Cedar Forests, Green Tiles, Pointy Rooftops
Trip Start
Sep 16, 2006
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34
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Trip End
Sep 16, 2007
Azrou, Morocco
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Our spirits are getting better, despite the incessant harassment from men all day- maybe we feel encouraged because we are getting closer to Sapin and back to a different, less guarded, less agressive experience. (We aren't softies or easily offended bear in mind- but the Moroccan way, or the way of the Moroccan men in partular, is unlike any other ocuntry I have ever visited).
Red cliffs, shrubs, bright blue skies and small village clusters here and there. We saw so many furry donkeys today along the road. The cliffs and ranges are so deceiving- you really are never 'alone', someone is always lurking behind a rock or under a shrub, watching you. Funny. After riding for hours unable to pee for this reason, Lucie finally found a deserted area in the middle of nowhere, not near any towns or houses, a forest! A huge ditch, rock and treed area seemed cover enough to relieve herself. After exiting, she was instantly embarrased to see that a random guy in a bright red winter coat appeared out of nowhere, and had been watching her from inside the ditch maybe, where he was napping- and now he awanted us to go with him, into the forest- to 'hang out'. Drunk and wasted on hashish, what the fuck!!?
The Rif mountain range North of here is where Morocco's greatest export is grown- Hashish. We plan to avoid this area at all cost.
We passed through the village of Mrirt- which was so bustling with activity it was a maze of donkeys, carts, people, and colorful tables... sellers of this and that- the weekly Souq market day was here, with loads of loudspeakers and sheep and other animals being herded for sale.
We stopped at bright and uber organized fruit stand to get some for the road. The shop keeper called all his friends over, laughed and (we think) made lots of good-hearted jokes-at-our-expense, and I asked him if I could take a photo of his stand- something I never do. I didn't expect the response I got... He was really into it! He posed for pictures holding the paintings of his buddy, and hugged Anna, and posed alone and then again with Anna. He was such a ham! He wanted us to take more photos. His buddy gave Anna a drawing he had made of an Arab warrior who looked like a goat, and a similarly goat-like Amazirght woman with a bow in her hair. He had the hugest, rotten toothy smile of the day- he was great. As we left he shouted boisterously and laughed (at us?) and stopped me, handed me a large lemon, and pointed at the sky. It was odd and super! Check out the photos of this guy and his artist buddy- who, btw, specialized in drawing horses, and scorpions and snakes on metal hatchet axes (hanging on the walls of the stand). I wish we had more room for local art- but if anyone reading this entry is travelling through Mrirt on the way to or from Azrou, stop at the fruit stand on the North side of the road and check out the art.
Many a vista, high-point later, we arrived in the mountain, Berber town Azrou- a city situated in one of Morocco's last, endangered cedar forest reserves. So neat!! The forests are home to little monkeys.
Outside of town, we were latched onto by a show-off playboy type of 'cyclist', on an old 70's bike, who escorted us into town and offered to 'help' us-- because he felt that as helpless visitors, he didn't want us to be taken advantage of. We explained that we're fine, and have no problems with anyone 'taking advantage' of us. After he gave us his email and answered his cell phone several times all playboy style, he told us that we should meet him at 9am the next day to... give him a present- our riding shorts! An odd request indeed, sort of unbelievable-- but he explained that we must have spares, and that we really need to give him at least one. Hmmm. We rolled our eyes and said 'no thanks' and left- disappointed that yet another encounter and seeming 'friendship' was just a cheezy way to try to get something from us. Aaaah, life in Morocco indeed.
Later in town a guy in newer silvery car followed us driving around the city, propositioning us in Darija and French. The 'how much' and 'money money' came up and we couldn't shake him. Why did he think we were prostitutes? He kept yelling that he has lots of money... We looked really dingy and were dressed super normal and non sexy. Spitting a loogie at his car made him finally leave- though I was excited to use the term 'SHAME ON YOU' in Darija, really loudly in front of older ladies nearby, since that is the greatest 'shame' one can experience is being 'shamed' in public. I pity the poor women in this culture- having to live with this kind of condescending, disrespectful treatment day to day. Women in this culture are either completely invisible and disregarded as having a brain, OR they are on total display and sexualized for every normal action. You can't win! Sad and true. Wait, I just remembered we are in a Muslim MONARCHY here...
It's beautiful and cold here in Azrou. The city has a large, craggly rock cliff formation in the center, which provides really neat sunset views and currently dons a larger-than-life king's crown for the holidays- reminding us Morocco is in fact a religious monarchy. It will be interesting and refreshing to be in a non Catholic country for the holidays...
Comments
shame on you!
good for you! your tactfulness was well used ;)
and not to add fuel to the fire, bit i couldnt stop laughing at the sight of anna finding a 'private' place to finally go and then appears the pervey man. these are memories you two will never ever forget. don't really know if that's good or bad....maybe a bit of both