Ahhh soap operas. Early afternoon weekday appointment TV for the masses who live at home. A respite from reruns and judge shows. Story lines which seem to recycle every generation. I wonder what kind of conniving Victor has been up to lately? Not really my idea of Must See TV, but the opening line to that iconic soap opera is a fitting description of my time spent in Morocco.
Disappointingly so, I must say I was largely underwhelmed by Morocco. Unbeknownst to me upon booking our 2 week overland trip through Morocco, was that the dates of the trip fell during the month of Ramadan. It's a month of fasting from sunrise to sunset which usually results in a month of decreased tourism in Muslim countries. When it also happens to fall during the summer, with longer daylight hours and extreme heat, a most unfortunate perfect storm results. Some businesses/restaurants close altogether for the month. Attractions have different hours of operation. Alcohol isn't sold in stores. The landscape is littered with Moroccans sleeping in whatever shade they can find. Souks are less lively as shop owners sleep in their stores instead of bargaining with tourists. Not that I minded a less manic souk experience, but in a country which boasts mainly must-experience vs must-see tourist attractions, Ramadan definitely impacted the quality of the experience.
There are other factors which also contributed to a sub-par Moroccan experience.
1. Summer heat=dry boring landscape
Lots of sandy, dusty, rocky barren land. River beds are dry with gray rocks outlining the river's path. Crops have long since been harvested, leaving yellow patches of land in its wake. The dwellings are all similarly colored in lots of yellow, peach, and pale pink. If not for trees bearing olives, apples, figs, and dates along with the occasional irrigated water source supplying life to small plots of land, my eyes wouldn't have seen green the entire trip.
2. Trash
Lots of it. For as beautiful as many of the riads (a traditional Moroccan home with a central courtyard and interior garden) were, once atop their rooftop terraces, all that was visible to the eye were rooftops of garbage, alleys of garbage, rebar of unfinished homes, and satellite dishes. While the surrounding eyesores may actually have made it easier to fully appreciate the beauty and tranquility of the riad experience, they definitely made you think twice about going up to a rooftop for a meal and a panoramic view.
3. Tour Group
I loved the people of our tour group and we shared many laughs, but in hindsight, we followed a somewhat questionable detailed itinerary. Now I love a good itinerary as much as the next person, but I wasn't thrilled with this itinerary.
First, it didn't make sense geographically. We seemed to do alot of zig-zagging and backtracking instead of going in a more sensical loop. It feels like we could have maximized tour time with a more logical route.
Second, we started the trip in Marrakech but didn't actually do sightseeing in the city until the end of the trip. It would have been good to do Marrakech sightseeing at the start so that we could all have gotten to know each other before our first long bus ride. Additionally, we had a couple whose bags didn't arrive when they did. We managed to get them the following morning on our way out of the city, but had we not, they might not have had their clothes for the entirety of the trip. Spending a few days in the arrival city at the start of any trip should be compulsory to avoid such situations.
Third, the bus was a bit small and the AC wasn't fabulous. When we did a planned bus switch at the end of the trip, we rode in comparative luxury for the last leg of our trip. The bus was exactly the same but the seats were slightly wider, had a bit more leg room, and much more powerful AC. Why we couldn't have had that bus from the start will remain a mystery.
Fourth, much of Morocco is tied to it's imperial history. It's capital city has changed multiple times, and we visited all of them. But every city was exactly the same. A medina (market square) inside fortified walls, royal palace, souks (a labyrinth of streets/alleys lined with people selling everything imaginable), kasbah (castle/fortress). By trip's end, we saw 4 imperial cities, when really Fes and Marrakech was enough. Cutting out the other 2 would have allowed for an extra day in the Sahara desert (an absolute necessity on which I'll elaborate in a future post) or Essaouira, by far the best city we visited in our 2 weeks.
Fifth, we generally only stopped at viewpoints where the views weren't nearly as good as places we drove by with only a passing glance. I know that tour leaders rarely have the eye of a photographer, but for a guide who's been doing this tour for years, he should recognize natural beauty when he sees it and maybe go out of his way to stop at a few more places. While only a minor annoyance, with no real way to rectify the situation, it is something which all tour companies should take under advisement.
