Visit the Djemaa el-Fna square in Marrakech

“Hand wet with henna and defensively held, I dodged my way through the crowds, avoiding the man with the python, ducking out from the hat put on my head with a demand for money. I aimed for a drumming circle, past the strange ‘apple bobbing’ contest but was paused at every step by a tout or beggar or performer. It all felt a bit like being the ball in a pinball machine.”

“I moved on working my way through pockets of mirth and music as people laughed at street performers while the beating of drums attracted their audiences. I stepped in and out of pools of light and shadow drawn towards the sizzle and scent of cooking food in the centre of a large open area. Swirls of white smoke danced above the makeshift restaurants before spiralling up into the black sky.”

“Only, last time I was in this very spot, there were vendors, sure, but there was also a whole lot of empty space for wandering about. This time, you couldn’t go two feet without bumping into a band of buskers, or tripping over a monkey or having a snake hiss over your shoulder (true story: beware the snake charmers…and the primates). It was the most magnificent sight.”