Egyptian Adventure #7

Greetings from the air over Algeria. This morning we awakened at 5 AM to take the 'bus to Cairo airport. It is a very good thing that we completed 99% of our packing quite early in the day yesterday. At about 8:30 PM most of the electricity in the apartment was cut off. It appears that the electric company has the ability to cut off about 60% of the power to each residence????? It  was so hot in Cairo that the electric grid just could not meet the demand. A few lights worked, a few electrical outlets worked, but most of the apartment was in darkness. Our resourceful Madam Soha made many phone calls and finally got some men to come and check things out. They confirmed that the company had done it; the men made some changes to the cabling and ran a bypass which put most things back together. We could use the fans in our bedroom and a light, but, not the air conditioner so we went to sleep.

Once at the airport this morning Ron got quite frustrated at the delays for every thing we were required to do. Check-in was no problem – the long line moved quickly, but so little information was given causing us to have to go through another line twice after discovering that an exit visa was also required. There were also multiple security and passport checks. After all the hassle, we had time for breakfast, which was a half-sandwich and a cup of good coffee each, which spent all but pennies of our Egyptian pounds, which was perfect.

Once on the plane, where we are now, the seats are so narrow that I am typing this with my elbows crunched to my sides, and nowhere else to put them. Ron still thinks I am crowding him. I tell you this to remind you that travel is not as much fun as it used to be. Looking at my receipt, I think we paid $573 each from London to Cairo to Casablanca. The Cairo to Casablanca flight takes 5 hours; sorry, 5 very long hours, though the food they just served was really good. Every so often the very fat man in front of me, who is sitting in the bulk-head, where there is lots of leg room, sets his chair to recline, thus taking up my face room. I can't drop anything on the floor – there is no way to bend over and even scratch my leg, let alone pick something up.

O.K. That's enough whining. I hope to finish this in our hotel room. We will land in Casablanca in about 1 more very long hour. I wish I had some of that lovely fresh Alexandria air with me........

Egyptian Adventure #6

Another correction: OOPS I was totally off-base when I told you the high cost of gasoline in Cairo... I must have zigged when I should have zagged and miscalculated by a ton! Gasoline here is subsidized by the government and cost $1.74 a US gallon.....WOW, I don't make small mistakes do I?

Now about today; which has been totally wonderful. Hedayet agreed to take us to Alexandria for the day. She had hired a driver to drive her car so she would not have to do it alone, as her husband does not drive any more. Iman, the driver,  took good care of us all through easy traffic time and snarls.  We had a three-hour plus drive and we passed very interesting agricultural areas along the way. We also took a small detour to see the fairly new enormous community of "6th of October." The town's name commemorates the 1973 war of that date (if you are interested in more information it is available in Wikipedia).The community is designed to provide housing of various prices, jobs, and shopping all in one area, thus eliminating commuting to work etc. This opportunity has been accomplished. It turns out, however, that many people who live there, work in Cairo while people who work there, live in Cairo.

When we arrived in Alexandria we went first to see the apartment Hedayet and her husband own in a very private community. There were record rainfalls last winter and the rain came through the roof and left an enormous amount of damage. A start has been made on extensive repairs, and what a great place it will be when it is restored. It is on the 7th floor of the building with a  view of the Mediterranean. The breeze blowing from the sea was just wonderful. We went on to walk the promenade of the very private community beach just so we could have a small beach experience in Egypt.
We then moved on to the down-town historic part of the town. How very beautiful it is! On the way we stopped at a lovely park with a palace that was built for King Farouk. We have pictures of the castle which is ornate beyond imagination. It put us mind a little of Neuschwanstein in Bavaria or even the castle in Disneyland.

Then on to the big event of the day, we went to the Library at Alexandria. Built to honor the great library of ancient times, it is only about 200 meters from where the ancient library stood. I cannot do justice in this little journal to the wonder that this new one is. Again, if you go to  http://www.bibalex.org you will find a very well organized web site that gives enough information to keep you busy for weeks! We had a short tour of introduction and I have to tell you, it was a thrilling experience. What a great job has been done by many contributors and by Egypt. The ancient library and the tragedy of its loss was a part of my history lessons. To see that now a library, destined to be just as important, lives right where it belongs felt just right.

But wait, there is more. We went on to see the restored castle of Alexander. We regretted that we could not tour the castle. By the time we got to where we could only photograph it; we were quite tired and very hungry. We were totally ready for a good meal and to prepare for the long drive back to Cairo. We went to a restaurant just across the street where we were seated at an outside table on the second story. The view from our table of the Mediterranean, the library across the water, the minarets of the Mosques, the fishing boats in the harbor, and the panorama at our feet was intoxicating. The food was great, the service perfect and the experience beyond all expectations.

When we finally returned to Cairo we found that there had been no more trouble in Tahrir Square or anywhere else. I had a long talk with Soha and she explained why people like her are so afraid of the upcoming election. Briefly this is my understanding: It is strongly suspected that the army will interfere with the election and that democracy will be undermined. There is, unfortunately, a law in their constitution that declares that the result of an election for President will stand, regardless of circumstances, and cannot be challenged. This is what the people fear: If they don't get that law changed, they will be stuck with the results of a possible fraudulent election.

