mosaic road

Starbucks in Marrakech

I have never had a bad coffee in Morocco. I have to have strong coffee, rich and black. There is Starbucks in both Casablanca and Marrakech but for me it's not a place to drink coffee. It's a place to meet and use the Internet and drink a beverage that is not coffee. Fabulous for hot chocolate. A fun place but not a coffee place. And yes you can get a pumpkin spiced latte at Thanksgiving and all the other promo drinks. They come at US prices too but that does not stop the place being packed out, seething with people in fact especially at this time of year. So if you are here and need a bit of "home" you can spread out on the couches, check your emails and watch the passing parade.

 

 

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The Cat is Out of the Bag

The cat is now on the bag, on a new bag in fact. I take a lot of photos of street cats as there are so many in Marrakech . They are very cute and often have unusual colourings. In November, in the heart of the souks I found a shop selling artefacts that had many, many cats around the doorway. The shop owner loved them all. His favourite cat went by the name of Monica, would you believe. It provided a great photo opportunity to see his many beloved cats . My sister has been so clever and one of my photos now adorns a calico bag.

 

 

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A Glamorous Gallery

 

 

 

 

Jnane Tamsna has a fabulous gallery attached to it, full of objets d'arts and Moroccan artisan goods. All to be admired and or purchased. I was there only fleetingly but it was a beautiful and big shop, a paradise for shopaholics. A collection of beautiful things that would enhance any interior has been put together by Meryanne Loum-Martin, the owner of this guest house that takes my heart every time I visit.

 

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A Winter Al Fresco Lunch

Winter in Morocco luckily still means you can eat outside so today a happy group of about 12 of us sat in the gardens of cultural guesthouse Jnane Tamsna celebrating life in Marrakech. While we did not actually sit in sunshine , it was neither cold nor windy. The tables were set under the trees and decorated with freshly picked citrus fruits, greenery from the orchard ,exquisite local Moroccan roses and big sprigs of aromatic rosemary. A glowing chiminea invitingly sat between the two tables and Diva loitered close by as dogs do whenever food maybe in the offing . All idyllic.

 

 

 

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A Walk Down My Memory Lane, part one

 

 

 

March 2015 was Madrid for me, four wonderful days with some of my dearest and oldest friends. On the last freezing morning we walked in shards of drizzle and whipping winds around the cobbled lanes of the old town. These are the beautiful tiled exterior walls of the Villa Rosa Flamenco restaurant, famous for its atmosphere and live flamenco performances since its opening in 1911. A renowned ceramic artist created the famous facades in 1927 and they portray other lovely Spanish cities. Cities I hope I will get to see in 2016.

 

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Start Out How You Mean to Continue

The time between Xmas and New Year in Australia is a time of eating leftovers while slumped on the couch watching the cricket. During the ads sometimes thoughts may turn to new year resolutions. Diets, fitness, career changes et al maybe on this list. For me, resolutions are usually fleeting and best avoided no matter what country I am in. But if push comes to shove and I have to come up with something then this year I would like to eat more brownies. That's not complex or too challenging, except I don't have an oven. I am, I suppose putting the horse before the cart so to speak. But once I have made my oven purchase then I will be well on the way to a 2016 being full of sweetness. I will probably then need to contemplate diets and fitness in 2017 but for now I am ready to embrace some rich chocolatey decadence.

 

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Rocking the Riad

 

 

 

 

Our guests are ver lucky as they often get the bonus of a live serenade at breakfast or dinner. We have one very musical member of staff and he plays the loutar. This stringed instrument is made from one piece of pear shaped wood that has been hollowed out. A goat skin is stretched over the open front and it might have either three or four strings. It is an instrument common to the Mid Atas region of Morocco and to the Berbers. Book in with us and experience an up close and personal little concert.

 

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A Tradition Since the Middle Ages

Christmas street markets date back to 1294. Vienna, Augsburg, Munich, Frankfurt, Dresden etc etc all were involved in the forerunners of what is now a massive tourist attraction all over Europe and Britain. Christmas markets have a special feel of community and celebration and I have been to many. Lucky for me, now Bath is added to that joyful list. Like in Europe, the stalls were set up in little decorated chalets ringing the Bath Abbey precinct. Probably night time shows them off best but on a dim late afternoon I wandered amongst the Christmas shoppers and revellers and enjoyed every minute. Stalls selling fudge and plum puddings and gluwein had the longest queues. Buskers and carollers really helped set the festive scene. Children and dogs alike were warmly dressed against the ye olde English winter and a good time was had by all.

 

 

 

 

 

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No Birds Here

Canary Wharf is a huge business district in London. It is a vast area full of office towers with an equally vast subterranean retail space. Throughout the 1800s this was not the case as it was a big and bustling dock. The location on the West India Docks on the Isle of Dogs sounds very British colonial but it is all very modern and quite stark. In the dim afternoon light, it was probably at its prettiest as all the bare trees were full of twinkling fairy lights and glimmering Christmas trees line the open spaces at this time of year. I am sure that any canary in its right mind has long since flown this coop as permits have been granted for 30 more buildings.

 

 

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Oh, Christmas Tree

 

 

A beautifully decorated Christmas tree is a sight to behold and I can appreciate this totally but I have never wanted one of my own. It makes me sad to think how many beautiful pines have their limbs lopped for this short festive occasion . I know I am a lone voice in a fir filled wilderness . Over the years, I have decorated twigs and bought real spruces in pots but always unenthuiasiastically, much to the chagrin of my children. They always wanted an enormous sky scraper of a tree, possibly as a reaction to their anti tree grinch mother. Now as adults they are free to go to town and have a tree in every room if so desired and I will admire from afar as long as I do not have to undress it after the festive season or vacuum up endless pine needles. As I now live very happily in a Christmas free country, this annual dilemma is off the agenda for me.

 

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