One week in the Red City

Travelling Review – Marrakesh, Morocco.

As the Swiss psychologist, Carl Jung claims, “in all chaos there is a cosmos, in all disorder a secret order”. If there is a city in the world that best exemplifies this; that is Marrakesh. Newly inaugurated as one of the hottest global destinations, Marrakesh provides a little of everything for everyone. Undisputedly cosmopolitan, whilst remaining respectful of its culture and traditions, Marrakech has put itself on the shortlist of the most sophisticated and stylish travelers.

In the heart of Morocco, stands Marrakesh, a city with more than 15,000 years of History, despite the fact the imperial city or red city, as Marrakesh is often called, was not founded until 1062, when Ben Youssef of the Almoravid dynasty claimed the site for his soldiers and erected the Koutobia Mosque, which to this day remains the focal Mosque. This city has been a crucial cultural, economic and military location for centuries.

Every morning at 5 am, the orator of the imposing Koutoubia Mosque starts the wailing call to prayer the Islamic population of Marrakech. The sound is the signature of the city –as well as in every city throughout the Islamic world. Its minaret is also a landmark of the city and a centre of reunion for Muslims, since infidels are not allowed to see inside. Just a few minutes away through cobblestone streets, Jmaa El Fna Square welcomes the first merchants and adventurous tourists. Jmaa El Fna (Assembly of the dead in Arabic) is everything but a conventional square. A place that at one point – not long ago – was used for public hangings, is today the hub activity of the Medina, Marrakesh’s old town, and one of the busiest squares not only in Africa, but in the world.

In the midst of the chaos of the circus-like square: acrobats, chained Barbary apes, story-tellers, snake charmers, fortune-tellers, water sellers with traditional colorful costumes, Chleuh dancing-boys (transvestite dancers), henna tattoo-artists, musicians, magicians, peddlers of traditional medicines and even untruthful dentists await to amaze the westerners. “Everybody has a role here” at least that is what Mbarak, a berber that has lived in Marrakesh for the past 50years, said when he saw my surprise when faced with this insane panorama. As darkness descends, the square bustles with market stalls and loudly men promote their delicatessens turning the place into a hectic open-air restaurant. Around the square on the top of the main buildings, cafes and terraces escape from the noise and confusion down in the square where tourists can stop for a drink or a traditional mint tea and overlook at Jmaa El Fna as portrayed in the Alfred Hitchcock’s movie The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956) or Sex and the City 2 (2010).

Narrow streets that surround Jmaa El Fna lead into the alleys of the Medina quarter deliniated by the city walls that have survived, almost in their entirety, thousands of years of History. The Medina is charismatic and its narrow bustling alleys, overwhelm the visitor’s senses with sounds and scents, not all of them savoury. Here, in the old city of Marrakesh, most of the main sights (and MUST SEEs of the city) lie in wait – The Mosques, the palaces and the souk; the traditional market.

The most notorious buildings in the red city are unquestionably the palaces, which show the splendour and magnificence that Marrakesh has once expounded. The royal Palace which cannot be visited due to the fact that it still functions as the residence of Mohammed IV, king of Morocco. The Badii Palace was once one of the most grandiose and lavish palaces in the 16^th century, today in stands in ruins (full of storks’ nests and crumbling pavilions) but remains worthy of a visit. Also on the list of things to see, should be the so-called jewel of Marrakesh, the Bahia Palace (brilliance in Arabic) which was built in the late 19th century, was intended to be the greatest palace of its time.

Other MUST-SEE places in Marrakesh are the Medersa Ben Youssef, an ancient residence for Islamic fundamentalist students with outstanding examples of Arabic ornamentation. As well as, the Saadian Tombs mausoleums that comprise of the members of the Saadi Dynasty buried with faithful and loyal servants and soldiers. After its re-discovery in 1917, this breathtaking site has been carefully restored and become one the most popular attractions in Marrakesh, due to its beauty and lavish decoration. And finally, the famous Jardin de Majorelle (Majorelle’s garden) hidden from the racket of the Medina in a back-street of the new city. The garden was designed by Jacques Majorelle and owned since 1980 by the French fashion designer Yves Saint-Laurent and whose ashes were scattered there after his death in 2008. The Marjorelle garden is considered to be an oasis of green serenity in the heart of the city, due to the dense shade of palms and bamboo thickets that surround the pools and fountains making it a perfect place to rest.

The souk is also deserving of a visit for its bewildering madness, a labyrinth of open-fronted stalls in which it is all too easy to lose yourself.

            

 

WARNING: Souk not suitable for the claustrophobics and the shy.

Downtown Marrakesh is bursting with flavour. Cheap (and scrumptious) nibbles can be found at the many food tents that open in the square of Jmaa El Fna where communal bench tables surround the cheerful cooks working under the light of naked bulbs by nightfall. A wide selection of culinary delights is on offer, including everything from snail soup to grilled vegetables and other traditional specialties such as couscous, tagine or bastilla, starting from 30 MAD (£2 to you) and in a brilliantly amusing atmosphere. Tip: Be brave; try everything they offer to you. Alcohol is expensive and hard to come by, instead, try the “national drink”, mint tea. Made with Chinese green tea, a handful of fresh mint leaves and masses of sugar; it is poured from miniature metal pots and drunk from equally small glasses. Fruit milkshakes are also made to order – banana, orange, apple and avocado seem to be the favourites. The oranges, which are piled high on the shaded barrows that edge the Jmaa El Fna square, are transformed into refreshing glasses of sweet-tasting, freshly squeezed juice before your eyes.

When choosing a place to stay, the most sought after accommodation in Marrakech is a Riad, a traditional Moroccan house or palace with an interior courtyard situated in the old city. The riads combine the enchantment of the Islamic architecture and culture with the modernity of the Western civilization. As well as being very attractive and chic, in most cases, you can stay for as little as 200 MAD (£15) per night –including breakfast! Staying in a riad is undeniably the best way to experience the exotic nature of the imperial city.

Marrakesh completely struck me with its magnificence and anachronism, virtually unchanged since the Middle Ages, time has come to a standstill in this enchanting city. The chaotic rhythm of the metropolis makes this an unforgettable experience that lies in a stark contrast with the contemporary and organized daily life of the Western cities.

Bianca Spada