The Sound Of The Souks

Tag: People

Exploring The Red City Of Marrakech.

  • Is Marrakech Safe For Solo Female Travellers?

    Safety tips for women travelling alone to Marrakech.

    Image by Freebird Tracey.

    Marrakech is safe for women who travel alone.

    The overall crime rate is low, and most female travellers have a wonderful experience. However, there are certain things to take into consideration to help you feel confident and comfortable during your visit.

    Women in Marrakech dress modestly. How you want to be treated will depend on how you present yourself. Although Marrakech is a Muslim city, it is quite liberal and used to tourists, but showing too much flesh would be considered inappropriate.Whilst you’re not expecting to adopt the hijab, you will certainly be regarded favourably if you dress slightly more conservatively especially in religious places sacred to the Islamic faith.

    Wear dresses below the knees. Silk, rayon, or cotton dresses are perfect and keep you cool at the same time. Palazzo trousers are also very comfortable and elegant. I like to wear turbans, I love the fact that my hair is tucked away, keeping me cool and looking modest at the same time. Many tourists continue to wear the same style of clothing that they would back at home, so it’s really a matter of choice. I would certainly encourage dressing appropriately if you’re visiting religious sites, just as a matter of respect. You’ll notice how much a small gesture like this makes the locals happy.

    Image by Freebird Tracey.

    The people in Marrakesh are friendly and hospitable. However, there may be times when you will be asked if you need help to find your riad or the main square. Simply decline the offer politely and go about your business.

    When shopping in the medina, stand your ground when negotiating for something. Show the vendors that you are confident and not be afraid to walk away if you’re not happy with the price. They may try to drive a harder bargain if they see a woman unaccompanied and you don’t have to put up with this. Shop around or visit a fixed price store or Ensemble Artisanal Craft Complex, and you won’t have to bargain.

    Some men will cat call you or make comments, which may feel slightly intrusive. Ignore them and move away. They are usually harmless, but if anyone trys to follow you, find the nearest shop vendor or closest restaurant to sit in. If they still persist, threaten to find a police officer. It’s rare that this happens, and there are police everywhere around Marrakech, making sure that tourists are not hassled in any way.

    Knowing a few words in Arabic or French is always useful. Non merci or La Shukran means no thank you and will automatically bring a smile to the locals’ faces. It also comes in useful for shaking off food sellers and henna ladies in the main square.

    I have never felt uncomfortable as a solo female traveller in Marrakech. There are plenty of us about wandering through the souks and enjoying the tourist hot spots.

    Consider joining a guided tour of the medina if you’re feeling anxious about exploring by yourself, especially if it’s your first time. There are evening tours, street food tours, and plenty of registered guides available for visiting the local attractions.

    Marrakech is a great place  for a solo female traveller to visit. In fact, I consider it much safer than many other countries I have been to. The locals can’t wait to tell you all about their fascinating city, and they’re some of the most hospitable people I have ever met. Just educate yourself a little about the cultural norms and differences in Morocco and respect the local customs and traditions, and you should be perfectly safe.

    Marrakech is very touristy, so there are always crowds of people wherever you go.Just be extra vigilant in busy, congested areas with your belongings, the same way you would be anywhere else in the world.

    If you want to feel less isolated as a solo female traveller, there are a few excellent hostels in Marrakech that attract a lot of solo travellers. They are great places to stay and they can organise tours where you will meet other like-minded people.

    Lastly, relax and trust that the people of Marrakech are helpful and kind. You will definitely have an exciting time.

    Image by Freebird Tracey.
    tracey.wright1963@googlemail.com
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  • Jamaa El Fna At Sunset.

    Experience the heartbeat of Marrakech.

    Image by Freebird Tracey.

    If you think that Jamaa El Fna  is a busy place during the daytime, be prepared for a surprise once the sun begins to set. Gone are the snake charmers and monkeys on chains, to be replaced by open-air restaurants, gnawa musicians, gambling, and exotic dancers.

    Images by Freebird Tracey.

    The scene is organised chaos and a complete sensory overload. The sights, sounds, and smells are not for the faint-hearted. The drumming becomes intense as the main square takes on the image of a huge fair ground.

