The remparts of Marrakech

The medina in Marrakech is enclosed by huge, thick and tall remparts with various gates leading into it. It is one of the biggest medinas in the world and most things happen inside of it. The new city has grown outside and around it. It is quite fun to watch as the various kinds of transportation means go through the gates. I is fascinating to see modern motorized vehicles sharing the road with horses and donkey carts. Marakech is truly a fascinating place. If you have to choose, let it be Marrakech. One doesn't have to do anything but sit at one of the gates and just observe. It is such a colorful scene. I'm so glad I've gone to Marrakech.

The Jewish cemetery in Marrakech

This is the resting place of a Rabbi, a little shed in the middle of the cemetery. There is a Torah on top of his tomb. It is important to visit these places and pay the locals some money to take you there. If they know they can make some money by taking tourists here, they are less likely to destroy these places. That's how I feel. It is a similar situation in China, the Communist government would have all Temples destroyed if not for the fact that they can make money from tourists who come to see these places. I think a lot of monasteries in Islamic countries are tolerated and kept as they are because of tourists money. We all know of the destruction of the Buddhists images in Afghanistan. These treasures can never be replaced, I think they are trying to restore them but it is not the same. This most enterprising Morrocan kid who spoke pretty good English led us through some really narrow streets from the synagogue to the Jewish cemetery. There was a caretaker there and we gave him some money also.

The synagogue in Marrakech

This is the 'mellah' or the Jewish quarter except there aren't any Jews left, only one, the Rabbi. He has the key to the synagogue. There used to be a sizable Jewish community driven out of Spain because of the Spanish Inquisition. The Jews fled to places who initially welcomed them and later drove them out because of increasing Islamic fanaticism. The only foreign visitors they see are probably Chrisians from North America, like us, who are still interested in what happened to the Jewish and Christian people in places that are hostile to their beliefs. So there are smart kids in Morroco and we were approached by one who asked if we were interessted in seeing the synagogue and the cemetery. We were and he got some money from us for showing us these places. Just as in Cairo we went to the Muqqatum hills to see the 'Zabaleen', or garbage city (type in zabaleen in the search bar) and other Coptic sites, here in Morroco we visited the 'mellah' or Jewish quarter. I don't know if they still hold any services here or it's just foreign visitors that come to see what remained.

The mellah, Marrakech

This is a poorer section of the medina and less visited. Only visitors who are interested in the plight of non muslims visits. This was in the old days the section where the Jewish people lived but they have all left for the West because they feared for their lives and for better economic prospects. I lived in a muslim country previously and left for better economic prospects in the US. I am always interested in the plight of non muslims still left in muslim countries. In Cairo we visited a lot of Coptic christians areas even the Muqattum hills where the 'Zabaleen' sort out the city's trash. While our muslim taxi driver sneered at these people in Cairo, we were concerned and impressed by their hardiness. My post on 'Zabaleen' is one of my most popular post. It's been googled numerous times. I am most proud of that post and my lifetime goal is to find similar opportunities for interesting pieces like that. We didn't see too many visitors here but we would be soon  be approached by an enterprising young Morrocan who asked if we wanted to see the synagogue and the Jewish cemetery. How did he know that we would?

Bahia palace 2

While we were visiting the Bahia palace, we cross paths with a few tour groups. I think they were German. We met a few Americans here and there. Supposedly some of the finest craftsmen were hired to build and decorate this palace. I would have liked to visit in the Summer time. As it was it felt like it could be livable in the heat of summer. There was a banana tree at the entrance and everybody was entranced by it. I guess Europeans have never seen a banana tree in their lives. We had banana trees in our backyard while we were growing up in Borneo. It didn't take long to see Bahia palace.