Marrakech

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We made it to the vicinity of the Madrid airport on Monday without hassles, and quickly found a 3-star suite hotel, where we checked in to a small apartment, with two bedrooms and a sitting room. We went to a nearby shopping mall, where we noted the similarities with American malls, as well as the differences. We decided on a bar for tapas and beer, then went to the supermercado and picked up some more beer and snacks for the room. We had a pleasant night, then got up early for our flight to Marrakech.

I managed to make an extra circuit or two of the airport, owing to the confusing signage and perhaps just a little to my own ineptitude. We still managed to turn in our car and get checked in. The plane took off on time, and we were on our way to a new continent.

We had all been anticipating this segment of our travels. We decided very early on that it would be a shame to be so close to Morocco and not go there, but as the time got nearer, we were also somewhat apprehensive about it. After all, we had decided to visit a third-world country that was Islamic, Arabic- and French-speaking, with totally unfamiliar customs and cuisine. Would communication be a disaster? Would we all become ill? Would it be an exciting adventure, or a harrowing nightmare? I was thinking about these fears while we were still back in Virginia. I decided to check the weather in Marrakech, curious as to what we might expect if we did go there. Fortuitously, on the Web page with the local weather was an ad for the Riad al Rimal, a small hotel near the main square in Marrakech. The photos looked inviting, and the more I thought about it, the more sense it made to book a room in a Moroccan city, fly there, and take as much stress off of the experience as we could. Fortunately, I was able to contact the Riad and reserve a triple room for us, and I found a very reasonable flight through a British online booking agent. The Riad was very helpful, suggesting that they send a driver to pick us up at the airport. Nevertheless, as the actual day arrived, we were still all wondering what we had gotten ourselves into.

I'll end the suspense. I've been to many places, but I think it is safe to say that I have never enjoyed a new place more than I did Marrakech, and I'm pretty sure the boys would agree. Our visit was something to remember and cherish, a shimmering, noisy, fragrant, delicious, and continually surprising series of moments. Once we cleared customs and immigration, the driver met us with the obligatory sign with our name on it. We loaded our luggage into his battered Mercedes taxi and set off for the legendary city. I was surprised to see so many flowers in the dry climate, and there were numerous olive and date groves surrounding the city walls. Once we passed through the walls into the Medina, things became increasingly exotic. The traffic was a chaotic mix of taxis, motorbikes, donkeys, and pedestrians, all crossing in apparently random directions. Streets twisted narrowly through ancient buildings. Just as we thought things couldn't become any more unreal, the driver turned into a street filled with stalls selling fruits, spices, hardware, electronics, and many other assorted wares. He stopped, turned off the car, and told us "We walk from here."

He led us through what seemed like an endless sequence of narrow alleyways, tunnels, and turns. Our eyes must have been the size of dinner plates. We ultimately reached our destination, Riad al Rimal. We were ushered into an exotic, yet calm and peaceful, house. It was decorated with all manner of Moroccan carpets, metalwork, lamps, and furniture. In the middle of the house, a bridge crossed over the pool that provides a spot to cool off in the heat of the Marrakech summer. The hotel manager sat us down for fresh orange juice and a helpful introduction to where we might want to go in Marrakech, how to find things, and how things worked in the Riad. He then showed us to our rooms on the second floor. The Riad is built around two central courtyards, with the rooms opening off interior balconies. While I was unpacking my suitcase, the boys found the Riad's rooftop. It serves as a dining room in good weather, as well as a place to relax in either sun or shade. We all took an immediate liking to the Arabic couches and pillows, shaded with a simple awning and overlooking the rooftops of Marrakech. This place was quickly turning into the opposite of stressful.

We had arranged to eat our first dinner in Marrakech at the Riad. Not only was it convenient, it turned out to be our favorite place to eat. We smelled the mouth-watering aromas of roasting chicken and spices all afternoon. Much of Moroccan cooking involves very slow cooking of meat dishes, and it definitely tends to increase your appetite if you're in the same building with the kitchen.

