Morocco will always invoke the most exotic and wonderful memories for me.
1. CATS. Cats everywhere. Cats in the street, in alleyways, wandering around terraces, restaurants and cafes. Surprisingly, the cats do not seem overly hungry or malnourished in any way and are treated with respect and tolerance everywhere. The nicest thing I witnessed was an old street cleaning man, who, after spotting a tiny kitten in an alleyway, went off and brought him back a little saucer of milk.
2. CHANGE. Money. There is much reluctance to give change in shops and market stalls. No-one seems to have any bloody change anywhere! Sometimes I think the vendor is hoping that the customer will say, don't worry about it, and leave. But most of the time I think there is someone in Morocco who is sitting on billions of coins and not sharing them.
3. SUGAR. Moroccans love their sugar! The green mint tea is delicious, but I learned to ask for it 'sans sucre' (without sugar). Much more palatable that way. The sweet pastries for dessert were also very tasty but very, very sweet. Is it any wonder so many people there are missing teeth??
4. PRAYER CALLS. Five times a day you hear this awesome Muslim wailing music blasting throughout the town's many loudspeakers, calling people to prayer. If you are out and about during this time, you notice a lot of men rolling out prayer rugs in their market stalls or even on the streets.
5. GREEN MINT TEA. Loving the green mint tea! Except for the high sugar content, it is delicious and refreshing and a huge part of Moroccan culture. Nothing better than to sit at a cafe, people watching, and sipping green mint tea out of a small glass, poured from a silver engraved teapot. Bliss!
Morocco was a fascinating place to visit. The grand mosques, the intricate plaster and wood carvings, the tiny mosaic tiling, elaborate wrought iron window grilles and fences, just lovely. The people are friendly, and I was happy that my (although limited) French came in handy. One thing I did miss was ICE in my drinks! the drinks are not that cool, and no ice is available (but since I was not drinking the water, ice would have been wasted on me anyway).
