February 24th, 2009 - North African Nights in Morocco
Starry North African nights, belly dancers, fire eaters, sword swallowers and couscous are just some of the fare on offer in Marrakech, Morocco.
Just across the Strait of Gibraltar, a mere stone’s throw from Europe, lies a country where camels plough fields and goats climb trees - a land that Mark Twain described as “a foreign place if ever there was one”. He was talking about Morocco and more than a century later it remains a strange, often unpredictable place. You can’t take anything for granted here.
In a country so unique where do you start? Marrakech is the obvious choice. This ancient trading town in the south of Morocco offers an indelible mix of grand tombs, glittering palaces and courtyard restaurants. At its heart is the pulsating Djemaa el-Fna square. They say it is never empty - there’s always something going on. In the good old days there was more going on than many would like - this is where people had their heads chopped off!
There’s little doubt that tourism is now essential to Morocco’s economy. Now on the budget airline route from Europe, you’d think Marrakech would be one of the first places to succumb to Western tastes. Not so. The central square has always been the place to do business for the local traders and aside from the odd snake charmer nothing has changed.
Early evening entertainment… By early evening the square is filled with an array of entertainment vying for attention including acrobats, sword-swallowers and story-tellers - the background beat of Moroccan drums filling the air.
The food of Morocco is a mouth-watering experience. As the night wears on you can sample earthy Tajine stews, couscous, kebabs and mouth-watering spicy snacks from the Moroccan food vendors that line the square.
A stroll in the Medina The Medina with its fascinating souks, selling almost anything you care to name, is also an exciting place to spend time (and money). There’s an atmosphere of vitality and animation in the long narrow lanes that seem almost impossible to navigate and the area they cover appears vast. In fact it is fairly compact and once you have made a couple of visits finding your way around becomes easier. There are souks selling pottery, Berber jewellery, traditional kaftans, soft leather slippers, spices, herbal remedies for anything that might ail you, perfumes, sweet Moroccan cakes and, of course, rugs and carpets.
The beauty of Marrakech is its proximity to the region’s many natural wonders including the Atlas Mountains and Sahara Desert. It’s easy to take an excursion to these and other nearby towns including the more tranquil seaside resort of Agadir and fishing village of Essaouira.
