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Marrakesh Koutoubia Minaret

We chose to start our month in Morocco in Marrakesh not because it was our preferred starting point, but rather because it was the destination that we found the best prices for on the web. Flight supply governed not only our arrival in Morocco but also our departure. We took the latest flight we could find from Morocco to England and ended up with a flight from Marrakesh to Manchester on November 28th, 2011.

After three months sitting rather quietly in comfortable first world Paris and having spent several years of mostly European travel, we weren't really prepared for the cultural shock of being in a developing and Muslim country again. But it didn't take but a day or two of haggling with taxi drivers and fighting off importunate souvenir sellers to refresh our well-honed survival skills. Actually we didn't find the merchants or touts of Marrakesh very hard to handle. Perhaps that is because the tourist flow has already started to slow down as this, the last month of significant tourism runs its course.

Palais Bahia

Palais Bahia

We spent our first three days getting a leisurely introduction to Marrakesh history with visits to two very different palaces. The first was the Bahia Palace, the former residence of the regent for a young monarch. The size of a large mansion rather than a European palace, it was easy to spend a pleasant couple of hours early in the morning to wander through its half-dozen rooms and courtyards imagining the lifestyle of the Moroccan elite in the 19th century. Part of the palace, the grand courtyard, was off-limits as it is in dire need of some TLC. But the parts that we could visit, were quite lovely. Decorations were in the muslim vein, of course, with only plants, geometry, and calligraphy as decorative items. The materials were carved stucco, carved wood, painted tiles, and of course marble inlaid floors.

Palais el-Badi

Palais el-Badi

Our next major visit was to the ruins of a 16th century palace, this time on a truly regal scale, the Palais el-Badi. Here the emphasis was on atmospherics because there is little left of the sumptuousness of the original. All that remains is the outline of the buildings with fountains and gardens included.

Majorelle Garden

Majorelle Garden

For our third day, we switched from the ancient to the modern with a visit to the Majorelle Garden. Originally laid out by the French artist Jacques Majorelle, it was later purchased and improved by Yves St Laurent and his partner. Gifted to the city of Marrakesh, it is now a public garden that attracts mostly foreign tourists. Although small, it is a very pleasant place to spend an hour or so, with a nice cafe if you want to linger, a small museum and the inevitable gift shop.

Jamaa el Fna

Dar Dadou Street Market

Jamaa el Fna

Marrakesh New City

Marrakesh Old City