Marrakech, Morocco

Marrakech

We arrived in Morocco proper at the port of Safi. From there it was a fairly long coach ride to Marrakech, broken only with a loo stop at a truly terrible filling station, with not enough loos for the 200 of us who descended on its facilities at the same time. Quite bizarrely when we stopped at the same filling station on the way back to the ship, the ground agents had decorated the place with rugs and cushions, and put on drinks and snacks, No explanation was ever given to us.

We think we missed the souk as we remember it. Our "guide" led us through a few back streets, but there was none of the heady pushy salesmen of yore

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When we got to the Bahia Palace, it was tipping down with rain. So perhaps we did not see it at is best. Not unsurprisingly it was similar in feel to, but not as wonderful as, the Alhambra in Grenada

The Bahia Palace, set in extensive gardens, was built in the late 19th century by the Grand Vizier of Marrakech. He resided here with his four wives, 24 concubines and many children. With a name meaning "brilliance", it was intended to be the greatest palace of its time and, as in similar developments of the period in other countries, it was designed to capture the essence of the Islamic and Moroccan style. Bou-Ahmed paid special attention to the privacy of the palace in its construction and employed architectural features such as multiple doors which prevented unwelcome views of the interior. The palace took seven years to build, with hundreds of craftsmen from Fes working on its wood, carved stucco and zellij. The palace acquired a reputation as one of the finest in Morocco and was the envy of other wealthy citizens. There is a 2-acre garden with rooms opening onto courtyards.

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Lunch saw us shoehorned into a lunch venue that was not designed nor capable of feeding 200 people. Entertainment was given by a small band and 2 not very good belly dancers. I suppose given that Marrakech and belly dancers are thought to go together like bangers and mash, or peaches and cream, then such a show was obligatory, but, without any room to perform, the effect and mystique was somewhat lost. The food under the circumstances was not bad, and the flaky pastry desert was particularly good

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In spite of the rain we enjoyed the Majorelle Gardens which cover 2.5 acres in the centre of Marrakech

It took French painter Jacques Majorelle (1886-1962) forty years of passion and dedication to create this enchanting garden in the heart of the city. It has shady lanes, trees and exotic plants; burbling streams and pools filled with water lilies and lotus flowers. Round a corner you can find a Moorish building, with a hint of Art Deco, painted in vibrant primary colours, glowing with an intense blue the artist perceived in the Atlas Mountains.

The property was the residence of the artist and his wife from 1923 until their divorce in the 1950s. Following his divorce, Majorelle was forced to sell the house and land. After this, the garden was neglected and fell into disrepair. The garden and villa were rediscovered in the 1980s, by fashion designers, Yves Saint-Laurent and Pierre Bergé, who set about restoring it and saving it.

Though Majorelle's watercolours are largely forgotten today, the gardens remain as his creative masterpiece. The special shade of bold cobalt blue, inspired by the coloured tiles he had seen around Marrakech and in Berber burn-houses, was used extensively in the garden and its buildings and is named after him, bleu Majorelle. Prior to his death, Majorelle patented the colour which carries his name.

In the 1980s, the property was purchased by fashion designers, Yves Saint-Laurent and Pierre Bergé who worked to restore it. Since 2010, the property has been owned by the Foundation Pierre Bergé – Yves Saint Laurent, a French not-for-profit organisation, and since 2011 has been managed by the Foundation Jardin Majorelle, a recognized non-profit organization in Marrakech. Pierre Bergé was the director of the Garden's Foundation until his death in September 2017.