This is the first in a series of travel posts documenting my thoughts and experiences traversing Morocco... Two cities, two friends and an eagerness to explore.
Touchdown
Airport architecture is funny because it is the first impression foreigners get of the city they are about to meet. Being such, it is the perfect opportunity to understand how the city wants to be perceived...
The extension pictured here at Menara, which is designed by E2A Architecture, stands rooted to Moroccan traditions. Design choices, such as the photovoltaic lights on the roof, double as a means to create shadowy mosaic patterns across the interior surfaces. Screened glass panels create a variable transparency, offering a chance to steal glimpses through to the outside. Touching on Islamic traditions, the structure is geometrically articulated throughout.
Having filled our eyes, we stepped outside to hail a taxi. Or rather get hailed by one. The driver dropped us off in the medina, where our first challenge was to find our riad..!
"I'll show you"
Unless your sixth sense is GPS, or you are a man, strangers in a strange land sometimes resort to asking locals for directions. There are two things that could happen at this point.
- a local will point you in the right direction, then offer to show you their pottery or spice shop
- they will "show you" the way
The first situation can be quite pleasant and interesting, before you have been in several spice shops and can recite all the spices by scent. There is no obligation to buy, but it can be difficult to avoid if, like me, you're susceptible to shopaholism and warm quickly to accommodating strangers.
The second situation requires a bit of caution as, what appears to be a kind gesture, often comes at a price. Depending on your budget, this may or may not matter very much. The best advice here is to be clear up front that you are not prepared to pay for directions; they will likely help you anyway. Of course, we weren't this savvy on arrival in the medina, but never mind, we arrived at our riad eventually...
Riad Itry is located about a half hour's walk from Djemaa el Fna, the city's central square. A good distance away to allow trekkers to explore the narrow souks and areas a little less touristic and a little more local.
Riads are typical Moroccan houses designed around a central courtyard or garden. Their design in this way serves a purpose to maintain privacy in the household, whilst keeping it shady and cool. The design works well for use as a hostel, gathering like-minded travellers in a central chill-out space that each room has direct visual and vocal access to. Chatting to each other from different floors becomes second nature.
A fountain is the feature of the ground floor, and acts to provide a natural air-conditioning for the space. There are no windows except those facing off into the atrium which allow natural light to enter the rooms, reasserting the importance of privacy in design.
There is definitely a sense of community - I could even say family - here. The friendly and helpful hosts made each return at the end of the day feel like coming back to a home. There is even the added homely touch of having to wait around to use the shower at busy times!
The icing on the cake, the roof terrace is open all day and night, and is perfect for the stargazing or the sun-watching among us. Beaut, isn't it?
Image courtesy of Lindsay Oldham
No comments:
Post a Comment