In the hustle and bustle of Marrakech’s central square, you can find everything from snake charmers to magicians. That’s not to say that Jemaa el-Fnaa is a space strictly for the weird and the wonderful, one public game that you will find being played day or night by tourists and locals alike is ‘chasing lemonade’.
The game costs but 5 dirhams (£0.37) to play, consists of being able to loop a hook tied to a long piece of bamboo round the top of various bottles of lemonades and cola. Though it seems easy, it of course is not! Not many pass through Jemaa el-Fnaa with the patience and coordination to walk away a winner.
The creator and invigilator of the game Badr, explains how he believes that the game can act as a test of the psychological well being of the player. He says that if a contestant is “truly at peace” with his surroundings, he will gain where the opposition loses.
Jemaa el-Fnaa is the beating heart of the red city of Marrakech, and is but walking distance from any one of our luxury Riad Hotels.