the #mausoleum of #moulay #idriss II – the #founder of #fes #morocco
the #university of al #karaouine / al #quaraouiyine considered the #oldestcontinuously operating, #degree-granting university in the #world
founded in 859 by a #woman – fatima al #fihri who #migrated from the #tunisian #city of #kairouan
more photos here.
#zaouia #sidi #ahmed #tijani is an #islamic #complex for #education and #commemoration dedicated to the #founder of the 18th century #tijaniyyah#sufi #tariqa – #sheikh #ahmed al #tijani who was originally from the #senegal and is #buried here
it is located in fes’s #old #medina and has stunning #ornamented #facades
visit to the famous #fes #tanneries where #leather is produced and #dyedby going through a process of being soaked in a #limestone mixture, scraped, washed, naturally dyed and dried
the #smell can be overwhelming and the work seemed arduous and #hazardous with not much protection
we were told people who work in tanneries are #paid well but their #working #conditions could certainly improve
more photos here.
visit to the #jewish #mellah and the aben danan #synagogue built in the 17th century
#spectacular #views of the #medina of #fes and then on to the #tamegroute #pottery #cooperative where one can buy #moroccan pottery directly from #artisans
got to try some delicious kaab el ghazal or #gazelle #horns #cookies
#crescent-shaped and filled with #almond paste #rosewater and #honey
more photos here.
breakfast at our #riad yacout situated in #fes’s #medina near bab bou jeloud or the #bluegate
the medina of fes was founded by #moulay #idriss II in the 9th century, not long after #islam came to #morocco
fes reached its #zenith in the 13th and 14th centuries
we visited the entrance to the #royal #palace which was built in the 13th century during the reign of the #merinides #dynasty
the main entrance was #restored in the 1970s
it has 7 #brass #doors
80 feet high they #symbolize the 7 days of the #week or perhaps the #gates to the 7 #heavens
more photos here.
the #plateaus between the parallel ranges of the #atlas #mountains are incredibly rich and #fertile
covered by a bright velvety #green that reminded me of #sicily’s #lushness
there are #olives of course but also plenty of #orange #orchards
we stopped at a roadside stall and bought some for our trip – extravagantly #sweet
a #family picture as we approached the atlas mountains and one of my husband with our fabulous personal #guide on this #adventure across morocco – hicham
more photos here.
the #jebala or #arab #mountain people who live in #morocco’s northwest reminded me of the #andean people of #southamerica – the #textiles, tallish #hats, constructed #terraces, #agriculture and #herding – the same rigorous #work #ethic with active participation from #women
morocco has more than 700,000 hectares of #olive #orchards which it aims to double by next year
we visited a traditional olive #press in the #rif mountains
more photos here.
main square or #place outa el hammam #chefchaouen#morocco
more photos here.
early morning #breakfast on the terrace of our riad dar lbakal in #chefchaouen
best #omelette ive had in years, local black #olives, homemade #bread, fresh goat #cheese, real #honey and apricot jam, and the most fragrant slightly bitter delicious locally pressed olive #oil
the #bluewashed #city of chefchaouen is located in the #rif #mountains
its old #medina is a mixture of #moroccan and #andalusian #architecture
we went to see the small #waterfall of ras el maa and climbed up a mountain to get wonderful views of the city
more photos here.
#casbah des #udayas is located on the edge of the #bouregreg #river near the city of #salé
it has been the #citadel of the #alhmohads, #merinids and #andalusians in #rabat
it is now full of old #bluewashed homes #narrow alleyways pottery studios and a stunning terrace that looks down at the river
more photos here.
the #andalusian #garden in #rabat is ‘sheltered by high #crenelated walls dotted with morning #glories, its #terraces full of different #shrubs (#lemontrees, #oleander) and #flowers’
#respite #birdsong #orange #trees and the #comforting sounds of #kids playing #outdoors, all in the middle of a #busy #capital #city
more photos here.
visit to #hassan II #mosque or la grande mosquée in #casablanca – #largestmosque in #africa and the #tallest #minaret
during #ramadan some 30,000 people #pray inside the mosque and 80,000 outside
walk along the #boardwalk with #beautiful #views of the #atlantic #oceanand then a #steaming #seafood #paella at a #seaside #restaurant
more photos here.
stuck in #montreal for the day after we missed not one but two #flights – thx #aircanada
got to #walk around old montreal: #notredame #basilica#placejacquescartier near the #port and then #latte and #puffs #chocolat#noisette at #mrpuffs – puffs don’t #taste like #donutholes but rather like #frieddough #crispy on the #outside and #airy on the inside
more photos here.
“panorama” the new episode of the romanoffs is a love letter to mexico city. the zócalo, diego rivera’s mural at the palacio nacional, teotihuacan, the unending layers of history, archeology, and culture. reminded me of our unforgettable time there, 3 years ago. loved the last scene. with a song by regina spektor.
palacio nacional, 2015
Dinner with the brilliant Mohammed Rabiu Abubakari and Noura Erakat at Binghamton University’s conference on Weaponizing People, before the screening of A Thin Wall. Funny that I missed Noura when she came to Rochester only to connect with her here in Binghamton. So cool to complain about Wajahat Ali whilst discussing our work and future projects 🙂
