Giving a summary of an entire country, especially as the first post on this blog, might seem ill-advised. However, I just finished my 10 days and nights in Morocco, and I don't feel like cranking out 7 separate entries for each city/town I visited. So I'll say a little bit about each, and then conclude with my thoughts on Morocco as a whole.
Marrakech
I landed in Marrakech on July 31st at night. I would have been here earlier, but missed my original flight out of JFK. It was bound to happen sometime. I'd never missed a flight before, and I'd been getting more and more casual about getting to the airport on time over the years. Nevertheless, I still had 4 nights and 3 days in Marrakech, which turned out to be more than enough.
I stayed at a "riad" in the medina called Riad Ziyane Atlas. Riads are former upscale homes, usually with an open air central area and several floors, that have been converted to places for lodging. My green room as awesome. The A/C was broken in the best way, in that it was stuck on cold and wouldn't turn off. I appreciated this in Marrakech in August. I had my own bathroom, wifi, and there was a rooftop terrace where I had breakfast every morning. A honey bee of some sort kept me company each morning.
Mohammed, or Simo as I called him (at his request), managed the place, but only temporarily. His uncle owned it, but he was on holiday in France for a month. His uncle chose him well. Simo was generous, accommodating, hardworking, respectful and friendly. He even checked on me via facebook as my trip through Morocco progressed. He took me to the ville nouvelle (new city) one night, and didn't mind when I wanted to turn in early. Good man.
What did I like about Marrakech? Lots of things. As far as sights and places to visit, 'kech has many, but not necessarily of great quality. The medersa (madrassa) that the guidebook lauded was interesting, to a point. The Dar Si Said museum was okay, but nothing to blog about. However, I loved the Jardins Marjorelle. These gardens had lots of beautiful colors and architecture. The plants themselves were not astounding, but the design of the place, as well as the structures and paths made it quite pleasant. Having discovered that day how to isolate a single color on my new SLR camera, I spent quite a while there.
The hammam was a wonderful experience. I'm not sure how "traditional" it was, because I've never visited one before, but I got the works from the place I visited: sauna, massage, oil down, showers, etc. SO relaxing. Great way to finish a summer day spent walking around in near-Saharan heat.
I also enjoyed visiting the main square, Place Jemaa el-Fna. I loved the plethora of fresh orange juice carts, and must have had several glasses each day. The temporary restaurants that set up each night were also particularly fun, and the street food was delicious. Additionally, if you went to the right ones, you had the opportunity to mix with locals as they ate instead of just more tourists.
Unfortunately, Jemaa el-Fna was also one of the things I disliked. While some of the pictures of the snakecharmers, monkey-handlers, etc were fun, I quickly grew tired of their aggressive tactics and the outrageous demands when it came to payment. Little did I realize at the time that such chicanery would not only become par for the course in Morocco, but would actually get worse.
Nevertheless, I had fun in Marrakech. I didn't need as much time there as I allowed, but having so much time allowed me to relax a little as I got my bearings at the very beginning of my journey.
Essaouira
On August 3rd, I took a day trip to Essaouira from Marrakech, mostly on Jordan Flowers' recommendation. The bus was 3 hours there and 3 back. I spent about 4 hours total in the coastal town.
My first impression was how much cooler it was, which was nice given the heat of the last few days. After leaving the bus station, I went immediately to the beach. I had worn my board shorts under my slacks, and brought a beach towel, so my intentions were apparent. However, when I saw the beach, I changed my mind. It's not that it was bad, but there were several factors that kept me from lounging. First, the sand seemed more like dirt than the beachy sand I've been spoiled by so far this summer in Brighton, Carolina, Miami, and Hawaii. There were plenty of people on it, and some sunbathing, but it seemed to mostly be kids running and playing. Additionally, it was extremely windy, which makes sense given that Essa is known for its wind-sports. Finally, there was a charge for admittance (or at least it seemed that way), and I was tired of paying for every single thing I did in Morocco. As much as I love the beach, I refused to support it becoming a commercial venture in and of itself. Thus, I turned and walked towards the harbor.
At the harbor the fisherman were crowded around their catches, even this late in the day (mid-afternoon), haggling over sales. One got angry at me for taking photos, so the rest of my pics of this were on the sly. The place stunk to high heaven. There were all manner of fish on sale, as well as eels, and at least one small shark.
Nearby the harbor, past where the young boys were swimming, was the fish market. While the market itself was closed, the nearby stalls where fresh fish was cooked for you were not. I went and looked at the raw fish and shellfish on display at one of the little tents. When asked, I selected a large crab and a couple scampi. The man threw in a few sardines for good measure, and showed me to my seat.
