Morocco 2010, part 14 (Safi, El Jadida)
When I was planning my trip to Morocco in 2010, I mostly followed the UNESCO World Heritage List and some recommendations. However, in the case of the city of Safi, I used Moroccan fairy tales that I had read before the trip.
I have already mentioned that as a child I loved reading fairy tales from around the world, while the Moroccan ones were among my favourites. In one of those tales, the city of Safi was mentioned, known for the pottery produced there, while the plot of the tale was precisely on that topic. Visiting this city was made easier by the fact that Safi is located on the Atlantic coast and was directly on my way back to Casablanca.
To begin with, after a wonderful, mostly very peaceful morning spent in the exceptionally beautiful and picturesque Essaouira, I took a coach toward Safi. Here is a photo showing Essaouira fading behind me.
Also, here is a map below showing all the places I visited during this trip through Morocco.
While transferring to Safi, I also made the decision to spend two nights there. My trip through Morocco was slowly coming to its end and I was already tired from constantly moving around and hauling a big, heavy backpack. Since I wanted to visit the city of El Jadida, which is located between Safi and Casablanca, I first decided not to sleep there, but to go to El Jadida as a day trip (meaning, without the big backpack). On the other hand, I preferred the idea of spending two nights in Safi, a smaller and quieter city compared to Casablanca.
During this transfer from Essaouira to Safi, I once again enjoyed the beautiful landscapes I passed through. My photos offer a glimpse into just a small part of this region of Morocco.
I also recorded a short video. I'm commenting on something in it, but that's not important at all. What matters is to enjoy the beauty of this part of Morocco's Atlantic coast.
As it turned out, the hotel I chose in Safi gave me a room that was about 10 sq. m in size and a terrace of around 100 sq. m! Of course, I’m exaggerating a little, but the proportions were more or less accurate. On the other hand, from the terrace I had a view of the Atlantic Ocean, as well as of the local seagulls enjoying the calm water in the pool.
Without any particular rush, I headed towards the medina in Safi, passing by some interesting and beautiful spots in the newer part of the city along the way.
Along the way, I stopped by an internet café, and after checking my email, I reached the entrance to the medina.
Here, by the spacious square on the Atlantic coast, stands the Bab El Maasra gate, as well as the Sidi Boudhab Mausoleum.
However, although Safi has interesting places and landmarks that are certainly worth visiting, the city is primarily considered the centre of Moroccan pottery, which is even shipped from here across the entire country where it can be seen and purchased.
I have always loved pottery, but at that time I hadn’t yet practiced it myself to be fully appreciative if peeking into workshops and seeing how the true masters work. So, I simply enjoyed the beauty of the items displayed here within the specialised souk. Although I would have gladly bought at least half of the exhibited pieces, considering that a few years earlier I had brought home quite a few pottery items from Tunisia, here I bought only a very modest pair of small bowls. Not because I needed them, but because I couldn’t resist.
Since I’m mentioning pottery, in Morocco, as well as in the Middle East and North Africa, there is a dish called tajine/tagine, which is also the name of the set of earthenware pots in which this dish is traditionally cooked. Specifically, there is the lower, round part like a shallow pan, and the upper part shaped like a cone that ensures all the steam during the cooking condenses back into the food.
So, I did not bring a ceramic tajine from Morocco (I couldn’t really use it on my stove), but that doesn’t mean I haven’t prepared this delicious dish in a pot with a good lid, which also ensures that all the steam during the cooking returns to the food. Here is the recipe:
CHICKEN TAJINE
- Spices: 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 lemon
- 4 cloves of garlic
- about 1.5 kg chicken drumsticks and thighs
- 1 large onion
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 350 ml chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 3 carrots
- 100 g green olives (pitted)
- fresh coriander leaves
Combine all the spices and set aside. Grate the lemon, finely chop the garlic, and set aside.
Separate the drumsticks and thighs, then season the meat with salt and pepper to taste. Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pot (with a good lid, as it’s important to simmer everything without steam escaping). Place the chicken pieces in a single layer (skin side down) until they get a nice colour, then turn the pieces and fry for another 4-5 minutes. Remove the chicken and set aside.
Add the onion sliced into half-moons to the pot, and sauté over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned (about 5-6 minutes). Add the chopped garlic, stir briefly and fry, then add the spice mixture and flour, stir again and fry briefly. Add the chicken broth, honey, and grated lemon zest, stirring well to loosen anything stuck to the bottom.
Return the chicken to the pot (along with all the juices), reduce the heat slightly, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes.
Add the carrots cut into slices about 1 cm thick, cover, and continue simmering for another 15 minutes.
Check if the chicken is cooked through and if the dish needs more salt. Then add the olives, chopped coriander leaves, and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Serve with couscous.
Speaking of food, back in Safi, I soon had to take care of eating because I was quite hungry. On the other hand, although a very strong wind was blowing again, it was sunny, the temperature was pleasant, and I didn’t feel like going into a restaurant and then hiding away in some back room to eat. So, along the way, I bought some savoury pastry, and then in one shop I bought a sweet pastry served with honey. I ate that while drinking tea.
