rec.travel Morocco FAQ

Question: Where should I go?

Everywhere! However, the best parts include:
Note Hotel Prices

All prices are for a double room, and include taxes. Last applicable dates are supplied where known.

Imperial Cities
Other Cities
Out of the Cities

Imperial Cities

Fez

"You say you are going to Fez. Now, if you say you are going to Fez, then that means you are not going to Fez. But I happen to know you are going to Fez. Why have you lied to me, you who are my friend?"

(Moroccan saying, quoted in Paul Bowles'The Spider's House)

The classic North African city; like others in Morocco divided between a ville nouvelle and a medina (plus a new medina - new as in around 500 years old). The ville nouvelle is a pleasant but ordinary French-style town; the medina is like something out of a biblical epic. There are miles of dense, narrow, twisting passageways (Colossal Cave fans have been here before) negotiated by black-clad women, donkeys and camcordered tourists. The lanes are full of little shops selling carpets and videos, workshops producing tiles and souvenirs, and soukhs arranged according to produce. The most famous part is the tannery - donkeys bearing dead creatures enter, then there is a progression of workshops in various stages of the process and finally an enormous courtyard of Zhang-Yhimou-hued vats.

The whole thing doesn't seem to have changed much since the Middle Ages or before. The mosques inside the medina are massive, but are difficult to appreciate since they're hemmed in on all sides; the other major feature are the medersas - the old student accommodation for the mosques - these are full of delicate workmanship and are, like Roman buildings, centred around an atrium and pool.

While anyone with a nose to guide them can easily get round the medinas elsewhere in Morocco, the one in Fez really does need a guide, at least for an initial orientation. One big advantage of having a guide is that one is left alone by practically all the other guides - it can be great fun simply making one's way through a thronged soukh amongst all the strange faces and tent-clad women. On the other hand, you can be certain that your guide will make the trip via the carpet store, the clothes store (Mr Bouchta's being the touristically priced favourite), the trinket store, herbalist, leather goods store and the tourist restaurant.

Transport

Note!

The CTM station has recently moved to a well-organized modern complex above Place De L'Atlas (near Hotel Rex). The new station is more focussed on long-distance buses (e.g. Casa and Frankfurt) and there are no longer any buses leaving for the deep South.

All CTM lines to Midelt, Errachdia etc now leave from Meknes. However, private buses (from the station behind the old CTM station, and remaining Hotel CTM) still run on these lines, and grand taxis (leaving from next to the new CTM) make regular trips (24DH each, 9/99) to Azrou, from where the buses from Meknes can be picked up.

Hotels

There's a clear choice here (unless one can afford the Hotel Palais Jamai in the centre of the medina, hub of events in The Spiders House): either a normal, tourist hotel in the ville nouvelle (such as the slightly out of centre Sheraton), where one may relax in western surroundings and sit about at a café or bar, or the basic medina hotels. Purists would suggest that only staying in the latter is the real Morocco; whilst it is true that living in the medina for a few days, in the middle of a medieval town, is a profound experience; most Moroccans live, not in a Fez-like past, but in cities and towns more akin to the ville nouvelle; spending the day in the medina and the evening in the new town, may be a better experience of the Magrhebi antisyzygy.

Hotel Olypmic is a spruce ville nouvelle establishment, albeit with occasionally erratic plumbing, a few yards from the main drag, and immediately opposite the city's liquor store (284DH, inc. breakfast; no credit cards - 9/99)

Restaurants

If you're being taken on a tour, you will very likely find yourself coincidentally in the vicinity of Dar El Jamai around lunchtime (120DH set meal; 9/99); setting is good, but food is mediocre. A better pit stop en tour are the little local hole in the wall food outlets, esp. around Bab Boujeloud; freshly fried slices of aubergine (eggplant) sizzling being the tell-tale sign. The ville nouvelle has a few pizzerias, cafés and tajine joints.

Marrakesh

This is a large, prosperous and rapidly expanding town, with a medina of much less interest than Fez, but with palaces, tombs and mosques worthy of attention. Each summer, the El Baadi Palace is lit up in the manner of the Carcalla Baths in Rome and a Festival of Moroccan Folk Music held, complete with charging horses and acrobats - whilst this may appear to be an event for the Agadir-bound, it is also popular with Moroccans themselves - tribal loyalties are easily spotted amongst the audience as the many different folk styles are played. The Djemaa El Fna is at first sight, disappointingly, a large piece of tarmac - it comes alive however at dusk, when the story tellers, dancers, food stalls and magic retailers are packed with Moroccans and foreigners. You can choose to watch from one of the cafés or restaurants surrounding it, and marvel at the myriad bikes, mopeds and cars darting about like moths around the candle and managing to weave their way through the melee, but miss the atmosphere that only participating on the ground can deliver.

Images of Marrakesh

Transport

For a taste of what the Djemma El Fnaa was like, in the days before the hustler-crackdown, visit the bus station. Younger hustlers work outside the station, and as soon as they have elicited your destination, will follow you into the station, run to the ticket booth, buy the tickets and demand a large fee. Inside the station, their older brethren stand around performing the same totally unnecessary and unpleasant function. If you intend to travel from the station, walk purposefully inside and ignore the hustle - the station is well organized and it's very easy to find the ticket booths and bus stands with no interference.

Buses run by ONCF also leave from the rail station, with a good service to Essaouria. (RoughGuiders should ignore the bus times given even in the pre 2001 editions). Current departures (Sept 99) are Essaouria at 1130 and 1950; Agadir at 0530, 1315, 1505, 1800, 2235; Dakhla (last staging post for Mauritania) at 1505; Laayoune at 1505 and 2245. Also from the ONCF station is a train to the airport at 0130, 0700, 0900, 1200, 1415 and 1630.

Hotels

The palatial La Mammounia, if within budget! (Tel (011-212) 4 448 981, Fax (011-212) 4 444 4660); if not, the Hotel de CTM (the old bus station, right on the Djemma El Fna, converted into cool, covered courtyards surrounded by rooms, and patrolled by a lazy set of cats. It's cheap, and has a rooftop café - order an orange juice from the waiter, and see him gesture to the orange-squeezers in the market and a young lad run up to deliver) or the Hotel Ali (poor security in some rooms, but with buffets on the roof, web café on the premises and a helpful front desk). Western-Type: Hotel Tropicana (Rec: Allen Banick), and the Hotel du Pacha. Details and booking for the Sheraton Marrakech may be made on-line.

Restaurants

There are a dozen places around the square; these divide between the tourist & better-off Moroccan restaurants and some ultra-cheap simple places. Beware of the musical tastes of the former - who really wants to sit at the historical market of the dead deafened by Jean-Michel Jarre or Celine Dion? The ville nouvelle now boasts a selection of international restaurants to relieve the tedium of couscous and tajine - however quality varies: the Le Dragon D'Or has a chef no more Chinese than any of the Djemaa El Fnaa, rice supplied by Uncle Ben and meals out of a can; Chinese as your mother would make, if she weren't Chinese. Anne Abbott recommends:-

Yacout, 79 Sidi Ahmed Soussi (Tel 441903)
Kassar (Moroccan)
La Trattoria (Italian): 179, Rue Mohamed El Bequal, (Tel 43 26 41)
La Jacaranda (French), 32 Blvd Mohammed Zerktouni (Tel 44 72 15)
La Rotunda (Italian/Moroccan)

Shopping

Anne also recommends these stores:-

L'Art Marocain (everything, antiques, home furnishings)
50, Kzadriya Bab Mellah near the Balais Badia
Amazonite (nice jewelry, silver, gold items, small ethnic pieces)
94 Bd El Mansour Eddahbi, Gueliz (in the French Quarter)

Meknes

This is a little empty of tourists, despite being one of the Imperial cities and being close to the old Roman city of Volublis. A short train journey from Fez, or regular buses from Tangier lead here. Apart from the Roman remains, the city offers the only tourist-accessible mosque, a pristine Christian Slave Prison, and the remnants of a massive palace. ( Street Scene)

Hotels & Restaurants

The half dozen or so Western style hotels are concentrated in the Ville Nouvelle, all within a few hundred yards/metres of each other (and within a similar radius of a squatter camp). Hotel Transatlantique comes recommended. Few restaurants, some cafés around the hotels, a cholera epidemic in 1992; Fez is only an hour/dollar away...

