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Keen on Kilims

Posted by David Paul Appell in Snapshots - (0 Comments)

One of my very most prized travel souvenirs is a vintage kilim, about 75 years old, which I bought more than a decade ago in the otherworldly medina of Fez, Morocco – with its black-and-yellow zigzag motif, it evokes exoticism and the quintessence of travel whenever I look at it. I’m instantly transported back into that world of mint tea and mysterious narrow byways, the tannery where I watched young boys dying leather for shoes and Ottomans, the rooftop restaurant where I first tried tagines and pigeon, and the bathhouse where I found myself being vigorously pummeled by a wiry Moroccan masseur.

So what exactly are kilims and how are they different from carpets? Well, they’re also made of wool, but in many ways are closer to tapestries – flatter, lighter, more tightly woven, and less durable than carpets, with no pile to speak of.   All the above add up to one key reason kilims also tend to be less expensive than most rugs – another is that they have traditionally been a homespun village craft, made for locals instead of the tourist or export market as increasingly became the case with rugs.

Having said that, over the years I’ve spotted quite a few gorgeous, skillfully crafted, even quite sophisticated kilims in several countries, and in various countries, more of them have been made for export than they used to be – and some command prices into the thousands of dollars or pounds. The word “kilim” itself is Turkish, derived from the Persian gelim, but in addition to Turkey and Iran they can be found throughout North Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, the Caucasus, and the Balkans – so if you ever find yourself at one of the Iberostar resorts in Turkey, Morocco, Tunisia, Montenegro, or Bulgaria, you may well come across local examples while browsing in local markets or shops.  Many will be relative bargains, and I can assure you from personal experience they will look marvelously striking whether hanging on your wall or laying on your floor.

Photo | Stephan Geyer

  If you ever find yourself at one of the Iberostar resorts in Turkey, Morocco, Tunisia, Montenegro, or Bulgaria, search for your gorgeous, skillfully crafted and sophisticated kilims!

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Morocco’s Latest Fashion Guru: Laila Azhar

Posted by Nellie Huang in Local Characters - (0 Comments)

Chaotic squares, colorful souks and elaborate mosques often come to mind when you think of Morocco. The North African country is almost always associated with spices, waterpipes, traditionally Arabic culture, and nomadic Berbers. Fort he uninitiated, it almost represents an enigmatic land lost in time.

But if you dig alittle deeper, you’ll find that there’s much more to Morocco beyond the deserts, markets and riads. While these are important reminders of Morocco’s past, its present is starkly different – the country now boasts vibrant urban vibes in its major cities, rich café culture, and most of all, an explosive fashion scene.

Morocco’s New Fashion Era

No longer is the traditional djellaba a fashion statement –  these days you can often spot young fashion-forward Moroccans dressed to the nines, adorning the latest in fashion from head to toe.

Laila Azhar is one of the most popular Moroccan fashion designers at the moment – the force behind this fashion wave that has swept through Morocco. Born in Morocco, Laila had moved to the United States at the age of five, spending her childhood between Morocco and Washington. Her interest in fashion design started during her modeling career and after graduating, she launched her own label, which was immediately well received by experts around the world.

Laila’s contemporary designs are created with the sophisticated and independent women in mind.  Today, she is one of the biggest names in Hollywood and her dresses are worn by celebrities like Taylor Swift, Lucy Liu and Khloe Kardashian.

Fashion is now a big part of Morocco and if you’re keen to discover more about fashion when visiting the Iberostar Hotel in Morocco, be sure to check out the boutiques in Marrakech or downtown Rabat. With a beautiful blend of traditional Arabic styles and modern Western designs, these new fashion brands in Morocco will sure to entice you.

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Morocco’s Coolest City: Majestic White Essaouira

Posted by David Paul Appell in Snapshots - (0 Comments)

Ever since first visiting Morocco more than a dozen years ago, I’ve always marveled that this North African country manages to pack such a whole lot of interesting into such modest dimensions (it’s a little bigger than California, less than a third the size of Quebec, and merely a little over a quarter as spacious as the U.K.). I mean, here the fascinating destinations just keep on coming – Fez, Marrakesh, Meknes, Rabat, Tangier, Casablanca, Ouarzazate, the Atlas Mountains, Tetouan, Agadir (the resort town that’s the site of Iberostar Founty Beach) and so on. But one place in Morocco that I especially love because of its vibe, style, location, and unusualness, is a city called Essaouira, a drive of 2½ to three hours from Marrakesh and 2½ hours from Agadir.

Something a Little Different

What makes it unusual? Well, as with many cities in Morocco, in Ess you can certainly “come with me to the kasbah” and wander the byways and caravanserais of a deliciously mysterious old medina (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) and Jewish quarter, sampling exotic shops, galleries, restaurants, tea shops, and cafés along the way. But unlike even other Moroccan coastal urbs like Tangier, there’s just something especially charismatic about Essaouira. To begin with, it’s breezy, white, and bright, perched just over halfway down the country’s Atlantic coast, with temperatures rarely dropping below the 50′s Fahrenheit or rising above the low 70′s (it’s so breezy, in fact, that it’s one of the world’s better regarded windsurfing/kitesurfing meccas). But another big part of what makes it different is that much of what you see of Essaouira today was built along European lines, starting in the early 16th century with the fortress of Mogador, built by the Portuguese, and continued by a Moroccan ruler in the 18th century using European architects and engineers.

