MARRAKECH

To tell you the truth I didn't know much about Morocco. I didn't even realise that it was in Africa until we looked it up on a map. My idea of Morocco was filled with fantasies from the movie Aladdin. Busy, sand-coloured streets and buildings, with small stalls selling amazing wonders and delights.

Arriving in Marrakech I wasn't far off. I heard an American lady say that the markets in Marrakech are like a bad acid trip. I'd say the exact opposite. Walking around the souks is like the most amazing acid trip that you had ever had in your life. Your met with tantalising colours, delicious smells, so many different fabrics and spices to touch. It's like your senses coming alive for the first time. Don't get me wrong it's intensely crazy and hectic with thousands and thousands of people bustling around you. Everyone is trying to sell you something or show you something but thats the delight of being in a real market place.

My brain was almost exploding with a combination of Arabic and African cultures coming together. Snake charmers, magicians, henna, fortune tellers, street games, random performers, everything you can think of made of leather, carpets, clothes, knick knacks, snails, tagines, cous cous, kebabs.. anything your heart desired. Unknowingly, we spent 6 hours wondering aimlessly around the markets not bored for one moment. We only stopped because we were too hungry to keep walking.

We tried snails as a little snack. Not as bad as you think. We sat down to try the local delights of cous cous and chicken tagine. Competition is fierce to get you into food stalls and we ended up choosing the guy that gave us a 2 year diarrhoea-free guarantee with the line, “Number 25 – stay alive!”.