The fish wasn't cheap (300 dh, or about $40), but I was expecting it to be delicious. I ate with a young British couple who similarly got scampi, but also a sea bream. When my meal was brought to me, I was disappointed. The food was well cooked, and fresh, and I bet the sea bream was fantastic. Unfortunately, the crab legs (which was the lion's share of the meal) were prepared by smashing them several times with a mallet. This, paired with the lack of the tiny fork, made eating it extremely painstaking and difficult, and eventually I gave up. Thank God for the sardines. Afterwards, I bought a few cookies from the local kid who had been bugging me my whole meal, and satisfied myself on that for the rest of the afternoon.
I didn't do much else in Essaouira. Walked around, snapping a few photos, and just soaked in the town. I did get a haircut and shave there. The men in the barbershop were all mesmerized by the live trial of Hosni Mubarak on TV. I couldn't understand it, but I was fascinated myself.
Casablanca
On August 4th, I took the train from 'kech to Casa. By the time I got there, it was too late to visit the grand mosque, so I resolved to do so in the morning before I left again. I headed there however to take some late afternoon/evening pics of the edifice. Afterwards I headed to the beach. While this beach was similar to the one in Essaouira in it's "sand", and had hundreds of different men of all ages playing dozens of different soccer games on it, there was a free section, and I went down to the shore. I parked next to a European couple, and we seemed to be the only people on the beach not playing soccer. Still, I laid out for about an hour, dipped my Aggie ring in the Atlantic (as is my ritual), and got some great action shots of the players.
After socializing with some German girls at the riad over Moroccan mint tea (thé a la menthe), I cleaned myself up and headed for Rick's Cafe. This place is only 7 years old, so it is of course not the inspiration for the movie Casablanca. Rather, it is life imitating art. However, it's a good recreation, and the food was delicious, if a bit expensive. What I didn't like was the service. They were very accommodating, but the place took itself a little too seriously. It would have made a great upscale restaurant if it wasn't for the fact that it was made to imitate a movie from half a century before, and one which tourists come specifically for the gimmick. Hell, they even had the movie playing in a room upstairs. But the waitstaff seemed to think they were in the actual Rick's of the movie, frowning upon photos and working with an air of self-importance that was annoying. The sole was great though, and the cheesecake decent.
The next morning, I went to the Hassan II mosque expecting to take the hourly tour. Unfortunately they were only allowing one tour that day, and I had missed it. This was not a normal occurrence, and in fact even locals didn't believe me when I told them there were none left that day. At least I got to see the underground level the day before with the little old man who took me down there... for a small fee of course.
Meknes
The train from Casa to Meknes was godawful. It was 3.5 hours long, without A/C, crowded and hot. As we drew close to Meknes, a middle-aged Moroccan man sat down across from me, and struck up a conversation about my travels. He told me he was traveling with his family. He offered to give me the number for his guide in Meknes, whom he said was a "good man." I told him I would consider it, but I didn't know where I was staying, and needed to get my bearings. I made the mistake of telling him that I thought I was staying at the Riad D'Or. He then said he would call for me, and that maybe the guide could meet me there. I didn't know what to say. I told him fine, just to be polite. He left a few minutes after speaking with the guide on the phone, and wishing me well. Scam.
After checking my email for the name and location of the place, I grabbed a taxi to the main square, but I still couldn't determine where my hotel was. I had no option but to ask someone, who immediately offered to take me there...for a fee. We settled on 15 dh ($2), and set off. Once he had led me there, he said he didn't have change, and all I had was a hundred. The touts/guides/hustlers never have change, conveniently. I think this is so that you either have to pay them more, or they can hit you up for more services, which is what this one did. He badgered me incessantly about being my guide. When I finally agreed, he made me promise to come back from the riad after I checked in, within 15 minutes. "Fine, fine, ok, I promise." Jeez.
Check in took quite awhile longer, and in the meantime the guide from the train phone call showed up at the door. Fortunately, the Italian man who owned the riad covered for me, and sent him away. He told me how men work the trains, pretending to be travelers, and connect tourists with guides they know, for a cut. Ugh. After about an hour, I set out again, but the only real "sight" in town was closed. However, I ran into the "guide" whom I promised to return to. He accosted me, and I cut him off with an apology, and a 20 dh note. He told me I promised him 100 dh, and I was so annoyed by him I just brushed him off, and he left me alone.
I wandered the small souk that evening, and I was pleased by the friendly nature of it, compared with the hawkers in Marrakech. I bought some juice, a hat, and some thread to sew patches on my bag. Afterwards I went to dinner at a place called Mille et Une Nuits. This was not so much a restaurant as a Moroccan family's home that the put tables in and printed menus for. However, everything was made from scratch, and not until you ordered it. The couscous was great, and the mint tea was ok. The long wait (30 minutes or so), allowed me to do some sewing and relax.
