A weekend in Marrakech, Morocco

We arrived in Marrakesh slightly jaded, after a two am flight, already delayed from London. Thankfully our riad owner had sent us a taxi, so ten minutes later we were in the familiar surrounds of the old city walls. The streets were deserted, as the taxi wound it's way to the edge of the souk and stopped. The rest of the journey was on foot, through narrow streets and dark alley ways. Eventually we arrived at our riad, in the heart of a residential district. We were ushered inside and straight to our room, where we briefly admired the decor and fell asleep.



The following morning, we were woken by the faint sounds of children being sent off to school and people walking in the alley way below. We stayed in Riad Badra, a beautiful homely riad, with friendly staff who immediately made us feel welcome. A breakfast was prepared for us, consisting of various breads, jam, coffee and juice, in a cosy living room of low down seating and mosaic tiled walls. I loved this riad straight away, painted in warm red shades with a gorgeous selection of Moorish furnishings. The atmosphere was relaxed and tranquil, just what we needed to wake up to.



By mid morning, we found ourselves wandering through the maze of souks, to the familiar grounds of the main square, or Jemma el Fna as its known. Our riad was located to the north of the souks, so this area of Marrakesh was new to me. We passed endless stores of spices and colourful skins, stretched over frames, to form decorative lamps. Unusually, we were not approached by sellers and left alone to continue through. I think as soon as they spot your pace slowing and your head turning to look at something that catches your eye, the store holders pounce and begin calling after you. I find the solution is usually to smile and say, non Merci, while continuing to walk forward.



Already, the sun felt quite hot by the time we had made it to Jemma el Fna. So we decided to go for mint tea, at the Princes patisserie on Rue Bab Agnaou. There is always something calming about a glass of mint tea before going out to face the chaos and intensity of Marrakesh, with street hawkers and entertainers on every corner. We decided to do something touristy for a change, and took an open tour bus around the city. It was the perfect amount of distance, letting us observe the city, while being free from the endless interaction from people trying to sell things or just make money from the nearest tourist. We took the romantic route, which led us around the palmeries on the edge of the city. I enjoyed looking out across open views of palm trees with the mountains in the distance, especially after the bustling streets of Marrakesh.



We arrived back in the new town, where we decided to have lunch. We looked at the menu of quite a few cafes until finding one that we liked the look of. We were led inside, but the place stank of smoke, so the waiters found a table for us outside. We both ordered chicken brochette with fries, but the meal was a disappointment as the chicken was pink in the middle. Under cooked meat seems to be a feature of Marrakesh and I recommend going vegetarian (their cheese is best avoided) or only eating meat in expensive restaurants.

We returned back to our riad, to enjoy the late afternoon sun, while relaxing on the roof terrace with a book.



In the evening, we had dinner at Narwama, a previous favourite restaurant of mine, complete with strong cocktails, a water feature that shoots flames into the air and a luxurious decor. They do a Thai and Moroccan themed menu, with far more flavour than the surrounding restaurants. Also, they seem to be one of the few places that consistently served properly cooked meat and a choice of something other than tagine.



The following morning was sunny and I felt very relaxed. Despite it being my fifth visit to Morocco, there were parts of Marrakech that I hadn't explored and wanted to. One of these areas was the grounds of the Koutoubia. I enjoyed wandering though gardens of cacti, on to well kept pathways with orange trees on either side, heavy with fruit and birds chirping away. There were plenty of benches to sit on, looking out across green hedges to the Koutoubia with fountains in the foreground. We headed to Portofino's for a lunch of pasta and a view back to the Koutoubia.



In the afternoon, still intent on trying things that I had never done before, we took a celeche around the old city walls. After a discussion over price, we settled on half an hour for 100dh. We sat in a carriage as our driver shouted and whipped the horses to trot. He had a brief tour around the old city walls and through an exclusive part of town with new hotels and casinos. The experience was fairly forgettable and not something I would recommend, but I wanted to try it in case I was missing something.



