Pakistani Trip pre-wedding Haldi Ceremony

Hello everyone, if you read my previous blog, then you know that I went to Pakistan to attend two weddings. I went there for 2 weeks. Before wedding they have traditional to have Haldi Ceremony.  Where sisters, aunts and female cousins apply a paste made from haldi (turmeric) on the groom/bride's face, hands and feets. Because I went to attend two weddings (my husband's sister's and brother's) so we had to apply on their both faces. It is beautifying ceremony to prepare the bride/groom for the upcoming nuptials. Usually that evening women and the bride of course got decorated with mehndi (henna). The designs are far more elaborate and intricate for the bride and cover her hands and feet. This can take hours. The henna stains the skin a lovely reddish brown and lasts up to a week. The tricky part is that when you have mehndi applied to your skin, you can't touch it or wash it off until it dries completely. The longer you will leave, the darker colour will be. Because we did Haldi Ceremony almost one week before wedding, we didn't apply henna, because it was too early.

Bridal mehndi (picture from here)

Traditionally, many days or even week before actual wedding day, women will gather in the house of the bride at night to sing and dance while accompanied by instrument Dholak. (you will see my video below).

Dholak, picture found HERE

Traditional bride wears yellow outfit. After the ceremony the bride does not leave the house until the wedding day.

With bride :) sorry, I had to cut her face..

If you want to see more, please check out my video:

Thanks for reading,

Ruta xx

Adventures in Morocco - Marrakech (Saadian Tombs, El Badi Palace, Jemaa el-Fnaa)

Good morning :)

One more morning in Morocco, but first morning in Marrakech. And the day looks will be nice and warm. After breakfast we went to drink coffee on the terrasse and to enjoy a little bit of sun :)

Today our plan is to see Marrakech as much as we can :) 

Koutoubia mosque

Our first place to visit was Saadian Tombs. The building is composed of three rooms. The most famous room is with the twelve columns. This room is contains the grave with sultan's son - Ahmad al-Mansur. And there is the bunch of people waiting to see the room. (you will see in my video in the end of this post) Outside the building is a garden and the graves of soldiers and servants. A ticket to visit Saadian Tombs is 12 MAD (1.20 euro).

People waiting to see the famous room

And here is the famous room of Saadian Tombs

Our second place to see is El Badii Palace. Where we are going by walk, because it is very close. :)

And here we reached Badii Palace. We paid 10 MAD (about 1 euro), but you can choose from two prices. 10 MAD to see just palace and 20 or 25 MAD (sorry dont remember) to see palace and mosque inside of palace. 

We spend couple of hours in El Badi Palace :) and we made hundreds of pictures  :)) Our next stop is Jemaa el-Fnaa :) we went by walk again :) because it is near, and the street is full of souvenirs shops (and a little bit cheaper than in Jemaa el-Fnaa). 

Time for food :) we tried Royal Couscous. If you are going to Morocco, you have to try couscous there :) so after short break we reached Jemaa el-Fnaa :) 

And be careful with these Henna ladies. She even didn't ask do we want it, or if we want, then which style we want. She just grabbed my friends hand and started her ''art''. And it was really bad. And that lady was ''smile and you take her pic'' :D when she finished she said ''you can pay as much as you want, but usually I am taking 50 euros, but it will be fine 30 euros from you''. She grabbed her hand without asking, plus my friend said that she don't want it, but she didn't let her hand out. And in that hurry, she made really bad henna. And she is asking such big money? I said maximum we can give you for this ''art'' 20 MAD (2 euros). But she still ''singing'' her song ''you can give as much as you want, but please give me 30 euros, this henna will make your sex good''. After 5 minutes argument, my patience was over. My husband is pakistani, so I know that her henna is rubbish, even I can do better, and there is not normal price which she is asking. So I said ''or you are taking 20 MAD or nothing, because we didn't ask you to do it, and even we said not to do it''. So of course she took 20 MAD, but was very unhappy. 

And after that heavy rain started, so my friends henna made her hand orange :))) we just run to the main street to get a taxi. And all taxi was busy, but luckily we got one. We paid not that cheap, but we were wet till lingerie. And it was really cold. So we had to stuck at home, because of the rain :(

p.s. lady from our hotel next day made a beautiful henna on my friends hand and she paid 5 euros. (even it can be cheaper).

And here is video from all this day:

 Ruta x