My last afternoon in Morocco and I sit by the pool side, after a busy morning of shopping. I decided that the leather here is gorgeous and managed to come back with five belts, including one snake skin, a red leather belt, a wide black platted one and two that have camel bones set into them and are incredibly beautiful.
Having been here just over a week, I feel as comfortable going into the souks as I would going to a market at home. In my mind, it has transformed from being this dark and chaotic maze to a place of many individual stalls run by generally nice people with a great sense of humour. I no longer feel apprehensive or wary, as I did to start with, continually paranoid for my bag and its contents. Its much easier to over charge, than directly steal. Also religion is strong and people are honest.
Yesterday afternoon I wandered through the Djemaa el Fna where women were calling out to do henna. I kept going but a slow in pace made it obvious that I was interested, and the lady in her early thirties followed me into the souk with a picture book. Despite our lack of common language I could see the desperation in her eyes, as she pleaded with me. It was something I wanted to experience anyway so a price was agreed and a design chosen in traditional one day red dye. I sat transfixed as the lady doodled a dark brown pattern of swirls and dots across my hand. After an hour the dark brown layer peels off, leaving a dark red cast.
In the evening we went for a meal, this time to somewhere pretty special. I shall add the name in later, but it was a mix of Moroccan and Thai, located in a beautifully restored riad. Other than the mosque, it is the only building in Marrakesh to have a sliding roof. We sat in the open, as candles flickered lighting up the surrounding walls, with amazing wood carvings and fine silk curtains. The owner was a well known DJ in seventies who came over to welcome us. The ambient music was perfect, as was the service, the food and everything about the evening. In one corner stood huge bamboo shoots, as wide as young trees, while the entrance contained an illuminated, bubbling water feature which we all rushed over to admire. Part way through our meal some sort of decorative burner was lit, as jets of fire whooshed out, causing more gasps of surprise. It was as if Ali had thought about what would make the most amazing dining experience, combining both taste and aesthetics, and then went about making his fantasy come to life, over the next ten years. It was truly lovely, the interior more amazing than words or even dreams could describe.
This evening I enjoyed a much more simple meal in the main square with the one remaining member of the tour, which has been fun. We even had ice cream. For now though, I shall head back to the hotel and look forward to my four thirty am wake up call.
