Morocco Marathon: all in the glasses of mint tea

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Morocco Marathon: all in the glasses of mint tea

 Africa » Morocco By BIG
May 24th 2007
brittan inman goldmann From the moment i landed we were running: 10pm, the taxi driver sprinting ahead in a grey suit through the balmy Casablanca night, us three hugging and kissing after the delayed arrival in the back seat of a rambling white mercedes. To the train station. no, too late. cigarette. To the bus station where the driver tucked us in our seats for destination Fes arriving at 5am.

we came to film the Woman's Marathon in Casablanca and it ended up being only a small leg in our own Morocco Marathon. we are still cooling down today.

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Photos

two aussie annas
With two lovely Annas from Australia on both my sides i learned that solo travel does not invite the same constant hysterics at any given moment as the company that two sweet-dears give; togeter everytime was a fine time indeed.
"ana" means "i" in Morrocan Arabic; imagine the confusions. . .

a big vat of bean soup
after being soaked, scrubbed down, saunified, brushed,shampooed, conditioned,exfoliated and henna-lathered in the heat of the hamam (public bath house made of clay)by an elderly woman, i felt like the lightest, cleanest and most delicate feather....(maybe due to lack of sleep). After, this fava bean delight nourished my very royal bod. deliciiiisch.

just keep it warm
food stands line the chaotic web of the market´s maze. They stir, fry, and fire to keep it warm and then ladel it all on your plate for some nothing cents. A sweetheart of chef serves us once more.

lovin
anna with the donkeys again.
Fez has the largest economy functioning with 0 cars and nearly 0 motors.

carting
I was the most amazed because everyone is an artisian of their own: seamstress, shoemaker, tanner, henna tat artist, weaver, painter. . everything is made by many hands from the materials that are passed through from your neighbor.

resting in the stalls
ofcourse by the nougat stand.. . .

on the fes rooftops
always friends to make everywhere

every home and their courtyard
on a high rooftop the homes and their central plaza form a colorful grid. fountain in the middle?? (yes please)

fes rooftop
The tanneries behind us; clay vats full of natural dyes of every color, dry lyme posions fill the air, the fresh skins sit on the other side of the river to dry, while men cart the wet ones back and forth in their tall rubber boots.

after sleeping on the tracks
wearing every piece of clothiing we finally found shelter in the train station after sleeping on the train's rose lined platform. cold dreams and mosquitos came that night.

casablanca marathon
tea (again)
hanging with journalist-translator whom we met on the bus going to the beach.

anna at the finish line
most women said that they were participating in the race because running is healthy. Then the thirteen year olds would burst into a national chant idolizing the King.

palace
After sleeping in a crowded bus and then on the train station´s platform our accomodations made a complete change when we were invited to stay with Hassam in his Palace (a rare exmple of couchsurfers.com): waterfountains, king sized beds, rose soaps, fresh squeezed orange juice and homemade pancakes for breakfast . . .

discovering our palace
amazed.

hassm and his tagine
Tagine:   potatoes, chicken or turkey, onions, tomatoes, piled in a pyramid in a deep clay pot, stewed to perfection, and then layed upon a pile of couscous.

serving the tagiine feast
lucky bastards we are

mint tea
with the entrance into a new doorway an offering of fresh mint tea was certain: green tea in a silver pot with fresh mint stuffed using long sugar cubes to push it down.  Making for a bubbly sucrose refreshment poured high above the small glasses.

Comments

[k2-anna]

he girl!
hi anna! so nice to see ou smiling on the pics marrocco-girl!! it looks so amazing over there.... i want to travel as well!! well. i go to turkey next week. but it´s different, it´s holidays... we will miss you on our gipsy-cabaret next saturday gipsy-girl!!! have a nice time! k2-anna

[jules]

waw
Lovely picts. Still carrying your great big smile... love from london