2001-05-world-of-interiors

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AMryA5§ANÜre'§ ffi äCäPTIÜNON HIS LATTST V SIT TO IVARRAKESH, ATISTA R McAIP NE SAIVPLES THt SOUK Ot THE DAY RECTIVES SONIE

DIRTY MONEY AND ENCOUNTERS A PARTICUTARLY WELCOMING AMBASSADOR

The best-kept secret in all Morocco is the quality of the foodin the Place Jemaa el Fna, the beating heart of Marrakesh. As

the sun sets, the stallholders erect their stalls, much as a gen-

eral might arrange an army. In the front row tea and cakes,

Behind them, egg-sandwich stalls, then the meat - lambheads, hearts and livers. The rearguard are sellers oforanges,figs and dates. On the right flank, the row of snail-sellers, whostand on high benches behind their stalls that serve food atchin height, or to customers perched on high stoois. Mosttourists avoid this food as if it were being served by the

armed forces of Attila the Hun. The plague, they believe, surelylurches amongst these less-than-mouthwatering delicacies.

For two weeks I took my evening meal at one or other ofthese stalls and the food was not only hygienic but also totallydelicious. My visit to Morocco was, on this occasion, truly a

journey of discovery. Among the best of the discoveries was

the Riya El Cadi, a small guest house of a dozen rooms. Builtaround a series of courtyards, the Riya is one of the most con-genial hotels I have ever stayed in. The food is fresh, simpleand totally wonderful. The proprietor, the former Germanambassador to Morocco, is a mine of information. Alreadyfamous for his collection of Tirrkish kilim, he now concen-trates on Berber textiles. Much of his collection hangs in theguest house, and as it is arguably Marrakesht best collectionin this specialised field, other collectors are drawn to his guesthouse. The politics of Moroccan textiles go well with the fresh

croissants, pancakes and splendid jams at breakfast. The

decoration of the Riya is impeccable. As for comfort, theAmbassador produced a new definition of that word in termsof a hotel. 'What shall I do with my dirty laundry?' I asked.']ust drop it on the floor, it will be taken care ofj he replied.

Just down the street - which is a euphemism for a shortbut immensely complex journey - is the Riyal Tamsna. Thisplace, presided over by the elegant Madame Martin, is no

ordinarytea shop. A selection of Moroccan lifestyle goods are

available here. It is a haven for those who are tired of shoppingin the souk; here they can buy Moroccan style with quality, arare commodity indeed. Madame Martin, needless to say,

knows her onions when it comes to quality, for she is the localadviser to an internet site, wwwcapitaltaste.com. This site is

immensely useful to travellers as it highlights not only thebest but the hidden treasures of many interesting cities.Shopping in Marrakesh is the raison d'ötre of the whole placeand, like much else in Morocco, seems to lack logic. Offer.inpayment a dirty dollar bill and it will be refused. Replace thisnote with a pristine dollar and, as change, you will receive ahandful ofthe dirtiest notes you have ever seen in your life.

Walk in the Place Jemaa el Fna and you will be warned ofthe dangers ofthe souk by a dozen guides who offer their ser-

vices. Marrakesh, however, is a city where crime barely exists,for the simple reason that crime does not pay as well as trade.Swindled, you will most certainlybe; to be robbed, however,is a most unusual occurrence.

For the true collector this place is a paradise. Textiies,unknown a year ago, are now on the market. As prices have

risen, so have tribes begun to give up their treasures. Each daydealers have new textiles, pottery, woodwork and jewellery ofgreat age andbeauty, objects whose price is the figure that thedealers can be persuaded to part with for them.

In the souk is the textiles auction market, an auction inwhich foreigners cannot join. A foolish Swiss couple tried tobid; outrage spread amongst the crowd. They were still bid-ding when the lot was knocked down. Since the time of theancient Sumerians, the system for conducting auctions has

been firmly established, a system copied by the cattle auc-tioneers ofthe Chicago stockyards; a system that is not aboutto be changed by a pair ofopportunistic collectors. In its way,

the resistance to change in Morocco is at least half its charm r

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