After settling in for a bit, we decided to see what else awaited us in Marrakech. We got a repeat of the directions to get to the square, then headed out. Amazingly, we didn't make any wrong turns and remembered to take note of some landmarks to guide us back. I took a card with the Riad's address just in case, but never needed to use it. As we walked into the main square, the Place Jamaa al Fna, we were quickly engulfed in a cacophony of Arabic musical instruments, mopeds, drums, and voices. The Jamaa al Fna is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, justifiably famous for its amazing collection of musicians, snake charmers, incense sellers, storytellers, and all the exotica that Morocco has to offer. There are Sufi dancers, Berber tribesman in traditional attire (surely among the strangest garb anywhere), monkey handlers, carts filled with oranges, dried fruits, more spices, and a lot of things unfamiliar to Western eyes. Along the edges of the square are the entrances into the souks, seemingly endless alleyways filled with all manner of goods for sale to tourists and locals alike. There are people all around, and the ubiquitous mopeds continuously drive through the middle of the crowd. Periodically, larger carts powered by motor, donkey, or human trundle through the chaos, calling out to clear their way. After taking it all in for a while, we found an ATM (actually, all of the banks seem to be clustered together, in much the same way that the various souks are clustered into areas selling lamps, or metalwork, or woodwork, or fabric, etc.) and obtained some Moroccan dirhams, then sat down at a cafe for our first glass of mint tea, a Moroccan staple that would quickly become a favorite.

After a leisurely time at the cafe, watching the gaudy parade that is Marrakech go by, we decided to try and find our way back to the Riad. It was a little intimidating, but after a couple of tries we found the right street, entered the alleyways, and wound our way back. We enjoyed the sunset on the rooftop, then decided to go and visit the square after dark, as it supposedly really comes to life then. Makes sense in what is said to be the hottest city in the world. Like the Spanish, the Moroccans eat late. We were told to come for dinner any time between 8 and 10:30, so there was plenty of time to check it out before we ate. We wound our way back out through the alleys and entered a transformed square. Where it had been an open space during the day, albeit with countless throngs criss-crossing it, at night the entire square is completely filled with vendors selling soup, kebabs, and many other food items. Smoke rises in the lights that are placed around the edges of the square, and what appeared to be thousands of people come out to dine in the square at public tables, surrounded by an even greater din than during the day. The only thing I can compare it to is a mall food court, only a lot more interesting. There are also many more snake and animal handlers, musicians, etc. than during the day. There are definitely tourists, but they are outnumbered by Moroccans. The longer we are here, the more amazing it gets.

I should also note that, contrary to our fears, the Moroccans are very easy to communicate with. They are typically very ready to initiate contact, trying to ascertain your preferred language, then doing their best to talk to you. Of course, many want to sell you something, but it is all pretty good-natured. If you don't wish to buy, you just walk on. If you want to look, they are only too happy to show you. But they are also a genuinely friendly and hospitable people who love joking and laughing. The more you say to them, the more they open up to you.

Once we had a good look at the square in its after-dark guise, including a lot of aromatic and enticing food, we were feeling pretty hungry and headed back to the Riad for dinner. The proprietors are French, and the menu recognizes the wonderful French custom of the aperitif. We all chose kirs, which were really good. The chicken we had smelled cooking all afternoon definitely lived up to advanced billing. It was cooked and served in a tagine, the Moroccan ceramic cooking vessel with an inverted funnel for a lid. The meat was moist and tender, falling off the bone. It was accompanied by potatoes, onions, and various fruits, and the spicing was exquisite, unlike anything I have ever tasted, but I definitely want to taste it again. The onions in particular were wonderfully sweet and saturated with a blend of spices. Cinnamon was definitely there, along with other, more exotic flavors. It was a memorable meal, finished off with crispy, sweet crepes and delicious coffee.

We got up Wednesday morning ready to visit the souks with more serious intent. After a delightful breakfast of fruit, bread, creme fraiche and coffee on the roof, we set out for the market. I told the boys it was going to be very difficult, since one really wants to buy it all. We also had to figure out the system of haggling over prices. Our hosts told us that if the initial price was 1,000 dirhams, we should counter with an offer of 200, and never pay much more than 40% of the asking price. Since they are residents and obviously experts, I decided that we should try for anything under 50%. We had a great time, making several trips out during the day and purchasing a variety of items to take home. Since we had only limited space in our luggage, we tried to confine our purchases to things that were neither heavy nor bulky. Within that limitation, we found a lot of things that we wanted, and the prices, while not giveaways, were always lower than we would pay for similar items at home (not that there are items that are very similar in most cases). Most of the things we purchased were unique to Morocco, at least in their details. I plunged into the souks, getting lost, then finding my way back to the square again. I am generally not a big fan of shopping, but this was the most fun I've ever had doing it.

We headed back to the Riad at around 4:00. One of the features of the Riad is a hammam, the traditional baths where Moroccans retained their water supply on the lower floor of their home. Our Riad offers spa services to their guests, so I had scheduled a 50-minute massage at 5:00. I reported to the masseuse, an attractive young woman who did not speak English. She instructed me, through gesture, to remove my clothes.

"Tout?" I asked.

