Rabat - Spending of Russian tourists in Morocco has hit just over MAD 28 million last year, according to the latest data disclosed by the Moroccan Observatory of Tourism.

A report by the observatory said Russian tourists spent over MAD 1,203 every day during their visits to Morocco in 2015, a total of MAD 28.1 million in the whole year.

The report noted that 60 percent of Russian tourists who visited Morocco last year were accompanied with relatives, while 18 percent of them came in organized trips.

According to the same source, Russian tourists spent over 49 percent of their overnight stays in rated hotels, compared to 45 percent of night stays in Riads and rented apartments, across the country.

The report said 34 percent of Russian tourists visit museums and historical monuments during their stay in Morocco, while 23 percent of them prefer to spend their stays traveling across Moroccan cities.

The same source added that only 20 percent of them like to spend their holidays, sightseeing in Moroccan coastal cities.

Agadir remains Russian Tourists’ favorite destination in Morocco, the report said, noting that 72 percent of their night stays in Morocco were registered in Agadir.

Earlier in January, Director General of the Moroccan National Tourist Office (ONMT) Abderrafie Zouiten revealed that Morocco is seeking to attract over 200,000 Russian tourist a year, starting out from this year.

“Russia is a priority market for Moroccan Tourism. ONMT has devised an ambitious strategy to attract more Russian tourists in 2016,” he concluded.

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By Jonathan Walsh

Rabat - Top Gear host, and previous star of American comedy series Friends, Matt Le Blanc has shared pictures as he films for the upcoming series of the popular motoring show in Morocco.

The images, which were shared on Twitter, show Le Blanc eating dinner in Casablanca and testing an off-road buggy in what appears to be desert terrain. Images shared last week showed the crew filming in South Africa as they gear up for what will be the 13th series to date.

Testing the Nomad in Morocco with @BBC_TopGear pic.twitter.com/L2y2kUztU2

— Matt LeBlanc (@Matt_LeBlanc) March 11, 2016

Top Gear, which is considered the BBC’s most popular export, has undergone a major overhaul of the presenting team after previous host Jeremy Clarkson was forced to leave the show last year after allegedly punching a producer during filming.

Following Clarkson’s dismissal, co-hosts Richard Hammond and James May decided to leave the show in order to produce a similar show, which will be available on Amazon Prime.

Le Blanc, who had appeared on the show previously as a guest, will join a total of 8 new presenters, including Chris Evans, Sabine Schmitz and Eddie Jordan.

“As a car nut and a massive fan of Top Gear, I’m honored and excited to be a part of this iconic show’s new chapter,” Le Blanc told the BBC upon his announcement as a full time presenter of “What a thrill!”

BBC has have a strong presence in Morocco in recent years. Last year, the networks major new TV show ‘Prized Apart’ was set almost entirely in the country, and saw participants taking part in challenges in the Atlas Mountains, Fez and the Sahara desert among other locations.

Dinner in Casablanca while filming TopGear. What a fun gig. pic.twitter.com/elP0ZpWCcE

— Matt LeBlanc (@Matt_LeBlanc) March 11, 2016

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Rabat - A new report ranks Morocco as the “most travel-friendly” country in Africa for Muslims based on the facilities the country provides to make Halal living possible for Muslim travelers.

The kingdom ranked ninth worldwide on the report released on Wednesday at a ceremony in Jakarta, Indonesia.

This year’s Global Muslim Travel Index - a joint effort by MasterCard and CrescentRating - ranked 130 destinations based on several criteria, including the availability of Halal foods, prayer facilities and Ramadan services.

According to the report, there will be a projected 168 million Muslim travelers - spending more than USD 200 billion worldwide - by 2020, up from 117 million in 2015.

48 of 130 destinations analyzed were member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). According to the OIC’s official website, the organization - founded in Rabat in 1969 in response to the arson of the Al-Aqsa mosque in East Jerusalem - seeks to be the “collective voice of the Muslim world.”

This year, analysts added two new measurements - airport connectivity and visa restrictions - to the rankings’ rubric.

Malaysia topped the rankings for the second year running. The United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Indonesia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Singapore, Morocco, and Jordan made up the rest of the top 10 countries.

Three Latin American countries - Bolivia, Costa Rica, and El Salvador - trailed at the bottom.

Destinations not covered by the OIC ranked lower on the rankings largely due to the reduced availability of Halal eating options and a lack of prayer services for Muslims.

Founded in 2008, CrescentRating provides information to Muslim-travelers and members of the global tourism industry on enjoying and creating an environment for Halal-friendly travel.

The post Morocco Ranks Most Travel-friendly Country in Africa for Muslims appeared first on Morocco World News.

