Day 2 - Marrakech

After being woken by the call to prayer at an early hour I turned over and woke at 9am.  Breakfast at 9 was directed by a rather bossy lady who obviously didn't work for tips. I ignored here and help myself to pancakes, omelette, bread and jam. After swapping my room to a pleasant single opening out on to the courtyard it was time to explore the square I'd say from the look of the crowds and people wondering around the people were 90% indigenous and 10% tourists. Even this early in the day there are scribes, henna ladies, snake charmers and medicine men set up to take customers even old men selling false and real teeth, towards the edge of the square are the rows of orange juice wagons and beyond them various stall, kiosks, cafes and the entrances to the souk. Beyond that it's Minarets, Palm trees and the Atlas Mountains. I head for the largest group of Snake Charmers with pipes, drums and much excitement to watch. Being my only westerner in the crowd I know my fait but I wanted "the snake charmer" picture. After the touching of the snake on my head for good luck and teasing the snake to make it strike for photos it was time to pay. But not the 300dh demanded! That's £20. Yes it was a large group but that is extortionate. I gave him 100dh (£7) and left him to the sound of much abuse. At least I got the pictures for my holiday snaps. For the rest of the trip I can now watch from the crowd and keep the camera away. I needed to prepare my self for the souk. I did a little warm up lap of dome of the streets around the square then headed for the bowels of the city. I wasn't in the mood for haggling and wasn't ready to buy anything I just wanted to go see. Apart from one chap more or less trying to push me towards his shop all was fine, no were near as bad as some of the places I've been. Back in the square I took a few coffees along with the locals in Brassiere Du Glacier, on the edge of the square it is a good place to chill and do a little people watching. I'm looking forward to going back over the Atlas mountains on the way back but I want to take a day trip into the "High Atlas" before I head back to Agadir. I don't mind an organised trip or failing that I'll use public transport. I'd also like to go out to the desert for a day or overnight.  I asked at the hotel about excursions and they had an employee take me to a tour operator just down the street, Sahara Expeditions Transport Touristique. They only did 3 day trips for groups of 5000dh per vehicle. They had 4 people waiting to go in the morning and I could join them. With a 50dh discount it would cost me 950dh (£65) At just over £20 per day including dinner and breakfast I jumped at it. A drive over High Atlas to stay in Vallee Du Todra and then onto the Sahara with a camel trek and staying in a Berber Nomad Tent. I hope I have enough warm clothes to stay in a tent in the desert overnight. I'd paid the hotel guide one Dirham for taking me but on successful booking a few more dirham put a smile on his face. I'm sure there'll be some commission paid.
Time now to go tackle a late. The square is starting to be transformed. There's a few more monkey (mis)handlers, no way are they getting any of my money or attention. The story tellers are starting to draw crowds, the scribes have customers and people are shrouded secretly under the soothsayers' sun shades. There are more henna ladies and the troops of acrobats and musicians are setting up. Were there was empty space open air restaurants appear and customers take their seats. After a couple of laps I decide on stall 25 with its piles of  kebabs, fish, sausages and salad. Lunch and a drink comes to 80dh (£5) the waiter jokes it's 800dh with tip. He gets 100 and he calls it quits. Along with a few large glasses of orange juice (3dh / 20p) from the wagons the refreshments have done their job.

Tip - If you remotely point your camera in the direction of anyone working in the square you will be accosted and money will be demanded quite forcibly. Point to the thing you were actually photographing and be firm. You will probably be insulted but so what!

Tip - When buying orange juice wait for your change. It may not be forth coming straight away and may come in bits. They try it one.
Now is a good time (Just before dusk) to take a seat on a rooftop terrace around the square. I'm staying at the hotel Ali and there is a roof top area it makes an ideal viewing platform. You can see down onto the square and it's a great place to watch the sunset over the city with its many minarets and palms over to the distant Atlas Mountains. The hotel Ali costs 160dh (£11) a night for a single room, breakfast a hammam (Turkish bath) and free internet. A bargain I think considering its location.

