Today in Marrakech

Breakfast is included at this bnb known as a Riad" and it made me regret not bring my camera to the table...oh, well, tomorrow!  The open air rooftop was elegantly set with scattered tables, but only two were prepared...as there were currently only 2 guests in the Riad.  As soon as I sat, Omar came and asked what beverage I wanted, then brought coffee, half and half with warmed cream (!), along with orange juice, a bowl of diced fresh fruit, a basket of different pastries, small cups of cream cheese, different jams and honey, yogurt, and a bowl of fava bean soup with cilantro and olive oil swirled around on top. This could be a full dinner for me!  After breakfast I went to the courtyard to meet my private guide, Nour, a native of Marrakesh and certified guide of the city I found on the Internet.  He was great.  He escorted me through the souls of the medina, the individual market places of the different artisans, the leather workers, the metal workers, the woodworkers, etc.  Each one has a different location down the warren of alleyways.. And, surprisingly, everything is clean as a whistle, every shopkeeper being responsible for the space in front of his shop.  I had a small baggie of Saraha sand in my pocket and told Nour I'd like to find a small glass bottle in which to carry it home, and we did.  He told me to "haggle", beginning with half the asking price, so I was able to get my little decorative bottle for 50 dirhams, or $5.  A treasure!  

After the souks, we went to the Bahia Palace, which is unbelievable beautiful, the historic home of one of their kings and his favorite wife, Bahia, meaning "Shining", and his 24 Concubines.  We visited the Medrasa, and more about that later, but in the meantime, check out the Bahia Palace online!