Another day older "Happy Birthday"

Sorry I have taken so long to post. I wanted to migrate to a new site but I think that will have to the new year. It is strange how we celebrate birthday. Each person, family, group of friends have their own tradition(s) but when we think about what we are celebrating - the survival of yet another year, as one friend put it - it does seem rather strange. Really we are not a year older on our birthdays but just one day older than the one before. As great as it is to celebrate the day that we entered into the world and our journeys along the path of life began, it is also nice to remember to enjoy every day in its singularity or for each moment we have. However I am perfectly happy to celebrate a bit of both.... 

It is only fitting that I start my birthday post with a picture of this fantastic cake!

I accidentally spoilt the surprise when I walked into the kitchen the night before and saw it in the process. I could not have imagined this would be what I was presented with at 8 am the next day. It was a yummy, moist lemon cake and the sprinkles writing was amazing. The improvised candles a brilliant added touch. After cake I had to get ready quickly as I was late for class - I know right, class on my birthday - crazy!

I decided that as it was my birthday and I didn't have food at home I would treat myself to a meal at my Arabic teachers favorite restaurant, Restaurant de la Libération, situated in the heart of the Medina. (I have decided to write Medina this way as I really don't know if it is with an 'e' or not). Despite the fact that it was Wednesday and not Friday, the typical day for couscous I thought I would have a try of their traditional meat tagine. I was so used to eating it with my hands that I didn't even really know where to start with a spoon and a plate full of couscous. It was mildly spiced and perfectly warming. Just what I needed :-) as the rain was pouring again.

                                 

I went straight home as I was soaked, but when the rains stopped again I ventured out and took lots of artsy photos. The first was a shot from my street, it was already way into the afternoon and I love the way the sunlight is reflecting off the drenched streets. At the end of my road is the most beautiful bush of blue flowers, they seem almost squished from the weight of the raindrops.

                   

What I love about Morocco is not that the weather is nice as such but that even when it rains more often than not the skies return to blue this is what I mean:

Then I took the most artsy photos, they are not of anything in particular but play with the incredible light at that time of day.

 

 

 

 

 

Then I noticed the beautiful scenes in the puddles. How often do you look to the ground, or up to the sky? How wonderful to see the sky reflected in the ground.

 

One of the buildings which will always remind me of Rabat is the unusual building of the Cinéma du 7 éme Art. N and I had our first meal in Rabat in the shade of the café here and to me it represents the innovation which is so rife in this city.

I went to a café on the square to have a tea, some cake and tackle my homework (my teacher failed to make any concessions for it being my birthday despite the birthday cookies I brought in for the staff at CCCL).

Over the past few days I have been complemented a few times on my Arabic script, you can see a little of it in the corner of the photo above. I think it may just be kindness and lack of better conversation which sparks the comment as I find it rather scrawly. Still nice all the same. Afterwards I went home via the butcher, my first ever visit to a butcher alone, where I order the meat myself and watch them cut it and it was very successful. However I was once again drenched. I did stop to take another picture, to illustrate the rain, it really was pouring.

L and I then cooked the main meal for the flat which was a tomato, onion and beef sauce with green beans and rice. Simple but tastey, once salted and seasoned. The main meal is pictured on the right. On the left is a picture of the sweetly complimentary rice pudding and caramelised apples provided by S and M and lovely meal. Sadly afterwards S felt unwell and the plans for the night were cancelled but it was a great day full of indulgence and things I enjoy - perfect.

                                                                                        

A different world

I was recently lucky enough to experience two very different sides of the Mdina. First was when I decided to take a "short cut" on my way to class. Through the Mdina, early in the morning. This turned out not to be such a short cut as I got a bit lost after turning too early and ended up walking around a school for a bit. However I am so glad I did it as I saw a totally different side of the Mdina. The abandoned side, the free side, the empty side, the streets before they are filled with the busyness of the day and the bustling of the merchants and shoppers. I never expected to find the Mdina so empty and this was what caught me more than anything. I liked being part of the beginning of the day, having somewhere to go and joining the few other people around doing other necessary early morning tasks.

Pushing way way through the crowded alleys on my way back from class I decided to treat myself to something new - mini churros. The man who sold them was so sweet and the whole cornet cost 70p! Unfortunately this meant that many people felt they could shout comments my way. Fortunately my Arabic is not really up to scratch yet so I had no idea what they were saying :-).

Subsequently I was even luckier when despite a dreadfully rainy day (I will talk more about this later) I was with M and I and they agreed to accompany me to walk the Mdina at night. I was told by A that it is a sight and indeed it was a magical walk. The dim lights made such images I could not resist talking photos. The way the light danced off the carved doors made every image different, it was such a contrast to the day, and again the morning. 

Actually walking the Mdina in the rain was not such a bad idea as much of it is covered, every now and again our paths would meet with that of others making their way to another destination. In a strange way it made me think of Christmas. I think it is probably due to the day the light was not dissimilar to that cast by fairy lights and the rain didn't make the weather too unlike that of England.

This was one of my favourite pictures, the shadow of a passer by was caught just in time. who knows how many shadows wanders these streets at night, the Mdina was all that existed before the French arrived in 1912 and the essence of over 100 years of use is all around.

However things have not changed much as the roads are often too narrow for cars so carts are used to bring supplies to the merchants for sale. This particular cart made me laugh as it had a French number plate - a number plate being rare on these two wheeled transportation machines, let alone a French one.

This is an example of the French architecture which was characteristic of some of the buildings on the outskirts of the old Mdina. I think the cobbled streets also add to the atmosphere here, it is such a beautiful place. I will try and do a post about it during the day to show the contrast.

The reason I referred to the rain as dreadful is that currently Morocco is being hit by some of the worst floods in decades. Whole villages have been wiped out, bridges are collapsing, leaving thousands of citizens stranded and people are dying. The King has said he will pay for their funerals but the people say money would be better spent in trying to have a better coping strategy in place as it is the lack of infrastructure which is in some way to blame for this disaster. The army has been mobilised and people are rallying together but for many hope is being washed away with their homes, livelihoods and for some their lives. My thoughts are with those who are struggling at this time, when the Christmas season of merriment is about to start in the UK, it is hard to forget the sights here in Morocco. Global warming is indeed playing havoc with the weather systems - this time last year people were at the beach!