Morocco

[Risky Disco Dancer]

am heading to Morocco in early May for a week with 1 travelling companion, most likely based in Marrakesh

was wondering if anyone has been and has tips in that area re: nightlife, bars, dos/do nots - not sure we'll feel like tune 'digging' but any essential recomms welcome too

I saw a previous thread re: Rabat

http://195.238.232.184/~djhistory/forum/showthread.php?t=12805

but not sure we'll head to that area

I have this preconceived and extremely romantic image of narrow cobbled streets, Ingrid Bergman haggling at bazaars, idle camels, hubbly bubblys, cacophonous wailing at dawn, Madness flowerpot fez hats and jangling bellydancers - so please feel free to trash the stereotypes!

cheers :-D

[ole]

Ahh Morocco, it's much drier, dirtier and ruder than you probably expect, you get hassled at pretty much every opportunity.

Having said that Marrakech is impressive... if you can afford it stay in a riad in the old town/medina for a few nights, can recommend Dar Vedra, run by two Parisians:

http://www.darvedra.com/Riyad.htm

You will do what every tourist does and head to the Jemaa-el-Fna market where you'll eat yourself silly, and that's cool. If you decide to travel around the country a bit the roads are very good and it's definitely worth renting car and crossing the Atlas mountains south of Marrkech and go towards the dessert for a bit... If you decide to stay close to Marrkech you could try Essaouira for a night or two, in high season full of French tourists but off season very pretty and full of ace seafood restaurants...

If you decide to go as far as Tanger (also well worth a short visit) stay in this Riad: http://www.darnour.com/ the owner knows every restaurant and cultural event in the city, stuff you will never find on your own...

[ole]

And forgot to mention: great food is everywhere, when you drive around you can literally stop at any dirty gas station and still get decent, cheap tagines, so no reason at all to stop at resort style places... if you have enough of the standard fare towards the end of your stay, have a girlfriend/wife to impress and don't mind abusing your credit card for a top French restaurant try Le Pavillon (47 Derb Zaouia, Bab Doukkala, Marrakech)...

[iamrobd]

You'll be lucky to find anything to dig records wise in Marrakech RDD. I was there last December. If you are lucky, you might see some old Berber guys in Djeema-El-Fna who sell 7"s of 60's Berber music, but that is about it.

I would recommend Essaouira if you have time, its much more relaxed than Marrakech, which I found to be a bit full on and in your face. Essaoiura is more chilled and has a great music live scene. You can get a taxi there for around £60, and if you see a blue one, then they will be on their way there anyway, so it may be a little cheaper.

[Risky Disco Dancer]

thanks very much for the tips - all good stuff

:)

[DJ Alex]

I would of suggested the Essouiera Gnawa music festival but that falls in June. Splendid 3 day open air concert where local traditional Gnawa musicians play with other world reknown African musicians and european musicians. Essouiera can be reached by coach which is alot cheaper than the £60 cab. If you do go there, it's a little colder than Marrakech as it's by the coast but is very beautiful and impressive and a good getaway from the madness of downtown Marrakech, bargain and get a taxi from Marrakech to local coach company that leave for Essouiera it takes 3 hours by coach, much cheaper and a few nice stop offs during the way.

Fresh seafood as well, yum yum yum !.

Watch out for the ahem hustlers as well.

Peace Alex

[Raze]

nice tips :) am going for a week in March to Marrakech & Essouira.

good website for some cool riads....



www.hipmarrakech.com

[bean]

cant wait!!! :cool:

thanks 4 the info peeps!
cu in april disco.....;)

[jahcoozi]

so whats it like on the hash tip? have read stories about being invited in for a hookah or two then somehow finding you've bought a bale.

are the cops tight?

[iamrobd]

I got some from a really nice guy in a drum shop in Essaouira. He was really sweet, didn't try and push me to buy anything larger than what I asked for. It was quite expensive and not very good but then again I was a tourist, so what did I expect?

[Raze]

found a great shop in Essaouira... :)

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y3/bt1210/DSC01434.jpg

[Risky Disco Dancer]

haha

great pic, Raze

if you've got time to do a full write up on youe travels, would be very interested

heading to marrakesh on the 10th april

:)

[Raze]

ok here goes....


try cafe arabe for a beer in marrakech for a nice view over the city, don't eat there though, expensive & not great. you can google it but its in the souks just off main square.

any of the stalls in Jemaâ El Fna are great & v cheap. comedy banter from the locals as well. 'mister mister eat here, this is not just food - this is m&s food' : ) ok mate.

also worth sitting in one of the many cafes to watch the sunset with a Mint Tea.

the hassle to buy things wasn't as bad as i expected, especially if you're firm & polite. If you know any French it will come in very very useful.

we stayed here - very nice: www.riadamira.com

have a quick look around the new part of the city, but the medina is what its all about (for me anyway)

also spent a weekend in Essaouira, very nice and some great restaurants. You can also buy the catch of the day direct from the boats & little stalls in the square by the harbour. Try Le Patio or Restaurant Ferdaouss

its about 2.5 hrs drive from marrakech, very straight roads.

few pics.... enjoy!!

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y3/bt1210/square.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y3/bt1210/DSC01344.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y3/bt1210/DSC01306.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y3/bt1210/DSC01422.jpg

[Risky Disco Dancer]

cheers, nice pix!

very useful info

we're starting off at a place called 'Dar Tha Tha' in Rahba Kedima in Marrakesh - may be the street or district? spending 3 days at that guest house there, then moving on and using the time in each place to plan ahead.

well looking fwd to it now!

[Mr Hanson]

mixed experiences in Marrakesh - see my blog for the details - but managed to get a record store pic, in honour of this thread!

http://a352.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/127/l_8ba45b12f4d55568fe01780295b71c0f.jpg

:-D

[Quise]

If you have the time you should really try and visit Fez.

Marrakesh is great, but Fez is far more impressive, less touristy and less hastle too.

[Mr Hanson]

didn't have time in the end to go to Fez, unfortunately

Marrakech though, blimey!

Extraordinary city, culture, people - never experienced anything like it

monkeys, snakes, donkeys, touts, anarchic scooters, prayers reverberating around the city at 4am...

real shame I never got to taste the cascades in the atlas mountains or the beach but hey ho...