Archive for the ‘Americans Traveling to Morocco’ Category

Ouarzazate Then & Now, A Growing Berber City in Southern Morocco, Your Morocco Travel Guide

Tuesday, September 7th, 2010

Portrait of Writer-Journalist John Gunther

Ouarzazate has one main street, about fifty yards long, and two thousand people, of whom two hundred are French.  The temperature can reach 110 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer. ”  So says world-renowned journalist John Gunther in 1952, of his visit to Ouarzazate, during the reign of the Pasha Glaoui, whose honored guest he was.

“The sight I enjoyed most,” he says, “next to the kasbahs, was the general store, run by a Greek.  It resembles closely the general store in Twin Corners, Montana, or Greensboro, Vermont.  The frigidaire has cold beer, ham is sliced by a machine made in Toledo, and you can buy anything from a can of sardines to a monkey wrench.”

Ouarzazate Main Square at Dusk

“From Ouarzazate, two roads stretch out which are among the most interesting in all Africa, one going southeast to Zagora, along the celebrated Valley of the Draa, the other projecting eastward through an equally celebrated valley, that of the Dades, which is solid with crumbling kasbahs.  We chose the latter.  Five minutes after we were on the road, it became clear to us–if we needed to know it–that indeed Africa is a continent of contrasts.  We passed first a long line of camions (heavy trucks) carrying manganese, and then a stately camel caravan.”

Ouarzazate today has grown into a city of over 60,000. One of the most popular places to go at dusk is Place Al Mohadine which is home to Ouarzazate’s largest, local outdoor market that sells everything from spices to rose water and a charming cafe named Habous.

Modern Town of Ouarzazate

Inhabited by Berbers, in the past Ouarzazate was a point for African traders passing in and out of Morocco.  During the French era, it was a garrison town.  Ouarzazate today is the center of the Moroccan film industry,  and the starting point for most Sahara Desert tours, as well as being the closest city to the kasbah Ait Benhaddou.

Ait Benhaddou Kasbah, Ouarzazate

Some famous films that were shot at Ait Benhaddou Kasbah include the Kingdom of Heaven, and Penelope Cruz’s Sahara.

Main street in Ouarzazate today

For more information about Ouarzazate Tours or to Contact a Ouarzazate Travel Agency

For more information about Travel and Tours to Morocco plus highlights on Moroccan culture visit Morocco’s Imperial CitiesSeaside Resorts,Sahara DesertBerber villagesA Taste of MoroccoMagical Kasbahs, Ruins & WaterfallsAbsolute Morocco, The Best of MarrakechFes, and Ouarzazate

Discover The Best of Morocco - Travel Exploration

Travel Exploration specializes in Morocco Travel. We provide Tours and travel opportunities to Morocco for the independent traveler and tailor-made tours for families and groups with a distinctly unique flavor. From Morocco’s Seven Imperial Cities, to the Magical Sahara Travel Exploration offers a captivating experience that will inspire you. At Travel Exploration we guarantee that you will discover the best of Morocco! Call Travel Exploration at 1 (800) 787-8806 or 1 (917)703-2078 and let’s book a tour to Morocco for you today.

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Pasha Glaoui’s Legacy & Kasbahs in Morocco, Your Morocco Travel Guide

Friday, July 23rd, 2010
Pacha Glaoui

Pasha T’hami Glaoui was the most powerful man in Morocco between 1953 and 1956, in addition to being one of the richest men in the world at that time.  The title Pasha means Governor.  Glaoui was the Pasha of Marrakesh (since 1912), Ouarzazate, and most of the Moroccan south during the time Morocco was under French rule. The most important Kasbahs’ in Morocco that were occupied by the Pacha Glaoui during his reign and are frequented by Moroccan travelers today are Kasbah Taouirt, located in the center of Ouarzazate, Ait Benhaddou, located 15 kilometers outside Ouarzazate and Kasbah Telouet which sits in the village of Telouet nestled outside the Onilla Valley.

Glaoui Palace in Marrakesh during the days of Pacha Thami El Glaoui

As a result of the Pasha Glaoui siding with the French since the beginning of the 20th Century, Moroccans view Glaoui as a traitor.  However it was the Glaoui’s siding with the French which propelled him toward such enormous wealth and power.

Thami El Glaoui in center front row watching Paris dancers in Marrakech in 1952

So, how did Glaoui become so powerful?  Glaoui was born to Si Mohammed ben Hammou, who was a baron (also called a “caid” in Morocco) and his Ethiopian concubine Zora, in 1879.  Si Mohamed died in 1888.  T’hami became the teenage assistant of his eldest brother Si Madani, who took over after their father’s death.