I cannot say enough about how welcome we have made where ever we went here in Egypt. Even complete strangers have been willing to help, and I am not just talking about those who needed to be paid. From the man at the airport who went to so much trouble, to waiters, and all, we have been treated so well. Madame Soha (as everyone calls her) just spoiled us rotten; She has taken all avenues to make sure we got the experience we wanted. She so patiently answered my questions and even shared her birthday and her family with us.  Hedayet and her husband have also spent so much time with us, fed us,  loved us, and took us to Alexandria. How lucky we are to have such dear friends!

This time in Egypt it was not so much tourism, which we had done before, but politics -- what is the situation here and how will it be resolved? Well we have learned that the danger to tourists is none -- if they are smart enough to stay away from demonstrations (unless they are prepared to go to jail for the cause of democracy). Every place that we have been we have felt totally safe.

Tomorrow is our last day and we leave for Morocco early on Monday morning. If you find these journals boring just let me know./; I will remove your from distribution. Otherwise I will keep on writing and sending any time I can find access to the 'Net in Morocco.

And so to bed. Hugs, Noreen

Egyptian Adventure #5

Greetings from friendly Cairo:

CORRECTION: In the interest of honest reporting: I incorrectly said that the builders who built the lines and lines of apartments on the west side of the Nile did so on pulbic-owned land. NOT SO they owned the land, but failed to get building permits. Sorry!

Great day today, but not for the people who are trying to oust the Military Government. I'll get that story out of the way then get to the things we did. The political strife is clearly ramping up. When Soha called to confirm our reservation for dinner, she was told that it may be cancelled due to the protests. We listened to the news and discovered that the far right Islamists had gotten into it with the army outside the Defense Minister's offices. After waiting a while and watching the peaceful Friday prayers in Tahrir Square, we decided to get on with our life.

We drove to Hedayet's house and on the way we came across a protest march of hundreds of people that stretched for several blocks. They appeared to be well-organized and very peaceful. We actually drove down the street on whch they were marching and there was no disruption of traffic. They marched from Tahrir Square to the Defense Minister's compound, which is many miles in temperatures well over 100. From Hedayet's we took a taxi to the Nile. While we waited for dinner we saw the protest march crossing a bridge over the Nile, we could see that they had grown in number and they stretched from one end of the bridge to the other.  We did our tour (see below) When we got home the news advised us that the protest had turned ugly. At least 2 people were killed by the army and hundreds arrested. There is a curfew currently in effect until 7 AM around the Defense Minister's property......

All of this sounds dreadful, but normal Egyptian life is not affected by anything but the curfew. We had no problem getting home. We were easily able to get a taxi back to our car, we drove across Cairo without incident. The need to get the army out of the government is well supported, but these violent clashes don't do anyone any good. 

AND SO TO THE STORY OF THE DAY
I am attempting to attach a picture of the 4 of us on the boat. The scenery was wonderful, the breeze on the water was very welcome, the food was outstanding. We floated up the Nile and back for 2 hours with views of some wonderful agricultural land and a few great villas. One of the Villas was built by the prime Minister -- who is now in jail! There was entertainment and great service. Normally this boat would be filled to capacity with tourists but, today, it was only about half-full. At 101 Egyptian pounds (that is only equal to around $15 ) it was quite a bargain. Afterwards we spent idle time in a Nile-side cafe. A cold drink and a lazy breeze off the river was wonderful. The conversations were stimulatiing and educational.

I do want you to understand that the political situation is only hurting the ordinary people of Egypt. The poor are living on a dollar a day. The rich are getting richer. Children are being employed at abusive wages, and the government is completely out of touch. I am convinced that it is perfectly safe to be here; one just has to stay out of trouble areas. Tomorrow we are going very early to Alexandria ( about a 3-hour drive). I won't be writing.

AND SO TO BED Noreen      

Egyptian Adventure #4

Greetings from Cairo:

A really great day today. We had a lazy morning because we all got up feeling like that was what we wanted. At 12.30 we started our happy day. First we went shopping for Soha to exchange her birthday present and then to the Supermarket to take care of some photos. Parking is quite an art. You pay someone to help you park and you have to wait in line for a spot to open. At $12 a gallon for gas, waiting in line is hot and frustrating.  Then we went to lunch at the Yacht club.

Several of our old Friendship Force friends who visited us in Oregon joined us for the meal. Hanna, Hoda, Hedayet, and Soha were joined by Hedayet's daughter and husband. All were so pleased to see us and a new member bought us each a gift. The food was really good and, as we have found before, Cairo has the most wonderful fresh vegetables, which were served with pita bread and a lot of dips like tahini, yogurt with cucumbers, and totally yummy stuff we did not know. We drank lemonade with mint which I will copy when I get home -- it was good.

After the meal we took a taxi to some pace where Soha was invited to attend the opening of a new patisserie. It was a very upscale place and there were many people, the press, and movie stars present. I got hit on very hard by some rich-looking Egyptian Lothario. He asked if I had a husband and I pointed out Ron..He suggested I should get a younger husband. Ron just shook his head. Soha and I concluded that it had to be the blonde hair; she thinks Egyptian men go nuts over blonde hair. I suppose that at my age it is a bit of fun to be noticed in a crowd, and mistaken for a blonde! The shop owner made a point of telling us his resume -- he is justifiably proud of the product he has put together. I only tried a few things, but they were outstanding.

