Marrakesh Riad El Az

Inevitably we are a stones throw away from a mosque, so I was woken up at 05.00 this morning. I think I dozed a bit and then the birds in the trees in the road courtyard decided it was time to wake up anyway.
Marrakesh is nothing like Cairo!  I was a bit concerned that there would be a similarity.  A taxi met us at the airport, thank goodness we arranged that with the road, we would never have found it.  We drove along wide boulevards from the airport, some hectic driving but nothing like the crazy stuff in Cairo.  Then we came to the walls of the old town and went through a large archway.  After that it was narrow streets, shops and stall, people bustling along or standing in groups.  Finally we left the taxi in a dead end and followed the driver on foot for about 200 metres, through winding passage ways until we came to a door low down in the wall.  Inside we stepped into another world, of Moorish tiles, low sofas and cushions, beautiful carpets.  We were in a central courtyard with trees and climbing plants adorning the walls.  There are only 6 rooms, around 3 sides of the courtyard on 2 floors.  We have a room on the top floor, it stretches the length of the building with a low bed at one end and a bathroom at the other.  There is a low sofa and some beautiful chairs, and wonderful wall hangings.
We followed the directions given to us by the young man who welcomed us and retraced our footsteps through the passage ways and out to the other world, to a rooftop restaurant where we had a passable meal.  It was OK, tagine, salad, olives and mint tea, but nothing special.  We remember some of the wonderful meals we had in the desert oases in Egypt, particularly those with strong Bedouin influence.  Maybe we need to get out of the city into Berber country for that.  I think we will try street food tomorrow, anyway, that,s usually a good bet.
First impressions are that Morocco is very different to Egypt, less edgy, less anxious.  We weren't hassled once last night, no touts at all, far less rubbish in the streets.  I saw only one veiled woman, and the majority of young women were not wearing headscarfs.
We have 2 days here before we pick the car up and head off south.........