Morocco / Maroc

#956 in Travel
Rating: 1 - I can do better 2 - Jury's out 3 - Pretty darn good 4 - Splendiferous 5 - Awesometastic (by 4 people)   Your rating: 1 - I can do better 2 - Jury's out 3 - Pretty darn good 4 - Splendiferous 5 - Awesometastic

Morocco 2007!

This lens is part pre-trip research on the country of Morocco:  What is the weather like in Morocco?  The food?  The culture?  What is there to do?  How are Americans perceived?  These are all things that I have explored, and I share my findings with you here.

And part post-trip advice on things like: What was cool about it?  What wasn't?  How was the shopping?  The food?  The people? 

Come along with me and explore Morocco 2007!  

Morocco: The Basics 

Language: Official language: Arabic (official), Derija (Moroccan Arabic), several Berber dialects. As a second language: Spanish in the north, French in the southern region.

Climate: Just about all the extremes you can imagine, from the seaside, to snow in the high Atlas Mountains, to the Sahara Desert!

Cultural makeup:

Religion: 98% muslim

New terms to know 

Here are new words I'm learning in my trip research:
  • medina: the ancient section of many north African cities
  • riyad, riad: typical home in the medina, or old section, built around a center courtyard. Often deceptively modest on the exterior.
  • hammam: bath house
  • souk, souq: the marketplace in an Arab city

Guidebooks 

Morocco (Country Guide)

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Amazon Price: $16.49 (as of 07/25/2008)
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Morocco (Eyewitness Travel Guides)

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Amazon Price: $16.50 (as of 07/25/2008)
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Fodor's Morocco, 3rd Edition (Fodor's Gold Guides)

Release Date: 02/06/2007

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Amazon Price: $14.96 (as of 07/25/2008)
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The Rough Guide to Morocco 7 (Rough Guide Travel Guides)

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Morocco - Culture Smart!: a quick guide to customs and etiquette (Culture Smart!)

Release Date: 11/14/2006

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Dragging along a reluctant husband? Can you say "golf"? 



Yes, thank god, there is golf in Morocco! The former king was a big golfer, and built several beautiful courses. More are being built currently. (Somewhat controversial in a land with water shortages....)
Golf Marrakech!
Here's a link to some of the beautiful courses in the area of Marrakech.
Golf in Morocco / Marrakech
And more info. (On the theory "Give them golf courses, they will come.")

Morocco Links 

Fascinating bits and pieces about the country

Art and Culture in Morocco | Morocco
Understanding local customs and arts in Morocco on Morocco.com/ Interesting little bit on cultural dos and don'ts.

Video of Morocco 

Various YouTube entries from around the country


Trip to Morocco, Africa Part 1

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Trip to Morocco, Africa Part 2

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Travel Morocco Morocco Travel- TravelVideoPostCard

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Moroccan Cookbooks 

Cooking at the Kasbah: Recipes from My Moroccan Kitchen

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Couscous and Other Good Food from Morocco

Release Date: 02/18/1987

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Food of Morocco: Authentic Recipes from the North African Coast (Food of the World Cookbooks)

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Authentic Recipes from Morocco: 60 Simple and Delicious Recipes from the Land of the Tagine (Authentic Recipes) (Authentic Recipes Series)

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A Taste of Morocco: From Harira Soup to Chicken Kdra (The Small Book of Good Taste Series)

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Cook with Tagine 

(In case you forgot to pick one up when you were there....)

Emile Henry Tagine, 2.6 Qt

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Cafe Morocco

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Couscous and Tagines: Two Moroccan Classics

Release Date: 05/22/2007

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Available for download now

Marrakesh Travel Guide 

VirtualTourist.com

Plan a Marrakesh vacation with reviews, tips and photos posted by real travelers and Marrakesh locals. This is an awesome site-- well worth taking the time to read through all the sections. Here are links to just a few of them.
Shopping for Food and Drink
Wonderful first-hand tips on where to find what-- from closet-sized stores in the souks to regular grocery stores (with beer and wine!) in the ville nouveau.
Things to Do
Reviews and photos of Marrakesh attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Marrakesh sightseeing! Gardens, museums, palaces, tombs, and a guide to the suuqs.
Restaurants
Reviews and photos of Marrakesh restaurants posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Marrakesh dining, from local cuisine to street vendors, sea food to fast food!
Tourist Trap Tips
Everything from what (and where) to avoid, to blurbs like "Pictures with monkeys... AVOID THEM!!!" and "Beware tarted up "water sellers" who want money to take their pictures and then don't even have any water...."
Packing Lists
Tips on what to pack for a trip to Marrakesh, posted by real travelers and Marrakesh locals. General items, clothes for the climate, books and maps, etc.

Marrakech Books on Amazon 

Haven't read any of these, and so can't personally recommend, but these are some I'd like to check out....

