I guess we should report back on the restaurant - it is great. Once off the Derb you are in an oasis of luxurious calm. The service is impeccable and the food is simply fantastic - and the wine a suitable partner to the food. I boldly chose the liver sausage - but even I couldn't finish the enormous Pigeon Pastille main course.

Yesterday we headed out of the Medina to explore Jardin Marjorelle. This used to be owned by Yves Saint Laurent and is now his resting place. The garden is a wonderful mix of colourful hard landscaping and lush green foliage.

As they say, it's only Mad Dogs and Englishmen who go out in the midday sun - and we did that!!! We walked across the new town to - what turned out to be a German Cafe!!

But by the time we arrived it could have been Swiss - and serving fondue - as long as they had cold drinks!!! The new town is in sharp contrast to the old town - strong modern European influences spill out with designer boutiques and modern styled cafes and bars.

In the afternoon we returned to the Medina - to the Palais La Bahia - a 19th century palace which was home to a Vizier - his 4 wives - and of course 24 concubines!!! For the evening we once again hit the main square - but this time took seats on the terrace for a bit of "people watching".

It was an early start today - the aim was to get out of Marrakech early - and avoid the main heat of the day. It seemed that the weather was ahead of us though - and covered the area in grey clouds. Not that it did much to lower the temperatures in the old town.

We took the car and headed up the mountains to Imlil. The road is smooth and wide as it leaves Marrakech but the further you drive the worse the surface gets and the twistier the road becomes - before the tarmac peters out in the trekking centre of Imlil.

The trip had 2 purposes to get everyone out of town and show there is more to the area - and also to enable us to book some trekking for later in the week.

In the end we went for a 2 hour mini-hike ourselves - with lunch at an Auberge 3/4 of the way through. The walk started at 1740m altitude and we probably added a good couple of hundred onto that as the path wound it's way up the valley.

The lunch was served in the Auberge that we will stay in prior to our trek - and consisted of 2 vast plates - one a vegetable tagine and the other a small mountain of Couscous - both were absolutely delicious.

We have stayed at Riad Bamileke while in Marrakech - and it was the perfect spot. 100m from the main square, yet calm and peaceful. The staff have all been superb. Tonight we will eat on the square again - before everyone heads their own separate ways tomorrow.