Snake charming, hiking in the Atlas Mountains and Yves Saint Laurent, Marrakech is diverse. It is a feast for those loving indulgences, design, history and the exotic. Marrakech remains as enigmatic today as it was when the glitterati flocked there right after World War II and as alluring. During our first hour on the ground we were introduced to the snake charmers in central medina. Walking amongst the circus of performers, storytellers and vendors of the exotic, we were overwhelmed. Morocco was the next to the last stop on our around the world but private jet journey. We had already visited Japan, China, Tanzania, Maldives, Turkey and Russia. We were now very hard to impress….
As we settled in for our first night at the beautiful Four Seasons Marrakech, I wondered if TCS World Travel could possibly have saved the best for last.
Our next day we left the chaos of the city and drove to the base of the Atlas Mountains, past Richard Branson’s gorgeous Kasbah Tamandot resort. Kasbah is only minutes from the Berber Village of Imlil, our base camp for our 1 hour hike— straight up. Riding mules or walking we ascended to 7000 feet and a lunch in the home of the Berber chief—Da Ahmed. Proud of his village, we met several elders and enjoyed a lunch few tourists ever can. Our expedition indeed felt expeditionary and extraordinary—as had every other stop.
Winston Churchill, Malcolm Forbes and Yves Saint Laurent had all fallen in love with Morocco. Walking through the magical Jardin Majorelle that Yves St. Laurent had saved and preserved showed me why. Textures, colors and visual stimulation matched the spicy cuisine. His art gallery there, bookstore and gift shop there were a perfect biography of St. Laurent’s passions. All senses were challenged.
Belly dancing, dinner and sunset on the rooftop of the finest restaurant inMarrakech ended our visit and our last stop before reentering the U.S.
On to Boston!
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