Rabat

Official royal residence of and administrative capital of the country - only an hour away by modern railway or highway from Casa, Morocco's commercial capital. Unlike Casa, it does have worthwhile historical sites - esp. the old Roman/ early Islamic Citadel, the tiny old medina with famous gate and café overlooking the bay, and the massive (now ruined) mosque next to the terribly tasteless Hassan mausoleum. There's also a large ville nouvelle with large stores, embassies and a splendidly friendly and disorganised tourist office. Salè is part of the Rabat conurbation, and site of the annual Wax Fair; the medina here is a delightful place to explore, with a medersa to match any in Fez, friendly children, and lovely views over Rabat and the Atlantic.

Hotels

Orin Hargreaves recommends Hotel Balima on Avenue Mohammed V (Tel:677-55) and Hotel Splendid on rue Ghaza (Tel:232-83). Hotel D'Orsay is ideally placed for the railway station, yet is quiet and well run (259DH, 9/99).

Restaurants

Rabat has the widest choice of world cuisine in Morocco, including such well established places as the Chinese Restaurant Hong Kong on Av Mohammed V, serving the capital for over 30 years. The Italian tradition is as long, with good pizza and pasta at the licensed La Mamma (behind Hotel Balima); nothing stronger than cola, but cheap and tasty pizzas in the modern American diner, not far from Napoli (which some guides still have as a pizerria, but is now a fish restaurant.)

For those with Mediterranean tastes east of the Adriatic, the star of Rabat is Restaurant Saidoune in a small mall diagonally across from the main train station - this could be your only hommous in Morocco, and there's decent falafel, tabouleh and divine babah ganoushj to accompany it.

Links

Other Cities

Agadir

After the original town was destroyed in an earthquake, this package tourist resort was created, in the mould of the Spanish Costa Brava on the Atlanic Coast. Of little interest, except Western cultural relief, for the independent traveller a little overoriented.

Casablanca

The fact that Sam's bar is here but is a recent addition to a modern hotel sums this place up - more Marseilles than Marrakech. Being a largely industrial/commercial city it's attracted many thousands of migrants from the rest of the country, many of whom live in squatter camps, and some of whom engage in petty crime and prostitution. Connections are good to Rabat, Essaouria (overnight air-cond coach) and Marrakesh.

Transport

Petit taxis are easily hailed (Pl Mohammed V to Gare des Voyageurs, 30DH, 9/99). Airport taxis are expensive - at 9/99, standard rates were 200DH, with an extra 100DH demanded for journeys ending after 11pm.

Hotels

Anne Abbott & friends recommend the Riad Salam on the Corniche. (Tel (011) 212-2-391-313, Fax (011) 212-2-391-345). Very central, and good value is Hotel Lausanne, opposite Cinema Lutetia (not the Lusitania as the Rough Guide suggests) near Place Mohammed V (260DH, 9/99). On-line details and booking for the Royal Mansour and Sheraton

Restaurants

One of the country's few Indian restaurants, the Nasraj on Rue Chenier, has food that elsewhere would be mediocre, but in Morocco, is a welcome relief. Real beer, and sometimes real Indians in the clientele. The nearby Maharajah offers nothing more subcontinental than mutton or lamb tajine.

Tangier

"O Tingis! Tingis! O dementa Tingis, illusa civitas..."

St Francis

Most people come here from the Spanish ferry; there being no other very good reason to come: the only useful railway connection is the overnight sleeper to Marrakesh - all other trains stop at Sidi Kacem (Berber for The Middle Of Nowhere) and one must wait for hours for a connecting train to Fez or Rabat. Because so many day trippers come from Spain (to do Africa!), Tangier has more hustlers than anywhere else. A steady diet of naive tourists is guaranteed, and a reception committee is waiting at the port. The medina is large, interesting, esp. since it contains remnants of Moorish, French, Spanish & British control. The city is now a rather large building site, and has the appearance to the eye of Beirut, but no longer has that seedy international air when home to the Beats, espionage and other shady action.

Hotels

The Grand Hotel Villa de France (the one with the Matisse room) in the medina closed in 1992 for refurbishment, and is now no longer the faded bargain it once was. The ville nouvelle has dozens of vanilla 4-star hotels - typically about $25-$30 for a double (and for Olympic-sized swimming pool substitute rather cold little foot bath which we occasionally open). For 30s grandeur, the Hotel El Minzah, created by Lord Bute and refurbished in the early 90s, has it all.

Links

Out of the Cities

Azrou

Mountain town and winter ski centre. Much cooler and more laid back than the cities below. Only hustling likely to be mild but persistent shop invites, although some travellers encountered mountain guides touting their services and buying bus tickets at twice the usual price, withholding the change, and soliciting a tip. The fact that some actually work with some of the soft-adventurers - Exodus, Dragoman, etc. - is no guarantee that they don't scam in their spare time; 'pay your money and take your chances'. Azrou has an excellent weekly market and the tasteless DecliningBritishSeasideResort style coloured bulbs and crown all over the Azrou itself - a large rock outcrop. There's also a local Rug Co-operative. Great view down the valley and much improved by the huge new mosque and landscaping, although pool is usually closed. Bus connections are also hugely improved with the construction of a good bus station (Azrou to Midelt, 27DH pp + 3DH per bag, 9/99).

En route from Fez to Azrou is the Poche de France - Ifrane, a ski town and resort for the fashionable and wealthy - it's like a theme park in its fantastical relation to its surroundings.

Hotels

Orin Hargreaves suggests the Panorama hotel in Azrou; even better is Auberge Amrose ("quiet country setting, sumptuous food and cheap") on the road out to El Hajeb. Best cheap place in town is Hotel Des Cedres (103DH, with showers 10DH extra; 9/99).

Cascades D'Ouzoud

Your experience of these falls (off the Beni Mellal-Marrakech road) will be one of expaseration at relentless hustlers, anxiety about crime, boredom of club 18-30ers, or a wonderfully relaxing high point of your whole trip - depending on where you choose to stay. Avoid the packaged westerners by avoiding the hotel at the road, avoid the hustle by avoiding the main camping area and head to Tafnat Camp across the river - children will help you cross using planks as bridges for a few dirhams.

Chaouen

Also known as Cefchaouen, this is a small town of whitewashed houses in the Rif mountains, with good hiking and some recommendations from previous net.travellers.

Erfoud

Dusty desert town, renowned for its fossils. A number of 4 star hotels here; Allen Banick recommends the Hotel Salem. The editor recommends Hotel Tafilalet, with pool, western satellite TV, bar and grand salon (415DH, 9/99)- a worthwhile splurge after a few days in the spareness of Merzouga. For reasonably-priced luxury, the Kenzi Chain is a 4* hotel with bungalows. Unfortunately, the Moroccan/Spanish Restaurant Erg Chebbi, has closed down since late 1999; Youseff and Angelina who ran it having returned to Spain.

