A Winter trip to Marrakech (and a boost of serotonin)

If the grey ceiling that has emerged over England is already getting you down, a winter trip to Marrakech could be the perfect antidote. Within three hours you can arrive in a bejewelled city full of vibrant colour : a complete contrast to London fog, an escape from endless news cycles and the daily humdrum. From market chatter to pyramids of cinnamon and grazing camels, it is hard to believe that this intoxicating city is just a hop, skip and a squeezy-jet from our doorstep.

Last year we travelled to Marrakech for three days in November. We left a light dusting of snow at Bristol airport to arrive in the bustling and humid city. Our taxi driver hailed a porter who loaded our bags into a large wheelbarrow and masterfully navigated his way through the winding streets of the Medina to our Riad. These traditional Moroccan homes are built around a central, inward-facing courtyard with a pool of water to keep everyone cool. My favourite aspect of these buildings is the roof terrace, where you can see as far as the Atlas Mountains and experience the magic of the Call To Prayer.

To be honest, my favourite thing to do in this vibrant city is to wander the Medina and soak up the atmosphere. Snag a table at sunset on the top floor of Cafe de France at and watch the locals set up the huge market Jamaa El Fnaa. From dancers to snake charmers, shoe shiners and fruit sellers, all of life is here. The popular Jardins Marjorelle are beautiful but the secret gardens within the city walls are less crowded and have a certain magical quality to them. These highly decorative spaces are beautifully designed with orangeries, ornate pergolas and fountains for locals to enjoy music and escape the hot, busy city. If you are lucky, you might find some tortoises cooling off in a pool. Visitors are not allowed to enter mosques in Morocco, however the Islamic School ‘Medersa Ben Youssef’ is well worth a visit. Built in the 14th Century, it is known for it’s stunning architecture, zellige tiles and intricate carving.

My favourite meal in Marrakesh included chicken tagine with olives and lemons followed by slices of orange and cinnamon, served on the rooftop of our Riad. We had a lovely time guzzling our way around market stalls and cafes in the city. The Ginger cake and Rose and Cardamom Tea (Stall 61, Jamaa El Fnaa) is not to be missed and La Patisserie des Princes serves up the most delicate French pastries including ‘Opera’ and ‘Mille Feuille’ alongside mint tea, poured from height for optimum aeration. If you are ready for some fancy western cocktails, the impeccably styled El Fenn has a beautiful roof top bar and restaurant. Depending on how sturdy your stomach is feeling, there are plenty of different eating options in Marrakech.

I have to say our little trip last year gave us a good boost to get through the darker months. So why not swap your winter blues for Majorelle blue and book a little trip to this ancient trading city? It’s well worth the short trip in the orange and white tin can

First Bite of the Big Apple - Taking teenagers to NYC

City breaks seem to suit our family extremely well. The teenagers are quickly bored on the beach (spoilt) and the hustle and bustle of a foreign city is a great contrast to our sleepy Cornish home town. New York City is an ideal destination for teenagers for as well as feeling like a huge movie set, the jet lag created by travelling west means that they will actually get out of bed before lunch. Prior to leaving we all wrote down the things that we wanted to do resulting in a contented balance of modern art and fried chicken. Our boys (aged 15 and 17 years) are at an ideal stage to enjoy the city and could manage their subway passes, hecklers, late nights and improvising on the fly.

Brooklyn

Our days booking a hotel room with a fold out sofa bed are long gone. Hotel rooms in Manhatten for four people are prohibitively expensive and tiny. We opted for more space and booked a lovely Air B n B in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Our appartment was a brisk five minute walk to the Subway Station (Grand Street) and a 10 minute subway ride to Manhatten (Union Square). There were plenty of affordable food options and coffee shops on our doorstep including Three Legged Cat (best coffee in NYC) From Rome to Brooklyn (pizza) and the fabulous Kellogg’s Diner serving American and Mexican food in a tradional Happy Days- style setting. We attended the Sunday Service at Love, Fellowship Tabanacle (Brooklyn) where we were made to feel very welcome and enjoyed listening to their fabulous gospel choir.

Central Park brrrrrrr.

Activities

Our Go City Pass included access to five major attractions in New York City. One of the unexpected highlights was the American Museum of Natural History. Who knew that the teenage boys were still so enamoured by dinosaurs? We were all impressed by the Hayden Big Bang Theatre and the scale of the exhibits. I enjoyed the rather niche tour of Art Deco friezes at the Rockerfella Centre although I am not sure that my enthusiasm was shared. The story of immigration was well told at Ellis Island and a great insight into the melting pot of cultures within the city.

We snagged some last minute tickets to watch Moulin Rouge on Broadway (TodayTix) which was spectacular and more fabulous than the film with the addition of contemporary bangers that were familiar to the teens. We pre booked tickets to see the Knicks vs Bulls at Madison Square Gardens (Ticketmaster). I am not a sport enthusiast but thoroughly enjoyed the basketball (apart from the awful honking) it’s a much more wholesome family affair than watching the football. (less c bombs more giveaways). A visit to the National Stonewall Memorial Centre was eye opening and felt timely given the current US political climate.

Gay Liberation’ statue by George Segal (outside Stonwewall Inn)

Food

Food is a very high priority on our family holidays. As well as some rather grim fried chicken affairs (the kids loved Raising Canes and Chick-Fil-A) we were excited to find some great Jewish Delis. We enjoyed chicken soup and Reuben sandwiches at PJ Bernsteins on the Upper East Side (close to the Met and Guggenheim). The more famous Katz Deli was worth the queue but you’ll need sharp elbows to grab a table. We found the best bagels at Bagel Bobs in Grenwich Village : popular with the students at NYU, these bagels were loaded and very budget friendly. We ate gorgeous Italian food at Nizza and Bea in Hell’s Kitchen. These fun restaurants were bursting with atmosphere and their menus had all the regular crowd pleasers as well as more creative offerings.

My last visit to New York was in 1996 when I seemed to spend most of my time sunbathing and smoking on the steps of the Met (I did go in briefly). I had forgotten that the Subway was edgy and makes the London Underground look like the Orient Express. Our teenagers were definitely exposed to the more grubby side of the city, in fact they were absolutely thrilled to witness criminal activity (Tasor anyone?) All in all, New York City blew their minds and I don’t think they’ll ever forget their first bite of the Big Apple.

Delicious Reuben Sandwiches with no queue at PJ Bernstein.