I think my senses have taken enough of a battering from the square for one night so I'm not sure whether to call it a night or go for a coffee or find a bar. On asking the hotel receptionist if there is a place around to get beer they recommend the Hotel Tazi just down the road. There beer is 20dh (1.30) I had one and a chat to a Moroccan at the bar. He is really pleased the English are coming to Morocco and is happy to try his English on me. On the way back to Jemma El Fna' I notice quite a few men holding hands along with a few Hellos aimed at me. In the square there's a few children openly sniffing glue. I pit stop at stall 5/124 for soup served from the largest pan I have ever see. I sat with a Moroccan family who were very amused to be sat with a westerner they were very friendly but I didn't have a clue what they were saying. They wanted me to share all of there food. Even there egg sandwiches. They managed one word in English "Welcome". I used my one word of Arabic "Shukran" - thank you. On leaving Jemma El Fna' by the south you reach the pedestrian area. You then realise that compared to this the square is quiet compared t the roads around it! Take your life in your hands and attempt to cross Rue El Mouhhinde to get to the Koutoubia Mosque and its towering minaret. By the mosque there were only groups of youth so I didn't venture to far or stay to long, I was the only westerner. Time to risk my life again crossing the road. Back into the square I pass the long line of horse and carriages parked with out there drivers. It's funny how they all move up the line automatically when the first one leaves a gap. The horses are fitted with "Nappy Sacks" Back at the hotel it is comforting to see the restaurant is inhabited by locals tucking into large shared Tajnes and large bowls of cous cous. I need a caffeine fix. The hotel has a brick built pizza oven that adds to the smell and warmth of the place. The tables are low and the sofas deep and comfy. The reception staff are available 24hrs and speak good English. It turns out the 24hr reception is actually a boy under a blanket on the sofa. I booked a wake up call for 5.45am

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I didn't need the wake up call. The first call to prayer started at 5.30builing to a wailing cacophony of sound until at 6am it came from all directions and in volume. Coffee and bread for breakfast. I had time to sit in the Gardens at the bottom of Jemma El Fna and watch a couple of stray dogs waking. I decided to share a chocolate bar with them but apparently Moroccan dogs don't like snickers. They provided good entertainment when cyclists tried to pass. Out side the tour office the landrover appeared to take me and the four other passengers on our journey. It took 5 minutes to get trough the tiny roads through to the edge of Marrakech, a   further 30 minutes saw us at the foot of the Atlas mountains with its road side cacti and olive trees. An hour in and we reach the snow just in time for sunrise.

Two hours on we are still climbing and its time for a toilet break The chap at the road side cafe looked like he'd just waken and couldn't quite understand the fact that we didn't want tea. He laughed at us when he finally realised we wanted coffee. One coffee, one banana and one pee later we just had 5 minutes to stand in the sun and we set of upwards and some serious hairpins with the usual oncoming traffic in the middle of the road. A photo stop at the highest part of the pass (7415) sees me sinking up to my knees in snow and a snowball fight. The peaks on the east reach 4000m (J Toubkal towers at 4165m). Passing through the pass and descending I realise that coca cola really are going for world domination if it doesn't already have it.

Igrhem greets us with its twin posts and barrier across the road, it takes all of 60 seconds to drive through. The surrounding rocks start to change from terracotta red to a gold colour. As it warms a little our Arabic driver drops the hood of his caftan to reveal his ray ban sunglasses. Along the valley rocks are piles into well balanced stacks, they must be symbolic. At 10.30 we drop back below the snow line, patchy green vegetation returns and the suns warmth finally starts to penetrate into the landrover.

The valley side Kasbahs are well camouflaged and it's the rising smoke that helps you spot the. The river beds are wide but a mere trickle of a stream runs through them. Last year this trickle of a stream grew rapidly and wiped out many roads and bridges. We pass along side mud and straw buildings along with the odd finely decorated minaret. Around the settlements groups of men stand at the road side waiting, waiting for what I'm not sure. Men and women seem not to mix out in public.  I have never seen a local woman in any off the cafes we have stopped at, just men.

