Cherguis' whispers

Photo tour / Training for Moroccans

2008-07-11T23:11:00.001-07:00

I had several discussions with Moroccans fan of photo, who were interested in our photo tours, but of course, the price, targeted to our usual customers, was a big problem.

So, after some thinking, I arrived to a formula where we can offer a training for the very special price of 2.000 dirhams for six days.

How can we achieve that ?

First, instead of doing a tour, which would imply having to 4WD, we stay in one place, Marrakech. No car rental.

Then, because we offer this opportunity to Moroccans, which means people who might have family or friends, we offer no accommodation, instead of our usual riad lodging. If you need it, we can help you in finding rooms in good-price hotels, but you support the cost.

And we also don't support the cost of food. We can get pizza delivered, shawarmas, go out and eat tajine, whatever, but everyone, including the "teacher", will pay for his own food.

That's why I call that a training and not a tour.

The last change to the official program will be no professional model, nor make-up artist. The portrait shots will be make with the participants as models, in turns.
(Which is also good... being a model is a good lesson in how to direct one later on).

All the rest of the program remains the same. You can see the details in the descriptions of our tours :

I find this pretty a good deal, a week of training, a session in a monument (where you need special authorization), studio material, learning reportage, still shot, portrait...

Special conditions :

Minimal number of participants : 8. If we have fewer people, the event will not take place. Maximum number : 12, for an efficient communication.
If we don't reach the 8 participants, the people interested will have the choice between cancelling, or decide to pay more, and make it happen anyway.
Payment in advance. If the training is cancelled, everything is reimbursed at the date the cancellation decision is taken. If it is the participant who cancels, he is not reimbursed - except if he finds someone to replace him.
To get the authorization to have a team shooting inside monuments, it takes time (and money), we need a month. So, registration of the 8 participants should be reached at that time, which means by now the 10th of September the latest.
Copy of residency card or CNI to be provided at registration (it's my way to check you are entitled to this very special price).

That's it. My goal here is not to make profit, just to pay for the expenses, and provide and opportunity which is difficult to get by oneself (just the price for shooting inside a monument is between 6.000 and 20.000 dirhams). I did my best to offer something at a very good price, but not cheap : we compromise on the "conditions", not on the content.

Our photos on Google Earth

2008-05-10T19:19:00.000-07:00

Want to have an idea exactly where each photo was taken ?
Or just to wander a little bit all around ?

We started to upload our images on Google Earth.
You can see them either on Google Earth directly, or on Panoramio, the "photo Google Map"

There are just a few ones by now, but I'll upload some regularly.
Enjoy

(Sorry for our Moroccan readers, I know, this filter is stupid).

What's in the cost of a travel to Morocco ?

2008-04-27T21:57:00.000-07:00

Morocco is not a cheap holidays destination.

If you compare it to Tunisia, for example, average prices are certainly higher, of about 30%. But the country does not offer the same kind of sojourns.

And more important, the cost of life cannot be compared.

Let's have a look at some basic indexes:

Minimum legal wages are around 315 USD a month, for 220 USD a month in Tunisia. A specialised worker in a factory will earn around 260 USD a month, which is less than the minimal salary in Morocco. Egypt has no official minimal wages, but doctors were recently on strike to obtain a salary of 180 euros a month !.

Rental cars are also less expensive : in Tunisia, again, you can easily find a Fiat Punto for 30 USD a day (and negotiate to 28), when I would not dare drive what you would get for that price in Morocco. SUV are also around 30% less expensive in Tunisia,

... and fuel also (that might change quickly).

No need to go on and expand the list, most of what makes the price of a travel is higher in Morocco than in the rest of North Africa.

In a tour, transportation costs and wages will easily amount to 60%, maybe 70% of the total cost. And as soon as you intend to go in the desert, transportation becomes more important. Morocco is not so large as Egypt or Tunisia, but it's geography lengthens transport times, it is impossible to rally the desert in less than one day from Marrakech, less than two days from Casablanca.

We do our best to make your holidays the most pleasant possible, we select our guides and drivers with the utmost care, we organize our itineraries to limit the driving time and give you plenty of opportunities to discover the land and meet its inhabitants. We can offer a variety of landscapes, of experiences, of cultures that you will not find in Egypt nor Tunisia (even if we cannot compete with their antics). And, last but not least, Morocco has been mostly preserved from a kind of intensive touristic architecture you can find in some other beach resorts.

We are happy that Morocco is a country with relatively higher salaries. We undertake, like the rest of the world, the recent and sudden increase of fuel costs, of basic alimentation prices. Up to now, we suceeded in maintaining the price of our tours and accomodations, without compromising on quality.

News from Morocco

2008-04-26T17:03:00.001-07:00

We've been quite silent for a long time, busier working with our customers than writing on the blog.

The spring season is now on in Morocco, and it is one of the nicest times to visit the South. From time to time we can get a sandstorm (and there were a few exceptionnaly heavy ones in April), but that usually does not last more than a few hours, and in the open large open plains that lead to Sahara. As soon as you're in the mountains, for example in Dades or Todra gorges, you're protected from these red hot winds.

Speaking of Dades, in a week, you can attend the Roses Moussem in Kelaa M'Gouna. The Roses Festival is supposed to happen at the end of rose's harvest. Actually, it is now fixed by end of March, and its date is not so tightly linked to the harvest. But it remains a mix of folkloric event, touristic attraction and truly local life, a fair for a whole area, the roses Valley, that lives from the cultivation of these flowers imported from Damas by the early Arabs. In May, at time of harvest, the families sell their flowers, and have a plenty of money.

Hence the fair, which is one of the largest souk (market) in the area. In the morning, on the Saturday, a parade with traditionnal groups, sword dance, ahwach and other dances. After the parade, you can feel free to wander in the streets, haggle a scarf, or just admire the bounty offers. Leaving Kelaa, you can wander in the roses garden, and head to Boutarar, or the M'Goun valley, and pursue your trip in southern Morocco.

