The bus from Essaouira to Marrakech was most definitely not the Marrakech Express that Crosby, Stills and Nash sang about. It stopped for ever Abdel, Hassam and Fatima along the way and ended up taking four hot, non air-conditioned hours. And it being Ramadan, we too refrained from eating and drinking out of respect for our fellow travelers.
We scored a great hotel deal in a chic neighborhood not far from the medina. Novotel Suites, $75, was the nicest place we have stayed in ages. I can't imagine what it's priceier neighbors ($250 and up!) look like inside. Marrakech is an anomoly in Morocco. It's a modern place in the desert that somehow still draws tourists. It's mystique dates from the 60s when celebrities like the Beatles made the scene. The medina, especially Jemaa el Fna, is packed with restaurant stalls, snake-charmers, sellers of this and that, and anyone else hoping to separate the tourist from his dirrams.
25 and Stay Alive
We're "souked out." We've seen enough carpets, smelled enough spices and said no to vendors of all persausions. Besides, when the temperature approaches the boiling point - well over 100 anyhow - the temptations to stay inside with the air-conditioning on high is too great to ignore. We've remained healthy by not eating street food and even resisted the guy from stall No. 25. "Eat at 25 and stay alive!" did more to make us run than look at his menu.
