Travelling in post pandemic cities in 2020 and 2021.

Between Safi and Essaouira, route R301.

We all know that (we) Europeans have a strong desire of landscape. During pandemic this desire spread out even more, picturing infinite views basically as an easy exit strategy. We also know that the landscape desire is related to colonialism and to exploration as exoticism. A neutral gaze, is just impossible. Wake up in the morning, climb up on the terrace, the light changes, quickly, the wind breaks the silence. You can’t really know if it is the Covid 19 quiet, or it’s just the soft sound from remote area between Safi and Essaouria. Not so much buildings around and this one has been for sure pretty much empty during the last year. French people own a lot of vacancy houses in Morocco, and this is one of them. Since we are the rare visitors the price is derisory. As often, the site is managed by local invisible families, leaving nearby but kilometres away from the orientalist style of the house interiors. At a given time, dinner shows up, still the moroccan hospitality and food culture is important and the tajine keeps the warmth of the food. This model is also used by people issuing from moroccan migration in Europe and supported by goos incomes, they easily buy luxury or middle class houses, kept by families serving as housekeepers.