Blog ≫ 2024 ≫ Winter holiday to Marrakech part 8 - New Year's Eve
Coming to the end of our holiday now. Another day off, with some relaxing around the pool. Lovely breakfast, there were Moroccan doughnuts available today. Not to me probably, I didn't even ask.
The whole hotel was filling up and being prepared for the new year's celebrations. They set up a stage at the end of the pool, and rugs and poufe type seats all around. See them starting to set up here:
Come the actual evening and time for dinner I got the feeling we were in the wrong place. We had sat at one of these areas ready for the entertainment when we got the message there was a cocktail reception happening in the main bar of the hotel. We didn't use this bar at other times, it was a bit empty, but this time it was spectacular. There were huge displays of cocktails, of sparkling wine, canapes, and traditional music. A real effort put on here, we filled out boots. Then to dinner and it was a ramped up version of all the other dinners. Food made into displays welcoming in 2024, oysters, enormous fish and meat things. It really was a spectacular.
After dinner we went back to our seats by the pool only to find all our stuff had disappeared and a family were sat there. Now we had slightly baggsed a table while we were eating, but I had been back to check it only ten minutes before and all was good. The familiy sat there now denied all knowledge, pretended they couldn't speak english, and laughed. I was a bit flustered to use my French, I think I could have done it, but didn't try to cause a scene. Clare found out stuff had been taken to reception, I moved another table and seats into a better position in front of this family. I can see their point, they probably think they deserved to sit by the poolside more than us? But it didn't work out for them.
There were fire pits all around everyone wanted to be quite near one of these, this is why this was a good spot. There was even a fire pit in the middle of the pool, which some brave soul had to swim out to during the evening to top up with logs. The entertainment was good, a live band and DJ. The drinks did start to run out just before midnight, and the DJ completely fouled up the new year countdown, he missed it by nearly a minute. Still a good time all round.
These guys were too busy setting fire to this stack of glasses to restock the bar, so there were no more drinks at midnight. Drinks are not a priority to the Moroccans. Yes of course this stack of glasses fell and smashed and splashed burning lighter fluid over everyone.
We enjoyed midnight in Morocco, then went back to the room and enjoyed midnight in the UK via some American TV channel that we had.
Not much more to report after this. Everyone had a lazy day on the 1st of January, but I did go back in the pool again. Even played water polo and scored the winning goal. I'm not even lying.