Marrakech

Please take the time to view my website http://www.susan.com.au Thankfully, the main bus terminal in Marrakech is conveniently located adjacent one of the gates to the Medina (old walled city). From there it is a short stroll to any number of budget hotels with in the city walls. Avoiding the hustlers en-route is another matter.

Once in the old city it is easy to understand the attraction. The predominant colour is pink, from soft mushroom pink to vibrant, hot pink, which adorns most of the thick walls of the narrow alleyways and ornate archways that wind through the Medina.

After fighting off the hustlers who were hell bent on directing any unsuspecting foreign tourist to the more expensive hotels, we found lodgings for a pittance at the Hotel Afriquia; less than $20US a night. A quaint hotel built around an open courtyard. Every wall surface of the courtyard has been tiled like a giant mosaic. Though Ive heard that since we were there last they have retiled it using matching tiles. A flight of stairs leads to an open roof deck that afforded uninterrupted views over the roof tops of the Medina and out as far as the Atlas Mountains on the horizon. The rooms in the hotel are small with the only window consisting of a wooden shutter over a wrought iron grill; no glass.

This aids with ventilation but does nothing to reduce the volume of the muezzin calling the faithful to prayer at the nearby mosque at 3:30am. The beds are hard and the pillow harder. The en-suite (cold water only) is just large enough to be able to conveniently perform all ablution functions at once.

A short stroll from the hotel is the Place Jemaa el Fna, a large open-air market square. Here, in the heat of the day, snake charmers weave their magic. If you are brave and wish to make a monetary contribution, they will drape a snake around your shoulders.

Water sellers in extravagantly, colourful costumes tote skins full of water to quench your thirst, though if you want to avoid stomach upset stick to the commercially bottled variety.

Veiled women labour under the burden of their goods and chattel to be sold at market or with heavily laden slings carrying sleeping babies, blissfully unaware of the hustle and bustle.

Young boys balance trays of freshly baked bread, while others, on donkey drays laden with produce, send pedestrians diving for cover as they cross the square at break neck speed.

As the sun begins to set the plaza comes alive and alight with rows and rows of food stalls spring up to temp every taste bud; from fresh fruit juices to exotic spiced meats and sweet sticky deserts. The scene can be best witnessed from the roof top dining area of the Hotel Ali facing the plaza, which offer for a few dollars, a self serve feast large enough to fill any appetite.

Within the Medina most of the attractions are easy walking distance from most of the hotels. Be sure to carry an acuate map. If you look lost you are at the mercy of the guides who prey on the weak and disoriented and extract heavy payment for the pleasure of guiding you to your chosen destination (or theirs, if you are unlucky).

You can get a taste of education the old fashioned way at the Medersa Ben Youssef, a 13th century religious boarding school in the Medina. Austere cramped cells where the students lived overlook the open courtyard.

In complete contrast at Palace de la Bahai, opulence is an understatement with lavish fountains and courtyards resembling mini oasis.

In all the Moorish architecture geometric design dominates. Due to the restriction in Islam of not being allowed to produce images of the human form almost all the decorations found on the building in the old Medina are either geometric or script, with verses from the Koran being highly popular.

Try to avoid being outdoors in the middle of the day in summer as temperatures regularly reach over 45° C (113° F).

Relief from the heat can be found in the shady alleyways of Souk, a labyrinth of market stalls, offering a treasure trove of all things bright and beautiful. But be advised; haggling is the name of the game. Offer a fraction of the asking price and work your way towards a happy compromise somewhere in the middle. You will still be buying something you probably didnt want and be ripped off but at least youll come away thinking that youve made a bargain.