd and 8th of July in Meknes, and the lineup is impressive.

Opening night will be an interesting cultural mix, with the Maria Pomianowska group from Poland, a folklorique Turkish ensemble and the Moroccan outfit, Rouh Meknes featuring Yassin Habibi.

Maria Pomianowska

It is a great start to what promises to be a fascinating festival with music from Martinique, Peru, France, Turkey, The Ivory Coast, Spain and (incredibly) a troup from the Beijing Opera!

Beijing Opera 

THE FULL PROGRAMME

For more information: contact Contact M.Bouselham Daif
Mail: bouselham.daif@gmail.com

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From Scotland to the Sahara ~ By Bicycle

When Paul Armstrong found himself unable to fly, he decided to cycle instead – all the way from Scotland to the Sahara. Vanessa Bonnin reports

Paul Armstrong in the Ruined Garden Café  in Fez - Photo Vanessa Bonnin

Armstrong, 27, from Alloway in Scotland, is a pilot with the Royal Navy who is equally passionate about cycling as he is flying. In January his entire fleet was grounded after two aircraft crashes and instead of taking off to Thailand with the rest of his squadron he decided to cycle to Morocco.

“I’ve ridden since I was a little kid, bikes are my thing,” Armstrong (no relation to Lance) said. “In the past I’ve done short tours like London to Amsterdam in two days, to the Alps and back, classic Tour de France climbs, that sort of thing, but this time I wanted to do a big tour. I had visited the north of Morocco 15 years ago with my parents but I wanted to see the real Morocco and go to the Sahara.”

But before he could search for “the real Morocco” he had to cycle all the way through Scotland, England, Belgium, France and Spain. On his Spin road bike, with a handmade titanium frame, he took in a few mountain ranges on the way including the Pyrenees, the Sierra Nevada and the Sierra de Grazalema.

“I left Scotland in mid-January, and for the first few weeks I was miserable because of the cold,” he said. “I could only take minimal kit on the bike and my SLR camera was my only luxury. Then from Malaga all the way to Larache there were horrendous headwinds, I was only doing an average of nine miles an hour, compared to my normal rate of 18 miles an hour. There was really heavy rain and I was having a miserable time!I also stacked it in Tangier only two miles from the ferry because they seemed to be digging up every road in Tangier at the time and the roads were covered in mud slicks.”

Despite thinking of his squadron in sunny Thailand, Armstrong persevered taking a route down through Morocco that went from Tangier to Larache (where he spent his 27th birthday), Rabat, Casablanca, Safi, Essaouria, Agadir, Tiznit and finally Tan Tan.

“Tan Tan was my most southerly destination but it was about the whole journey for me, not just the destination of the desert, although I really did want to see the sand dunes,” he said. “I baked even though I was using 50+ sunscreen! But it was phenomenal to see. What I was I most happy about was I’d been cycling into a head wind since Tangier – for over 1000kms – and it was pretty soul destroying. So turning around and having a tail wind was fantastic!”

Despite reaching the desert, his journey was far from over and the highlights of his adventure were yet to come.

“After Tan Tan I cycled back to Tiznit and then went inland over the Anti-Atlas to Tafraout,” he said. “These were Alpine-style climbs, really arduous averaging 8-9% inclines over 20 miles and the sun was blisteringly hot, climbing all the way to 2500m. But it was worth it, Tafraout and the whole area was spectacular, indescribable really.”

Armstrong then went from Taroudant to Marrakech, via the Tizi N’Test pass, a route that has been described as the most spectacular in Morocco, reaching a high point of 2092m above sea level.

“I was quite apprehensive about climbing the Tizi N’Test Pass which wasn’t helped by stopping and meeting a Moroccan cyclist working as a waiter at the bottom who said ‘there’s no way you’ll make it in one day’”, he said. "Undeterred however I set off and got to a sign at the start of the climb that said Tizi N’Test 36kms. There was a 7-8% gradient for the entire climb but I did it in 3.5 hours with 6 litres of water and 1.5 litres of Coca-Cola!

"That was my achievement moment, getting to the top of the Tizi N’Test Pass. There’s phenomenal scenery up there and then I set off on the descent into the sunset which was magic.”

After two days well-earned rest in Marrakech, Armstrong continued his Morocco tour through Beni Mellal, Khenifra, Azrou, Meknes and finally Fes, where we meet him – arriving for brunch at the Ruined Garden Café with a helpful local called Youssef.

