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Monday 15 September, walking through the souks
Marrakech - part IX
Elisabeth & Teije2006-07-19 19:25:45
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It is our last day in Marrakech and we want to make it a quiet day. We have seen all places of interest and only have some more souvenirs to buy. After a few days of absence we meet our favourite beggar again. He still remembers us and greets us from afar. He is always enthousiastic even when we don't give money, but today we do.
On the road to the Jemaa el Fna square we stop at a bar where we have been before, on the first day. We go there by taxi since we have walked this road a few times already. From here to the square is only a ten minute walk but it is very hot again, but not moist anymore. So we are in need of another drink when we arrive there and go to one of our favourites spots, a roof garden near cafe Paris.
The acrobats, snakecharmers, monkey tamers and storytellers also seem to be troubled by the heat since they keep very quiet this morning. But the crowds are the same and there is still enough to see.
Looking south we see Jemaa el Fna square and the Koutoubia mosque, the 'guardian of the desert', on the other side we look out over the roofs of the poorer areas next to the souks.
We don't want to sit here all day, so after some times we leave for a last stroll through the souks. The most important ones are north of the square and it is much cooler there since the alleys are very narrow and often roofed by reed.
There are several souks with different names and once every souk had its own trades that were concentrated on a small area. That has changed by tourism because now there are souvenir shops in almost every street. But still one can recognize which trade was concentrated in a certain street. Sometimes we walk through an alley where only pottery is sold, or lamps and other things made of cast iron.
We have a very detailed map of the souks but the small alleys don't seem to have names and we don't find any nameplates on the streets, so we get lost often.
...
See photographs from:
Morocco Gallery
