hide random home http://www.cs.bilkent.edu.tr/~pf/travel/morocco.misc (PC Press Internet CD, 03/1996)
MOROCCO COMPILATION 8 January 1996 Contents [1] On-line Information [1-1] CIA World Factbook [1-2] US State Department Travel Advisory [1-3] Frequently-Asked-Question (FAQ) Lists [1-4] Trip Reports [1-5] Newsgroups and Mailing-Lists [1-6] Other Internet Services [2] Guidebooks [2-1] Rough/Real Guide [2-2] Lonely Planet Guides [2-3] Practical Guide to Islamic Monuments [2-4] Guide du Routard [3] Threads on the "rec.travel.misc" Newsgroup [3-1] Safety, Hustling, Haggling, and Attitude [3-2] Crossing from/to Spain; Tanger; Ceuta [3-3] Customs and Barter [3-4] Itineraries and Getting around [3-5] Fes and Marrakesh [3-6] Casablanca [3-7] Mint tea Please drop me a line when you've downloaded this compilation, so that I may estimate how many people use this service. The (more frequently updated) original of this compilation is at: http://www.cs.bilkent.edu.tr/~pf/travel/morocco.misc [Turkey] Comments and suggestions are welcome! Happy traveling in Morocco, -- Pierre Flener, Ph.D., Assistant Professor Department of Computer Engineering Email: pf@cs.bilkent.edu.tr and Information Science http://www.cs.bilkent.edu.tr/~pf/pf.html Faculty of Engineering Voice: +90 / 312 / 266-4000 x1450 Bilkent University (GMT+2) +90 / 312 / 266-5031 (home) 06533 Bilkent, Ankara, Turkey Fax: +90 / 312 / 266-4126 ======================================================================== [1] On-Line Information [1-1] CIA World Factbook The CIA World Factbook includes such things as population statistics, info about a country's government (names of heads of state, and so on), economy, addresses of U.S. embassies, and more, for many countries. Very interesting! The information on Morocco is available as follows: http://www.ic.gov/94fact/country/165.html [USA] The information is not necessarily up-to-date, though. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [1-2] US State Department Travel Advisory The latest travel advisory for US-citizens wishing to visit Morocco is available as follows: ftp://ftp.stolaf.edu/pub/travel-advisories/advisories/morocco http://www.stolaf.edu/network/travel-advisories.html [USA] Such travel advisories are regularly issued by the US State Department. As you can imagine, this information is mostly relevant to US-citizens, but it gives an up-to-date, though slightly paranoid, estimate of the current political/economical/religious/... climate in Morocco. Here follows the most recent advisory that I bothered to download (in September 1994): STATE DEPARTMENT TRAVEL INFORMATION - Morocco ============================================================ Morocco - Consular Information Sheet July 28, 1994 Country Description: Morocco is a constitutional monarchy with a developing economy. Tourist facilities and means of transportation are widely available, but may vary in quality depending on price and location. Entry Requirements: A passport is required. A visa is not required for a stay of up to 90 days. For further information concerning entry requirements for Morocco, travelers may contact the Embassy of Morocco at 1601 21st St. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20009, telephone (202) 462-7979 to 82, or the Moroccan Consulate General in New York, telephone (212) 758-2625. Areas of Instability: The sparsely-settled Western Sahara (formerly Spanish Sahara) was long the site of armed conflict between the Polisario Front and Morocco on the issue of independence versus Moroccan sovereignty. Although a ceasefire is presently in place, several violations have occurred and the area cannot be considered safe. There are reports of thousands of unexploded mines in the Western Sahara and in areas of Mauritania adjacent to the Western Sahara border. Exploding mines are occasionally reported, and have caused death and injury. Transit to the Western Sahara remains restricted; persons planning to travel in the region may obtain information on clearance requirements from the Moroccan Embassy. Medical Facilities: Medical care in Morocco is available, although not all facilities meet high quality standards and specialized care or treatment may not be available. Travelers planning to drive in the mountains and other remote areas may wish to carry a medical kit and a Moroccan phone card for emergencies. Doctors and hospitals often expect immediate cash payment for health care services. U.S. medical insurance is not always valid outside the United States. Supplemental medical insurance with specific overseas coverage has proven useful. Specific health questions may be addressed to the Centers for Disease Control's international travelers hotline at telephone (404) 332-4559. Crime Information: Morocco has a moderately high crime rate in urban areas. Criminals have targeted tourists for assaults, muggings, thefts, pickpocketings, and scams of all types. Commonly-reported crimes include falsifying credit-card vouchers, and shipping inferior rugs as a substitute for the rugs purchased by the traveler. Some travelers have been befriended by persons of various nationalities who have offered the travelers food, drink, or cigarettes which are drugged. Harassment of tourists by unemployed Moroccans trying to be "guides" is a common problem. Prudent travelers hire only official tour guides through hotels and travel agencies. Traveling alone in the Rif mountain area is risky. The loss or theft of a U.S. passport abroad should be reported immediately to local police and the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. Useful information on safeguarding valuables, protecting personal security, and other matters while traveling abroad is provided in the Department of State pamphlets, "A Safe Trip Abroad" and "Tips for Travelers to the Middle East and North Africa." They are available from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402. Currency Regulations: Travelers checks and credit cards are accepted at some establishments in Morocco, mainly in urban areas. Drug Penalties: U.S. citizens are subject to the laws of the country in which they are traveling. Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs are severe, and convicted offenders can expect jail sentences and fines. Registration: U.S. citizens who register at the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy or Consulate General can obtain updated information on travel and security within Morocco. Embassy and Consulate Locations: The U.S. Embassy in Rabat is located at 2 Avenue de Marrakech in the capital city of Rabat, telephone (212-7) 76-22-65. The American Consulate General in Casablanca is located at 8 Boulevard Moulay Youssef, telephone (212-2) 26-45-50. No. 94-142 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [1-3] Frequently-Asked-Questions (FAQ) Lists An excellent FAQ list is maintained by Jeffrey Burrows (jey@almac.co.uk): http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/jey/morocco.htm http://www.digimark.net/rec-travel/africa/morocco/morocco.html ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [1-4] Trip Reports Currently (July 1995), there is *no* trip report on the rec.travel library: consider this item as a call for contributions! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [1-5] Newsgroups and Mailing Lists + There is only one newsgroup, namely "soc.culture.maghreb", with regular coverage of Moroccan culture, politics, economics, history, sports, and so on. There is however *no* newsgroup with exclusive coverage of Morocco. Also see the "soc.culture.arabic" newsgroup for occasional threads about Morocco. + Also, the "rec.travel.misc" and the "bit.listserv.travel-l" newsgroups periodically have threads about Morocco: see section [3] of this compilation for an edited and annotated "Best-of". + The same holds for the TRAVEL-L bitnet mailing list. A bitnet mailing list similar in goals to rec.travel. To subscribe, send a mail message to listserv@trearn.bitnet consisting of the line: "subscribe travel-l firstname lastname". ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [1-6] Other Internet Services An excellent home-page on Morocco is at: http://www.dsg.ki.se/maroc/ [Sweden] Morocco Bound is an extensive list of URLs about Morocco: http://www.neosoft.com/~tm/club/mrocbd1.htm [USA/TX] Lonely Planet Publications have very valuable and very recent feedback from travelers (but no general information yet, as of May 1995): http://www.lonelyplanet.com/letters/afr_pc.htm#moro [USA?] City Net Express has more pointers: http://www.city.net/countries/morocco/ [USA] David Koblas' "Currency Converter" does currently (as of October 1994) *not* allow you to find out the current exchange rates of the Moroccan Dirham vs. other currencies: http://www.ora.com/cgi-bin/ora/currency [USA] Rick Bronson's "Tourism Offices Worldwide Directory", at: http://www.mbnet.mb.ca/lucas/travel/tourism-offices.html [Canada] listed the following addresses when I last checked (in October 1994): Moroccan National Tourist Office 421 N. Rodeo Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210 +1-310-271-8939 FAX +1-310-271-4817 Moroccan National Tourist Office 20 E. 46th St. #503, New York, NY 10017 +1-212-557-2520 Many other travel-related (in general) resources are accessible via: + the rec.travel library: http://www.digimark.net/rec-travel/ [USA/MD] ftp://ftp.digimark.net/pub/rec-travel/ [USA/MD] or its mirror sites (select the closest for better network performance): http://www.solutions.net/rec-travel/ [Canada] ftp://www.solutions.net/ [Canada] ftp://ftp.nus.sg/pub/misc/travel/ [Singapore] http://www.nectec.or.th/rec-travel/index.html [Thailand] ftp://ftp.nectec.or.th/pub/mirrors/rec-travel/ [Thailand] + Lonely Planet Publications: http://www.lonelyplanet.com [USA?] + GNN Travelers' Center: http://nearnet.gnn.com/gnn/meta/travel/index.html [USA] or its mirror sites (select the closest for better network performance): http://bond.edu.au/gnn/meta/travel/index.html [Australia] http://www.wimsey.com/gnn/meta/travel/index.html [Canada] http://quasar.sba.dal.ca:2000/gnn/meta/travel/index.html [Canada] http://www.germany.eu.net:8000/gnn/meta/travel/index.html [Germany] http://www.iol.ie/gnn/meta/travel/index.html [Ireland] http://www.ntt.jp/gnn/meta/travel/index.html [Japan] http://www.elvis.msk.su/gnn/meta/travel/index.html [Russia] http://src.doc.ic.ac.uk/gnn/meta/travel/index.html [UK] http://www.digital.com/gnn/meta/travel/index.html [USA/CA] http://gnn.interpath.net/gnn/meta/travel/index.html [USA/NC] + City Net Express and The Virtual Tourist II: http://www.city.net/ [USA] http://wings.buffalo.edu/world/vt2/ [USA] + Going Places: http://travel.gpnet.com/ [USA] + TravelASSIST: http://travelassist.com/ [USA] ======================================================================== [2] Guidebooks [2-1] Rough/Real Guide + ??? The Real Guide - Morocco Harrap Columbus, ??? (UK), 199x ISBN ??? UK# ??? ??? pages available in North-America as: + ??? The Real Guide - Morocco Prentice-Hall Press, New York (NY, USA), 199x ISBN ??? US$ ??? ??? pages Simply excellent! Very informative and comprehensive (includes long sections on basics and contexts, and thus provides for excellent armchair traveling or reading material while on the trip). Highly recommended!!! I can't think of anything that could be included anywhere in this on-line guide that would not be redundant with this book. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [2-2] Lonely Planet Guides + ??? Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia - A Travel Survival Kit Lonely Planet Publishers, Victoria (Australia), 199x (2nd edition) ISBN ??? UK# 10.95 ??? pages, ?? maps, ?? color photos Same personal comments as for [2-1]. + ??? West-Africa - A Travel Survival Kit Lonely Planet Publishers, Victoria (Australia), 199x (2nd edition) ISBN ??? UK# 12.95 ??? pages, ?? maps, ?? color photos + ??? Africa on a Shoestring Lonely Planet Publishers, Victoria (Australia), 199x (6th edition) ISBN ??? UK# 16.95 ??? pages, ?? maps, ?? color photos + ??? Arabic (Moroccan) Phrasebook Lonely Planet Publishers, Victoria (Australia), 199x ISBN ??? UK# 2.50 ??? pages I haven't read these. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [2-3] Practical Guide to Islamic Monuments Richard B. Parker A Practical Guide to Islamic Monuments in Morocco Baraka Press, Charlottesville, Virginia, 1981 Printed in Lebanon by the Catholic Press ISBN unknown From Jack Parker : From the back cover: "The "Practical Guide" is designed to be just that. A guide for the person who wants to know more about the wonderful monuments of the Moroccan dynasties than he will find in the usual guidebook, or learn from the tourist guide. It includes practical directions on how to find them, readable descriptions and explanations of their significance, and useful survival information. It is copiously illustrated with 27 line drawings and 90 plates." ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [2-4] Guide du Routard Le Guide du Routard - Maroc Revise' et reedite' chaque annee Hachette ISBN ??? FF ??.00 Assez bon, mais (comme d'habitude) un peu mince sur le cote' historique. Bonne couverture le long des cotes et pour les villes imperiales. Faible cependant sur tout le reste du pays (notamment la moitie' Sud). ======================================================================== [3] Threads on the "rec.travel.misc" Newsgroup [Editor's note: I considerably edited the following threads so as to keep them short and informative (and spell/grammar-checked). I also annotated them whenever I don't agree with other people, or have updates to what they wrote. Sometimes, I also include private followup email conversations I had with readers.] [Editor's note: Morocco is a country that provokes an extremely wide spectrum of reactions from its visitors. Those who disliked the country/people/... were mostly unprepared for the experience and unaware that *they* were the foreigners, not the locals. Those who adored the place are the ones who were prepared and flexible. Many people are somewhere in-between, and the bottom-line seems that the Moroccan authorities should find very soon a remedy for the plague of self-appointed guides. I have tried to have opinions from the whole spectrum in this compilation.] [3-1] Safety, Hustling, Haggling, and Attitude From: pf@info.ucl.ac.be (Pierre Flener) Newsgroups: rec.travel Subject: Re: Solo in Morocco Date: March 1992 >Could anyone offer any advice or anecdotes on the difficulties of >traveling as a solo (semi-)budget backpacker in Morocco? I am not a >completely naive or inexperienced traveler, but I have read and heard >first-hand of some nasty thefts and assaults. I've been twice to Morocco, for one full month each time, and have only heard of _one_ (admittedly nasty) assault. Personally, I think Morocco is as safe as any other country (or unsafe, depending on your point of view :-) and that most of these _few_ assaults can be traced back to flagrant provocation, eg. blatant display of wealth, or disrespect of local customs (clothing, etc). A cautious and respectful traveler won't have any security problems! >I am a man, thin and obviously American, and I speak a bit of French, >English, and Spanish. This would be the least industrialized country I >have visited. Language is no barrier, especially in the Berber part of Morocco, or in any touristy place: people there have an incredible talent for picking up foreign languages! French will definitely help you; so does Spanish in the north. Being US-ian won't attract any sentiments in that part of the world. Being male makes most things easier. >I would travel by train among the cities of Casablanca, Fes, and >possibly Marrakesh, and probably a couple spontaneous choices. Forget Casablanca! Fes and Marrakesh are absolute must-sees. Trains are OK, though not very fast (average of hardly 30 miles per hour, stops included). The bus network is comprehensive, cheap, and faster. So are collective taxis. Now, the real big problem is hustling! Be prepared to spend a big deal of your time on convincing hustlers that you don't need their help. In case you do think you need it, then be extremely cautious to determine the exact conditions of your guided tour. I recommend: hotel-to-hotel coverage, no advance (partial) payment under any circumstances, linking the payment to the fulfillment of _all_ conditions, setting up the itinerary and sights beforehand, threatening with no-payment in case he wants you to visit some shop. A full-day guided tour by a hustler can easily be arranged for 10DH (little more than 1US$), and this corresponds to the daily salary of the average Moroccan worker. But bear in mind that he is determined to get you into some shop(s) and have you buy sth, because he can expect a 30-40% commission on each sale! This figure was given to me by several merchants: of course they tremendously raise their prices in case you show up with a hustler, otherwise they couldn't afford the commission. They seem to depend on the hustler-mafia, but without actually encouraging them to do so. Some even admit disliking the hustlers, despite their bringing customers! Hustling also includes finding you a hotel or a restaurant (in which case the business people have to tip), or simply giving you directions (in which case you "have to" tip). Every single hustler will pretend he is a student, and only wants to walk with you in order to better learn your language: beware, this is rarely true! Others say they only want a ball-point pen as payment. Others pretend needing your assistance in writing a letter, or understanding a drug prescription: these are only pretexts to get you into shops! Others hitchhike, of course only with rental cars ;-) But no paranoia either: every now and then, you'll meet the rare uninterested Moroccan friend! And he will be offended if you dismiss him. Last but not least: even some hustlers are fun (especially their amazing historic approximations!), and 10DH a day is nothing considering that he will effectively keep all other hustlers away from you (ie. a huge amount of time and goodwill saved). The other problem the unprepared traveler seems to dislike is the constant need for haggling. As said above, you must definitely show up _alone_ in a shop: merchants will appreciate your ingenuity for such an achievement, they will be much friendlier, and start with a much lower price. Also avoid the shops in the main touristy streets, and hunt for bargains in the back alleys! Never mention your offer first. Don't hesitate to offer a ridiculous price first: you might be literally thrown out of the shop, but that won't prevent them for welcoming you in case you come back hours later: play the game! Never immediately direct your attention to the item you are aiming at, but only do so casually after interrupting some previous haggling over items you are not interested in! Get an idea of actual prices by peeking into the state-run handicraft cooperatives, where fixed prices are displayed. The first customer in the morning gets special treatment (and hustlers are rarely out in the streets before 11am!). Other than bargaining over souvenirs, I recommend you immediately enquire about the prices of basic food and drink items: street-side vendors tend to double their prices in case you display your ignorance of them. Always double-check the sum on restaurant bills, or hotel bills: some try to cheat on you here as well. If you are "dragged" into a shop, and don't feel like buying anything (even after having enjoyed some tea), don't let them pressure you into buying anything. Their trick is to lull you for 30 minutes, and then attack you broad-side with very aggressive sales tactics. Just walk out, mumbling some well-formulated thanks and excuses. There is much more to say about hustling and haggling, but I think I have outlined their main features. Some general guidelines. Learn bits and pieces of the language: it's amazing how this pays off! Always smile (however difficult this can become in case you really don't get rid of an obnoxious hustler): a grim look, or physical violence like pushing people away, won't help. Hustlers, and real friends you might make, tend to walk very closely to you (even if you are male), and touch you quite often on your arms and back: this has nothing to do with homo-sexuality, and should not be faced aggressively. It's their way of talking to you, and they are not aware that you might feel discomfort about it. Don't take pictures of people without their permission. Cover your legs and arms (long bermudas will do, though). Only drink bottled mineral water (though, at least in the north, many travelers have no trouble with tap water). Be interested in their music, dances, religion (not politics!), etc. Although it is difficult to establish contacts, some women travelers had the time of their life once invited by Moroccan women! --- From: pf@info.ucl.ac.be (Pierre Flener) Newsgroups: rec.travel Subject: Re: Solo in Morocco Date: March 1992 In article <...> lmwhite@slacvm.slac.stanford.edu (Lois White) writes: >I too have heard the same stories. As a woman, I would never travel >alone to Morocco again. I know what you're talking about from having observed it! But I have also observed women travelers going remarkably trouble-free through Morocco. I'm not accusing _you_ (because I haven't observed your behavior), but have noticed how many women are totally oblivious that they are traveling within a very conservative Islamic society! To the average Moroccan, a woman walking around in shorts or mini-skirts, not covering her arms or hair, possibly sharing hotel-rooms with fellow male travelers, possibly traveling alone, etc, can't be anything else than a whore! So they think of her as easy prey for verbal proposals, or fondling/grabbing, not imagining that she might dislike it! I'm serious: be aware that different standards apply, and that you are the foreigner, not them! It's not up to them to accept our standards about what a woman can do, it's up to us to conform to their standards. Dress and behave "correctly", wear an engagement ring (even if fake), or even have your hands "ink-tattooed" in the Berber fashion, and you'll earn the respect and security Islamic men offer their women! >It is very difficult to get information no matter what language one >speaks from local tourist offices. True! But who needs these offices anyway? (Except for picking up free maps or pamphlets of the area.) There are some excellent guidebooks around: I highly recommend the (British) "Rough Guide on Morocco"! >There are some beautiful things to see there, but you'll have to be >very careful and relatively self-sufficient. Good luck! It's not a question of luck, but rather a question of being mentally prepared! My description above admittedly sounds like it takes a lot of skill and practice to enjoy the place, but if you know these things before showing up in a foreign culture, you must have made up your mind whether you'll want to face these things or not. You will undoubtedly make mistakes, and get cheated on, so what? Morocco is a beautiful country, and its hospitality has worldwide renown, deservedly so! Play their game, it's that easy! --- From: pf@info.ucl.ac.be (Pierre Flener) To: lmwhite@slacvm.slac.stanford.edu (Lois White) Subject: Re: Solo in Morocco Date: March 1992 >I was merely verbally hassled, but it was constant and annoying! Yes, I have observed this. I never