Fouad Mourtada, and the abyss between tradition and modernity

2008-02-27T01:59:00.000-08:00

Maybe you did not follow this news : last Friday, Fouad Mourtada, a young Moroccan engineer, was sentenced to three years in jail and 10.000 dirham for creating a profile in Facebook with the name of Moulay Rachid, the young brother of king Mohamed VI.
The profile was created on January 15th, and remained online a few days only. In spite of the name of Moulay Rachid, it displayed the photo of Mourtada himself (but to notice that you have to know the face of the prince). The profile was closed without any mail or contact made from it. On the 5th of February, Mourtada was arrested at home, early in the morning, and very strongly questioned by the police (to the point of loosing consciousness). His family was informed on the morrow only. This family, who lives in Morocco and Canada, creates a site to support Mourtada "Help free Fouad", he is accused of fraudulence, and on the 22nd he is sentenced. His lawyer, of course, appeals the sentence.
This affair received a heavy coverage all around in the world, even on CNN, and of course a very negative one.

The sentence extremely heavy to our eyes, to the eyes of the Moroccan blogoma (blogging network), to the eyes of modernized Moroccans, who hopes for an on-going democratization of the country.
The sentence is even heavier because the law was curved and abused to make it possible, if "in the spirit of the law", there was an offense, to make it short of "violation of the sacredness of the royal family", in the details of the law, this offense, as actually committed on Facebook only, did not exist (you can find french explanation about it on the blog of a moroccan lawyer).

On the other hand, the sentence was relatively moderated, compared to the maximum (5 years of jail) and compared to the huge fines that some newspapers have to pay (several millions of dirham, which amounts to several hundred thousands of euro), just for having printed jokes that every one repeats in the street.

More, to my greatest surprise, this sentence leaves most of Morocco totally unmoved. Speaking about it with my husband, with people who - like the vast majority of Moroccans - don't know anything about blogging, Web 2.0, because they have no access, because they lack the education, because they are not interested, because they have no time for that, because they use internet only to chat and remain in touche with the family abroad - I had the surprise to hear many people whose opinion I respect, who are no brutes nor fans of dictatorship, nor servile people accepting anything that comes from the power - some Mister Smith, so to say, I had the surprise to hear them answer "So what ?"

So what ? He knew the risks, didn't he ? You don't touch the royal family, that's all.
So what ? If he created this profile, it was to use it, and he was just prevented from doing so.
So what ? He was arrested and beaten ? Well, that happens to a lot of people, you know police here is not that soft, that's true, but we, Moroccans, neither, we are hard, and like cumin we have to be beaten to give some taste (to do something good).
So what ? And if he is not arrested, the next one will also make a profile and crook people claiming he is the prince.
So what ? He is an engineer, why did he do that ? He had a military education, he knew his risks and what he was doing.

And all these answers made me think a lot. I was shocked, I'm still shocked, by torture but I was not surprised, I know these beatings happen quite often.

It is true that the political power in Morocco is not soft. And for a long time. One hundred years ago, when a minister was fired, he was also hanged or quartered (sometimes both), and his possessions were confiscated, his family was killed or reduced to poverty, his concubines entered the harem of his follower - and that's why there are only walls in Bahia Palace in Marrakesh.

A little bit later, in the 50ies, the grandson of one of the former lords of the Atlas tried to revenge his beaten-to-death grand-father by killing the king.

And even more recently, the king Hassan II had to defend his life three times. At least once face to face with Oufkir, when it was a sheer question of survival, and kill or die.
How many of our democrat leaders had such a father ?

The king is sacred in Morocco. Sacred in the very first sense of holy.
The Mourtada affair showed that the words "crime of lese-majesty" still have their full meaning in Morocco, even when they lost it in our democracies where even the remaining kings are an "institution" subjected to the control of their citizen.
At least the meaning of strong for the Moroccan power.

You don't touch the royal family. One shows of the royal family only what it accepts to display, one says only what it agrees to be said.
One of the reasons Moulay Abd El Aziz lost his throne in the early twentieth century was some photos of him and his family, normal photos everywhere in Europe, but photos that deeply shocked Moroccans.

Obviously, this is a red line all Moroccans know.

And here comes the question of the difference between modern Morocco and traditional Morocco. Not to condemn Fouad because of modernity, because of the lack of impact, the insignificance of his act would have surprised traditional Morocco, would have been perceived as a signal of weakness.
Morocco sultans are no forgivers. The tradition know no pardon. And when this tradition is so young, only one hundred to thirty years old, forgiveness can be understood as weakness, and invitation to make worse.

I think Fouad was unlucky.

At first, his "case" happened when the police was finalizing a huge arrest of potential terrorists. Kind of situation where the ones "who know" prefer to check everything thrice.

Second, Fouad is born in Goulmima. There are in Morocco tenants of secularism and democracy, which is, in other words, end of royalty. They are mostly found in "bled siba" the former rebelled part of the country, never really submitted before colonization, and Goulmima is a stronghold of this country.

How can you say that ? To come from Goulmima would be the same as to be son of an IRA militant. Signal for defiance. Maybe Fouad has nothing to do with them, but his origin was a negative point, specially in Morocco, when tribes and local links are still a reality.

The worse for Fouad was that everyone spoke about him. A news too quickly issued by the local News Agency - M.A.P. - retired a few hours later, but too late, the whole Moroccan web and Facebook was in fire.

We will never know the reasons, why was this news issued, may be a policeman too happy and proud to have found the "big fish" and to get promotion (and specially in competition with his colleagues chasing terrorists ?), before realizing his mistake and withdrawing the news.

But that was too late. At the very moment Fouad became a celebrity on the web, at the moment pressure was put on the power, it was impossible to change and free Fouad, once the crockery proved to be false.

It is difficult to understand what it means to govern a country where more than 50% of the population is illiterate. In our world, not to read nor write is the exception. Someone who can't read receive many information all around from the 90% of the people having access to written sources.
More and more I know the traditional Morocco, more and more I realize the deep, very deep ignorance, one difficult for us to conceive, one which led witches to the bonfire only three centuries ago (the last witch sentenced to death was killed in 1827 in Switzerland). An ignorance that gives tremendous possibilities to those with a little bit more knowledge to manipulate people all around.

