An Idiot Abroad

Until I arrived here, I considered myself fairly well-traveled and savvy. Last night, I had to have someone from the front desk come to my room to show me how to turn on the lights. (The keycard has to be inserted in a slot by the door for any power to work.) It might sound like I am complaining about not knowing some of the things I'm finding out; in fact, it is the opposite. I'm glad to be finding out. Ideally I would have learned French before coming here -- or possibly Arabic, though I think that's much harder -- but between my gestures and limited knowledge of French phrases (and, of course, my guide), I've been doing fine.

Today I tried Tagine for the first time -- most delicious! Usually it is cooked in a vessel of the same name (a two-piece clay pot, sort of) over open coals, but I learned that some of the tagines (I hope I'm spelling that right; it might be tajine or even something else) are made for use in the oven. Certainly I will bring home at least one of those.

Most of this day was spent driving from Casablanca to Fez, about a four-hour trip. We stopped for lunch (that was the tagine) about halfway through, and the chef was kind enough to show me around the kitchen to see how the meats, breads, and the tanjine itself was cooked. Because we were out in the middle of nowhere, there were few other guests. I should probably mention that we -- my guide, my driver, and I -- had this fantastic meal at a road stop, similar to a Love's or Flying J. (I'm sure they have other names in different parts of the U.S., but I doubt that any are known for their delicious and authentic regional cuisine.)

Tomorrow I will visit the Fez Medina, the ancient square filled with vendors. I may go to the tannery and perhaps the tileworks. I'm not sure what else my guide has in mind for me. I should mention that both he and the driver are absolutely amazing, so kind and willing to share knowledge, not just about history and culture, but also about current events and the place of traditions in the modern world. Today I learned about the Moroccan government, and I realized that among the many firsts this trip represents is included my first visit to a kingdom (other than the Magic Kingdom in Disneyworld, but I don't think that counts).

The most useful bits of knowledge I have gained in the past twenty-four hours have involved turning on lights in hotels (It was nice not to have to ask today when I arrived at a different hotel, although I kept trying to pull the room door to open it when I should have pushed. If you had seen the door you would understand why I tried to pull it open.) and to order cafe au lait rather than trying to explain I just want a plain cup of coffee. I learned to wait for the stalls with toilets; some have holes one stands over, and I just am not ready to try that yet. Maybe tomorrow.