HUH?

I do not have much time to write at the moment, so let this short message suffice until I have the time to sit calmly and write with tranquility.

I left Marrakech the other day and met a student of English who studies at a University in Marrakech. He (Taoufik) invited me to his home, where I spent the night and the next day before heading off for Les Cascades d'Ouzoud; a beautiful place in the Atlas Mountains.



I have been moving around the area, changing places every night, spending some nights at campgrounds with beautiful views of the waterfalls, other nights farther away at the source of the river that leads to the falls.

I have met some wonderful people, and oddly enough I met a professor of English from El Jadida that seems to think that he can get me a job at the University. I may be heading up that way with him tomorrow to have an interview with the Dean and the Chair of the Department. Strange.

Inshallah.

Some other quick highlights of the last few days...a bit of a taste of the things that I would love to sit here and write about for hours and hours...

- I met some Moroccan prostitutes, but found it so difficult to read the generally easy signals that let us know when a woman is employed as a lady of the night. Apparently when she grabbed my hand and rested her hand on my knee I should have known. Two obvious signals, or so I have been told by the guys that were with me. I only finally picked up (with no doubts) on all of this when one guy asked me (in a rather colorful fashion) if I would enjoy engaging in sexual congress with them that afternoon. I replied in the negative.



- I visited the English Professor's (Abdelhak) family home. The place is no longer inhabited, but it is hundreds of years old and is currently undergoing a very slow restoration. His grandfather was apparently a very important man, and from what I understood, the black people in the town are the descendants of his grandfather's slaves. What century is this again?

- I spent last night (and will spend tonight, if I can find my way back) at a campground at the Source of the river. Oddly, the guys that run it are sort of friends of mine from the Sahara. I met them over the winter. The place that they run is on a beautiful piece of land that abuts the river.

I arrived yesterday to a reception that I will not soon forget. After being given the tour, I was set down with the man that owns the land. His wife brought over freshly baked bread (made in a clay oven with open flames), olives and olive oil from their trees, and hot mint tea. The old man sat there puffing away, smoking first kif (marijuana) from a pipe, then switching to a few hash joints to shake things up a bit. We just sat there, eating and talking about the beautiful things around us, thanking God (Hamdullah - a very common phrase) for it all.

The place is beautiful, and everything is so natural as to be truly enchanting. The honey is from the bees behind the house, the olives are from their trees, the figs are from their land, the tea is made with spring water.

Waha. I cannot remain much longer in the internet cafe. I have taken what is called a Grand Taxi from Ouzoud. Unfortunately, les grandes taxi only run when they are full, which I fear may take some time at this hour.

I wish all well, I will write more soon when there is more time.