Sometimes, when I'm asked questions, because "I know so many things" I can't believe them. The last one was in Ouarzazate, from someone who has a good job, who reads and write, and asked earnestly whether it was true that some children slept for years in the womb of their mother before birth.

A few days ago, in M'semrir, not too far away from Goulmima, in this rebelled country, students triggered the inhabitants to demonstrate against the power and burn a Moroccan flag. But they courageously disappeared during the demonstration. One can find everyday on the web insanities, insults, obscenities and filth that would send anybody in the court in our countries, and they would get a very heavy fine. In Morocco, a fine that cannot be paid by the vast majority of the population, is called jail.

As soon as the "Mourtada case" was known all around the world, it was unthinkable to go back, it would have meant erasing the red line.

Fouad is surely innocent of anything real, and even if he "committed" something, this little something is very benign. In our eyes, it is a indignation to beat up and jail someone for this "nothing". Moroccan law is based on French law, and nobody should be jailed, nor sentenced on intentions, but on facts.

But we, we are no Moroccans, we are not the majority of traditional Moroccans. If the majority of a country accepts and understand this sentence, this is this majority that should evolve. And that can happen only with education and work, and bread.

That was Brecht who said "at first, food, then morality".

30% of Moroccans live under the poverty threshold of 2 dollars a day. And many of them are able of any kind of crockery to earn a few coins.

To this population belong the children who stone the tourists, when they don't accept to give a dirham or a euro. And the only solution to stop them is a heavy intervention of Moroccan police, beating them (and sometimes their parents).
That's a pity.
But that's the way it is.

This are changing.
Slowly.

A child is educated by school, of course, but not only, he is educated by his parents and if grand-parents. He receives their tradition.
You need more than ten years to change the mentality of a country.

Mohamed VI implemented a legal frameset in the field of family and women status, which is nearly a revolution. He destroys shanty towns, he fights against ignorance, he tries to develop his country, as quick as possible.

As possible.

And he also keeps the justice of his country free, because it maintained security and stability up to now.

He stopped the exactions of his police, and they have lost the power they had under Hassan II.

This week-end, as I was indignant, Moroccans told me "OK, you free him, and then? Others will believe they can do whatever they want. You want us to be attacked here like in Tangiers? You want Morocco to be like Algeria, with bombs?3

But those who say that are only some Moroccans. The country is not homogenous, and the difference between the three kind of people, westernised ones, middle-class ones and traditional ones is larger and larger, and more and more difficult to manage.

The amount of water you can put into a barrel is determined by the lower plank. Here in Morocco, the lower plank are the people who find the sentence of Mourtada normal. People who will also go to jail for years when they cross the red-line.
For example, five years in jail for illegal CD copy. That's also very heavy. A man of 95 years died in jail a few days ago, he was said to have insulted the king. For these people, it would be deeply unfair that Fouad escapes jail because he is educated.

In Thailand, insulting the King means ten years of jail. Grass is always greener in another field, and also dryer in a third one.

Countries that wanted to evolve too quickly paid a heavy price for it, like Iran.
Countries that entered democracy in one day, without learning it, quickly fall back into dictatorship, like Russia.

Morocco follows a difficult and dangerous path. I often have a picture in my mind, of the king like a ninja warrior doing the splits between to cliffs going apart, and only the strength of his toes keep them together.

Moudawana (personal status for women) was a huge leap towards modernity, Mourtada of the sentence of the "homosexuals of Ksar El Kebir" is a leap towards tradition.

I am shocked by the "Mourtada affair", I am even more shocked by the poverty and ignorance of a large part of the Moroccan population. Which is the source of the Mourtada case.

The most important fight in this country is not the one of bloggers afire for the "first blogger jailed in Morocco" (which is technically false, Fouad had no blog but a profile on Facebook). The most important battle is against ignorance.
Fouad's family showed a good expertise in Internet buzzing and was mocking a policeman who asked Fouad "why did you create Facebook?". This is a good demonstration of the overall ignorance of modernity, Web 2.0 ... and what would have "Mr Mohamed-Smith" understood or not of it.

Evolution of the website

2008-02-20T03:34:00.000-08:00

One of the reasons I'm so silent on this blog is that I am heavily working on making Oasis website more "2.0", which means basically more useful, easier, and more complete for you.
We started the transfer on the french version, you can already have a preview there if you're curious...
ANd it should start quite soon for the english version.

Basically, this blog will move from Blogger to WordPress, because it's more flexible, and more powerful. We'll take care of not loosing any link, and the RSS adress will remain the same (for non-geeks, that's the adress of the special page that tells you when I make a new post on this blog).
Then you'll get better navigation and integration between the different parts of this site, and with our partners, like Hotel La Vallee in Ouarzazate, and Hotel les Roches in Tinerir.

So all our excuses for this very loooong silence, and we are back soon !

Happy New Year to all of you.

2008-01-02T10:22:00.000-08:00

Aid El Kebir has passed, and new Year is arrived. After this highly festive two weeks, it's time to wish all our customers, readers, and passer-by a very happy New Year.

We hope 2008 will be peaceful and happy, and at least a little bit more than 2007.

We hope you'll be happy, successful and receive and give all the love possible.

And of course, we hope we shall meet in a sunny, warm and welcoming Morocco :)

Secret gardens in Tazzarine

2007-11-10T02:09:00.000-08:00

Tazzarine is a small city near the Draa valley, unfairly qualified in the touristic guides that don't find anything special to mention, and can even write it's rather ugly.

Actually, they do not know Tazzarine (or, as Moroccans write it, Tazarine). The tarmac road, made around fifteen years ago, did not pass through the old village and its intricated narrow streets between the casbahs, but outside. As a consequence, like a mushroom-city of the American Wild West, a long commercial street was built, modern and concrete made, with only a few traditionnal houses that belonged before to the outside parts of the city.

