When you fly a commercial airplane✈️, your journey always starts with either a safety video or a demonstration by cabin attendants. I love watching each airline’s safety video; recent trends seem to be, each airlines is never shy about showing off their culture as a company and as a country in the video, therefore, they are all different in special ways.
And, it’s important for us, passengers, to acquire all the knowledge necessary in case of an emergency. One way to ensure that is to attract people on board to pay more attention to the safety video, right? So, let’s make it more attractive! Make it more entertaining!
Since moving to Rabat, we have been flying Royal Air Maroc often🇲🇦. Their safety video has been renewed this year, and it is quite attractive and entertaining 🙂 It really captures the beauty of Morocco, in each city, with amazing culture and hospitable people in just less than 4 minutes.
We will be flying Lufthansa 🇩🇪and Singapore Airlines 🇸🇬this time for our trip to India. It’s been a while to see their safety videos – I am very excited 🙂
We have been having such lovely summer weather in Rabat – temperature wise, it’s high of 26/27, low of 19/20. Seriously, there is nothing to complain about, and I actually feel bad and feel rather “spoiled” when I hear the news about heat waves in other parts of Morocco🇲🇦 or in Europe🇪🇺. Of course, in Japan🇯🇵, too.
Anyway… I found this Instagram post. そんな時に目にしたこのインスタ。
Oh dear, I really want to go to this Natsumatsuri (Summer : Natsu + Festival: Matsuri )! My husband and I have been busy getting ready for the conference in Chennai🇮🇳 now, but, you know, we need a break and hey, the event location is near “George Clooney Barber”💈! And, I get to wear my yukata👘 – which I made with my Nana 👵🏼 many years ago.
We entered, and Wow! Sugoi! Festive! 入ってみたら、わ！フェスティブ！
Okonomiyaki, Takoyaki, Yakisoba, kakigori, and even Osomen! Muzyen!! I overheard that the staff at the Japanese Embassy were there helping to cook this yummy food. Two months ago, I was assisted by the nice people at Japanese Embassy here in Rabat, in order to obtain some of the legal documents (such as a birth certificate in French) and I remember how kind and helpful everyone was at the Embassy. Big Arigaito goes to the Japanese Embassy in Morocco, for their Omotenashi & delicious food!
Theambassador of Japan in Morocco, Honorable Monsieur Nakata was there, too? How nice! あ、大使様もいらっしゃっていたんですね。とても素敵な大使様ですね。
At Natsumatsuri, we used this stamp card (you advance-purchase each stamp with 10MAD) to buy food or to try the activities, such as Yo-yo sukui, Karaoke, and Darts. One of the fun games, which my friend Sumi-chan encouraged us to try, was the “Bamboo Warrior”🎋. A friendly game, although, it had a potential to become a “husband-wife battle.⚔️” Did it affect our relationship? Not at all 😝! We are still happily married. Hamdulillah 🙏.
What a wonderful way to spend a summer afternoon in Rabat, to enjoy “Natsumatsuri” and a hint of Japanese flavors and Omotenashi. 『モロッコで夏祭り体験』ができるとは! おいしい日本の味やおもてなし、に再度、感動させていただく良いお時間でした🍧。
As a bilingual emcee🎤, one of the events I have worked on annually for 8 years in Seattle was the Japan Fair. At this two-day event, which attracts tens of thousands of visitors, I would introduce various Japanese cultures and entertainment on stage (often, with silly hats 🤠) . There are usually about 100 vendors to shop from, and many workshops and lectures for visitors to participate. As an emcee, it was a parade of preparation, exhaustion, excitement, and satisfaction! And I learned a lot from being “Team Japan Fair.”