Rabat - This year, TripAdvisor’s Travellers’ Choice Awards ranked Marrakech as the third best travel destination in the world, down two spots from last year.

London and Istanbul bested the Moroccan city for the top spot this year. After Marrakesh, Paris, Siem Reap, the Prague, Rome, Hanoi, New York City, and Ubud closed out the top 10 cities on the list, released on Wednesday.

The rankings, which included a total of 469 destinations, were based on millions of traveler reviews on TripAdvisor. The winning destinations were selected using an algorithm taking into account the notes about the quality of hotels, attractions and restaurants.

Under a list ranking the top 10 destinations in Africa, Marrakesh took first place and Fez took third place.

TripAdvisor - a website that allows users to rate travel destinations, attractions, and hotels - has previously described Marrakesh as “a magical place, brimming with markets, gardens, palaces, and mosques.”

Last June, the site ranked Marrakech’s Jamaa Lfna square as the top African landmark to visit for its plaza and souk.

The post TripAdvisor Names Marrakesh World’s Third Best Travel Destination for 2016 appeared first on Morocco World News.

Taroudant - Moroccan website Happy Knowledge published rare pictures of Moroccan women throughout history, displaying the fabulous beauty of Moroccan women from nearly all regions of the country.

The women, mostly dressed in luxurious traditional attire with old jewelry, all reveal Moroccan beauty and kindness.

The twenty photos also show how women’s dress and fashion varies between regions within the kingdom.

The clothing, make up, and the look of all the Moroccan women in the pictures reveal the diversity of Moroccan cultures and ethnicities, while beauty remains the common aspect that defines and bindsthe Moroccan women.

I can’t put it better than the Arab poet Jebran Khalil Jebran who said in Broken Wings, “A woman whom Providence has provided with beauty of spirit and body is a truth, at the same time both open and secret, which we can understand only by love, and touch only by virtue; and when we attempt to describe such a woman in words she disappears like vapor.”

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Fez - When I first came to Morocco in June of 2012, I got acquainted with the concept of a “medina” in the Moroccan (and North African) sense of the word; before that time, I had known medina (al-madinah) only as a word for a town or city, in the general sense.

The Moroccan medinas, however, with their mazes of narrow lanes and worn-down facades, were a new experience to me. At that time though, to be frank, the Fez medina did not impress me at all. Little did I know, however, that two years later I would find myself living in the second largest city of Morocco, in a house right in the middle of the huge and confusing medina. If someone would have foretold my future, I’d have surely laughed.

The post Medina of Fez: Finding Serenity and Huge Touristic Potential in Its Hidden Beauty appeared first on Morocco World News.

By Mary Mimouna

Marrakech - Riem El Kadiri, a 16-year-old Moroccan teenager from Marrakesh, has won the world title in an international beauty pageant held on March 5 this year in Beirut, Lebanon. This year’s competition had 21 girls from different countries, with viewers from all over the world calling in their votes.

“When I first entered this contest, I never dreamed I would win! When the director called us to fly to Lebanon because I was one of the four finalists, I just couldn’t believe it. I felt excited on the plane, and it was the first moment I began to think that maybe I could win! We arrived two days before the actual soiree. Since winning, I’ve been doing live interviews for TV channels, and photo shoots for magazines.” Other finalists were from Ukraine, Venezuela, and Iran.

[caption id="attachment_183406" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Riem El Kadiri, Winning the World 2016 Title for Miss Teen International, in Beirut Lebanon, on March 5, 2016[/caption]

Riem never participated in any beauty pageant before. “I only entered at the urging of my mother and other people in Lebanon (where we had gone on vacation a few months ago), who kept telling my mother, ‘Your daughter should participate! She is so beautiful; she really has a chance of winning.’ My mother has always been my biggest supporter. She told me I was beautiful, but I until now, I thought she said that just because she was my mom!”

The Miss Teen International Beauty Pageant, for girls from all over the world, was first held in 1993 for girls between the ages of 13-18. This pageant was created to esteem young women more than other beauty pageants, by having higher standards. The beauty competition counts for 60 percent, while an interview competition counts for 40 percent.

[caption id="attachment_183409" align="aligncenter" width="633"] Winner Riem El Kadiri (left), posing with her mother (right)[/caption]

The beauty competition is divided into three areas: fitness wear, evening gown, and fun fashion wear. Instead of a swimming suit competition, Miss Teen International supplies fitness wear and fun fashion wear. In this part of the competition, “Each contestant will be judged on being physically fit, energetic, and healthy.” For the evening gown portion of the competition, contestants choose their own evening gowns (a photo of which is approved in advance). Contestants are judged on grace, poise, and elegance in their gowns. Several of the previous pageant winners have gone on to win Miss Universe competitions.

