Morocco was the first country in Africa I visited and the first Arab-speaking country as well, being a big cultural shock. I arrived in the capital of Morocco by plane at midnight and it wasn’t a good idea at all. I stayed in the Amour hostel in Riyadh which is excellent for those who want to experience the local culture, considering that it was located between small streets in the Medina district (place where most of the souks – local markets – are).
By the time I arrived, I was an easy target for malicious Moroccans and everyone was approaching me. They say they want to help you, that Moroccans are very good people, and then they start to go along with you as if they were guiding and then ask for money for the service. A good way to deal with the situation is to never speak English and answer: laa, shokran, which means in Arabic: no thanks. Thanks to the company of two great friends, Michel Piccaya and Pedro Dias, my trip was more enjoyable, fun and safe.
The town is very different from anything I’ve seen, starting with the hundreds of women in the burqa, the street performers, snake tamers and monkeys around. It is easy to get lost inside the souks enjoying all kinds of handicrafts, from incredible chandeliers to Very colorful scarves and rich in detail.
I could listen continuously to Azan, which is a call to the religious community announcing that it is time to start the pray and takes place several times a day. The mosques are everywhere and have a specific shape like a tower.
In the city of Marrakech it is essential to walk through the Medina area and get lost within the Souks and local streets. The Moroccan couscous is a great choice of typical dish to eat and a good place is to choose some of the restaurants that have terraces on the Jama El Fna square, which is the main square in town. Doing this at night is even better because the lookout is amazing.
We had the opportunity to meet local people (Youssef and Guity) and talked a lot with them, to understand a bit more about the local culture.
Walking through the city and seeing the mosques, as well as admiring all the street artists scattered around the main square is key. For those who like to try the new and learn about other peoples culture, Morocco is a great place to visit.