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The Grand Wazoo
15-02-2011, 15:28
Last November, my wife & I took the first proper holiday we've had in quite a while. We're not really beach holiday kind of folks, preferring usually to go to forests, deserts, mountains & canyons, so we chose to go to Marrakech in Morocco. The plan was to spent a few days in the city either side of a spell in the Atlas Mountains. I've wanted to see these mountains close up for myself ever since I flew over them as a nipper.
As my luck would have it, I contracted a serious case of food poisoning, so we were stuck in the city for 10 days.
But what a city!

The photos we took were mostly of architecture and architectural features, but there was plenty of other interesting stuff to be seen. The most important thing was that on the way out and back Easyjet laid on a special flight for Mr & Mrs Wazoo. I don't think it had ever been Frank's private jet, but it was a nice touch eh?

http://img819.imageshack.us/img819/1163/dscf1706k.jpg


Landing in Marrakech airport is a bit tricky as they don't have radar! Yikes! We had to have a second run at it as there was a light plane below us on our first crack at it.

So the first morning we took a stroll into the city centre, the focal point of which is the Koutoubia Mosque. This has a 69 metre high tower and had to be demolished and rebuilt when they realised that it wasn't perfectly aligned to Mecca. It was finished in the 12th century.

http://img694.imageshack.us/img694/7952/dscf1489v.jpg

It also doubles as one of the biggest loudspeaker enclosures on the planet! Tannoy Lockwoods - pah!

http://img412.imageshack.us/img412/6936/dscf1485c.jpg

Next up was a stroll over to the souk - the largest traditional market in the country, which is next to the Djemaa el Fna - the famous (and massive) square that's populated by snake charmers, performers, sellers and traditional storytellers.

Carpets:
http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/5136/dscf1528i.jpg

Dried fruit:
http://img703.imageshack.us/img703/8338/dscf1530t.jpghttp://img835.imageshack.us/img835/6993/dscf1532bb.jpg

Spices:
http://img823.imageshack.us/img823/9499/dscf1641.jpg

The souk is absolutely huge, is mostly covered and is one of the busiest places you could imagine, day and night. The types of goods for sale are roughly segregated into areas - all the leather shops together, the basket makers here, the spice stalls over there etc etc.

Here's a panorama of one corner of the square and the edge of the souk, taken from the balcony of the Cafe de Paris

http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/6476/dscf1661.jpg

In the souk:

http://img705.imageshack.us/img705/1757/dscf1678u.jpghttp://img80.imageshack.us/img80/5834/dscf1684b.jpg

To be continued...............

Marco
15-02-2011, 17:25
Excellent stuff, Chris - keep it coming :)

Looks a very interesting place!

Marco.

Techno Commander
15-02-2011, 18:08
Superb. We are heading out there later in the year. I am quite looking forwaed to it.

Reid Malenfant
15-02-2011, 18:15
I wasn't going to comment as you mentioned it "to be continued" but seeing as others have...

Great pics Chris, looks like a different planet in all honesty ;) A friend of mine & his wife were there for a week long break recently, must ask him if he took any pictures :)

I can't get over how they stack that dried fruit up & not expect it to jump onto the ground as it would here in the UK... Looks like it's lit up like a chrismas tree at night, fantastic.

Yep, more pics please!

The Grand Wazoo
15-02-2011, 18:44
A really fantastic & interesting part of the world. The fact that I was sick as a dog & couldn't get to the mountains only means we have to go back sometime!

The Grand Wazoo
16-02-2011, 00:10
Here's a bit more.......

Railway Station - Outside in:
http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/6056/dscf1491r.jpg

Inside out:
http://img577.imageshack.us/img577/3513/dscf1493f.jpg

Chaotic traffic / Brave man!
http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/6290/dscf1556p.jpg

Gate in the Medina (ancient city) walls:
http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/941/dscf1557.jpg

Incredible colours:
http://img691.imageshack.us/img691/8109/dscf1524x.jpg
http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/9479/dscf1501f.jpg

There's that mosque again:
http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/994/dscf1582.jpg

Decorative tiles:
http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/8384/dscf1605a.jpg
http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/7682/dscf1631u.jpghttp://img203.imageshack.us/img203/192/dscf1693v.jpg

Do the sweets remind you of anything?

Still hungry? The Rolling Stones weren't kidding - Goat's Head Soup stall:
http://img813.imageshack.us/img813/2372/dscf1688.jpg

Rare Bird
16-02-2011, 02:22
Nice Chris, i've always wanted to go out Morocco way. The wife would have a field day in those markets ..Did you bring a rug back at all?

The Grand Wazoo
16-02-2011, 07:33
No, we've got more rug than floor already!

MartinT
16-02-2011, 08:13
Excellent photos, Chris. It strongly reminds me of Istanbul, which we've booked for a holiday in July. One of my favourite places in the world.

The Grand Wazoo
17-02-2011, 14:27
Can you put up with a few more?


http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/9053/dscf1510o.jpghttp://img594.imageshack.us/img594/3070/dscf1522.jpg

Back in the souk - d'you like olives?
http://img822.imageshack.us/img822/7038/dscf1667s.jpg

Hustle? Bustle?
http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/7606/dscf1671n.jpg

No hustle. No bustle - The Royal Garden (basically 100's of acres of huge olive groves irrigated by a reservoir)
http://img535.imageshack.us/img535/6379/dscf1578p.jpg

On our last day in the city, it was the beginning of the Moroccan celebration of Eid-ul-Adha. The main part of this festival is the sacrifice of (usually) a sheep and most of the meat is given to the poor.
First get your sheep!
http://img825.imageshack.us/img825/8761/dscf1698s.jpg


Finally, at our hotel, the maid would fold the bath mat and the bedsheets a different way every day - What's that all about then?
Black Belt in Origami
http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/317/dscf1499a.jpghttp://img152.imageshack.us/img152/8965/dscf1704b.jpg


I suppose the favourite image of the lot has to be this from the Cafe de Paris. It's not a good photo, I don't think - but it's a great picture. The sky is just astonishing.

http://img543.imageshack.us/img543/2706/dscf1659.jpg

keiths
17-02-2011, 15:57
Can you put up with a few more?

