Rabat - Day 2
Okay, to continue with the story...
I woke up today at about 10:00 am. My eye and forehead were properly swollen, but hey, what is an adventure without disfigurement? I popped on a pair of dark glasses, grabbed my camera, and Rebecca and I went out for breakfast at a corner cafe.
Many, many cafes live in Rabat. Apparently some of these are for men-only, and if a girl sees a bunch of men eating at a cafe, they should not go it. This cafe was full of men eating, but I guess it was okay, as we grabbed one of the last tables outside and tried to flag down the waiter.
Did you know, Morocco used to be french. And the French love crepes. And
*I* love crepes, and crepes at a french restaurant in Morocco cost just 32dir-um, whatever the money is called. That is under 4$ for a Deeelicious crepe. Under 3.50 actually. For a crepe with prelene paste and butter all over it. SO good.
After breakfast, Rebecca and I went to the Rabat Medina. A Medina is a market (I don't know why it is not called a Souk, like in most of the other Arabic countries). In certain cities, like Marrakesh, there is a slipper souk, a spice souk, even a henna souk. Here in Rabat everything was together, but it was still fascinating. Surprisingly clean and bright, it was STILL just like Arabian Nights.
I started to poke around at the merchandise. Poke, poke, look look. I ADORE looking at sou-er, medinas. Except for when my companion was bored. Yes, I looked over at Rebecca, and she had a patient-but-done-it-a-million times look on her face. Not FAIR! I could have spent all day in the medina. I had hoped to spend all day in a medina! I offered Rebecca and out: If she was tired (read: hung over, which she was) she could go back to her apartment and I would just take a cab back in a while. But no, she was tired but she did not want to nap. Darn! She perked up when we got to her favourite jewelry store (with scarcely a pause on the long tempting-wares-ful walk there) and I felt more comfortable with examining everything. Rebecca bought 3 pairs of earrings and a heavy chain, and I bought a silver shain for me (21 dirs or about 3$) and a heavier, longer silver chain for mum (120 dirs or about 13.50$). The silver was sold by weight and nobody bargained. Hm. I LIKE to bargain, but the prices sweemed fair. Leather is also very cheap here, and I will probably end up buying a purse for NYC.
(Just a little interlude here. Although of course they are not to be found in the Media, there are many North American shops in Rabat. Such as Aldo. And Pizza Hut - I haver seen 2 of those thus far. Also McDonald's, currently featuring the McArabia burger...)
The madina was great, and I have 2 more medinas coming up, one in Fez tomorrow, and in Marrakesh the next day (I have decided to tour around a little after Rebecca said I HAD to see at least these two places). However, this medina was still SO kewl. Carpets and wrought-iron lamps and all sorts of leather. Men holding hands and playing checkers, kittens, women in flowing robes...
After the Medina Rebecca and I went to some sort of imperial garden, and then to a blue neighbourhood just beside the medinal. Blue keeps the evil eye away, so we were quite safe on these narrow streets with blue doors and blue stripes on every wall. Many of the cars were also blue, and the people, too, were clad in a similar shade. The air was salty, and going through an ornate archway, Rebecca and I arrived at a piazza overlooking the beach.
The beach! It was covered with thousands and thousands of people and umbrellas, and quite possibly animals too. It was mad, and I was happy to be above it all (although if Rebecca had been game I would have liked to venture own and sip my hot toes in the ocean for a minute). Instead, we watched the crowds for a while, then bought (undrinkable) pear juides and took a cab back to Rebecca's apartment to dress for our pool party.
I woke up today at about 10:00 am. My eye and forehead were properly swollen, but hey, what is an adventure without disfigurement? I popped on a pair of dark glasses, grabbed my camera, and Rebecca and I went out for breakfast at a corner cafe.
Many, many cafes live in Rabat. Apparently some of these are for men-only, and if a girl sees a bunch of men eating at a cafe, they should not go it. This cafe was full of men eating, but I guess it was okay, as we grabbed one of the last tables outside and tried to flag down the waiter.
Did you know, Morocco used to be french. And the French love crepes. And
*I* love crepes, and crepes at a french restaurant in Morocco cost just 32dir-um, whatever the money is called. That is under 4$ for a Deeelicious crepe. Under 3.50 actually. For a crepe with prelene paste and butter all over it. SO good.
After breakfast, Rebecca and I went to the Rabat Medina. A Medina is a market (I don't know why it is not called a Souk, like in most of the other Arabic countries). In certain cities, like Marrakesh, there is a slipper souk, a spice souk, even a henna souk. Here in Rabat everything was together, but it was still fascinating. Surprisingly clean and bright, it was STILL just like Arabian Nights.
I started to poke around at the merchandise. Poke, poke, look look. I ADORE looking at sou-er, medinas. Except for when my companion was bored. Yes, I looked over at Rebecca, and she had a patient-but-done-it-a-million times look on her face. Not FAIR! I could have spent all day in the medina. I had hoped to spend all day in a medina! I offered Rebecca and out: If she was tired (read: hung over, which she was) she could go back to her apartment and I would just take a cab back in a while. But no, she was tired but she did not want to nap. Darn! She perked up when we got to her favourite jewelry store (with scarcely a pause on the long tempting-wares-ful walk there) and I felt more comfortable with examining everything. Rebecca bought 3 pairs of earrings and a heavy chain, and I bought a silver shain for me (21 dirs or about 3$) and a heavier, longer silver chain for mum (120 dirs or about 13.50$). The silver was sold by weight and nobody bargained. Hm. I LIKE to bargain, but the prices sweemed fair. Leather is also very cheap here, and I will probably end up buying a purse for NYC.
(Just a little interlude here. Although of course they are not to be found in the Media, there are many North American shops in Rabat. Such as Aldo. And Pizza Hut - I haver seen 2 of those thus far. Also McDonald's, currently featuring the McArabia burger...)
The madina was great, and I have 2 more medinas coming up, one in Fez tomorrow, and in Marrakesh the next day (I have decided to tour around a little after Rebecca said I HAD to see at least these two places). However, this medina was still SO kewl. Carpets and wrought-iron lamps and all sorts of leather. Men holding hands and playing checkers, kittens, women in flowing robes...
After the Medina Rebecca and I went to some sort of imperial garden, and then to a blue neighbourhood just beside the medinal. Blue keeps the evil eye away, so we were quite safe on these narrow streets with blue doors and blue stripes on every wall. Many of the cars were also blue, and the people, too, were clad in a similar shade. The air was salty, and going through an ornate archway, Rebecca and I arrived at a piazza overlooking the beach.
The beach! It was covered with thousands and thousands of people and umbrellas, and quite possibly animals too. It was mad, and I was happy to be above it all (although if Rebecca had been game I would have liked to venture own and sip my hot toes in the ocean for a minute). Instead, we watched the crowds for a while, then bought (undrinkable) pear juides and took a cab back to Rebecca's apartment to dress for our pool party.
posted by Melamondiale @ 12:19 AM
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