Outside Marrakesh

This blog entry is a continuation of our trip to Marrakesh, Morocco. On our fourth day, took a fabulous day trip to the Atlas Mountains. We met our now very good friend and driver, Abdu, at 9:30 in the morning and off we went. Nick and I enjoyed this day more than any other we spent in Morocco.


The Atlas Mountains are a range of mountains that stretch across a northern Africa extending about 2,400 km (1,500 miles) through Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. The highest peak is Jbel Toubkal with an elevation of 4,167 metres (13,671 ft). Our destination that day was to a kasbah beneath this peak.



We couldn’t believe that contrast in geography as we drove south from the Marrakesh toward the mountains. We left dry, flat desert, drove through river valleys into low lying hills dotted with Berber villages and ended up under the snow capped mountains! All this in about an hour and a half’s drive!

Our route took us south from Marrakesh through the town of Tahanaote, past Moulay-Brahim. Here, we saw the Berber camel traders watering their camels by the river...





In Asni (1,150m), we stopped to have a look at Sir Richard Branson’s lavish Kasbah Tamadot. If you're wondering "What is a 'kasbah'?" it's a North African castle or fortress. Throughout North African history, the kasbah served as the seat of the local ruler, or feudal master, as well as the hiding place of the local population during attacks. As described by Abdu, it would have been the grandest dwelling place in any tribal area. Some are grander than others. The former owner of this kasbah was clearly very well to do and Branson did a major 7 year renovation prior to it's opening in early 2005.

In days gone by, this was the entrance door for the camels and horses; people on foot would have entered through another adjacent door...

The grounds were lovely and the whole place had a real peace about it. During our visit we saw about 10 people lounging by the pool...

Nice tree house!!

We continued on our way up the valley. Along the way there were a few Berber villages close to the road. Here, a woman is carrying water from the river across the bridge to her home in the hills.

The Berber people live a very rustic life out here, spending their days clearing stones from the fields, grazing a cow or two and gathering firewood and water. However, we noticed satellite dishes on many of their roofs so we know what many of them are doing when the sun goes down!!

The landscape changed dramatically as we neared Toubkal. The hillsides became steeper and greener. The Berber peoples who inhabit these lands have 'tenaciously created fertile garden terraces from a wilderness of stone". If you look closely at this photo, on the left, you will see the terraces in the hillside. In many of these terraces we were surprised to see apple trees! They were growing all over the valley. We would have thought it too hot in the summer for them to grow here, but apparently not.



We stopped to soak up the view, smell the fresh air and listen to the quiet. It was really magnificent...




A short while later we ended our journey in Imlil where we left the car and hiked up to the more rustic Kasbah du Toubkal(1,800m) at the base of Jbel Toubkal(4,167m). This peak is well known by climbers from all over the world and this kasbah is a popular starting off point. From the moment we started our hike we were rewarded with these spectacular views...

As we walked up to the kasbah, we were not alone. Villagers walk almost everywhere, often with their animals...

Guests arriving at the Kasbah du Toubkal usually hire a young boy, like this and his mule to carry their luggage, note the red suitcase in his basket. Mules here are also called Morocan 4X4's!

The Kasbah du Toubkal is an extraordinary venture, the product of an imaginative Berber and European partnership. They have a shared belief that the beauty of the Toubkal National Park should be accessible to all who respect it. The kasbah has expanded in an ad hoc, architect-free way and has become a hill top hamlet of hospitality in the area. It is a welcoming environment for indigent backpacker, those seeking a comfortable mountain refuge as well as for those desiring superb rooms in a stunning setting.

The Kasbah du Toubkal is not a hotel in the traditional sense, it is more an extension of the hospitality that stems from the home of the Berbers who run it.

The main 'house' with rooms as well as dining and congregating areas...



On this tapis-covered, roof top terrace, day trippers like us could sit and have a meal or a cup of sweet Moroccan mint tea and enjoy the view...





Sleeping bags taking advantage of a warm, sunny day...and the view!





Neither Nick or I have ever been to Tibet but we felt that in Toubkal we had found that a mountain landscape of Tibetan grandeur and isolation. It may not be Tibet, but, as Martin Scorsese discovered when he filmed part of his Dalai Lama here, it’s pretty close. If Nick and I return to Morocco someday, we would definitely include a stay here!






Back from our long day, we enjoyed another wonderful private dinner at our riad. That night there were a few new guests who shared ‘our’ roof top dining room with us. A very pleasant Dutch woman, Zoe, who now lives in southern Spain sat next to us and we chatted a bit. We enjoyed her so much that the next morning at breakfast, we decided to accompany her to a few special stalls in the Djemaa el Fna for a bit of last minute shopping. I wished we’d had Zoe with us earlier in the trip; she had the confidence which comes from wheeling and dealing with these vendors before. Not only did she know the best dealers, she knew how to get the best prices as well.