Once back in Jemma el Fna, we went into the souks and did some shopping. I bought a bag of harissa for 20dh and mint tea for the same. We also bought some colourful fabric poufs for the living room and made our way back to the riad. We spent the last day light hour exploring the residential area in the north east of the souks, with its beautiful doorways.

Essouira, Morocco

Essouira provided a calm and relaxing break from the heat, dust and hastle of Marrakesh. The pace was laid back and we could enjoy walking around the souks and various jewelery shops without recieving as much attention as before. I ended up buying silver earrings from a shop that trains young men without skills to become competent silversmiths. The designs here are beautiful and so intricately made.


We stayed at Dar Afram, a pretty riad on the edge of the medina, with a roof terrace that over looked the rest of the town and then out to sea. Everyone was really friendly and we enjoyed exchanging stories over breakfast, mostly about how ill we all felt in Marrakesh after eating at the Djemma el Fna! Somehow, we had all made it to Essouira and felt a lot better for being here.


I enjoyed my time here a lot, especially being able to walk along the beach, bare foot, parallel to the lapping sea. The strong wind created mini sand dunes and the sails of windsurfers glistened in the distance.

Marrakesh, Morocco

Marrakech feels incredibly different from being at home, and it has been nice to sit around drinking mint tea whilst enjoying the Moorish surroundings. At the top of our riad is a patio area with palm trees and coloured glass lanterns, where we sit for breakfast. Next to it is an outdoor structure with walls covered in fabric and window holes framed with red archways. The wood is dark and intricately carved and low down sofas occupy the walls. We have spent lots of time relaxing in this beautiful outdoor lounge, which provides a shady retreat from the chaos of the city.

We stayed at Riad Jnane Mogador as well as Riad Hotel Assia in Marrakesh, both of which were nice. Our favourite restaurant was Narwama, a magical and atmospheric restaurant with a fountain of fire, stylish background music and various bubbling water displays. The food is a combination of Thai and Moroccan gourmet cuisine accompanied by an attractive menu of cocktails too. The service was amazing, as was the venue and the whole evening. Infact it was so good, we went back twice during the holiday.

The souks have just as much character as I remember and some of the store holders and waitors recognise me from when I was here last in March, seeming genuinely happy to see a customer return, as they grab my hand and ask how I am.

Today we found a different part of the Medina that I hadn’t seen before and wandered down alley ways that led through interesting streets. There were buildings with pretty tiled entrances and others that lean in odd directions with gnarled sandstone fronts.

From the roof terrace of our riad the beat of tribal drums can be heard in the distance and the sight of smoke wafts into the sky as the afternoon draws to a close. This is when the main square Djemma el Fna comes alive, as large crowds gather around story tellers and the street kitchens buzz with conversation.

I think that most of all we have been enjoying the tranquil environment of the riad, which is gorgeous with its blue tiled courtyard and geometric patterns which continue through each floor. The fabric covered frame is amazing and the staff here can cook a delicious tagine at lunchtime with chicken, lemons and fresh herbs. We also took a taxi to the ‘Supratours’ coach station and booked tickets to Essouira for Saturday which should be fun.

Shopping in the Souks, Marrakesh

This afternoon in sunny Morocco it rained, large wet spots, as people scurried into doorways and merchants covered their stalls. This followed an overcast morning where I decided to take the Marrakesh tour bus around the city, hoping to see sights which I otherwise wouldn’t. It was a disappointment and turned out to be more a tour of the hotels and modern city than the old part that I was interested in. But I sat with the other tourists and listened to their opinions on the city. It always surprises me how clueless some people are on the culture of the country they are visiting.

I sat in my usual cafe, over looking the Djemaa el Fna square, with its orange juice stalls and crowds of tourists like insects, swarming around a honey pot. I ordered a dish of couscous accompanied by something else, the description was lost in translation, so I ordered, hopeful that it would be something nice. It turned out to be couscous covered by a selection of vegetables in an aromatic Moroccan sauce. It wasn't as good as last nights meal of Rabbit Tagine.