“My whole experience of Morocco has been that the people are so friendly - Youssef is a good example of that friendliness,” he said. "I’ve almost come to expect it here. Bumping into people and getting chatting. The kids especially, all the kids run after you down the road, waving and holding out their hands to shake. It’s great, puts a smile on your face. With the bike you get to experience the country and the people in a way you wouldn’t in a car or campervan or on a motorbike.”

So what was the highlight of experiencing Morocco by bike?

“The best moment was when I was riding from Azrou to Meknes, I was riding through a 2000m pass in hailstones and strong winds,” he said “I had this car behind me, beeping and beeping, then they pulled alongside me and handed over some chocolate bars! It put a big smile on my face – I was soaked to the skin but that gesture really kept me going.”

And what does this intrepid explorer think of our beloved city, Fes?

“I love Fes, it’s a warren, you walk down side streets and discover new things, it’s one big adventure. I love the sense of discovery. And the tanneries are something else – they didn’t smell as bad as I thought they would!” he said.

Despite the hardships on this journey – his longest by bike so far – Armstrong is determined to try more cycling adventures in the future.

“Oh definitely, to ride in a different culture is amazing and to get to visit the country as well is a fantastic combination.”

Armstrong travelled on from Fes to Chefchaouen, Al Hoceima, Tangier and Malaga before flying home with a slightly heavier load that included the essential Fes purchases – a Moroccan, rug and a leather jacket!


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La Case Restaurant, Meknes ~ Review

In the new part of Meknes, behind a cheerful striped façade, lies the restaurant La Case. La Case has long been one of the best restaurants in the region and is owned by Reda Zniber, the driving force behind popular wine label Celliers de Meknes.

The View from Fez team visited for a weekday lunch. The interior décor of the restaurant is warm and appealing, while the menu is a mix of French and Moroccan, with a focus on fresh fish.

The daily specials board offered crevisse or freshwater crayfish, so we had this as an entrée accompanied by a cream sauce which may have had cognac waved over it. The amount of meat obtainable from the small crustaceans, compared to the work involved in getting it out, tends to be disproportionate. However, this just makes you appreciate the subtle and delicate result all the more, and that was true in this case.

Continuing on the water theme, we chose swordfish and lobster for our mains.

The swordfish steak was a considerable size. It was very fresh and perfectly cooked, with just a hint of salt and lemon. Unfortunately the same could not be said of the vegetables, julienned courgettes and carrots, which were over-boiled.

The triumph was the lobster. At 90 dh per hundred grams, this is a dish for special occasions. Prepared simply, the flesh was light and sweet and the chef had wisely served it simple and unadorned.

Our meal was complemented by the wonderful Cote de l’Atlas wine; full-bodied with an overtone of resin. It’s the only Moroccan wine to have a well deserved AOC - appellation d’origine controlée.

Desserts included a melt-in-the-mouth chocolate fondant, with excellent house-made vanilla ice-cream, and Crepes Suzette. The latter eschewed the usual sauce made from Grand Marnier and orange juice and instead owed a lot to marmalade - an unexpected, but not unpleasant flavour.

La Case is an excellent place for a lunch outing, which can be followed by a visit to the Château Roslane, where Cote de l’Atlas is produced.

La Case Restaurant, 8 Boulevard Moulay Youssef, 50000 Méknes. 
Reservations: +212535524019

Text and photographs: Suzanna Clarke

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Autumn Tourism in Morocco

While the flow of visitors arriving in Morocco had been relatively steady over the last month, the numbers appear to have increased in the last couple of weeks. Tour groups from Europe as well a considerable number of families from South America, Australia and New Zealand have been arriving recently. Guest house owners in the Layoun and Rcif areas of the Fez Medina report being at full capacity and with many forward bookings. Visitors are taking advantage of the fact that autumn is a cool but beautiful time of year and after the recent rains the countryside is green for the first time in months.

A frozen cedar forest - photo Jearld Moldenhauer  - Dar Balmira Gallery 

The snowfalls in the High Atlas have abated for the moment and the roads have been cleared of the snow.

Recent visitors (pictured above and below), Amy from Australia and Saara from Finland, exploring the Fez Medina for the first time found it "awesome". They spent a couple of days shopping in the Medina before heading off on a day trip to the Roman ruins at Volubilis, lunch in Moulay Idriss and a visit to the granaries in Meknes. 

