DREAMING IN COLOUR
In search of Matisse's Morocco
13th-20th February 2019
Ten spaces only
FULLY BOOKED - email to go on waitlist.
Pricing and booking details below
Many are surprised to learn that Matisse spent time painting in the medieval walled city of Tangier and was greatly inspired by North Africa's vivid colours and sharp contrasts of light and shadow.
We have put together a tour of northern Morocco offering an insight into the fascinating culture and diverse landscapes of this compelling location.
Our journey starts in Fez, one of Morocco’s four imperial cities. From the golden gates of Dar el-Makhzen to the rich history of the Mellah (Jewish quarter), we will attempt to engage with this fascinating urban sprawl and create our own interpretative images.
The maze of alleyways through the medina (the city’s oldest neighbourhood and UNESCO World Heritage Site) is utterly unique in that it has retained much of its history and roots. We will find much to inspire us. It radiates as if lit from within - the raking light reveals textures and patterns on the rough earthen walls giving us an incredible canvas to work with.
We will take an immersive private tour to a part of Fez unseen by tourists as we explore and interact with the tanners, leather-makers, wood carvers, copper beaters and potters in their workshops.
We will also spend two nights in the blue town of Chefchaouen - surely one of the prettiest villages in Morocco. There are many theories about how it came to be such a beautifully pacifying colour - some say it was painted blue by the Jews who settled there after fleeing Hitler, others say it’s to keep the mosquitos away, while some just said it represents the colour of the ocean. Whatever the reason, we will doubtless enjoy interpreting the vibrant colours and textures of this artsy mountain village.
There are many attractions nearby - the Ras el Maa Waterfall is just outside of town. Also worthy of consideration is the scenic (and possibly snow-clad) drive up into the mid-Atlas mountains to the pretty little town of Ifrane - also know as the Switzerland of Morocco.
However, just as Matisse really didn't like to travel farther than a 400-yard radius from his hotel, so we will take a similar approach to our creative endeavours. This does not promise to be a frenetic tour of every attraction in the region - we are more concerned with immersing ourselves in the culture of the area, taking our time and trying to connect in a more familiar way than a whistle-stop journey would allow.
Those of you who have travelled with us before will know that we leave nothing to chance when it comes to nourishment and hydration. That also extends to accommodation.
Following extensive research (and much excitement) we have found two delightful riads that we hope will suit us perfectly. In Fez we will spend our time at the Riad Myra - built at the beginning of the last century and now beautifully restored. This boutique, luxury riad is located in the vibrant heart of the Fes medina. As is traditional, the riad has a central courtyard with intricate stucco work, colorful mosaics and imposing wooden doors. Surrounding the courtyard are the guest rooms, beautifully decorated with colorful drapes and brocades.
Each of their the suites contains the work of local artisans: original mosaic tile floors, intricate carved plaster, rich cedar ceilings and doors, and hand-crafted furnishings.
There are four standard rooms and eight suites.
In Chefchaouen we will have sole occupancy of the Riad Cherifa - it has just 12 rooms. Opened in 2016, it sits in the heart of Chefchaouen’s old medina and comprises two traditional houses, with the Andalucian-Moroccan architecture characteristic of the city. Its rooms and suites are appointed in a beautiful style, with traditional mosaics, woodwork and antique furnishings throughout.
As is customary in Morocco there is a roof terrace. This one overlooks the mid-Atlas mountains. It will doubtless prove a very important place for us to convene with camera and drink at the end of the day where we can sit and watch the sun descend over the distant hills.
DREAMING IN COLOUR - in search of Matisse’s Morocco
13th February - 20th February 2019
PRICING:
Because we are taking over both riads in their entirety, we have to accept all the rooms they have. As these are priced differently, we feel the easiest and fairest way is to price the tours accordingly.
There are 5 spaces available with standard rooms priced at £1,950, 6 spaces with suites priced at £2,150 and one space with the magnificent master suite in Fez at £2,300(sold).
Rooms will be sold on a first come, first served basis. Doug and I will take whichever two rooms are left
STANDARD SINGLE ROOM £1,950
(€2185; $2,550)
SUITE SINGLE ROOM £2,150
(€2,400; $2,800)
MASTER SUITE AT RIAD MYRA £2,300
(€2,575; $3,000) SOLD
DEPOSIT DUE AT TIME OF BOOKING - 20%
INCLUDES:
4 nights single room accommodation at the the Riad Myra including breakfast.
