Posted by Greetings from Marrakesh, Morocco (west african coast for the geographically challenged). I’m frickin’ exhausted!! This is an intense city to visit even for just 2 days. I’ve done an in-ridiculous amount of walking and as any of you knows, Maher don’t walk.
The two main attractions here are the Djemma El Fna, which is a big open air food mkt and entertainment area. Jugglers, monkey trainers (hehe monkey!), dancers and storytellers ply their trade night and day. At night, the food vendors set up dozens of stalls and beckon anyone to sit and eat. You simply sit down at a stall and point to what you want and they cook it up for you – fish, chicken, lamb, goat, eggplant, skewered vegetables. A meal of two meat items and 1 veg item costs around USD5.
The other main attraction are the souq’s or bazaars. It’s much like you’d find anywhere in south asia or turkey. White folk can easily expect to get agrressively solicited by every seller they pass by. I am largely spared this treatment due to the fact that I am assumed to be “araby”. This would be an advantage if I spoke Arabic but the moment I open my mouth, I’m just another amrikan to be fleeced.
It’s a bit funny never to be taken for whom you really are – in bangladesh, I’m just another coconut amrikan; in buenos aires, I was latino (wait that was an advantage in da club!); in the mideast, i’m always arab and no local ever believes that I might live in America; and ofc in the US, I’m either Indian, Latino, Arab or just another frickin’ immigrant – “where do you come from,”… “Pittsburgh.”… “no no, where do you COME from?”… “Steelers Country!”. Thank the maker you all know me as being simply a weirdo.
btw, there are donkeys everywhere!! They’re the choice animal of burden around here, ferrying goods and ppl around. But it doesn’t stink like you’d think it would. However the situation is worsened by the presence of many birdies and I have seen no Ducks to regulate the birdies’ behaviors. Alas. Alright it’s for me to plunge back into the souq’s and find something for which to get fleeced. I can’t wait to come home!!
