MARRAKECH  While Fes may be the religious capital of Morocco, Marrakech is its cultural capital.  Many of the cities in Morocco are characterized by the color of their buildings, and for Marrakech its color is red.  From the mountains surrounding the plains to the Koutoubia Mosque to the kasbah, the color red dominates the landscape.  
Founded almost 1000 years ago, it was the capitol city for the Almoravid dynasty whose rule extended into Spain, and is home to the most perfect Islamic monument, the Koutoubia Mosque.  
With the High Atlas Mts. in the background, the site to see is the Djmaa Fna.  An open space about the size of 3 football fields it is filled with OJ vendors (#53 was our favorite) and other peddlers, snake charmers, and monkeys by day.  At night the square becomes perhaps the largest open-air restaurant in the world.  Everything from goat to fish, chicken to beef, cous-cous to veggies, and of course beans (Omar #4) can be found.  As well as acrobats, story-tellers, jugglers and a mix of circus acts.
The difference is night & day...literally!  Around dusk the OJ vendors clear out and dozens or food vendors bring out their kiosks and try to tempt you with Moroccan delicacies.  This isn't just for the toursist either.  Most of the square is full of Moroccans out for a bite to eat or just to people watch.  This scene repeats itself everynight throughout the year.
These men are selling water held in goat skins. Toursist shouldn't drink the water, put they are always willing to pose for a picture...for a price!
The men who own the monkeys practically throw them on you for a picture, and a few Dirhams ($).  But beware, the monkeys (actually native the the surrounding mtns and called Barbary Macques) may do some damage to your clothes by leaving their mark.
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