MONDAY 28 March- Ait Ben Haddou-Ouarzazate-Marrakech
This is the beginning of the end. This afternoon I take the bus to Marrakech. My final destination in Morocco. I may take a day trip somewhere from there, but I have no plans. No, I am not ready for this trip to end. Yes, I would love to stay in Morocco or go anywhere in the world but home. Yes, I am ready to be somewhere that I can more or less count on finding a usable public toilet, but No, I'm not ready to go back to the land where things are expensive.
But yes, I am content in the fact that I have spent a month on the road, longer than some people get to travel in their lifetime. I can now say I have been to 3 continents. From Alaska to San Diego to the Florida Keys to Nova Scotia and most spots in between. London, Barcelona, Venice, Prague, Paris, blah blah blah. Now I can add Africa to list. At least a bit if North Africa.
I live in Santa Cruz California, which most people here (and myself generally) consider paradise. I work full time and play music on the side, but I do not have to hustle the way many do. I don't have kids or a wife to support. I only have to buy 1 plane ticket, not 4. I am lucky, and I appreciate what I have and where I am.
I have met a lot of people here who do have to hustle. I have met others who seem to have it figured out, like Mohamed the owner of Bagdad cafe. He lived in France for many years and had to work hard to provide for his family. Then he decided to move back to Morocco and open a small hotel, which allows him to provide without having to stress, without having to roam the streets looking for tourists to offer one service or another to in hopes of making a few dirham. He's happy, relaxed and peaceful and you can tell.
I spent quality time talking with Mohamed yesterday and today, and we talked a lot about stress and hustle. About how things move slowly in Morocco, and how that's a good thing most times, although it can be frustrating. He taught me a few words in Arabic which I am trying to remember.
Chooya (sounds like Julia, without the J or L)means brother. Sa-ha is like Good or Cheers. I taught Mohamed "soon come" he liked that.
Instead of paying for a taxi to get back to the bus in Ouarzazate I was able to get a ride with a Danish family that was staying at the hotel. They live in Tangier but will be moving soon, for better education for the kids and a better way of life.
While waiting for the bus I sat at a cafe and got a Beef tagine. And it was good and cheap. Real spicy. Drank some tea. Relaxed.
A funeral procession just passed. At first I thought it was a critical mass as there were a number of people on bikes and foot filling the street. In the middle some people where carrying what must be the body of the deceased, covered in a blanket. Behind them many cars, some I assume part of the procession, others tourists or locals just tying to get somewhere. Soon come.
Couldn't stand relaxing any more so I walked around town a bit. Street art is not as prevalent in Morocco, but I found a few pieces worth shooting here. However for the most part the town of Ouarzazate is new buildings made to look sorta old or old buildings in decay. And the shops are not too exciting either. It's getting pretty hot now (I assume 21 or 22 degrees)? so I try to walk under trees, but even that proves too much. It is almost 3 pm, an hour before the bus departs so I sit in the shade. The same lady has asked me for change 3 times now. La (no).
Marrakech Express-
Got on the bus to Marrakech and ran into an American I met in Fes so we sat together and chatted the whole way. Conner was coming from the desert. At first the ride was more or less desert and rocks, a few old clay kasbah's, and it got beautiful pretty quick. We traversed the Atlas Mountains. We passed over peaks with snow on either side. From desert to green, and a few rivers and such. It was a long and winding road, and the bus driver was passing any vehicle we came up to. And honking all the time. Even around some hairy turns. Needless to say there was more than a few passengers puking, including the lady across from me. I pulled the Berber spice from my bag to mask the smell. We laughed about it since there's nothing we could do. On the way we passed Le Coq Hardi hotel. I'm sure you can google it.
Conner is part of the Sobon/Shenandoah family. They make some wines I really like, and that we sell at Staff of Life! Small world huh?
We both had to go to the Jemma Fna to find our hostels, so we shared a taxi and parted ways but decided to meet up after checking in.
Arrived at the hostel without incident. I'm starting to understand how these medinas work a little more (or at least what straight is) My bed is the equivalent of $5/ night. This includes a small breakfast, shower and toilet, tea and hash upon arrival, best wifi in Morocco and whatever. So I may splurge on a hotel closer to the airport the last night.
After the check in I went and found Conner in the Jemma. The Jemma Fna is a large open "square" loaded with food tents, merchants, performers, and buzzing with tons of people. During the day there are snake charmers, people with monkeys and other animals, henna artists, fortune tellers... I'll write more when I see it in the daytime. At night there are food and juice tents in the center with lots of musicians in groups performing local styles, a few games, kids selling those small light up things that fly really high that you see at many large squares around the world, beggars, and what not. We walked through the food tents and avoided all the guys trying to get our business until we finally succumbed. We asked the prices and both heard 14 and 16 dirham. So we sat down and ate. Then they asked for 100 dirham, 40 and 60. So began a long debate about what was said, a menu was produced to show he wasn't making up the price. We insisted what we heard, but he wasn't hearing it. So we offered double what we heard, 60 and said that was the final offer. We put down the money to get up to leave and the situation began to elevate slightly with multiple locals involved. I was happy to pay 100 dirham myself ( not that the meal was worth 10 bucks, but it's only 10 bucks). Conner was feeling the fight. After a bit more haggling and now a group of 4 different people trying to translate and the rather large cook getting closer and closer I finally just paid them the 100 so we could walk away.
Conner chipped in his share after and said "I can't believe I made such a big deal over $10". We agreed lesson learned.
After that he went to get a juice and thus began the new policy of verifying the price by holding up fingers. Lesson learned indeed.
While in the Jemma I ran into the Slovenian couple from yesterday, some Germans I met at another hostel, people that are staying at my hostel, and a couple who were on the bus with us that Conner met at a hostel a week ago. We both thought that was pretty cool, considering how many people are milling about.
Back to the hostel, where the guy who runs it Zachariah sings Doors songs but with the lyrics a bit off...
Tisba Allacha
