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For all the possible pleasures of a holiday in Morocco, some Americans may be disappointed. The fabled beauty of its dancing girls is mostly that—a fable; the "girls" are often fat, old, ugly and gold-toothed. Architecture buffs, searching for prime Moorish specimens, would probably be better off in Spain. Moroccan architectural wonders tend to be small except for the mosques, which non-Moslems are forbidden to enter. Transportation in Morocco, other than by car or bus, is a problem: trains are notoriously slow; intercity plane service is sporadic. But the biggest problem, for Americans, is getting to Morocco in the first place. Pan American flies nonstop from New York to Rabat, the capital, only once a week. All other roads to Morocco detour through Paris, Lisbon or Madrid. Which is just fine, as far as tourists who have already discovered Morocco are concerned. Says Cynthie Sorlin, wife of a French attorney and old North African hand: "The time to be here is now—before the mob arrives." It will be arriving soon.
* The Mamounia can be provincial. Minor annoyances: guests are not permitted to go from room to pool in bathing or beach clothes, and there are never enough beach chairs.