After a short trip from Madrid, we arrived in Marrakech. We are staying at the beautifully-restored La Mamounia,www.mamounia.com, where Churchill came for years to paint and relax. Gorgeous grounds. It just re-opened in November last year.

After lunch at the grill, we were escorted to the unpronounceable Djemaa el-Fna or open-air square with carnival atmosphere. Crosby, Still & Nash captured it,”charming cobras in the square, striped djellebas we can wear at home…” Next door is the souk or covered market selling everything you would never want and wonder why you bought it once you lugged it home. A UNESCO-protected, world-heritage site. Understandable given it’s ancient history but kind of underwhelming at the same time.

Sandy had work to do as did I so we missed the group dinner and stayed at the hotel.

Two more things: they speak French in Morocco and there seem to be several spellings of Marrakech. My Lonley Planet guide spells it “Marrakesh” but I can’t recall the Crosby, Stills & Nash spelling offhand.