mosaic road

An Evening Stroll

An afternoon stroll just now in Morocco can become quite quickly an evening stroll as it is wintertime here and the light quickly fades. On the afternoon I visited the Es Saadi Palace Hotel I enjoyed the extensive gardens in the daylight on arrival but by the time I left the lanterns were lit and evening had descended. The gardens were bathed in a golden glow and the paths were dappled with shadow. In the time it had taken to enjoy tea,  a fairyland had appeared outside the door.

Waxing Lyrical

Everyone surely is moved by a wonderful sunset but we are so busy rushing that the glory of the setting sun is often missed. Because there are no high rise buildings in Marrakech the skies are huge and no skyscrapers can block the sunset. Also there are roof tops everywhere just perfect for seeing views over the city at any time of day or night. I have only a small camera but last night took it with me to a rooftop overlooking the main square in the medina and watched dusk descend and the sun sink. Of course, I can't do justice to such a beautiful daily phenomenon but I can tell you it was colourful and wondrous, breathtaking and exquisite. How lucky are we, that we can see it again and again for many tomorrows to come.

An Afternoon Stroll

Marrakech has a lot of big hotels like most cities but we are lucky here as many are set in big, sprawling  beautiful gardens. A simple and inexpensive afternoon activity is to go for coffee at one of these hotels and then wander the gardens. Recently I did just this at  Palais Es Saadi. Water features, oranges and  pressed metal lanterns set the Morocco meets botanica tone. It was a lovely blue sky winter's day enhancing these glorious lush gardens.

A Mini Outdoor Exhibition

Tucked in the grounds of the Es Saadi Palace Hotel amongst the grass is a little exhibition of ceramic tiles. A famous Moroccan architect, painter and ceramist, Kamal Lahbabi,  well known in French art circles,  designed these. He created artworks for the hotel lobby as well as these traditional type zellige tiles inspired by ancient ceramics. How lovely to stumble upon theses as I wandered the grounds.

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree

I saw a big batch of Christmas trees at the local Marrakech flower market today. It was so unexpected. This is an Islamic country. December 25th is not a holiday. Christmas, although not on the calendar, is certainly in the shops. The green, feathery tree is a locally grown version, not nearly as spiky as the Australian Xmas trees that drop their pine needles everywhere. To one side of the stall was a big blue spruce in a pot and the man said it came from Canada. When or how was unknown. It was a classic beauty, but missing the tree stand and skirt that accompany such a tree in other parts of the world. As you can also see home delivery was available. 

Something Pretty

We joined the throngs walking the promenade under the lights. The lighting effect is akin to fairyland as a swathe of canopies of tiny lights swoosh down the boulevard of Mohamed VI for about a kilometre. Its really very pretty and I am glad I did not miss it. What I would like to miss though is the parade of  speeding, dangerous motorbikes that wantonly veer onto the footpath, amid the pedestrians, taking a shortcut to avoid the traffic jam. Its a pity we have to take our life in our hands just to enjoy this wonderful sparkly light show....and its a very bad look for tourism, Morocco !!!

Lights, Camera, Action

The annual Marrakech International Film Festival is on this week which brings tourists and celebrities to town. It also brings standstill type traffic jams along Mohamed VI, a sweeping boulevard, as people enjoy the fabulous lit up buildings and fountains. This particular road runs through the new town flanked by theatres, deluxe chain hotels, cultural buildings, upmarket shopping malls, banking headquarters and glamorous apartment blocks. It is like a divided highway with an enormous landscaped mid section full of rosebushes and benches perfect for promenading and even picnicking. The lights really are just a wonderful sight and certainly draw the crowds.

Jarjeer Mule and Donkey Refuge, part five

Some time ago I fostered Poppy with a view to adopting her. I realised that keeping her in an apartment was not ideal and it was unfair on her to be locked in the kitchen when I was at work. The whole dog ownership thing here in Morocco is quite fraught with issues. There is a lack of parks in the city for dogs to be off leash, the local authorities regularly put down poison to kill off the street dogs and the general community on the whole is not dog friendly. There is a fear of rabies and dogs are considered unclean. Anyway beautiful Poppy went to live permanently at Jarjeer where she has blossomed into a statuesque, snowy canine supermodel. I dearly loved seeing her again plus on this visit I met her mother who goes by the very un-Moroccan name of Maude . Maude, black with blonde kelpie eyebrows is pictured curled up in her bed. She had a tough horrible street life but now is a house dog, often as not found on the sofa !!!!

Jarjeer Mule and Donkey Refuge, part four

It's very heartwarming to see this doggie donkey friendship. Rosie, a fabulous brindle Beldi, was rescued from the Marrakech suburban streets, motherless, as a very very tiny baby. She has grown up happily at the Jarjeer sanctuary and spends her days socialising with her donkey friends. It is a sweet example that all people could learn from. Equines can interact happily with canines as long as boundaries are respected. Whether you have hooves or paws, are brindle or brown, are black or white, it matters not. You can get along, just always respect.

Jarjeer Mule and Donkey Refuge, part three

There are dogs too at Jarjeer, about ten of them. As you all know, I am pretty ardent about dogs and miss having one terribly. So I was in a doggy heaven, patting them all. I now know why it is always said not to work with dogs or children after attempting to take dog pics. They are never still for a start. Anyway this one is a Beldi, the local type of wild dog or undomesticated dog or street dog or just stray mut !! Often they are this sandy color with the darker muzzle. He had belonged to a passing shepherd but had decided to stay at Jarjeer and hangs around working as security in return for food and a bed in the barn.