The Lying Stones of Marrakech: Penultimate Reflections in Natural History

Amazon Price: $10.20 (as of 07/25/2008)
List Price: $15.00

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Top 10 Marrakech (Eyewitness Top 10 Travel Guides)

Amazon Price: $9.60 (as of 07/25/2008)
List Price: $12.00

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Wallpaper City Guide: Marrakech (Wallpaper City Guide)

Amazon Price: $8.95 (as of 07/25/2008)
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Majorelle: A Moroccan Oasis (Small Books of Great Gardens)

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Street in Marrakech

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More fun and informative links: 

Adventures in Marrakech
A great site about Morocco with lots and lots of pictures!
World 66: Marrakech Travel Guide
History, pictures, restaurants, places to stay, and "perfect day" plans!
Marrakech Fact Sheet from Concierge.com
Up-to-the minute info including time, weather and exchange rates.

Marrakech in Photos 

Sweet Marrakech by mustakchif

The Jama'a Elfna Square in Marrakech.

Marrakech by *Raquel*

Mesquita %uFFFD entrada de Marrakech (tirada do carro em movimento...)

Marrakech - Playing Children by Anselmo Herranz

Taken in Marrakech while we were searching the Sahadi Tombs - Marruecos

Marrakech ladies by Frank Salliau

Ladies sitting on a bench at the Koutoubia mosque in Marrakech, Morocco

Marrakech 038 by ipso_facto

Kubba Ba'Adiyin, Marrakech

Marrakech Souk by HalloIain

Marrakech Souk

Marrakech: Jemaa El Fna by Martin and Kathy Dady

Food stalls and snake charmers, early evening in Jemaa el Fna Marrakech

Marrakech 077 by ipso_facto

El Zoco, La Medina, Marrakech

This Old Riyad 

Great video-- the renovating of a riyad.

This Old Riad!

Episode One! Renovating a house in a foreign land is fun and frustrating. Follow us as we begin work on our new home in Morocco!

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Links on the Seaside Town of Essaouira 

Essaouira.com
English-language site with info on accomodations, itineraries and maps, culture and traditions, and other practical information.
Sejour Essaouira
La ville d'’Essaouira et ses habitants sont heureux d'’inviter ses nouveaux voyageurs à découvrir la culture marocaine à travers son harchitecture, son artisanat, ses traditions, ses festivals.
Essaouira - Wikipedia entry
History, modern industry-- not much more.
Essaouiranet.com
Two live webcams, and several 360-degree photos of the port, the beach, the skyline, etc.
Essaouira - Mogador : L'invitation au voyage
Invitation au voyage dans une ville du sud du Maroc : Essaouira - Mogador petit port de pêche, cité historique et touristique.
The Best of Morocco: Essaouira
Pictures, festivals, artisans....
Essaouira, Beautiful and Quiet
Travel related article on this destination. Photos and interactive map.

Essaouira vids! 


ESSAOUIRA:THE BEST CITY IN MORROCCO DOCUMENTAIRE

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Visite de Essaouira (Mogador) au Maroc

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Moroccan Adventures: Road To Essaouira

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Awesome Way to Brush Up on Rusty French! 

The French Pod Class

Travelling to Morocco? You'll want to brush up on your French! I have found a great way: French Pod Class, a FREE podcast on iTunes!.

This highly entertaining, useful and helpful podcast has totally captivated me! I came across it about a month ago, and have since gone back and downloaded every single one of the 70 or so episodes!

The host, Sebastien is wonderful! I love the mix of French and English, and also the variety he provides-- music, audio clips from movies, passages from books-- all wonderfully explained in French and English.

I was a French major in college and lived in France for a year almost 25 years ago-- and since listening to this podcast for the last month, I am really beginning to be able to speak, understand, and even dream in French again!

Bravo, Sebastien!

What the heck-- go ahead and book your flight! 

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Please sign my guestbook! 

What drew you to my lens? Have you been to Morocco? Thinking about going to Morocco? Find anything useful here? Have any ideas for me? Let me know what you're thinking!

Histereo

A good lens on Morocco. I too have a lens on the great Moroccan traveler Ibn Battuta.He roamed almost
the whole of north Africa and Asia for more than 25
years.It is at http://www.squidoo.com/wayfarer.
Hope to see more of your such lenses.

Posted June 25, 2008

Habiba

http://97ab.habibazik.com/97ab-maroc/
The best Youtube videos

Posted April 23, 2008

CrypticFragments

I dream of visiting Maroc! I have some Moroccan food and decor lenses myself and am linking to yours!

best wishes

Posted April 19, 2008

Jesper Saunte / Denmark

I've been to Marrakech last august
Still thinking about going back - miss cafe espice
Are you going to have a small guesthouse in your riyad or is it just for you
Good luck

Posted July 02, 2007

WhitePineLane

Just back from Maroc! Would go back in a heartbeat. Thoroughly enjoyed every minute. (Although I did get a little couscous and tagine'd out, and was glad to have pizza in a cafe on the last day!) Absolutely perfect trip!

Posted June 08, 2007

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WhitePineLane

WhitePineLane
Crazy about her husband, her kids and her corgis!  Passionate eBayer, addicted Squidooer, and erstwhile SAHM.
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