Bazaars, Beaches and Bites (Morocco wrap up)

Possibly a place we came to like after we left, Morocco is a Moorish mess of modern tourism and hidden charm. Writing this sitting on a TGV fast train in the south of France, Morocco (and its public transport) feels a world away. But in the south of Spain, in Andulucia, Morocco is everywhere. It would be hard to fully appreciate Morocco with out a trip to Andulucia and vice-versa. It’s in the south of Spain that the Moors have left some of their best Architecture and art, and there you can enjoy it without twenty thousand people trying to sell you something. At times it gets ridiculous, like some guy trying to charge for taking photos of the moon, or attempting to sell you a carpet when you fully laden with 2 backpacks. I guess our experience was also tainted by the bed bug episode (see post below “Of mites and men) and our love for the next country on the trip, Spain.

But despite this the experience was still wonderful. Djemaa el-Fna (the main square in Marrakesh) alone, would be worth the trip. There’s nothing quite like it anywhere else in the world that I’ve been. It’s fascinating to see storytellers enthral a crowding mass of all ages with nothing but their (Arabic) tongue. Five meters away a snake charmer sits playing a tune to encourage his multiple snakes to raise their heads off the ground. This and literally hundreds of other entertainers, henna artists, juice men, escargot sellers, food stalls and beggars are crammed into the square, all lit by furiously burning kerosene lamps. And then there’s the people. People everywhere you look, hundreds deep. Here to witness the spectacle. Definitely worth a visit!

Other highlights were the beachside town of Essaouira, and Chefchaouen, an even smaller town in the foothills if the Rif Mountains. The lack of hostels makes it hard to meet other travellers, and Chefchaouen was the only place we had more than a passing conversation with anyone except each other. In terms of food and drink, as while this may be Kelly’s Mediterranean beach odyssey it’s really Ryan’s Mediterranean Epicurean adventure, Morocco largely disappointed. There were occasional sparks of brilliance, like the Michelin starred French-Moroccan restaurant in Marrakesh and the wonderful goats cheese and yogurt in the north but overall not as good as we expected.

See the full photo album here:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=84858&id=603243044&l=ca931943c8

Days spent in Morocco: 8
Alcohol Free days: 4
Items lost or stolen: Ryan’s towel (brand new travel towel), he left it at our first place in Marrakesh
Items Purchased: nothing (hard to believe I know)
Mint teas drunk: 6
Tagine’s consumed: 10
Best place: Essaouira
Best meal: Tie between tagine from “Dar Jeerling” in Essaouira, Pinapple with corriander sauce (Casa Lalla) or goats yogurt with honey in Chefchaouen
Worst place: Fes
Worst meal: Tagine from the markets in Marrakesh, dining with the locals while helping the hip pocket, did not excite