North African Adventure III: Lifestyle

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I am not even going to attempt to analyze the lifestyle of the peoples who inhabit North Africa, it would be very difficult to draw some general conclusions about nations that are so very different. However, I can make a few suggestions as to what you can do while touring North Africa – and let me tell you, it’s quite difficult to pick only four or five things to talk about!

If you want to get to know a bit about the life of the people living in a country, all you have to do is follow their lead and do whatever they do in their free time. So here are the most interesting (and well, a bit cliche) things to do in North Africa.

Visit a bazaar

Bazaars can be found in virtually every part of the world where the influence of the long-gone Persian Empire can be felt in even the smallest dose. The bazaar in Cairo, Khan el-Khalili is the largest, most crowded and most colourful of all the bazaars in the northern part of the continent. You can waste days on end just browsing the stands and shops in Khan el-Khalili and bargain for every silk scarf or ancient-looking tinderbox you can find, rubbing elbows with tourists and locals alike.

See a Moroccan tea ceremony

http://www.moroccancaravan.com/

The Japanese and the Chinese are not the only ones who have developed entire ceremonies for the preparation of tea, the Moroccans did the same, but they also add fresh mint to their green tea. In Morocco, tea is consumed with food. Atai, the Moroccan tea, is prepared in different ways depending on the region, but serving tea is always considered a sign of hospitality.

If you don’t stay long enough in Morocco to make friends with the locals (who would then invite you into their homes and brew delicious tea for you), you can find most likely find a cafe where you can see how the tea is prepared.

Sample the local delicacies

http://www.meerafreeman.com.au

North African food is a generally a mixture of Berber, Arab and European traditions, and it is a delight for the taste buds no matter whether you eat it in Alexandria or a small town in Libya. If you are on a budget, and/or you want to really know what the food eaten by the locals tastes like, you should buy your lunch from a street stand rather than from a fancy restaurant that is used to catering to westernized tastes. Most foods are very spicy, so it’s better to have a cup of tea or a glass of milk on the ready for those with delicate tastebuds.

Go clubbing in Marrakesh

Marrakesh is known as North Africa’s nightlife capital, and if you happen to pass by this city, it’s worth spending a night or two and enjoy the nightclubs and the cafes. After sunset, the medina (the old town) is full of street entertainment: acrobats, snake charmers, belly dancers and fire eaters. Head out into the more modern parts of the town for lots of lively and funky nightclubs.

Of course, Marrakesh is not the only place where you can have a good time dancing and drinking – most of the capitals and the larger cities have an impressive nightlife, especially in cities where tourism is the backbone of the local economy.

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