Magical Morocco
by Cathy Winston
It seems somehow wrong that it takes only three and a half hours to
reach another world.
 It should be arduous, complicated and time-consuming - certainly not
quicker than a car journey from Edinburgh to London.
But that's what happens when you travel to Morocco. Taking off, it is a
bleak November day, complete with grey skies and miserable faces. Then,
only hours later, we arrive in a place where the sun is shining, and
everything seems to operate on maximum.
Marrakech is 1,000 times louder, faster, smellier (both good and bad)
and more vibrant than Britain. I loved it.
There's no doubt Morocco is a very different world, and nowhere more so
than Djemaa el Fna, Marrakech's main square. If Morocco is the meeting
place of Europe, Africa and the Middle East, Djemaa el Fna is the
collision.
Eerie snake charmers' music battles for attention alongside
storytellers, while the tooth puller relaxes behind a rug displaying
dentures mingling with the real thing. Berber women sell handmade
baskets during the day, and provide henna tattoos into the evening, as a
string of stalls offers just-squeezed orange juice and a range of fresh
food, from snails to pitta, while the mint of the ubiquitous tea scents
the air.
You'd think it was a show put on for the tourists, but there are at
least as many Marrakchis as foreigners wandering through the charcoal
haze and enjoying their evening stroll.
 But if the sheer exuberance becomes tiring - not to mention dodging the
motorbikes, which zip through the narrow alleyways - behind the walls
are hidden havens of peace.
It's traditional, we're told, for Moroccan houses to be plain on the
outside - meaning down the most unpromising streets, behind a very
ordinary wall, are beautifully decorated homes, or riads, many of which
have been converted into hotels.
Ours, the Riad Fabiola, has only four rooms - as well as a tiled
courtyard with a pool, and two roof terraces to watch the sun set over
the red city, or enjoy breakfast lounging on cushions high above the
streets.
Fortified by some very strong coffee, baguette - a legacy of the French
'Protectorate' of the last century - and Moroccan crepes, which remind
us of flat crumpets, it's time to explore again.
A lot of the city's attractions are found simply by wandering through
the streets of the medina - the old walled city - bargaining in the
souk, and people-watching, not to mention enjoying the fabulous food.
But there are several must-sees for any visitor. Our guide whisks us off
into the maze of streets, heading first to the Mellah - the old Jewish
quarter - with its balconied houses, once home to a thriving population
of Moroccan Jews.
The name comes from the Arabic word for salt, and we're told two
different reasons for this. Firstly that the Jews controlled the
enormously lucrative salt trade - as valuable, weight for weight, as
gold. The second is that the Jews had the unenviable task of salting the
heads of the king's enemies before they were displayed on the medina
walls.
 In this quarter is the El Bahia Palace, the home of a grand vizier who
ruled during the late 19th century. The palace is named after his first
wife - 'the beautiful one' - who, incidentally, was one of four, along
with the women of the harem. So says our guide, who shakes his head at
the idea of having several wives. Expensive and more trouble than it's
worth, he shrugs.
Emptied of furniture, you still get an impression of its majesty from
the decorations - intricately painted cedar wood ceilings, ornamental
tiles with stunning geometric designs, and lush gardens.
During the imperial city's history, each dynasty wanted to leave its
mark. Our next stop is the tombs of one of those dynasties, the 16th
century Saadians - narrow marble vaults in a cool chambered room, while
out under the sun, the graves of their servants are a blaze of tiles.
Nearby, an earlier dynasty, the 12th century Almohads, made an even
greater mark - building the Koutoubia Mosque, whose 65m-high minaret
dominates the skyline.
Complete with a white flag for those who can't hear the call to prayer,
it's topped by three golden balls, which legend tells were the jewellery
of a Sultana, melted down after she accidentally ate three grapes during
the fast of Ramadan.
But no trip would be complete without a walk through the souks - a
labyrinth of stalls selling everything from dates and spices to leather
and wood, metalwork and, inevitably, carpets. It's almost impossible not
to get lost unless you're with a guide, but that's half the fun - just
wear comfortable shoes, and enjoy the haggling.
An eight-hour drive from Marrakech lies the city of Fes, and it's well
worth the trip, not least for the chance to drive through the Atlas
Mountains.
 Their snow-capped peaks provide a stunning, if unlikely, backdrop to
Djemaa el Fna - as you travel, you move from the dry, dusty treeless
lowlands to Alpine-style villages at the summit. You can even going
skiing.
We push on to the sunshine in Fes, pausing only to wave to a few Barbary
apes and camels settled comfortably by the roadside.
The ancient city, another former imperial capital, is similar to
Marrakech in many ways. There's a walled medina - where our beautiful
riad, Riad Mabrouka, is based - and, outside, the modern ville nouvelle
built by the French. But the atmosphere here seems quite different.
It's partly the quietness of the medina, where no cars are allowed, but
it's also the pace of a city which, in many ways, has changed little
since medieval times. The maze of over 9,000 streets is still walked by
men in long, hooded robes while donkeys transport goods to warning cries
of 'balek!'
But look a little closer and the men are chatting into mobile phones and
the donkeys are carrying a variety of modern paraphernalia - we even
spot a fridge freezer strapped to one's back.
One thing that hasn't changed is the old crafts. Traditional blue and
white pottery is still made by hand; beaten bronze and silver plates are
transformed from plain dishes by artists armed only with hammers and a
single metal tool.
And, most famous of all, the Fes tanneries operate the same way they did
centuries ago - fortunately visitors are provided with a large bunch of
mint, as they smell pretty much the same too.
 The process is fascinating. Looking down from the rooftops, the round
clay holes look like a child's paint pot, although at least some are
filled with a noxious white mixture containing pigeon droppings. Men
scramble around immersed to their knees scraping, hauling, beating,
swirling, cleaning and dyeing the hides, which are transformed into
Morocco's famous leather.
There's plenty of hidden gems tucked away down the maze of alleyways,
from an old synagogue in the Jewish quarter to a medersa - where
students study the Koran - as well as the blue and green tiled gate, the
Bab Bou Jeloud.
Sadly the 9th century Kairouane Mosque, which can hold 20,000
worshippers, is currently closed for restoration. But you can visit the
tomb of the city's founder - still a place of prayer for many - and the
Dar Batha Museum, housing a collection of artistic, religious and
household objects, and set in wonderful gardens.
The only drawback is having to return so soon - you could easily spend
weeks in either of these cities. Fortunately, with Morocco so close, you
could even fly out for a weekend of sun, souks and sightseeing.
As we were told so often - even when we turned down yet another chance
to buy a carpet - you are welcome in Morocco.
nuts4facts
:: Cathy Winston was a guest of Kuoni Travel, which offers two centre
stays in Morocco in 2007 from ?480 (two sharing) per person, including
three nights in a ouradroom at the Riad Fabiola in Marrakech and four
nights in a bayda room at the Riad Mabrouka Fez, both on B&B terms. UK
domestic flights available from ?105 per person.
:: Kuoni reservations: 01306 747 008/www.kuoni.co.uk
:: Further images of Morocco are available from Kuoni Travel, contact
Anne-Marie Hansen, on 01306 744 173, or email
anne-marie.hansen@kuoni.co.uk. Or contact Sarah Bolam, on 01306 744 194.
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