The Casbah

Within our first week of arriving to Algiers, embassy personnel said Douglas and I must visit the Casbah. Apparently, the Community Liaison Officer (CLO) organized trips there a few times a year. Luckily, there was a trip scheduled for Saturday, April 28^th, and the cost was only 3,000 DA per person or approximately $40. We heard there were a limited amount of spots for all tours; therefore, it’s best to sign up as quickly as possible if interested. Douglas and I didn’t want to miss out on this opportunity, so we quickly signed up with the CLO.

The meeting time was scheduled for 9:45 a.m. in front of the embassy. Including Douglas and me, there were a total of five people going on the tour. Pretty small group for such a popular trip, but that didn’t matter to me. I was planning to have a good time no matter how many people attended.

Since it was early in the morning, the traffic was rather good. It didn’t take us more than fifteen minutes to reach the Casbah. We approached a corner and the driver slowed down. He honked the horn and waved to the man at the corner who smiled back. That was our tour guide. When the van stopped, I couldn’t believe we were there. The area looked nothing like I imagined. I envisioned a large picturesque building, similar to a museum. Evidently, I should have done a little research prior to the trip, because then I wouldn’t have been in such shock. The area looked timeworn and I did not see anything that resembled a striking historic building anywhere in site.

We exited the vehicle and our tour guide greeted us. His name was Boualem. As we each introduced ourselves, I looked around at the attire everyone was wearing. I noticed the two girls had on jeans that were fitted but didn’t quite cling to their legs, a t-shirt, sneakers, and back packs. I had on pair of fitted jeans that clung to my thighs, a long button-up cotton blouse, and my Sperry boat shoes. Although I felt very comfortable, I couldn’t help but think if I was a little over dressed. Boualem shook our hands and said he would start off by telling us a little about the history of the Casbah.

The Casbah in Algiers gets its spelling from the Arab language. Generally it’s spelled with the letter “k”.  A Kasbah is a walled citadel found in most North African cities and towns. The Casbah in Algiers is a little city situated on a hill that was built downward towards the Mediterranean Sea. It’s divided into two parts; the High city and the Low city. Within the city are old mosques, Ottoman-style palaces, traditional style houses, trade shops, and stores. The popular Casbah has appeared in movies such as, “Algiers” filmed in 1938 and “The Battle of Algiers” filmed in 1966. The Casbah is historic for its role during the Algerian struggle for independence during the late 1950’s and early 1960’s. The Casbah was used as an advantage to the people of Algiers as it provided a safe haven to plan and execute attacks against the French and law enforcement agents in Algiers at the time. It has also proved to be a disadvantage when used as a potential hideout for criminals or terrorists.

We crossed the busy main street passing numerous security guards and headed down a back alley to begin our tour. Throughout the day Boualem took us into many Ottoman palaces and historic buildings. The structures of most buildings was alike. There were intricate designs on each tile covering the floor, walls and the entire ceiling, which were all extremely high. We must have gone in and out of at least ten edifices.

As we strolled further through the streets of the Casbah, I noticed the roads were uneven and hilly. Every couple of minutes, we turned another corner to enter another building. We would all be lost without a tour guide. I began to see how someone could easy flee from authorities or enemies inside this vast place.

One of the buildings we entered had an awfully narrow and windy stairwell which we climbed all the way to the top.  As we each placed our foot on the very last step and turned towards the beautiful view, we all uttered the same word, “Wow!” It was a perfect sight of the Mediterranean Sea and the entire Casbah. There were so many buildings, mosques, and houses. Despite the nice view, the residences looked ancient, broken-down and some appeared to have fallen apart. Most of the roofs were not made of concrete. They were crafted from pieces of metal put together to enclose their quarters. There were tons of towels and clothes hanging from the windows, roofs, and outside on clothes lines. Also, every house had a satellite dish. As a resident moved out, the satellite dish would get turned off but never removed. This left countless satellite dishes disseminated over each building. In the years to come I wouldn’t be surprised if they became just as historic as the house itself.  

The houses looked like they were built directly on top each other, leaving no room for personal space. That is something lacking in Algiers overall. In America we create our own bubble and most people usually respect that personal space. This concept does not exist in Algiers, but not because people are rude. They simply do not have boundaries regarding closeness. Boualem said despite the houses being so tightly spaced together, they did have rules regarding the set-up of each structure. No house could block the view of another house from having direct vision of the Mediterranean Sea. Since the entire city was built on a hill, the homes were set up so that no one house behind the other was built on the same level.

