| Marrakech 08:51 - Apr 10 with 5602 views | BrianMcCarthy |
Long shot, but this board has never failed us yet!
Going with a few friends to climb Toubkal in mid-May and will be staying on for a few days to explore the Town and places around.
Any recs on accommodation?
Or things to see?
Thanks as ever. |  |
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| Marrakech on 21:58 - May 5 with 1394 views | BlackCrowe |
| Marrakech on 14:12 - May 5 by BrianMcCarthy |
Just wanted to say thanks to you all for the help. We're off next Friday and staying for 6 days and then getting the train and ferry up to Spain do a week of the Camino.
Boston - thanks to you too, sincerely. I was aware of the Western Sahara conflict vaguely but had forgotten it and the rest of your post was news to me. Once I read up more on it all, I really did consider cancelling. I may regret not doing so. I'll report back.
Thanks everyone. |
You won't regret not cancelling. You'll have a fine time...amazing country, light, smells, sounds, food and people. Look forward to the 'just back' report BMc |  |
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| Marrakech on 22:26 - May 5 with 1358 views | ted_hendrix |
| Marrakech on 14:12 - May 5 by BrianMcCarthy |
Just wanted to say thanks to you all for the help. We're off next Friday and staying for 6 days and then getting the train and ferry up to Spain do a week of the Camino.
Boston - thanks to you too, sincerely. I was aware of the Western Sahara conflict vaguely but had forgotten it and the rest of your post was news to me. Once I read up more on it all, I really did consider cancelling. I may regret not doing so. I'll report back.
Thanks everyone. |
Hi Brian, re the Camino I take it your talking about the pilgrimage?
Mrs Ted and her Sister are currently over there doing they're third pilgrimage (189 miles), tonight they reached León in the North West of Spain, I'm picking them up next Tuesday from Stanstead when they fly back.
They are hoping/planning to go back late this Summer to complete the last walk and finishing point the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela.
I believe/understand that the majority of hotels/hostels are fully booked at the moment.
Have a good un Mate.
Hail Mary etcetera,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, |  |
| My Father had a profound influence on me, he was a lunatic. |
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| Marrakech on 00:09 - May 6 with 1289 views | CliveWilsonSaid |
I visited Morocco about 10 years ago. Flew into Marrakech and trucked off to the Atlas mountains and the semi-desert/desert for a 5 day cycle tour where I made some long lasting friends. Then back to Marrakech for a couple of nights.
Main memory of Marrakech is the Donkeys and the other animals. The souk is great and the whole place is full of life and colour. I didn't think that much of the main square but I was there in February and it was cold at night and at the beginning and end of the day. The roads are not great if you're on foot so take care. Plenty of food options in Marrakech but rural areas are very different and needs good planning.
Enjoy! [Post edited 6 May 2022 0:11]
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| Marrakech on 00:15 - May 6 with 1272 views | JimmyR |
Mechoui Alley For the lamb - they roast them whole in a big pit. Black toffee is opium not hash! I was a big fan of the mint tea [Post edited 6 May 2022 0:19]
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| Marrakech on 08:29 - May 6 with 1158 views | BrianMcCarthy |
| Marrakech on 22:26 - May 5 by ted_hendrix |
Hi Brian, re the Camino I take it your talking about the pilgrimage?
Mrs Ted and her Sister are currently over there doing they're third pilgrimage (189 miles), tonight they reached León in the North West of Spain, I'm picking them up next Tuesday from Stanstead when they fly back.
They are hoping/planning to go back late this Summer to complete the last walk and finishing point the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela.
I believe/understand that the majority of hotels/hostels are fully booked at the moment.
Have a good un Mate.
Hail Mary etcetera,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, |
Hi Ted,
Yes, a few of us are doing the Northern route - Bilbao to Santander. Found it hard to get digs alright, but managed to book in the end for each night. This will be my second stretch, having done some of the French leg a few years back (very mountainy and a great hike).
Bilbao to Santander is very flat but nice coastal views so looking forward to that.