Japan Fair in Seattle is always held around the Tanabata – the Star Festival🌌. I will not be the host on the stage this year, but, like the Hikoboshi and Orihime of Tanabata👩🏻❤️👨🏻, I hope that Japanese culture and American culture will come together, and everyone at the fair gets to have a fabulous time! I am sending lots of love💓 from Morocco to Seattle on July 12th & 13th for their successful, fun-filled weekend at Meydenbauer Center. If you are in the area, please come and enjoy the event! Also, the staff and volunteers of Japan Fair, Gambatte🤞!!
Rice is important. VERY important. It’s not that I eat rice every day, but if I want to eat rice, I NEED to have my rice – and it is Japanese, sticky rice🇯🇵. Not Jasmine rice or Uncle Ben kind of rice. It is in my Japanese DNA and I don’t care which passport I have – nothing is going to change my love for white sticky rice🍚.
So, as much as eating rice is important, making rice is also important. When we lived in Barcelona🇪🇸, this Joseph & Joseph M-cuisine’s small microwave-style rice cooker worked perfectly. It is the right size for just the two of us, and it makes pretty good rice within 15 minutes – in the microwave.
However… the cooker had an unfortunate incident – I must have put a wrong setting in microwave, and, it became, hmmm, “wrinkled.” It was a sad, sad day😭. It still works, it still makes rice, and it can still be used as a steamer also, but, the wrinkled container has been telling me “I am ready to retire soon…”
We have this option, too; an electronic pressure cooker. Yes, it makes rice also – but they tend to make the rice too soft. I’ve talked to the pressure cooker, sweetly🗣, that it doesn’t need to give too much pressure, but I think it contradicts the whole concept. Maybe it’s good for making porridge?
SO, we decided that it was time to purchase the ULTIMATE “Rice Cooker”!!!!! 🙌じゃあ、ここはもう、いっちばん性能良さそう＆自分達の暮らしにあった炊飯器を買おうではないか、と決断！
Voici! Meet our new member of the family; the one and only, a cute little rice cooker with extra features of porridge maker/hot pot machine/steamer/slow cooker/ keep warm!
We found this beauty on AliExpress. It’s made by Hyundai – a car company? Well, at least it says so. Anyway, that makes this rice cooker a Korean🇰🇷 product? But the manual came in Chinese🇨🇳. No English translation. Thanks to Google Translate, we have been able to utilize this great home appliance and I definitely ADORE this cooker😍. Not only can I make delicious rice, but I can also make variety of stews and soups, steamed veggies, pasta dishes… etc. My quality of cooking has gotten better, I think🆙.
And the rice? AMAZING!!! 👍🏼This is just my opinion: when it comes to sticky rice, there is nothing more powerful than when people from China, Korea, and Japan come together and share knowledge about making the perfect rice. If there is a “Sticky Rice UN”🌎, these three countries will lead annual meetings, and bring world peace. Inshallah. 🙏
“Panchayat” is an Indian🇮🇳 drama series available on Amazon Prime, and my husband and I LOVE watching the show😍! The main character is an urban engineering graduate, Abhishek, struggling yet learning to live in a rural village in Uttar Pradesh as a secretary of municipal government (called Panchayat). I like its authentic and pure portrait of the people & the culture, gentle humor, and calm & uplifting storyline. It also helps me not to forget my Hindi (now that I am learning French and Arabic).
The last few nights have been “Panchayat Watch Party”🥳 at our home (for just two of us, but it’s still a party!). Panchayat has a unique way to connect its audience – it reaches our simple minds. Still, it has a powerful attraction. We are huge fans of Panchayat because it’s funny and it’s peaceful, but, to me, it also reminds me of my favorite Indian beta👦🏻, My Abhishek and where he is from – Kanpur, AKA, “The Manchester of India”🏴; yes, that’s what he says (but not what I believe).
I miss your chai, Sweta! Actually, I miss your poha, your roti, your aloo & gobi… everything you make!
