Journey Beyond Travel

Morocco: A Brief Introduction – 3 of 3

You can re-read Part One here: Morocco: An Introduction, Part I
You can re-read Part Two here: Morocco: An Introduction, Part II

Morocco abounds with food stalls, stands and restaurants. Moroccan food is delicious and can be an enjoyable experience, but if you’re eating at these stalls, stands and restaurants, clean and sanitary conditions aren’t always a main priority. Many travelers do get sick from the food and water, so unless you have a strong stomach, drink bottled water, avoid eating uncooked salads, and make sure the places you eat at are relatively clean–check the kitchen and bathroom areas. Tip a minimum of 10%.

Moroccan food is quite rich. Most dishes are prepared with meat, spices, vegetables or dried fruit and plenty of oil. The meal will always come with round, flat bread and sometimes French fries served on the side. You eat with your right hand by breaking off a bite-sized piece of bread then taking it, gripping the food with it, and putting the medley in your mouth. It takes some practice, but no need to worry because you will also be brought utensils. Soft drinks are widely available, as is bottled water, and don’t forget to try a pot of very sweet, mint tea after your meal. You may have an alcoholic beverage with your meal if you are eating in the new part of town; however, alcohol is not served in eateries in the old medinas, even in Fez and Marrakesh.

Here’s a list of a few tasty things you will find:

Snacks & Appetizers:
Rghaif/melaowee (Moroccan pancakes)
Bghreer (spongy Moroccan pancakes)
Tktooka (cooked tomato + green pepper salad)
Zaalook (cooked tomato + eggplant salad)
Frites (French fries)
Salade marocaine (diced cucumber + tomato salad)
Salade du chef (varied vegetable salad)

Main Meals:
Harira (thick, tomato-based soup)
Aadiss (lentil stew)
Beessara (pureed fava bean soup)
Couscous (stewed meat + veggies over semolina)
Tajine (meat + vegetable stew)
Poulet grillé (barbecued chicken)
Brochettes (grilled meat kebabs)
Kefta (ground beef)
Pastilla (sweet + salty chicken mix wrapped in flaky pastry sheets)

Desserts:
Cab ghezal (1/4 moon-shaped cookies filled w/ almond paste)
Ghreeba (sweet almond or walnut cookies)
Braywat (triangular-shaped pastry w/ sweet or salty filling)

Morocco has lots of spices (cumin, coriander, turmeric, paprika, saffron, cinnamon, ginger), herbs (parsley, coriander, mint, oregano, chamomile, verbena), seasonal fruits (oranges, apples, bananas, tangerines, peaches, plums, apricots, pears, pomegranates, strawberries, cherries, melons), dried fruits & nuts (dates, prunes, apricots, peanuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, walnuts), and seasonal vegetables (potatoes, onions, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, squash, turnips, beets, eggplant, green peppers, peas, artichokes, cauliflower, cabbage), which can be found in the open-air markets.

The cost of things in Morocco is not as cheap as in other developing countries.

Average prices:
- Big bottle of water: 5 – 5.5 ds
- Small pack of tissues: 1 – 2 ds
- Loaf of bread: 1.2 – 2.5 ds
- Glass of orange juice: 2.5 – 12 ds
- Espresso: 5 – 10 ds
- Small pot of mint tea: 6 – 10 ds
- 1 kg/2 lbs tomatoes: 3 ds
- 1 kg/2 lbs apples: 12 ds
- Lunch: 20 – 50 ds
- Dinner: 50 – 100 ds
- Moroccan leather slippers: 60 – 150 ds
- Small area rug: 300 – 600 ds

You will pass many shops and vendors. The vendors will urge you to go in and look, and possibly have some tea. If you do not want to, be polite and say no, thank you. If you do go in to look and are interested in buying something, you MUST bargain. The starting price you are quoted will be doubled, tripled, or more. Be firm; state your price and haggle. If you do not agree on a price, say thank you and walk out. You can shop around and compare prices, then go back if you want. However, if you do bargain for an item and agree on a price, then decide not to buy it, you will offend many vendors.

