another than ours. Shaking hands with strangers just to say hello.
Hugging and holding hands with friends is common. When two strangers
are in a heated argument (as in a traffic accident) laying hands on
the other person is not the immediate precursor to a physical fight.
Hands wave and point inches in front eachothers faces throught entire
conversations.
Alibaba - I don't really know the story, but apparently being referred
to as Ali Baba is a compliment. Half the vendors try to butter me up
and lure me in calling me this.
Vendors - few vendors employ good business practices ("come in, browse
around. Like what you see? Tell your friends"). Most use heavy handed
tactics (setting outrageous prices, overcharging tourists, changing
the price, grabbing you and dragging you into their store)
Mopeds - the alleys that lead everywhere are no more than 15 feet wide
and the sides are crowded with street vendors. Still mopeds slalom
between pedestrians at frightning speeds.
Henna ladies - always seems to be fighting with one another. Yelling,
arms flailing, throwing stools around.
Ramadan - influences every aspect here at this time of year. The Souks
absolutely empty for 20 minutes in the evening for prayer and eating.
Certain restaurants only serve drinks during prayer time, and almost
noone serves alchohol.
Mint tea - very common. In most cases overly sweet. Always poured in
an elaborate fashion by raising the spouted teapot a foot above the
glass.
Water on the street - most alleys will have filthy water pooled in the
center at some point. It's probably not pee. Throughout the day
vendors will wash down the area infront of their store to keep the
dust down.
Being neighborly - being cynical, we assume that everyone that offers
you assistance is out to sell you something. Every place in the world
is the same: there are nice people and there are villans in every part
of the world. Sometimes people who offer assistance are just nice
people.
Souks - they sell everything under the sun and will use every tactic
to get you to come in. Streets are insanely crowded, but interestingly
we never felt anything close to threatened.
You get used to the constant flies landing on your ankles when you
stop moving.
Sleeper train to Marrakech is comfy and little exotic.
Labess (pardon my spelling) is how you toast in Arabic.
- jgt
Interesting stuff, thanks for sharing that. There is so much I don't know about other places and cultures.
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