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Insanity.
Madness.
Non-stop Circus.
Maybe if I was Allen Ginsberg I could come up with words that accurately describe the Marrakech Medina. It was by far the craziest place that I have ever seen. A constant assault on the senses, surreal & overwhelming. Mind boggling and unlike anywhere else.
Marrakech was everything I imagined it would be and more.
Snake charmers, henna hand painters, trained monkeys, hawks, doves and guinea pigs working the square for unwitting tourists. Men dressed in crazy costumes whirling their heads around non stop, people singing, dancing, playing instruments. Drum circles, Balloon sellers, Snail pushers, trinkets of all kinds, horse & carriages, scooters, mopeds, trucks, bikes and donkeys. A million people rushing around with nowhere & everywhere to go at the same time.
There you are standing in the middle of all of it, mouth agape, mind blown, watching everything around you, trying to process it all. Out of all the things to do in Marrakech one of the best (and hardest) is just taking it all in. There’s so much to see that you can get tired just witnessing it all.
Night was one of my favorite times in the Medina because the scenery starts to take on a bit of a different air – life doesn’t slow down but the insanity looks just a little more romantic under the big, dark sky. Couples walk hand in hand, people seem to relax a bit more and smile often.
Each evening an entire block of food stalls set up camp in the heart of the square. The entire buzz of the marketplace changes.
Snake charmers are replaced by locals selling wares by a propane gas lit single bulb lamp. Smoke rises from the food stalls as fantastic smells waft through the Medina luring you into these ‘pop-up’ restaurants of Marrakech. Juices, snails, nuts & dried fruits line the alleys. Grabbing a seat not only gets you dinner but the chance to sit down and watch the buying/selling, socializing, laughing, kissing, yelling and insanity as it continues on around you.
I hope you enjoy this photo essay of Marrakech after dark. They’ll be plenty more photo essays from our time in Morocco coming up over the next several weeks. In a crazy place like Marrakech it’s almost impossible to stop shooting.
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This photo essay was part of our collaboration with Low Cost Holidays. If you are interested in traveling to Morocco be sure to check out their cheap holidays to Marrakech for great deals on city breaks.
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59 Responses and Counting...
Seriously gorgeous shots. Crazy, hectic places often energise and inspire me on my travels – Marrakesh sounds like it might be one of those places.
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Bethany Reply:
January 2nd, 2012 at 3:04 pm
Thanks Erin! Yeah if you like crazy & hectic then you HAVE to go to Marrakech.
@Erin,
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Hi Bethany, I’ve visited Marrakech three times and never failed to be overwelmed by the atmosphere and vibrancy of the Jamaa el Fna! Stunning photos.
I have added the link to The Travel Bloggers Guide to Morocco I’m developing. I hope you don’t mind?
http://www.thedepartureboard.com/the-travel-bloggers-guide/africa/morocco
Kind regards, Si
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Bethany Reply:
January 2nd, 2012 at 3:05 pm
Glad you like them Si! Sure that sounds great – glad to help.
@Si @thedepartureboard.com,
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I’m dazzled. Adding it to one of the places I long to visit!
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Bethany Reply:
January 2nd, 2012 at 3:06 pm
Thanks Jennifer – it’s a one of kind place for sure! @Jennifer,
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Wonderful montage of images! You’ve managed to capture some of that manic atmosphere of Jemaa Al Fna. A couple of months ago, when we first arrived at our riad deep in the heart of the Medina, the route to it was so dark by day that I feared going outside the door after nightfall. Incredibly, the place was lit up like day after dark – just another piece of Marrakech madness
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Bethany Reply:
January 2nd, 2012 at 3:06 pm
I know – it’s absolutely beautiful at night – even more so than during the day. @Andy Montgomery,
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Awesome photos- makes me feel like I was right there in the heart of it all! Definitely would be paradise for me as you know how I love to shop!
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Bethany Reply:
January 2nd, 2012 at 3:08 pm
You would LOVE the shopping Diane!@Diane,
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Really nice shots! Alluring, emotive, sexy. Good job at translating the ‘feel’. Now I just have to get there!
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Bethany Reply:
January 2nd, 2012 at 3:07 pm
Thanks Lisa for the awesome compliments.
@Lisa | LLWorldTour,
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This may be the most awesome photo essay I’ve seen on the web. It is exciting, beautiful, properly exotic. I know that I would never do it. I’d just be standing there with my mouth hanging open, forgetting I even OWNED a camera!
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Bethany Reply:
January 2nd, 2012 at 3:08 pm
hahaha.. Thank you so much for that Vera! I’m smiling ear to ear.
Glad you liked them! @Vera Marie Badertscher,
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I’ve never really seen or heard much about this place and it looks stunning!! adding it to the list : )
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Bethany Reply:
January 2nd, 2012 at 3:09 pm
It’s definitely unlike anywhere else that I have ever seen! @Chaucee,
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I can’t get over how HOPPING it is at night!! darn it, if i ever make it to marrakech, I’m totally buying one of those lamps to bring home!
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Bethany Reply:
January 2nd, 2012 at 3:09 pm
Yeah the place really is non-stop – it’s nuts! @jenjenk,
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You convey mood and sentiment so well through your photography- it’s absolutely stunning.