There was no new trouble in the revolution today. We drove through Tahrir Square on the way home. There were lots of people around, but all was peaceful. The BBC on-the-spot reporter told that the people who started the problem were actually army people in Mufti. This point of view fit with the fact that the barracks did not respond to the melee for way too long and until long after people had been killed. The army does not want the election to succeed and so take away their power. The people are very upset because the tourists are staying away in droves and the poor are suffering.They want a stable government.

On the way home we went to Street 9, which is a place where the poor and middle class stroll in the evenings. We stopped the car, parked illegally, and Soha sent a man to buy us fresh-squeezed sugar cane juice. I was not so pleased to try it, but it was ice cold and surprisingly delicious.

I am falling asleep at the key board AND SO TO BED
Hugs, Noreen

Egyptian Adventure #3

We have used up every ounce of our luck today -- thus my safe numbering system. We stayed late in bed, ate a fine breakfast and watched the news -- which was mostly about the new troubles in Tahrir Square and McCain going on at length about how we had to "do something" about Iran before we left it too late... Thus telling the whole world via CNN that we need to go to war sooner rather than later and other countries should join in too. Yes, we know how well that worked out in Iraq!

Soha, Ron and I had a good conversation about this many of the stories that are spread to foster hatred. She told us that the majority of Egyptiansbelieve that all the Jews were warned to leave the twin towers before they were destroyed. Ron dealt with that myth by pointing out the loss of life in at least one finance company that was mostly Jewish run. I pointed out that these stories are told by the same kind of people who sent out those dreadful lies about all Muslims being terrorists. Soha agreed that AlQuaeda and Islamists were basically terrorists. They are as much afraid of them as we are. We all agreed that bad people are everywhere, and we have our own at home too.

Well that was enough of that for one day. Hedayet arrived, still with laryngitis, and volunteered to take us wherever we wanted to go. We have been warned to stay away from the museum, but Ron thought he would not be happy to be in Cairo and not see the pyramids. So we went to Giza. The pyramids were just as they always had been (awesome) but, we were really shaken by the many new apartment buildings that have been built on the west side of the Nile since we were last here. Hedayet explained that when the revolution occurred, the builders just moved into public land and built everywhere. When a quasi government was formed by the military, they just paid a small fine and kept building.
The saddest thing was the sight of so many people trying to make a living from tourists in Giza, and no tourists around. Our friends here even told us that they have no incoming Friendship Force group this year. The opportunity was assigned to Canada, and they wouldn't come because they were afraid. Our experience is that the danger is about as great as it is anywhere in the world right now. Tahrir Square didn't look any different than most of the Occupy areas in the USA. Last night's troubles were caused by them having an army in charge. The only guns were in the hands of soldiers and police.

Well, due to such activities, these poor people who make their living from helping tourists were all trying to persuade us to allow them to take us to the pyramids; which was not on our schedule for today. We just wanted to see the area. Ron had the opportunity to walk around and take pictures and see the Sphinx.

Driving in Cairo is a constant source of amazement. Each driver we have been with has shown incredible skills. I consider myself a good driver, but I would never drive here! There are simply no rules and, somehow, once that is understood, no quarter is expected or given, and, somehow, it works. At least we didn't get killed today.

We came back to Soha's house with a large bouquet of flowers for her birthday. We had a lovely supper with 2 of her grandchildren with us -- who were delivered to her house by their driver. They were such beautiful children; they both, at 11- and 7 years-old spoke beautiful English. After birthday chocolate torte and silly singing, we showed the youtube film Ron made of the Egyptian's visit to Oregon -- they really loved that. Then more family arrived so, after introductions and a short exchange of conversation, we disappeared into our bedroom to leave them to visit together without the need to communicate in English.

AND SO TO BED Hugs, Noreen

Egyptian Adventure #2

Good Morning Everyone and Happy May Day!

We heard the news that demonstrations are planned throughout US. We will be keeping our eyes open. I can get my New York Times on line.


Guess what!!! No rain today! It was a perfect, dry, Cairo spring day. Oh boy, did we need this....I slept so soundly last night that I didn't even hear the Muezzin call to prayer at 4:30 AM, even though the minaret is very close. But, then, they always are!
Guess what!!! No rain today! It was a perfect, dry, Cairo spring day. Oh boy, did we need this....I slept so soundly last night that I didn't even hear the Muezzin call to prayer at 4:30 AM, even though the minaret is very close. But, then, they always are!

We started our day with a light breakfast and were quite lazy as we unpacked our bags and other boring stuff. Then we went out for a relaxed hour in a lovely tree-shaded area on a patio at TGI Friday's for cold drinks. The Nile flowed lazily past, by the bank below our table. Sweet!

From there Soha drove us to the club where she made reservations to meet with other old friends for lunch on Friday. Then off the Hedayet's house for a late, wonderful lunch. All the dishes served were Egyptian traditional food. Other than the chicken and bread I could not tell you the names of anything else, but, it was all delicious.

