Day 3 in Marrakech

Today I went on a really, really long walk - even by my standards. Essentially I walked non-stop from about 10:45am until 6pm. My lower back is getting a bit sore from all the walking! But I have seen some great sights, including some of the typical tourist monuments in the southern part of the Medina, such as the Saadian Tombs, the El Badi Palace, and the Bahia Palace.

My two favorite parts were the Mellah and an industrial/artisanal area that I found accidentally. I also really liked the Photography Museum, which had been suggested by my hosts.

The Mellah is the old Jewish quarter, which dates back to the mid-16th century. Today there are very few remaining Jewish families (most have moved to Casablanca, France or Israel), and a single Synagogue, which you would never know was there unless you read about it in a guide (as I did). I thought the Mellah had a lot more character than the northern part of the Medina: much less touristy, and with much more evidence of everyday life.

Later, as I explored a portion of the Medina that I had not yet seen, I found myself going along a road flanked on both sides by walls. On the right, the wall was essentially continuous, while on the left there were occasional gates, each leading to courtyards onto which opened a variety of artisan's shops. Not the kind for tourists, literally the folks who make the things that eventually make their way to the markets and shops. Judging by the looks I was getting, not many tourists venture in there. I saw people doing furniture, doors, textiles, various metal items, and many other crazy things. Very cool.

Another interesting experience: at the very southern end of the Medina lies the Royal Palace, which is completely walled off with its entrance on the far side, facing an enormous plaza / boulevard, which is surrounded by walls and ornate arches leading off in various directions. At one point I was standing some 100yards from one of the arches, which to me looked like another arch but it turns out to be the entrance to the courtyard that leads into the Royal Palace. As I pointed my camera in that direction, one of a group of secret-service looking dudes started yelling at me and then charged in my direction. There was also a small group of tourists near me and he yelled at both of us. Once he reached us he made me show my most recent pictures to ensure that we had not taken any pictures of them or of the palace. Wild.

Before getting back to my Riad I stopped at the Photography Museum, which, in addition to some very cool photographs (mostly B&W from old time Morocco), also has a terrace that gave me a spectacular view of the city at dusk.

I capped off the evening with what has become a customary stroll around the Jmaa El Fna square, with its crazy performers and its rows of food stalls. I had a three-part meal consisting of the same "Escargot soup" that I had last night (10Dhram), then set at a stall where I had lentils and Lemon Chicken cooked in a Tajin (20Dh) and finally had another one of those chocolaty desserts I had the night before with the ginger tea (5Dh). Total cost of a rather filling dinner: 35Dh = about $3.5.