Riem’s evening gown was especially designed for her by a designer in Dubai, named Earnest, who has his own shop. Riem’s aunt lives in Dubai and is a designer herself, and located Earnest. Riem’s hair and makeup were done at Pacci and Lucci, a famous hair and beauty salon in Beirut.

Cindy McCain, one of Riem’s teachers at the American School posted on Facebook, “One of my students…So poised for a 10^th grader. We recently did a project on human rights and the topic she chose was child abuse, which she discusses (in the television interview). We are all so happy for her.”

Riem lived in Agadir before moving to Marrakesh when she was eight years old. Since that time, she has attended the American School of Marrakesh. Riem enjoys traveling and learning about different cultures, as well as learning new languages. She is fluent in three languages--English, French, and Arabic. Riem participates in theater, and likes horseback riding and playing tennis. She adores fashion in clothing. Riem loves animals and has three cats. She is a serious student who hopes to study politics and make a positive change in the world. Riem participates in Model UN and is concerned about child abuse and the rights of children as an international issue.

[caption id="attachment_183410" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Riem (right) with Miss Middle East 2015 (left)[/caption]

Riem has some words of encouragement for girls who are going through challenging times in their own lives. “Some people only associate with a small circle of friends, which keeps them from taking advantage of new opportunities. Everyone needs to be open to meeting new people and participating in new activities. If you can, travel and meet new people. Don’t allow negative people to have power over you. Just believe in yourself and in your own talents. Associate with supportive, successful people, and you, too, can become a success.”

[caption id="attachment_183413" align="aligncenter" width="645"] Lebanese Pop Singer and Model, Rola Saad (left, beige dress); Riem El Kadiri (center), 2016 Miss Teen International; and Dr. Hratch Saghbazarian, the most well-known plastic surgeon in Lebanon (right).[/caption]

The post Moroccan Teen Wins 2016 World Title for “Miss Teen International” appeared first on Morocco World News.

Taroudant - Pierre Bergé, the long-time life and business partner of the late Yves Saint Laurent, founder of a luxury fashion house, lashed out at western fashion companies for designing clothes appropriate for Muslim women.

During an interview with the French radio station Europe 1 on Wednesday, as reported by the Guardian, the 85-year-old mogul slammed designers who create Islamic clothing and headscarves, accusing them of taking part in the “enslavement of women”.

The French businessman said “I am scandalized,” as western fashion companies have begun catering to female shoppers in the Muslim world.

For Bergé, “Creators should have nothing to do with Islamic fashion” stressing that “Designers are there to make women more beautiful, to give them their freedom; not to collaborate with this dictatorship, which imposes this abominable thing by which we hide women and make them live a hidden life”.

Bergé accused brands marketing such Muslim collections of seeking only profit, inviting them to “Renounce the money and have some principles”.

However, the French businessman emphasized that he has nothing against Islam, adding, “I live in Morocco most of the time, I am really not Islamophobic”.

After the heated debate taking place in the world over Islamic dress, mainly the hijab, some international fashion designers provided collections that are apparently in line with the Islamic code of dress.

Dolce & Gabbana became the first major western brand to openly provide Islamic clothes for women, with its four-digit abayas. It included 14 abayas or ankle-length dresses, which it matched with oriental designs, embroidered headscarves and hijabs.

The Swedish giant H&M followed their lead, using a veiled Muslim woman in its advertising campaign.

The Japanese brand Uniqlo announced earlier this month that it would begin selling hijabs in its London stores.

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Rabat - Princess Lalla Salma, consort of Mohamed VI, King of Morocco; her son, Crown Prince Moulay Hassan; and her daughter, Princess Lalla Khadija, spent a weekend at the beach in Dakhla, a Moroccan travel destination popular among surfers and desert lovers alike.

The photos, which show the royal family in wetsuits, were published on the Hotel Dakhla Attitude Beach Club Facebook page.

According to the hotel's Facebook page, members of the royal family went kitesurfing during their stay in Dakhla.

The photos were posted on the Hotel Dakhla Attitude Beach Club Facebook page with a statement, which read “The hotel has the immense privilege and honor to receive the Royal Family. His Royal Highness Prince Moulay Hassan, her Royal Highness Princess Lalla Salma and her Royal Highness Princess Lalla Khadija are all spending their holiday in Dakhla.”

The statement continued, “All of the Dakhla Attitude staff is honored to have had the privilege to serve the Royal Family during their stay at Dakhla Attitude, where they have been practicing ?#?Kitesurfing, the sport that has put Dakhla on the map.”

