"We are fools whether or not we dance, so we might as well dance."
-- Chinese Proverb --
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-- Chinese Proverb --
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The full set of photos from Morocco is at http://www.flickr.com/photos/missthunderfoot/sets/72157623706465421/, with description. Click on the thumbnails at the right to go through them. I apologize for the quality of some of them. I seem to neglect things like light, focus, holding the camera still, you know, those "minor details". Personally, I don't mind, because to me, the photos are not the end, they are just reminders of what's in my head, perfectly clear and in focus.
Observations:
Before I left, TD&H2, who is from Pakistan, said that I was going to "a rich country", that "everyone there is rich". Actually, the king is rich, and a small part of the population is very wealthy, but the majority of the people are not. The 41% illiteracy rate is partly due to the fact that the children often have to help support the family. We did see a lot of beggars, and out in the agricultural areas, most of the homes are hovels. Of course, much of that may be due to a difference in what we think is necessary, but hey, when the roof or walls have fallen and you're still living there, I doubt that it's all lowered requirements.
There are herds of cows, sheep, and goats, and grazing donkeys and mules everywhere. They graze them wherever there's grass, including along the roads, in medians, in parks. Around here, pasture land is fenced, but not there. The beasties are loose! Sometimes there was a herder and/or dog in evidence, but equally often not. I wondered what kept the animals from wandering away, or into the road, or into neighboring crops.
I've often commented that I find American tourists embarrassing. I believe that when one visits another country, one should show respect for the culture. In most cases, our group was pretty good, but a few of our members did have me rolling my eyes. We had been advised that the Moroccans were very conservative, so we should keep our shoulders and knees covered, and no cleavage, ever. One of our ladies had a "rumpage" problem. Her pants waistline kept dropping in the back, and her T-shirt kept riding up, so she constantly flashed about an inch of rear cleavage. At least she didn't wear thongs. The organizer spent one full day in a strapless tube top dress. What upset me the most, however, was when we visited the Hassan II mosque, and the guide pointed to some carved chairs along the wall, saying that they were reserved for imams who were reading special passages, or teaching special lessons. Several of our ladies not only sat in the chairs for photos, but they were sexy and disrespectful poses - one leg over the chair arm, come-hither smiles, and whatever. I cringed.
I was amused that men greeted each other or said farewell by kissing both cheeks, but women shook each other's hands. I was also surprised at how often men, complete strangers, usually salesmen in the souqs, put their arm around my shoulders in a side hug, or rubbed or patted my back with one hand while showing me something. I don't allow that much touching in my normal American life - not until the second date, anyway!
In the narrow and crowded alleys of the medinas (medina = old section of city), souq stall salesmen would ask where we were from, hoping to strike up a conversation, draw our attention. Over half of our group of 12 was Black, so they'd ask, "English? French?" (apparently American tourists are rare). When we said "American", they'd beam, and shout "Obama! Obama!" with a thumb up. The shout would travel up the alley, with every souq owner giving us the thumbs-up and "Obama" cheer, seemingly forgetting all about selling us stuff.
We heard the five-times-daily calls to prayer from the minarets, and Edr3s(s) told us that Muslims were required to pray five times daily, times determined by the position of the sun in relation to the horizon. So I fully expected to see everything stop for prayers --- but it didn't. Everyone on the streets, the shops, it all went on normally, nobody even paused. One time we passed a mosque in the crowded medina at prayer time, and looked into the mosque, and there were only a few people in there. Odd.
I don't recall seeing a traffic light anywhere. There'd be a six lane street (three each way) meeting another six lane street, and no light. It worked, though. The rule seemed to be that if there was a stopped car anywhere to your left or right when you got up to the line, you stopped and let them through, and everyone took their individual turn, no riding someone else's bumper through. If there were no stopped cars, you kept going. Crossing a street on foot was easy, too, even in the densest traffic. You start crossing, and the cars all stop. It's all like magic. I can't see that system ever working in the "me first, I've got mine" American society.
Back to the rich/poor thing - it seems like either you have everything, or you have nothing. Those who have everything all drive BMWs or Mercedes, I saw very few of any other makes. Everyone else rides a bus, a motorbike, a bicycle, or a donkey. Wide divide.
I'd like to go back to Marrakesh on a shopping trip. Just Marrakesh. Just shopping.
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