Marrakech – sensory overload

We took the train from Casablanca to Marrakech. We paid a little extra for air conditioning and it was needed! We left Casablanca with temperatures of 28 degrees and were taken to a furnace reaching 48 degrees! It was unbelievably hot, with a searing wind that only made it hotter! I really believe that if you had popping corn in your hand it would have popped!

The severe heat meant that Marrakech comes alive at night with the main medina square, Jemaa el-Fna, hosting snake charmers, dancers, stalls selling food, fruit drinks, textiles, leather goods and spices. The whole place is an assault on the senses. The medina is made up of lots of alleyways, similar to Fes but wider (so we could fit!) It was fun to explore and take in the sights, smells and sounds. With the heat of the day being too much, families, mums, dads and children would meet in the plaza from evening until late at night (after midnight every night). Marrakech is a real mixing pot of different north African cultures from sub-Saharan, Berber (the indigenous peoples of the region), Arab and southern Europe. Marrakech is a much bigger version of Fes. But like Fes, extremely clean and no smell or flies!! How do they manage this? Every morning the whole place is washed down, and again the store owners are continually washing their piece of pavement! Europe could learn from this!!!

We really loved visiting Marrakesh with it’s hustle and bustle and noise but I must admit we struggled with the August heat and spent most of the days inside the Riad or museums, venturing out when the temperature reached a manageable 39 degrees. We did treat ourselves to a “pool day” where we spent the day beside a swimming pool, had a lovely lunch and more swimming! We also did a tour to a Berber village and camel ride in the desert area as well as a traditional Moroccan dinner which was really good fun.

Enjoy the photos of an amazing place.