Breakfast with the heaters on as it's -2 degrees outside. Another gin clear day. At 9 we meet up with Abdul our guide who takes us on a walk through the palm groves and he explains all about the crop rotation system used by local people here, and how they plant pomegranates near the palms to counteract the fungus that can attack the palm trees. We walk through a ruined mud and straw village with most of the minaret of its mosque intact. Abdul has a degree in mathematics from Marrakech university and he is happy to talk freely about life in modern Morocco. After nearly two hours we meet up with Hassan and begin the long drive to Marrakech . Firstly through the low Atlas Mountains, and then we see the curious solar light from the 40 kilometre squared solar mirror focused on a water tower near Ourzazate, and then we begin the tortuous ascent of the High Atlas and the Tizi-n-Tichna pass. We stop for something to eat and buy some Argan oil and black exfoliating soap (well the girls do!). We arrive at Marrakech in the early evening to a different Riad with orange trees in the courtyard with a little fountain. We have some mint tea before going to our rooms. Then we walk to the Koutoubia mosque and through the hectic Place Jemaa el-Fna. We have a drink on a rooftop terrace as the sun sets over the city. For supper we go to the restaurant just next door to the Riad, hidden behind an imposing door. It has a beautiful interior and we sample pigeon pastille, chicken tagine and couscous, with harrisa and bouillon and sweet mint tea to finish with.
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