Marrakesh, Morocco: A picture of the kasbah
Camera in hand, Sara Evans rises at dawn to witness the ancient morning rituals of Marrakesh’s Djemma el-Fna square.
By Sara Evans11:02AM BST 15 Apr 2009
In the pre-dawn breeze palm tree leaves shiver. By the pool, last night’s still-burning tea lights make a soft golden halo above the water. Guests sleeping peacefully in the nearby rose-stained pavilions remain unaware of my presence as I tiptoe past the pool towards the terraced area of the Amanjena, a secluded resort widely held to be one of Marrakesh’s most beautiful places to stay.
With the glow from the candles, I can make out the reddish silhouette of north Africa’s tallest mountain range – the High Atlas – which tower over Marrakesh creating a protective rocky cradle that buffers the region from the climatic extremes of the Sahara to the south.
The mountains seem to protect Amanjena, too. Arabic for “peaceful paradise”, Amanjena is a cornucopia of antique Berber crafts, Moroccan luxuries and elegant rooms with sunken fireplaces, domed ceilings, embellished metal lanterns, bronze-burnished fittings and spacious rooms clothed in pale apricot, sunset pink and burned rouge fabrics – the colours of Morocco itself.
During my stay, I have been treated like a princess. Except for one thing – most princesses don’t get up before the birds
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