figured out what criterion made some "well-behaved" solo women travelers go around unmolested, while others, behaving apparently equally well, had so much trouble! >Actually, it doesn't take dressing in an extravagant or revealing >fashion to be considered a whore while traveling. In many societies >ANY woman traveling alone is automatically "loose" and therefore "fair >game". You're quite right, unfortunately... It's definitely not up to us to impose our women's rights upon other civilizations. And I don't object to your right to go to these places and do what local women are not supposed to do (eg. travel alone): if you consider female solo traveling a progress, then your presence there will eventually help bring down some barriers to the local women, and make the local men understand you are not automatically an easy target. I also think your "ANY woman" sentence doesn't apply to Morocco, unless you consider "travel" only under its leisure variant? It's amazing how safe Islamic women feel, anywhere, at any time. That's what makes them return to their home countries after studies in the West. Same with converted Western women who married Muslim men: they cherish this security. Islamic women don't have to "win back the night", ... but have other battles to win (at least from our point of view). >I've traveled in many such places and had a great time despite the >occasional "come on" from some of the men, but in Morocco I found it to >be constant and therefore VERY annoying. I understand. And so is hustling (Morocco is definitely my worst experience so far, from that point of view). As long as it is only verbal, coping with it is a merely mental game, though. --- From: jclose@chesapeake.ads.com (Jeff Close) Newsgroups: rec.travel Subject: Re: Solo in Morocco Date: March 1992 First of all, Spanish is irrelevant. English will hurt you. The more French you speak the better, and Arabic, even better. --- From: iadt3mk@prism.gatech.edu (Michael Kustermann) Newsgroups: rec.travel Subject: Re: Solo in Morocco Date: March 1992 Traveling solo in Morocco is difficult because as an obvious tourist you are fair game for all kinds of solicitation, especially drugs (I had a feeling that Moroccans thought this was the only reason why Westerners come to their country). Drugs (incl. marijuana) are illegal and one evening our hotel was raided by police looking for drugs. As several people said before - arriving in Tangier is the worst part. I was personally threatened ("You will die!") when I refused to buy drugs, change money, etc. The best approach is: Take the first bus OUT no matter where it goes! Oftentimes (esp. in Marrakesh) there will be kids offering themselves as guides. I personally didn't need any though it is easy to lose your way in M.'s medina. After a few days I joined a German couple and we traveled together for the rest of the trip. It helps tremendously to be with people in many respects. The greatest experience I had was a being guest in a Moroccan family. The German couple had met Rashid on the ferry over from Spain and he invited them to his house in Fes. Since I traveled with them I went along. They were the friendliest, most hospitable people! Dinner was delicious - served in Arabic (?) fashion: on a huge silver plate where everyone served him/herself, no silverware but hands. On top of their house you could see all of Fes. If you want to buy things you will have to negotiate. But don't worry those guys seemed to know enough words in French, German and English to make a sale. How to best negotiate is a topic I won't go into - it takes practice and some cunning as we in the "West" are not used to it. It does help A LOT to be able to speak French. English can get you only so far (and makes you even more obvious as an American tourist). Arabic opens doors (Negotiating in shops with the help of the Tunisian man I met on the road brought prices tumbling: "Ah, a friend of my Arab brother ..."). I think you need a car to explore the country side. I mainly stayed in the above mentioned cities but the Atlas mountains are supposedly spectacular. To travel in the hinterlands is a different matter altogether (friends of mine traveled through the Atlas by bus and they advised caution) but I have no personal experience there. Dress conservatively. I bought shelabahs (sp?), a kind of flowing gown the men wear. I keeps very cool in the hot weather. [Editor's note: I personally think that most foreigners, especially white- skinned ones, look silly in djelabahs, and that the locals think so, too...] Be very careful with food. The regular precautions apply. Eating in a "good" restaurant does not make the food "safe". I ate at one of the better restaurants in Marrakesh and got so sick I thought I'd die. Whatever you do I am convinced you will come down with some form of diarrhea sooner or later, so take along appropriate medicine. Maybe buy medical insurance for your trip (I did and I needed a doctor in Marrakesh). --- From: jezsik@alcor.concordia.ca (Louis Jezsik) Newsgroups: rec.travel Subject: Re: Advice on Morocco Date: January 1994 I spent a month in Morocco in the Spring of '92 and had one of the most wondrous experiences of my life. I was told to avoid Tangier and did so until the end of the trip. Just about anywhere I went was interesting but here are some notes: Just about everything is cheap, great for budget big-time-spenders. Orange juice is the best you will ever taste. You will be hustled anywhere anyone is selling anything. Get over it fast though, it's a way of life there. Many people will offer to be your guide, often `students' who just want to `practice their English.' If you buy something in the Medina (or marketplace) this person will get a cut from the seller. My advice? Pick out a guide carefully and decide on a fee up front ($.50 - $1.00) so you can get the inside information on life in Morocco. So he gets a cut, big deal. What's 5% off a $10 item for you? Small change. Aside from the fact that you get someone to tell you all about life in the town (these folks can be very talkative in a good way), he will keep the other hustlers at bay! I became very good at picking guides, they can be very helpful at finding things and acting as interpreters. If you want to buy something, be prepared to haggle like you have never haggled before. Veteran flea-market pros have been known to crack under the pressure of a Marrakesh vendor's haggling. Prices start at four times what you can get it for. A good strategy it to ask the price of something that you think you might want to buy *somewhere else but not there*. Once quoted a price, gasp in horror. Price drops quite a lot; then say you could not afford that since you are on vacation etc. etc. Price drops again. Decide that you are really not interested. Price drops again. Admit that you would buy two of them if they were going for INSERT RIDICULOUSLY LOW PRICE HERE. Price won't budge. Say thanks anyway and leave. Price goes down. Insist that you have changed your mind and keep leaving. Vender pleads and lowers the price again. Pause a moment then keep walking. Price drops again. Explain that you really don't want it, thanks anyway, etc. Vendor will then offer just about the lowest price he can while still making a fair size margin. The last price he calls out is the price that it is worth. Now you have a benchmark to work the next vendor. Is this fair? Of course it is! This is how things are done there, work with it. People are very friendly. Talk with them and learn about how they do things. If you are VERY lucky, you might be invited into a Moroccan home. Use your judgment though. I threw caution to the wind and spent two days with a wonderful family in a coastal city. At the end of my stay I tried to offer my hosts some money for their trouble and was politely refused. Muslims take hospitality seriously. On another occasion I offered a ride to a man on a mountain road who had just missed the main bus. He insisted that we have tea with him at his home in the village. (You'll drink a LOT of mint tea by the way.) We accepted but ended up leaving in a huff as he spent the whole time trying to sell us brass jewelry, that we insisted that we didn't want, and telling us how poor he was. In the desert we met a family of brothers who lived in a tent, carpets EVERYWHERE (used for walls, floors and sleeping on). If we hadn't already left our things in a hotel, we would have accepted their offer to stay. Everything is an antique. If fact you can visit artisans in the Medina making antiques every day! French is valuable but you can get by without any problems using English. Learn a few Moroccan words (like `thank you') and doors open for you, big smiles all around. Taxis are so cheap you wouldn't believe it. Anything hi-tech is expensive, anything hand made is so cheap your friends will claim that you are lying about the price you paid. Sheesh, is this long enough? So to go on so, but I could! If you would like more info, let me know! --- From: kimb@aisb.ed.ac.uk (Kim Binsted) To: spencer@Think.COM (Denise Spencer) Subject: Re: Travel in Morocco Date: July 1993 # A friend and I (two females) are potentially going to be traveling to # Morocco this fall. I have several questions for anyone who has been # there recently (last two years). A friend and I (also females!) did this trip about two years ago. We spent about five weeks in Morocco, and loved (almost) every minute of it. # What are the best cities to visit and why? I'm interested in # Casablanca, Marrakesh, Fes, Tangier, and Tiznit plus any other # recommendations. Fes was our favorite of the large cities. We stayed at the hostel in the new town, which was quite open and southern European, but spent most our time in the old town. Having spent a lot of time in Fes, the other big cities weren't as interesting to us, but probably would be if you went there first. Do get out of the cities, though. The small towns and villages are fascinating. We really enjoyed Essaouira, a coastal town. Also, you may well be overrun with offers to "come home and eat dinner with my family". Be cautious, but do accept at least once. We found people very friendly, if a bit overbearing in their sales pitches. Also, be flexible with your plans - the best bits of our trip were done on a whim. # Is there relatively safe, reliable, and economic transportation # between various cities? Yes. Trains are cheap and comfortable, and the buses are fine. It's worth paying a bit extra for the nicer buses on longer trips. The luxury buses really are luxurious (we took one with a in-drive film!). The cheap buses aren't bad, but there isn't much leg-room, and no air-conditioning (two very valuable commodities on long hot trips). # Assuming we would want to go from Tangier across to Spain at the end # of our trip, what order do you suggest visiting the cities in? We started at the top, and went around clockwise, which seemed to work OK. # How long should one plan to stay assuming we will visit several # cities and how much travel time between places should one allow? Stay as long as you can. I'd say three weeks is the minimum, but then again, I like to take my time. The most expensive part of the trip was by far the plane ticket - hotels, food and buses are incredibly cheap - so once you're there, you might as well stay a while. It's not a huge country. The longest bus trip we took was nine hours, and that was from the bottom of the country to the top. The Lonely Planet guide has travel time estimates. # Did you experience any problems? (harassment, difficulty # communicating to people, etc.) I speak a little French. We went with decent French and a little Spanish, and had many long conversations in the language of our choice. Most