Welcome to Marrakech!

This gallery contains 10 photos.

I touched down in Marrakech last Friday after a trek down the coast from Fes to Casablanca.  When I walked into the main terminal through Customs, there were at least 100 men with signs for Riad’s and Hotels.  Chaos is … Continue reading →

Water in the Medina

Many homes in the Medina of Fes, Morroco do not have running water and few have heated water.  Those that do and that can afford it, use propane-type heating and Solar Thermal rooftop (drain-back) systems which were introduced a few years ago.  The supply is “very” limited and recovery time can take hours.  Waste is not an option here.

For the common person, bathing happens about once per week at the Hamman which are public baths in Morocco.  Some are very simple with the purpose of “bathing only” but there are also more luxurious Hamman’s.   The women may go more often, similar to the Spa days for women in our society.

There is access to free “city” water at places like this throughout the Medina.  Even those fortunate enough to have running water in their homes will go there because it is an important social gathering place within the Medina.

As a side note…There are no trash cans in these very narrow streets.  People buy their food fresh daily and only what they need.  What little trash they generate is left on the street at night or in the early morning when it collected and transported by Donkey’s.

I have learned a serious lesson from this…