At Ait Benhaddou we take a left of the road and go cross country to the famous Kasbah. Use for filming in films such as Gladiator, Jesus of Nazareth, Sodom and Gomorrah and many more. Part of the Kasbah as been rebuilt for the purpose of filming. It's been do in traditional materials by local crafts men, I'm sure it's been patched up numerous times in its 1000+ years of history.  The Guide books say if required you should be able to find a guide in the new village. Forget it, you try getting round with out a guide. Money is the main interest of the local population. 2 children see me across the river and demand 5dh each. The cheeky monkeys get 1dh and a sweet. Every time I take my camera out a child jumps in front of it and demands money for the photo. The people need to make money but the youths in smart designer gear make me question how much they need my money. Back on the surfaced road we head for Quarzazate with its film French Italian and American film studios. By 12.00 it's warm enough to remove a few layers of clothes. It's interesting to see the rudimentary mud shelters with Islamic style domes atop. The only wildlife I've seen so far is the odd sparrow, one stork, a pied wagtail and a lizard being waved in the air by a young lad at the roadside trying to sell it. I've not even seen nomads with livestock. Every mile or so there are shops and stalls selling pots and large colourful plates, there are so many people selling them, I guess they must be made locally.

Just outside the town of Quarzazate some of the large film sets can be seen towering behind the studio walls. In the town we stop for lunch at Restaurant Du Kasbah, over looking the Kasbah. I get the feeling this one as been fabricated by the studios. The meal is Tajine, Kebabs and fruit. By no means cheap at 209dh (£15) but the food was okay and the setting was good, the service was poor though. Driving out into Vallee Du Dades the Kilometres pass beneath us and the landscape becomes more barren. After the large lunch the other 4 passengers are asleep, I'd do the same but Abraham is yawning so it's best to keeping occupied with questions. Thankfully we stop for coffee at El Kelaa M'Gouna. On the left is a solitary rock formation that looks like an Angler fish sat on a rock. The road from El Kelaa M'Gouna is quite a culture shock, continuous road side buildings and people for miles. Running cyclists off the road seems to help keep Abraham awake till Boumalne Dades.

We leave the P32 and turn towards Gorges Du Dades. 30 minutes into the gorge passing numerous photographic opportunities we stopped at the hotel View Du Gorge. Like many buildings around here it is small but grand. There's a small replica of the hotel and other buildings on the hillside opposite. The Hotel, surrounding buildings and the river are crammed into a ginger nut biscuit coloured gorge. The hotel looks like it's just been refurbished and we are the only guests. It has minimal lighting and the only heating is calor gas heaters. One was placed in my room but from the smell of the fumes I didn't think it safe to be left on unless the windows were wide open. There was a tiny shop just up the Gorge from the hotel So I stocked up on water and sweets fro the next day and took a pre dinner walk along the Gorge for 30 minutes. On walking passed a group of men we got the "Hello" as in the Hello sailor type of hello.

Dinner was served in the smoky dinning room, it had a nice warm wood burning fire place. Soup for starters then a communal dish of cous cous with vegetables and raisins with a large bowl of chicken followed by a mountain of oranges. Previously in the shop my eyes lit up when I saw tins of Heineken but disappointment set in when I saw it was alcohol free. I asked the waiter if he could serve beer and wine. 30 minutes later he arrived with 2 tins of "Special" beer and a bottle of red wine. They were wrapped in a black knotted bag and rolled in paper. It is not the done thing for Muslims to be seen purchasing or drinking alcohol he'd probably had to go to some one in the village with a secret supply. Lee, one of the two Korean ladies travelling with us couldn't face the food and had to go to bed. Ho, the other Korean couldn't speak a word of English or French. After finishing the wine I organised a 7am wake up for the 7.30am breakfast and retired. The double bed had a sheet and two thick blankets so after a hot shower I dove in. After waking up every 20 minutes cold, at 6am I lay on top of the and wrapped my self in the blankets like a caterpillar in its cocoon. This worked and I got a little sleep.