CASABLANCA : Rick's Cafe in the flesh

“Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world…”, you won’t find one quite like Rick’s Café. It breathes nostalgia, sophistication and class. It was the meeting place in the film, (“Everyone comes to Rick’s”) and looks set to become the meeting place all over again. As proprietor and maternal re-creator, Kathy Kriger puts it, “We have just been closed sixty years for renovations!”

With time enduring lines such as “Here’s looking at you kid”, and “Play it again, Sam”, ‘Casablanca’ has been a part of our lives since taking the world by storm following it’s completion in November 1942.

Now, ‘Casablanca’s’ ‘Rick’s Café’ is finally home. This time not on the Warner sets in Hollywood but in it’s rightful place, the Old Medina in downtown Casablanca. The movie was an acclaimed sensation and has remained popular amongst the people’s choice awards through the years

In the film it was a tough idealistic American who put down roots and got to know the people in troubled times, serving them through his café. Now sixty years later with just as much chaos and problems in the world there is another American stepping into Rick’s place, only she happens to be a woman.

Sitting near to where the piano will be in just a few months, amongst wet cement with banging, drilling and grinding all around us, we heard about the person behind the project, Kathy Kriger, an ambitious visionary from Portland, Oregon.

High standards, team development and vision are only a few of Kathy Kriger’s many qualities. “(Your goal) is attainable and you can achieve it in any place you chose, …if you work hard. Nothing is given”, she said.

Rick’s Café was constructed in an old riad overlooking the Old Medina and the harbour, near the Mosque Hassan 2 . Catering for 150 people the restaurant replicates the original in more ways than one. The open patio area, along with a second skydome, provides opportunities for some of the famous shadows that Curtiz, the movie’s director, worked so hard at creating. It is the same bustling international throng as the movie depicted, talking of the desert, the city, other countries, business and love…

“I’ve always been fascinated by exotic places, Here in one country you can find the desert, palaces, Roman ruins combined with art deco and 19th century Casablanca. I am creating a place where people can leave the complexities, walk through those doors and feel nostalgic again, feel that they are in a place which keeps out the baggage, policies, politics, conflicts…since May 16th everyone on the same side, to bring Casablanca up and to be responsible for one another.”

Architect Hakim Benjoullan and Interior Designer Bill Willis, both known for their work in Morocco, have been employed to keep the renovations as true to form as possible retaining 60% of the original building and working around that. Arches, domes, lights, palms and, of course, that grand staircase, whet the appetite before you’ve even seen the view or the menu.

The obvious Moroccan flavours, spices and fresh produce will be combined with elegant additions from Californian, Russian and Eastern European Cuisines, just as Rick would have served. The bar is only a palm’s leaf from the piano, and both will be dishing out the timeless classics.
“As time goes by” I believe that the nostalgia we have felt from when we first saw that famous globe will stir something within us once again. “I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship…”

ROYAL RABAT

Rabat is a relaxed and unassuming city full of assorted people groups creating a diverse visual collage.

Government officials, beggars, business executives, tourists, hawkers, educated workers and unemployed people walk side by side in this large cosmopolitan city.

Rabat boasts the beating heart of Morocco, not only the King and his palace but many foreign embassies and international company representatives reside in this, the country’s Capital.

Hotels of all caliber are available, ranging from the international 5 star chains to small pensions and everything in between. For names and numbers, see the list on this page.

Largely modern with spattered remnants of history, namely the walls surrounding the centre of town, Rabat has many attractions for locals and foreigners alike.

Some attractions include the ‘Kasbah Oudaias’, a fortified sanctuary with relaxing gardens away from the busyness of the modern world. Built in the 12th century, this ancient construction allows undisturbed views of the Atlantic and the Bou Regreg river separating Rabat and Sale.

Within the Oudaias walls lies the former palace of Moulay Ismail. Built in the 17th century it now houses the museum of Moroccan Art.

Visible from most parts of Rabat is ‘Le Tour Hassan’, probably Rabat’s most famous attraction. It was originally begun in 1195 by Sultan Yacoub al-Mansour with the intention of bei! ng the largest mosque in the world.

Adjacent to Le Tour Hassan is the Mausoleum of Mohammed V and Hassan II, grandfather and father of the current king, Mohammed VI.

