Morocco is a bit of a problem. T-Mobile doesn't go there. That means Catherine can only communicate when there is free wi-fi and that isn't often. Still, between the messages I do get, her itinerary and the internet I can do some pretty intensive virtual travel.
So, for the next little while, Some posts will be about Morocco, others from Thailand, but they will all work out eventually and go to their own links on the right. So! On to Morocco!
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Sunday, April 24, 2015
Catherine flew first to Paris. She had a long layover, and hoped to be able to go into the city, but customs took longer than expected.Still, she found a real wonder in the airport. TWO seats together with no armrest! I have never seen such a sight! Especially at the Atlanta airport when she was deathly sick and we had a 12 hour layover.
Even better, his comfy seat.
And then, best of all--lunch, This really makes me want to go to France.
April 25th 2016 Monday
She found her friend, Erica, who is also on this study program, and wandered around the souks in a jet-lagged stupor and found a rolling pin and a head scarf. And she found the ocean.
She also bravely ate some mystery fish from a street stall. Verdict: it was very good with some kind of fantastic pepper.
April 26, 2016 Tuesday
She met up with the study abroad group and got to meet her host family. Alas, we didn't realize her suitcase had a broken handle until it was too late. She got to drag this over cobblestone streets. Must have been fun. Anyway, it sounds as though her host family is just a lady in an apartment. Catherine is there with three other girls. She says there is classy tile and stone work all over the apartment, and sent us this picture.
To compliment the decor, this is where she is sleeping.
I Love the table wear!
April 27, 2016 Wednesday
"The buildings here are all so tall, 4 stories with really high ceilings., but the streets are so narrow they feel even taller. Cars can't even get through most streets and the outsides look like stone, but I don't they are because I swear it amplifies sound and doesn't muffle it. Either that, or all Moroccan cats are related to tigger. So loud. Also motorbikes. Also drunk people. Also illegal motorbikes. Also call to prayer."
The group toured Hassan. The main tower was supposed to be the world's largest minaret, but construction stopped in 1199 when the Sultan died. Why his son's didn't finish the mosque, I don't know, but it's still beautiful.
Not sure if this courtyard belongs here. But so pretty! The pigeon, I'm sure does belong. Pigeons belong everywhere.
Then, she got to "Rock the Kasbah," meaning visit Kasbah des Oudayas, an old fortress built in the 1200's.
Inside the Kasbah are many tiny streets with brightly colored buildings.
Tip: As you make your way up to Bab Oudaïas, you may be accosted by young women armed with syringes. These are the city's henna ladies, and their syringes are filled with harmless green henna. They have a very irritating sales pitch, initiated by surreptitiously squirting henna on your hand without your consent... be aware that the henna can stain your clothes, so be wary when they approach you.
Gotta ask Catherine about that! (I did. She DID see the henna ladies, and they were indeed obnoxious. She said she got rid of them finally by speaking German at them).
A pretty seaside pic. I imagine this view was fairly common.
She got this delicous looking dinner. I don't know if her host mom cooked it, or if it was a restaurant, but WOW.
April 28, 2016 Thursday
Morning was devoted to class, (A collage class and a studio art class) then in the afternoon they got to visit the ceramic market. The pottery is cheap, but the shipping is not.
April 29, 2016 Friday
Casablanca was disappointing. Mostly, it sounds like because most of the day was spent lost on a bus. But she liked the Casablanca mosque.
Hopefully, she got to have lunch at Rick's cafe, at least. She did manage to see the first 20 minutes of the movie on the plane.
Yes she did! Although the café is looking much too modern for my taste.
Last stop, assuming the bus driver could find it, was the Loft Galery.
April 30, 2016 Saturday
They left for Marrakech. Marrakech is crazy. There are street performers, but she didn't see any magicians, much to my disappointment. But, some performers throw snakes on you then offer to let you give them money for a picture. But, paper money only! None of this loose change stuff!
She saw the Majorelle Gardens--smallish, lots of cactus, Palm trees are everywhere.
a mosque and a palace. I asked how the palace compared to European palaces? Completly different. The idea in Islam is that you're supposed to be humble. So the palace is hidden behind plain walls. Once you're inside the palace, it's full of twisty hallways so you can't see how large the palace really is. There is a lot of tile work and painted plaster. The Muslims never painted figures until the French came in around the 1600's, so that's why there are so many geometric designs.
They also went to the Amazigh museum.
There was a mix up with the hotels. And for a while it looked as though Catherine was going to spend the night in a trundle bed in a five star hotel. They got it worked out, which is a little disappointing (to me, not to her)--it would have made a great story.
Dinner was at place Jemaa El Fna
May 1, 2016 Sunday
Since the only LDS branch in the whole country is in Rabat, they had a small devotional on their own. After church there was lunch and then a guided tour of the Medina of Marrakech's museums.
Most importantly, was a nice long skype with us. She told us about a Berber pharmacy that they visited--they sold a lot of natural oils, and she bought some.
They also went to a Berber rug shop, but since even the tiniest rug was $200 she had to pass.
Apparently "Berber" is no longer politically correct. I cant remember what the correct term is, but it's much harder to say than Berber.
She bought some spices---something she was really wanting. Cumin--which is different there and supposedly good for the stomach, Harissa which is dynamite, a mix of spices for veggies and another for seafood, some Moroccan mint teac, and some saffron. Also, some cold sore stuff helpfully labeled HERPES, and some Kohl. Interesting fact about Kohl and why the Eyptians wore so much of it. It's a mosquito repellent, it also helps with hay fever.
Also, there are a lot of cats.
No idea where these pictures are, but she's wearing a skirt, so I assume it was Sunday. Maybe their devotional was more interesting than she let on.
May 2, 2016 Monday
Classes in the morning. For the studio art class, Catherine is going to do a series of Moroccan doors.
There was lunch, then go to Tafza to visit the Clay artisans. She bought some cute bowls. Also a leather bag (another thing on her wish list) and some pants.
Her favorite thing today was a ruined palace---don't know which one, where she could climb around on the ruins.
May 3, 2016 Tuesday
Today they leave for Ourzazate (famous because Mrs. Pollifax, one of my all-time favorite fictional heroines went there). They will visit another Kasbah, the Ben Haddou Kasbah this time, then visit the Safran and Smok Art area. I suppose it makes sense that there is more than one Kasbah, if it means fortress.
An interesting looking cemetery. Again, no idea where.
The afternoon will be devoted to classes, then they will go to the Ouled Merzoug village.
Finish off the night at the Midaoui Kasbah.
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