Finally Marrakech!!

We drove from Essaouira to Marrakech.... with a stop at an Argan Woman's Co-operative.....

.. the hard work involved was being demonstrated...... they said that  the mechanical presses provide an inferior product! However it would seem as though they do use them.....

 ..... obviously we ended up buying argan products.  It will be interesting to see if the facial rejuvenation cream does drop 10 years off and how soon it will kick in!!

Then we happened upon  goats in the argan trees.......apparently enterprising local farmers bring them to the trees to earn some money from passing tourists!

Finally we arrived at our riad.. the Dix Neuf...
As we were too early to check in to our rooms we just left our luggage and went for lunch at Dar Cherifa a very old building which has been renovated.  Lunch was good......but inevitably we did have tajine!
It was quite difficult to find......lots of very tight unmarked passageways......

Then we went exploring.......through the souks and amazingly did not get lost!.......
We had decided to make our way to the Musee de Marrakech...

but got a little distracted en route.......by this fabulous herb store...

When we finally got inside the museum it lacked color!

After our visit we consulted our map and worked out a route through the souks...
stopping for a drink at the Cafe des Epices... who are kind enough to leave hats around the place for their guests to use!

It overlooks the Spices square...

......where again one experiences an assault of color!

Then back to the riad to actually check in and see our rooms.......they were great!

..... a room with a view....

... the riad itself was also great!
..  the entry area...

... the rooftop view towards the Koutoubia Mosque..

We can absolutely recommend a stay in this riad....
It was designed by KO Studio architects.... who have just completed the Yves St. Laurent Museum in Marrakech.

 Unfortunately we were there just prior to its opening date...

Dinner on our first evening had been booked at Latitude 31...... this seemed a reasonable walk from the riad without too many places to get lost! Wrong! We did end up asking for help from some guards in front of a special building.....which we later found out was Dar el Bacha, a palace which had belonged to the Pasha El Glaoui and is still used by the royal family, therefore closed to the public.....

We were very happy to finally get to the restaurant, again well hidden.... and the food was great!