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?

What do you mean, you "don't suffer fools gladly"? I'm sure most of us don't. Sadly it doesn't stop male harassment and assault.

Morocco is a mixed bag. We were told Women over 45 are old so clearly not of interest from a male attention POV. But it’s still an undeveloped country grappling
with its culture and their impression of the western ways of female tourists.

I had a similar experience in Istanbul years ago. I was travelling with a female friend. We felt much more comfortable when we travelled more rurally within Turkey afterwards, it seemed to be something about the city itself. We were dressed modestly and noted some women wearing less (no judgment, just showing shoulders / vest tops and shorts) who got no grief at all, but they were with male companions.

We loved Marrakech, and neither young adult dd nor I experienced any hassle from the men, even when we were walking around alone or together without DH. They did try to sell us stuff, of course, but it was all in good humour and we didn't feel pressured.

If I'm honest, I was a little bit disappointed with the food...we had some nice meals but the options were somewhat limited for us as vegetarians.

We would happily go again though!

We had a man in his fifties putting his arm
around my 16 year daughter and chatting her up. We were on a tour from a cruise and the tour guide took the group to a basement shop of his friend on the tour and made us sit while they tried to sell us oils and massages. A man from Liverpool had to chase the shopkeeper to get his change. We were constantly hassled by small children of about four years old begging in the street. I would not go back there.

After what I experienced in Cairo in my twenties I vowed never to visit North Africa again never have never will. Grim.

Dd aged 18 with female friend travelled independently around Central America with zero hassle. Same with me at that age. But not North Africa - unless you’re a man then it’s fine 🙄

That's a pretty sweeping statement, and doesn't align with my own experience at all.

Both sweeping, and accurate.

Because it isn't. Marrakech is horrid. We found the rest of Morocco much better.

No. Inaccurate and racist.

Also what purpose is served by saying “well I wasn’t hassled”. Are you insinuating those of us that were were at fault?

We were modestly dressed but were two unaccompanied young women which was clearly not acceptable to the men there.

The episode of Ab Fab where they are in the soul 😂 Edina

Similar experiences as a woman in Tunisia and Gambia have sadly put me off travel to any Muslim majority country.

I am sure there are wonderfully hospitable people living all across the globe, however cultures and customs differ wildly. Some people love to experience this on holiday, I want to feel welcone, safe and relaxed.

Been to Marrakesh and the whole of Egypt and love them both.

Stayed in a lovely riad.

Met a guy who had a stall outside and an art gallery upstairs. Went up there and we were smoking hashish.

Had to laugh cos they only did breakfast on the roof terrace and a Belgian guy was smoking hash during breakfast - he had to finish it, he'd done a tour of Morocco.

Took him to meet my mate, had a lovely time. The mate had been married to an Australian woman and they travelled all over North Africa together.
Been to Essaouera (sp!) too, lovely place. Did you know Jimi Hendrix lived there for a while.

Was in M. solo and never got bothered but then I'm late 60's.

Are you saying that all the women who get assaulted and harassed do suffer fools gladly so it's their own fault?

They just want to have the usual MN dig at how terrible Britain is. Yawn.

You do know though that some will consider Western women wearing an abaya etc is an insult to them ?

Yes, very true. Also, older women are not regarded as sexually available, so the older women on here who weren't bothered is because of that.

What is the rest of Morocco like? For a small independent group?

In your opinion. Not mine.

After an initial culture shock, I had a great time in Marrakesh, Essaouira and the Sahara when I went about 15 years ago. I was with DH so not much hassle and also dressed as I usually do on hols (shorts, vest tops, minidresses) without an issue.

That said, I made a decision while there not to go to any developing countries or countries with very high levels of poverty again on holiday. I don't feel comfortable with what the tourism industry does to locals and how relying on tourism to the exclusion of all other industries creates cycles of dependence and exacerbates poverty.

Don't go to the Medina; it is the most rundown part of the city, and high pressure sales tactics and repercussions for refusal are the norm. Approach Marrakech as the French do: as a winter sun type destination where you eat well, have some time by the pool, and stay the hell away from the old city.

So weird I was just saying to my DH the only place I have ever visited and hated was Marrakesh.