Moroccan Sampler

About a few of the Moroccan people we met...At our picnic lunch w/ Laasan & Abdel we were put to shame by how much Abdel knew about the US in comparison to us, although we could name more African countries! We also came to learn that he graduated from university w/ a degree in physics. His family owns an Olive farm w/ fig and other fruit trees, and his brother's family lives on the farm, too. They have 2 big guard dogs w/ no names who need to be put away when Abdel comes home so they don't attack him!

Laasan, our Berber guide on the left w/ Abdeleghani "Abdel" our driver at Tinmal

When together they spoke Tashelhiyt, one of the Berber languages, then as we traveled west Abdel switched to Arabic, while we used French in the mts. and French & English elsewhere. 

Berber language alphabet

Stop sign in Arabic, pronounced "kif" w/ a soft cough from the back of the throat 'k' (pronounced w/ a hard 'k' it means marijuana). Rach can say it but I am finding it a challenge. 

Abdel wants to come to the US, but says he must travel around Europe more to have a better chance to get a visa from his gov't. He needs a letter from his cousin in Florida to vouch for him and has to promise to come home, as he says many Moroccans who travel don't. 

Noel, our Moroccan riad host in Essouira, is recently divorced working 2 jobs w/ 1 day off a week trying to make ends meet. She is kind and bubbly and very helpful. She serves people all day either at our riad or at a delicious inexpensive Essouiran restaurant named Advak. We were at the restaurant where she works until after 11. I'm not sure when she sleeps!

Laasan was an enigma to us, his English not that great so we had trouble gathering a complete picture of what he was describing much of the time. His house looked like all the others from the outside, red-walled and typical door designs, while on the inside it was decorated w/ brightly colored fabrics and tiles or red-walled. Dining was on low seats with a low table, more typically found than the table heights and chairs we know, and more comfortable for reclining and chatting post-meals rather than eating. Many of the restaurants have similar seating, so that if you are tall you are eating w/ your knees near your head!

Moroccan dining