That's a fact, this main street is ugly and lacks character.

The heart of the real Tazzarine, which you'll visit by taking the left path at the entrance of the village, is full of hidden wonders.

Like for example, the marabout of Sidi Ben Haki, which reveals itself between the palms at sunset.

Sidi Ben Haki Marabout, Tazzarine

2007 Saffron harvest

2007-10-29T03:11:00.000-07:00

The week was beautiful in Taliwine. Bilal was working with a 2M team shooting a reportage for Toubkal, and ourselves, after heavy and delicious beginnings in Marrakech (tanjia, pastilla, figues tajine...) were pursuing our tour focused on "learning Moroccan cooking", with the objective of taking part in the harvest.

In the saffron fields at dawn

Agriculture and weather don't care of tourism constraints, and the fields were we intended to work displayed only a few flowers. The first day was spent into visiting the area and looking for blooming fields. There were some in Tinfert and in the direction to Askaoun, it was finally on one of these haut-plateaux that we came back on the morrow, kindly welcomed by a family of three producers, whose kindness warmed more than our fingers that were suffering from the cold before sun rise.

Saffron flowers at dawn

The end of our three days was marked by an exceptionnal mechwui (roasted mutton) prepared with saffron, in the kitchen of l'auberge du Safran, and savoured in the evening with the nce Mahfoud, who made our stay wonderful !

The oldest man in the World is Moroccan !

2007-10-01T02:29:00.000-07:00

He is 123 years old, at least from his memories (at that point of time, birth registration did not exist), and still fit. He is a Kwassem, a member of a Chorfa tribe living in the area of El Jadida and Azemmour.

Chorfa are descendant of the Prophet, and they are particularly respected in Morocco. They are supposed to have special powers, "baraka" as they are called.

This tribe has also the specificity of being hereditary falconners, and the only ones still authorized in Morocco. They hunt with a small falcon that they call "the noble bird". They often caputre them very young in their nest hanged to high cliffs (there are a lot of gorges in Morocco), and then they hunt in the desert.

We met them sometime ago...

Ramadan Karim

2007-09-13T14:32:00.001-07:00

Ramadan Holy month of fast and prayers starts tomorrow, Fraiday the 14th, in Morocco. While most of the tourists won't really experience it, apart in the south and remote places, they will get a normal service all day, it is an important time for Moroccan.

And at the time of breaking the fast, you won't find anyone in the shop nor in the streets... but if you're invited to take part in this meal, enjoy it.

We wish a great Ramadan to all

Morocco reading frenzy

2007-09-04T07:46:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine asked me advices about what to read to prepare her trip to Morocco, and I thought to share my ideas with you. Specially in this time of the year when we already miss our holidays (and this summer was not that hot, wasn't it ?), a pile of books that irradiate sun and warmth, and smell the strong fragrances of Morocco could help facing back the grey routine...

Let's start with the book about Morocco in the past

These are maybe the ones that give the best understanding of Morocco nowadays. To find out what where the traditions and behaviours only a few years ago, half a century back in time, to realize that the people you meet in the streets where small children brought up in another "time-world" helps a lot to understand the strength of traditions, and their impact on Morocco politics and development.

Morocco that was

By Walter B. Harris.

Might be one of my preferred. Written by an english journalist, it has some exageration and buoyancy, but it also describes accurately the state of Morocco before colonization, at the time where French, German, Spanish and English battled over the control of this tiny kingdom. The struggles between the tribes, the unability of a sultan too young to be powerful, the bandits, the traditions, the powers of Chorfas and the small stories, all together build a colorful portrait of that disappeared Morocco.

The voices of Marrakesh

By Elias Canetti.

A record of Morocco before independance, by a world-wide known author. That Canetti is jewish has its importance, as the book provides special insight also on the life in the mellah (jewish part of the old city). It is all about a traditionnal Morocco already entering modern life, and the voices of Marrakesh still resonate in the medina.

Lords of the Atlas: The Rise and Fall of the House of Glaoua

By Gavin Maxwell.

The epic story of the Glawas, rulers of a small tribe in south Morocco who succeded in being as powerful, as important as the king himself, and could have replaced him, had the French stayed longer. But they did not, and the Glawas lost all their powers, their palaces, like Telouet and Taourirt were emptied. A story that looks like a novel, and which is true.

Morocco today

Voices like Chraibi, Ben Jelloun... or foreigners like Paul Bowles, le Clezio.

The Sand Child

By Tahar Ben Jelloun.

In traditionnal Morocco, women do not inherit, hence Hajji Mohammed, father to seven girls, decides that his next child will be a boy, whatever. Whatever means hiding the truth, and transforming a little girl into a boy, upbringing her with the priviledges of the male. But that cannot last for a whole life, and Zahra will conquer her true identity. A tale in Jemaa Fna, in Marrakesh.

The blinding absence of light

By Tahar Ben Jelloun.

Not really a novel, this story is based on the account of years spend in the deadly prison of Tazmamart, in the south of Morocco. Here where sent soldiers sentenced to life imprisonment after a missed coup d'etat against Hassan II. Their life was more than harsh, degrading, all was done to kill them, and most of them did not survive it. Based on memories of one of the survivors, this books also tells how can man find in himself the resources to survive anything. After 27 years of barbary, Tazmamart grounds have been destroyed

The simple past

By Driss Chraibi.

Driss Chraibi, who died recently, does not seem so well known in the english-speaking world, when his books are praised in french, and abudantly translated in german. If you need one book to understand the difficulties of Moroccan society, this is it. The story of a young Moroccan strongly fighting with his father before he leaves for France where he will study. The two cultures and their differences, the place pf women, the wieght of religion... all these aspects are shown in a book that was scandalous before being now studied in Moroccan universities

The Sheltering sky

By Paul Bowles.

