Marrakesh: Djellaba and Jeans

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A travel journal to Marrakech by Marianne

Marrakesh Photo - La Mamounia, Marrakech, Morocco

Quote: Marrakesh: mysterious and magic, dim-lit souks, alleyways, the medina. Mysterious figures dressed in djellabas But there is also 'la ville nouvelle', resembling a modern French city, and girls in jeans.

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Marrakesh: Djellaba and Jeans

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Overview

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There are two ‘Marrakeches’, the ‘medina’, the Arab part of the city and ‘la ville nouvelle’. La ville nouvelle, the new city, was developed and built by the French. It’s modern, has wide avenues, traffic lights, roundabouts, cars, nothing special but for the high temperatures in summer. We were there in July and at 11a.m. it was already 45 degrees. In the evening it did not cool down significantly, it was still in the upper 30s. We wanted to escape the heat for a short time and went to McDonalds. When we came in it was cold. I put my travel thermometer on the table and it appeared to be ‘only’ 32 degrees!The ‘real’ Marrakech, and also the ‘tourist’ Marrakech is ...Read More

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La Mamounia

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Hotel

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I didn’t stay here, because it is far too expensive! We only had tea and we took the opportunity to walk in the grounds.There has always been an olive grove in the heart of Marrakesh. An olive grove means water, an oasis. All cities, towns, villages south of the Atlas exist because of the presence of water. In the 18th Century, Sultan Sidi Muhammad gave it to his son as a wedding present. It was the setting for many festivities and whenever noble guests came to Marrakesh they would stay here.Much later, a hotel was built: La Mamounia. The architects made use of all the mysteries the marvels of Morrocan craftmanship. The result is a building you must see for yourself. That is wh...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on January 22, 2002

La Mamounia
Avenue Bab Jdid
Marrakech 40040
(212) 524 388 600

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Souk Zrabia/Main Carpet Souk

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Attraction | "The Carpet Souk"

Marrakesh Photo - Souk Zrabia/Main Carpet Souk, Marrakech, Morocco

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’Vous etes de France?’’Non’.La Grande Bretagnes? Belgique? now a whole catalogue of countries passes the review.No, none of these, I answer.Fifty metres further I turn round: I’m from Holland!’ He comes back, and walks besides us.His act starts: ‘Then we are friends! My cousin, aunt, brother, (whatever he thinks of) lives in Holland’. ‘What a coincidence!’ I know the game. ‘He lives in Utrecht’. (or any other place name he knows) ‘Interesting’, is my response. Now I’ll just see how long it takes him to bring me to his shop. That’s his aim. I like this game.He starts talk...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on January 22, 2002

Souk Zrabia/Main Carpet Souk
Rahba Kedima
Marrakesh, Morocco

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Marrakech Tanneries

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Attraction | "Tanneries"

Marrakesh Photo - Marrakech Tanneries, Marrakech, Morocco

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Tanneries are always outside the medina walls. Take a taxi or walk to Bab Deggagh (entrance to or exit from the medina). There are few souvenir stalls, few tourists, many potholes, much rubbish, many ‘friends’ who want to show you the tanneries, at a cost of course. Decide for yourself wether you ‘hire a friend’. Some of them know a lot, speak understandable French, others are not so good. ...Your guide will guide you into one lane and to another, you will enter dark, you will go up many sinister staircases. And suddenly you will find yourself looking down on an open space with lots of tubs. Tubs of all sizes and colours. Here the hides are dipped in various mixtures, which sho...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on January 22, 2002

Marrakech Tanneries
Outside Bab Debbagh
Marrakesh, Morocco

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Djemaa el Fna/Jamma el-Fnaa

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Attraction | "Jemaa el Fna"

Marrakesh Photo - Djemaa el Fna/Jamma el-Fnaa, Marrakech, Morocco

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The first thing to visit is the city square of Marrakech: Jemaa el Fna. I was slightly disappointed as it is not an example of great architectural beauty. But it’s the people that make it interesting, and its continuous day and night life. Perfomers of every kind put up their shows and continue until the food stalls start to move in, when the sun has set. Jemaa el-Fna owes most of its fame to the large number of spectacles going on all around all the time. Snake charmers, singers, musicians, story tellers and healers attract a large audience. At most tourist destination you will find ‘water sellers’. Generally speaking they have no intention of selling water to you, but they ...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on January 22, 2002

Djemaa el Fna/Jamma el-Fnaa
Medina Quarter
Marrakesh, Morocco

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Gueliz

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Attraction

Marrakesh Photo - Gueliz, Marrakech, Morocco

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Marrakech consists of two parts: the old town, or medina, which dates back over a thousand years; and the new town, called "Gueliz" (after a small mountain at the edge of it), which was designed and built by the French as a planned city early in this century. When you look down the main street you can see the minaret of the Koutoubia mosque and beyond that the High Atlas mountains, capped with snow in winter. The centre of Gueliz is a roundabout and the streets radiate out like spokes of a wheel. This reminded me (a little) of Paris, Place de l’Etoile and the avenues one of which is the Champs Elysee.The French, who occupied Morocco from 1912 to 1956, had a very di...Read More

Member Rating 3 out of 5 on January 22, 2002

Gueliz
La Ville Nouvelle
Marrakesh, Morocco