Historic Marrakech and ‘The Medina’

Our guide was excellent. We was born in Marrakesh, well educated and he spoke very good English.

The first stop was their mosque La Koutoubia. As with many of the mosques we have been to, the gardens surrounding it are very serene. The building consists of a large ornate tower but surprisingly no dome.

Our guide explained some of the Islamic ways, there are 5 must do things for a Muslim

·       Believe in one God only and that all prophets have now visited earth the last being Muhammad.

·       Pray 5 times a day

·       Give to charity twice a year

·       Observe and Participate in Ramadan

·       Visit Mecca once in your lifetime.

In Morocco, all faiths are allowed and the guide was very proud to show that surrounding the mosque there were churches and synagogues – everyone living in harmony.

The Medina

We entered the world of “The Medina.”

We had left the modern western streets and entered a labyrinth of small alleyways, stalls, hustlers and kids desperate to take your Euros for showing you the way back again!

DO NOT loose your guide. 

There are two sections to the historic area, Jewish and Muslim, they used to be separated by a wall but now everyone is free to come and go regardless of religion. This is how the locals live. 

We started in the Muslim area, which was decidedly poorer than the Jewish quarter. The smell is one of the first things you notice. Then the tiny market stalls. Then notice that all the food is covered in flies. Then notice that the items are often wilting and going bad under the intense heat. 

Donkeys are everywhere carrying things. When not being worked they are chained by their ankles so they cannot move.
Like all Medinas they have specialized areas and we were taken to a clothing section. Here they make wonderful embroidered clothes by hand. It can take days to make one outfit.  But then beside them were clothes mass produced in China at a fraction of the price.
Next the Spices Section ..
Next the meat and produce section
…eeeeeew!
The smell!
The meat stalls always had all the parts of the animal for sale including complete goats and sheep heads.
The smell! 

We then moved into the more prosperous Jewish area and off to a carpet shop to learn about how they make great Carpets. Then, we are suddenly upstairs with peppermint tea and a sales pitch for carpets! (Yes, one of his friends.) 

We used a great line.

“..but we live on a boat and have no room for one of your wonderful carpets!”

Now, get out of that Mr Salesman!

We had to endure 30 minutes listening to their sales pitch with no let up - it was just BORING! 

I’m sure their technique is to wear you down. We finally left shaking hands and ‘all smiles’. Goodness knows what was said about us when we left! 

It was about now more sanitary wipes were needed! 

We walked past the exclusive “Sultan Hotel“ at a mere 750 Euros a night! They only allowed into the entry hall. So, 750 Euros/night and you STILL still surrounded by the smell of rotting meat and fish!

We are then guided to a prestigious historical burial site. The religion requires that one’s grave is NOT marked. Also the bodies are laid to rest on their side and facing east.
Even if you had served the rich Muslim rulers during your lifetime and rose to the highest ranks, if you were not Muslin then you could be buried here, maybe, but NEVER in the same direction! 

As the next part of our tour we found at another friend’s leather store to find out how leather goods are made. Hmm..?
There was no messing this time. We were NOT interested and we completey ignored the salesman despite their sticking their grubby noses in your face!  Ugh!

Then a friend’s medicine shop, because ‘here’ there is still black magic! You can counteract it though by using one or two the potions they happened to have on hand. These guys have REALLY boring unfulfilled lives that’s all I can say.

Finally we are now leaving the media for the famous “Place Jemaa El Ffna” and out of those little alleyways.
This was actually the execution square many years ago.
Ha!
Now you have the stench of around 80 horses lied up in a taxi rank to take tourists around the city in ornate carriages. Their poo covered in flies in the leather bags at the back of the horse!

The main square is huge with entertainers everywhere. I’d love to talk how clever the entertainers were but mostly it was ‘begging’, hustling and demands for money if you stopped for more than a second!
Lots of drumming and squeaky guitars. Everyone trying to outdo each other on their sound output.
There was even a chair with a dentist who just pulls teeth.
The snake charmer had a small cobra and a few snakes moving around the floor but we never saw any ‘charming’. We heard about one entertainer that would happily pop a snake around your shoulders so you could take a picture. The price for taking the snake off your shoulders was negotiable.

The colorful “water Boys” in the red costumes and goat-skinned bags full of water are always hustling you to take a picture with them for a few Euros.
In fact, where ever we looked we were surrounded by hustlers and beggars.

“Hold onto your money! Do not touching anything! Do not catch anybody’s’ eye!”

There are monkeys who will sit on your shoulder!
There are boys dressed as female belly dancers.
There are fortune tellers
..and lots of women doing henna tattoos!

Our guide warned us about how some of these ink’s will scare your skin permanently.

Phew!
We are now back in our car and going back to the hotel.
Wow! I have never experienced anything quite like this!
It’s time for another shower and good scrub! That smell lingers.

Dinner that night was a buffet in our Hotel because we needed and early night! We would be up early the next day because the next day we would tour more sites on our own!
Hmmmm… that might have been a silly thing to have tried!

We left in good spirits to re-enter and do battle with the Medina the next mornng.
We had the power!
We were our own people!
We had control over our own destiny!

Oops!