Morocco

I learned more about Morocco from reading the book than I did from visiting the country. During my five days in Marrakech, the museums were all closed for restauration, film productions, or other unexplained reasons. The main available local culture was the souk. And even there globalization prevailed. In front of a shop proclaiming to sell original Moroccan handicrafts, the huge boxes of goods being delivered were labeled "Made in India." So the Blue Guide describes a Morocco I was not able to find.

You won't find the latest Casa Blanca club or Ouerzazate-Marrakech bus schedules in it, but you can't beat the Blue Guide for concise historical background and comment on art and architechture. In places where this really matters, like Volubilis, Moulay Idriss, and Fes, it surpasses more mainstream guide books. Pen-and-ink sketches replace glossy photos, giving the book the feel of a war correspondent's diary (or the Wall Street Journal?). ...