Marrakech and Essaouira

...here we come.

All booked. Now I just have to think about what I can possibly say at the conference. Anyway have nearly a fortnight to think about it.

Marrakech

Marrakech, the place where my extended Moroccan stay began, offered white Atlas mountains and palm trees -- having done snow on the equator with Kilimanjaro I am in danger of getting blase about these climatic contrasts, but it was rather impressive nonetheless.

We stayed in a traditional ryad -- all arches, courtyards and cool cloisters.

It was made of mud brick, the most ancient of all man-made building materials, which I was surprised to see was still in widespread use.

I worried a bit about what would happen if it rained, but luckily it didn't. Judging from the inside I think it was fairly waterproof.  

The chap we rented it from claimed it was a  "ryad ecologique" although I wasn't really sure what that signified. I guess the traditional build goes a long way towards it -- but perhaps not the swimming pools and large flat screen TVs.

It provided a good base for our labours at the Menara Gardens where I helped-out with the REEP garden as part of the children's festival at Jardin'Art. We worked under garden designer maestro, Christopher Jordan. 

    

And built, Chelsea style, a show garden in 48 hours, ready for the onslaught of visitors...

I enjoyed running workshops for the kids. There seemed to be a pent-up demand for drawing, so with hundreds of coloured pencils and reams of paper we got them creating...

Professor Adam

The reason I went to Morocco in the first place has receeded somewhat with all the ash drama. As Europe was closing down I was speaking to academic staff and students at Marrakech University as part of their Freedom Day.

Organised by Professor Hassane Darir, Freedom Day covered a broad range of topics from freedom in the cinema to socio-lingusitic freedom. It was conducted in a heady mixture of English, French and Arabic. After being introduced as "Professor Adam from Cambridge University Press", my talk Freedom on Camera seemed to go down well with the students who asked plenty of questions.

Afterwards we were treated to a very good lunch and further discourse. I liked the university. It was a very well thought-out modern building, crammed with plants, trees and green spaces. Studying there looked humane, even idyllic.