Simplicity & Celebrities

As in centuries past, fishing is still very big here; on my first visit I’ll never forget going down to the docks and lunching at a simple table on squid literally taken right off a boat not ten feet away and charbroiled right in front of me. But beach and cultural tourism have been making big inroads for years, and since Orson Welles filmed his Othello here in 1952 Ess also became a spot on the international hippie trail in the 60’s, it’s been a destination for celebs and artsy-fartsy types, from Jimi Hendrix, Cat Stevens and Maria Callas to Colin Farrell, Orlando Bloom, and Liam Neeson. It’s also been a center for a form of Moroccan music called gnaoua, and June’s International Gnaoua and World Music Festival has become known as “Morocco’s Woodstock.”

Pretty  fun-kay, no?  Check it out, and I guarantee you’ll fall as much in love with Essaouira as I did.
photo | jonl1973

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Michel Vieuchange’s Forbidden City in the Western Sahara

Posted by Nellie Huang in Local Characters - (0 Comments)

It was his obsession with adventure that brought him to the interior of what was then known as Spanish Sahara, an overseas territory of Spain.  In 1930, Michel Vieuchange, a French adventurer, set out on his journey to the largely unexplored region known today as Western Sahara. He removed his gold tooth and disguised himself as a Berber woman to sneak his way into the unknown. His goal was to discover the ruins of Smara, a walled city that was built centuries ago and then abandoned. No European had set foot in it and no one knew the exact location of the forbidden city.

Western Sahara: A Death March

After weeks of severe hardship and danger in the desert, traveling with the independent tribes of the desert, he made it, becoming the first European to discover the ruins of Smara. Two months later, he staggered out of the Sahara into the town of Tiznit, his body wracked by dysentery. A few days later, he was on his death bed in Agadir, where he entrusted his brother Jean Vieuchange with his notebooks and photographs. The journal of his adventure, now published by Jean Vieuchange, is titled, “Smara: The Forbidden City”.

This true story inevitably piques one’s curiosity about the Western Sahara and the perils that are involved in traveling there. Today, Western Sahara is still a disputed territory and although much of it is controlled by Morocco, travel to this region is not advised due to the threat of terrorism.

Trace Michel’s Footsteps in Agadir

If you’re interested in experiencing Michel Vieuchange’s journey, the best place to start is Agadir. As the closest major city to the Western Sahara, Agadir is safe to visit and offers plenty for the curious traveler. Surrounded by the Sahara Desert and the Atlas Mountains, the attractive city has an interesting blend of modern development and Moroccan traditions.

Located along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, Agadir is best known for its unspoiled beaches and raving waves. With pleasant all-year temperatures and strong winds, it is home to some of the best surfing spots in the world. The new medina in town, designed by an Italian architect, features a jewelry souk and several Moorish cafes. If you’re looking for your own romantic desert adventure, Agadir is a good place to start.

Photo | Rachael Taft

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Capture the Magic of Adventure Films in Morocco

Posted by Susana Alosete in The View - (0 Comments)

What to do in Morocco

When you think about films associated with Morocco, your mind can’t help but shift to black and white, as the faces of Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart appear along with the soundtrack of “Casablanca.” However, this mythical movie was shot entirely in California, though it has left us with the memory of a romantic, but dangerous, Morocco.

Many movies have been filmed in this African nation, which prides itself on its own version of Hollywood or, as we Spaniards would say, its own Almería in the age of Westerns. One city in particular stands out for its popularity amongst American film productions which frequent the famous Atlas Studios: the city of Ouarzazate. This city is unique in that it combines its location in a valley with its proximity to both mountains and desert, with photogenic adobe houses that have acted as the set for a variety of films, including “Lawrence of Arabia” and “Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra.” The film crews for other productions such as “The Sheltering Sky”, “The Mummy” and our beloved 007 in “The Living Daylights” have also wandered these same streets.

Set in the south of the country, this city is a must-see for film lovers who, in addition to recreating scenes from their favorite flics, can enjoy the spicy Moroccan cuisine and delicious mint teas (just be careful not to fall into the pot like Obelix!).

As in many other movie towns, visiting the studios is a tourist attraction in itself, and though it doesn’t have the typical attractions you may find in other movie-themed parks, lovers of classic cinema may evoke their silver screen memories and imagine Elizabeth Taylor dressed as Cleopatra exiting the temple in the luxurious recreation of Egypt in Joseph Leo Mankiewicz’s film, which was also shot here.

As with any city so close to the desert, summer is not really the best time to visit. But since we can’t always choose our vacation dates, just remember to load your suitcase with light, white clothing and end your day with a refreshing swim at any of the beaches you’ll find only a few kilometers away on Morocco’s gorgeous coast.

Image | Universal Pictures

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