Travellers Morocco

James Keeble
Thomas Cook Publishing (2005)
ISBN 9781841575063
Reviewed by Olivera Baumgartner-Jackson for Reader Views (12/06)

This relatively slim volume (190 pages) should spark an interest in visiting Morocco for sure. First and foremost there are the absolutely gorgeous, brilliantly colorful photographs of faces and places in the many wonderful towns and cities of this vibrant country. The photography of Ian Burgum manages to showcase Morocco fantastically in all of its many-hued glory. This alone should make you want to discover more.

The guidebook is divided in the usual sections on “‘Background” information, including history, the land, culture, festivals and governance; “First Steps,” “What to see,” “Getting Away” and the “Directory” (shopping, entertainment, children, sport and leisure, food and drink, hotels and accommodation, on business and practical guide).

I found the maps well designed and easy to follow and the suggestions for walks and drives very interesting. The “Features,” highlighted with a beige background, were definitely fascinating reading, ranging from the expected topics on architecture and the royal family to the less expected ones such as carpets, tea and sustainable travel. I found them one of the best parts of this guidebook.

While accurate and useful, the amount of information is very limited and leaves you wishing for more detail. We used this guidebook during our recent visit to Casablanca and found it accurate, but lacking in depth and detail. If you do not count the pictures and the map, the written info on Casablanca, a city of over 4 million inhabitants, was only a bit over two pages long.  We are well aware that a price of admissions, taxi rides etc. change, but a rough guide on those would have been extremely handy; as would have been more detailed information on sights and places of interest.

If you are going to spend a very limited amount of time in Morocco, this guidebook, “Travellers Morocco,” should be sufficient to give you a general idea on the area, but it does lack the depth and details for a longer stay. The best part of it is probably the “Directory” section, which lists quite a few useful tips and pieces of information. My favorite quote is “Toilets – Moroccan toilets do not have the best reputation. Where tourists congregate they are comparable with Western toilets; elsewhere things are little more than rudimentary. It is wise to carry a roll of toilet paper. Courage is of the essence.” To this observation of the author, James Keeble, I would only like to add the following – practice squatting and balancing ;-)

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