Night of Power

Posted on July 26, 2014
by Lori

Yesterday, the day we arrived in Morocco, was the 27th day of Ramadan – AKA the Night of Power. When we were leaving the airport, Ben mentioned stopping to see his dad, who died of a stroke in 2003. I don’t remember visiting the cemetery immediately upon arrival any of the other times we have come to Morocco, so I wasn’t sure what was up but I was in a separate car so off we went. I loved Ben’s father (and mother), so of course I was fine with going for a visit, whatever that entailed.

When we got to Mohammedia I noticed a large gathering of people and a lot of stalls selling things. I asked Mustafa (my brother-in-law) whether it was a souk (market) and he said it was. We pulled over and I thought maybe we needed to buy something – I spend a lot of time in Morocco wondering what is going on and what is being said, so this was nothing new. Most of the time I enjoy the adventure.

Ben came to the car and told me it was time to go see his father – the “souk” was at the cemetery. I have since learned that on the 27th day of Ramadan people go to the cemetery to visit their loved ones – kind of like Day of the Dead in Mexico. They clean the graves, pray, and spend a few minutes remembering their family members.

I wish I could have taken some photos (partly because one of Ben’s sisters was carrying a giant green umbrella from an umbrella table), but it seemed disrespectful. Plus I already stuck out like a sore thumb in my 2-day-old t-shirt and capris, without whipping out a camera. There were hundreds (thousands?) of people in and around the cemetery. Inside, there were families visiting graves, boys who would collect a few dirhams to clean the grave or paint it, and a man who would recite the Koran (also for a few dirhams). At the entrance there were people asking for money or food.

Outside there were boys selling bottles of orange flower water to sprinkle on the graves, and sprigs of some green plant that I can’t figure out the English word for, which can be planted on the graves. In the area surrounding the cemetery there were TONS of stalls selling everything from fruit to kitchen supplies to underwear. It struck me as being a carnival atmosphere, and I heard Ben’s sister say “moussem” which is like the Moroccan version of a carnival. There were no rides or games so maybe it was more like an exuberant flea market.

This is one of my favorite things about Morocco – the unexpected surprises you encounter at every turn.

Here is a different cemetery on a different day…imagine this with people everywhere, a giant green umbrella, and one stinky American looking confused.

The Moroccan Oddyssey Begins

Posted on July 26, 2014
by Lori

One of the greatest benefits of my job is that I can work from any location that has internet access. It’s more trouble than it’s worth to try to turn off my computer completely and take a vacation, so for quite a few years I have gone away for about a month in the summer and worked remotely part-time. It’s a great compromise…I still get a lot done but we get to spend time visiting family and/or experiencing another culture. This summer we’re with our family in Morocco, and spending a few days in Madrid on the way home.

This year is a little different because three other families are joining us on the trip, so I’ve spent more time on the logistics than I usually would. Our itinerary is pretty well set once they arrive, but for now we are spending the last few days of Ramadan relaxing, catching up on work and sleep, and awaiting l’Eid (the holiday at the end of Ramadan).

We usually fly directly from JFK to Casablanca, but because of the side-trip to Madrid we flew from JFK to Madrid to Casablanca on Iberia. It was less expensive to drive than fly from home to JFK, so we got a 1-way rental ($137 including mileage, plus $40 for gas) and drove to the airport. I was very happy that we didn’t have stuff strapped to the roof like we did on our last trip.

We almost left on time…Ben realized at the last minute that he had lost his pedometer and spent forever looking for it. He is addicted to measuring his steps and uploading to a website that tracks his activity. He finally gave up on it and we left the house at 10 a.m. The trip was uneventful until we got to the southernmost part of Connecticut, where I started seeing flashing signs for a 9-mile backup ahead. Ben was supposed to be monitoring the traffic and I kept asking if I should get off the highway and try to navigate around it. He kept saying “no”, but finally I made an executive decision and bailed. It took us a while traveling on the secondary roads, but at least we weren’t sitting still.

It took us about 4 1/2 hours to get to the airport including a stop for gas, and another hour to drop off the car, check our bags, and get through security. Iberia had moved Adlani and Norah from Row 11 to Row 35, so it took a little extra time to get our seats reassigned. None of our bags were over the weight limit (which was a small victory for me because I hate when people reorganize their bags at check-in), but several of them were a few kilos under the maximum which Ben sees as a total waste. If he had realized it before we left home, he would have thrown in everything but the kitchen sink to get the weight to the limit.

After one last trip to Starbucks we got on the plane. We had one seat in the next row back from the other four, but it ended up with an empty seat next to it which Norah promptly claimed. The boarding was so orderly and the overhead bins were only about 2/3 full…I commented to Ben that it was obvious we weren’t on a Morocco-bound flight. The same rule about taking as much as possible applies to carry-on luggage too.

