The Rest of July

July was an eventful month. The President of Co-operative Adwal, my counterpart, traveled to the US to take part in the Smithsonian Folklife Festival and 50th Anniversary celebration of Peace Corps in Washington DC. Fatima was one of two weavers chosen from Morocco to take part in the traditional craft demonstrations. It was a huge honor for her and the co-op and also the first time she had traveled out of the country. Fatima also put on a cooking demonstration of a traditional dish and was amazed at the number of people in the audience. She returned with many great pictures of herself in front of various monuments and the White House, and also some of herself on an escalator and going through a revolving door--both new experiences. We’re hoping that the fair exposure to so many tourists will motivate some to check out Moroccan carpets online, specifically those of Adwal.

During the same time, another Marche Maroc Peace Corps sponsored craft fair was held in the beach city of Essaouira. Adwal attended but I didn’t get the chance since we were meeting our daughter and son-in-law in Tangier coming over on the ferry from Spain. I enjoyed Tangier very much with its delicious fresh fish, cool sea breezes and faded haunts of the beat generation. It’s not nearly as seedy as the guidebooks would have you believe, and the view from the Kasbah over the Atlantic and the Strait of Gibraltar toward Spain was spectacular.

Back in REK, our family got a little taste of our life here. They visited the weaving and couscous co-ops we work with, where they got a wonderfully warm welcome. They were also able to experience a traditional three course, three hour lunch at the home of Fatima and her sister, and witness all the activities of a wedding ceremony that was held on a neighboring rooftop, complete with music until 5 am.

We also were then fortunate to spend a mini-vacation in Madrid and Cuenca, Spain with our daughter whose excellent Spanish paved the way for a relaxing time. In Madrid we enjoyed spectacular architecture, world famous museums, great beer, wine, ham, music, couples sitting together at sidewalk cafes, church bells, sidewalks, and the new Harry Potter movie in English.

In Cuenca, reached by a quick ride on a new bullet train, we marveled at the old city built on karst, a 12th century cathedral, picturesque squares with fountains, scenic countryside, and a free classical concert in a pedestrian square with amazing acoustics.
We are now in REK as they prepare for Ramadan which begins in August. The patisseries in Fes are literally piled high with date and honey treats that are eaten to break fast in the evenings. Businesses are preparing to shut down, and our neighbors killed a sheep on their rooftop.