2 nights accommodation at the Riad Cherifa including breakfast.
One night at Riad Passiflora close to Fez airport prior to our early morning departure on the 20th Feb.
Transfers to and from Fez Airport and around the region.
Private tour of Fez to discover areas unseen by tourists and meet with and photograph the artisans at work.
Tour from Chefchaouen to the town of Ifrane (known as Little Switzerland) into the snow-covered mid Atlas mountains if time and inclination allows.
Tuition from Valda and Doug
Max, 10 clients.
EXCLUDES
Flights, insurance, meals (apart from those listed), airport transfers, should your flight not coincide with ours.
Fitness level - moderate. Gentle walking. Not suitable for those with limited mobility.
Average temperatures, both locations 18C
FLIGHTS
Air Arabia (Maroc) operate direct flights from London Gatwick to Fez. Flying time about three hours.
TERMS & CONDITIONS.
By booking a workshop and paying a deposit you agree to abide by these terms and conditions. By accepting your booking and deposit, We agree to abide by these terms and conditions.
1. A non-refundable deposit of the amount stated in each tour or workshop description is required at the time of booking.
2. The balance of the tour/workshop price is due a month prior to the departure date. Should this final payment fail to reach us by the date specified, we reserve the right to treat the booking as cancelled and retain the deposit. If a booking is made a month or less prior to the departure date then the full amount is payable at the time of booking.
3. Any cancellation by the client must be made in writing, emails are acceptable. The date on which the letter or email is received by us will determine the cancellation charges applicable. These charges are expressed as a percentage of the total workshop price, and are as follows: 56 – 42 days before departure 50%; 41 – 28 days before departure 75%; 27 days or less before departure 100%. PLEASE NOTE; See clause 14 below regarding travel insurance.
If a client wishes to cancel a booking and transfer the deposit/payment to another tour we are happy to accommodate this request as long as the empty place can be re-sold. An admin charge of £100 will be made.
4. The receipt of a deposit does not imply acceptance of a booking. The PayPal automatically generated receipt does NOT imply acceptance of a booking. We will confirm our acceptance of your booking by email, and it is at the time we send out this confirmation that a contract comes into existence between us. Please DO NOT book any hotels or make any other travel bookings until you have had this email confirmation from us (NOT PayPal). If we are unable to confirm the booking, even though you have had an email from PayPal confirming your payment, we will not be liable for any other costs you have incurred. We will refund in full your PayPal payment. This is because rarely multiple bookings are placed through the website outsell a workshop before the bookings can be closed. At our discretion an administration charge of £100 may be made for alterations or amendments to a booking. The transfer of a booking from one workshop to another is at our discretion, if made more than 57 days prior to departure, it may also incur a fee of £20. The intention to transfer should be notified in writing, emails are acceptable. At 56 days or less before departure cancellation fees will also apply (see clause 3 above).
5. We reserve the right to alter or cancel any tour or workshop. Should an alteration or cancellation become necessary, you will then have the choice of accepting the change, taking an alternative tour or workshop (and where this is of a lower price we will refund the difference), or withdrawing from the contract and accepting a refund of all monies paid to us. For the avoidance of doubt, as we are not party to any flight, accommodation or train bookings or car hire you make yourself and have received no payment for the same, we will not refund the costs of these in the event of holiday cancellation. You are referred to clause 14 below and clause 4 above.
6. Under booking is the situation in which the minimum number of bookings required to run a workshop is not met, and if we have to cancel a workshop for this reason, we will not do so less than 10 days prior to departure. Force majeure is unusual and unforeseeable circumstances beyond our control, such as war or the threat of war, riots, terrorist activity, civil strife, industrial disputes, natural or nuclear disaster, fire, flood or adverse weather conditions.
7. In the event of the specified tutor being unable to attend due to illness or other circumstances beyond our control, another tour leader may be provided. If this is not possible, then the tour or workshop will be cancelled and the provisions of clause 5 will come into effect.
8. We reserve the right to change any of the prices, service or other particulars of a tour or workshop at any time before we enter into contract with you. If there is any change, we will notify you before we enter into such contract.
9. If you have special dietary or other requests, you should inform us of these prior to departure. We cannot guarantee that such requests will be met, and will have no liability to you if such requests are not met.
