We started off the day walking to the tower of the Koutoubia, historically the main mosque, and still being repaired after the 2023 earthquake; and then down to the southern Medina - beautiful old doorways as soon as we went into the old town -
to visit the stunning Saadian Tombs - last resting place of the dynasty who ruled from 1554 to 1669 - I could add a million photos here - and I could see how struck Owen Jones and others must have been by Islamic decoration wherever they encountered it - mosaic tiles to fill a million Victorian churches.
Markets both everyday,
and touristy.
Cats everywhere.
and then the ruins of the sixteenth century El Badi Palace.
More doors.
In the early afternoon, a huge sirocco storm blew up: it was already 100 degrees, and the strong winds and sultry clouds and dust filled air were truly unpleasant ...
The combination of heat and wind meant that we sheltered in our room for most of the afternoon (and I read Peter Mayne's A Year in Marrakech, pub. in 1953, which is a really vivid picture of the city - still very identifiable).
Even when we made it out to. the huge market square, in the early evening, the air was still full of tiny little specks of the Sahara.
And yes, these are snakes being charmed, albeit rather lethargically.
No comments:
Post a Comment