Speaking of “Simple yet Powerful Attraction”, I was very attracted by sabzi (veggie) dishes, roti, and many cups of chai ☕️ captured in the show; therefore, a “Simple yet Powerful Craving” for Indian food has begun… Kya karna hai? (what should I do?) 🤨
Let’s go to Indian Favorsin Agdal! 💡そうだ！＜インデイアン・フレーバーズ＞に行こう！
At Indian Flavors in Agdal (very close to Starbucks near Avenue de France) you can find many authentic Indian dishes, from veg to non-veg. I love their Chicken Lollipop, which comes with a refreshing mint sauce. My husband likes Chicken 65, and he always makes his head sweat.
アパートから歩いて５分の＜Indian Flavors＞、トラムのAvenue de France駅からすぐ近くの便利な場所にあります。まずは前菜〜チキン·ロリポップは私のお気に入りなんですが、辛めがお好きな方はChicken 65もおすすめです。
I also love chaat, which means snacks, or street food in India. Samosa Chaat, Sev Puri, Dahi Vada…hmm, those are all mouthwatering. Among all the chaat dishes, I definitely like Pani Puri(or Golgappa) the best! My Abhi would make it when we lived together, and we would just eat, eat, eat…hundreds of them. I would really love to eat Pani Puri at a street vender whenever I am in India, but, I force myself from doing so as I have common sense as a foreigner.
Red carpet! The sign that everyone is treated as VIP here😊
Lekin-Walakin-However-Mais, at Indian Flavors, I can enjoy Pani Puri! Without any worries! Hooray! Humdullila!🙏 しかーし！Indian Flavorsさんなら、このパニプリも食べれちゃう！お腹の心配もなし！ハンデゥリラ！
Also, their Mango Lassi. It is, in my opinion, the BEST in the world. Kyon (why)? Because they use fresh mango🥭, not an overly-sweetened purée from the can, I think. It was so so so refreshing and a “power to the body and soul” kind of drink. Another Humdulillah.🙏
We enjoyedPaneer Makhniand my comfort food, Dal Tadka (split lentil with spices) last night. But other dishes like Butter chicken, Kadai Paneer, etc. Everything there is AMAZING 🙂 Oh, btw, they make their own paneer! I guess I am more used to the northern Indian flavor, but next time, I am ready to try their Hyderabadi Dum Biriyani for sure. Because, I found out that a chef at Indian Flavors is from Hyderabad – it must be really really goooooood (and I will order extra Raita or Dahi ki Chutney…).
Look at these three handsome amigos at the restaurants. They are much better looking than Bollywood stars on the TV screen in the back🕺🏻. They recently upgraded their menu and are all waiting for you to come and try the flavors. Chalo! Yallah!
The billboard sign I have seen a lot lately… 最近目にするこの看板、、、
“Hello Morocco!” Oh, Hi! I feel like I have to respond 🙂 This is Grimace, one of the McDonald’s characters saying “Hello” to us. I am not sure if he is a famous mascot compared to Ronald McDonald, or Hamburgler, but I know that he has become the “lucky charm”🍀 of the New York Mets (MLB team in the US)🏟; since the day he threw the first pitch, the Mets have won seven games in a row! And made it to the playoff game. Coincidence? Maybe…
By the way, it seems that 80% of Moroccans are “NY Yankees” fans, according to the caps they wear🧢. Often I notice “Boston Red Sox” fans, or “LA Dodgers” fans, but the overwhelming majority of people here seem to enjoy being Yankees fans. Fine. I like their likely-to-be new mayor, too. Anyway, I would also love to encounter a “Seattle Mariners” fan someday!
So, this Grimace character. Apparently he was born in 1971, as a villain of McDonald’s world (McDonald’s empire? McDonald’s society? However you call it, I guess). He originally had four arms, and he would skillfully use those arms to steal all McDonald’s shakes from the store🥤! Oh, no! How evil!😈 However, he somehow saw an enlightenment, or he might have attended AA meetings, then he was able to have a change of heart 💓; or, a change of character. Grimace is now a good friend to all the kids in the world, while busy promoting blueberry-flavored purple drinks🫐. And, look! Magically, he now only has one set of arms! Where did those two arms go???
