Sleeping on a mattress on the floor of a borrowed, unfurnished riad in Bab Doukala, Marrakech, we often heard knocks on the door at strange times of the day and night. We just thought it was the kids in the derb playing tricks on us. We ignored it.
It is hot in Marrakech in July. Very hot! The air conditioning in the bedroom worked...for a few minutes, then water poured onto the floor. We had to switch it off. Frustrating!
One day, a raggedy man was waiting for us at the door. He spoke a little English and seemed quite charming. Through his great thick beard he asked us if we knew the owner of the borrowed riad. We had heard the owner lived in Paris and had not visited here for 2 years, but knew nothing else.
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| The door to Raggedy Neighbour's riad |
The Raggedy Neighbour explained that he lived in the riad next door. But he was not happy with our air conditioning. He continued his story "owner of (borrowed) riad put clime (air conditioning units) on wall, in my riad... very bad!"
We knew there were laws about this from our own building project, so technically the French owner was in the wrong. "We are only borrowing the riad" we said, but Raggedy Neighbour told us he wanted money from us as 'compensation' for his inconvenience. "It's nothing to do with us" we said and wished him a good night.
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| naughty air conditioning units |
Once inside the borrowed riad, we went upstairs to see the offending air conditioning units and look at where Raggedy Neighbour lived...
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| The house where Raggedy Neighbour lived |
It was hot, we put the air conditioning on...and water still poured out.
Hmmm...
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