Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Marrakesh


Visited Marrakesh a week after swearing in for an artisans craft fair.  There was a film festival going on at the same time, with outside movies in the plaza.  A lot like the Telluride Film Festival.  Oliver Stone, Eva Morales, Sigorney Weaver, F. F. Coppala, John Malcovich and Sidney Pollack were there as well as many other notables.  I stayed with two other guys in a two bedroom room the size of a normal bathroom.  It was cozy for all.  We took turns sleeping on the single bed.  The hotel was 50 Dh a night and was situated in the alley system, Go down the alley next to the sunglasses stand, turn right at the dead end, turn left ant the next dead end then right at the next dead end.  It was what I thought Morocco would be like.  Once you got the lay of the land it was fun cruising around and getting partially lost.  You keep going till you come out at a main road.  The alleys are filled with shops selling everything from machine parts to pastries.  No alcohol though.  That is taboo.  Many of the places have cool rooftop patios to see, eat and drink at.  Some people stayed up late up there doing taboo stuff. 



Most of the new PCVs in my group attended to help their artisans with there displays.  All kinds of rugs, weavings, clothing, daggers, homemade products (cards from TP rolls), jewelery, embroidery, purses, baskets, date and olive products were available.  Close of Service (COS) volunteers bought some products to take home with them.  The weather was awesome, warm and sunny.  Some of us did partake in an adventure to find the elusive beer/cocktail.  It is not cheap to drink in this place.  The best local beer is Casablanca.  Guess where it is made.  The Marrakesh beer is Special Flag.  There are hundreds of cool cafes but only a fraction sell alcohol and they are kept out of the way, kind of like the service "don't ask, don't tell " policy. 

Stacy had a birthday so we all headed out to a vegitarian restaurant down some alley and had mostly great meals.  One PCV got sick maybe from the food, maybe from the party later.
What a crew.  Some of the finest minds in Morocco. 
The birthday girl is the one laying down.
Note the broken plate on the wall.  At some time it broke so they just hung the piece up as art. 
No belly dancers at this place although we did have one at the rooftop bar we went to later.  She danced to what I thought was a blues brothers duo with sunglasses on and dark suits.  My mistake.  One of the guys was blind.  Opps.

Met
 Met the US ambassador and his wife at the show.  They were also at the swearing in but I did not get a photo at that time.  They were in town for the film festival and came by the craft fir for support.  Very nice and thoughtful folks.  Anyone who lets me take a picture with them has got to be okay. 
This is one of my two coop artisans with their products.  They make tents, rugs, bags, tablecloths, blankets.  Marrakesh was great.  I only got to see the area around where we were working but plan to go back some day and see the main souk which is suppose to be huge.  It was connected to the plaza where we were but I did not get the opportunity to go.  I did see snake charmers with cobras and rattlesnakes.  They say that there mouths are sewn shut so only the tongue can come out.  Did not get close enough to check out that note.

