Um, no they weren't actually, well I didn't see anyone else. Some people looked at me a little strangely but mostly nobody paid much attention and certainly left me alone. Must have been the great speed I was running at! Ha!
I had heard so many stories about people being constantly hassled and harangued here in Morocco but all in all we have found our time here to be very relaxed and easy. We've met some really kind, genuine and interesting people who have welcomed us and talked very frankly and openly about their country.
One such lovely fellow was our guide for the morning yesterday, Mustapha. A very learned, gentle man, he ambled though the Medinda with us taking us through dark alleys and hidden doorways to visit ancient, crumbling riads (old houses with enclosed courtyards). We went to dark, ashy, hot bakeries where families bring their own dough to be baked and the baker has to remember which of the many many loaves belong to who.
We mosied over to the Ali Ben Youssef Medersa, an old university built in the sixteenth century. Because mosques are not open for non Muslims to visit this place gives an opportunity to see the splendid architecture and intricate work of such buildings.
On to another impressive building, the first school for girls that has now become the Marrakech museum.
Needing some time to rest up before Rach and I embarked on rug shopping we finished our tour with Mustapha but not before exchanging Instagram info and saying our fond goodbyes.
Rug shopping was exhausting, frustrating and hot work for the poor guy trying to assist us. I had contacted an Australian woman, Cassie, who imports beautiful rugs and treasures from Morocco to Oz ( kulchi.com ). She was really helpful advising us on some Marrakech inside tips (she recommended Beldi) and she organised for me to go to her showroom to look at rugs. We met her colleague, Ismail in the big square at the designated time and were led through a maze of alley ways to a few Riads with mountains of rugs. There was no hard sell or sweet talking salesmen so it was pleasant in that respect but difficult to find "the one(s)" amongst all those woven treasures. Excitement ensued, then blood sugars dropped, dust was enhaled in copious amounts, tea was drunk, and we soldiered on like the troopers that we are!!
We returned to our Riad to find Sam and Rich reading by the pool and we collapsed by the poolside and excitedly told of our adventures and purchases. Rach felt suddenly bereft that she hadn't purchased one of her favourite rugs and luckily we had Ismail's number so she did some snappy poolside purchasing.
I ended up on the back of a motorbike with two credit cards in my pocket (my credit card hadn't worked when I was in the showroom) and Ismail driving the streets of Marrakech and dark alleys of souk to get back to the credit card macine to pay for our rugs. It felt like a James Bond adventure, or at least what a soft furnishing version of James Bond would be. Hair raising but super fun.
No comments:
Post a Comment