There are many other sights that fill different tastes and needs, you might like to hire a car and get around yourself (see list of rental car companies below).
Maps are ava! ilable from the tourist office ONMT Rue al-Abtal in Agdal (tel: 037 73 05 62)

Moroccan Miracles

MOROCCAN MIRACLES

“Look”, the Kariat Social Centre’s director interrupted me, “This is the first time Najat has walked without a frame!”
With intense concentration, ten year old Najat made her way to her Aunty’s outstretched arms. Three weeks ago, Najat’s mother was convinced to let her daughter leave home in the country, literally a tent, so that Najat could receive some physiotherapy in the city.
Najat’s aunty has committed to helping her niece, taking two buses to get Najat to the Social Centre twice a week.

Established just over two years ago, Louis Brosky, a Dutch physiotherapist and his wife Bep, a nurse, turned a cold, drab three-bedroom apartment into a miracle centre.
Now brightly painted and equipped with physical development equipment, the centre reaches into more than forty families’ lives each week.

Morocco’s king, His Majesty Mohammed VI, was crowned in 1999 and has since paved the way for handicapped centres to receive more prominence than ever before. Previously hidden or shut away so as not to bring shame to the family, the disabled have seen much greater acceptance by the younger generations. It is precious to see a twelve year old Downs’ syndrome boy playing soccer on the street with his neighbours.

Around 400 centres now exist, including orphanages and old-aged homes. The king is very publicly leading by example, as can be seen by his Mohammed VI foundation’s generosity. Many of the centres, whether government run or supported from abroad, are able to provide wheelchairs, toys and sometimes food to the poorer families.

The majority of the children who receive care, at the centers around the country, suffer from Cerebal Palsy, resulting from a prolonged labour or from intermarriage with family members too close in blood lines.

Mothers arrive with the child slung to their backs by brightly coloured scarves, in the traditional manner. Everyday they see some physical development in at least one child around them. Many of the families are learning new methods for health and hygiene, clothing, nutrition and exercise.

The trained nurses, physiotherapists and volunteer helpers work with the mothers to massage, stretch and exercise the limbs of the children working on physical power, mobility and coordination. There is a stress on active development and, results aside, the staff are excited to come to work.

The mothers get to enjoy social interaction and both learn from, and support each other as they sit side by side on mattresses, massaging and developing their child’s motor skills.

Late last year, one young mother carried in her almost blind daughter at arms’ length, placed her on the closest mat and backed away. The nurses, literally, had to teach this mother how to love her daughter. At nearly three, Ibtissam had yet to begin solids and was a stranger to affection. The mother has probably learned as much as her daughter has in the past few months.

Dozens of children saw the beach, the zoo and the countryside for the first time in their lives last year. Their fingers, once useless, are now holding cups. Legs that only dangled, are now supporting body weight and, as I was privileged enough to see, steps are being taken for the first time, steps into a brave new world.

In the last two years, thirty families have been turned away and there are currently seven on their waiting list. For assisting in future miracles, Louis Brosky would like to get a small property so that the centre doesn’t have to keep turning families away. He has plans for a petting zoo and a vegetable garden next to an outdoor play park. If you are interested, email bepbrosky@hotmail.com to help in more Moroccan miracles.

Moroccan's most popular soup: Harira

HARIRA

(Moroccan Chick Pea Soup)

Serves 4
2 Tbs olive oil
1 Med Onion, chop fine (1/2 cup)
2 Carrots, grated
2 Cloves of crushed garlic
15 oz Can Chick Peas, rinseand drained
3 cups Vegetable stock
2 large Tomatoes (peeled) or 425g Tomatoes (drained)
1/3 cup Tahini (optional)
1/2 Lemon juiced
1 Tbs Chopped fresh parsley
3/4 tsp Ground Cumin
1/2 tsp Black pepper
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp Thyme leaves
1/4 tsp Powdered tumeric
1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper
(1) In a large saucepan (small stock pot), heat oil, add onion, carrots, and garlic. Cook until tender. Set aside.
(2) Meanwhile, in food processor, puree the chick peas, 1 cup of vegetable stock, tomatoes, tahini, and lemon juice.
(3) Stir the pureed mixture into saucepan. Add remaining ingredients, including vegetable stock. Cover and cook for 5 minutes to heat through.
Optional garnish: Toasted sesame seeds, fried onion and/or finely chopped parsley.
Best eaten the following day with fresh bread. May be frozen.




