Overall the trip was a success -- not the easiest of traveling I've done, but like I said, definitely worth it. Marrakech is a city conducive to perpetual sensory overload. With so much to see and hear and experience, I'm sure we didn't see every corner of the city, but we definitely got a good flavor of what the city has to offer. Like I said, being in the Medina (the old city) overwhelms the senses, so I don't know exactly where to begin or what to include... maybe I'll just break it down into a few simple categories...
1. Sight
In the Medina, there are tons of vendors everywhere selling a wide variety of carpets, scarves, jewelry, bags, clothing, woodwork, lamps, pots, mirrors, shoes, knives, dried fruit, sweets, pretty much anything and everything imaginable -- there were even a few "dentists" who were selling (false..? maybe...?) teeth!
In addition to the sheer number of things being sold and people selling them, there were so many different bright colors everywhere! Jewelry-wise, silver or metals that were trying to be passed off as silver were popular, but lapis lazuli, turquoise, and tiger's eye were all common elements, not to mention the brightly colored, borderline obnoxiously-large beads that made up a lot of the necklaces and bracelets for sale. Fun fact: the color purple was highly coveted in the past and considered to be a sign of royalty because purple dyes weren't as readily accessible as all of the other colors.
Also, in the plaza Djemma el-Fna, there are lots of "street entertainers" with their pet monkeys on leashes, or snakes or some other exotic animal and lure tourists in, allowing them to watch and take pictures and then insisting on being paid whatever amount they can get... I got mad at these people a lot because their means of earning money seems less than honorable, but I guess everyone has to make a living the best way they know how... moving on...
2. Taste
While decently popular during the day, the plaza Djemma el-Fna was quite a happening place at night. It's been deemed a UNESCO Cultural Heritage site, and for good reason. It's extremely popular with the locals, as there are all sorts of songs performed and stories told (ie 99% of the tourists can't understand what was being said). There are lots of places to eat -- larger stalls offering kebabs, couscous and other traditional fare and other smaller stands -- so much food, not enough space in my stomach... too bad!
One of my favorite things was the mint tea that was inevitably offered at every meal and at any social situation in which consumption of beverages seemed remotely appropriate. We were told that this tea is "Moroccan Whiskey" -- presumably because it is drunk in such high quantities in so many different occasions, plus that whole thing about the religion prohibiting the consumption of actual alcohol. True fact: no where in the Medina of Marrakech sells alcohol -- you have to go into the Ville Nouvelle, the newer part, to find it (if you're really that desperate).
2. Smell
Holy spices, there were so many different spices and combinations of spices being sold! A lot of them I had heard of, some of them I've used before in cooking, but there were even more that seemed unique to these markets. Part of the vendors selling tactics were to offer you a whiff of every single spice they had in their stall... which contributed to the the nasal portion of the sensory overload. In addition to spices for cooking there were teas and incenses, something (conceivably) for everyone...
3. Touch
I know I've said this a million times, but wandering through the marketplace was so crowded that doing things like walking forward, pausing turning around, and breathing could all cause you to bumble into people and things... in some of the more narrow undercover areas complete I-feel-like-a-canned-sardine moments. UGH not a fan.
4. Hearing
Some oft-heard quotes a heard from trip:
"You want to look? You look for free... hey yes, you, looking is for free. Come in my shop"
"Aaah, from America? Big welcome, big welcome.
"Aaah, America? OBAMA! He's a good man..."
"Helloooo Fish and Chips!" (only heard this one when vendors thought we were from England)
"I give you good price, very good price on this, it's handmade"
And one of my faves:
Vendor: "I offer you good price, how much you want for this scarf? I give democratic price. "
Me: 30 dirham [3 euro]?
Vendor: Oh no, no no. 150, democratic price.
Me: "Democratic? So that means I can vote? mmmm I vote 30! *raise my hand and look at Cat*
Cat: Me too! 30! *raises her hand*
Lauren: Me too! 30! *raises her hand*
We all look at the vendor, who starts cracking up.
I so got that scarf for 30 dirham.
And of course, for your viewing pleasure, the pictures:
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| Marrakech |
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