At 11:30, a taxi picked us up at Riad Azzar and took us to Amanjena("peaceful paradise"), a luxury resort just outside Marrakesh, recommended by Mohamed. At his suggestion, we had decided to spend a relaxing, last day here having a fabulous massage at their Health and Beauty Center followed by a relaxing lunch at their pool terrace restaurant.

As Amanjena's brochure says, "Flowing water is a gift in this desert country, a symbol of grace and abundance". Water is everywhere at the resort

Over lunch, we reflected on all we had seen and experienced here in Morocco and decided it was by far the most eye opening, unique place we’ve ever visited. We also decided an afternoon at Amanjena was a heavenly way to end a vacation!

There are many more photos we would love to share so we hope you'll check out our web album: http://picasaweb.google.com/susiebates/Marrakesh?authkey=8mNBGuKKXoQ

More information:

Kasbah Tamadot:http://www.virginlimitededition.com/htmlsite/property-2/Kasbah_Tamadot/

Kasbah du Toubkal: http://www.kasbahdutoubkal.com/

Amanjena: http://www.amanresorts.com/

“They’re taking me to Marrakesh….”

Recently, Nick and I took a spontaneous trip to Marrakesh. Our impromptu adventure came about when friends returned from there in February bursting with enthusiasm about their trip. Their description (and offer to host Sarah while we went away!) was just the encouragement we needed to go see it for ourselves.

Perhaps for many of you the word Marrakesh brings to mind the now old Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young song with the lyrics “They’re taking me to Marrakesh…all aboard that train”! And then, there are those of you(young ones!) who are saying “Never heard of it”! Whatever, I had the song playing in my head MOST of the time we were there! Anyway, let's get started....

The kingdom of Morocco, located in North Africa, is bounded on the north by the Mediterranean Sea, on the east and south-east by Algeria, the Western Sahara sits in the south and on the west is the Atlantic Ocean. The highest mountains in North Africa, the Atlas Mountains, reside here just to the south of Marrakesh. Their snow covered peaks were easily visible from the city. We were so surprised to see palm trees with snow behind them!

Nick and I took a non-stop flight from Marseille to Marrakesh. Several budget airlines fly there, so it's not too expensive. We arrived in the evening and just as soon as we stepped out of the plane we knew we were 'not in Kansas" anymore. Hard to imagine that a mere 2 1/2 hour flight would bring us to another world, a third world country in fact. No sooner had we gotten our bags but we were met by our very pleasant driver, Abdu. We appreciated his smiling face and knowing that he would take us safely to our Riad. A Riad is a traditional Moroccan house or palace with an interior garden. The design of these courtyard dwellings in the coastal regions of Morocco were an adaption and modification of the Roman villa. Many of these mini palaces have been lavishly converted into Bed and Breakfasts. We stayed at Riad Azzar, a lovely three story, 6 bedroom Riad right in the center of town, an area known as the Medina. The owners, a delightful Dutch couple, had opened Riad Azzar about 4 years ago and were busy refurbishing another one nearby due to open in June. Business is good!

As you go down the streets of the Medina there is no indication that there could be something wonderful behind any of the plain, poor-looking exterior walls and simple doorways you pass by. In fact, you might even get a bit worried you've picked the wrong destination(as we did for a few minutes)...
The entrance to Riad Azzar...



But there is spendor behind those doorways! The entrance to these houses is meant to be a major transitional experience and encourages reflection because all of the rooms open into the central atrium space. Enter into the 'lobby' of Riad Azzar!





Here is a peek at our room...

Note: I tried not to put too many photos into the blog but if you are interested, at the end you will find a link to the web album I created with not only with more photos of the riad, but all our photos of the trip.

Not only do most Riads provide breakfast each morning, but by special arrangement, they will prepare lunches and dinners as well. As we were arriving in the evening, we had scheduled to have dinner that night at the Riad. We were so pleased with the results that we ate many of our meals there during our stay. How could you turn away from a private candle lit dinner under the stars with rose petals on your table?!?

The dinner consisted of two salads as entre; one sort of like a cole slaw and the other cold, aubergine and spices. They were both fantastic. The main course was a chicken tagine with green olives and lemon citron. Dessert was a chocolate mousse like concoction which we had no trouble finishing!! We were surpirsed to find in a Muslim country, where drinking alcoholic beverages is strictly forbidden we could have a lovely bottle of Morrocan merlot with our meal.

