These were the folk kind enough to take me under their collective wing, a kindness I will mention that I have since paid forward a few times with people arriving for the first time in Marrakech. Actually, "paid forward" is not the right term at all, as I really enjoy meeting new people and wandering about with them. So a fair exchange, and hopefully these four, along with the rest of my new found friends along the way, feel the same. But honestly, it was something I was very grateful for. Aside from the company, this place is chaos. Brer Rabbit would have had a rough time working his way through the snarl that are the souks of the medina, so someone, even with a wee bit of experience, makes it so much easier. Kinda like lots of things in life. I'll let you pick which ones.
Quick definitions. Medina is essentially a walled town. Souk is a market place. Sometimes people seem to use the term medina to mean market. Sure, it's got lots of them, but it also has riads, mosques, schools, and pretty much anything else you'd want to find in a city. That said, there are lots and lots of souks in the medina, and the place where people easily get lost are these markets and bazaars that seem to blend right in to one another as you move your way around, and around, and around. Not quite in a circle, more like an etch-a-sketch in the hands of a barbary macaque.
You'd think that with those definitions and me being out on my first walk, that you'd now be inundated with lots and lots of pictures of the market.
Nope.
I didn't take any on that first day. Not of the market anyway. I was going to be here for awhile, and I had resolved myself to just soaking it in and experiencing. I could quote a John Mayer song (John Meyer interestly enough being an audio engineer) but you're already probably laughing hard enough at me as it is for telling you I could.
Anyway...
So yes, I'd told myself I had plenty of time and I should just relax, not be so quick on the draw, and just enjoy the chaos that was unfolding around me. I also wasn't sure about picture taking here in the souks. Many people do not want their pictures taken, for a variety of reasons ranging from their faith to them thinking you are going to post it somewhere and profit from it. Which is fair. And taking pictures of the shops can pose challenges as well. A shop owner is happy to have a picture of their wares taken if you're buying something, just as some people are happy having their picture taken if you're going to toss them a few dirham for it.
So it's complicated, or at least, given that I really try and respect peoples privacy and don't want to offend anyone, I make it complicated. Many people have commented that I think too much. Steve, a guide I met in Imlil is the most recent to have done so, but I'll tell you about him another time. Well, you may all be right. But whatever. It has it's benefits, even if they are few and far between.
So this first day I did not deal with any of these complications, nor much of the thinking related to them. I just kept it in my pocket.
It got pulled out of my pocket here.
This is the Madersa Ben Youssef.
Sorry about that person in the foreground.
Most of my companions had already spent at least a couple of days in Marrakech, so when we headed out for the day, it was with this place in mind. Passing through the souks and doing a bit of exploring was inevitable, but this is where we were headed.
Madersa Ben Youssef is a college that was founded in the 14th century, and this particular complex, which may have held as many as 900 students, was completed in the mid-16th century. It shut it's doors as a school in 1960 and reopened as a historical site about 20 years later.
I gotta say that I am completely in love with the Islamic style of ornamentation. Islam generally frowns upon the depiction of humans and animals (though there are notable exceptions), so the carvings, tile work, and all that other good stuff that make this place and many others so amazing is all geometric patterns and inscriptions, which I believe are usually poetry or excerpts from the Koran or other important writings.
Alright, I guess that doesn't leave room for many other options for sources of text. All I'm trying to say is that it's highly unlikely that someone took the time to inscribe the Moroccan equivalent to the lyrics for 'Come On Get Happy'. And even if they did, it's just stunning.
See what I mean?
And clearly I am developing a thing for windows nearly as much as I have for doors. But can you blame me? Can you? I mean, look at it.
And then there is the austerity that makes up the student cells clustered around the courtyards.
Very near to the madersa, and included in a combined site ticket for only a few dirham more, is Musee de Marrakech. The museum is in what was once the Dar Menehbi Palace, which was built in the 19th century. That to say that the building is just as amazing to look at as is the items it contains.
This is the central courtyard, which would originally have been open to the sky but has now been enclosed with a clother ceiling.
The museum has a collection of artifacts and art that I did not take many pictures of. And I've actually half-promised myself that I would go back. To be honest I did not make the best use of my time in the museum, it being later in the day, and me kinda having been overwhelmed by all of the souks we had to wander through to get here in the first place. So my brain wasn't ready to spend time processing lots of written information, especially when I couldn't understand the language I was trying to read anyway. Also, when looking at the art on display, while I could appreciate it to some extent, not knowing the culture or history, I don't think it was having the impact it could have if I actually knew a fraction more. That said, this clown playing a violin constructed from his heart spoke to me.
Read in to that what you will.
All in all a really good first day that ended up in Place Jemaa El Fna, which is the main square, grabbing dinner from one of the many foodstalls that start setting themselves up there about five o'clock every evening.
You think walking along King St. in the evening with people shoving menus in your face in an attempt to have you dine at their establishment is rough. Wait till you get here. It's like the souks, which you may not fully appreciate as I've yet to really describe them, but trust me it is like the souks, but now with food. And it doesn't matter if you tell them you've already eaten.
"We have a special table for you."
"My friend, my friend. It's all the same, so just eat here."
"Drinks gratis. Gratis!"
"Don't believe any of those who tell you they'll give you somethng for free. But here..."
"117 seven will send you to heaven."
Sure, as long as it's not because of food poisoning.
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