Deciding it was not a day for photography, it seemed like an oppertunity for shopping. I disappeared into the souks, to browse an endless assortment of dimly lit stalls with interesting objects and shiny silver jewlerry stalls. The sellers were friendly and I recieved the usual ‘Moroccan face’ comments. I did my best to play up to this and knew I was getting a good deal when the store holder put my chosen silver items on the scales to work out a good price for me. He told me I was getting English price not American, and I told him I was getting Moroccan price because I was an English friend. It helped that he had an older brother in Bristol and liked the English, but I came away with lots of pretty things. The glass lamps here are gorgeous, but the thought of carrying them back with all my other hand luggage doesn’t appeal. Instead I settled for taking photographs of them, glistening through their coloured panels in the darkness of the souk. I think I shall print them out big and stick them on my wall.

Henna in Marrakesh, Morocco

With the shutters closed and a bed covered in heavy blankets I managed to sleep for twelve hours. To the sound of chirping birds, I made me way to the roof terrace and ordered bread and jam. The mid morning sun felt intense as I sat there drinking orange juice.

Finally I gathered my camera gear with the intention of photographing the sand coloured architecture. I followed a long road through the medina, passing market stalls either side until I came to a court yard of palm trees opposite a dusty road.

Away from the touristy part of town, I wandered through the streets and found myself in the weekly berber market. At this point I met my first guide who took me to a friends spice stall, where I was introduced to various teas, herbs and incense. Despite telling them I had no money they were perfectly happy to continue telling me about the flavours they use in their cooking as we drank sweet mint tea. Eventually I left and made my way to the Jewish quarter where a young group of school boys offered to show me to the synagog and seemed bemused when I stopped to photograph a donkey eating grass. I chatted to a group of teenagers and told them we have no donkeys on the streets of London. They understood, but everyone laughed when I showed them the pictures.

The synagog was interesting but not very photogenic. The boys seemed proud to have taken me there. I wondered if they aspired to be tour guides when they were older and wanted to practise their English skills. I didn’t pass a single tourist while I was with them.

With so many alley ways I am always curious to see what appears around the next corner. Where I am seems to be residentual with a school and an old stone bakery. Children play in the street and older men lurk in doorways. A young man tells me there is nothing ‘this way’, and takes me through the souks to a Jewish cemetary. I meet another man who’s job it is to look after the cemetary and tells me some of its history. It consists of hundreds of raised mounds in the earth, stretched over a field sized piece of land.

My new guide tells me he is studying medicine and we begin to talk about life. He asks if I would like to drink tea with his brothers and sisters, so I accept. I remembered the tales of Summer, my tour leader from a previous visit, and her Moroccan ‘family’. We go through a small wooden doorway with a stone floored basement covered in diamond shaped tiles. In a typical style for Moroccan houses there is a narrow staircase which leads up to a courtyard, filtering off to the kitchen and living room. I am introduced to his sisters, brother and mother who sit on low down sofas watching tv. They seem completely relaxed at my presence and Braheim brings everyone mint tea. I photograph the silver tea pot and Braheim takes my photo with his little sister who wraps her arms around me and seems delighted to be photographed.

As we talk, my new friend asks if I have tried henna tattoos and I tell him I want to get one before I leave. He tells me he knows a berber woman who is very good and we set off to find her. As we walk through the streets, young boys kick a football around and a group of men are throwing playing cards into a circle. Women chatter amongst each other and teenagers hang around on bicycles. The pace here is slow, with much warmth and compassion for others. Braheim yells ‘Jamelia’ into several doorways and we walk up and down the street a few times before he asks an older woman who appears with a wild looking berber woman, with thick straight hair and fierce eyes.

I take the oppertunity for Jamelia to mix a solution of sugar, water and henna as Braheim tells her I want traditonal brown henna. This seems ideal as I sit in the woman’s home, under the recomendation of locals, feeling as if I am being accepted into their community. She is very good compared to the women that work in the heat of the main square. She probably takes half an hour and begins adorning my hands with swirls and petal shapes. While I wait for the henna to set, an older woman makes the four of us mint tea and we sit chatting, with music playing in the background.