Lastly, summer heat and Ramadan contributed greatly to the frustrations of this trip. The heat made it nearly impossible to sightsee during the middle of the day. Not that I mind early wake ups to beat the crowds, but I don't like spending large chunks of my day in air conditioning's cold embrace. The temps cooled around sunset, which was great, except that everything closed because all Moroccans rushed home to break their fast. This made eating at night very difficult and impacted the quality of our service at many locations. We finished some dinners around 1030-11pm. With many restaurants closed for the month, many of our meals were in hotels or larger chains geared to serving the masses less than phenomenal food. The tour guides also seemed to take us to restaurants/shops where they most likely get a cut of all monies spent. Not coincidentally, the best days of the trip coincided with the best meals of the trip and occurred when we went out on our own and ate at places recommended on trip advisor or in guide books.
4. Bargaining
I know friendly bargaining is part of the Moroccan culture, but I feel that that is a culture that should be reserved for inter-Moroccan relationships. If someone is willing to sell me a product or service at a bargained discounted rate, then why not sell it at that price to begin with? Because they are just as willing to rip you off. This isn't my first foray into Africa and countries where bargaining for the best price is a way of life, but for some people on this trip, my wife included, this was their first experience dealing with such a culture. One girl paid $50 for a cab ride from the airport to the city when it should only cost $9. We had a taxi driver try to charge us $5 for a cab ride but we wouldn't ride for a cent over $2.50. Eventually we found a driver willing to accept that rate, but it wasn't easy. We went to a rug making demonstration where we were openly told that they were willing to bargain a price for any carpet in the shop. When we left, we had people who ended up paying different prices for the exact same rug. I would just feel cheated and manipulated if I was on the short end of the stick in such a situation. I did get fleeced on the haircut I received. The barber told me he'd do it for free so I figured I would tip him a few bucks at the end. Then he came at me with a $12 price tag and wouldn't accept less. I knew I should have agreed on a set price before the cut, but I thought I could take him at his word. It was just frustrating dealing with people, every second of every day, whose way of life is to take advantage of you, but to do it with a smile so that you don't realize you're being taken advantage of.
5. Tour Guide
He was lazy. I don't think he knew the names of everyone when the trip ended. Perhaps during non-Ramadan months he would be more energetic, but if you choose to work during Ramadan, you still need to bring your A-game
The trip wasn't all bad though. By trips' end, I was part of a group of 7 who shared many laughs, meals, and drinks together and really became good friends. Essaouira was amazing. A beach town on the Atlantic Ocean, with a hippie/artist vibe, it served up delicious fresh fish, lively gnawa music, a very colorful fish market in the harbor guarded fortified walls, and a welcome respite from the heat and madness experienced in places like Marrakech. Sara and I went to an amazing Moroccan cooking class run by a French expat. We made delicious and flavorful beef tagine with candied pears and orange, along with many other traditional side dishes. It gave us high hopes for the cuisine we would experience while on the tour. Unfortunately, with the exception of Berber pizza, trid, the occasional tagine, pigeon pastilla, and the fish of Essaouira, we were largely underwhelmed. Following the cooking class, we went to a traditional hammam and had a rather vigorous total body exfoliation followed by a couples massage. The riad, like many of the others throughout Morocco, was absolutely beautiful. The souks of Fes and Marrakech were quite colorful and vibrant. An overload of the senses, but a worthwhile experience.
When all is said and done, I enjoyed my time in Morocco, but it didn't live up to my expectations. I'd recommend Morocco to an adventurous backpacker willing to take public transportation from city to city and meander through the country on a less structured itinerary. For all others who choose to see Morocco as part of a tour group, choose your time of the year wisely, temper your expectations, and brace yourself for the chaotic vibrancy of the souks. Cheers
p.s. I tried to upload some pics but it was taking forever. The joys of African internet speeds.
