The Arab Souk

Taroudant has two souks commonly referred to as the "Arab Souk" and the "Berber Souk" although any ethnic distinctions are lost in antiquity. The Arab Souk is the larger and lies between the main square, Place Assareg, and the smaller square ,Place Talmoklate. It contains the main daily fruit and vegetable market, as opposed to the small local ones such as that outside Bab Taghrout or the vast weekly market, and the fish market. Most of the tailors are there too both for mens djellabis and women's caftans andcoats. However there are also a number of stalls catering more to the tourist trade with traditional handicraft goods such as babouches and leatherwork, jewellery,carpets and ceramics.  Tour parties from Agadir get escorted round here by their guides,and there is a feel of a smaller Marrekesh although the scale is such that one cannot be lost for long as an exit to one of the squares will be round the next corner. Nevertheless when I leave clothes at the tailor's for alteration I always have some difficulty finding the same one again and must mark my landmarks carefully. If it is a diffrent day or time of day and neighbouring stalls are closed showing just shutters rather than more memorable goods a panic sets in as to whether I will ever see the particular garment again.

The Arab Souk Taroudant



Arab Souk Taroudant



Babouches in the Aab Souk Taroudant

Entrance to the Arab Souk Taroudant

Entrance to Arab Souk Taroudant

Leatherwork in Arab Souk Taroudant

Now for the third Nasruddin Story:-

Nasruddinbought a large number of eggs and at once sold them at a price lower than the cost.
When asked why he did it he said: "Surely you do not want me to be known as a profiteer?"






Arab souk Taroudant





Market Day

Steve went to the weekly market just outside the walls today. He went on his bicycle as did a few other people.

Bicycle park atTaroudant market 7.11.10

It meant the square was even busier than usual. A magician drew some of the crowd away from the storyteller but the snake charmer was unwatched.

A magician performs in the square

Fresh produce comes in from the countryside whether by the lorry load, a few vegetables brought by a woman or a donkey cart.

Produce arriving by donkey cart - the carrots were huge

It is the tradition that  one cannot stop telling Mullah Nasruddin stories until seven have been told. Here is the second:-

Every week Nasruddin arrived at market with an excellent donkey which he sold.The price was always very low below the value of the animal.
A wealthy donkey-trader approached him.
"I do not understand how you do it.My servants force farmers to give me free fodder; my slaves look after the donkeys without payment; and yet I cannot match your prices."
"Quite simple" Nasruddin replied. "You steal fodder and labour. I merely steal donkeys."

The storyteller

Tahir Shah laments the passing of the traditional morroccan storyteller in the age of television but they are alive and kicking in Taroudant. Two work together in the square and draw a large (male) crowd every morning particularly on Sunday which is market day. They act out the stories together with limited props like fake guns and clearly an amount of comedy routine although I, of course, cannot understand a word.

Crowd watching storyteller in Plcae Assareg Taroudant 4.11.10

Storytellers Taroudant Place Assareg 4.11.10

Tahir Shah comes from a family of Afgani extraction exiled round about WWII. His grandfather lived in Tangier but his father, Idries, brought up the family in Tunbridge Wells. Tahir Shah moved to Casablanca a few years ago and renovated an old house which he writes about in "The Caliph's House" and "In Arabian Nights". His father Idries Shah was a Sufi and wrote both about Sufiism and numerous "teaching stories" in the Sufi tradition for both children and adults. I am currently reading his collection of traditional stories about Mullah Nasrudin. Here is one of them:-

The Mullah went to see a rich man.
"Give me some money"
"Why?"
"I want to buy..an elephant"
"If you have no money, you can't afford to keep an elephant"
"I came here",said Nasrudin, "to get money, not advice."

Put out more Flags

November is the holiday season in Morocco. Nov 6 is a national holiday to commerate the "Green March" to reclaim the Western Sahara and Nov 18 is National Day. Of course this year Eid el Khebir is expected on Nov 16 and that is usually a 2 day public holidayso there is an abundance of closed banks etc. In recognition of these national holidays and in anticipation of a possible official visit from the King which, I understand, has been postponed on 3 occasions already the town and road from Agadir are decorated with flags at every crossroads and roundabout

Flags at the roundabout ooutside Taroudant on the agadir road

Flags at Taroudant Bridge on the Agadir road

Even the smalest market stalls put out hand flags and shops sprout flags and banners.

Flags outside Wafa bank and Hotel  Taroudant

Everything in the Garden's Rosy

When it was 53C in August Moha sent a worrying text that despite watering the plants had died. This appers to be somewhat premature although clearly he has replanted some. I did not plant Morning Glory. The courtyard is particularly pleasing , some of the roses are in flower, the hibiscus hedge is beginning ti look like a hedge and the tree survives. Moha has planted some little floers between which have magenta flowers and look just like a medieval mead. The argave isdoing relly well.

Bab Taghout Taroudant

Bab Taghout is the nearest of Taroundant wall's old gates to our house. It has always been really immpressive with wonderful medieval doors permanently open. Recently UNESCO gave money to repair the walls and Bab Taghout appears to be an early beneficiary. Half has already been repaired seemingly by rebuilding al la Carcassonne and the other half is underway and screened off but see how they have had to demolish the wall adjacent to the gate to let the lorries in. The gateway itself is now oneway and there is actually a no entry sign - the first I've seen in the town. Is the 20c catching up with Taroudant it may be traffic lights next.

BabTaghout Taroudant 1.11.10sssshowing the wall demolished to repair the gate

Bab Taghout Taroudant 1 11 10

BabTaghout Taroudant from outside the waalls 1.11.10

sunny and connected

Well the taxi did have a roofrack so Steve didn't have to pedal. Have just got connected though it seems we must have Google Maroc which is in French. It knows I'm english because it keeps asking if I want it translated through the toolbar and if I press translate out comes english. If I had to tell it so it could be chinese or tagalog I would understand but as it assumes I want english why not just give it me?
Security were uninterested in the needles but perplexed by tinned steak and kidney pies.out to start photoing.