Just in TIME: Abby's adventures in the Middle East

Things have been interesting around here...I'm really enjoying Marrakech although it is much smaller than Istanbul and therefore we are feeling much more limited in terms of what we can explore. Adding to this is the fact that it is not customary for women to stay out much past dark, so after dinner we usually end up hanging out at the hotel for awhile and going to bed on the early side. This has been pretty nice actually...very relaxing and a good chance to work on our aesthetic journals for Mac's art class. The heat, plus 3 hours of intense classes per day, definitely wears on your stamina. Ramadan, the Muslim holy month of fasting, began last Tuesday and it has been interesting to see how the city dynamics changed. The streets are completely dead every evening from 6-7:30 or 8, when everyone is at home breaking the fast (they don't eat or drink anything during daylight hours) with their families, or sitting in cafes if they are single. I have had the priviledge to break the fast with the families of two Moroccan friends we met, Sofia and Houda, and it is pretty amazing. First of all, the volume of food is unbelievable! Even families who are not well off go all out during Ramadan. At Sofia's, Carrie and I prayed with the women of the family before eating. The first course always consists of dates, shbekiya-a dense honey pastry, and harira-a vegetable soup with many variations. These three things are usually eaten with a glass of blended fruit juice, like pear or banana or apple, and also hardboiled eggs. Next they bring out flatbread with honey, and pancakes or carob cake, with coffee to drink . Finally, the best part: chocolates or candy with Moroccan mint tea, which is just about the most delicious thing in the world. After you eat all this, basically your only option is to sit there for a long time on the couch in a semi-reclined position, while your stomach adjusts to the shock of eating so much after fasting all day.
I guess this is a perfect example of how the slower pace in Morocco is really presenting new and unexpected opportunities for us to experience true Moroccan culture--not just the superficial, colorful allure of the labyrinthine streets of the Medina lined with more things to buy than one ever thought was possible, or the typical touristy novelties of the snake charmers and water sellers in Jemaa el-Fna square.
Anyway, time is flying. Almost 2 weeks in Morocco! I haven't been good at staying up to date recently...sorry about that. Thanks so much to all who wrote comments...I love hearing from you all and miss you lots.
And finally, here are some pictures from the excursion in Turkey which seems like it was in another universe, and a few from Morocco too...