Moroccan and Arabesque tile craft is considered an art form by many. From their ancient roots dating back to the Frumuseni Mosaics of the Byzantines a thousand years ago, to the assiduous attention to detail employed in the creation of complex geometries and floral patterns, Moroccan zellige (=zillij) tile patterns have steadily evolved into some of the most spectacular masterpieces ever conceived in ceramics and therefore take their rightful place as one of the defacto staples of Mediterranean culture and design.
Dignitaries and patrons of the art used zellige tiles historically to decorate their homes as a statement of luxury and the sophistication of their inhabitants. Zellige tile patterns are typically comprised of a series of patterns utilizing colorful geometric and/or floral shapes. This framework of expression arose from the need of Islamic artists to create spatial decorations that avoided depictions of living things, consistent with the teachings of Islamic law. Being limited in their creativity for centuries to creating solely geometric and floral shapes, Moorish artisans managed to elevate the craft into an art form. In addition to intricate shapes, what defines the brilliance of zellige tiles is vibrant colors (earth tones) and rich textures.
Because of increasing exposure to cultivated Westerners and a cultural and artistic sort of Renaissance in the Arabic World, the making of zellige tiles is blooming now more than ever. The cities of Fes and Meknes remain at the heart of this art to this very day.
Maalems (= master artisans) employed by LE MOSAISTE and their partners
have had the privilege to display their abilities to numerous high profile individuals and organizations over the years. As a result, several of their accomplished projects grace magnificent landmarks and rate among the world's most well-known Moroccan mosaic works. Many of their award-winning mosaic creations can be found in royal castles, famous mosques, commercial structures, public places, and refined villas across Northern Africa, the Middle East and more and more Western countries. Examples include the Royal Palaces in Morocco, the great Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca, the Mamounia Hotel in Marrakech, the Moroccan section at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, the Maison du Maroc in Paris, France, the International Gardens of Cairo in Egypt and so on.
To browse the world's greatest selection of handmade Moroccan and Arabesque tile designs visit:
http://www.mosaiste.com, where you will find an awe-inspiring selection of brand new and classic mosaic tile designs for your next residential or commercial project.
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As is typical of a weeks winter ski holiday with us, I offered the guests one day skiing in Alpe d'Huez. When you buy a 6 day ski pass at Les Deux Alpes you get a couple of days free in Alpe d'Huez. Since the center of the resort is only 25 minutes drive away from our Lodge, it is a nice day trip out and guests get the chance to see the famous cycling 21 hairpin bend climb.
This week Alpe d'Huez and the British Universities Snowsports Council are hosting the Universities ski ans snowboard championships, so the resort was a little crazy with hundreds of students enjoying the fresh snow and sunshine.
Alpe d'Huez, most famous for key cycling stages of the Tour du France is also a fantastic ski resort. It has nice easy return piste to the town center, beautiful satellite villages such as Villard Reculas and Vaujany to explore and suposidly the longest groomed black run in the world. Once away from the often busy main area in front of the resort, you can find hidden tree skiing around Auris, steep moguls from the tunnel and backcounrty routes off the pic Blanc at over 300 meters.
During the summer the famous 21 hairpin climb to the resort is busy with road cyclists trying to get somewhere near Maroc Pantani's record accent of 37mins 37 seconds. On the years when the Tour du France finishes a stage in Alpe d'Huez, this stretch of road is packed with campervans and is said to host up to a quarter of a million spectators.
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Chic holiday destination
Morocco has long been a favourite holiday destination for sun seekers, eager to escape the misery of Northern Europe's seemingly endless winter. In recent years Marrakech, Tangier, Casablanca, Rabat and Fes have become fashionable city break destinations, attracting a chic boho set eager to experience the authentic Morocco: with its medieval Medinas, colourful souks and original cuisine.
Celebrity Hangout
It has also become something of a celebrity haunt with Jude Law, Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts paying regular visits. Also in the rumour mill, starry property investors include the likes of Mick Jagger, the Beckhams and Richard Branson.
They obviously know a good thing when they see it!
Morocco is no longer just fashionable for holidaymakers. It's attracting a new breed of savvy property investors eager to snap up high grade residential property (comparable with resorts found on the Costa del Sol) - yet available at a fraction of the price!
Combining low entry level pricing with year round sunshine, a cheap cost of living and a diverse beautiful terrain; it's clear that Morocco is a country with more than one string to its bow.
