# First impressions from Morocco **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 24, 2017, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-impressions-from-morocco/805204 "2017-12-24T13:00:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2017, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-impressions-from-morocco/805204/1 "2017-12-24T13:00:32Z")
I’ve been here, in Casablanca, for 1 day so far. Visiting my wife’s sister, who lives here. Later today we take the train to Marrakech, and we’ll be there for a few days. First impressions: Food is extremely cheap. A good and filling fried seafood dinner came to about $25 for 5 people. Great shawarma for lunch, for 6 people, was $20. Breakfast (mesmen, I think it was called - thick crepes) for 5 was $5. Everything was good so far, the shawarma being the standout. Curbs on the street are ankle threateningly high. In Casa so far we’ve had to drive pretty much everywhere. I haven’t had mechoui yet, but I hope to in Marrakech soon. More later. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2017, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-impressions-from-morocco/805204/2 "2017-12-24T13:18:00Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > I’ve been here, in Casablanca,… Play it again Sam, If she can stand it, so can I. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2017, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-impressions-from-morocco/805204/3 "2017-12-24T13:44:02Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Later today we take the train to Marrakech,… I hear there’s animal carpet wall-to-wall, and American ladies five foot tall in blue. Let me know if you see them. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2017, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-impressions-from-morocco/805204/4 "2017-12-24T20:25:32Z")
I really enjoyed Morocco, especially the food. One thing though, is I felt constantly harassed by people trying to con me. Wasn’t in Casablanca though, so I’m not sure if the climate is different there. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2017, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-impressions-from-morocco/805204/5 "2017-12-24T23:05:17Z")
We are in a lovely medieval looking riad in the medina in Marrakech, and had an amazing kefta and egg tagine. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2017, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-impressions-from-morocco/805204/6 "2017-12-25T00:09:54Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > I’ve been here, in Casablanca, for 1 day so far. Visiting my wife’s sister, who lives here. Later today we take the train to Marrakech… I hope you’re taking the express. > [@](#): > > In Casa… You are so totally a local now, dude!! 😉 Sounds like great fun. Hope you enjoy yourselves, as you obviously already are. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2017, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-impressions-from-morocco/805204/7 "2017-12-25T01:33:03Z")
My only experience in Morocco was spending the night in the Mohammed V Airport, with no money or food. Yeah, I was hassled a little, but nothing serious. Hope I can return someday for a better experience. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2017, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-impressions-from-morocco/805204/8 "2017-12-25T15:50:50Z")
After a morning and afternoon wandering the edges of the medina in Marrakech: Sugar cane juice is tasty. Moroccan crepes are basically beignets. Moroccans are mostly very friendly and welcoming. The merchants really try to get you interested in their goods, but they’re mostly not too aggressive. The open areas are hot enough to sweat, even in December, while the shady spots are cold enough to require a jacket. Barely speaking any French makes it very easy to ignore touts and others who can be aggressive. The city is vibrant and very active. I never got bored from wandering around with no particular destination in mind. Very easy to get lost, though. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2017, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-impressions-from-morocco/805204/9 "2017-12-25T17:47:36Z")
I loved getting semi-lost in the medina in Casablanca. It is such an amazing place. So much of, well _everything_ is going on all at once in a tiny area. It’s overwhelming - in a good way. I hope I get to go back someday. I also got lost outside of the medina in Casablanca. (Really - I got lost a lot there, but it was all worth it). ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2017, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-impressions-from-morocco/805204/10 "2017-12-25T18:27:57Z")
Comparison of one day each in Casablanca and Marrakech: Casa reminds me of a generic sprawling medium sized American or European city, aside from the old parts of the city (which we just drove by). Every part of Marrakech so far looks old and traditional. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2017, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-impressions-from-morocco/805204/11 "2017-12-27T17:01:25Z")
Had mechoui and it was everything I hoped for and more. Went to the food stall of a guy that Andrew Zimmern had on his show and called the master of mechoui, we actually ran into his place by accident, only realizing who he was after a few minutes. The very best lamb I’ve ever had. Moist, succulent, flavorful, with delicious crispy skin. Now it’s time for food coma. ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2017, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-impressions-from-morocco/805204/12 "2017-12-28T01:02:27Z")
> [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > I felt constantly harassed by people trying to con me. Wasn’t in Casablanca though, so I’m not sure if the climate is different there. We had the same experience in some places (mostly Fes). We did much better asking random ordinary people for advice/directions than trying to deal with the people who chased after us. And they said the extra high school French classes wouldn’t come in handy! They were indispensable - it would be pretty difficult, I think, to be an independent traveler there without some French or Arabic. Also, if you are around the tanneries in Fes: one way to get the hell away from a leather salesman quickly is to start having an asthma attack from the fumes, start hacking your lungs up, pull out your inhaler, apologize and run away. The only time a particularly aggressive salesperson didn’t chase after me. I loved Morocco - a week wasn’t enough, and I want to go back! ---
**Author:** ![eenerms](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cdc98d/32.png) [@eenerms](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eenerms)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2017, 8:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-impressions-from-morocco/805204/13 "2017-12-28T08:12:04Z")
One of the sellers of junk called my husband a very bad man…he can speak enough Arabic to negotiate prices on stuff. I loved the colors… ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2017, 9:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-impressions-from-morocco/805204/14 "2017-12-28T09:53:39Z")
One of my very favorite things about Morocco: fresh squeezed orange juice is both ubiquitous and incredibly cheap (about forty cents for a large glass). ---
**Author:** ![Ramira](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ramira/32/344_2.png) [@Ramira](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ramira)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2018, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-impressions-from-morocco/805204/15 "2018-01-05T12:52:29Z")
> [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > I really enjoyed Morocco, especially the food. One thing though, is I felt constantly harassed by people trying to con me. Wasn’t in Casablanca though, so I’m not sure if the climate is different there. unless you are in the medina (but why?) no one cares, it is the industrial and the business city. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2018, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-impressions-from-morocco/805204/16 "2018-01-05T19:17:11Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Comparison of one day each in Casablanca and Marrakech: > > Casa reminds me of a generic sprawling medium sized American or European city, aside from the old parts of the city (which we just drove by). Have you found the waters yet?