Haggle for LandRover rides to Merzouga - Majdoubi (Tel: 57 67 93) will do the run for 600DH return (9/99); cheaper again is to be found just by wandering in the streets - they will come to you! Sahara Holidays can arrange LandRover charter for 1000Dh per day. None of them, however, will beat the cost of a bus ride to Rissani (4DH, 9/99) and berber taxi (16-20DH, 9/99) to the dunes.

Erfoud is the biggest tourist draw for many miles, with both backpackers and tour groups making the long trip here. Consequently, you will receive some hustling, for curio shops, fossils and trips to Merzouga. Unless you have plenty of money to throw around, don't take the trip to the dunes from Erfoud, but take the short trip to Rissani by bus and arrange a taxi from there.

El Jadida

Another old Portugese fortified coastal town, with its own piece of Orson Welles lore - the old vaulted cistern was used in his Othello. Despite tourism promoters (and the Rough Guide!) endeavouring to make this town sound stylish and comfortable, in reality the air is one of dilapidation, relieved only by its northern seafront and the bright town square, complete with colonial-era theatre. The old Portguese ramparts are desolate, the cannon rusting away and the old churches crumbling (as elsewhere, the government claims of chuches being preserved and converted to cultural centres, are as empty as the pews). The easy transport links to Casablanca (regular grand taxi and buses every 20 minutes) make it a worthwhile stop in the journey from Essaouria to Casablanca, if only to see the famous cistern.

Errachadia

Modern desert town, military out-post, and bus interchange. Placed on the cross-roads from Fez, Oujda, Ouarzazate to Merzouga and Figiug, it's an inevitable point of call on any journey south of the Atlas. Unremarkable, but tidy and relatively prosperous.

Essaouria

Fascinating old Portuguese walled town and one-time Hendrix hang-out. Relaxed, orderly town, ideal for lazy days sipping coffee, and nibbling large quantities of almond confections, occasionally exploring the warren of streets and alleys. As seen in Welles' Othello. Large jewelry arcade, and many shops selling the 2 local specialities - exquisitely crafted marquetry, including such traditional subjects as windsurfers and MichaelJacksons; and madly coloured patchwork trousers and jackets - de rigueur for strolling about town. Until this century, Essaouria had a large Jewish population, and some remants of those days remain, e.g. the old synagogue mentioned below.

Hotels

Hotel des Ramparts. Faded glory, damp and dingy rooms, but superb rooftop views, now with changed management and a basic rooftop café. Minute's walk from main street and less from the IagoHanging walls, as is its classier neighbour, Hotel Cap Sim.

Much more upmarket are the Hotel Villa Maroc on Rue Abdellah Ben Yassin [Tel: 4 473 147. Fax (011-212) 4 472 806], an old mansion with a collection of folk art and the splendid new Hotel Riad Al Medina (664DH, 9/99). Out of the old town, near the beach is the Villa Quieta.

Restaurants

For olde-worlde setting, Restaurant L'Horloge in an old synagogue by the clock tower. Best value Moroccan food is at Café-Restaurant Essalam on the corner of the Plaza and Main St, which has good value set menus and an ideal vantage point to people-watch in the main square. If you want to drink at either of these places, bring your own bottle (or two) from one of the two stores selling alcohol (beyond the North gate, turn right and then left for one or right for the other) - but if so, remember that you'll have to sit inside whilst imbibing the devillish brew.

Unless you're an easily led package tourist, avoid Restaurant El Khaima, but do try the excellent pizzeria next door, Les Chandeliers, which also has good wine, decent pasta and fine decor.

High Atlas - Djebel Toukhal

The most common trip for backpackers and softies alike from Marrakesh is the conquest by the East Face of Djebel Toubkal, the highest mountain in North Africa at 13 and something thousand feet [4163 m]. Buses and taxis run here (not from the bus station, but from one of the old gates about a mile/km south of the new bus station) as far as Asni. From there it's a pickup truck ride to Imlil at 4000 feet [1200 m]. Asni has its share of hustlers: one reported scam involved the local teacher at Imlil, who had the practice of jumping into taxis with his friend as they approach Asni claiming personal knowledge of every mountaineer from Noah to Bonnington via Herzog inviting people back for a meal to his hut and then quelle surprise bringing out a selection of trinkets and demanding beaucoup de dirhams for the meal (there's also the sub-plot: leave your baggage here while my friend takes you on a tour of the village); this is accompanied by the common trick of giving the next taxi time as two hours hence. To really help the school, bring some pens or atlases. Watch out for the pickup trucks - they'll try to squeeze far too many people onto the back - watch them screech into cover when the police show up.

Imilchil

Small village in the middle of the High Atlas. Famous for its spectaular views (there's a poster of Imilchil in every tourist and airline office) and the marriage festival . Reachable by Land-Rover or Berber camions. Note that the Imilchilis now have a tourist marriage festival in addition to the real one; it may be expected that the marriage festival will eventually become fortnightly.

Imlil

A cool, tiny, almost Himalayan style hamlet. There's a French Alpine Club hut (discounts to Youth Hostellers) which has bunks, no electricity, few candles, and a young warden who'll invent taxes on leaving. (The old warden is a friendly soul, he lives in an old station-wagon next to the hostel). It's a long walk (6000 feet [1.8 km]) up a steep valley past old terraced fields to the next Alpine Club hut at 10000 ft [3000m] - at this height it's very cold outside; the hut itself has no heating, but is always very warm inside due to the concentration of bodies - there are at least 5 wardens, asst-wardens, deputy-asst-wardens and every nation in the backpacking world represented. Meals can be provided (at a fairly steep price) but cooking facilities are available - and most people seem to sit forever at the table, eating and exchanging trekking and interrail tales. Accommodation is in two enormous beds upstairs, and a bunk bed downstairs that can sleep about six across. It's worth coming here for the hostel itself, even if the mountain is not attempted. Discovery Travel and Sussex University have a study centre here.

The mountain

In winter this is a serious challenge; in summer it's simply a fairly long walk. The most difficult part is climbing the scree above the hut - there is a path through this to the left hand side. There's also another way down, which leads to a second cirque (which contains the remains of a passenger aircraft scattered over the rocks) and to the path about a kilometre below the hut. This way down has the advantage of being covered in vast amounts of small loose rocks and super for linked-parallel scree running.

Kenitra

Seaside town north of Rabat and onetime US Navy depot. Surfers are recommended to head south to Media Beach where there are great breaks and a long jeepable jetty out into the bay (drive out, surf back!). More info at arab.net.

Merzouga

This is the place for La bapteme de solatudeor however the French said it. There's a long bus-ride from Errachidia along an oasis gorge which goes way out into the desert - ends (to quote the Bertolucci team) at the sordid patios of Rissani and then there's a two-hour Land Rover or Transit van ride over desert tracks to the tiny collection of huts that is Merzouga, at an oasis on the edge of the erg.

Hotels

There are a string of auberges from Merzouga village back along the piste to Erfoud. Further from Merzouga, nearest the largest of the dunes, is Auberge Lahmada with very basic facilities, but a fridge, decent food, camel rides and a few rooms (30DH pp, 9/99). Auberges will also let you sleep on the roof (with a good sleeping bag, it gets very cold at night) for a couple of $, and in higher season often have large nomad tents. Make sure you climb the dunes - at midnight or before sun-rise for a magnificent experience.

