Tag Archives: Souk Laksour

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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As bazaars (souks in the Arabic world) go, Marrakech’s Souk Laksour isn’t bad, but it’s definitely not my favorite, either. That’s not really fair, but it’s hard to compare with the Grand Bazaar of Istanbul. But is it worth a trip into the souk? Most assuredly yes. It’s a fascinating place with many wares ranging from the ubiquitous CCC (Cheap Crap from China) to handcrafted gems such as leather goods, rugs, and brightly colored Turkish-style lamps.

The souk is for the most part cramped and crowded, and you will need to dodge the various deliveries being made throughout the day. Much of the souk is open-air, but parts are covered.

The souk also appears grouped by the type of wares on hand. For instance, rugs are pretty much in one area; leather goods in another, although there are exceptions. Tourist-bait (keychains, snow globes, T-shirts, etc.) vendors are sprinkled throughout.

This tendancy to group like merchandise sometimes leads to some interesting photo opportunites:

We took the opportunity to purchase several items. I got myself a beautifully crafted leather belt, and Ursula picked up a lovely leather purse from the same vendor. We also acquire some leather poufs. I’ll leave you today with these final four souk images:

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Ursula’s primary goal this trip was to head over to Jemaa el-Fnaa and the adjacent Souk Laksour, the primary souk (bazaar) in Marrakech. The plaza is about a twelve minute walk from Riad Viva, and closer to twenty when you’re recovering from knee replacement surgery and using a cane, which Ursula was. Along the way, depending upon the route you take, you’ll probably see the 12th century Koutoubia Mosque:

But even if you don’t walk directly by the Koutoubia Mosque, you’ll still see its minaret in the distance as you look southwest past the horse-drawn carriages lined up along Av. Jemaa el-Fnaa:

And, yes, those carriages are both colorful and photogenic:

But horses aren’t the only engines you’ll see at work in this area:

Lining the northwest perimeter of the plaza are many fruit vendors worthy of your camera’s attention:

There are not many subjects that can beat fruit vendors for color:

Especially when the vendor takes so much time and makes so much effort to align his produce in visually interesting patterns:

As you head into the souk, make sure to look up for the scenery:

This week’s Fun Food Friday will be a review of the Riad Viva’s great Moroccan restaurant. On Monday I’ll take you deep into the souk (bazaar). Here’s a sample of what awaits you there:

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