Morocco Time

First, the title and look of this blog are going to have to change in the near future - I have a lot of other things I want to write about in addition to Morocco, so I’ll need a new title and look. Any suggestions for the title?

Second, I’m sad to report that Lady Jaye Breyer P-Orridge passed away on Tuesday. Don’t know who she is? Here.

Cool video, huh? (give it a minute for the drums to kick in) Hard not to dance like I’m at a Moroccan hafla while I watch it.

First, I’d like to state that the president of Columbia is an absolute twat. I’ve never been so embarrassed in my life. His remarks prior to Ahmadinejad’s speech included:

“Mr President, you exhibit all the signs of a petty and cruel dictator.”

“”When you come to a place like this, this makes you quite simply ridiculous. You are either brazenly provocative or astonishingly uneducated.”

It was ten minutes of that shit, by the leader of the university that invited him. Yes, I get that people don’t agree with a lot of what the Iranian president believes (and I share some of that feeling), but there is no excuse for regressing to personal attacks and/or treating an invited guest so poorly. I think Bollinger’s been secretly watching a little too much WWF.

In happier news, I surprised Hamou with tickets to the Genesis show on Saturday. It pretty much blew his mind, since he’s always liked Phil Collins, and he’s never seen a concert before. I asked him what he thought of Nationwide Arena (where the concert was held), and he yelled out “They could fit all of Tizgui in here, people, houses, everything!” Yes, his little home village of Tizgui, about 2000 people. Earlier, when I asked him how much he’d like to see the concert, and if he really liked the group, his response was “Who doesn’t like Phil Collins?’ Well, OK, not much I can say to that! I suppose that would be like asking a Moroccan if he liked “Hotel California” or “No Woman No Cry.” Or “Father and Son.” I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard those songs in Morocco, and in all kinds of places.

Now I’m indulging in my traditional “after l’ftour” activities - watching 2M and messing about on the web. BTW, why is it that every time they have the music program, at the end of the show, they say “And now, some folklore!” And guess what it is? (98% of the time) Gnaoua. Sheesh. Give me a break. I mean, the music is great and all, but there’s only so many times you can listen to the same vocal patterns of “Ah-why, why why why…” with the gimbri going like mad.

Here’s something that made me nearly fall out of my chair laughing:

“Ouarzazate : Eau de Toilette
by Comme des Garcons Series 3: Incense

The high Atlas mountain city of Ouarzazate (pronounced war-za-zat) in Morocco was the inspiration of this masterpiece. At its opening, a sweet, balsamic tang of labdanum absolute quickly followed by zesty pepper tickles your nose. As it warms on the skin, the softly herbal clary sage (for which Morocco’s is hailed as among the finest in the world) blends with a now-calm pepper and nutmeg to make Ouarzazate a crossroads of perfectly blended, spiced incense of the Middle Eastern variety. We close our eyes and imagine we’re in the cool, still interior of Ouarzazate’s famous Kasbah.

Ouarzazate notes
incense, pepper, nutmeg, clary sage, wenge, musk, vanilla, labdanum absolute, Kashmir wood”

Oh yeah, I’m getting a sample of THAT. After all, who wouldn’t want to smell like Ouarzazate? All kidding aside, the perfumes Le Maroc pour Elle and Aqaba are both lovely, so I really will get a sample. I’m trying to think of a funny way to ask my husband what I smell like without him getting the wrong idea.

What I would be eating in Morocco:

- dates
- mint tea
- harira
- kefta tagine
- bread made by Hamou’s sister Zinba (flat bread with spices on the inside, sometimes called “Berber pizza”)
- hard boiled eggs
- kiri cheese or la vache qui rit

What I’m eating tonight: (Hamou’s at work, so it’s just me)

- dates
- mortadella sausage (halal, of course)
- kiri cheese
- lentil soup with paneer (yes, mixing cultures)
- moroccan khobz (I’m making it)
- baklava
- peach nectar
- Mt. Dew

I know it seems like a lot, but I’m not making very big batches. Probably a cup of soup, a few chunks of sausage, a few dates, etc…

Hope everyone is able to be with their families for this wonderful Ramadan season - whether you fast or not!