Berbers-Dec 23

Olive trees-We visited an olive grove that dated back to the 17^th century.  I now understand why there is such grieving when war leads to the burning or cutting down of these ancient trees that are a basic element of the foods that are eaten.  All that is needed in a household is flour, water, sugar, fruits and olives according to our guide, all present in the fields around us.  Nearby are the orange trees for example, fully in bloom in winter here.

Reservoir-There is a large open reservoir for the drinking water of the city of Marrakech.  Here is also a pavilion where the king would sit and look over the reservoir into the olive grove.  It was also were soldiers came to learn how to swim before they invaded neighboring areas that were separated by water.  This too the king watched.

Berber Market: In the rural areas there is a “center” every 10km, a small town which has all the governmental agencies to support the surrounding farms.  Here there is a bank, medical unit, school,  and the weekly market which we attended.  First, we come upon a different type of parking lot with hundreds of donkeys tied to wooden planks munching on grain while their owners sell their wares.  There is the loud amplified voice of the barker selling patent medicines, the blacksmith repairing scythes, the baker making bread, the butcher cutting off the heads of live chickens and goats, the barber shaving men, and the food and house wares-nary a US product to be found.  In the back are the pop-up restaurants with the tagines steaming.  The tagine is a way of cooking to make stews.  I guess it is like a pressure cooker but instead of the steam being kept in, it is fluted through a chimney in the conically shaped vessel.  Into it are placed meet (beef, lamb or chicken), onions, olives, apricots and left to steam for an hour over hot coals.

The role of women: There is a dichotomy.  In the cities it is like a typical metropolis.  The women are out and about, hold professional careers and seem to have a life typical of most emerging economies.  Here in the High Atlas mountains where the Berbers live it feels more like centuries ago.  In the market over 90% of the sellers and buyers are men.  The women stay at home with the children to take care of the house, to make clothing, to help farm.  Here it is clearly a conservative society with the men wearing beards as a symbol of piety and not wanting pictures to be taken of them.  The small villages cling to the sides of the mountains and the transportation is by primarily by foot.

From the market we moved to another world of the Kasbah.  It is a sumptuous residence set high in the Atlas range and now owned by Richard Branson of Virgin fame.  Rooms are around $2,500 per night and you feel in the lap of luxury.  We did not stay here I might add.

Language:  The official language is Arabic but when people are talking, in a single conversation they rapidly go between English, Arabic and French.  In the medical school all courses are taught in French.

Note: I was having trouble uploading pictures but am now able to do so.  Look at the post of Dec 22 for the first group of pictures