Morocco - Asilah

27th-29th April 2015

Rabat to Asilah: 3hrs on motorways.

In need of somewhere to stay just short of Tangier, we decided on the sleepy fishing village of Asilah.

Here we spent two comfortable nights in what is said to be one of the most artistic communities in Morocco. Conquered by the Portuguese in 1471, the old town boasts a well preserved Portuguese style old town with exhuberant displays of wall mural art and dramatic views over the coast.
This was our simplest arrival into anywhere in Morocco, we drove and parked right outside the door of 'Al Alba', our lodgings for our last two nights in Morocco
This was our only experience of a 'boutique' lodging, impeccably 'perfect', even with the boys in it there was a real serenity.

A spiral stairwell twisted through its center with a blue and white domed ceiling above.

The wet paint sign on the stairwell handrail was impossible to remember, we all tried to remove the blue paint tell-tale signs from our hands.

Breakfast was served in the ambient restaurant below. It was one of the more generous we had experienced, full of Moroccan treats, delicious. Cheese filled filo pastries with honey, yogurts, tomato compote, dates, moroccan pancakes(msemen, a flattened square-shaped rghaif) , preserves, cake ...

We had two lovely rooms side by side.

The result of playground deprivation. 

Unusually we were located just outside the medina, but it was a nice walk in. We passed the first and only playground we saw in Morocco. The kids were all over it in a flash. I think the magnitude and inventiveness of interaction with it was a little unexpected and unacceptable. The boys were soon reprimanded for jumping the watering sprinkler, it was probably the most action the supervisor had seen there for a while.

Oops, unacceptable behaviour.

The Medina entrance, another playground.

Walking through the medina was a little like walking through a living art gallery. Every August a group of painters collaborate and design a mural on the city walls. It results in a uniquely whimsical colourful medina, the walls provide the canvas, the artists provide the painting. Varied in nature, some are just doodles while others are quite elaborate.

Removed from the tourist fueled frenzy of Morocco's cities, Asilah's artistic Medina is small, clean and quiet enough to be thoroughly enjoyed.

Whimsical works.

As we returned we took a quick beach stop, mainly just a climb over the odd looking breakwaters.

Chris's office

Back at Al Alba, I decided to seize my last opportunity and have my first and only treatment in the hamman downstairs.

I opted for the least intimidating experience, a 'relaxing facial massage, ghassoul'. Quite an understatement, so relaxing that my stomach gurgled continuoiusly through it - I hoped the background ambient music covered it from the ears of my therapist. The entire facial was full of the most wonderful 'natural' aromas, the first mask gritty and exfoliating drying tight with the smells of argan oil and rose water , the second mask smooth and moisturising with the smells of honey and cucumber.

We enjoyed both dinners at Al Alba, we weren't going to top it. Cheese briuats with curry chards and blueberries, Harira cream with Moroccan sweet pastries, tuna ventresca salad with roasted peppers goats cheese and tomato confit, chicken bastilla - this is just a sample of the starters.

Unexpected delights of dinner.
Mint lamb kefta with hummus, almonds and dates.

Leaving Asilah.

Slightly nervous after our difficult entry into Morocco via Ceuta, it was a big relief to have a simple exit via Tangier. It was a pretty slow process as groups of 4-6 cars at a time had to be scanned by a rather scifi looking machine.  We exited our car while it scanned over the top and sides. Not surprisingly we weren't chosen for a boot inspection, opening our boot would have caused an avalanche, we were packed to bursting.
As we crossed the waters to Spain, Chris and I reflected a little on our time in Morocco, wondering if we will return someday to this dazzling and diverse country.

Leaving Morocco.
View of Tangier from the ferry.