Update:A couple of travellers had an unpleasant experience at Yasmina, paying $50 for the night plus a camel trip which lasted half the time promised. The owner and friends were indulging in much liquor and drugs, and they found the atmosphere intimidating (Sept 2000)

Restaurants

Hey, this is the desert!

Midelt

Far out into the plains, a mining and apple town (more than you'll wish to see in September and October), and frequent stopping off point in the journey to the Deep South. Basic bus station, with early buses running onto Tinnehir, good connections to Errachida, and buses making the thru journey to Erfoud (46DH pp, tip per bag, 9/99).

Ouarzazate

Major cross-roads and film studio location south of the Atlas mountains. From here roads lead out to Marrakesh, Agadir, Zagora and Errachidia. The tourist hotels which have sprung up here are present for the latter reason and not anything especial about Ouarzazate itself. Anyone travelling in the South is bound to spend at least a night here; the local people are friendly and there's little hustling apart from the overgenial shopkeepers. It is also important in being the only liquor store for several hundred miles/kilometres, and the best food for several hundred more - Chez Dimitri has a wide range of European food, excellent pasta, let down by some very dodgy local wines; check carefully the age of the wine served, and don't be afraid to send it back if it's turned to cold tea.

Transport

Grand taxis now operate from the new western part of town, in the suburbs north of the Banque Credit du Maroc; most guidebooks still list Place Mouhadine. Grand taxi to Inzegane (the main Southern travel hub, near Agadir) is 20Dh plus 5Dh per bag (9/99).

Hotels & Restaurants

These can fill up very fast; there are some hotels near the old bus station which will put people up on the roof if nowhere else; there is also a campsite on the edge of town. Hotel Atlas is basic but clean, central and well run (92DH for shower, no WC; 9/99).

Ouirgane

High Atlas village with an old French hunting lodge, the Residence de la Roseraie, now converted into an hotel. Gardens, pool and many walks. (Tel (011-212) 4 432 094, Fax (011-212) 4 432 095)

Rissani

Stopping off point for trips to Merzouga, but with a great deal of history and sights to make a stay worthwhile. Still hustly, but with much improved hotels recently. Also useful is the Expresse Todra bus services which alternates daily over two new routes - West to Zagora and north-west to Tinnehir via El Jorf and Tinejdad. These are welcome new options both for the landscapes (especially on the El Jorf route) and the ability to travel without doubling-back on the same route. The Tinnehir bus leaves Rissani at 11am, stopping at 1130 in Erfoud and reaching its destination at 1500.

Tarazoute

A town north of Agadir famous for its surf, especially in the winter months. The main break is at Anchor Point and there's also a surf camp (supposed to have a access to a secret beach). Another recommended surf-spot is Boilers, 8 miles north of Anchor Point near an old graveyard (it takes its name from an old ship's boiler left behind in the rocks.) Surf contact is Laurent Miramon (Tel: 00 212 226 5054).

Tazmamert

Not a good place to end up. Location of Morocco's secret detention centre, where various trade unionists, Sahrawis and other irritants to the State, have 'disappeared' in the best South American tradition.

Tetuan

Capital of Northern Morocco in the fertile Martil valley.

Tafraoute

Tafraoute makes a great centre for touring around the Anti-Atlas, hiking, mountain biking and geological exploits. And - if you can overlook the daily bus from Agadir - remarkably free of tourists, who usually stick to the Fez-Marrakech-Erfoud-Ourarzazate circuit. The people and landscapes are distinctly different from the rest of Morocco, although unfortunately this does not extend to the food (yes, more identikit tajines!). The other thing that you can expect in an out of the way resort is the hustle that used to be a feature of the big Northern cities before the crackdown - the culprits here are the pseudo-blue-men who will constantly pester you to visit Maison Berbere and Maison Touareg - let them know hastle doesn't work by avoiding the shops in question.

Trekking

The information in the main guides has fallen out of date. Guide Mohammed Ouakrim, who was at Hotel Les Amandiers and recommended in the Rough Guide, has married a German girl and moved there. Aheddaj Abed has taken over his treks, and also hires out bikes for 40Dh per day; he's on the telephone on 80 10 28.
Note Note!
As of Sept 99, there are still no mountain bikes for hire here
Mohammed Ouahammou, likewise in the Rough Guide, is no longer trekking, but his cousin, Laroussi Houssine, is still around and taking treks to Ait Mansour, Palmerie, Ameln Valley and the nature carvings 45km out of town. He also has good trekking maps, and can be contacted by telephone at 80 04 47, or at the small shop Meeting Place of Nomads (Post Code 85450) close to the dates market in the Soukh. Best trekking is Feb to March.

Transport

Buses run from here to Tiznit, but you can also take a night bus to Marrakech (100Dh,9/99), or indeed all the way to Tangier. A grand taxi to Tiznit is 35Dh per place (9/99). There's a choice of buses, including CTM and the local San Balam. The full schedule, correct as of Sept 99, is:

6am	Tiznit
7am	Tata via Tiznit (CTM)
8:30am	Casablanca via Tiznit
2pm	Casablanca via Tiznit
3pm	Casablanca via Tiznit
5pm	Casablanca via Tiznit
6pm	Rabat via Agadir (not the Tiznit road)
7pm	Casablanca via Tiznit (CTM)

Hotels

Hotel Tafraout (Tel: 80.00.60 or 80.01.21) on Place Moulay Rachid has a very friendly and helpful local owner, a roof to sunbathe and dry clothes on, and information on hiking. Rooms are 80dh for a double (9/99), paid in advance, with shared toilets and showers (plenty of hot water from the boiler). If you have more money to burn, Les Amandiers stands proud above the town and has the usual 4 star privileges.

Restaurants

You can do the sensible thing here and eat at Tanger (the medium tajine for 25Dh is huge) or do the silly tourist thing and go to Etoile du Sud, complete with multi-lingual menus (with different dishes for different tounges), tent, bad food and the contempt of any locals you meet.

Shopping

As mentioned above, the two big 'maisons' will have you hustled constantly - they also get large commissions from the daily tour buses which disgorge their passive charges each day, herded into the either of the two Maisons and not permitted anywhere else. Which is especially a pity given the quality of other, small, non-hustly shops in town - Artisant du Coin is one of the best; it's run by an old local with his daughters, has fixed prices, friendly unpressurized service and reasonable prices - which you may well find are 10 times less than your 'bargain' cost elsewhere in Morocco. Unfortunately, as with the other shops, the big tourist buses float past to their commissions; so it's up to independent souls like you to give them business, and keep small genuine traders around.

Taroundannt

Once a quieter, hustle free alternative to Marrakech. Still quiet, enjoyable but now more hustly than the more tightly-controlled big cities. Watch for the tout who hangs at the entrance to the main square by Hotel Taroundannt to follow you to your hotel for a commission. You'll also get multiple invites to be shown around the soukhs; the imprecations are not nearly as tiring as Tangier-quality guides, but then the soukhs are simple to walk around and appreciate.

Taroundannt now boasts a web café, on the main perimeter road near Hotel Tiout at the SE end of the city.

Hotels

Hotel Taroudannt has basic rooms for 100dh (9/99) with showers but shared toilets. Food is poor, but the wine is better than usual. The hotel has a lovely old atrium filled with large plants, and the bar by the atrium is a great place to meet local Moroccans.

