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Sunday 14 September, to Asni in the High Atlas

Marrakech - part VIII

Elisabeth & Teije
2006-07-19 19:20:18

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we have the back seat for us alone.

So much for my negotiating skills! We did buy one thing, a bracelet, before this persisting man came along. Despite my 'travel guide instinct' we paid way too much for it, only because we hoped to get into a cab that was on the point of leaving. But we missed that one and paid € 20 for a silver bracelet (if it is silver) that is probably worth only a few euro's. In these countries the real value is what one wants to give for something, not the financial value and Elisabeth likes it very much. But ater another 10 minutes of negotiating the price would have been much lower.
While the gentlemen on the front seat are in animated discussion we try to make some pictures of the scenery. Typical of the desert villages is that all houses are build close together to create as much shade as possible.

But sometimes there are lonely buildings in the desert along the road, maybe for storage. The closer we come to Marrakech, the more vegetation appears. Large cactus bushes and high palmtrees. And many olive groves for the production of olive oil.

After 45 minutes we approach the red city wall of Marrakech and here is one of the gates near Bab Aguenaou. From the cabstand we take a small taxi to the square Jemaa el Fna.
It is much warmer here than in the mountains and we don't walk so much anymore. We stroll around the square and then climb some stairs for a nice view from a restaurant. There is quite a lot of wind, but it is a hot wind, like a föhn.

Regularly, we have seen houses with carpets hanging on the walls, like here near the Kharbouch mosque. It is remarkable that the traditionally clad women look so gloomy in their black dresses while Marrakech is such a colourful city, not only the houses but also in the souks. But like the houses, the colour red dominates the carpets and also pottery and even jewelry.

The wind is getting so strong that we leave the roof and find a bar near the Koutoubia mosque, also a place from where we have a nice view on the chaotic road traffic. We only have to walk a few hundred meters, but we are all sweaty when we sit down. This is a climate where one should go easy and not worry too much about deadlines. As the inhabitants do, except for the traffic.

When we take a taxi back to the hotel at the end of the afternoon we have a somewhat older cabdriver who doesn't seem to understand where we want to go. He claims he knows where the hotel is, but several times we have to give him directions, because he goes totally wrong. Fortunately, I recognize already a lot of streets but we can't bring him to our hotel (as he should bring us) and we decide to get out in the neighbourhood and walk the last part.

This is our favourite bar, Charly's Cabana, where we spend every night at least an hour and sometimes have dinner. Like tonight. On the way there we pass a store where I am greeted every night with 'hello Ali Baba' and Elisabeth is called Gazelle. This time we ask him why he calls us like that and he tells us a long story about the villain Ali Baba who turned into a good hero and the female gazelle who had a good influence on him. He probably thinks Ali Babab also had long hair.

After watching the traffic and the crowds for some time, we return to the hotel quite early. We feel exhausted. It is the combination of very long walks, the heat and all the impressions and new experiences. It is still a bit damp in the air and the temperature has been 40 degrees today.