Typical courtyard of Riad Le Rihani
Arriving in the Moroccan city of Marrakesh , the first thing that surprises is his airport . projected by the E2A study , from Casablanca, is considered one of the most beautiful in the world. The white color of its structure multiplies the light, and its diamond shapes and arabesque designs include latticework that plays with shadows. It conveys an impression of modernity that gradually fades as you move in the taxi towards the nerve center of the city, which is still the Jemaa el Fna square.
Motorcycles with three or four passengers without helmets, cars pulled by donkeys , the very old bicycles that cross everywhere at high speed, the absence of traffic signs , blurred zebra crossings and broken traffic lights They give you an idea of where you are. Already in the medina, on the way to the chosen riad, bustle gives way to peace when you enter the narrow, shady and silent alleys.
Menara Airport T1, Marrakesh
For years, in addition to conventional hotels , many visitors choose a riad to stay. Are houses or palaces which are usually structured around a central patio with a fountain or pool, among orange, olive and lemon trees. The Riad Le Rihani he is one of them, and there he receives us Souad , the manager, a beautiful Marrakesh woman who shows us some rooms in which the moroccan style in furniture and interior design, without forgetting the mod cons current standard, and a great rooftop to enjoy the intense colors of the sunset in very comfortable deckchairs contemporary design.
Swimming pool at Riad Le Rihani
At all times you can hear the flow of the pool water , in which it is a delight to take a bath after touring the city. And you can also rest in the riad's hammam, give yourself a Moroccan traditional bath with essences of Argan oil or fruit trees. Having a boiling green tea and some almond and honey cakes with Souad, it is very interesting. Cultured and very efficient in her work, she is a lucky young man she, she has been able to educate herself in France, has worked in Spain and has returned to Morocco by her own decision. According to her, little by little, l Women are taking positions at work and in society.
Museum of the House of Photography
One of the examples she highlights is the alfassia restaurant, worn only by women . It is reputed to be one of the best in the city, and is located in gueliz , the most modern neighborhood, full of international franchises, like anywhere else. Saida, educated in France and daughter of the founder, is very proud of the evolution of the restaurant, that she has opened a second location with a menu in which the lamb with honey and pine nuts and the different tagines stand out.
In addition, Souad recommends us a museum that she has opened three years ago, The House of Photography , installed in an elegant riad near the madrassa , the Koranic school. Through the eyes of photographers from around the world, walks through the history, customs and landscape of Marrakech and Morocco in general. It is a collection of original photographs by authors such as Meyer, Flandrin, Veyre, Garaud either Nicholas Muller . Muller, of Hungarian origin, settled in Spain in the 1940s, and you can still see the window of his studio, with a photograph, in the middle of Calle Serrano in Madrid.
Terrace of the Djellabar cocktail bar
Her daughter Ana, also a photographer, is the one who donated photographs of her father to this museum, among which her stunning portraits . It is worth eating or having a snack in the terrace from the museum with spectacular views of the city and exquisite dishes. For the night, Souad suggests Djellabar, a restaurant-cocktail bar-bar that she frequents. She starts to cheer up from 11 o'clock, and she mixes the profuse arabic decoration with fun pop art brush strokes , with images of Frank Sinatra, Jim Morrison, Elvis Presley either Einstein portrayed as Andy Warhol , but headdresses with the traditional red tarbuch. Striking colors in a cosmopolitan environment.
As we say goodbye to Souad, she points out that her favorite Spanish author is John Goytisolo the one she once thought she saw in him Cafe de la France in full Jemaa el Fna square . Everything in Marrakech revolves around this square to which it turns again and again, which surprisingly transforms during the day and night, and at the same time, remains unchanged through the centuries.
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