FACTS F.Y.I.

King, H.M. Mohammed VI was crowned in 1999.
Morocco’s population is estimated at 35 million with Casablanca, the largest city having over 5 million people.
The majority of people are Sunni Muslims.
Hundreds of films are made in Morocco every year.
Besides the predominant Arabs, Morocco still has three Berber people groups, The Rifi, Shillha and Soussi.

1000 years new : Modern Morocco

1000 years new

With domes and arches, mosaics and minarets, steamed snails and black veils, Morocco seemingly has all that inspires and captivates creative minds. The Kingdom of Morocco, lying in the north-western corner of Africa has long been a Mecca for people desiring to get back to basics and be enchanted by the ways of old. Native Berber, Roman, Arab, Portuguese and French architecture have influenced many of the country’s modern architects.

Saed Laraki, an architect working just north of the capital, Rabat, said that in and amongst the large quantity of people merely wanting ‘walls and doors’, are a few passionate sentimentalists striving to maintain tradition and historical character in various cities throughout the country. Hidden amongst the modern ‘supply and demand’ apartment blocks are some new ideas giving credence to historical architecture.

Laraki is involved in designing a new ‘Medina’, a walled city, for Chefchaouen, a popular little picturesque village a couple of hour’s drive north of Fes. Maintaining tradition is high on his agenda, right alongside providing the latest in architecture and modern conveniences. “Not enough thought is given to preserving the old ways”, he said, “I am combining the old with the new”.

“Natural themes such as rock, water and trees are vital to introduce the public to fountains and mountains that surround the ‘city’ as they meander through shops on their way to their new home. In the past streets and houses were add-ons, what we’re trying to do is incorporate nature with modern living”.

Moroccan architect’s passion for Islamic architecture is seen in archways and on columns in the form of ornate carvings, Koranic inscriptions or in the complex ‘zellij’ (tiled mosaics) both indoors and on the exterior walls, doors and windows. Wherever you drive, cafés, houses, apartments and businesses, even supermarkets, can be seen with a touch of the past. In the last few decades, many Moroccan and French architects have pooled from the same inspiration to give modern designs an infinite boost.

Over the centuries of Islamic influence in Morocco, tradesmen have fashioned a style of architecture that has become highly sought after around the world. If money is not an issue, architects are free to suggest ideas and many go to great lengths to incorporate complex and intrinsic traditional patterns into their work.

A new trend, led by enterprising foreigners and wealthy Moroccans, is to renovate the old ‘Riads’ into luxurious guesthouses or restaurants. Riads are the traditional Arabian design of between two and four storied buildings with an open courtyard in the middle. The ‘verandah’ is on the inside looking into the courtyard. This idea stems from the women being kept off the streets and also serves for natural air-conditioning.

Marrakech, in the centre of the country, is known in Arabic as the Red City, due not only to it’s geographical situation bordering the arid desert, but also to the use of the red earth in ‘plastering’ the walls. A mineral-rich terracotta colour blends in with the surrounding countryside. With a modern push for being cost effective, paint is now used over the traditional mud and straw mix in most buildings but examples are still evident in nearby villages and in some of the modern hotels.

By far, the most recognized and famous outdoor influence in Marrakech was French artist Jacques Majorelle’s garden, whose property, ‘Jardin Majorelle’, has become a must on the tourist circuit. Years ahead of his time, Majorelle used vivid colours to set off the grounds with paint and natural semi-tropical flowers. The house is now owned by fashion designer, Yves St. Laurent.

On the southern side of the High Atlas Mountains is the quiet, unassuming city of Ouazarzate (pronounced Waz-azat), which is growing in popularity with international film makers. Ouarzazate is unique, in that, like Marrakech, it maintains a strict building code in keeping with its ancestry. You could be mistaken in thinking that your 5 star hotel, or the shop it looks out on, is centuries old but in reality, it may have only just been finished.