Disappointingly so, I must say I was largely underwhelmed by Morocco. Unbeknownst to me upon booking our 2 week overland trip through Morocco, was that the dates of the trip fell during the month of Ramadan. It's a month of fasting from sunrise to sunset which usually results in a month of decreased tourism in Muslim countries. When it also happens to fall during the summer, with longer daylight hours and extreme heat, a most unfortunate perfect storm results. Some businesses/restaurants close altogether for the month. Attractions have different hours of operation. Alcohol isn't sold in stores. The landscape is littered with Moroccans sleeping in whatever shade they can find. Souks are less lively as shop owners sleep in their stores instead of bargaining with tourists. Not that I minded a less manic souk experience, but in a country which boasts mainly must-experience vs must-see tourist attractions, Ramadan definitely impacted the quality of the experience.
There are other factors which also contributed to a sub-par Moroccan experience.
1. Summer heat=dry boring landscape
Lots of sandy, dusty, rocky barren land. River beds are dry with gray rocks outlining the river's path. Crops have long since been harvested, leaving yellow patches of land in its wake. The dwellings are all similarly colored in lots of yellow, peach, and pale pink. If not for trees bearing olives, apples, figs, and dates along with the occasional irrigated water source supplying life to small plots of land, my eyes wouldn't have seen green the entire trip.
2. Trash
Lots of it. For as beautiful as many of the riads (a traditional Moroccan home with a central courtyard and interior garden) were, once atop their rooftop terraces, all that was visible to the eye were rooftops of garbage, alleys of garbage, rebar of unfinished homes, and satellite dishes. While the surrounding eyesores may actually have made it easier to fully appreciate the beauty and tranquility of the riad experience, they definitely made you think twice about going up to a rooftop for a meal and a panoramic view.
3. Tour Group
I loved the people of our tour group and we shared many laughs, but in hindsight, we followed a somewhat questionable detailed itinerary. Now I love a good itinerary as much as the next person, but I wasn't thrilled with this itinerary.
First, it didn't make sense geographically. We seemed to do alot of zig-zagging and backtracking instead of going in a more sensical loop. It feels like we could have maximized tour time with a more logical route.
Second, we started the trip in Marrakech but didn't actually do sightseeing in the city until the end of the trip. It would have been good to do Marrakech sightseeing at the start so that we could all have gotten to know each other before our first long bus ride. Additionally, we had a couple whose bags didn't arrive when they did. We managed to get them the following morning on our way out of the city, but had we not, they might not have had their clothes for the entirety of the trip. Spending a few days in the arrival city at the start of any trip should be compulsory to avoid such situations.
Third, the bus was a bit small and the AC wasn't fabulous. When we did a planned bus switch at the end of the trip, we rode in comparative luxury for the last leg of our trip. The bus was exactly the same but the seats were slightly wider, had a bit more leg room, and much more powerful AC. Why we couldn't have had that bus from the start will remain a mystery.
Fourth, much of Morocco is tied to it's imperial history. It's capital city has changed multiple times, and we visited all of them. But every city was exactly the same. A medina (market square) inside fortified walls, royal palace, souks (a labyrinth of streets/alleys lined with people selling everything imaginable), kasbah (castle/fortress). By trip's end, we saw 4 imperial cities, when really Fes and Marrakech was enough. Cutting out the other 2 would have allowed for an extra day in the Sahara desert (an absolute necessity on which I'll elaborate in a future post) or Essaouira, by far the best city we visited in our 2 weeks.
Fifth, we generally only stopped at viewpoints where the views weren't nearly as good as places we drove by with only a passing glance. I know that tour leaders rarely have the eye of a photographer, but for a guide who's been doing this tour for years, he should recognize natural beauty when he sees it and maybe go out of his way to stop at a few more places. While only a minor annoyance, with no real way to rectify the situation, it is something which all tour companies should take under advisement.
