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My 6 year old Huey told me that he wants to write a book called, Mozart Sees the World. Ha ha!!
That is too cute Kerry!! I am so glad that you and your children are enjoying the blog. Wait until I get the pics of Morocco up, they are amazing and still can not capture the thrill of a kid feeding a camel or going into the desert with a big rainbow.
That is right we got a big rainbow as we entered the Sahara ...a very rare treat indeed. It felt like magic.
So hang in there it is coming.
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Considering the hospitality and deference shown to foreign visitors by Moroccans, something one notices the lack of when visiting western countries,
You are right chanol the people in Morocco are wonderful, so warm and giving,but I was not saying civilization tongue in cheek.
For an American, it is a very harsh country. Not because of the sweet people or all the beauty and wonderful creativity and color. The poverty and filth is overwhelming at moments.
Most of the people in the villages that we met, do not even have running water ( but they do have satellites!) and live with almost nothing and on earth floors.There is beauty in that too,but it ups ones chances for spreading disease.
My goodness I have a picture of a decapitated goat head that was just laying in front of the butchers right on the street in some town we stopped for lunch. Donkey and camel doo doo are everywhere and flies abound even in the nicest places and cities. Walking in Fez Medina is a mind field of dodging filth above and below while trying not to be run over by an overloaded donkey.
Like my image of India , it is a land of great contrast.I was shocked by the life of the every day Moroccan and saddened by thier lives in many ways.I always have some conflict when there is such a difference in lifestyle with the visitors ( myself included) or owners of the beautiful , luxurious riads and the sweet but poor people that serve in them.
Of course, one can get sick any where,but things like dysentary is much more common in Morocco than other ( European) countries. Plenty of people eat everything in Morocco ( even tap water) without getting sick, but I know of too many that got very ill,so we were very cautious.It gets tiring being on guard that much.
It was nice to be back in an area where one did not have to work so hard. I find Spain exotic too,but felt an immediate difference as soon as we arrived. It really was just the same as when I left Russia and we went into Finland. It is like night and day and so much less chaotic.
Even at the airport, there was a cat fight!! Two scraggly cats who obviously roam free there like so many places in Morocco, just got into a big fight while we all waited and waited and waited for our flight.
I use to fly for TWA so I have flown all over the world and must say cats and a cat fight was a first for me.
The 2nd class train in Spain is MUCH better than first class in Morocco ( altho first class was not bad at all..the bathrooms were disgusting).
The food is good in Morocco, some of it fantastic, but one always worries just a little if one will get sick or not. I felt a little queasy the whole time I was there and it is nice not to have to worry about germs left and right.
I think it is less hard for Europeans than for Americans, ( especially if they speak French which helps tremendously) as they are used to some of the crazy driving and narrow alleys and such and old, old things.But even several people we met from the UK found it a harsh country.
It is a wonderful, exotic country,but it is pretty wild,especially if you bring a young child. We toured with grand taxi's a lot and they are frightening themselves especially knowing thier high crash rates. It was raining and foggy as we swerved around endless curves with people on donkeys and bicycles blocking the road and everyone going too fast.
I brought a special vest to keep my child safe,but most Taxi's have NO SEATBELTS !! We went over the gorgeous Atlas mountains with breaks squeaking and grinding all the way and no seatbelt to be found. They usually travel with 4 passengers in the back and two up front with the driver. The drives were agony for us and I can not even imagine being that squashed.
So yes, there are different ways to define civilized. It some ways Morocco and its beautiful ancient people are more civilized,but for someone who is more accustomed to life in the first world and who has a young child traveling with them, Europe tends to be easier.Thus more civilized in that way.
One of the things that makes Morocco great ( 10 days feels like months) is the utter and complete foreigness ( is that a word?),but it is also what makes it nice to leave.
It was easier in many ways than I expected,but it was also harder in some ways. The chaos,noise and attack of the senses makes just staying in a luxurious riad viewing it from a distance very tempting at moments.I understand why many from Europe just fly in for a short or long weekend.
My impressions are just my impressions and I am sure everyones will be different. I know you have long experience in Fez which certainly will give you a much different perspective than mine.
It is a wonderful country and beautiful people but it definitely exotic travel.
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