10. The type of tours and workshops we offer require flexibility and must allow for alternatives. For this reason the outline itinerary and tour/workshop description must be taken as an indication of what may take place on the tour or workshop, and not as a contractual obligation on the part of the company.
11. We do not accept liability for any loss or additional expense caused by delay or interruption to travel services through weather conditions, civil disturbance, industrial action, strikes, wars, floods or sickness. Such losses or additional expenses are the responsibility of the passenger. We will not accept liability for loss or damage to any of your personal belongings, including but not limited to camera and computer equipment, peripherals, mobile phones, baggage, clothing, documents, monies, credit cards, travel documents and so on. See clause 14 below.
12. We accept responsibility for acts and /or omissions of our employees (whilst acting in the course of their employment). The Company does not accept responsibility or liability for death, bodily injury or illness caused to the client or any other person included on the booking, unless arising from the negligent act and/or omission of the Company’s employees (whilst acting in the course of their employment). Any claims shall be subject to English law in respect of any question of liability or quantum, and all proceedings shall be within the exclusive domain of the English courts.
13. The client must communicate any perceived failure in the performance of this contract on the spot to the workshop leader thus giving the workshop leader the opportunity to achieve a satisfactory solution. Should this not be possible, you should make your complaint known to us in writing within 28 days of the completion of the tour or workshop.
14. It is a term of the contract between us that you will obtain the appropriate travel insurance cover before you set out on the tour or workshop (whether abroad or in this country). The insurance must cover the loss, expenses and damages arising from, including but not limited to, the cancellation of the tour or workshop (whether in whole or in part), personal accident and injury, medical and repatriation costs (for overseas tours), loss of baggage and personal money and belongings and flight cancellations and delays.
15. All clients must be in possession of a valid passport and all visas, permits and certificates, including medical certificates required for the whole of the journey and the client accepts responsibility for obtaining the same. All information and advice given by us on visas, vaccinations, climate, clothing, baggage, special equipment etc is given in good faith.
16. Bookings for anyone under 18 years of age must be made by their parent or legal guardian. No one under 16 years of age may join a workshop with us, except by special arrangement with and being accompanied by a parent or legal guardian who needs to pay the full workshop fee themselves also.
17. It is the customers responsibility to arrive at locations at the arranged time and with appropriate equipment, footwear and clothing. The customer needs to be healthy enough to participate in the workshop. If the customers vehicle breaks down, his transport arrangements fail for any reason or if the customer fails to arrive at a destination for any reason whatsoever the workshop must proceed without them for the benefit of the other paying customers.
18. The weather is out of our control. In poor weather every effort will be made to find a suitable location to continue the workshop or to take a break until it passes. If very poor weather is forecast in advance we reserve the right to contact the group and reschedule or cancel the workshop. If this happens you will have the chance to accept the rescheduled date or accept a credit towards a future workshop of your choice to the value of the cancelled workshop.
19. If we offer our own equipment to you on loan on a workshop it is not covered by our insurance. By accepting the loan of the equipment, if it is damaged (however minor the damage) or stolen, you promise to pay immediately its full new replacement value direct to us so we can replace the item or items from a supplier of our choice who has the item or items in stock to ensure we can continue to pursue our business. If the item is no longer manufactured this clause applies to the latest new item from the manufacturer even if the value of this item is considerably higher.
20. You are responsible for your own car parking fees, fines, and all other fees and expenses not directly and clearly specified as being included in the cost of the workshop.You are also wholly responsible for the safety of your vehicle, property, personal safety and camera equipment.
21. If you book any workshop or tour listed on this website but booked through or run by any other photographer, individual, broker or company is subject to their terms and conditions and your contract is wholly with them. Any issues arising from such a booking must be taken up with them directly. We are bound by their terms and conditions and have no influence over them.
22. We reserve the right to refuse any booking without giving a reason.
23. It is this copy of our terms and conditions on the website which is current, in force and to which you and we are bound. All other copies in any other format and location are not binding.
24. By making a booking, you are agreeing to accept all the above conditions. Any person making a booking does so on behalf of all the individuals included in it, so that all are bound by the booking conditions.
25. Although our locations are always selected with safety in mind, we urge clients to check the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) travel advice page for reassurance.
Last updated 24.10.18