First impressions of the visit of Morocco

Having never visited Morocco or even Africa, I was very excited at the prospect in mid-November 2005.

Soon boarded the aircraft Royal Air Maroc to London Heathrow in a late Saturday afternoon I was in another world. Ads and signage in English, French and Arabic. Moroccan cuisine, style and hospitality.

Upon arrival at the Airport Mohammed V after passport showing you several times I was soon on the highway to Casablanca which is the main city of the country (but not the capital). It seemed rather than being in France-signage autoroute, a French chain of DIY store properties, but not so once the taxi had entered Casablanca itself. Here there were people walking in front of the car, just about avoiding other ones and I was\very glad that I did not actually help, in particular with the lack of seat belts (or even just one!) that worked.

There is a large French influence in the country was ruled by French and Spanish until 1956 and lots of new and old architecture is a lot of French influence and even mail boxes are the same shape and the color yellow, as in France.

November, probably isn't the best time to visit the country, particularly if you don't want to get wet. The rainy season is from October to November and April to may. My second day I took the train from Casablanca, in Rabat, the capital. There is a very efficient rail network and inexpensive which is mainly in the North of the country. Unfortunately, just before arriving at Rabat the heavens open. The day before had done as I explored Casablanca, but the visit to Rabat only lasted just over an hour, because this wasn't rain, flooding roads and was suddenly assumed the appearance of the rivers. So much to explore Rabat.

The day before in Casablanca was much more successful. I spent a while reading the book of popular traveller's Guide that helped me to better understand the culture and people. Wasn't too surprised with offers from people who want to help, demonstrate and ask for money. Men, holding hands as they walked along or kissing when they met (as a guard salute a passengers) was part of normal life, it happened because they were friends, not a sexual relationship as conceived of in the West. I also knew that had to be careful to take photos, how many women are not happy about this.

The city has a mosque of Hassan II, a spectacular site, which is constructed with a glass floor on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean. The Minaret is the tallest in the world-200 hundred meters high. In addition, the roof opens and closes.

Unlike many European countries, where taxis are modern vehicles, in Morocco, you will find the taxi "Grand" great that normally travel with as many people as legally possible going from city to city, and are usually a Mercedes at the time of the years ' 80 which will be a certain color depending on the country or towns rely. Each city will also have its own color "Petit Taxi". Theses are usually Peugeot and Fiat (color coded for each country or city) that quite possibly started life in 1980 's and 90 's in Europe and were exported to the South to start a new lease of life as a passenger carrying vehicle for four.

Movement on Marrakech (known locally as Marrakech) in the train proved to be very interesting. Paying the additional amount of first class at least guaranteed a comfortable place, although my limited experience in second class has not been shown to have any discomfort. The landscape changes with more and more "dryer fields", cactus also be cultivated in places and farmers using plows pulled by horses or donkeys. Atlas in the distance you see as you enter in Marrakech. Many people decide to stay in the "Ville Nouvelle" where you'll find Western-style hotels and villa complex a few miles outside where are enclosed by the rest of the "real" world. I was in a small Riads in the heart outside the Djemaa el Fna square-the square in the center of big cities of Medina.

Riad a is a type of Guest House which is normally built around a patio garden. Normally some of the rooms are open to the elements and there is not much rain there as closer to the coast. The experience of reaching the destination has been changed. A petit taxi to the edge of the Jemaa el Fna square, and then because taxis are not allowed after noon you must hire a porter and cart.

The square is full of restaurants, mobile merchants, snake charmers and seems to be very much alive the most hours of the day. There are also numerous rooftop bar where you can get a superb view of the day or night of the surrounding scene, including the Koutoubia mosque. If you want to sit there and have a beer or a glass of wine, think again. Morocco is an Islamic nation so the consumption of alcohol is not a high priority. Although the wine and beer are produced in the country, many cafes and restaurants only serve light drinks (Coke, orange juice, mineral water, coffee, etc.) or national. -drinking mint tea. I certainly wouldn't have a problem in hotel "Ville Nouvelle".

The food is generally excellent and very reasonable as well. The Moroccan-traditional Tajine (a steam cooked meat stew) and Couscous were tried.

The country has large contrasts of wealth and poverty. There are numerous developments in construction as holiday homes near Marrakech and the three-hour drive back to Casablanca to take a plane back home took new zones and prosperous past little city areas "slums" of small buildings with corrugated iron roofs kept pressed with boulders and each with a satellite dish. The cabbie made a couple of stops to buy cigarettes. By the side of the road, someone would come with the package or packages. On every occasion the driver bought 2 cigarettes.

Jobs are very important, that host a Riad said a waiter at a restaurant cannot afford to make mistakes. He knows that there is another million unemployed waiting to take the job. There are many police around. Normally going around in four or more. Man roadblocks at the entrances and exits to most cities. This is probably high security, or may be giving the force employed more to do.

If we're going on vacation, make sure that you spend your Dirhams before arriving at the airport. You will not be able to change themback in departures, or spend it on drink or tobacco at Duty Free-accept only euros.

The village is great-about California USA, there is much to see, I'd like to visit other cities like Tangier and Fez. Although it was raining in Casablanca and Rabat it was hot and dry and sunny in Marrakech and the last night of 17 degrees Celsius, on the roof of the Riad was a nice contrast to 24 hours later back in the South of England, which was undergoing a first cold spells of winter.

Philip Suter is a Director of JML Property Services, a United Kingdom based company that offers online insurance products and a vacation home http://www.jmlvillas.com/ service advertising and management training in the United Kingdom. He is a very experienced property consultant with over 30 years working in Residential letting business and served in the National Council of ARLA. He is a member of the National Association of estate agents (NAEA) and member of the Association of residential letting agents (ARLA)

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