Kasbah Taouirt Ouarzazate

In 1893, while Sultan Moulay Hassan was on a tax-gathering expedition, the two Glaoui brothers and their mother had the good fortune to save the sultan from a blizzard and starvation while he was on a tax-gathering expedition through the mountains.  To show his gratitude, the sultan gave the Glaouis a gift of the 77-mm Krupp cannon, which can now be viewed in the Kasbah de Taourirt in Ouarzazate.  At that time, this was the only such weapon outside of the imperial army.  The Glaouis used it to subdue rival warlords in the surrounding then-feudalistic society, which continued through the 1950’s.

77-mm Krupp Cannon given to the Glaouis

In 1907, Si Madani was appointed as the Grand Vizier to Sultan Moulay Hafid, and Thami was appointed as Pasha ofMarrakesh.

The Glaoui’s actual family name is El Mezouari, a name given to their ancestor in 1700 by Sultan Moulay Ismail.  El Glaoui refers to their belonging to the Glaoui tribe, which is mostly located around the 4 x 4 mountain pass of Telouet.  Many natives of Telouet now have the name Glaoui, but are not actually part of the El Mezouari family.

Glaoui Kasbah in Telouet

The Glaouis were already rich, and their early wealth was based on salt.   Their wealth continued to grow though what was brought by the camel caravans crossing the Sahara from as far away as Mauretania and Sudan.  Once Glaoui sided with the French, they gave him free reign in “pacifying” the South, as well as giving him both the olive and saffron trades, and Moroccan salt and mineral mines.  Glaoui also earned a substantial income from the red light district in Marrakesh known as the “Quartier Reservé.”

T’Hami El Glaoui (center) in LIFE Magazine

In 1953, Pasha Glaoui conspired with the French in the exile of Moroccan Sultan Mohamed V.  However, Mohamed V returned to Morocco in 1955 after the French decided Morocco was falling into chaos, and left, abandoning their support of Glaoui.  All of Glaoui’s property was siezed by the state, and his kasbahs fell into disrepair.  In 1956, Morocco gained independence, and Glaoui died.

Thami L’Glaoui

In recent years, much restoration has been done on the various Glaoui kasbahs, which are considered a very important part of Morocco’s heritage.

For more information about a Morocco Travel visit to the Pachi Glaoui’s Kasbahs in Morocco

For more information about Travel and Tours to Morocco plus highlights on Moroccan culture visit Morocco’s Imperial CitiesSeaside Resorts,Sahara DesertBerber villagesA Taste of MoroccoMagical Kasbahs, Ruins & WaterfallsAbsolute Morocco, The Best of MarrakechFes, and Ouarzazate

Discover The Best of Morocco - Travel Exploration

Travel Exploration specializes in Morocco Travel. We provide Tours and travel opportunities to Morocco for the independent traveler and tailor-made tours for families and groups with a distinctly unique flavor. From Morocco’s Seven Imperial Cities, to the Magical Sahara Travel Exploration offers a captivating experience that will inspire you. At Travel Exploration we guarantee that you will discover the best of Morocco! Call Travel Exploration at 1 (800) 787-8806 or 1 (917)703-2078 and let’s book a tour to Morocco for you today.

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Things To Do In Ad Dakhla, Morocco, Your Morocco Travel Guide, Part II of II

Saturday, June 19th, 2010

Ad Dakhla Sahara Desert

Are you wondering what there is to see and do in Ad Dakhla, Morocco besides kitesurfing?

Dakhla also referred to as Ad Dakhla is a fishing and surfing paradise which was once the capital of the Spanish province of Rio de Oro. Dakhla or Ad Dakhla is one of the ultimate places to go where you can witness unspoiled Sahara Desert scenery. Visiting Dakhla is ideal for Moroccan travelers who want to get away from the crowds and visit a place where it is still possible to see the authentic nomad lifestyle nearby. Another place in Morocco where it is possible to see the authentic Nomad lifestyle is in the Bouthgrar region near Mount Mgoun which is often referred to as the Valley of Nomads. The Valley of Nomads can be visited from en route from Ouarzazate when passing the Valley of Roses.

It is possible to fly to Dakhla however an overland trip in a 4×4 Landcruiser is ideal to get the real feel for the Western Sahara of Morocco. The road to Dakhla hugs the cool sea coast where there are some spectacular low cliffs that hang over the Atlantic Ocean. Sometimes local fisherman live in huts on the cliffs.

Fishermen's Huts on Morocco's Southern Sahara Desert Coastline, photo by Mary Mimouna

If you can only visit the Sahara Desert in the summer, Dakhla is one of the ideal Sahara Desert tours, rather than the inland Sahara Desert of Merzouga, M’hamid or Zagora which do not have the advantage of the cool Atlantic ocean. It is possible to visit Dakhla on your own or take a 4 x 4 private tour or luxury tour just south from Agadir or Laayoune, all the way to Dakhla. The cold Canary Current off the coast means that the seacoast road (even in July and August) is quite cold most of the way (foggy in the mornings, and 75°F/25°C in the afternoons).