In 2014, a video went viral on social media, showing Princess Lalla Salma shopping in Dakhla’s “souk” or traditional market, where she reportedly bought some traditional shoes and a “melhaf,” a decorated piece of fabric worn by local women.

The Moroccan peninsula is one of country’s most attractive venues for kitesurfing because it offers ideal conditions for the sport.

Last year, the French newspaper Le Figaro described the southern Moroccan city as a “successful tourist destination,” crediting its popularity due to its reputation as “a paradise for surfers but also a destination for lovers of the desert.”

The post In Pictures: Members of Royal Family Vacationing in Dakhla appeared first on Morocco World News.

Rabat - In 2013, the Instagram account “Followmetraveller” went viral for its picture series showing a woman taking a man’s hand and leading him through some of the world’s most recognizable and iconic landmarks.

As Forbes said, "the Instagram took over the world, literally."

On April 5th, Murad Osmann, the photographer responsible for the series, posted a picture of the woman, his girlfriend Natalia Zakharova, preceding him in Morocco’s Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou, near the desert city of Ouarzazate.

#followmeto Ait Benhaddou in Morocco with @natalyosmann. Specially for @natgeotravel Follow our travel account @followmetraveller for more pictures from our trips.

A photo posted by Murad Osmann (@muradosmann) on Apr 5, 2016 at 11:42am PDT

According to the photographer, two Moroccan soldiers approached the couple and tried to forbid them from taking the picture, which was to be for the U.S. magazine National Geographic.

“We ran across the Atlas mountains to catch a sunset...and while we were testing the angles, we were approached by two soldiers who forbids us to take the picture,” the photographer told the Huffington Post. “We only needed 5 minutes, but it was impossible to persuade them. that's why we had to wake up early in the morning and walk around this amazing city to find a place where no military could not see us.”

We only had one day to do this shot for @natgeotravel . Racing through the Atlas Mountains to catch a sunset. I changed the outfit to a local costume and we were testing the angles when we were approached by two military men who prohibited us to shoot. We only needed 5 minutes, but they were impossible to persuade. That is why we had to wake up early in the morning and walk around this amazing town to get a location where no military men could see us :).............................................................................. ? ??? ??? ????? ????, ??? ????, ????? ????? ???? #followmeto ??? National Geographic @natgeotravel . ?? ????? ????? ? ???? ?????, ????? ??????? ????? ? ?????? . ? ??????????? ? ???????????? ??????. ? ?? ????? ???? ? ??? ????????? ??????? ? ????????? ???????????????. M? ???????? ?? ?????????, ??? ??? ???? 5 ?????, ??? ?????? ???????, ??? ?? ?????????? ???? ?????.. ??? ???? ????????. ?? ???? ???? ????? ???????????, ?? ?????? ??????????? ?????????. ?? ????????? ????, ???? ????? ?? ????????? ???? ? ?????? ????? ? ?????????? ??? ?????!!!

A photo posted by Murad and Nataly Osmann (@followmetraveller) on Apr 5, 2016 at 1:08pm PDT

Osmann added that after the shoot, a Moroccan offerred them tea, sold them tea and informed them that the "Gladiator" movie was filmed in Ourzazate Film Studios. The Moroccan said American  actor Russell Crowe sat just  like them when he drink tea with her.

Over the past five years, Osmann, and Zakharova, have seen the rice fields in Bali, swam in the Singapore infinity pool, walked the streets of Barcelona, and visited countless other sites about which most people only dream.

We went to Morocco to shoot a story for National Geographic Traveler @natgeotravel . In between the shoots we were invited by a local woman, who poured us some tea, sold a carpet and told us that "Gladiator" movie was shot in that town and Russel Crow was sitting like us and drinking tea with her :) ........................................................................?? ?????????? ??????? ? ???????, ????? ??????? ???? ??? ??????? National Geographic America @natgeotravel . M???? ???????, ??? ?????????? ? ???? ? ??? ??????? ??????????: ??????? ????, ??????? ????? ? ??????????, ??? ? ?? ??????? ??????? ????? "????????? " ? ?????? ???? ????? ? ???, ??? ?? ??? ? ?? ??? ???)

A photo posted by Nataly Osmann (@natalyosmann) on Apr 5, 2016 at 1:00pm PDT

The pictures on the Osmann’s account are not all in the same format; some of the images are of Zakharova - also a Russian journalist - on a swing set or just enjoying herself in the environment of a country fresh to her senses.

The series, titled "Follow Me" on Murad's Instagram account, had almost four million followers at the time this article was released.

