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I had been to the airport a week ago and found a place where a number of cars were parked in a sort of lay-by. OK, so there were red & white stripes on the kerbstones which usually means short time parking only. But this is Morocco... They have better things to do than fuss over minor parking infringements. So, last week I parked for an hour and there was no fuss.
I go back to the same spot this week and there is only 1 car there but, hey, it can't be popular all the time.
An hour later and as I return to the car, I become aware of a young policeman approaching the car as well. We shake hands and wish each other well. He then asks for my papers. I offer them. He asks for my driving licence. I get that out of my wallet. I ask if I have parked in the wrong place. He says I have and I go into my old person's grovelling act and smile a lot.
This gets me the car papers back but he hangs onto the licence. More grovelling and he starts to walk off – with my licence. I decide to follow the licence and keep my wallet out. I don't want to get arrested for offering bribes to a policeman but on the other hand I am fairly sure that there is a right sum of money to heal the rift in English/Moroccan relations.
I ask if there is a fine to pay. He says something to the effect that he would think so. I open my wallet where I have just a 50 Dirham note. I look pleadingly as I offer the note. It is secreted into his palm and I find my licence is back in my hand. This means that my parking offence has cost me £4 and I am happy and the policeman seems at least content – until I remember that the only way off the airport is on the toll road and I now haven't got enough cash to pay the tolls home.
I explain this to my new friend and ask where there might be an ATM. He points to the airport building. I ask if he would mind if I left the car where it was whilst I went to the ATM.
Now there passed a strange Moroccan expression across his face that I couldn't quite interpret. The next thing I know and he has grasped my hand again and the crumpled 50 Dirham note is back in my hand.
And I had been so uncharitable as to think that backsheesh only went one way!
you are tempting me to take the next trip as far as Morocco, rather than stop in Spian. However I would have to know what their medical system is like.
Nice one Patrick, looking forward to seeing you again. We are currently in Aglou Plage, moving on to Tiznit on Friday. We have found Morocco great, except Jake seriously upset a camel herder by filming him on the beach here who then demanded money. Jake thinks the filming of Lawrence of Arabia must have set a precedence
I can well believe your experience Patrick and it's great to see a you posting this in an enlightened way. We too are in love with Morocco after travelling here for a month, there is so much scaremongering by certain people about the place that you treat your first visit with apprehension. Once you let your guard down and have some banter with the locals, rather then ignore them, you find them a good humored bunch. We're already planning our return trip!
I arrived on a beach in Morroco on my one and only visit with no money having just flown in. You couldnt take currency in then (not sure now) and straight away we were approached by a local selling some rather tasty looking pastries.
I explained to the guy that we had no cash yet but he still insisted that we took some of his wares and welcomed us to Morroco. I felt bad when I found out the average monthly wage then (early 90's) was about £90 so made a point of buying more stuff off him later.
The only scary moment we had was when some tribal elder in a remote market got angry with Mrs D for wearing shorts and at one point looked like he was going to lop her head off.
Great place. Cant wait to go there in the Motorhome.
______________________________________________________________ Hank the Tank has a website. Follow our adventures at http://www.hankthetank.co.uk
Hi, We have just had a refund from a policeman. We were driving from El Jadida to Moulay Busselham and had to go around Rabat with all the roundabouts with traffic lights.
After the third roundabout the police pulled us over, took Jake's driving licence and claimed we had gone through a red light. I'm not sure if we did or not, but the fine was 800 DH - this was a "HOW MUCH' moment. Jake told him we only had 500 DH and gave him this showing him the contents of his now empty wallet. So the policeman asked us where we were going and then changed the conversation to football - he was an Arsenal fan and I said I was Liverpool. With that he handed Jake his licence back plus 200 DH and let us go.
I think it's the first time I've ever had a discount for being a Liverpool supporter.
I think its a wondeful place, I have not yet taken the motorhome but have off roaded there a few times in the Jeep. Had many a pleasant cup of mint tea from army check points way down south whilst they checked with HQ that we could proceed.
Thoughts of soldier running up and down hill to communicate with base and then report back to post commander whilst we were sitting there thinking this could happen much quicker if we lent them our PMRs which clearly are illegal to use and take in to Morrocco.
Even offered to drive them up to the top of the hill!
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