Jemaa el Fna means "assembly of the dead", and is the name given to one of the most atmospheric city squares in the world. The name is thought to date back to the Almohad and Almoravide dynasties when the heads of those who displeased their ruler would be paraded on the square. Today the main focal point of the Marrakech medina (and perhaps the whole of Morocco?) is a freeform patch of tarmac where acrobats, story-tellers, tooth-pullers, snake charmers, musicians and salesmen gather to amuse, entertain and make a living from tourists and Moroccans alike. At night the "square" is transformed into one of the world's most remarkable outdoor restaurants, a place where men in white coats serve anything from sheep's heads to snails in a spicy sauce. There are of course more palatable dishes on offer, but for adventurous diners there is no better place to try some of the local delicacies. Extending northwards from the main square, which sits in the shadow of one of Morocco's most beautiful mosques (the Koutoubia), lie Marrakech's incredible "souks" (markets), the most extensive and expansive in Morocco. Here you can find lamps, lanterns, silverware, jewellery, spices, slippers, antiques, throws, scarfs, baskets, biscuits, and kitchen sinks (quite literally). Much of what's on offer is mass-produced and fairly tatty but there are some items of quality here and there. In the souks it's traditional to bargain for goods. Start at a price significantly below what you want to pay and try and meet your salesman (who will have started his bidding at a hugely inflated price) somewhere in the middle. What's important to understand is that there is no fixed price and the principle of the transaction is that both parties leave the field of bartering satisfied with the deal they have struck. If shopping's not your thing then the medina offers a feast of other treasures hidden down its 9000 alleyways. Nondescript doorways give way to plush gardens, and renovated riads (townhouses built around a courtyard) offer a myriad of wondrous accommodation possibilities. But above all the Marrakech medina experience is about discovering a way of life that's hardly changed in centuries. So close to Europe, yet so far away in culture, it's not surprising when you enter the medina of Marrakech that many Europeans describe Morocco as a long-haul destination with a short-haul flight time. |