Tiznit

A large walled city, but without the life and sights of Taroudannt. If you do have to stay, the hotel choice is limited, although a new 3-star hotel is very slowly being built. Budget hotels are very basic, with small dusty rooms and squat toilets only, and the current 3-falling-stars Hotel Tiznit (290Dh+16Dh tax, 9/99, credit cards accepted) has exasperatingly loud piped music during the day, loud and mediocre band at night, and functions as a pick-up zone for less than islamically dressed local girls. Hotel Soleil, across the road from the latter, has an English menu that is hilarious enough to warrant a visit. For eating, the unnamed cafeteria on the southern front of the Mechouar will serve you local rather than tourist food, albeit from an arabic menu (15Dh for 5 courses plus meat, 9/99).

Bus to Tafraoute leaves at 3pm from the Mechouar, cost 30dh (9/99). Pick up a grand taxi outside the square for Tafraoute.

Todra Gorge

Magnificent. Short taxi ride from Tinnehir (which is not quite the quiet hustle-free town that older guides suggest, although it does have some interesting kasbahs). An overnight stay in the gorge should be be a mandatory of any trip to the south. Transport is by grand taxis (6Dh per place, plus 2Dh per bag, 9/99) filling up on the main square, and berber taxis (vans or pickups, very cheap, but you must squeeze in amongst the livestock and locals) in the other square behind the main street. The gorge itself achieves sublimity in its combination of great height and narrow width.

Hotels

There are five auberges (despite what your guidebook may say!) - three at the mouth of the gorge - the original Hotel Mansour, joined in 1993 by the Etoile des Gorges, and 2 years ago by the bright and friendly La Vallee (70Dh room without shower or wc, 120Dh demi-pension, 9/99), and two within the gorge itself - Les Roches (150DH, wc+shower 9/99) and Yasmina - which have rooms and roofs. The latter is in the style of a French fort and has the best formal meals, served outside in a Berber tent, often to the accompaniment of the staff and several dozen inebriated packaged adventure types with well-organised bottles of wine. If not so lucky the hotel will be full with a stray package tour (yes, they get this far sometimes) of middle aged tourists occasionally daring to sneak away from their courier. On good days it'll be full of backpackers and young Moroccans, drumming and chanting away around a campfire into the wee hours. The gorge is also a good starting point for walks and camion rides further into the Atlas. Best food (and the best couscous for a long way) is at La Vallee, at the mouth of the gorge.

Zagora

Desert town at the end of the long and spectacular Draa valley, and at the edge of the sandy ("real") Sahara. More accessible, and hence more heavily touristed than the Ziz valley, which also has a better dunes experience. There is a new bus service on alternate days from Rissani. Image of Zagora.

Hotels

Anne Abbott & friends recommend the Riad Salam, with its gardens and large pool. The hotel manager's wife also does a mean packed meal. (Tel (011-212)4 847 400, Fax (011-212) 4 847 551). Further out into the desert is the Porte au Sahara.

Question:What's the language?

The indigenous Berber has been overlaid by colonial Arabic, French and Spanish (the latter on parts of the Northern coasts). Tourism has made English reasonably common, but some French ability makes things much easier. Comprehensive information on the range of languages and dialects spoken in Morocco is held in the 12th edition (1992) of the Ethnologue. If you wish to learn some of the everyday language, the Richard Slade Harrell Arabic Series has A Basic Course in Moroccan Arabic.

Question:What's the money?

Currency is the dirham. There are 100 centimes (also known as francs or pesetas) per dirham. Money changes hands as 5, 10, 20 and 50 centime coins, and 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 dirham notes.

Exchange rates are fixed by the government, consequently the currency is not hard and there are no inflation-induced bargains for foreigners. Import/export is prohibited. Within the country, there are several flavours of bank - principally the BCM and the BMCE - with varying queue lengths, marble patterns, carpet pile depth and commissions. The government keeps a tight control on rates, and they can fluctuate quickly to compensate for adjustments in other currencies. Travellers' cheques, VISA, Mastercard and Eurocheque are taken almost everywhere; however, be careful of bank closures on national holidays. The ATM network now extends down to Ourarzazate; EuroCheque cards are rarely accepted, but BMCE,Wafabank and Credit du Maroc will accept Cirrus debit cards, as well as Visa and Mastercard.

Question:How do I telephone to or from Morocco?

International Dialing Code 212

Outgoing International Prefix 00

Emergency - Police 19

Emergency - Ambulance, Fire 15

Directory Enquiries 16

Operator 12

International Operator 12

Amex Emergency No 00 44 1273 696933

Amex Local Rep, Casablanca 202 222947

Amex Local Rep, Marrakech 404 436600

Amex Local Rep, Tangier 309 933459

Diners Club Emergency No 202 299 455

VISA Emergency No 00 1 410 581 9091

Thomas Cook Traveller's Cheque Emergency No 00 44 1733 318950

Warning Moroccan 7 digit telephone numbers received an extra digit as of 13th October 2000, and existing 8 digit numbers were extended to 9 digits. The following table contains the prefix to be added to old 7 digit numbers:

Casablanca	2
Rabat, Tangiers, Tetouan	3
Marrakech, Agadir	4
Fes, Meknes, Oujda	5
Cell phones & Pagers	6
6 digit numbers beginning 92	092
8 digit 0800 numbers	Replace 0800 with 08000

Mobile phones now out-number land-line phones in Morocco (2.7 million by end of 2000, 4.5 million predicted by end of 2001). The network runs on the European 900 Mhz GSM standard. Large hotels and car rental firms will rent out cell phones. Coverage is presently 70% of the country, principally Casablanca,Fez,Marrakech, Meknes,Rabat,Kenitra,Nador,Tangier,Taza and Tetouan.

Moroccan Mobile Operators:

Maroc Telecom (SMS +2121000021)
MediTel (SMS +2123992000

Question:How big is the place?

In terms of inhabitants, over 25 million. Geographically, some of the important distances:

Casablanca
	Agadir	511km
	Essaouria	351km
	Marrakesh	238km
	Oujda	632km
	Rabat	91km
	Tangier	369km
Fez
	Agadir	756km
	Casablanca	289km
	Errachidia	364km
	Marrakesh	483km
	Meknes	60km
	Rabat	198km
	Tangier	303km
Tangier
	Agadir	880km
	Nouadibou	2753km
	Marrakesh	598km
	Meknes	267km

Question:How do I get around?

Self-Drive

Most roads are tarred, albeit on one lane, with wide shoulders for overtaking / getting the helloutatheway of thundering lorries. (It's about 80% tarred for main roads, dropping to 30% of the tertiary ones). Cars may be hired at most major towns (the hardy and once ubiquitous Renault 4, as seen in Romancing the Stone now largely replaced by the Fiat Uno); some hire companies permit vehicles to be dropped off at a different location from the hire point.
On-line Car Reservations
Taxis

Within cities, private cabs (the petit taxi) operate (with all the usual caveats relating to using cabs anywhere). Negotiate prices beforehand, and don't be surprised if the driver picks up more passengers en route. Cabs in Rabat have working meters, but this is a rarity elsewhere. Essaouira has (rather tatty) horse-drawn cabs. For longer distances, Mercedes and Peugeot station-wagons form the bulk of a fleet of grand taxis which operate as mini-bus service between towns and villages, and may be hired for out-of-the-way tourist spots. There are fixed prices for set destinations and most cities have specific grand-taxi staging areas for different routes. In a Mercedes the drill is four passengers in the back and two in the front passenger seat - you can, however, but breathing space by purchasing extra places or indeed chartering the entire taxi.
Bus

