A beautiful photoblog of a tourist’s fresh perspective on Morocco.  One of the best I’ve seen in a long time, and there’s a cat picture.

An article entitled “Radical Islam won’t be rocking the Casbah” showed up today on The Jerusalem Post (which, incidentally, I don’t normally read, but thanks to google news, the world is at my fingertips!)

The author, Yaniv Salama-Scheer, whom I suspect of having personal ties to Morocco, points out that Morocco lacks an Islamist history, that despite being so close to Algeria there have been few incidents like those of last week, and that the media has overblown the attacks and their motives.  He sums up by suggesting that groups like the PJD, who he says are trying “Hizbullah-like tactics,” will not win over the average Moroccan.

Not sure I agree with all of that, but it’s nice to see some optimism.
Other bloggers discuss the PJD:
Eatbees
BO18
Morocco Time

Now this is some of the best news I’ve heard all week.  I mean, who doesn’t love Dutch cheese?  Maybe now Moroccans will stop calling edam “red cheese” based on the colour of its wrapper.

According to the Star Tribune and every other syndicate, the U.S. Consulate has closed temporarily for the purpose of beefing up security. The Star Tribune reports on the precise locations of Saturday’s events:

…on Saturday, bombs went off in the downtown area, which is filled with cafes, upscale shops and hotels charging as much for a night as many workers earn in a month. Muhammad Maha, 32, blew himself up across from the U.S. Consulate. About a minute later, his younger brother, Omar, 23, detonated a suicide bomb a few hundred yards away, near the American Language Center, a privately owned school.

My sources at the ALC Casa, who were working at the time, said it was close enough to shake the windows. Nevertheless, the bombers’ choice of Saturday morning seems to many a clue that the bombers did not intend to attack American targets.

Ahmed Najim of Nichane said, “If he really wanted to blow up the American Consulate, he would have come on a weekday.”

Read also: Moroccans fear suicide attacks could wreck growth, Reuters

My dreams of being a hand model have come true!

That is indeed my hand, in a photo by the glorious Janine; the tajine is at Restaurant Tijani, near Bab Oued Zhoun, Fez (I’ve lost my brochure, but it’s easy to find - ask at Pension Dalila) - a typical palace restaurant but the food was extremely delicious, even by typical Fassi standards.

(any pixellation in the photo is my fault; I couldn’t post it at its original size)

Global Voices Online is a fantastic project I’ve been following for quite some time. Although published by Harvard Law School’s Berkman Center for Internet and Society, the site’s actual writers are from every corner of the globe. From GVO’s site:

Global Voices seeks to aggregate, curate, and amplify the global conversation online - shining light on places and people other media often ignore. We work to develop tools, institutions and relationships that will help all voices, everywhere, to be heard.

So imagine my excitement about doing the weekly Morocco blog roundup!

(Don’t laugh at me for linking to my own posts, the editor said it was okay)

Yesterday at work was a mess. Students were not allowed inside without identification, our two kindly security guards forced to actually do their jobs, our administration staff backing them up, double checking each student.

People are scared. Lots of kids didn’t come to school yesterday, for fear of being inside a building marked “American” I can only assume. None of the news got the story right, but as Lounsbury of ‘Aqoul states on his blog, and as a few phone calls confirmed, the two bombers yesterday were indeed on Blvd. My Youssef, but not at the end near the Consulate, rather, they were in front of the American Language Center and Pizza Hut (which are next to one another). An explosives belt was found outside an upscale hotel in the neighborhood as well.

I lost it a little this morning when I read BO18’s blog entry regarding two more suicide attacks in Casablanca. According to Al Jazeera English, the bombings occurred next to the “American Cultural Centre” and near the Consulate on Blvd. My Youssef. I’m not sure what American Cultural Centre that is, but needless to say, I’m none too excited about going to work in a building with “America” written across the front.

I asked my students last night what they feel about all this. Every single one of them, all Moroccan teenagers (and a couple of female adults) said they were scared and would not be going to Casa anytime soon.

Some students mentioned family that live in Casa and said that everyone is afraid to go outside - Cassaouis are all sitting in their homes, afraid to go anywhere that could be rendered “touristic” or “American.”  McDonald’s is, apparently, quite empty.

And then another student, a young woman named Fatima Zohra, raised her hand and said “We can’t let them win.”  It was a sentiment with which everyone, myself included, agreed, but didn’t do anything to ease anyone’s fears.

They’re cowards, complete and utter pathetic cowards.  I don’t care what your life circumstances are or your beliefs, there’s no excuse for that kind of pathetic violence.  But I’m still nervous.

I think it’s only fair, after my scathing remarks, that I post some Fez photography…

A rooftop view

Green, the color of Fez

Minarets and chimneys compete for my lens

A pre-meal spread of Moroccan salads

Dwarfed from below

The poor hamar, loaded down by Butagaz

A hillside cemetery

On a walk between Bab Oued Zhoun and Bab Guissa, the hillside view is breathtaking

Although it’s a Sofitel, the Palais Jamai is a relaxing retreat

The ancient Foundouq en-Nejjarine

A Fassi fountain

Okay, Fez…you win for beauty. Next up, Marrakech.

All photos by Jillian York (me)

The View from Fez, which I have mentioned before as being one of my favorite Morocco blogs, has posted a rebuttal to my post which questioned the sanity of anyone calling Fez the “soul” of Morocco.

For those of you who don’t read The View from Fez (and you ought to), they have also invited all readers of my blog to the next concert at Riad Zany which, if judging by the last, will be absolutely fantastic.  Take advantage of this offer my friends - just don’t get sucked into buying a carpet along the way.

And p.s. Fassis - I get harrassed by more faux guides there than in Marrakech - only a good seer f’halek, t’qoued, or other equally vulgar phrases work on my behalf - and bring a shocked face to would-be Fassi harrassers.