Been a while. Homework has really picked up.
Didn't get to go to Volubilis last Sunday. Woke up at 2 AM with horrible food poisoning. Got over it in 24 hours, but couldn't handle a 4 hour bus ride, even for Roman ruins.
Feeling much more comfortable here in Fes now. Finally saw a political rally in the streets last week. Heard chanting one night, and saw people with signs walking toward Bab Boujloud (Blue Gate). Followed them and watched the growing crowd proceed for a few block. The pro-king activists all wear white hats and shirts that say '' ('Yes') on them. Saw two kids get onto a full fledged fight as the crowd passed. Wondering if it had to do with the rally. There were kids everywhere with flyers and posters supporting the king.
The hats, flyers, posters, and banners all over the city were created and distributed by the government. The state run TV news showed only Na-am rallies, and according to my professor (and confirmed on the internet by one article), the government pushed Imam's to preach pro referendums the last Friday before the referendum. (The King is among other things, the 'spiritual leader' of all Moroccans, a right derived from the fact that his family is descended from Mohammed)
The referendum passed on Friday, with 98.4% of the turnout voting yes.
Unfortunately, I didn't get to see any of it. I missed both witnessing the vote and my family's couscous lunch on Friday. Missing both almost made me rethink going on the trip. Almost. (Real couscous is FANTASTIC with chicken). It was an eight hour drive.
Five star hotel friday night. Pool. Buffet. Vodka.
Saturday was more driving, followed by another buffet and more swimming. Saturday night we went via camel to an oasis in the Sahara. Complete tourist trip, but it was nice. Was too tired to do anything but look at stars after dinner and go to sleep. Got up at 4:30 and trekked up the steepest tallest sand dune I have ever seen in my life. Wasn't sure I could make it all that way up in the dark, but the view was totally worth it once I finally made it up there, especially when the sun came up. We could see Algeria from that point (it was about 30 km away)
Didn't get to go to Volubilis last Sunday. Woke up at 2 AM with horrible food poisoning. Got over it in 24 hours, but couldn't handle a 4 hour bus ride, even for Roman ruins.
Feeling much more comfortable here in Fes now. Finally saw a political rally in the streets last week. Heard chanting one night, and saw people with signs walking toward Bab Boujloud (Blue Gate). Followed them and watched the growing crowd proceed for a few block. The pro-king activists all wear white hats and shirts that say '' ('Yes') on them. Saw two kids get onto a full fledged fight as the crowd passed. Wondering if it had to do with the rally. There were kids everywhere with flyers and posters supporting the king.
The hats, flyers, posters, and banners all over the city were created and distributed by the government. The state run TV news showed only Na-am rallies, and according to my professor (and confirmed on the internet by one article), the government pushed Imam's to preach pro referendums the last Friday before the referendum. (The King is among other things, the 'spiritual leader' of all Moroccans, a right derived from the fact that his family is descended from Mohammed)
The referendum passed on Friday, with 98.4% of the turnout voting yes.
Unfortunately, I didn't get to see any of it. I missed both witnessing the vote and my family's couscous lunch on Friday. Missing both almost made me rethink going on the trip. Almost. (Real couscous is FANTASTIC with chicken). It was an eight hour drive.
Five star hotel friday night. Pool. Buffet. Vodka.
Saturday was more driving, followed by another buffet and more swimming. Saturday night we went via camel to an oasis in the Sahara. Complete tourist trip, but it was nice. Was too tired to do anything but look at stars after dinner and go to sleep. Got up at 4:30 and trekked up the steepest tallest sand dune I have ever seen in my life. Wasn't sure I could make it all that way up in the dark, but the view was totally worth it once I finally made it up there, especially when the sun came up. We could see Algeria from that point (it was about 30 km away)
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