Private buses, sometimes with video, reclining seats, and (occasionally) air-conditioning frequent the most popular routes. A large, heavily-used, and reasonably reliable network of buses is organized by the state CTM company. Buses are a great way of meeting (almost hustle-free) ordinary Moroccan people, of getting down to the very far south, and the regular frisson of apprehension as that precious rucksack is handed over to be stowed below, or tossed on to the roof, to be secured beneath a rope net, with the odd live goat for company. In the Atlas mountains, Berber camions provide a rudimentary bus service, organized around village market days - these have arrival days and not times and can drop the unsuspecting passenger at a village from where the next camion is several days away.
Rail

There are at present only two rail lines - north/south from Tangier to Marrakesh and west/east from Rabat to the Algerian border - although a third is planned to link Marrakesh with Agadir and the deep South. Tickets are cheap, and a sleeper service is available between Marrakesh and Tangier; however, any journey which involves moving between the two main lines involves a lengthy and tedious stopover at Sidi Kacem. Always check the first class fare, which are by Western standards very cheap, and improve greatly the chances of getting a seat. The State company is now online at www.oncf.org.ma.
Air

Royal Air Maroc offer flights between Casablanca (Aeroport Mohammed V), Rabat, Tangier, Laayoune, Ouarzazate, Oujda, Fez, Al Hoceima, Marrakesh and Agadir. Fares are moderate, and discounts available to students. For more information, contact the ONDA, who manage all airports.
Sea
Dozens of ferries run the 14km gap between Tangier and Algeciras in Spain or Gibraltar. In addition ferries run from Malaga and Almeira in Spain to the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, from Faro in Portugal to Tangier, and from Tangier to Casablanca, and from Agadir to Casablanca and the Canary Islands.
On-line Train-Bus-Air Timetables

Question:Will I catch anything?

There's only a small region of the Rif - around Taza and the Route De L'Unite mountains - where malaria can be a problem. Usual precautions against HIV, tetanus, cholera and typhoid. Keep an eye on the local papers for health warnings - in the style of Death in Venice tourists can be blissfully unaware of major epidemics. Southern desert streams and oases may have very nasty bilharzia worms - don't bathe or even walk barefoot by them. Also, mountain streams may have the giardia bacterial infection, don't drink water untreated unless above the very last human habitation. The entire population drink Sidi Harazem, Sidi Ali or equivalent still spring water - do likewise, but make sure the bottles are sealed - children frequent bus stations with bottles, refilled at their local stand-pipe. Everyone should know about salads, ice-cubes, etc. - but there's a surprising number of people who go, eat salads, and have not so much as a 'funny tummy' for weeks. If deciding to live a little and eat salads, restrain for the first few days until one's viscera attune to the microbiological climate.

Question:How do I make Moroccan friends?

Out of the cities, into the villages! Get out of the hire-car and ride some of those desert buses. It's pretty difficult for the average Moroccan to believe that the dusty weighed down guy taking a cheap bus ride is really an Imperialist Capitalist Pig-Eating Infidel. Generally, there are friendly faces, offers of seats, almonds, chewing gum and lots of questions. Sitting next to the driver, in the Lotus position above the engine, at night, riding through the desert, intoning Sophocles can be pretty OK also. For the net.couch.potato, it's possible to meet and chat live with net.Moroccans at the Ouaha forum or on IRC at Channel #maroc.

Question:What customs should I follow?

Moroccan society is in a state of flux; most of the population is under the age of 21, economically rather than religiously concerned but for the few who are militantly Islamic - some Moroccan students refer to these as the bearded ones. The country has never been completely orthodox, and there's far more Berber blood than Arab. In the mountains, women have always worn head scarves tied around their hair rather than the traditional all-over garb. In the larger towns, and especially where there are Universities, it's not uncommon to see girls in Western dress - they're also bold enough now to strike up conversations with Western men, shout greetings as they go past in a taxi or simply give a broad smile. Short trousers on men appear to be tolerated; however, baring one's top half (male or female) is still frowned upon, and can lead to some unfavourable glances or aggressive behaviour. It is their country, and the people do have a right to have their customs respected. Mosques are, with the exception of one in Meknes, out of bounds to non-believers. As in every other place, politeness and a calm disposition make life easier for all.

It is worthwhile checking beforehand the calendar for festivals and holy days. Some of the festivals are colourful and spectacular (although becoming heavily tourist-oriented), others simply mean that the banks are shut for a couple of days, which can be very unpleasant if stuck somewhere with a rapidly diminishing pile of dirhams. The Prophet's Birthday in September and Ramadan in spring both effect everyday life, and should be borne in mind when planning routes and budgets. During Ramadan, offices start late about 9:00 am instead of 8:00 am and close earlier at 2 or 3:00 pm instead of 6:00 pm; usually towns will have tourist restaurants where the dawn-to-dusk restrictions on eating and drinking are not enforced. Daytime fasting can make people tetchier than usual, and emphasize the cultural gap between foreigners and locals - travel with extra caution and sensitivity during Ramadan.

Question:Will I be as dry as the desert?

Morocco is not a fundamentalist Islamic state - there's what people do and what people say and a very large gap between the two. Large cities - Tangier, Fez, Casa, etc. - will have bars in the ville nouvelle. Practically every decent size town has a shop somewhere selling alcohol - discreetly wrapping up the bottles to keep up appearances - though the wine may well be Moroccan and the beer likely is too. Restaurants will let patrons bring a bottle; although often with the rider that it is consumed towards the back. Some bars will permit tourists to sit outside with beers; Moroccans must go inside (where Allah can't see) to imbibe. In the outback, things are looser - there may be a bar, where everyone goes, and where the good people of the town will respect the Prophet by giving up drinking on his birthday. The Rough Guide contains directions to those essential filling stations.

Question:What is the political situation like?

Rest assured, no one returns missing a hand or with thirty lashes. It has, however, been an Amnesty International hotspot - the "King's secret garden" contains dissidents and those who've merely wished to renounce their Moroccan citizenship to become full citizens of other states (under ancient law all Moroccans are subjects and belong to the King). However, under the young new King, there is reason for much hope - he has sacked the most repressive of his father's ministers, and made immediate political reforms - seemingly he is much more sensitive to his country's image overseas, and leans towards modern, democratic values.

There are many political parties; the King currently has all executive powers, although there are moves to gradually return to parliamentary democracy (a referendum was held in Sept 92; contrariwise, a political party was raided in Casablanca the same month). Dissent has been strictly curbed; most Moroccans keep their heads down and refuse to be drawn on anything political - the extravagant Hassan II Mosque project being the most likely cause of any complaint.

Further mixed signals were sent in August 1993 when the death penalty was reinstated, and some political prisoners released followed by the commutation of 195 capital sentences in March 1994. In October 1998, on the recommendation of the official human rights council, 28 long term political prisoners were released by royal amnesty, together with official acknowledgement of 26 previously killed secretly by the security forces, and 30 who disappeared at the Tazmamert secret detention centre.

The occasional politically aware young Moroccan will air his views - probably dismissive of the monarchy and bemoaning the difficulty of reform in a country where so many are illiterate and lack the cognitive powers to question the official view of the country in the (tightly controlled) news media. The government's pro-West, anti-fundie position does, however, concur with prevalent popular attitudes - the West is the idealised escape fantasy of many and the USA is more commonly known for the Great Prince or Madonna than Great Satan.

Question:What should I buy there?