Osmanm told The Daily Mail UK that the first photo happened accidentally during the couple’s vacation in Barcelona.

"Nataly was a bit annoyed that I was always taking pictures of everything, so she grabbed my hand and tried to pull me forward," he explained."That said it didn't stop me from doing photos while she was pulling me. So that's how it all started."

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Rabat - The county of Mazagão - located in the Amapá state of Brazil -  will release a documentary later this year detailing the area’s relationship to Morocco. The city was settled by immigrants sailing from the North African country in the 18th century, according to Castanha, the company producing the film.

The lives of a 29-year old history teacher named Josiane Brito and a 48-year-old and farmer named Jozué Videira take center stage in the documentary as the pair witnesses the effects of immigration on their lives even though they were born in Brazil.

The film - shot in both Brazil and Morocco - is set in a district called Mazagão Velho, where the Portuguese and non-Arab Africans who sailed to Brazil landed and formed the first Portuguese colony in the country’s modern borders.

In March, the movie’s Canadian director, Gavin Andrews, and a producer spent four days in El Jadida - the coastal city in Morocco where the initial immigrants began their journey to Brazil once Portugal officially lost control of their stronghold of the city now known as “El Jadida.”

The director said he was drawn to the story because it is one of the main historical events of the state of Brazil in which he grew up. To learn more about the story, he travelled to El Jadida in 2002. 12 years later, Brazil’s national film agency, Ancine, announced an opportunity to put the story on screens nationwide. Last year, the agency approved the project and Andrews began shooting in Mazagão in January.

The Mazagão Velho community retells the story of this journey every year in a celebration called Party of São Tiago, which takes place in July. During the party, local actors perform a play depicting the post-8th century clashes between Portugal’s Christian forces and the Arab-Muslim defenders. 1000 years before the film’s main characters sailed across the Atlantic Ocean, Portuguese forces successfully gained control of lands temporarily governed by the Abbasid Empire.

Andrews said the portions of history shown in the annual “fiesta” are not related to the film now in post-production, because he already made an ethnographic documentary on Portugal’s 8th century conflict for the Institute of National Artistic and Historical Heritage.

The film’s director also said one of the purposes of the crew’s recent trip was so that they could hear the other version of the story belonging to the Arab-Muslims defending their land. What happened in the 18th century is that the Portuguese fled Morocco after losing control of the region, the filmmaker said.

During the team’s visit, the city of El Jadida organized an event inviting representatives from the local city hall and Brazil’s ambassador in Rabat, José Humberto de Brito Cruz.

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Rabat - A new study on cosmetics by a Moroccan marking company suggests that more than 40 percent of Moroccan woman spend less than 10 minutes a day to put on their make-up.

The study, conducted by Wemoove, also found that approximately six percent of women spend more than 20 minutes a day applying cosmetics and 23 percent spend between 10 and 20 minutes.

Out of the 328 women included in the study, more than a third of them were single and the rest were married.

Three percent of those surveyed said they applied make-up while travelling on a bus or another mode of transportation.

Roughly 40 percent of the women said they used lipstick the most often in their makeup routine, while 32 percent of respondents said they preferred mascara the most. 18 percent of women said they applied nail polish most regularly and 6 percent of them said blush was their favorite.

The study also measured the amount of money the Moroccan women spend on beauty products. The results showed that 32 percent of women buy between MAD 100 and 200 worth of cosmetics a month, while nine percent of those surveyed buy between MAD 200 and 300 of makeup and five percent spend more than MAD 300.

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Rabat - Peacefully nestled beneath the mind blowing tops of the Rif lies one of Morocco’s best kept secrets: Chefchaouen; an enchanting blue-washed city home to some of Morocco’s best artisans.

Aside form Chefchaouen’s notorious blue palette displayed on the charming buildings, the area has a great deal to offer to the many tourists that decide to pay the mountain city a visit.

From exploring the religious reasons behind the pastel blue color, to embarking on hikes for a thereupon well deserved bathe in mountain streams and a delectable Moroccan tagine dish.

Chefchaouen seems to have it all. The affordable tourist friendly city is the perfect blend of authentic and eventful; an absolute must visit.

[caption id="attachment_184168" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Small store in the Medina selling everything from argan oil to perfume soaps[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_184141" align="aligncenter" width="639"] One of the medina’s many powder blue washed streets[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_184142" align="aligncenter" width="768"] Blue washed streets of Chefchaouen in it’s spring bloom[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_184143" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] Colorful powder paint that gives the city its charm[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_184144" align="aligncenter" width="768"] View of Chefchaouen from the Spanish Mosque[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_184151" align="aligncenter" width="1197"] Authentic rugs being sold and made in the medina Chefchaouen[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_184145" align="aligncenter" width="1616"] More exquisite rugs[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_184149" align="aligncenter" width="641"] Vibrantly colored beach bags hanging over the picturesque medina[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_184147" align="aligncenter" width="641"] Long lasting all purpose soap perfumes in the most wonderful scents[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_184150" align="aligncenter" width="1197"] Homemade fragrant all purpose oils[/caption]

© Morocco World News. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

The post In Pictures: The Moroccan Blue Pearl You’ll Be Dying to Visit appeared first on Morocco World News.

