Morocco
History of Morocco
Morocco is located in North Africa, bordered by Algeria to the east, Mauritania to the south, the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west.
Morocco has a rich and diverse history dating back to ancient times. The country has been inhabited by various indigenous tribes, including the Berbers, Phoenicians, Romans, and Vandals. In the 7th century, or about 1,400 years ago, Arab armies conquered Morocco and introduced Islam. Centuries later Morocco was ruled by a series of dynasties, including the Almoravids, Almohads, Merinids, and Saadians becoming a major center of trade and commerce, with significant cultural and scientific achievements. The country subsequently came under the control of the Ottoman Empire and experienced conflict with the European powers, Spain and Portugal in the 16th century. The 19th century, brought European colonization and Morocco was divided up between the French and Spanish, which lasted until the countries independence in 1956. Since then, Morocco has undergone significant political and economic reforms and has emerged as a stable and prosperous nation.
Today, Morocco is known for its rich cultural heritage, beautiful landscapes, and bustling cities.
July 2022
The Trip:
My trip to Morocco was coordinated fully through the travel company Marruecos en Ruta. The trip was a five day, four nights all inclusive trip for €320 Euros or around $350 USD. The excursion was sponsored by Erasmus, so be aware that pricing may vary. I highly recommend exchanging about $150 USD into Moroccan Dirham to purchase any souvenirs that tickle your fancy. Remember in more rural areas, cash is king.
Day 1 started by crossing the straight of Gibraltar via ferry. I recommend the ferry over flying for the experience --unless of course, you're short on-time. You will need to purchase ferry-tickets in advanced, which can be done here. Though there are scheduled departure times, there are often heavy delays, so be prepared to schedule your travel from Algeciras, the port in Spain to Tangier as an all day ordeal.
The ferry is comfortable with different lounge areas, and a cafeteria. Travel time from Algeciras to Tangier takes approximately three hours. When you doc, make sure to have all of your travel documents. Customs is quite stringent, so be prepared for multiple security and passport checkpoints.
After our arrival, we headed to Fez, the country's cultural capital, where we went on a walking tour of the Medina as well as the Chouara leather tannery. The tannery is the oldest in Morocco and has been operating since the 11th century. Common animals that are used in the Moroccan leather making process are camels, cows, goats and sheep. The smell is quite potent as the leathers are prepared with cows’ urine, pigeon poop, quicklime, salt, and water. Our guides kindly gave us stocks of mint to help mask the odor! If you are queasy from smells or are vegetarian, this might not be an activity for you.
If you are not traveling with a company, scams are common. It should cost you about 10-50MAD to enter a shop, walk around and take pictures. Anything about 100 MAD is far too expensive.
There are many beautiful accommodations in Fez -- research to find what works within your budget and desired amenities.
Day 2 We started as an early morning drive into the Sahara Dessert -- stopping by the Arzou forest home to Barbary Macaque monkeys. We were lucky enough to see a whole family! These are the only African primates found north of the Sahara. We then took a pit stop at the Ziz Valley, a true desert oasis. A few hours later, we arrived at the desert hotel, surrounded by sandunes with our own little desert oasis, a pool. We relaxed unpacked then got ready for gala night by the pool. Everyone brought their best dressed clothing, and we partied and danced to traditional music until the sun came up (actually).
