Medina, Marrakesh, Morocco.
The hustle and bustle of the medina was well out of earshot. The bazaar had transitioned from colourful tourist hotspots, to local markets and now we were in a sheltered back alley of Marrakesh, where the real artists worked. The maze had led us to a dead end, where an enclosed shamble of corrugated iron had formed a roof over the dusty floor. It was to be the setting of an impromptu backstage show, not one tourists considered when they picked up their souvenirs from the busy souks.
An old man approached us, he had been tanning leather all day and the skins were heavy in his arms. His weary eyes shone as he saw us admiring a small basket hanging at the entrance.
“As-salám aláykum!”
He ushered us deeper into the dark and lay his pelt on an improvised worktop, pushing remnants of previous projects onto the ground. With his bare hands he brushed dye onto the hind. The man worked solidly, dyeing and cutting the leather until it formed a pile of soft jigsaw pieces on the ground.
Barefoot children giggled innocently at our strange appearances as they played in the dust caused by men pounding the skin. Hearing all the commotion, a young, unmanicured girl appeared in the doorway, smiling sweetly at us. She picked up the old man’s work and begun to sew it gracefully, connecting raw hind to the tough wicker to form a loop. We took a seat amongst the artists, nestled in the back of the alleyway. One by one they each took their turn to craft the basket.
An old woman sat silently, her face creased with experience, inspecting her daughter’s work. The wicker basket was taken from the young girl’s hands and she unravelled a ball of thick thread from her pocket. Finding a needle she set to work continuing the unique pattern. Her fingers ploughed fiercely through the wicker, finding a different pace to her daughter. She wedged the sharp needle in and out of the basket without once taking her eyes off me. It was a rough dance, a performance rehearsed so many times she did not hesitate once.
"It was a rough dance, a performance rehearsed so many times she did not hesitate once."
The bag was finished with a tug of the thread and presented with a proud smile. The family watched as we admired their handywork. It was very rare they would ever see the owner of their creations. I hated to say goodbye, but placing the silver coins into the palm of the old man I could tell that the feeling was mutual.
The bag stays with me on all my adventures now. It reminds me of the many people behind the scenes, the ones who labour hard but never take centre stage. It is humbling to be in the presence of those who’s silent work is so often admired, but never questioned. I don’t think I will ever take that for granted.
How To’s
We flew into Marrakesh with British Airways and stayed in the Medina for 3 days. You only need a maximum of 3 days in the medina but I would highly recommend continuing on to stay further afield after. We went on to stay at Lodge K, a tented oasis about 20mins drive from Marrakesh towards the Atlas mountains (http://www.lodgek.com/).
During our time in the Medina, we stayed in Riad Assouel (https://www.riad-assouel.com), which is in the northern part, and easily within a short walking distance of the souks. The riads are a perfect way to be in the heart of the city yet still be able to have a haven to escape to.
If you are looking for dinner in the city, I cannot recommend Pepe Nero enough (http://www.pepenero-marrakech.com). It has a real elegant charm and the food is a fusion of Moroccan and Italian which is incredible. We both came away thinking that it was one of our favourite restaurants in the world, without having the price tag to match!
Top Tips
Dress appropriately. Morocco is a gorgeous country and the people are so generous. However walking through their streets in a mini skirt will be highly offensive. Ladies, wear loose fitting trousers or long skirts an carry a scarf if you can to cover your shoulders if you ever feel uncomfortable. Men can wear shorts but again dress for respect, don’t walk around without a top or wearing scruffy sports shorts.
Make sure you haggle in the souk. The traders will expect you to and often on suspecting you are a tourist they will increase their prices substantially. Don’t be afraid and go in with confidence. If you are nervous, try a few times on smaller items first. Start by offering 1/3 of the price as a good starting point and build up from there. Walk away if you are ever not happy but don’t say yes to a deal and then back out as that is considered offensive.
Don’t listen to people trying to direct you for free. Often young boys will try and direct you to the ‘main square’ and point in the opposite direction, either to lead you somewhere for them to bother you or to frustrate you. Carry a map or download an offline map (I use CItyMaps2Go, https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/citymaps2go-offline-map/id408866084). If you choose the latter option, try not to get your phone out in public too much to avoid risk of pickpockets.
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