Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Marakesh, Wednesday

This morning starts, of course,with the Mosque at 7000 decibels at 5:30 am. I go back two sleep for half an hour. When I awake it's dark and the mind games start. I decide not to open the drapes because the day has just started and I do not want to face another day of pouring rain. I want so badly for it to be sunny so that I can go to the Jardin Marjorelle that my friend Cathy told me about and be warm all day.

Adaptation: woo hoo. I have a bath tub but no drain plug and a hand-held shower that cannot be attached to the wall, so you have to sit in the tub and hold the shower thing over you BUT this morning I noticed tht the clay glass provided at the sink fits perfectly over the drain and I have begun the day with.a very god thing—a deep hot bath, YAY! I will sit in it and pray to the Sun God.

After the bath and an hour of reading, I couldn't resist any longer—would it be a euphoric day or another day of reluctant adaptation. I had to go to the window and look up to see the sky (I have no view at all—the windows are gated), and I approached the reveal with some optimism because. Last night I bought an umbrella thinking that might ensure good ewe anther today and ALLAH BE PRAISED, I see blue! Perhaps you can sense my joy; suddenly the day is full of unlimited possibilities instead of limitations. The only thing that could make me happier would be to have friends here.

Half an hour later, I went down to the lobby to go out and freaked—it looked like rain. it no—fog! Thick soupy fog. Am I in Vancouver? But that too, passed and out I went into a gorgeous day; gorgeous plus by going up on the roof, I was able to crib someone's wifi and use theirs to post to my blog and get emails at my new Gmail account.

This morning was probably cool—maybe twelve degrees or so, maybe cooler. But the sun is HOT on the skin and sunscreen is a must. As I walk in the glorious garden across the street from my hotel, I am overwhelmed by the sent of something jasmine-like but I cannot tell what it is coming from so far.

I hope to discreetly take some shots of people today. I do not want to offend anyone, but I would like to show you the hooded long coats that the men wear here (and some women). They seem to be deigned for the winter changes in weather. Some men wearing them make impressive images of foreignness and exoticism to me.



1:30 pm ...

I took a caleshe to the Jardin Marjorelle. Having been to the Hungtington, the sinë quo non of cactus gardens, this one paled in comparison, but it's a beautiful, tranquil oasis of calm ($10). It is maintained by a Foundation established by Yves Saint Laurent and Pierrë Berger. The height of exoticism here, however, are the items for sale in the boutique and the prices (items licensed from the estate of YSL). I am very grateful to have the free exotic garden across the street for R&R.






It is HOT in the sun. Lunch at 2:00 in the sun with a man sharing my table. it is probably quite cool, more like eight to ten degrees than twelve, but when the sun is on you, it is really hot, so my coat is on, it's off, it's on...and the sky is beautiful, like a Canadian prairie sky. It is huge and bright and the clouds feel close. And LUNCH!!! In this u unpretentious little cafe on the square, THE most delicious lunch imaginable. Finally! A mildly curried fired chicken and lots of vegetables but also slices off picked spiced cooked lemon that was one of the most surprising and delicious tastes imaginable. There were also peas and olives and tomatoes that had incredible flavor and were al denote. Twins was not an industrialized stew. I'll be back here.







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