A few days in Taroudant around ‘the’ birthday on 25 February

Hans reading late birthday greetings on the roof terrace before a day in town.

Taroudannt with some 80.000 inhabitants also called ‘Little Marrakesh’ is the Souss Valley’s trading center.

Hidden behind the magnificent red-mud walls and with the snowcapped High Atlas beckoning beyond, Taroudants souks and squares are both extremely busy and welcoming.

Taroudant is a market town, where Berbers trade the produce of the rich and fertile Oued Souss plain.

The Ramparts around the Medina are 7,5 kms and among the best preserved pisé walls in Marocco. Count 2 hours to make the tour by foot.

At the end of the day people will gather on the Place Assarag or Place al-Alaouyine, Marrakesh’s Djemaa el-Fna en miniature - 10 minutes walk from where we are. Story tellers, snake charmers, musicians, dancers and, like here, comedians . We don’t understand a word but enjoy watching the emotion within the audienc. The crowd gets more and more dense until the Muezzin calls for the last prayer of the day, some time around 8 pm.

Within minutes the square is empty except for the late diners.