Mimi on the Landing

It's difficult to try to explain the house to anyone not familiar to Morocco. Unlike most houses in Europe and the US, there are few, if any, exterior windows --everything opens on to a courtyard.
This is Mimi on the landing outside our bedroom by the fragrant jasmine bush.

This is outside Robert's studio looking down into the courtyard.

Pomegranates on the roof. The colors of the fruits are lovely against the traditional tiles.

This is the little 'salon,' or sitting room, downstairs. The chair was made by a man on Derb Dabachi, the cushion covers up by the Mellah market. The rug is very old and from the Middle Atlas. It is hard to find black and white rugs --most often the rugs are much more brightly colored.
The tiles are new since the old ones were quite worn out.
The room is looking pretty neat, so Ghizlain must have tidied it up. There are no windows at all.

Riad al Madina/Essouira

We have stayed at the Riad Al Madina very often over the last ten years and always found it very comfortable.
Years ago people like Jimi Hendrix were meant to have stayed there.
A few years ago they did it up a bit too "Pier One Imports" but even so it's oddly charming.
Here a little bird helps himself to the breakfast buffet.



Reflections in the bedroom...........



One of the downstairs sitting rooms looking out onto the courtyard..........


Pattern upon pattern..........



Comfortable cushions in a rather Marrakech-y coral!
There is an interesting article on the Atlantic coast of Morocco in the English Sunday Times Travel magazine for July.

Floors Galore...........and an Ending

Until I started looking through all my recent photos, I didn't realize how many pictures of floors I had. So this is a selection.
The first from the Bahia Palace - my shabby-chic heaven.



The second, as you can guess from the color of the window frames, is from an exhibition space just off the main square in Essouira.



This one with neutral, herringbone tiles contrasting with the bright, traditional ones on the walls, is from a friend's house in the medina of Marrakech.



This rather swanky marble is from Marrakech Plaza, a new shopping center in Gueliz with fountains, Etam, Zara, and all sorts of other shops and restaurants including MacDonalds..............



This turtle lives in the grounds of the Hotel Andalous in Hirvenage and wanders round near the swimming pool. We went there for lunch the other day pretending to be tourists. The doorman wore traditional costume - a red fez ,white loose trousers and a cloak. I asked if I could take his photo but when he said, "Two euros," I decided not to bother. We tried four taxis before we found one who admitted to having a meter. The driver and his companion laughed when we told them ( in Arabic) that all the other taxi drivers were mechant/bad/naughty........



We are lucky enough to have wonderful friends who know how to live well.
Last Friday we went to The Grand Cafe de la Poste with Chris and Maryam. This is our favorite restaurant in Gueliz. The food is delicious and the decor exquisite........the eau de nil green on the doors is subtly chic. In fact everything there is chic.



A little, rather skinny kitten climbs steps towards the garden at the Bahia Palace.

We left Morocco with great sadness last Saturday morning for an extended stay in the US, so, although this blog will continue for about a week more with file photos and stuff I didn't manage to fit in before, this is essentially an ending.
There are various reasons for this move but mostly to do with family. Robert's mother is 86 after all.
I'm already missing the bustle of the medina, the fresh orange juice, our friends, the COLORS.
I'm sure we will be back before too very long...........I know we will.
Most people come to this blog for exotic and lovely Marrakech - the star of the show - but anyone wanting to follow our tamer exploits here might want to go to our other blog "About New York".

At Home............

The little fountain in the courtyard serves as a sort of focal point........
Rather like a mantelpiece. The strange brown thing is a Berber tent accessory - hard to explain - anyway a present from a friend who went to the desert.



As summer approaches light falls into the courtyard making all sorts of strange shadows........



Swirls lead you into the sitting room...............



There are always lots of flowers - one of the delights of Marrakech.............



In the evenings we eat in the courtyard, except in the dead of winter. The table cloth is a piece of fabric from the mellah market and the olives were preserved by Ismail's mother.
Flowers, olives and candlelight.........
I wish you could join us.

