Again, rather than just going for the veneer, see if you can push for fangs and a forked tongue, or, like, Thompson's Teeth.

http://www.futuramafan.net/bilder/ftg/ls12.jpg

might i suggest cuba. especially if you hold a non-blue-and-gold-eagle passport.

go team E for getting 1984 in the running!

Alluring as the Hilton points sound, travelling with family is always annoying and travelling with someone you don't particularly like is a good way to ruin the vacay...but if you do go, I'm sure there will be amusing Americans-at-the-Rabat-Hilton stories to relate.

Actually, I use "scummy expat" in an endearing way. My uncle and I have similar personalities, so we get along pretty well. Not your standard annoying family member. Vacation with him is basically being in the same country, but not necessarily doing everything together.

1984's my favorite book, of all readings. A classic, but it deserves its fame.

dear e,

who wants to stay in rabat??? that's about the last city in morocco on the "great place" list. and morocco is too big to use it as a "base", like one could do in lebanon (beirut) or tunisia (tunis).

seriously - it'd be a waste of precious vacation time. marrakesh, fes, meknes, etc. are where you'd want to be.

re: caribbean - since we've already talked about, i'd just like to re-enforce my "go to one of them small islands" vote.

cheers,

--raf*

ps: i seriously dig your uncle's approach to traveling.

Didn't say I wanted to stay in Rabat, but it does have a Hilton. Not sure if any of the other cities do. In any case, Hilton points aren't going to determine the itinerary.

Re the Carrib, since it's mostly the same cookie-cutter resort crap everywhere, I'll just pick a package with good value for money. This isn't a "culture" trip, after all.

Wtih respect to Hilton properties, the Rabat Hilton is a nice one. I place people working for me there when I need them in Rabat. I do not believe there is another full Hilton property in the country. Not perhaps the best leverage point for Hilton points, although if there are cross-overs for other properties....

Raf is being too negative about the Hilton as a base, visits to Fes and Marrakech are perfectly plausible from a Rabat-base, either by train or air with the puddle-hoppers of Regional Airlines (terrible branding I may add, using English and managing to sound like a generic).

On the other hand, for the weak point is of course rather missing staying in what are charmingly called Riads [Gardens - i.e. old school courtyard houses] converted to boutique hotels. Not 5 star quality always, but generally quality and interesting. And I do not mean interesting in a fuzzy headed hippy staying in a "authentic" run down dive way.

There is of course the potential for Senegalese and Canaries add-ons I may add. I am sure there are Hiltons there.