These are the observations we noted throughout our time in Morocco:

• After a little over nine weeks of exploring the country, we feel like we accomplished our goal of gaining a general understanding of the culture.
• The capital is Rabat. 
• The land size is a little bigger than California with approximately 1 million less people than California.  The terrain has similarities to the United States – deserts, mountains, rivers, lakes, national parks, and ocean beaches (no volcanos or glaciers to our knowledge). 
• There are also similarities to the people and the diversity of how they live – indigenous communities (like Native Americans) and all ranges of income levels (from the extremely poor to the extremely wealthy).  Wide contrasts between the metropolitan/cosmopolitan, and those living in the mountains, deserts, and medinas. 
• Ten Moroccan Dirhams = one US dollar (it’s been easy to calculate how much things cost!).
• The government is a constitutional monarchy.  King Mohammed VI has been King since his father died in 1999.  Estimates of his net worth range between 2.1 – 8.2 billion US dollars.  He was named the richest king in Africa in 2015 by Forbes and the fifth wealthiest monarch in the world.  His picture is frequently seen in businesses, including shops and restaurants.  He seems to be very respected.  And he has invested substantial amounts of his personal money to better the country.  People seem to be extremely proud to be Moroccan. 
• There is a lot of work being done on the infrastructure and sprucing things up all over the country (construction taking place everywhere!).  We read that Morocco wants to become an international tourist destination.  Based on our experience, they are well on their way!  We predict prices to visit here will be significantly higher in 10 years. 
• Islam is the main religion and there are five calls to prayer each day.  Many people have call to prayer apps on their phones that you can hear go off at prayer time.  The green star on the flag stands for the 5 pillars of Islam:  faith in one God, 5 ritual daily prayers, help the needy, fast during Ramadan, complete the pilgrimage to Mecca.  Pork is difficult to find.  They eat chicken bacon.  Many mosques have green roofs (green is a sacred color in Islam representing the heavens – people in paradise are dressed in all green). 
• The Sahara Desert is the largest hot desert in the world, and the third largest overall after Antarctica and the Arctic.  The desert touches eleven African countries:  Morocco, Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Sudan, Tunisia, and Western Sahara (which Moroccans believe is part of Morocco; one desert person told us the Western Sahara is only a line on a Google map.  However, there are border issues with Algeria regarding the territory).  One of our guides, who grew up in the desert, has an 82-foot turban.  It is used to cover their faces from sand, sun, and wind.  They can use it as a blanket.  They can get it wet to bring water to their camels. Its length allows them to drop the turban into a deep well to soak up water. 
• Much of the country’s income is from argan oil, dates, oranges, almonds, olives, and tourism.  When leaving, hotel workers/tour guides/restaurant servers ask you to do a Google review for them.  Cannabis has been cultivated in Morocco for centuries and the country is currently among the world’s top producers of hashish.  In recent reports, it is the world’s top supplier of cannabis.  In 2021, cannabis was legalized in the country for medical, cosmetic, and industrial purposes.  We only got asked once if we wanted to buy hashish.
• The people are helpful, friendly, kind and welcoming.  They always say to us “You’re Welcome” (meaning, you are welcome here).  We have loved talking with everyone we’ve interacted with, and we have learned so much.  I felt safe everywhere we were, however, after 9 weeks I was still not comfortable crossing the streets (getting hit by the motor bike 3 weeks prior to leaving didn’t help!).  They are very affectionate.  Men hug and kiss cheeks when they greet each and often walk arm in arm.  Women hug and kiss cheeks when they greet each other and often hold hands.  Everyone adores and loves on the babies, whether you know the family or not.  They are quick to help others who need assistance (like older individuals walking, crossing the street, getting on a bus, needing a seat). 
• I think there is a lot to learn from the indigenous people from the desert and the mountains.  They seem less stressed and just went with the flow more than people living in the cities.  They seem to be more present in the current moment and do whatever comes up.  They feel it is their obligation to be hospitable and take time for others (evident in the young teacher at the desert museum who spent three hours talking with us and shared her mother’s wisdom – if no one was hurt or sick then it is a good day).  They seem to live life at a much slower pace.  Two of their favorite sayings are “no problem” (which prevents there from being problems) and inshallah (God willing). 
• Like many societies, there is complexity based on culture, religion, and traditions.  Many have extreme pride in traditions and would never consider changing them.  Others no longer honor traditions they do not see as valuable. 
• We had the opportunity to talk at length, with three extremely intelligent and educated women between the ages of 23 and 28.  We learned a lot and each of them have very different perspectives and lifestyles.  The first woman was a teacher in the desert region and a very traditional Muslim woman in every way.  The second woman worked at a hotel and wore secular clothes, however, she was very anchored in her Muslim faith and customs.  Although she looks forward to getting married, having children, and caring for the family home she is not ready.  She wants to work now as she doesn’t want to work after she gets married.  Her perspective is that Muslim women are treated as queens.  She feels their traditional clothing protects them from dealing with unwanted ogles and cat calls from men.  The third woman is secular, has a professional career, and has traveled to over 30 countries.
