Insha'Allah.
إن شاء الل
It means, "God Willing" or "If Allah Wills."
We heard it often, most sincerely from Ali, in Merzouga. You grasp the other person's hand, put your free hand over your heart, stare them in the eyes and say, "Until we see you next time, Insha'Allah."
I liked and hated Morocco.
If I were to do it over right now...
We would totally avoid the big cities. You have to fly into Marrakesh or Casablanca, or come across on the ferry into Tangier. But then flee to the smaller towns.
The place we stayed in Asilah would be a good starting point, easy to get to if you came across on the ferry to Tangier.
Then I would go to Essouira and Chefchaouen for the pure beauty. Eat in Mirleft, but stay on the beach, hide out and drink the day away at Legzira.
Less time at the coast, more in the desert, especially the Valley of the Roses.
Spend a couple days at the mouth of Todra Gorge.
That said, Fes was a way better place than Marrakesh or Tangier, at least for me. Marrakesh has the huge square, but Fez seems more laid back, though you can't totally relax there either.
You have to gear up right from the beginning to be rude and abrupt and say NO very forcefully. You gotta change your USA mindset and realize that they are not insulted by it.
Get good places to stay, so when you are feeling overwhelmed you can go hide out and recover.
Be aware that Ramadan makes things harder.
Driving is definitely the way to go, especially in the desert. The four hour bus trips were fine, except for all the people around us puking, but can you imagine the twelve hour trip down to Merzouga? The couple we met who did it were really really NOT looking forward to the return ride. On the flip side, you need to be ready for the police stops.
Should you visit Morocco?
Yes.
I think it would be a great thing for everyone to experience. Whether you like it or not depends on your personality.
I think it is a good look at what the US will become if we continue to allow religion into our government, and we should think long and hard about that.
I am glad we visited.
But...
Why I Won't Return.
The reason boils down to this one thing:
Morocco is just not worth the hassle.
Think of it in terms of a cost - benefit calculation.
It was a different place to visit, but so is Turkey. In turkey you don't have people hounding you all the damn time.
There are beautiful beaches... that are impractical to use. There are beautiful beaches in Hawaii as well, and Italy, and France, and...
Example after example, I tried to note things as we went along.
My gut feeling is that it was an interesting vacation, but not a relaxing time.
Life is pretty difficult here. It reminds me a lot of Mexico; the bright colors and designs, unfinished and destroyed buildings next to beautiful homes, the poverty level, the reliance on religion and the tight, multi-level families.
Just like in Mexico, it is cheaper to have six guys spend all day putting up a billboard, rather than hire a crane to do it in an hour. Lives are cheap and wasted here.
The grinding poverty.
And the trash. Another thing, like in Mexico, like in Albania... trash everywhere. And it is such a shame; to be out in the middle of a sand dune in the Sahara, or along the coast on a secluded beach, and there are just piles of trash blown and thrown in.
Basics like steady electricity, good WiFi and clean water are not always available. I got more bug bites in Morocco than I can ever recall getting, and got sick twice from the food (or water) and I really never get sick. It is a real problem getting a drink if you want one, and good wine and beer (in my opinion) is non-existent.
I have wondered all along why people relocate here.
I asked our cab driver on the way from the airport, as we went through the very very wealthy section of Fes: how much do these big houses cost?
His eyes grew wide, and he said, "Oh, they are three hundred thousand euros! Such a waste, only one or two people in all that space. They do not have good family."
One of our hosts told me that, if you do a good job at something, you can easily make money and be successful, because there is just no competition. According to her, the locals are just not motivated, and cannot think outside the established norm.
So there you have it, I think. Morocco must be a good place to hide out, disappear, or simply start over. With the most expensive places going for about $450,000 USD, that's pretty cheap living, and if you are at all motivated you can get along pretty well.
So, will I return
Insha'Allah.
No way.