Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Left
Ain Saiss bottled spring water
Right
Negotiating the Atlas Mountain passes
Things to Avoid
!
Dehydration
around Jemaa El Fna -
secret police are present
all around and buying or
selling drugs, including
hash, is illegal. A fine or,
worst case, a prison
sentence awaits anyone
caught red-handed.
caught, but this kind of
behaviour is sure to
cause offence.
*
Being openly gay
Bottled water is
easily available so be
sure to drink lots of it. If
you don't take in enough
liquids, you are liable to
end up feeling quite faint
or possibly worse.
Marrakech has, since
the 1970s, been popular
with the gay crowd. The
city has even been
marketed as a gay
destination with several
riads advertising them-
selves as gay-friendly.
However, homosexuality
is forbidden in Morocco
and carries a prison sen-
tence. Foreigners are
rarely troubled by the
police, but be discreet.
(
Driving Conditions
@
Souk guides
%
Hitchhikers
In spite of the strict
clamp down ordered by
the king himself, you may
still have guides approach-
ing you to offer their
services. Always decline.
With the help of this
book, there's nothing you
can't find yourself. Any
discount a guide may
obtain for you at shops
will be negated by his
own commission, which
the shopkeeper will
factor into the price he
charges you.
Hitchhikers dot the
road between Marrakech
and Ouarzazate. Should
you stop, your new pass-
enger will invariably
attempt to either sell
whatever is in his bag or
cajole you into detouring
off route to a “special”
place, that ends up at
some friend's or family
member's restaurant or
shop. It is best not to
pick anyone up.
If you choose to
negotiate the hairpin
turns of the passes
through the Atlas
Mountains, drive with
great concentration. It is
worth it though for the
spectacular scenery that
unfolds around you.
There are several
stopping places along the
way. You should avoid
driving at night as many
roads and crossroads are
poorly lit.
^
Overstretching
the plumbing
Even in the best of
hotels, Moroccan
plumbing is temper-
amental. Locals use
water rather than toilet
paper. As a consequence,
the pipes may get
blocked very quickly if
you do use toilet paper.
So use it sparingly -
older, cheaper hotels
even recommend that
you dispose of it in the
bin provided instead of
flushing away the paper.
£
Getting drunk
Alcohol is frowned
upon by Islam. Which is
to say that Moroccans
drink discreetly and out
of the gaze of the
general public. Alcohol is
forbidden within the
medina, given the holy
status conferred on it
courtesy of its seven
shrines. However, hotels
and restaurants with a
predominantly foreign
clientele are allowed
some flexibility.
$
Drugs
)
Don't believe all
you are told
Marrakech inspires the
invention of myths. Jimi
Hendrix did not write
“Castles Made of Sand”
after a trip to Essaouira.
Sting did not hire out the
Amanjena to celebrate
his 50th birthday.
However, almost
everything else you
may hear is possibly
true. Or possibly not.
&
Public displays of
affection
Displays of public
affection, even walking
with arms around each
other, are taboo. You will
not suffer any extreme
form of punishment if
The country is one of
the major producers of
cannabis (known locally
as
kif
), so drugs are
freely available. Ignore all
whispered offers of hash
107
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