For those of you wondering 'What is a tagine?" these tasty dishes in Moroccan cuisine are slow-cooked stews braised at low temperatures, resulting in tender meat with aromatic vegetables and sauce. The dish is named after the special pot in which it is cooked. The traditional tajine pot is formed entirely of a heavy clay which is sometimes painted or glazed. It consists of two parts; a base unit which is flat and circular with low sides, and a large cone or dome-shaped cover that rests inside the base during cooking. The cover is so designed to promote the return of all condensation to the bottom. With the cover removed, the base can be taken to the table for serving. From what we saw, tagine is a very popular dish for one and all here. They are on the menu at the restaurants, they were served to us at our Riad and they sell them on the street. Here you can see three tagine pots, their contents indicated by the veggies and fruits on top, cooking at a street side cafe....

Our first dinner was served inside this curtained room. In the morning, we could take breakfast in there as well or, if it wasn't too chilly, eat on the terrace "en plein air" ...

Our first day in Marrakesh, we’d arranged to tour the city with a well respected, native guide named Mohamed(yes, only one 'm'. We asked why and he said, "Only one is necessary"). Yet, what was most ironic is that we were to meet him at our Riad at 9am and start the day from there. Nick was somewhat anxious to walk out to one of the major squares, to get our bearings and just to do a reality check from the night before. Were we truly experiencing this transformation into Arabian Nights or was it a dream? We had about 20 minutes to spare so we started towards the square and were at least a five minute walk from our Riad when Nick saw a man walking down the street who stood out above all others. I’m sure it was not his height or dress, just the manner that he carried himself. Nick turned and instinctively said, “Mohamed?”. Instantly Mohamed stuck out his hand and flashed a smile that could make butter melt. It still amazes me that Nick picked him out of a vast sea of humanity!

Mohamed(on the left) and the driver, Abdu(on the right) getting ready to start our day...

During the next few days, both Nick and I truly fell in love with this guy! After, brief how do you do’s etc, he took us by car, with Abdu always smiling at the wheel, and on foot, to all the major sites and markets in the Medina. He was engaging and approachable and we felt showed us a Marrakesh we would not have found in any guide book. Also, while we were in transit, he was extreemly willing and open to talk about his country, religion, their current king, Mohammed VI(yes, with two 'm's'), and just about anything else that was on our minds! Here are several shots from our time wandering in the markets...


Everyone drinks hot, sweet mint tea so there is mint being sold everywhere...


This man is literally surrounded by his wares; mostly dried fruits and nuts...


This shop, notice the awning in French, their second language, sold all kinds of dried beans, legumes, spices and coffee...

These men are headed to a nearby mosque to pray...



Nick enjoyed trying to communicate, without words, with this woman who was selling hats. He bought this rasta hat for Nicholas...

The market place is a lively spot, we wish we could give you a sense of all the smells and sounds, but at least we can show you how colorful it is!

Scarves...

Shoes...

and jewelry...

Next, we went to the Souks. A souk is a designated market, or quarter, in an Arab city. They referred to the souk's by name, such as the souk of the potters, or souk of the leather workers. In Marrakesh, we were told there are over 10,000 craftsmen have organized into 40 corporations and almost every type of merchandise or craft work has its own particular souk. We were particularly fascinated with the dyers' souk. Mohamed said that the color of the wool hanging out to dry depends on what kind of orders they receive. Clearly, orange and red are 'in' this week!

We left the souks to go to some of the sites in the city. Here are three of the more famous places we visited:

Bahai Palace is one of the richest and loveliest to be found in Marrakesh. This is the ceiling of one of the rooms. They built them in the shape of a tent to remind them that they had come from a life in the desert...

Medersa ibn Ben Youssef is North Africa’s largest Koranic School...



and the Koutoubia Mosque, which together with the immense area of place Djema el-Fna, is the symbol of Marrakesh. There is no point on the horizon from which you cannot see the minaret of this Mosque...



After several hours of touring with Mohamed, he took us to see his wife’s beautiful Riad, Riad Kinza. There, he had arranged a special lunch for the two of us. We ate in a sort of private dining room/library which was filled with fabulous antiques. The delicious food was accompanied by rose petals on the table again!



This dessert was not only a light, refreshing but such a pretty presentation, that I took a photo so I could recreate it at home...

After lunch, we toured the spa he and his wife are building right next door to their Riad. It will be gorgeous! As you can see, everyone here recognizes the value of the tourist industry. Mohamed brought us back to our Riad with arrangements to rendezvous the following afternoon for more touring.

This woman was waiting patiently to sell her baskets nearby our Riad...