The story of an american pair who wants to save their married life in the wilderness of Sahara. Will they loose themselves, or save themselves ? Bowles is a true lover of the desert, and of Morocco. This is one of his key novels, where the alienation of the empty place mirros the emptyness of the chararcters, already prisonners of their secretive nature.

Travel and photo books

Caliph's house

By Tahir Shah.

To be read when you want to set in Morocco. An hilarious and true story of all the small problems, delays, difficulties, misunderstandings you'll meet. You waid you wanted to relax from modern stress ? Maybe Morocco will also be stressful, but in a different way. Learn to be patient, learn to understand it, and you shall not leave it anymore !

Valley of the Casbahs: A Journey Across the Moroccan Sahara

By Jeffrey Taler.

Not very far from Mezgarne, the valley of the Casbahs was not so long ago... let's say "unpacified". The watch towers spread around are a testimonial of it, when the traveler had to pay a fee to each tribe to be protected on its teritorry (and we have a beautiful one in Tazzarine). Jeffrey Taler experiences a lot of adventures, pleasant and unpleasant, and his account is fascinating. It you intend to visit us, it is also a good guide for this part of the country.

Moroccan Interiors

By Lisa Lova Smith.

A "little" jewel by Taschen, a collection of beautiful images of Moroccan houses. Like in most of the muslim countries, wealth is usually not displayed outside. The richest palaces (riads) are hidden behind blind thick walls, which lack of openings preserve at the same time coolness and privacy. But also in the simplest houses, the doyars in the south, or even the nomads' tents, one finds beauty

Their heads are green

By Paul Bowles.

Mainly about Morocco and the desert, but not only, it is a wonderful companion to "Sheltering Sky". His "baptism of solitude" describe so well how and why we love the desert. To read and read again. Bowles is one of the major english-speaking authors about Morocco and the desert, and I love him as much as I love Monod and Le Clezio in french.

If you read french, you can also have a look on our french-spaking bookstore.

Driving in Morocco

2007-06-23T04:09:00.000-07:00

After some long discussions, and several strikes, the new Code has been approuved by professionals as well. It was enforced now for a few months, so just to remind you what you risk if you don't drive correctly :

The idea is that you have to pay on the spot. Not a very good idea from the point of view of corruption, but... If you refuse or can't pay, your driving licence is confiscated, you receive a provisory permit, and you have 10 days to get back your licence, in the court of the place where the fine has been issued. Quite a problem if you travel around, so many people prefer to pay on the spot.

The prices ranges from 400 dirhams (+/- 40 €) for over speed, to 900 dirhams for the heaviest ; some infractions, like driving drunken, can also mean jail if you're involved in an accident.

Points will be taken from your driving licence, but only if you're Moroccan.

Police is everywhere on the road with mobile devices, and there are some fixed radars, but they are not yet in function. When spotted over the speed limit, the police barrage is a few meters after, and they stop you and fine you.

You can discuss, there is a tolerance of 10% over the limit, but at the beginning they'll try to get you even for one kilometer over the limit.

And, of course that's bad, but many policemen will trade 50 or 100 dirhams cash and forget the fine. That's bad, but don't forget 400 dirhams means a week work (minimum salary is 1800 dirhams a month, and you have a lot of people under that salary).

Anyway, Moroccan roads are not the safest, so drive carefully and slowly !

Ramadan 2007

2007-06-10T03:43:00.000-07:00

Moroccan religious calendar being a lunar one, dates of the main events are changing every year. Ramadan in 2007, will start on 13th of September, "Inch Allah', and end on 12th of October.

This is a very special time in Morocco, the Holy Month means a lot for most of Moroccans. But, religious or no, all Muslims must observe its rules, or they risk to spend some time in jail in this life, and stay in inferno the the after-one. And that's not a joke, the risk or being signaled to the police and detained if you don't respect the rules are real. Some Moroccans don't respect Ramadan, but in the privacy of their home, behind closed curtains.

Ramadan preparation starts 40 days before. It's a time when alcohol, already normally prohibited, is strictly and totally prohibited, among other things. Tolerance disappears and drinking alcohol becomes a worse sin than usual. During Ramadan, alcohol will actually not be sold any more to Muslims (in normal times, though prohibited, it happens everyday).

This year, this period will be at the same time as the electoral campaign (elections will take place on the 7th of September).

Ramadan ends with Aïd El Fitr, "the small celebration", called with reference to Aïd el Kebir, the sacrifice celebration. Actually, celebration is every night, one visits his neighbors, friends, poor people are invited and fed, charity is distributed...

Life starts very early in the morning, and slows down in the day, and gets back in the evening, an hour after sunset (the first hour being for the first meal and prayers).

Less noticeable in the big centers, these changes are really visible in the South, in the small villages (and apart Ouarzazate and Zagora, everything in the South is a small village), where it can be impossible to find a shop opened to buy a bottle of water or a simple snack....

Fint

2007-06-04T12:59:00.000-07:00

As a half-day trip from Ouarzazate, we can recommend Fint. You go there in 4WD, the track cannot be driven with a normal car. You arrive from the top of the mountains, with a splendid view over the village surrounded by high cliffs and partially hidden in the palm grove, along the bed of the Fint river.

End of May is the ideal time. The river is bordered with luxurious blossoming oleanders, and the abundant water created grazing fields of a green that could even look English !
You can spend the whole afternoon walking in the oasis and its shadowed alleys, drink a tea, or visit the small local pottery workshop.

Desert by Tazzarine

2007-05-13T05:59:00.000-07:00

A few minutes walk from Mezgarne, you can find the natural oasis of Serdrar, and its dunes spread with black stones (there is a marble quarry nearby)

Serdrar

Cooking at the Roses Festival

2007-05-09T19:10:00.000-07:00

Besides tour around the Roses Festival, that we will offer again next year, we supported the making of a cooking TV show that will be broadcasted this summer on French television. Julie Andrieu is well known in France, a little bit like the Naked Chef in England, and makes some shows where she interacts with people. Two weeks in Morocco were necessary to prepare a 52 minutes for this summer. We helped in finding places, people, and original recipies. Like for example, a tajine with roses water, and a special soup made with saffron and argan oil.

