So this is sort of a pop-quiz poll type thing, right? Okay, I’m going to answer off the top of my head without reading any of the other posts first.
When I think of Morrocco…
Casablanca (Humphrey Bogart); fezzes; couscous; desert; the French Foreign Legion; border disputes with, um…Algeria?..something to do with West Sahara…
That’s about it. Now I’m going to go back and read the other responses.
So this is sort of a pop-quiz poll type thing, right? Okay, I’m going to answer off the top of my head without reading any of the other posts first.
When I think of Morrocco…
Casablanca (Humphrey Bogart); fezzes; couscous; desert; the French Foreign Legion; border disputes with, um…Algeria?..something to do with West Sahara…
That’s about it. Now I’m going to go back and read the other responses.
Okay, without reading what others wrote, here a few impressions:
I know that Morocco has the first-ever American Embassy. Bless 'em!
Um, did they not just get a new king?
It’s a great place for shopping. Carpet, ceramics, and the best orange juice while you shop. (I really want to visit one day!)
Um. The population is generally muslim, but not at all militant or even fundmentalist. The people are famous for being extremely friendly.
Women tourists are generally quite safe wandering around alone.
It’s where the Sloughi breed of site hound is from.
Offshore Morocco is an oil producing region. The Atlas mountains have some beautiful quartz deposits. The Berber people have some lovely textiles.
You know, I could go on. I have some slight knowledge of the history, but would run out of space and introduce more errors if I tried to spill it all.
Vicki
I was in Tangiers and Chechouain (sp?) during college. This is what I think of (in no particular order):
Strait of Gibraltar
Atlas mountains
Former Spanish, French, and British colony.
Berbers
The master magicians of Joujouka
Hash (of course)
Couscous
Ummm, I would not recommend any woman tourist to wander alone. Not that it is dangerous (except in certain suburbs in big cities) but because she would most certainly be harassed and annoyed. Two women together is better but the winning combination remains a woman accompanied by a man.
Not many people mentionned hash. It is very cheap in Morocco (not to mention of great quality). As funny as it sounds though, I never smoked weed until I went to spain 
I have been to Morocco (in common with lots of Brits of my generation) almost primarily to smoke hash.
In between smoky daydreams I found a country that could be beautiful (Atlas mountains); Ugly (Casablanca - a hot Southampton). With some thoroughly nice people who tolerated these long haired idiots much more than I would have done if they were in my country.
I also found the worlds most annoying street touts.
Great food and truly appaling Guiness (and the local beer was shocking too, no wonder marijuana is so popular).
I’d go back in a jiffy.
Edge of the Sahara; scrubby land; liberal interpretation of Islam; Marrakesh; Casablanca; soukhs; carpets; hookah pipes; strong coffee; sweet tea; Mosques, minarets, muezzin; cool, pillared courtyards in tiled buidlings; fountains; pigeon pie; harissa; couscous; nice beaches;resorts; palm trees.
Of course, I’ve never been there, so this impression could be utter bilge and overly romanticised.
I spent a day in Tangiers (this summer), which probably give me nothing but a tiny sample of what life can be like in Morocco. How much can you learn in a single day…but
It was crazy hot, but that could be said of nearly anywhere other than where I’m from. It was loud, bustling with life (market day), totally chaotic and high energy. I got rather tortured for a good period of the day by hawkers trying to sell me everything from leather suitcaes to jewels to bongo drums. I got to ride a camel. I did buy a hand-knotted rug. The best part was, although the sellers percieved me as the rich, white man (probably true in comparison), I never had a problem with rudeness, abusiveness or any attempt of theft
The city itself was very histioric, old and full of interesting stories, some of which I heard over lunch in a ‘traditional’ (read - put on for tourists) restaurant. I heard traditional music played whist we ate, soup, cous cous and lamb satay(?) and drank mint tea.
I hope to return someday, but would prefer to see Fes or Marrakesh, or even see parts of the Saraha rather than bustling city life again. And I would like a guide too, just to help me understand what the hell was going on. 
I spent a day in Tangiers (this summer), which probably give me nothing but a tiny sample of what life can be like in Morocco. How much can you learn in a single day…but
It was crazy hot, but that could be said of nearly anywhere other than where I’m from. It was loud, bustling with life (market day), totally chaotic and high energy. I got rather tortured for a good period of the day by hawkers trying to sell me everything from leather suitcaes to jewels to bongo drums. I got to ride a camel. I did buy a hand-knotted rug. The best part was, although the sellers percieved me as the rich, white man (probably true in comparison), I never had a problem with rudeness, abusiveness or any attempt of theft
The city itself was very histioric, old and full of interesting stories, some of which I heard over lunch in a ‘traditional’ (read - put on for tourists) restaurant. I heard traditional music played whist we ate, soup, cous cous and lamb satay(?) and drank mint tea.
I hope to return someday, but would prefer to see Fes or Marrakesh, or even see parts of the Saraha rather than bustling city life again. And I would like a guide too, just to help me understand what the hell was going on.
[Aside]
A Prince of Morocco is said to have sired the greatest number of children in recorded history (from a single male) - over 1500 kids I read. (The female record is a Russian woman, specialising in triplets, with 69 children)
[/aside]
The best mint tea on the planet.
Couscous.
Gorgeous scenery. (Love those mountains.)
Insane amounts of street peddlers.
People in the stores trying to very nicely rip me off.
I want to go back there, I loved it.
Oh, and they also had (whilst I was there) a silly skirmish with Spain over a random rock in the Med. See this Pit thread all about it. :eek:
To be honest, the only thing this ugly american thought is that you guys got into a fight with Spain over a rock.
Link not working…
Ok, I really meant this thread…here
Morocco has been having issues with Spain since the decolonization.
Ceuta and Melilla :they had been conquered centuries before but when you get your free country back, small exceptions make your teeth cringe. The spanish want gibraltar back but won’t give Ceuta and Melilla? come oooon…
The “Moroccan” Sahara: Spain supports the separatists for economical reasons. IE: getting cheaper rights to fish along those coasts, maybe prospect for some oil, and whatnot.
Fishing agreements: Spain wanted the old ones renewed. Morocco told them to process the fish in Morocco (creating more jobs) and restrict the fishing to a certain quota. Spain refused.
I’m not defending Morocco. Taking that rock with a dozen Gendarmes (not even soldiers) was stupid. Pushing the referendums concerning the Sahara indefinitely is not a good thing either. I agree with the policy about fishing though. Just pointing out the Spain is no saint. Ah well…
Let’s stop the hi-jacking before it’s too late. this has already been discussed in GD anyways.