Morocco leaves a lasting impression on Rohani Mokhtar
OUR Abu Dhabi bound flight departs the Kuala Lumpur International Airport at 7.20pm and landed at Abu Dhabi International Airport six and a half hours later. After a three hour transit, my family and I continue our journey to our destination — Casablanca, Morocco. Located in the central-western part of the country, bordering the Atlantic Ocean, Casablanca is the largest city in Morocco.
Nine hours later, we arrived at the Mohamed V Airport at 7.40am local time (3.40pm Malaysian time). The air outside is crisp and cold as it is winter in Morocco.
Meanwhile, waiting for us at the arrival hall is our guide, Lazrak Salaheddine. From the airport, we are driven to the older part of the town, passing through Mohamed V Square and the elite residential area of Quartier Anfa.
We are headed for Hassan II Mosque, a magnificent structure built on a piece of reclaimed land by the Atlantic Ocean. It is the largest mosque in Morocco and the 13th largest in the world. It is indeed a sight to behold, built based on Moorish influences with almost all materials sourced from Morocco.
There is a special area, where the floor is made of glass that worshippers prostrate over the sea. Unfortunately, it is only reserved for royalties. Since it is almost time for Friday prayers when we arrive at this mosque, we get to enter it for free. At other non-prayer times, the mosque is locked and you will have to pay to enter. Apparently, this holds true for most other mosques in Morocco.
BEAUTIFUL MARRAKESH
After lunch at a seaside restaurant in Ain Diab Corniche, we begin our long journey to Marrakesh. At the start of the journey, we are taken along an old road so that we can enjoy the scenic countryside before going on the highway. It is a several-hours journey covering 241km.
Once there, we visit several beautiful sites namely, the city’s landmark — Koutoubia Mosque and its 65m high minaret, Saadian Tombs, the Bahia Palace, Menara Garden and the Mederssa Ben Youssef.
The mosque is the city’s landmark structure in Marrakesh. Built in the 16th century but was only discovered in 1917, the Saadian Tombs are the final resting places of about 60 of members of the Saadi Dynasty.
The Bahia Palace is a beautiful example of Eastern architecture that shows the former glories once enjoyed by the royal courts. The Menara Garden is an orchard of olive, fruits and palm trees that surrounds a magnificent reflective pool.
The Mederssa Ben Youssef is an Islamic school, where students memorised the Quran by rote. It houses a large courtyard, prayer hall, student dormitories, as well as the teachers’ quarters. These visit made us want to know more about the Moroccan culture and heritage.
On the way to lunch, we pass by the famous Djemaa El Fna Square, which comes to life at night. By day, it is filled with a few snake charmers bewitching their cobras with flutes and medicine men displaying their cures and nostrum.
CULTURAL CAPITAL
Having been to most of the must-visit sites in Marrakesh, we head for Fez, a city located some 530km away.
On the way, we pass by the Berber village of Immouzer du Kandar and the snow-capped Atlas mountain. The medina (old town) called Fes el-Bali is a must-stopover. The medina has certainly stood the test of time. From here, we have to walk up 11,000 steps to get to the other end to see the Attarine Medersa and Bou Inania Medersa. The walk is actually through small passages running in between hundreds of shops. At times, we have to make way for small motorcycles and mule carts. The Attarine was built in the 14th century as an Islamic scientific school that also served as accommodation. The Bou Inania is the finest of theological colleges in Fez and is unusual in that it houses a mosque, unlike other schools, which only have simple prayer halls. Other places of interest in Fez include the Karaouine Mosque, Nejjarine Fountain, Moulay Idriss Mausoleum and the Royal Palace.
ADIEU MOROCCO
Our final destination is Tangier, a city by the Straits of Gibraltar and an important port city in Morocco. It is now being restored to its former glory it enjoyed in the mid-1920s, when it was once talked about in the same breath as New York, Paris and London. We leave Morocco for Spain with a heavy heart. Time almost stood still in Morocco.
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