Friday, December 10, 2010

Swearing in/Thanksgiving

I am now a Peace Corps Volunteer (PCV).  The end of November our group, called a stage, with Youth Development (YD) and Small Business Development (SBD), traveled to Mehideya close to Rabat for a week of training and testing.  I did not get to the Novice High level they desire in the language proficiency testing so will be using a touter for the next year to help me through the language.  At my age I forget as much as I learn.  After the testing we had a medical exam and my blood pressure was very high so they sent me to Rabat to the Peace Corps medical facility to be checked by a doctor.  I was put in a hotel, The Grand, that was a real blood pressure tester.  The bathroom did not work, no hot water and short sheets on the bed.  And I went there to lower my blood pressure, Ha Ha.  The PC medical staff was very accommodating and I was scheduled to see a cardiologist to read results and possibly change medications.  Moved into a nice hotel, The Bolema, when the rest of the PCTs arrived for swearing in.  Stayed there one day then told I had to go to another hotel, which did not have room or reservation so I was sent back to the Grad.  It was Grand in it's day, 1950, when it was new.  They have not done any maintenance since then.  After another night there using the tub as the toilet, I complained and got put with the rest of the volunteers in a nicer facility. 
The swearing in was attended by the Ambassador to Morocco and his wife, very nice folks.  There were delegates from the Moroccan youth and small business ministries. 
Rabat was very nice with parks, warm weather and nice restaurants.  It was good to get back to a more Western environment for a while, hot showers, western toilets, TP, normal clothes.  Most people spoke French to you so that was confusing.  Trying to hear what they are saying and expecting Dareja and hearing French was frustrating.  When you buy something they give you the price in French, more confusion.  Fun for a while.
The beach was a short walk, 20 minutes, down the parkway from out lodging area.  I did not make it down but was told it was very nice.  Would like to spend more time seeing the area some day.
Had Thanksgiving dinner with an American family working at the Embassy.  The Peace Corp Director arranged for anyone staying over in Rabat to have dinner if they wanted.  It was awesome and the hospitality I received from Mary and Martin Jeffers and her family was unforgettable.  We had Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, all the fixings.  I got to carve the turkey and received a call from Dustin which made my day even better.  Being alone in a foreign country during the holiday can be depressing, but my Thanksgiving was something I will remember until I get Alzheimer's and forget my name.  lol. 
I made it to the bus in the early morning by myself and back to Midelt to continue the experience.  It was cold back in Midelt.  I missed Rabat already, but hey I get to go to Marrakesh in a week for the Marche Maroc Artisan's Craft Fair.  That should be fun. 

Friday, November 19, 2010

Holiday Season - Eid

The Eid Kibir is the biggest holiday of the year in Morocco.  It is concerning the sacrifice of Abraham's son. God ask him to kill his son to show his faith in God.  At the last minute as the son was about to be sacrificed, a sheep showed up and God allowed Abraham to substitute the sheep as the test was to confirm his faith.  At this time every year sheep are sacrificed in honor of this event.  It is quite the cultural experience.  I personally attended 3 as my host father is trained for this event.  From the roof deck where we sacrificed our sheep you could see about a dozen more in the process.  It is a great honor to be able to sacrifice a sheep at this time.  Not all families can afford to do so.  The sheep is split 1/3 for the family, 1/3 to the poor and 1/3 to neighbor.  This year I have heard sheep were more affordable so more people could partake. 





After killing the sheep the animal is skinned and butchered.  You start eating soon after and continue into the night.  Baked goods, meat, bread and tea.  Lots of all.  Our family had 30 people over.  It was quite the event, children, aunts, uncles, friends, neighbors.  Then you go to other peoples houses and do it all over again.  This continues for the next day and on.  I leave for Rabat on Sunday so I know I will not eat any more after that.  Happy Holidays everyone.

Friday, November 5, 2010

The King! The King!

I got my assignment  for the next two years and will be staying in the same town I have been training in.  It has gotten really cold.  I can see my breath in my bedroom in the morning-inside the house.   BBBRRRRR.  I have been in town without the rest of the students in my group.  It has been nice to sleep late and not study 10 hours a day.



The King has come to town with his entourage, including 10 helicopters, a crew of security people and prep crews.  Thousands of people lined the streets and cheered him as he drove by in the limo, waving to the crowds.  There were drum and horn bands playing all along and the women made whistling noises as he went by.  He was in town to open a new hospital,  sports center and admin building.  The whole town has been on a cleanup frenzy, painting buildings, walls, railings for weeks to get ready.  The King is very well respected by the people.

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Ghost Town Canyon Flood






We took a trip to Aouli Gorge.  It is an old French mining town in the river canyon.  We took two cabs down for the day.  Quite a trip.  Took lunch with us to eat at some remote spot.  The canyon was the nicest spot I have seen yet.  Reminded me of Utah.  The town probably supported a few thousand people in the good times.  Many old buildings and mines dot the canyon walls.  Some people still live in the town, free and mine the area illegally for fossils and gems.  A lot of Azurite, feldspar, quartz crystals, geods, etc.  similar to what came out of Telluride.  They mined silver, copper and lead.  It started to rain so seeing how the river rises quickly in canyons, we left.  On the way out you could see debris in the trees 6-8 feet above the road.  Faster Faster, get out of here.  We made in out of the canyon and stopped at a remote spot for lunch.  Within 15-20 minutes 5-6 guys walked over to us out of no where and wanted to sell us minerals they mined.  Where do these guys come from.  We Were In The Middle Of the Desert.  Looked at the minerals, packed up and left  Took a tour of a very rural old mining town with people still living there.  Nothing to do but sell minerals.  On the way back the river had risen to the point that we could not continue.  We waited for two hours till the rain in the mountains slowed down and the river dropped.  Quite the adventure.  We thought we may need to sleep with local family back in the mining town.  Glad we didn't.  We might have had to marry someone.

