The Cities of Morocco

         'I thought Morocco only had rugs' was a remark made by one of my photographer friends when they saw my photograph of the Dades river gorge.  This was an example  of the cocoon we often live in, not knowing enough about other lands.  I found out on my visit to Morocco that it had rugs and a lot more.  In fact I did not even buy a rug.
        Marrakesh is a city with a good blend of the old(the medina) and the new.  The famous square with performers, fortune tellers, crafts and food stalls has something for everybody.  Having grown up in Delhi, India, bustling and chaotic markets which one had to go to, to find that very special thing at a great price, were a familiar sight.  Still it was amazing to see the variety of people, trade and transport which moved in harmony with each other!  Cars seem to travel in all directions with pedestrians and cyclists deftly able to dodge them.  Performers eagerly approached tourists to have their photographs taken.  And of course negotiating the best price for an item in the souks(marketplaces) was a necessity of being in this place!
         But perhaps the high point of our trip to Marrakesh was watching the sunset over the Koutibia mosque while the muezzin made a call for prayer with 'Allahu Akbar'.  Rush hour traffic roared in front of the mosque, yet this was one of the most peaceful and beautiful moments of the evening.  We would be experiencing several of these peaceful moments of  'call to prayer' during our visit in the days to come.
         When we visited the oldest city Fez with its medina, we felt we had been transported to the fourteenth century.  People bustled though narrow alleys carrying on their trade.  Products being sold included live chickens, leather, crafts, food items, clothing, all displayed attractively for easy purchase.  Amidst the world of commerce, their was also the world of worship with various mosques.  As the call for prayer rang out,  people rushed through the alleys to get to the mosque on time.  A peaceful, spiritual atmosphere pervaded the mosque areas.  It was amazing to see so many different worlds co-exist in harmony.  The architecture of the most famous  Kairouyine Mosque and Senegalese Mosque was grand with intricate carvings and artwork.
More images of the Moroccan cities can be seen in this  preview of my DVD - Morrocco - The Magical Journey.