Getting there?
It's also increasingly easy to get there with budget airlines such as easyJet and Ryanair flying to Morocco daily, along with national carriers British Airways and Royal Air Maroc. It is even possible to fly to Spain and take a 30 minute ferry from Algeciras or Tarifa ports.
Experienced property investors will be well aware of the trend for rising property prices once low cost carriers add a new destination to their itinerary. A similar situation will arise in Morocco, thanks to the governments "Open Skies" agreement with Europe, allowing European airlines to fly without restriction and effectively opening up its air space.
Plan Azur and the Kings Vision 2010
This forward thinking and most importantly stable government is yet another attraction for possible investors. King Mohamed VI is actively advocating development having realised that tourism is the key to the future prosperity of his country.
The cornerstone of this initiative is the "Plan Azur". This large scale plan will see the construction of six luxurious costal resorts (5 on the Atlantic and one on the Med). Huge infrastructural improvements are underway with plans to build new motorways, marinas and rail networks. Many luxury hotels, exclusive marinas, golf courses, conference and commercial centres will also be developed alongside luxury, high grade residential property.
The Kings "Vision 2010" is to attract ten million tourists to Moroccan shores by the year 2010.
That's no mean feat for any country but all indicating factors suggest the king is well on course to achieving his ambitious target.
The next big thing?
As the number of tourists increase, it is inevitable that rental demand will subsequently rise and buy to let investors can expect high rental yields. Currently rental occupancy stands at 85% during high season.
Clearly, Morocco has the potential to become a world class holiday destination. It is a diverse country with beautiful scenery, unspoiled beaches and a unique and fascinating culture.
No wonder then it is being tipped as the next property investment hotspot.
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There is no doubt that every nation has its own occasions to celebrate, to express its happiness and its desire to preserve its heritage, and Moroccan society also celebrates many occasions in order to realize that purpose. These celebrations have a symbolic sense in which one can notice a perfect fusion between Islamic symbols and Amazigh symbols. In this article, I will mention some Moroccan festive occasions and traditions that are practiced in this country.
Moroccan families celebrate their children's life from their birth to their marriage. First of all, there is the Sabee or Sboa, which is celebrated on the 7th day of the birth of a child, when the father cuts the throat of a sheep for a daughter and of two sheep for a son, and then gives a name to the child. Then, the parents invite all their friends and neighbours to share in their happiness for the naming of this new family member. Next, they celebrate L'khtana, when their son circumcised. In the past, this operation used to be carried out by a person called L'hajjam, but now the child is usually taken to the doctor in order to avoid all dangers or complications. After that, the parents organise a big party to celebrate this important event.
We also have the Syam L'ouel, which means "the first day of fast", when parents prepare a special meal for their child, consisting of honey, dry fruits, cakes, etc. They take their child, who is considered as a bride or a groom, dressed in his or her traditional clothes, to the photographer in order to take some pictures as a keepsake. All these celebrations are organised on this special day to make the child ready to practice easily this important Islamic pillar.
In addition to that, Moroccan society celebrates many other special days, such as the Aid Al Adha or the Aid L'kbir, which is considered to be the greatest religious occasion for all Muslims, when all the people go in the morning to attend the special prayer that is organized on this day. Then they come back to cut the throat of a sheep, after which they prepare the boulfaf from the sheep's liver and all the members of the family eat together. In the afternoon, families exchange visits at other family members' places.
Last but not least, there is the Achoura day, which is celebrated a month after the Aid Al Adha, when the mothers prepare couscous with 7 vegetables and the children practice some traditions like Baba Aichor. Also, the parents buy some games and toys for their children and women also buy some traditional musical instruments (such as the ta'arija, the bandir, etc.). In this particular occasion, we can notice the cross between what is religious and what is cultural and traditional.
So, Moroccan celebrations are a perfect opportunity for Moroccans to be reconciled with each other and to exchange visits in an atmosphere full of love, tolerance and solidarity. Also, Moroccan festive occasions will give you the chance to discover the Moroccan popular culture, which is an excellent mixture between different cultures and reflects the variety and the richness of Moroccan cultural heritage in all domains.
Come to Morocco and celebrate its diverse culture and profuse heritage. You may want to stay in one of the fantastic riads in Marrakech, where you can celebrate or witness some of the major Moroccan festivities, or in a hotel in Marrakech. You can also stay in a lovely villa in Marrakech, closer to the rural areas, where the inhabitants will welcome you to their traditional ceremonies with open arms.
