The ocean-side city of Asilah

Asilah is a fishing port and seaside resort about 50 kilometres from Tangier. It boasts an historic medina within fortified walls. 

For a small city, Asilah has quite a past:

The Phoenicians used it as a base for trade in 1500 BC. The romans came along for a while and the Portuguese conquered it in 1471, then abandoned it for economical reasons. It was taken by the Moroccans a hundred years later and was used as a base for pirates in the 19th century. From 1912 to 1956 when Morocco became independent, it was under Spanish "protectorate". 

The old city, known as a medina, underwent major renovations in 1978 and it is now in pristine condition.

The medina is surrounded by ramparts and is a car-free zone. In winter the town is almost empty, yet far from feeling abandoned, it looks serene and reclusive in a lovely way.

These photos taken in early Spring demonstrate the peaceful atmosphere of the town in the off-season. All you hear are the sound of the waves crashing on the shore and the occasional call to prayer.

A young man walks gingerly down one of the alleys of the medina with a tray of bread dough balanced on his head. Few people have ovens of their own and the women knead bread daily at home, then take it to small commercial ovens to be baked and retrieve it when it's done.

A mother walks her small child home. I imagine them chatting about this and that, mother adapting her gait to her tot's tiny steps the way a mother and child do anywhere in the world.

Neighbours exchange opinions at the foot of the ancient Portuguese-era tower on the main square. The tower and the ramparts were built at the beginning of the 15th century and are still in excellent condition six centuries later.

The city is on the Atlantic Ocean seen here from the Mirage Hotel half way to Asilah from Tangier. The beach is almost deserted but there are big plans for the construction of major resorts and hotels all along the coast as was done on the mediterranean coast of Morocco. What a transformation that will be.

When the mural-painting festival rolls around in the spring, artists arrive from every part of Morocco to paint the walls and the city fills up with tourists eager to see what marvels the walls of Asilah will bear. (see a previous post: The painted walls of Morocco)

The layout...

The result: stunning!

The murals stay there until they are painted over by other artists the following year.

Images: Joelle Desparmet, Upgulf, pinterest

Colours and patterns of Morocco (pink Marrakech)

In Morocco, the predominant colour of a city is its signature: Tangier is a white city because most houses are painted with lye. Chefchaouen, the blue city, is painted with a mixture of indigo and lye in water; Fez is mostly ocher coloured and Marrakesh is orangy pink because the reddish clay found in that area is mixed with straw to make pisé, a sort of adobe used in outer walls of houses and in the making of bricks. 

That may be why many buildings are painted in reddish pink even when not made of pisé.

A striped rosy wall, a painter's interpretation of the horizontal rows of dark brick/light mortar walls typical of the Marrakech area.

A pale celadon door in a soft pink wall that has seen better days.

Pink facades along a narrow alley in the medina.

A beige pink softens the starkness of a dead-end.

A medieval looking workshop front in faded pink in the medina.

A downward view into a tiled Riad housing the Museum of Photography .

The pastel minaret from the upper terrace of Riad Awa, a lovely guest house on the edge of the medina where we stay when in Marrakech.

Images: Joelle Desparmet, Pinterest

The old splendour of Tangier

The cities of Morocco are studies in architecture: the old and the new, the contemporary and the ancient, the purely moor and the colonial French or Spanish. Tangier is no different.
In some neighbourhoods of Tangier one is transported to Nice, Madrid or Paris. These old buildings date from the beginning of the 20th century. Some are occupied and well maintained, others are weatherbeaten and in need of some renovation, others still are abandoned. They were left behind by families who had been established in Tangier for generations and who left in the 40's and 50's.

It is said that some abandoned houses belonged to jewish families who went away thinking they might return and just locked the door behind them. They never came back and left behind lovely houses which cannot be sold as there is no owner to sell them. I would love to get my hands on this one and restore it to its original beauty. I can just imagine lounging on the upper terrace staring at the fabulous spectacle of the sun setting on the glittering sea.

A cement-blocked door in a gabled entryway, the lonely remnant of what was once someone's home.

A lovely metal grate garage door reminiscent of the 1950's "modernisation" of Tangier .

Some buildings are maintained somewhat and hark back to a time when Tangier was an international hub of hip culture, intrigue and carefree living sought out by westerners in search of adventure and thrills of all sorts.

Some buildings have been extensively restored. Villa Léon l'Africain was recently refurbished by Pierre Bergé, Yves Saint Laurent's long time partner.

In this before photo, the facade had intricate moulding and was painted in bright yellow...

...a front porch with elegant columns was added and the sunny colour softened.

Villa Léon l'Africain is a typical colonial house built in 1910 and was the home of Richard Timwell from 1967 when he retired from his work at Sotheby's. The grounds were freshened by a well known landscaper and boast many rare tropical plants and palm trees a reminder of Pierre Bergé's influence on the design of the gardens of Villa Majorelle in Marrakech.