"Oui, tout."

I began removing my clothing, which she reached through a dividing curtain to retrieve, piece by piece. I should have known better, but I unthinkingly took off my shoes and started to hand them to her. She stepped back in horror. She was not in the least bothered by the naked, flabby old foreigner, but the shoes were definitely out of bounds. I had forgotten the cultural attitude of Arabs toward shoes, namely that they are unclean objects which ought never to be touched. I guess, given where shoes have to go, especially in a place where draft animals are still common, it's not such an unreasonable taboo. Anyway, once we resolved where I could put the shoes, I got on the table and had a very relaxing and pleasant massage.

Meanwhile, Andrew and Alec had discovered that the Riad had a pair of waterpipes in their bar. Being enterprising lads, they approached the office and inquired about whether it was possible to smoke them. The boys have been to hookah bars at home, so they know their way around the charcoal and shisha employed in a hookah. It turned out that yes, indeed, it was possible to smoke the hookahs, so they ordered kirs and sat down to enjoy a smoke while I was being massaged. I actually was finished in time to join them for the end of the smoke, and found that I quite liked it. The shisha had a sweet apple flavor and made one ever so slightly light-headed. In case anyone is wondering, the shisha is not a cannabis product, just a smoking mixture made from some pretty innocuous herbs. With the water filtering it, I doubt the smoke is as harmful as tobacco. It was a great way to finish the afternoon.

We discussed our evening meal and decided that we would try dining out this time, then have our final dinner back at the Riad the following night. We asked our hosts for a recommendation. They quickly suggested a fairly nearby restaurant that was good, not too expensive, and had dancers. That all sounded good to us, so they made a reservation for us at 8:30. Following our hosts' suggestion, we walked out to La Koutoubia, Marrakech's largest mosque and a conspicuous landmark. There we quickly found a taxi, agreed on a price, and set off for Tajia, where we would have our evening's meal and entertainment. It is a large establishment, and we were ushered to the second floor, where the English-speaking customers were seated. It makes good sense in terms of utilizing staff language skills to best advantage.

We looked over the menus and decided on what to eat. Based on our previous night's experience, we all ordered tagines, with lamb or couscous. While not up to the high standard of the Riad, the dinners were very good. The food here is proving to be something of a bonus, much better than we had expected. I guess we should have known, given the connection with the French, that food would be a focal point. As we were finishing our dinners, it was time for the dancers to put on their show. Loud, throbbing music began, and a troupe of belly dancers in filmy costumes came into the room to perform, traveling around to each table in turn. They were very good-looking young women and put a lot of energy into their performances. There were also a group of older women (we decided they were former bellydancers) who danced with trays, filled with lighted candelabras, balanced on their heads. There was lots of shouting and handclapping, and a good time was had by all. After dessert and coffee, we found a taxi and headed back to the Riad for the night.

We decided that Thursday we would finish up any shopping we wanted to do in the morning, then use the afternoon to visit some of the historical and architectural sites in Marrakech. The big decision for the morning was whether to buy Moroccan carpets. It would be an unplanned expense, and I wasn't sure how expensive they would be, but I decided that if I didn't buy any, I would probably regret it later. After another wonderful rooftop breakfast, we went to one of the carpet houses in the souks. The proprietor ushered us in, asked us where we were from, and served us mint tea. Very sociable. He then asked his staff to start putting out carpets on the floor. I told him we were only interested in smaller sizes, so he kept them at around 5 feet or less. After there were about 20 carpets on the floor, he instructed us in the Arabic for "take it away" and "maybe." It was a lot of fun, and after a bit we had it down to 9 "maybe"s. It was time to talk prices. I was pleasantly surprised that they were pretty reasonable. We discussed shipping options (he would ship for a fee, or he could bundle them up so that I could bring them back as checked baggage). Of course, the more carpets we bought, the better the price would be. I said "take it away" to three more, and we settled on a price for the remaining 6. It was a good experience, it wasn't that expensive, and I know we'll always enjoy the carpets. A more knowledgeable buyer would probably get a better deal, but I am learning that, in Morocco, if the price is good for you, and it is good for the seller, it is the right price, so I am happy.

With the shopping part of our visit pretty much over, we went back to the Riad for lunch on the roof, then set off for the Marrakech Museum, the Mederse Ben-Youseff, and the Qoubba Almoravide, three historical buildings on the far side of the souks, in close proximity to one another. Not wanting to get lost again in the souks, we decided to walk around the outside. That quickly went wrong, as I took a couple of wrong turns and we found ourselves quite distance in the wrong direction. We ultimately found our way, but then discovered we didn't have enough dirhams for the entry fee, so it was back through the souks to the street of banks to get more cash.

