Spice Souks

One edge of Jemaa El Fnaa is lined with souks, traditional North African Market stalls.   It was the colour that hit us first.  Yellow, deep blues, vibrant greens in the pottery, the leather goods and the spices.  As we approached the souks the smells invaded us; cumin, cinnamon and vanilla.  Hands reached out to greet us.  “Where are you from”, the common hook.  Every trader wanted us to enter their stall.  Before we knew it we were buried deep within the souks agog with the sights and sounds avoiding the carts when a local called out “Balak” meaning “get out of the way”!  The alleys narrowed and the darkness increased and we found ourselves at a dead end with several locals approaching us offering to show us the way out.  “Thank you but No!”  We turned and meandered until daylight and the fragrance of the spices returned.