Bakeries, restaurants, bookshops, pharmacies, clothing shops in the new city, and supermarkets and local grocery stores have set prices. If you see a price tag on an item at any of the above places, do not bargain. Many cities and most towns have a weekly open-air market where you can find fruit, vegetables, spices, clothes, kitchenware, and anything else you can get at bargain prices.

You will be able to exchange money in most banks in the major cities and towns such as Casablanca, Rabat, Marrakesh, Ouarzazate, Erfoud, Ifrane, Meknes, Fez, and Tangier. Credit cards are not widely accepted, except at big hotels, major department stores & supermarkets, and some highly touristy shops. However, you will be able to extract funds with a Visa or MasterCard from ATM machines located almost everywhere. You will not be able to use or cash traveler’s checks, and it is not wise to exchange money with people on the street or standing outside of banks.

Post offices can also be found in every major city or town, but are sometimes hard to find. Stamp prices are reasonable and you can send packages via regular or express mail.

Public phone shops are everywhere and Internet cafés are quickly spreading–most are equipped with Skype, MSN messenger and headsets and video cameras! Calling abroad from a pay phone can be expensive. Internet rates range from 5-12 dirhams an hour.

To get around any major city or town, you can use a small taxi, which you will see everywhere. They are usually brightly colored and the rates are inexpensive. When you get into a taxi, make sure the meter is working. If it’s not, get out and hail another cab. Moroccans don’t usually tip taxi drivers. All taxis start out charging you a minimum fare of 2 to 3 dirhams as soon as you get in. The only time you will have to negotiate a price is when hiring a taxi to the airport or from town to town.

You will see many old, white Mercedes zooming to and from any city, town or village; these are the big taxis. They transport people back and forth at all hours of the day. Once 6 people are tightly packed in, the taxi will leave. The standard fare is 25 dirhams an hour per spot. This rate does not apply at airports. For a ten-minute drive into downtown Fez or Marrakesh from the Fez-Saiss or Marrakech-Menara airports expect to pay 120-150 dirhams.

Trains in Morocco are quite comfortable and usually on time. First- and second-class seats are available, and you can easily travel by train to Tangier, Rabat, Casablanca, Marrakesh, Fez, and Meknes. You will not be able to take the train to Essaouira or farther south, or east of Marrakesh to the desert. To get to these places you can take a big taxi or a bus, or rent a car.

There are several bus companies that provide service to all cities, most towns, and some villages. Traffic accidents are rampant in Morocco, so make sure you go with a reliable bus company—CTM or Supratours.

Driving in Morocco can be very challenging for a number of reasons. Once you leave the network of interstate highways that connect Tangier to Marrakesh and Rabat to Fez, the roads and national highways are a narrow and bumpy ride. You can rent a vehicle starting at $50/day and up in any major city. You can also hire a big taxi for the day for about $100.

Public hospitals, private clinics, pharmacies and dentists are located in every city and town. Hospitals and clinics are open 24 hours and 7 days a week, as are certain pharmacies. Pharmacies are everywhere. Look for the white sign with a green crescent moon on it. You can buy anything from anti-diarrhea to motion-sickness medicine, and the price of medicine is inexpensive. Getting treated at a hospital, clinic or dentist is also very reasonable. An average doctor’s check-up in a big city costs between 100-200 ds, and a dental exam is usually under 100 ds.

Most bathrooms have squat toilets. You will also find a bucket or other receptacle and a low-to-the-ground faucet. Moroccans wash with their left hand (right hand is used for eating) after going to the bathroom and do not use toilet paper so bring your own. You can buy a roll of toilet paper or a handy pack of tissues at any little grocery store. The best tissues to buy are called "Tempos". Do not throw toilet paper or tissue down the toilets. It is necessary to have a small plastic bag with you in case there is no trash bin. Some public bathrooms will require you to pay a dirham after using the facilities; you will find a saucer with coins on a chair or table near the exit/entrance.