We didn't tell many people, but my wife and I decided to cash in our
frequent flyer miles and go on a blow out trip to Merrakech. In fact,
we even took a train from Rabat to Merrakech that I suspect was the
Merrakech Express, but Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young weren't around,
so there was no one for me to check with to make sure. Surprisingly,
the conductors do not sing "All aboard, the trai-ai-ai-ain," so I'll
just have to pretend it was. Not that I really enjoyed the full
Merrakech Express experience. After a sleepless night packing, 14 hours
of flying and scrambling to get to the station on time, I spent most of
the ride fast asleep.
Heck, Cat Stevens (or whatever his name is) could have climbed on board
and sang "Peace Train" with the entire Montovani Orchestra and I
wouldn't have noticed.
The lack of identification on the train wasn't the trip's only
surprise, however. After visiting Merrakech, Essouaria, Casablanca and
Rabat, I can report the following interesting factoids:
There were once so many Jews in Morocco that dedication plaques and
building cornerstones not only list the year from the regular secular
calendar, they also list the date on the Jewish calendar.
The exchange rate on the local currency is 8 dirham to the U.S.
dollar, but only in Morocco. You cannot exchange dirham for any
currency outside the country. Trust me, I know.
Do not trust Hollywood. Bing, Bob and Dorothy Lamour are no longer on
The Road to Morocco. In fact, chances are, they probably never were.
Morocco may not lead the world in water quality or sanitation
standards, but there is nothing more civilized than sitting drinking
Moroccan mint tea.
Not only is there no Cafe Americain in Casablanca, but there are no
healing waters there either. Apparently, I was misinformed.
Although many towns have Jewish neighborhoods within their old city
areas, there are without exception the poorest neighborhood in that
town or city.
When you're in a medina (old city market area) you have to negotiate
for everything you want to buy whether it be something as big as a
table or as small as a smidgen of saffron and buying a rug can be an
all day ordeal. While it can be fun in the early going, it quickly gets
a bit old when you realize that even buying a tube of toothpaste con
get as involved as the purchase of a new car. The only thing that's
missing is a showroom manager...and I hear those aren't far off.
Moroccan workers make far less than their Western counterparts.
How much less?
Make me an offer....
--From a man who was just spent two minutes drinking water straight
from the tap--
David H(appy to be here) Volk
P.S. Yes, I know, an election without Dave's rants is like a day
without...well...Anita Bryant, I guess. Don't mistake my silence for a
lack of interest. I was following the election even from Morocco, but
my wife and I have been working on some family business that has been
consuming a lot of our time and focus. In a good way. Rest assured,
I'll be with you the rest of the way...except, possibly, for election
day when I may be working as a polling place supervisor.
We didn't tell many people, but my wife and I decided to cash in our
frequent flyer miles and go on a blow out trip to Merrakech. In fact,
we even took a train from Rabat to Merrakech that I suspect was the
Merrakech Express, but Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young weren't around,
so there was no one for me to check with to make sure. Surprisingly,
the conductors do not sing "All aboard, the trai-ai-ai-ain," so I'll
just have to pretend it was. Not that I really enjoyed the full
Merrakech Express experience. After a sleepless night packing, 14 hours
of flying and scrambling to get to the station on time, I spent most of
the ride fast asleep.
