Marrakech — Leaving Souk Laksour and Heading Back to Riad Viva

As I noted on Monday, as souks (bazaars) go, Laksour is not my favorite but it’s definitely worth a visit. Indeed, there is so much to see here that we went twice, and probably still didn’t see all of it. It’s a fun place to get out of the North African sun and browse, especially if you concentrate on the local handicrafts and wares. The tight shops, throngs of bargain shoppers, and narrow passageways may be a bit claustrophobic for some, but you’re generally never far from an exit and a breath of fresh air.

Just make sure to bring your camera for the local color, and there is a lot of color in those stalls:

Back outside, near the south entrance to Souk Laksour on the Jemaa el-Fnaa plaza, you’ll find many more shops and several restaurants and cafés:

Near our hotel we stumbled across this interesting sight — two storks and their colossal nest:

As usual, we had dinner reservations at our hotel, Riad Viva:

But what I really to do before concluding our visit to Marrakech was to take climb to the top of Riad Viva for some nighttime scenery (more of which I’ll present on this week’s Fun Photo Friday). Along the way up, on the second floor, I found this courtyard view interesting:

North of Riad Viva is an immense property, La Mamounia Palace. La Mamounia is a “luxury” establishment that will cost you a small fortune. If we had opted for the same length of stay at this palace, it would’ve run probably over $2,600 USD. Thanks, but no thanks. Riad Viva possesses all the “luxury” I’d ever need for around one tenth that amout. But there are other options in this area as well. Right next door to Riad Viva is Riad Laz Mimoun & Spa, and their outdoor dining facility looked rather enticing:

This week’s Fun Photo Friday will feature some favorite Marrakech images, including more nighttime shots.

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