Day 3 The next morning was a slow one -- for those that could run of off no sleep, they went to dune ski before it got too hot! This option was an additional $30pp! I did not partake in this activity, however, my friends who did LOVED it! Later that evening we 4x4ed through the desert which was an absolute dream. The golden dunes of Sahara desert are unlike anything you've ever seen. The golden sand quite literally glistens with every breath of the wind; It was a DUNE moive moment... good thing sandworms don't exist in real life... BUT there are a species of Giant African Earthworms (these guys are harmless). Listening to Arabic music and roving through the dunes was a surreal experience. We eventually made it to an abandoned village; nothing left but the foundation of the houses, the power erosion from the hash dessert is no joke. We then made it to a nomadic camp where we learned how nomadic people live, make money and interact with the government. It's a harsh life, but travel constantly shows me the resilience and beauty of different cultures and ways of living. Here I also learned how butter was accidentally made! Thousands of years ago, early humans discovered butter while transporting milk in containers made from animal skins or stomachs. The motion of walking or riding caused the milk to churn naturally, leading to the separation of butterfat from the milk. In the camp, the family had animal skins dedicated to making butter from there small herd of goats! Pretty cool if you ask me. That evening, we moved further into the Sahara where we stayed in tents. We had a delicious traditional Tajene meal, followed always by a hot cup of mint tea. At first I was suspicious by drinking hot beverages in a hot place but here's an interesting fact! Drinking warm beverages has a cooling effect on the body, as it takes less energy / heat to match your internal body temperature unlike cold beverages. Afterwords, a night of singing and guitar playing under the milky-way commenced.
Day 4
We packed up the day and got moving back to civilization -- but not before some epic stops.
DO'S & DON'TS
DO 👍
Respect Local Customs: Respect local dress codes, especially in more conservative areas like mosques and rural villages. I was most comfortable keeping my shoulders and legs covered in places where we were interacting with locals.
Learn Basic Phrases: Learning a few words of Arabic or French, for greetings is a great way to show effort and is appreciated greatly by locals.
Bargain Politely: Bargaining is very common in Moroccan markets; I bought (and bargained) for several souvenirs. Approach it as a friendly negotiation rather than a confrontation. Start with a lower price and work your way up.
ALWAYS Drink Bottled Water: Stick to bottled water to avoid stomach issues; I even recommend using bottled water to brush your teeth.
Try Moroccan Cuisine: One of the best parts of travel is the food!! Explore Moroccan food like tajine, couscous, and mint tea. However, steer clear of any uncooked foods like salads, fruit/ vegetables that were potentially washed with tap water. We had quite a few people become ill or get hit the runs on our trip (myself included).
Respect Ramadan: If you happen to be traveling during Ramadan, be respectful of fasting locals. Refrain from eating, drinking, or smoking in public during daylight hours.
Travel with Cash: Carry enough cash, especially in rural areas. You can exchange or take out Dirhams at ATMs in cities and larger towns.
Negotiate Taxi Fares: Agree on the fare/ negotiate the price before getting into a taxi. This will ensure you aren't caught paying an exorbitant ammount for your trip!
Enjoy the Hospitality: Moroccans are KNOWN for their wonderful hospitality. Accept invitations for tea or meals graciously, as it's a way to connect with locals.
DON'T 👎
Public Displays of Affection: Public displays of affection are not common in Moroccan culture. Keep intimate gestures private to respect local sensibilities.
Photography Etiquette: Always ask for permission before taking someone's photo, especially of locals or in sensitive areas like markets or religious sites. Or if you're taking a photo of square, market etc. do your best to be descrete.
Use Your Left Hand: In Islamic culture, the left hand is considered unclean. Use your right hand for eating, greeting, and giving/receiving items.
Flash Expensive Items: Avoid displaying expensive jewelry, cameras, or gadgets in public to minimize the risk of theft or unwanted attention.
Touch People's Heads: In Moroccan culture, touching someone's head, even that of a child, is considered disrespectful.
Additional Resources
When traveling to a new country, watching documentaries, regional films or reading books about a regions history gives you invaluable perspectives to enhance your visit. Here are my top must read, watch or listen to if you're traveling to
The Battle of Algiers by Gillo Pontercorvo's: Though not a documentary, this is filmed in a documentary style that re-creates a key year in the tumultuous Algerian struggle for independence from the occupying French in the 1950s. Algeria's successful struggle inspired nationalist movements in Morocco, showcasing similar political climates.
The Wretched of the Earth by Franz Fannon provides a psychoanalysis of the dehumanizing effects of colonization upon the individual and the nation, and discusses the broader social, cultural, and political implications of establishing a social movement for the decolonization of a person and of a people. Though this is an informative read, discretion is advised as some parts are quite gruesome.