Dades, Painting and winter in Morocco

Well it has been an interesting winter so far what with getting my place in order, the weather and the political issues in region.  Visited the Dades Gorge when I was meeting with some artisans in another town.  The canyon was beautiful but small compared to the canyons I used to play in around Utah and Colorado.  The canyon feeds an oasis where the town has surrounded and grown.  It is a very big tourist destination.  There were climbers (technical) climbing the canyon walls inside and outside the narrowest part.  We took a taxi up from town, hiked up the road then sat down for a coffee at a resort in the canyon.  It is usually no problem getting a cab out of the canyon back to town, but unfortunately we spent more time drinking coffe than watching the time so missed the last taxi.  We started walking back to the nearest village about 2 km away.  A car of tourists stopped and picked up the three ladies we were with and took them back to town.  We continued on to the village and got a taxi without to much trouble.  The walk through the canyon as it was getting dark was interesting.

Started fixing up my place a little making it more comfortable.  Painted the living area a light blue.  Working on getting to the Bathroom and Kitchen which will be a light green.  The paint over here does not come premixed with the color.  You buy a base white, water or oil, then add tint to get the color you want.  Great if you make enough the first time so you do not have to mix another 1/2 gallon to finish the job.  I made enough the first time, thank goodness.  You do not know what color you end up with till it drys.  The kitchen will be light green, unless I mix to much tint and it ends up darker.  Inshallah.  lol. 
It snowed for the first time, about an inch.  It snowed for about two days but did not last very long on the ground.  Made for a muddy mess for a couple days. 

Everyone is watching the news about the Egypt revolution.  I have been told that it is not likely to be a problem here because we have a Monarchy not a dictatorship.  Everyone says they like the King and on his visit to Midelt I would have to say they sure supported him.  If it moves into Algeria and creates a security issue there, maybe we will be concerned, but until then let the party roll.  If we were to get evacuated for a short time I think we go to Paris.  SAY WHAT.  Gay Parie.  Wine, croissants, good food, beautiful women, art museums, I sure hope I do not have to go there.

Cookies

Living by my self without Wini to make some of the finer things in life has been a journey.  What do I eat? How do I make it?  Can I buy it?  Can I find the ingredients for that?
I used the Volunteer cookbook and decided to have some chocolate chip cookies.  Okay how do you say baking powder in Darija (Moroccan Arabic)?  Where do I find brown sugar?
I decided to do my best and looked for chocolate.  I could only find chocolate bars so I bought two of those to be chopped up in place of the semi sweet drops used in the states.  Chopped up some nuts and started mixing the sugars and butters in a saucepan because I did not have a bowl.  I had to use honey (real honey that I got from a bee owner where I bought my heater, everyone has a side endeavor around here).
All the ingredients would not fit in my pans so it was off to the hanut to buy a bowl.

Back from the hanut (store) I continued to mix.  Everything came off well considering my limited ability to measure with what i have and the toaster oven.

Everything came out well for my first baking endeavor.  I plan to pass out cookies to some of the people who have been helping me.  hope they like them.  I Do.  Delicious.  Wini would be proud of my result, I think.

Now I am ready to try cooking a chicken and vegetables in the pressure cooker.  I bought the chicken t the chicken hanut.  The chickens run around in the back room and you can grab or pick the one you want.  They kill it, clean it and bag it in front of you.  Don't watch if you are squeamish.  You can not get any fresher chicken than that.  

FES-Taning leather, making bags

Visited Fes a few weeks back with two of my artisans I will be working with.  The current PCV was introducing us to the purse making process that he had set up for both coops.  Fes was located in the hills and is very temperate.  Nice temperature change form the cold in Midelt.  We went to a market area in the old town wall called Bab Boujloud.

The area is filled with shops of all kinds.  The alleys are only big enough for pedestrians and these little motorbikes with wagons on the back.  It looks like the area has been worked in for hundreds of years.  There are restaurants and riad hotels spaced throughout the area.  Some of the lobbies were very intriguing.  We were headed to Hassan's shop.  He coordinated the samples of the leather and cloth being assembled in the bags.  There were some changes from the last order and we looked at these new samples.  We went to the leather shop next and saw where the leather was cut and sewn.

The seamstresses worked in tight conditions.  Shoes were also made in the shop.  They were producing mass quantities of purses and styles when we were there.  An interesting process to watch.

Next it was off to the leather tanning shop.  The owners will take you up to the roof to look down at the process.  I was told that the dyers are born into the work.  If your father was working there you take his place.  They work in knee deep dye vats mixing the color with the leather.  The colored pelts are laid on straw in the sun to dry.  We were there in the cool winter.  I would hate to see the condition in the hot summer sun.  I would think the smell would be tough on the tourists.  I guess if your legs were dyed red you would not need to buy pants. 

There are three different hides used, goat, beef and sheep.  Beef hide is the thickest and most expensive.  The sheep hide is the cheapest.  The goat hide is the most economical for the quality as it is really strong.

The day was interesting and educational.  Would like to return to the Bab Boujloud again and explore.



On the way home we stopped at a restaurant where they made their own bread in a stone kiln.  The dough was made and thrown into the fire to spread over hot rocks.  The bread was delicious.  You needed to knock the rocks off first though.  Careful for your teeth. There are stones in some of the products here and it is easy to break a tooth if you are not careful.

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.

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. 

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.

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.