notes from the field
Morocco
A long-held dream was realised for A&K’s PR & Communications Manager, Serena Mitchell, when she formed Souk Sisters, an intimate group of fellow travellers, who set off last year to explore Morocco. And as hoped, it delivered a sensory overload leaving enduring memories of fragrant orange blossom and rose petals, mounds of colourful and aromatic spices, tumbling waves of crimson bougainvillea, vibrant handcrafted pottery and carpets and an intense energy. The pandemic sadly forced a premature return home but here are some of her standout memories and experiences.
Serena Mitchell
PR & Communications Manager, A&K Australia
Morocco’s Wine Country Not widely known for its wine production, the region around the ancient Imperial city of Meknes is blessed with outstanding winemaking potential thanks to its high mountains and the cooling influence of the Atlantic. Château Roslane, a wine estate with more
Secret Gardens With a passion for gardening, I was enthralled by the many plots we saw throughout Morocco, each so different. Umberto Pasti’s botanical paradise Rohuna was a revelation. Perched on a rugged hillside south of Tangier with endless views over the Atlantic, this wild garden is an inspired horticultural vision of sustainability cocreated by the local villagers. In and around Marrakech are a couple of notable highlights: Le Jardin Secret in the heart of the medina is traditionally Islamic, laid out in the style of Persian gardens with irrigation channels, fig trees, date palms, pomegranates and olive groves. And of course the Majorelle Gardens, famously restored by Yves Saint Laurent, where exotic plantings of cacti, bougainvillea, palms and bamboo sit dramatically against the vivid colours of Jacques Majorelle’s former studio. 60
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than 700 hectares under vine, is the first in North Africa to be listed as a château viticole for the quality of its wines and after a morning visit to the Roman ruins of Volubilis, we stopped here for a gourmet lunch of organic produce and paired wines an utter delight.
