Happy hitchin to Marrakech

According to an AA poll, it's 'the end of the road for hitchhiking'. Well, not for me it isn't. I've hitchhiked every decade of my life (except the first), on four continents, and I don't intend to stop just because I'm 70 and no one does it any more'. 

Actually, it's got easier as I've got older -though 1 must admit to a niggle of guilt when a car stops and the driver anxiously asks this elderly woman if he can help. It must be disconcerting to find that I merely want to get to such-and-such, and there's no bus. The last time 1 hitched was a couple of years ago when I was researching my Slow Devon and Exmoor book and missed the bus into Dartmoor.

I was with my friend Janice - who has the advantage of sporting white hair so scores high on the sympathy scale - and a car stopped within minutes. The driver was most informative and some of his stories made their way into the book. That's the thing about hitchhiking: most of the people who stop are interesting as well as kind. 1 think it's given me a skewed perception of the human race.

I do seem to trust people more than is usual, which opens the door to adventure and serendipity. Everyone talks about the dangers of thumbing a lift but I really don't get it. With so few hitchhikers around these days, surely the likelihood that the driver who stops will have evil intentions is tiny. Both the driver and the hitchhiker accept an equal share of risk. Cautious drivers don'i stop; nervous people don't hitch. Hitchhiking has been an integral part of my travels since 1 was a teenager, but it was when 1 finished college in 1963 that I was able to take three months off and hitch with a friend to the Middle East. 

The trip cost £90. Val and 1 learned all the tricks of keeping safe, refusing to get into cars with two men unless we were sure it was OK, and sometimes asking - politely - to be let out if things got a little too exciting. Anyone who hitched in the 60s and 70s will have had similar experiences: the odd anxiety or even fear, but an overwhelming memory of extraordinary kindness and fascinating conversations. There's also the requirement to be the perfect passenger; we learned to judge whether to talk or keep silent, and to listen to religious or political rants without comment. 

The AA's poll suggested that these days fewer than 10% of drivers will stop for hitchhikers, in which case Janice and 1 have been very lucky. We do make it as easy as possible, with a destination sign and a smile, and a place for the car to pull in. And, of course, I'm honour-bound to stop for hitchhikers myself. Earlier this year 1 picked up three very wet, very grateful lads from Pittsburgh who were hitching around Ireland. Chatting to them made my journey to Galway far more interesting. Happiness all round. 

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Marrakech brings An Ode to Sahara 2

From Marrakech, the 70-km climb to the Tiz n Tichka Pass in the High Atlas Mountainsis a clutch-grinding series of switchbacks offering fantastic views. The first stop is a wind-blasted pass poised somewhere between the two worlds of the High Atlas Mountains and the sub-Sahara. We head towards the Dades, Draa and Ziz Valleys, blessed in this arid land with life-giving rivers. They are indescribably beautiful, lined with palmeraies, ancient kasbahs (defensive forts constructed of red baked clay) and towns that have changed little in centuries. Historically, tribal feuding and banditry were a way of life for the Berbers of the region, and as a result, hundreds of kasbahs were built throughout these valleys.

Close to 40 km before Ouarzazate, an important holiday destination south of High Atlas, is the exotic kasbah of Ait Benhaddou, a location favoured by filmmakers. Over 20 movies have been produced here including Lawrence of Arabia and Gladiator. We enter the kasbah through a broad arching gateway that leads to the living quarters of the village, pass through courtyards of homes adorned with colourful Berber rugs and enjoy expansive views that demonstrates the kasbah's once strategic strength.

In nearby Ouarzazate, the minibus grinds to a halt in a tight knot of laneways where our driver jumps out and leads the group through a labyrinth of passageways to a dim doorway where Mohammed spreads his arms wide in welcome. "Hello, what are your names? Where are you from? Please, come in and see some magnificent carpets." After being encouraged to make ourselves at home, Mohammed re-appears carrying a silver tray with an elegant metal teapot packed with fresh mint leaves, tea and sugar.

While he makes a spectacle of pouring the fragrant golden brew from a great height into small decorative glasses, his brother Ali brings in some rugs to 'pleasure our eyes', and with great flourishing flicks rolls them out before us.

After haggling hard and stocking up on carpets, we drop down from the High AtlasMountains into the Dades Valley and the spectacular Dades Gorge with its glowing red gorge walls, startling rock formations, more kasbahs and finally our bed for the night.

The next day, with the mountains far behind, the surrounding stony landscape gradually changes into windblown sandy plains. Ahead, begins the Great Erg Chebbi, an immense dune system that sweeps south into the Sahara. Nearby, several camels stand masticating, waiting to carry the group into the desert sunset.

