Life in London: My Morocco Diary

Wednesday, 14 September 2011

My Morocco Diary - Marrakech

Day 13: Drive to Marrakech
In the morning we drove east to Marrakech, where we’ll have the better part of two days. Marrakech has for centuries been a meeting place for the mountain Berbers and the desert people of the south. In the afternoon I joined a tour on foot to explore something of Morocco’s fascinating ‘Red City’.

Like many North African towns, Marrakech is divided into two distinct parts, the Gueliz (the modern French-built city) and the Medina (the Old City), a place where trade and barter amongst the colourful souks still renders its ancient heart a glittering cacophony of noise and colour. You could buy anything in the Medina including zebra and lion skins, hedgehogs (live) and iguanas. Their cages were tiny. A popular craft was using old car tyres and moulding them to create mirror frames etc. I didn't like them to buy but it's an interesting way to recycle.

The city’s beating heart is the spectacular Djemma-el-Fna, a site not to be missed and a scene straight out of the pages of the Arabian Nights. Here the streets and alleys alive alive with storytellers and musicians, jugglers and acrobats, snake charmers and street monkeys. I did see a number of monkeys get hit but their owners and one monkey escaped but managed to get caught as his lead got caught on a market stall.

Marrakech is a city like no other, boasting a staggering array of spectacular architecture and wonderful facades and not to be missed are the Koutoubia mosque and tower, Saadian tombs, Ben Youssef medersa, the Dar Si Said Palace (now the Museum of Moroccan Art) and the Menara gardens.

Day 14: Marrakech

Another day in Marrakech. Today I visited YSL memorial gardens and walked through the medina. I wandered past vendors selling doughnuts and fried grasshoppers. I did a bit of haggling and bought a silk throw for my bed (£16) and some spices. I did do a bit of haggling. I also sat in a cafe on the square with the men and simply took in the place. Many of the mosques were forbidden to non-Muslims. Note: Be careful of photographing women, however photogenic they look, as the Moroccans are very sensitive about such things. If you are unsure, it is always best to ask.

My hand also got hijacked by a woman in the square in Marrakech. She grabbed my right hand and proceeded to pipe henna onto my hand over my earlier henna design. When finished she sprinkled it with glitter and then demanded payment. I didn't have any cash (as the ATMs wouldn't accept my visa card) and told her that. She wasn't very happy but then again I hadn't asked for her to do it. Out of principle I doubt I would have paid her if I had had the money. This experience summed up Marrakech for me; it's a tourist trap. From all that I have seen and experienced of Morocco Marrakech had nothing to offer. The palace wasn't as rich as in Meknes, the Medina wasn't as magical as Fes. The people were different too; out for all they can get. It was in Marrakech where I was groped by locals for the first time on my 2 week visit.

If I had the choice of returning to Marrakesh I think I would refuse unless it was to fly to Marrakesh and go back to Essaouira, Meknes or Fes. Everybody has places they enjoy and Marrakesh, for me, was not one of them.

Read more of my Morocco Diary:
What to know when travelling to Morocco