Sahara Rocks - Day 6

 Infusion

I was keen to get up and get going, excited to see Marrakech and experience a different type of city....

We packed up our kit one last time and piled into the minibuses ready for the drive there.

The journey took us away from the desert, over the mountains and back to the wide boulevards and clean streets. We were dropped off at the hotel, given an hour to sort shit and then we piled back on the minibuses for the short trip to the old town.

We arrived, hopped out and were taken to the central square, to the point that we would meet later, with advice to stay in 2's and 3's and not larger groups as we would be picked out as tourists... this made me laugh. A) we stuck out like a sore thumb more than if we carried a banner around saying tourist and B) there were so many groups of tourists, I didn't think they would particularly make a beeline for us. Anyway I had my own ideas. First though... lunch! We split off, a group of around 6 of us and headed to a place with a little rooftop terrace which looked like cheap, quick food. The first bit was accurate, the second was not! We waited ages, becoming more and more impatient and one of our group got fed up and headed off on his own... I was on the verge of doing so when the food finally arrived. Not bad, minced beef tacos (much like quesedillas). It was ever so hot on the terrace and I was itching to get out and explore. Once lunch was finished, I put my plan in action.

I loved spending time with everyone on the trek but needed some time to explore by myself and now was my chance. I split off and headed for the souk.

The square was full of fruit juice stalls and people selling small trinkets and incense. After the desert, it was a bit of an assault on the senses, although I enjoyed the hustle and bustle. All the traders were persistant but polite and there was no manhandling of one's person into stalls. I had fun chatting to the stallholders in french or english with some sign language in between and a shokrun (thank you in arabic) as I walked away.

I avoided the centre of the square as I had been warned that that was where the cobras and the monkeys were. It is common practice for snake charmers of venemous snakes to sew up their mouth or de-fang them. In this way the cobra is no longer dangerous and tourists can get close with no possibility of harm. It is cruel and means the snake can no longer eat. So I avoided like the plague. For more info on this... link below

https://www.globalmousetravels.com/snake-charmers-in-marrakech/

They were easy enough to avoid to my relief and I made a beeline for the souk. I had specific things I wanted and it didn't amount to much... some moroccan spices. and a couple fridge magnets ostensibly but essentially I had money left and my plan was basically to spend it.

I walked past some kid thrusting a wooden snake at me, asking me if I wanted to buy it in perfect english. I laughed and told him I had 4 real ones at home so didn't need a wooden one.... he asked what I wanted to buy so I told him. and he offered to take me to a place he knew that was cheaper..

Now I know people try to scam you and I know that they receive comission for taking me to certain places but where is the harm. in that if I am getting what I consider a reasonable price. I looked at the boy in front of me and assessed him quickly. He seemed. friendly, my inner feeling was that he could be trusted... so I gave him an hour to show me round and take me to find what I wanted.  If you have someone with you, often you are bothered less by others anyway. Mouad introduced himself and began guiding me through the alleyways of the souk, asking if I liked this or that, telling me about the history of the souk, answering questions about Morocco and its people, about himself and what he wanted to do with his life. He is 18 and in his last year of school but there are no real prospects for him in Morocco. He wanted to come to England but couldn't get a visa.  He looked almost sad as he was telling me this and having seen some of the Moroccan living standards I felt sorry for him. An obviously intelligent lad who was doing a great job of being my tour guide but who had little possibility of living a life that we are so lucky to have.

He took me round to see where they bake the bread for the restaurants and stools in the centre and showed me this guy making chess pieces with his feet. He made me a 'lucky' necklace and gave it to me saying it was a gift. Of course I gave him something for it. To see him making it follow the link below...

https://youtu.be/1rC3lWH-6Pk

Mouad did a fantastic job of showing me round. He took me into a shop selling spices and waited there whilst I was shown around by the shop owner. Some of the spices smelled remarkably good and seemed like a reasonable price for a packet. Certainly a price I was happy paying. He showed me. some kind of seed.. put some in a cloth, rubbed it in his hands and then held up the bag of cloth to my nostrils and asked me to breathe in through one.... ot was what they put in vicks vapour rub, and it made my eyes water... but did a good job of clearing out my sinuses!

That done we wondered through the stalls again... through streets of lamps, streets of leather goods, streets of cloth... an amazing place. He also took me to a puzzle box maker and 'haggled' with the owner on my behalf. Whether he got a reasonable price or not I couldn't really say but it was a price I was happy to pay so that was the main thing and after talking to a few people it seemed that I paid the rough going price or slightly less.

When the hour or so was up I gave Mouad a bit of money for his guide services, and promised that I would look him up when I was back. in Morocco. I would need a tour guide and he seemed perfect. I had felt very safe as he took me through the small and narrow streets and wouldn't hesitate to hire him again.

I then decoded to go and see the mosque, the tower standing proudly, towering on the skyline. It was a remarkable building surrounded by and built on the ruins of other older versions. To get there I had to cross a very busy road, with seemingly no rules and passed by the line of carriages and horses for tourists. Here was the most upsetting sight of horses with their pelvic bones and ribs sticking out, some that looked like they were about to collapse, some that had sores from where the halters had rubbed. It was a most upsetting sight. Worse was the fact that western tourists were actually getting in to these carriages and being pulled along by the horses. I wondered whether they just hadn't noticed the horses condition or whether they had and ignored it. Either way, I felt a measure of disgust at these people. The other upsetting sight was that of a couple of cats who looked like they should be put down, such were their injuries. Its the hardest thing when abroad, to see the suffering of animals, ones that for the most part in the uk would have had loving homes or be well cared for. 

After that, I couldn't face any more wandering and found a small cafe on the edge of the hustle and bustle to watch the world go by and the sun setting. 

As the sun went down, the lights came up and mixed with the incense was a beautiful infusion of all that Marakech had to offer. 

Soon it was time to meet up with the others to go to our final dinner of the trek. I bumped into a few of the others and took them. to the mosque as they hadn't seen it. Some kid kicked a football. my way in the square and I kicked it around for a few minutes with him trying to get it off me... I was surprised how long it took... but good fun!

Then back we went to the Post Office and on to the restaurant... an insult to the senses in the gold leaf decor. The meal. was good and the entertainment interesting.... participation from some of the member of our group was requested... I was thankful I chose a seat at the back!! My worst nightmare.

Still those that joined in, fair play for being such good sports. S'ahar then took to the stage and entertained both us and any other diners to roaring applause.

It was a wonderful end to a great trek.

Morocco surprised me, mainly because I hadn't read up about it or planned any of it and had literally just turned up, bag in hand. Much as I like the planning and control, perhaps it meant that I hadn't come with any pre conceived ideas about the place and therefore just had to take it as is.

The desert remained my favourite part and in some ways I wish we had been trekking for more days with more nights out under the stars but I am fairly sure that I will go back at some point... if only to find those elusive snakes in the wild.

By far the best bit about the trek was that as a result of the hard work of all the trekkers, over £100,000 has been raised so far... a staggering sum indeed! Huge congratulations to all!

It was not easy but that was really the point..

Nothing worth anything is easy.