WHERE TO SHOP
Twenty years ago, I struggled to connect, using barely conversational French; now almost anyone under the age of 35 or 40 speaks English (and, often, not French).
The biggest changes had less to do with the place than how I was travelling. In 1998, my time in Marrakech was part of a sixmonth solo trip, a month of that in Morocco. What I later realised was that it could not be duplicated: a trip that came at just the right moment in my life, when I was unattached but old enough to know what I wanted – and needed – out of travel.
I replaced my $10-a-night room at a hotel that no longer exists with the cheapest room I could find (€140 euros, about R2 300, a night) at Riad Mena. (Riads – the term refers to a traditional home built around a courtyard, but is now used for bedand-breakfasts that are often filled with flora, fountains and hammams, and generally owned by expats – are now everywhere.) Since my first trip, Marrakech has become Morocco’s premier tourist city. For decades it has attracted travellers, although at a much smaller scale. But unlike cosmopolitan Casablanca, or Tangier, which, being a ferry ride away from Spain, had the chaotic transience of a border town, Marrakech has stayed exciting and accessible for Western travellers.
Even by the house-of-mirrors standards of the medina, Dar Cherifa, a riad owned by Abdellatif Ait Ben Abdallah, had been difficult to find. Abdellah, my translator, and I had gone down a side alley and then “through” another riad to find it. The space dates to the 16th century; Ait Ben Abdallah and his team renovated it in 2000 but had left more or less intact intricate, weathered carvings in the stone and wood that wrap around the second floor of the courtyard.
At ground level, tables were scattered amid Berber rugs and a small pool covered in rose petals and, on the walls, panelled, Japanesestyle paintings by Véronique Rischard, a French artist. Scents of rosewater and orange blossom filled the space.
Over tea and Moroccan pastries, I asked Ait Ben Abdallah, 56, who owns seven riads around the medina (and another in Fez), if he was the exception or the rule as a native riad owner. The exception, he said, estimating that 90% to 95% are owned by foreigners.
As a successful entrepreneur, he wanted to give back, not just by renovating riads but by educating children in his home town, where he runs cultural events that provide arts education. He employs about 120 people at his properties, and at Dar Cherifa, he hosts free readings, a restaurant and exhibitions.
“Working in heritage is important,” he said, smiling broadly, “but creating jobs matters more.”
Ait Ben Abdallah is successful but not a multinational star like the chef Meryem Cherkaoui. Cherkaoui, a stylish woman of 41 with dark, short-cropped hair, grew up in Salé, near the capital of Rabat. She now lives and works in Casablanca but consults with restaurants around the country, including Marrakech, and overseas. She has appeared on the French version of Top Chef and sells a line of culinary products, which emphasise Moroccan ingredients.
We dined on the rooftop of Le Foundouk, a three-story restaurant in the medina for which she consults (the owner is French; the chef is Moroccan). As we sampled her dishes, including couscous with lobster and edible flowers, she explained her approach: “Moroccan ingredients, French technique.”
On my first visit to Morocco, I was unimpressed by the food, which, thanks to my budget and lack of experimental vigour, was limited mostly to couscous and tagine. A couple of days later, I was again lost in the medina.
That much had not changed. The first three nights of my visit, I had lost my way getting back to my riad – despite the impressive coverage of the medina by Google Maps. This time, I was seeking Le 18, an art space and co-operative deep in the medina.
I passed a large “18” painted above a small door in an alley before a teenager told me that was the place. I ducked into a courtyard that was whitewashed and pleasantly spartan, and was greeted by Laila Hida, 34, who founded the space in 2013. Le 18 had begun as a way to connect young artistic Marrakechi. “Little by little the community got bigger,” Hida said. “Without choosing to become a cultural space, that’s what we became.”
Far more than it was 20 years ago, Marrakech is an international city, essentially designated by the government as the tourist destination of Morocco. But few locals had help from that same government.
“No one will help you from the state, from the ministries,” Hida said. She also understands, to a degree, why the arts aren’t more in the forefront in modern Morocco, still a country grappling with poverty.
I headed back to the Jemaa el Fna for a final dinner. I watched as its transformation began: juice vendors making way for sellers of snail soup and sheep’s head. The sun went down and the square swarmed with activity. It all felt surprisingly familiar. | The New York Times Old Town Souk in Medina, Morocco. On a trip to any Moroccan city, the enchanting souks are a must on the agenda. Marrakech is no exception. Labelled one of the most magical cities in the country, Marrakech boasts a full medina with traditional winding souks and countless treasures. Whether you’re looking for literature, handicrafts, or food, there’s a street and an alleyway for everything. Visitors can get lost for hours in the labyrinth of enticing streets. So relax, explore, and discover some locally made treasures.