MEDINAS BY DAY
The famous medinas (old cities) of Marrakech, Rabat and Tangier are labyrinths of mythical proportions. Narrow passageways wind and wander at all angles and staircases and tunnels lead off into the dark unknown. Rays of light stream through the slatted roofs, lending a dreamlike quality to the crowded streets. The ceaseless buzz of voices is everywhere and the dull thud of craftsmen's tools in the distance melds with the sounds of schoolchildren chanting the Koran. Hidden behind arches and ancient wooden doors are marble courtyards and palatial family homes with lush gardens and gurgling fountains. Streams of hooded Moroccans rush and elbow their way through the
crowd, moving aside only for the piercing cries of "ba/ak, ba/ak" ("look out") that announce the passage of another impossibly overloaded donkey. Closet- sized souks (markets) are packed into alleys thick with the smell of donkey dung and the taste of the dust. Everyone is selling something. Goat heads, shoes where the leather still smells of flesh, pots of henna, carpets, spices, herbs, fragrance and countless other items you never knew you needed. Wander for days and you'lI still only experience a small portion of the medina.
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