My room at the riad was on the very top, and had a great view, and was large and comfy. However, we were right next to a mosque, and I was woken up at 2am by a horn being blown in the streets, the muezzin from the minaret at 4am, and roosters at 6am. Nevertheless, I visited the Moulay Ismail tomb the next day (which I had missed the day before), and saw the clocks given by Louis XIV as consolation for his demurral to send his daughters to the sultan's harem.
Volubilis/Moulay Idriss Zerhoun
I chartered a grand taxi for 400 dh to take me to these two nearby sites the next day. Volubilis is a set of Roman ruins, but with neolithic remains even older. The mosaics were great, and the arch dedicated to the emperor Caracalla was intriguing. Moulay Idriss is the tiny nearby town on a hill dedicated to the ruler who envisioned building Fes, and established the first Islamic Moroccan dynasty. It's a holy city, but tiny, and it didn't take long to tour it and take some panoramic photos. The Scorpion House restaurant is run by some Westerner, but has great food, including Moroccan tagines, and fruit smoothies. It was the first lunch I had had since the beginning of Ramadan.
Fes and Con Artistry
On August 6, after Volubilis and Moulay Idriss, I took the train from Meknes to Fes. While waiting for the train at an internet point, I met a young man named Joussef from Fes who spoke good English, and we chatted for a minute. I later ran into him again at the train, and we sat together. He said he studied architecture in Fes. He told me about his family, including a sister studying architecture at Columbia University in NYC. He told me his family had a farm outside Fes where they grew grapes and produced wine. After some more conversation, I learned that he had friends who were American students in Fes. He offered to call one and ask them for their landlord's number, since he charged about 1/5 of the riad I was staying at. After eventually contacting the landlord, Michel, I agreed to stay with him instead of the riad, which they had heard wasn't very good. Michel even offered to pick me up.
Michel picked me up in his Benz at the train station, and we went to his apartment, and apparently the room I was going to stay in was there. However, there was no internet, and no one knew where I was, so I started to get wary. He made food for us for Iftar, but I declined to eat much. He seemed to be interested in impressing upon me how wealthy he was, either by talking about his properties, his neighbors and neighborhood, or his lifestyle. He told me he was Lebanese and Swiss. His girlfriend worked at Columbia University. His family owned a vineyard outside Geneva. He loved architecture. Spider-sense was going off like crazy. I asked him where I could get internet, and he said he could drop me off at a place on his way to the mosque for evening prayers. I asked if I could just walk somewhere, but he seemed intent on dropping me off. I grabbed my valuables, and he dropped me off at a cafe.
I contacted the hotel, and they said to wait and see if he came back, and then tell him that I wanted my stuff from his apartment. I called Joussef in the meantime, and he offered to come by. He stopped by, and said that he had a date with his girlfriend soon, but he'd wait with me for Michel. He got up a few minutes later, and Michel arrived. When Joussef didn't come back, I asked Michel if he knew where he went, and he said that Joussef's mother wanted him to come back for dinner. The failure to square their stories was a big tell. After some gentle debate, I got Michel to drop me off at my hotel, after I promised to go get some food afterwards.
After I dropped my valuables at the hotel, I felt much safer, and I decided to go out with Michel that night. We got some food, and smoked shisha, all on his tab. Actually had a pretty good time. I began to think maybe I had misread him. He told me about the American University giving free tours the next day, courtesy of UNESCO, and said we should call them. He said they'd still be open at this hour because of Ramadan. We called and arranged to meet with a guide. Although Michel said he didn't know the man, the number he called had a name attached to it on his iPhone. Hmm. Still, we met with the older man, and he offered to meet me the next day near my hotel, and that the tour itinerary was up to me, and totally free.
Next morning, I met up with the guide, Mohammed, and we got me some breakfast before beginning the tour. We went by several sights, including the Bouinania Medersa, Kairouine Mosque, and the Chouwara Tannery. At one point, we went to see Michel's riad that he was refurbishing, at his invitation. I spoke with Mohammed before about how I met Michel, and my thoughts about him and whether or not to trust him. At Michel's riad, he again went to lengths to impress me it seemed, and when we left, Mo acted very impressed by Michel's wealth, and insisted I could trust him. Michel had encouraged us to meet him later at the "Widow's Market" where he would be going to shop. Michel had been going on since I met him about the handicrafts festival that was going on tomorrow, even though I could find no such thing online. Mo backed him up on this, and about the amazing deals I could get, especially on carpets at the Widow's Market. The "market" was a warehouse in the medina with tall ceilings and carpets everywhere. Nowhere could I find a widow, or even a woman. When Michel arrived, he told me he was buying six carpets, but the merchant only seemed interested in helping me. This was even after I told him to talk to Michel. All persons involved, as they rolled carpet after carpet out in front of me, told me how I could make 5x the purchase price back in the US. I could "pay for my trip." The prices here were non-negotiable, because they were guaranteed by the government, and set in advance. They wanted $5000 for carpets that, while beautiful, were likely not even handmade. I demurred.