To come back to Soha's house, we and Hedayet and Hedayet's husband, Dr. Edel, all squeezed into Soha's little car. They were going to a mourning for an old friend of Dr. Edel's. If I have described the driving conditions in Cairo to you before, or if you have experienced them, pardon me ---- but they are unbelievable. Fender-to-fender maneuvering at impossible speeds with every driver fighting for space. Donkey carts and pedestrians (even whole families) dodge cars and busses. We have seen very few accidents but many, many miracles.

On our way we passed Tahrir Square where we saw hundreds of pedestrians and lots of tents erected in the square. It was not possible to stop; the traffic just goes around the square. Occupy Egypt is alive and well! I understand that 13 candidates are running for election to President. I learned something new today (perhaps everyone else knew this long ago). There is a difference between being a Muslim and being Islamist.  I had always thought that Muslims were just the name of the people who followed the Islamic teaching. Not so, Islamist people are those who follow the  fundamentalist interpretation of the Koran. Among the Presidential candidates are followers of all shades. Our friends are Muslim, but seriously not Islamist.
After arriving back at Soha' house, we had a cup of tea on her lovely balcony then retired to our cool and comfortable room to relax.

AND SO TO BED......
Hugs, Noreen

Egyptian Adventure #1

Well, this is different.....I am writing this day from our very comfortable bedroom in Cairo. Lots of adventures since I finished last night. Before we went to our hotel at Heathrow Airport, we stopped at Egypt Air to check on the latest time of our 8:30 AM flight and the terminal # (there are 5 widely separated terminals at Heathrow). They were very sorry, but they did not have a flight next morning OMG!!!!!BUT our tickets were printed with the name “Egypt Air” prominent. A supervisor was called, a few keys were hit, and we learned that ours was a British Midlands International (BMI) flight at 10:10 AM next day from terminal 1; we were currently in terminal 3! This was not a major problem because it was the night before --- imagine what it would have been like if we had arrived at the wrong terminal next day!

Relieved that we had sorted this out we took the Hoppa bus to our hotel, had that wonderful dinner in the restaurant, a great night's sleep, and got to the airport in tons of time. We has a leisurely breakfast (not great, but adequate) then walked 15 minutes to our plane. An uneventful flight, another breakfast, and we arrived in Cairo Airport on time. Then the fun started.


First there were people greeting all kinds of names, but no Noreen & Ron. Panic Time (me) “Wait a bit” (Ron). While he was waiting for his suitcase, I went over to a very cute young Arab whose spoke perfect English. I explained how, without a person to greet us, we did not know where to go. Without hesitation he pulled out his cell phone and called our friend Hedayet (Whose # I had handy). She told him the name of the transport company and the exact address to which we should go, which he wrote in my book in Arabic for our driver...Not how welcoming and friendly is that???? He escorted us through customs, where we found our driver. Ron got money from a hole in the wall, and we started our journey ….Then the fun REALLY started.


The first thing was the great screaming gathering of Arabic men who were blocking the road out of the airport. “Are they demonstrating?” I asked. “Yes,” he replied, “They are very happy about football.” The driver had to literally push through the screaming fans, and I found myself greeted with smiles and a return salute when I gave the thumbs-up sign.

The next part of the adventure was driving through Cairo and discovering that our driver spoke almost no English, did not know how to find the address we were going to, and had no map, or GPS. Once we got into the approximate area, he kept asking police and taxi drivers, and everyone, apparently, gave him different information. Before we even got that far he had to buy gas; got hassled by the soldier who was “guarding” the gas with a very showy and obviously very self-important manner (badge-heavy we would call it). The line was for ever; the pump was half broken, the price was very high. We learned, even with his bits of English, and it was later confirmed, that the army is universally hated in Cairo. We also learned that he is Muslim, political, and he tried so hard to find the words to express how he felt. That most people were just people and were good; he did not hate anyone -----except governments which he thought were just rubbish, and that he is Islamic. He so sincerely wanted us to understand this, it was very sweet.

We finally arrived at our destination after completing an in-depth tour of suburban Cairo. It was quite interesting when we arrived. Soha's apartment is on the 5^th floor of a very nice area. She has 3 bedrooms and an enormous living/dining area that makes our great room look quite small. It will take me a whole week to see all the treasures she has here. She had prepared a lovely supper of very Egyptian foods. We chatted and all retired to an early night.


Soha has WiFi, so we will be able to transmit these tomorrow.

AND SO TO GO ON OUR FIRST WALKABOUT IN CAIRO!
Hugs,Noreen

Moroccan Adventure #6 -- Days 8 - 14

Tuesday 15 May, 2012 and up-to-date

We are approaching the end of our trip in Morocco, so I am changing the format. I am going to leave out much of the less interesting details and focus on special stories. All the meals have been interesting. Moroccan food is lovely, and very different; end of that story! So instead of a sequence of events here are my stories that I think are worth telling:

The Ancient Berber village of Ksar El Bouiya.

