WHAT TO DO IN MARRAKESH - ATLAS MOUNTAINS

Hello everyone,

Hope you are all well.

I've just realised the possibility that my holiday's narrative will take me well over Christmas which means that while you are all be busy shopping for gifts, new outfits and food for the festive season, I will be busy finishing my story before I can resume writing about fashion.

One might ask why did I start something that feels like a burden to finish?  The reason I embarked on this task is that I sincerely believe that my readers first, are enjoying reading about the places that they might never have been or if they have, like to know what other people think about them; second, I hope that my stories may inspire people to travel to the destinations they have not considered to see before but will change their mind afterwards.

In other words, the show must go on and without any further ado, I continue.  If you missed my post "DAY ONE IN MARRAKESH", you can read it here.

We decided to dedicate our second day in Marrakesh to a field trip and booked a private car with a guide to take us to one of the highly recommended places to see while in Morocco - The Atlas Mountains.
There are a lot of things you can do there, from hiring a private car with a driver/tour guide who will drive you through a part of the mountains and back in a day, to trekking and camel rides and sleeping in the tents under the star studded skies.  We settled for a day trip.

Although we booked a car with an English speaking driver (the official language of Morocco is French), our guide's command of the language was rather rudimentary.

At first, it upset us a little but we made an effort to simplify our questions to him as much as possible and got quite satisfactory answers in return.  Besides, as we ventured further and further into the mountainside, we began to appreciate his driving skills over his linguistic ones.

The Atlas Mountains extend over 2, 500 km over North Africa and stretch over Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia.  They are in fact three distinct ranges that divide the country into strips of lower land with the High Atlas being the most accessible and closest to Marrakesh, within about an hour drive.  It is also a place for many retreats, one of them, Kasbah Tamadot, is owned by none then Sir Richard Branson himself.

As the car sped off into the mountains, we were absolutely stunned by passing scenery - miles and miles of red soil sparsely peppered by red houses surrounded by tall red walls, occasion palm trees and bushes, a lone donkey rider with the hot North African sun shining high above this infertile land.  It was quite dramatic and the further we went, and the higher our car climbed, the more dramatic it became.

The Atlas Mountains are populated by Berbers, one of the oldest ethnic groups of North Africa, with their own rich history, culture and traditions.

Described as Nomads by the West, these days they are mainly farmers who live very simple but not very easy lives.   Not to me, anyway.  Here and there you can see their settlements comprised of the cluster of red brick and mud small housed clinging to the cliffs.

We made few stops along the way to buy fresh fruit and take some pictures of life around us that looked totally alien to ours.

Our last stop was at Ourika Valley where we had lunch at one of the myriads of the restaurants situated along the river banks with the tables placed in the shallow water and the diners had to take the shoes off and let their feet be cooled off by the water.

We, however, opted to have our lunch on dry land.  It was simple but very tasty, meat cooked on charcoals with fresh vegetables salad and traditional Moroccan bread.

After a short stroll through the small local market, it was time to return to the car and head back to Marrakesh.

Before I say goodbye, I would like to share with you recipe of Spicy Carrot Salad  with Pistachio Nuts and dried Cranberries from My Cosmopolitan Kitchen.  It is very easy to make, it's healthy and delicious and is a great accompaniment to many dishes.

Enjoy!!!

WHAT TO DO AND SEE IN MARRAKESH - OLD MEDINA AND THE SOUKS

Hi everyone,

Last week I shared with our stay in Casablanca (you can read it here, if you missed it).  Today I would like to tell you about our visit to Marrakesh.

The first thing that we noticed as we got into the car at the airport, is the total domination of red.  Each structure that we passed, whether it was a building or a wall was either built with red bricks or rendered in red.  It was in total contrast with Casablanca which is all white, hence the name.

We chose to stay in a small luxury boutique hotel called AL Fassia Aguedal "renowned nationally and internationally for its hospitality and service as well as for exquisite refined Moroccan restaurants offering the finest Moroccan cuisine".

Its name came up in the search with excellent reviews and a high rating and when we checked the website and scrolled through the images, we liked it even more.

