TOUBKAL HIKE. A couple of my younger PCV friends decided to hike the highest mountain in Morocco, and invited me to join them. I had been hoping to do this hike for quite awhile. Weather seemed to be just right for it. After I had heard from numerous others that the top part of the climb included an area with very steep scree, I decided to go with them, but not summit.
The trailhead is out of a beautiful
village by the name of Imlil, which is about 40 miles south of Marrakech.
Many people go there just for the lovely drive. Lonely Planet states it is a 4-6 hour trek to the Toubkal refuge; it took us 7 hours, primarily because I was so slow. My friends assured me it would have taken
them close to 6 hours without me. It’s only 6 miles and about 2300 feet ascent to the refuge, but steadily steep and a fairly rocky trail most of the way. It was enjoyable because of the fantastic views, but rather arduous since I hadn’t done any “real” hiking for well over a year.The refuge is a large stone building with a big dining hall with heavy wooden furniture, dormitory bunk bed rooms, toilets (not Moroccan, yea!) and showers, at an extra cost. Quite a lovely structure, I think probably European in design. There were several guided operations that had tents set up in the area as well. We all were a bit short on cash, and trying to barter prices at the refuge didn’t do us much good, but we ended up with a fairly hearty supper meal of Hrira (the Ramadan evening meal staple), spaghetti, and bread. Had a nice dinner conversation with an English couple and Scottish young man. We saved a few dirhams by sleeping on Moroccan couches in the salon, rather than in a bunk bed dormitory room, which probably ended up to be just as comfortable and private. It was quite chilly but once we warmed up in our sleeping bags, were able to get a few hours of good sleep. Rachel and Gavin set out the next morning for the top, and I went by myself to the bottom.
Here is a view of the path from afar. A small little
village comprised a several hanuts await hikers part way up; it is also a location for a little pilgrimage for Moroccans, as well. Note the "cooler" for the sodas. The rocky photo is a close up of the "path."




Encountered numerous donkeys packing LOTS of water bottles. Wonder what they do with all that plastic when they’re emptied?

Took a wrong turn when I got to the bottom, so ended up hiking an extra half hour. Then had a bit of misunderstanding with the taxi driver regarding the cost to Kech, (he ended up very unhappy with me, and I with him!) so went right home Sunday, as I didn’t have enough to even stop at the cyber to email/blog. Was wonderful to get home to a bucket bath, and then slept 10 hours! Oh yeah, painful (pun intended) reminder that I sure am 64!

Hi everyone. Yes, I am okay. Well, mostly. First, I was supposed to get internet in my house 10 days ago, but of course, I forgot where I was, and expected it to actually happen when they said it would. So still I wait, and in the meantime, have limited opportunity to get to a cyber. I hiked to the Toubkal refuge last weekend. Have lots of pictures and tales to tell. Hope to get lots of blogging done within the next week. It is hot, my workplace is still not open due to Ramadan, I am quite bored and lonely. So glad to have my new computer and movies to watch. Wish I just could get motivated to study language more than I do. Later...

BERBERS and BEDOUINS. Some blog readers are doing studies of the Bedouins in their classrooms. Here is a bit of information that tells the difference between the people in my area (Berbers) and the Bedouins, with whom I have no personal knowledge.

There are about 20 million Berbers in Africa. They live mainly in Algeria and Morocco. The Berbers have lived in the northwestern part of Africa since prehistoric times. There are two primary Berber dialects in Morocco; most people in my village/area speak Tashelheit, but many also speak Moroccan Arabic, which is generally spoken throughout Morocco.

Small groups of nomads called Bedouins tend camels, goats, and sheep in the Sahara. Most of northern Africa was once populated chiefly by Bedouins, and Arab folklore is full of stories of their adventures. Today, less than 10 percent of northern Africa's people are Bedouins. The Bedouins travel between regular summer and winter grazing areas and live in tents woven of animal hair.

Coming next...lots of pictures of housing construction process.

