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Exploring the red city of Morocco

MARRAKECH — Located to the north of the foothills of the snow-capped Atlas Mountains in North Africa, Marrakech — the third largest city in Morocco — is perceived to be immersed in some kind of a magical mystery, which as a cliche, draws outsiders to step in and explore.

MARRAKECH — Located to the north of the foothills of the snow-capped Atlas Mountains in North Africa, Marrakech — the third largest city in Morocco — is perceived to be immersed in some kind of a magical mystery, which as a cliche, draws outsiders to step in and explore.

This so-called mystery bubbles from the city’s unique cultural melting pot, with the age-old traditions and lifestyles of native Berbers, Saharan nomads, African slaves, Arab traders and European colonisers. “Most of these haven’t changed at all despite the pressures of modernisation,” said a local guide, Khalid, at the beginning of our discovery tour during my trip there.

Upon entering the city, a generous splash of salmon pink greets my eyes. Almost every structure I noticed — buildings, ramparts, pillars, monuments and gates — displayed a hue, more of ochre than pink.

According to Mohsin, who has been chauffeuring me around in Morocco, this shade does not come from any deep-rooted philosophy, but rather from the use of ‘tabia’, the red mud from the nearby plains. This has been the practice since the native Almoravid rulers established the city in the 11th century.

Later, the French colonisers made it a law for all newer building facades to be identical colour-wise, which gave Marrakech its eventual nickname, the “Red City”. The red hue of the architecture, when combined with the green of the palm trees, the white of distant mountain snow and the blue of the sky above, creates a spectacular vista.

MAGICAL TOUCH

Although Marrakech city has a modern quarter filled with luxury hotels, trendy restaurants, lively cafes and glitzy shopping malls, the old medina is the best venue to understand why Marrakech is celebrated as the most magical place in Morocco, if not the world.

It is a densely packed urban conglomeration, where the way of life is still the same as it was centuries before. Especially fascinating are the mesh of rundown alleyways, appearing like an architectural spaghetti with never-ending turns, twists and crossroads to get outsiders puzzled in no time.

Most buildings are dilapidated but brimming with history. Some are studded with gorgeous doorways and tiled facades marked with brilliant calligraphy, proclaiming a deep rooted richness and culture. Parts of the medina are only for pedestrians and donkeys carrying goods, their owners yelling ‘ballak’, meaning ‘watch out’, when requesting the right of way in narrow zones.

All our senses are assaulted at once when we arrived at the souk or the big bazaar, where the city’s trading roots lie. The atmosphere is chaotic but captivating: The smell of spices mixed with the shouts of vendors and the vibrant colours of the goods, all bestowing an eclectic ambience.

With Khalid leading, we go past many workshops where tradesmen are still using traditional methods to weave carpets, create jewellery or carve mosaics. It is amazing to see how brass and copper workers are hammering the hot metal to make everyday items such as trays, bowls, plates, candle stands and lanterns. The buying and selling of spices, dried fruits, olives, vegetables, juices, sweets and breads, some laid out in carts outside the shops, is always continuing with intense gusto.

THE DAYS OF OLD

Throughout my exploration, I cannot help feeling like I have been transported to a bygone era. Mosques, tombs, medersas and royal residences scatter the medina as historic and aesthetic illustrations of Marrakech’s heyday — Tombs of Saadian emperors, Kasbah Mosque, Ben Youssef Medersa, Palais el Badi and Bab Agnaou are a few from the long list. However, most significant is Koutoubia Mosque, the city’s most celebrated emblem. Made from pink Gueliz stone, its 70m-tall minaret dominates the skyline and is a masterpiece of Islamic architecture. Prayer calls from this mosque echo across the rooftops five times a day.

Not far from this mosque is the Jemaa el-Fnaa precinct, where ultimately all the mysteries of Marrakech are finally revealed. For centuries, this extraordinary paved area has been the city’s nerve centre. Until the 19th century, criminals sentenced to death were beheaded here.

Today, the venue is used “only for socialising and entertainment”, said Khalid.

The day here begins pretty early in the morning with the arrival of the orange juice vendors, who are followed by a ragged assortment of hawkers selling cheap clothes, household items, food and souvenirs for tourists. Soon they are joined by soothsayers, henna-tattoo artists, dubious dentists and snake charmers, their magical acts with the reptiles deemed a major attraction of Marrakech.

Traditional water sellers, a mainstay in the old desert world, come in to rescue the people from the heat. Seated around the corner are the storytellers, trying to build a crowd around them by narrating interesting episodes that connect the people, particularly the younger generation, with the land’s rich heritage.

After sundown, the atmosphere becomes really frenzied with a much larger crowd and many more performers. The venue turns into an open-air stage that is in parts circus, theatre, and music stage. Acrobats thrill the crowd by building human pyramids, while cross-dressing belly dancers try to bring alive the spirit of Arabian Nights. Gnaoua musicians are the biggest crowd pullers, their trance-like songs displaying a blend of black African and Arab-Berber descent.

Dining beneath thousands of stars and beside thousands of people is almost ceremonial here. Every day, hundreds of makeshift food stalls are set up to serve grilled meats, vegetables and a variety of breads, all cooked the Moroccan way. Smoke from their ovens engulfs the area, while the sweet aroma of grilled food fills the air.

This takes place every day of the year. Although a major attraction for tourists, it is meant to be for locals to keep alive their past rituals and various forms of human collaboration.

In 2001, Unesco recognised the thousand-year-old carnival’s significance and declared the daily happenings as an outstanding example of the world’s intangible cultural legacies. By participating in this revue, visitors unfold the biggest mystery of Marrakech, which is its unique way of stopping time and staying lively with the past.

A key highlight of Marrakech are the riads, which are old-styled Moroccan houses with an interior garden or courtyard, now converted into luxury accommodation. Located inside the medina, their main door flanks the narrow alleys in the most unattractive way, giving no hint of what can be expected behind the high walls.

Some riads like the plush La Maison Arabe present such an opulent setting as if transported from the scenes of fabled desert nights. Guests live like royals and enjoy the best of Moroccan culture, tradition, etiquette and cuisine.

After enjoying the craziness at the medina, they relax at the bar or at the swimming pool, pondering when to make a return visit to explore even more of the mysteries of Marrakech.

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