Medina, Marrakesh

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I must say that a lot of the food stalls were fascinating but I wouldn’t buy anything from them. Some tempting Moroccan sweet treats were out in the open and the wasps or bees were having a feast. There were also whole carcasses strung up in the heat.

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Make sure you bargain the initial price given. Start at around 1/3 of the price given. You will soon see if they are interested in your business or not. You can have quite a bit of fun negotiating the price and they will play the game and give you the usual spin about best price and even if you think they won’t budge and you give up, sometimes they will catch you walking away and offer a better price. A couple of times I pushed it too far and they wouldn’t budge so it was either pay the price or walk away.

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Zaouïa means religious building, and this one dedicated to Sidi Bel Abbes, one of the seven patron saints of Marrakech, is a truly beautiful one. It is not possible to visit it inside, but it's possible to go as far as the courtyard to admire its architecture.

Getting there is just as scenic as being there, as you have to cross a very interesting covered passage: once you get there you'll be in front of a mosque and a medersa. There is also the resting place of Sidi bel Abbes.

You'll be surprised by the number of beggars in this religious building - most of them are blind and are reciting verses of the Qu'ran. It's an old tradition for blind people to pray at this place and beg for money. Sidi Bel Abbes in fact used to be a performer of miracles; in particular he was known to be able to give sight to the blind.

The Almoravid Koubba or Koubba Ba'adi is the only remaining Almoravid building in Marrakeck. It dates back to the 11th century and it is quite a sight, not only for its beauty but for its location - partly underground. Back in the 11th century, Marrakech used to be a few feet deeper than it is today.

Nowadays what you can still is a tower-like building in marble and cedar wood, but when it was constructed it was part of a mosque, which was most likely as richly decorated as the koubba appears to be. Among the decorations you can see an inscription, which is supposed to be the oldest surviving inscription in cursive Maghrebi script in North Africa. The founder of this building was Abdallah ibn Yasin, who was also the founder of the Almoravid dynasty.

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A maze and I really mean a maze of market style shops, weaving in and out of a hubbub of back street and paths. You have seen it in movies where people disappear into unmarked alleys and shops never to be found whilst hiding from foe and I sure can see why that could be the case now. I myself would never have found my way out...ok, ok, so those who know me also know I was not blessed with much of a sense of direction but even so this one would even be tough on the SAS.

It's vibrant, it's colourful, magical, interesting, bustling and everyone sells similar things. It's like stepping back in time and be careful if you try to take anyones pic without payment.

This is Marrakesh as you imagine it. Awesome!

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Following the success of the Mouassine complex in socio-economic terms, the Bab Doukkala complex was built near Bab Doukkala. It dates back from the late 16th century and was modelled after the Mouassine Mosque and Fountain. The fountain is also known as "Lalla Aouda", after a venerable lady. Today, the fountain has been turned into an art gallery (l'Atelier de Marrakech) exhibiting paintings by local artists.

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The Mouassine Mosque and Fountain are part of the Moussaine complex, built in the 16th century under the orders of the Saadian sultan. Previously, the area was a Jewish neighbourhood, but the inhabitants were moved to the newly constructed Mellah district near the Kasbah. The Mouassine complex is a religious and cultural centre consisting of a mosque, a hammam, a medersa, a library and a fountain. This public fountain is the largest of several in Marrakech and consists of four drinking booths, three for animals, and one for people. As in most Marrakchi fountains, people drink from the most ornate fountain (see photos - I was able to sneak into the mosque and take pictures when no one was inside!).

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Although originally built in the 12th century by Almohads, the mosque of Yacoub el-Mansour was mostly reconstructed in the 16th century after suffering some severe damage. It is situated within the walls of the Kasbah, near Bab Agnaou, and is thought to be the only remaining structure in the Kasbah from Almohad period. The mosque's minaret is considered one of the most beautiful in Marrakech, along with la Koutoubia. This mosque is also known as la Mosquée aux Pommes d'Or (for the golden balls stacked above the minaret), as well as Mosquée de la Kasbah.