I looked across the roof top and saw a girl playing by herself. I don’t know what she was doing, but it was keeping her occupied. It appeared she found joy in something as small as playing with the dirt and rocks on the roof. Throughout our tour we spotted other children playing happily outside as well. They were kicking around a soccer ball, tossing around a basketball and running up and down the many stairs of the Casbah. It was like they had all they needed in this compact neighborhood. It made me think about how rare it has become to see kids today doing things like this outside. Between television, computers, and the selection of video games inside most American homes, kids often get little physical activity throughout the week.

We went back down the narrow stairwell and continued on until the next stop. It was around 10:45 a.m. and I began to get the feeling that I needed to use the bathroom. But we hadn’t passed any restrooms yet, so I figured I would wait until we entered the next building. I was sure there would be a restroom inside.

Meanwhile we continued to walk and climb up every steep step and hill. Along the way were a number of small shops hidden inside old buildings that people used for work. The area was no bigger than a room that could occupy only a full sized mattress with minimal furniture. The first space we saw was a tiny bakery. The woman was making something that looked like a long wafer. It smelled delicious! She even gave Boualem some for our group.

A few blocks down we entered another work area that was used for shoe repairs. Boualem explained that the remaining shops along on the street and around the corner were all for shoe repair. Again, these places were petite in size. I thought it was interesting that while living in Beaufort, South Carolina I had to search high and low and play Inspector Gadget to try and find just one shoe repair store, but inside the Casbah were more than anyone would ever need. First time that Algiers had more of something than Beaufort.

We traveled up more steps and stopped at another shop where a man was making copper and gold products. There were so many to choose from. Apparently it’s much cheaper to purchase items like this within the Casbah than it is in town. The ladies with us purchased a few items and placed them into their backpacks. I soon realized why the backpacks were necessary. The man had no plastic bags, nor did anyone else who sold items. I would love to have bought a few things, but we didn’t want to carry the items in our hands all day. There was no way it would fit into my purse either. Besides, it was starting to get very warm out and who feels like carrying anything more than necessary in hot temperatures. I was beginning to sweat and could feel my silk scarf slipping further back off my forehead. I thought it would be best to wait and buy things when we returned another time with backpacks. 

Boualem escorted the group into another Ottoman palace. The halls were long and our voices echoed. He pointed out the historic structure of the buildings. He said years ago people put great thought into the construction of a home. The buildings were built so well, they could withstand the largest earthquakes. Boualem showed us where a tiny round material was wedged into small holes along the wall. He said those pieces kept the buildings from collapsing during natural disasters such as an earthquake. I couldn’t believe an item that seemed so minuscule could prevent the ruin of such ancient structures. He said, "Now-a-days people do not build with the same theory in mind which is why so many structures cannot bear such severe conditions." Currently major renovations are needed within the Casbah because it has been such a long time since the original construction of the site. This necessity is largely due to growing number of people continuously moving into the Casbah. 

 

Shortly after, a feeling returned that reminded me I needed to use the bathroom. Since we were inside an Ottoman palace, I figured this would be a great opportunity to use the restroom. I asked Boualem where I could find the bathroom. Speaking French, he spoke with a gentleman that worked in the building. He then told me that once we were upstairs I could go there. Great! The signal from my bladder was starting to get stronger. While in the current room, we took more pictures of the wall designs, décor, and a charming fountain with fish swimming inside. 

Boualem directed us towards the stairs to show us another room. The steps ascended further and were now more spread apart. To my disadvantage, those tight jeans I wore prevented me from comfortably extending one leg above the other. Not to mention I was praying my bad knee would not give out. Stair after stair placed enhanced the pressure on both my knees. I continued to climb though as I didn’t want to make a scene but I was tempted to say, “I’ll just wait here until you all get done.” However, I knew that I didn’t want to miss any of the tour and the bathroom was up there.

Boualem told me the bathroom was around the corner. I looked and was sure he was mistaken because I didn’t see any toilet. The space was infinitesimal. There was no way a toilet could even fit there. I looked down at the floor and saw an area to place your feet with a small hole that would serve as the commode. I thought to myself, “This can’t be happening! Is this what they call a toilet?” Maybe it was for the men only and the ladies had more suitable accommodations in another room. I was wrong. Obviously they have not upgraded their bathrooms to that of modern times. Call me high-sidity, uppity, or whatever word that would describe me as being turned off by attempting to urinate into the floor. I left the room and Douglas asked, “Are you good?” I told him to go look at the bathroom himself. He knows his wife, so he could only imagine what he was going to find. Douglas poked his head behind the corner and came out bewildered. We laughed and without saying a word, he knew not to even bother encouraging me to get over myself and use the floor! I decided I would just wait until we reached a better area. But honestly I knew that nothing was going to get better. I was now in a contest with myself to see how long I could hold my bladder. This is why I do not drink any water before traveling. I could kick myself for having that glass of water during breakfast. 

