With sadness we left the Riad de la Mer behind in beautiful calm Essaouira. The Supratours bus crashed along the dusty half-built roads to Marrakech, making the journey in three hours. The pollution of Marrakech hit us like a brick and we quickly sought respite in our riad, Jnane Mogador, a bargain place to stay right in the middle of the Medina.

We’ve certainly done very well for accommodation, finding two very well priced places which fit our needs perfectly. I slept very well, especially given the noise of the locals and their homicidal mopeds continuing long into the night.

After visiting a couple of historic sites, the Bahia and the Tombs, we met with Vicki and Ralph’s Italian friend Christian who took us into the Ville Nouvelle and showed us an entirely different side of Marrakech.

A series of expensive bars and restaurants, frequented by rich Moroccans and Europeans, followed. Odd in their style and immature in their sophistication, they were the price of a gastro pub in the UK and are the height of sophistication here.

It was fascinating as an experience for one night, but not one I would want to repeat. It seems to be a lifestyle which many European expats are entirely used to — the European post-colonials live well here.

28.03.09 Marrakech 10:30am

After a brilliant stormy night we had breakfast on the terrace in Marrakech for the first time. The sun is attempting to break through and I’m browsing the souqs with my shorts and flip-flops. I’m not sure how easy it will be to go back to wearing jeans and shoes.