In single file we ride into this vast sea of sand, where the dunes rise and fall like waves. The setting sun casts shadows of the camels and riders across the rippling sands, a more romantic image than the reality of the camels' jolting motion and foul breath.

Fading pink clouds have been swallowed by the night sky as we finally reach our camp consisting of two tents of camel hair slung over low poles in a depression in the dunes. As we all sink gratefully into rugs thrown over the sand, the camel-handlers, Brahim and Mahjoubi serve mint tea followed by delicious tajines.

After dinner, Mahjoubi takes out his drum and he and Brahim begin to sing an ancient song of love. One of the travellers plays a didgeridoo, another pulls out his harmonica, while the tummy grumbles of the camels add another musical dimension to this magical atmosphere under a star-studded Saharan sky.

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Marrakech Brings An Ode To Sahara

A journey to and beyond the exotic town of Marrakech leads to a love affair with the desert sun, ancient kasbahs, rippling sands and mouthwatering food.

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.

"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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Marrakech Wallops The Senses Part 2

GRILLED MEATS GALORE
Once a popular hole-in-the-wall, (7) Plats Haj Boujema (65 Mohamed ElBeqal; 212-524/421-862; lunch for two MAD163) retains its cheap prices and populist spirit despite the (almost) spiffy new digs in Gucliz. Beauties with kohl-rimmed eyes tend to order panini and pizza, but you should opt for the smoky carnivorous offerings. Succulent minced lamb kofte precede perfect beef brochettes, then flash-charred lamb chops and, for the adventurous, skewers of plush liver or brains. No tasting, please, without the taktuka, a zesty, garlicky tomato-and-grccn-pcppcr relish.

ULTIMATE COUSCOUS
Few restaurants in town bother with the proper raking, swelling and multiple steamings of Morocco's signature semolina grains. (8) Dar Moha (81 Rue Dar el Bacha, Medina; 212-524/386-264; MAD1J00) bills itself as nouvelle marocaine, but its charismatic celebrity chef-owner MohaFedal happily takes an ancien approach to couscous. Start with a mosaic of Moroccan salads at your candlelit poolside table on the patio of French designer Pierre Balmain's former riad. Midway through the degustation menu, a duo of couscous dishes invites you to compare earthier Berber-style barley pellets with the more familiar durum wheat, here as light and fluffy as snowflakes. And near the end of your meal don't forget, the dessert pastilla, made with apples and saffron, dcliciously contrasts cream and crunch. »
A MEAL FIT FOR A KING
The cliche "royal repast" reacquires its zing at the extravagant Royal Mansour Marrakcch hotel, owned by the king of Morocco. Need more pedigree? Parisian chef Yannick Allcno of Michclin three-starred Restaurant Lc Mcuricc oversees the hotel's trio of restaurants. At the lofty (9) La Grande Table Marocaine (RueAbou Abbas el Sebti, Medina; 212-529/808-080; dinner for two MAD3.018), chandeliers glitter onto filigrccd metal tables under a coffered ceiling. A waitress in a white caftan reveals a tagine pot's treasure: sweetly spiced duck meatballs stuffed into tender artichoke hearts. The regal highlight: seffa medfouna, a complex veal-and-apricot stew, buried in a mound of ethereal, thrice-steamed vermicelli ornamented with almonds and cinnamon.


FAMILY-STYLE DINING
Run by the female members of the Chab clan and specializing in the intricate flavors of Fez, (10) Al Fassia Aguedal (9 bis Rte. de I'Ourika, Zone Touristique de lAguedal; 212-524/381-138; dinner for two MAD530) is equally adored by tourists, opinionated French expats and local foodies. The newer Aguedal location is more sociable than the original branch, with celebrating families upstairs and couples on the low, cushy banquettes on the ground floor. Bilingual servers will chat you through the 15 appetizers: salad-y dishes featuring three sumptuous iterations of carrots, an orange-blossom-scented tomato jam and dainty, crisp briouat pastries. Don't miss the majestic whole lamb shoulder for two—slowly roasted, its brown, burnished glaze is punctuated by almonds. At meal's end.