Atlantic Cliffs in the Moroccan Sahara, along the Seacoast Road to Ad Dakhla

In a couple of places, en route to Dakhla, the seacoast road juts inland, into a couple of Saharan towns, where the temperature can shoot up to 120°F/49°C. But it only takes 30 minutes to drive in and out of these areas, and is a fascinating experience to see how quickly and dramatically the temperature changes just a few kilometers in from the seacoast. It also makes clear why most of the road does hug the seacoast. The hot inland excursions are a great reason to make your trip in a comfortable and air-conditioned 4 x 4 to Dakhla.

Driving down to Ad Dakhla, there are several great areas of sand dunes, between the road and the ocean which make great places to climb on. They are close enough to the ocean to be cool in the mornings.

Climbing on Sand Dunes in Morocco's Western Sahara Desert, next to the Seacoast Road

Anyone with even a passing interest in geology will find the trip to Dakhla interesting. Here we collected some naturally occurring gypsum crystals that we found ourselves in a place where we merely stopped to admire the scenery.

Driving down to Ad Dakhla, you are able to drive for great distances without finding any small towns, stores, gas stations, or other evidence of civilization. When you finally arrive in Dakhla, it feels like a secret still-undiscovered oasis.

Dakhla, has a population of 70,000 and is Morocco’s largest southern Sahara city. Formerly known as Villa Cisneros (founded by Spanish settlers in 1502), Dakhla is located just north of the Tropic of Cancer, 550 kilometers south of Laayoune, and 1000 kilometers south of Agadir.

Ad Dakhla, Morocco - Now a city of 70,000

Tourists in Ad Dakhla can enjoy deep sea fishing, fishing from shore, windsurfing, camel riding, visiting an oyster farm (8 km outside of town), and kitesurfing, in addition to year-round sun. Excursions to the famous White Dune in the Bay of Dakhla are popular, where sometimes pink flamingoes can be found.

Deep sea fisherman find that common fish of the area include chad, borinto, mullet, sea perch, marlin, tuna and swordfish. The new port is now home to one of Morocco’s largest fishing fleets.

The Port in Ad Dakhla (1970's)

In Ad Dakhla itself, there is no beach (located in the lagoon about 25 km north of Dakhla, which you will see on the way in to town), but there is an oceanfront promenade.

Ad Dakhla, Morocco Waterfront Promenade

Ad Dakhla itself makes an interesting destination in the Moroccan Sahara for tourists who enjoy vast stretches of beach without crowds. Dahkla is located on a pennisula, and while there are no beaches in the town, very interesting beaches are located in the inland lagoon of water, actually on your left side, which extends for 50 km as you approach Dakhla from the north.

The Lagoon, at Ad Dakhla, Morocco

These beaches are vast and shallow, where at high tide the water comes nearly to the road. Yet, at low tide, you can walk out nearly a kilometer.

A wide range of migrating birds and other wildlife are all over the beach in Dakhla, looking for sand crabs and other delicious morsels to eat. It’s an amazing experience to be able to walk on a vast nearly flat beach empty of humans, yet filled at times with a wide range of migrating birds and other wildlife, looking for sand crabs and other delicious morsels to eat. Occassionally you can find tracks through the wet sand of other small animals. Dolphins can also frequently be seen in the Bay of Dakhla.

The town of Dakhla itself is a nice place to wander around. The Catholic church (left) was built during colonial times. A small souk is also interesting to visit.

The Souk in Ad Dakhla

If you happen to visit Ad Dakhla in February, you can attend their large music festival.

Ad Dakhla Music Festival

Many tourists going to Dakhla are particularly interested in taking an overnight excursion to the Mauritanian border, to take a look around Nouadibou, the Mauritanian town on the other side. This can be done in a bus or in your luxury 4 x 4, but in either case, you need to go as part of the convoy which leaves about three times weekly from Dakhla. (North of Dakhla, there is no need for a convoy.)

Nouadibou, Mauritanea - border town with southern Morocco

Part I – Ad Dakhla, Morocco – Best Kitesurfing in the World

For more information about what to see and do in Dakhla and Morocco’s Sahara Desert

For more information about Travel and Tours to Morocco plus highlights on Moroccan culture visit Morocco’s Imperial Cities, Seaside Resorts,Sahara Desert, Berber villages, A Taste of Morocco, Magical Kasbahs, Ruins & Waterfalls, Absolute Morocco, The Best of Marrakech, Fes, and Ouarzazate

Discover The Best of Morocco - Travel Exploration

Travel Exploration specializes in Morocco Travel. We provide Tours and travel opportunities to Morocco for the independent traveler and tailor-made tours for families and groups with a distinctly unique flavor. From Morocco’s Seven Imperial Cities, to the Magical Sahara Travel Exploration offers a captivating experience that will inspire you. At Travel Exploration we guarantee that you will discover the best of Morocco! Call Travel Exploration at 1 (800) 787-8806 or 1 (917)703-2078 and let’s book a tour to Morocco for you today.

