Dar les Cigogne

Thank you Dar les Cigogne for the most fabulous weekend ever! I managed to persuade 30 close friends to escape to Marrakech with me for my birthday party... and what a party! There is something altogether heartwarming about taking over a hotel in its entirety and landing up with a personal house party. And the management and staff certainly made it feel that way.

And Marrakech still holds its magic for me, slowly working its way into my psyche once again to rest easy amidst the hustle and bustle of another world. The seemingly manic medina working to its own logic, with timeless relationships between shopkeepers, guides, drivers... all connected through family history and a common goal. All delivered with the grace and ease of true traders and merchants. One has to delve below the surface, connect with the sweet pace of life, look beyond our expectations and big city fears. Reminds me of my Africa,
South Africa... only spiced and simmering with the occidental, with its French and Middle Eastern ingredients.

And then a step through non-descript doors into the cool, compelling arms of the Dar les Cigogne. With internal courtyards, bubbling fountains, roaring fires in sublime rooms, all uniquely themed. The roof terrace a haven of greenery and loungers, overlooking the palace gates where the storks nest. The magical mysteries of hammam and the 30 foot ceiling in the spa taking one to another level of pure pampering and relaxation. And returning to one's room to find rose petals scattered on plush white linen with a welcoming fire to warm one's soul.

I shall be back...