people there spoke at least one European language - you could probably get by on just English, but I'd recommend brushing up on your French. As far as harassment goes... Learn how to deal with frenzied sales pitches and "I'm a student, please let me practice my English with you" quickly, because you'll get them in all the cities, and some of the towns. We used a `good cop, bad cop' routine - "I'd love to talk/buy a rug/stay in your friend's hotel, but my friend has PMS," that kind of thing. We never felt sexually threatened, but we did have some weird experiences. One time, we had walked several miles down a beach so that we could tan in the dunes without offending anyone. Mid-tan, we noticed a guy about ten feet away, looking at us and masturbating! He wouldn't give it up, even when we threw things and shouted, so we packed up and went away. A similar thing happened on a train - a guy in the train parked next to ours in the station whipped it out and went at it. Very disconcerting. On the other hand, I was never groped, or chased, or felt in danger of rape, which is more than you can say about most North American cities. Do respect the dress code. A long loose cotton skirt and long-sleeved cotton shirt will keep most folk happy (it shows you're trying) even in the most conservative areas. T-shirts and walking shorts were OK a lot of the time, and we never HAD to cover our heads. Tourists can get away with just about anything in the cities, but people appreciate the effort if you try to comply with Muslim standards. You get hassled less, too. If you need any more info, just ask - I *love* telling travel stories... --- From: Kim Binsted Subject: Re: Another question about Morocco To: Denise Spencer Date: July 1993 > Thanks for your response. I was wondering how many people you > traveled with and if there were any guys in you group. I've heard from > someone else who responded that two females traveling alone, especially > blue eyed blonds as we both are, may experience a fairly significant > amount of "harassment" without a man in the group. It was a man who > told me this so I was wondering what your point of view was. I traveled with one other woman, no guys. As far as harassment goes, yes, we got quite a bit, but it wasn't threatening, if you know what I mean. We never feared for our safety. On the other hand, the constant attention was annoying. It helps if you dress according to the code, and learn how to be rude in a few languages. "Fuck off" is universally understood, if not obeyed. Your blonde hair and blue eyes will get a lot of attention, from women as well as men, especially in the small villages. I'm brunette, but my green eyes and short hair were fascinating to the folk we met in the mountains. If lots of attention doesn't freak you out, and you know how to be assertive, you shouldn't have any problems. Stick together, though - my friend and I let ourselves be separated one day, and we almost lost each other. Quite scary. We loved the place, and I'm sure you will too - don't let anyone put you off. --- From: Victoria Interrante To: spencer@Think.COM (Denise Spencer) Subject: Re: Travel in Morocco Date: July 1993 >A friend and I (two females) are potentially going to be traveling to >Morocco this fall. I have several questions for anyone who has been >there recently (last two years). My husband, I and our then 3-month old son spent a week in Morocco last May; this information is based on our experiences with that trip. >What are the best cities to visit and why? I'm interested in >Casablanca, Marrakesh, Fes, Tangier, and Tiznit plus any other >recommendations. We came across on the ferry from Spain, and ended up spending too much time (in retrospect) in Tangiers. It is not one of Morocco's most interesting cities, and since it gets a lot of day-traffic and tour groups there are fewer bargains to be found. I can't comment on Casablanca, Tiznit, or Marrakesh since we didn't make it that far (our pace with an infant was *very* slow), but one place that we really enjoyed that I didn't see on your list is a little town called "Chafchouen" or something similar, located on the road between Tetouan and Fes. It was relatively untouristy (we were not accosted by any roving youths on motorscooters as in Tangiers, Fes and Meknes, and we were actually able to walk around in the picturesque parts of town without having to fend off aggressive young "guides"), and was a nice change from the other stops in our itinerary. >Is there relatively safe, reliable, and economic transportation >between various cities? We rented a small car from "Renault" in Tangiers. It was safe, reliable, and very convenient, but not economical. There is definitely a time/money trade-off to be made here, and we opted to try to maximize our good use of time. >How long should one plan to stay assuming we will visit several cities >and how much travel time between places should one allow? One week was far too short for us. Everything ended up taking longer than we had expected, mostly because we wanted to do everything, everywhere and found that many places (museums, etc) are closed for up to 3 hours during midday. You might be able to do a nice tour of the places you listed in 10 days, if you plan carefully and stick to a fast-paced schedule. >Did you experience any problems? (harassment, difficulty communicating >to people, etc.) I speak a little French. Nearly everyone who works in tourism (hotels, restaurants, shops, etc.) seems to speak half a dozen different languages. We were astounded at the ability of street youths to communicate in German, French, Spanish, English, Italian... My rudimentary Arabic turned out to be of no use whatsoever, except for exchanging a few words with children in the street. All of the signs are written in both Arabic and our own alphabet. Our biggest problem, and the one thing that I absolutely hated about Morocco, is that everywhere we went we were accosted by youths asking us to let them "guide" us. We literally couldn't walk half a block in any city except Chafchouen without an escort. We found it very difficult to convince these people that we could find "x" restaurant on our own, or that we already knew where we wanted to stay... In one city, we found ourselves the cause of a fist-fight between two men who each claimed to have first rights to pressure us to take them on as a guide (this was in a case where we only wanted to go into the medina to visit an old school and did not plan to do any shopping). Our worst experience came just as we disembarked in Tangier, when a man claiming to be an off-duty employee of the tourist office offered to give us a private tour of the city and ended up bypassing all of the interesting sites to take us into carpet shops (for a "demonstration" of the weaving techniques) where we were pressured mercilessly to buy at incredibly inflated prices. When we finally made it clear that we were not prepared to make a purchase of that type, he became angry and verbally abusive, despite the fact that we had already agreed to pay a very inflated fee for his "guide" services. We concluded that the problem with the guides has gotten so out-of-hand because unlike in Europe, it is almost impossible for a foreigner to pass as a native (we all stick out like sore thumbs), the profit to be made is enormous (from what we could gather, the typical commission is anywhere from 15%-50% of anything the tourist spends; all shopkeepers, restaurants and hotels have to pay, whether they solicit the help or not), unemployment seems to be very high (judging from the number of men in the streets at all hours of the day) and wages are low. By the end of our trip, we found that the best thing to tell people was that 1) we had already been in the country for many days, 2) we had already bought x-number of carpets and couldn't afford to buy any more, 3) we had already eaten (on the way to supper as well as on the way home), 4) we already had a place to stay. I found that it was really almost impossible to shop, because you had to decide whether you wanted to buy something before you asked the price, and you had to know what a fair price would be so that you did not get robbed blind. I hope I'm not sounding like an ugly American on this subject -- my husband is Mexican, and we often buy crafts there and never try to bargain away a shopkeeper's fair profit margin or insult an artist by devaluing his work -- but in Morocco for example the difference between the first asking price and the final selling price on the one carpet we did buy was over $700, and it's disconcerting to me that the value of a thing could vary by an amount that large. --- From: Martin Heffels To: spencer@Think.COM (Denise Spencer) Subject: Re: Travel in Morocco Date: July 1993 I've been in Morocco in 1990, and I must see I enjoyed it very much. Not a lot of troubles over there. It helps if you speak French, but in the main cities (where the tourists come), they also speak a little English and German. Since Morocco is a strict Islamic country, you have to dress properly, i.e. long trousers, and T-shirts with sleeves etc, otherwise you might get some trouble. In Morocco you can buy very good hashies (so they say), but be careful if that's what you're after, because the police is always there. Beware of pick-pockets. Lots of them are active on the Djema-el-Fna (sp?) (great square, which you must definitely visit at sunset) in Marrakech. Also a common trick is that a small boy asks you if you recognize a certain coin, and if you're willing to change it for some Dirhams. Then they grab your purse, and quickly run away. By the way, I flew from Amsterdam with Royal Air Maroc, and the service was outstanding (at least I found so). Enjoy your stay in Morocco. It's magic. --- From: rbs@aisb.ed.ac.uk (Rob Scott) To: spencer@Think.COM (Denise Spencer) Subject: Travel in Morocco Date: July 1993 Friends of mine who have been to Morocco have had some problems. One bunch were forced to buy drugs on several occasions at knife point. Probably won't happen to you since they tend to only do this to men. The other thing is to be careful of the food you eat in hot poor countries. Only eat food that has been WELL COOKED. Do not eat a salad even however inviting it looks. If you do you will definitely get food poisoning. Every person I know who has relaxed on that rule since they think a bit of salad is healthy has a bad case of the runs and some have had to cut their holiday short because of it. Take sensible precautions and have a good time :-) --- From: Stefan.Lundstrom@eua.ericsson.se (Stefan Lundstrom) To: spencer@Think.COM (Denise Spencer) Subject: Re: Travel in Morocco Date: July 1993 Of course you'll always be followed by a bunch of "guides", but apart from that I didn't notice any harassment. Then again, I'm male... Beware with whom you associate. Anybody who says he's a student should be considered with suspicion. Learn some Arabic and see if he knows the alphabet, that's one way to spot the bad ones. Always be suspicious of people who speak several languages - they are probably "guides", possibly moonlighting as muggers - at least if you meet them around the cheaper quarters. --- From: peterson%ren@cs.umass.edu (Jon Peterson) To: spencer@Think.COM (Denise Spencer) Subject: Morocco Date: July 1993 >Did you experience any problems? (Harassment, difficulty communicating >with people, etc. The friend I will be traveling with is also female >and we both have blond hair and blue eyes.) Did I experience any problems? Absolutely. The "harassment," for lack of a better word, was essentially from young Moroccan men trying to serve as a guide. As you may be aware, unemployment runs between 50% and 75% (depending on whom