The special shake which Grimace promotes (it was quite popular in the US, and other countries, created some meme, too…) has finally arrived in Morocco🇲🇦! I don’t usually go to McDonald’s, but, since Grimace was polite enough to say “Hello👋” to me, I wanted to pay a visit and say “Hello🙋🏻♀️” back to him. That’s what a civilized person should do, I thought, then, I should also try this shake. I asked my sweet husband “I have a favor to ask… s’il vous plait. You know, it’s been hot, and I have been kind of curious about that purple drink. It would be a great topic for my blog, too. Don’t you think?” He went to the machine and ordered a 25MAD special shake for his wife 🙂 Humdulillah. 🙏
Ok, this shake is very sweet! Too sweet! Trop sucré!Hlow bzzaf! This wasn’t “Hello! Morocco!” – it was “Hello! High blood sugar!” An auntie like me should have said “goodbye” to this kind of drink.
Note: My favorite “Hello!” character AKA lucky charm (?) is my Abhishek. He is an indispensable existence to me. Abhi is the only person I allow to tell me that I am getting old or fat (as I also tell him so). We lived together, and we learned together. We fought together, and we cried together also. But really, we had so many laughters and so much love over the years. It goes beyond friendship and affection; he is our family. I am here to say “Hellooooooooooooo! Abhi! (I miss you!)”
付け足し：私にとっての「ハロー！」キャラ＆なくてはならない存在、は、アビシェク。一緒に住んだ時期もあり、彼や彼の弟君の結婚式にはインドに行き、家族ぐるみでのお付き合い。よく討論し、よく喧嘩もし、でもよく笑ってとにかくもう、友情／愛情を超えた家族の存在。この世でひとり、私に「太ってきた、老けてきた」と言う事を許している人物（同じことを彼にも言えるので）。「ハローーーーー、アビ！I miss you！」
Tomo
The cats of the day :: Les chats du jour :: 今日の猫しゃん達
Please stop by at my salon again 💞🫖🍵 3afak & Chukran
Recently, I learned a new Japanese word. It’s “Rebe-chiレベチ”– it means “different level”, in other words, it’s an abbreviated term to describe something so amazing, or so outstanding, that you might think it’s at the next level. Japanese people love to shorten the words, so “Reberu(level) Chigau (different)” became “Rebe-chi.” Other creative versions include, “Dan-chi” for something one step above, or “Jige-chi” for being in a different league. They are all meant to complement something or someone, but, I don’t really feel comfortable using them… only because I am from the older generation, I guess.
Anyway, I previously wrote about <the world’s largest strawberry shortcake🍰> made by a “Rebe-chi” pastissier from Morocco🇲🇦. But, today, I would like to introduce an incredibly “Rebe-chi” boulangerie (bakery/baked goods shop) near our apartment!
Amoud! It sure has a kind of lavish ambience, so I had been a little intimidated, to be honest, for a while. It took us a few months to actually go in and try their goodies…
Tada! Oh my, the brioche, croissants, and the loaf of hard bread… everything was delicious and top-notch! Clearly, I now have a problem – Amoud is located too close to our apartment.
The qualities of Moroccan breads, any baked goods, or cakes and tarts, are all really high. Rebe-chi, Dan-chi, & Jige-chi 🤩! Perhaps it’s because the foundation of traditional Moroccan breadmaking, which is already outstanding, has been fused with some new knowledge and techniques by the French during their ruling period…?
When it comes to bread, my husband and I seem to have different preferences. He likes more crispy loaves with some seeds in it. Something which goes with cheese. Very “white people” bread. Kind of bread that reminds me of the iceberg in fjord, and is strong enough to hit someone. I tend to choose brioche-like bread with a sweet taste and moist texture, that I can probably continue to eat even after I get dentures🦷 (I hope that doesn’t happen – Inshallah. 🙏).
