![\"\"](\"https:\/\/happybuddha.co.uk\/spiritual-crafts\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Ait_Ben_Haddou-1024x656.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nThe taxi driver had great difficulty locating the street, but also navigating the narrow old brick lanes. Nothing was signposted, and everything very dusty with every door looking the same. After about an hour we had approximately 15 of the locals out helping us find it. Most only spoke French or Arabic and they were very interested in shaking hands and welcoming us into Morocco. They of course all wanted tips, which you become very accustomed to in Africa. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
After locating the Riad, we were quickly shown to the room. You do not get given a key in many instances in Morocco. We were also not given any water and the manager went straight back to bed. We knew it wasn’t wise to drink the tap water there so we just went to bed exhausted. Come morning, we headed straight out to get our bearings and to locate some bottled water. We were amongst the poorest of backstreets of the Medina, and all the local children just wanted to greet us and shake hands again. It’s like they had never seen white people before. We saw an exit gate of the medina walls and decided to explore to see if we could get water outside. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We were instantly hit with the strongest of rubbish decomposition smells, coupled with the glaring hot sun. We did manage to find a trader on the street who had bottled water to sell us. We paid 40p a bottle and it was relieving and refreshing, allowing us to continue with our exploration. Due to the blazing sun, and zero shelter, we decided to head back into the ‘alley-way’ walls of the Ancient city. It was also good to get away from those pungent smells, which I can still smell to this day!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We headed to the heart of Marrakech, Jemaa el Fna Square. Here you will find thousands and thousands of market traders, and artisan craftsmen all busy at their skilful and traditional work. The centre is bustling, noisy, colourful and vibrant; with plenty of fresh fruit, local produce, a beautiful garden centre, souvenir stalls, dancers, story tellers, snake charmers, monkeys, donkeys and horses. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Just behind the plaza are all the backstreets where everyone famously gets lost, in a winding labyrinth of narrow alleyways. They are known as the souks. The souks are the heart of the Marrakech medina and have been the centre for trade in the city for a thousand years. Crafts people make their way to the Medina to sell their wares, and this market in particular just grew bigger and bigger. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/happybuddha.co.uk\/spiritual-crafts\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/moroccosafe2-1024x600.jpeg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/happybuddha.co.uk\/spiritual-crafts\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Digital-Nomad-Morocco-Guide-Jemaa-el-Fnaa-in-Marrakesh-930x620-1.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/happybuddha.co.uk\/spiritual-crafts\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Marrakech-2.0-scaled-1-1024x643.webp\")
<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"Happy](\"https:\/\/happybuddha.co.uk\/spiritual-crafts\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Happy-Buddha-In-Marrakech-Morocco.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"