Yep - I could quite happily look at them all day.

Looks a great place - I must try and go there sometime.

Beechwoods
17-02-2011, 21:34
Cor blimey... fantastic pictures. What a place. And that last pic is fab Chris.

Bazil
18-02-2011, 20:52
Wow,great pics they really give a feeling of having been there myself , if you know what I mean.

Barry
18-02-2011, 21:52
Been meaning to get around to responding to this thread Chris. Your photos are great and capture what I love about countries having an Islamic culture and the architecture that goes with it.

I'm not too familiar with Morocco - I have only visited Casablanca on a couple of occasions as a stop-over for a day or two either on way to, or return from, countries in West Africa: Mauritania and Mali.

If you are interested in mosque architecture, the Hassan II mosque in Casablanca is well worth a visit.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a5/Hassan_II_Mosque_in_the_evening_%28js%29.jpg/800px-Hassan_II_Mosque_in_the_evening_%28js%29.jpg


" The great Hassan II Mosque was commissioned by its namesake, King Hassan II, in part to provide Casablanca with a single landmark monument. On his birthday, July 9, 1980, the king declared:

[I]I wish Casablanca to be endowed with a large, fine building of which it can be proud until the end of time... I want to build this mosque on the water, because God's throne is on the water. Therefore, the faithful who go there to pray, to praise the creator on firm soil, can contemplate God's sky and ocean.

Designed by French architect Michel Pinseau, construction of the Hassan II Mosque began in July 1986 on land reclaimed (without compensation to the former residents) from a run-down area near the sea. The goal for completion of the mosque was King Hassan II's 60th birthday in 1989, but it ended up not being finished until August 30, 1993.

The project is estimated to have cost as much as $800 million, funds that were remarkably raised entirely from public subscription. International reports have suggested both local resentment and less-than-voluntary donations to the project, but Moroccans seem to be genuinely proud of their monument. The massive fundraising also had a positive side-effect: it temporarily reduced Morocco's money supply and brought down inflation."

The mosque boasts the world's tallest minaret.



Anyway back to Marrakech and to your photo of Djamaa El-Fna (Place of the Dead?). Well that clinched it - to paraphrase the words of Victor Kyam: "I was so impressed, I've booked myself a week there this Summer".

Regards

The Grand Wazoo
18-02-2011, 23:46
I think the accepted translation of Djamaa El-Fna is 'Assembly of the Dead' but there are many meanings that could be ascribed to it. I don't think the origin is clearly known. The wonderful thing about this square and the souk is that, although they are obviously a big draw to tourists, the local people use them as an integral part of their everyday lives, which is great.

I'm so glad that some AoS folks liked the photos and it maybe stirred some interest from some for a future potential trip. Full marks to Barry, though!

We're thinking about where our next trip could be to already, & a big part of me wants to go back to Marrakech asap.

Alex_UK
19-02-2011, 00:17
:wow: at the last piccie especially!

Pete The Cat
20-02-2011, 20:12
Excellent postings.

Plus I'm now able to tell my wife that time spent on this forum is genuinely educational...

Pete

The Grand Wazoo
30-04-2011, 20:07
I've been (uncharacteristically for me) well away from news reports over the last few days & just this morning learnt of the bomb that went off in Marrakech on Thursday. The cafe that was attacked was one that we sat in for an hour or so one evening watching the action in the Djamaa El-Fna square. We were beside the ground floor opening on the left in the photo here:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/apr/29/marrakech-cafe-bomb-experts-sift-wreckage

Why?

Reid Malenfant
30-04-2011, 20:13
Why?
:confused: Some people are nuts Chris, i'm just glad you went when you did which has resulted in you still being here & not one of the casualties :)

Gotta feel sorry for those that are, but at the end of the day i probably don't know them. I have a little bit more of a connection to you though.

Thing Fish
30-04-2011, 20:42
Nice photos Chris. I love travelling around the world visiting new places. I get such a buzz.

MartinT
30-04-2011, 22:06
Why?

Sad to say, it's always religion :(

Thing Fish
30-04-2011, 22:13
Sad to say, it's always religion :(

I'd ban any sort of religion for a start!!!!!!!!

Alex_UK
30-04-2011, 22:14
I'd ban any sort of religion for a start!!!!!!!!

Its just a convenient label - take away religion and extremists would find another one I suspect. :(

Welder
01-05-2011, 15:14
“I'd ban any sort of religion for a start!!!!!!!!”

For a guy who put considerable effort into defending the recent royal wedding which after all is one of the greatest shows of monarchy and religion hand in hand and by your own word you swore allegiance to the Queen who is the head of The Church Of England I cant help but see a some inconsistency here Dave.

Just a thought ;)

Thing Fish
01-05-2011, 17:15
I could state my case but to be honest don't want to hijack this thread or get into religious arguments.;) Look how the last thread turned out...:doh:

Any more pictures. The last ones were great...