After exiting the building, we strolled down a lengthy row of steps to the mausoleum of the city’s patron saint Sidi Abderrahmane. All I could think about was having to walk back up those steps on the way out. There were so many! Boualem instructed us to remove our shoes and place them into plastic bags before going into the mausoleum. No photography was permitted in this area. The tomb was located in the center of the main room. There were drapes of fabric covering the entire stone. On one side of the tombstone were women and children sitting on the floor. On the other side of the tombstone were men. Everyone was in silence as they prayed over the tombstone of Sidi Abderrahmane. Boualem explained that the purpose of the people going there was to pray individually for whatever their hearts desired. He also said there are other places that are meant for people to pray collectively instead.

Centuries ago there was a woman who could not get pregnant. She came there to pray for the ability to have a child. Almost a year later the woman became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She then sent a large chandelier to the mosque as thanks for answering her prayer. Since then, countless people come to pray for things such as that and more every day. Above us was a circular seating very close to the ceiling. Boualem said that section was for single women only. They would go up there are pray for a husband. I know a few ladies today that would love to have a chat with Sidi Abderrahmane and pray for a great man to be sent their way. I’m sure they would feel it was worth the trip. We exited the mausoleum and hiked back up those exorbitant amounts of steps.  

 We now entered what must have been the Low City, since we were at the bottom of the Casbah. One would think it was all downhill to get to the bottom, but that is the interesting thing about how the city was built. No pavement was even or built in a strategic direction. Again, this is why it made for an ideal venue to hideout. There were so many twist and turns, and stairwells upon stairwells. As we entered the Low city there was tons of people. It was so congested. I couldn’t understand how so many people fit inside such a little place. The Casbah is highly overpopulated, which is one of the reasons why the historic neighborhood is terribly degenerated. There are an estimated 70,000 people living inside the Casbah, and this number does not include the squatters residing in vacant buildings. We saw a few as we walked the property. There are approximately 1200 houses scattered across nearly 90 acres of land. That number is small compared to the 4 million people that are living throughout the whole city of Algiers. The overcrowded population makes it very difficult to find a place to relocate people in order to rebuild areas of the city. There is nowhere for them to go.

Since it wouldn’t take more than ten seconds for us to lose a group member if we weren’t paying attention, we remained close together while walking. There were loads of people pouring into the streets. The gentleman in our group said he felt someone place a finger into his back pocket. When he turned around no one appeared to be there. Theft is high, especially directed towards foreigners.

There were several tables and walls of clothing, shoes, bags, etc., being sold on the streets. I caught a glimpse of some strikingly beautiful dresses that automatically went onto my wish list. The colors were vibrant and incredibly attractive. I would have to purchase that and lots of other things during my next visit.

School of Music in the Low city

Women wearing Hijabs with only their eyes showing

Woman wearing a Hijab covering entire body

The Low city

 Cars and buses were driving through the streets without any clear path. We prepared to cross the street and saw the first stop light in the entire city. The group quickly ran across the street, as it didn’t appear anyone was even following the rules of the light. Green, yellow, and red - all meant go as fast as you can. There didn’t seem to be any authority enforced. Oddly enough, if you were caught taking pictures of government buildings the police could seize your camera and remove all prohibited photos. I can respect the concept, but I don’t understand why the same principle doesn’t apply regarding necessary areas such as driving.

Boualem then took us into the last building we would tour for the day. This building had mind-blowing ceilings with intricate designs and features on each tile. A few were imageries of dining tables with baskets of fruit on them and others were small sailboats. Every tile was gorgeous! Directly outside the building was the sea. Although the water is terribly dirty, it’s a beauty to observe. It was pretty warm outside by then, and the breeze from the water felt amazing. We walked outside and took quite a lot of pictures. The background was absolutely beautiful. Boualem then guided us towards the exit and said, “That was the end of the tour. Now we go eat!”

I was very curious about where we were going to eat. Throughout the tour I did not see one restaurant. Also, I couldn’t bear the thought of traipsing back up those hills and steps just to look for food. Fortunately, Boualem arranged for our driver to pick us up from the Low City and drive us back to the top of the High city where he planned for us to eat. After a few minutes the van arrived and we all climbed in, feeling relieved to be sitting down in an air conditioned space. Our legs were pretty tired, but nothing could compare to what those living there must have felt every day.