Berbers are the original inhabitants of Morocco; Living there long before their land was taken over by the Romans, the Ottomans and the Arabs. Berber is actually a misnomer given to them by the Romans, meaning barbarian. There are many tribes of Berber, a northern group, a central group and a southern group. They are quite different from each other, not all one tribe. Today they are full citizens of Morocco and they seem to live comfortably side by side, all are Muslim, some are nomads. Like everyone else, some are rich, some are poor. A genuine effort has been made in Morocco to discourage extreme Islamists. I believe it is true to say they really try to live the positive way of the Koran.
Ksar El Bouiya is a poor Berber village where many live according to ancient traditions. As we entered the village seeing the timeless adobe houses, we had a nasty incident. Kitsy, one of our members, tripped over a hazard in the path and fell heavily. This was the beginning of an incredible experience. First I was aware that she was injured; there was a lot of blood. Within seconds Pam, a member of our group, who is a nurse-practitioner, and Ali, our guide, were at her side. They hurried back to the bus with her for treatment.

It was very hot, so the remaining group all migrated to the shade of a small alley to wait. We had not been there more than a couple of minutes when a young woman came to her door and signaled us to come inside her house. She led us through her small dark entry passage and invited us to have seats. Can you imagine inviting 22 strangers into your house so they could get out of the blistering heat? But, that is not all.

She began the process of making us local mint tea and offered us a tray of almonds. Her house was very small, the facilities were very primitive, but the sincerity of her wish to help was clear to us. We learned later that she is a widow with children, is extremely poor, and had asked us in because she is Muslim and believes in the practice of hospitality to strangers. Ali, our guide, returned and let us know that Kitsy's injuries were not serious, and even he was delighted at the courtesy of our host. He conducted the tea ceremony, (an ad hoc decision; we were supposed to go to a more professional demonstration later). He gave her a gift of money, and so did our group leader. Payment was not required or expected. I have to say that, though I have described many interesting sights and experiences, this was the highlight of the trip for me. I believe that woman did more for the cause of Islam than all the violence and restrictive practices making the daily news. The kindness of strangers is a powerful eye-opener. I will remember that primitive, but welcoming home, for the rest of my life.

After walking along the also primitive, but functional, irrigation system for the village, we visited the village school and gave gifts of school supplies, we enjoyed a lunch of Berber food in a restaurant, went to a fossil shop, were invited to tea in the lovely home of the head of an association, the purpose of which was never quite clear.

The Camel Ride

This was the event I had been waiting for and it met every expectation. We: (Don, Ron, Eric and I) shared a 4-wheel drive trek over the desert...NOT the desert roads, there weren't any! We arrived at an Oasis where our camel drivers were waiting for us. We were each assigned to a particular camel, and they were pretty comfortable on top. 23 of us were joined together in 3 strings. On our heads we wore traditional scarves arranged into coverings; I did a Gertrude Bell imitation, Ron did a very sexy Ali Baba, looking very stern and macho.

We began our trek into the Dunes D'or. There was a slight evening breeze and the ride was gorgeous. The camels were clean and friendly, except my camel was a bit too eager, and kept pushing his friend in front of me to move faster. Ron has one outstanding photo of our line of camels -- outlined upon the setting sun.(I will attempt to atach it). We gave the camels a bit of a rest as we walked to the top of the hill for the view. The whole desert was so clean and open.

After our rest, the sun began to set and the wind began to pick up. We set off for the oasis where we had started from, and the sky got darker and the sand began to move in our direction. We were so far into the desert that we could not see the lights of the building we started from, we plodded on keeping fairly quiet. We kept our sun glasses in place, and used the end of our scarves as they were intended – we covered our mouth and nose! We recognized the camel drivers concerns as the sand storm got stronger and the light was disappearing. I don't suppose any of us was in grave danger, but I, for one, felt very vulnerable and was delighted when the oasis popped into view.

The last part of this adventure was the difficulty in finding a road back to our hotel. In the storm and the dark, our driver received a cell call telling him that the track back to the road to the hotel was closed due to a political demonstration. Fortunately, it is the Sahara, and roads are whatever one is driving on. All the cars met and decided upon an alternative way home. Eventually, we were there!

AND SO TO BED

Our Home stay in ErfoudFinally, the last big deal event. We met our Friendship Force Hosts for that night at a coffee shop. Our host is an actor and artist, a vibrant personality and he seemed to be very happy. His name was Abdul Hak, and he spoke no English. We thought he was taking us to his home, but he took us on a tour of the local markets. It was hot, we had taken no water with us, and the markets did not offer anything we might want to buy. Neither Ron nor I had on our hats, and I had left my canes on the bus, not knowing I was going on another hike. This was exhausting.

Then we were taken to the place where the planned evening events were to be. We were told dinner at 7, we arrived at 7:30. A steep staircase led us to a small room where we were shown the awards the amateur acting group had won. Up more stairs, the roof was prepared for the party, and a lot of trouble had been taken in the preparation. Everything moved on Morocco time, which is not chained to a clock! The highlight of the evening was a really professional puppet show, and the friendliness and pleasure of our company showed by the local people. We were served tea, eventually, then a large plate of chicken and vegetable couscous was placed in the center of each table. We each ate with our right hands from the communal dish, on a roof-top after sun-set, as more and more people came to be greeted. It doesn't get any more exotic than this!

After the food, 3 birthday cakes were brought to a table, and the three members of our group, with birthdays during the trip, (one of them me) were placed on a seat in front of everyone while the traditional “Happy Birthday” song was sung in English and Arabic. We cut and shared the cakes after blowing out a candle. You must admit, that one has to be added to a long string of really unusual birthday celebrations! Much later the party ended and we must walk to our lodging for the night in Abdul's house. His wife, his father, his children were all waiting to meet us, though it was the middle of the night. The little ones were lovely and were delighted when when I played “hit the balloon in the air” with them. Then I played “This little piggy” with the baby, following which his daddy did the Arabic version of the same game! (SMALL WORLD.)

