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?

I’ve never been to Morocco but DD2 and I are currently day 9 in and around Cairo visiting DD1 (on her uni year abroad here) and very much enjoying it.

Marrakesh is a place I would never go back to, agree with the OP, we were hassled every step of the way. Unpleasant for women visiting.

I hated Marrakech. Will never go back. I thought everything about it was awful, not just the horrible men.

I visited with said male and I am quite a long way from blonde and fair skinned. Spat
on (phlegm gobbed down me), had stones flicked at me, overcharged, grabbed- bloody awful. it was years back and someone told
me who went recently that the place has ‘transformed’ … sounds just the same
as what I remember!

Now there's an idea...!

Hated it. Was so excited to go but the constant hassling was next level. I was dressed modestly and with my husband but was still physically shoved into the road by an older man. Felt unsafe all the time and it’s the one place we both couldn’t wait to leave.

I went when I was 21 with mum. Yes the local men leered and harassed us a lot. Some were just very complimentary and offering my mum camels for me! Others were worse, one lad kept on groping my bum and wouldn't leave me alone. I must say Turkey was far worse for harassment and assault, the worst place I've been to for it. Also saw monkeys in chains, snake charmers, awful to see. It was Eid when we were there and the streets were full of slaughtered sheep i kid you not! It was such a culture shock, but the markets at night were amazing and the spices! It was a mixed bag. I wouldn't go again though now I'm a mother.

Would never go to Tunisia or Egypt for this reason! (And certain areas of Turkey) I’ve heard some awful stories about Egypt and Tunisia from friends which is a shame as both are beautiful countries. My friend isn’t blonde but she was accosted constantly in Egypt and felt up.

Can’t believe you are shocked

There's a lot of posters saying they avoid Muslim countries.
However, there's one unlike the countries being complained about.

Jordan is wonderful. A lot to see and do, & it seemed quite safe to me.
People are very friendly, most women still wear a hijab, but a lot of younger women don't.
We were only "hassled" by school children, politely introducing themselves and asking if they could practice their English with us. We were quite tickled to be addressed as Sir & Madam - even if it was sometimes the wrong way round.

We know what the culture and the law think about the human rights of women in most Islam-majority countries without secular liberal principles. Why on earth would I - or any woman who earns her own living, with money earned from the labour of the brain attached to her vagina-having body - spend that money in any country that barely recognises her status as human? It blows my mind.

It’s a total dump. I got food poisoning too. I’d never go back.

The airport was an eye-opener. Queuing? Unheard of. There was running and heaving and shoving - really horrible.

Agree with MrsDoyle when I was in Cairo I’d spent my hard earned money to come to a place full of people that basically hate me for just existing! No thanks! Not making that mistake again!

My daughter lived in Cairo on her own for over a year and loved it. She’s also lived in Turkey and Jordan for some time, and never experienced a problem in any of the three countries. Now that she’s moved to Germany, she and her husband have found it incredibly unwelcoming and racist.

Agree. Cairo is amazing. I loved it. Enjoy.😍
Sorry the op had a bad experience. I think with destinations such as Morocco and Egypt you just need to do a bit of research before visiting and lower your expectations. You also need to be accepeting that they are developing countries. I agree that some of the behaviour towards female travellers is unacceptable and their animal welfare track record is appalling. However, sadly wherever you visit in the world there will be customs we don't agree with. Thousands of people still visit Spain each year even though there are bullfights.

I went with my husband and we had to avoid eye contact in the souk as we got hassled to buy constantly. In fact, we completely avoided all the markets as it was so uncomfortable. As you say, the condition of the donkeys and monkeys is sickening. It's an ancient walled city which is horribly spoiled by air pollution and there is no concept of conservation of the surrounding countryside. We did love all the palaces and gardens we visited but I'd never go back.

She's found Germany racist? I know it's everywhere, but it does surprise me that it's so overt.

I hated it. I stayed in the Medina. I found that people who stayed outside the Medina tended to not hate it quite as much. The culture shock was insane, but it was the hassle from the men that did it and the mistreatment of animals. Would never go back

Why would you even go to a place with rampant misogyny etc? Beats me.

I loathed Marrakech. Rabat, on the other hand, was a revelation and I would go back in a heartbeat. You don't get hassled in the souks, and are instead free to wander and peruse. Art Deco architecture. The Citadel was incredible, nesting storks plus a huge cat colony. Also i had two of the best meals ever in a unmarked restaurant in the centre of the medina. Literally a door in the wall, which opened on to an open air restaurant. It was heavily scented with flowers, and had the most stunning Tuareg staff. Voile was draped to give a sense of privacy and in the corner were three musicians playing ancient instruments. It was magical. I fell in love with Rabat after being extremely stressed by Marrakech.

Agree with all you say - especially the push to pay for services you never requested!

It’s not something that bothers everyone. I accept that countries in North Africa and the Middle East have very different cultures to European countries, and it’s not my place to challenge or complain about how people want to live in those countries.

Well..try Fez or Tangier...even worse, we were spat on because didnt want to buy fake cd's, my blonde friend was called a jewish bitch...she isnt but irrelevant. it was horrifici hassle. got locked inside a carpet shop etc. vile awful bitter people. no hassle or issues in cairo or jordan with same friend. But we do have 2 hefty lesbian friends that visit morocco twice a year and love it and never have any issues, they are big ladies with tattoos and hefty silver jewellery and wear biker outfits !!

@MrsDoylesLastTeabag because we are cushioned here and don't realise just how bad it can be.

It's hard to believe these reports are in the modern world