Marrakech

After we got back from the Sahara we were staving and could not resist the call of the jmal el fna square. Well more specifically the waiters that mobbed us and pulled us in!

So with our full packs we had a Tagine.

We later got back to our hostel and found a group of 35 people on a morocco tour having a few beers. We thought this was not possible in morocco, especially during Ramadan. 

So after a very frustrating conversation with a shop keeper (who i had spoken English with earlier that day. But now was playing stupid to hike up prices) we jumped in a cab, "supermarche!"

After a 10 minuet ride it was closed, so we stayed in the cab and headed home. Sober, but still high in spirits.

The next day Richard and I went to some botanic gardens. They were very pretty, densely filled with various cacti, palm trees and bamboo. It was a very relaxed but upclassed atmosphere. After an hour or so Richard left to see the mosques but I decided to stay and read.

I started sitting on a bench under a palm tree, within 5 I was slouched, another 5 and I was lying down on the bench.

Two hours later I woke myself up snoring with my book on my face, one leg over the back of the bench and the other on the floor, classy.

I decided to head back to the hostel before meeting Richard at the square. After 2 more hours walking in circles around the medinas winding alleys I had to pay a young lad to show me the way to the square as I was hopelessly lost, again.

I met Richard and we waited for Fraser to arrive.

With Fraser in toe, straight from Esouaria, we hit a few of the smaller, more specific market stalls. We had soup, goats head, goats udder, a selection of fish and some OJ. Before a walk around the Souks (the street market made up of very narrow winding streets). Richard was hilarious, he has possibly the least culturally sensitive haggling banter I have seen, as well as being like a kid in a sweetshop when surrounded by the souks tat. Fraser did my haggling for me as I was obviously an I compliant moron.

The next day was a chill day, Richard and Fraser left early in the morning. My sole achievement was buying food from the market and slow cooking a Moroccan style Bolognese, which was delicious if I do say so myself! This day also hit 50 degrees so was very uncomfortable.

The following day I met Louis over breakfast. Strangely he is from Brighton also and went to Varndean school and college 3 years below me. 

We went for a walk in the blistering mid day heat around the royal palace, some of its gardens and into the Palace Bahaa.

I later went out, having learnt from my several efforts at buying things, to to a proper man shop. I planned my route, I knew exactly what I wanted and where from. And I attacked the place. Well, I would have done if I didn't get lost and walk 20 minuets the wrong way into the Madina. But once I got back on track I attacked the souks like a ninja.

Although some how I was persuaded to pay 20dh extra for mum's present and had to give away my sunglasses in exchange also.