MORE ON ART IN THE GUGGENHEIM.

"A MATTER OF TIME" by Richard Serra, San Francisco, b. 1939.

The artist used traditional geometric forms and models combined with new technologies to produce unconventional shapes. The shades of color of the works change as the weathering steel undergoes a gradual oxidization process. The relationship between sculpture and the human body is explored through scale, equilibrium, weight, and tension.

This installation is the type you must experience by being in it, and it is overwhelming. I am so fortunate to have new artist friends who help me broaden my understandingand apprecition of all types of art. The massive amounts of steel and the technical expertise it took to create these artistic formations is mind-boggling.

During the time we visited, a special exhibition on surreal art was there, and I think I might purchase this sofa for my new home in Billings. :) It's by Salvador Dali and titled "Mae West's Lips."

BILBAO AND THE GUGGENHEIM. This is a view of the Guggenheim from the top of the funicular. It is an awesome structure completed only 11 years ago; designed by Frank Gehry, a Canadian-American architect. It is also remarkable in that it was built on budget and on time. Since Bilbao is a port town, the buildings is to resemble a ship, and the exterior is made of titanium panels which look like fish scales. There are class panels inside layered in a similar manner.The curvatures and shapes are something to behold. The back of the museum is next to the Nervion River, and a small pond area was created adjacent to the structure and the river, with fountains spraying at intervals.
As one approaches the museum, you are greeted by this 30 foot highsculpture of a spider created by a Louise Bourgeouis, a Parisian who was schooled early in math and geometry, then in art in New York. Much of her work is about her relationships, and this one symbolizes memories of her mother, who was a weaver.

The front of the museum seen here has whimsical sculptures leading down to the entrance. There are several small grandstand types of structures with small men sitting or laying on them and laughing. The artist, Juan Munoz, has other intriguing installations inside the museum.

Also in the front area is this huge puppy filled with living flowers. Margaret is standing in front.


On the back area is this beautiful sculpture of colorful tulips. Both the puppy and flowers were created by Jeff Koons.

There are many parks in Bilbao and are well used by the children, often accompanied by grandparents. Adjacent to the Museum are these fountains that spray upward at random intervals, and near them is a large play area. All very clean and well-maintained.

LIVING IN THE LAP OF LUXURY. What a treat to stay in modern hotels, and be a regular person, not stared at and automatically assumed to be French! After a night in Madrid, we took a great train north to Bilbao. The train is fast speed and called Renfe, and is much nicer that Amtrac, in that it has lots of leg room, comfortable seats with tray tables, headsets are passed out for movies-music, and it was quiet and smooth riding. Here is the view that greeted us as we arrived at the Bilbao train station.

The scenery was very pretty: hills, mountains, lots of trees, fat sheep. This is Basque country, and I am reminded of how many of these people settled in eastern Montana and were sheepherders there years ago. Some of my good friends from Miles City (and Glasgow) have a direct heritage to this gorgeous land.

Our hotel in Bilbao is right in the heart of the old city area and everything is so clean; one of the beautiful sights here is the absence of trash. Another is seeing so many women walking by themselves here and there, all ages, wearing all sorts of clothing, and seeing some women working in the park areas mowing lawns with ear protectors on, or handling the weed eaters. These are unusual sights for my eyes accustomed to the Moroccan culture. Our room here is very small, but modern and even includes free internet along with a computer. The mouse is old and needs replacing and is frustrating to try to use, but hey, it´s free! Good thing as everything else is pretty expensive. Hotel is about $120 night, restaurants are also pricey; of course, compared to Morocco, it is very costly to travel here. Here is a look at Bilbao from the top of the funicular.

Another wonderful structure is this pedestrian

bridge located mid-way between our hotel and the Museum.

CANTELOPE, BRUSSEL SPROUTS AND GOATS. I have found more to blog about so here's a tidbit before I leave for Spana, as well as another blog about my interesting little excursion to the countryside yesterday.

First, what a treat! I found some good cantelope at a market in Marrakech the other day, as well as some brussel sprouts. Sometimes it doesn't take much to make me happy!

Regarding the goat, this is one that was along the road on our walk yesterday. The sheep and goats here are for the most part pathetically thin, (as are cows, cats, dogs...). There just isn't anything much for them to eat. Quite different than what we see "up north." By the way, the hot hot weather has already arrived...and June isn't even the hot season...that's July and August. Good grief, it will be something! OK, that's it until post-Spain!

