wdajones2018

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The Moroccan flag, orange tree, shoe Souk and Berber mural

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View of Atlas Mountains overshadowing Marrakech.

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Marrakech good or not so good?

Good:

1. Weather: sunny and not too warm - excellent for late November.

2. History: fascinating history dating back hundreds of years. Berbers central to story mostly from Atlas Mountains area.

3. Scenery: Atlas Mountains provide a dazzling majestic backcloth to the city.

4. People: despite the noise and hectic nature of life in the city, the natives are so very friendly, genuine and welcoming.

Not so Good

1. Traffic is constant, noisy and seems to have no controlling rules. Scary.

2.  City seems to be a ‘work in progress’ with lots of building developments abandoned and derelict.

3.  Music is dominated by loud drums, reedy sounding woodwinds and catawauling vocals.

4.  Cost of food and anything touristy alarmingly expensive. Any thoughts we might live cheaply dashed totally; priced well up to European city levels.

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Dar Charifa for chicken with dates and the companionship of a wee bird

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Final Day: 29th November 2018

Had a late breakfast and then into centre with Richard and Joan to thread our way through the Souk to the secret garden created in the 16th century and renovated in 2016. Staff seemed reluctant to let us see the Tower but finally relented and we were given an interesting history lesson by a Berber who had just returned from working in Newcastle. Superb views over the city out to the Atlas Mountains. We used google maps to find our way through the Souk to access Dar Cherifa, the oldest house in the city, to eat lunch in the courtyard - a tagine of course. Exciting crossing of road - traffic here is chaotic - to pick up a taxi back to the hotel for a final few minutes in the warmth of the Moroccan sun. At the airport we said goodbye to Chris, our excellent guide who was the deserved recipient of quite a few £20 tips. As we waited at the Gate for our EasyJet flight we said farewell to other group members at the end of an excellent holiday.

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Foothills of the Atlas Mountains

Mountains (tragically shrunk by camera effect); the Casbah; and a pomegranate tree.

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28th November, 2018

Our expedition for the day started a little later than usual so we enjoyed a relative lie-in. We headed up to the magnificent snow capped Atlas Mountains but got nowhere near the snow line of course. Rather, our interest was focused on the Berber communities living in the foothills. We saw lots of camels and children plus a few cats and fast running streams and a river - surprising in this water deprived country. We toured a typical Berber house with family rather self-consciously sipping mint tea. Berbers lack all mod cons and eschew all modern bad diets and consequently live piously until very old: centenarians are commonplace it seems. But, think we, we’d be more likely to die of boredom if we were transplanted into Berberdom. On way back we stopped to snap the snow topped peaks and sipped coffee in a large eccentric Kasbah house.

Sunbathed in the afternoon for a spell before lunch with Richard and Joan (Tunbridge Wells and very Home Counties but lovely with it). Then out to Al Fassia restaurant, owned and run by women. We had told them in advance about my almond allergy so I was amazed and discomfited to find my mixed kebabs littered with.... almonds. They changed the meal but refused to reduce our bill for risking me an experience of, at best, their A and E services or at worst, one of their morgues!

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Cats and waves and goats in trees (they climb up looking for food)

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27th November 2018

Today we drove three hours west to Essaouira on Atlantic coast, which has the reputation of being a hippy resort much patronised by celebs.  We walked the Souk - many craftwork items on display - and ate a lovely lunch of swordfish washed down with fab white Moroccan wine, all in the lovely sunshine in a rooftop restaurant. Then strolled along harbour walls where freshly caught fish was being processed for sale. Fair number of cats for us to baby talk with. Had final mint tea before returning to hotel and nice dinner plus long chat with Richard and his wife Joan - mostly about Brexit would you believe?

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26th November 2018

Early start out to Majorelle Gardens where we enjoyed trotting around and exclaiming how lovely the trees, bamboos and flowers were in the beautiful blue Yves St Laurent influenced gardens. Also visited the Berber museum - a truly ‘alien’ culture and language - including their own alphabet . Then a drive around the north of the city to the Palmeria and the villas of the wealthy plus loads of camels and dromedaries. Ended up near the Jewish quarter and the Bahia Palace which we carefully inspected; the building originally accommodated a very rich man’s four wives and 24 concubines. Guy was Grand Vizier of Sultan so could afford the extravagant cost of such an extravagant lifestyle. Then home to hotel to sunbathe a bit and read before early dinner where we chatted very pleasantly with Antonia, a fellow guest plus later on two other retirees. Then up to bed for another earlyish night.

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Tagine preparation, production and consumption

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Evening day 1

After the excitement of cooking we dined early at the hotel and then bussed into centre to experience the Main Square and the Souk at full blast. It was certainly very noisy with insistent drums and some wailing vocals but surprisingly well-behaved. We realised it was because everyone was stone cold sober, no alcohol at all being sold or consumed. Crowd comprised large groups: some listening to storytellers, others to musicians and others playing the sort of games we would see at a church fete in England. We visited a café and drank mint tea - very soporific. Back home about 10 pm where we downed a big glass of red wine each and then slipped into virtuous sleep.

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Bill having an unanticipated massage - cost? A mere £2.00!

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25th November 2018

Arrived late last night and all a bit chaotic getting to hotel. Finally fed and settled in and on the right side of half a passable bottle white wine we slept OK but found chaos again over breakfast. Not cold outside but not warm either. We bussed it into the centre and visited the Saadian tombs - intricate carvings on walls and simple anonymous tombs decorated with mosaics; plus our first view of one of the numerous cats which survive well in Marrakesh. We were then guided into the Souk, the city’s famous closed market. This was fascinating with virtually every kind of product available. We ended up in a spice and herb centre where a guy gave us a really entertaining presentation on how his spices can be used. Bit of a snake oil salesman but it worked and he must have netted hundreds from charming our gullible 50 strong group. We then continued wandering around the amazing souk, having delicious mint tea spoilt with far too much sugar before being driven to our ‘cookery class’. The idea was to cook then eat a Moroccan tangine with the first hour chatting and drinking tea at the organisers’ instigation. I wondered how on earth the class plus eating could be fitted in but found the eventual class beautifully taught and timed. All 11 of us cooked a lovely meal and enjoyed eating it too. Fab experience and we got two terracotta tagine dishes to take home.

Part of the Souk where metal objects made and sold.

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MARRAKECH:  23rd - 29th November 2018

Waiting at Manchester airport for flight to Morocco for five days and nights. Cool outside without being wintry but a few days in the North African sun sounds good to us

We join Riviera Travel group so hope they’ll be good company. Brexit astonishments will have to wait for a few days. I’ve never been to this destination before but C has been once many years ago on a Ramblers holiday.

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La Corbiere lighthouse as we passed it on our (mercifully very calm) passage home.

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8th September 2018

C packed up expertly as usual, we said farewell to our landlord, Matthew, and headed off to check out eastern half of island.

North of Gorey we stopped for coffee and were struck by a couple of very posh talking youngish guys in wetsuits whom we later saw changing out of the boot of a Bentley Continental! This is C’s fantasy car which I’ve promised to buy for her when we win big on National Lottery. ‘Reeking of Privilege’ was the phrase we coined to represent our disgust and, yes, envy.

Jersey as a place to live? Very beautiful, very elegant in parts and very expensive of course. We loved it for the scenery, the fish restaurants and the fantastic (for the autumn) weather. We were not entranced however by what we thought an inordinate level of smoking by people on the island.

Why weather so good? The rainy stuff seems to cross to the north of the Channel Isles seems to us. Live there? No, but visiting is like travelling abroad whilst still in UK. It’s so English and yet also so French you forget you’re still technically still in Blighty.