Monday, October 25, 2010

Moroccan scrub a dub

I visited a Hummam, public bath house this past weekend.  It was an experience.  There are separate Baths for men and women, of course.  It starts with stripping down to your shorts and going to the sweat room with your water bucket.  The floor is really hot so you need to have sandals.  You stand in the room until sweating profusely then lather up with a special black soap that looks like cat poop.  After you are good and soapy you go into room two.  Here it is not quite as hot but still very humid.  There are no seats.  You wash a place on the floor, all tile, walls too.  You lay down and for 20 Dh, about 2.50 US have the Ksaal (Scrubber man) Do his thing.  They take a special glove like brillo pad and scrub your body very hard.  Ouch.  This gets all the dead skin off you, feels like some of the live skin too.  They get everywhere, legs, arms, back front, face, except the family jewels.  "Hey watch where your going there."  Laying on the hot floor is relaxing but you will not fall asleep, that is for sure.  They flip you over and do both sides.  Then comes the wash down with water.  It is HOT.  OWW-Owww.  I paid for this?  Next comes the second scrub down where they remove all the dead skin from the first scrub.  Then comes the second wash down. The process ends with a bucket bath you do yourself.  It was definitely part of the cultural experience.  I tried to take pictures for you but everyone was yelling at me.  I guess they did not want those on the Internet.  lol.  Well worth the experience.  You feel really good after it is all over.

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Life at the lake

Been using the bike to see the area.  Took a cab trip to the Hassan II reservoir and had lunch.  It was very windy but hot.  The dam was built 50 years or so ago and provides irrigation water.  There is a pipe going in to take water to Itzer.  All the Grand taxis here(for out of town travel) are old Mercedes.  They do not leave till they have six passengers, four crammed in the back and two with the driver in the front.  We got dropped off at the lake and told him to return to pick us up at 3:00.  He made it back at four.  Morocco time.  You can swim in the lake in the summer, but the water was too cold when we were there.  Looked like a great place for wind surfing.Jamal our language teacher cooked a great meal over the propane cooker.  We shared it with a local kid who hung around watching us for over an hour till the food was done.  There was plenty so it was good to share.  Seems there is always someone around to help you eat, no matter how desolate the location.

Met some friends at a park on the way back from Azrou.  Better looking than me.  This guy had a couple girls in the trees waiting for him to finish lunch.  On the way back we passed over the mountains and the road had numerous snow fences.  Must get pretty windy and cold in the winter.  Hope I do not get stationed up there.  Along the road you see a lone donkey hanging out waiting for it's owner to come home from the big city and ride back to a tent house back off the road.  Shepherds can be seen out in the plains walking with maybe a hundred sheep.  


Here is our town's main attraction, the big apple.  Look out New York, you got nothing on us.  The town is a major apple growing region.  They used to have festival to bring people in but for some reason it has fallen through this year.  


These are some of the products the artisans in the coop we are working with make.  They are producing embroidery, rugs, stone carvings for a craft fair out of town.  A very talented group.  The key here is going to be focusing on long term goals as opposed to short term payout.  Taking risk is not a part of the culture.
Above is a photo of town from the road South.  Rode the bike out about 40 minutes to a reservoir.  Will continue out the road sometime in the future.  Need to take water.
Went to lunch at some PCV's house in town and had a great Mexican fiesta.  Homemade tortillas.  Just like Mamasita used to make.  Everyone had a great time and we appreciated the time spent with the newbies.  One volunteer is done in November.  The team closing out their service this year are taking a cruise back to the states, Puerto Rico.  The cruise ships leave the Mediterranean summer season for the Caribbean winter season.



