Today is the day that Muslims celebrate the birthday of their prophet, which means it‘s a holiday here in North Africa. It is a beautiful spring day, complete with fresh breezes and sunny skies, and I’ve brought the laptop out onto my tiled balcony and am admiring the view of the avocado tree in bloom.
We are still waiting to have our own internet, but (glances around nervously) just between you, me, and everyone in the world with an internet connection, we’re piggybacking onto a neighbour’s. As my sister-in-law put it, nowadays even in the wilds you can find an unprotected wi-fi signal. And Rabat is far from the wilds. Ours was supposed to be hooked up last Thursday.
We also have beds. The furniture store finally delivered them on Saturday, a mere week late. This is how it happened: when they didn’t deliver them the first Saturday, we called and were assured they would come Sunday. On Monday, it was “tomorrow, tomorrow, no problem, for sure.” On Thursday, we got a call, telling us our beds would be here that evening. On Friday, two delivery men showed up with 2 twin mattresses, which was not even half of our order (4 beds; 4 mattresses). Finally on Saturday, everything arrived and was set up. And we’re happy. (I do realize this is more detail than you wanted, but remember, you can always skim.)
Our washing machine is working! It came with a sticker: now with less noise, less vibration. Instead, it loudly danced all over the kitchen, nearly unplugging itself in its wild undulations, rattling the windows and scaring our landlord’s mother, who lives below us. It couldn’t be used. We called the store, which said, “Did you take the four pins out of the back?” “Call you right back,” said Donn. Sure enough; that was the problem. Now it runs quietly and smoothly; it purrs away, spinning at 1200 rotations per second or whatever it is, beeping discreetly to let me know when it‘s finished. It really is a most polite machine.
The new stove came without a plug. It’s a gas oven, but has an electric lighter, and lighting the oven proved to be really complicated when I tried to make pizza the other night. Donn, who is brilliant like this, installed a plug. We spend hours walking through the markets of Takkadoum or the Medina, having keys made, buying plugs for stoves and tubs in which to wash dishes, etc. I’m glad today is a holiday; it’s nice to know that everything is closed so I have to just relax. Tomorrow the kids go back to school.
Saturday, the entire family went to the medina, looking for light fixtures (adults) and ways to spend birthday money (kids). We wandered into Aladdin’s caves full of brass and tin lanterns in rainbow colours, piled haphazardly on shelves and hanging in levels from overhead timbers.
More lamps…
Our new place didn’t even come with light bulbs; stripped wires dangle from our freshly-painted, ornate ceiling. (There was one light bulb in the place, but the landlord asked if he could have it back.) So far, we’ve only gotten one fixture, but doesn’t it look nice?
Here is an angle that shows off the ceiling a bit better:
We walked through the medina, which is a small city of winding alleyways and shops, visiting the corners that sell rugs and the local couches, called froshes, and tables. Late Saturday afternoon, and it’s beginning to get packed. Ilsa bought herself a meter of crushed green velvet. Oh yeah. The kids bought paper cones full of piping hot, sugar-covered mini doughnuts for about 25 cents…
and I shot pictures of eels splayed out to entice passers-by.
Who wants sting-ray for supper? Kids? Anyone?
Abel got a gun. He’s been wanting one for a while. In the medina, there are all sorts of decorative swords and daggers and rifles, carved and inlaid and embellished, not to mention very very rusty, and my kids’ eyes grow big as they consider and weigh and attempt to bargain the merchants down. We roll our eyes but let them enjoy it; part of the freedom kids get when they grow up in Africa, enjoying a childhood more like their own grandparents had in what is becoming an increasingly uptight America.
17 comments
March 10, 2009 at 11:21 pm
Mamasteff
“part of the freedom kids get when they grow up in Africa, enjoying a childhood more like their own grandparents had in what is becoming an increasingly uptight America.”
That is what I miss most about that beautiful place! Letting my 4 year old run down into the middle of the medina, OUT OF SIGHT! Knowing that when I finally caught up with her, she’d be happily munching on CANDY! given to her by STRANGERS! and she’d be just fine. Or letting her run and play out in the countryside, with NO SUPERVISION! for HOURS AT A TIME, building forts out of construction refuse – boards and old bedsprings. And she never did get tetanus. What she got was a chance to play freely and be creative. How novel.
How pleased I am that your children get to enjoy the freedom that so many American children seem to lack. Good job, mom!
March 11, 2009 at 12:03 am
marymargaret
Them some nice ceilin’s you got there. : )
And yep, were all pretty uptight over here.
March 11, 2009 at 2:45 am
jolyn
Love the light fixture. Eels — not so much. Can’t wait to see more photos of your place as you take them. And I third that — we’re all too uptight!
