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Experience Morocco in Full Colour (Part 2)
8/19/2024This is the 2nd part of the article about the vibrant colours of Morocco. Here are the links to the Part 1 and Part 3.
Aït Benhaddou (Orange).
Located in the arid landscape south of the High Atlas mountains, Aït Benhaddou is a goldmine of ancient architecture and natural beauty. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is situated in a region that is often described as a gateway to the desert, with its rugged terrain and scarce vegetation. Yet, despite its harsh environment, Aït Benhaddou with its stunning kasbah (an ancient fortress) has been a thriving community for centuries.
In recent years, Aït Benhaddou has gained international recognition as a prime film location, attracting mass productions such as Gladiator and Game of Thrones. The region's unique landscape and ancient architecture have made it a popular destination for filmmakers, with Atlas Studios, one of the biggest employers in the area, catering to the needs of the film industry. However, Aït Benhaddou's fame extends far beyond its Hollywood connections, and its rich history and cultural significance make it a must-visit destination for anyone interested in exploring Morocco's heritage.
For fans of Game of Thrones, Aït Benhaddou will be easily recognizable as the city of Yunkai, a slave-trading hub that was liberated by Daenerys and her loyal followers. The show's epic scenes, which featured the city's walls and unique architecture, were filmed in Aït Benhaddou, and the site has since become a pilgrimage site for fans of the show.
Despite its relatively recent popularity, Aït Benhaddou remains an authentic destination, where visitors can experience the warm hospitality and rich culture of Morocco's Berber people. The kasbah, which is one of the most famous and well-preserved in Morocco, is a masterpiece of ancient architecture, with its sophisticated stone carvings, fancy tile work, and tall walls. As you wander through the narrow streets and alleys of Aït Benhaddou, you can't help but feel a sense of awe and wonder at the history and beauty that surrounds you.
In recent years, many people have settled in the town to support the booming tourism industry, building modern homes and hotels that offer comfortable amenities such as air conditioners and windows. This marks a significant departure from traditional Berber architecture, where outside windows were rarely built to prevent overheating from the desert sun.
Aït Benhaddou is just one of many kasbahs that dot the Moroccan landscape, with the Moroccan Ministry of Culture estimating that there are over 100 of these ancient fortresses scattered throughout the country. Many of these kasbahs can be found along the Draa River Valley, which once played a crucial role in the Silk Road, a network of ancient trade routes that connected Europe, Asia, and Africa. While not all of these kasbahs are well-preserved or open to the public, they remain an important part of Morocco's cultural heritage, offering a glimpse into the country's rich history and the lives of its people.
One of the things that particularly struck me was the majestic date palm oases. These lush havens, often surrounded by towering palm trees, seem to ignore the harsh conditions of the desert, thriving in a region where water is scarce and the sun beats down relentlessly.
Their deep roots allow them to tap into underground water sources, while their waxy leaves conserve moisture and protect the tree from the unforgiving desert sun. In turn, the date palms provide a habitat for a variety of wildlife, from birds and insects to small mammals.
These oases have been the lifeblood of desert communities for centuries, providing food, shelter, and a sense of community in the harshest of environments.
We were shocked to find this little garden in Zagora. It's an oasis town, located in the Draa River Valley. Mother nature never ceases to amaze me with its resilience and beauty that can be found even in the harshest conditions.
Sahara (Yellow).
The Sahara Desert is a natural wonder, spanning across North Africa like a golden sea. As the largest hot desert in the world, it covers a remarkable 9,200,000 square kilometres (3,600,000 sq mi), roughly the size of the United States. From space, the Sahara's sheer scale is awe-inspiring, with its vast dunes and sandy expanses stretching across nearly half of the African continent, giving the appearance of a giant yellow patch on our planet's surface.
This unforgiving yet majestic landscape has captivated explorers, traders, and travellers for centuries, with its shifting sands, scorching temperatures, and mesmerizing vistas. As the Sahara stretches across several countries, including Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, and others, it has shaped the cultures, traditions, and histories of the people who call this incredible region home.
Would you like to spend a night in the middle of the Sahara Desert, surrounded by endless dunes of golden sand and the silence of the vast expanse? We did and it's a once-in-a-lifetime experience!
Desert camping in the Sahara is truly unforgettable and will leave you with lifelong memories and a deep connection to the immense, majestic beauty of the desert.
The Sahara Desert, despite its harsh and unforgiving climate, is home to a surprising variety of wildlife. Among the dunes and sandy expanses, you can find many animals, including fennec foxes, wolves, antelopes, and rabbits. To be able to survive, these resilient creatures have often adapted to eat and hunt at night when the desert's conditions are not so extreme.
Camels, in particular, are remarkable animals, known for their intelligence and social nature. Their owners often communicate with them using special commands to give them directions. Camels have a special way of laying down where they would rest on their front legs first and then on their back legs. When you’re sitting on top of the camel that is trying to lie down, remember that it will be challenging to keep your balance until the animal is fully on the ground so hold on tight.
Despite the Hollywood myths, Scorobeus beetles are harmless to humans, not the flesh-eating monsters depicted in films like The Mummy.
Contrary to popular belief, the Sahara Desert is not entirely waterless. In fact, if you dig just about 10 metres / 30 ft beneath the surface, you'll hit water - albeit often salty and undrinkable. To access fresh drinkable water, you'll need to dig deeper. One of the biggest shocks for us was having a warm shower at our campground!
