Day 12 - A Day Long Walk Through Marrakech

We awoke in Marrakech to what I referred to in my journal as 'the longest call to prayer EVER'. It felt like the muezzin somehow managed to make the lyrics last for 10-15+ minutes. I don't think they're allowed to get caught up in the moment and throw in a few spontaneous, freestylin' lyrics in, but I have no idea how or why they lasted that long. Usually I love hearing all five calls per day, but heavens- this muezzin just didn't stop. :-) I couldn't help but ask myself, "Will it ever stop? 'Yo I don't know." All right, moving on.

Our first full day in Marrakech, we met our second guide (we booked historical guides/walking tours in both of the two imperial cities we visited) Mohammed. The first stop we made was at the Koutobia Mosque, the city's largest, which was built in the mid-1100s. A few fascinating tidbits:

Back in the day, the minaret did not have stairs...so the muezzin used to ride a donkey up ramps to get to the top to do his daily calls to prayer...and because the mosque was something like 5 degrees off in its alignment facing Mecca, so a second one was built right next to the first one (even before the first one was completed...you can still see its foundation there) that was more properly aligned.

From the mosque we walked past the high walls of one of the King's palaces. And because he was in residence, we were not permitted to take any photos of the wall, the bodyguards, the military or the police. However, Ryan waved enthusiastically to all of them and we had bout a 75% ROI. ;-)

The main gate (Bab Agnaou) is the main entrance to the marketplace (and where a few large birds have made nests on top and call home):

Our next stop was the Saadian Tombs...the tombs hold royalty (such as a sultan's son) from the late 1500s to early 1600s, and were for some reason, hidden away and only recently rediscovered (early 1900s) despite being in the heart of the medina.

After the tombs, we headed out to the Bahia Palace, built in the late 1800s. We got to tour the courtyard and harem for the concubines. Because the women were not permitted to leave the walls of the palace, there was much attention and detail to the beauty of the ceilings of the rooms.

Our final stop with Mohammed after a delicious lunch together in the square was the perimeter of the famous medina market square of Djemma el-fna.

There were a lot of Berber pharmacies there (the cultural equivalent of Chinese medicine there)

Posing next to hundreds of mysterious potions inside a Berber pharmacy (my mom and Joey bought a few). I asked if they had one for people with freaky hives and an insatiable appetite. Maybe a 2 for 1? No dice.

To those who ask me how Ryan travels all day? Here is how. ;-)  This is very near where we bought Rich a tunic and Fes (expected debut: Halloween 2013 or sooner, if you can get him to toss down a few).

I snapped this photo because at that moment, it felt so much like the backdrop to an Indiana Jones movie.

The actual square of Djemma el-fna, which is the center of the old medina, and famous for it's near 24/7 entertainment and activity. It's UNESCO protected as a cultural living treasure, and among other things- filled with storytellers, magicians, flute-playing snake charmers, performing monkeys, musicians, dancers, fortune tellers, orange juice vendors, smoke-filled food stalls, etc.

This is heaven for me...carts filled with nuts! I think we paid the foreigner prices though...since in most cases, the prices seemed the same as the US. 

A snake charmer

I wanted them ALL.

With Mohammed, our guide for half a day in Marrakech.

Anyone need a chicken?

Marrakech pottery was much more colorful than Fes. (I'm more of a Fes girl.)

Another love of my life. Fresh, hand-squeezed OJ (right in front of you) every single day, often twice a day...for  50 cents a glass. Marrakech lays claim to the best oranges in the world. I'm inclined to agree.

Someone wanted to hold the snakes a second time later that day. :-)

The edge of the square at dusk, with minarets wailing in the background. At moments like this, as hard as travel can be there...I so love Africa.