Tuesday, September 05, 2006
Marrakech
Marrakech was definitely the highlight of Morocco. We stayed about 200m from the big square which is surrounded by restaurants with terraced roofs, perfect for viewing all the activity. In the centre of the square there are rows and rows of orange juice sellers. If you walk anywhere near the juice stalls they all go crazy, calling to you in a variety of languages. This became quite tiresome after a while and we ended up going to the stalls that weren't putting on a song and dance. At three dirham a glass (about 20p) the orange juice was almost always great and I took to buying two litre bottles of freshly squeezed juice.
In the evening, the square is filled with mobile restaurants and portable seating. Moroccans are very keen on their shish-kebab and the smoke from these barbecues fills the square with a dense smog. Around the bbq's are crowds of people watching musicians, snake charmers, boxers and storytellers. There are big umbrellas scattered around the square, under which henna tattoo artists perform and sages sell ointments and balms, all illuminated by their own bare gaslights.
Moroccans don't ever seem to sleep. The partying in the square continues past midnight and well into the early hours of the morning.
In the evening, the square is filled with mobile restaurants and portable seating. Moroccans are very keen on their shish-kebab and the smoke from these barbecues fills the square with a dense smog. Around the bbq's are crowds of people watching musicians, snake charmers, boxers and storytellers. There are big umbrellas scattered around the square, under which henna tattoo artists perform and sages sell ointments and balms, all illuminated by their own bare gaslights.
Moroccans don't ever seem to sleep. The partying in the square continues past midnight and well into the early hours of the morning.
# posted by Michael @ 5:40 PM 
