THINGS TO SEE IN MARRAKESH- YSL MUSEUM AND BAHIA PALACE

Hello again my dear readers and fellow bloggers.

Although we had fantastic time in Marrakesh, every day delivering new discoveries about this magical land, I was really looking forward to our final day there, as I had saved the best for last.  If  you are are reading my blog for the first time or missed previous posts related to this topic, you can catch up here.

Just before we left Sydney, I saw an article in the traveller's section of a newspaper about the opening of  the YSL museum in Marrakesh  literally just a couple of weeks prior to our visit. You may or not know that Yves Saint Laurent first traveled to Morocco back in the 60's and fell in love with this country so much that, together with his partner Pierre Berge, they bought a house in Marrakesh and quite soon it became their favourite holiday destination. Yves Saint Laurent would travel to Marrakesh in June and December for a couple of weeks in order to design his haute couture collections.  Morocco's life had a major influence on his work, particularly the colours.

The museum is Pierre Berge's brainchild and his tribute to Yves Saint Laurent's talent and contribution to fashion and is entirely devoted to his work.  Its vibrant primary blue colour has attracted visitors and guests from all corners of the world together with the adjacent enchanting gardens, Jardin Majorelle that took its original owner, a painter Jacques Majorelle forty years to create and are among the most visited sites in Morocco.

Although we arrived at the museum quite early in the morning, we were astonished by the number of people who came here for the same purpose and patiently joined the long queue.  Actually, it didn't take too long and after about 10 minutes of waiting, we stepped inside the Jardin Majorelle, Majorelle Garden.

It is a marvelous collection of cacti, exotic trees and plants that are cleverly landscaped to enhance each others beauty and are peppered here and there with fountains, lily ponds and pools.  We followed the path and came inside a bright blue-coloured building that now houses the Berber museum, a bookshop, Majorelle boutique and the YSL studio.

At the back of the gardens we came across Yves Saint Laurent's memorial which is composed of a Roman column with the plaque bearing his name and two white benches where visitors can sit and ponder over the mystery of life and death.

The next destination for the day was a visit to Palais Bahia whose name means "Palace of the Favourite", build in the late 19th century by two powerful grand viziers and intended to be the greatest palace of its time. 

Some of the best Moroccan artisan came to work on the palace and you can the see the level of their skills in the mosaic tiles that covered the floors and walls, the intricacy in the woodwork on the frames and ceilings and in the stonework of pillars and fountains.   The colours are vibrant even though they are over 100 years old, the gardens are immaculate and the whole compound is beautifully preserved and looked after.

We arrived at the gates a little later than anticipated and were told that we had only a half hour before they gates were to be closed.  That didn't stop us  from walking through the many rooms that served as luxurious apartments to its original owners, admiring the beauty and originality of them.  Luckily for us, the tourist peak hours were over and we had the whole palace almost to ourselves.

We really enjoyed our last day in Marrakesh and were extremely pleased that our visit to this magic country had ended on such a high note.

The time has come to say good-by to Morocco and get on the road again for our next destination, Italy.

Before I say good-buy to this fascinating and exotic place, I would like to share you with two super easy recipes from MY COSMOPOLITAN KITCHEN that represent the essence of Middle Eastern cousine:  Z'atar (an aromatic blend of spices that can be used on salads, sandwiches and dips) and Hummus (a delicious dip or spread made from cooked chickpeas).

Enjoy!!!