Days 9-12: Morocco

I didn’t realize that Morocco is really the southernmost arm of France. If I’d known this before arriving, I might not have been so enthusiastic about my visit. The attitude, the smoking, the English (when spoken) in a French accent - I hate that. However, Morocco has many redeaming features. For example:


Fashion can be good. P.S. All the pics in this entry taken by Naser.

More on her later. As soon as I walked into the downtown Sheraton, I was greeted by Naser, who was in the downstairs lounge, finishing up some email and having a drink. I joined him and we caught up on what had passed since seeing each other in Dubai. After that I went to my room, took a well-deserved nap, then woke up and washed off the travel funk.

Back in the lounge I met up with Naser and several other people involved with the college fair – some reps from other schools and some working for the organizers (see pics). We took cabs to a bar/restaurant down by the Atlantic shore. Drinks and Moroccan eats followed. After filling my stomach I began succumbing to jet-lag once again, nodding off at the table. I resorted to Red Bull. However, what really woke me up was the beginning of the fashion show (refer to above picture). Wow. That girl was just one of several very attractive ladies slinking down the makeshift catwalk. I was told they were not all Moroccan though. At least one or two were Russian immigrants. The distinction was lost on me.


Naser, myself, and our Turkish harem

After dinner and the show we returned to the hotel and decided to try out the club on the lower level. For a hotel venue, it was actually quite good, got packed around midnight. It also was filled with many attractive ladies. I was told that most of them were probably on the clock. This, combined with their dark complexion, the Latin music that was playing, and a few more beers – I could be excused for having déjà vu and thinking I was back in Costa Rica. Naser and I ended up being the last ones to leave, and we were left to take care of the tab. It was about $200. Seems drinks in this joint, be they beer or water, were about $13 a pop. Ouch.

The fair began the next day. After India, I felt like this would be a cakewalk. I was very, very mistaken. I now have some inkling of what the beaches of Normandy felt like after D-Day, for we were stormed and bombarded. I brought two boxes of materials to distribute over two days. Most of the first box was gone in two hours. After that, I began to horde. Thank God I was able to take a break when it was my turn to give an info session on my school in the lecture hall. That’s how bad it was. I preferred to speak publicly to a bunch of Gaullists.


One of the event organizers


Hasan, from Valencia and Beirut

On this evening all the exhibitors were treated to a traditional Moroccan feast. Platter after platter of food. Beat, I again began to doze off. I was revived when the belly-dancers intervened. Afterwards it was to the club again, but this time we were much more conservative in our drink ordering, considering the prices.

On day two of the college fair I was able to control the flow of people and information much better, though it was just as busy. More giggling girls came by who had suddenly found an interest in my university.





Largest mosque in Africa, maybe the world. I can't remember.



Streets of the old market

I might have to come back to Casablanca on vacation sometime.

Night three, we went to Rick’s Café, the obligatory mock-up of the establishment of Casablanca movie fame. Food was actually pretty good. I started to doze off, yet again. This was my cue to call it quits and catch a cab, as I had to get up at 5am to catch my flight out. Too bad, because Naser and the rest were going to blow it out for the final night. I said my goodbyes and made my exit.


Now those are palm trees