In defense of Rabat

After days in Marrakech fighting insistent snake charmers and monkey trainers, seeking shade from a merciless sun and gorging ourselves on cous cous, tagine and ice cream, we are in Rabat; Morocco's capital.

For anyone coming to Morocco (and smarter than we are) - this is probably the best place to start out on a first trip. Rabat is cool and laid back - but at the same time very orderly as it is the administrative center of Morocco. It seems a bit overlooked, as there are not many tourists here, but after the intensity of Marrakech this is great because the merchants aren't as aggressive and you let your guard down a bit. The best thing about Rabat is that it gives you a better understanding of Morocco - its not as much of a culture shock so you are able to see the subtle similarities and differences between the realities of these two cities.

We wandered around the old town for a bit - through souks that played reggae music from Sean Paul as opposed to the Moroccan pop music we heard in Marrakech. We visited the Andalucian gardens which were cool and beautifully manicured; we toured the kasbah and the roman ruins (Chellah); we wandered streets with whitewashed houses accented with blue paint; and peered over the walls of the kasbah to the sea where, apparently only men assemble to swim and sunbathe.


Andalusian Garden in the Kasbah


View of the Chellah


Nick with a Moroccan guard of the Hassan Tower & Mohammed V Mausoleum


Danielle in the Kasbah

We had dinner with Isam, (a Moroccan friend who Dani met years ago in NYC), at an excellent sushi restaurant. The idea of sushi in Morocco was a little scary after all the warnings about travelers diarrhoea, but given that we've both had sushi in Trinidad, which can't have a much better image in the minds of rich Westerners and Europeans - Moroccan sushi seemed fine. Anyways we did not get sick - and the food was terriffic - and very authentic according to Isam who's lived in Japan for about 6 years.

We're sad to be leaving Rabat after only one night. In some ways it is even more intriguing than Marrakech. Marrakech is - (cringe at the word) - "exotic." But you are also conscious that this "exotic" nature is partly construed. Why would some man hang out in a square and charm snakes or play with monkeys, in exchange for money except to amuse tourists? There seems to be an unspoken acknowledgement from both tourists and locals about the nature of this "exotic" scenario but everyone gets caught up in it anyways. In Marrakech the intrigue lies in the ways the authenticity sneaks up on you when you least expect it. Young teenaged couples socializing openly in city parks, lavish Riads that hide behind the delapidated facades of old medina buildings, internet cafes housed in buildings in poorly lit rooms that are in need of renovation.

Rabat, on the other hand is where you see a more honest portrayal of the interactions between ancient and modern; and rich and poor. People are less self conscious of the parade that is staged in order to keep the tourism industry alive, people are less inclined to ask you for some money in exchange for their kindness. People seem far less conscious of the importance of tourism to Morocco...but then who are we to say? We're only here for one day.