We were laughing at these “bread personalities” one morning, then I suddenly found myself playing with “Go, Dog. Go!”🐶 story (which we used to read with our children when they were young).
Summer has come in Rabat! That means, watermelon season has arrived 🍉! ラバトにも夏到来！という事は、スイカの季節がやってきました🌻！
I LOVE watermelon. In fact, when I was pregnant, my husband gave me the nickname, “Watermelon Consumption Machine”, as I would eat watermelon every day during the summer, or, in the US, not in the summer also (a mystery of the US food distribution system). My husband knew that eating watermelon would make me happy, so he would always make sure to have cut watermelon in our fridge when I was pregnant (or when I am not pregnant). Such a sweet gesture…🥹 We owe many watermelons for our almost 30 years of happy marriage💒. Humdlilla.🙏
Moroccan watermelons… in Darija, it’s called Delaah, are DA BEST! Sweet, juicy, true-to-the-motherland flavor. There are seeds, but Mashi Mushikili (No problem). They are just so delicious & inexpensive, and, are always available at our neighborhood hanut (moroccan version of seven-eleven), so it’s very convenient to purchase & carry home, even if it’s this size – 13kg (28lbs)!
These Moroccan watermelons’ “marketing style” come differently. On our road trip, I often saw “Standing Watermelons” to attract customers on streets. I was very curious how they would make watermelons stand – aha! egg cartons on the bottom! How about this pretty wild-looking, “Fresh off the Farm Watermelon” appeal? You will have to do a lot of trimming & cleaning, but I bet they taste superb 😻.
My husband makes “watermelon juice.” It is a delightful red juice, and I just feel loved when I get to sip a glass of it. I often add chopped watermelon pieces to our salad – they go really well with feta cheese and mint leaves, I think. See, if we have a 13kg baby, we would have to consume a lot in various ways, for a loooong period of time (and I am not complaining at all!)
Apparently, watermelon’s ample amounts of potassium and magnesium help you reduce stress. Also, its antioxidants help to prevent the onset of heart diseases. Something called “carotenoid” ensures good health in your eyesight. Furthermore, lots of vitamins, especially A & C in this fruit, are great supporters of weight loss. Yes, I am reading WebMD for all this information, but they all seem perfect 🤩 for perimenopause women like me! I DO have faith in watermelons (they helped me produce two amazing humans into this world after all), and I am sticking to my faith💪.
Most importantly, watermelon is a sign of love from my husband to his “Watermelon Consumption Machine.” This red color of watermelon juice must mean “passion❤️🔥” – yes?
I believe that the true Moroccan experience comes from eating food with locals. And, if that can be done, even through preparing & cooking process, it is the BEST WAY to learn the culture of this country. So, we really wanted Pam and Gary to experience this amazing cooking class presented by the Moroccan Food Tour. It was coordinated by Mohamed and his most talented & the sweetest mom, Hajja Najat💕!
Mohamed-san, by the way, has been our Gurufor all trips in Morocco. As a co-founder of the Moroccan Food Tour and Food Writer✍️, he is always busy arranging tours and coordinating with guides in other areas of Morocco. You might have seen him on major YouTube channels as well! If you are thinking about visiting Morocco in the future, this is the website you really want to start with: The Moroccan Food Tour.
Mohamed and his family adapted us from the beginning of our life here with their kindness – and we are so so so thankful that we have met him. He is, to us, the ambassador of Rabat; welcoming us with open arms and teach us many things Moroccan. Speaking of “ambassador,” his mother has cooked for Moroccan ambassadors and diplomats in different countries – so you know how amazing her culinary skills are. But, I can really tell, her major philosophy and “the secret ingredient” for cooking are the same wherever she is, or whoever she cooks for; “Sprinkle your love onto food and to the people you share your food with.”
