So, to begin: Three friends from my Madrid program and I were in Cadiz on Sunday and took a bus down to Tarifa (which is like the Spanish version of Laguna beach? I think... it was rainy so everyone was inside) and took a ferry (37 EUROS!!) to Tangers, Morocco. (35 min) We spent one night in a cheap hotel in Tangers, took a bus/train to Fes and spent the night in a Riad (like a bed and breakfast, but Arabian; lots of couples, esp. from Australia, France and England), took a 8 hr train to Marrakech and spent two nights there before flying back to Europe.
It was epic. Favorite was Fes, then Marrakech, then Tangers. I definitely want to go back, but it seemed like the Riads (gorgeous, and about the same price as a European hostel per person even though you live like a queen) would be more ideal for couples on their honeymoons than 4 college kids trying to explore on the cheaps.
I'll try to tell stories/things through some pics?
This is Mike, one of the guys, sitting on the "dock" in Tangers. I use the term "dock" loosely, as this "dock" was comprised of enormous blocks of vertical concrete which were placed about 2-3 feet from each other. Meaning you have to jump from one to the next, and they are not even, half of them being completely crooked and dangerous. I have a mini fear of heights (more specifically falling from a height), and at 1am it was extremely scary. I had to use my PHONE as a flashlight.
Have to admit, however, the view of the city was gorgeous.
Also this is where we had our run-in with the Moroccan police. I guess they thought that 4 college students taking pictures off a dock at 1am was very suspicious, so they came to investigate. Very freaky, esp. considering I was the only one who spoke French so I was explaining all we wanted to do was take pictures (this is apparently forbidden?). We think they were looking for pot, since Tangers has a pretty big reputation for hashish (and lordy we saw where that reputation comes from), and apparently Moroccan police have a thing for arresting tourists who are smoking pot (which is illegal) and then taking bribes for release. But no pot, so no problem.
View of Fes from our riad. (Riad Hala = amazing, if you go to Fes stay there!!!!) The white mass is apparently cows grazing in the cemetery. Gorgeous views, 360 o.
Also here's pic with me and the guys wearing their new Djellabahs, a traditional Moroccan outfit that they received "compliments" about the entire time we were there. (Still not sure if these compliments were sincere, my sarcasm-detector is permanently off)
I think the facial expressions are the most "hostage situation" like thing ever; I think it would be racist to say that I look like a hostage if it wasn't for the sunglasses.
For the most part I was not worried about kidnapping. And this is coming from the girl who spent a couple hours by herself in downtown Marrakech, exploring and shopping, late at night.
One of the best parts about Morocco:
FOOD.
food food food food food food food food food food food food food food food food food food food food food food food food food
And it was cheap, too. Only one meal did I spend more than 10 dollars, and that was a huge meal, and I was almost pissed about having to spend that much.
Best parts of the cuisine:
Pastilla- the thing above. It is really hard to explain, it has dough, chicken, spices, honey, etc.? The goodfood website describes it as a chicken "pie" but this is a blatant lie. It is DELICIOUS. I am going to learn how to cook it so when I can cook back home I will be a Moroccan chef.
Mint tea- for less than a dollar (tops $2, if you are at a fancy restaurant), you can get a little silver tea pot of green tea, strongly sweetened, with tons of mint leaves in it. It's delicious!! I think I'm buying a mint plant when i get back...
Tagine- Best one = Chicken with almonds and golden raisins. Almost like a chicken stew, but better, cuz it's sweet. Actually almost everything is sweet over here. So maybe that's why I like it so much? I have one mean sweet tooth.
Fruit juices- Usually no more than $2 tops (and that's for the fancy one, you can find street vendors who will squeeze fresh orange juice in front of you for 30 cents), it's uber fresh and delicious. Usually more of a smoothie than anything. They have it in almond (YUM), avocado (YUM), banana (actually just mentally add "YUM" to everything I describe/name, it'll save time), grapefruit, pineapple... the list continues.
Cous Cous- My mom makes a mean cous cous back home, but it's enough of a staple where I feel it is worth mentioning.
Dates- No cooking involved. I'm sure I should've cleaned them or washed them or something, but it is so great buying a pound of dates for a dollar and just eating them your entire vacation.
In Tangiers people were gathering around this one street vendor whose cake-ish stuff was absolutely swarming with flies. Or bees. We couldn't decide. So we bought the cake-stuff (10 cents each for a moment of adrenaline-packed adventure). It was relatively disgusting. I don't think any of us finished ours.
Also the Riad we stayed at for 20 euro a night (each) included breakfast, which was huge and yummy. Lots of honey stuffs.
In Fes, which like I mentioned before was a universally agreed upon "favorite city", there is a huge leather trade. This is where they soak the leather in plaster, then dyes, so it comes out weeks (days?) later ready to strip and make into clothes, bags, whatever. It was awesome.
In Fes we did some shopping. Tips when shopping in Morocco:
-Bargain. The prices they start at are RIDICULOUS. do not pay them. For American tourists/French tourists the sales people start especially high.
For example (my friend, L, I am sorry I must tell this story): A hookah (small one, worth maybe $20 in the States) will be offered at $75. You then say $8. After much debate and your attempt to walk away, you can probably get it for $16. You do not "Bargain" down to $65, because then you shake on it and you have been properly screwed over.
-Do not shake on a deal if you do not want it. I do not want to tell this story, as the Berber man still gives me nightmares. They (the Moroccan people) turn violent when a deal falls through. (Fortunately the only time I was hit was when I refused to give an obnoxious beggar girl more dates after I already gave her 3)
-Window shopping is dangerous in the "you WILL spend $" sense, especially if you enjoy bargaining (which I think I do?). I bought 1 outfit, 2 shirts, little gifts for people back home, a belly dancing skirt and a handle holder for my host fam in Spain. I intended to buy maybe half of that. And definitely did NOT plan on getting a belly dancing skirt. Esp. considering I don't belly dance.
Train from Fes to Marrakech. Literally hanging out of the cabin while it is going fully speed.
At one point train security saw what I was doing and rushed over. I was slightly worried I would get yelled at (and I hate being yelled at), so I start moving back inside. The man asks, "What on Earth are you doing?!" and I reply, "Well I wanted to take a look out the door, the countryside is so pretty..." and he responds, "But you have to open the door wider! You're not doing it properly"
In the States this would never have occurred, not because Americans are worried for each other's safety so much as they are worried they will get sued. This is not a concern in Morocco (or really any other place in the world except for the US?)
Also. I got to practice my French for 4 days. While some Spanish is spoken in Tangers and some English was spoken in Marrakech (less in Fes), French and Arabic are spoken everywhere. So I learned some arabic ;)
For example, you greet with "Salam alaykum" (I don't know if this is how you spell it, but it's how you say it). It's like the same thing as "Shalom" in Hebrew.
Anyway Morocco was great. It was warm (75 oF in some places), the food was spectacular, the company was great. Definitely going back, though maybe not for a while, I have so many more places that need to be adventure-ized!
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