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Bethany Reply:
January 2nd, 2012 at 3:10 pm
Thank you so much! Glad you like them
@nod ‘n’ smile,
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Oh these photos are absolutely spectacular!!!!!!!!! WOW! I loved loved loved Marrakech.
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Bethany Reply:
January 2nd, 2012 at 3:10 pm
Thanks Andi! @Andi of My Beautiful Adventures,
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Wonderful, inspiring, get yourself to Marrakesh, photos.
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Bethany Reply:
January 2nd, 2012 at 3:11 pm
Thanks! @jan,
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Cities look so much more beautiful at night and Marrakech seems to be no exception. Gorgeous photos as always!
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Bethany Reply:
January 2nd, 2012 at 3:11 pm
I think cities really show their true beauty at night. I loved it! @Joya,
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Wow, amazing photos! HOW do you do such great low-light pics? And I HAVE bought your e-book, this nighttime photography stuff is just damn hard!
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Bethany Reply:
January 2nd, 2012 at 3:12 pm
Thanks Rebecca! Low light w/out a tripod = high iso & large aperture to capture as much light as possible. Often times involves slow shutter speed too.
I hope the book is helping you! @Rebecca,
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PS. I’m sure it’s on the site somewhere, but what lenses/camera body do you guys use?
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Bethany Reply:
January 2nd, 2012 at 3:14 pm
I use a Nikon d300s and a variety of lenses – I love my 35mm 1.8 but a lot of times it isn’t wide enough so i switch to a tokina 11-16mm 2.8,which actually really isn’t great for night photos I discovered or i switch to anything else i might have. Goes off how wide of an angle I think i need. @Rebecca,
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wonderful! I was only there for one short morning (till 10:30 a.m.) so didn’t get a chance to experience the place
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wonderful images and mood! I was only there for one short morning (till 10:30 a.m.) so didn’t get a chance to experience the place…
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Bethany Reply:
January 2nd, 2012 at 3:15 pm
Thanks Amanda – well if you head back again you’ll have to stay for an evening.
@Amanda,
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LOVE LOVE LOVE these pictures! Being a photographer myself, I can definitely understand the rush of discovering a city so dynamic and photogenic! Kudos!
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Bethany Reply:
January 10th, 2012 at 9:18 am
Thank you so much!
@Caro from Passport and a Toothbrush,
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Look so mysterious and appealing these photos.
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Bethany Reply:
January 10th, 2012 at 9:19 am
The place really takes on a different vibe at night – thanks Sophie for seeing that in these photos.
@Sophie,
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This is lovely! Your pictures really do depict so much culture and beauty!
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Bethany Reply:
January 10th, 2012 at 9:20 am
Thank you so much Anji! I really appreciate your comment
@Anji,
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Really great photos! I hope to get there one day. Top 10 on my travel list. I say that about a lot of places though. Maybe 50. But Morocco gets the mention a lot, so it must mean something.
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Bethany Reply:
January 10th, 2012 at 9:21 am
Thanks Kevin. Morocco was a dream destination of mine as well and it is definitely different than anywhere else I have ever been that’s for sure.
@Kevin – The Mad Traveler,
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Gorgeous photos!!! It reminds me of a few I took in Tangier but of course mine weren’t nearly as great as yours!!
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Bethany Reply:
January 10th, 2012 at 9:32 am
Ahh thanks so much Cailin – did you like Tangier? @cailin,
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Beautiful! Love the smiles of the chefs preparing food.
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Bethany Reply:
January 10th, 2012 at 9:34 am
thanks so much Candice! I love the smiles too.
@Candice,
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These are really gorgeous – looks like such a lively place!
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Bethany Reply:
January 10th, 2012 at 9:35 am
Thanks Andrea – the place is crazy! @Andrea,
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Really nice work. I was in Marrakech with my daughter and didn’t take many shots as I was enjoying the time with her, so having your ‘memories’ captured so well is really nice to see.
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Bethany Reply:
January 10th, 2012 at 9:36 am
Thanks Peter – I’m so glad you like them! I’m sure hanging out with your daughter was so much fun in such a crazy place! Did she see the cobras??@Peter West Carey,
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Peter West Carey Reply:
January 10th, 2012 at 12:22 pm
@Bethany,
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Fantastic set of images, really nice work!
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Bethany Reply:
January 10th, 2012 at 9:37 am
Thanks Kymri
@Kymri,
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Crazily fantastic shots as always.!
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Bethany Reply:
January 10th, 2012 at 9:47 am
Aww… Thanks Raymond
@Raymond @ Man On The Lam,
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Hoping to visit in April, but am in two minds, have read so much about women being hassled on the streets – how did you find it ? your photos are really making me want to go btw!
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Bethany Reply:
January 26th, 2012 at 9:08 am
Hi Fiona,
Thanks for commenting. Marrakech is a pretty crazy place and everyone gets hassled. I did not experience any hassling that was aimed at me because I was a woman in particular but I was with Randy so perhaps that is why. I did see girls on their own or in small groups and I never saw anything take place that looked like they were being hassled because of their gender. I felt very safe in Marrakech, even walking around at night. It’s just that the entire place is non-stop craziness. Very unique – we really did like it and we’ve never been anywhere like it.
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[...] The Mirage – Marrakech, Morocco [...]
Great photos made during the night, in such an interesting place. Wow.
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brilliant article! I’ll be there in two months and i’m looking forward.
I’ll check your website out more often!
thanks
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