There are few real bargains to be had here. The exchange rate is managed firmly by the government, and people have enough exposure to tourism and Western entertainment media to know the value of things. Reasons to purchase pan out as the choice offered, and the souvenir value attached to items. The folks there aren't peasants with no idea of the value of things in the West - even the merchant in the smallest hut in the smallest village will have a Visa voucher-imprinter. Friendly Moroccans will often beg tourists not to buy anything unless a Moroccan is present - there is a Moroccan price and a Western price.

Having said that, really tough bargaining (no pity felt) may drive the price down towards the Moroccan level. Note that in the South exchanging goods reaches obsessional proportions (car hirers report attempts to swap Renault 4s for camels) - amongst the desert people this seems to be done for the hell of it, rather than an attempt to swindle tourists; t-shirts with Western slogans, badges, pocket-knives, pop-parephenalia are all in demand, and are as much tokens of exchange of friendship as commodities.

For practical reasons small purchases - jewelry, small handicrafts - are sensible until the day before leaving. Lugging a large carpet or chess set around can rapidly be irritating, not to mention the dangers of loss, damage or theft. Also, re carpets, it's not unknown when ordering carpets to be sent out, that the rug chosen in the shop is not the one that eventually reaches home; granted it may be similar, but not perhaps of the quality of the rug one 'bought'.

The Medina at Fez is where, the consensus of Moroccans holds, practically all the handicrafts are produced - however, because Moroccans are so accustomed to tourists and so good at telling them what they want to hear, take this with the proverbial handful of salt. There are particular centres for crafts - Fez does have many workshops, particular specialities including ceramics and leather. On the coast, Essaouria has a large jewellery souk (about two dozen little shops in narrow lanes) and many workshops and display rooms for marquetry. The ubiquitous, and quintessentially North African item, is the tajine - the dome shaped stew pot which lends its name to the classic Maghrebi dish. They come in all sizes, and vary from the simple terracotta to the highly worked ceramic.

Question:When's the best time to go?

There is not a great deal of variation in the weather - it varies more within the country, than across the year (Latest Forecast). However, there are some festivals at certain times, listed below. N.B.Towns close up for Mohammed's birthday, and things are quiet at Ramadan. Also, certain festivals have become lost to tourism - the Imilchil bridal festival now runs twice, to accomodate the Agadir tourists Land-Rovered in for the occasion.

January
- 1st: Public holidays
- 11th: National Holiday
- Tafraout, Festival of the Almond Blossom
March
- 3rd: Public Holiday, La Fête du Trônes
May
- 1st: Public Holiday
- 23rd: National Holiday
- Kelaâ M'Gouna, Festival of Roses
June
- Marrakesh, National Festival of Folk Art
- Tétouan, Moussem My Abdeslam Ben M'Chich
- Sefrou, Moussem of the Cherries
July
- 9th: La Fête de la Jeunesse
- Essaouira, Festival of Essaouria
- Agadir, Honey Festival
August
- 14th: The Oued Eddahab Allegiance Day
- 20th: The King and People's Revolution Day
- Saidia, Folk Music Festival
- Asilah, Festival of Asilah
- El Jadida, Moussem of My Abdellah
September
- Imilchil, Bridegrooms Moussem
- Errachidia, Moussem of My Idriss du Zerhoun
- Marrakesh, Festival of Moroccan Folk Music
October
- Erfoud, Date Fair
- Fez, Moussem of My Idriss II
- Salè, Wax Fair

November

6th: The Green March Anniversary
18th: Independence Day

Variable Dates

1st of Moharram (Spring)
Moulid El Nabi (Spring)
Aid Es Seghir (Summer)
Aid El Kebir (Winter)

Question:Why does everyone want my address?

There are a number of reasons for this: striking up a pen-friendship, possible visa-sponsor, possible accomodation in West, recommendations to other tourists - it's quite common for guides of all hues in the scam-palette to present addresses of satisified customers (or in guide-parlance best friends), and quite often simply having a piece of contact with the outside world, however nebulous that link may be. It's often a difficult call to decide whether to give someone the correct address, no address, a false one, or the address of a personal enemy, depending on the sincerity and intentions of the questioner.

Question:What's the voltage?

Anything from 110V to 220V - it varies across the country. Plug format is generally the two-pin, continental European, style. Get a local gadget called a prise Americaine to convert American plugs to work with Moroccan sockets.

Question:What should I bring?

Water filter/tablets, water flask
Freeze-dried meals for camping or staying in towns without suitable restaurants; glucose tablets; vitamin tablets
Tablets to prevent / cure / disinfect / fragrance the inevitable unpleasant freestyle rectal manoeuvres
Sheet sleeping bag (may be made at home by folding and sewing an old sheet)
Plastic or Goretex bivvy bag and sleeping bag if intending to bivouac in the Atlas or in the desert
Small French-English dictionary
Internet deprivation tablets and self-help guide
Chain and padlock for the rucksacks
Travel soap and washing powder
50-pack of Prince T-shirts for bargaining
Many rolls of film and toilet paper
Name and address cards of less than favourite people (to hand out to new 'friends')
A device to remove pa(ren)thetic remarks from FAQs
An emergency card or fax sheet, containing personal details, passport number, embassy and insurance information - this is essential to get help quickly on the unfortunate occasion of a mishap. It can and does happen.
Sun oil
Penknife, cutlery, small stove and pan/plate/bowl/tureen
Torch and spare batteries/bulb, matches
Spare laces, lace spares
Postcards of local Mosque when asked 'Where do you live, oh cursed infidel?';
For singles: pictures (both genders) of someone-waiting-loyally-at-home to deflect any unwelcome offers with a display of genuine loyalty to SO
Small notebook to record events for travelogue to be submitted to rec.travel.africa
Cool Desert Traveller Kit: Polarised sunglasses, bandana & attitude
First aid kit, second aid kit, operating table, scalpel and sutures
Beard-comb, pedicure kit, small towel
Mirror for signalling / blinding drivers in passing Renault 4s
Security wallet and some old credit-type cards for a second, decoy wallet
Lempel-Ziv rucksack compression algorithm
Plastic bags for wet or soiled clothing
Paul Bowles' books
Suitably filled hip flask
Wash handbasin plug
and so on, ad infinitum, ad nauseum, ad lib ...

Question:How can I enjoy Morocco without actually being there?

Unfortunately, not all of us can travel all of the time. Perhaps you plan to go to Morocco in the future, or maybe you've returned from a trip or Peace Corp tour of duty there and look back wistfully on the experience.

For Americans, one excellent way of keeping in touch with the country is Friends of Morocco (FOM), active since 1988. It's an organization of Americans, mostly returned Peace Corps volunteers (RPCVs), with experience in Morocco plus Moroccans living in America.

Friends of Morocco seeks to:

reunite Americans with Morocco experience and Moroccans in America
improve the awareness of Americans regarding the culture, needs and achievements of Moroccan peoples
keep members and others current on events in Morocco
support projects of the U.S. Peace Corps and private charitable organizations in Morocco
organize and implement development education and outreach activities
fund and support charitable projects and scholarship on Morocco and Moroccans.

Contact details for FOM are:
Web: http://home.att.net/~morocco
Email: tresch@worldnet.att.net

PO Box 2579
Washington, DC 20013 - 2579

Another excellent US resource is wafin.com, a portal for the Moroccan expatriate community.

There are lots of books and other web sites around to keep you in touch with Moroccan culture, but perhaps the most enjoyable way is food!