Siham Ben Chikh studied in the special centre for blind people Organisation Alaouite Pour La Protection Des Aveugles in Taroudant, in Morocco. She got her Baccalaureate in Literature (English option) from the Mohammed VI High School in Ouarzazate. She continued her studies at the Ibnou Zouhr University in Agadir where she obtained her DEUG (Diplôme d'Etudes Universitaires Générales) with Honours in English as well as her BA degree in English Studies. She successfully obtained a Certificate in Communication Studies from the Sea English Academy International American Association in ISIAM, Agadir. Siham has also taken some piano courses and now works as a freelance writer and translator for the Marrakech based reservation centre 3wkom.
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Close your eyes for a moment and think of the smell of freshly baked bread - what does that wonderful warm smell remind you of? Perhaps it takes you back in time to your childhood, to Sunday mornings when you used to walk down to the corner bakery to buy a fresh loaf dusted with flour.
In the same way that an everyday aroma can instantly take us to another place and time in our minds and remind us of people and places, so too is it possible to associate your brand with an aroma in the minds of your customers and clients.
Aromas have the ability to build powerful brand recognition, quickly. In his book, Brand Sense, Martin Lindstroem says, 'Seventy-five percent of the emotions we generate on a daily basis are affected by smell...Next to sight, it's the most important sense we have'.
Dr Eric Spangenberg, Dean of the College of Business and Economics at Washington State University, ran a test in a clothing store in the Pacific Northwest of the US to determine how scent affected customers by gender. He diffused the subtle smell of vanilla in the women's department and rose maroc (a spicy, honey-like fragrance) in the men's. When he examined the cash-register tapes, he found that receipts almost doubled on the days when the scents were used. However, when he reversed the scents (diffusing vanilla with the men and rose maroc with the women) customers spent less than average. 'You can't just use a pleasant scent and expect it to work,' he says, 'it has to be congruent'. That is, the fragrance has to make sense with the product or environment it's supposed to enhance: 'When you go into Starbucks, you don't expect to smell lemon-scented Pledge'.
Whether your company operates retail stores, hotels or corporate offices aromatic branding can give you the edge. Here's how aromatic branding works:
o Our sense of smell is our most acute sense. We take in more information, more quickly and retain it for longer through smell than we do through any other sense.
o Our sense of smell interacts with the limbic system in the brain, where memories are linked to aromas. We've all had the experience of smelling an aroma that instantly transports us to another time and place because we associate it so strongly with a certain person, time or experience.
o The deliberate use of aroma is the final frontier in creating a truly unique and memorable brand experience.
o Aromatic branding is about creating a unique aroma that people associate with their experience of your brand - effectively, it anchors a certain aroma to the brand experience so that every time a person smells that aroma, they will be instantly reminded of their experience.
o Most companies already use sight, sound and touch to create an integrated brand experience, but few use smell. This is an opportunity for your company to be at the forefront of aromatic branding.
Jennifer Jefferies International (JJI) is already working with leading brands to create a unique aromatic brand association for their customers. Among them are Palazzo Versace and Sofitel Hotel at the Gold Coast, for which JJI developed a unique 'signature' scent that captures the 'essence' of the hotels experience. The hotel uses its signature scent throughout both public spaces and individual rooms to anchor its guests' experience and memories of their stay with that particular aroma. This scent is available exclusively to the hotel, and through it, to its guests.
For GU Health, JJI created a Workplace Wellbeing blend. This blend was designed to create an environment that increased productivity and performance and at the same time reduced burnout.
Life Balancing expert Jennifer Jefferies is one of Australia?s best-known authors and speakers and she has a prescription for modern living. Her powerful message is of work, life and balance ? and how to have it all through 7 Steps to Sanity®.
Jennifer is a qualified health practitioner who speaks to corporations throughout Australia, Asia, USA and New Zealand, sharing practical real-life strategies that help people to improve their health, wellbeing and productivity by finding balance in their lives. Jennifer is a refreshingly downto-earth, engaging and informative speaker who leaves her audiences feeling empowerd about the things they can do to achieve balance in their lives, rather than feeling guilty about what they?re not doing!
Jennifer is the author of 7 Steps to Sanity® and seven other health-related titles.
For more information go to http://www.jenniferjefferies.com
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