TRAVEL
Ooh La La Marrakesh
Lorianne Tenove | Article Phil Bellchamber | Photos
After arrival at the Marrakesh airport in Morocco, a taxi dropped us off outside the Medina, the old, walled part of Marrakesh.
Cars are unable to fit inside its narrow streets, so we followed a local man with a very basic cart who trundled our luggage to our boutique hotel.
We walked across the Jemaa el-Fnaa square, a UNESCO World Heritage site, with its frenetic sights of snake charmers, exotic animals, and juice sellers, and narrow cobble roads with shops, street foods, people buying, people selling. What have we got ourselves into?
The only indication of our riad( hotel) was a large wooden door with the name on it. Inside, it was like Shangri-La! The courtyard, the rooms, and the rooftop were incredible. A riad is a traditional Moroccan home with a central courtyard, surrounding bedrooms, and a rooftop, where meals were served. Increased tourism in Marrakesh means that many riads are being turned into intimate boutique hotels or vacation rentals for whole families. This riad would become a daily sanctuary, not only for the accommodations and services during our ten-day stay but because of the people who worked there.
Staying here instead of the newer part of Marrakesh allowed us to experience the maze-like souks in the northern part of the Medina, where thousands of craftsmen make their living selling leather goods, pottery, carpets, copper, clothing, textiles, spices, and soaps. Souk is my new favourite word!
You will get lost in the narrow, winding alleys of the souks, although the area is relatively small and you are never more than a few minutes walk to the square. Just make sure you have a backup plan if you lose your partner or friends.
The next skill you need in the souks is bartering, and I was determined to refine my skills and get in the game. If you touch something or show enthusiasm about the item, the seller is less likely to give you a discount because they know you want it. First, ask the best price; it gives you a baseline for bargaining, then offer fifty per cent of that price. If they were not in agreement, I would say,“ Merci,” and walk away. Always, the merchant will follow you and, most of the time, will agree to your price.
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