They treat me as a friend and tell me I have a Moroccan face and look like ‘Fatima’. I find this amusing but it seems that they see me as one of them, and feel happy to talk to me and show me around without money. Apparently because I have ‘Moroccan face’ and ‘nice smile’. I shake hands and leave my new found friends to head back to the hotel. Everywhere I look people are generous, helpful and welcoming.

Marrakesh, Morocco

We left Harrow in the crisp night air to arrive at a nearly deserted Luton airport. By six am I was on the way to Marrakesh, not sure whether to sleep or stay awake. The night time seems a blur. I ended up repacking my bags as no liquids were aloud and managed to smear my kaftan in deodrant as I was too tired to realise I was wearing it under my fleece.

A few hours later I found myself chatting to a couple as we waited in line at passport control. They were heading to the Medina also, so after happily being reunited with my baggage we made our way to the taxi rank and haggled mildly over the fare.

Everything I had remembered about Marrakesh seemed emphasised. It was somehow brighter, more alive and even the architecture felt more intense. I felt welcomed once again to this Medieval city, flowing with character. This time, it is no longer Rammedan and people are going about their daily routines in a way that seems to have changed little over the centuries.

I paid a young boy to find my hotel, which turned out to be a beautifully ornate riad with Moorish archways adorned in blue tiles. We wove our way along narrow streets and dusty alleyways, passing donkeys carrying colourful woven bags and locals selling fresh mint leaves. The atmosphere is both magical, exciting and alluring, with souks to explore and old walls to photograph. Everywhere I look is paradise to my unfamiliar eyes.

Hotel Essaouira, Marrakesh.

Marrakesh, Morocco

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.

Nightlife in Marrakesh

Morocco is great for doing quirky things, like hiring a cart to carry out luggage back to the bus station, or taking a mule plus guide for a couple of pounds to carry to carry ten people’s bags up a mountain side. Much more fun than a Heathrow baggage trolley. Anyway yesterday afternoon we took a public coach back to Marrakesh, which was quite a leisurely affair, with a twenty minute break at a cafe, followed by a frantic hammering on the horn to which we all piled in. I watched the desert pass us by and various settlements with shepherds herding small flocks of sheep, in a fruitless search for grass.

We had come back to the hectic pace of the city, with hordes of taxi drivers swarming around us, saying things like, ‘You want taxi? how many? I take you there.’ Our tour leader negotiated a price and we set off back to the hotel.

A quick change of clothing and everyone emerged for our final group dinner, in their recently purchased glass bead necklaces and silk scarves as we made our way to modern Marrakesh, with its boutiques and stylish eateries. Our restaurant was no exception, with a cascading wall of water behind us and sparkly red fairy lights in-twined in the green foliage above. The meal was wonderful, olives and fresh bread plentiful as we enjoyed various tagines, and a selection of decadent puddings.

Deciding to continue in the same vein we visited Monty Crystal, a stylish bar where the walls are draped in dark red silk, the seats made of soft leather and the lighting atmospheric, with traditional lanterns adorning every table. A mint sheesha pipe was ordered, and expensive cocktails with badly mixed ingredients. Satisfactory drinks here tend to be a novelty!

A man in the corner played tribal beat music, as his group sat around, entranced. As the evening drew on a disco started, where Moroccan women danced to the latest Euro pop hits. Everyone seemed to be having fun so we joined in as well. Music videos were played on big screens, people smiled and joked, it was like one big party. By half past one the music got worse and the dance floor became flooded with uncoordinated men, so we thought it was time to leave. Ten minutes later a little fiat taxi had dropped us back at the hotel, after what had been a lovely night with great memories of a beautiful venue and friendly people.

Essouira, Morocco

The sweet sounds of ‘Castle made of sand’ ran through my head, as I walked along golden sands, with creamy stone buildings and white washed walls. This is the paradise that inspired Hendrix back in the sixties. Essouira is a beautiful seaside town, with a relaxed pace and cult hippy following.