It was about a 7-hour flight from 5 p.m. until midnight our time, so we didn’t sleep much (Norah slept for a few hours). They served dinner, which was actually delicious, and also breakfast.

When we landed in Madrid it was 6 a.m. and it was broad daylight. I thought we would be zombies for the 4-hour layover since it was midnight to 4 a.m. in our brains, but we were all fine. We charged up our electronics, wandered around, chatted with some other travelers, and had one more last trip to Starbucks.

I love my new compression socks!!

When it was time to fly to Casablanca, we were bussed from the gate to the plane, and stairs were set up at the front and back entrances to the plane. People were boarding from both ends and trying to pass each other in the aisle – NOW we’re going to Morocco! The overheads were jam-packed, people were still switching seats as the plane was taxiing out to the runway, there were lots of crying babies, and the sodas cost 2.50 Euros each. Luckily, it was a quick 2-hour flight.

We had no trouble going through Immigration in Casablanca, other than when Ben wanted to get in the line marked “Crew” and I wouldn’t do it. I’m on African time now…who cares if it takes a little longer to follow the rules? All of our luggage arrived and we were waved through Customs without any questions or examination of bags. I wish I had taken a photo as we came through the doors into the terminal, because there were literally more than 100 people waiting with anticipation for their loved ones. Each time the door opened, they got excited again.

We found our family easily and had an uneventful 1-hour ride home (except for a detour to the cemetery which I will write about later). A beautiful lunch was ready for us, and then we all passed out. I slept for 5 hours and woke up in time to break the fast with 0ur family at 8:30 p.m. I couldn’t get to sleep until 4 a.m. local time, so I got lots of work caught up. I woke up at 11:30 a.m…gotta work on changing my clock.

Who’s Who?

Posted on July 16, 2014
by Lori

It’s time to ramp up the Morocco preparations…we leave one week from tomorrow! In case you’re just tuning in, 12 of our friends will be joining us for a portion of our trip. To help prepare our fellow travelers for the time we’ll spend at our home in Mohammedia, here are our Moroccan family members:

Atika (Ben’s sister), her husband Mustafa (a chef), and their son Amin (now 13):

Amina (Ben’s sister – she has one son – Hichem – who is in the US) and her husband Aziz (he speaks some English – yay!):

Malika (Ben’s sister) and her daughter Majda (who won’t be in Morocco with us):

Malika’s younger daughter Ibtissam (I think she is 18 or 19) on the right, Ben’s brother Hassan in the middle, and our niece Racha (who lives in Holland and will not be in Morocco) on the left:

Naima (Ben’s cousin who helps with the cooking) on the left with her daughter, Rachida (Ben’s aunt in the pink scarf), Bahija (Ben’s sister, Racha’s mother, who lives in Holland and won’t be with us in Morocco), and Auntie Aiesha on the right:

Auntie Aiesha’s son Kamal (right) with Amin (left):

There will be other extended family members in and out, and I’m sure there will be someone else to help with the cooking, but you can meet them later.

Also – I ran across this blog post that has some photos of the house we’ll be staying in. The room with the red dots on the sofa is the girls’ sleeping area. The wavy-striped couches are in the boys’ sleeping area. The room with the pink walls and the couches has been transformed into a bedroom for Ben and I (and Elizabeth and I when I kick Ben out). The room that looks like a kitchen will be snack storage and the tooth-brushing/primping room to avoid bathroom tie-ups (they use a different kitchen for cooking). The bathrooms are small but as you can see there is a regular toilet (sorry Nic). The room with the pink walls and the bed is for the Jobins. The area with the laundry is the roof which is used for multiple purposes. The silver box in the corner is an oven, and you can see Uncle Abdullah reclining (I think this was when he got stung in the mouth by a wasp). I didn’t take photos of the other floor where the Yarmolessems will be residing, but it does exist!

Here’s a post about Jemaa el Fnaa including the camels and monkeys.

Here’s one about the European market, including the jars of fat we’ve been discussing.

And here’s one about the weekly souk (market).

Let me know what else you’d like to see/read more about. I have other blog posts on Morocco (including this one that shows the guy who makes ouarka with his bare hands and the metal-polishing guy).

It’s almost time to GOOOOOOOOO!!!

Morocco Questions

Posted on April 6, 2014
by Lori

I’m done with my 2 weeks of business travel, and ready to get back to work on our trip to Morocco! I trust that all of my traveling companions have their shots, passports, and flights under control! I think I’ve booked just about everything I can do ahead of time:

accommodations in Fez, Chefchaouen, and Marrakech
charter transportation from Fez to Chefchaouen to Volubilis to Meknes to Mohammedia
first-night dinners in Marrakech and Fez (I’m working on ideas for the 3 restaurant dinners)
half-day tours for the whole group in Fez and Marrakech (working on smaller tours for the Marrakech medina and Chefchaouen)

Next I’ll work on making sure our house is in order (from afar), and helping everyone get ready for our trip!

