Markets

When does a market become a Souk? Well, I still don't know the answer and, in truth, I'm not sure that it really matters all that much, just so long as you visit one or two during your time in Morocco.

Now flush with our success on the local buses, we opted to take another trip into another town to visit the market. If, like us, you've only ever seen pictures of such places on the internet, then you are in for a real treat, the first time that you visit one!

Drawn in by the smells and colours, like a child would be.

They are crazy busy! There is produce piled on the floor, as high as your waist. There are stalls selling herbs and spices that draw you in with their hypnotic colours and aromas. Young lads wander up and down what passes for aisles, selling shopping bags to those who came without.
There are people everywhere and if you want to find where the fresh fish is being sold, just follow your nose!

Don't wander off, I'll never find you!

The noise of the place seems entirely in keeping with the apparent chaos of the market. This one was, seemingly, thrown together on a hill, which just added to the sense of adventure as we wandered between selling pitches and stalls.

Pile 'em high, sell 'em cheap

When you stroll past the many fresh veg, stalls, the boss will throw a bowl in your direction, instructing you to fill it up. Well, who could resist? Sue took the bowl and piled in potatoes, carrots, and onions and, when she thought it was full enough for our needs, she passed it over to be weighed. You may know that the contents of the bowl are charged by weight, regardless of whats actually in there!

There's only two of us, remember!

Not content with the final weigh in, the man in charge added some more until a satisfactory weight was achieved. No short changing going on here! He tipped the lot into our newly acquired shopping bag, and we handed over 20 dirham.
Everyone was happy, and off we went.

'This will look lovely in the lounge dahling'

Upcycling is one of the new buzz phrases in the decadent West but, on Moroccan markets, they've been at it for centuries without the need for buzz words or prompting. You can buy everything from rusty, straightened out nails to awning mats made from woven plastic threads. Speaking of which, we did just that, bought an awning mat, that is, not the rusty nails.

He didn't mind posing for a pic' much to the amusement of his father, out of shot on the right.

We had seen them outside many a Motorhome in Morocco. They look great and come in all manner of vibrant colours and, at just 20 euros for a 4 x 3 meter piece, they are great value too compared to off the shelf awning mats. I'm not sure that the 'Caravan Club' would approve though!