RAMADAN begins again on Sept. 13. It is said that one of the last ten nights of Ramadan (one of the months on the Islamic calendar) is when the Koran was to have been sent down to the Prophet. There is to be complete abstinence from food, drink, and sexual activity from daybreak to sunset by every Muslim who has reached the age of puberty. (There are a few exceptions and those excepted can make up days later). The Islamic calendar is moon rather than sun based, so each year Ramadan is about 10 days earlier than the previous year. Therefore, this year’s Ramadan will be more difficult than last year’s as there is more daylight. Although it is getting/still light before these times, actual sunrise and sunsets are about 7 a.m./7p.m., at least here, but we are in the mountains a bit. The iman at the mosque will do the call to prayer when it is allowable to eat. The fasting means NO drinking of anything, not even water. So you can imagine how extremely difficult it is when Ramadan is in the summer!

A few volunteers choose to fast; I do not, but it would be terrible culturally insensitive to eat or drink in front of others who are fasting. That being said, my community-based training host family last year not only accepted my difference of religion, but offered me tea when I returned from “school,” which was before sunset. This town is much more conservative and I don’t think would be very tolerant of my eating/drinking in front of them.

The tradition calls for hrira, which is a type of soup, to be served at the breaking of fast after sunset. First, a date is eaten, then prayers are said, then a very sweet pastry/ies served, then hrira, bread, olives. The large meal, (usually eaten around 1-2 during the day), is eaten late at night, anytime from 10-12, depending on the family. Then they go to bed, get up for a small meal before the sun rises, and go back to sleep again for awhile.

My family last year was so understanding and accepted my decision to go to my bedroom prior to their large meal. I ate quite enough hrira to sustain me, had breakfast in my room while they were still sleeping, and took a lunch to our school. It will be more comfortable this year since I have my own place and can pretty much eat/drink normally, except I’ll just not drink as much water during the day at work. The neddy is to open Sept. 17th, but with shorter hours until after Ramadan.

One thing that is evident, is that just like at home, there are varying degrees of politics and religion here…conservative, moderate, liberal, and extremists/radicals on either end of the spectrum. It is often difficult to separate culture from religion, and even the people themselves sometimes do not know the difference if they have not been schooled in the Koran. If you’d like a bit more perspective on the “other side” of politics/religion in Morocco, I discovered a very interesting article in the Oct. 16, 2006 edition of “The New Yorker,” called a Letter from Morocco, “The Crusader” by Jane Kramer.

BACK IN THE SADDLE

OK, I’ve made it through the post home-visit blues, and am eager to get going on my project! I’ve had quite a few days with volunteer friends in the past couple of weeks, and that has helped immensely. Misery loves company, no?! Here’s my friend who engaged me in hours of card and game playing. We played a new card game called Quiddler, which is like Scrabble and quite challenging but fun.
When with Jong, I realize how easy
I have it as an older volunteer with
European heritage. There are very
few Asians in this country, so not only does she receive attention because she an attractive young woman, but especially so because she is South Korean. I admire
her resolve in just ignoring most of the comments she gets from Moroccan males.

I have been to the neddy and started to make plans for the project in order to write the PCPP (Peace Corps Public Participation) application. Not only do we need to create a boutique space, but also some improvements need to be made in the office/bathroom/classroom areas. We hope to get estimated costs in the next two weeks so I can submit the proposal for approval, and then I will let you know where you can to read about it online, and donate if you wish.

The teacher contingency has not returned to town, but once schools start, the neddy will open again, and I’ll start computer classes again. My goal is to teach some of them well enough that they can do letters, edit brochures, and create spreadsheets…all necessary for running their little business. I am hoping other women will volunteer to teach beginning French and Arabic (classical) once a week. I think it is more important for the girls/women to learn French, as that is who the majority of tourists are. Many of those who come to the neddy do not know French, and some do not know how to read or write classical Arabic. I would also sit in on both of those classes.

Weather has been about perfect the past few days. Bugs, etc. have somewhat disappeared. Yea!