Visiting an ancient Kasbah in Skoura Oasis was a wonderful sight of mud brick fortification, extravagantly decorated rooms and a labyrinth of rooms, corridors, and stairs. What a great place to play hide and seek.
Arriving in Marrakesh today later a long, spirally, windy old road through the Atlas Mountains, it felt like another world. Lots and lots of people, traffic, noise. A lot of the women here, especially the younger ones, dress in a more Western style than we have seen lately. There are heaps of tourist and backpacker/hippy types wandering around the town square. And what a town square it is….monkeys, snakes being charmed, water carriers, chaos. Motorbikes are everywhere, zooming around. It is really difficult to get a handle on anything because you are constantly watching what is going on around you, while dodging traffic, because it is the town square, not an actual road. The markets and souks are immense, stalls selling mirrors, shoes, pottery, djellabas, hats, bags, anything you want is available here. I am glad I was able to buy a new memory stick as mine is full of photos already. The funniest thing we saw was a table in the middle of the town square, with nothing but TEETH on it. Yes. Human teeth. Plus a few false teeth and forceps. Is this the town dentist? would you get a tooth extracted here?? Shopping is not for the faint hearted. You need to bargain, and bargain hard. Luckily my French is coming along rather nicely, and I remember numbers. Now the only thing I need to do is convert the currency in my head quickly enough so I know what I’m spending. Mum bought a beautiful lantern, and I picked up a great Moroccan wall hanging yay!! I’ve been looking for one all week. The shopkeepers hassle you incessantly, so browsing is virtually impossible without being harassed. Tonight we went back to the town square, only a few minutes’ walk. Around 10pm it was packed full of people and chaos and traffic and horses pulling carriages and people wanting you to pay to take a picture of their monkey/snake/clothing/stall etc. We are staying in a beautiful riad here. The entrance is a tiny doorway in a nondescript street and is a little daunting. But once inside, is a big courtyard with tables and chairs and plants and mosaic tile and it is just lovely. I kicked ass playing Scrabble with the girls over a cold drink and steamed almonds. This place is an oasis in the middle of such chaos. Only about 12 rooms here and our group are the only ones staying at the moment….my room is on the third floor, up steep and narrow stairs, overlooking the courtyard. Above me is a rooftop terrace where you can see all around for miles, it’s just immense. This trip is incredible.
