Well, I think Im in love with Marrakech! I found my way her on public transport (the number 19 bus) and then by following the instructions my hostel gave me along with a little map. I was petty proud of myself actually. When I finally found number 40 of this unpronouncable street, i was greeted at the door by a friendly guy who shoowed me in and gave me some Moroccan tea. Within half an hour of chilling out on the cushions in the center of the riad* I was smoking the shisha pipe (done wory Mum, it just had lemon and orange in it!) and chatting to a couple of the other guests. Most bizzarely, there is a guy from my school staying here (Edgar Kennard for anyone who went to Hardyes), who i didnt recognise until he asked me if i was by any chance from Dorset in England.
In the evening, I went out with an Irish guy and a Canadian girl in the search of food, something which is not a hard task in Marrakech. Back in the Djemaa el Fna**, I ordered some sot of chicken tagine which arrived in its red pottery pot. The meat was incredibly tender and tasty and i overcame my lack of appatite without too much trouble.
After dinner we wandered around the square avoiding snake charmers and monkeys on leads and generally taking in the atmophere before heading into the souks. Thier winding alleyways and archways, fringed with all manner of colouful shops and stalls, are a nightmare for anyone with a dodgy sence of direction, but thankfully our Irish friend had done a little exploring before and we were not lost forever. Im amazed at how decorative everything is here, its impossible to walk anywhere without wanting to get the camera out.
After dinner we wandered around the square avoiding snake charmers and monkeys on leads and generally taking in the atmophere before heading into the souks. Thier winding alleyways and archways, fringed with all manner of colouful shops and stalls, are a nightmare for anyone with a dodgy sence of direction, but thankfully our Irish friend had done a little exploring before and we were not lost forever. Im amazed at how decorative everything is here, its impossible to walk anywhere without wanting to get the camera out.
Ive not had too much trouble with the men o being hasseled yet and English seems to work for essential transactions, so life is looking up.
I cant sleep again, but thats nothing new!
Thanks for reading.
Katie xxx
* Wikapedia says- A riad (Arabic: رياض) is a traditional Moroccan house or palace with an interior garden or courtyard. The word riad comes from the Arabian term for garden, "ryad".[1] The ancient Roman city of Volubilis provides a reference for the beginnings of riad architecture during the rule of the Idrisid Dynasty.[2] An important design concern was Islamic notions of privacy for women inside residential gardens.
**The main square and center of Marrakech.
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