The one distinctive feature of  this is that it is owned and run by two sisters, a rare phenomenon in the male dominated society that is the Middle East. We mostly dealt with Myra, the hotel owner and manager, who together with her well trained and friendly team went out of their way to make our stay most enjoyable.

We loved this place the moment we stepped through the thick heavy front doors and found ourselves in the beautifully appointed reception area where we were offered cold towels and refreshments.

Its style and architecture reflects the principles of  a riad with the traditional indoor square shaped roofless garden with a splashing fountain in its centre that gives the whole place a sense of tranquillity and peace and provides a most desired respite from the heat.  The rooms are situated along the perimeter of the garden, ours was on the second floor overlooking the Moorish shaped pool filled with emerald green water and the city behind the thick red walls of the compound.  The suite was absolutely lovely, big and comfortable, with a thick carpet over the tiled floor and big cushions scattered everywhere should anyone choose to take a rest on the carpet.

Breakfast was served around the pool and with in accordance with local taste included items such as home baked traditional bread, pancakes drizzled with local honey and yogurt, delicious house made orange and carrot jam, eggs baked in spiced tomato sauce (later on I would like to share with you my take on this dish), all washed down with freshly brewed mint tea.

Our first point of interest was, naturally, was to visit the souks, of which I had seen and heard a lot and I have been fascinated by them for years.  After a short ride, a taxi dropped us at the front gates of the Medina (old city) and we found found ourselves in the middle of the busy big square called Jemaa el Fna that for centuries has been the cultural symbol of Marrakesh and a showcase of traditional Morocco and has been declared a world heritage site by UNESCO.

It is a hub and the heart of all activity of the Medina.  A large market is held here every morning where stallholders are selling medical plants, freshly squeezed orange juice as well as all kinds of nuts and confectionery.  Whatever free space is left, is occupied by snake charmers, dancing monkeys, donkeys tied to the poles patiently waiting for their owners to return and hundreds of people, tourists and locals alike.

At sunset the square becomes a gigantic, multifaceted open-air show.  It is a perfect place to watch the sunset from one of the many cafes surrounding the square and people from all walks of life are drawn to the square to watch the street performers, dancers, musicians, story tellers and showmen.  The air is filled with the aroma of grilled meet, fish and spices and for those with the exotic taste, cooked snails.

Behind this throbbing activity lie the souks.  They are arranged according to the type of goods on offer:  fabrics, brass goods, leather goods including babouche slippers, Berber carpets, jewellery, clay tagines, ceramics and much much more, some of them looking like an Aladdin's Cave.  The store owners are men only, dressed in djellabas (long hooded robes).  The street of the souks are narrow and wind and go on for miles.  You can spend days wandering up and down them not knowing what wonder is awaiting for you around the corner.

 

We emerged back to the square many hours later toying with the idea of staying there till the sunset but in the end, totally exhausted and a little bit overwhelmed we decided to save it for another day and we caught a taxi back to the hotel where we had booked our dinner at the hugely popular restaurant called Al Fassia Aguedal.

When, refreshed, we came down to the restaurant, the hostess escorted to us to the rose garden where the tables were laid under the dark blue skies and the waitress handed us leather-bound menu offering the wide array of traditional Moroccan and North-African dishes and local wines.

After dinner we said goodnight to our host and retired to our quarters as the next day we had an early start but that is the story for another post.

As promised earlier, here is my version on how to cook the eggs in the spicy tomato sauce.  This dish has many incarnations, in the West it is called Eggs in Purgatory, while in the Middle East it is know as Eggs Shakshuka.  You can find this recipe and many others in MY COSMOPOLITAN KITCHEN recipe book.

Enjoy!!!

Linking up with Glass of Glam

MOROCCO - WHAT TO SEE AND DO IN CASABLANCA

Hello everyone,

It has been over two weeks since we came back from our five weeks of travelling around the world, eating, drinking and having a good time.  If you followed my Instagram posts, you would know that we literally did a round the world trip, starting in Morocco, then Italy, Cuba, South America and then back across the ocean to New Zealand and finally home to Australia.

Anyhow, I am over it now and ready to tell you all about our holidays, starting with Morocco.

