The Red City

Shifting my gaze between my google maps and the window of the bus I couldn’t help but notice how pretty all the lights looked. I’m not sure what I was expecting. After a quick chat with my bus driver I determined which stop would be the best for me and when we arrived I disembarked and started following the little blue dots. The overwhelming stench of urine and the absolute filth of the road I turned on made me question the blue dots as I found myself on a footpath behind a series of mandarin orange venders, whom it appears merely toss the rinds, bad fruit and rubbish onto this path. There are so many motorcycles polluting the air, plus the smell of rotten fruit, mixed with urine and the fact the ground was wet made me want to vomit. It was a humid twenty degrees, and I found myself questioning if the fruit vendors could possibly be used to that stench. I decided to get off the footpath and walk on the road as soon as I found a gap in the vendor stands. 

This made for its own adventure with so many motorcycles, mopeds, bicycles and cars driving hap-hazardously in both directions on what really seems to be a one way street. I managed to escape the cars and enter the walls of the Medina where to my surprise motorcycles and mopeds still drive like madmen through. I get the feeling humans do not have the right of way in this country. I may be seriously injured at some point in a collision with a moped. 

Not sure I was ready to brave the streets of Marrakech by night I tucked myself into bed with a movie. 

I sit here now late afternoon two days into my adventure of the red city. I managed to find the nice part of town where I reckon most of the tourists with money stay, there is a Chilli’s ffs. However, we very much enjoyed wandering the olive tree lined streets. There were these random derelict buildings that seemed to be hollowed out in the mix and this one that had the most stunning tile mosaics inside. I found myself trying to get a better view of them through the over grown garden and over the high fence, never quite getting to see enough. 

Nearly back at my hostel with my dinner to enjoy roof top, I hear the unmistakeable cries of a terrified dog. Not an angry or aggressive sound, a truly scared sound. I turn around and find a man trying to get a dog out from under a car with a stick. I had to stop and explain to these people that this dog was terrified, possibly hurt. Definitely scared. I squatted down near where she was hiding between the front grill and the tire, I then proceeded to take out some chorizo that I had bought for dinner. This brought another very small pup over who stole it right out from under her feet. So I pulled out another piece and slowly coaxed her out of her hiding spot. She was very gently taking pieces right out of my hand and letting me pet her, the pup was all over all the things with her dirty little paws and heaps of kisses. After the two of them ate my entire package of chorizo and my cheese I found myself trying to call all the local animal shelters. It is Saturday and I am out of luck. It killed me to leave them but they also wouldn’t follow me. This is when for the first time since I squatted near the car my attention broke from them, I realized over fifty men were staring at me. What a sight I must have been showing love and affection for these two pups. In a tank top with my long blonde hair. I can only hope that maybe they will show them the same kindness. My bag is now well stocked with cat & dog food as well as some treats. Stray dogs are rare in this city, cats seem to rule the streets. Both break my heart it seems, particularly the tiny little sick looking kittens. And I don't even like cats...