Riad Al Jazira

Marrakech, la Ville Rouge - the Red City

by rikuniaku97

"Enter a realm of beauty & serenity"

We landed in Marrakech on a Saturday afternoon and were welcome by one of Riad Al Jazira's staff. After a short ride by taxi, with a driver who would show us all the main landmarks by a sweet "Ah oui, c'est la" (riding along the Menara Gardens, and La Mamounia before entering the walled Medina).

Arrived in the Medina at the Bab Tarzhout Mosque, a porteur loaded our luggages on a small hand cart and lead us to our Riad through the maze of tiny streets.

"Bienvenue au Riad Al Jazira"

Once there, our host Aziz, opened the heavy wood door onto a quiet Moroccan palace where the lights lead us to a secret world of peace and serenity. Away from the hustle and bustle of the vibrant souks and Jemaa El Fna square.
We walked by a beautiful courtyard garden with a fountain in the centre where you could hear the relaxing sound of trickling water falling onto a bed of roses. The next patio opened on a swimming pool for you to cool down in and take a dip.

"1001 nights"

After dropping our luggages, we went for a quick walk in the Medina, which is a bit intimidating at first. We then had to let some kids show us back to the Riad...after trying to find our way ourselves in this labyrinth of small streets.

Later on, we enjoyed a delicious diner of harira, tagine and fruits. We were also treated to a bubling hot mint tea.

We then spent some time on the beautiful roof terrace, where we could hear the music and cacophony of noises from furtehr away Jemaa El Fna.

The night was incredibly relaxing in this small 1001 nights palace. A roster woke us up the next morning.

Getting to and around Marrakesh

by DanielF

We took advantage of a charter flight to fly non-stop into Marrakesh from Europe. Unfortunatley many other flights had landed on that time the line immigration control took us more than three hours.

No cars are allowed in the souks area, so you will have to walk there. Otherwise you can take the 'petits taxis' for a really small fee in small, dirty and uncomfortable cabs.

visit the last functioning synagogue in the mellah

by jacobzoethout

The mellah used to be the Jewish district of Marrakesh; many Jews lived in this neigboorhood. Most of them emigrated to Israel. One synagogue is still functioning for the small amount of Jews that is still living in the city.
Just ask some children in the mellah, they will be happy to guide you for a few dirham or a pen. An old, almost blind , rabbi opened the small sephardic synagogue for us and guided us around. He will expect you to give some money, but that's how things go in Morocco.

El Badi palace

by call_me_rhia

I found El Badi Palace quite interesting, although there's not much of it left - only the outer walls, in fact. But - because of its vast size, it can still igve you an idea of how magnificent the palace would have been. This palace was built by the Saadian king Ahmed el-Mansour in 1578, whose tomb you can visit nearby.

The original building (which was built between 1578-1594) consisted of 360 rooms, a 135 m by 110 m courtyard and also a 90 m by 20 m pool - all richly decorated, of course. In what would have been the courtyard you can now see a large orange grove - so your visit will be a very perfumed one.

Sadly this palace was destroyed by the Sultan Mawlay Ismail, who took away the best materials and decorations to ornate his own palace in Meknes.

Cometh the man, cometh the houri

by CliffClaven

You’d think old Cliffie would have learned.

A couple of beers with a colleague in Casablanca had eventually led to a dingy bar where drapes of scarlet velvet were parted to reveal a dimly-lit back room. When a dark but sullen houri was brought in, old Cliffie and his colleague realised that this wasn’t quite what they had in mind when they decided to have one for the road. But with smiles and handshakes and an exorbitant charge for a bottle of beer, they escaped with their honour and most of their wallets intact.

You’d think old Cliffie would have learned.

A few weeks later he found himself in a similar situation in Marrakesh with a Moroccan friend. Saad had spent several years studying engineering in France and fancied himself as a suaver and smoother version of Omar Sharif. But even he became apprehensive as louche characters emerged from dark corners of a backstreet bar just off the Jemaa al Fna square. Saad disappeared through a bead curtain, leaving old Cliffie to endure the increasingly intense stares of the pimps and the prostitutes.

When Saad reappeared, he bent to tie his shoelaces and whispered: Past the toilet, a door, I tried it, unlocked, get ready. Saad then launched into a rambling story about a Frenchman and a camel with a wooden leg. As he emphasised the punchline with a sweep of his arm, he sent a glass of whisky tumbling over old Cliffie’s trousers. Saad leapt up with a cry: Oh merde, sorry, have to clean that!

With everyone still laughing at Saad’s joke and Saad’s clumsiness, he dragged old Cliffie through the bead curtain, past the toilet and out of the back door into the alley, where they legged it like Carl Lewis until they reached the safety of old Cliffie’s little red car.

Funny, but old Cliffie has never been back to Marrakesh since that night more than 30 years ago…..