Tanmia, portal for Moroccan associations

2007-05-04T14:35:00.000-07:00

I'm often asked for adresses of association that could receive donations or use volunteers.

A portal (in french and arabic) is a huge repertory of Moroccan associations in Morocco : Tanmia, www.tanmia.ma. Many search criteria are available : geographical area, activity, etc... To be saved in your favs !

Babel, the movie, was not in Tazarine !

2007-04-27T03:45:00.000-07:00

Remember I told you Babel was not in Tazzarine ?
But how puzzled I was about the road sign ?

OK, Bilal saw the movie.
It was made in Aït Sahoun, near Ouarzazate.

This is Aït Sahoun :

Ait Sahoun pass, near Ouarzazate (c) MA Koiransky - Lumière de Lune

And they just put a fake road sign that does not exist. That was what made me unable to identify the place !

Here is the trailer, you can check the mountains :

Light unto the Nations, a photoexhibition of tolerance and mutual understanding

2007-04-24T10:17:00.000-07:00

Coexistence, by Gilad Benari

In spite of being only remotly linked to Morocco, I'd like to present an exhibition "Light unto the Nations" that is taking place in Toronto, in the he Lennox Contemporary Gallery, (Art & Design District ), from 10th of May on. It showcases eight photographers -- four Muslims and four Jews who have submitted a total of 64 images, mostly from the Middle East.

Searching Water in Mali by Anthony Asael

These photos represent the work of photographers from the famous to the unknown, from professional to the amateur. The collection varies in style from portraiture, conceptual, photojournalism, street to still life.

Faith by Maxlain

The images are arranged around the theme of tolerance. In times where blind terrorism can stroke anywhere, this message must be repeated over and over, with a strong voice.

Prayer by Gilad Benari

If you're in Toronto, please visit the exhibition. If not, at least, drop by the website www.alightuntothenations.com

Scarifications by Anthony Asael

Magnificent Glawi

2007-04-17T17:11:00.000-07:00

Most secret Moroccan houses can hide true wonders, like this door found in a small room of an old house in the Medina of Ouarzazate, near the kasbah of Taourirt.

Both sides are richly decorated, but in a different way. Which side was for the inner of the room ? Most certainly the lighter one, which still has its original silver locker. Like many Moroccan doors, they are quite narrow, only 54 cm wide for each side (the lobbies were quite narrow, specially over the patio) and high (1m90). That fitted rooms built to protect people from heat and sun.

Patterns are extraordinary well conserved, which is normal with traditionnal pigment.

Details are clearly showing it :

Green is mint, blue with indigo, yellow with safran, red with cocheinal insect or madder. The normal paint did not resist so wel and shows red wood under, which could be ceddar wood. I find specially attractive the slight irregularity of the pattern. It was traced on the door by the Maalem with a compass, planned down in case of mistake, but there was always so small differences at the end.

Flowers can hint that the room was for women. Maybe the Favorite's room ? Or one occupied by a spouse and her children ? The frame of the rose is based on the six points star, so called Magen or Salomons Sceal, which was used as a powerful protection symbol for a long time in Morocco. (Actually, it was even on the flag of some sultans. The Alawites had a plain red flag, and the current five points star was added under the Protectorate, to differentiate the national flag from some used by other tribes).

Instead of large panels, the other side is divided in small rectangular cases. Here again we see a floral decoration, somehow different from the usual geometrical and abstract decorations. The main colors are warm, red and yellow, cochineal and saffron. The flowers look like in a garden, the lines are traced at first, in black, and then the colors are appllied with a stencil.

Just imagine this ancient door in the kasbah, probably on the first floor, opening onto the inner patio. The beauty of this deep warm colors in harmony with the adobe walls, the inner side matching some white and blue ceramics.
The silver locker closes on these mysteries.

And when you compare to this door, which is still in Telouet, another kasbah of the Glawis, the similarities between the patterns, and even the wood underneath is striking.

Desert Flowers

2007-04-16T03:19:00.000-07:00

This things, taht reminds daffodil, corn and a kind of cactus is a root of tamarisk, which grows through the sand in spring, and blooms.
After the rains, there was a lot of them around the Oasis.
Unfortunatly, the flower does not stay beautiful a very long time. In a few hours, a few days, it blackens, like if it was rooting, or had been burnt.

Seen from a little far away, these yellow flowers are brilliant lights in the desert

Don't steal our images, don't steal our texts

2007-04-12T22:46:00.001-07:00

I know, it's an endless fight.
After a long day, a frustrating long day chasing copies of our photos and texts on the Web, I decided I would try to explain again.

It is clearly written on several places on this site that " All images, photos, illustrations and texts on this site are protected and copyrighted. Texts, photos and illustrations are the property of Marie-Aude Koiransky (www.lumieredelune.com) when not said otherwise.
Reproduction or representation, in part or totally, of pages, data, information, or any other element part of this site, by any mean or way, is forbidden and, without our written agreement, is a breach of copyright and a counterfeiting and piracy." And for example here.

I thought this was clear, wasn't it ? Putting some date on the Web, on a page, does not mean it's free to use for anyone. The "free" content (that one can use again and again like he wants) cannot be presumed, it must be clearly indicated. Everything which is not labelled "free of right" or "under Creative Commons Licence" cannot be used without our authorization. And, yes, you have a right to quote. To quote means use a few sentences, one or two lines. With the source, and the name of the author. According to French and European law, the right to quote does not apply to images, and the fair use does not exist. You cannot use, modify, frame or whatsoever one of our images without our authorization.

And this is true also according to Moroccan law. You know this similarity between our legislation, my Moroccan friends, who are the very firsts to claim your right to your image (which I respect), to ask for money for the simplest street shot, where you might be spotted as an unrecognizable shadow. I respect your right, respect my rights as a photographer and an author.

What does that mean, practically ?