The van took us back to our initial starting point. We entered through the same entrance we did a few hours ago, marched down the hill, up the stairs, through narrow alleyways, turned one corner after the other and ended up in front of a short door covered with leaves. Boualem knocked loudly and a man answered the door. He welcomed us inside and directed everyone up even more steps. The stairs inside his house may have easily been the steepest I had seen yet. It was a work out for every part of my legs and butt. I couldn’t wait to sit down. 

We finally reached the top when we got to the roof. I usually am not a fan of eating outdoors, but it was cozy and rather peaceful up there. You could not feel the sun peering down on you. There was a pleasant breeze and the temperature felt mildly warm. To our surprise there were no chairs or a regular table. Instead there were several long artistically designed seat cushions strewn over the ground. As well, there were numerous rugs and fabrics hanging over the walls. It reminded me of traditional Indian style décor. In the middle were two enormous trays that sat a few inches off the floor. Above us was a small covering made of bamboo and leaves to obscure the view of anyone peeping down. 

We ate on this roof top beneath the covering of metal and greenery

I was a little hesitant to sit down. All I wanted now was a chair and a table. However, I would make this work because there was no other choice. I leaned down on the floor and basically fell into the pillows to only feel like I fell into a spa. I got myself situated and suddenly found much joy in sitting on that floor with large pillows against my back and under my butt. My head rested on drapes of fabric and rugs that were absolutely beautiful. There was no room underneath the tray to stretch my feet, so I placed them out to the side by Douglas. But I was more comfortable on that floor than I had ever been in any fancy restaurant. Sometimes less really is more.

The owner of the home introduced himself. He then directed us to come wash our hands. This meant of course getting up off the ground which seemed way more difficult than it should have been. I felt like an elderly woman who had bad knees and weak arms as Douglas helped to pull me up. I don’t think my tight jeans did anything to assist in the process either. This was an obvious hint that I needed a slight boost in my exercise routine and a looser fitting pair of pants. We each lined up to wash our hands, but it was not at a sink. The man used a gold pot to pour water over our hands as we washed them with the bar of soap provided. We then dried our hands with the soft blue towel on the table and went back to sit down.

The first dish served was a salad with lettuce, shredded carrots, tomatoes, sliced eggs and an olive, topped with oil and vinaigrette dressing. In addition, there were sliced pieces of bread in a basket on the tray. I opted to have my salad without the dressing since I was unsure as to whether or not the vinaigrette was gluten free. But I’m accustomed to eating my salads bare so it was not a problem. The carrots were naturally sweet and the lettuce was very crisp.

There were bottles of water and soda available for us on both trays. I’m not a soda drinker so I had water. Although I still needed to use the bathroom, it was no longer a pressing issue. I knew the man had a bathroom downstairs, but I couldn’t bear the thought of going back down that tiny staircase and then coming up again. Call me lazy, but I was incredibly comfortable on those seat cushions and my bladder would just have to hold out a little longer.

I noticed the water on the table was not cold. I recalled hearing a few people in the embassy mention that Algerians do not typically serve chilled beverages unless it’s soda. They said Americans are the only ones who use ice and love their beverages at a freezing temperature. I was stunned! I loathe room-temperature water. I find an icy glass of water quenches my thirst much more. However, I realize that cold water can be shocking to the system. There are many benefits to drinking beverages at room-temperature. Maybe the Algerian ways will rub off on me for the better.

A few minutes later the man returned to pick up our plates and bring back the second dish. It was a bowl of soup with couscous and lamb, served with Borek, which is a baked or fried filled pastry made of thin flaky dough. This Borek was fried and filled with cheese, meat, and vegetables. I could not eat it, but everyone else said it was delicious. However, I did get to enjoy the soup. It was mouthwatering. Every spoonful was amazingly flavorful and the lamb was incredibly tender. We each devoured that dish. Boualem encouraged us to save room, because there was more food to come.

During the meal I had many questions to ask Boualem. I was interested in knowing how people clambered up and down those hills and steps every day to go to the market for groceries. He said many people have children who either go with them or for them. Also, Boualem said there is a great sense of community within the Casbah. Often if there is an elderly woman or man living by themselves, with no children or grandchildren in the home, then a neighbor will go to the market for them and leave baskets of food outside their door. It’s extremely difficult for older individuals to tread such a distance. Boualem also said that there are areas within the Casbah that people have lost the tradition of taking care of one another. On his last visit to the Casbah he saw a woman who was in her eighties, heavily breathing as she held onto the wall with each step taken. He stopped her and asked, “Have you no one to go to the store for you?” She replied, “No, it’s just me in my home and I do this now once a week.” I thought that was astounding and sad at the same time. Astounding because the woman refused to go hungry and didn’t give up on herself, but sad because no neighbor was considerate enough to offer assistance. Boualem said times are indeed changing. I think that is true among all cultures.