Here are some questions that have come up from various members of our group – I want to make sure everyone has heard the same answers:

Can I get a packing list?

Yes! I’ll share my packing list when the trip gets closer, but you shouldn’t need too much that’s out of the ordinary. I’ve mentioned this before but you will probably want to bring a fiber supplement (the fiber gummies are good) to help with the dietary changes, and possibly an antibiotic in case of severe stomach problems. Other than that, it will be the usual stuff.

What should I plan to wear?

The guys can wear exactly what they wear at home in the summer, but they will need pants for when we visit the mosque in Casablanca. For the ladies, I would recommend longish skirts or capris. Short-sleeved shirts are fine, and we can wear anything at home including shorts and tank tops. We can wear long shorts and wide-strapped tank tops out, but the more skin showing, the more attention you’ll get. Although I think a party of 19 will get a lot of attention anyway. Nothing too tight or with too much cleavage. For shoes, I would take sneakers, athletic sandals (Keens or something you can walk in), and flip-flops/rubber sandals. You won’t want/need high heels. Don’t forget your culotte slip!

Can we do laundry?

We will hire Auntie Aiesha to do laundry for us when we’re in Mohammedia. I would bring enough clothes for about a week. The clothes are usually hung out to dry, so sometimes they don’t come back the same day. Moroccans often wear clothes for more than one day, so if it doesn’t smell bad and you want to wear it again – go for it! There will be no way to keep everyone’s clothes separate when Auntie washes them, so hopefully that doesn’t bother anyone. If you’re squeamish about having someone else wash your undies, your choices are a) bring enough pairs to get you through the entire trip, b) hand-wash them, c) don’t wear undies, or d) get over your squeamishness.

What will the weather be like?

It will be HOT (fair warning – no whining about being hot!). Bring a reusable insulated water bottle for each person and we’ll refill them from larger bottles of water. Do not drink the tap water – only bottled water! In Marrakech, the average temperature for August ranges from 70-97 degrees, with 10 mm of rain for the month – typically occurring on one day. It should be a little cooler in the other places we’re visiting – Mohammedia, Casablanca, and Rabat are on the coast. In Fez and Marrakech we’ll plan to be at home resting during the hottest parts of the day.

Will we be safe?

As always, you need to be aware of your surroundings, but generally the crime in Morocco is petty crime like pickpocketing and faux guides. We don’t usually walk alone or carry a lot with us. It’s less of an issue in tourist areas. Just keep in mind that to many Moroccans we look rich and we’re carrying more in camera equipment and electronic devices than their family will earn in a year or more. Keep your stuff close to you or it will be gone.

Will Moroccans be nice to us?

Moroccans are known for their hospitality. When you go to someone’s house, they will always serve you something to eat and drink. Because we are such a large group, we probably won’t have to make quite so many visits to friends and family (we’ll do that after you leave). When you have a meal with a Moroccan family you will be urged to “eat! eat!” (“koolie! koolie!” – “kool” for men). I just say “baraka, shokran”, which means (approximately), “enough, thank you”, and they eventually stop force-feeding me. It is a wonderful culture but there are differences that take a little getting used to. It’s very important for all of us to be respectful of the Moroccan culture, which includes at least taking a taste of what is served.

Will I offend someone if I ask for my own plate instead of eating from the communal plate?

Moroccan meals are typically served with the main dish on one plate shared by everyone. The salads and side dishes are served on smaller plates but are also shared by the people sitting nearby. It’s best if you can go along with this custom – just sit next to someone you don’t mind sharing with. If you are really grossed out by sharing, you can ask for a small plate and the Moroccans will just think you’re a little odd but won’t hold it against you. Several of my favorite Moroccan foods are shown in this video:

What will our house be like?

Our house in Mohammedia has 4 floors. The ground floor has a garage and a small apartment. The second and third floors each have 2 bedrooms, a bathroom, and a large sitting room. The top floor has a kitchen, small sitting room, bedroom, and the “roof” – an area open to the sky but enclosed by solid walls. Each family will have a bedroom for the parents. The kids will sleep in the large sitting rooms on the couches that line the walls. When we stay in riads in other towns, we will usually have a bedroom for each set of parents, and several bedrooms for kids. I am assigning who sleeps with who, so I hope you enjoy my choices. If not, don’t tell me – just go to sleep!

How do we haggle while shopping?

