WHS#45

Everything they say is true. You will get lost in Marrakesh. It's dirty. It's stinky. It's crowded and commercial. The buildings are crumbling. It's extremely hot and dusty. And it's very interesting. They say you either love it or hate it. Well, I both hated it and loved it, in that order. After riding the night train from Rabat, my family and I arrived in the Marrakesh train station early in a May 2017 morning, checked into a nearby hotel, and slept. Of course, we decided to check out the medina later in the afternoon, but not before checking out the Jardin Majorelle (not WHS, but I recommend you check it out). Upon arriving at Djemaa El Fna, the first stop was at a pharmacy to buy argan oil to bring for people back in the Philippines. First impressions weren't too great; the square was bustling, but it felt all too familiar and somewhat touristy. Nothing was really catching our eyes the way we imagined the magical city of Marrakesh would be. The "pinkish clay" was more like dull muddy brown. The single impressive monument around, Koutoubia Mosque, was closed for non-Muslims. Luckily, we met a licensed tourism official who brought us to a great restaurant nearby. Mint tea, tagines, couscous, salads, and pastillas galore! I was also treated to my first sight of belly dancing. On the not so great side, that dinner was also the most expensive on the whole trip, and that was a trip that included paella in Valencia, foie gras pasta in Toulouse, and entrecote in Paris. But back to Marrakesh, the fam was ready to leave Marrakesh, but I just knew there was more to find, so I, along with just my parents, decided to take an adventure in the medina the next morning.

Going into the day, I figured that the Medersa Ben Youssef would be the most interesting site to visit in Marrakesh, so I prioritised going there over Bahia Palace, the other major choice. It turned out that the medersa was all I could take in with the plan, as we ended up only visiting 2 sites. When we got to Djemaa El Fna that morning, we tried desperately to find the medersa, but this was when we got lost. My dad and I generally have relatively good senses of direction, so it was a bit surprising how easy it was for us to get lost here. Eventually, we met a local man who told us that the medersa was closed for prayers until sometime in the afternoon. He then offered to bring us to the tanneries in order to "practice his English." We got to the tanneries after what must have been hundreds of twists and turns down seemingly random alleys in the medina, and the men there gave us some mint leaves (to relieve from the stench of "pigeon sh*t") and a guided tour of the tanneries. Without dobut, we were getting caught in some elaborate scam, but experiencing the tanneries was such an interesting experience that we didn't mind. Of course, we were brought to a nearby leather shop right after the tour, where a huge Berber salesman talked us into buying a camel skin belt, which I do use until now, so I guess it wasn't such a bad thing after all.

Anyway, we were directed to the medersa after this, but as you may expect by now, we got lost again. We finally found the medersa after what was probably over an hour wandering the maze of the medina. It's in a really small nonchalant alley, too, so make sure not to pass it by. Medersa Ben Youssef is definitely something to see in Marrakesh. It's home to some of the most intricately embellished Islamic architecture that I've seen. In contrast to the intricacy in the main hall, the classrooms were extremely small and bare, though. I do wonder how such a prestigious Islamic university managed to fit its students, let alone conduct classes, there. Theories aside, the medersa is a must-see for anyone who visits the city. It's a flowering of Islamic art and architecture that offers some relief from the roughness of the streets of the medina. Speaking of the medina, I still don't think the medina is as magical or unique a place as its strongest supporters may say. It's not exactly the best preserved or the most impressive Islamic city out there, but it's definitely a thriving living city with a soul of its own. 2 days is not enough to explore the medina, partly because there is so much to see and experience, but also because it's so hard to find your way around. This might be a place to get a guide. But it's equally great an experience to get lost in its winding dusty streets and meet its people, whether they're out to scam you or not. Marrakesh is an experience, and if you give it a chance, it's bound to give you some unforgettable memories.