We got up around 9:30 to have breakfast. It was super carb heavy! There was chocolate cake, a few pancake like breads and something that resembled a thick, uncooked english muffin. I was so sleepy that I ended up napping after breakfast while Mark checked us in for our flights the following day. I felt much better after my cat nap so we decided to venture out into the market place and spent the first part of our morning wandering up and down the alleyways filled with people, shops and vendors.
I bartered back and forth with one of the men and ended up getting myself a big, black sturdy pair of sunglasses which came in handy for the rest of the sunshine filled day! The square was covered with fresh fruit juice vendors so Mark and I both tried some. It was incredibly delicious and refreshing. The one I ordered was made with pear- mmmm! The guy blending our juices was so friendly that he even invited me inside the booth to take a picture with him.
While wandering among the shops we stumbled upon a small museum. We wandered inside and boy were we glad we did. We learned many things about traditional Moroccan homes including the reasons why there are long hallways leading into the large entertainment spaces in the center of the home. These hallways are meant to evoke peacefulness and to contrast with the chaos of the outside world. (There was an amazingly clean, spacious bathroom in this museum that Mark and I both enjoyed-- it's the little things in life, right?!) There were artifacts from traditional Arabic homes and there was even an ink pot with a quill sitting on a table with the Arabic alphabet. I really enjoyed the challenge of writing my and Mark's names in Arabic. There was a beautiful outdoor rooftop (much like most of the homes in Marrakesh) so we sat outside and enjoyed a tea while basking in the sunshine.
After leaving the museum we came across a henna artist. I had read that sometimes black henna is made using toxic chemicals while the red henna is all natural and therefore is always safe. Mark suggested I get some and before I knew it this woman was painting up, up and farther up my arm. The henna doesn't dry immediately but rather soaks in and stains your skin. Mine took hours to dry.
Our next stop was a secret garden with hammams and native and exotic plants, that was supposed to be designed in the image and likeness of paradise. We took in as much of the sun as we could here.
When the sun started setting, we headed back to the hostel to get our warm coats, but not before stopping at a snail vendor for a bowl of slimy goodness. When in Morocco, right? And the verdict? I didn't like the texture but Mark found them satisfying.
Tonight, instead of fighting our way through the chaos of the food vendors, we decided to eat on a small rooftop terrace overlooking the square. The sunset was amazing and the people watching was even better. There were so many things to see on the main square.
The food was fantastic. We enjoyed bread (of course!), tagine with apricots (my favorite!) and salad covered in mayonnaise (I didn't enjoy this dish).
After dinner we took a horse carriage tour of the city. Our driver's English was so-so. About halfway through the tour we realized that all of the places he was pointing out were either hotels or restaurants. We asked about a few things that looked like important landmarks, but because of the language barrier we weren't able to get much information. We did however get to see most of the 10 gates (these are famous in Marrakech history because they gave access to the medina and were important in every day life). In Arabic, the word 'bab' refers to gate.
We were dropped back at the square just in time for the night life to begin.
First, we stopped by a vendor to try ginger tea and some type of dessert. I strongly disliked both and made Mark finish mine and his.
We listened to more live music and even played a few games. Mark got really into a fishing game. The object was to use a huge pole with a donut shaped ring on the end and hook it around the lid of a pop bottle.
Another game included tossing coins into circles without touching the edges.
After gaming for a bit we entered a huge circle of spectators to watch a really impressive gymnastics act.
We left the square around 9 so that we could enjoy our cookies and bottle of wine that we had stashed back at the hostel.
We laughed and chatted on the roof of our hostel with the girls we had met the night before before heading to bed. I woke up in the middle of the night to find the hostel kitten curled up beside me. I figured she'd be gone the second I got out of bed to go to the bathroom, but when I returned she was still there waiting to snuggle up next to me. She stayed in my bed all night and while I was still cold, I wasn't nearly as cold as I had been the previous night.
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