Booking Early

Michele Reeves from Plan-it-Fez says that October was a very busy month, and though the numbers of arrivals have slowed slightly, it remains steady. Recent arrivals have been from America, the UK and countries in South America and most had the foresight to book well in advance. Michele says that last year people were booking accommodation and tours at the last minute which caused problems with supplying vehicles. Now, however, she says people are booking for late November and December, well in advance. Culinary tours and day trips, she says, remain incredibly popular.

Aisha Bail (pictured above), who manages Riad Rcif, says that the last couple of months have been incredibly busy with guests flowing in from European countries (due to the discount flights). The interesting demographic change she has noticed is there have also been many South American vistiors from countries such as Argentina, Mexico, Chile, Columbia and Brazil. They have also had a growing number of tourists from the Scandinavian, Baltic and Eastern bloc countries including Lithuania, Poland and Russia. Other riad owners in the Layoun, next to Rcif, have reported an increase in visitors from the Indian subcontinent.

Aisha Bail agrees with Michele Reeves that there is a trend towards many people booking well in advance. Some, she says, as far ahead as August 2013. Like Michele Reeves, she welcomes this as it makes management so much easier.

False Guides

The problem that concerns Aisha Bail most is the new breed of sophisticated false guides on the trains. The View from Fez has reported on this before, but it is worth repeating the warning. According to Aisha, the men, posing as businessmen, get on the trains to Fez at Meknes or Casablanca, and then try to convince visitors that the riad they are staying at is not a good place. Other visitors say that the men act in pairs with one laying the ground work and a follow-up person backing up the stories of poor accommodation. They also try and convince people that where they have booked is a "dangerous" area of Fez. They then offer to act as their guide in Fez and find them "better" accommodation. Unfortunately, even though many false guides have been stopped in recent weeks, the men on the trains continue to evade the police.

More info: 
Plan-it Fez: email: info@plan-it-fez.com. Website: www.plan-it-fez.com Tel: +212 (0) 678 549 482
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Fez Morocco - Cultural News Update

Film News

The dates for Agadir's fifth International Documentary Film Festival(FIDADOC) have been announced. According to the organisers FIDADOC will run from the 22nd to the 25th of April 2013. The festival competition is open to films from around the world, produced between 2011 and 2012 and whose duration does not exceed 52 minutes.

The Medi Morocco movie association who are the organisers of the 18th Fez Moroccan Film Festival have announced a new prize - Creation of a Best Amazigh Short Film Screenplay. This new award is the result of a partnership with the Royal Institute of Amazigh Culture, the Moroccan Cinematographic Centre and the Fez city authorities. The Fez Film festival will take place from the 5th to the 8th of March 2013 with the theme "Back to the Theatres". 

Aissawa Festival in Meknes

From February 24 to 25th 2013 Meknes will host the first edition of the National Festival of Aissawa Art. Unfortunately the theme of the festival is not particularly enticing - “Heritage as a Mainstay for Advanced Regionalization” - but that aside, the festival should be exciting enough to escape its theme! The festival will take place at the Faqih Mohammed al-Manouni Hall of the Regional Directorate of Culture starting from 6:30 pm.

It is expected that more than 30 Aissawa orders will participate, such as Ouald Sheikh Kamel from Meknes, Ahl Touat Dar Damana from Ouazzane and Taaifa al-Aissawia from Fez, in addition to artists Abderrahim Souiri and the al-Asri Orchestra.

Under the framework of the festival, a seminar will be held on “Forms of Popular Expressions in the Issmaili City: Issawa Order as a Model,” with Prof. Mohammed Amine, Prof. Mostafa Benfaida, Prof. Muley al-Hassam al-Bouyahyaoui al-Idrissi, Prof. Mohammed Amine al-Alaoui. The seminar will take place on Saturday, February 25, at 3 pm, in the meeting hall of the headquarters of the Council of Meknes-Tafilalt region. At the same time, there will be an exhibition of the work of artist M’hammad Jacky Belhaj at the gallery of al-Manouni Hall.

The Institute Français 

The French Institute in Fez has an exciting cultural programme running from September to December. There are exhibitions, installations and performances. Check out the entire programme by downloading the PDF from the link at the bottom of this story.

Megumi Matsubara in Fez

For the full programme of cultural events you can download the PDF HERE


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