Cookery & Restaurants

Recipes on-line

Books (at Amazon.com)

Couscous and Other Good Foods from Morocco, Paula Wolfert, Gael Greene
The Great Book of Couscous: Classic Cuisines of Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia, Copeland Marks

Restaurants Outside Morocco

Marrakech, London Road, Edinburgh, Scotland Tel: (0131) 556 7293
Laziz, 99 Botanic Avenue, Belfast, Ireland Tel: (01232) 234888
EL Morocco Restaurant in Worcester, MA
Menara Restaurant, San Jose California
Mataam Fez Restaurants, Colorado
Kasbah Moroccan Restaurant, Marin County, nr San Francisco, California

Question:How can I make the famous Moroccan mint 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.)"

Thanks to Abdelkarim Benoit Evans for the recipe.

Question:How difficult is it for vegetarians?

It's possible, with care, to survive as a vegetarian. In fact, the sight of Moroccan butcher shops is enough to make some people at least temporarily vegetarian for the length of their visit! The editor of this FAQ discovered, somewhat paradoxically, that eating veggie was fairly easy in the most out of the way towns, but had a problem explaining it to a waiter in a European style restaurant in Tangiers. As in many countries, vegetarianism is often the unchosen diet of the poor and meat a symbol of status.

Suggestions : there's a classic Moroccan dish known as the couscous aux sept légumes ( Couscous with seven vegetables) which has pears in it but can be requested to be prepared without meat (there're still seven veggies left).
Two dishes found at cheap road-side eating places are navy beans, cooked in a soupy, curry-like sauce and maqouda - spicy mashed potato cakes.

Restaurants will also make up a tajine with no meat, and a tajine version of the sept legumes couscous is sometimes available.
Caveats : If two people order a tajine - one veg, one non-veg - the restaurant will happily cooperate but supply a single tajine with meat on one side and "no meat" on the other. The Moroccan version of 'vegetarian' is almost always a meat-based sauce with vegetables in it and no obvious pieces of meat - you can sometimes request it to be cooked differently, in oil or butter, but don't expect it to taste of very much.

Question:Is Morocco hooked up to the net?

The Internet has become ubiquitous over the past 5 years. Whilst access from home is still patchy, web cafés are commonplace and you'll find web addresses printed on your railway tickets and on advertisements.

The public internet provider is Ittisalat Al Maghrib, and other providers include AzureNet and MeaSoft. A report on connectivity in Morocco is available on the WWW as is an NSRC guide.

The domain suffix for Morocco is .ma.

tomorocco.net is a French/English portal which offers distinctive Moroccan e-mail addresses, such as taroudannt.com and rissani.com.

Moroccan Cybercafes

Cybercafes are now a common feature in all main Moroccan towns - in Rabat and Marrakech you will have a wide choice, and will find good providers as far south as Taroundannt. Here are some recommended individual cafes:-

Interplanet Café, Ave de la Victoire, 6 Rue Ibn al Yasmine,Rabat
CyberNet,Blvd Yacoub El Mansour Marrakesh

Guides
Rough Guide to Morocco	Knopf (Everyman) Guide Morocco
Lonely Planet Morocco	Culture Shock! Morocco

Art & Design
Delacroix in Morocco, 1994	Arts & Crafts of Morocco, 1996
Morocco: Designs from Casablanca to Marrakesh, 1992	Morocco Modern: We All Dwell in a House of One Room, 1996

Paul Bowles
The Sheltering Sky	The Spiders House
Morocco (Barry Brukoff, Photography; Paul Bowles, Text)

Words Not Defined Here
Berber	Original inhabitants of Maghreb. Never quite conquered by the Romans, and neither by Arabs or Islam. Most Moroccans are Berber by birth, many of the festivals and more colourful aspects of Morocco are Berber in origin, and Berber clothing (much less restrictive for woman than orthodox Muslim), dialects, holy men (remnants of pre-Islamic cults), shrines, rugs and jewellry are common throughout the country. Individual Berber tribes have their own distinct identity, language and designs.
Camion	French for lorry. Provide the main, albeit erratic, transport infrastructure for the Atlas villages.
Couscous	Pre-cooked cracked grain and staple food. Frequently accompanied in an invitation to lunch by gratuitous quacking motion of the hand.
Djellaba	Traditional North African robe.
Erg	Sandy desert in general, and a dune in particular.
Gnaoua	Traditional and ritual music, accompanied by ecstatic dance, one of the traditional music brotherhoods.
Hammada	Stony desert. Most of the Moroccan Sahara is composed of such.
Hammam	Public steam baths
Jajouka	A village in the Jibala hills near Tangiers, site of an annual moussem believed by some to be a continuation of the ancient Roman fertility rites of Lupercalia, and location of the musical Ecstatic Brotherhood.
Jilala	Religious music, with Sufi origins, played on ceremonial and ritual occasions. Dancers, entering a trance, are able to slash themselves with daggers or touch glowing coals without pain or injury.
Kif	Cannabis, grown in the Rif mountains, to the east of Tangier.
Maghreb	Literally, the west. The Arab term for the north-west African states, the furthest western edge of the Arab world.
Medina	The old non-European part of a city. Equivalent to a 'cantonment' in an English colonial city.
Medersa	Old student buildings associated with large mosques. Usually built in the old Roman style around a pool-filled atrium with elaborately carved wood.
Moussem	Berber festival, typically in honour of a local holy man (although it's believed that one of the "local" holy men is the Jewish John the Baptist). Stamp of hooves, crack of rifles, auto-winds of a thousand cameras...
Rugbuyer	You!
Souk	Market for specific produce in the medina.
Tajine	Dome shaped terracotta cooking pot which lends its name to the classic North African dish. The ubquity of tajine cookery is responsible for the local song and traveller's saying 'tajine, tajine, tajine, tajine, tajine'
Ville Nouvelle	The separate French or Spanish town built near or adjacent to the medina.

International Dialing Code	212
Outgoing International Prefix	00
Emergency - Police	19
Emergency - Ambulance, Fire	15
Directory Enquiries	16
Operator	12
International Operator	12
Amex Emergency No	00 44 1273 696933
Amex Local Rep, Casablanca	202 222947
Amex Local Rep, Marrakech	404 436600
Amex Local Rep, Tangier	309 933459
Diners Club Emergency No	202 299 455
VISA Emergency No	00 1 410 581 9091
Thomas Cook Traveller's Cheque Emergency No	00 44 1733 318950

Books Music	Enter keywords...

rec.travel Morocco FAQ

Contents

Places

Sports

Organized Tours

Travelling via Spain

Flights

Practicalities

Security

Books and Music

Final Question

Appendices

Question: Where should I go?

Fez

Transport

Hotels

Restaurants

Links

Marrakesh

Images of Marrakesh

Transport

Hotels

Restaurants

Shopping

Links

Meknes

Hotels & Restaurants

Links

Rabat

Hotels

Restaurants

Links

Agadir

Links

Casablanca

Transport

Hotels

Restaurants

Links

Tangier

Hotels

Links

Azrou

Hotels

Links

Cascades D'Ouzoud

Chaouen

Erfoud

El Jadida

Errachadia

Essaouria

Hotels

Restaurants

High Atlas - Djebel Toukhal

Imilchil

Imlil

The mountain

Kenitra

Merzouga

Hotels

Restaurants

Midelt

Ouarzazate

Transport

Hotels & Restaurants

Links

Ouirgane

Rissani

Tarazoute

Tazmamert

Tetuan

Tafraoute

Trekking

Transport

Hotels

Restaurants

Shopping

Taroundannt

Hotels

Tiznit