    Thousands of people from all over the city and beyond come together to meet each other, alongside tourists all vying for space to watch the spectacle unfold. The exciting atmosphere is electric and pulsates with energy.

    Street vendors looking for potential customers pursue you with menus as you try to navigate your way through the crowds. They hop in front of you, and you have to dodge them like you are taking part in some sort of assault course.

    Images by Freebird Tracey

    The aroma from camel heads cooking on a spit drifts across the square, and fresh snails being plucked from their shells becomes a familiar sight.

    Although the scene is very intense, it is also magnetic and exciting. I love the energy in Jamaa El Fna after dusk, but some people find it too overwhelming. They prefer to sit at the edge of the square, away from the crowds, and watch everything from a safe distance with a drink.

    Jamaa El Fnaa at dusk is unlike anything else you may have experienced. There is so much to see.There are games being played, and a few little scams are taking place to try and trick you into coughing up a few dirhams.

    Locals hang around the cafe de France, chatting with each other over coffee. Families wander around the stalls that are brightly lit up and open until late. Young men enjoy kicking a football against the walls of the medina, and couples sit on benches chatting to each other in the warm evening air.

    Sugarcane and fruit juice are sold by lively vendors, and the banter is all done in high spirits. Tourists dine on rooftop terraces as the Koutoubia mosque rings out the call to prayer.

    As the sun sets, the crowds flock, and the atmosphere becomes electrifying.The square is transformed into a social hub where anything is possible and everything appears to take place at the same time. It’s an incredible experience.

    Dazzling bright lights from the open air food vendors and Morroccan lamps for sale on blankets give off a warm, inviting glow. The heady fragrance from incense cones competes with the smell of food cooking, each wafting through the air on a gentle breeze.

    Henna ladies sit waiting for unsuspecting tourists and then grab their arms in an attempt to sell them a tattoo. They tell you,”It’s a gift,” but don’t you dare to walk away without paying once they’ve applied it.

    You can hear the sound of the gnawa musicians playing dressed in their brightly coloured clothing, belly dancers perform, and acrobats show off their skills to the gathering crowd of curious onlookers, you can’t escape the mayhem. After all, the famous Jamaa El Fnaa is the heartbeat of the city, and it draws you in because it’s a special place and there’s nowhere else quite like it.

    Image by Freebird Tracey.

    Jamaa El Fna magnetises you. The chaos that surrounds you is an assault on the senses. It’s an experience, an education, and a head-first dive into the rich culture of Marrakech.

    Image by Freebird Tracey.

    Although there’s so much going on after dusk, please be mindful when stopping to take photos. Someone in the thick of the action will be eagle eyed enough to catch you. They are continuously on the lookout for tourists who have stopped to watch. They will pounce upon you from out of nowhere, with a cap in their hand expecting a donation.

    After sunset, it’s as though the whole of Morrocco has come out to play in Jamaa El Fna, and they are determined to have a good time. It’s a sight to behold, lively, energetic, colourful, aromatic, and incredibly loud. Be sure to visit this remarkable place and witness what it is that makes Marrakech so magical. It’s certainly an eye-opener.

    Although it’s mostly safe around the square, exercise the usual caution in large crowded areas and try to avoid any obvious scams.

    Image by Freebird Tracey.
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  • Atay And Moroccan Pastries.

    Delicious sweets and pastries in Marrakech.

    Image by Freebird Tracey.

    Shopping in the medina is a fascinating experience, but it can be overwhelming at times. I soon realised that taking a regular break and pacing myself was the best way to enjoy the experience.

    Navigating the maze of alleyways in the souks is exciting. There is so much more to them than beautiful leather goods and Moroccan lamps, though.

    There are delicious sweets and pastries waiting to be sampled. These compliment the taste of traditional mint tea known as atay perfectly.

    There are so many different pastries to choose from. I decided to treat myself to a selection to find out which ones are my favourite. I enjoyed the taste of the almond pastries most of all.

    Traditional mint tea is very hydrating. Sitting in a colourful, boho nook drinking mint tea is a perfect way to take time out from the hectic rhythm of the souks.

