Essaouira Again

The Juggler and Ladylove wanted to see Essaouira so we made a quick dash up there between awful weather and were rewarded with a day of glorious sun. I even ventured onto the ramparts of the old Portugese Fortress. It's been too cold and windy to think of that the last couple of trips. 

We had a lot  of time on our hands whilst the other two explored so we filled it with paying too much for Xmas presents for other chums as I wasn't in a very haggley mood. We got some extreme presents especially for Ali Baba - The Knitter is going to kill me.

Then we went to lunch at the Chalet du Plage and watched the Gnaoua musicians and the seven-a-side footballers who knew just when to finish their game to miss the tide. I hadn't realised that when you have such a small goal you still have a full-time goalkeeper. Also if I had to bet my money would be on the team wearing trainers and not barefoot. As they left the gulls and waders came in to feed.

We had a better hotel than last time and they gave us a free upgrade so it was quite luxurious. Once you realised the postal address was the back of the hotel and that the front was on the main square it was easy to find too. So, nice view from the balcony and just a step to the sea near the walls.

Stormy Weather

The Juggler and his Ladylove arrived and we have been on a trip to the Almeln Valley. I think it was a little disappointing for them as we went on Friday and it started to rain and was generally quite bad weather and on Saturday some of the roads were flooded were streams crossed them although stream beds close by could be dry. Due to a camera failure I have no pictures. However when we got back we found that we had only caught the edge of the weather and slightly further east and in the High Atlas things have been much more dramatic.
The main road from Marrakech to Ouazazate looks like this




There are over 60 people dead over the country and there are some dramatic escapes posted on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAgh6ZA60LY

Suddenly  a rather damp holiday doesn't seem much to complain about.
We are off to Essaouira tomorrow for one night, hoping to catch the gap before the 44cm of rain forecast for Taroudant on Friday.

The bridge opened at Taliouine 4 mths ago on Saturday

My Divine Divan

Most of the furniture in the house was bought with it from the Frenchman. The living room had an impressive 3,2,1, seater combination. Over time I realised that it was one of the most uncomfortable things I've ever sat on but it took us 5 years to do something about it. 
The new divan arrived today. We started inquiries as soon as we got back. It turned out that one of our friends next door but one neighbour was an upholsterer so we went to him. The initial quote included a very fancy base unit, metal with beads. It cost as much as the seating so we got a very plain wooden base from a seperate carpenter instead which was less than half the price although we clearly were still paying too much as he gave us some money back when we paid him. On these low wooden slat bases are placed mattresses which are then covered with the material of choice and cushions form the back. Usually the cushions are quite firm so we have 2 sorts. The main upholstery material ones are firm but the ones with the sunburst are squadgy like a pillow. Then there are sausage shaped ones made of a very firm foam which can act as arm-rests.

The mattresses look like any you can buy of the shelf in a shop, and they are sprung making them much comfier than the rejected set but in fact they are made to measure. The long wall was measured and it was suggested that instead of one length we should have it made in two to make them manageable and we said we wanted the return to be the same length so that everything would be interchangeable and so we have 3 bases, mattresses and covers each 2 m 41 cm long.

Gold seems to be the fashionable colour this year for upholstery, last year it was purple , and the year before blue. The tajdlect is yellow , so we thought this orange, red and gold print would be OK. The covers are loose so they can be dry cleaned or you can get another set if you change you mind without replacing the bases. 
Overall cost? About the "before Sale" price for a DFS 3 seater or a sale 3+2 combo, but for that we have over 7m of seating.

A Pretty Parcel

So what is in this pretty gift-wrapped parcel? An early Xmas present? No, it's my laundry back from the Pressing.
3 garments washed AND IRONED for 23DH that's about 64p a garment. I sent 2 long dresses and a lined jacket, none of which would adequately have survived my ironing. Now just remind me why I bother to do any. 
They are always returned exquisitely wrapped in brightly patterned foiled paper. "Dark Side of the Moon" was playing in the shop. The proprietor said "Pink Floyd, Good Music".

A Shelf

Our kitchen was inherited from the frenchman and the more I think about it the more I'm convinced he didn't cook but had a maid in to cook for him or ate out. There was an enormous couscousier but no oven or microwave and not many pans. There wasn't much storage and the first thing we did was buy some freestanding base cupboards and a vegetable rack. As I've got the oven and retired I've added quite a lot of baking equipment and tagines and such like and keep stores of flour, rice, pasta etc in jars. These were gradually taking over all the surfaces in both the kitchen and the dining room, so it was decided we would have a shelf. Moha looked at the accumulations and said we should have two.

 But I would not be able to reach the second and we would have a similar situation to that in Wales. There Beloved and the taller of the Kiwi boys put up the kitchen cupboards. They held them at what they thought was the right height. I said "lower". They moved them down a fraction. I said "lower" again. Repeat several iterations. Eventually they were giggling away at how anybody could possibly want a cupboard so stupidly low and I gave in. Beloved has had 25years to regret that giggle as whenever I need anything from the top shelf I shout "Beloved" and he has to come and reach for me. The corollary of that for me is that I live in the sort of magical world that babies learning Peekaboo occupy, where things miraculously appear, or for me, disappear. If Beloved tidies to the top shelf the object is out of my line of sight and does not exist for me.

Anyway a shelf in Morocco is not bought off the peg from your local B&Q or IKEA. It is made  to measure and to fit even though the kitchen is not square and it needs to be a long trapezoid with acute and obtuse angles at opposite ends. Similarly the brackets are handmade specially to purpose.

I'm pleased with how it has turned out. It certainly stows a lot of gear. 

Freyja Henna

We had a lovely, lovely day on Saturday when a friend took us to visit his sisters in Freyja. They have a house with the most amazing situation at the top of the village, right next to the bridge, overlooking the Sousse valley. Being a moroccan house there are no picture windows or loggia taking advantage of the view, just a blank wall and the house turns inwards to the courtyard. It is acceptable to sit out behind the wall in the evening and watch the sunset which is what we did.
We were given one of those moroccan feasts which they seem to prepare effortlessly where you think you have managed to do quite well and that although you couldn't eat another bite you haven't offended by not eating enough, and then find that they bring out another 2 or 3 courses. One of these extra course was Seffa which I haven't eaten before although I have the recipe. You Steam angel's hair pasta and then add shredded almonds (shredded skin in so as to be dark brown) cinnamon and icing sugar all drizzled over. They were good enough to do me a separate pile without the sugar. It was very good. The Juggler and his Ladylove are visiting soon, maybe I'll try it  on them.
Afterward we went down to the Riad Freyja for mint tea. We've passed it frequently and never been in. It's much bigger than I expected, 40 or so simple rooms. Some open onto the swimming pool and others are around the inner courtyard. Ther are views from the roof 5 storeys up. It would be a good place to stay for some quiet I think.

Rachida insisted I had my hands henna'd. The henna is made into a thick blue paste and then applied freehand with a syringe like cake icing but narrower. this leaves the pattern raised on your hand and you have to leave it to dry when you can rub it off and the pattern is there stained on your skin in the burnt ochre colour as though you have been painted with ninhydrin.