OLD MEDINA in marrakech

OLD MEDINA in marrakech

For full immersion into Marrakesh’s sights, sounds and smells, dive into the twisted passages of the Medina, the city’s old quarter. Head up Rue Souk Semarine, and you’ll pass veiled women, clambering mule carts, and narrow passages with stalls selling all manner of hand-spun textiles, inlaid mirrors, brass lanterns, wooden chests, fragrant leather goods, ceramic vases and enough carpets to pad the Alaskan wilderness. Haggling is essential. So is your poker face: feign indifference, affect a cool exterior and occasionally exaggerate outrage at counteroffers. Finish at the Ben Youssef Medersa, a 16th-century Koran school adorned with dazzling mosaics, intricate cedar panels and religious verses carved in white plaster. (No phone or Web site, and the location can be tricky to find, but it is right next to the Musée de Marrakech on Place Ben Youssef. Admission is 40 dirhams, or about $5 at 7.95 dirhams to the dollar.)


As you will see when you are travelling around Morocco and including the streets of Marrakech, as modern and europeanised it looks, especially when you compare with say another North Africa country as Tunisia where i hardly saw any donkeys!, donkeys and mules are used in a big way in the everyday lives of the locals.

In and around the medina you will see many donkeys in use - ie the old town centre of Marrakech - especially with the old narrow and winding streets that the small but hardy and strong donkeys seemed ideally matched for.

I really have a thing for donkeys! - cute and photogenic - certainly adds to the character of our visits to the culture here and to the look we get to see of local life in the medina.

For the local trying to eke out a living the donkey still has the advantage too of being much easier to look after and with less running costs than the modern vehicular replacements!

As has been a common complaint in the past it still can be a problem of these animals, as with the horses pulling the caleches, not being looked after as appreciatedly as they deserve.
Though a major appeal or advantage of the donkey is that they are strong and have great endurance and are able to carry loads much heavier than their own body weight it can be distressing to see situations of donkeys being seen with loads that are obviously above what they should be enduring ie trailers or carts with huge wheel bases on them! along with the load in the trailer and then maybe two passengers!

Apparently in the UK there is a law now that limits the weight that a donkey can carry as being 52kg! that is only a small adult maximum!

There is the AMAZING!! organisation Spana (www.spana.org.ma or in the UK www.spana.org) founded in 1959 by a British woman and her daughter with projects in many countries - check out their websites and see if you can resist not feeling the urge or need to donate!! - with not only the advantage of providing care or haven, such as animal hospitals including mobile hospitals in the souks, for abused animals but also to educate donkey, mule and horse owners of acceptable care of their animals and work resources - and it is pointed out that their aim is not only to help donkeys but by helping to look after the animals that so many families rely on it is also helping the families living conditions.

If you witness any problems with donkeys, mules or horses you can contact the police or the Centre Hospitalier pour Animaux in Marrakech. You can also contact Spana and visit their centre to see what they do and perhaps get involved with support.


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