Several times a year, the desert experiences rainfall, typically during August through October. These rare precipitation events bring much-needed moisture to the arid landscape, replenishing water sources and restoring the desert's ecosystem.
Sandstorms in the Sahara are relatively rare but we happened to witness one. The large volume of sand lifted into the air creates a surreal landscape, with visibility reduced to near zero. The storm resembles a thick fog or a cloudy sky, but it's actually just a massive amount of sand particles flying in the air. The result of such a storm is far from pleasant, with sand finding its way into your nostrils, ears, eyes, hair, clothing, and (oh gosh) electronic devices.
There are several distinct types of desert landscapes. Among these, the erg stands out as a majestic sand dune desert, where towering dunes of golden sand stretch towards the sky like giant waves. Morocco is home to some of the most impressive ergs in the world, with the highest sand dune rising to a remarkable 300 meters high.
For outsiders like us, the Sahara Desert can seem like an impenetrable expanse of sand and rock, with no clear roads or landmarks to guide the way. But for local people, navigating the Sahara is second nature. Despite the lack of formal roads, they have developed an excellent knowledge of the desert's paths and routes.
So, what do people do in the Sahara? There is no single answer. Some hold government jobs, working as park rangers to protect the desert's wildlife from poachers, or serving as police officers to maintain order in the region. Others have built successful businesses around tourism, welcoming visitors from around the world and sharing their knowledge of the desert's history and culture. But for the majority of people, the Sahara is a place of traditional livelihoods, where they raise camels, sheep, and goats to provide for their families.
As you travel through the desert, you'll hear a variety of languages spoken, including Amazign (Berber), Arabic, and French. And, remarkably, even in the most remote areas, modern technology has made its mark - as our guide Brahim demonstrated when he was still making phone calls throughout our two-hour journey into the middle of the Shara Desert after the paved road ended in M'Hamid.
Casablanca (White).
Casablanca is a city of stark contrasts, where the country's thriving commercial hub and largest metropolis in Morocco coexist with devastating poverty, particularly in the historic old medina, revealing a striking disparity between wealthy and poor.
I chose the colour white because of the city's architectural heritage, specifically the iconic French Art Nouveau-style homes built in the early 20th century, which are characteristically painted a crisp white.
Casablanca is a bustling metropolis with a population of over 3.7 million people. The city's rapid growth and urbanization have led to congested streets, making navigation a challenge for residents and visitors alike. However, in recent years, the city has taken significant strides in improving its public transportation system, with the introduction of a tram network that has greatly alleviated traffic jams.
The tram system, which is currently expanding from two to four lines, has proven to be a game-changer for the city's commuters. While the trams operate at street level and are still subject to traffic lights, they have been given priority with dedicated lanes, allowing them to move efficiently through the city. Separated from car and bus traffic, the trams provide a more reliable and efficient way to get around.
Casablanca offers good logistical connectivity to both domestic and international destinations, with its strategic location on the Atlantic coast providing a major port that facilitates significant trade activity. In fact, I’ve heard rumours that many of the stolen cars from Canada end up in Casablanca.
Our primary reason for visiting Casablanca was to see the stunning Hassan II mosque, a unique Moroccan landmark that is open to visitors of all faiths. It is the third-largest mosque in the world after the mosques of Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia. Its capacity is over 100,000 worshippers.
As we walked in, we were amazed by the beautiful architecture mostly made from Moroccan materials. The only exception was the stunning Italian marble doors. Every detail showed the skill and speed of the people who built it over the seven years only.
We were surprised that women didn't have to cover their heads with scarves, as we had expected. Even our female tour guide didn't wear one. Not sure what the takeaway exactly is, but looks like big cities have more relaxed religious rules.
The mosque is incredibly grand and shows off the wealth of the Moroccan king. He clearly wanted to impress the world with this amazing building. Every part of it, from the tiles to the arches, is beautiful and extravagant.
As I stood before the majestic Hassan II Mosque, I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. Just a few hundred metres away, the city's slums stretched out in stark contrast to the grandeur of the mosque. The streets were narrow and dirty, dotted with collapsing buildings that seemed to lean in on each other for support.
The few travellers like us seemed out of place, and I began to understand why guidebooks about Morocco often skip over the medina in Casablanca.
It prompted me to do some research to understand why medinas in other Moroccan imperial cities - Marrakesh, Fes or Meknes - attracted visitors while Casablanca seemed to be ashamed of this part of itself, hiding it from view like a dirty secret.
I learned about the ambitious project to replace the slums with modern buildings, but it seemed like a distant dream. Some areas had been cleared, but the promised new developments had yet to materialize. The result was a desolate landscape of rubble and neglect, a testament to the city's struggle to address the needs of its most vulnerable citizens. Estimates suggested that tens of thousands of people called this medina home, but it was hard to imagine how anyone could thrive in such conditions.
As we walked through the streets, we were struck by the overwhelming poverty. Vendors sold what little they had - scraps of food, simple clothing, and other cheap necessities - but the atmosphere was far from vibrant.
The streets felt like a garbage dump, with trash and debris scattered everywhere. Children played in the middle of this chaos, and stray cats were everywhere.
But then, we crossed a busy road and found ourselves in a different world. Condominiums with ocean views and a luxury shopping mall appeared before us, a reminder of the city's stark contrasts. How could such wealth and privilege exist alongside such poverty and neglect?
The Hassan II Mosque, with its beauty and grandeur, seemed like a cruel joke when facing such inequality. We left the medina and the city of Casablanca with heavy hearts.
Continue reading - Part 3 or return to Part 1.
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