When we finally got to the bathroom and bed we found that the bathroom was a hole in the floor with a bucket and a low faucet for flushing. I managed a shower by taking a pan of water from the faucet and pouring it over my body. After all that heat and dust it felt just fine! The bed was a blanket and a sheet with 2 pillows on the floor of a room of our own. The windows were protected by wrought iron decorative grills, but no glass. Shutters could be closed, but, open, they provided a small breeze, and a lot of flies. These people live with flies; we were a bit discombobulated when we sat around a table that was black with flies......but it was just what we needed to see and understand. This family was close; they had many friends. With all of our hygiene and wealth, I have never seen a happier family. They gave us their very best; and we were humbled!

The Final Drive

The drive to Marrakech was long and fascinating. We crossed the Atlas Mountains via a road built long ago by the French. Our highest point of the drive was 7,000 feet. We stopped for lunch fairly close to that elevation. Ron and I were decorated by a snake charmer – yes real snakes around our necks! The scenery moved from very boring desert to lovely old adobe villages; from flat valleys to homes built into the mountain side. A river of melted snow flowed through all of these places. Irrigation and water-sharing were to be seen from the way the system was laid out. Wheat, alfalfa, vegetables, walnuts trees, and livestock were seen everywhere. We also saw agave plants from which tequila is NOT made, but the threads are woven into what they call vegetable silk. I hope to find a blouse made of it before I leave tomorrow.

The most important point that I noticed was the very clever use of land. There were no houses or buildings of any kind on arable land. Everything on which a useful plant could grown was irrigated and planted. Houses were tucked into hillsides or built on scrubby territory. I must admit that I missed some of the scenery. The road was cut into the mountain and the sheer drop at the side of the bus was thousands of feet more than I wanted to face! So, I closed my curtain.

Writing of which, this may be where I close the curtain on this part of the trip. Tomorrow we fly to London, where we will spend one night before getting on an early plane to San Francisco. Nothing very note-worthy will happen after that, though I may manage a lazy line or two from Kauai!

Until then, thanks for listening

Hugs,

Noreen

Moroccan Adventure #5-- Days 6 - 7

End of Sunday, May 14

Hi Folks:

We were escorted to the home of our hosts for 2 nights. Fatima (wife and Friendship Force member) Mohamed, her husband, Bouchra, their daughter, Mohamed their son, and Selma the youngest daughter and all of them were delightful. Bouchra spoke very good English and she was a great help to us. They had prepared a nice bedroom with 2 small beds. Accommodations were not luxury, but they were as good as their own. We were served tea and cookies then we got organized for bed. We realized that food was being prepared and, sure enough, dinner was served around 11 PM. Culture shock – that is when Moroccans eat their big meal!

Monday, May 15
After breakfast, Fatima took us by taxi to another friend's house where all the women in the group were given the opportunity to have a henna tattoo on our hands. Mine starts from my finger-tip on my right hand then extends up my arm both front and back. It was great fun, and no problem here in Morocco, but I fear it may look a little silly when I get home. It is expected to last for some time!

Lunch was served to us there and a good time was shared with the other members of the Azrou Club.
In the early evening we visited a school where we had the education system explained. The school children were very excited to see us and ran up to practice a few words of English and making it clear that they wanted either handshakes or hugs. We had prepared donated school supplies which were given to the principal. Our evening was free to spend with our family. There is another daughter in the family who attends university in Atlanta GA, studying to be a doctor of Pharmacology. At my request they prepared a very small dinner and it was served early as we must meet the bus next day.

The home was, as expected, very simple. We are prepared on these trips to meet people and learn about their culture. The houses are different, the furniture is very different with normal being velvet covered narrow couches on every wall and hand-made rugs in the center. Almost every table we saw was round, frequently with castors on the legs to wheel it where needed. A huge dish of couscous is placed in the center of the table, with meat and vegetables piled on top. It is good manners to eat the vegetables first. Everyone eats out of the same dish with the right hand, which is tough for left-handed Ron.

The culture and the religion are different, but the people are just the same! We were embarrassed by the gifts we were given. It seems to me that Moroccans are a loving, generous culture. We saw several demonstrations all peaceful and well organized expressions of Democracy. To the last person I never heard anything but praise for their king. They are Muslims who follow the teaching of the Koran.

Bouchra is on Face book, and has already friended us! We expect to keep in touch.

Moroccan Adventure #4 -- Days 5 & 6

Saturday 12^th May 2012

Hello Everyone again, here I am, back on line, and catching up to do. I am going to squeeze 2 days into one journal because I am so far behind. Not only have we had very full and tiring (but educational) days, we have also had no access to WIFI.