HFLA F ENTABT! Party in Entabt, a douar about an hour's walk from my town. The trainer who has been going there several times a week asked me if I wanted to go with her for their year-end party, so I said sure. Of course, why wouldn't I know by now that it would be an 8-hour deal! I'm not sure how hot it was during the walk (we left at noon) but last evening when I returned, it was 96 degrees in my house. Here is a photo of two of the women next to a guy they knew who is carrying some round cakes we took (in the plastic sack) for them. I had camera, water and a few other things in my day pack. I was nearly soaking wet (from sweat) by the
time we arrived, which was time for tea! So we were served tea
and bread, and later had the cake and soda, then even later went to two different houseswhere we were served meals! These long cotton flannet nightgown looking articles of clothing are commonly worn by women around here...they throw their jellaba on over it when they go outside. I swear they have different thermostats than me; some also had on a layer of clothes on under these gowns!

After the initial tea and bread, the music came on, by dvds on the TV, and the dancing began They had on traditional dance dress
that they took turns wearing, but from about 30 girls sitting around in the small room, probably 8 were dancing at one time, and they would tie a scarf around their hips and shake it! Belly dancing is not done in Morocco except at a few tourist places in the big cities, but they do have their own brand of dance pattern that involves lots of shaking and jiggling. Of course, women are always separate from the men when it's at a wedding or public gathering.

At one of the houses they brought out the drums (the large one being a cut-off top of a barret and got going with rhythm. They are
so poor, but they sure know how to have a great time when they get together.

Today there was a similar doing at the neddy, but only a few of the girls really got into the dancing. They got me dancing with them, and then decided I should wear one of the traditional garbs. I was out there and shaking it like they probably haven't seen verymany 65-year old women do. Still wasn't able to quite get their moves down though; suppose age might have something to do with it?!

MISC. STUFF. It's starting to warm up here a bit. Generally about 95 (in the sun) during day and about 80-85 inside my house. Those temps will likely be at least 10 degrees higher a month from now.

The neddy is wrapping up their training this week; I think it will work out well to open up the store in the heat of the summer when there are fewer tourists; my helpers can more easily learn to wait on customers and keep records when there is less activity.

I am patiently (well, maybe not) waiting for help to get signs and other purchases/things made and done to finish up what we need for the boutique so we can open when I return from my trip. I am leaving Saturday for Casa, where I'm meeting my PCV friend Margaret; we're headed for Madrid then Bilbao (home of the Guggenheim Museum) and other sites, back to Madrid for an evening/day with a couple I met through my work associations, and then home again in time to "celebrate" ten years of sobriety.

Although I no longer have a desire to drink alcohol, one might think it would be easy to not drink here anyway since it is against the Muslim religion and most do not. However, there are places to buy alcohol and there are bars (other than those at tourist hotels) where Moroccan men drink. And sure, the other volunteers certainly find them...most of them are young and love to party when they get together. The isolated cases of drinking I hear/know about in the villages (where there are no bars are places that sell booze) usually involve abused wives, sad to say.

When I was walking this morning, I thought of some of the special people in my life (as I often do these days) and am so grateful I am/got to be a part of their lives.

Will blog again in July with photos of Spain!

PARTITIONS BY PAUL. Hey son-in-law, look at these! Here's two of the partitions that you helped make happen with your design. The guy put holes in the iron vertical posts and hooker-in dealies (like my technical language?) on the shelves. Fairly crude, but they work. I am hopeful that by mid-July (after I return from my week's vacation in Spain) we will have the fabric draped on the backs, and shelves filled with product, and our little boutique open. We will wait to put up road signs until we have lots of stock on hand, but will put up a little sign right by the building to attract a few tourists.

The neddy training programs shut down for the summer (July and August) and since Ramadan is essentially the entire month of September, I am guessing there will be no activity until October. However, if there is product on the shelf, Sana, Rabia and I will be there to keep the boutique open. If we can just get our vision to become a reality so the women in the area understand the potential, then my successor can really help them develop a little business and truly enhance their economic situation.

SHWIA MICA BAG MAKING! My volunteer friends Jessica and Jong from the southern part of Morocco came to my neddy to help me and the women make their bags, as promised at the meeting two weeks ago. Here they are cutting out the material; I bought enough for 42 bags, which was the number of women who attended the meeting, not counting a dozen or so who came just in time for the tea party when the meeting was over.




