Past Retreats Home Marrakech Yoga Retreat October 2009 The chaotic taxi ride into the centre of Marrakech ended when the street became too narrow to drive down any longer and we arrived on foot through a dark alley at the door of our Riad. For someone who did not know what to expect of this ancient city, the contrast between the streets of our arrival and the inside of this oasis was immense. The frenetic city of Marrakech may not seem the obvious choice for a Yoga retreat, but the serenity of the private Riad was just the sort of place needed. The team running the retreat was first class and immediately made us feel welcomed and cared for. A good smattering of local knowledge was also extremely helpful for our infrequent trips out of the Riad. A packed programme of yoga, workshops, massage, Hammams and eating meant that you were not generally looking for things to do or places to go. The yoga is what I had gone along for. The group were very mixed in their abilities and previous exposure, which might have presented a problem, but was handled enthusiastically and skilfully by Helen. Morning and afternoon yoga sessions were all planned to take place on the Riad roof on Moroccan rugs under the shade of a yellow awning. However the evening of day one brought a thunderstorm of biblical proportions nearly blowing away the awning forever. So yoga was done under the Moroccan sky. The deceptively simple yoga style inspired by Vanda Scaravelli was new to me, but was something that I really enjoyed… trying less and getting deeper as a consequence seemed to be the theme. Walking to the Hammam across the centre of the old city was a shock to the system after the quiet of the Riad. Dodging the snake charmers (not my favourite bit), and the odd Whirling Dervish left me feeling in need of being scrubbed when we arrived at the beautifully appointed Hammam. My wish was granted. Unfortunately we then had to negotiate the streets back afterwards! Being somewhat phobic of having my feet touched and (I discovered) the top of my chest meant that I maybe did not get the full benefit, but it was certainly an experience! A word or two needs to be mentioned about the food. Wonderfully prepared by Ella and Gerry, all from local ingredients, the food was served at steady intervals and allowed an almost family feel to develop in the group over the meals. Being a carnivore, it pushed some boundaries and opened a few food doors for me too. But, be warned, my travelling companion developed a strange and hitherto-unknown-to-medical-science reaction to a lack of caffeine; thankfully ably and subtly dealt with by a member of the team! Matthew Johnson, Nurse   © Reclaim Your Self 2005