meknes

Yesterday, in Marrakech, walked thru the souks to get to Musee de Marrakech, which is this rather funky art gallery/ museum in an old palace. Massive building with courtyards and little rooms, with ancient qrtefacts jostling for wallspace with photographs of what looked like saharan motorway service stations. The hammamms were particularly atmospheric - was a great use of the space.

Included in with the ticket to the Musee was entrance to the Merdersa, the old theological college built, according to LP, in the14 century and restored - initially, at least, i think its probably been done again since - in 1564. On the upper floors are the cells thqt the initiates used to live in, and someones done a bit of set dressing - there are a couple of very rustic and austere eating utensils and spartan, uncomfortable looking furniture in a couple of them.

Later on in the afternoon, I went to Maison Twiskin - is the house of a dutch art lecturer called Bert Flint. Apparently a bit of an africaophile he know lives in marrakech, surrounded by his african treasures. The house has been opened as a museum, and theres some really interesting stuff on the anthropology of textiles etc - all about how different bedouin tribes wove different patterns into their rugs, and what those patterns signified, so a rug with an obvious focal central point might have been woven by a tribe with something like a fixed abode, whilst more nomadic tribes might do something with a less formal pattern; Obviously, Im paraphrasing Bert here, but you get the point. Also, those of you with african rugs, the authentic way to display them is with the weave face down, as it provides insullation in those cold, desert nights. So, now you know.

Got a train this morning up to meknes, which took most of the day. Have checked into a really nice little riad, just off the main square, hqd q bit of a mooch, and just off back to the riad now.

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