We have breakfast, and then are off to see more of Marrakech, heading first to the Saadian Tombs. We have entered the area through the Bab Aguenaou, considered the most elegant gate in Marrakech. It is a 12th century carved stone archway and is the only surviving Almohad gateway in Marrakech. The Berber translation for Aguenaou is “the mute ram without horns”. I don’t get it! But the gate is lovely nonetheless. The minaret of the Mosque of the Golden Balls overlooks the tombs and gardens. It was being refurbished and was surrounded by scaffolding when we saw it. The tombs are very well preserved and display beautiful architectural features. Sixty-six of the Saadians are buried under the two main structures and there are over a hundred buried in the surrounding garden areas.
Leaving the tombs, we walk through the narrow streets to a spice market. This is the first time I perceive a shop to be more of a tourist trap than a real market. The workers give their sales pitch as we sit in an audience area with approximately 30 seats. Martha and I did buy several items to bring home as gifts; mint tea, saffron, a mixture consisting of 35 spices, an oil that relieves eczema, more green lipstick and some rose cream. I even asked the merchant to give us some free incense and he did!
The lush Majorelle Gardens is our next stop. The plants are astounding in their color and variety. This is literally a smorgasbord of vegetation. The French artist Jacques Majorelle originally laid out the gardens in the 1920’s. Yves Saint-Laurent who bought them after Majorelle’s death in the 1960’s has recently had them restored. There is also a museum of Islamic Art on the grounds, housed in a villa painted a vivid deep blue. We all enjoyed our leisurely walk through this area.
After lunch at the hotel, we went to El Bahai Palace, built by the grand vizier Bou Ahmed in the late 19th century. Only portions of the palace are open to the public, the apartments of the sultan’s favorite concubine, the council chamber and the central courtyard. From here, we walked to the Dar Di Saïd palace, also built in the 19th century for the idiot brother of the grand vizier, Sidi Saïd. Today, this palace houses the Museum of Moroccan Arts. The museum holds a vast array of items, including furniture, jewelry, weapons, carpets, pottery and even a medieval precursor of the Ferris wheel constructed for small children. One of the most impressive pieces is a marble basin dating back to the 11th century. I especially liked the ornately carved cedar doors and screens.
Leaving the palace, we head for the Ben Youssef Medersa, the largest Koranic University in the Maghreb. It was entirely rebuilt around 1565. There is an inner courtyard decorated with zellige and containing an inscription dedicated to the sultan. Directly opposite the entrance is the prayer hall. Up some stairs to the second floor, we saw the 32 student cells. We were told that as many as 900 people could occupy this area. The rooms were small, with sleeping lofts and windows looking out onto the courtyard below.
Out next excursion takes us through the souks where we make some of our final purchases. I bought 2 brightly colored baskets, Martha bought 2 different kinds of drums and we made a joint purchase of a leather hassock. Marian bought some dates and Claire and Lucille bought some wooden spoons. Bob and Nancy had gone off away from the group so I don’t know if they made any more purchases.
We finally returned to the hotel to rest until around 6pm. Then we piled into the bus and were treated to a visit at Larbi’s home for tea. We met his wife Aisha, and 4 of his 5 children. I will always remember their warm hospitality. It is no easy thing to bring 9 strangers into your home and have them leave with a feeling of “family”.
We had dinner that night at the Casino restaurant that is part of our hotel. There was a trio of musicians playing during the meal. The music was lively, but most of our group left shortly after eating, so we missed the belly dancer.