UNLIKELIEST SPAGHETTI
 Why schlep to Morocco for a bowl of spaghetti? Because Campania's ubcr-chef Alfonso Iaccarino is the genius behind (11) L'ltalien (Ave. BabJdid, Medina; 212-524/388-600; dinner for two MADl,223)t within the renovated La Mamounia hotel. While the Jacques Garcia design is all dark, vampy opulence, the spaghetti Don Alfonso is an essay in sunny simplicity: a vibrant sugo of baby tomatoes clings just so to the al dente pasta from Gragnano producer Gentile, a single fragrant basil leaf the only garnish. The other primi present an equally bclla figura. Begin with the gossamer lobster fritto and fade out with a luscious, boozy Sorrentine baba au rhum, a dream of Amalfi by way of the Sahara.


BEST PASTRIES
"Artistique!" cry sweet-toothed locals about the almond-y handiwork of Madame Alami, sugar diva of (12) Al Jawda pastry shop (11 Rue de la Liberte, Gueliz; 212-524/433-897; pastries for two MAD41). Feet aching? Claim a noir rattan chair on the terrace of her Parisian-looking (13) Al Jawda Plus tearoom (84 Ave. Mohammed V; 212-524/434-662; pastilla/or two MAD98) and order the definitive version of pasdlla, Morocco's baroque pigeon pie. Crunchy yet light without the usual excess dusting of sugar, the warqa pastry encloses a sweet-savory marvel offender, chunky braised pigeon in a plush ambience of ground almonds and beaten eggs. Tt arrives redolent of orange-flower water and a complex blend of spices. End with comes de gazelles pastry half-moons and ultra-crumbly ghriba cookies. On the other side of town, by the covered produce souk, the dollhousc displays of some six dozen syrup-glistening pastries and date sweetmeats at (14) Patisserie Anjar (121 Ave. Houmane El Fetouaki, Arset Lamadch; 212-524/378-983) entice even the most pastry-phobic. The white-chocolate-glazed almond-and-citron confection tastes like marzipan from heaven.


 
DRINK WITH A VIEW
The minimalist (15) Sky Bar (89 Angle Blvds. Zerkhtoimi and Mohammed V, Gueliz; 212-524/337-777; drinks for two MAD122), at the 1950's-stylc Hotel La Renaissance, is the highest perch in the city. Come before dusk for the snowcapped Atlas Mountains vista, an ice-cold Casablanca beer, and the incongruous sight of macho dudes in Ray-Bans enjoying drinks with fruit slices. Once the red rooftop RAR sign lights up, amble over to the lobby drinking den at the (16) BAB Hotel (Blvd. Mansour Eddahbi and Rue Mohamed El Beqal Gueliz; 212-524/435-250; cocktails for two MAD196), where drinks arc accompanied by Morocco-inspired tapas. The visuals here constitute another kind of tour de force, with a cool, camel-bone-tiled counter and lampshades of shaggy recycled plastic. The libations list is equally cheeky. How about a Jack Is Back—vodka zapped with kiwi, lemon and ginger?



TOP COOKING SCHOOL
Franco-Italian aristocrat Fabrizio Ruspoli has added 10 rooms to (17) La Maison Arabe (J DerbAssehbe, Bab Doukkala, Medina; 212-524/387-010; lamaisonarabe.com; doubles from MAD2.039; half-day cooking classes from MAD612 per person), his sybaritic riad on the medina's edge. The cooking school remains stellar, with small class sizes for a total immersion into the fragrant North African cuisine. Instructor Dada Fatiha learned from her mother, who cooked for a local pasha. Before rolling up their sleeves to make flaky briouat pastries and a chicken tagine accented with cinnamon and sesame seeds, students tour the spice market and cull tips from congenial university professor Mohammed Nahir. (A saffron secret? Pulverize it in a mortar with a touch of salt before using.) Lessons conclude with a DIY feast overlooking a dreamy pool flanked by olive trees.

BRING IT BACK
Savvy shoppers head to the venerable Mellah souk (near Place des Fcrblanticrs, in the city's old Jewish ghetto), where donkeys ferry huge loads along narrow passageways, striped-robed vendors tend conical piles of turmeric and paprika, and sacks bulge with dried rosebuds and sandalwood. Take in the scene over a sage tea or anise-spiked Arabic coffee on the balcony cafe of the
(18)    Art de Vivre Oriental complex (88 Rue de Commerce Hay Salam, Mellah; 212-524/389-791; tea for two MAD16). Stock up on saffron, spice blends and medicinal tisanes at
(19)    Herboristerie Ibnou Nafiss (52 Rue Dar Daou, Arset Lamadch; 212-655/560-822). Those looking for chic hand-painted tea glasses and earth-toned artisanal linen place mats and tablecloths should visit (20) Scenes de Lin (70 Rue de la Liberte, Gueliz; 212-524/436-108). For argan oil-both cosmetic and culinary—and vibrant essences from organic ingredients grown on the owner's farm, get Nectarome-brand products at (21) Essence des Sens (52 Rue Mouassin
e, Medina; 212-6/7696-3107): the orange-flower water will perfume desserts or fruit salads, and a dash of black sesame oil can transform a stew. Dizzy from endless patterns? The tea sets, candlesticks and mini tagine pots at (22) Jamade (1 Place DouarGraoua, Rue Riad Zitoun ./'did, Medina; 212-524/429-042), produced by artisans and women's collectives, feature fluid, modern shapes, smooth glazing and eye-popping monochrome hues. +

