The blackness of the desert sky and the way dimmer stars wink into vision until the whole dome is covered with lights is as wonderful as ever. But to get to this point we had a day of minor efforts. First to pick up the hire car; no big deal, really, but delivered with an empty fuel tank, which I su...

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The Majorelle Gardens may well be one of those places you have to see before you die, at least if you like colour and light and plants.

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Our room was all tasteful dark wood and rich shades of reddish purple. Beaten bronze basins and the biggest bathtub I have ever seen outside the Piazza Farenesi. Turned out, next morning, that I could stretch out completely flat in it. Rested, refreshed, ready for anything; off we went to the Jamaa...

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The contrast between inside and outside could not possibly have been greater. Total calm, beside a still, illuminated pool with barely moving palms. A fresh pot of mint tea. Forms to fill in. But also, instantly, nothing to do. The anxiety of not knowing what was to become of us melted into a feelin...

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Slightly scary to be alighting at the Jamaa el Fna with no idea of where the hotel is other the “near the Jemaa el Fna”. Two tourist policemen had no idea either. A boy outside a shoe shop sent us in what turned out to be completely the wrong direction, but smiling. With only the phone number and no...

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