In August 2001, I spent 2 weeks in Morocco
with my wife Martha, and sons Ben (16) and Luke (12). I first went to Morocco as
a Peace Corps volunteer in forestry in 1971 and served until 1973. I lived in
Sale and was based in Rabat, working in the Mamora cork forests, cedar forests
near Ain Leuh (above Azrou) and Bou lblane in the Middle Atlas, and in Cabo
Negro (north of Tetouan in Mdiq). I subsequently returned to Morocco three times
in 1979 and 1980, twice as term-abroad leader for Northfield Mt. Hermon School
and once as leader of an Expedition Training Institute (now School for Field
Studies) program. The recent visit was my first in 21 years.
Tim Resch, President of Friends of Morocco
and a fellow Peace Corps volunteer from the early 1970's, suggested I provide
some written observations about my trip.
Probably my single most important
observation is that the things I loved best about Morocco - the thriving medinas,
market places, hanutes with fresh bread, donkeys in the streets, syphinges,
colorful spices on display, etc. are still pretty much exactly as I remembered.
I am not sure what I was expecting, but thought perhaps the march of progress
would have changed some of these things. I have mixed feelings about this -
delighted to find what I loved, but also wondering if there should not have been
more "progress". (Whatever "progress" means. Aren't I
supposed to understand this better -- I went there to do development, right?)
The thing I hated the most is largely
gone. By this I mean little (and not so little) kids incessantly pestering to be
guides, etc. Amazingly, I only said "sir fahalek" once on the entire
trip. It was quite a shock (and delight) to emerge from a taxi at Bab Boujeloud
in Fes to be totally ignored! This is quite a contrast to the 1970's when it was
necessary to hire one of the bigger kids just to fend the rest of them off.
Apparently the Moroccan government came to the realization that this was what
tourists hated and set out to do something about it. There are reportedly bands
of undercover police who roam the medinas in search of "faux guides".
I even met an American (who could pass as a Moroccan) who had been chased by
these police.
One notable difference is the evolving
role of women. There appear to be many gains. I saw women in roles I never saw
them in the past - for example, selling stamps at the PTT and managing shops.
You still occasionally see some women in veils, but they are the exception
rather than the rule, and the majority of both men and women wear Western-style
clothes. Also, men and women are often seen together on the streets, walking
side by side. In 1971, you rarely saw men and women together in public. Still,
even today, the cafes are largely the domain of men.
I noted the growth in educated, middle
class professionals, both men and women. We used public transportation which
created lots of interaction with the public, including a Ph.D. in molecular
biology and physician - both women.
Maybe it is just my 51-year-old
perspective, but it seemed like the new cities (Rabat, Fes, Casa) were dirtier
and grubbier than I remembered (the cleaner Gueliz in Marrakesh is the
exception). The medinas look pretty much the same as before although I noted
that, in the Rabat medina, most of the public fountains have been turned off
(presumably because more houses have running water?). Fes is undergoing efforts
to improve the medina with, for example, the archways between the different
souks being rebuilt. But Fes medina is still Fes medina, the great (and
incredible) medieval city.
One change I did note in Fes medina was at
the tanneries. While the working conditions were the same as ever, there have
been efforts to "upgrade" the surroundings for the tourists. For one
thing, the smell was far less offensive than I remembered. I'm not sure how they
managed that! Also, the houses and workshops around the tanneries have been
turned into room atop room of ready-to-sell leather products through which one
is obliged to travel to reach balconied viewpoints (with safety railings) of the
work below. This is the work of entrepreneurship, no doubt, but it felt a lot
less authentic than the old days when you paid a dirham or two to walk up
rickety steps through a real workshop for a rooftop view.
Speaking of dirhams, the current exchange
rate is 11 to the dollar - a lot different than the 4 of 1971. I understand
PCV's get about 2000 DH per month which, in American dollars, is nearly
identical to the 750 DH we got in the early 1970's.
In Fes, we came upon a wedding car caravan
to our hotel where the lucky couple spent their first night. The high-pitched
female chanting was traditional, but there were distinct modern touches. The
bride and groom were dressed, respectively, in a business suit and a white
Western wedding dress.
