Morocco

Morocco is a small country on the north-west corner of Africa. Very Arabic in nature the people are friendly and the climate is moderate.

This is a predominantly Muslim country and the primary language is French though people also speak Arabic and, perhaps, a bit of English.

The weather is generally quite moderate and it does rain in the winter. The coastal areas are generally warmer than the interior as the land rises up to meet the Atlas mountains that stretch along the south-east border of the country.

It is generally quite easy to get around with regular flights between major cities (EasyJet offers frequent flights to and from major cities in Morocco from Europe). The road network is good with regular bus service as well.

In addition to the normal western-style hotels and resorts there are also the more traditional “riads” and “dars”. I am told that the difference between the two is that the “riad” has a courtyard with a tree and a “dar” does not. Regardless, “riads”/“dars” are homes/small buildings that have a number of traditional Moroccan rooms around a courtyard generally open to the air. Many of these have the western luxuries of air conditioning, showers, and standard sit-down toilets as well. Check the Internet if you are interested in staying in one as there are many web sites…Be aware that physically finding a riad can be quite difficult as they are often in the middle of the city nestled in the small alleyways and streets. It may be a good idea for the first trip there you get a taxi.

Food is quite good with heavy influence from Arabic countries particularly with grilled meats (kebab) and salads the order of the day though due to the tropical nature of the country fresh fruit is also quite plentiful. “Mint tea” is quite common which is served extremely hot with loads of sugar (but very tasty). Aubergine (Egg Plant) is common as is lamb and chicken (of course, being a Muslim country pork and alcohol is pretty much off the menu).

There are many different types of artisans in Morocco with some typical objects always on sale:

• Leather Shoes - These shoes are commonly hand crafted and sold in bright colours. The shoe is typically long and slender with pointed toes. When buying make sure they are sewn and not glued on the soles.
• Carpets - I would be scared to look at these (not knowing what the heck I am doing) but they are largely hand-knotted and wonderfully intricate. Expect to pay big money for bigger carpets…
• Dried Fruits and Nuts - For sale every where these are good for snacking though be careful about prices. If you don't care what you get just ask for an assortment but be aware you may be ripped off as some things are more expensive than others…
• Arabic Pastries - Sickly sweet but wonderful in their variety. Many are deep fried and many are also filled with fig paste.
• Tagine - A round tapered-lid pot made of clay that is used to cook the traditional “tagine” dish. If you want one to cook with do NOT get the enamelled ones as those are for decoration only – Buy one that is unfinished. Note that if you want one of these consider if you can buy it where you came from as these are now quite common throughout the world if you look and it might save you a bit of aggravation trying to pack it up to take home…

As opposed to…

Begging is a problem and certainly petty theft is rife in the larger cities (such as Marrekech). In the souks be aware that you will likely be approached if you take any amount of notice in a particular stall.

There are no required vaccinations to visit Morocco.

The electricity supply is quite good, 220V with French-style plugs (two round prongs).

The unit of currency is the “dirham” which cannot be easily exchanged outside of Morocco (though it is possible this is not necessarily advisable as the government does not like the currency being imported or exported). The easiest thing is to exchange money when you arrive in the country (at the airport) where there are many machines that accept most credit and bank cards. Bank machines can be found throughout the major cities of the country.

For further information, please see:

• Marrakech - A bit of info about Marrakech from me
• Wikipedia - Morocco
• Wikitravel - Morocco