Any use which is not authorized and goes beyond the limits of the quotation will be tracked. Use made for commercial activities, whatever they are, will be invoiced with a minimum of 500 euros for an image, or for a text. (So an image and a text are 1.000 euros). You find this is a lot ? Maybe. But I'm the owner, I'm the seller, I fix the prices. You use, you buy, you pay.

This is a lot, you say ? Not that much, in fact.

Let's start with the texts

I spent a lot of time doing this website. Around four months for the French version, around a month for the translation in English, and maybe another month for all additional material, including this blog.
I took the time to look for information, to check its accuracy, to avoid the mistakes, to write myself, with my own words, I also tried to optimize the content for Google.
Which seems to work somehow, as you arrived on this site, easily. We have more than 40.000 visitors a month, and on many queries, we are on the first page.

When you copy and paste, in five seconds, you appropriate yourself all this work. Do you really think it's normal ?
Let's imagine you have a restaurant, and I want to open one. I pass by, I like your plates, I take them...
How would you call that ?
It's exactly the same thing to copy our texts. A professional writer costs money, you take for yourself a work you neither paid, nor did. And on top of that, most of the time "you" are our direct competitors.
And you make us some damage, on top of that (Look in Google for "duplicate content" and you'll get the idea).

For images, for pictures, it's even worse to me.

One of my friends, also a photographer, told me once that she felt like being raped when someone used her images. Without going that far, at least for me, it is a very unnerving, frustrating and saddening experience.
You, who are not a photographer, you who just look for nice images for your website or your blog, you think it's easy, just a second to make a shot. Then do it. Yourself.

I'm photographing for more than fifteen years. During these fifteen years, I trained myself, I made a lot of bad images (I still do, but fewer), I read books, magazines, I attended trainings, I went to exhibitions. I trained my eye, and my technical skills. If I'm able, now, to make "the good shot" in a second, it is only thanks to all these years. Photography is, like any craft, a question of training and practice.

It's also a question of equipment. Not only, not mainly, but that's a part of it. I invested in a camera and lenses that helps me to photos in difficult situation (and photo is not easy in Morocco. Light is beautiful, but difficult). I have a computer, I paid the licence of a photo processing software, I have external drives for back-up, a burner, the big screen I need to process my images without too much colour problems, and again, I spent some time learning all that. Once again, techniques, time and money. All that are a part of what helps me to take a photo "in a second".

And when you have done the same thing as I, you'll understand it is not the essential part of it.
To make a photo is to show how one sees the world. How I apprehend it, what I find beautiful, or ugly, shocking or exciting. There is in my portraits what I feel for the people I show. There is in my landscapes, in my flowers, my macros, my perception, my sensitivity. Not yours. When you appropriate one of my images, it's a little bit of myself that you steal, and that's what is infuriating.

Last but not least, legal aspects.

Exclusivity. I'm a photographer. Which means, basically, I make a living of selling my images. Some of my customers want images only for themselves, and are ready to pay for that. When my images stay on my websites, I can remove them when it is needed, asap. When you copy them on your site, without mentioning my rights, you launch them away... God knows where they will arrive ! This is a damage to me.
Image right. I respect the right of the persons. When it is necessary (you can just look yourself what that means), I have an authorization to use these images. This authorization can be limited, restricted for example, to my website. Not yours. Taking this image, you don't respect the rights of these persons. If a woman accepted that I make her portrait, and that I show it, she might not accept the same thing for you. You have no idea of the relation we could have.

For a long time, I did not want to spoil the image with a watermark. But this is necessary. Hateful, ugly, and necessary. The pages of this site are protected by Copyscape, watermarks and tags will appear quickly. I regret it.

Once again, all images, photos, illustrations and texts on this site are protected and copyrighted. Texts, photos and illustrations are the property of Marie-Aude Koiransky (www.lumieredelune.com) when not said otherwise.
Reproduction or representation, in part or totally, of pages, data, information, or any other element part of this site, by any mean or way, is forbidden and, without our written agreement, is a breach of copyright and a counterfeiting and piracy. Any non-authorized use, longer than the normal quote, and made by any commercial structure or person will be invoiced at least 500 euros. Any non-commercial use which will not be removed or modified quickly enough will be invoiced the same way. Web is not a Far West when everything is free of rights and free of charge.

Don't touch my country

2007-04-12T15:51:00.000-07:00

Drawing by Mehdi (c)Mehdi7

This blog has no intention to be a political one. It is written on the website of a company, and that's no place for political discussions. Nevertheless, it seems impossible not to speak about the lasts events in Morocco, Algeria, and the new terrorist wave that seems to raise in North Africa.
What happened in Morocco was far from being as murderous as in Algeria.
Everything started this time by an explosion in a cybercafé of Casablanca, in a popular neighbourhood, what happened was so absurd someone could ask whether the whole thing has been staged, or whether Laurel and Hardy entered Al Quaida.
To summarize the official version, young kids, with their explosive belts, were in a cyber to receive by internet instructions about where they were supposed to explode themselves. The boss of the cyber notices them (how?), police comes, and they explode themselves.
Shortly later, police finds a cache of explosives. There again the terrorists prefer to blow themselves than to surrender. Police is pursuing hide and seek in Casablanca.
Threats would be mainly targeted to Casablanca harbour, as economical centre. (In spite of Agadir or Tangiers being more important).

A strong contrast with the violence in Algeria, where a truce had been signed.

Even if Al Quaïda is responsible in both countries, even if it seeks to extend its influence on North Africa, even if threats already existed in Morocco, since the bomb that devastated a hotel in Marrakech in 1994, the situation is nothing alike in the two countries, neither it is comparable with Egypt, which was several times so severely stricken.