When you shop for food, you don’t really bargain but you have to watch out to make sure they don’t overcharge you. You won’t be shopping for food much, so it won’t be an issue. For pottery, textiles, etc., bargaining is expected. I usually offer a little over half of what they ask, then they make a counter-offer and I take it. Ben’s brothers will haggle a lot harder, but the prices are so low that I don’t feel right haggling them down to the last cent, and I only bargain because it’s expected. If you buy more than one piece from the same vendor you can usually get a better price. There is a fixed-price store in Casablanca and other cities where we can buy just about anything without having to haggle.

What types of beautiful things can we shop for in Morocco?

Lots of pottery, engraved brass/copper, rugs, silver jewelry, weavings, embroidered things. We have a friend who can make clothes to order, so if you’d like something we should go see her as soon as you arrive. We don’t usually buy wood items in Morocco because the change in climate from Morocco to the US can sometimes make the wood crack. We don’t buy much leather because it usually smells a little funky. Be careful in the pottery shops – there are lots of breakables.

Is it ok to take pictures of people, animals, etc.?

For street views, I just take photos without asking anyone. If I’m taking a photo of a specific person, I will ask first. If it’s a water seller, diapered-monkey owner, snake charmer, camel rider, etc., they will have no problem with you taking a photo but will expect a tip – maybe 10 dirhams. If I buy something at a store I often ask to take a photo and I don’t offer an additional tip.

Should we give money to the people begging?

This is a tough one. One of the pillars of Islam is to give alms to the poor, so Moroccans often give to the people begging. Sometimes people will use their children or a disability when begging. Although I don’t want to encourage this behavior, I’m a sucker for hungry kids and people who need help, and I usually give 5-10 dirhams.

Do we need to bring Moroccan money with us?

No. For the larger costs (riads, charter transportation), I’ll collect some $$ from everyone before we go. When you get to Morocco we’ll help you change US dollars – you can also use the ATM. Many places don’t take credit cards, so you will need to have Moroccan dirhams but you don’t need them before you go. I wouldn’t bother with travelers checks – just US$. I still have to work out the costs for food and the housekeeper/cook/laundry, but we’ll have a very good idea of costs before we go so you can plan accordingly.

Can we pet the monkeys, dogs, cats, donkeys, etc.?

Most of the animals in Morocco are not treated like American pets. They may be dirty, have fleas, ticks, etc. Monkeys carry diseases that we can get. Donkeys may bite. I don’t touch any of the animals except once in a while a puppy.

Will I get to poop in a hole?

The bathrooms in our house have regular toilets, as will the riads. When we’re out and about and you have a bathroom emergency, you never know what you will find in the bathroom. It could be a hole. It’s always good to have tissues / wipes with you, as well as some change for the bathroom attendant. For those who have pooping in a hole on their bucket list, we will find you a hole – just be ready.

What other questions are coming up around your dinner table? Post them by clicking “comments” below!

UPDATE:

What’s the internet / phone situation?

The last time I was in Morocco (2 years ago), I got a little USB “modem” from my niece, and bought a SIM card that gave me internet access for the month for $5. It wasn’t super-fast, but it worked fine and I even used it in the car for navigation. I will find out how to get several modems so we’re not fighting over one. I am also going to look into getting some pay-as-you-go (cheap) phones so we can stay in touch when we have to split up. If anyone will have their US phone active in Morocco we could use that phone if we needed to reach you and not have to worry about the cheap phones, so let me know if your US phone will be active in Morocco.

Morocco Bound!

Posted on March 20, 2014
by Lori

It’s official! We’re headed for Morocco this summer with quite a crew in tow…3 families in addition to ours (yes, we’re crazy). Since I haven’t been using my blog for anything else lately, I’m going to post information about the upcoming trip here so all of the travelers have access to it.

Our family will be in Morocco for a longer period, but for the crazy portion we will be spending 6 nights in our house in Mohammedia, 2 nights in Marrakech, 2 nights in Fez, and 1 night in Chefchaouen. For the overnight trips I wanted to book guesthouses rather than hotels, in or near the medina (old part of town), but in a safe and not-too-noisy area. I enlisted the help of the amazing Helen Ranger of Fez Riads, as she has visited each of the riads personally and was able to find the best fit for us.

In Marrakech, we will spend 2 nights at Riad Dar Sara, which has A/C and a plunge pool!

We will spend 2 nights in Fez, dividing our group between 2 riads that are located near each other – Dar Drissi and Dar el Menia.

Here is Dar Drissi:

And Dar el Menia:

In Chefchaouen we will stay one night at Casa Perleta (notice the Spanish word for “home” as we get closer to Spain). I have never been to Chefchaouen, and my camera and I are SO EXCITED to visit this unique city (and not only because of the beautiful doors!).

Leave any questions you have in the comment box, or email me!