( I will be writing more over the next few days to backfill the days with photos only, so keep checking back)
A few parting thoughts about Morocco
Our trip to Morocco was probably one of the most eye-opening and informative trips we have taken. Morocco is an extremely ecologically diverse region with beautiful Atlantic and Mediterranean coastlines, 4 rugged mountain ranges that divide the country (Riff Mountains, High Atlas, Mid Atlas, ad Anti Atlas mountains), and of course, the Sahara Desert. Each have their own charm and beauty. The people, too, are as diverse as their topography but were without exception friendly and helpful. We were able to meet a wide array of lovely people through OAT including an urban family in Fes, nomads in the desert and in the mountains, farmers in northern Morocco and a local family in Ait Ben Haddou that farm olives and fabricate bricks.
We also learned a ton about Islam from our two guides, Mo and Younes. We feel we have a much better understanding of it now than when we left the States.
Another positive aspect of the trip was learning about how large a part Judaism has played in Morocco and north Africa in general over the past 2,000 years. Judaism in Morocco has one of the oldest and most remarkable histories of any Jewish community in the diaspora. Its roots stretch back over two thousand years, predating the Arab and even Roman presence in North Africa. Jewish merchants and refugees are believed to have arrived after the destruction of the First Temple in Jerusalem in 586 BCE, and later waves came after the fall of the Second Temple and again after the expulsion of Jews from Spain and Portugal in 1492–1497. These Iberian refugees, known as Megorashim, joined the long-established Toshavim (indigenous Jews), profoundly influencing Moroccan Jewish culture, language, and scholarship. Jews flourished as traders, artisans, translators, financiers, and diplomats.
Periods of tolerance and royal protection alternated with times of hardship or persecution. Under French colonial rule (1912–1956), many Jews benefited from new educational and economic opportunities. After Morocco’s independence, Arab nationalism, and the founding of Israel led to a mass emigration. Between 1948 and the 1970s, nearly 250,000 Moroccan Jews resettled in Israel, France, and Canada, leaving only about 3,000 today.
Morocco has tried to maintain its Judaic roots, though. Its constitution's preamble notes Morocco's "Hebraic" heritage, and restored synagogues, cemeteries, and festivals attest to enduring coexistence and a shared past. Today, Morocco proudly preserves its Jewish legacy as part of its broader cultural and religious pluralism.
We also learned about the indigenous Berber, or Amzigh people who are distinctly differnet than the Arab people who colonized the region. The Amzizh have recently gained recognition by the Moroccan government, and their language has become a second national language (along with Arabic). The Amazigh are very proud of theri heritage and fought to gain this recognition. Their traditions and language and alphabet are very different from Arabic.
There are a few dark sides of Morocco as well that should be noted.
1. Pollution and Litter:
While Morocco is beautiful and vibrant, the presence of litter, especially plastics, is very sad and striking. It is related to several factors including:
Rapid Urbanization and Population Growth
Morocco’s cities (like Casablanca, Marrakesh, and Tangier) have grown quickly in recent decades, often faster than local governments could expand waste management systems. As people move from rural to urban areas, garbage collection services struggle to keep up.
Limited Waste Management Infrastructure
Although Morocco has made progress (for instance, banning plastic bags in 2016 and launching national cleanup initiatives), waste collection is inconsistent outside major tourist zones.
-
In small towns and rural areas, garbage trucks are infrequent or nonexistent.
-
Open dumping remains common, particularly in informal settlements and along rural roads.
Public Awareness and Behavior
Littering is often a result of habit and limited environmental education. In some communities, there’s little awareness of the long-term environmental impact of throwing trash on the ground, and few public trash bins are available.
That said, environmental awareness is growing — especially among younger Moroccans and through local NGOs.
Tourism and Seasonal Pressure
Popular destinations like Marrakesh or Essaouira can see huge influxes of visitors, especially during festivals and holidays. Municipal services are often overwhelmed during these peaks.
Plastic Dependence
Before the 2016 ban, Morocco was one of Africa’s largest consumers of plastic bags. Despite the ban, illegal plastic production and smuggling persist. The result: plastic bags and wrappers still litter roadsides, beaches, and fields.
Economic and Policy Gaps
Recycling systems are still developing. Informal waste pickers do much of the recycling work, but without formal integration or support. Some municipalities prioritize tourism zones for cleaning, leaving residential or rural areas neglected.
There are several initiatives that have been instituted to correct the problems both government and grassroots based.
National Waste Recovery Program (“PNVDM”):
The key aims are to build modern landfills / treatment centers; rehabilitate old uncontrolled dump sites; reduce reliance on simple landfilling; increase waste recovery and recycling.
National plan for household waste recovery:
100% professional collection & cleaning of domestic waste; building 50 provincial waste disposal & recovery centres; permanently closing 233 old landfills.
World Bank support for Morocco’s municipal solid waste system
Plastic Pollution & Recycling Goals:
Morocco has committed to reducing plastic pollution by 70% by 2030 and instituted a plastic‐bag ban (the “Zéro Mika” campaign)
Private citizen and NGO initiatives
Morocco, is a country famous for its spices, its medinas, its breathtaking desert landscapes… and its cats. So many cats that you start to wonder if there’s a secret feline government operating behind the scenes.
As soon as you enter a Moroccan souk, you know what I mean. You turn a corner expecting to find a spice merchant, and instead you find six cats running a fish market.
Their dominance involves a complicated socio-economic arrangement in which the cats provide rodent control services, and in return, Moroccans feed them leftover sardines, couscous, and occasionally, full diplomatic immunity.
You see, in many Muslim cultures, cats are respected animals — the Prophet Muhammad is said to have loved them — and that translates, in Morocco, to a national policy of “let’s just feed them all and see what happens.” What happens, it turns out, is a feline population explosion that has successfully colonized every alleyway, mosque courtyard, and café terrace in the country.
SPA du Maroc says “thousands upon thousands of kittens are born every day … to family pets, stray cats living on the streets, and feral cats.” There is no info on just how many cats there are, but the numbers are estimated in the millions. Pregnant cats and cute baby kittens ae everywhere.
Morocco is not the place to be if you are allergic to cats!
3. Paper towels are hard to find:
In restaurants, napkins are usually small tissue-like squares — not the large, absorbent paper towels familiar in the west, and bathrooms usually have tissues for hand drying. Have you ever tried to dry your hands with tissues? Not even the thick ones, single ply. I still have little bits of tissue stuck to my hands. Cost and availability are two reasons for a dearth of Bounty. When we landed in Boston, I was ecstatic to find a Georgia Pacific towel dispenser in the men's room. Small pleasures.
4. Rocks
Another takeway from Morocco is that there are rocks everywhere. Big rocks, little rocks, rocks pretending to be pebbles, pebbles pretending to be rocks,
And the Moroccans, being extremely practical, have decided to build things out of the rocks like walls, kasbahs, and roads, because why import concrete when you’re literally tripping over the building material?
One of life's little mysteries is why after thousands of years of stone utilization are there still stones everywhere? They are like bunny rabbits.
