Tuesday 10th and Wednesday 11th April 2018

We had a restful two days in Marakech after our fossil trip. After experiencing the souk there is not a great deal for the tourist in the city. But the life of the city streets is always fascinating.

And the tombs of the Saadian dynasty are also interesting. They were walled up in the early 18th century by the successor dynasty - the successors destroyed everything else - and were only re-discovered in 1917.

The Jardin Majorelle are a moderate walk from the main square but most of it is through the souk which is always interesting. And once you get in - they are very popular - the crowds seem to disappear and the gardens look wonderful.

After all that it was taxi to the airport and a boring - the best sort - flight to Gatwick.

You will have gathered that we enjoyed our trip to Morocco. It exceeded our expectations. We got into the desert, saw lots of fossils and met many interesting people. I reckon we will be back in Morocco before very long.

The atrium of our riad. Like many houses in Marakech (and most of north Africa and southern Europe) the outside is very plain and forbidding. But once you are through the door they blossom into a colourful and welcoming space.

we were sitting having a coffee in this cafe when this guy appeared and serenaded the customers. He was actually quite good and well worth a tip.

At the Saadian tombs.

We had dinner at the riad one evening. It was served in the lounge/dining room. And was a very tasty lamb tagine with a refreshing Moroccan red wine to go with it.

At the Majorelle gardens. The blue colour is majorelle blue and is everywhere.

Bamboos are a feature of the gardens.

Cacti are also a feature.

Bougainvillea are a major source of colour in the garden.