Just Back from Morocco/Marrakech

[Lordbenny]

What an experience....

So, for my birthday last weekend my Mrs bought me a mini holiday in Morocco, a total surprise, got informed on Saturday afternoon and I was in Morocco midday the next day!

2 days in an exclusive 5* lodge complex (just 4 lodges in total) in the Atlas foothills including an evening on top of the nearest mountain on my birthday will copious amounts of food and drink, rugs, cushions and candles. Having a day trekking in the High Atlas mountains visiting the Berber villagers. Being invited in for tea with a 75 year old woman who shared her house with 2 sheep and a multitude of chickens then after half an hour on the roof rack of a mini truck, lunch with a Burber family....Very humbling.

Then 2 days in Marracech, staying at the Naoura Barriere Hotel. Visited the Soucks and the Jemaa El Fna square and had a horse drawn tour of the city.

Great place for a city break and a totally memorable holiday.

However, sitting in my living room the day after getting back I now know what 'Marracech Express' actually means...I's the speed any food or drink goes through your system after having a beef tagine in Jemaa El Fna square. Bloody 'orrible food poisoning.

DO NOT EAT ANY STREET FOOD OR CHEAP TAGINES YOU WILL REGRET IT!

[kowalski655]

Its not just the cheap/street food-I was ....from both ends....simultaneously ...on my honeymoon

[B17NNS]

Guaranteed to turn your arse into a fizzy gravy dispenser.

Never again. Dirty bds. Didn't trust a fart for a week after. Lost half a stone though.

[zcacogp]

Funny. We were there last year and had a great time and, despite not being at all careful about what we ate, neither of us had any problems at either end.

Maybe we were lucky.


Oli.

[g3org3y]

I had simultaneous cases of diarrhoea and epididymo-orchitis while out there!

Was not a happy bunny.

[anonymous-user]

Lordbenny said:

DO NOT EAT ANY STREET FOOD OR CHEAP TAGINES YOU WILL REGRET IT!

Complete fallacy and a little unfair I'd say.
Counter-intuitive thought it may seem, you'll find it's the hotel food that's got you.
Whilst it looks like tempting local dishes served in a clean(ish) Westernised hotel environment, you'll find it's all pre-prepared, left to fester in the manky hotel fridges, reheated to luke warm and generally spun out as long as possible to make it profitable.
Meanwhile, in the Djemaa el Fna everything is on a fast turn round, prepared and cooked to order, while you wait, before your very eyes. Only thing to avoid are any dishes served cold or uncooked. And don't pour drinks in to badly washed glasses - sup from the bottle.
It's a tourist trap don't forget, and Morocco relies heavily on tourism, so poisoning the punters probably isn't part of their game plan.
Been to Morocco (Marrakech, Atlas Moutains then further afield to Zagorra, Ouazazate and the Sahara) many times, and never, ever touched hotel food. And never, ever had a problem.
Sampling the food and atmosphere around the Djemaa is a must in Marrakech.

[Mobile Chicane]

I've eaten street food all over Morocco and have never been ill. The secret is to wash your hands before eating anything.

[Lordbenny]

Crossflow Kid said:

Complete fallacy and a little unfair I'd say.

No it's not. We ate 3 or 4 times either off the street or from restaurants just off the square and the food was diabolical. We stayed in a 5* star hotel but only ate two English breakfasts in there and they were fine. I got the poisoning from a 'veal' tagine in the Cafe de France and I knew as soon as I ate it it was going to give me grief!

[Mobile Chicane]

I don't know where you were eating, but I've never found food in Morocco to be less than excellent (if not spicy enough for me).

Pick a stall where lots of locals are eating.