Since such shops and kitchens are a “women’s domain,” it was quite fitting that I ate there and also had a sweet chat with a couple of local girls.
Then I continued wandering through the medina in Safi, filming along the way a gate that caught my eye.
Thus I arrived at the Bab El Kasbah gate, which I passed through in order to reach the Kasbah, or citadel, where a museum is now located.
Although at first glance everything seemed closed, I continued towards the presumed entrance. It turned out that the museum was indeed closed for renovations, but one part of it was still accessible, a small palace within the citadel, where a kind man gave me a brief tour and I was allowed to film.
There used to be the sultan’s bedroom, with a wooden ceiling made from cedar from the Atlas Mountains. This part also includes a reception room, as well as a hammam and a kitchen.
Even though the museum was closed, I was able to walk around a bit here and even climb to the top of the citadel, where I had an outstanding view of the inner courtyard housing the former sultan’s room, as well as parts of the kasbah and the Atlantic Ocean in the distance, since the citadel is built on an elevation.
After finishing my visit to the kasbah in Safi, I started heading back towards the coast, passing through an impressive avenue of trees as well as alongside the walls that surround the medina.
Having reached the coast, I found a convenient spot from which I could view the medina in Safi, while on the right side of the next photo, you can see the kasbah with its white walls atop the hill.
Besides being known for pottery, Safi is also an important Moroccan port, but because of the favourable conditions, the Portuguese built a large fortress here at the end of the 15th and beginning of the 16th century. The Portuguese didn’t stay long; they left in 1541, and the remains of the fortress can still be seen today. The main part of the fortress, Casr al-Bahr, was restored in 1963.
While walking here, I came across a boy climbing on the surrounding walls and ruins, and then he asked me if I would like to take his picture. Of course, I said yes.
He then came closer, looked at the photo on my camera, thanked me and then left. He was very sweet.
But in this part of Safi, by the ocean, I also enjoyed walking towards the remains of the Portuguese fortress.
Here I was thinking that if Essaouira was good for “Othello,” then this fortress in Safi would be perfect for “Hamlet.” Those were the associations I had.
The day was slowly coming to an end and the sun was getting ready to set soon. My hotel was relatively far from the coast, so I didn’t stay here for too long, but I still made one more picture of the street and houses running parallel to the shoreline.
By the time I returned to my room, the seagulls were ready to settle down for the night, so there were fewer of them by the pool now.
Soon the sun set and night began to fall, while the seagulls were no longer there.
But before I went to sleep, I took advantage of what the hotel offered – beer served in the room. To clarify right away: the two bottles were small.
The next day I wasn’t in any hurry at all, but I still woke up quite early. That didn’t bother me, as I occasionally went out onto the terrace, enjoyed the beautiful view, and also used the free time to read.
After breakfast, I went to the intercity coach station and took a coach to the city of El Jadida.
The distance between Safi and El Jadida is about 150 km and the coach takes around 2 hours to cover that distance. However, that didn’t bother me at all – actually, I enjoyed the fact that here I was travelling only with a small backpack. As for long bus rides – I was already used to them.
El Jadida is another important Moroccan port on the Atlantic coast, but what was much more interesting to me was the fact that the remains of the Portuguese fortified city of Mazagan are located there. This fortress is so significant that it is listed as a cultural heritage site on UNESCO’s World Heritage List.
Still, before going to the fortress, I first wandered through the streets of modern El Jadida, eventually reaching the shore; specifically at the long sandy beach of El Jadida.
I don’t know if this beach is used for swimming, but that day in El Jadida the wind was extremely strong, so I assume the rough water and strong wind create good conditions for windsurfing in any form. Still, it was a sunny day, so there were walkers on the beach despite the cold weather and strong wind; and, indeed, some entertainment was on offer as well.
From the beautiful promenade along the beach, I could see the old fortress in the distance which was my main destination for the day.
However, since it was already early afternoon, I was a bit hungry and thought it would be a good idea to first stop by a restaurant for lunch, and only afterwards begin exploring the important parts of El Jadida.
And that’s exactly what I did and it turned out to be an excellent meal.
El Jadida was founded by the Phoenicians in the 5th century BCE. However, what matters for the modern city is that the Portuguese arrived here at the beginning of the 16th century and built the first citadel in 1514, expanding it into a larger fortress with high walls by 1541. The Portuguese remained here until 1769, while Mazagan was their last territory in Morocco.
After the city was restored in the early 19th century by Moroccan sultans, the settlement’s name was changed to El Jadida, meaning “The New.” Following the establishment of the French Protectorate in Morocco in 1912, the city began to develop as a tourist destination.
The influences of all these events are still clearly visible in El Jadida today. After a wonderful lunch, I set out to walk through the city with the clear goal of reaching the Portuguese fortress. Along the way, I also saw some very beautiful buildings.
However, my main interest in El Jadida was precisely the fortress that has survived since the time of the Portuguese, so I reached the high walls and passed through a gate there to go further.
I’ll share more about exploring El Jadida in the next instalment of my travel stories from Morocco in 2010.