The man hosting our lunch returned after we finished our soup and Borek to bring us our third dish. We had the option of having thin pasta noodles and/or couscous with a freshly made broth consisting of turnips and garbanzo beans poured on top. This was served with a large quarter piece of baked chicken. The broth was very tasty and the chicken was unbelievably juicy. I chewed each bite with pure enjoyment.

Boualem continued to tell us more about the Algerian lifestyle. He said Algeria gets the largest amount of money from three things; immigration, trade, and playing football. Football, known in America as soccer, is one of the most popular sports in Africa. Boualem explained that most young men see trading as a valuable source of income; therefore, they will cut their education short to begin practicing their desired trade. Often the parents become very upset during this process because they do not want their child to focus only on having a trade. They too recognize the beauty in having options.

Our gave us several minutes to enjoy our main dish. When he thought we were all done, he came upstairs, removed our dishes and brought us the fourth course. I didn’t think I had room for any more food, but he brought out some of my favorite fruit, strawberry and kiwi, in a uniquely shaped glass. He must have poured heavy amounts of sugar over it earlier that morning, because the syrup was super sweet and a bit thick. Each spoonful was a taste of heaven; soothing and comforting. I thought it was a great way to turn fruit into a dessert. It didn’t take more than five minutes for all of us collectively to scarf down that yummy dish. I was stuffed! After each dish the gaps of silence were grew larger. Everyone was enjoying their meal.

The man brought his tray up to gather the used glasses and utensils. I thought to myself, “Now we are done.” But to my astonishment, in his hands was another tray of dessert made of semolina and honey cut into squares. He served it with mint tea. Three things Algerians love are bread, sugar, and mint tea. I couldn’t eat the dessert due to the wheat mixture, and I have not acquired a taste for mint tea just yet. Therefore, I was not too disappointed to turn away the last course. I was sure that if I ate another bite I would only be force feeding my poor belly. I was done! A few minutes after he cleared the trays of our final meal, everyone slowly leaned onto the pillows. It looked like someone spiked our drinks with sleeping pills. 

Boualem gave us a few minutes to relax but then told us it was time to go. We each collected our belongings and crawled our way off the ground. The kindhearted man, whose name I do not know, was superbly nice and generous. We paid less than $40 each for a meal that could have easily cost nearly $100 in most American restaurants. And to top it off, his service was outstanding. We got our money's worth and more! The man shook our hand and gave us warm smiles as we exited his residence. We staggered back up the steps and hilly grounds with full bellies. We reached the top and saw the van there waiting. Boualem said our trip was now complete, and he hoped we had a great time. I couldn’t thank him enough for the marvelous experience.

It was now easy to understand why so many people highly encouraged us to visit the Casbah. There is a rich history in the city that can be felt as you climb every step, trudge up every hill, visit each Ottoman palace, mosque, trade shop, and traditional home. It was remarkable to learn about what great significance the Casbah had in the past and today. From looking at dilapidated buildings and broken down roads, it is clear to the common eye that the city desperately needs financial attention and reconstruction. However, when you look at the smiles on children’s faces as they play on top of the roof, or outside in the alleyway, just as most children do in the states, you don’t see looks of pity or resentment. You see life and happiness. You see family and a close community. And believe it or not, the residents of the Casbah are thriving every day with women working just as much as men, if not more, throughout the city.

We arrived back to the embassy after what was a long afternoon, but felt like a short one because it was so enjoyable. Douglas and I proudly walked those hills and steps on our compound back to the house. There was no way I would complain about being tired after getting a small glimpse into the lifestyle I just saw at the Casbah. I also walked pretty swiftly because numerous hours later, I still hadn't used the bathroom! Undoubtedly, it was no surprise as to where I went upon entering my house.

There are plenty of areas in my life where I’m very much living proudly in 2012, such as appreciating the luxury of a clean toilet among other things. But then there are other areas of my life where I could stand to rewind the time. Sometimes when you have access to so much, you forget what it’s like to work hard, sacrifice, and push past your current ability for what you desire, because you no longer have as many needs. The people in the Casbah are living life to their fullest with so much less than most Americans do with so much more. Each new environment and experience in Algiers teaches me something about myself that inspires me to look into the mirror and ask the question, “Am I doing all that I can?” I would encourage you to ask yourself that same question and then re-evaluate your lifestyle and current situation. You may not be able to visit the Casbah in Algiers, but if you look around, there is a “Casbah” in your very own backyard.