May 7th – Medina of Marrakesh and the Bahia Palace, Morocco
Vibrant blue jumps out against the earthen walls
Marrakesh, the “Red City” or “City of Ochre”, is exotic and historical. It sucks you into her bosom and fills you with wonder and awe. Around every corner awaits another alleyway to explore where you can discover something else that will enchant and entertain.
Established in 1062, her rich history is everywhere, but most evident within the walls of the old fortified portion of the city, the medina. UNESCO named the old town a World Heritage sight in 1985.
Intricate tile work
A few days earlier we had the privilege of exploring the even larger medina in Fez, but I was equally enamored by the old streets of Marrakesh.
“Since the independence of Morocco, Marrakesh has thrived as a tourist destination. In the 1960s and early 1970s the city became a trendy “hippie mecca”. It attracted numerous western rock stars and musicians, artists, film directors and actors, models, and fashion divas, leading tourism revenues to double in Morocco between 1965 and 1970. Yves Saint Laurent, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and Jean-Paul Getty all spent significant time in the city” ~ Wikipedia
A photographers paradise, I knew I had died and gone to heaven as I captured ancient doors, earthen walls, marketplaces filled with vibrant offerings, women dressed in their flowing djellaba, playful kittens, and friendly smiling faces.
Muslim women in their colorful flowing djellaba
I don’t know where the “real” Morocco starts and ends, but I hope that this collection of photos will give you a good example of what we saw and experienced while walking through the medina.
A food stall overflowing with fresh fruits and vegetables
Buckets and battered pots
Lamp offerings similar to what was seen in the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul
Playful kitten battles a broom
A lone bike waiting to be reclaimed
A visit to the Bahia Palace, where 360 rooms were once adorned with Italian marble and Sudanese gold. Again it is the detail in the ceilings that most catches my eye. The grand vizier of the sultan lived here with his four wives and numerous concubines.
Just one of many jaw dropping ceilings at Bahia Palace
We also saw the richly decorated tombs of the Saadi Dynasty.
The 12th-century Koutoubia Mosque, has a towering minaret topped with four copper globes. It is from this tower that the muezzin call the faithful for prayer five times a day.
An interesting bit of trivia, I learned that the office of muezzin was sometimes given to a blind man. This would prevent him from looking down into the homes or courtyards and therefore violating someones privacy. We also learned that the square-shaped minaret is indicative of the Berber (Amazigh) construction vs. the round style found in most of the muslim world.
The walls of the old city are where the city gets its nickname, the “red city”. They stand 19 feet (5.8 meters) tall, are made out of an orange-red clay and chalk and have 20 gates and 200 towers along them. We exited through Bab Agnaou which was built in the 12th century.
Bab Agnaou Gate
We had the opportunity to shop for authentic Moroccan jewelry at a shop known for its quality silver. I rarely purchase anything while we travel, but a necklace caught my attention and my hubby splurged on an early Mother’s Day gift for me.
I’m not sure what the stones are. Perhaps opal and turquoise and ???
The Jemaa el-Fnaa is one of the best-known squares in Africa. You can find anything from Snake Charmers to acrobats to monkey trainers to pickpockets. It was only mildly crowded mid-afternoon, but was hopping with life when we returned later in the evening on our optional horse-drawn carriage ride.
James el-Fnaa (Main Square) in the afternoon
The horse-drawn carts were everywhere.
The evening was topped off with an Arabian folklore show and dinner that included classic Moroccan music and elegant belly dancing with a whirling dervish performance.
Setting where dinner was held
Our musical entertainment gave us a warm welcome
Whirling Dervish style dance
Overnight: Riad Bahia Salam, Marrakesh
GRATITUDE MOMENT: Today I am grateful for the way Marrakesh embraced us. I did not come here with any pre-conceived ideas of what to expect other than it had been highly recommended by dear friends who had loved it. We had a long day, filled with sights that ranged from poverty to splendor, ancient to modern, and traditional to hip. We were entertained and ate a glorious assortment of delicious foods. Another day that made me feel lucky to be alive…
A Note From Abroad 
The colors and the doorways and the architecture is epic. (So is your necklace.) I would love to go some day. I love seeing photos whenever anyone posts about it. Thanks so much for sharing the detail.
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Epic is a wonderfully descriptive word for our day in Marrakesh.
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I follow a lot of travel blogs and I am consistently blown away at the places people visit. But some places, with their color, and shapes, and smells, and people, are a cut above in the interest scale. 😉 I need to get there some day.
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I truly hope you will add Morocco to your wish list. I still have a few more posts to try to convince you that it is a MUST see 🙂
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I look forward to them!
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Ancient history, beautiful architecture, friendly faces, good food…I’d like to go!
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Merrill, it certainly ticked all the boxes and more.
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Thank you for a great write up with wonderful photos.
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Thank you for your kind compliment.
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I totally agree with all the compliments above. Your travel posts are very informative as well as entertaining and well done. Marrakesh looks amazing. The food looks delicious and that necklace is a beautiful piece. Thank you!
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I’m honored that we are able to share our amazing trips, both near and far with others. Marrakesh, and all the other places we have gotten to explore throughout Morocco as well as the food have been so much more than I could have imagined. I’m pretty excited to wear my necklace with an appropriate outfit when I get home and not just my casual travel clothes 🙂
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Wonderful post that confirms my desire to return to Marrakesh. The food looks fabulous!
Alison
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Alison, we thoroughly enjoyed the food in Morocco. It was cooked fresh, with whole ingredients and local herbs. Yummy!
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I lived in Marrakesh during the 70s and have revisited the city three times in the last decade with my wife. It is indeed an interesting and seductive city – which your excellent photographs clearly depict. We intend to revisit it when next we are in the northern hemisphere.
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I have equated Marrakesh with mysterious and exotic, but I think your label of seductive sums it up best. How amazing it must have been to live there in the 70’s!
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Morocco is somewhere I have never been, but your photos make me more determined to go there one day. As you say, a photogrspher’s dream! Love the necklace! Keep up the good work!
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Georgie, I hope you will add Morocco to your travel wish list. Each day has been more amazing than the previous.
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Very nice.
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Thank you. So glad you are following along with us. Sending much love!
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Great color photos, Tim and Joanne. really liked the whirling dervish as well. –Curt
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Thank you Curt. We were fortunate to have seen the Whirling Dervishes in Turkey and sat in amazement as several of them spun around the stage, faster and faster, with eyes closed. How they managed to not fall down or run into each other boggles the mind. It was fun to be reminded of this when watching this beautiful lady perform for us. First a seductive belly dance followed by this performance. So talented…
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Rumi would be pleased… 🙂 –Curt
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I love the sights and sounds and colors of Marrakesh. Nice photos… Brings back memories.
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Marrakesh needs to be embraced with all the senses. We too came home with wonderful memories of Morocco.
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