In American it's Murphy's Law...here it's Maroc law...and it was in full force for this project! We decided we might need more material so made a trip to my bosta town and got enough for another dozen bags. We used all that up and still had girls and women looking for "their" sac...of course, many who did not come to the meeting were there ready to make their bags. I had mistakenly thought that they could make them by hand, but my friends believed they needed to be machine sewn if there were to hold heavy things from the souq. Mashi mushkeel (no problem!) says Connie. We have five electric embroidery machines and four old treadle machines. Guess what? Two electric machines and two treadles sort of worked. So we had few machines, many girls and women, most who did not know how to use a machine anyway. Then about 20 came Friday afternoon after Jessica left...after the workshops were concluded. The dynamics between the regular neddy/other settlement trainers was not at a positive high, one could say. So it was crazy, stressful, fun, frustrating, but in the end, rewarding. And as so often happens, it seems I likely learned more from the experience than anyone else! Same principles for workshops apply here: prepare, prepare, prepare. Do NOT assume...anything~ Oh yes, the writing in Arabic on the first completed bag does say, "shwia mica" (less/little plastic (bags)

A NIGHT AT THE OPERA! Who'd athunk it, in Mgrib?! My PCV friend Rob discovered that there would be opera last Saturday night in Kech, asked if I wanted to go, so without knowing anything more, after putting aside my boring but comfortable plans to stay home, I said, sure! So we saw the "Barber of Seville," with two other volunteers who happened to be in town. The theatre is an outdoor amphitheater; the photos here will need to be enlarged to get the idea, I imagine. The leads were played by a French troupe, so although the music was Italian, the spoken dialogue was in French. I didn't understand much of it (what else is new?!) but of course the acting was such that I did get the drift and had some good chuckles. The majority of the orchestra, and all of the chorus, were Moroccans. Overall quality of
performance was not outstanding, but it was pretty good. It was a beautiful evening, good company, and we ended the night (literally...at midnight) by splurging with ice cream at a nearby Haagen Dazs cafe. Oh, by the way, the cost of the ticket to the opera was 100 Dhs...about $14. One scoop of the delicious ice cream was 20Dhs.

LITTLE THINGS MEAN A LOT. Went to the bosta (post office) this morning via transit, as there were lots of people headed that way and no taxis. No sheep today, but there were 12 men, one woman, and two children in with me. I indicated to the woman for the girl (about 9) to sit on my lap, which kind gesture seemed to surprise them a bit. Then this conversation took place with one of the men. He: sport? Me: eyeah, shufk? He: eyeah, mzien! Which translated means, Are you the woman who does walking for exercise? Yes, have you seen me? Yes! It is good!

Another little thing. I found cantelope yesterday in Kech so last night had cantelope with yogurt for supper. Mzien!

AND WHAT TO MY WONDERING EYES SHOULD APPEAR...but some kids doing highway cleanup, along with Samir!! Not much later after I have added some photos of trash to my recent blog on "ZBL", I went for my morning walk and saw kids with brightly colored vests and signs on their back and homemade kind of brush brooms, I thought to myself, "Gee, that looks like they're picking up trash!" As I approached, I saw that Samir, my homestay host and driver when I have American guests, was involved. I went home and got my camera to take photos then finished my walk. I did wake that morning to a stench of burning garbage, and later noticed several other groups working. I then went into Kech for the night, so have yet to know exactly how this project all came about; will advise later. (This is later. Was told that this cleanup was a direct result of the meeting we had at the neddy! Isn't that terrific?!) My evening in Kech was quite unusual and you'll be surprised to learn of my entertainment there.

PERCEPTIONS. Since I'm on a roll with "p" words, let's do another. The American doctor who lives here with her two young daughters and British husband keeps her hair scarved "for the women." As you can see in the photo, (taken by Sana at the recent "shwia mica" training meeting) she wraps a scarf around her hair in the manner of many Berber women, (rather than the outside-the-house usual scarf) and often wears a jellaba when she leaves the house. She lives her "public" life as a Moroccan woman; she seldom goes anywhere by herself; will not go to the weekly souq, doesn't go for runs like she does in America. She believes she needs to be respectful of the culture here and those are activities not done by married women. On the other hand, their living accommodations are at a considerably higher standard than mine. I chose to live more typically of the average person in the village.

