Going to Medina at Fès

Although I live in Doha, with it’s “traditional” Arabian souq, the real souq I have seen and which fascinated me was the souq in Aleppo.   However, we are in Fez today, our tour started from the Jewish Quarter, and our guide said that this is the ‘organized’ area of the city compared to the real Medina. I thought this facade in the alleyway is similar to the alleys of Mykonos in Greece only this one is not in white and blue.   However, this is far busier than Mykonos.

To my surprise, the road was not that long, soon we were back on our bus again…. that’s it; it turns out that the fabulous Jewish Quarter is located outside the Medina, as we rode the bus heading to the real Souq.

The Jewish Quarter in Fes

The Walled City of Fès ,

OK, a bit of information about the city which I copied from Wikipedia, that Fes is the third or fourth largest city in Morocco today but it was the capital of Morocco during the Moroccan Empire, and as many historic places, Fes also has bits of the Old City called the Medina.  It comprises three distinct parts, Fes el Bali (the old, walled city), Fes-Jdid (new Fes, home of the Mellah) and the Ville Nouvelle (the French-created, newest section of Fes). “Fes el Bali” is a UNESCO World Heritage Site; this medina, the larger of the two medinas of Fes, claims to be the world’s largest contiguous car-free urban area.

This is Fes el Bali, in set is map of greater Fes, including the new French's Fes, Fes el Jdid, and Fes el Bali

To see Fes el Bali, one has to be there, feel the life and vibrant of the life of Fes, but we can see Fes from the distance as well, that is from the ancient walled city is from the ruined Merenid Tombs on a hilltop to the east of the city.   From here you can see the skyline with its profusion of satellite dishes, and a general mass of palaces, green-roofed holy places, the tanneries, as well as the adjacent Karaouine Mosque.

View of Fes el Bali from the hilltop

Behind the Medina’s high walls is a magical, medieval city just teeming with life in every one of its 9000 narrow streets. As Fes today is the cultural and spiritual capital of Morocco what I experienced there was really different, the alley ways were smaller, there were no cars at all as the streets are not wide enough, the idea of the visit is getting lost in the labyrinth of the Medina. When our guide took us for a whole day tour, I was amazed that he did not got lost in the very small alleyways all over the place.

Fes is a colourful old city, everything is interesting: the vibrancy of the people doing their daily life activities, the noise of  buying and selling, the elusive traditionally dressed Moroccans, veiled women going about their work and bell-ringing water sellers as well as the main transportation inside this Medina, the donkey.

The entrance to Fes el Bali

To avoid getting lost, a guided tour is the easiest way to tackle the buzzing hive that is traditional Fez, but if you are brave, you can negotiate the tiny alleyways, too narrow for cars whilst risking getting lost and then haggling with a local to be guided back out!

The hustle bussle of Fes' Souq

More picture could be seen on my Facebook Page

Rabat, the capital of Morocco

Image via Wikipedia

Rabat is less well known than Casablanca, and many do not know that today Rabat is the capital of Morocco. However, the history of Morocco says that it has experienced several capitals, and Rabat became the administrative capital only since Moroccan’s Independence from France in 1952.  It is located on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean.

What many people also don’t know is that Rabat consists of two cities, Rabat and Sale, and divided by a river, called Wadi Bou Regreg?

Compared to Casablanca, Rabat is more modern, it has modern tramway system as the main city public transportation. However, as Morocco has a long history, so is the city of Rabat, thus like many cities, it has the old part of the city, called the medina and the newer part of the city where most people live. There is also another part of the city that is brand new, which houses government buildings and a palace.

In the North part of Rabat, there is the picturesque Oudaia Kasbah, which is partly enclosed ramparts that was built during the Almohad Period.

The road to the governmental area

One of the biggest local attraction is the Mohammed V Mausoleum (the father of Moroccan Independence), where during the weekend this is a popular destination for the locals.

Mohammed V mausoleum, a popular place on Sunday where people enjoy their relaxing day in the afternoon

This Mausoleum was built to the memory of Mohammed V, the father of Moroccan independence. This building was commissioned by his son, Hassan II and was design by a Vietnamese Architect, Vo Toan. Included in the building complex is a mosque and a museum devoted to the history of Alaouite Dynasty and as the annex of Hassan’s Tower.

The main gate to enter the Governmental Palace.

The Picture I took above is the closest distance the public or tourist can get to the building/gate.