you ask), and the poverty in this country is really heart-breaking. For many of these men -- in Fes, in particular -- the only hope to make a little money is to serve as a tourist's guide. So one is _constantly_ peppered with "offers" to be a guide. "Offer" is in quotes because it's really more a repeated insistence and unceasing bothering. After a little time, we found that really the only way to be left alone (to the extent that that was possible, given that most of the time Moroccans stared at us) was to hire a guide for the day, who then kept the others at bay. But whom to choose? There are government guides, who wear white robes and have badges, for around $4 or $5 for three hours; but they just spout the government line (one actually told us that everyone in Morocco had their own apartment and color TVs. Preposterous.). Local guides can be great -- we didn't have too much trouble; count on paying maybe 20 (or 30 if you're feeling very generous) dirhams for a day. That's around $2 or $3. But a word of warning: we've heard of unscrupulous guides who lead tourists into bad parts of town and refuse to lead them out until they're paid more than agreed upon. Word of warning 2: do NOT go into the Medina in Fes without a guide. You will get lost immediately. [Editor's note: So what? That's precisely the fun!] Also, it's a shame that you can't go wandering around a city, discovering it on your own... but I found that I really couldn't. As soon as I stepped off a bus, or out of a grand taxi, or left the train station or the hotel, we were immediately beset by pestering guides, who absolutely would not leave us alone until one of their numbers was hired. Exhausting and disappointing. Second trouble: storekeepers. Pass a rug store, or a leather goods store, or knicknack store, and you are suddenly beset by the owner, who sometimes runs out and absolutely insists that you come inside to just look. Special price! Not tourist price! Special price for you! You just look! Special price! Etc. etc. _ad_infinitum_. Eventually you will certainly wander in -- I did, and bought a rug. It's nice, and I like it; but the bargaining process is tiring as well. Nothing, with the exception of hotel rooms and restaurant meals, has a set price. One has to sit around for thirty minutes, sipping mint tea, bargaining before anything can be bought. In our experience, we found that we could usually buy something for around 1/3 of the starting offer of a merchant. What is exhausting about this is that whenever I bought something -- even just food at a corner store -- I never had any idea of whether I was being ripped off. Culturally, a very different idea about the relationship between the customer and the business-person. Fascinating but tiring. You write that you're traveling with another woman and that you're both blue-eyed blondes. This is... well, it's probably not very good. From what I can ascertain, most Moroccan men consider Western women to have... uh, casual attitudes when it comes to sex, I guess. Consider this: up until very recently, the only women who ever bared their arms (let alone their legs!) in public were hookers. Although you sometimes see Moroccan women wearing skirts in the business districts of the big cities, most of the native women cover themselves up. I would _strongly_ recommend that you do this: the two women in our party wore medium-length skirts (below the knee) and short-sleeved shirts, and had no problems. _However_, they were escorted by two males, and we were clearly a family. Moroccan society is very clearly what you and I would call terribly sexist. I have heard stories of Western women being assaulted in the streets -- groped, fondled, kissed -- by Moroccans who assume that any woman who would dress in that way, or walk that way, or whatever -- must _want_ to be assaulted. I have absolutely no idea what your average Moroccan man would think of two attractive young women traveling alone. It wouldn't hurt to dress extreeeeeeemly conservatively (i.e., skirts to the ankles, long-sleeved shirts, maybe a hat) and probably you should wear a wedding ring even if you're not married. I hope you don't take this the wrong way -- I am not trying to patronize you in any way. It's just that Morocco is a tough place to visit, and I certainly wouldn't want any of my women friends to have to go through anything unpleasant. (You might read a book by... what was her name? Sylvia something. It's called _See Ouarzazate and Die_... not a very good book, but it's about traveling in Morocco alone as a Western woman. You might find it interesting.) --- From: jao@megatest.com (John Oswalt) To: spencer@Think.COM (Denise Spencer) Subject: Re: Travel in Morocco Date: July 1993 >Did you experience any problems? (harassment, difficulty communicating >to people, etc.) I speak a little French. I didn't have any problems, except harassment by people trying to sell me things. It could be worse for women. Language-wise, you should be fine. Morocco is practically part of Europe. French and Arabic are the main languages, but many people speak some English. --- From: erdmann@geoserv.isgs.uiuc.edu (Anne Erdmann) To: spencer@Think.COM (Denise Spencer) Subject: Re: Travel in Morocco Date: July 1993 >Did you experience any problems? (harassment, difficulty communicating >to people, etc.) I speak a little French. Our experience was that VERY few people spoke English... but everyone was also extremely patient and polite with us, which we appreciated since neither of us speaks French. The difficulty in communicating was frustrating, but not because of any problems with Moroccans, who were all very helpful, patient, and friendly toward us. As far as harassment... as I was with a man, I was pretty immune from this, but I was touched occasionally. Nothing too bothersome. Expect to be hassled incessantly, especially in Marrakesh, to take on a "guide" in the medina. We finally gave in and did. In Fes and elsewhere, we were able to convince people to let us alone, eventually... but not in Marrakesh. Also, to avoid unpleasantness, if you do take on a guide, be sure you establish how much you will pay ahead of time, and for what... and if you don't intend to shop, say so at once. Our only difficulty with a Marrakesh guide came when we emerged from the medina without having bought anything... Although we'd said we weren't going to, he was convinced we'd change our minds! So be firm, if you don't intend to shop. --- From: ??? (Jon ???) Newsgroups/To: ??? Subject: Re: Morocco Date: ??? Anyway, I have one final piece of advice: I don't know if you're traveling with any males. I fear that you will find Moroccan men _incredibly_ sexist, so be prepared for some ugly scenes. I have never heard of or seen any Western women being sexually assaulted, or anything like that, but women from the West are perceived as being exceptionally promiscuous, and you will undoubtedly suffer through much unwanted attention. I went on my trip with my sister, and she was constantly being stared at, whistled at, bargained for (best offer was 2000 camels, but presumably that was just a figure of speech), etc. etc. If there are no men in your group, be prepared for some difficulty. Also, if you are unmarried, it might be wise to wear a wedding ring anyway -- unmarried women traveling alone are certain to raise eyebrows, and that simple precaution might save you some trouble. --- From: Sonnie Willis Newsgroups: bit.listserv.travel-l Subject: Re: Tours to Morocco from Spain Date: October 1994 >I have not traveled to Morocco, but last summer my sister and >brother-in-law went there from Spain. They will never go again >and are trying to talk me out of going to Africa at all. They >did not feel safe and said that had they not been with a tour, >they are certain they would have been in much greater danger. I, too, took a tour that went from Spain to Morocco. It was terrible. The tour and the attitude of the people towards people in tour busses. I found myself shouting at the vendors to try and get them to leave me alone. Nothing worked. My advice is either go on your own or better yet, don't bother with the tourist towns. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [3-2] Crossing from/to Spain; Tanger; Ceuta From: mitterer@g4201u.unileoben.ac.at (Christian Mitterer) Newsgroups: rec.travel Subject: Re: Gibraltar to Morocco Date: April 1994 >I will be in Gibraltar at the end of June and was thinking of a day or >2 trip to Morocco. Is it easy to get there and where should I go when >there. Is it difficult to get to Marrakesh? I made that trip two years ago. There is a ferry between Gibraltar and Tanger about three times a day. The last one is leaving Gibraltar at about 3 pm. It takes about 1.5 hours to go to Tanger. Another possibility is to go to Algeciras, Spain, with a regular ferry to Tanger about 5 to 8 times a day (depending on the season). The best way to go from Gibraltar to Algeciras is by bus from La Linea (Spanish border). It is not too difficult to go to Marrakech by train, but it may take up to 10 hours. I think it is a better idea to stay in the north of Morocco, e.g. Tanger, the Rif mountains, or down to Meknes. --- From: rxcp60@email.sps.mot.com (Tom McNelly) Newsgroups: rec.travel Subject: Re: Gibraltar to Morocco Date: April 1994 > I will be in Gibraltar at the end of June and was thinking of a day > or 2 trip to Morocco. Is it easy to get there and where should I go > when there. Is it difficult to get to Marrakesh? There were daily hydro-foil/jet-boat trips leaving for Tangiers from Tarifa, returning to Algeciras with an all day tour + lunch for around 6,500 pesetas (as of December). There is an overnight version as well. Free connecting buses close the loop. They may have a pick-up in Gib'. If not, there are frequent, cheap Gib' <--> Algeciras buses for the 0:45 trip. You can also take the much slower ferry across from Algeciras. It's more frequent but only slightly cheaper than the tour + lunch package. If you don't take a tour, be prepared to be hustled by hawkers & would-be guides. (Be prepared even with a tour.) "A day or 2" is not enough for Marrakesh; it's a long train ride. Buy/borrow the "Lonely Planet" guide if you're serious about heading out on your own. There may be a ferry from Gib' in the summer but all the window ads I saw there involved going through Algeciras. Recommend a visit to Morocco but be alert & remember "no" in Arabic is pronounced "la". --- From: young@dev3.bear.com (Eric Youngblood) Newsgroups: rec.travel Subject: Re: Questions about Spain and Morocco Date: March 1994 Tom Shott (toms@ichips.intel.com) wrote: : I was in Spain and Ceuta (Spanish Territory in Africa) 8 years ago. : : I personally had a bad experience going to Africa for the day. We : took a ferry across from Spain. While I never felt I needed a guide : anywhere in Europe I felt very uncomfortable in Ceuta. Maybe this : wouldn't be true farther south in the Casablanca area. : : I would recommend that you swing through Gibraltar while in the S of : Spain. It was a neat half day visit. I, on the other hand, had a great experience in my one-day trip. I went to Morocco, however, not Ceuta. There is not much to see in Ceuta, but if you go just a little further to Chaouen, you'll really be impressed. It's a small but representative hill town with a beautiful (but manageable) medina. It's an easy drive from the ferry. It would definitely be a shame to cross the straits and only stay in Ceuta! Gibraltar was a waste of time for me, I know people have different tastes, but the only thing Gibraltar had to offer me was the view of it from the road. This can be had without entering the city itself. Anyway, going to Gibraltar and Ceuta offers you a view of