Morning in Marrakech

It started off well. Fortified by a hearty breakfast at Hamid’s Airbnb, I set off mid-morning to brave the alleys of the Marrakech medina. I had Google maps and Maps Me on my phone. What could go wrong?

For starters, it was 32 degrees at 10 a.m. I don’t give a damn if it’s a dry heat. Secondly, modern technology sometimes fails when it comes up against the old ways. So what started off as complete trust in GPS ended with a technological whimper and a lot of asking for directions. More on that later.

My first mistake was following some guy who said he was going to the main market, which is where I wanted to go. Of course, he was not going to the main market; he was taking me to the first place that would offer a commission for delivering an unsuspecting tourist – in this case the tanneries. From the sounds of that, it’s not a place for vegetarians or any animal lover for that matter. When I declined to enter, the merchant refused to pay him, so he asked for a tip from me. Since I wasn’t heading there to begin with, he was out of luck on that count as well.

I stopped for coffee in a small square and got my bearings, walking the rest of the way to Jemaa el-Fna with two young women from France who were more lost than I. We finally reached the shade of the marvellous souks around the square, and I lost them in the crowds and the wonder of my surroundings.

It wasn’t long before I fell for scam #2, the old where-are-you-from-I-have-a-friend-in-Toronto routine. This was from two women selling henna tattoos in the square. Before I knew it, one of them was drawing on my left hand and throwing glitter on me. I protested and said I had no money but that didn’t stop her until it finally dawned on her I might be telling the truth (I wasn’t) then she made me promise I’d go back and pay her “whatever I want” after visiting the ATM machine. I did promise, however I lied. I’m learning to play the game.

But the search for the ATM was real, so I continued but not before stopping to get all the @#&%()$# ink off of my hand as it was melting in the sun and running down my arm, onto my backpack, etc. Of course, the glitter was everywhere. And in my panic, I accidentally turned the phone off. When I turned it back on, the SIM card that I bought at the airport was locked and I needed a code to reactivate it. 

Full blown panic. I’m in the middle of the medina with no idea how to get anywhere and without my phone which can at least pinpoint my location I’m truly screwed. But first, I need dirhams. Found the bank. First try, machine out of order. Second try (because I’m learning), success! Then a quick visit to a phone shop and I’m back in business. If you’re ever in need of a secret code for your SIM card, it’s 0000. WTF?

Now, to find a vegetarian meal. A little hole-in-the-wall place with a rooftop and sun protection advertised vegetarian couscous. Unfortunately, it was as Evi warned…everything tastes like lamb. I was hungry, and it’s possible that if it had tasted like chicken or even trout, I would have gone ahead and indulged. But baby sheep? Not gonna happen. Thankfully the salad, lentils and bread were good.

When giving instructions for both going to and leaving the main square, folks in Marrakech will tell you to bear right. This can only be true for one or the other scenario. It’s up to you to figure out which.