Jemaa el-Fna, the beating heart of Marrakech

Day 15: November 3, 2024 We spent a few hours in Jemaa el-Fna, the bloody beating heart of Marrakech. This city, the busiest we’ve encountered since our Moroccan odyssey began 15 days ago, is intoxicating. We thought we’d seen, tasted, and smelled it all, but Marrakech is in a league of its own.

My mission was to experience the absurd. Within twenty minutes, we had a cobra draped around our necks and had kissed its scaly head. A bit over the top? Absolutely. Utterly intoxicating? Without a doubt.

Later, we dined at a bustling street stall, lucky number 117. The air was thick with the aroma of roasting meats, spices, and sweet pastries. The food was hot, fresh, and hearty – a choice of fish or meat, cooked to perfection. The seating was communal, a tight squeeze with strangers, but the atmosphere was electric.

A snake charmer