anachronistic dried-up colonialism, but not much local color. --- From: jclose@chesapeake.ads.com (Jeff Close) Newsgroups: rec.travel Subject: Re: Solo in Morocco Date: March 1992 By far our worst (and really only) horrible experience was getting through Tanger. It's a real slime pit, and you'll get dogged from the time you get off the ferry (if you enter that way) to the train station, and all the time you spend there. Insults typically begin with "American!" and graduate to "Homosexual -- you must be a homo, aren't you?" and finally, "You must be a Jew -- that's it" (actually, it was "Vous etes un Juif"). Please don't let this discourage you, though, the rest of the country is great (although Marrakesh can be pretty bad with hustlers also). --- From: amerrima@orl.mmc.com (Aimee Merriman) Newsgroups: rec.travel Subject: Re: Questions about Spain and Morocco Date: March 1994 I was in Morocco in 1987. So my information is a little old but here goes: Took the hover craft from Morocco to Gibraltar and the ferry from Spain to Morocco. The hover craft is supposed to be faster, but the "turbo" engine gave out. That journey took as long as the ferry. Don't remember exactly how long that was, but I don't recall it being bothersome. We had to take a bus from Gibraltar to Spain to catch the ferry. Maybe about half an hour there. --- From: Andrew Schwartz Parker To: spencer@Think.COM (Denise Spencer) Subject: Re: Travel in Morocco Date: July 1993 I went to Morocco a little under two years ago and found the culture wonderful, but had one bad experience there and some bad feelings also. A taxi cab driver took us to a residential area way out of the way from where we had asked to go and demanded lots of money to take us back to where we were supposed to go. We ended up giving him about 200 dollars and got back safely. It was potentially a bad situation. Also, while there we saw many anti-American slogans on walls and even cars. A few ones that come to mind were "Kill Americans", "Nuke Bush", etc., etc. There was a general hatred that we felt while we were there for our two days. We had originally planned on staying there for a little under a week, but stopped that part of our trip short because of some of the problems we were experiencing. This all occured in Tangier. We took the ferry from Algeciras, Spain over to Tangier. There was even some bad sentiment in Algeciras. It is a large Arab population in that area of Spain. By all means, go and experience the culture, but please watch yourself VERY closely. Wear dark colors, even if it is 100 degrees. Black is the color of choice there. DO NOT wear valuables or even look like you have any money. Dress like a bum! If you or your friend is blonde, or light colored hair, wear a hat. Keep safety in mind at all times. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [3-3] Customs and Barter From: zmbenhal@netcom.com (Zeyd M. Ben-Halim) Newsgroups: soc.culture.arabic Subject: Re: Things to bring to Morocco and Egypt Date: February 1994 >I'm traveling to North Africa this summer. I'd like to pay for my >trip by bringing small things from the states to sell in Morocco and >Egypt. What kinds of things can I bring that people want from the >U.S.? How do I go about selling these things? Where should I sell >them and to who? Has anyone here done this? In Egypt, I've heard that >shoes, small radios, and good watches are very expensive, and therefore >good to bring. What kind of shoes? What kind of small radios >specifically? What kind of watches? How much can I legally bring to >these countries? Good luck with customs! Many a person with the same idea has spent several nights in local jails. You'll have to declare all the stuff you are bringing with you, obtain an import license, pay "fees", etc. Rules are vague, change all the time, and enforcing them is arbitrary. Free-lance hawkers are frowned upon for being simple profiteers. >I'm thinking of doing this for a living. I can't think of anything I'd >like to do more than travel, make friends from other countries, and >earn a living doing it. You might be able to make a living importing into the USA but not the other way. Income levels in NA are much lower than the USA. Try reading some import/export books in your local library. If you want to make money while you are in NA, try teaching English. --- From: jeff_delisio@notes.pw.com (Jeff Delisio) Newsgroups: rec.travel Subject: Re: Morocco Date: May 1994 >Oh ... and one more. I have heard that bartering can be done in >Morocco with T-shirts and/or old sneakers. Is this really true? Has >anyone done this? Or would we just be weighting ourselves down with >old sneakers? I had an offer or two for T-shirts, I only had one and never pursued the bargain. My feeling was that it wasn't going to be worth a tremendous amount in the bargain, but they are light. Rock and Roll bands would be your best bet. I don't think anyone would be too excited about old sneakers. Some jazzy running shoes might work, but they'd have to be imitations for you to get your money's worth in trade. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [3-4] Itineraries and Getting around From: pf@info.ucl.ac.be (Pierre Flener) To: Some.Body@Some.Place (name withheld) Subject: Re: Solo in Morocco Date: March 1992 >Can you recommend any good routes though the Middle (High?) Atlas or >to the edge of the Sahara. At least one book I have read made a trip >south/southeast from Fes to the end of the road at the edge of the >Sahara (Merzouga) sound very attractive. I am also interested in a >trip from Marrakesh over the mountains in the direction of Ouarzazate. Yes, definitely do these things! My route, and I highly recommend it, was as follows (best places for sleeping in capitals): MARRAKESH - Mt. Toubkal - Tizi'n'Test (High Atlas) - TAROUDANT - then a *great* desert loop across the Anti-Atlas (eerily impressive; total isolation; untouristed; big heat): - Igherm - TATA Oasis - Foum El Hassan - IFRANE DE L'ANTI-ATLAS - Bou Izakarn - Tiznit - TAFRAOUTE - Inezgane - Taroudant - then a transition stage to: TALIOUINE - and on to the Dades valley: OUARZAZATE (nearby is Ait Benhaddou) - Agdz - ZAGORA (camel ride here) - Agdz - Ouarzazate - El Kelaa - Boumalne Dades: Dades Gorges in/out - and the Todgha valley: Tinerhir (but stay at the gorgeous Todgha Gorges) - Now you can loop back over the High Atlas, via Imilchil, to Fes; or you go across the Tafilalet: Erfoud - MERZOUGA (great dunes) - Rissani - Erfoud - and back across the Middle Atlas: Er Rachidia - Ziz valley - Midelt - Azrou - Ifrane - FES. Other famous extensions are: a trip to that oasis (name?) on the Algerian border; going yet further south from Bou Izakarn; more stuff in the High Atlas (maybe via the Tizi'n'Tichka pass instead of the Tizi'n'Test), etc. >One other question: Can I rely on busses to be within a half-day of >on schedule, or are delays of a day or more possible on remoter routes? Buses can be relied upon within a couple hours at worst, I think. In remote areas, buses only go once or twice a day; otherwise, there is plenty choice of schedules and companies. Otherwise, in remote areas say, you always have the option to board a collective taxi (fixed route, leaves whenever there are 5-7 people ready to go; slightly less cheap than buses, but much faster), or to hitch (say on a Berber lorry) (you might have to pay, though). Learn my summary on hustling & haggling by heart: every single sentence in there is pertinent, and be mentally ready for this trip! You'll be taken by surprise anyway, you'll be cheated on anyway, because no matter how hard you try, there is a chance they've come across your solutions before, and know how to face it. So keep this in mind, and say "malesh" (never mind) to your misfortunes, rather than dramatize them. You're the foreigner, not them. And they are basically living their way of life no matter how strange it may look to you. Even hustling is older than tourism: they do it, at a lesser scale maybe, between themselves! --- From: jeff_delisio@notes.pw.com (Jeff Delisio) Newsgroups: rec.travel Subject: Re: Morocco Date: May 1994 >Are there other places that people would recommend? I tried to go the >ruins at Tin Mal, but it was closed for renovations. Is it open now? >Is it interesting? I have heard that the Draa Valley is good to visit >-- how would you go about doing this? (We won't have a car.) Without a car it is hard. You could try renting an entire grand taxi for the day. This is expensive, but not as expensive as renting a car (which is ridiculously expensive) and someone else does the driving. We liked Chaouen (a.k.a. Chefchaouen). It is up in the Rif but a very friendly place. The houses are on a hillside, and are whitewashed with gaily painted doors. There are many mountain trails to hike on. People are friendly, only a few dope hustlers and they are discreet and will leave you alone. We stayed at a hotel on the top of the hill above the town. The guidebooks advised against it but it is simply a breathtaking view. We had to hike overland down to town (no car and the road way is quite long) but that was big deal. We also met some nice folks in Azrou who took us hiking in the hills. There isn't a whole lot to do in Azrou but it is a very green region of the Middle Atlas and was yet another contrast in terrain. --- From: mrobbins@bga.com (Margaret Robbins) Newsgroups: rec.travel Subject: Re: Questions about Morocco Date: March 1994 I spent two weeks in Morocco last spring, early April. It was the perfect time, not yet too hot. We went as far south as Tiznit, it was hotter there (85 in the afternoon). Evenings were cool, I wore a sweater much of the time. I flew into Casablanca and did not see any of the north of the country. Everyone I talked to who had problems with pick-pockets experienced these troubles in or around Tangier. Same as anywhere, be careful and don't keep money in your shirt pocket or something. The train system between the cities is excellent, well-maintained and runs on time. We also took busses a fair bit, like from Fes to Marrakech (really long). The Lonely Planet guide to Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia was accurate and helpful. E-mail if you want more details. --- From: jclose@chesapeake.ads.com (Jeff Close) Newsgroups: rec.travel Subject: Re: Solo in Morocco Date: March 1992 I wouldn't bother with going to both Casablanca and Marrakesh -- they're both more commercial, so I'd pick one and maybe visit some other smaller towns on the coast. Inland, I'd definitely see Fes, and probably Meknes also, since it's only 45 minutes away. That region (the Middle Atlas) is kind of pretty. Also see Volubilis, a city of ruins outside Meknes. Trains were relatively cheap, and on time, but don't plan on riding them at night (it's really not safe at night). Meals were usually anywhere from 20 Dirhams (~ $3.00) for an omelet and soup to 40 Dirhams for a meal with appetizer and a Tagine or couscous (about $5). The most we spent at a nice restaurant for several courses was $15 each (125 Dirhams each). Hope this helps. Drink a mint tea for me. I really miss Morocco! --- From: iadt3mk@prism.gatech.edu (Michael Kustermann) Newsgroups: rec.travel Subject: Re: Solo in Morocco Date: March 1992 I traveled in Morocco in 1978 and started out solo. I rode the trains and visited Fes, Marrakesh, Agadir and Goulimine (way south), as well as Asilah, a village just south of Tangiers. I spent three weeks there. It was the first 'less industrialized' country I visited and, like you, I was obviously a tourist. Transportation. I remember transportation by train not to be a big problem. Part of the way I hitch-hiked and although I was lucky I am not sure I would recommend it. All cities