Djemaa el-Fna

I can't believe my last post was three weeks ago when I was so excited and full of expectations of the adventure I was about to embark on. I'd been packed for a week before I left, carefully planning a number of outfits to see me through, keep me cool whilst remaining covered up, due to the strict Muslim rules in Morocco.

We arrived on Sunday afternoon and took the bus into Marrakesh, not 5 mins into the journey and already you could see the poverty in this country; mud huts made and occupied on rubble sites, small children walking the streets alone, beggars on the road side, stray cats and dogs, beat up cars and buildings that looked like they had been bombed yet people living in them... shocking!

We stayed in Djemaa el-Fna... The beating Heart of Marrakesh! It's a place like no where else on earth... it's totally crazy. It's a meeting place for residents from the Medina and Berbers from the mountains, Moroccans from else where in the country and tourist from around the world. The square is awake from 7 in the morning with rows of (foul mouthed) fresh orange juice sellers and street cleaners. Late morning the square is filled with tons of fruit and spice stalls, snake charmers, women offering henna tattoos (or in my case forcing it upon me), fortune tellers, healers, acrobats and Gnaoua, the spiritual musicians. As well as hundreds of people, scooters, horse carts, donkeys, monkeys, snakes, stray cats and taxis all whizzing about in all directions! MADNESS!

Once the sun begins to go down the square gets even more busy as it begins to transform for the evening ahead. Countless numbers of metal stalls are hauled into the square and assembled everywhere you look.

At night the square fills with locals and turns in to a huge open air restaurant. The entire square is pitch black, lit only by the light of the moon and endless food stalls. There is smoke, steam and the smell of food everywhere. Each stall tries, rather aggressively, to get you to choose them for dinner. Most stalls are different, selling snails in broth, sheep's heads, Tagine, couscous, brochettes and Hairia.

The non food part is very dark and crowded mostly with Moroccans. In the chaos are large groups circling around performers, magicians, comedians, musicians and story tellers. The entertainment continues into the night, quieting down around 11pm. It is quite an overwhelming sight, especially when watched from a distance, ideally from one of the many rooftop terrace restaurants.