In the positive points :

The first result of the bombing of 1994 was to unite the country behind his King in rejection of this violence. The illustration of this post is the adaptation of a hand of Fatima, which is over there a lucky charm. It mimics a French campaign against racism "don't touch my pal", and says "don't touch my country". Design made by Mehdi, and took on his French speaking blog, Mehdi7, a blog I particularly like for its tolerance, and intelligence. And this is why I took this drawing, instead of the official poster.
Morocco is the sole country in North Africa to be governed by a religious leader. The King is at the same time Prince of the Believers. He is chorfa, meaning a direct descendant of the Prophet. Those who were in Morocco when Hassan II died remember still with some surprise how much the country mourned his King, with a real and deep sadness, in spite of all they could reproach him.
Morocco is no fundamentalist country. Its history is more mingled, more opened than in Algeria, for example. "Bearded men" are not as numerous as in other countries.
Morocco is no revolutionary country… a fighting one, and rebellious, that's true, able of explosions and riots, at least in the past, but somehow benevolent. I'm often told that the only thing that could push a Moroccan on the road to revolution is missing his bi-daily tajine. Maybe exaggerated, but I found in this country a real "douceur de vivre".
Morocco likes its King. Morocco grumbles and complains that progresses are too slow, but, overall, finds it has a good King.
It has rained a lot. Morocco is green, agriculture is flourishing, the yearly crop will be rather good. Do you know a lot of farmers who go out to cut heads and rebel when they have crops to harvest ? Scythes cannot be used on two different targets at the same time.
Fight against poverty progresses, shanty towns replacement programs also, and literacy.
I never met a Moroccan who approved suicidal bombings or terrorism. Opinion on the events in Palestine is of course in favour of Palestinians, but terrorism is "something else" (On the other hand, I'm certainly not the kind of person susceptible to acquaint with Salafists or other fundamentalists, I the impure, the unfaithful).
Repression of corruption started, the worst ones are taken away.

In the drawbacks :

Fundamentalists obviously progressed.
Many Moroccans find that the reforms are not quick enough, and that the King could do better, quicker, and more.
There is a lack of rain in the North, less agricultural than the South, but nevertheless, it makes some people unhappy (specially in the "special farming" area of the Riff).
From what I can understand of Arabic speaking media, when they take part in a French speaking talk show on TV, there are in this language some newspaper that are real muckrakers, a very dirty and brown muck (or green-brown…). Do they have people listening to them ? Well, they have readers.
There are still many shanty towns, and poverty.
There is a fear, concerning the free-trade agreements with the States, and what they are, or not, going to bring to Morocco.
Like in all Muslim countries, the international situation (Iraq and so on…) supports a feeling of solidarity in front of a "non-Muslim" world, resented at least as over interventionist.
Morocco lacks high level administration and civil servants. And, lacking anything better, relegation of corrupted civil servants often brings back the former ones who receive forgiveness because there is a job to do.
There is a very high unemployment rate, specially among the young people. Even someone with a doctorate has a lot of problems to find a job. The very low level of the public system, in primary, secondary education as well as in university prevents more and more children of the "non-upper class" to get a diploma with a real chance of getting a job. This is for main the main risk, this high number of educated people, who have nothing to do, and cannot get a normal life, getting married, having one's flat…
Everyone thinks the fundamentalists will win the elections.

Because there are elections to the Parliament in September.
Their impact is totally different from European elections, or in any real democracy. Parliament discusses, and the King does whatever he wants, like he wants. Not a line of the Iron Constitution issued by Hassan II, making him the supreme leader of all armies, government and religious matters (hence, through government and religion, justice), not a word was changed. Mohammed VI wears a padded velvet glove, but the system is still at disposal.
Political parties are not free. The King negotiates now the result of the elections, deciding with the parties who is authorized to present himself, and therefore, who can be elected. Much more efficient and direct a method than any circumscription redesign.
Censorship is still in place, and monitors what is or not authorized. Government effectively controls religious speech, all imams, without any exception, are nominated and dismissed if necessary by the Habbous, of Ministry of Religious affairs. Every week, they receive a speech they have to read at the beginning of the Friday preach. They are free to add… as long as it fits in the line.

It is difficult to understand what really happens. Anything is possible, from an arrival of Al Quaida to a manipulation from the central power, letting some things happen to repress them and stir the same consensus against fundamentalists as after each bombing.
It could be clearer after the vote, and the month of Ramadan that starts just after.

But what I know for sure is that in the Morocco I know, going more or less from the north of Marrakech to the Saharan border, I feel well. I never felt assaulted, rejected, called at for any kind of reason. I see a few bearded men in the street (don't misunderstand : most of these bearded men are just religious people, not thinking any evil, and not being dangerous at all. This is just to summarize an atmosphere). I feel a strong will and hope for improvement, for moralization of political life (one of the greatest challenges), and at the same time, a general rejection of violence.

Police is everywhere. Tourism is the most precious asset of Morocco, all Moroccans living from it know that when it stops, the country is bankrupted. And the foreigner is, at first, a guest, and someone to respect, with all the implications the word "guest" has in this culture… I regularly meet Jewish tourists, coming back on their forefathers tracks, or making a pilgrimage on the grave of some Jewish Sidi. In the Morocco I start to know, there is little place for violence and intolerance. Risks exist, like everywhere. I could have died, 21 years ago, in the bombing at Tati general store, on 17th of September 1986. I left the store just ten minutes before it exploded. I lived in Paris without any problem nor fear all these years. Terrorism is a plague striking the whole planet now, but Morocco is no more exposed than France, Great-Britain, USA, nor any other country, and the count of victims is quite low in comparison with many others.

PS: this is not a call for political fight. This is what I experience and feel about Morocco. I'm no political expert, but I spend a lot of time there. I'm opened to any constructive discussion. Anything else will be removed.

Cycling the world

2007-04-12T08:47:00.000-07:00

We met Hirsch in the Dades valley while we were having lunch in a wonderful hotel, over the river Dades.

This guy was impressive, with his bicycle, the small packed trailer, and huge collection of flags, which hintered he had travelled from far away.

I stepped by for a short talk with him (we were with customers, and he was with a friend) and he explained me he was now cycling for two years, started in Vanuatu, and was somehow making a tour around the world...

If you want to know more about him, pay a visit to his blog, "Make Some Day Today" and follow his track.

I hope we'll meet this summer !