Lastly, summer heat and Ramadan contributed greatly to the frustrations of this trip. The heat made it nearly impossible to sightsee during the middle of the day. Not that I mind early wake ups to beat the crowds, but I don't like spending large chunks of my day in air conditioning's cold embrace. The temps cooled around sunset, which was great, except that everything closed because all Moroccans rushed home to break their fast. This made eating at night very difficult and impacted the quality of our service at many locations. We finished some dinners around 1030-11pm. With many restaurants closed for the month, many of our meals were in hotels or larger chains geared to serving the masses less than phenomenal food. The tour guides also seemed to take us to restaurants/shops where they most likely get a cut of all monies spent. Not coincidentally, the best days of the trip coincided with the best meals of the trip and occurred when we went out on our own and ate at places recommended on trip advisor or in guide books.
4. Bargaining
I know friendly bargaining is part of the Moroccan culture, but I feel that that is a culture that should be reserved for inter-Moroccan relationships. If someone is willing to sell me a product or service at a bargained discounted rate, then why not sell it at that price to begin with? Because they are just as willing to rip you off. This isn't my first foray into Africa and countries where bargaining for the best price is a way of life, but for some people on this trip, my wife included, this was their first experience dealing with such a culture. One girl paid $50 for a cab ride from the airport to the city when it should only cost $9. We had a taxi driver try to charge us $5 for a cab ride but we wouldn't ride for a cent over $2.50. Eventually we found a driver willing to accept that rate, but it wasn't easy. We went to a rug making demonstration where we were openly told that they were willing to bargain a price for any carpet in the shop. When we left, we had people who ended up paying different prices for the exact same rug. I would just feel cheated and manipulated if I was on the short end of the stick in such a situation. I did get fleeced on the haircut I received. The barber told me he'd do it for free so I figured I would tip him a few bucks at the end. Then he came at me with a $12 price tag and wouldn't accept less. I knew I should have agreed on a set price before the cut, but I thought I could take him at his word. It was just frustrating dealing with people, every second of every day, whose way of life is to take advantage of you, but to do it with a smile so that you don't realize you're being taken advantage of.
5. Tour Guide
He was lazy. I don't think he knew the names of everyone when the trip ended. Perhaps during non-Ramadan months he would be more energetic, but if you choose to work during Ramadan, you still need to bring your A-game
The trip wasn't all bad though. By trips' end, I was part of a group of 7 who shared many laughs, meals, and drinks together and really became good friends. Essaouira was amazing. A beach town on the Atlantic Ocean, with a hippie/artist vibe, it served up delicious fresh fish, lively gnawa music, a very colorful fish market in the harbor guarded fortified walls, and a welcome respite from the heat and madness experienced in places like Marrakech. Sara and I went to an amazing Moroccan cooking class run by a French expat. We made delicious and flavorful beef tagine with candied pears and orange, along with many other traditional side dishes. It gave us high hopes for the cuisine we would experience while on the tour. Unfortunately, with the exception of Berber pizza, trid, the occasional tagine, pigeon pastilla, and the fish of Essaouira, we were largely underwhelmed. Following the cooking class, we went to a traditional hammam and had a rather vigorous total body exfoliation followed by a couples massage. The riad, like many of the others throughout Morocco, was absolutely beautiful. The souks of Fes and Marrakech were quite colorful and vibrant. An overload of the senses, but a worthwhile experience.
When all is said and done, I enjoyed my time in Morocco, but it didn't live up to my expectations. I'd recommend Morocco to an adventurous backpacker willing to take public transportation from city to city and meander through the country on a less structured itinerary. For all others who choose to see Morocco as part of a tour group, choose your time of the year wisely, temper your expectations, and brace yourself for the chaotic vibrancy of the souks. Cheers
p.s. I tried to upload some pics but it was taking forever. The joys of African internet speeds.
I agree with your thoughts about bargaining for items. Glad you enjoyed your fellow travelers in your tour. Glad the tour leader we had on the safari was better than the one you had in Morocco. Guess I don't have to be in a hurry to add Morocco to my travel wish list based on your impressions. So maybe by the time I'm 104 I'll get to most of the places on my wish list!
ReplyDeleteHappy Travels
MomG
Which tour company did you use in Morocco?
ReplyDelete