morocco ilove you

2014/02/16

2014/02/15

As I was stuffing the last bite of a scrumptious egg and potato sandwich into my mouth, a middle-aged woman burst into the tiny grill joint where I was eating. She gave me a wide, toothless smile and bellowed a friendly "Bonjour." I liked her already.

Next, the bubbly lady and the young man behind the grill had a heated conversation in Arabic, which involved the usual amounts of wild gesticulation and apparent argument. Afterwards, she left in a hurry. One minute later though, madam dashed back inside with two goat livers in hand, tossing the meats over the counter at the young man who began to cut them. This is about the time when my brain successfully processed the conversation.

"Cut horizontal, not vertical!" I like to think she used the word "dumbass" somewhere in there.

The young man seemed to be enjoying his customer's critiques, so he acceded to her demands of cutting the "right" way. He then tossed the liver into the fry pan and turned around in search of a fork. Big mistake. Barriers meant nothing as the woman reached over the counter to grab his bottle of oil and a handful of his salt, pouring both liberally over her soon-to-be lunch. When the cook turned around, his eyes widened.

"Stop, you crazy lady! You're using all my oil!" She just kept going, yelling right back at him.

"I want my meat to be tasty!" (Ok, she probably didn't say "dumbass" this time.)

Things got even funnier since there's an even more precise technique for frying liver. When the inept cook wasn't getting it right, the pushy woman grabbed the fork right out of his hand.

"Let me do it."

He picked up a second fork and kept doing his job, so that both young and old were energetically moving the meat around the oily frying pan crossing their forks and alternately yelling in what quickly became a du

el. I wish I had a video camera.

When the meat was cooked and the duel had ended with no fatal wounds, the woman darted out again. The cook looked over at me for sympathy and discreetly made the "she's crazy" sign with his hands. Amazing.

At this point, the food was ready, the hilarity had mostly subsided and I got up to leave. Except now it was my turn to receive an order. The lady gave me another huge grin, pointed to the chair and told me to sit my butt right back down with the command "mange!" (the imperative for "eat.") I tried to decline in French, but she insisted in Arabic. Somehow I understood. Plus, how could I refuse a second lunch?

She pulled up a chair next to mine, laid out the fries and meat, and graciously poured me 2/3 of her coke. I tried to take just a few bites, but every time I stopped scooping up handfuls of liver, she hollered "mange!" It seemed to make her happier seeing me enjoy the food than eating the lunch she'd worked so hard for herself.

To the cook, her antics might have been crazy, but it was all I could do to stop myself from giving her an enormous hug when we parted ways in the medina alley. Oh, did I mention that she ordered me a second sandwich to-go for my dinner?

during a brief and satisfying lunch in Marrakech's medina, I realized that I don't need to speak Arabic to understand Moroccans.

why i love morocco

if you want to love Morocco, go away from cities in the lost corners regions to see the single Moroccan spontaneous corners not yet affected by materialism, selfishness of Western modernism .1.Marrakech : beautiful city , a city where you can still feel the spontaneity , people smiling ( bahjawa ) Jmaa el Fna , clean city!2.Agadir (never visited but would like to see it)

3.Essaouira4.Tanger + Assila5.ouarzazate , Errachidia Merzouga sand and especially to kill the winter ice québecEnfin Casablanca my hometown especially Bab Marrakech, Hassan II Mosque , Gallery Twin Center Mall and now Morrocan -Ain Diab !Dar el Beida it.s savor the good tea cafes Prince / Maarif .. Ouarzazate , Errachidia Merzouga sand and especially to kill winter ice quebece Morocco is characterized by its natural diversity , so if you are looking for nature visit Beni Mellal , Chefchaouen, Ifrane ( snow) .. if you want the beach there Tangier , Tetouan , Agadir, and if you like the atmosphere visit Marrakech , Casablanca for those who love the imperial cities I suggest you visit Fez, Meknes , MarrakechThe most beautiful regions in the South. Once past the chains of the Atlas, we arrive in another world . One with the impression of traveling through time . Northern Morocco did not make me rêver.La Souss -Massa- Draa Agadir - Tiznit , Taroudant - Ouarzazate making a detour to Tinerhir to Todra Gorge with its palm of sight .Tinerhir to Todra Gorge with its palm of sight .The valley of Dades is a real merveille.J I tried to do the same thing with an onboard camera but it is not as pretty as this one. Ifrane in winter is beautiful Essaouira Tetouan most beautiful cities in Morocco for Me 1) TETOUAN 2) IFRANE 3) Alhoceima and of course my city Taza I return from this rotten country not by the landscapes are beautiful but the the human being there who are just omnibule the dough consumption and c is its just abominable Moroccan nation is ikkhhhhhh perdition tfou and live the rest of the world [ / QUOTE" human beings by the low " you you think you are , do not generalize rotten there in everyone .

2014/02/08

“My favourite place in the countryside in Morocco”

This is a lovely simple place in the beautiful Dades river valley with the most stunning views from the terrace of the river valley and the Monkey Paw rocks. Dades is one of my favourite places in Morocco and I think this auberge is exceptional.
Mohamed is very kind and helpful and my favourite person to visit and he is also a very good cook and does excellent tagines - delicious! The rooms are simple but the beds are comfy and one room has it's own shower and toilet whilst the two downstairs rooms have a shared shower and toilet. The best bit is hearing the cows and sheep in the morning! We ate well, were lovely and warm by the wood fire on the winter evenings, and were entertained with music. We had a walk arranged for us in the fields and gardens down by the river and visited the old ruined kasbah and the rocks - this place is beautiful at any time of the year. We also had the bonus of a small snowfall and it was marvellous dancing around on the terrace in the moonlight with a soft snowflakes falling - a definite bonus! Thank you Mohamed and everybody there for an unforgettable stay.
If you go to Dades be sure to visit - if not for the night or several nights, then certainly for a meal. Exceptional.