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Marrakech wallops the senses

FEW PLACES ON THE PLANET OFFER SUCH A DIZZYING MOST FRAGRANT COUSCOUS, THE ULTIMATE TAGINE AND OTHER SPICY SECRETS OF MOROCCO'S CULINARY CAPITAL.  MARRAKECH WALLOPS THE SENSES. 

A riot of colors (mosaic tiles; woven textiles), sounds (the drone of drums from the central square. Jamaa El Fna), and, of course, tastes. Whether in the souks of the walled Medina or the hourgeois district of Gueliz, there is no hettcr place to savor the diversity of North African cuisine—lamb, couscous, eggplant all redolent of cumin, saffron and the crimson pepper sauce harissa—than this ancient crossroads. 

BREAKFAST FEST 

Cult morning favorite (1) Espace Fruits Outmane (40 Ave. Mouldy Rachid, Gueliz; no phone; breakfast for two MAD82) might be miniature, but it's mirrored, tiled and festooned with soccer ball-scale papayas and grapefruits. At the rickety plastic tables outside, bearded gentlemen aerate their mint teas and pretty young moms ply kids with the thick, tart house yogurt. While awaiting your omelette with dusky shreds of khelea (dried preserved beef)* slather aromatic flat cornbreads with honey and amloiu a nutty-rich almond-and-argan-oil spread that will ruin peanut butter for you forever. Finish with the Panache Outmane—a frothy kiwi, strawberry and orange juice potion.

EAT LIKE A LOCAL 

The meal of your life... at a gas station? Indeed. A 20-minutc hop from town along the old Fez route brings you to (2) Al Baraka (RP24 Commune Annakhil Sidi YousefBen Ali; 212-524/329-267; luneh for two MAD245), its cheery outdoor tables an agreeable distance from the pumps. Here's the drill: flat bread—as blistered and chewy as Rome's best pizza bianca—at a window where Berber ladies slap dough into a wood-fueled oven. Next, grilled lamb from the butcher shop in the middle. Finish at the tagine station, where coals smolder beneath the blackened conical pots. Good luck choosing between a whole country chicken, pungent with preserved lemons and olives, and a tender beef shank fragrant with cloves and sweet, smoky prunes. 

SOUK STANDOUTS 

An orange sunset floods the tiny windows of the Kutublyah minaret in the distance, smoke drifts up from myriad food stalls, the giiawa drums throb, and children swarm around snake charmers and monkey trainers. The roof-terrace tables at (3) Cafe de France (Jamaa El Fna square; 212-524/442-319; tea for two MAD57) offer the best vantage point for this great Jamaa El Fna square spectacle, but arrive well before twilight to snag a chair with a view. Tasting your way through the square itself can be challenging: the tablecloth stalls arc filled with tourists, while the authentic ones can require a stomach of steel. vSo follow our lead to (4) Hassan (Stall No. 32; snacks for two MAD41) for juicy merguez sausages served at a tin counter thronged by big families. 

FOR ROAST LAMB 

As humble street stalls open branches in upscale Gueliz, Haj Mostapha N'Guyer, the local mechoui (roasted lamb) emperor, has joined the wave. Find him first, in robe and skullcap, at his (5) Haj Mostapha stand in a mcdina alley (Souk Quessabine, off the northeastern end of Jamaa El Fna; no phone; lunch for two MAD98). Then seek out his alter ego at (6) Chez Lamine (19 Angle Ibn Aicha and Mohamed El Beqal, Residence Yasmine; 212-524/431-164; lunch for two MAD130), speaking French and sporting a European-style suit. At both locations the lamb is spectacular: roasted in an underground clay pit until mcltingly tender, sold by weight (request the moist neck and rib meat) and served on butcher paper with cumin salt. Your flatbread roll serves as plate, utensil, napkin and absorber of the rich, fatty goodness

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