Rabat - I walk through the Rabat Medina, bucket in one hand, my newly bought savon noir in the other, anxious about my approaching Moroccan hammam experience. I arrive at Hammam Laalou, one of the many bathhouses modeled after ancient Roman baths in Rabat.

A cultural staple for centuries, hammams come in all shapes and sizes. Some will be made up of small tiled rooms, announced by a faded “Sunsilk” sign, whereas others, more ostentatious, consist of hot marble steam rooms where clients lounge on raised circular platforms.

I have been told that the hammam is deeply rooted in everyday communal life. A trip to the hammam is customarily completed on a weekly basis by many Moroccans. On a balmy Tuesday evening, I decide to pay Hammam Laalou a visit for MAD 10, handing over an additional handful of change in exchange for ash brown henna powder.

In the small, vaguely defined changing area, I hesitantly strip down to my undies, clutch my petite towel and carefully leave my belongings behind the counter. Convincing myself that I have mastered the art of integration and don’t look like a tourist is useless – this experience is foreign to me and everyone here knows it.

It’s only April, and bikini season hasn’t officially started, I reassure myself as I enter the hammam, slightly intimidated by the comfortably seated women and what they might be thinking of me. Rather than the judgment I feared, the hammam appears to encourage self love. I tip toe my way around buckets, seated women and drifting icebergs of foam to place my mat in the room next to my bucket filled with warm water.

Not quite knowing how to position myself, I look around. I see friends crouching together, scrubbing each other wearing nothing but a coat of henna powder mixed with their savon noir. They speak, giggle and laugh as they share their weeks’ worth of gossip. It’s a striking sight.

A woman then approaches my mat. Without saying much, she takes me and my bucket to another room, where I am told to lie on my stomach. I find comfort in the warmth the room provides but my body language still reveals distress. The scrubbing begins. My body is arranged in positions that rival those of an intense game of Twister. The feeling is foreign but friendly, treading the fine line between pain and pleasure. It takes about 20 minutes until my body is red and numb, authentic black soap soaking into the newly opened pores.

I spend another 20 minutes enjoying the warm water that is poured over me. The atmosphere is calm and comforting. I feel so exfoliated I begin to doubt whether I have ever really properly washed myself before coming to this hammam. As I re-enter the changing rooms and slip back into my dress, I realize how comfortable and relaxed I feel. Surrounding me, women put on vividly colored onesies and pajamas and place their wet belongings in their buckets. I can’t help but smile. “Nchofk 9rib,” or “see you soon,” I say to the lady at the counter as I depart the hammam already excited about my next visit.

© Morocco World News. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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Rabat - Tangier is “undergoing a turnaround,” a recent article in the New York Times said of King Mohammed VI’s “prized” city.

The article released on Friday cites the coastal city’s new infrastructure developments - including a “huge” new port, a high-speed rail line connecting the city to Casablanca, and “facelifts” for monuments and museums - as evidence of the revival of the city.

After highlighting aspects of the Tangier’s “global return”, the article describes an itinerary for a 36-hour stay in the city.

The weekend stay starts on Friday with a tour of Boulevard Pasteur, or La Boulevard, known for its Art Deco aesthetic and rows of coffee shops and book stores. One book store in particular, called Librairie des Colonnes, was specifically mentioned due to its owner - Pierre Berge, the former romantic and business partner of the French fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent - and its range of books available in many languages.

Later that day, the article urges visitors to sip coffee at the Gran Cafe de Paris and the Cinémathèque de Tanger, which hosts an independent movie theater, among other essential amenities.

For dinner, a seafood meal at Saveur de Poisson and drinks afterwards at Rue Magellan were recommended.

Tourists should visit the open-air coffee shop Cafe Hafa in the morning to take in the the view of shores of Spain across the Strait of Gibraltar. Next, the article recommended visiting the markets on Rue Sebou and Rue des Almohades to shop for artisanal goods and the Kasbah Museum.

After finishing out Saturday night at El Morocco Club, the itinerary suggests travellers to take a good night’s rest and relax at the beach on Sunday before their flight home.