I'm not at all religious but it's a nice week, fairly healthy and nice food and drink thrown in. | |
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| Marrakech on 02:20 - Jun 7 with 950 views | BrianMcCarthy |
| Marrakech on 01:35 - Apr 11 by Boston |
...and of course, while you're there, you shall be endorsing the politics of a country where homosexuality is illegal and the stoning to death of such, while not on the books, happens on a regular basis. Then there's the added bonus, for some, of an occupation of a neighbouring country where the dirt-poor inhabitants are machine gunned down because they're of a darker skin tone.
Look forward to your post card. |
Well, we're back.
I have to say that your post more or less ruined any chance I had of enjoying my trip. And I have to say you were right.
I deserved no more for my poor planning. We climbed Mount Toubkal where the guides chatted freely about the Western Saharan occupation. Getting to the summit was an empty feeling, being honest. It wasn't a summit they were proud of themselves.
Then we went back to Marrakech for a few days where the people were so utterly lovely and (they said) increasingly enlightened. But the poverty and subjugation was evident when we went even a few alleys away from the beaten track.
Then the long and beautiful train ride, north through Casablanca, north through Tangiers, both so lovely, prosperity increasing with every kilometre, with every raindrop, just reinforced the feeling that our tips in the South were reinforcing the status quo, not subverting it.
I don't know, Boston. As a White Male Northern European born in 1970 I don't suppose I could be more statistically, historically, fugging lucky. But you try and visit other places, and learn, and talk, and listen, and laugh and just empathise. You try to be humble.
This one felt wrong from the off.
I went, I was chastened. It was a mistake. | |
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| Marrakech on 07:43 - Jun 7 with 840 views | distortR |
| Marrakech on 02:20 - Jun 7 by BrianMcCarthy |
Well, we're back.
I have to say that your post more or less ruined any chance I had of enjoying my trip. And I have to say you were right.
I deserved no more for my poor planning. We climbed Mount Toubkal where the guides chatted freely about the Western Saharan occupation. Getting to the summit was an empty feeling, being honest. It wasn't a summit they were proud of themselves.
Then we went back to Marrakech for a few days where the people were so utterly lovely and (they said) increasingly enlightened. But the poverty and subjugation was evident when we went even a few alleys away from the beaten track.
Then the long and beautiful train ride, north through Casablanca, north through Tangiers, both so lovely, prosperity increasing with every kilometre, with every raindrop, just reinforced the feeling that our tips in the South were reinforcing the status quo, not subverting it.
I don't know, Boston. As a White Male Northern European born in 1970 I don't suppose I could be more statistically, historically, fugging lucky. But you try and visit other places, and learn, and talk, and listen, and laugh and just empathise. You try to be humble.
This one felt wrong from the off.
I went, I was chastened. It was a mistake. |
Aw mate, you're too good a person.
Anyway, Isle of Man next year?
But probably not in TT week, there's some moral ambiguities there...... | | | |
| Marrakech on 08:43 - Jun 7 with 769 views | joe90 |
| Marrakech on 02:20 - Jun 7 by BrianMcCarthy |
Well, we're back.
I have to say that your post more or less ruined any chance I had of enjoying my trip. And I have to say you were right.
I deserved no more for my poor planning. We climbed Mount Toubkal where the guides chatted freely about the Western Saharan occupation. Getting to the summit was an empty feeling, being honest. It wasn't a summit they were proud of themselves.
Then we went back to Marrakech for a few days where the people were so utterly lovely and (they said) increasingly enlightened. But the poverty and subjugation was evident when we went even a few alleys away from the beaten track.
Then the long and beautiful train ride, north through Casablanca, north through Tangiers, both so lovely, prosperity increasing with every kilometre, with every raindrop, just reinforced the feeling that our tips in the South were reinforcing the status quo, not subverting it.
I don't know, Boston. As a White Male Northern European born in 1970 I don't suppose I could be more statistically, historically, fugging lucky. But you try and visit other places, and learn, and talk, and listen, and laugh and just empathise. You try to be humble.