are walkable so no mode of transportation (other than your feet) is needed. You can hire one of those rikshah like things to take you to sights that may be too far to walk. Cities. I think Casablanca is not worth visiting even though the name evokes images of Bogie and Bergmann. Marrakesh and Fes are beautiful cities. Marrakesh's medina (old city) and the huge open air market (incl. snake enchanters) are very exciting. Reading up in a good travel book will tell you all you need to know. As for accommodations I don't remember how we ended up at the hotels anymore - I guess we just walked in and asked how much they charged. --- From: amerrima@orl.mmc.com (Aimee Merriman) Newsgroups: rec.travel Subject: Re: Questions about Spain and Morocco Date: March 1994 I was in Morocco in 1987. So my information is a little old but here goes: Buses seemed to be a major mode of transportation. There were different levels of busses like there are airline flights: economy, business, first class. I took the "deluxe" bus from Tangier to Casablanca. It was air conditioned and it even had videos! Unfortunately, this was an all night bus ride and the video was some sort of horror movie. Lots of screaming and blood. Little sleep. --- From: Stefan.Lundstrom@eua.ericsson.se (Stefan Lundstrom) To: spencer@Think.COM (Denise Spencer) Subject: Re: Travel in Morocco Date: July 1993 >What are the best cities to visit and why? I'm interested in >Casablanca, Marrakesh, Fes, Tangier, and Tiznit plus any other >recommendations. I recommend Rabat and Marrakech. I've heard that Fes is a great place, and I've also heard that Casa is hell on earth. Tangier isn't really a very nice place, although it's not horrible either. >Is there relatively safe, reliable, and economic transportation >between various cities? There are trains all the way down to Marrakech, and they're very cheap. Use them! I even think the EuRail card is valid, if you're going to go there by train from Amsterdam or sth. >Assuming we would want to go from Tangier across to Spain at the end >of our trip, what order do you suggest visiting the cities in? Moroccan or Spanish cities? Algeciras isn't much to see. Take a look at Gibraltar and Sevilla, Malaga or Granada. That's about what you'll have time to do I think. >How long should one plan to stay assuming we will visit several cities >and how much travel time between places should one allow? Rabat - Marrakech: one night. Tangiers - Rabat: one night (to the best of my recollection). --- From: peterson%ren@cs.umass.edu (Jon Peterson) To: spencer@Think.COM (Denise Spencer) Subject: Morocco Date: July 1993 >What are the best cities to visit and why? I'm interested in >Casablanca, Marrakesh, Fes, Tangier, and Tiznit plus any other >recommendations. I would recommend against spending any amount of time in Casablanca. It's really just a standard, large, dirty, unattractive city. Your time is far better spent, I would think, elsewhere. Fes is an incredible city -- quite unlike any I've ever been to. The Medina district -- the old, medieval part of the city -- must be seen to be believed (but keep an eye on your purse). I won't spoil it by trying to describe it to you. Whatever you do do not fail to visit Fes. That said, please realize that Fes is a very... well, difficult city for the traveler. Marrakesh is really neat, too... the landscape is _gorgeous_, and everything in M. has a lovely tinge of rust to it, from the color of the dirt in that area (evidently). I visited neither Tangier nor Tiznit, so I can't help you there. But I _did_ visit some other places: Rabat, which is the capital of the country, is worth at least a day or two, I'd say. It's an Imperial city like Fes, Meknes, and Marrakesh. Also, if you want to go South to the desert, you might try the tiny village of Zagora, which I found quite fascinating. You have to get there through Ouarzazate, unfortunately -- despite its cool name, Ouarzazate is a pretty dull place. But from Zagora you can hire camels for rides into the Sahara, and it's an opportunity to see the small-town side of the country. >Is there relatively safe, reliable, and economic transportation >between various cities? Yup. I took a train, from Meknes to Marrakesh, which was very clean, not too late, and reasonably priced (if you decide to take the train, I suggest spending the few extra bucks for first class). Also, I took buses between Essaouira and Marrakesh, and Marrakesh and Ouarzazate. There are two ways to go by bus: CTM is the national bus line, and I recommend you take those if at all possible. Very inexpensive -- eight hour trip for $7 or $8 (if I remember correctly), and fairly clean (no air conditioning, though). Once by accident I took a local line instead of the CTM and it took about twice as long -- we stopped constantly to let people on or off. I would imagine that this is safe -- on one trip, I saw some other Westerners and they didn't appear to be having any trouble either. Also, there are special taxis (called "grand taxis" to distinguish them from the "petit taxis," which are taxis like you and I know them) which can take you from city to city. Warning: they don't leave until the driver has six passengers, so you have to sit around for a half hour or so while he drums up business. I only took a grand taxi once, and as there were no females at all either in the grand taxi or at the grand taxi stand, you might want to go by bus instead. >What order do you suggest visiting the cities in assuming we would >want to leave Morocco by going to Spain from Tangier? Uh... I dunno. Remember that among the cities that you mentioned and I visited, Fes is the toughest to visit. I don't know if you want to get the tough part over with early, or save it until you're more used to Morocco. >How long should one plan to stay in Morocco assuming we will be >visiting several cities and how much travel time between places does >one usually have to allow? Well... travel time is the easiest to answer. I managed to get from tiny Zagora, in the Southeast (whip out that map!), to Essaouira, on the West coast, in a day. But it was a long day, with around 15 hours total travel time. _However_ all the cities on your itinerary seem to be relatively close together (if my memory of Moroccan geography holds up, that is!), w/ the possible exception of Marrakesh. How long you want to stay is up to you. I found it quite an exhausting three weeks -- much tougher than "normal" travel, whatever that is. --- From: jao@megatest.com (John Oswalt) To: spencer@Think.COM (Denise Spencer) Subject: Re: Travel in Morocco Date: July 1993 >What are the best cities to visit and why? I'm interested in >Casablanca, Marrakesh, Fes, Tangier, and Tiznit plus any other >recommendations. IMHO, Marrakesh and Fes are best. I was told that Casablanca is just a big industrial city without much of interest to tourists. I didn't go there, but you might look into Rabat, the capital, too. The medina in Fes is not to be missed. >Is there relatively safe, reliable, and economic transportation >between various cities? Yes. There are busses and trains everywhere. --- From: erdmann@geoserv.isgs.uiuc.edu (Anne Erdmann) To: spencer@Think.COM (Denise Spencer) Subject: Re: Travel in Morocco Date: July 1993 >What are the best cities to visit and why? I'm interested in >Casablanca, Marrakesh, Fes, Tangier, and Tiznit plus any other >recommendations. We started in Casa and traveled via public transportation, with stays in Marrakesh, Ouarzazate, Zagora, Er-Rachidia, Midelt, Azrou, Fes, Meknes, and Rabat. We enjoyed all those places, except Zagora. Casa's pretty urban... Marrakesh is good for the street life and the architecture... Ouarzazate and Er-Rachidia for the feel of the desert... Midelt and Azrou for quiet-paced towns in the hills... Fes for the incredible history and medina... Meknes for its beauty... and Rabat for its refreshingly non-touristed feel. We didn't go to Tangier or Tiznit. >Is there relatively safe, reliable, and economic transportation >between various cities? Yes, very much so. We took trains and local buses everywhere. The longest trip, from Ouarzazate to Er-Rachidia, cost about $6 each. More typical costs were about $3-4. Every single bus or train we took left within about 15 minutes of when it was supposed to... we were really impressed. As far as safe... as I mentioned, I was with a man, but I would have felt perfectly comfortable alone. >Assuming we would want to go from Tangier across to Spain at the end >of our trip, what order do you suggest visiting the cities in? We did the loop I mentioned... didn't go to Tangier, so I can't be of any help here. If you're worried about culture shock, though, I'd recommend starting with Casa or Rabat... you won't be hassled there. >How long should one plan to stay assuming we will visit several cities >and how much travel time between places should one allow? Depends on how long you want to stay in each city... we didn't stay longer than 3 days anywhere, which worked out for us. On the route we took, we spent about a half day getting from each city to the next. --- From: ??? (Jon ???) To: lin@apple.com (Judy Lin) Subject: Re: Morocco Date: ??? >Another question, we're considering an overnight train from Tangier to >Marrakesh to cut down on travel days. Any experience with couchettes in >Morocco? They've worked out well for us in Italy and France in the past. Almost no experience at all with trains... took one from Meknes to Marrakesh, during the day, and it took quite a long time -- probably not that important for you, if you're sleeping on board anyway! :-) The train was clean and reasonably priced, but remember that there is terrible poverty in this country, and nifty Western goods must be tempting indeed. I _did_ travel by bus quite a bit, though. There are minor lines, which take an extremely long time to get _anywhere_, but are filled with locals (of course) and great flavor -- it's very strange, but people literally just stand out there in the desert waiting for a bus to drive by, and then flag it down. On many occasions on my trip from Marrakesh to Ouarzazate, a patron would shout something out, and the bus would stop to let him or her off... often in the middle of nowhere! It was very strange... I couldn't see a town or village or _anything_, and yet somehow the patron knew where to get off. :-) Anyway, if you decide to take a bus, take the national line, the CKM (I think -- three letters, starting with C. CYK, maybe?). It's actually cheaper, and these are air conditioned and cleaner. Alternately, you can rent a dolmus, which is essentially a big taxi, to take you from city to city. Not as expensive as you might think, if you're willing to share it -- the dolmus doesn't leave until it's got six passengers. --- From: jparker@hpbs2561.boi.hp.com (Jack Parker) To: lin@apple.com (Judy Lin) Subject: Re: Morocco Date: ??? I've taken the Rabat-Marrakesh train -- might I suggest that you go first-class? Second class, at the time, was one step up from the cattle cars. A lot more fun and down-home -- but not very comfortable. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [3-5] Fes and Marrakesh [Editor's note: These two splendid cities deserve entries on their own, but people tend to compare them, hence a single entry.] From: ses862@aol.com (Steve ???) Newsgroups: rec.travel Subject: Re: Transportation in Morocco Date: March 1994 I just returned from Morocco and would definitely tell you to see Fes over Marrakesh. The medina is much more interesting and the 10 hour train to Marrakesh was hell. All the trains down go through Rabat and everyone I spoke with said not to bother getting off there. I really enjoyed Fes and was really annoyed by Marrakesh. Beware of all and their stories. Have a mint tea for me. I still have some info around if you would like e-mail me. Try to get the fast boat across the strait. And if you use a guide in Fes, and you should unless you speak fluent French, go to the official office and ask for Rachid LAMRANI. He was great. Very informative and low pressure. 