skip to main |
skip to sidebar
Hey there! How're you doing? Good to see you. Move over a little, will ya, please. I need to get to the coffeepot. It was -10C this morning when we woke up - outside, I mean, not inside. B-r-r-r! I have visions of palm trees and tropical breezes! Since we're talking cold though, we may as well keep going. Here's something I knew nothing about...
Ifrane is a small town and ski resort in Morocco, famous for its
European style and its similarity to the tourist haven of Switzerland.
Developed by the French in the 1930s, Ifrane is so reminiscent of the
Swiss Alps that it is fondly referred to as ‘Africa’s Little
Switzerland’.
The town is located at an altitude of 5,460 feet above sea level in
the Middle Atlas region. Its neat red-roofed houses, blooming flower
beds, lake-studded parks, and snowbound winters present a huge contrast
to Morocco’s narrow, maze like streets and old, earth-colored buildings.
It is truly a wonder that such lush greenery, cedar and oak forests,
and pasturelands can even exist in the midst of the hot and dry climate
of the region.
The history of Ifrane can be traced back to around 500 B.C. when it was
the capital of an ancient Jewish Kingdom. It was called ‘Oufrane’ then,
which comes from the Berber language, meaning ‘caves’. It is believed
that Jews fleeing from King Nebuchadnezzar found refuge there, and in
later centuries, Arabs and Romans found their way there too. Soon,
Ifrane became an important stop for caravans coming from the Sahara
Desert, carrying goods like amber, ostrich feathers and other riches.
During the protectorate era, Ifrane served as an administrative town for
the French government. Just as the concept of ‘hill stations’ were
developed by the British in India, the French were attracted to Ifrane
for its cool climate during the summer. They converted the town into an
ideal settlement for expatriate European families – it was designed to
make its foreign inhabitants feel at home. Hence, the architectural
style and even the trees and flowering plants were imported from Europe.
When Morocco gained independence, the locals moved into Ifrane, infusing
it with a bit of their own culture. They enlarged the town, built a
mosque, a public market, and added other amenities. The prestigious Al
Akhawayn University was established in Ifrane in the mid-1990s. Many of
the old chalet houses have been torn down and replaced with condos.
Still, there are plenty of high-pitched red roofs dotting the town’s
landscape.
Ifrane is easily accessible by road, making it a popular tourist
destination among locals and international tourists. The town boasts of
powdery snow in the winters and cool summers, making it the ideal resort
all year round. Free of crime and one of the cleanest cities in
Morocco, it serves as the winter playground for the wealthy from the
nearby cities of Fez, Meknes, and Marrakech who go there to ski. For the
people of Morocco, the experience of a European winter is never too far
away!
Interesting! You learn something new every day. Add a little caffeine and you have a 'caffo' day (coined by yours truly sometime ago). Just learning this has already made my day. Onward and upward. Now if I can only get some help figuring out why my computer connects to my wifi but suddenly neither my Note II Smartphone or Nong's iPad won't. Yet my phone will connect elsewhere to a public hotspot. Got any ideas? Let me know!
See ya, eh!
Bob
0 comments:
Post a Comment