Marrakech - a street artist, a cooking lesson and the main square by day

When we arrived at our hotel in Marrakech I noticed what looked like wall art nearby, except it looked like a beanie and nothing else. In the bar later in the afternoon i spotted a scissor lift and an artist at work.

Yesterday morning the work had progressed further, and by the evening there was most of a face.

When asked about the face, our guide told us a story of a lost wallet and the artist acknowledging an honest man. In searching for the artist's name I saw nothing about that so I will just write what I did find.

The artist is a German named Hendrik Biekirch a.k.a ECB. He was working on an art project in Marrakech and noticed that the older trades were disappearing. His works pay homage to the disappearing tradesmen of Morocco.

The wall I am watching, which is opposite the train station, is of a Berber Moroccan named Aziz, a wall mason. The wall was originally done in 2015 but it was fading so Beikirch is re-painting Aziz

Today's special event was a cooking lesson at riadizlane. This is a first class palace, restaurant and spa, a magnificent house in a beautiful garden setting and with a top quality kitchen for cooking classes.

We were each directed to a cooking bay where everything we needed was laid out for us. Screens allowed us a close up view of the chef 's actions as the hostess told us what to do.

We were to make a chicken tagine with lemon and olives.

The tagine on the gas hob and the spices needed.

The raw ingredients - chicken, garlic, parsley, preserved lemon and onion.

Next we prepared the salad of roasted pepper, onion, tomato, salt, cumin and oil. But first we had to make the tomato rosette for decoration.

Once it was cooked we moved to the garden restaurant to enjoy the fruits of our labour, and enjoy it we did!

After lunch the bus dropped some of us back at the hotel and collected some who had missed the cooking class.

We visited a huge shop where we spent some time shopping for gifts then we went to the main square to experience it by day. Jemaa el-Fnaa was just as busy, just as noisy, just as enticing. There were more market stalls at the souks and the snake charmers were present. As 4 o'clock approached the area became even busier as the evening food stall people moved in their mini restaurants.

Home in time for happy hour at the bar, then time to pack the cases again. Dinner by the pool.

Weather and health update: cool morning but warmed to about 24 degrees today.  COVID Positives 9, still clear 8! All doing pretty well, just pacing themselves with the activities.

Marrakech, the Red City - Gardens, a Palace, a Tomb and much more

It was an early start today so breakfast in the pool garden was a little cool for me.

Our hotel, the Opera Plaza is painted the colour of Marrakech, terracotta or the colour of the soil here. In the main the variation is just the degree of fade.

The Garden Marjorelle is 100 years old this year and covers 9000 m. sq. The French colonised Morocco in 1920 and four years later Jacques Marjorelle, a French painter and designer began this striking garden. It was developed and a house built there over a forty year period. The house in particular has Art Deco and Moorish influences.

In 1980 Yves St. Laurent and  Pierre Bergé, who first came to Morocco in 1966 purchased Jardin Marjorelle to save it from developers.  St. Laurent died in 1980 and his ashes were scattered in the garden. Bergé died in 2018 and there is a monument to both creative men in Jardin Marjorelle. St. Laurent donated the property to the city.

A really beautiful hour or more wandering the garden.

Next stop was  the Royal Palace, but first an interesting walk to get there. The Koutoubia Mosque, a group photo (photo of a photo!), an interesting means of transporting goods in the narrow streets of the medina, a sign warning motor bike riders to be aware that a school is nearby and another means of transporting goods.

Pictured with the group are our tour leader Driss,  our local guide Ali and five Berber water carriers.

The Bahai Palace was built between1866 and 1867 by Si Moussa, a former slave who rose to Grand Visir of the Sultan. It is unusually set inside the medina. It housed the Resident General during the French Protectorate era and is now considered one of the best preserved historic sites in Marrakesh.

Again, much intricate decoration - soft plaster carved panels with symbols of the three faiths, cedar wood ceilings, tiling and detailed painting.

Our local guide Ali, who also had a great sense of humour. A joke from him, paraphrased. Q: Did you know Morocco has a new religion? A: It's called Instagram. The young people practice it all day.

Masks for all at present (no new cases today :) 

A group photo taken by Ali to show us how well he framed it.

              

On the walk to our next appointment we were able to see storks nesting up on a chimney. They fly south for the winter and are known to return to the same nests in Spain or France.

The 16th century monument site of the Saadian Tombs was our next location. The tombs are an historic royal necropolis on the side of the Kasbah Mosque. Of Moorish design, they are also highly decorated with intricate carvings and colourful tiles.

We were told that these tombs were only found in 1917, that the graves never have names on them and that the people were buried on their right sides.

We were starting to flag somewhat by now (27 degrees) however a visit to Herboristerie Bab Agnaou pepped us up a bit. Maybe it was his version of Vicks vapourub in the nostrils or one of the oils or creams applied to various parts. Moroccans use herbal and spice remedies, especially as a first action and this qualified man told us he sends his products all over the world.

Last call was another cooperative type of shop, three floors full, of craft items made mostly by women. The idea being that women are empowered by being able to make money from selling their crafts. The Berber carpets were beautiful but where would I use one.

I did have a little carpet tying lesson from one of the women working there.

Lunch at 4 pm, drinks at 6 pm. Certainly not the English timing we are used to. Finished the night with Nutella and banana crepes at 8.30 pm.