• Children typically live with their parents until they are married.  The Muslim tradition is for men to ask the woman’s father for permission to marry.  Fathers typically ask their daughters if they want to marry the man.  If the daughter doesn’t want to, then the marriage will not take place.  Men need to pay women to marry them, for the marriage to be considered solvent.  The woman decides how much the man needs to pay her.  By law, this money is the woman’s (even if the couple divorces).  For the marriage to be solvent, the marriage license must indicate at least $1 was paid by the man to the woman.  We heard that the asking amount may be up to the equivalent of $10,000 US dollars.  If the couple gets divorced, the woman is protected by law.  She can keep their home if she wants it, and the man needs to pay child support.  
• The modest dress and hammams is an interesting contrast within the culture.   
• I pondered the expectation of being fully covered with only my eyes showing when I was in public.  I anticipate it would be hot (even more so if you had your baby tied to your back with a blanket, like I frequently saw).  Some may think it could hinder creativity in dressing, however we saw beautiful hijabs and abayas.  I couldn’t help but wonder if I would experience a feeling of freedom from our beauty obsessed and non-aging focused society.  After all, no one would see my gray hair, earned wrinkles, and changes in my body shape.   If people could only see my eyes, the window to my soul, wouldn’t people’s perceptions be solely on my personality and character versus my looks? 
• It seems to be a non-litigious society.  We saw lots of construction workers without safety gear.  We never had to sign a waiver for anything we did at gyms or excursions (including riding a camel). 
• While we were here, from April 11 to June 15, we only felt 2 drops of rain (it did rain a couple of times while we slept).  It has been mostly sunny with temperatures ranging from 55 at night to 102 degrees in the desert in the daytime.  We have experienced a fair amount of wind in several areas of the country. 
• It has been a challenging six years for tourism in Morocco.  First the 2018 murder of two tourists, then COVID, and the earthquake in 2023.  Residents from the mountain region of the earthquake are still living in tents.  Several people mentioned climate change to us.  Almost all the desert nomads have moved to villages as there is no water or plants in the desert.  The earthquake provided some renewed water sources that had been dried up. 
• While we were here, hotels ended a ban on unmarried couples and solo local women being able to rent a room.  Prior to this change, hotels required a copy of the marriage certificate. 
• Lots of police checkpoints on roads outside of cities. 
• CASH, CASH, CASH!  It was a major shift for us to carry enough cash to pay for most things.  We could use our credit cards in grocery stores, some hotels, and some restaurants. 
• No screens on the windows, and yes birds do fly in sometimes!
• Mattresses are HARD, HARDER, AND HARDEST!!! 
• Almost all the toilet seats in our hotels and apartments fit a little wonky and would shift around.  Thankful for sitting toilets though! 
• Only two mosques allow non-Muslims to enter. 
• Rather than plastic bags for produce, they use paper bags.  After putting your produce in a bag, you take it to the station where an employee of the store weighs it and puts on the price sticker.
• Passengers ride in both  the front seat and back seats of taxis.
• Fitness centers, called gyms, are very training focused and the “trainers” are extremely helpful.  Without asking, they show you how to use the equipment to get the best workout possible.  In Rabat, we paid $5 each and literally got a complete training session.
• Olives and Moroccan bread are served with almost every meal, including breakfast.  Cafes all over the country have basically the same menu – pizza, burgers, and tacos (which are more like a burrito in the US).  Coffee, coffee, and more coffee.  Mint tea!  Fresh juices (banana, orange, carrot, mango, pineapple, strawberry…).  Lots of fresh foods are used in cooking.  And they have teeny, tiny spoons! 
• Many people like to talk with us to practice their English. 
• Several people told us it is difficult for Moroccans to get visas to visit certain countries as there are requirements they must meet, including proving they have $10,000 in the bank.  
• If we were to live in Morocco, we would likely pick Rabat.  It is a good size with a population of approximately 575,000.  Lots of cultural activities.  Big, beautiful trees and parks.   And of course, the only pickleball court of which we are aware in the country.
• The craftsmanship of the Moroccans is extremely impressive.  We loved the Moroccan decorations – gorgeous woodwork, metal engraving/stenciling, beautiful and bright fabrics and we hope to decorate a home with them someday. 
• Top memory of our time in Morocco:  Mike – summiting Mt. Toubkal; Sandy – the Sahara desert, riding camel at sunset, and looking at the Milky Way.
• We definitely want to come back….not sure when because we have so many more countries to explore! 

Our path around Morocco