morocco, goatskin leather,

morocco, goatskin leather, dyed on the grain side and boarded by hand or machine to bring up the grain in a bird's-eye effect. It probably originated with the Arabs in North Africa as an alum-tanned product typically dyed red. The process later spread to the Levant, to Turkey, and along the Mediterranean, where sumac was used for tanning. Today the term is also applied to chrome-tanned goat leather whether boarded or embossed to show the characteristic grain; it is often crushed and glazed. Hard, but pliable, it is valued especially for bookbindings and purses. Levant morocco is larger grained; French morocco is a sheepskin imitation.



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Moroccan food, a cuisine my ladyfriend

We went to enjoy some Moroccan food, a cuisine my ladyfriend talks about often after spending a couple weeks there working with children in hospitals. She got to step down memory lane and talk about the good and the bad she saw, people with hope and an ability to find joy in the smallest things to families who had to travel 10 hours or more to reach the nearest hospital and then unable to find an affordable place to stay while their loved one received medical care. 

Sorry for the tangent, our waiter was Moroccan and was more than happy to talk about his native country, he also had a passion for soccer. I drank probably 3 whole teapots of the Moroccan mint tea by myself. Fun fact, you are supposed to try and pour into your cup from as high as possible without spilling to create bubbles and show the proper color of the tea for maximum enjoyment.
I had the lamb cous cous, the lamb was braised  to the tender point where the meat fell off the bone with the slightest tug. The almonds, carmelized onions, and raisins were all really good together. My girlfriend got a vegetarian cous cous and it was light on the vegetables.
Really good, affordable food from a cuisine I love more every time I experience.


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Volunteering in Morocco: Arrival Procedure in Rabat

A member of Projects Abroad staff meets volunteers at Casablanca or Rabat airports. Rabat airport is a short taxi ride away from the city center, whereas Casablanca is at least a one hour taxi ride from Rabat. The staff member will be waiting for you in the arrivals area holding an A4-sized laminated 'Projects Abroad' sign. You will then travel by taxi to your host family in the Medina district - the area within the walled part of the city - where you will be introduced and will spend some time settling in.

Volunteering in Morocco: Orientation and Induction

Your induction will depend on what time your fight arrives. If you arrive in the morning, a member of staff will usually give you your induction that afternoon; if you arrive in the late afternoon or evening you will receive your induction the following morning. You'll be shown - among other important sites and landmarks - internet cafés, the post office, where to change your money, and how to get to each place from your host family. You will also be introduced to the other volunteers in Morocco who will be very excited and eager to meet the newest volunteer. You will then be taken to our office in the Agdal District of Rabat and a member of staff will go through the Morocco Handbook with you and all necessary safety and security measures.

Depending on the time and your program, you may be introduced to your placement during that afternoon. If not, we will pick you up and take you the next day. Whenever it happens, you'll be taken from your host family on public transportation to give you a chance to test out the route and see the landmarks. You will need to cover the cost of your journey to and from work. Most volunteers travel to work by shared taxi or local bus, which costs on average less than 75 cents per journey.

All volunteers stay with host families. All our host families are based in the Medina district, within the huge peach walls of the old city. Most families live in the traditional riads, with inner courtyards and a maze of staircases leading you up to big, cool rooms. There is usually beautiful tiling in the public areas and cushions, which circle around the walls of the entire room. Volunteers will get an authentic Moroccan homestay experience.

Host families can speak Arabic and French. There is usually one member of the family who can speak English and this is likely to be one of the children. Vegetarians can be easily catered for.

Our Projects Abroad office in based in the Agdal District. Agdal is a very safe area and lies just north of the center of town. It is very accessible, being on regular bus routes and is easy to find as it is just two streets away from a large mosque called Mosque Badr - a perfect landmark. The office has a bathroom, kitchen, hall and two rooms – including one for the volunteers. The volunteer room has tables and chairs and a library of over 150 teaching-aid books that can be used by our teaching and care volunteers.

Morocco has the four usual seasons. Between November and March, volunteers should bring a sweater and jacket with them as it can get chilly, especially in the evenings. There is more chance of rain during the winter months. By height of the summer - July-August - temperatures can reach over 90 degrees Farenheit.