The post New York Times Documents “Global Return” of Tangier appeared first on Morocco World News.

Rabat -  Princess Lalla Salma on Monday inaugurated the retrospective exhibition of Alberto Giacometti at the Mohammed VI Museum of Modern and Contemporary Arts in Rabat.

Held under the High Patronage of King Mohammed VI on April 20 through September 4, the exhibition is the opportunity to discover the career and the singular style of this artist (1901-1966).

Upon her arrival at the museum, Princess Lalla Salma reviewed a detachment of the Auxiliary Forces who made the honors before being greeted by Minister of Economy and Finance, Mohamed Boussaid, Minister of Culture, Mohamed Amine Sbihi, and French Minister of State for European Affairs, official representative of the President of the French Republic, Harlem Désir.

Her Royal Highness was also greeted by French Minister of State for State Reform, Jean-Vincent Placé, France's Ambassador in Morocco, Jean-François Girault, Ambassador of the Swiss Confederation in Morocco, Massimo Baggi, President of the National Museums Foundation, Mehdi Qotbi, President of the Giacometti Foundation, Olivier Legrand, wali of the Rabat-Salé-Kenitra region, Abdelouafi Laftit, and other Moroccan and foreign figures.

Afterwards, HRH Princess Lalla Salma visited the exhibition, accompanied by Director of the Giacometti Foundation and curator of the exhibition, Catherine Grenier, Chargé of research at the Giacometti Foundation and associate curator of the exhibition, Serena Bucalo Mussely, and assistant museum curator, Hind El Ayoubi.

The Alberto Giacometti retrospective exhibition is held at the "Farid Belkahia" exhibition hall in a chronological journey that highlights the main themes of the reflection of the artist from Paris to Stampa (from traditional sculpture to Parisian avant-gardes) up to the mature works through Africa in the works of Giacometti.

On this occasion, a catalog and a commemorative postal stamp of the exhibition were presented to Princess Lalla Salma, who posed for a souvenir photo with members of the Giacometti Foundation and the Mohammed VI Museum of Modern and Contemporary Arts.

With MAP

The post Princess Lalla Salma Inaugurates Retrospective Exhibition of Alberto Giacometti appeared first on Morocco World News.

By Camille Smith

Rabat - No matter where in the world you decide to move, if it’s not your home country, you’re bound to go through some culture shock. Adjusting to these new norms can be both equally exciting and difficult. That’s how I and some of my other American peers found it when we came to Morocco almost 3 months ago to study. Here are 8 things I found the most surprising when I moved here.

Medinas

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The first time I stepped into a medina I was so overwhelmed and mystified at the same time. I couldn’t believe the variety of incredible things that were at my disposal throughout this big marketplace. I also couldn’t believe how everyone knew where to go! It took me weeks to feel comfortable navigating the crowded, winding, roads. Even now I still get lost.

Cats

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Cats. Everywhere. The number of cats was actually one of the first things that struck on my first day in Morocco. The only time you see cats in the US is when it’s someone’s pet. Rarely do you see strays on the streets. Even then, a lot of Americans will take in strays and make them pets of their own. 

Scammers

This one we definitely run into more as tourists. When visiting a new city and not knowing your way around quite yet, it’s hard to avoid the multiple men that will come up to you and offer you to take you to your place of stay for free. While at first we assumed this was just kindness, most of us quickly learned that these people would try to corner us and demand money afterwards or get us lost and try to get us to buy things from their shops.

Tea

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So much tea! Americans tend to drink lots of iced black tea. I personally prefer mine unsweetened. You can imagine my surprise when I tried Moroccan tea for the first time, which is loaded with sugar. I didn’t think I’d come to like it much, but now I can’t imagine my daily routine without it! In fact, I don’t know if I’ll be able to make the switch back when I go home.

Late Dinner

[caption id="attachment_184551" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] Jack Stanovsek[/caption]

And with that, how much food you’re given as a guest. Sometimes, back in the States, I eat dinner around 5:30 or 6:00 PM. Here, sometimes my host mom doesn’t put dinner out until 10:30! You really have to insist you’re full, too. Even then, your host probably won’t stop putting food on your plate until you’ve said it about 5 times more. It’s all in good hospitality, though.

Desserts

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We tend to think of dessert as rich chocolate cake, pie, or ice cream. It’s strange here to be offered “dessert” and then handed a banana or an orange. Fruit alone is certainly not the American concept of dessert (even if it is healthier.)

