Today is my one month anniversary of arriving in Morocco – the longest time that Karim and I have ever spent together in one go! Everything is still going great with us and it’s nice to know we still have 5 more months together.
This last week has been the Fes festival of sacred music – a festival of world music that has been running for 17 years. Overnight it seemed that the tourist population of Fes doubled and the Moroccans are out in force too; there are a lot of people around! Most of the concerts you have to pay to get in but every night in the main square there is a free concert with mainly local groups. And while Moroccan music isn’t for everyone (i.e. me) the atmosphere is pretty cool! The festival finishes up tomorrow with Ben Harper (the only musician i had heard of), so we might go to that if we can get tickets!
With all the tourists around Karim has been extra busy, so I have spent a lot of time at home doing not a whole lot! I am not completely alone though – in my first week I bought a small fish tank and have since succeeded in killing 3 goldfish! I still have one left and he seems pretty sturdy, I’m hoping he’ll last the distance. Karim has offered on many occasions to bring me home a kitten (the streets of Fes are filled with cats) and I’ve been tempted to rescue many a tortoise and chameleon from cramped pet shop cages. And while it would be nice to have a pet (I miss my dog at home!), I couldn’t bear the thought of leaving it behind in a few months time. Although a pet chameleon would be pretty awesome!
I won’t be alone for too much longer though – mum and dad are currently on a train bound for Fes! It will be nice to show them my new city and all my favourite places. I have already planned a supermarket sightseeing tour (which mum wasn’t so excited about), and I’m sure Karim will be able to show them the rest. I’m hoping too to get some good homecooked meals out of them! Moroccan food is great but it does lack variety. Tagine, tagine, tagine, couscous, tagine, tagine, tagine, bbq and so on... I have made a few pastas and a stirfry but even in the big supermarkets the availability of western ingredients isn’t great. Breakfast would have to be my favourite meal of the day just for the fact it is normal! The toaster was definitely a good investment, though I’m hoping my small jar of vegemite from home can last the distance. And my giant box of German cornflakes and my imported from Australia box of special K is always on hand when I feel like some cereal. And don’t forget the freshly squeezed orange juice! Mmmmm, breakfast. (I wrote this paragraph for you, Emma Ross).
So that’s about it from me, I will be busy the next week or so entertaining my guests and of course with my birthday on Tuesday for which Karim has been planning a special Moroccan party. And then my Arabic course starts in 9 days. Busy Busy! But after more than a month of doing absolutely nothing, I’m looking forward to a bit of action!
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| Karim at the festival |
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| Some Moroccan band |
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| Lots of people enjoying the music |
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| My one remaining goldfish |
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| One of the kittens Karim offers to bring me |
take the kitten take the kitten! then smuggle him into london and then i will have a friend also! what a plan. p.s what is your goldfish's name or are you waiting to see if he survives first. love soph
ReplyDeleteI too think the above post was lacking simply from lack of naming things. Terry the toaster? Greg the remaining fish? Names names!
ReplyDeleteso sorry for the lack of names! russell (the fish) was christened soon after i wrote this, he looks like he is wearing eyeliner like his namesake russell brand. I never thought to name the toaster but Terry sounds good, and i bought a blender the other day who i shall now call bernie. happy jac?
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