After breakfast at the hotel, we went shopping in the Medina at Fez. We were advised to set our watches back to the 12^th century upon entry! Actually, we hiked 5 miles through steep up and down uneven surfaces. We managed to stop for 2 brief moments to buy a couple of things at a souk, but mostly is was move, move, move. We visited an ancient tannery, still in operation. The smell was so bad they gave us a bunch of fresh mint and, I'm afraid, I was more distressed than thrilled at the sight of the workers. Some were very young, working with the skins, in the burning sun, in vats of lye. Others were washing the leather in either chemicals or water. There were the usual “mosquitoes” as Ron calls them – sales people all over us like a cheap suit. I was quite happy to leave. Yes, it was an education, but I am not sure I wanted to know.

We also went to a small business creating fabrics. That was fun. Our guide, Ali, wrapped a scarf around every one of our heads to demonstrate the various styles of different parts of the country. Ron has already earned the nick-name of Ali-Baba, because of his beard, and actually, with a turban, he looked totally comfortable with that nick-name. Most of us purchased a scarf, quite inexpensive, and we all decided they would make great table runners! They were under $4 each!

Later the same day, we met with the local Friendship Force people. The bus left us off at the entrance to the Medina, and we walked to a private house. As we turned the final corner, we were met by a drum- band. They led us through the streets with lots of noise and people came out of their houses to see what was going on. It was just a way to greet and to honor us! Inside the house it was very crowded and almost unbearably hot. Food and Moroccan mint tea was served (which, by-the-way, is delicious). Anna and Greg Howe were taken into a small room and then were dressed up. Once more, we watched a Moroccan wedding ceremony. Anna and Greg were great sports. They looked gorgeous sitting on their throne and getting lifted in a litter to carry around the room. They were dressed in lovely clothing and Ann was dripping with jewels, but we had to feel sorry as it was very hot there. We finally got to bed at 12:30 PM. We have gotten quite used to “Moroccan Time.” it is unrelated to any clock or any plan which might be expected. It is all part of the adventure!!!

Sunday May 13

We had to get up very early next day to begin our drive to Azrou, through the Mid-Atlas mountains. We stopped in the town of Ifrane known and the Switzerland of Morocco. The architecture was clearly designed for winter snow and there is, in fact, popular ski resort there. We had a picnic in a lovely wooded area, and it was quite comfortably cool there as we were at high altitude. After Ifrane we made a second stop in the mountains to see the Barbary Apes (same animals that inhabit Gibraltar). We noted that there is genuine concern for protection of the environment in that area. The apes were very friendly, and were happy to show me their baby and accept peanuts from my hand.

Our next stop was in Azrou, where we were escorted to the homes of our hosts. We had our dinner at 11 pm (normal time for Moroccans) before we finally dropped into our beds. I will tell you more about our hosts tomorrow; they were lovely, but right now I am really tired and I will say goodnight and brush my teeth.

AND SO TO BED.

Noreen

Moroccan Adventure #3 -- Day 4 (No 2 - 3)

Greetings Friends, about May 11:

Fez was really a lovely place; more exactly giving us the experience of a real Arabic city. It was extremely hot here and we were advised that the further south we go, the hotter it will get. I need cooler clothes! Our first visit today was to the Royal Palace. There is a new wing which has some magnificent hammered doors. I am sorry that we cannot send pictures, but the WiFi signals are very week here, or non-existent. That is why my journals are hit and miss. Our morning was spent visiting the outside of the Medina (the medieval center of the city). Because today is Friday, many of the businesses are closed – Friday being a holy day for Muslims.

We did go into the ancient Jewish center. There are very few Jews left here because, we are told, 13,000 left voluntarily to move to Israel. The streets were incredibly narrow, and the homes seemed to be in a poor state of repair. We were told that it would be very inexpensive to buy one of these buildings, compared to other parts of the city. The Jews who remained in Morocco now live in the new, modern part of the city. We have been told by many people that the relationship between Jews and Moroccans is very good. Everyone we speak with about such things tells us that Moroccans are very proud of the way their way of life encourages freedom and tolerance. We went to Jewish Synagogue in the quarter, still being maintained as an important historic building, but no longer used as a synagogue. Along the way we stopped in a narrow street at a door next to a plaque in the wall telling us that this had been the home of the venerated Jewish scholar, Maimonides.

One sees girls together as friends, one with very modern dress, the other with more traditional covering. One does not see the full, black draping of women here, as we saw frequently in Egypt, with only a small slit for the eyes or, even, perhaps, a slightly opaque veil totally covering the face; even black gloves on the hands and black socks on the feet. I cannot help but wonder how they can walk around in temperatures in excess of 104 degrees F. We even have pictures of women covered like that while sitting on the beach in Alexandria. “Covered,” here, however, may mean tights with a modern long blouse and a head covering.

Today we also went by bus to the top of a high hill where we could see the Panoramic view of Fez. It was too hot for me to go walking so I stayed in the bus and looked through the window. Then we went to a pottery factory where we watched the expert potters at work. Of course we could not resist buying two lovely hand-painted mugs. There were many other beautiful things to buy, but they must be carried home in a suitcase.
Back to the hotel we stayed only a short time before driving to a spa in the mountains. I don't know how we did this, because we were already so hot, but we signed up for a short swim in the natural sulfur hot water (it really felt good) and for a 30-minute massage afterward. We went back to the bus with our strings untied......but, we were not finished yet! We arrived back at the hotel with 10 minutes to change and get back to the bus for dinner and a show. (Take a deep breath!)

