AIBU to think Marrakesh was far worse than I expected?

[LondonLass37]

I'm 40. I went to Marrakesh for a week with a female friend of the same age. Both white, both blonde. Just looking for some warmth, culture, and a proper break.

What I experienced was genuinely awful.

We were harassed constantly , not just persistent sellers, but followed, hissed at, and touched. A man spat at my feet because I wouldn't give him money for directions I never asked for. Later, a drunk local chased us through the medina. We had to hide in a shop for nearly half an hour.

The medina is filthy. In the markets, animal carcasses hang next to food. Live donkeys are visibly mistreated and beaten. I'm still upset about what I saw.

The food was bland and lukewarm. My friend got food poisoning.

I wanted mint tea and beautiful tiles. Instead I felt unsafe and miserable.

So – AIBU? Or is Marrakesh genuinely as terrible as I found it?

Similar to.my experience. In fact my friend (who fancies herself as an ace haggler) made it her mission to knock down an item in a leather shop with a very scary bloke. There was a cat and two kittens, who he had made a little bed for and was feeding with chicken. He said of course we look after them, if you dont have cats you have rats. But sadly this doesnt extend to dogs and donkeys.
We got lost and two guys demanded 50 euros for showing us back to our Riyadh. The manager shooed then off. The food was boring and bland. The Yves St Laurent museum was terrible. I got a chest infection from the fumes from mopeds. The leather is not great quality, its goat or sheep and absolutely stinks.
I've been, dont need to go again,

We had a terrible time in Marrakesh several years ago, it was truly awful & the worst holiday I have ever been on. We were 2 women, thought it would be a relaxing & interesting break but we were hassled all day long. Men following us around & shouting at us etc. We got lost in the medina trying to get away and I was genuinely scared. One man following us the whole time, waiting for us outside our hotel. I told the hotel owner & they told the men they would call the police & only then would they go away. We kept to the hotel after that, it was really unpleasant. I will never go back & never recommend it to anyone!

I wouldn't go to the.middle east for a gold clock

You can keep it

What did they have to say about it just out of interest

As a blonde child, I remember comments even in the Canary Islands when I was younger. A child.

I went to Tunisia when I was 17 and it was horrendous. Vile place. For that reason, as a lifelong natural blonde, I will never visit Turkiye, Tunisia, Morrocco, Egypt etc. Which is a shame as I find the true culture of such places fascinating.

Sorry you found this out the hard way, OP.

B

Sounds miserable. There's unfortunately a long list of places I'd never want to go, and this is on it. Never understood the desire to experience 'culture' when the culture in question is so very unpleasant!

Sorry - don’t know what happened to that post of mine above. Anyway. No, YANU to never want to step foot in a place like that again. It does not sound like a holiday. It sounds like a scary, week long version of an escape room.

I’m afraid I won’t even consider travel to any Muslim dominated country. Their religious laws are not compatible with Western ideology and this includes their treatment of women. Sorry if that sounds bad but it is what it is. Just a hard no from me. Too dangerous, too culturally different (and not in any good way,) and everyone I’ve known who has gone to Marrakesh has been very sick. Why risk it? Why not go somewhere where you know you’ll have a peaceful, relaxing break?

It was well over a decade ago so the details are a bit hazy, but I remember him saying that North African men basically believe that the streets of Western Europe are paved with gold, so nothing they could achieve at home could possibly secure them a better future than getting hitched to a woman from the West.

Obviously that doesn't explain all the harassing and leery behaviour, but it sheds a light on some of it.

I'm surprised too. I loved Malta and felt totally safe.

I went to Marrakesh years ago with a friend and we hated it. I would 100% not recommend it to anyone.

The only upside was they speak French which I can so I felt a bit safer being able to communicate in the local language and also understand what they were saying.

If you went when you were older I doubt you would have any issues. They mostly target younger women so over 50s and over 60s were left alone.

I went last month - we were 3 women. We had none of the problems you encountered. We had an amazing time. The medina was so interesting. Yes it is difficult to see the donkeys, snakes and monkeys, and yes they do display meat differently to UK supermarkets, but the point of travel is to experience different ways of life

Doesn't cruelty to animals bother you? I wouldn't go for that reason alone and I don't care if its their "culture".

Been to Marrakech a few times and loved it, would go again, any time. But OP has made valid points. It's not for everyone, esp if you have no experience of a similar culture. It's Africa, and tbf the majority of the continent is dire. And, fact, most of the world is dire, if its a tourist spot you're after. If you are faint-hearted but still want to go to Marrakech, then do it 5 star. Go around with a guide. It can be amazing and, that way, you'll have the mint tea, beautiful tiles experience.

I went with my boyfriend and we absolutely loved it! I am short, with curly dark hair and olive skin, I am universally ignored by most cultures as I just don’t stand out at all. My boyfriend is tall and ginger, with a big ginger beard. He got all the attention. The men were shouting ‘nice beard’ at him the whole week.

we had some really good street food but our restaurant experience was bad - apparently they are just for tourists. We stayed in a couple of lovely riads and the food was amazing and great value at those, so no reason to go anywhere else. I think it was the best holiday we’d ever had. Such a great mix of cultures. We did things like market tours, cookery classes, baking bread in the local oven etc, all arranged by our riad owners and all really good value.

I went with a female friend, both in our early forties. Didn't experience this at all. Obviously some attention from stalls in the Medina, but only your average tourist stuff. Stay s in a beautiful Riyadh (tiles and fountains). Had a great long weekend.

Makes no sense. They're not going to entice a woman into marriage by being offensive and harassing!
I thought it was just that there isn't respect for women and girls and they are perceived as having no right to bodily autonomy.

Don't get it .....................

I've been twice ,once twenty years ago and another time about 15 years ago
Both times were fine 95% of the time and no major hassle. Once in the main square someone shoved a toy jn my DD hand then tried to demand payment and the second time in essoruia I glanced for too long at a sunglasses seller !
However that's not bad for two trips and into the Medina etc.

Maybe things have changed ?
Id like to go back with older teens but some comments are putting me off.

I didn't experience the attitudes on here but it's making me think of the type of males who are being abusive to girls in the UK when they come off the boats.

I went years ago with my DD who was around 18 and we did get comments but on the whole it was fine and most people were very kind, friendly and helpful. We both enjoyed it there, though I did get food poisoning.

We went a few years ago and soon discovered that if you head for the French Quarter it is much nicer, no harassment and great fixed price shops.

Well no, I literally said, "Obviously that doesn't explain all the harassing and leery behaviour," but it explains why Moroccan men are so keen to get involved with women from the West, and the common romance scams that go on.

But yes, clearly there's a lack of respect as well. Although I'm not sure how much more of a lack of respect there is over there, or whether it's just expressed more explicitly. Personally I've had multiple experiences of supposedly well-educated, well brought up men (and not teenagers) not taking "no" for an answer and being quite coercive. Is that fundamentally any different in terms of attitude?

Yes, it does explain romance scams, although, as we've said, not harassment!
I suppose the boundary lies where women actually feel safe, or in danger, and if the police would support you if attacked. In other words, what does that country actually allow?

I know a woman in her 50’s who goes to Turkey every year for sex with young men. These young men pay for the hotel room, for a bunk up with her, and it’s multiple men.