Ali (Alley?) Baba in Marrakech

Great Mosque near Saladeen Tombs

Marrakech is full of ancient, wonderful sites. As we traipsed around town looking for these sites we also found that Marrakech is very busy and crowded. Traffic, traffic, traffic! Cars and noisy motorbikes and big trucks and people people people moving around makes for an ever-changing obstacle course. And in the midst of this horrendous chaos are many hidden treasures,  of both the material and the not so material kind.

We were heading for one of the highly-regarded ancient sites, the Saadian Tombs (the Saadians were an ancient family, powerful and ruthless, not unlike the Medicis or Borgias around the same era). The tombs they built for themselves are regarded as one of the finest examples of classic Arabic architecture still standing.  

We walked and walked and walked, and were very close to the tombs, when we asked a policeman which way to go. Take the next left, he said.  It was a narrow alley, but we took it anyway, and found a dead end. This was unusual,  in our brief experience. Then, just as we approached the end, a door opened and a short round man said Come in!

We entered this marvelous cavern filled with works of brass and leather. The lights came on, and the ceiling was filled with the pierced brass light fixtures that are so popular here, giving the impression of stalactites in a cave. We barely had time to register all that was there when the man said jovially, "Ali Baba!" 

"Are you going to put us in a jar of oil?" asked Paula, thinking of the story. "No!" He said. "Alley Baba!" and, laughing,  showed us through a low door leading outside to the Tombs.

Another great example of the warmth, helpfulness, and good humor we have found in the Moroccan people.

Tile detail from Saadian Tombs

This stork really DID bring a baby!

Until next time,

Paul & Paula