Tuesday, June 28, 2011

This is why I'm always lost!



On my way to Volubilis, I snapped this shot of a street in the medina before the stores open. This is the main drag of the Meknes medina, one of the widest and most-traveled streets, and you can see that with the doors shut it's about eight feet wide. During most of the day and late into the night, the stores spill out into the street, with displays and racks of goods, and stalls and carts and chairs, so you have to sidle through it single file on foot. In addition to being narrow, note that there are no street signs, and since it's covered to keep out the sun, you can't use tall structures or the position of the sun as landmarks to help you find your way. Maps of the place are virtually useless, and the only way to find something is to ask or walk around in circles until you stumble upon it. Not the best system, perhaps, but it's one that's worked for them for over a thousand years. ;)

1 comment:

  1. From the looks of it, you'll feel right at home once you get to Venice. Just add water canals criss-crossing the streets at odd intervals.

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