A few things I miss...

So, I do love Morocco, but there are a few things I've come to miss. When Rebecca and I were riding the train back from Asilah, we had a pretty lengthy discussion about the things we miss most from home. It was about 105 degrees, so we decided to torture ourselves by talking about all the things we can't have.

1. SPICE. I was under the impression that Moroccan food would be spicy. I was mistaken. To remedy this situation, I have accumulated a stockpile of hot sauce.

2. Large coffee cups. The first time I ordered coffee at AUI, I couldn't believe the size of the coffee cups.  They are (at most) about half the size of a normal mug. Also, I miss strong coffee.

3. Toilet paper. All of the exchange students learned the hard way that toilet paper is sparse in this country. Most of us carry our own roll, just in case.

4. Mixed gender dorms. Most of the exchange students have decided that we may have chosen the campus least conducive to any form of romance.

5. Salad. The Moroccan version of a salad does usually contain some kind of vegetable, but I have yet to see large quantities of lettuce. Those found at AUI sometimes have noodles and sardines. Not a fan. 

6. Being able to use my electronics without causing an explosion. When I plugged my hair dryer in on my first day in Morocco, it started smoking. Then a few weeks ago, my hair straightener (which I got from the OIP office here) caught on fire. Also, there are often sparks when I plug in my computer charger.

7. JACK. I've seen him a couple of times via Skype, but it just isn't the same. I miss my puppy!

8. My Dad's cooking (and general dinner time entertainment). This should probably be at the top, but I just remembered it. Especially his salmon.  

Other common yearnings among the exchange group included Mexican food, peanut butter and cafeteria food with flavor! 

Al Akhawayn Mosque Visit

Today, my Islamic Art and Architecture class visited the Al Akhawayn Mosque. Throughout the semester, we have studied the different components of mosque architecture. As we entered, the girls covered their hair with scarves and everyone removed their shoes. Dr. Ennaheid explained that unlike most, the Akhawayn Mosque has glass on its doors and windows, which protects the inside from the lovely weather of Ifrane.

Near the entrance, there is a large poster of the Kaaba in Mecca.

My professor explained that the mosque is Medinan in style. He pulled out the minbar, a large wooden chair-like structure with stairs from which the imam (prayer leader) delivers the sermon, or khutba. The minbar is stored in a small open room to the right of the mihrab, a niche which denotes the qibla. The qibla faces the Kaaba, the direction in which Muslims are supposed to pray.

According to Dr. Ennaheid, the minbar is usually used during Friday services. It allows for the amplification of the imam's voice. He also mentioned the anaza, a respondent who stands near the back of the mosque and repeats the sermon if the congregation is particularly large.

He pointed out the more elaborate decoration on the "T-shape" of the mosque, characteristic of the Medinan style. In the Al Akhawayn Mosque, this shape is formed with nine isles and an axial nave, which intersects the isles in a perpendicular fashion. 

We were standing in the part of the mosque generally reserved for men during prayer. The women's side was separated with mashrabiya, a kind of lattice woodwork which offers a barrier or partition. 

The ceiling in front of the mihrab acts as a dome, which amplifies the voice of the imam. The decoration is completed entirely in plaster, so the artisans had to work quickly to complete it.

He showed us a dry-erase board stored in the corner in an area used as a kuttab, or space for teaching Muslim children the basics of the Islamic faith. After most of the other Moroccan students left, Dr. Ennaheid led us to the bookshelf with different translations of the Quran, including one in English. He noted that there were incidents in Morocco of misprintings of the Quran, which led the government to outlaw the printing of the Quran in Morocco. He  pointed out the Magrebi style of Arabic script in some of the books, as opposed to those printed in Saudi Arabia.

Chefchaouen: Bruises and Blueness

Last weekend, I went to Chefchaouen, a city in northwest Morocco. Chefchaouen is known for the blue color that covers most buildings and houses. Another well known fact about the town is that is one of main producers of hashish in Morocco.We rented cars, which went well for the most part (aside from a flat tire and lots of stalling).  We arrived around 10 PM and grabbed dinner. The apartment we stayed in was nice and cheap (85 dirhams, or around $10 per person, for two nights).