Essouira Abstract

This is a post about details........all these photos were taken last week in Essouira
where we slept at the Riad alMadina. right in the middle of town.
We have stayed here off and on for the last ten years.
There were roses in both the fountains in the courtyard.



Essouira is pretty much a blue and white town and the hotel has a super terrace with both sun and shade on the roof.......



The hotel's claim to fame is that Jimi Hendrix stayed here in the late 60's or early 70's when Essouira was an exotic haven for hippies. Many people who were here then do not to have very clear recollections of their visit since they were utterly stoned all the time.All they recall is that it was wonderful.
Ah youth!
(Editorial note: I was not here then.......)



Since then the hotel, and, indeed, the whole town, has had a make-over and is most friendly and comfortable.
In fact, the whole town is a delight.



Chairs.........



a floor.........



In the town square in the late afternoon.......



And, of course, the ubiquitous door/wall combo.......

Monday Morning at the Bahia Palace

If you get to things very early, before the hordes of tourists appear, everything is lovely and peaceful.
The best part of the palace is the most distant.
Looking from the courtyard into the furthest garden.............



where young women were cleaning the fountains............



Almost everything is rather ancient, decrepit, and falling apart........which is what makes it so wonderful.

Even the plastic bucket has a certain charm.



Inside the palace light falls through stained glass onto yet another marble basin........

Stairs and a Field Trip

A decorative gold staircase in an art gallery.
Who would have thought?


Pink marble stairs. It would be rather lovely to have something exciting to look at every time one went up and down.
These are in Gueliz at our notaire's office.


Yellow and black is rather chic and New Yorkish.
Also in Gueliz.


I like the metal stars on the security gate.


I was up in the new town to visit the kindergartners I looked after in September.
They were having a field trip to a playground with spectacularly bright rides.


Here the boys clamber off the little toy train.

Gracious Hosts in the Countryside

There is a huge walled garden full of old olive trees and a long drive bordered by luxuriant roses.
Some of the roses need dead-heading to make more and better ones - even though there are plenty already.
The old-bat English lady-gardener in me determines to bring secateurs next time.
What joy it would bring me to do real gardening rather than just fiddling with pots on the roof.
Peacocks and guinea fowl roam in the olive orchard.



There are all sorts of other birds and animals but I'm saving their pictures for tomorrow.



Roses decorate every table top -the handiwork of an artistic five year old of my acquaintance. Her excellent sense of design was probably inherited from both her parents. But, even so, she brings her own individual flair to it.
CocaCola. This is drink much beloved of the Moroccans - as well as everyone else except me. I always like to see it with Arabic script on the bottle. It looks more exciting somehow. For nasty/nice sugared water I'd rather go for Hawaii - a really bizarre yellow brew sold here.



All the drinks - including fresh orange juice and two kinds of water - fizzy and flat.
I can drink tap water here but mostly don't, except for cleaning my teeth.
Of course there is beer and wine for the grownups.
One little boy (aged 4) decided to pour himself a glass of red wine. Luckily he was noticed and gave the most beatific smile as it was taken from him........



The big table indoors has African artifacts on it which make me think of the south.
But today is for outside.



I'm not quite sure what plant the yellow sprinklies came from - but I like the effect.



Pink on pink is so chic. There was lots of food including green sausages - see Flickr. They looked poison but tasted fine.
The secret ingredient turned out to be spinach.......



Even the bathroom window - very high up - is sort of intriguing.

More Details

These first two photos are from Maison Tiskiwin, Bert Flint's House off rue riad zitoun laKadim.
He has an astounding collection of textiles and artifacts from all areas of the Sahara collected over many years and well documented.



Our friend R., who has lived in Nigeria, was lucky enough to have a long talk with him about the Touaregs and other tribes of the Sahara -people whose lives are changing fast.
The house - two courtyard houses really - is quite amazing and makes on want to move in immediately.
Here are the most luxuriant elephant ears I have ever seen.



Not quite sure how this 'chariot' (handcart) got in with the details of palaces and grand houses.
However, a very commonplace sight here.



This last picture has escaped from my ones of the Bahia Palace - that mecca for all who love painted doors and ceilings - and shabby chic.