Construction, especially housing
construction, is visible around every city as urban and suburban landscapes
replace former agricultural areas. (Of course, once you get out of the cities,
there is still plenty of rural countryside.) In 1971, there were 16 million
people in Morocco. Now there are more than 30 million. I suspect that meaningful
long-term economic growth will be difficult to achieve without a slowdown in
population growth.
The new trains are outstanding, and I
understand they were built in Morocco. Very impressive, pleasantly comfortable
in second class, and they run on time! New superhighways connect some of the
major cities.
A new bus service (Supratours) connects
with the trains, offering excellent services to many cities. We tried one CTM
bus, which is a big improvement over the old ones - they even store the baggage
in underneath compartments (rather than the roof) and are air conditioned. But
our CTM trip from Chaouen to Fes was a tough one, starting with a huge argument
when the bus was oversold.
The bus emptied as heated dialogue in
ensued. Some thought a "nasrani" (in particular me) should be kicked
off. I tried my best to stay out of it, although one fellow told me in Arabic
that it was all my fault to which I calmly replied, "Shrit wurqa, ouash
randir?" The bus never cooled off - reaching a maximum temp of 104 degrees
F during the four hour ride. So much for the AC.
One trend is consolidation of bus services
at a central station. A good idea in theory, but the bus station in Rabat is now
4 km out of town. In Marrakesh, the CTM no longer runs to Djema el Fna (although
the Hotel CTM has not moved!) I have to confess that we did not use any of the
many cheaper bus lines.
We did use grand taxis which have been
upgraded from 1950's American made cars to smaller Mercedes. They still pack in
6 people plus the driver (although I always bought the whole taxi for the four
of us). Some things never change-if you wanted to open a window, you might have
to ask the driver for the handle. And, like most Moroccan drivers, they use the
horn a lot more than the brake. In the cities, the little 3-passenger taxis are
omnipresent, and each still has its own city's distinctive color (blue in Rabat,
red in Casa and Fes, yellow in Marrakesh and Sale, etc.).
Given the population growth, I thought the
traffic would be worse than it was. Parking is readily available in most city
locations with blue-jacketed parking attendants on every street. The ratio of
moblyettes to cars has changed dramatically. There are still quite a few motor
bikes, but there are far more cars.
Chaouen has as much charm as ever plus new
shops and slightly upscale restaurants to reflect a positive tourist economy.
But you don't have to go far out of town to find serious poverty. In 1972, I
climbed a 2200-meter peak in the Rif above town, and I repeated part of that
route this year. Only a hundred yards or so above "Ras el Ma," one
finds very primitive housing on cliff sides in a very hostile living
environment.
One of the highlights of the trip was
returning to my hometown of Sale ("Ana Slaoui!"), which is virtually
unchanged. I noticed subtle shop "upgrades" along my old street, but
the medina is essentially the same. Lacking any tourist presence, it remains, I
believe, one of the most authentic old cities in Morocco. Visiting my old
apartment and friends in Sale was very special. For my two children, who have
never traveled farther than Canada, being in a medina home with children, eating
couscous, etc. was especially memorable. I am pleased to report Moroccan
hospitality is still the same!
During our visit, Moroccan flags and
bunting was omnipresent as part of the two year anniversary of the ascension to
the throne of Mohammed VI. There is much popular optimism about the new king.
Marrakesh, my favorite city, has all the
same vitality as ever with the usual "Greatest Show on Earth" in Djema
el Fna. Still as incredible as ever with story tellers, snake charmers,
musicians, fortune tellers, fresh squeezed OJ for 2,50 DH, cheap tagines, etc.,
etc. I watched one guy drink a pot full of boiling water; that attracted a few
dirhams. At night, huge crowds, largely Moroccan tourists, packed the square as
drums beat and the haze of smoke from the cheap restaurants hovered overhead.
Many of these Moroccans had come home from working in Europe for August. I even
saw signs in French welcoming the Moroccans back to their home country.
