Marrakesh | Psychedelic Mirage | Yves Saint Laurent gifted Jardin Majorelle to Marrakech, the city that adopted him and his partner in the 60s. They b

marrakesh safi - Fernwayer Travel Stories & Experiences

Morocco

Yves Saint Laurent gifted Jardin Majorelle to Marrakech, the city that adopted him and his partner in the 60s. They bought an electric-blue villa and its garden, preserved the vision of its original owner (landscape painter Jacques Majorelle), and opened it to the public. 

What makes this feel like a psychedelic mirage in the desert?

Hot pink bougainvillea bursting from terracotta planters. Architectural cacti in lemon-yellow planters. Bamboos growing against cobalt-blue walls. Colorful birds flitting through palm trees. Saint Laurent’s gorgeous collection of Moroccan art, that I totally covet. 

It also has a museum that features jewelry in a setting that our guide Khadija keeps referring to as “a dream”. A dark room with a star-spangled ceiling and low voltage spotlights shining on stunning jewelry sets.

Khadija’s right. Please let all my dreams be like this place.

Psychedelic Mirage

United States

The Moroccan fig liquor is beginning to sneak up on me. Or perhaps it’s the jet lag. The soulful music of the live folk vocalist is not helping either. 

We’re waiting for dinner, in the courtyard of a restored Riad. It’s a good thing I haven’t eaten much during the flight because very soon, it’s clear that they expect me to have the appetite of a small army. 

The food is absolutely delicious, and here’s what I learn:
“Salad” is a selection of 5-10 amazing dips served with khobz - flatbread. 
Pigeon pastille is a must-have any time you see it on a menu!
Tagine of lamb with fluffy couscous - when cooked to perfection as it is here - is irresistible. 

This is followed by an elaborate dessert course, mint tea prepared with precision and ceremony, gnawa singers and a belly dancer who insists on audience participation. 

This story celebrates a series of unforgettable meals in Marrakesh - some in fine restaurants and others on the street.

Of Pigeon Pastille

In Marrakech, explore the labyrinth of the medina, lined with market stalls and craftspeople, and full of secret places and contradictions. 

Anonymous, windowless, fortress-like walls enclose luxurious riads built around tiled courtyards, complete with fountains and gardens.

Happily, my wonderful guide Khadija of Morocco Private Experience, encourages my curiosity. She leads the way across the medieval labyrinth of chaotic alleyways - to the souks where centuries-old skills continue to flourish. 

I am intrigued about how all the craftspeople are clustered together by trade. We watch a metal craftsman shape a pair of gnawa cymbals. A leatherworker allows me inside his workshop for a better view. There is an entire street of ornate lantern sellers - the bronze-latticed lanterns competing with the palm-leafed roofs of the souks in throwing light-and-shadow patterns all around.

Heart and Souk

Public executions at Djemaa el-Fna are a thing of the past, but that’s pretty much the only thing that’s changed in this Square in its millennium of existence. 

Here’s a non-exhaustive list of what you’ll find: Percussionists, Acrobats, Fortune-tellers, Conjurers, Gnawa musicians, Henna tattoo artists, Food Vendors, Snake charmers, Potion peddlers, Un-winnable carnival games. 

As dusk settles over Marrakech, look up at the sky. Follow the direction of what looks like a bonfire of epic proportions. When you manage to edge past the thousands of people, you realize it’s only smoke from kebabs and snails at over a hundred barbecue stalls, staffed by some of the busiest chefs and unflappable crews you’ll ever see.

Look around the Square and locate a restaurant with a balcony. Buy a glass of mint tea and grab a coveted plastic chair at the edge of the balcony to see the grand view of the world’s largest human tableau play out below.

Glorious Mayhem

This is the view of The Red City, Marrakech’s medina from the panoramic terrace of Maison de la Photographie.

The museum of photographs is fascinating in how it came about – two famous photographers, Patrick Menac’h and Hamid Mergani, brought together their common passion for vintage Moroccan photography, and pooled their photos for the public to admire. Here I realize how black-and-white photos can dramatize the light-and-shadow effects in the medina.

From the terrace, you can have a glass of mint tea, and wonder about the thousands of satellite dishes that dominate the view. 

It’s peaceful here. On a clear day, you can see the snow-clad High Atlas Mountains. But you can’t see the chaos of Djemaa el-Fna, or hear shouts of ‘Balek!’ whenever donkey-carts come through laden with heavy goods. You can’t see the ‘hand of Fatima’ good-luck symbols painted on the carts after they have ambled past you. Or count the number of chickens being transported on the back of a groaning Vespa.

Pausing in the Frenzy

The riad sends a donkey called Couscous to meet us and pick up the luggage; the taxi will only go so far into the medina. 

As our merry procession winds through the narrow, confusing alleyways, we panic slightly. No problem, says a djelleba-clad staff member, you’ll have a map and cell phone to call if you’re lost. But he graciously accompanies us to our dinner booking and explains how we should get back to the riad. We leave invisible bread crumbs along the way – kebab shop, sweets stall, bakery etc. 

After a long meal, at 11:30 pm, the souks have closed, the streets look very different, and our bread crumbs have obviously gone to bed. It takes two wrong turns and much poring over the map before we find our way back. Our sense of adventure is fully piqued. 

Inside, the restored riad is palatial, with courtyards, heated pool, tiled terraces and stylish artwork. Breakfast is whenever you want, and wherever, says the charming Afaf. 

Shall we move in permanently, we wonder.

Morocco

Marrakesh-Safi

Psychedelic Mirage

Of Pigeon Pastille

Heart and Souk

Glorious Mayhem