Monday, January 26, 2009

Riding the Marrakech Express


“Looking at the world through the sunset in your eyes Traveling the train through clear Moroccan skies… Colored cottons hang in the air Charming cobras in the square… Striped djellebas we can wear at home well, let me hear you now… Ducks and pigs and chickens call Animal carpet wall to wall… Wouldn't you know we're riding on the Marrakesh Express wouldn’t you know we're riding on the Marrakesh Express They're taking me to Marrakesh All aboard the train, all aboard the train… “

From “Marrakesh express”

Crosby, Stills, and Nash


I find my self on a train after a long journey to get to Casablanca. It seems like we have been flying endlessly—with a delayed take off from JFK through Madrid and finally landing in Casablanca to get on a train that will takes us in a little under 4 hours to Marrakesh a place I have always wanted to see since I first heard the song "Marrakesh Express" by Crosby, Stills and Nash. It was on the “break out album” –self titled and the song was written by Graham Nash, now 60 years old. I am told that Marrakesh was a popular traveling route for hippies in the mid to late sixties—looking for a mythical Arabic land and some hashish. My hippie days are gone but this fits the bill of my imagination of what a Moroccan city should look like.


We are sitting in a first class compartment—with others. The whole ride cost $15. We are with two old gentlemen who look happy to be with each other. They are brothers and across from them is the son of one of them. They are cheerful—I am not. I am just very tired—and fall asleep. I sleep for two hours, amazing—they are laughing and chatting in French. It wakes me up but their cheerfulness is contagious … maybe this is the way you feel when you are on the “Marrakesh Express”. When they see we are awake they smile and answer my many questions about Marrakesh. Their warmth and helpfulness I hope is a prelude to what is ahead for us.

There weather is wonderful—60 degrees—perfect. It is now dark but after we find our hotel we head for the souk—called Djemaa el fna. We take a cab which drops us off at crowded streets and the driver points in a direction down the street. We start to walk and soon see a huge expanse of lights and musicians playing and the aroma of something good cooking. This whole square extends as far as you can see. It is an amazing spectacle that is entrancing.


Where do you begin —we are starving. This looks like a giant out door food court with people cooking. Out of no where we are charmed by some young guy to try his little outdoor restaurant. We are sitting at what could be picnic tables, and an enormous array of food looking at us. Chicken, fish, olives of all kinds, lamb, beef, dates, nuts, vegetables—smoke and steam bring the mouth watering smells to our nose. He makes suggestions—we follow his advice and before we know it we have piles of food before us and it all tastes good. Now what will this cost? I am only in town a few hours and I am going to be taken for a huge bill.I was wrong. Each of us paid $12 for this feast and a very cheerful waiter. What a bargain!


I am taken by the many colors of Marrakesh, especially that Ocher that dominates most everything. There are the palm trees and the ramparts and the Atlas Mountains that give it such a beautiful back drop. What a place.