Info for the Picky

Here are some facts about Morocco that you should know-before-you-go if you are picky or used to upper class hotels and travel:

• The plumbing sucks.  It is not easy to come across high pressure showers.  The water takes forever to drain in the sinks and showers.
• If you are going to a location with a medina (the walled-in city), you have to walk nearly everywhere as cars are not allowed in the medina, due to the small pedestrian streets.  For some things you may need to walk for up to 30 mins to get somewhere around the medina or just outside the medina.
• The place often smells bad due to the sewage system or donkeys.
• They don't use fabric softner, so your towels will be somewhat 'crispy' and if you have your clothes washed, they'll come back a little stiff.
• Garbage is often thrown into corners.
• Public toilets are tight, slightly unclean and won't have toilet tissue. Walk with your own.
• Taxis are small.
• They aren't always ready to answer your questions as soon as you ask it.  If they are doing something else for you, they'll ask you to wait before they move onto the next thing. For example, if they are putting your breakfast infront of you, or ushering you into your room, and you ask a question about where something is located, they'll tell you that they can answer that after.  It comes across as bossy, rude and dismissive, but perhaps they don't approach things the same way as us.  Often in our culture we do two things at once.
• People ride motorbikes down small, crowded alley ways. You are expected to yield to them.  Always keep your ear open for an approaching motorbike and just move over the side of the street.
• Shop keepers will nag you to come check out their shop.  They tell you that looking is free, but they'll pressure you and nag you to buy something.  Don't even open up the doors to this kind of interaction if you're not interested.