Even though we had a taste of Marrakech yesterday, today was our day to spend time in the Medina and see both the historical sites and life in the Medina. So back we went with Kamal and started walking.

Our first stop was the Bahai Palace. Typically, palaces in Morocco have been for the King – the current King has palaces in each of the major cities. This palace, which dates to the mid-19th century, was built by the Grand Visier (1) of the then-king and later passed onto his son, who inherited his rank. The palace is very ornate, with many rooms on a single level, gardens, courtyards, and guest rooms. It also has three bedrooms for his three wives, and a dormitory for a couple of dozen concubines which he and his guests enjoyed.

The palace was very crowded with tourists and it was difficult to get a clear picture of anything other than the detailed ceilings.

In the same way that we were told the Mellah (Jewish quarter) was adjacent to the King’s palace in Fes, it was near the Bahai Palace here. Marrakech has a well-preserved synagogue and Jewish museum, which we visited. The Slat al-Azama, or Lazama, Synagogue was established by the Jews expelled from Spain in 1492. The current building is not believed to be the original one. The synagogue still functions today.

As we moved through the Medina, we continued to come across more damage from the earthquake.

As many of you know, I’ve been on a number of photography workshops, where a bunch of geeks like me walk around and take pictures – often of a scene suggested by the instructor. I found this scene, where people were using the old-fashioned pencil and paper to capture the scene, also in a workshop. The man in the center of the group, blue shirt and sunglasses, was apparently the instructor.

A day’s sightseeing is never complete without at least one Sponsored Visit. We went to a carpet store, ostensively to learn how carpets are made in different regions across Morocco. The sales guy put on quite a performance. The interesting thing is that we knew that he was ultimately trying to sell us stuff, and he knew that we knew, and we knew that he knew that we knew. But I found his enthusiasm engaging.

And finally, a few more images of people at work in the Medina.

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(1) This role put him in charge of the government on a day to day basis, similar to a prime minister.