More Morocco !

I can't get enough ! 

This place is fantastic ! I'm enjoying myself more and more every day, as I become more used to being harassed, and learn to fend it off. 

For example:

In the main square at night, which comes alive with music, and fortune tellers, and orange juice stalls, and cooked snail stalls (yes eww) and spicy tea stalls, and women harassing you to have henna done. There also appears a whole bunch of food stalls. And they are all competing to get you to sit down at their stall - even if its just to drink a mint tea (NANA tea for all those who remember ta's little patch in the yard at 10 prince charles drive) 

Anyways, So as I am meandering through the square (extra points for using the word "meander" no ? ) This young reasonable good looking moroccan gentleman stuffs a menu into my hand, while saying loudly "Merci, Bonjour" and motioning desperately for me to sit at their stall. 

And so...I do. And I eat some couscous and some orange juice (as well as the olives and bread they automatically place in front of you, and then charge you a fortune for later). 

And so, I eat, I pay, I get up to walk away.  

And this young gentleman comes up to me (the one who originally stuffed the menu in my hands) and sticks out his hand for a handshake - And so, I shake his hand as it really would be rude not to. Mind you, it's like shaking hands with a fish - as a soft handshake is a sign of respect here ! - Which reminds me of that one time a shopkeeper gave me a firm handshake, and I was truly annoyed, because why is he disrespecting me like that ? 

So anyways back to the young gentleman - He reaches out, shakes my hand and says " My name is Hassan, what is your name?" 

I say it doesn't matter ! He says tell me where you are from....

And so, because I am now a professional at fending these guys off :) I take my other hand (the one that is NOT still trapped in his never ending handshake) And I gently pat his hand that is clasping mine....I pat it in a very "there there" manner lol....and disentangle myself and walk away. 

(SIDE NOTE: I am lying in my bunk bed in my hostel, and this girl below me, her boyfriend has hopped into bed with her, and they are giggling....****Awkward****)

So two nights later ( As I went to the beach for a day) I am back here in Marrakech, once again meandering (no points this time) through the square, having already eaten when who should walk up to me but Hassan ! 

He actually remembered who I was (which let's not deny is kind of flattering seeing as there are tons of people there daily ) And so he came up to me and asked me to sit down. I told him I had already eaten.

And so lol, he invites me to sit down for a free mint tea. Which I politely decline. And so when all else fails, he latches onto my hand again, in a never ending handshake ! and invites me to "take one walk around the square" with him.

Anyways

Nothing exciting happens - I tell him now, politely yank my hand away, and walk on to be harassed by the next person !