As was the case for Els, I wasn't expecting much from Mazagan but it turned out to be a very positive visit. Even its evaluation report widely praised it, with hardly any contestation. It is a reminder of a cardinal rule in appreciating World Heritage Sites: it is not all about beauty, the superlatives, and the thrills one can offer; rather look for what makes it exceptional and unique. I spent two half-days and one night in the small fortified city, so I was able to witness its splendor in broad day light, its quiet evening charm, as well as its bemusing side when it was totally shrouded in thick fog during the early morning walk along the walls. My interest in making this review was rekindled by my recent meeting with Dr. Jorge Correia, an Iberian colonial architecture professor from Portugal who did seminal studies on this Portuguese fort in the early 90s. It was a most providential encounter while he was visiting the churches and fortifications in my area. The findings of their studies were later on used as the backbone of the nomination of Mazagan into the World Heritage Site list. As he explained, if Mazagan were in Europe, it would hardly stand out. But its presence in Africa made the ultimate difference as its construction marked the very point when there was no turning back for the empire's expansion pursuits and that the important monuments are largely in tact considering that they are some of the oldest. It also became the progenitor for modern fortified cities and their planning that followed in the Portuguese world. Of course he also dared me not to compare the masonry of the walls of Mazagao to that of Essaouira, a serious humor to which I concurred without hesitation.  

Mazagan is very small and it could be easily explored in half a day. But for me, I usually take smaller sites as an opportunity to slow down and investigate their attributes a few times over without feeling rushed. Despite its size, it has a synagogue, a few inactive and retrofitted churches, a mosque, a castle, and even a petite prison. The cistern was unfortunately closed, which reminded me of how terrible I felt when Bab al-Mansour was all covered in tarpaulins in Meknes. The best views, however, are definitely from the ramparts and bastions, and another excellent viewpoint is the high Riad Eucalyptus Vue Mer Restaurant, adjacent to Spanish Chapel and quite central. La Portuguaise Restaurant became our refuge for food inside, and it also provides a nice elevated view of the Church of the Assumption all the way to the back end where kids were playing soccer on the day Morocco defeated Portugal in the World Cup! My most unforgettable experience, to top it all, was when the keeper of the gates to the walls asked me if I want to close the walls for the day. So, I had the honor of locking the last gate at Bastion de Saint-Antoine. I asked my friend to take a video of me during that momentous event and when I said, "Today I'm closing the gate to the walls of Mazagan", the keeper promptly corrected me, "It's El Jadida!". Maison d'Hotes de la Cite Portugaise is a nice accommodation with Iberian-style tiles and a roof deck too.