Berber history is riddled with sultans and landowners waging war on one another. The design of the buildings used crenellated parapets and stepped wall decorations and these influences are still obvious in today’s modern architecture.

Kasbahs are still dotted around the landscape, imposing edifices set high on hills to gain the upper hand on invading tribes. The only invading tribes these days, thankfully, are the hordes of tourists clambering for vantage-point photographs of the many oasis’ and Kasbahs, of which there are more than enough to go around.

Modern Moroccan architecture inspires exceptional work. Artists, actors and architects take inspiration from the dramatic sunsets and landscapes. If you’re thinking of a destination for inspiration, put Morocco on your itinerary.

Moroccan Sahara Rally (Aicha des Gazelles)

RALLYE AICHA DES GAZELLES

19 - 29th April 2006

http://www.rallyeaichadesgazelles.com

I had an absolute ball down in the Sahara desert in South-East Morocco. The journalists probably had more fun than the competitors. I only got to spend three days out with the race but they were action-filled.

These two articles below were for two very different markets so they portray the rally in their own unique light.

SAHARA GAZELLE : (Australian "LINK DISABILITY MAGAZINE)

Over 150 brave women competed in an unusual rally in Morocco in April. The 17th edition of ‘Aicha Rallye des Gazelles’ began in Toulouse, Southern France, with more than a hundred vehicles making the long trip down to the Sahara Desert in South-eastern Morocco, only an hours’ drive from the Algerian border.

One of these amazing women brought her wheelchair to get around bivouac at night. Marie Josee Gonzalez was the driver of Team 108, sponsored by ‘ACNA Bivouac Propre’ and ‘Handicap Nord-Sud’, Marie Josee and her teammate, Francois Bechet, set out on their trip of more than 5000 kilometers mid-April.

The rally is unique in that the competition isn’t about speed, it’s about precision and accuracy in driving. The teams have to chart courses on maps and get to their designated checkpoints with only the maps and a compass. Emergency Global Positioning Systems are hidden away in the vehicle and aren’t used in the competition.

Just as important as the race itself is the ‘Heart of Gazelles’, a fund-raising association that raises aid for the development of community life for underprivileged women and children. This year, over 100,000 Euros was raised and it was common to see the competitors stopping to hand out food and educational supplies.

Even though the competitors find rising two hours before sunrise and getting to bed around midnight grueling, Marie Josee finds the added obstacle maneuvering over the sandy ground at bivouac the hardest thing to deal with. “Last year was harder as I had to use the public bathroom facilities (up on a semi-trailer) and needed someone to carry me up and down the stairs, this year is great. I have my own portable amenities in my tent”

Having lost mobility in both legs back in the early 80s, Marie Josee hasn’t let her confinement to a wheelchair prevent her from living a fun-filled life. Marie Josee competed last year and came back with the simple goal to do better this year in her friend’s Mitsubishi Pajero four-wheel-drive. “I love the driving”, she said, “It doesn’t matter what I’m driving or where I’m driving, desert or freeway, I love it.”

Gonzalez and Bechet finished in the top two-thirds of the competitors. Mission accomplished. Check out the action at www.rallyeaichadesgazelles.com

QUICK QUADS : Australian Dirt Bike Magazine

http://www.adbmag.com/

Over 150 brave women have just completed the 17th edition of ‘Aicha Rallye des Gazelles’, an international all-women’s rally in the Sahara Desert of South-Eastern Morocco. The rally is unique, focusing on precision and accuracy rather than speed. Teams have to chart courses on maps and get to their designated checkpoints with only the maps and a compass in their 4x4s or on their quad bikes.

The ‘Heart of Gazelles’ is a fund-raising association that assists in developing community life for underprivileged women and children. This year, over 100,000 Euros was raised and it was common to see the competitors stopping to hand out food and educational supplies.

The amateur competitors navigated their way across nearly 2000 kilometres of sand dunes, dried rivers, rocks and plains.

The winners this year were all French, Cendrine Abrial and Elisabeth Kraft on two Polaris Sportsman, and in the 4wd category, Corentine Quiniou and Florence Bourgnon driving a Land Crusier.

The rally is run each April and the organizers are always looking for overseas participants… Check out http://www.rallyeaichadesgazelles.com/