A trip to the Moroccan dentist...

Marrakesh provides a vibrant feast for the senses. The Djamaa El Fna square is a popular location for locals and tourists a-like, a buzzing source of entertainment by day, with snake charming and monkeys and a social extravaganza by night, with a lively market of fresh food and handmade crafts. The name of this square may ring a bell as it was sadly where a bomb exploded in a small cafe only a month or so ago, but don't let this put you off, there is still much to be admired at the heart of this african city. Take a stroll through the expansive souks and become immersed in the Aladdin-like cave of silver teapots handmade in nearby city, Fes and the elegant glass lanterns that dangle inches above your head. Marrakesh was an explosion of culture, I had never seen anything like it. Women were hovering, waiting to draw intricate patterns with henna guns, men were gathered, placing bets on which poisonous snake could be charmed for the longest and there amongst it all was the Moroccan equivalent of a dentist. A scruffy, bearded man was sitting on a chair behind a fold-out table. His weather-beaten hands were crossed aross his stomach and he was squinting his eyes in the midday heat. As I took a closer look I realised that his table was piled high with hundreds of human teeth and I recoiled at the sight. It seemed that if you were unlucky enough to get toothache out here, this was the man you saw.