This one felt wrong from the off.
I went, I was chastened. It was a mistake. |
I wouldn't be so hard on yourself.
If you take that attitude you can right-off most countries in the world. Australia, forget about it. New Zealand no way, India, are you having a laugh? Anywhere in Africa...practice your Spanish in Latin America? Latin? Spanish? Huh?
There's a right and wrong way to visit a country and doing so isn't an endorsement of the politics or incumbent regime. |  | | |
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| Marrakech on 09:10 - Jun 7 with 736 views | BklynRanger |
I'm sad to read that Brian. I'd say first that everyone is completely entitled to form their own opinion about a country having visited, so no problem there.
It's just that any visit to that part of the world means being surrounded by so many layers of culture and meaning - I don't think we can really get a proper grasp of it from a few days or weeks research in advance. The problem with homosexuality - across swathes of Africa and other countries - is obviously a blight. And that dispute in the Western Sahara reads to me as complex and probably pretty painful. Then you've got the inequality which can be hard to look at at times - all noted.
I think I just shy away from we, as these white northern Europeans, going into these cultures and places with too much of a preconception - I don't think it does a country justice. There's also the risk of outright hypocrisy - Boston raised those valid concerns but his adopted homeland has a different but pretty extensive list of violations of human rights, rampant inequality and the rest - and I say that as someone with this username.
I feel like urging you to have another go from a more inductive stance (if that's not too pretentious a term, it probably is) but it sounds like you're not quite up for it and I'm in no position to offer a refund : ) |  | | |
| Marrakech on 09:47 - Jun 7 with 688 views | BrianMcCarthy |
| Marrakech on 09:10 - Jun 7 by BklynRanger |
I'm sad to read that Brian. I'd say first that everyone is completely entitled to form their own opinion about a country having visited, so no problem there.
It's just that any visit to that part of the world means being surrounded by so many layers of culture and meaning - I don't think we can really get a proper grasp of it from a few days or weeks research in advance. The problem with homosexuality - across swathes of Africa and other countries - is obviously a blight. And that dispute in the Western Sahara reads to me as complex and probably pretty painful. Then you've got the inequality which can be hard to look at at times - all noted.
I think I just shy away from we, as these white northern Europeans, going into these cultures and places with too much of a preconception - I don't think it does a country justice. There's also the risk of outright hypocrisy - Boston raised those valid concerns but his adopted homeland has a different but pretty extensive list of violations of human rights, rampant inequality and the rest - and I say that as someone with this username.
I feel like urging you to have another go from a more inductive stance (if that's not too pretentious a term, it probably is) but it sounds like you're not quite up for it and I'm in no position to offer a refund : ) |
I think that’s all very valid, Bkln, as ever with your posts.
The problem I have is that I’ve refused to travel to the U.S. these last few years yet I went to Morocco. There’s a contradiction there at best, an hypocrisy at worst.
I’m glad I went in one way, and enjoyed chats with and learning from the locals. But, overall, I just feel like my tourist dollars propped up a regime that is dubious to say the least.
Still, lesson learned, and it won’t stop me travelling.
Edit. Spell check. [Post edited 7 Jun 2022 10:20]
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| Marrakech on 10:19 - Jun 7 with 648 views | GloryHunter |
| Marrakech on 09:47 - Jun 7 by BrianMcCarthy |
I think that’s all very valid, Bkln, as ever with your posts.
The problem I have is that I’ve refused to travel to the U.S. these last few years yet I went to Morocco. There’s a contradiction there at best, an hypocrisy at worst.
I’m glad I went in one way, and enjoyed chats with and learning from the locals. But, overall, I just feel like my tourist dollars propped up a regime that is dubious to say the least.
Still, lesson learned, and it won’t stop me travelling.
Edit. Spell check. [Post edited 7 Jun 2022 10:20]
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I just feel like my tourist dollars propped up a regime that is dubious to say the least
Nice little trip to Qatar for the World Cup, anyone? |  | | |
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