accompanied by a reliable guide.
MAJOUN
» » You may occasionally be offered majoun, a sticky, pasty mass (not unlike molasses) made
of crushed marijuana seeds.
» » A small ball of majoun can send you reeling (see Paul Bowles’ Their Heads Are Green or
Let It Come Down for descriptions).
» » Anyone with a slight tendency to paranoia when smoking dope should be aware that this is
a common reaction among first-time majoun munchers.
SPAIN
Although the Spanish police have a relaxed attitude towards small amounts of cannabis for
private use, Spanish customs will come down hard on people entering the country from
Morocco in possession of the drug, and you could be done for trafficking.
» » If you’re taking a car across, the chances that it will be searched are high.
» » Never carry parcels or drive vehicles across borders for other people.
Getting Lost
» » A minor irritation is the ever-changing street names in Moroccan cities.
» » For years, there’s been a slow process of replacing old French, Spanish and Berber names
with Arabic ones.
» » The result so far is that, depending on whom you talk to, what map you use or which part of
the street you are on, you’re likely to see up to three different names.
» » The general Arabic word for street is sharia , or derb in medinas ( zankat for smaller ones).
» » The French avenue, boulevard and rue are still common. In the north and far south you’ll
still find the Spanish calle and avenida .
» » In some cases the Arabic seems to have gained the upper hand. This is reflected in this
guidebook, in which some streets appear as sharia or zankat if local usage justifies it.
MEDINAS
» » Street names won’t help much in the labyrinthine medinas, although a compass might.
» » If you feel you’re getting lost, stick to the main paths (which generally have a fair flow of
people going either way) and you’ll soon reach a landmark or exit.
THANKS BUT NO THANKS
To avoid being hounded to within an inch of your life in the medina, and to help prevent nervous breakdowns and embarrassing
incidents of ‘medina rage’, the following are useful tactics:
» » Politely decline all offers of help, and exchange a few good-humoured remarks (preferably in Arabic), but don’t shake
hands or get involved in any lengthy conversation.
» » Give the impression that you know exactly where you’re going, or explain that you employed a guide on your first day and
now you’d like to explore on your own.
» » Wear dark sunglasses and retreat to a cafe, restaurant or taxi if you’re beginning to lose your cool.
» » In extreme situations, use the word ‘police’ and look like you mean it.Plumbing
» » Patience is required when it comes to Moroccan plumbing.