Marrakech

Mr Fig and myself have just returned from a 4 day Holiday in Marrakesh, Morocco - Our first 'get away from England' since our honeymoon almost 7 years ago.

I had booked this trip about 6 months ago on a whim while passing a travel agents as it was very cheap - and it was some where I had always really wanted to go.

Above is the Jemaa El Fna as the sun sets and the Souk hot's up for the evening's revelry

and below is Mr Fig trying not to look like a tourist in the Artisan area of the city. Thankfully he didn't purchase this outfit!

below is a shot in the Jardin Majorelle, a wonderful oasis of calm in the middle of a manic city - but only in winter - in summer it is as mad as the rest of the city, apparently.

I just love the colours used in an 'Ochre' country, and ended up spending most of my spending money on natural pigments like Indigo, Ochre, Saffron, Turquoise to dye fabrics, wools and paints back home.

The whole trip was to help us unwind and relax - this is not the city to do that in! the four days have been a whirl wind of persistent sellers and shop keepers trying to extract every last Dirham from us, crazy traffic, lovely people, hot days and cold nights, Hashish sellers, sickly scabby donkeys and cats, Arabic and French, steep kerbs, mosques, money money money...
I managed to find some peace and quiet in the form of a sunbed by the pool at the Hotel, and Elizabeth Gaskels 'Cranford' while Mr Fig went off on little adventures alone, looking for a nice restaurant for supper, or walking up hills for a view of the city.

The contrast of the ancient city on the silk route with a book about the gentility of a group of English ladies in the 1850's was perfect, the kept me sane, made me smile and even made me cry with happiness.

We have been back 2 days now - and my head is still spinning - I fell asleep last night dreaming about the lightly battered, melt in the mouth Squid we ate at the night market, with the smell of spices and wood smoke in the air.

we came back poorer (I am incapable of bartering) but wiser, and it an experience I will never forget.

So, here is the view from our hotel window as I lay having my afternoon repose!

Back to blighty, back to earth, back to work, thank god the snow had gone!