After numerous attempts to convince me that they took credit cards, or money wires, or that I could re-sell, Mo said we could leave. He took me to a few more places, but the jig was up. I believe all the players, from Joussef to Michel to Mo to the merchant were in on this trade. I'm sure they take advantage of enough gullible and greedy travelers to pay for their expenses. Not me though. Too bad I didn't get to participate in the "big party" Michel said he was throwing that night. Kinda want to know what he would have done if I had bought a carpet. He would have at least had to have produced a party.
The rest of Fes was fun. I went back to my riad hotel, and got to know the staff, especially the owner Nor, a young man of mixed Brazilian descent. Additionally, two British girls named Claire and Gemma provided me company, and we had a nice day and night still in Fes. We went to the Merenid tombs overlooking the city at dusk, and got snacks at a cafe near the Bab Bouljoud. We then wandered the souks until dinnertime, grabbing street food with Nor.
Chefchaouen
On August 8 I went to the bus station, but I had missed the last bus for Chefchaouen that day. This meant my only hope of seeing it, and of making my reservation, was to hire a grand taxi. I know I ended up getting ripped off, but at least I paid less than he wanted. I paid 600 dh, about $75, for the 4 hour ride. The car had no A/C, and was at least 15 years old. I managed to sew some patches on my bag, and resist the tout's offers of hashish.
Chefchaouen is a beautiful little mountain town that I wish I could have stayed in longer. Unfortunately, I only had one night, and I was getting pretty worn out from the traveling already. I walked up into the main town and had dinner, and then walked back down to my hotel. Along the way, I saw a soccer game being played in one of the main plazas my little children, and attended with great fanfare by the townsfolk. There was a loudspeaker-announcer giving commentary, and crowds around the game itself. Must have been some kind of festival. The kids were really funny too, since they couldn't keep the ball inbounds more than about 10 seconds at a time. Poor ref had his hands full.
Back at the hotel, I spent time speaking with the 11 year old son of the owner. He didn't speak English, but we practiced our French together, and watched funny youtube videos. I showed him my beloved Baby Monkey riding on a pig video, but I don't think he appreciated it as much. Probably because he couldn't understand the words to the awesome song. Stayed at the Casa Annasr, and he showed me the new website they were launching. I gave him what advice I could about it. Hamid was his name. Great kid.
Tangier
On August 9, I left for Tangier for my last night in Morocco. I made the bus this time, and the ride was much more comfy and much less expensive. The taxi I grabbed from the bus station to the hotel of course overcharged me, and when I told him I didn't even have the 40 dh he wanted, the "guide" already at the window paid the extra for me, telling me I could just pay him back. He insisted he worked at my hotel, and for some reason, after everything I'd been through, I believed him. He, of course, did not work at Dar Jameel Hotel, so I managed to pay him back and be done with him.
It was late when I got into Tangier, so no sights were available. I rested some, and went to get some food from Ray Charly. It was recommended by the guidebook as good cheap food, and it delivered. The staff barely acknowledged me, but they found my Kindle amusing, especially when I showed them the bit about their joint. They disputed the price quotes, however. The Cafe Paris was next and last on my destinations in Tangier. Apparently it was quite the hotbed for espionage during WWII, and the decor looks like it probably did in the 60s. It had a great view of the nearby plaza, and would have been fun to while away the hours with friends over coffee, just watching people pass by. The name was appropriate, because the whole experience seemed very Parisian.
The next day, August 10, I caught the ferry from Tangier Med to Algeciras, Spain. People were throwing up non-stop around me, but I was unfazed. Morocco was fun, but I was ready for a change.
Final Thoughts on Morocco
I had a good time in Morocco, but by the end of my trip, I was ready to leave. There are many sights, but like other places, they begin to blend together. Mosques, medersas, souks all begin to look like other mosques, medersas, and souks after awhile. Most Moroccans that I encountered through my riads (hotels) or restaurants were helpful, honest, and friendly. However, I got tired of the willingness of many others to take advantage of tourists at any chance possible. Taxi drivers frequently overcharged, or asked for more than originally bargained. "Guides" hassled you to no end to let them show you around, for a fee. If you asked anyone directions, they would take you all the way there, and then expect a sum of money automatically, and often an exorbitant one. As seen in the stories above about the con artists on trains, some people were willing to go to great lengths to deceive and lie to me. It was this willingness to lie to my face that was particularly exhausting. I've dealt with aggressive salesmen, or tough haggling, but outright deception was a bit new.
Furthermore, Ramadan exhausted me. At first it was interesting, and quite an experience. However, not being able to eat in the daylight for days at a time took its toll. This is especially true since I didn't keep the same hours as the Moroccans, and was in fact engaging in my most arduous activities at the height of the day. Not being able to replenish myself at these times was tough, and given my schedule, I couldn't just sleep or rest during those times as the Moroccans did.