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Morocco Travel Specialists & Morocco Tour Guides Offering Affordable Luxury Private Tours to Morocco & Travel Agent Services

Saturday, April 3rd, 2010

Travel Exploration is a Morocco Tour agency that offers a unique and wide range of Morocco travel opportunities through its boutique Morocco travel itineraries. Travel Exploration Morocco’s Director, Alecia J. Cohen heads up Morocco Travel’s New York and Ouarzazate office. Alecia J. Cohen started Travel Exploration Morocco with business partner Hossaine Amiri after living, traveling and engaging with Moroccan Culture alongside its people for nine years. Ms. Cohen was inspired to create a Morocco travel agency that offers unique, tailor-made cultural tours and customized trips to Morocco to better serve Americans, Europeans and Foreigners who are looking for affordable luxury and cultural Morocco Tours.

Door-knocker-Fes-Morocco

Ms. Alecia J. Cohen is an expert on Moroccan travel, culture and the domain of magazine print/ online publishing as well as the subject of “world music.” Alecia J. Cohen is the Founder of Global Rhythm Magazine and Globalrhythm.net. Ms.Cohen is also the former Associate Publisher Zenbu Media Group and spent 3 years leading the publishing company’s expansion of Relix, Metal Edge, Metal Maniacs niche music magazines alongside spearheading the premier of a Country Life USA- a Country Music & Lifestyle magazine.

Ms. Alecia J. Cohen has lectured at the World Bank on Culture & Sustainable Development in Africa and been featured in various print and TV venues including CNN Financial News, Entrepreneurial Edge, Crain’s and Entrepreneur.

Moroccan-Arabic

As a Morocco Travel Specialist, Alecia J. Cohen launched Travel Exploration Morocco Agency with the goal to offer a wide range of services to Moroccan travelers and travel agents who are looking for authentic Moroccan travel experiences for themselves or their guests- with the guarantee of first class services while traveling in Morocco.

The services that Travel Exploration Morocco provides range from:

–       Planning a Morocco Tour From Start to Finish to Morocco’s Imperial Cities, the Sahara region and sea side resorts.

–       Providing a Detailed Morocco Travel Itinerary for Imperial City Tours and one-day excursions from all regions of Morocco including Casablanca, Rabat, Marrakech, Fes, Meknes.

–        Organizing Affordable Luxury Private Tours & Making Direct Reservations for Private Morocco cultural travel experiences and tours for couples, families and small groups interested in visiting the Maghreb.

–       Private Morocco Guide & Private Morocco Hosting services for Americans and foreigners traveling to Morocco who are interested in specialty services such as research, Shopping for Moroccan textiles, Moroccan carpets or Moroccan clothing styles along with research trips for educators and university students.

–       Creating and Hosting New Boutique, Special Morocco Tours for Moroccan Travelers looking for a reason to travel or for an impromptu adventure.

Asrou-N -Swoul Berber-Silver

The new boutique tour recently launched by Travel Exploration is, Bead Your Way To Morocco – Trade Bead & Treasure Hunting Tour with Source Collector and Moroccan/ Jewelry Expert, Sarah Corbett. This new tour edition offers a striking example of the private services and Moroccan Specialist opportunities available in Morocco.

If you are a travel agent and would like to offer our range of holidays to your clients, please get in touch with Travel Exploration Morocco. We work actively with the travel trade and will also provide you with our range of holiday brochures in PDF files.

Moroccan-Baboosh-Shoes

For more information about Morocco Tours or to get in touch with a Moroccan Travel Specialist

For more information about Travel and Tours to Morocco plus highlights on Moroccan culture visit Morocco’s Imperial CitiesSeaside Resorts,Sahara DesertBerber villagesA Taste of MoroccoMagical Kasbahs, Ruins & WaterfallsAbsolute Morocco, The Best of MarrakechFes, and Ouarzazate

Discover The Best of Morocco - Travel Exploration

Travel Exploration specializes in Morocco Travel. We provide Tours and travel opportunities to Morocco for the independent traveler and tailor-made tours for families and groups with a distinctly unique flavor. From Morocco’s Seven Imperial Cities, to the Magical Sahara Travel Exploration offers a captivating experience that will inspire you. At Travel Exploration we guarantee that you will discover the best of Morocco! Call Travel Exploration at 1 (800) 787-8806  or 1 (917)703-2078  and let’s book a tour to Morocco for you today.

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