Everything is Cheap in Comparison

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Especially food and travel costs. You can get dinner here for the equivalent of 2 or 3 USD. Taxis are ridiculously cheap and abundant. As someone who lives in Chicago and is used to frequently taking Uber, what it would normally cost me to get to work at home ($15) costs me maybe 20 dirham ($2) here. The trains are a great option, too, which is something we don’t have at the same convenience or price at home. Traveling a distance like Rabat to Casablanca for only about $3 is unheard of!

Morocco’s Beauty

From its beaches, to the desert, to everyday architecture, Morocco’s beauty is unparalleled to anything we have in the US. I’m truly going to miss the breathtaking mosques, views of Atlantic, sunshine, and palm trees. Though many things have surprised me during my stay here, and perhaps everything wasn’t as I imagined, the best part of Morocco so far has been its vibrant, unpredictable personality. You never know what hidden beauties or surprises you may run into. I’ve been so fortunate and happy to call Morocco my second home for this short time, and I look forward to coming back again someday.

© Morocco World News. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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By Jamal Laoudi

Washington D.C. - We may find ourselves pondering concepts that may be bigger than us sometimes, only to find out that as a race, we have been grappling with them since day one.

Destiny comes to mind. It is an abstract concept with an aspect of phantasm that makes it very alluring. The notion that there is a hidden power that controls all future outcomes and nothing will prevent those outcomes from materializing is quite intriguing.

The goal here is not to embark on a journey trying to explore the concept of destiny, its relations to us, or how it has been viewed and perceived over time. The idea is to look at one of its popular applications at a specific place and moment in time.

In some cultures, there is a prevalent belief that any and everything that happens to us is predestined. You lose someone, predestined; you get into a car accident, predestined; you work hard and it pays off, predestined. In other words, “the individual is merely driftwood on the waves. It is ridiculous to fight against the relentless law of fate.”

On that basis, you could drive a car blindfolded and hurt someone in the process yet, since it is destiny, it would be wrong, offensive, and even immoral to hold you accountable.

You could have a vision to start a business, plan out for it, work hard, save money and gather resources, find investors, and finally set it up, and succeed. Well, your efforts really did not have much to do with the success, it was meant to be.

You could be deciding between buying model A vs. model B car, and upon arrival at the dealership, you happen to find a car in model A in your favorite color. The choice has, therefore, been made for you, thanks to destiny. Let’s shove the concept of “chance” aside.

What is interesting with this type of understanding is that it leaves absolutely no room for taking responsibility for action or credit for effort. Our lives have already been completely mapped out for us. That begs this question: What responsibilities do we bear for our actions? What about choices we make? None according to the aforementioned understanding.

Muslim scholar, Mabrouk Atiy, provides an interesting perspective almost void of religion. In a nutshell, he explains that there are two types of destinies:

• What we don’t control:

This is about things you simply have no control over as in the color of your hair and your eyes, your height, the day you were born, the place you would die, so on and so forth. And absolutely, these things we simply have no control over.

• What we can control and influence:

These are things you have a say on. Do you buy a red car or a blue car? When you take vacation, do you go to place A or place B? Do you befriend such a person or not?

In other words, it is a Choice!!

So why are we quick to lean on destiny and confuse it with choice? Choice is tough because it brings with it the burden of responsibility and accountability. Is it that our survival instinct dictates so?

George Michael was spot on when he said “to the heart and mind, ignorance is kind. There's no comfort in the truth, pain is all you'll find.”

Photo by Marwa Errai/MWN

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Rabat - The minister of tourism is set to visit Dubai for a conference later this month to promote Morocco as a tourist destination for travelers originating in the Gulf region. 

"The consolidation of market share in the Gulf countries and the Middle East is one of the priorities of the Ministry of Tourism, which wants to strengthen, through its participation in the Dubai tourism fair, the visibility of Moroccan destinations,” a statement released by minister Lahcen Haddad on Friday said. "Gulf countries are among the high-value markets."

The trip will last from the 25th to the 28th of April in order to allow Haddad to attend the 23rd edition of the biggest regional tourism fair called Arabian Travel Market. Organizers expect nearly 21,000 visitors from 157 countries to visit and enjoy the over 2,700 industry-related exhibits the event will host.

The release quoted a statistic from the World Tourism Organization (WTO) which suggested that nearly 51 million Gulf citizens travel every year, with the number growing at an average rate of 4.7 percent every year between 2005 and 2014.

Morocco welcomed 198,229 of the millions of Gulf travelers in 2014 and aims to increase that number by 10 percent to 224,200 visitors from the region by the end of this year, Haddad said.

"The challenge is to develop the market of Dubai which holds great potential for Morocco,” the minister said. “[We need to] highlight Morocco as a safe destination that offers globally recognized hotel brands, quality service, high-value niches such as golf, MICE, shopping, culture, among others amenities."

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