Perhaps one day I will return to Morocco, better prepared and not during Ramadan, and I will feel differently. For now though, I've had enough.
Marrakech
I landed in Marrakech on July 31st at night. I would have been here earlier, but missed my original flight out of JFK. It was bound to happen sometime. I'd never missed a flight before, and I'd been getting more and more casual about getting to the airport on time over the years. Nevertheless, I still had 4 nights and 3 days in Marrakech, which turned out to be more than enough.
I stayed at a "riad" in the medina called Riad Ziyane Atlas. Riads are former upscale homes, usually with an open air central area and several floors, that have been converted to places for lodging. My green room as awesome. The A/C was broken in the best way, in that it was stuck on cold and wouldn't turn off. I appreciated this in Marrakech in August. I had my own bathroom, wifi, and there was a rooftop terrace where I had breakfast every morning. A honey bee of some sort kept me company each morning.
Mohammed, or Simo as I called him (at his request), managed the place, but only temporarily. His uncle owned it, but he was on holiday in France for a month. His uncle chose him well. Simo was generous, accommodating, hardworking, respectful and friendly. He even checked on me via facebook as my trip through Morocco progressed. He took me to the ville nouvelle (new city) one night, and didn't mind when I wanted to turn in early. Good man.
What did I like about Marrakech? Lots of things. As far as sights and places to visit, 'kech has many, but not necessarily of great quality. The medersa (madrassa) that the guidebook lauded was interesting, to a point. The Dar Si Said museum was okay, but nothing to blog about. However, I loved the Jardins Marjorelle. These gardens had lots of beautiful colors and architecture. The plants themselves were not astounding, but the design of the place, as well as the structures and paths made it quite pleasant. Having discovered that day how to isolate a single color on my new SLR camera, I spent quite a while there.
The hammam was a wonderful experience. I'm not sure how "traditional" it was, because I've never visited one before, but I got the works from the place I visited: sauna, massage, oil down, showers, etc. SO relaxing. Great way to finish a summer day spent walking around in near-Saharan heat.
I also enjoyed visiting the main square, Place Jemaa el-Fna. I loved the plethora of fresh orange juice carts, and must have had several glasses each day. The temporary restaurants that set up each night were also particularly fun, and the street food was delicious. Additionally, if you went to the right ones, you had the opportunity to mix with locals as they ate instead of just more tourists.
Unfortunately, Jemaa el-Fna was also one of the things I disliked. While some of the pictures of the snakecharmers, monkey-handlers, etc were fun, I quickly grew tired of their aggressive tactics and the outrageous demands when it came to payment. Little did I realize at the time that such chicanery would not only become par for the course in Morocco, but would actually get worse.
Nevertheless, I had fun in Marrakech. I didn't need as much time there as I allowed, but having so much time allowed me to relax a little as I got my bearings at the very beginning of my journey.
Essaouira
On August 3rd, I took a day trip to Essaouira from Marrakech, mostly on Jordan Flowers' recommendation. The bus was 3 hours there and 3 back. I spent about 4 hours total in the coastal town.
My first impression was how much cooler it was, which was nice given the heat of the last few days. After leaving the bus station, I went immediately to the beach. I had worn my board shorts under my slacks, and brought a beach towel, so my intentions were apparent. However, when I saw the beach, I changed my mind. It's not that it was bad, but there were several factors that kept me from lounging. First, the sand seemed more like dirt than the beachy sand I've been spoiled by so far this summer in Brighton, Carolina, Miami, and Hawaii. There were plenty of people on it, and some sunbathing, but it seemed to mostly be kids running and playing. Additionally, it was extremely windy, which makes sense given that Essa is known for its wind-sports. Finally, there was a charge for admittance (or at least it seemed that way), and I was tired of paying for every single thing I did in Morocco. As much as I love the beach, I refused to support it becoming a commercial venture in and of itself. Thus, I turned and walked towards the harbor.
At the harbor the fisherman were crowded around their catches, even this late in the day (mid-afternoon), haggling over sales. One got angry at me for taking photos, so the rest of my pics of this were on the sly. The place stunk to high heaven. There were all manner of fish on sale, as well as eels, and at least one small shark.
Nearby the harbor, past where the young boys were swimming, was the fish market. While the market itself was closed, the nearby stalls where fresh fish was cooked for you were not. I went and looked at the raw fish and shellfish on display at one of the little tents. When asked, I selected a large crab and a couple scampi. The man threw in a few sardines for good measure, and showed me to my seat.
The fish wasn't cheap (300 dh, or about $40), but I was expecting it to be delicious. I ate with a young British couple who similarly got scampi, but also a sea bream. When my meal was brought to me, I was disappointed. The food was well cooked, and fresh, and I bet the sea bream was fantastic. Unfortunately, the crab legs (which was the lion's share of the meal) were prepared by smashing them several times with a mallet. This, paired with the lack of the tiny fork, made eating it extremely painstaking and difficult, and eventually I gave up. Thank God for the sardines. Afterwards, I bought a few cookies from the local kid who had been bugging me my whole meal, and satisfied myself on that for the rest of the afternoon.
