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In
Morocco
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Morocco
Morocco is a North African country that has a
coastline on both the North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean
Sea. It has borders with Western Sahara to the south, Algeria
to the east and the Spanish North African territories of Ceuta
and Melilla on the Mediterranean coast in the north. It is just
across the Strait of Gibraltar from Gibraltar.
Cities
- Agadir - Agadir is all about the
beach! The town is a nice example of modern Moroccan, but
not much in the way of history or culture. Take the local
bus for a few cents and go 2 or 3 villages North. The beaches
are much better there and there are no burglars at all.
- Amizmiz - With one of the largest
Berber souks in the High Atlas Mountains every Tuesday, Amizmiz
is a popular destination for travelers looking for a day trip
that is easily accessible (about an hour) from Marrakech.
- Asni - Starting point for treks into
the High Atlas Mountains.
- Casablanca - This modern city by
the sea is a starting point for visitors flying into the country.
If you have the time, both the historical medina and the contemporary
mosque (the second largest in the world) are well worth an
afternoon.
- Chefchaouen - A mountain town just
inland from Tangier full of white-washed winding alleys, blue
doors, and olive trees, Chefchaouen is clean as a postcard
and a welcome escape from Tangier reminding a Greek island.
- Essaouira - An ancient sea-side town
newly (re)discovered by tourists. From mid june to august
the beaches are packed but any other time and you'll be the
only person there. Good music and great people. Nearest Coast
from Marrakech.
Fez - Fez is the former capital of Morocco and one of the
oldest and largest medieval cities in the world.
- Marrakech - Marrakech is a perfect
combination of old and new Morocco. Plan to spend at least
a few days wandering the huge maze of souqs and ruins in the
medina. The great plaza of Djeema El Fna at dusk is not to
be missed.
- Meknes - A modern, laid back city
that offers welcome break from the tourist crush of neighbouring
Fez.
Midelt
- Ouarzazate - Considered the Capital
of the South, Ouarzazate is a great example of preservation
and tourism that hasn't destroyed the feel of a fantastic
and ancient city.
- Rabat - The capital of Morocco; very
relaxed and hassle-free, highlights include a 12th-century
tower and minaret.
- Rissani - This small oasis town lies
near the northwest edge of the Sahara.
- Tangier - Tangier is the starting
point for most visitors arriving by ferry from Spain. An enigmatic
charm which has historically attracted numerous artists (Matisse),
musicians (Hendrix), politicians (Churchill), writers (Burroughs)
and others (Malcolm Forbes)
Taza
- Tinerhir - This town is the perfect
point of access to the stunning Todra Gorge.
- Tetouan - Capital of the North of
Morocco, has very beautiful beaches and is the gateway to
the Rif Mountains.
Understand
Morocco's long struggle for independence from France ended in
1956. The internationalized city of Tangier was turned over to
the new country that same year. Morocco virtually annexed Western
Sahara during the late 1970s, but final resolution on the status
of the territory remains unresolved. Gradual political reforms
in the 1990s resulted in the establishment of a bicameral legislature
in 1997.
Languages
Moroccan Arabic is a dialect of Maghreb Arabic. The language is
fairly different from the Arabic traditionally spoken in the Middle
East and is also slightly influenced by French or Spanish, depending
on where in the country you are. This dialect is also related
to Spanish, as Spanish was heavily influenced by Arabic from Morocco
before the expulsion of 1492.
Berber, or the Amazigh Language, is spoken by Morocco's Berber
population in the mountainous regions of the north, where the
dialect is Tarifit, center, where the dialect is Tamazight, and
south of the country, where the dialect is Tachelheet.
Despite having freed itself from colonial rule, French is still
widely understood in Morocco, and it is the most useful non-Arabic
language to know.
Although you will find people who speak English and Spanish in
tourist centres, many of these will be touts and faux guides,
who may become a burden. Many shop owners and hotel managers in
urban centers also speak English.
Buy
Money
The local currency is the Moroccan dirham (Dh or MAD), which is
divided into 100 centimes (c).
?1 is worth Dh 16.16, US$1 is worth Dh 7.75 and
1 Euro is worth Dh 11.36 (as of 11 Nov 2007).
There are 5c, 10c, 20c, 50c, Dh 1, Dh 2, Dh 5, Dh
10 coins, although coins smaller than 20c are rarely seen these
days. Notes are available in denominations of Dh 10, Dh 20, Dh
50, Dh 100, and Dh 200.
Only local currency is officially accepted in Morocco,
although some hotels may accept your EUR/USD unofficially.
Money Exchange: It's forbidden to bring local currency
out of the country, so it's virtually impossible to obtain local
currency outside Morocco. Exchange rates are the same at all banks
and official exchanges, as required by law.
Don't expect to see many banks in the souqs or medinas,
but plenty of "helpful" people will exchange dollars
or euros for dirhams. Unofficial exchange on the streets outside
souqs or medinas doesn't seem to exist.
Besides banks and dedicated exchange offices, major
post offices provide exchange, and work until late hours. There
are several exchange offices in Casablanca airport.
ATMs can be found near tourist hotels and in the
modern ville nouvelle shopping districts. Make sure that the ATM
accepts foreign cards (look for the Maestro, Cirrus or Plus logos)
before you put your card in.
Try to have as much small change as possible and
keep larger bills hidden separately.
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