Eventful Weekend in Marrakech

 
 
 

As you all are probably aware we have had a difficult time recently in Morocco. With all the problems going on in the Arab world we felt lucky to have avoided that in Morocco. Guests were also relieved when they emailed us to be told that everything was calm and fine in Marrakech.

The weekend started with a devstating call to say that a gas bottle had exploded in the Cafe Argana we all hoped and prayed everyone was ok and that it wasn't a bomb. The news quickly came through that our worst fears were a reality. The King, medical team and police thankfully acted very fast. I sat on the sofa when I got home watching the awful coverage on all news channels. Strange to get full detailed coverage from the US when you are sitting in Marrakech. In that afternoon I felt like the sunny paradise I live in had been taken from me in a single moment and dreadfully sad for the victims of this ignorant, cowardly act probably in the name of God. I know 100% that God is not about killing your brothers and sisters. I had 30 guests in the Medina for a wedding and knew they would be feeling vulnerable. Suprisingly when I went in to talk to them they were very calm and positive. The only real loosers in this tradgedy are the Moroccan themselves as they need tourism to sustain their lives and families.

The following morning was the royal wedding, I hadn't intended to watch it but as the morning unfolded I was spellbound and swept into nostalgia as I remembered the death of Lady Di and watching Wills and his brother grow up I found the whole wedding really moving. We got all dressed up, Even Marcus! and off we went to a wedding party at our good friends house. How strange I thought a real ying and yang weekend. She had gone to alot of trouble making English Trifle (wheat free), cream cheese sandwiches, roast beef sandwiches served with Fortnum and Masons horseradish! and jugs and jugs of pims. It was such a fabulous afternoon and so nice to see everyone the day after such awful events, it certainly makes you put everything in perspective and this party also felt like a celebration of life.

Happily we have only had 1 cancellation at Zamzam and I also feel so proud that my guests have not let fear stand in their way. A large group told me we wont let them win. The world is a different place now. My daughter will grow up in a world of bombs, terror attacks and high security but then so did my husband as he reminds me he grew up in the IRA years in London. We have to remember not many negative events happen in Morocco and it is certainly alot safer than London. If you compare countries and historical negative events, Morocco is pretty low down the list. The positive that has come out of this tradegy is security is tight, the Jemaa El Fna now has security cameras and Marrakech has been cleared of any other major deviants. Al-Qaeda announced they had nothing to do with it and the guy has now been arested.

Hopefully our sunny paradise will soon be on track.