IT'S LATE AFTERNOON in the centre of exotic Marrakech, with its Andalusia-inspired arches, ochre ramparts, souk marketplaces and distinctive skyline of mosques set against the majestic snow-capped High Atlas Mountains. I find myself thoroughly lost in the medina, where narrow passageways seethe with human activity. Covered bazaars are crammed with spice stalls and workshops of every kind, with artisans at work fashioning slippers, weaving rugs, dyeing textiles and hammering metals.
In the heart of the city is the world-famous Djemaa el-Fna, a town square named a Unesco World Heritage Site. This cultural and artistic crossroads is a meeting place for locals and a stage for storytellers, acrobats, musicians and snake charmers. I grab a seat and a chilled drink at Le Grand Balcon overlooking the square and watch the drama unfold.
As the orange sun travels across the sky and the minarets and palms gradually fall into silhouettes, chefs begin to cart in their food stalls and before long the aroma of barbecued meats and kebabs fills the air. When the sun finally sets, all the music in the medina ceases for one of the most evocative of travel sounds, the muezzin's call to prayer. Soon, another muezzin in another mosque starts up, and then another until the entire city is filled with these fervent sounds.
I am tempted to give in to the lure of street food but I keep it for later. On the agenda is a meal at one of Marrakech's fabulous palace restaurants, most of which are converted riads (a traditional house or palace with an interior garden). An excellent example is the Narwama, hidden away down a narrow alleyway covered in Berber rugs, a short stroll from the medina. Situated in a 19th-century had with 21st century Zen decor, the Narwama offers an award-winning combination of Moroccan and Thai cuisine with the best mojito in town.
I am tempted to give in to the lure of street food but I keep it for later. On the agenda is a meal at one of Marrakech's fabulous palace restaurants, most of which are converted riads (a traditional house or palace with an interior garden). An excellent example is the Narwama, hidden away down a narrow alleyway covered in Berber rugs, a short stroll from the medina. Situated in a 19th-century had with 21st century Zen decor, the Narwama offers an award-winning combination of Moroccan and Thai cuisine with the best mojito in town.
"The food we serve is Fez cuisine and one of our house specialties is Lamb Tajine with Pears," says owner Ali Bousfiha as he watches me dig into a generous helping. "The tajine is Morocco's most famous dish and the name refers to the conical-lidded pot in which it is prepared, as well as the intricately spiced stew of meat and vegetables, sometimes with dried fruits and nuts, cooked very slowly over a charcoal fire."
The following morning I'm up early for a three-day High Atlas Mountains to the Sahara tour. It's 7 a.m. and I join a small group of four Brits, an American couple and an Australian, standing outside the Hotel Ali in Marrakech. "Could be the perfect recipe for a cramped weekend," I think to myself, as we all crowd into the minibus, and hit the P31 road towards the mountains.
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