ERG CHEBBI LUXURY DESERT CAMP

During the five years I'm living and travelling in Morocco, the Sahara had reveiled itself as close as M'Hamid to me. There was this call from the sand dunes and the red golden sunsets,  for some reason however,  when I went down South, the sun was hiding and big sandstorms were stopping me mentally from going all the way into the desert.

My intention was that I simply HAD to experience this part of Morocco, and after some procrastination I thought September would be the perfect month to make it all the way. And so I booked.  
The camp was way passed Merzouga and the most South into the Sahara. I was promised breathtaking views and an amazing sunrise, together with all the luxuries a luxury desert camp has to offer.

And so we finally made it to Erfoud, one stop away from our final destination. The second night in Erfoud I woke up and heard the wind. Stronger and stronger it became and early morning when I went out on the terrace the Sahara sand was like a golden filter on everything outside. 
The streets of Erfoud remembered me of desolate cities in Texas that I used to see in cowboy films and big clouds of sand were terrorising everyone outside. 
My hope on golden views on the famous dunes were fading away for every hour the wind was getting stronger and I was getting disappointed on yet another missed Sahara experience everyone else but me seemed to be able to enjoy.

Until I realised the deeper meaning with this hide and seek...
There was a reason for me to have to return, time after time again, to this amazing always changing desolate land of sand dunes...

At that point my perception changed and I enjoyed!

I enjoyed the camel ride covered in Hamid's turban.

Due to the mist of sand there was no sunset to enjoy, no red coloured sand dunes to take your breath away!   I took it as an invitation to come back once again!

I loved the night outside with a small group, making music with the sound of the wind guiding us through the night.

That same night out in our tents, the wind was stronger then ever before and the heat was unbearable.  We opened the entrance to get in some fresh air.  The next morning we were completely covered with sand and when we came outside we hardly recognised the setting from the evening before. 

The wind had thought us all a lesson. A lesson of deep respect. Respect for the power of nature , and also respect for the people running this camp as well as their battle to get the place ready for new clients every day again....

ERG CHEBBI DESERT LUXURY CAMP

HOTEL KASBAH TOMBOCTOU TINERHIR.

Last week was about travelling all the way South to the Sahara with public transport.

Checking out different hotels and testing to reach Merzouga on a budget by taking busses and grand taxi's. It was an adventure but one to start over soon again!

Just be careful in your choice of transport depending on the specific destination.

We left Marrakech at 8.30, or at least, that was the plan. About 1.5 hours late we were taking the route with Supratours. Passing the Tizi'n Tischka felt like there was only one option that was safe enough and that was Supratours.

First destination on our 7 days trip was Tinerhir, (Tinghir) hotel Tomboctou.

Tomboctou is an old Kasbah built in 1944 by Sheikh Bassou Ou Ali, the first dweller of Tinghir.

The Sheikh Bassou lived in his Kasbah until 1978, then he left it for a new concrete house he had built near it and where he died in 1993.

1993 also was the year they began restoration work of the Kasbah, led by the Spanish writer Roger Mimó after praising among all its heirs. The objective was to transform the old housing in tourist accommodation.

Staying here on our first night, in this building with such a rich history was setting the tone for much more unexpected beauty to cross our path....

interior: ***

food: ***breakfast / *dinner

ambiance: ***

price /quality: ***

We felt very welcome and had a wonderful, yet too short time here. The next day mr. Mimó and his wife were so kind to offer us a ride to another passion of them, Ksar El Khorbat in Tinejdad. But more about this in the next post....

ROYAL MANSOUR: LET ME WHISPER THE SECRET...(update)

'

We invite you to one of our special Spa treatments

' that was the message I got from the Royal Mansour Spa in Marrakech.

'

Sounds good

' I thought while getting my focus on ONE thing. Getting around the place and making lots of pictures to share with you!

I should have known....

'Some secrets are for whispering'... in other words..., the moment you enter

this magical place,

(oh YES, I still remember the magic), you become overwhelmed and under the spell...

It you like me, love design, distinguished style and service or,  just simple privacy, it is all part of the secret. There is a certain scent in the air, a certain 'je ne sais quoi' that makes you feel like "let's just enjoy and we are here to take care of you".

