Memories of Magical Marrakech

I love my hubby!  In January he took me to Marrakech for my birthday.  We stayed at a beautiful place called the Riad Cherrata.  Our room was lovely, comfortable and spacious with an en suite shower and toilet.  The main room downstairs was beautiful and there was also a gorgeous roof terrace, although it was a bit cold to sit out in January.  We took our baby boy with us and our other children got to spend the weekend with grandma.  Thanks grandma xx.


We were made to feel so welcome by Valerie and Matthew the owners and also the ladies who work for them,  Saadia who is the most fantastic cook and two other ladies whose names I have regrettably forgotten.  My only concern was the open pool in the main room downstairs, so spent a bit of time making sure baby bear didn't go for an early swim hee hee!

Riad Cherrata

Our beautiful room

Koutoubia Mosqu

Not long after we arrived on Friday we took our first trip into the old town making our way through the crowded streets and alleys where bicycles, mopeds and donkeys (yes donkeys!) also jostled their way through.  It was difficult at times as we had baby in the buggy, but we eventually made it to the market square.  We also spent some time wandering around the beautiful gardens where every tree was stuffed full of oranges and hubby took lots of pictures of the Koutoubia mosque.


Jemaa El Fna is an amazing place, from the colours to the gorgeous smells of the food market.  We ate at Ayisha food stall 1 where we had the most delicious pastilla.  Only wish we had a chance to go back there and have another it was so good.  After we ate, we wandered around the market and came across groups telling stories, groups of musicians, snake charmers, birds of prey and baboon handlers.  I was a bit upset about the baboons as a couple of them had nappies on which I found quite sad.  The night time is completely different as that is when all the food stalls open for business and as you walk through you will be asked by every single stall holder to come eat at their stall.  

Jemaa El Fna

Jemaa El Fna at night

If you ever get the chance to go, then get a table on one of the top terraces at any of the restaurants on the square as you can sit and watch everything without he hassle of being tackled by various traders touting their wares.  I have to say that the most persistent person we came across was a lady doing henna.  I said no numerous times to her and was about to carry on walking when she grabbed my hand and started doing her stuff.  Once finished she tried to fleece us but hubby got her down to reasonable price.  The rest of the time, I just said no and kept my hands either firmly in my pockets or on the buggy lol.


Breakfast was lovely and consisted of home made yogurt, fresh orange juice, pastries, breads and jams.  Valerie very kindly babysat for us on the Saturday morning whilst we went to a local hammam called Bains de Alhambra where we were flayed alive and then pampered endlessly.  It was bliss and we left the hammam very pink, shiny and clean!


After the hammam we went back to the Riad briefly to get changed and then we headed off to do some more exploring and went on a bus tour around Marrakech.  We were stunned by the beauty of the place, from the Medina in the old town and then the complete contrast of the modern town.  It was a bit disappointing though to discover a McDonalds, KFC and Pizza Hut in the new town. 


As it was a trip for my birthday I was given a lovely gift to remind me of the Riad and on Saturday evening we had the most amazing meal in the Riad which Saadia cooked and I would LOVE to get the recipes for (especially the carrots they were fabulous!). 


First we were given about 6 dishes to taste from and all were delicious and have to say that we stupidly ate quite a lot of that even though I knew that I may not be able to eat our main course.  Unknown to me, my darling hubby had ordered not one but two tagines, a beautiful lamb tagine and a chicken tagine both of which were absolutely amazing. Having stuffed ourselves with the starters we struggled to get through it.  And then out came a beautiful birthday cake!  It too was delicious but unfortunately I could only manage a small slice.  If I could put Saadia in my pocket and smuggle her back home, I would set her up with a restaurant she is that good!


On Sunday we had another lovely breakfast with beautiful pancakes dripping with honey, yoghurt, orange juice and Saadia made me a lovely omelette as I am not a big bread or pastry eater.  

Wool Dyers

Typical shop in the Medina

After breakfast we went back to the Medina to have a good look around and see if we could get some nice gifts to bring home with us.  We found the spice market and bought some saffron, some black soap, some Argon oil and various other bits and pieces.  We then made our way through the Medina and a local guy asked if we would like to visit his "brother's" shop to take a look at shoes, so we went with him and he took us to the part of the Medina where materials and wool are dyed to make scarves etc that was amazing and we bought a lovely scarf for grandma to say thanks for looking after the older children.  Then we were taken to the shoe shop and bought some lovely pointy toed shoes for the girls who absolutely loved them.  Well when in Morrocco you have to buy a pair of pointy shoes don't you!  Hubby bought a belt and then we bought some lovely glasses which I am going to use to make the yoghurt which Valerie gave me the recipe for. I have to admit I haven't made it yet but am determined to give it a go soon.  

Majorelle Gardens

We also went to the Majorelle Gardens which is an eclectic mixture of exotic plants and cacti and there is also a memorial to Yves Saint Laurent who purchased the gardens and restored them to their former glory and when he died had his ashed scattered through the gardens.  It is a beautiful, serene place to visit with lots of little nooks to sit in and contemplate whatever you like to contemplate.  There is also a boutique where you can buy some lovely gifts, a cafe and a museum.  It is the perfect place to get away from the hustle and bustle of Marrakech.

