We arrived in Marrakech and checked into our accommodations at The Art Place Hotel and Riad, located just at the entrance to the old city’s medina. This is the original walled part of a city and was like those in other cities we visited. When we were in Fez, we walked to the medina and roamed its narrow alleys filled with shops – but this was so much more expansive. The hotel was ideally located, for the medina is at the heart of all the action, all the life of Marrakech.
After we checked in, we gathered on the rooftop lounge of the hotel. There we relaxed with beverages and chatted about our journey. As the sun was setting, we looked down on the vast open plaza just outside of the medina. It was empty at first, and then we began to see lots of activity. Vendors set up stalls; others started cooking at concession stands, and then we heard it – the music that defines Marrakech for me – that haunting, enchanting sound of a flute accompanied by a steady low drumbeat. This seemed to signal – we’re open for business. The vendors sold all sorts of products which were displayed on blankets – trinkets, handcrafts, clothing, and toys. We watched all of this activity unfold until I spotted one vendor as he set out several mounds of cloth-covered sacks where the flute was being played. Eventually he opened them to reveal their contents – snakes!
This large open space leads into the medina. The medina in Marrakech is to me, the Moroccan equivalent of Costco – a large, open, people-filled, exciting space with alleys branching off in distracting directions, a place where you can buy anything you could possibly need.
Here, I again felt comfortable venturing out on my own to wander around the open market with its alleys filled with vendors, shops, and restaurants. I even roamed into more residential areas, saw children at play, and enjoyed being immersed in a vast area teeming with life. I even stopped at one shop to buy a lovely dress along the way. On these solitary walks I felt confident and safe because I took precautions and stayed alert. For example, with no street signs to follow, I always took note of various landmarks, and I kept my wallet and purse secure. This is how my solo explorations were always pleasant experiences.
My memories of Marrakech make me smile. I wonder now, as I recall the visit, whether I had come under some spell, perhaps from too much time spent contemplating all the geometric designs I’d seen throughout the country, or maybe it was from the music of the magical flute used to charm the snakes. Whatever the reason, a calm peacefulness shaped my experience and made me a very happy traveler.
The Overseas Adventure Travel materials suggested that we would be encouraged to move outside our comfort zones. Although I think this referred to experiences in dining and maybe taking camel rides, for me it had another meaning.
It was in Marrakech where I allowed a live snake to wrap itself around my wrist as a living, writhing bracelet with its tail dangling to the ground.
Remembering this journey and writing about it now – I’d like to visit Morocco again.