More picture can be seen on my Facebook Page

Casablanca

The city of Casablanca was romanticised by the movie Casablanca.   However, today, apart form being Morocco’s economic capital, Casablanca doesn’t offer much to the tourist.

Gate to the tourist bazaar during blue hour.

The only tourist attraction in Casablanca is the Hassan II Grand Mosque, which is the biggest mosque outside the Holy cities of Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia.

Regardless of all that, Casablanca was my first introduction to Morocco. I was very impressed, for a developing country Morocco is doing very well. We stayed for the night in the area near the port where a lot of infrastructure works are going on. According to my guide, Casablanca is now building a tramway system across the city, just to improve public transportation.

Image of the street in Casablanca when we drive into the city from the airport.

The most interesting place in Casablanca for me is the Corniche.  Like many Arab cities that are located by the sea, they all have a Corniche.  However, unlike the Corniche in Doha, which is very beautiful overlooking Westbay, Casablanca’s Corniche has no such view, but it has atmosphere and one can sit there for ever just ‘people spotting’ and enjoy the sun (provided it’s not in summer).

This look could be anywhere in the Mediterranean Europe, or Florida, or even Bondi Beach.... but this is at the Corniche of Casablanca

To me it’s more like Bondi Beach in Sydney, where all restaurants, bars and clubs are, and across the street is where the people doing their people watching, and being watched.

Streetscape of Casablanca

It's very obvious here that the Moroccan's like their football

And Moroccans, especially Casablancan's like their big bikes, as shown here parking at the Corniche.

More interesting picture of Casablanca on my Facebook Page

Morocco Holiday

Finally I managed to arrange a holiday to Morocco, a country that I’ve been planning to go to for years. As I don’t have so much time to spend, I do what I did last year where my husband and I visited Syria and Jordan, using the facility of escorted tour. Unlike last year where we did it with Exodus Travel, this time we just bought a holiday package from Qatar airways. This is the map of our route:

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The tour called ‘Imperial City Tour” and it seems a lot of travel agents run the same tour, the same route thus, the route is no secret:

• A – Starts in Casablanca
• B – Rabat,
• C – Meknes,
• D – Fez,
• E – Beni Mellal,
• F – Marrakesh, and
• G – Back to Casablanca.

We will traveling by bus of about 20 people with multilingual guide that will explain us of the places visited. (you need to zoom out the map to see the destinations above)

I will try to post all the pictures I take along the way

view from the aircraft

photo is aerial view of Tunisia, which I did not know that Africa is green

Where about in Bali?

I am not trying to educate people with the history of Bali, or it’s geography. What I am trying to do here is to give you a brief introduction to the areas in Bali that could give you ideas of whereabouts and what to expect in each areas.

Physically, Bali is divided in half, east to west, by a volcanic mountain chain, and north to south by deep river gorges. Black volcanic sand is the norm, but white sandy beaches periodically dot the coast, with some of the most spectacular either on the Bukit (mount) or hidden in the east. The island is dominated by two active volcanoes, Gunung Agung (Mount Agung), the apex of Balinese religious and cultural belief, and Gunung Batur (Mount Batur), with its twin calderas and shimmering lake. The northwest is given over mainly to national park, the central mountains to coffee and crops, and the remote east with its pebble beaches and crystal clear seas, to diving and snorkeling.

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South Bali — The triangular wedge of tropical lowlands south of Ubud to the Bukit Peninsula is the most developed area of Bali. The tourist hub of Seminyak-Legian-Kuta is next door to the Ngurah Rai International airport and provides a convenient first stop and a good base for day trips.  Kuta is perhaps the most developed, with the cheapest digs on the island. The tourist influx means this is the place to go for nightlife, which attracts the younger, backpacking crowd, but you’ll find much better fine-dining options in Seminyak.  Unfortunately, Kuta Beach has a very strong current, which makes swimming difficult and dangerous, but it’s a surfer’s paradise with rip curls and challenging waves. Seminyak is certainly Bali’s chicest “village,” home to the majority of the island’s expats and upscale accommodation.

 Denpasar is Bali’s capital, with a population of over a half-million. Though most visitors completely bypass the city for more idyllic surrounds, it is home to the Bali Museum, one of the island’s best for a general overview of Balinese history and culture.

