Morocco Day 3

Day 03 - Thursday, March 12, 2009 - Tour Marrakesh/Experience Djemaa El-Fna Square

What a difference a good night’s sleep makes! We missed the dawn call to prayer and did not get up until our alarm went off at 7:00.

We enjoyed our buffet breakfast outside on the roof top of our hotel. There was a cool breeze but the sun was warm as we ate our morning meal of sweet cakes, cookies, bread and cheese.

Jamal met us in the lobby at 8:50 for our full day’s exploration of Marrakech. Spring time is here in North Africa. The rainy season has passed and we had a gorgeous day with bright blue skies and 65 degrees and 63% humidity.

The first lesson of the day was the greeting Sabah Alkhair, or Good Morning! We greeted our driver, Adil who took us to the old city.

We passed the major Islamic Mosque, but in Morocco non-Muslims are not allowed to enter.

Our first stop was the Bahia Palace meaning “beautiful place”, named after the favorite wife of the Vizir, or minister in the 19th century. We began by entering the attractive gardens with the fragrant smell of orange blossoms, cheerful birds, and the calm cool courtyards.

The outside of the palace was very plain, but once we entered the palace it was very elegantly decorated with blue, green, and gold tiles, intricately carved plaster, and cedar wood inlay. The patterns in the decorations are all very detailed and symmetrical in the Muslim artistic style.

As we visited the palace, Jamal gave us even more information about the Moroccan family structure and the various uses of the rooms of this grand residence.

Our next stop was at the Saadians Tombs where the most famous of the 16th to 17th century royal families were buried. Sultans and other rulers were placed here with all bodies intact, laying on their right sides, and all facing Mecca.

After visiting the tombs, we walked directly across the street to a Berber Pharmacy where our guide Loubna shared the many secrets of North African spices, medicinal plants, and oils. I was given a sample of the African Mondrake root, a special aphrodisiac to try tonight. I wonder why she thought I needed it?

Loubna gave Gennie a treatment of the black Nigelle seed oil for migraine headaches. She put four drops of the oil on her forehead and then gave her a vigorous massage. She said she felt better, but it might be the oil, the massage, or the Aleve she took this morning….

We were allowed to smell and try several other home remedies and natural curing applications as well as perfumes, lotions, and potions. Of course, there was a buying opportunity and Loubna was a great sales person, we all walked away with a package.

Our walk through the old Casbah (fortress) was a moment back in time. The traditional towers, the huge main gate, and the living areas were all as they might have been centuries ago.

There are little doors, tiny windows, and thick walls, not only for protection but also to keep out the cold and heat. The Mosque of the Casbah from the early 12th century was the center of the compound.

Adil met us at the Main Gate and at 12:30 we went all together for lunch in a classic Moroccan cafe. We were the only tourists there and truly enjoyed the dishes of vegetables, grilled meats, and mint tea with a very sweet lemon yoghurt for dessert.

The afternoon’s discovery was the Djemaa el-Fna, the largest public square in North Africa. There were snake charmers, storytellers, dancers, fortune tellers, henna tattoos artists, magicians, and food vendors. This square is now designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Gennie bought stamps for her postcards and we strolled through the huge square. We were only a short distance from Mohammed V Avenue where Adil was waiting for us. We drove a short distance the Souk Cheriafia. Then we stopped at a restored riad, a villa or home that had been converted to an inn and restaurant.

There were so many shops along these very narrow streets it was tempting to peek into each one. We tried on caftans and jalabas to really look the Arab part.

There were tiny shops with leather bags, slippers, tiles, brass and copper; all crowded with merchants who wanted to show us their finest. We stopped at an artisan shop where we watched a wood carver, painters, jewelers, and metal artists.

The wood carver gave each of us a small good luck charm. He was also selling small animals carved from cedar. Two camels were not to be passed up and a first bargaining opportunity for Gennie. Needless to say, she had fun getting the best possible price.

There were blocks and blocks of specialty shops. Jamal knows we are all interested in learning about the culture and unique artisans so we made several stops along the way.

Barbara is an interior designer in the Bay area and saw many possibilities for imports. She actually bought a beautiful lamp.

As we left the Souk we walked to the ruins of the Qoulba Almoravid, the ancient water system that brought fresh water from the mountains. This kahtara or water aqueduct and reservoir, made of clay in the 12th century is being excavated as a historical treasure.

One of the highlights of the afternoon was a visit to the Ben Youseff Medrassa, a 16th-century Islamic college beautifully decorated in stucco, marble, and cedar that is the largest of its kind in Morocco.

After our official tour, Jamal gave us 10 minutes of free time and we climbed the stairs to see the 132 room dormitory where the students ate, slept, and studied.

Back at the hotel at 7:15, we had about 45 minutes to freshen up, begin typing, and get ready for our dinner. At 8:00 Jamal met us at the front door with a horse and carriage and we drove in luxury to our dinner back at the Djemaa el-Fna. We walked back through the square, now even more alive with musicians and food vendors.

Jamal guided us to a food stall, #55 where we were seated at long tables with newsprint paper for a table cloth. For starters we had green peppers, eggplant, and a potato cake. We ordered a delicious meal of fish, calamari, fried potatoes, and of course fresh mint tea.

We had a fantastic time with the staff, inviting others to eat at their establishment, and taking photos together. The staff was very gracious and even gave us all a rose in appreciation of our friendship.

We stopped at several other stalls and Jamal and I had a very strong cinnamon tea, after-dinner drink. There was a CD vendor so Barbara and I bought several CDs of Moroccan music to enjoy.

By the time we got back to our hotel in the carriage, it was past 11:00. Gennie finished typing the journal, I worked on the 500 plus photos we took today and we prepared for our early morning trip to the mountains. What a wonderful day exploring Marrakech!

Accommodations: Moroccan House Hotel - - - Meal: B, L, D

Please see our Trip Evaluation -- Click Here -- A Complete Review of Overseas Adventure Travel Pre-Trip to Marrakech, Morocco.

If you are traveling individually may we recommend:

Jamal Boularhbar, Tour Leader

recommended by National Geographic Adventure Magazine

j_boularhbar@hotmail.com

+212 611 320 874