Huge waves crash into the rocks, as sea spray dances high into the air. There is a constant breeze and a perfectly clear aquamarine sky. Fishermen bring back a fresh catch twice a day, in tiny wooden boats, much to the delight of hundreds of seagulls that swarm over head. A few are lucky and sit along the concrete walls, squabbling over a freshly bleeding Herring.

The heart of the town is the market squares and mini souks. A vibrant and chaotic mix of crafts, spices and fish stalls. Everyone seems to be buying or selling something, from the flea market auctions to the patisery, with various cinnamon and almond cakes sold by the weight.

The architecture is beautiful, with many adorned doorways and decorated tiles. Moroccan interiors are another interesting concept, with many clashing patterns and colours, which all work together in creating a design that challenged our senses. The last two nights have been spent in a riad, with a small garden and water feature in the middle and a terrace at the top. Our riad is next to a temple, but I no longer hear the prayer calls that happen throughout the day.

The bars and restaurants here are quite stylish, with coloured lighting, live bands and strong cocktails on the roof terrace, surrounded by lucious plants and comfy garden chairs. I have sampled a variety of cuisine from traditional tagines to omlettes and Italian pasta dishes, while catching up with the rest of the group, followed by the occasional chocolate cake or apple tart.

I have really enjoyed my time here and hope to return to this laid back fishing town, full of interesting things to see, and places to be enjoyed. It’s a lot more friendly than Marrakesh, with clean costal air and empty beaches. I have done much shopping and shall return home in a few days with lovely hand made wooden boxes, silver bracelets and rows of glass beads. This afternoon we leave, and head back to the medival city of Marrakesh by public bus, where I shall enjoy the delights of Djemaa el Fna.

The Atlas Mountains, Morocco

The Atlas mountains were incredible. I went on a four hour trek, high into the clouds and up to a remote shrine. Just staying in the village of Armed was an experience in itself. We lived with the locals, and saw how they survive in a fairly unforgiving environment. Every day the women use a communal oven to bake the bread, and prepare a tagine of couscous and various meats. I’m in Morocco during the religious festival of Ramadam, where fasting takes place during the day and then food is eaten after darkness. For this reason people seem quite wiped out during the day, but I have a feeling that the pace is petty relaxed here anyway.

The mountain people of Armed were truely warm and friendly, and made us feel very welcome in their village. We stayed on the top floor of an old house, with sofa style seating around the edge that we slept upon at night, and a balcony that looked out upon jagged mountain scenery. The family cooked us three meals a day, of the freshest most beautiful produce. Lunch consisted of a wide variety of veg, with cheese, eggs and fish. Evening dinner arrived in the form of a spicy soup followed by a communal tagine, brimming with rich flavours, carrots, sweet potatoes and chicken or mutton, as well as a large selection of bread. Fresh oranges or melon was provided for dessert. Every meal was followed by the most aromatic sweet mint tea. Even the smell was moorish.

An hours drive followed two nights in Armed, where we hired a mule to take our bags back down the hillside. We took a mini bus to Ouirigane, where we stayed in a really lovely Moroccan countryside hotel with beautiful pink walls covered in lucious green vines, a spacious garden and pool.

That afternoon we had lunch in a traditional Berber house, where we were invited to see how the bread was made, and were shown around the house until we settled in the living room and were served a delicious three course meal. The tables here are very low down, with soft padded cushions to sit on and lots of colourful fabric to adorn the room. Our hosts were wonderful, and we sat around chatting for a couple of hours.

Later that afternoon most of us went on a walk into the hills, across to neighbouring villages, with a local guide who pointed to new electricity pilons, and proceeded to tell us that electricity had arrived for these people just two weeks ago. There were many very old mud brick houses, set against furtile red soil. The villages resembled an ancient civilisation, unchanged for centuries, and was like nothing I had ever seen before.

That evening we had a meal at the hotel, which was lovely but we were surrounded by many tiny cats who fought each other over scraps of food. We later found out that cats are sacred here, as there does seem to be more of these wild ‘cat like’ creatures than people, many of them in a bad state. Anyway the meal was particularly satisfying and after a few rounds of cards I went off to bed, ready for Essouira the following morning.

