Friday, March 14, 2008

Cafes



After all the excitement of rushing through all the doors in the world, we are sorely in need of refreshment.
The possibilities are endless.
This first pictures is of Cafe Negociant in Gueliz.
The man on the right is there every morning for several hours reading his news paper.



Some times I go to visit friends in the medina who put on an English tea in my honor.
However, if you look very carefully at the little pastries, you can tell we are still in Morocco.



We spend way too much time at Cafe France in Place Djemma ElFna.
The orange juice is wonderfully fresh and we can watch the world go by.



The Cafe at the Musee de Marrakech is a little more peaceful and out of the way.
The hot chocolate there is very good.



This cafe is exactly opposite Cafe Negociants on the corner of Boulevard Mohammed V and Boulevard Zerktouni.
I like the woman relaxing with her face turned to the sun.



Cafe Solaris is Gueliz has very good croissants
and orange juice
and coffee.
A friend of ours uses it as his 'office' and keeps office hours there every morning from 9:30 -11:30.
You can spend huge amounts of time hanging out in cafes and no one seems in the least bit of a rush.
Sometimes we are dying to escape to do vital errands and all the waiters vanish.
We try to bring pretty exact change with us because finding change in Morocco seems to be an insuperable problem.
If you hand in anything larger than a 20 dihram note, someone is sent round the universe to look for change and often doesn't reappear for a very long time.
It used to be like this years ago in Italy when they would insist on giving you little squares of chocolate instead of coins.

25 comments:

Christine Mercer-Vernon said...

these cafe's look darling! i love the feel of sitting in a cafe, no worries, no reason to hurry. we really lack a good cafe here where i live. i could drink that orange juice right now!

Frances said...

Hello to you, Elizabeth, and thank you for your visit. It was grand to see you, and I am glad that you found my posting, too.

How wonderful to see these sunny cafes and tabletops, wonderful places to read, chat and contemplate.

You are kind to "bring your own change." I also remember the scarcity of change in Italy. I still carry a little getone (telephone token with a beautiful design) that I received as change in Florence years ago. I think of it as a little good luck charm and a tiny reminder of a lovely city.

Your posts are a delight!

Jennifer Thermes said...

What a lovely, relaxing idea for a Friday. The coffee looks superb!

virtual nexus said...

Like the idea of keeping office hours in a cafe, and of the English tea with Moroccan cakes...!

Terry said...

Elizabeth, thanks so much for all your (and Frank's) work in getting the Door Event together - it was wonderful to meet so many new people and to tour their worlds - and now to get to sit at your cafes! Perfection. Thanks for visiting my posting as well -

Jeannie said...

I remember sitting in many cafes while in Morocco. I enjoyed watching people go by. Besides the pastries that we found we so good.

Mary Richmond said...

How fun to find your blog! I had a sixth grade teacher who was a little different and lots of the kids didn't like her. I always thought she was cool because she and I shared an interest in birds and art but also because she left for Morocco as soon as school got out and spent the summer there every year. She had so many wonderful stories and I've always thought it must be a magical place!

Sara at Come Away With Me said...

I can see that the culture there is the exact opposite of what New York is supposedly all about! Do you suffer culture shock when you alight on the other shore?

Thank you for another wonderful tour in that lovely place...I want that blue and white teacup and saucer in the hot chocolate photo!

An Aesthete's Lament said...

J'adore Les Négociants! Les serveurs sont trés gentille et rapide!

Anonymous said...

Thank you for letting me hang out at the cafe with you. I LOVE HANGING in cafe's!! Everything about it, but particularly the coffee, wine and people watching.

xo
Constance

Christine Mercer-Vernon said...

thank you Elizabeth for taking the time to visit my doors post and for your very sweet comments. :)

Traveling Mama said...

I'm curious if many women sit in the cafes in Marrakesh. I rarely go to any here in Meknes except for one or two that seem more women and children friendly.

PS. I LOVED your door pics. Gorgeous!

Elizabeth said...

Everyone: Thank you for your kind comments.

Frances: How lucky you are to still have a 'gettone'.
Brought back memories. Hadn't thought of them for ages.
Can still remember the feel and look of them.

Sara:I will send you a blue and white cup if you like! This design is quite common here. I think Maryam of Peacock Pavillions is going to have these or something similarly pretty at her guest house.
Yes, being in NY is major culture shock. Very good for the brain not to get complacent!

Aesthete:Your French is a great deal better than mine - though it's bliss to be able to gabble away without anyone critcizing - unlike Paris........

Mama: Cafes tend to be where MEN spend hours and hours - while the women are home.
In Gueliz there are lots of cafes with both men and women and some, more tourist oriented in the medina.
Some cafes are ALL men.
I don't know of any all women ones.

An Aesthete's Lament said...

I wish America had that café culture, of hanging out, sipping coffee, and being relaxed. Starbucks just isn't the same!

this is my patch said...

Hi Elizabeth, thanks so much for dropping by my blog, I would be honoured to be on your blogroll! I shall put you on mine. Morocco, how interesting, you are the first from this area of the world to have visited me. I loved reading about your cafe culture, and I was just fancying breaking in to a chocolate egg, and your post has reminded me to have a hot chocolate instead, and to save the egg for when it is really for, Easter! I am so glad my garden blog reminds you of your homeland and thank you for your very kind comments too!

Willow said...

Oh what a good idea to stop by the cafes and be refreshed! Thank you so much for taking me along.

CaBaCuRl said...

Gorgeous series of photos...colours, textures, shapes....wow!! And not forgetting the people!

Anonymous said...

Sit at a cafe watching the world pass by - oh, that's lovely.

We are going to Italy on Monday, I will stay for two weeks, the rest of my family for one. I am really looking forward to the cafés :-)

Downunderdale said...

How exciting to see photos of places I have actually been too. Thanks for keeping my holiday alive - Dale

Anonymous said...

I'd like to sit, read, and have a refreshing drink and watch the world at one of these cafes. ;-)

Paz

Anonymous said...

Ohhh, I also spend lots of time in cafés in Marrakech, mainly because it's a luxury I can never indulge in here because I have so little free time.....
My favourites are: the café at the Musée de Marrakech, Le Glacier (not Café de France!) and in Gueliz, La Joconde, because it's part of my "book buying ritual": I buy books at Chatr and then sit and browse through them at la Joconde.... ahhh, counting the days! Have you been to the Marrabook café in rue des princes???
Joan

Elizabeth said...

Dear Joan
I've probably been in all of them!..............
I used to hate the "Princes" street - thought it was too crowded -now I think it has a certain charm. Also we eat schwerma there when too lazy to cook dinner.

Marja said...

Wow That looks very inviting. I see you are nothing short of over in Marrocco. I love visiting cafe's watching the world go by.

Merisi said...

So many sunny cafes, so many wonderful places to "hold office hours" (happens here too, some get even deliveries there).

Anonymous said...

What lovely pictures. I visited there in 1969. It doesn't appear to have changed a lot. That's refreshing. Sorry you had to leave. It looks like a wonderful relaxing place.