Souk in Marrakech

Our last day in Marrakech we decided to brave the labyrinth of stalls and shops and over eager shop keepers in the souk. The souk in Marrakech is actually several different specialized souks that have melded together to form one. Put together they stretch from the Jemaa El Fna all the way to the northern ramparts that separate the medina from the newer section of Marrakech. According to fodors.com, there are the following souks:

• Souk Semarine has fabrics, various inexpensive souvenirs, and a kissaria, or covered miscellaneous market, as well as spices.
• Souk Rahba Qdima -- also known as La Criée Berbère (roughly, the Auction Crier) for its proximity to the former slave market of that name -- has rugs, carpets, and sheepskins as well as apothecaries.
• Souk el Attarine has perfumes.
• Souk des Bijoutiers has jewelry, mainly silver.
• Souk des Forgerons has copperware.
• Souk Larzal is the wholesale wool market.
• Souk des Teinturiers is the wool dyers' market.
• Souk des Babouches sells the pointed slippers so beloved of Moroccans and other clothing.
• Souk Chouari is where carpenters work in cedar.
• Souk Haddadine sells ironwork.
• Souk Cherratin offers a variety of leather goods.

Unfortunately we didn't get time to see all of the souks we wanted, because Moulay came a little earlier than we'd expected to drive us to Casablanca. Must go back when I've allowed myself a lot of time for exploring and haggling. Oh yeah, and when I have some money with which to haggle. Lack of funds definitely put a damper on the souk experience. It kept me from buying everything in sight, which is of course what I wanted to do!