Marrakesh and the Souks

Yesterday I encountered the delight of the souks, magical and maze like. I walked around slowly watching people, seeing other photographers and how the locals reacted to them. After a while I got use to the new environment and managed to take many photos without offending anyone. I would upload them here, but despite finding an computer new enough to have a USB port in the back, it still refuses to let me access my camera, so it’s looking like photos will have to wait until my return, and then they shall be uploaded.

By midday the dappled light was incredibly dramatic, as it made its way to the mud floor. The air was thick with the pungent smell of spice, and something else that I was unable to identify that wafted through the souk.

The touristy part is full of all the usual crafts and clothing, but the further you go the more authentic is becomes, with less white people and more reasonable prices. There was also stalls of delicious Moroccan pastries and freshly squeezed orange juice, which was so refreshing.

In the evening I met the Intrepid tour group that I shall be joining for the next few days. It seems like everyone is greener than me, in terms of travelling so in the evening I led them through the Medina. There are only three out of ten of us that can speak any French. The people seem mostly nice though, and come from all corners in the globe.

The Moroccans here are truly friendly. Even in the souks I was able to have a laugh with the store holders, and deflect any hassle. People respond well to a smile. Unfortunately my travel partners weren’t so lucky or diplomatic, and seemed to have a rough time with it. Thankfully I’m not having that problem.

Marrakesh, Morocco

I’m looking out upon dusty pink buildings, seperated by concrete walkways and chunky palm trees. In the distance the glow of floodlights attracts groups of teenage boys as they sing merrily in loud voices. I later find out Marrakesh are playing Casablanca at the city stadium.

So far Morocco has been a lot easier than I expected. The airport resembled the chaos sampled at The Queen Alia, in Jordan, with disorderly queues and hours of not much happening with little explanation, but this should be considered normal when visiting such places. A while later I found myself outside the airport trying to suss out the best option of getting to the hotel. I was a little wary of the taxi hustlers, mostly due to my experiences of trying to get a taxi just about anywhere in Bangkok, to which the drivers had their own agendas.

Here the price agreed at the start of the journey was not only fair but stuck to. The driver also knew where the hotel was and took me straight there, which is always a bonus! He also made jokes about ‘un cadeau pour moi’ which he recieved due to my relief at not having to suffer any scams. And with the most dreaded part of my journey over I arrived at Hotel de la Minara, with its beautiful Moorish decor and tranquil courtyard.

Still feeling a little apprehensive, I wandered down the main street looking for somewhere to have dinner. I stopped to ask a white couple who turned out to be French and they pointed me in the direction of a Pizza hut. Ironically it isn’t somewhere I would normally go at home and as much as I laugh at English people who go abroad and eat at McDonalds, the prices were cheap and it was starting to get dark.

The familiarity of the French language is comforting, as I am able to communicate on a basic level. It is a lot less scary than being in remote parts of Asia where no common language is shared. I like the Moroccan people. So far they have been warm friendly, and show definate humour.

I have barely encountered any of the hastle I read about, as a single female. It is difficult not to respond to a friendly bonjour in the street, but with the knowledge that once conversation is started it is very difficult to escape, I just keep walking. I have been careful to adopt the mannerisms of Moroccan women and in many ways I look quite similar with my dark hair and long floating kaftan. Here the men would never approach a woman on the streets if they respected her, yet tourists in their inappropriate tank tops seem fair game. I try to walk purposely, which is always difficult when you are lost, as not to attract hastle, but so far it’s working and I feel that I am starting to gain an insight into Moroccan culture.

***

This morning I had breakfast at the hotel and started talking to a group of travellers who are at the end of their Intrepid tour, and gave me lots of tips on bargaining, the various places they visited and seemed to have thouroughly enjoy it. I headed out and in the general direction of the main square, walking alongside noisy roads and sandy pavements, spotting my first internet cafe. I am told there are many. Anyway I shall continue exploring, and post again soon, with hopefully many exciting tales…