That afternoon, Nick and I tried out a spa near our Riad. We signed up for a hammam and masssage. A hammam is a like a steam bath where there is someone in the room who gives you a gommage, the most intense body scrub you’ve ever had in your life. It’s rough while you’re having it but afterwards your skin is baby soft and you are ready for your relaxing massage. Although it was an interesting experience, it wasn't something we'd repeat..at least not there. We learned several things along the lines of bathing from Mohamed. Before a Muslim can enter a mosque they must be totally clean. Keep in mind, they are called to prayer 5 times a day! As a result, Mohamed explained, all over the city, wherever there is a mosque you will find two things; public toilets and public bath houses. He also pointed out that the men must clean themselves after they have sex and before entering a mosque. He didn’t mention where the women fit into this equation….hmmmm?

After an exhausting day, we enjoyed another fabulous dinner at our riad-this time lamb tagine with all the fixings!
We found the staff at our riad to be not only extremely nice and helpful but also very willing to sit and chat. We learned a great deal about their lives and what it’s like to be a Muslim in Marrakesh.

The next day, we had the morning to ourselves so we set off to see a few things we knew we could handle on our own. After wandering through the main square, Djemaa el Fna, we walked quite a ways through the city to the Majorelle Gardens. Situated in Gueliz, part of the Ville Nouvelle of Marrakesh(and a really long, exhausting walk from our Riad!) these magnificent, subtropical gardens were laid out beginning in 1923 by a French painter and decorator, Jacques Majorelle. He continued to live there and add to the garden until 1962 when he left Marrakesh. The gardens overgrew but were purchased and rescued by the French designer, Yves-Saint Laurent in the 70’s and are now open for the public to enjoy.





All the pots in the garden were painted either blue, green or yellow....


After our morning out, we met Mohamed for an afternoon of guided touring. This time he picked us up in a horse drawn carriage!


We travelled out of the Medina and over to the Nouvelle Ville where he pointed out more interesting places. We also visited his wife’s antique shop. There, he showed us his “Wall of Fame” where he had photos of he and many of the famous people he’s been tour guide to, including Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Carter, Bill Gates and Brad Pitt. We have no expectation of having our photo added to the wall, but we really did enjoy Mohamed!



Although it was hard to do, we decided to take a break from dinners at our Riad and go out to a restaurant in town. Dar Moha lived up to it’s recommendation! We had a fabulous three or four course Morrocan meal sitting in their outside garden, poolside dining area under the stars being entertained by Moroccan musicians. It was a memorable night!


Tomorrow we are going to the Atlas Mountains for the day....read about it in our blog entry "Outside Marrakesh"





Here's the link to our Marrakesh Web Album if you'd like to see all our photos. http://picasaweb.google.com/susiebates/Marrakesh?authkey=8mNBGuKKXoQ



More information??
Riad Azzar: http://www.riadazzar.com/
Majorelle Garden: http://www.jardinmajorelle.com/
Restaurant Dar Moha : http://www.darmoha.ma/ma/

WE HAVE A NEW TEENAGER!! Sarah celebrated her 13th birthday on March 14. She invited her dear friend, Mallory, to join us for a special evening of sushi at Geisha on the Cours Mirabeau followed by a trip to Ben and Jerry's and a movie. She's looking forward to celebrating with a big, pool party at our home later this spring when the weather warms up.

Skiing at Les Orres

This winter we discovered a ski area, or 'un station' in French, just 2 1/2 hours north of Aix. Les Orres, at an altitude of 2,720 m (8,924 ft)is located in the Durance River Valley in the Hautes Alpes about 200km north of Aix.




My first visit there was a mid-week day trip with our French friends, Denis and Bettina Lucas-du Reau. We had great skiing and there was barely a soul on the mountain.

The area at Centre Station ...






It seemed like a good spot for a family ski trip so during the February school break, Nick, Sarah and I went there for a few days. We rented a small apartment in Les Melezes d'Or, one of the newest, slopeside complexes. Our unit was a bit of a disappointment from the internet site upon which I made our reservation....very small and quite bare bones. It had only been open for two months and Nick wondered if they really even had an occupancy permit! We survived our two nights there but won't be returning any time soon.

There was certainly more snow on my first visit, but the mountain seemed to hold the snow on the pistes pretty well, so even though they hadn't had new snow in two weeks the skiing was still pretty good on the second trip. Being school vacat ion week, there were lots of people on the slopes and in the lift lines! Our first day we had warm temps and plenty of sunshine. In the distance you have a superb view of Serre-Ponçon Lake and the Durance Valley.



but the next day more wintery weather arrived...



We had a lunch outdoors at this slopeside restaurant on the sunny day...


The colors for the pistes on French slopes are green, blue, red and black. Here's a sign at the top...

All in all it was a nice ski trip, but not a great ski trip. Moral of the story: Don't go skiing during school vacations and don't trust everything you read or see on internet travel sights!