A day in Marrakesh

Free breakfast. Light rain.

Decide to head out to Jardin Marjoralle.

ATM for more cash, 2000 MAD2000 MAD no fee.

Coffee stop and people watching. Didn’t ask the price first.
12 MAD12 MAD

Join the line to get into the gardens at 11:20am. My 40 minute wait estimate was right on the money.
70 MAD70 MAD entrance fee.

Free toilet before we leave.
1 MAD1 MAD tip.

Look in some shops, Stef buys a decorative tagine.
120 MAD120 MAD

Start walking to the Medina. Get accosted by a friendly local. He gives us a sample of a sweet from someone’s stall, directions to the Medina, and some free mint from someone’s stand.

We carry on walking. But the guy appears again. Wants us to follow him. Tries telling us some history. We try to tell him we will find it ourselves.

He points out an entrance to a mosque, and then invites us in to someone’s house to see where they are baking bread. I decide it is safe enough to enter, Stef stays on the street initially. We don’t want to pay 10 MAD10 MAD for a photo, so are hurried out.

He finally realises our continued discomfort and leaves, but not before asking for some money for “the mint”. But seems genuinely happy with 5 MAD5 MAD

We are free. And seek further refuge on a restaurant balcony.

Tagine 50 MAD50 MAD and a coffee de lait 12 MAD12 MAD
Paid 75 MAD75 MAD, not quite correct maths.

Check out some of the street shops.

Bought some argan cream for their price, not good at bargaining, and it smelt nice.
40 MAD40 MAD

Looking at a necklace to wear, and hang from the rearview mirror of the car. Guy adjusts it for me and gets me to try it on. Then tells me the price, 350 MAD350 MAD. Say it’s too much and walk away. Asks me my price, I say 200 MAD200 MAD. Refuses, then asks again for my final price, I stick with 200 MAD200 MAD and he calls me back to make the sale.

Stef wants to buy a bright pink pouffe, a guy assists us by taking us to all manner of shops. One includes a shop with an outstanding view.

After, he takes us to his brother’s store. We buy nothing.

Stef buys an anklet in the street for 30 MAD30 MAD down from the asking price of 50 MAD50 MAD

We pop into Bazaar café for a beer.
35 MAD35 MAD Stork beer. WiFi and sunshine.

Low power, down to one phone with 20% battery.

Walk past a jaguar skin. Think surely that’s not too common, we’ve seen it before. Hey we live near here. Yup, jaguar skin, salon…

Back to accom. for an outfit change and charging. Rest.

Head out around 7pm to look at the infamous Marrakesh market square and find somewhere for dinner.

Nut snack from a street man.
3 MAD3 MAD yum.

Phone shop for glass screen protector for Stef.
30 MAD30 MAD fast, easy.

Minutes into the Jemaa el-Fna market and boom, guy wants me to touch a snake. We just want a photo of the snakes. Despite everything I know, I’ve soon traded my phone for 2 snakes. As much as I like snakes, I have done this before. The guy ignores my “I don’t want to give you any money” and soon I’m sitting in the middle of his legged and unlegged crew. Guy is trying to get a photo of a cobra on my phone, I’m trying to keep my wits about me.

I get my phone back, then they ask for 350 MAD350 MAD to be shared amoungst the group. I say that’s too much money for me and that I come from a poor country. I lie that I’m a student, and put 50 MAD50 MAD in his tray. He says that’s not enough. I cave and leave100 MAD100 MAD poorer.

Soon we are harassed by every food stall, all trying to compete for our dinner.

We make our way past, only to be accosted by more restaurants. We look at prices. But continue to look for the olive square and spice markets.

This sweet stand was like something out of an anime horror movie. But guy not happy about photos, so we ended up buying a box of sweets.
50 MAD50 MAD for 10, plus one free.

All the stalls want us for dinner, I don’t know why eating at one of them was even an option, but tired from the constant harassment we pick one. Prices look ok, but we make the mistake of letting them order for us and all the little things add up. Ended up being 360 MAD360 MAD and not amazingly great.
Expensive.
230 MAD230 MAD for me.

Leaves you feeling stupid and duped. Then get told I’m a liar and a bloody tourist by another stall who thought I was coming back to eat there.

Walk home before the rain, so skip the terrace bar. No one around at the hotel to make us tea.

Try the sweets. All taste similar and not great.

People I’ve offended today: heaps.

Rain isn’t happening. So head out to get a coffee and a beer on the rooftop of Bazaar café.
Coffee.
30 MAD30 MAD
Beer.
35 MAD35 MAD

Post some photos and lol. Befriend a manky cat. And get spoken to in French.

Walk home, get offered hash a few times, and a guy follows us and ask us for 1 MAD1 MAD for food. We say no and go into the hotel.

Shower. Bed.

Total spent: 1090 MAD1090 MAD