On Saturday, we headed to Akchour, a small village near Chefchaouen, to hike. We got a guide, which was definitely a wise decision. We never would have found the waterfall without him! On our hike, our guide pointed out hashish growing on the side of the trail. The hike was gorgeous, but my clumsiness made it a little more difficult. By the end, I managed to skin both of my knees. The combination of sunburnt, peeling skin on the back and scratches/ bruises on the front of my legs is quite attractive.  Luckily, a couple of people had Band-Aids.

There were a few smaller waterfalls on our way.

The lenses in the fake Ray Bans I bought in Marrakech fell out, so Garrett put them to use. Fortunately, I only paid $5 for them. Model material, for sure.

We had to cross twelve streams to get to the waterfall. Our guide told us to drink the water and noted that much of Morocco's water comes from Akchour. 

Our guide was really helpful when we crossed the steams. I'm pretty sure I would've been fully submerged without his guidance. At first, we tried not to get wet. Then we realized there was no point. Most of our shoes were pretty disgusting after the hike.

After about three hours, we made it to the waterfall. It was so beautiful! A couple of the guys jumped into the main pool of water in front of the waterfall. Rebecca and I swam in a smaller pool behind some rocks. It was absolutely freezing, but also refreshing! I can now cross swimming in a waterfall in Morocco off of my bucket list :) It was a little chilly walking back in wet clothes, but the return voyage went much faster. 

After returning to Chefchaouen, we changed clothes and grabbed dinner. I wish I could've seen more of the town in the daylight. It was so pretty!

After dinner, I tried snails. They tasted decent, but the consistency was a little off for me. Also, I don't enjoy seeing the face of my food...

We wandered around the shops in the old medina for a while, before returning to our apartment.

Some of the doors were a tad petite...

We looked for harem pants in the old medina and finally found some outside in a square. Unfortunately, the shop owners weren't very cooperative with our bargaining tactics. I got the price down a little bit, but not much. Some of the guys had similar troubles with soccer jerseys.

This is the view of Chefchaoen from the road on the way out of town!

Asilah: Fallen Flip-Flops and Fried Legs

Last weekend, I visited Asilah, a coastal town in Northern Morocco. We headed to Meknes on Friday afternoon and took the train from there. On the train, the man behind me continually moved his hand onto the windowsill beside me and also grabbed my arm. It was lovely. The second photo pretty much sums up my sentiments...

On Saturday, we headed to the beach. On our way, we found some kittens on the side of the sidewalk. They were so tiny!

Ty, who is obsessed with cats, enjoyed the encounter.

We had to ride a horse drawn cart, which was fine for the most part, but a little bumpy. There were eight of us on one cart, so we were a little worried about falling off. I managed to lose my flip-flop during the ride, but found a lovely match on the beach. Unfortunately, there were bugs in it...The beach was beautiful! 

Once we arrived, we ate breakfast and relaxed on the beach. Unfortunately, I fell asleep. It would've been fine, but I forgot to put more sunscreen on, and my legs got VERY sunburnt. I didn't know the extent of the burn at the time, but it is quite unpleasant now...

The horse that led our cart was named Carlos. According to the driver, "He is very smart. I tell him Asilah and he goes!"

He enjoyed rolling around in the sand too! I've never seen a horse do that..haha

One of the other exchange students, Mike, who also fell asleep on the beach, has second degree burns. The back of my knees are fried. I still can't walk normally and stairs are a challenge. This is by far the worse sunburn I've ever had. Unfortunately, most Moroccans don't burn easily, so they don't worry about things like aloe, which would be nice to have. Last night, with the advice from a few other students, I covered my legs in yogurt. 

After the beach, we cooked dinner in our apartment. Annie cooked a veggie tagine, which was awesome! We also had fresh sole. Since Asilah is a beach town, there is a lot of fresh sea food! One of the foods I miss the most from home is fish. Overall (aside from the burn), I really liked Asilah. This weekend, we are heading to Chefchaoen. More pictures and blogs to come!