Having accomplished that, we paid our fee and entered the Museum. As a museum, it doesn't have much of a collection. Some ornamental daggers, antique clothing, a few pictures. But the building that houses the Museum is an attraction in its own right. It is a palace, much newer than the Alhambra, but clearly inspired by it and other historic Arabic buildings. The ornamental details are quite beautiful, soft oud music is playing, and it is a great place to relax and contemplate the long history of this city. We then moved on to the Mederse, an Islamic school that was in operation until 1960. It is also a splendid building, with a central courtyard featuring a large pool, many mosaics, and beautiful carved plaster and stonework. The surrounding hallways are filled, on two floors, with a couple of hundred tiny "cells" where as many as 900 students were housed. It must have been pretty crowded.

After the Mederse, we moved on the to Qoubba Almovide. This is an archaeological site, and is the oldest monument in Marrakech. It dates to the 12th Century, and is an important landmark in Moorish architecture. Many of the standard elements of Moroccan/Moorish architecture are found here for the first time. It remains a beautiful and graceful building, with much of its painted decoration intact. We finished our visit there as the sun set on our last full day in Morocco. We wended our way back through the souks, stopping to buy a few spices and some incense at a stall. The proprietor takes time to talk with us for 10 or 15 minutes, explaining the uses of his various wares, letting us smell the various scents. We also talk about cooking, men and women, and life in general. It is a very pleasant way to conclude our experience in the markets.

As we emerge into the square for the last time, the crescent moon hangs over the towering minaret of La Koutoubia mosque. It is an unforgettable sight. Our dinner at the Riad tonight is couscous royale, a traditional meal featuring lamb, chicken, beef, and lamb sausage with couscous. It is again delicious, with the sausage in particular having an intensely savory taste. Moroccan cuisine is something we all want to learn more about, and learn how to prepare if we can. If I ever go back to the Riad, I will definitely sign up for one of the chef's half-day classes.

After another restful night, we are awakened, as we are every day here, by the muezzins issuing the call to prayer at about 5:30. There are mosques every few blocks throughout Marrakech, and there is one next door to the Riad. Our local muezzin was not chosen for his singing ability--his voice is harsh and monotonous, and if it wasn't grating enough, they play it over a loudspeaker to make sure we can hear it really well. I actually have enjoyed hearing the calls to prayer every day (there are 5 each day). At times, we can pick out as many as 7 or 8 voices at once coming from the various mosques. There is one muezzin farther off who has a magnificent voice, and it is as though all the others wait for him to finish before they begin their own call. Perhaps he is at La Koutoubia. At any rate, I have come to look forward to his call each morning. Then, after our local fellow finishes his bellowing, I go back to sleep.

We get up for one more rooftop breakfast, go to our room to pack, then settle our bill. The Riad bases its pricing on Euros, but even with the current poor exchange rate with the dollar, it is really quite reasonable. We paid more here than at the hotels we visited in Spain and Portugal, but we also ate more meals, used more other services such as massage, hookah, and laundry, and really enjoyed every minute here. We consider it a bargain. The next trip to Morocco (there will have to be another one) will definitely be longer, and it will definitely include a return to the Riad.

Our hosts have once again arranged for our transfer back to the airport. We'll be back, Insha'Allah. Now we're headed back to Spain for our last few days before heading home.

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Photos

The best spot on the roof
Maybe the best spot anywhere.

I try out being a Touareg
Yep, I bought the turban

Donkey carts move most of the goods
They're definitely not just for tourists.

On the roof
This is where we ate most of our meals.

My room
The boys had their own room with a sitting area, adjacent to mine.

It keeps the flies off
And looks great, too.

A seller of lamps
I would have liked to buy some of these, but they don't fit in luggage very well. They were even more impressive at night.

Jamaa Al Fna at night
Vendors wheel in countless food stalls. It all looks and smells really good, but I think I'll leave it to Andrew Zimmern.

Comments

[justin]

so cool
I hate to admit, but marrakech is cooler than chicago. who would have guessed.

[Lauren]

WOW!
What an exciting place! I especially liked the feel of the video. Good thing you didn't make a wrong turn! Dan, would you be allowed to wear the turban in public? Sure looks good on you (even though it's UK blue). Too bad you couldn't find one in IU red. Anxious to see you all! Lauren and susan

[Nancy Farrell]

Dan, I love the turban. What an adventure you guys have had. Can't wait to see you and hear more first hand. You all look well and I can tell you are enjoying yourselves.