Our first stop was in Casablanca.  We took the advice of our friends who have been to this city before not to spend more then two days and that is what we planned.  We landed at the airport in the middle of the night and went straight to our small boutique hotel, Hotel and Spa Le Doge, situated within walking distance of the Old Medina.

It was furnished and styled in a true Art-Deco fashion with plush sofas and curtains, beautiful stained glass windows, a spiral staircase covered in red velvet and brightly painted rooms, each was decorated in its own distinctive style and was given a name.  Ours was painted emerald green and called La Tempica.

Breakfast was served on a terrace on the top of the building which provided a sweeping view over Casablanca.  After breakfast, we set out on foot to visit the Old Medina (traditionally the old walled part of a North African town), one of the "must see" places in Casablanca.

As we entered the main square of the Medina through one of the multiple entrances, it felt that as if we had stepped into the  world of 1001 Arabian nights. We were deafened by the noises coming from the donkeys tied up to the posts everywhere, shop-keepers selling their wares, loud sounds of motorbike horns coming from the riders dashing up and down along the narrow and winding paths on full throttle and above all these noises, the overpowering voice calling believers to prayers coming from the mosque's loudspeakers which can be heard all over the city.

The next few hours we spent zigzagging up and down narrow streets looking at the historical and monumental buildings, watching women choosing their fruit and vegetables spread in abundance on the tables of the market holders, smelling the exotic spices and sampling the dried figs  and apricots, marinated olives and locally baked bread.

" 
IF YOU ASK ME WHAT WAS THE MAIN REASON 
WE CAME TO MOROCCO, I WOULD SAY ITS FOOD
"

By lunch time our senses went into complete overload and we decided to leave the Medina and have lunch at the famous Rick's Cafe,  designed to recreate the bar where Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman met in the movie classic, Casablanca.  

The lunch gave us much needed energy to continue our explorations so we set our feet to the other landmark that is a "must see" while in Casablanca, Hassan II Mosque.  It is the largest mosque in Morocco and 13th largest in the world, its beautifully ornate minaret stands tall to 210 meters and the tallest in the world.  Its other distinctive feature, though totally unrelated to the religion, is that it is one of not many mosques in the world that opens its doors for non-Muslim visitors, however you are not allowed to wander inside on your own so we joined the English speaking guided tour that which takes place few times a day.

The following day we took a cab to the Quartie Habous, a small village lined with shops and eateries, where French influence is blended with the traditional Moroccan way of life projected in the architecture and design of this area.

After strolling through the artisan markets of the Quartie, we stopped at lunch in one of the well known restaurants called Resto Zayna for a delectable Moroccan lunch.

followed by the sublime pastries that we bought at Pattiserie Bennis Habous.  I really have a sweet tooth for good pastry and when I first walked in into this sweet heaven, I was mesmerised by the aromas coming from the shelves covered with trays and trays of pastries that literally had just come out of the oven in front of our eyes.  I wanted them all, luckily for me I just had my lunch and wasn't feeling very hungry, so instead I settled for a small box of samples.  Needless to say, they were divine.

As we were leaving Casablanca the next day, we decided to have an early night and had dinner at the La Jasmine restaurant at out hotel.  We started with a mezze, a collection of small dishes that tantalise your taste buds and enhance your appetite, followed by traditionally cooked meat dish and a trio of refreshing ice-cream to share.

If you ask me what was the main reason to come to Morocco, I would say my love for Middle Eastern food.  I love the smell of spices, the vibrancy of colours and most importantly, the spices and the taste of the dishes of this region and quite often cook them myself to the delight of my family and friends.

On this note, I would like to share with you a recipe Moroccan Lamb Stew.  This dish is full of the exotic flavours of the Moroccan souks that will fill your kitchen with wonderful aromas and put happy smiles on the faces of your fellow diners. 

You can find this recipe and many more in MY COSMOPOLITAN KITCHEN, a collection of dishes from all over the world, inspired by my travels, experiences and the multicultural diversity of Australian food and which, with great delight, I would love to share with you.

Enjoy!!!

Anna

Linking up withe Shelbee on the Edge