After I got my massage, the massage is worth a blogpost on it's own because magic happened again and I can honestly say that while I 'm not able to afford this luxury weekly, I SURE am going to book another one soon!  I went through all kinds of physical states after having a deep-tissue massage given to me by lovely Pramuk, who I want to say 'thank you' for all the great care and attention she put into it.  The result is that I feel rebalanced again! My hip problem is almost gone and this after just one treatment.

UPDATE:....

And several months later, after taking care of my body, the problems I had are gone!!!

I Love Royal Mansour!!

So sorry everyone for not having more pictures on this wonderful magical 5 star resort so well hidden inside the Medina walls, but this gives you an idea on how this place really does what it claims.

'Some secrets are for whispering'...

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KASBAH GOUSTEAU, MORE BELGIAN BEAUTY IN MOROCCO

Beauty and architecture, is there a difference? I guess not, and if there were then they are both running through my veins :). 

When I 'm not out there somewhere in Essaouira or Marrakech, I 'm hunting the internet and (YES, there goes my time)  ALWAYS happy for every little gem I discover.

So one day I found Kasbah Gousteau, among another Belgian pearl in the Taroudant region and I got an invitation from the owner, who is running also a guesthouse in Bruges - Belgium. It took me one year but finally, on our latest ladies tour, WE MADE IT!!!

And boy what a welcome! We were received like queens by Abdel who was speaking almost perfect Flemish (Limburgs?!).

The Kasbah, rebuilt some 6 years ago with a lot of attention for detail offers 5 rooms, a swimming pool with jacuzzi area, magnificent terraces, inner gardens and all is so beautifully styled with art collected from all over the globe! Every room was a discovery and the evening at the candle-lit terrace was a perfect ending of a perfect day!

A TOUCH OF AFRICA IN MARRAKESH: DAR BINEBINE

You know I like riads with a personal stylish touch. Enthusiastic owners who go all the way in turning their Medina homes into an expression of beauty, good taste, lush innergardens and keeping up with the client's personal needs.

It was on one of my private tours, with a small group of clients, I discovered Dar BineBine. Located in the enjoyable Doukkala area of Marrakesh, Derb Jdid, Binebine offers all of this and more.

A beautiful courtyard

Passion for art

Creative little shop with creations of local artists inspired by the owner

Superb Breakfast with lots of fruit and Moroccan specialities

Great rooms beautiful decorated and the perfect mattress!

If I could give a tip for improvement (there always is)...

There is much more potential in the rooftop terrace guys! Make it a project :)

L'HEURE BLEUE Essaouira ****

I love hotels where both day and night give you the feeling you want to stay in.  That said I can only say don't book l'heure bleue if you want to see and do a lot around Essaouira because you might end up thinking this town is too big to explore in one week.  There is no better place to enjoy the skyline then at the poolside of this 18th century palace.  The pool is located at the top of the building and the views are just phenomenal.  Enjoy delicious food and Essaouira wine which is bottled exclusively for them at the wine estate in Ounagha. Situated at the Bab Marrakech entrance of the Medina you are at prime location and you will have easy access to both hotel and surroundings. 

Being a visual person and loving good service, this is where I have lost my heart.

If you don't know what the expression l'heure bleue really means...book a stay and you will...

For bookings and more info:

HERE

Picture source COCO-MOROCCO and

HERE

,

HERE

and

HERE

interior: ****

food: ****

ambiance: ****

GRAND CAFÉ DE LA POSTE MARRAKESH ***

If you are like I am a lover of old glamour like the film Casablanca, you should visit Rick's cafe in Casablanca or Cafe de la Poste in Marrakesh.

The decor at the 1920s Grand Café de la Poste – wooden blinds, potted palms, wicker chairs and acres of white linen – shrieks colonial Morocco. 

The food is fantastic, but even more the vibe of the place.

In the early evening, it’s popular for an aperitif both Moroccans and expats are enjoying the atmosphere.

If you want to stay updated about what's happening at the 'cafe' click HERE

interior: ****
food: ****
ambiance: ***
price /quality: ***

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