I didn't do much else in Essaouira. Walked around, snapping a few photos, and just soaked in the town. I did get a haircut and shave there. The men in the barbershop were all mesmerized by the live trial of Hosni Mubarak on TV. I couldn't understand it, but I was fascinated myself.
Casablanca
On August 4th, I took the train from 'kech to Casa. By the time I got there, it was too late to visit the grand mosque, so I resolved to do so in the morning before I left again. I headed there however to take some late afternoon/evening pics of the edifice. Afterwards I headed to the beach. While this beach was similar to the one in Essaouira in it's "sand", and had hundreds of different men of all ages playing dozens of different soccer games on it, there was a free section, and I went down to the shore. I parked next to a European couple, and we seemed to be the only people on the beach not playing soccer. Still, I laid out for about an hour, dipped my Aggie ring in the Atlantic (as is my ritual), and got some great action shots of the players.
After socializing with some German girls at the riad over Moroccan mint tea (thé a la menthe), I cleaned myself up and headed for Rick's Cafe. This place is only 7 years old, so it is of course not the inspiration for the movie Casablanca. Rather, it is life imitating art. However, it's a good recreation, and the food was delicious, if a bit expensive. What I didn't like was the service. They were very accommodating, but the place took itself a little too seriously. It would have made a great upscale restaurant if it wasn't for the fact that it was made to imitate a movie from half a century before, and one which tourists come specifically for the gimmick. Hell, they even had the movie playing in a room upstairs. But the waitstaff seemed to think they were in the actual Rick's of the movie, frowning upon photos and working with an air of self-importance that was annoying. The sole was great though, and the cheesecake decent.
The next morning, I went to the Hassan II mosque expecting to take the hourly tour. Unfortunately they were only allowing one tour that day, and I had missed it. This was not a normal occurrence, and in fact even locals didn't believe me when I told them there were none left that day. At least I got to see the underground level the day before with the little old man who took me down there... for a small fee of course.
Meknes
The train from Casa to Meknes was godawful. It was 3.5 hours long, without A/C, crowded and hot. As we drew close to Meknes, a middle-aged Moroccan man sat down across from me, and struck up a conversation about my travels. He told me he was traveling with his family. He offered to give me the number for his guide in Meknes, whom he said was a "good man." I told him I would consider it, but I didn't know where I was staying, and needed to get my bearings. I made the mistake of telling him that I thought I was staying at the Riad D'Or. He then said he would call for me, and that maybe the guide could meet me there. I didn't know what to say. I told him fine, just to be polite. He left a few minutes after speaking with the guide on the phone, and wishing me well. Scam.
After checking my email for the name and location of the place, I grabbed a taxi to the main square, but I still couldn't determine where my hotel was. I had no option but to ask someone, who immediately offered to take me there...for a fee. We settled on 15 dh ($2), and set off. Once he had led me there, he said he didn't have change, and all I had was a hundred. The touts/guides/hustlers never have change, conveniently. I think this is so that you either have to pay them more, or they can hit you up for more services, which is what this one did. He badgered me incessantly about being my guide. When I finally agreed, he made me promise to come back from the riad after I checked in, within 15 minutes. "Fine, fine, ok, I promise." Jeez.
Check in took quite awhile longer, and in the meantime the guide from the train phone call showed up at the door. Fortunately, the Italian man who owned the riad covered for me, and sent him away. He told me how men work the trains, pretending to be travelers, and connect tourists with guides they know, for a cut. Ugh. After about an hour, I set out again, but the only real "sight" in town was closed. However, I ran into the "guide" whom I promised to return to. He accosted me, and I cut him off with an apology, and a 20 dh note. He told me I promised him 100 dh, and I was so annoyed by him I just brushed him off, and he left me alone.
I wandered the small souk that evening, and I was pleased by the friendly nature of it, compared with the hawkers in Marrakech. I bought some juice, a hat, and some thread to sew patches on my bag. Afterwards I went to dinner at a place called Mille et Une Nuits. This was not so much a restaurant as a Moroccan family's home that the put tables in and printed menus for. However, everything was made from scratch, and not until you ordered it. The couscous was great, and the mint tea was ok. The long wait (30 minutes or so), allowed me to do some sewing and relax.
My room at the riad was on the very top, and had a great view, and was large and comfy. However, we were right next to a mosque, and I was woken up at 2am by a horn being blown in the streets, the muezzin from the minaret at 4am, and roosters at 6am. Nevertheless, I visited the Moulay Ismail tomb the next day (which I had missed the day before), and saw the clocks given by Louis XIV as consolation for his demurral to send his daughters to the sultan's harem.
