The Lure of the Medina

Part 3

Now, where were we in this whole journey of how I got rustled into a rug showroom in a Moroccan souk? In Part 1, I meet a helpful stranger—I’m politely calling him my Tour Guide—who teaches me about the wayfinding stones, mediates a bit of haggling to help me get a lower price on my leather purse, and then escorts me to the weaving operation. In Part 2, my Tour Guide has brought me into a gloriously air-conditioned room and left me to drink tea with a charismatic man I’m calling the Rug Merchant. My story left off with me getting myself rejected by the Rug Merchant by showing him just how little money I have to spend.

The view from upstairs, where the weaving operation happens and the Rug Merchant has his chill showroom. Looking back on these photos, I realize none of the items he showed me were nearly as cool, or as large, as the ones hanging on display out here.

As I come down the stairs and into the midday heat, there’s my Tour Guide waiting for me, but his mood has visibly deflated. Maybe because he sees I’m not carrying a new rugs? Or maybe he’s been upstairs listening to the exchange I had.

“You were in there a long time,” he says.