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Morocco
29 November 2006, Essaouira, Morocco
Some Thoughts on Traveling in Morocco
Our stay in Morocco is already drawing to an end! Of course, there are still plenty of sights to see: today we'll go to Marrakech and the following day to Casablanca. From there' we'll be off to Cairo. Some thoughts about our experience in Morocco, then, may be in order. At first, there is no question that Morocco can be a little overwhelming: the unwanted attention, the unknown languages and even the way people have of addressing one another (both aggressively arguing and having a laugh at the same time). All of this can be so powerful as to create a significant level of stress. At certain times of the day, the Medina is so crowded that you're pushing along by the ebb and flow of the crowd; at other times the streets are so empty as to give the impression of danger lurking in the narrow alleyways that intersect the bigger streets. Also, while there are many, many people who are friendly for no other reason than they are kind, but there are also many people who are kind for no other reason than to hustle you out of your money. It's a mix that is at once devastatingly tiresome and irresistibly invigorating, if that makes any sense!
-- Andy and Liza