Travelling through Tangiers in Morocco
After a spending a week in Portugal, I decided I wanted to go to Morocco. I have no idea why, but I had a strange desire to ride a camel across the desert and to buy my mom a rug (She gave me life, so it was the least I could do, really). I sometimes get fixated on something and think, "Why not? Let's go". I postponed my trip to Prague, hopped on a bus to Spain, and then on a ferry to Tangiers.
I had heard many things about how tourists are treated, and thought I was prepared. Boy was I wrong! I got off the ramp of the ferryboat, and was immediately surround by loads of people, all shouting at me, trying to get me to buy things or to be my guide. It was a bit overwhelming and I started having doubts about my decision.
I was really tired, it was late, and locals were harassing me. Not an ideal situation. A young boy called, Abdul, came up to me and asked me if I needed some help. Abdul was an "unofficial" guide, and if he got caught showing me around, he would have be arrested on the spot and thrown in jail! What a country! I thought the poor kid must need the money, so we settled on the price of 10 Dollars for 2 days - I had just hired my Moroccan Guide.
I thought for sure I was going to get ripped off, but it seems I found the one honest guide in the city
Abdul was a funny little chap. I ask him why his did such a risky job, and was quite surprised by his reply. He said, and obviously I am paraphrasing here, (Duh!), "I do this job because I want to show people the real Morocco. I want to stop stereotypes about the scams and hustlers… and I need the money". I have to say I thought for sure I was going to get ripped off, but it seems I found the one honest guide in the city - a rare thing.
What can I say about Tangiers? At night it looked really beautiful and I still couldn't believe that I was in Africa. It's an amazingly beautiful city, but in the daytime you can really see the poverty. People were begging and trying to hustle the tourists… and then there was the leering. Men look at you so hard it's as if they can see you naked. I was weary, but I'm no quitter - I came to Morocco to see and do things, and I wasn't leaving 'til I had done them! I keep remembering what Abdul had told me earlier about his city "You have to understand this, Yolanda. Morocco is a 3rd world country. We are poor and most people will do anything to feed themselves and their families - Even if that means scamming a few tourists. I mean, you are American... You must have money to some over here to our country. Also you are a woman and they see you as a sex object. No mater how you dress or act, you are seen as different to the men here, but don't let them bother you." I was thinking, "Great pick, Yolanda! You came to a country where you are seen as a second-class citizen with money. Perfect hustler material!" I decided that after I got my rug, I would go down to Marrakesh.
Me and Abdul wandered around the Medina 'til we got to a rug shop. Despite the dodgy side of the city, the people are still very friendly. I shook hands with the owner of the rug shop, and he took me on a tour of his shop. The place was amazing! There seemed to be millions of rugs.
After the tour, I sat down and was given a cup of mint tea while the owner showed me different rugs. This was the beginning of long process of rug buying. The whole buying process is really social - completely different from what I was used to back home. I was showed all the rugs, and got to choose which rugs I liked best. The owner and I sat on the ground to begin the haggling (It's all part of the buying process in Tangiers). I finally got a fantastic red rug for my mom for $40. I know that Moroccan rugs cost a lot more in the states, so was damn happy with myself. We drank more tea while my rug was getting wrapped up.
Beware of the monkeys in Marrekash. They may be cute but they are thieves!
After I had bought the rug, it all got a little strange. The owner told me I was very pretty and asked me if I was married, because he was looking for a wife. I honestly thought he was joking and laughed. I told him that I was not the marrying type and that he wouldn't want me. His eyes changed and he said to me, "Yes, I do want you. You are worth at least 2000 camels!" He wanted to call my parents so that he could negotiate with them! How weird is that! Once I knew he was actually being serious, I made up an excuse about how my parent were out of the country, but that I would come back later and we would talk. A big, fat stinking lie right, but it seemed to satisfy him.
Something was nagging me though. I ask him why I wasn't worth 3000 camels. He laughed. "You talk too much and are too sassy. I would never be able to control you!" How cheeky is that! I was a little offended actually but then I sort of came back to my senses and realised that I didn't want to marry him any ways. Besides, 2000 camels is a lot of damn camels! What were my parents going to do with 2000 camels in St. Louis? Now that was something to get worked up about! I left the shop and got my stuff ready to go down to Marrekash later on that night. Abdul had told me that I would see the real Morocco in this city. I had to admit I was sad to leave the little guy behind - he was really cool and didn't try to cheat me. He had also protected me from the men. I gave him the money he earned (and a little more for his kindness).
Before I left, he gave me all types of advice on how to be safe, like getting myself a sleeper car on the train, and hanging around with other Westerners if there was a man in the group. The last thing he told me was really funny: "Beware of the monkeys in Marrekash. They may be cute but they are thieves!" Apparently, their trainers teach them to pickpocket tourists. I though he was joking at first, but he was actually telling the truth. It was crazy! It was something out of the cartoon Adlerian, where his monkey, Abu, robs people. Except this wasn't a Disney flick, it was real. I said my goodbyes to Abdul and headed off to ride my camel in a city filled with thieving monkeys. What a trip!
