CULTURE SHOCK
Within five minutes of being in the taxi I’m already hit by the huge cultural differences between this Arabic country and life back at home in the UK. 99% of the Moroccan population are Muslims. Those that follow Islam are expected to pray five times a day, with the first call to prayer at dawn. Driving out of the city, the domes and Minaret towers of Mosques pop up in every village and town we pass through, while thriving market places are the life and soul of every populated area. Tired-looking donkeys pull along carts, while old men in robes wander around or sit in the shade sipping mint tea. Unfortunately, poverty is wide spread in Morocco – especially in rural areas – and it’s a sad eye opener to see people scratching a living from the arid soil in the dry and harsh environment. With an hour left of the journey we passed an area where goats were mysteriously perched in the branches of trees. Amazingly, these hoofed animals climb around with incredible agility in Argan trees in search of food. What’s more, the locals gather the droppings from the goat because they contain seeds from the trees, which are then ground into a very valuable oil. The much-sought-after oil is used for culinary purposes and also as a moisturiser. Maybe I should have picked up a bottle for the wife? Expect to pay between £10 and £30 pounds for a quarter-litre bottle – kind of pricey considering!