Marrakech has one of the world’s largest markets or souks.  The souks are a bewildering labyrinth of thousands of craftsmen and shop keepers selling their wares in narrow passage ways.

A trip to the souks is part history lesson and part an overwhelming experience for your senses with vibrant colors, exotic smells, chaos, and many things you probably will see for the first time.  Everything is sold here – vegetables, spices, olives, meats, medicines, perfumes, bags, clothes, baskets, shawls, carpets, shoes, lanterns, antiques – but not in a traditional American or European way.

Historically the souks of Marrakesh were divided into retail areas for particular goods such as leather, carpets, metalwork and pottery. We found these divisions still roughly exist but with significant overlap.

Take your camera as this is the place for unique photos. Begin with photos of the olive souk jam-packed with different kinds of olives, and the potters’ souk crammed full of brightly-coloured pots, pans, and tagines. There are “Kodak Moment” photo surprises at every turn –bright spices piled high, medicine shops with hundreds of concoctions, brightly-coloured glassware, brightly color woven kaftans, handcrafted bags and shoes.

This is not America or Europe, so feast your eyes of the dazzling array of colors, goods and shops below.

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Colorful spices pilled high.  This is not the rack of 1 – 2 ounce glass jar spice found at your neighborhood supermarket.

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Souk medicine shops and pharmacies compounding and selling their cures.  No FDA here.

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How does this compare to the olive selection you have at your grocery store?

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An amazing choice of fresh vegetables.

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Here are a few of the fruit stands in the souk.

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Onto the meat section in the souks

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After all the food stalls, it is time for Sandy to try her hand at hand making Moroccan bread in a wood buring oven.

 

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Next up.

A pictorial display of the souks selling shoes, jewelry, lamps and lanterns, rugs, belts, antiques, carved doors, and more!