Located on the east side of the island,  Sanur, is another of the island’s original beach resort areas. However, unlike Seminyak, Kuta and Legian, Sanur managed to maintain it’s level of tranquility which is nearly impossible to find in the  other busy tourist areas. Surfing, windsurfing, scuba diving, and snorkeling are the main attractions here. Just off shore are the islands of Penida, Lembongan, and Ceningan, which provide some of Bali’s finest scuba diving and are an easy boat ride from the mainland. The beach is fringed by a reef meaning the shore is safe for kids’ swimming, and a boardwalk along the beach makes pram pushing a pleasant rather than a frought experience.

 Nusa Dua is government-sponsored and was deliberately developed as a high-end wealth traveller’s ghetto; it sits above the eastern cliffs. The beach is publicly accessible and often you may eat a meal at a resort and use their pool and other facilities — check ahead of time. Further on around the southern peninsula of Bali which is also publicly accessible are some of the most stunning spots on the island: Padang Padang, Balangan and Nyang Nyang are all breathtaking with a few warungs to keep you fed and watered, but do not expect the same like in Kuta or Seminyak. However, if you want to, in Nyang Nyang you can  bring-your-own picnic affair with somewhat tricky access.

Ubud — Simply put, Ubud’s raison d’être is to be Balinese. The island’s rich culture — with traditions, artistry, and spirituality that encompasses seemingly every aspect of daily life — thrives here in a multitude of temples, museums, art galleries, and artisan villages. Money and development in Ubud is funneled toward preserving traditions and encouraging cultural innovations; international chain companies are kept at bay. Ubud is a destination where it is possible to chance upon local people participating in ceremonies right on the main road and more frequently in many of the back streets surrounding the town itself. These ceremonies are the real deal and not put on for tourists, although local people are usually comfortable for tourist to look on.You cannot visit Bali without seeing Ubud.

Bali as I know it

Even though I am Indonesian, I must admit that I haven’t explored Indonesia as much as I’ve explored the rest of the world. Indonesia is big and for somebody who likes to travel, I have only explored Indonesia within very limited places, namely, the province of South Sumatra, passing by province of Lampung and most parts of Java, Madura and the island of Bali.

Red areas where I have visited

The Indonesian map here shows where I’ve been. Statistically, Indonesia consists of 17,508 islands, I have only been to 6 islands: which is only 0.034% of the total Indonesian Archipelago. However, as Indonesia consists of 33 provinces, I have been to 10 of these, which is 30.0%.   Not too bad, but there is a lot more of Indonesia still to visit, and if one asked me about Bali, well I only know Bali as good as any other tourist.

Now that I live as an expat outside Indonesia, I don’t know what to recommend to friends who want to visit Bali, not to mention Indonesia. However, I think it’s not a bad idea if I refresh my memory about facts we should know about Bali prior visiting Bali:

• The island is approximately 153 km (95 miles) wide and spans approximately 112 km (69 miles) north to south; its land area is 5,632 km²,  which is only a tiny bit of Indonesia, but compares to the country of Bahrain which is 750 km² with no water source at all or Singapore of only 710 km². I would also compare it to Malta, with land area of 316 km^2.  Or comparison to Qatar, which is 11,437 km², Bali is half the size of Qatar.

• But unlike Qatar, it has mountains like The Mount Agung, which reaches as high as 3,142 m(the highest in Bali), known as the “mother mountain” which is an active volcano.   Mountain ranges from centre to the eastern side of Bali, with Mount Agung the easternmost peak. Bali’s volcanic nature has contributed to its exceptional fertility and its tall mountain ranges provide the high rainfall that supports the highly productive agriculture sector. South of the mountains is a broad, steadily descending area where most of Bali’s large rice crop is grown. The northern side of the mountains slopes more steeply to the sea and is the main coffee producing area of the island, along with rice, vegetables and cattle. The longest river, Ayung River, flows approximately 75 km.

• The largest city is the provincial capital, Denpasar, near the southern coast. Its population is around 491,500(2002). Bali’s second-largest city is the old colonial capital, Singaraja, which is located on the north coast and is home to around 100,000 people. Other important cities include the beach resort, Kuta, which is practically part of Denpasar’s urban area; and Ubud, which is north of Denpasar, and is known as the island’s cultural centre.

• Population recorded as 3,891,000 in the 2010 census,the island is home to most of Indonesia’s small Hindu minority. In the 2000 census about 92.29% of Bali’s population adhered to Balinese Hinduism while most of the remainder follow Islam. It is also the largest tourist destination in the country and is renowned for its highly developed arts, including traditional and modern dance, sculpture, painting, leather, metalworking, and music.   Bali, a tourist haven for decades, has seen a further surge in tourist numbers in recent years.

Image via Wikipedia