During a holiday in Morocco last November, I visited the Jimi Hendrix Café in the village of Diabat near Essaouira.

The Jimi Hendrix Café, front.

Jimi Hendrix's connection to Morocco, particularly the village of Diabat, is largely based on a persistent cultural legend. During a visit in 1969, he spent over a week in Essaouira, a coastal town with a distinctly artistic character.

According to local stories, the song "Castles Made of Sand" was inspired by the ruins of the Dar Sultan Palace in Diabat, and Hendrix even considered buying the palace. These stories, however, have not been confirmed. It is certain that the song had been recorded more than a year before his visit to Morocco.

Castles Made Of Sand, the ruins of the Dar Sultan Palace in Diabat.

Nevertheless, the atmosphere of Essaouira and Diabat made an impression on Hendrix and other artists. That impression lives on in local myths, expressed in places like the Jimi Hendrix Café.

The Jimi Hendrix Café, side.