Melting in Marrakech

So its Krysia's first day out since being ill and we choose the high 30's to do it in! It's sweltering here but we feel the need to buy some gifts for our friends in Attaouia and can't laze around in this campsite any more. Having already preached the sermon on bike gear, we dress up and melt as we drive to town and that was this morning! Coming back this afternoon, we were like Magnum's after being left out in the sun. We've not really been in heat like this before, its quite extraordinary. We park near the Jemma el Fna and walk in a roundabout fashion in the shade of buildings to the souks, crossing the square in the sun when we have to. Once in the shaded market, we are able to wander more freely, trying to decide what to buy for the small girls of the family,little boy Daoid,  Rachida and Mohamed and if we get that far we'll be lucky! Its a tough task, every shop owner wants your custom and will sell you anything that you didn't need! Insisting its what you want and is at the very best price. So its not made easier by us not knowing what we want.

We get a guided tour of the dyers souk which lends to some good photo opportunities but alas for them no sales as we weren't looking for scarf's in the first place! They even invite us to lunch in hope that we will buy something but we're neither hungry nor falling for it.

At last we give in to a shopkeeper who has some wares we could barter for and we also ask him what is appropriate for the people in question. Bracelets are good for the girls and shoes for Rachida, 'now that's a proper gift for a women' he says and he doesn't even sell shoes! So a bracelet for each of the three girls and a pair of lovely white best quality, no tourist rubbish, shoes for Rachida. We're happy and the prices seem fair, which means we're paying to much but hey, its what its worth to you that counts.
Now for little boy Daoid we think a football. Can we see a football?,  anywhere! No chance, so I ask in a shop and they call out the door to a chap selling bags and he says yes, he can get one, just wait 10 minutes and I'll be back. He gets us a seat each and we sit and wait for his return, in the shade, and hey presto, a football for a fiver and 10 dirhams for the sweat! Finally, we get Mohamed a learn to speak English book as he showed an interest. This is an Arabic to English book so it starts at the back and reads to the front, as they do  here. Fantastic, we can go back to the campsite and get ready to move on in the morning, which is the plan.
Driving home was like driving into a hot hair dryer, I won't go on though, Its wonderful to be here even if it is like living in an oven!
Lots of love to all
Ted and Krysia