Our perceptions are so different. I believe, regardless of marital status, that as long as we are respectful of how they do things, it is important they learn/know that it is okay to go to the souq, not wear a scarf, go walking/running for exercise. My American friend says I can do these things because I am single (and, I imagine, old as well); she may be right. It would be interesting to know how we are perceived by the people here. Many do have TVs and go into Marrakech where they see/know others that have different customs. Integrate or role model ...or can one do both at the same time? Don't know which way is right or wrong, we just live here differently. Regardless, this is the couple who raised a lot of money to help the beader lady have much-needed heart surgery.

This is a just a very conservative community. The literacy rate is also very low; the two usually go hand in hand. Did I mention before that this is the first year the high school here is offering the baccalaureate, which is equal to our diploma? I doubt there will be many who achieve it, but it is a start! Prior to this time, students had to go to the town where I go to the Post Office, which has a fairly large high school.

Morocco went on Daylight Savings Time on June 1. Do you think my village and the surrounding douars (settlements) did?

PATIENCE...did I mention patience?! Oh, it does wear thin at times, trying to live within a totally different culture where there is seldom a sense of urgency, much less plans! Even the simplest of tasks are so difficult to accomplish. Like buying material, strapping for the handles, and matching thread. All at different stores, of course, and one not open during the regular work day afternoon, necessitating a return trip to Kech.

As many times as I have walked and enjoyed the greetings, I do yearn for a diversion while seeing the same scenery, but can't wear earphones to listen to music because I have to be able to hear traffic coming from behind me on this busy highway. I do miss good walking paths/streets and also the gym, where I can exercise and also listen to music or watch the news. Hmm, but maybe it's been alright to miss a lot of the news lately?! I will try to patiently wait for the return of those activities. But most of all, I am really missing family and friends. I must be getting "short-timers disease" now!

On a cheerier note, must report that my nearly 83 year old sister has just learned how to use the internet and sent me an email and can now read my blog on her own computer; how cool is that?!

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE...AND PROGRESS. Pride is one of the seven deadly sins, and certainly the one I often struggle with the most! Had hoped to be invited to present at the annual training week for new volunteers (at a great coastal resort) but was not, so after getting over my pouting about that, I had a good weekend in my village, doing laundry, walking, trying to learn some basic Spanish online (am going to Spain for a week the end of this month).

I find that it is often difficult to accept how things are here, and must say I do get prejudicial about the Moroccan lifestyle and culture at times. But you know, I think educated Moroccans do, as well. They know that education is important, and that throwing trash everywhere is bad not only for appearance, but for the environment. They know that organizing and planning leads to progress.

Speaking of which. Just seemingly simple things are so difficult. I know a woman who teaches French in the grade school, and I wanted to take a photo of her and her 4th grade class to send to my daughter who is also a 4th grade teacher. I went this morning, and was informed the principal (who she needed to get permission from) said no go, as he had to get permission from his higher ups in the provincial capital. I guess they think I might be a spy or something. Seriously. You'd think in a small village that after 1 1/2 years of living among them, the word would have spread about why I am here, but apparently not.

Progress on my job continues at a slow pace. I need my counterpart's presence to help me and she has gone to Marrakech again today; hopefully some of the things she is doing relates to needed items for the boutique project.

ZBL. Isn't that a cool word? It means

"trash." Not a cool sight! But there is a lot of it everywhere, along with all the black (and clear) plastic sacks. The disposable society has come to even rural Morocco, but the resources to handle disposables has not. There are guys that go around my town and for a small fee, pick up garbage that is left in front of your building. Where they take it I do not know, but I am fairly certain it is not to an environmentally good place. Other people just throw it wherever. Lots and lots of empty yogurt containers everywhere. There is an apparent need for the governments (at all levels) to implement some sort of garbage programs. A problem is that there are seldom any trash receptacles in public areas. While waiting on the platform at the train station, I looked for a place to throw some trash, and a woman with a broom and dustpan indicated I needed to throw it on the floor so she could sweep it up. Guess that's how it's done...when it gets done. I've learned to tolerate it (barely) and see past the trash to the beauty of the countryside.

People ask if I think I will have changed from this experience. I hope one thing that doesn't change is how much less I will use non-renewable resources. It's amazing how one can get by without paper towels or napkins...even less TP! I recall how Mom used to save string on a ball and other means of conserving things. Maybe we are progressive if we regress to our childhood ways? I believe I will be less materialistic than before; not totally, but less. And I know that I will need to continue practicing tolerance...in reverse from here!