Single White Male

The first stop was a cash machine to get some Moroccan currency as the Ryad only accepted cash and that wasn't planned for. I hadn't got 200 metres along the road afterwards when I was approached with the old story of "Ah hello, work at your Ryad and I show you around to the leather festival that stops at one o'clock. I not guide and you no need pay me. I show you. It's over soon." It wouldn't be he'd not want money and the chances are he never worked at the Ryad or had ever seen me before. But I had time to kill so why not?

So he walked me for about twenty minutes to the tannery area where there are tanneries of course, and leather shops of all shapes and sizes. On the way I got to see how bread is made in ovens heated with cedar wood and had various schools and other buildings pointed put to me. It was all very I interesting to be honest, made better of course because he'd said, "no need pay me." His English was not so good but I kind've got the drift.

I then had a free tour of a tannery which was very interesting too and very unexpected to actually be able to visit one, pong included. What a coincidence my guide happening to know the tannery guide so when the tannery tour ended I was ‘shocked’ to find that both expected to be paid. Wow, I say tutting in a sarcastic manner, I never saw that coming and I definitely never expected that between them they wanted the equivalent if around £70 for their time. It's a shame they do this because it tends to spoil things when you have to argue about their broken promises when I’d be more than happy to pay them a sensible rate for their time.

And so it was as I walked the twenty minutes or so back to the Ryad. Time after time men came up to me to tell me about the festival, the gardens, the just about anything that might allow them, for no charge of course, to empty my pockets into theirs. Whilst I walked I realised small groups of tourists or couples didn't get hassled as much as me even though I had no camera gear with me to attract attention. But I was a Single White Male, a solitary tourist and to them an easy target.

I enjoyed my time out and about though and got back to the Ryad about 12.30. Just right.Meer informatie