So, the menu for that night was, two kinds of bean appetizers, carrot salad (my favorite!)🥕, beef and prune Tajine, and for dessert, “the jewel of Morocco” -👑 Jawhara👑. 本日のメニューは、ふたつのお豆の前菜とキャロットサラダ、ビーフとプルーンのタジン、そしてデザートには＜💎モロッコの宝石💎＞とも呼ばれるジャワラです。
To start the class, we met with Mohamed at his neighborhood’s market, purchasing all the ingredients: meat, veggies, fruits, filo dough, bread… yup, lots to get! Mohamed even got us a bag of Baghrir – Wow, this cooking class covers our breakfast the next day? Hamdulillah🙏.
Then, we got to cook in this beautiful kitchen! First we would get the beans out, then grate the carrots… yup, we all worked together – taking video IS an important part of work, too😆. With the combination of pressure cookers and tajine, we could save time for cooking big chunks of meat (and we could eat sooner!).
Cumin, Ginger, Pepper, Paprika, Turmeric, Ras el haunt… many spices went in, and Salt! Yup, Mama Najat’s fingers ✌️automatically know the right amount of salt to go in for each dish. That’s true professionalism!
After three hours of cooking together, while their daughter fed Uncle Gary her special hamburger 🍔 made in her toy BBQ grille 😂 it was time for us to eat! YUMMMMMMMM! 😋
As a Christian, “breaking bread” with others has a significant meaning. It is a way to remember the act of Jesus Christ (Lord’s Supper) and to share our faith and unite in fellowship. And, as a human, being able to sit and eat the same food as anyone – possibly the food we cook together – that is a powerful sign of a positive and welcoming community. I am so thankful that we are able to experience this kind of positiveness when things are going rather “challenged” in the world these days.
We might not believe in the same religion, we might not come from the same country, or we might not speak the same language at home. But we ALL eat FOOD, and we ALL love GOOD FOOD. Nothing makes people more satisfied and more connected than delicious home-cooked meals filled with fresh ingredients served with lots of happy laughters, yes? 😁
There is a city called Leavenworth, about a 2-hour drive from Seattle. It’s a unique place to visit because, even though the city has nothing to do with German ancestry or strong relationships with German trade🇩🇪, the buildings, signs, everything (including Starbucks) are set in a Bavarian-style ambience. Therefore, the whole city would give you a feeling like “oh, did we arrive in Germany? Where is Octoberfest?🍻🥨” It was a deliberate effort to revitalize the city and attract tourism into this little village in the Cascade mountains – and, it worked💪!
Chefchaouen, aka the Blue City🦋, apparently had the same idea. “What would attract people to visit our city…?” They decided to paint the whole city “Blue.“ I am glad that the municipal legislators didn’t decide on Purple or Yellow, personally. I like Blue. It’s a good color to feel relaxed & feel chill. Definitely a nice color on Instagram. I have read somewhere that the color blue in Chefchaouen also symbolizes the Jewish belief (it reminds them of heaven and god)🕍, or it even keeps mosquitoes away. All is good – all stories are appreciated.
Again, we had an amazing guide to show us around this beautiful city. As professional as he could be, Mr. Hazim seemed to know what color of clothes he should wear as a guide; all in white. See how cool he looks, and how easily we can find him in the blue walls (if we get lost)? He was so attentive and kind, and a lot of fun to be with. And so accommodating ☺️.
We walked through their Medina, Callejon (stairway) El Asri, the Mellah (Jewish quarter), and the Kasbah (old castle) area. Some “photogenic” 📸 blue spots are not free – you are encouraged to pay 5MAD (about 50cents) or so. Worth it or not? You can decide.
The whole city is small – but it has ups and downs, so you need strong legs🚶🏻♀️. The signs on the streets are Arabic, Spanish🇪🇸 (not French) and English. Hmm, exotique!
