Morocco only appeared in my life in the past half year. I had no idea where Morocco was or what currency they used. The only thing I knew was from reading *The Alchemist*, where the shepherd boy crosses the Sahara Desert to find his treasure and experiences many magical things along the way. That’s the extent of my knowledge about Morocco.
Why did I choose to travel here? It was also at the suggestion of a good friend of mine. Without her, I wouldn’t have set foot in such a beautiful country. When I found out I’d be spending nearly a month in Morocco, I boldly asked my company for leave, and thankfully, they were understanding, making my extravagant wish come true.
In the months leading up to the trip, I did some sporadic research and roughly knew which cities I’d be visiting, but I couldn’t really remember them— I’d figure it out when I got there. Just follow my friend:pp
But once I arrived in each city, I noticed a common custom everywhere: there were always groups of men sitting in front of coffee shops, doing nothing. When you walked by, they’d harass you, and every single one of them would leer at you. I really wanted to know why they didn’t have to work…
［Old Medinas in Morocco］
Every city has a Medina, which is the old town. When you walk into the medina, different men will ask you the same question: China? Japan? Korea? Then they’ll say nihao/arigatou/annyeong. Turns out most people here don’t really know what Hong Kong is. At first, we’d laugh and answer Hong Kong/China, but later we got so tired of it that we stopped responding altogether—even if they asked if we were Japanese, we’d just say yes, because it didn’t matter where we were from.
The medina is an incredibly easy place to get lost, so people constantly ask if you want them to guide you—but their real goal is just to get your money. If you refuse, they’ll curse at you or mock you, and if you don’t buy anything, sometimes they’ll accuse you of disrespecting them. I gradually realized that their so-called "big welcome" and "big thanks" actually mean "damn welcome" and "damn thanks" (I admit I’m being overly cynical).
［Moroccan Men］
I remember after posting about my terrible experience in Fes, I got a lot of responses and private messages from netizens. I also read an article about two Taiwanese travelers in Morocco who almost got assaulted by an orange juice vendor. We didn’t go through something that extreme, but it definitely could happen (I was harassed myself), so once you’ve been here, you’ll understand those stories aren’t exaggerated at all. These men either want your money or want you. At first, I met a talkative Moroccan guy who seemed charming and handsome, but when he couldn’t get what he wanted, he resorted to vulgar insults. I was really disappointed in Moroccan men. Of course, there are still some decent ones (though my standards have dropped so low that as long as they’re not completely awful, I consider them okay).
［Moroccan Food］
When you come to Morocco, mentally prepare yourself to eat rock-hard bread, Tajine, and Couscous for every meal. The first few meals are delicious, but by the tenth identical meal, even seeing Tajine makes you cringe… After you order food, they’ll always put some snacks on your table, whether you eat them or not—you still have to pay for them, so if you don’t like them, just say no. As for the food, except in more civilized cities, most dishes come with flies as a side dish. The more bees and flies on the pastries, the better they’re supposed to taste. The sellers won’t shoo them away, and the buyers don’t seem to mind either (sweat). There doesn’t seem to be any pork here—just lamb, beef, chicken, and of course, camel meat. We didn’t eat it, but they’d hang entire camel heads in front of shops, which was pretty terrifying. Chicken is basically 99% rubbery, so don’t be too picky when you have limited options.
In such a hot place, drinking a frozen cola probably feels like a luxury. Whether it’s juice or soda, nothing is ever cold. Some places have fridges, but they don’t work properly (sigh). The only cold drink I found was lemonade, which you can sometimes see in photos—I swear I almost cried when I saw it. Even then, it wasn’t very cold, but it was still better than nothing. The heat here is so intense that just walking around drains your energy.
［Accommodation in Morocco］
For accommodation, we mostly stayed in Riads (which are basically the local version of guesthouses), which are traditional mansions converted into hotels for tourists. At first, staying in a Riad felt a bit unfamiliar, but over time, it became more comfortable—the environment is serene and beautiful, full of Moroccan charm. However, no Riad or hotel provides kettles, cups, toothbrushes, or slippers, so remember to bring your own.
After flying 11,331 kilometers and spending over ten thousand dollars, I spent nearly a month in Morocco, saw stunning scenery, and went through various experiences. I’m grateful to this place for adding a unique color to my life.
I’ll slowly upload more travelogues and reflections—takes time to sort through all the photos and videos (ugh).
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