Bargaining at the Souks

Our tour leaders brought us to the Souks Market the night before our flight out of Marrakech. This gigantic market is incomparable to anything you've ever seen or experienced. The bargaining is cut-throat; the sellers are tactful; and "I'm just looking" mine as well translate to "Yes! I would love to buy everything in your shop!". The only way to walk away from this shopping arena unscathed is to do so mute and with a blindfold on. The key to the market is once you look, the bargaining begins. and doesn't end. ever. unless you run away. and then they may follow you. Our tour leaders mentioned earlier that we must never pay the first price we're given, but rather drop the price 1/3 and start bargaining. The second I stepped foot into the market, my demeanor shifted from innocent american tourist to an experienced negotiator who refused to back down! From scarves to tea to parachute pants and everything in between, I worked my bargaining skills at every stand. The key is to be confident and know that "good, democratic price for you" really is about three times what you should actually be paying. There was a bracelet I wanted which was comparable in price to about 20 euros and by telling the man I "only have 4 euros on me"(even though I had upwards of 20 times that in Marrakech currency!) after twenty minutes of pulling the "this is all I have" card I walked away with the bracelet for a mere 4 euros....I was quite proud. The thing is though once you look at something and realize you don't want it, go to walk away you will find that the shop owner refuses to let you leave without it following you out of the shop saying everything from "what price you want", "I can do...", "how about...?", etc, etc, etc. If you look chances are you will leave with whatever item you looked at...unless you stand your ground. My friend Matt decided against a scarf in one of the shops for his sister and after we left and went down the block around the corner and out of the main market to grab a fresh orange juice, we all of a sudden heard behind us, "how much you pay", "tell me your price". The man had FOLLOWED us out of his shop...all the way to the juice stands!-that is what I like to call dedication. Matt, feeling obligated to negotiate and in turn purchase, made an offer and walked away with a great gift and story to tell. I could have spent days in that market mastering the art of bargaining , but unfortunately we turned in around 11pm that night. Here are some photo's of our shopping extravaganza:

The Souks Marketplace

The moment when I was forced into trying on this "magic dress"

and a traditional headscarf too...

This shop clerk asked if he could take a picture with me after asking Matt if he was my boyfriend...his sister got in on the photo as well!

Tea Time...ALL the time!

Each day in Marrakech was sprinkled with sun, spices and tea....lots & LOTS of tea..mint tea to be exact. It was almost as if a cup of tea was comparable to a handshake and a "nice to meet you" in Morocco. I loved this part of the culture: inviting people and free, out-of-this-world, tea...how could you not?! Our first tasty introduction to Marrakech was within our first hour there. At our Riad we were greeted with a hug from the owner and wonderfully prepared mint tea (this was no English Breakfast blend from Stop and Shop...this was serious!) Every morning there after we would rise to the scent of homemade pancakes and what else...mint tea. The tea is always sipped out of glass cups, rather than the quintessential "tea cups" that one would expect. The pouring of the tea is something that took me several days to master...it is an art form. Wherever our travels took us that weekend: whether it be a Berber village rooftop; a family's home in Marrakech; or a tea vendor's shop at the Souks Market, we were always welcomed with the warmness of the city's people and tea. This part of the culture embodies, for me, the genuine kindness of its' people, their unbelievable friendliness, and their desire to make their visitors feel comfortable and relaxed.

Our first taste of mint tea!

Abdul showcasing his tea-pouring skills

Amazing tea + breathtaking views of the mountains=pinch me!!

Simo serving us up some more mint tea at a family friend's home in Marrakech