The Day of Exploration: Part 3

I walked through the souks, past doors of all shapes and colors, past hanging scarves, past the smell of new leather, to my friend's shop. 

He had prepared tajine, filled with Moroccan spices. A large dish shared with 7 neighboring shop owners, eaten with our hands!

No plates, no utensils... who needs a fork when you have bread to scoop and sop?

After lunch, we ventured to a land called the dyer's souk. In this world, wool hangs from the sky! in the most vibrant & rich colors!

Dyed wool & natural wool

And this table of natural dyes, it's rather deceiving. The orange turns blue, and the grey turns pink...

What better way to end this great Day of Exploration than with some Moroccan pastries and fresh juice?

Here's to another sunny day in Morocco!

The Day of Exploration: Part 2

...as I was saying...
This Day of Exploration brought me past the Eloussta Mosque... A modern minaret adorned with zellij {geometric mosaic tile work}.

And I then found myself at Musee de Marrakech (the Museum of Marrakech... it just sounds fancier in French!). A 19th century palace now with art, jewelry, & ceramics hidden within its many little corridors. 

Even if there was nothing hanging on the walls, they would be far from bare, as the has-been-palace itself is just gorgeous.

 

Look up!

 

Just across the way is Ibn Youssef Medersa, a wonder of the world. This was once a Koranic school- once the largest university in the country. Every square inch is something to see- zellij tilework, carved cedarwood, ornate plaster with the most intricate detailing (which is called geps by the way!).

Oooooh! Aaaaah!

Peeking in a student dormitory room

A gift from a new acquaintance... my name written in Arabic calligraphy! How kind! There is no better gift to share than talent.

I watched so closely, so intently, as his pen delicately stroked the paper. And it seems I was not the only onlooker!

I shared my appreciation with a thank you! shokran! and walked through the souks...

...past mounds of colorful olives...

...into The Day of Exploration: Part 3! (so sorry, but I just took too many pictures to put in one, or even two, posts!)

The Day of Exploration: Part 1

I finally saw Morocco... the real Morocco. Yes, I know, I have been here for over a month. But it wasn't until The Day of Exploration that some flicker of magic opened my eyes and allowed me to really see where I am.

It all started with this pastry.

I have absolutely no idea what was inside, and no level of charades or sound effects would have ever been able to help me understand. But my taste buds found paradise in every bite.

The first stop on The Day of Exploration was Bab Agnaou, dating back to the 12th century. Bab means gate and there are many of them leading into the Marrakech Medina (old city). This is the only gate made of stone that still stands and is by far the most beautiful...

Next stop: the Saadian Tombs built between the 16th & 17th centuries, containing about 60 leading members of the Saadian Dynasty. This is where I saw it, where I really began to feel it... the tilework caught my eye... then the ornate plaster... the geometric patterns... the carved wood. I find the antiquity so captivating.

 Moroccan tip #5: Remember to look up!

I left the Saadian Tombs and walked past some color...

...toward the Badi Palace. Badi means marvelous, and what an appropriate name it is! A courtyard the length of 2 football fields and a pool that took so much self restraint not to jump into. (dark pants in weather over 100 degrees... bad choice!)

I left & walked past Moroccan spices, soaps, scarves...

...until I reached Bahia Palace ("palace of the beautiful"). Breath-taking! Tilework, banana trees, carved plaster, and courtyards. Just look at the detail!

Arabic calligraphy is a common decorative art form

And don't forget, look up!

I continued onward through town, and suddenly started noticing more... more color, more pattern, more craftsmanship, more Morocco than I ever had before!

I stopped to get a glass of orange juice from a seemingly nice & jolly man with a terrible agenda. Juice is 4 Dh, not 40. Nice try.

The small bit of negativity after my orange juice argument did not at all alter my overall positivity on The Day of Exploration. I continued on...

Shop on wheels

I have no idea what this says, but I imagine it says something like "this is my parking spot."

I continued on to a place you will see and read about in The Day of Exploration: Part 2!