Marrakech Express……… “all aboard the train……”

I can’t think of Marrakech and not think of the song – Marrakesh Express. So – of course – we caught the Marrakech Express from Casablanca. Trains in Morocco are reliable, clean and efficient transport and the people you meet are friendly – though the toilets need to be avoided at all costs! Our little compartment would fit 8 but we travelled with 5 most of the way and had plenty of room. We met a merchant from Marrakech, Aziz, who owned a carpet and artisans shop in the souk behind the Medina in the Old City. Now there is a theme developing here – there is always a Medina and they are usually in the Old City. A Medina is like a town square but probably more. The Medina is a seething mass of humanity late in the afternoons and into the night when people meet to chat, eat and entertain themselves as well as pick up their local produce, bread, spices etc. The goods are very well priced and so you will see the local working people come to the Medina to shop, rather than the shopping malls and stores. However you have to have magnificent bargaining skills and if you look western in any way you just resign yourself to paying double what the locals do (at a minimum) and still getting a bargain! The Medina in Marrakech is legendary in Morocco. The people start to gather in the afternoons and there are snake charmers, troubadours, actors, athletes, belly dancers, poets, jugglers and more setting up to attract the money of people passing by. It is an atmosphere where you can easily be sucked into the crowd and surrounded in a flash – SO – Aziz warned us to stash all valuables (or leave them at the hotel) as thieves use this environment to quickly relieve unsuspecting tourists of anything they have that is valuable and not attached, or carefully hidden in a trusty money pouch under a few layers of clothing. Aziz suggested visiting one of the many restaurants around the medina where you can climb to the balconies on the first floor and survey the action from a safe distance while you have a coffee and some delightful Moroccan pastries, a tagine or one of many other tasty dishes. We stopped in at the Argan Café which was just around the corner from the main entrance to the souks. If you want to sit on the first floor balcony where you can see everything happening you have to buy a meal. We had already eaten lunch so we were relegated to the second floor where they serve coffee and pastries. We watched the sun go down and the Medina came to life before our eyes. After coffee and pastries we decided to find Aziz’s shop in the souks – he had provided a map and we did find it, however Aziz was not in and we wandered off to explore the alleyways. Once inside this area you could be lost for hours – and we were. We had no idea where we had wandered to and had to ask several people for directions to find our way out. We would get so far and argue about which way next and have to ask someone else. At one stage I thought “OMG I am never going to get out of here”. Ron’s sense of direction is hopeless and I had lost my way and had no landmarks ……… not good at about 8 pm and getting busier and hungrier! We did eventually get out and found our way to a lovely restaurant on one of the main roads where we met up with another Aussie couple from Adelaide. There are Aussies everywhere! Another spectacular Moroccan style feast and some VERY ORDINARY Moroccan wine. Ron says Moroccan wine may not be the worst wine in the world but I have yet to be convinced. I think Ron succeeded in finding a mildly palatable red, well at least drinkable, but I could not find a suitably tasty white. I reckon you would have to be desperate for a drink to stoop to Moroccan white wine. Just as well I have a taste for vermouth – I could usually find a Martini Bianco – perish the thought of abstinence. Many Moroccan waiters tried very hard to get us to drink their wine and we are suckers for a good story and lived in hope of finding something palatable – Yes, I guess we are just suckers really – many dirhams down the drain and Ron is drinking beer and I am on the Martinis!

Here is a collage of photos from Marrakech - and then we went to Fes..........