Near Essaouira, Morocco, is the Village of Diabat where Jimi Hendrix stayed during his sojourn in Morocco during the summer of 1969. Scott and I sought out the location of "Cafe du Jimi Hendrix," where the singer was said to hang out with his friends.
After driving around a bit we found the tiny building, went inside. Not knowing what to expect, we sat down and ordered two Fantas and some Moroccan cookies.
All in all, there wasn't that much. We looked at some photos on the aging walls of the small café and I tried to imagine what it might have been like in 1969.
Indeed, what was once a remote location on a hill overlooking the Atlantic and the ruins of Portuguese fortifications was undergoing tremendous change. There is a new 18-hole golf course under construction across the street. The neighborhood is destined for extensive hotel and condo development and this likely will efface the remains of its counter-culture charm forever.
If you have an extra moment, read this unintentionally hilarious tale of "Greg's Moroccan Adventure" that I found on the Internet. In this episode, 23-year-old Greg, a writer and cannabis smoker, arrives in Essouira from Canada and immediately attempts to score some weed and get stoned.
Or watch this little video I made featuring the words and music of Jimi and the voice of Patti Smith.
No comments:
Post a Comment