Sometimes It's Not So Fun To Be A Tourist!

Posted by Emily

So yesterday was official "I hate being a tourist day". The morning started out wonderfully when, by trying to be helpful, I mailed 8 of Ncki's postcards without stamps on them, some of them left over from Senegal. So if you were supposed to get a postcard from Senegal from Nicki and you don't, I take full responsibility! Needless to say, I felt REALLY bad. It made me feel bad enough to overcome any chame I might have had in asking the poor man behind the desk selling stamps if he could please open the mailbox door because I jusr mailed some postcards without stamps on them. To my amazement, he did it. However, even though the cards had just been mailed, we couldn't find them and he had to go back to work at the desk. Boo. But we tried!

In the afternoon we went back to the souks to do some shopping. That is always quite tiring because of all the people trying to get you to come into their shops and buy things. Then there is the bargaining. When we first entered the market, I tried unsuccessfully to bargain for a scarf and some earrings and the prices I was offering were flat out refused. I didn't really understand this at first because usually they are so eager for you to buy something from them that they won't let you walk away if they know you are interested. Then later I realized the prices I was trying to get were WAY too low. I was in Senegal for too long and was trying to drive too hard of a bargain I guess! Oops. Things went a little more smoothly after I figured that out!

On the way out of the market and across the square back to our hotel, we were harassed by some henna artist ladies (they always do this when you walk by) and since I was interested in getting it done anyway, we stopped. Before I knew it we were sitting down and the lady was drawing with henna on my hand. That's not such a big deal since I wanted it done anyway. But unfortunately she started working before we could discuss a price. Then when I asked her how much it would cost she said "Good price... 500 dirhams". That's like 50 dollars and NOT a good price. The lowest I ever got her to go was 300 dirhams, which I obviously wasn't going to pay. Eventually I decided just to give her some money (less than 300 dirhams obviously!) and bolt. It worked and I don't feel bad because I know I gave her even more than I should have paid in the first place. Stupid tourist traps! And I'm not even a stupid tourist! You should see the people who walk around with their huge cameras around their necks and the women who walk around in shorts and tank tops (very culturally inappropriate). They are the stupid ones!!