We journeyed into the High Atlas Mountains
to the village of Imlil. As a long-time hiker and climber, some of my greatest
memories were in the Atlas. I noted more obvious changes here than perhaps
anywhere else we visited. Tourist trekking has been a boon to the Imlil area.
Many villages have new mosques. Electricity has reached many small villages, and
many even have satellite dishes. Many houses of new construction have replaced
the traditional wood and mud structures. While some may decry the aesthetics of
these modern touches, I was delighted to see how much the lives of these
wonderful people have improved.
The High Atlas Berbers are still
incredibly hospitable. One group of mule drivers, for example, offered me tea
along the trail. This was, of course, "bled" tea with the smoky taste
than comes from having been prepared on an open fire. This was among the most
memorable highlights of the trip.
I remembered Essaouira as a quiet place,
but it was overrun with Moroccan tourists (part of that burgeoning new middle
class and returnees from France I spoke of earlier). They still fry fish near
the port, but it is a lot more sophisticated an operation now. In the early
1970's, you had to bring your own drinks! Now they have more selection of fish,
tents to protect you from the sun, and musicians to entertain you while you eat.
The Essaouira wood products are still high quality and a good bargain.
Although I was trained primarily in
French, I had picked up enough Moroccan Arabic during my Peace Corps years and
subsequent trips so that I used it almost exclusively on this trip. It was
exciting to be speaking a language I hadn't used in 21 years, and I experienced
the joy of rediscovering forgotten words. As always, the Moroccans really
appreciate it when you speak Arabic. Going through the usual greeting sequences,
their smiles seemed to get bigger and bigger. I don't remember how many people -
cabdrivers, shopkeepers, waiters, etc. told me I was a true Moroccan. It really
was gratifying.
I did notice some apparent changes in
language usage. I was disappointed to learn that the term "bit l ma"
is pretty much out of fashion having been replaced with "toilette". My
first sentence in Arabic was the ever-useful "Fayn l bit l ma?" and I
had taught it to my children prior to arrival. Also I noticed the once common
"Shi bes ma kayn" seems to have been largely replaced in everyday
usage by "ma kayn moushkil".
The bread is better than I remember (why
can't somebody in the US make bread that good?). And the food. Wow! Tagines,
pastilla, harira, couscous. Incredible. I could not get enough. So sweet - like
the tea.
I was surprised to see relatively few
foreign tourists (although the Moroccan tourists from Casa, etc. seemed as
excited as we were to see a herd of camels or goats in trees). We saw very few
Americans (although I did run into one Peace Corps volunteer!). I remember a lot
more college kids, etc. with backpacks. Has Morocco fallen out of favor as a
destination?
In Casa, we visited the new Hassan II
mosque, which is as spectacular as advertised. A special moment for me was when
I caught the scent of the carved cedar - a familiar smell from my days working
up in those forests. There were many little special moments like that -
sometimes when I least expected them.
Technology has come to Morocco. Telephone
booths are omnipresent (no more endless waits to make calls at the PTT!), as are
internet providers. The price is right to get online (10 DH per hour), but be
prepared for slow connections. It took as much as half an hour to read and
respond to a single email message.
The brand new edition of the Lonely Planet
guide to Morocco is excellent with great information useful even for
knowledgeable ex-PCV's.
I offer all these observations in the
spirit that I may have "missed something" or incorrectly interpreted
data. I hope others will write to correct any errors. I do want to know, as I
won't be waiting 21 more years before going back! Already I am planning a "Toubkal
Reunion" for some of my old warhorse climbing friends.
Let me finish by encouraging any "old
timers" like me to go back soon if you have not already done so. The cost
is very reasonable. We paid $800 round trip per person (peak season) from New
York to Casa on a nice direct Royal Air Maroc flight. In country, the four of us
spent an average of about $170 per day all-inclusive, including hotels (mostly
2-3 star), travel, food, taxis, and souvenirs. I even brought home a rug!
Showing the country to my family was
especially exciting. Aren't there important people in your life who deserve a
chance to go to Morocco and have you as their expert guide?
Do it now. You won't regret it. Yella!