Images: Jeanne-Aelia Desparmet-Hart, Joelle Desparmet and unknown

Random Colours and patterns of Morocco (Tangier)

Colours are present at every corner in Morocco. The simplest event is turned into an art exhibition or a poetic vignette by the association of soft or bright hues drawn from nature and everyday objects.

Touches of peach contrast with the greys of the intricate carved plaster work on the ceiling of the grand El Minzah Hotel in Tangier.

Soft pastels at the modest, quirky and so charming Chez Abdou beachside restaurant near Tangier.

Harmonious assortment of brights and lights of hand-knit wool caps at a weavers' shop at foundouk Chejra in the medina of Tangier.

The geometric design of reed parasols at L'Océan  Beach Club on the Atlantic Ocean near Tangier.

Similar colours and patterns on a Moroccan rug and a South African straw bowl in the living room.

                               Matching table cover and olives mounds at an outdoor village market in the north of Morocco.

The simple beauty of the blooms of a plumbago capensis climbing a blue facade.

Images: Joelle Desparmet

Random Colours and Patterns of Morocco (Marrakech)

The colours and patterns of Morocco are an unending source of awe. From the spectacular mosques, riads and palaces to the most modest shop front or everyday objects, everything is painted, carved or sculpted in a range of soft pastels and minimalist motifs to ultra bright tones and intricate patterns and everything in between.

The side of the minaret of this small mosque in the medina of Marrakech is an example of a beautiful mix of colours, carving and shapes. 

And as always the amazing depth of the Moroccan summer sky.

A similar soft palette on the entrance of a government building.

Shelves have received a coat of primary colours and await their final painted design in a shop in the medina.

The train station in Marrakesh boasts striking patterned granit floors (my toes decided to sneak into the photo)....

...perfectly geometric tile work on columns ...

...and the delicate calligraphy of these zellij tiles on the walls.

The breathtaking wrought iron and glass front entrance of the train station.

Images: Joelle Desparmet

The ancient city of Fes

Fes (or Fez) is the medieval capital of Morocco and was once its commercial and financial centre. It is situated in the north of Morocco and has the best preserved old city in the Arab world. Called the medina Fes el Bali, it is sprawled out over a huge area but its small streets are barely wide enough for pedestrians let alone cars, so everything is delivered by man drawn carts, motorbikes and donkeys.

The medina is contained inside high walls dating back centuries. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site and the largest commercial car-free area in the world.

One of the royal Palaces. The architecture typical of Fes with stone, plaster and painted wood elements. The doors are solid brass and beautifully carved.

The Chouwara tannery. Leather tanning and dyeing is done in this particular part of the medina of Fes. Men spend their days going from hole to hole dyeing the pelts. The smell of animal skin mixed with tanning brine is often overpowering and mint branches are offered by locals to tourists so they can stand the stench.

Pottery is the other main production of Fes. The dried pottery and tiles are hand painted and fired in special round kilns such as the one below.

The tiles or pots are stacked in the top part and the wood fire stoked at the bottom. It takes hours to fire up the kiln and even longer to cool it down.

We stayed at the "Riad des Vingt Jasmins" (The Twenty Jasmine Riad) named after these massive jasmine bushes. The delicious smell of jasmine was a joy after the strong odours of the tannery.

The Twenty Jasmine Riad is a typical Fes house with large rooms surrounding a central patio. This house, while very large, is attached to other houses on three sides ( the fourth being the small garden above) so it has almost no windows to the outside and all the light come from the glass ceiling of the patio onto which all rooms open. The Moroccan home is very private and strangers must not be able to see inside except by invitation.

Unlike Marrakech where it seldom rains and temperatures are clement, the central patios of Fes houses are often closed at the top with glass. This upward view of the indoor patio at "Les Vingt Jasmins" is a marvellous example of wood, plaster and wrought-iron work. The rooms and corridors get light from the windows opening onto the patio.

The intricate tile work and lovely detail of a hand carved radiator cover, a rather recent concession to modern comfort. Winters in Fes can be very harsh and these large house are not easily heated.

Magnificent brick, stone and carved wood facade in the medina. Originally the intricate transoms would have held a long thin roof to shelter the window from the rain and wind.

The entrance to the Al Qarawiyyin mosque, one of the oldest in Morocco. It was recently entirely renovated but non-muslims are not allowed in so we could only peek in from the alley. The floor tile colours are an antique Fes motif. Note the marble fountains, the chiselled plaster surround at the centre and the enamelled dark green roof tiles typical of Fes.

This small museum (as well as the jasmine plants) is in need of some attention but it has a rare collection of antique rugs, chests and leather goods on display. The open patio has fountains alternating with tiled flower beds. One can see what a splendid palace it must have been: the blue and white column capitals, the beautiful tile work, the high ceiling above the arched terrace.

Images: Joelle Desparmet, Riad des Vingt Jasmins, Linda de Volder