March 11, 2009 at 3:09 am
LIB
LOVE the photos! Your light fixtures, ceiling and archway all look so MOROCCAN! (You know Chris’ joke–an oldie but a goodie–“It’s not just a little bit rockin’; it’s MORE rockin’!”)
March 11, 2009 at 7:01 am
susan
Love the light fixture! And bare wires hanging out of the ceiling? Same issue in Switz. although the landlord did leave 2 lightbulbs hanging. We saved them so that when we move out, the fixtures can be removed and the lightbulbs left in their place. Oh, and we have to hire an electrician to do this – one cannot do these things independently as we aren’t licensed to do so.
Our kids will also miss some freedoms when we move back to the States. What happened to the “Land of the Free…..?” And many people don’t comprehend the loss of basic freedoms in daily living unless they move away.
March 11, 2009 at 7:07 am
Kit
Wow it really is an Aladdin’s cave – and I love the lamp you chose. I’d never thought about how time consuming it is setting up house from scratch. I’ve just collected things over the years and carted them with me. At least the Medina sounds like a fun place to do it!
March 11, 2009 at 7:26 am
meredith
Now O know where I need to go lamp shopping.
March 11, 2009 at 7:29 am
planetnomad
Kit–we usually drag our stuff with us, but it didn’t work out to do it this time because of all our recent moves. You’re right–it is so much work! I still don’t have tea towels in the kitchen or a draining rack. But it’s also fun, and we’re learning lots about our new city.
Susan–one of the advantages about living in places like this is that whatever you can do, you can do. Simplifies things. Donn thinks he has only very basic skills that everyone has, but I am completely mystified and scared when confronted with bare wires 😉
Abel’s gun isn’t real–it’s just a hand-made toy. But the daggers are real, albeit blunt and rusty (which is even worse, isn’t it?). I wasn’t sure I’d made that clear.
March 11, 2009 at 11:35 am
Missus Wookie
Gorgeous light fixtures and glad that you had Donn to help out with the bare wires. Cool gun and that market looks fun to browse in.
March 11, 2009 at 6:38 pm
Kelly @ Love Well
Wires hanging from the ceiling. That’s crazy.
But that gun? That gun is cool. Corey brought back two rusty pistols from Indonesia a few years ago. I think ancient weaponry is always a prize to those of the male species.
March 11, 2009 at 8:55 pm
Kim
The medina looks like a very cool place to shop! And love your light fixture. We’re still looking for a few. We put ceiling fan/light fixtures up in three rooms, found light fixtures for a fourth but still have three rooms to go.
Poco a poco we are settling in. Didn’t think it would take so long, but everything seems to take longer here. Or maybe it’s just my American mindset. But I’m finding joy in slowly putting a house together from scratch.
Also trying to not load up on so much STUFF. Before we left the U.S. it took more than a year to clear out all the things we’d accumulated in almost 30 years of marriage. Would rather not go through that again 🙂 So we’re being rather selective in what we buy now. Realizing we don’t “need” as much as we thought we did before.
March 11, 2009 at 9:13 pm
jean
I love the details on the ceiling. Are light bulbs expensive? Is that why you weren’t left more than one?
March 11, 2009 at 11:35 pm
gretchen from lifenut
Even the eels are beautiful…
Drooling over your ceiling and those lamps! Swoon. Your house is rapidly become a beautiful home.
Now I have the song “Funky Cold Medina” going through my head.
No raised eyebrows from me over the gun. I grew up in the wild west, where I watched my dad and numerous relatives build guns, display guns, and hunt. Fired a few of them myself.
March 12, 2009 at 1:54 am
bek
I haven’t had a chance to check in for awhile and I am SO happy with all the back log I get to read. Your new home looks so adventurous, I miss Africa. I love the shot of the ceiling and doorway. It is very Aladin-esque.
I try to give my kids some “free range” experience, but it is harder and harder to do around here (san francisco), but I should try harder.
Hurrah for Family Nomad
March 12, 2009 at 7:00 pm
Carrie
Wow, I sure want to go shopping in that medina! I could use a few of those great lamps! 🙂 I chuckled to myself when I saw the stingray picture—as it looks like its surrounded by cliantro. Is this a serving suggestion? Interesting. . . I also like the picture of Abel with his great gun, while he’s posing in his Hurley shirt!
March 13, 2009 at 9:20 pm
Linda
I’m so glad you got your beds. What a hassle everything seems to be there but I have to say, it’s sometimes like that here in France.
March 15, 2009 at 9:05 am
Caffienated Cowgirl
Oh, how I love your posts.
Can’t believe that your new place came without light bulbs…ah, the differences in cultures. Imagine what the average American would say about that, if they went to rent a place and there were no light bulbs? 🙂 Love that light fixture you got!
And the gun…I am jealous…it’s gorgeous.