Volubilis/Moulay Idriss Zerhoun
I chartered a grand taxi for 400 dh to take me to these two nearby sites the next day. Volubilis is a set of Roman ruins, but with neolithic remains even older. The mosaics were great, and the arch dedicated to the emperor Caracalla was intriguing. Moulay Idriss is the tiny nearby town on a hill dedicated to the ruler who envisioned building Fes, and established the first Islamic Moroccan dynasty. It's a holy city, but tiny, and it didn't take long to tour it and take some panoramic photos. The Scorpion House restaurant is run by some Westerner, but has great food, including Moroccan tagines, and fruit smoothies. It was the first lunch I had had since the beginning of Ramadan.
Fes and Con Artistry
On August 6, after Volubilis and Moulay Idriss, I took the train from Meknes to Fes. While waiting for the train at an internet point, I met a young man named Joussef from Fes who spoke good English, and we chatted for a minute. I later ran into him again at the train, and we sat together. He said he studied architecture in Fes. He told me about his family, including a sister studying architecture at Columbia University in NYC. He told me his family had a farm outside Fes where they grew grapes and produced wine. After some more conversation, I learned that he had friends who were American students in Fes. He offered to call one and ask them for their landlord's number, since he charged about 1/5 of the riad I was staying at. After eventually contacting the landlord, Michel, I agreed to stay with him instead of the riad, which they had heard wasn't very good. Michel even offered to pick me up.
Michel picked me up in his Benz at the train station, and we went to his apartment, and apparently the room I was going to stay in was there. However, there was no internet, and no one knew where I was, so I started to get wary. He made food for us for Iftar, but I declined to eat much. He seemed to be interested in impressing upon me how wealthy he was, either by talking about his properties, his neighbors and neighborhood, or his lifestyle. He told me he was Lebanese and Swiss. His girlfriend worked at Columbia University. His family owned a vineyard outside Geneva. He loved architecture. Spider-sense was going off like crazy. I asked him where I could get internet, and he said he could drop me off at a place on his way to the mosque for evening prayers. I asked if I could just walk somewhere, but he seemed intent on dropping me off. I grabbed my valuables, and he dropped me off at a cafe.
I contacted the hotel, and they said to wait and see if he came back, and then tell him that I wanted my stuff from his apartment. I called Joussef in the meantime, and he offered to come by. He stopped by, and said that he had a date with his girlfriend soon, but he'd wait with me for Michel. He got up a few minutes later, and Michel arrived. When Joussef didn't come back, I asked Michel if he knew where he went, and he said that Joussef's mother wanted him to come back for dinner. The failure to square their stories was a big tell. After some gentle debate, I got Michel to drop me off at my hotel, after I promised to go get some food afterwards.
After I dropped my valuables at the hotel, I felt much safer, and I decided to go out with Michel that night. We got some food, and smoked shisha, all on his tab. Actually had a pretty good time. I began to think maybe I had misread him. He told me about the American University giving free tours the next day, courtesy of UNESCO, and said we should call them. He said they'd still be open at this hour because of Ramadan. We called and arranged to meet with a guide. Although Michel said he didn't know the man, the number he called had a name attached to it on his iPhone. Hmm. Still, we met with the older man, and he offered to meet me the next day near my hotel, and that the tour itinerary was up to me, and totally free.
Next morning, I met up with the guide, Mohammed, and we got me some breakfast before beginning the tour. We went by several sights, including the Bouinania Medersa, Kairouine Mosque, and the Chouwara Tannery. At one point, we went to see Michel's riad that he was refurbishing, at his invitation. I spoke with Mohammed before about how I met Michel, and my thoughts about him and whether or not to trust him. At Michel's riad, he again went to lengths to impress me it seemed, and when we left, Mo acted very impressed by Michel's wealth, and insisted I could trust him. Michel had encouraged us to meet him later at the "Widow's Market" where he would be going to shop. Michel had been going on since I met him about the handicrafts festival that was going on tomorrow, even though I could find no such thing online. Mo backed him up on this, and about the amazing deals I could get, especially on carpets at the Widow's Market. The "market" was a warehouse in the medina with tall ceilings and carpets everywhere. Nowhere could I find a widow, or even a woman. When Michel arrived, he told me he was buying six carpets, but the merchant only seemed interested in helping me. This was even after I told him to talk to Michel. All persons involved, as they rolled carpet after carpet out in front of me, told me how I could make 5x the purchase price back in the US. I could "pay for my trip." The prices here were non-negotiable, because they were guaranteed by the government, and set in advance. They wanted $5000 for carpets that, while beautiful, were likely not even handmade. I demurred.