    Images by Freebird Tracey.

    If you are shopping in the souks, I recommend that you pace yourselves and take some time to enjoy the experience. Sitting outside a cute little tea shop is the perfect way to do that.

    There are plenty of places around the medina selling mint tea with traditional sweets and pastries. Part of the pleasure of exploring is finding these hidden gems.

    Image by Freebird Tracey.

    A few places I recommend are,

    Medina Kawa Marrakech.

    La Patisserie de la Terracce Spices

    Boughaz Coffee in the Kasbah.

    Marrakech has an abundant supply of sweets and pastries, and I suggest trying Baclava. It’s a sweet pastry made of layers of flaky phyllo dough filled with chopped nuts like walnuts, pistachios, or almonds. It’s sweetened with honey and flavoured with spices like cinnamon and lemon juice. This was one of my many favourites.

    Image by Freebird Tracey.
    tracey.wright1963@googlemail.com
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  • The Marrakchi Cats.

    The life of a cat in Marrakech.

    Image by Freebird Tracey.

    One of the things you will notice when you are in Marrakech is the number of stray cats everywhere. When I first visited the city, I was surprised to see so many. They seemed to be experts at dodging the motorcycles and hiding inconspicuously underneath juice stalls. There were cats sleeping on rugs and cushions in the souks. I witnessed strays giving birth to kittens in narrow alleyways and watched cats prowl along rooftops at dawn.

    I took pity on some kittens outside my riad. They looked hungry, and I wanted to do something to help them. I purchased a couple of tins of sardines and carefully wrapped leftovers from my dinner into napkins. I placed the food in a safe place for them.

    Images by Freebird Tracey.

    The next moment, cats appeared out of nowhere, also expecting to be fed. This made me feel very guilty. It was a case of first come, first served, and I didn’t have enough food to go around. I went home to the UK feeling really sorry for all the strays and the fact that I couldn’t do anything to help them all.

    The next time I visited marrakech, I saw things from a different perspective. Cats are seen as ritually pure in the Islamic faith and highly regarded. According to the Prophet Muhammad, cats are allowed access to homes and mosques because they don’t create impurity.

    I stayed in three riads, and each one had a resident cat, who was very well cared for. I noticed restaurants leaving food outside and butchers dropping scraps of meat on the floor.

    Images by Freebird Tracey.

    Many of the cats were being cared for, and some were actually thriving. I noticed bowls of food and water around the medina. Shop vendors were putting food outside every morning.  Tourists were secretly dropping food on the floor, and the cats knew exactly where to go to find it all.

    Images by Freebird Tracey.

    On the whole, the cats appear to be content. They laze around on stalls, sleepily acknowledging tourists. They find shade in the plant pots of courtyards and hide amongst the trailing flowers on rooftop terraces.

    They don’t exist in the same way domesticated cats do in the west. However, they’re not being ill treated any more than elsewhere in the world. Once, a man got off his motorcycle in the busy souk and moved a little kitten to the safety of a quiet alleyway.

    Image by Freebird Tracey.

    When you first come to Marrakech, seeing all the stray cats may shock you. I was the same. After closer inspection, I came to the conclusion that the situation wasn’t as dire as I first thought. The cats are free to roam, and somehow, they have mastered the art of avoiding motorcycles and carts in the souks. The roads around Marrakech are chaotic, and I’m happy to say that I have never spotted an injured cat.

    Of course, I’m aware that life could be better for stray animals. In an ideal world, they would have access to flea treatment and regular veterinary care. They would also be neutered to keep the population under control.

    Recently, there has been a surge in tourists rescuing stray cats around Marrakech. Many are being taken back to European countries to begin a new life. Tourists are working with local vets to get injured cats treated and all their vaccinations done. Many people are willing to pay a lot of money to rescue cats.

    For the cats that remain in Marrakesh. They have learnt how to survive. They only know one life and have adapted to it. On the whole, local people are kind and compassionate towards them. Plus, in all the years of visiting Marrakech, I’ve never seen a single rat in the city.

    Images by Freebird Tracey.
    tracey.wright1963@googlemail.com
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