The restaurant was very crowded, and we enjoyed good traditional meal, but we were also allowed to buy a bottle of Moroccan wine and beer. A band, led by a lute and several other instruments played through dinner a very traditional Middle Eastern music. They were followed by a marching band that came in through the diners, then a fairly good fully dressed belly dancer, who picked people from the audience to dance with her. I ended up on the stage; with Barbara Horton then Terry Shrader danced too. Ron beat a retreat to hide by a pillar and take photographs. This was followed by a really good magician. He did a trick with a dove which was cleverly done and put the dove on the edge of the stage afterward, and it just stayed there. He called a young boy up to the stage and did good card tricks, then started to walk out of the theater, leaving the bird on the stage. I felt safe; I had already been picked on to belly dance, so, when he was leaving the bird behind, I said an audible “ahhh!” Well, stupid me, he immediately came and grabbed me by the hand on stage to be his assistant..... First there was babble, (he spoke a little English) then he had me dance to the music (remember, my feet don't work, so I used my arms and swayed in ersatz Arabic fashion, much to the amusement of my friends. Then he asked me if I liked animals, and in response to his questions, I described Rudy. So he promised that, if I did as he asked, he would make a little white dog appear. He took a silk handkerchief, and twisted it up in a tight wad, and requested that I push it down between my breasts … I put on a show of embarrassment then did as he asked. After a few moments of patter, telling me there was a snake in there etc., he pulled out the fabric, attached at the end was a small, white cotton bra!!!

Later there were Berber sisters with false blonde hair who simply gyrated to the music. Don Stone was called up and hammed up a fine performance with them. We have photographs to prove that! This was followed by a beautiful, svelte belly dancer dressed a minimal saffron outfit; while Don was a hard act to follow, she was easy on the eye!!

Then came the high-point of the evening – “The Wedding.” Linda and Larry, from J'ville, members of our group, were quietly taken to a special room where they were dressed in amazing clothes and she in sumptuous jewels as well. With loud music and much applause, she was carried to the stage, in a golden litter, on the shoulders of 4 strong people. A mock wedding was performed as they got married again, Moroccan-style.
The day came to an end shortly after that, and we finally got to bed around 12:30 AM.

Moroccan Adventure #2 -- Day 1 (Cont.)

Hello friends:

Today has been a very big day and I am glad that I survived to tell you about it. We started with breakfast in the hotel, which was O.K. But the coffee requirement worked out well. We purchased a lot of various kinds of individual packets of coffee both at home and in England. We were able to get hot water from the hotel machine and make our own coffee; it was really good. They offer espresso, but that is not for me.
After that we prepared to be gone for the day and had an introductory meeting in the hotel before going for a tour of Casablanca. Our guide, Ali, is very proud of the French style architecture. Some of the older buildings, with wrought iron balconies, remind me very much of New Orleans French Quarter.

We stopped see an open area where the French Embassy and other buildings were located. People were protesting the lack of jobs. We went to an interesting market area, mostly dedicated to the sale of meat and fish, much more interesting in its varieties, but I can't tell you what they were because.other than lamb and beef, I don't know what we were looking at!

We were taken to a specialty restaurant for lunch; it was almost all fish. I ordered calamari which arrived in a small iron pot with a delicious spicy sauce and vegetables piled on top, it was piping hot (degrees) and moderately hot (spices) and absolutley delicious. Served with big crusty bread rolls, I was in heaven! Ron and several others ordered mixed grill. It arrived on an enormous plate covered in many fish, shrimp, and calamari. It looked beautiful but with so much food I was glad I didn't order it. The sight of that amount of food made me feel full! Ron made a Herculean effort to eat his, and he took care of the big shrimp first, but even he couldn't make it. Most people complained that the fish was actually cold; they would have liked it hot! With the Atlantic ocean beating on the shore, fish is big in traditional Moroccan food.

Next was a trip to see the Mosque of Hassan the Second. How the building was paid for when the building was started in 1987 is for conversation; but, now it is there, it is magnificent. The workmanship is beyond comparison. It is the third largest Mosque in the world and has the tallest minaret anywhere. The marble, the tiles, the inlay, the wood work etc. are enough to make one gasp. I wore my Mosque-visiting-respectful headcovering and demure clothing. Photographs were taken; we will be prepared to bore you with them on the slightest indication of interest. We walked up and down long flights of stairs until I felt like my legs would never work again. It was well worth our time, but left me with mixed feelings about the construction of such an exquisite buulding in a place where many people are so very poor.
We were taken back to our hotel for a rest (which was badly needed) and then out to dinner. The restaurant was Berber, the decor was wonderful, but I was really still full from the good lunch. I loved the soup that was served piping hot with just the right amount of spices, again served with really good bread. I declined to order an entree, the soup and bread were plenty. Ron ordered chicken and lemon targine. The targine is the covered pot in which the food is slowly cooked, Fortunately the portion was quite sensible so he enjoyed it. As he said, chicken was not his favorite food, but he just couldn't eat lamb every night; he loves lamb but does not want to risk getting tired of it. This chiken he thought was quite special.

I have to stop writing now as we have to get up early in the morning to begin our journey to Rabat, and where we will meet members of Friendship Force for lunch and political somebodies before returning to Moroccan citizens private home-stay for one night.

AND SO TO BED.

Hugs, Noreen