After numerous attempts to convince me that they took credit cards, or money wires, or that I could re-sell, Mo said we could leave. He took me to a few more places, but the jig was up. I believe all the players, from Joussef to Michel to Mo to the merchant were in on this trade. I'm sure they take advantage of enough gullible and greedy travelers to pay for their expenses. Not me though. Too bad I didn't get to participate in the "big party" Michel said he was throwing that night. Kinda want to know what he would have done if I had bought a carpet. He would have at least had to have produced a party.
The rest of Fes was fun. I went back to my riad hotel, and got to know the staff, especially the owner Nor, a young man of mixed Brazilian descent. Additionally, two British girls named Claire and Gemma provided me company, and we had a nice day and night still in Fes. We went to the Merenid tombs overlooking the city at dusk, and got snacks at a cafe near the Bab Bouljoud. We then wandered the souks until dinnertime, grabbing street food with Nor.
Chefchaouen
On August 8 I went to the bus station, but I had missed the last bus for Chefchaouen that day. This meant my only hope of seeing it, and of making my reservation, was to hire a grand taxi. I know I ended up getting ripped off, but at least I paid less than he wanted. I paid 600 dh, about $75, for the 4 hour ride. The car had no A/C, and was at least 15 years old. I managed to sew some patches on my bag, and resist the tout's offers of hashish.
Chefchaouen is a beautiful little mountain town that I wish I could have stayed in longer. Unfortunately, I only had one night, and I was getting pretty worn out from the traveling already. I walked up into the main town and had dinner, and then walked back down to my hotel. Along the way, I saw a soccer game being played in one of the main plazas my little children, and attended with great fanfare by the townsfolk. There was a loudspeaker-announcer giving commentary, and crowds around the game itself. Must have been some kind of festival. The kids were really funny too, since they couldn't keep the ball inbounds more than about 10 seconds at a time. Poor ref had his hands full.
Back at the hotel, I spent time speaking with the 11 year old son of the owner. He didn't speak English, but we practiced our French together, and watched funny youtube videos. I showed him my beloved Baby Monkey riding on a pig video, but I don't think he appreciated it as much. Probably because he couldn't understand the words to the awesome song. Stayed at the Casa Annasr, and he showed me the new website they were launching. I gave him what advice I could about it. Hamid was his name. Great kid.
Tangier
On August 9, I left for Tangier for my last night in Morocco. I made the bus this time, and the ride was much more comfy and much less expensive. The taxi I grabbed from the bus station to the hotel of course overcharged me, and when I told him I didn't even have the 40 dh he wanted, the "guide" already at the window paid the extra for me, telling me I could just pay him back. He insisted he worked at my hotel, and for some reason, after everything I'd been through, I believed him. He, of course, did not work at Dar Jameel Hotel, so I managed to pay him back and be done with him.
It was late when I got into Tangier, so no sights were available. I rested some, and went to get some food from Ray Charly. It was recommended by the guidebook as good cheap food, and it delivered. The staff barely acknowledged me, but they found my Kindle amusing, especially when I showed them the bit about their joint. They disputed the price quotes, however. The Cafe Paris was next and last on my destinations in Tangier. Apparently it was quite the hotbed for espionage during WWII, and the decor looks like it probably did in the 60s. It had a great view of the nearby plaza, and would have been fun to while away the hours with friends over coffee, just watching people pass by. The name was appropriate, because the whole experience seemed very Parisian.
The next day, August 10, I caught the ferry from Tangier Med to Algeciras, Spain. People were throwing up non-stop around me, but I was unfazed. Morocco was fun, but I was ready for a change.
Final Thoughts on Morocco
I had a good time in Morocco, but by the end of my trip, I was ready to leave. There are many sights, but like other places, they begin to blend together. Mosques, medersas, souks all begin to look like other mosques, medersas, and souks after awhile. Most Moroccans that I encountered through my riads (hotels) or restaurants were helpful, honest, and friendly. However, I got tired of the willingness of many others to take advantage of tourists at any chance possible. Taxi drivers frequently overcharged, or asked for more than originally bargained. "Guides" hassled you to no end to let them show you around, for a fee. If you asked anyone directions, they would take you all the way there, and then expect a sum of money automatically, and often an exorbitant one. As seen in the stories above about the con artists on trains, some people were willing to go to great lengths to deceive and lie to me. It was this willingness to lie to my face that was particularly exhausting. I've dealt with aggressive salesmen, or tough haggling, but outright deception was a bit new.
Furthermore, Ramadan exhausted me. At first it was interesting, and quite an experience. However, not being able to eat in the daylight for days at a time took its toll. This is especially true since I didn't keep the same hours as the Moroccans, and was in fact engaging in my most arduous activities at the height of the day. Not being able to replenish myself at these times was tough, and given my schedule, I couldn't just sleep or rest during those times as the Moroccans did.
Perhaps one day I will return to Morocco, better prepared and not during Ramadan, and I will feel differently. For now though, I've had enough.
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