Courtyard Pepe Nero

On Sunday evening we went to a local Italian restaurant, Pepe Nero that was recommended to us by another guest at the Riad.  The starter was lovely, but the main course was a bit dry and the service a bit slow.  Glasses were not filled when empty etc and our waitress seemed to wander around doing nothing a lot.  Unfortunately we should have left baby bear in Valerie's capable hands as he kicked off big time due to being over tired. Karim finished his food whilst I tried in vain to soothe our baby boy and then he took him for a walk whilst I ate my food.  Our waitress could see that I was getting more and more upset about the baby as I felt that I was being stared at and she told me not to worry about it.  After that we decided to leave but one of the waiters showed us into another dining area that was not being used and had a lovely couch in there so that we could put baby bear down for a sleep while we had our dessert which was a de-constructed sweet pastilla but not a patch on the savoury version we had in the night market.  When we finished our meal we were visited by the head chef who wanted to know our feedback about the meal and the service.  He wasn't happy about our waitress and as we were leaving we saw him telling her off, but I spoke to him again and said that she was not a bad waitress and that she had been very supportive and understanding regarding our screaming baby when I was upset and I explained this to the waitress too.  The Head Chef also asked one of his staff to make sure we got back to our Riad ok as it is very easy to get lost in the numerous alleys.  However, I think hubby was a Sherpa in a previous life and got us back safe and sound without help.  But it was a very kind and attentive thing for the restaurant to offer.

On Monday alas it was home time and after another lovely breakfast we got our things together and got ready to come home.  It was a bit sad to leave as Valerie and her lovely staff had made us feel like the Riad was our home and so we had a hug and baby bear got lots of hugs and kisses from everyone and then we headed off to the airport and home.


We really enjoyed our stay at the Riad Cherrata which I would give 10 out of 10 on all fronts and Marrakech which we absolutely fell in love with.  I have recommended the Riad Cherrata to all of my friends who are thinking about taking a weekend break and highly recommend it to anyone reading this blog.  We would love to go back again, hopefully sometime soon we will manage it. 

Where has the time gone.  It seems like only last week that I wrote about getting the first week of term out of the way and now look, it's NOVEMBER!!!!  It'll be Christmas next week at this rate.  Anyway, life is busy as we all know.  What I don't know is how we mums do it all.  I never seem to stop, chores are never ending, there is always more homework to get done, or reading to do or nappies to change as well as dinner to make. Phew, how do we fit it all in?  Simple answer, we just do, somehow.

Although, I did take some time out this morning and had a lovely breakfast with my girlfriends just in a local cafe, but it was nice to get together and have a chinwag without all of our collective children around.  I think we should make a regular thing of it, although if we have a fry up every time, we might have to start calling ourselves "The Round Mums Breakfast Club" hee hee.

Next on the list today is to sort out the mums night out for my daughters class which I happen to be the class rep for.  Talk about giving myself more work to do eh.  Not to worry I will fit it in "somehow".

First things first though, I can hear darling baby bear stirring from his nap so I'd better get him up and get some lunch sorted out for him as well as trying to find my girly bear's ballet outfit etc.  Oh well onwards, and upwards. Tally ho!!!

Well that's the first week of school over and done with.  I am just starting to get back into the swing of it all.  The school runs, the arguing children, the "mum I can't find my jumper!" just as we are about to leave the house.  And then there's the afterschool clubs starting up again along with the expense that goes with them.  I mean, £65 for 13 sessions of gymnastics! Forget it, ballet is cheaper I tell my 6 year old.  I think Thursdays are the only day we're not clubbing it.  If we had an endless supply of money, they could go to all the clubs they wanted, but life being what it is we have to choose carefully what suits our family and our budget. Although I love my four little bears, it doesn't make life cheap.  Having said that, the more clubs, the more chauffeuring I have to do, just one more job to add to the list.  And then there's the hanging around with the other 3 children whilst one finishes their club.  Have been trying to co-ordinate clubs so that they run concurrently on same days but do you think "chicken club" runs on the same day as ballet or creative club? NO!   Although now that they are back at school I am getting a kind of a break as the summer holiday was definitely no holiday for me.  It's true what they say, you can't pick your family.  Less said the better.  Anyway apart from that it was hot and sunny and only rained once in the month we were away.  Bliss you might say, well yes it would be under the right circumstances.  Anyway, this has evolved into a rant so time to call a halt for today.  Hope everyone else had a cracking summer holiday, lol!

July

Phew, thank goodness July is over and done with!  No more school runs for a while.  Baby bear had his first birthday and Princess Bear and Girly Bear had their 5th and 6th birthdays.  Expensive month, but worth it to see the looks on my girls faces when I brought out their homemade fairy castle cake.  Started making the cake at 3.15pm and finished icing the blooming thing at 10.45pm.  I was exhausted, but for my first attempt at that kind of cake I have to say it looked pretty darn good and the girls loved it.  Looking forward to August when we go to Tunisia, but poor old Daddy Bear has to stay home and work.  I feel really sorry for him as he is fasting for Ramadan and with the heat we've had lately it's not easy.  However, it would be a heck of a lot harder in Tunisia with the heat over there lol!

Family Life

Spurs Buddy

My beautiful Baby Bear is 1 year old!  I can't believe it, it seems like only yesterday I brought him home from the hospital and now he suddenly got big and started walking.  I won't be able to call him Baby Bear much longer, I shall have to call him Little Bear instead.  A part of me is quite sad in a way because I love that baby stage when they are totally dependent on you.  On the positive side though, there are all those exciting games of hide and seek to play now that he can toddle about and then of course there will be the first game of football with Daddy Bear (if I can get him off the couch that is) lol!

I just want to start this post by saying "well done kids, you have all done brilliantly at school this year".  We got the end of year reports back today and all did very well especially our eldest who is performing above the national average for his age.  Congratulations Big Bear!