Sunday, October 3, 2010

Goats in the belfrey

The other night I heard something in my room early in the morning (2:30).  It sounded like the cat was running around in my room.  I used the light from my phone to see what it was.  No luck.  Saw nothing.  Kept up for an hour or so then got quiet.  Not hearing out of one ear helps you to sleep.  Handy.  The next night it happened again.  No cat.  Started thinking it might be mice or god forbid rats.  Now I couldn't sleep thinking something was going to be running over me in the middle of the night.  How can I catch this rodent.  Come to find out that it was not the cat or rodents.  My host family got two live goats for an upcoming holiday and they have them living in the room above me.  In the early morning they wake up and start jumping around.  Case solved.  I can sleep again.
Thursday I got a treat when the family asked if I wanted to take a hot Doosh (bath).  Absolutely, I have been taking cold bucket baths and my hair looked something out of "Grease".  I went upstairs to the unfinished roof level and there was a wood burning water heater in a tiled room with a floor in the drain.  LET ME IN THERE.  They showed me how to siphon the hot water into a bath bucket, add cold water so I did not burn my butt and I was on my own.  I spent a while in there.  It was like a steam room.  I washed my hair twice.  AAAHHHHH.  They have been holding out on me, or maybe they thought these smelly Americans do not bathe.


Some food shots.  This is what we eat at the Training School (CBT).  We have a cook that makes lunch and two snacks.  I am not lacking for food here.  Have had goat and chicken.  Sheep is not suppose to be as tastey.  Goat is like pot roast.  Most of the meat dishes are cooked in a pressure cooker.  You eat bread of some sort with every meal and snack.  Lots of carbos.
Talk to you again soon.

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

AAHHHHH




Well I am living in the High Atlas Mountains now with a local family.  I am settling in and getting accustomed to the food, living, language, customs, etc.  I keep telling myself I can do this like the little engine that could.  Have been some interesting stories that I cannot print here, nothing with sheep.  Visited a high mountain drainage for the town and had dinner outside with music, sheep and relaxation.  My kind of Peace Corps.  The language has been a real challenge.  Very intense working 10-12 hours a day with more study at home.  Will be well worth it.  Had a visit from another PCT group last Friday, what a treat hearing their stories and comparing to ours.  Visited a Souk (market) and pretended to speak the language.  Make a few mistakes but I have not been disappointed in my attempts.  Hope you enjoy the pics.  Gotta go.

Saturday, September 18, 2010

Travel to Midlet

Going to travel through the Atlas Mountains to the Southern side on Sunday.  About 4 hours or more.  Midlet is a mining and plains town.  Will meet my host family on Sunday and spend the next two months with them.  May or may not have internet access in the area so I may not post for a while.  Will get some photos and notes as soon as I can.  Went to town today and bought some supplies.  The beach town was nice.  My new home is very cold and barren from the looks of it.  Does not get much rain.  Stay tuned.

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

I'm Here-Lets Eat

67 people left Philadelphia for Morocco on Monday 14th.  We made it to Casablanca about 9AM on Wednesday.  Took a bus to Mehdya a beach town on the Atlantic Coast outside Rabat.  He got fed like we had not eaten for days with great Moroccan food-salad, bread, fish, baked beef with prunes (delicious) called Tajine for the cooking vessel it comes in.  I did not get a picture of the top but will definitely eat this dish again.  After lunch we had a welcome show from local musicians then orientation and schedule review with the Country Director.  A great show and program.  For dinner we had a local soup, Hrira, again awesome and pasta with spiced beef.  The beach here was very crowded with Moroccans, camels and horses walking by.  Quite a change from Florida's alligators and snakes.  Wini, there are lots of friendly cats for you to adopt.  It is hot, but not worse than Florida.  Called Ashlyn in Argentina and Mom on Skype.  They were happy to hear I was OK.  Enjoy the photo.  Will send more later.  Takes a long time to load.  :)

Saturday, September 4, 2010

Ready To Go?

I used to ski below the Camel's Garden in Telluride, now I am headed to Morocco on the 13th of September, 2010 with the Peace Corps to meet the camels in person.  Oh Boy. Busy packing, selling my stuff (surf board, kayaks, car, tools) and saying my good bys.  Talk to you soon from across the Atlantic.