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 had similar expierence and I went with Dh.
Also constant asking for money by groups of kids when we were in the Atlas mountains. On one occasion our car was surrounded and they refused to leave and were banging on the doors. They all.looked to be under 11 and as daft as it aou ds to be scared of young kids it was frightening.

I ended up telling them to shut otherwise I'd run them over. Of course I wouldn't but with 8 people banging on a rental car because you wouldn't give them money extreme words were needed.
I swore I'd never go to Morocco again but I've been 4 times since to different places and its a lovely place.

Actually, no. I know plenty of people who have done exactly this.

I had a similar awful experience in Marrakesh in very similar situation with a female friend. We got locked in places til we bought something, touched /hugged without asking. I really wanted to love it but it was awful. I sadly think it’s a place you either need a man to travel with, or you need to stay out of the medina etc. and stay in tourist only areas.

The place I got the most hassle was Israel when I was about 15 (a few years ago, 1990, but still). A boy grabbed my leg and nearly followed me onto the coach!

I agree. It's the touristy bits that are the worst.

That was your experience so, it's fair enough. I went in 2013 as a student with two female friends. Two of us olive skin and dark hair (one of us part Tunisian), one tall German with light brown hair. Stayed in a cheap hostel and went round the souks and a hammam.

We had a great time but actually thinking about it, we were sunbathing on the roof of the hostel in bikinis and realised there was an adult man and teenage boy stood staring at us from a roof across the street. We told one of the men who ran our hostel who was appalled and went and had a massive go at them in person.

We did have to be careful not to be ripped off eating in the main square (we wrote what we ordered on the paper tablecloth after seeing someone nearby being told they'd ordered a whole meal that they hadn't and being told to pay for it) and we got ripped off our first day there buying black soap because we hadn't yet understood the conversion rate for the currency. But otherwise loved the food, met amazing friendly people and had a great time.

I had family who went out . Mum Dad son, 2 daughters, maybe 14 and 16. After the first few days the dad HAD to go out everytime because the girls (and also mum)were harassed so much. On one day the girls were just ahead and 2 shop owners tried to hustle them into the shop, and even though they were objecting they only stepped back when Dad actually caught up.with them.
They loved the hotel, staff, landscape beauty etc but would never ever go back.

We travel to Morocco regularly but always to Essouira which is amazing. Relaxed, friendly, great food and interesting things to do and see. Marrakesh is completely different - I've been a couple of times and wouldn't stay for more than a week-end.

I hated Istanbul. Beautiful city but the cultural differences were just too much. We were three young women together on a tour trip and we got followed, stared at wherever we went. There were hardly any women visible and there were very young children with babies begging on the street etc. It was not safe to go out after dark by ourselves. Would never go back.

Cat poo everywhere and men pissing on the walls in the centre of Marrakesh- it stank. BoyF and I got followed by a man who decided to take it on himself to give us directions when we hadn’t asked for any and weren’t lost, then wanted money. Stayed in a roof top bar for 3 hours until he went away

“I've been there 4 times & never remotely experienced what you describe. In fact, as per what you will also read in guide books, I have found the local men look out for you & if they even begin to think someone is giving unwanted attention (one teenage boy on our first trip & a group of kids on our last trip) they will shout at them & send them scurrying off.”

Slightly contradictory.

I hated it

I would never go back, they really hate women and it was dirty

My favourite city and have travelled widely around the country and am really sad that you had such a bad experience.
Love the food even at the hawker stalls and always found the people friendly.

Sounds dreadful, OP! What an experience! Am off to Tangier in a few weeks and I fervently hope not to be accosted by awful men. Am very visibly in the throes of no fucks to give menopause so hopefully they'll leave me alone.

Like everywhere, experiences vary.

I went there last year with my 4 year old. It was actually much less hassley than I expected. There was only one man who upset us (because he took DC's toy and then wouldn't give it back as a "joke"). Everyone else, male and female, was actually lovely to us and very kind and generous to DC.

Maybe it helped having a child in tow! I'm also brunette and dressed extremely modestly, which I always do in sunny places anyway to avoid sunburn.

I didn't like the snakes and monkeys but just kept away from them.

Didn’t you enjoy the YSL museum? Mint tea on roof top balconies? A hammam experience? There are lots of incredible bakeries etc.. I loved the souk ..as I know what I want to pay. Didn’t see the animals you did .spices, lanterns, carved boxes and hand made tiles. We were hit by the money for directions thing once. Visited the local 5 star..which is famous. I think you just need to research and re be ready. We had a lovely taxi driver who was wonderful and the hotel staff too. Did you try speaking to your hotel for help?

I’m glad you had a positive experience.

However it is incredibly naive - and also somewhat insulting - to suggest that all it takes to deal with aggressive men is a firm and respectful attitude.

I’m sure women the world over who have been raped or sexually assaulted wish they’d known it was as easy as just having the right attitude.

It's not a safe place for western tourists. Particularly horrific for women. Yes I did cover up and I loved the Majorelle gardens. I drew the line at men leering at the 11 year old daughter. Just vile. Can't believe we're importing this culture into the UK too.

Went to Morocco- - 5* hotel, very careful of what we ate/drank, travelled world wide prior to this visit too. Got a really, really bad case of food poisoning - when back in UK a pharmacist wouldn’t give me anything once she heard I’d been to Morocco and referred me to GP immediately.
GP wrote in massive letters on my sample form …. MOROCCO!!
Needless to say I’m not going back again.

Marrakech has some lovely parts but the big square isn't one of them, and the treatment of animals there is grim. There are far nicer places to go in Morocco with nice people.

Morocco is cheap for a reason. The place is dirty with very questionable cultural attitudes towards women.

OP if you want to go somewhere really cultural, great food and super friendly people, then I suggest Oman (once that nutter Trump has ceased his pointless war).

I have traveled extensively and generally now stay away from places like Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt, Turkey etc.

Of course it’s safe for western tourists! 🤣🤣🤣

Went on a day trip years ago from Spain. Was with male friend but as blonde I got hassled a little bit. Him being with me put them off.

In my French A level class in 90s I spoke to a Tunisian girl there who encouraged me to go to Tunisia with her, I did. It was fine. Before I went I recall her telling me you can wear shorts, vest tops and eat ice cream. Maybe it’s cos she was Tunisian that we weren’t bothered.

'I wanted mint tea and beautiful tiles.' - This is a major city in a complicated region, with lots of poverty and want. It's not set up to provide pleasant Instagram snaps for spoiled white women. If you don't understand that Islamic cultures are sexist and Western women wandering about unaccompanied are going to be somewhat prey for local men who are from a sexist culture then what are you doing travelling there? I went at 22 and already knew what it would be like. Went back with my child and husband recently and no, it isn't a sanitised haven, but also if you want to travel for that, go to a 5* luxury resort in Greece and book transfers to and from the airport so that real life doesn't impinge on your fantasy.

You went to an actual real place, not an all-inclusive resort.