de Laat Family 2.0: "The Bridge" and Marrakech...

After a quick shower, and breakfast we jumped into the car and sped off back towards the Atlas mountains. Most of the people who stayed with us in the desert had come from Marrakech and warned us that it was a long drive. I had calculated for 8 hours, but they said it was more like 10, and had done it in 2 days, so we wanted a quick start!

It wasn't too long before we started seeing these "mounds" everywhere... hundreds of them, in some sort of "mound" field.

There were some camps around them, and some of them had mill wheel type contraptions on top of them, so we decided they must have been some sort of well... the mounds of dirt being what was dug up.

We passed lots of "Moroccan Traffic Jams" during our trip...

After about an hour on the road, we came to a little town, with a little bridge.

Unfortunately for the little bridge, the people on this bus, and US, there had been a BIG rain the night before. Not surprisingly, rain in teh desert spells flash floods. Apparently the bus had tried to cross early in the morning and was almost swept off. So no one was crossing.

We had the dilemma of, do we turn around and go an extra 300 km out of the way? Or do we wait it out? After much discussion, we decided to wait it out. After about an hour some back-hoes showed up and started creating a place off to the side to help divert the water, and some trucks and SUV's started going through. All with much more clearance than our little Kia (see last post.) After about another hour we saw a Toyota Corolla go through, and then some of the folks that were with us in the desert - so we decided to go for it. I don't think Bas has ever heard me pray out loud, but he did that day!

Guy in "Fez" hat I saw while we were waiting...

Another traffic jam, this time with camels! Click on this to enlarge it and see the age of the boy herding these goats...

To get to Marrakech we would cross the High Atlas range.

Snow capped peaks again.

We drove through the Dades Valley which is known as the Valley of the Kasbahs, because it is lined with kasbahs for like 70 km!

Ruins of a kasbah on the hill.

On this drive from the desert to Marrakech we were supposed to stop and see Ait Ben Haddou - pictured below. But I didn't take this picture, I borrowed it from http://www.trekearth.com/ (a very cool website) because we were so late due to the bridge fiasco that we didn't even have time to stop to eat. Fortunately the car was well stocked with water and snacks!

I thought this was the pass... boy was I wrong.

Lots of towns like this on our way up.

The terraced fields were beautiful, unfortunately the light was fading...

Note the switchback above, which we had just traversed. I wish I had counted these, I was so carsick and it went on forever, and ever, and ever.

It was good and dark by the time we got to Marrakech.

Which was about 10pm. And this time we couldn't find a taxi driver who could tell us where to go. After several phone calls to the Riad, we finally made it. Went and found some dinner, and then collapsed into bed. Loved this Riad, too - funky, eclectic mix of styles.

Breakfast on the roof top terrace.

View of the other roofs.

And down to the alley below. Had to use my flash because it was still so dark down there, and this was the second picture so these guys are looking up to see what was going on... :)

Storks are also symbols of good luck in Morocco, and you see nests for them everywhere. Saw this one coming in for a landing on a neighboring roof.

Down in the courtyard Luna found a turtle. She loved it so much I fear we might have to get her one.

Just as we headed out with our guide, Azzedine, we saw this guys struggling to get his load into a building, so everybody helped!

Walking through the Mellah - the old Jewish Quarter where our Riad was...

Part of the old wall.

Our first stop was the Saadian tombs. The Saadian dynasty took over at the beginning of the 16th century, and restored the glamour to Marrakech after the demise of the Almohads. Or at least that's how my book puts it. These tombs are surrounded by a high wall, and were the final resting place for the who's who of the Saadian rulers. When the Alaouites took control, they sealed the tombs off and destroyed virtually everything else the Saadians had created (like the Badi palace we'll see in a minute.) These weren't rediscovered until 1917, which blows my mind, because of what a large complex it is!

After leaving the tombs, we headed out and around the corner towards the Badi Palace remains.

Love this shot...

Bas and our guide at the neighborhood convenience store where we stopped for some drinks.

More spices... wish I could have brought home all those baskets!

And sitting atop the walls of the Badi palace, lots more stork nests!

SO this is what was left after the Alaouites were finished with the Badi Palace.

Note the recessed gardens in the center of the complex.

This area was where the harem lived...

The tiles you see on the floor are original.

And this is where the great sauna and steam baths were, I can just imagine the ladies from the harem coming up the stairs from their apartments, out into the central courtyard and crossing to take their baths...

Some of the old plumbing.

And one of the baths...

This is from the old jail underneath ground level outside the palace near the Courts.

And after the Badi Palace we went to another palace, but this one from the 19th century.

And the details here were AMAZING.

You can probably tell from the look on Luna's face, but it just went on and on.

This was from their "party" room. It was in the center of the building, had no windows, and therefore they could get away with having alcohol served, and their "performers" do their thing on stage. There were no verses from the Koran on these walls, because of it's nature.

Multi-coffered ceiling.

Back into the Medina...

Cobalt was the specialty in Fes, but red was in Marrakech.

Finally stopped for lunch. Guess what we had? Tagine of course!

Typical produce market...

Could you get more beautiful than this?

These are from the Ben Youseff Madrasa, or former Koranic boarding school. This is another remaining example of the stunning craftsmanship of the Saadian dynasty.

There is typically a pool in the courtyard so that you can wash before praying.

Luna conked out...

The students doubled in their rooms, one would have to climb up to his chamber.

Anterior courtyard, lined with dorm rooms.

These are from the Musee de Marrakech, near the Ben Youssef Madrasa...

This light fixture is not old, but click on the picture so that it enlarges and you can get a feel for its size. It was huge.

The hammam (baths) here have been wonderfully restored.

This is where the fire for the baths blackened the walls and ceiling.

This is the Almoravid Koubba, probably the only surviving Almoravid structure of note. The dome's design was the model for the classic motifs and shapes used in future Moroccan design.

It was really impressive to find this under neath the dome.

Back into the medina...

The dyer's souk.

The SHOES...

Olives...

And finally, Jemaa El Fna... the main square in the medina's "center." It's huge, but each of it's adjoining streets and allies are like capillaries in a maze, that all lead into this huge open area.

Here you see lots of snake charmer's and monkey performers. All want you to pay them for pictures...

And in one corner of the square you find this grand, tree lined avenue which takes you toward the Koutoubia Mosque - the highest structure in the medina, whose towering minaret is visible for miles in any direction. If you're outside the medina, anyway!

Still lots of fun people... these guys sell you a drink of water if you need one. Or they come find you after you take their picture, like this guy did.

Some street performers... apparently they're encouraging much of this type of thing because of the bombing that was in the square about a month before our visit.