Day 262 : More Marrakesh and Moroccan tea ceremony

After having a quick overview of Marrakesh yesterday, I zoomed in on the highlights closer to the old town which was worth a closer exploration.

Palais Bahia

This place is completely breath taking!  Comprising a number of courtyards all nicely tiled and decorated Moroccan style and extremely lavish.  It was built in the late 19th century,with a 8000 sq.m garden with rooms opening onto courtyards, and was intended to be the greatest palace of it time.

Palais Badia

Completely opposite of Palais Bahia, what remains are remnants of a palace commissioned in 1578 that took 25 years to built.  The original building is thought to have consisted of 360 rooms, a courtyard of about 15,000 sq.m and a pool of 1,800 sq m and richly decorated with Italian marble and gold.  Apparently it was torn apart in 1700, so that Sultan Moulay Ismail can use the materials to decorate his own palace in Meknes.

Tombs Saadiens

For tombs that dated back in the 17th century, the architecture of this place is still tremendously well preserved.  It is said that the mausoleum comprises the interments of about sixty members of the Saadi Dynasty that originated in the valley of the Draa River.

Koutoubia Mosque

This is the largest mosque in Marrakesh, and located next to the Place Jema el Fna.  It is said that the minaret of the Koutoubia mosque is to Marrakech as the Eiffel Tower is to Paris and is beautiful when lit up in the evenings.  Entry was only allowed to muslims.

Old Medina, Tea Ceremony and Arabic dressing

After visiting the key sights, I shopped around the Medina for last minute souvenirs.  At one of the stores where I purchased some ear rings, I met Jamal who was helping out at his uncle’s shop and invited me to join him for tea and saw how tea was made the Moroccan way.  Jamal 1st brewed the hot water before pouring it into a tea pot with tea and mint leaves.  He poured out the 1st cup of tea, and subsequently threw out the water for the 2nd cup before pouring the 3rd, total opposite from Chinese tea making!

While enjoying the tea, we had some interesting conversations about travel and where I had visited in Morocco.  When Jamal realised that they did not dress me up in Arabian costume when riding the camel into our tents at the Sahara, he took one of the headscarves in the shop and dressed me up in the traditional Arabian headgear and nicked name me “Fatimah Couscous” :P

He also shared that he manages 2 hotels in Marrakesh and said that I can stay there the next time I travel to Marrakesh.  As we continued chatting, he asked if I had plans for tonight and suggested to show me a night out in town as there are some good clubbing sports.  So we agreed to meet in the main square at 8pm.

With about 4 hours till the meeting time, I continued walking around the Medina and I must have made a wrong turn along the way.  I was lost as I seemed to have ventured on a street which looked more residential and a non-touristy area.  It was also slowly getting dark and felt that I should get out of the area soon, and contemplated turning back.  Just as I was about to turn back, I saw signs directing back to Place Jema el Fna and got out of the area before it went completely dark. 

I grabbed dinner from Kiosk No. 14, which was supposedly one of the famous ones in the main square, followed by a special tea, before heading back to the hostel for a night out in town!  All very yum!