At the end of your placement we will arrange your journey back to Rabat or Casablanca airports by taxi.morocco culture,moroccan food,morocco food,moroccan cuisine,morocco beaches,moroccan meal,beaches in morocco,moroccan culture,hercules cave,hercules cave morocco

Interesting Facts About Life in Morocco

Interesting Facts About Life in Morocco

Fez el Bali - the old, walled city of the imperial of Fez -  is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is believed to be the world's largest contiguous car-free urban area.
Phoenician traders settled the coasts of Morocco more than 2,500 years;  early substantial settlements of the Phoenicians included Chellah, Lixus and Mogador.
The Alaouite Dynasty is the current Moroccan royal family.  Founded by Moulay Ali Cherif who became Sultan of Tafilalt in 1631, the Alaouites claim descent from Muhammad through the line of Faṭimah az-Zahrah, Muhammad's daughter, and her husband, the Fourth Caliph Ali ibn Abi Ṭalib.
Eating couscous on Friday is a tradition practiced throughout Morocco.
The University in Fes, founded in 859 AD, claims to be the oldest university in the world.
Spain is only nine miles north of Morocco, easily accessible via ferryboat across the Straits of Gibraltar.
Morocco has a number of stone circles, which may prove links to the megalithic cultures of Atlantic Europe (Brittany, Ireland and Britain).
Approximately nine million tourists visited Morocco in 2010.



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Moroccan food abroad

Moroccan food abroad

Couscous is one of the most popular Berber North African dishes globally. Markets, stores and restaurants in Europe, especially in France and lately the UK feature lamb tajines, bastilla, and couscous.
Paula Wolfert, prolific American author of 9 cookbooks (2 on Moroccan cuisine), helped enable Moroccan-Americans to enjoy their native cuisine with ease. She appeared on the Martha Stewart Show to demonstrate cooking in clay. The first Moroccan book was published in 1973 is still in print and was added to the James Beard Hall of Fame in 2008. The second Moroccan book came out last year and just won the James Beard Best International Cookbook of 2011.
Raised between Fez and San Sebastian, Chef Najat Kaanache has served as an unofficial Culinary Ambassador of Morocco, sharing Moroccan flavors and cooking techniques with many of the world's top chefs during her pilgrimage through the best restaurant kitchens of Spain, Denmark, Holland and the US.


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New Medina of Casablanca

HERITAGE Three names for one city…The origin of the city of Casablanca is very vague, the history of the white city is a reflection of it’s personality; a mysterious place with rich ethnic and cultural mixing and a rapid economic success.
Anfa
Some say Anfa was founded by the Romans, others by the Phoenicians or Berbers. One thing is certain, the spelling ‘Anfa’ has rarely been the same : Niffe, Anafe, Anife, Anafa or Nafe. The origin could come from the Arabic word ‘Anf’, which means nose, or the Berber word ‘Anfa’ meaning hill.
 Several dynasties came and went from the 12th to 15th centuries, until a brief period when it was inhabited by pirates. To avenge the damage done by those from Anfa, the Portugese decided to destroy the city. Anfa experienced three centuries of near abandonment, until the arrival of the Alawite Sultan Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah.
Dar El Beida
The Sultan decided to restore the city to its former glory. He moved there and built a mosque, a hammam, madrasa and other institutions essential to ensure the smooth running of a city. The city was then re-named ‘Dar El Beida’, eager to make a port of international importance, he built a fortified stronghold and walls (the scala). After opening the port to Europe in 1830, trade with Spain became regular. That is how the city got the name “ Casa Blanca”, translation of Dar El Beida.

Casablanca
The city became an important port on an international level, it also became an important economic centre in charge of export, import and manufacturing. The population grew significantly, with rural traders from all over Morocco, settling in the city. It is now the economic capital of the country!


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Marrakesh, Morocco: A picture of the kasbah

Marrakesh, Morocco: A picture of the kasbah
Camera in hand, Sara Evans rises at dawn to witness the ancient morning rituals of Marrakesh’s Djemma el-Fna square.

'Stalls are packed with babouche slippers the colours of Opal Fruits, gleaming golden lanterns and vibrant hand-woven rugs' Photo: GETTY
By Sara Evans11:02AM BST 15 Apr 2009
In the pre-dawn breeze palm tree leaves shiver. By the pool, last night’s still-burning tea lights make a soft golden halo above the water. Guests sleeping peacefully in the nearby rose-stained pavilions remain unaware of my presence as I tiptoe past the pool towards the terraced area of the Amanjena, a secluded resort widely held to be one of Marrakesh’s most beautiful places to stay.
With the glow from the candles, I can make out the reddish silhouette of north Africa’s tallest mountain range – the High Atlas – which tower over Marrakesh creating a protective rocky cradle that buffers the region from the climatic extremes of the Sahara to the south.
The mountains seem to protect Amanjena, too. Arabic for “peaceful paradise”, Amanjena is a cornucopia of antique Berber crafts, Moroccan luxuries and elegant rooms with sunken fireplaces, domed ceilings, embellished metal lanterns, bronze-burnished fittings and spacious rooms clothed in pale apricot, sunset pink and burned rouge fabrics – the colours of Morocco itself.
During my stay, I have been treated like a princess. Except for one thing – most princesses don’t get up before the birds


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