More on Marrakech...

When I spend some time in Marrakech, it's normally the muezzin's call for pray at 5 am what wakes me up. The first time I heard it, I jumped out of bed in panic. But now I'm used to this public manifestations of the Islam. So I fall back into sleeping easily, till breakfast arrives, of course, with its Moroccan delicacies: Luisa tea, "cornes des gazelles" (pastries made with almond flour), honey over Arab bread toasts, the true pitta bread.

I have a great passion for the cuisine of this country, specially because I can easily remove meat from many dishes (for those of you who don't know it, I'm a vegetarian). I mean... vegetables couscous, grilled eggplant salad with spices, tomato and sesame marmalade, cumin zucchinis, etc. And many teas: mint teas, jasmine teas, verbena teas...

The souks where spices and dried fruits are sold are incredible, be it because of its many colors or because of its strong and unique smells.

It's also worth visiting the souks of scents and black soaps. The Arabs make a cult of taking care of their body, something which start at the hamman, where they must rub themselves with a glove and the famous black soap (sold by weight). After the hamman, they might also go for a scrub with rassoul, which is a special mud for detoxing the skin. And finally, a massage with argan oil, made of the fruit of the arganier, which grows only in Morocco.

The argan oil has many virtues, a high quantity of vitamin E and Omega 6, and improves dry skin remarkably. There's a variety that can also be used for cooking.

All this wonders can be bought at the souks, open market and neuralgic center of the city. Thousands walk around it daily and tourists come in pilgrimage. You can find almost anything. But beware: you must know how to bargain! Salesmen take it almost as an insult if you pay full price. Bargaining is an art in many Arab countries.

At the souks you can also buy embroidered djellabas, fabrics, bags... Unique crafts.

Yves Saint Laurent loved Marrakech and Morocco and found here many inspirations for his collections. His love for this country was so immense that he chose to be buried here...