Our stay at Chefchaouen was at Place El Haouta. Walled-in area which was once used for a fish market🐟. Dar Kisania was located in the center of Haouta, and fully renovated! And the view from their rooftop, with substantial breakfast… just amazing! We could just stay there forever (that’s why we didn’t even try to do any hiking to the mountains in the heat – no need 🤣) And, I really enjoyed the view from the bathroom – too bad I had to close every time I took a shower🚿. But, I bet nobody needed to see me naked. Hamdullilah🙏.
Another fun fact (thanks to my dear friend, Iyoko-san😍) is that the City of Chefchauen and the City of Isaqquah have been in a Sister-City relationship 🫶 for nearly 20 years! I heard that the replica of the blue door was gifted to Issaquah and located near its city hall. What was gifted to Chefchauen in return…? According to some sources, there SHOULD BE some “Salmon Sculptures” from Issaquah, but I couldn’t find them (yes, we searched). All I could find were these frogs 🐸 in the fountain. If you know where Salmon Sculptures from Issaquah are located in Chefchaouen, please let me know…
According to recent news, Morocco welcomed 7.2 million tourists in the first 5 months this year 📈. As a person who worked in tourism back in the US, I am very inspired and curious at the same time about how Morocco will grow in the future tourism. Morocco has so much to offer! So much to embrace! I hope you all visit here to experience the true meaning of “Marhaba.”
It is a rather unfortunate reality that people tend to look down on tourism compared to other industries. However, in my opinion, there is no other industry that can create such a big leap forward through consistency from the grassroots level to the whole society and the whole economy as tourism. While traveling, you are encouraged to use five senses, in addition to your brain and mortor skills, which lead us to deep learning experiences for both sides – the ones who host and the ones who visit. These experiences can become the core strength to create better future in any circumstances. Most of all, I love and I honor the fact that “it takes people; with smiles” (and maybe with blue-painted walls).
From Fes, we went to visit Volubilis and Meknes with our wonderful driver, Monsieur Mohamed, and our friend and Meknes-based guide, the MIGHTY Mediha! We met her last year when we first visited Meknes, and immediately, we fell in love with her beautiful personality and warm hospitality. If you are planning to visit Meknes, Volubilis, Fes… you should totally ask her to be your fabulous guide! She is THE BEST 💯🫶!
In Volubilis, another Mohamed, AKA “The last Roman🏺”, led us to look around the crazy number of Roman ruins on the site. Here, you can see the ancient Roman houses, mosaics and interior designs, infrastructure of the city, water fountains, Pantheon-looking architectures and sorts🏛, and their “shopping mall.” It was huge and well-preserved! Why did Romans choose such a place to live? Olives🫒. Yup, good production of olive oil was a big attraction for them.
Every time I get to visit ancient ruins, I always feel the same thing: “Humans in any culture, at anytime in history, wanted the same things: NICE THINGS. Nice food, Nice house, Nice life. And each civilization (that we could see as ruins) somehow succeeded in achieving those at certain level. But then, how come we haven’t learn to bring more “NICEness” to other human beings? Can we be nicer to each other? Are we still challenged in that department?“ – I guess civilization is hard.
In Meknes, we started with Couscous lunch by the golf course because it was Friday! Then we walked through the medina, learned about Damascene metalworks by local artisans, and also visited the Mausoleum of Moulay Isma’il, who ruled Morocco from 1672 to 1727 (until his death). He apparently wanted Luis XIV’s daughter, Marie Anne de Bourbon, to be (one of) his wife but that didn’t happen. Instead, Mulay Isma’il received 4 grandfather’s clocks 🕰 from Louis XIV. Good deal? My husband thinks so as “four clocks would probably be quieter than another wife in his life…” – he has a point, but I am not sure if it was a joke – maybe Hamda 🍋 (sour) joke…?
I like Meknes – it’s not as big as other Imperial cities, but it has its own charm. Beautiful Bab (gate) Mansur, sweet people (like Mediha!) and look at this, even Le Petit Paris🇫🇷!