30 dirham for the day although I ended up giving him 200 for the group because he bought us 160d worth of beer. Tell hi you know me (from San Francisco). Have a great time. --- From: ??? (Jon ???) To: lin@apple.com (Judy Lin) Subject: Re: Morocco Date: ??? Since you have such little time, I think I'll suggest that you visit Fes over Marrakesh, despite the fact that it is a bit tougher. Why? Well, the Fes Medina is without doubt one of the most incredible places I have ever seen. I'm no poet, so my words can't do the place justice: thin, narrow streets, winding around haphazardly; dirt pathways with sheep, pigs, and donkeys being led through; pick-pockets everywhere; public bakeries and kids running around with warm bread; tiny mosques (which you won't be able to enter, I'm afraid). It is fantastic, and really must be seen to be believed. (There's a great book of photos out, which has text by Paul Bowles. Take a look.) Although both Fes and Marrakesh are certainly difficult to visit (you will be continually hounded by "guides" who are just trying to "practice their English"; probably it's worth the money (almost nothing, really) just so they can keep the other would-be guides at bay), I would say that Fes is tougher. There are more minor criminals, store thugs, and street urchins than in Marrakesh (although it was in Marrakesh that I was hit by the bicycle -- keep your head up! :-)). But I still would recommend Fes over Marrakesh because (a) it's actually a far more interesting city; and (b) Marrakesh is pretty much guaranteed to be around for another couple of decades. The Medina in Fes, on the other hand, is nothing short of a fire trap waiting to happen; if any of it burns it all will. It's also exceptionally old (dates from Medieval times, if you can believe that) and most of the sites of historic interest are suffering from incredible neglect. --- From: jparker@hpbs2561.boi.hp.com (Jack Parker) To: lin@apple.com (Judy Lin) Subject: Re: Morocco Date: ??? Fes is more 'authentic' Marrakesh is more of a tourist trap. Marrakesh is at the start of the ski areas in the Atlas Mts. and gets a lot of tourism from that. Fes is an old caravan stop - or even terminus. My favorite (can you guess) would be Fes. --- From: J.S.K@Lilly.Com (Julian S.Kroin) To: lin@apple.com (Judy Lin) Subject: Re: Morocco Date: ??? It's been a while since I've been there, but one of my favorite places in the world for exotic, visual, auditory, and olfactory splendor (read overload) would have to be Fes, the old city, the Souk, the Medina. Go in through the Bougelood (Blue Gate) and enter a 14th century world of cobblestoned ancient streets and a labyrintine concatenation of shops, sights, sounds, and smells. A place where someone dragging a heavy wooden cross wouldn't look out of place! Be forewarned, the casbah wraithes can be the most aggressive in the world. Buy a djalaba (local hooded overcoat) and wear it low over your head and don't say anything, just grunt. If you've been around the world then you are no stranger to aggressive salespeople. It can also be a very strenuous and overwhelming experience to wander through that marketplace (you can get hopelessly lost, especially at night), but exhilarating, if you like immersing yourself in a different world! In Marrakesh, the Djama al Fna (sq of the dead) is like a 3 ring circus for performers from all over Africa (everything is for sale, even if you didn't know you were buying). --- From: jeff_delisio@notes.pw.com (Jeff Delisio) Newsgroups: rec.travel Subject: Re: Morocco Date: May 1994 >Every night in Marrakech, there were many storytellers, musicians, >etc., contributing to a carnival-like atmosphere in the main square >(Djemaa al Fna). Is this true outside of Ramadan as well? Is it only >true on the weekends? (i.e. Should we plan a trip to Marrakech on the >weekend, or does this festive event happen nightly? (And, if so, when >exactly are weekends?)) The Djemaa El Fna happened every night that I was there (non-Ramadan). I don't know when you were last there, but for whatever it is worth, our experience there was the only really negative one in a month-long trip covering many parts of the country. The hustlers were the most persistent, mean spirited and obnoxious. Fes in comparison was a breeze. We were quite relieved to be leaving Marrakech, lots of tourists too (early May). --- From: orpheus@netcom.com (Robert E. Lee) To: lin@apple.com (Judy Lin) Subject: Re: Morocco Date: ??? First, hands down, no question, go to Marrakesh, and skip Fes. From Granada, you need to go to Algeciras, take the ferry to Tangier (don't go to the other destination) and get on the first train out to Marrakesh. When bad things happen in Morocco, they happen in Tangier, so I wouldn't tarry. There are interesting sights there, but they are hard to find: like W.S. Burrough's old house, if you like that sort of thing. Why Marrakesh and not Fes? Well, Fes doesn't have as much to offer at all, and if you only have time for one, go to the best place. Marrakesh has: the famous "bazaar of the dead" square (where all the cheap hostels surround), a sizable medina, bars in hotels if you like that (the only nightclub is in Rabat), historical sights, etc. Advice: haggle over EVERYTHING (including cabs, speak some French) DO NOT eat the BBQ-type stand items, do drink the OJ and mint tea, the rooftop restaurants are very cheap and very good (very good in Morocco is not very good in USA but...) DO NOT go to rug factories...hehehe...just try getting out of going... in all, have a good time and don't worry much. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [3-6] Casablanca From: jeff_delisio@notes.pw.com (Jeff Delisio) Newsgroups: rec.travel Subject: Re: Morocco Date: May 1994 >We may fly straight to Casablanca (which is kind of a bummer). Is it >tricky getting from the airport to, say, Rabat, or to a train station >to get to, say, Meknes? (I don't think we will stay in Casablanca.) >Are there hustlers/guides accosting people arriving on planes like >there are for people getting off of the ferry? No, this is easy. The train station is downstairs from the airport baggage area. You may have to switch at a station right outside Casablanca. The station at the airport (and the airport itself) is very pleasant with a nice cafe. The only hustler was from one of the rent-a-car companies. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [3-7] Mint tea From: bensmail@oscar.stat.washington.edu (Halima Bensmail) Newsgroups: soc.culture.arabic Subject: Re: mint tea (in French) Date: June 1994 Natasha Shabat (natashas@edc.org) wrote: : When I was in Morocco last year, I drank wonderful "tay b'na` na`" : everywhere I went. When I returned home, I tried to make it myself, : but I failed, so now I'm looking for advice. My main problems were: : 1. The fresh mint leaves (which I grew myself, or bought fresh at the : produce store) seemed to get "cooked" by the hot water; they lost their : bright green color, got limp and soggy, and fell apart in the tea. : 2. The tea leaves refuse to stay at the bottom of the pot (or tea : cup). I think I was using Bansha (sp?) tea leaves. : 3. The tea and mint leaves together clogged the spout of my silver, : Palestinian teapot, making it very difficult to pour. : Can anyone help me make better mint tea? : Shukran. D'abord il faut faire bouillir l'eau, ensuite tu mets dans une theiere deux petites cuilleres de the (the sous forme de grains noirs: chine) et tu laves le the avec de l'eau chaude. Apres tu mets la menthe, que tu as deja lavee, et du sucre. Tu rajoutes de l'eau sur le tout de facon a ce que le niveau de l'eau depasse le niveau de la menthe pourqu'elle ne soit pas de couleur noir et amer. Tu laisses le tout reposer qqs minutes. Pour melanger le sucre il faut verser dans un verre le the deja pret, ensuite le verser dans la theiere. Repeter l'operation deux foix environ. J'espere que j'etais un peu claire. PS: Une bonne menthe garantie un bon the :-) --- From: kevans@panix.com (Abdelkarim Benoit Evans) Newsgroups: soc.culture.arabic Subject: Mint tea Date: June 1994 My method is similar to that of Halima, which appeared in this group in French a couple of days ago. Since some of us do not read French and since making tea is one of the few culinary activities that many men in traditional Arab cultures do openly, I thought a man should tell you how he makes tea. It is important to use fresh mint and to NOT to remove the leaves from the sprigs. Loose leaves will float and are more likely to clog the teapot. Also, the somewhat compressed "wad" of mint sprigs help to keep the tea at the bottom, thus eliminating another cause for clogging. Be sure to completely cover the contents with the water. Mint leaves that remain completely submerged are less likely to turn black and are less bitter. Use Chinese green tea. Unlike black (Lipton's) tea, the leaves have not been roasted. You will need boiling water, a heavy metal teapot that holds about three- fourths of a liter (about 3 cups), a "handful" of green tea (a generous heaping tablespoon, more or LESS), several chunks of sugar, a LARGE handful of fresh, dark-green mint (rough, curly leaf variety), lots of small tea glasses. Rinse the teapot with boiling water. Add the tea leaves. Pour in a little less than one tea-glass of boiling water to rinse the tea leaves gently and quickly by swirling the pot. DO NOT STIR WITH A SPOON. Pour the water out into a tea glass. (It will be very bitter, and you can play a trick on someone by later indicating that glass as one to drink.) Add LOTS of mint sprigs (not loose, individual leaves). Add several lumps of sugar (10 small or 4 large ones). Fill the pot with boiling water, being sure to completely cover the mint. You can stir the contents gently, being careful not to force the tea into suspension. Actually, you should only use the spoon to ensure that everything is underwater. Some people put the pot on the fire just long enough to bring the water back to a boil. Let the tea steep for about 5 minutes. Pour out a tea-glass full of tea and immediately return it to the pot. Repeat four our five times. In this way the liquid in the pot will be properly mixed when you serve the tea. DO NOT STIR THE POT WITH A SPOON AT THIS TIME. Pour a small amount and make a taste test. If the tea is ready, serve your guests. Be sure to pour the tea from high above the glass. This oxygenates the tea and improves the flavor. Whether or not your tea is a complete success, I hope your guests will be as kind as Hajj M'hamed, taking a second glass and saying: ladeed! tbaarka llah 'leek (Delicious! God's blessing be upon you.) --- From: username@niehs.nih.gov (???) Newsgroups: soc.culture.arabic Subject: Re: Mint tea Date: June 1994 >Try using Moroccan mint! The quality of mint is very important here. "Moroccan tea" is green tea, just like Chinese tea, you can't make Moroccan tea regular Lipton or other brands. Also, don't let the mint or tea cook! Boil the water then take it off the heat and add tea and the mint leaves and let it settle for a few minutes before you pour. Use plenty of fresh mint with Moroccan tea. Sweeten as desired. In the eastern part of the Arab world we make regular mint tea. It is the same but with regular tea leaves or bags and with less mint than that the Moroccans use. It's pretty good too. ========================================================================