The scenery in my mind and Souk

I am so comfortable when I'm in a mazy city. It's because I grew up an old castle city in Japan. I don't know whether my home town was urban or country side in Japan. But I'm quite sure I'm city bred.

In the old town, there was "a child alley" It means narrow path that only residents and children knew. It went through the grocery store, fish store and tenement house. These days in Japan, we hardly come across those paths or gray zone where there is no clear lines between public and private. Perhaps, there are some reasons, for example, security or prevention for disasters.
However, I occasionally come across such mazy cities in another country, and I feel so happy with it. For example, "Medina", the city surrounded by the wall, or "Souk", the quarter where the craftsmen live in, of Arabic country are close to the original scenery in my mind.

The Souk of Marrakesh extended in the north of Jemaa el Fna square. A narrow and winding maze was shaded by a marsh-reed screen ceiling. Spice shop, carpet shop, carpenter, leather shop, wool shop ... various quarters formed the maze.
Because of the complicated maze, tourist often got lost. As a result, they passed in front of the same shop many times. They might be brought out the same business talk again and again.
If you want to walk around the souk efficiently, it must be the best hiring a guide. (It's possible to be captured by syndicate of the guide. And you hold tons of souvenirs in your arms when you got out from the Souk ... but anyway) However, I think it's also the real pleasure for walking around the Souk and getting lost on purpose.

In this way, I had to pass in front of the same motorbike shop many times on the day. I felt some destiny for it. So I took their portrait. This is "Portrait of brothers at motorbike shop" The two elders were restless and the youngest one was the coolest and matured. There were persons who had such strong taste like them in my childhood.

The souk made me walk long way. At last, almost miraculously, I came out to the Fna square. The sun was going down. Stalls were already set in the square. Story teller, serpent performer ..... , their performance was heated up. Nothing special, it's a usual night in Marrakesh.

Maltese