Day 19: Y fait chaud, ohlalala.

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Well, we saw all sorts of interesting things today. And of course we were silly tourists and went out at 11am... so basically just in time for when it’s 10000000000 degrees out. And by that, I mean 48 degrees. Oh, it’s hot. It’s so hot you don’t even realize it’s hot.

We walked up to the Mosque (which you’re not allowed in, but good reference point!) and then into the main square and all the stalls/souks. Holy, that was something.

The main square is interesting... everyone comes up to you wanting to take a photo with you for money. Some are dressed up in costumes or native dress, some have monkeys (and like serious monkeys, no tiny wimpy monkeys here haha) and then there are the snake charmers. Oh the snake charmers. One of them came right up to us instead of just calling over – he was walking beside us, so we just kind of tried to ignore him. He’s then like “oh it’s a nice snake. Very nice. He no bite!” and he tried to put it on my shoulder!! Good thing I don’t have a phobia or anything – it definitely made contact.

Anywho, we wandered around the stalls for a really long time – at least it’s mostly in the shade because they have these like straw roofs over-top the “hallways” for lack of a better term (really, really small alleyways). I think Em enjoyed it a lot more than I did – I don’t enjoy being called over to every shop and being ushered every which way. I understand it’s how they make a living and I’m not trying to be snob, I just don’t like that feeling of being rushed and pressured everywhere I go.

Most of the stalls have the same old things – some tourist crap, jewellery, food, clothing, clay pots, etc. Some were a little different – there were caged turtles, gila monsters, chickens, rabbits and iguanas. And by caged I really mean small cages where they can’t really move. Aw. There was also a guy walking around with a bunch of dead roosters... but I don’t think he was trying to sell them.

Not as many catcalls/whistles today oddly enough which was a nice change of pace. Still a lot of hi/hellos. The best was: “hello. Hello. Fish n’ chips!” (they thought we were from the UK). Oddly enough, the running tally in Morocco seems to be that we look either British or Polish. Uh, no.

(Funny hostel moment: met a guy from Holland and he asked if we’re American. We’re like no, Canadian. He literally gasped and covered his mouth – “oh my God, I’m so sorry” We had to laugh – at least he knew the blunder he just made ahahaha)

Ok, back to our day. Since I felt like my cheeks were on fire (I somehow didn’t burn today – it’s a miracle) we went to get a drink and sat in the “shade” in a garden by the mosque. It wasn’t really shade, but close enough – it felt cooler at least haha. We sat there for a bit before trekking back to the hostel.

One of the staff had a good laugh at us – how red are faces were from all the sweat haha. We were then comparing arms and had a good laugh at the whiteness on the inside of our arms. He made us feel better by turning his arm over to show he was lighter there too. He’s such a character – he’s great. When he saw us later he’s like ohhh you look much better – not red like a baby now.

We spent a few hours just lounging and reading after that – too hot to do much else. I sat in the “lobby” since it was cooler – Em toughed it out on the roof for about 30 minutes before joining me too haha. While reading, I had fun listening in on this Quebec guy talking with one of the staff – neither of which knew we were Canadian or that we were listening/understood French.

The conversation was pretty funny... I was tempted to jump in, but figured getting into a Quebec VS The Rest of Canada debate in Morocco wasn’t overly wise. I just think it’s funny to listen to hardcore separatist Quebecers while you travel... hating on the rest of Canada for not understanding them, how they’re the only part of Canada that speaks French (funny, since I’m not a Quebecer and I fully understand you!) and all that jazz. They were also saying how Montreal is the real capital of Canada and he was talking up it x100. Now, I love Montreal... but sorry, hate to burst your bubble but in all my travels it’s not Montreal that people think the capital is... it’s Toronto.

I don’t know – I shouldn’t be so annoyed, I think it was just the comment that “we’re the only French people in Canada” ... because you most certainly are not buddy. Just as an fyi.

Anyway, we went out to the supermarket to get some stuff for supper – played an excellent game of Frogger which resulted in me being angrily yelled at in Arabic for cutting off a motorcycle. My Moroccan experience is now complete – I am pleased. That’s what happens when there are zero crosswalks and no one obeys the stop signs.

Once again we ate up on the roof – lovely, so lovely. It was cooling down to the mid-30s, so that was nice. A random cat showed up and was very interested in Em’s tuna haha, but it left after not too long. And that was that.

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