In pursuit of pomegranates: Kings, Queens and Princesses

A lot has happened this last week and I’m not sure I will be able to blog it all, but will try my best to fill you in!

Firstly to my birthday – for this day I’m hoping the saying ‘a picture tells a thousand words’ will be enough for you. No words I write will be adequate to describe the party that Karim held for me. It is without doubt the best and most interesting birthday I have ever had! I’ve posted some photos below but if you would like to read a bit more, go to my mum’s blog at http://roaringfiftys.blogspot.com/2011/06/family-food-friends-more-food-and-lots.html

This week has also been an historic week for Morocco. The other night the King gave a big speech about making Morocco a fairer and more democratic country. The speech was very well received in Fes and around the country with people flocking to the streets in celebration. During our evening walk in the new town we found ourselves right in the middle of such a celebration with crowds and cars parading up and down the streets, horns honking, flags flying, music, drums, and chants of ‘long live the king.’ Karim then organised a horse-drawn cart for us and we trotted up to the King’s palace where a lot more people had gathered in celebration. So interesting times for Morocco ahead, with the first elections held on July 1^st!

Another busy day on Saturday when we went to the Festival of Cherries in Sefrou, a quaint town about 30mins outside of Fes. I had been there before but yesterday was something else – the place was buzzing! First we went to a horse show where elaborately decorated horses and horsemen line up in a row and then come charging down the field, shooting their guns up in the air simultaneously at the end. We also visited the cascade just outside of town, had a delicious lunch, listened to some berber music in a camel-wool tent and indulged in the different stall offerings – nougat, fairy floss and cherries of course! By this stage we had spent a very long day in the sun, so when the main parade was more than 45 mins late we gave up and went home without seeing the newly crowned cherry Queen!

And on top of all of these things there has been medina tours, carpet shopping, Friday couscous and of course excursions to the supermarket (we found another Marjane which is even bigger than the first one!) But also a lot of time relaxing in cafes, reading books and having siestas! My parents are here for only a few more days and still plenty of things to do before they leave! Then as soon as they’re gone I will have a whole new set of visitors when my sisters and Anje come to Fes!

So its been a busy week – quite a change from sitting around the house watching dawson’s creek and oprah. But now my time of leisure has come to an end for good (or at least for 6 weeks) as my Moroccan Arabic class starts this afternoon! I am excited to start learning, but a little nervous! I am the only one in the class as well, so will basically be having 2 hours of private tuition a day. At least I’ll be top of my class!