Aselamu Aleikum Everyone,
Sorry I haven't posted in awhile, I have busy here as we enter our second to last night in Fez.
I'll start off by saying that it has rained, something I did not think would happen until much later in our stay here in Morocco, after two weeks without rain it felt very strange.
I also discovered that the eggs we have been eating are as fresh as they can get, they are laid by Yasmin, my host mother's chicken who lives inside the kitchen pantry. We also have a tortoise that lives in the courtyard and eats the vegetable scraps.
Speaking of animals, I want to mention that I saw a cat run down in the road, with no effort to wait for it to finish crossing as the light turned green. While it was disturbing, I want to stress to everyone that there are many Moroccans who feed the thousands of local cats, and some even construct shelters for them, but animals are viewed differently here then they are at home. The mules and donkeys here are used as pack animals, and the poultry here is used for food, and that is what gives them importance, from what I have seen the animals here are a tolerated for the service they provide, and are not pets.
Like I said, just a different way of thinking.
On a lighter note, we participated in a couscous cooking session, along with a demonstration of how to play the Oud, a twelve string Moroccan guitar. Both were very interesting glimpses into traditional Moroccan life that a westerner might never have the opportunity to see.
Yesterday we took a trip to Volubilis, the best preserved Roman ruins in Morocco. It was amazingly well preserved with beautiful mosaics and pillars.
I found the drive to the ruins even more interesting, getting outside of the urban areas and into the country was eye opening. The number of cars became fewer and donkeys and mules traveling the road increased in number.
We passed freshly plowed fields and pastures where cows,sheep and goats could be seen grazing with a shepherd nearby overlooking his flock. Flocks of cranes filled the fields and seemed not to be bothered by the wandering animals.
Our stop in Meknes was much less impressive, a city about 1.5 hours from Fez was in my eyes a bit of a waste of time. We stopped there for lunch, and saw the second largest door in Africa. We were allowed to wander the square and market for an hour, which in the short time I was there I decided I liked Fez better. This market seemed like it catered more to tourists and was smaller then Fez, but maybe I just didn't have enough time to explore.
It had a larger sweets and pastry section than what I have seen in Fez, it is amazing the amount of bees that swarm over the sweets and yet do not bother the shoppers.
It seems like Moroccans do not have the same phobia of bugs that Americans do, as flies are an unavoidable part of life here.
We had a get together at a friends house later last night which was a great time and after two weeks of living like a Moroccan, it was great to spend a Saturday night like we would back home.
After sleeping in this morning we went to the cafe, where I ate a camel burger, 100% genuine camel meat. I can't say I really liked it but it was certainly an experience.
Tomorrow I may work up the courage to go to the hamaam, the public bath house...which is way outside my comfort zone.
We leave Fez and head back to Rabat on Tuesday where we will move in with our semester families, and I can honestly say I am going to miss Fez, the Medina, and my routine here.
Messa Al Kher,
Kevin
Feel free to comment or email with questions
Arabic Word of the Day
جمل- Jamel (Camel)
Sorry I haven't posted in awhile, I have busy here as we enter our second to last night in Fez.
I'll start off by saying that it has rained, something I did not think would happen until much later in our stay here in Morocco, after two weeks without rain it felt very strange.
I also discovered that the eggs we have been eating are as fresh as they can get, they are laid by Yasmin, my host mother's chicken who lives inside the kitchen pantry. We also have a tortoise that lives in the courtyard and eats the vegetable scraps.
Our Pet Tortoise
Speaking of animals, I want to mention that I saw a cat run down in the road, with no effort to wait for it to finish crossing as the light turned green. While it was disturbing, I want to stress to everyone that there are many Moroccans who feed the thousands of local cats, and some even construct shelters for them, but animals are viewed differently here then they are at home. The mules and donkeys here are used as pack animals, and the poultry here is used for food, and that is what gives them importance, from what I have seen the animals here are a tolerated for the service they provide, and are not pets.
Like I said, just a different way of thinking.
The Cadillac of Fez
On a lighter note, we participated in a couscous cooking session, along with a demonstration of how to play the Oud, a twelve string Moroccan guitar. Both were very interesting glimpses into traditional Moroccan life that a westerner might never have the opportunity to see.
Oud Lessons
I found the drive to the ruins even more interesting, getting outside of the urban areas and into the country was eye opening. The number of cars became fewer and donkeys and mules traveling the road increased in number.
We passed freshly plowed fields and pastures where cows,sheep and goats could be seen grazing with a shepherd nearby overlooking his flock. Flocks of cranes filled the fields and seemed not to be bothered by the wandering animals.
Group Photo
It had a larger sweets and pastry section than what I have seen in Fez, it is amazing the amount of bees that swarm over the sweets and yet do not bother the shoppers.
It seems like Moroccans do not have the same phobia of bugs that Americans do, as flies are an unavoidable part of life here.
Meknes
Reptiles for Sale
We had a get together at a friends house later last night which was a great time and after two weeks of living like a Moroccan, it was great to spend a Saturday night like we would back home.
After sleeping in this morning we went to the cafe, where I ate a camel burger, 100% genuine camel meat. I can't say I really liked it but it was certainly an experience.
Tomorrow I may work up the courage to go to the hamaam, the public bath house...which is way outside my comfort zone.
We leave Fez and head back to Rabat on Tuesday where we will move in with our semester families, and I can honestly say I am going to miss Fez, the Medina, and my routine here.
Messa Al Kher,
Kevin
Feel free to comment or email with questions
Arabic Word of the Day
جمل- Jamel (Camel)
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