I realized I gave short shrift to my final days in Morocco, and there are a few things I want to write about before I move on to more posts from Spain. In particular, I didn’t say anything about Ramadan, which began about two weeks into my visit to Morocco.
I arrived in Valencia last night, and I can’t just write about Morocco without noting that I committed a major failure in my research about this city. It turns out Valencia is in the midst of Las Fallas, an annual festival that is, well, to sum it up in a word, noisy. So let me share a little about what it was like to arrive in Valencia while this was going on before I go back and finish my thoughts on Morocco.
Arrival in Valencia
I flew Royal Air Maroc direct from Casablanca to Valencia. It was a prop plane for a 2 1/2 hour flight. My ears are still ringing.
Passport control was a snap, and I was through the airport in no time. Valencia has a metro station at the airport, so I was able to ride the metro to a stop within about a ten-minute walk to my B&B. For some reason, the local metro doesn’t support tap and go; you have to buy a 1‑euro cardboard card which you load with the appropriate value. There are machines that sell the card, but even with instructions in English, I was unable to figure out what amount I needed to buy. So I waited in line to buy from an actual human person.
Las Fallas
With all the planning I had to do for this three-month adventure, I didn’t give a lot of thought to Valencia. I booked a walking tour for this morning, and I figured after that I’d kind of wing it. But yesterday at the airport I decided to buy a Kindle guidebook, and as I was reading it on the plane, I came across this:
The first week of March, in the lead-up to Las Fallas, there are great processions of people in traditional costume, and a mascletá — a daylight firework display — in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento every day at 2pm. Then from 12 March until the end it is noise and commotion all the way. There are concerts in the streets, paella-making competitions, bullfights and people letting off fireworks whenever they feel like it.
Even though I am leaving before the climactic finale of the festival, which takes places between the 15th and 19th of March, it seems like I’m going to be enjoying lots of “noise and commotion.” As I walked from the metro to my B&B last night, I discovered that there was a big parade going on in the neighborhood. I had to detour around the parade route and then dash across the street through the crowds and between floats. I did make it here, and it turns out I have a balcony that overlooked the street where the parade was happening.
Of course I’ll have lots more to share about my visit to Valencia, and plenty to show you about Las Fallas, but the welcome was certainly exciting!
More about Morocco
I didn’t really write much about the things I saw and did in Marrakesh, so I thought I should expand on what I wrote in my last post.
Bahia Palace
The Bahia Palace looked so much like the fourteenth-century Alcazar in Seville that I had a hard time remembering it dates from half a millenium later. In fact, the construction of the Bahia Palace didn’t finish until 1900. There’s no denying it iss a beautiful palace, but maybe I was a tad bit underwhelmed after being blown away by the Alcazar. It was also before all the drugs kicked in, so I was feeling pretty cruddy. (Looking back at my photos, I’m realizing it truly was magnificent.)
Museum of Marrakech
On our last full day in Marrakesh we had the option of visiting Majorelle Garden, but I opted out, preferring to just enjoy some personal time to explore the city. I ended up at the Museum of Marrakech (note that both spellings, Marrakech and Marrakesh, are acceptable), and I am so glad I did. I loved this small museum.
Of course I saw lots more in Marrakesh, and there are lots of photos (if you haven’t already seen them). But these two things were highlights for me (other than getting lost in the souks).
Ramadan
Ramadan began on March 1. Before this trip, I had no idea what Ramadan is, other than it involves fasting from sunrise until sunset every day. So I made it a point to learn.
The Islamic calendar consists of 12 lunar months. Traditionally, each month begins with the observation of the moon’s crescent, so they can have 29 or 30 days. And because the visibility of the crescent may not be determined in advance, there can be uncertainty about when a month begins. We were in the desert at the time, and when we woke up and went to breakfast on the 28th, I asked whether Ramadan had started. It had not. It would be tomorrow.
The Islamic calendar has 354 or 355 days. For this reason, Ramadan can be observed at different times of the soloar year, in different seasons.
Ramadan is the month in which the Quran is believed to have been revealed to the prophet Muhammad. The observance of Ramadan is one of the Five Pillars of Islam. Fasting is obligatory for all adult Muslims who are not acutely or chronically ill, travelling, elderly, breastfeeding, pregnant, or menstruating.
Many Muslims will wake before dawn for a light meal. In Morocco, a few dates with a glass of milk are traditional. The evening meal is called iftar, though Abdellah (our trip leader) simply called it breakfast. It starts after sunset. Traditionally they will eat three dates to break the fast, which is how Muhammad broke his fast.
In Marrakesh
There was never any difficulty for non-Muslims to eat regular meals during Ramadan. Restaurants in Marrakesh did a lively business all day long.
The interesting aspect to being in Marrakesh during Ramadan was how the souks mostly shut down around 5pm each afternoon so that shopkeepers could have their breakfast (which wasn’t until about 6:30). Many of the souks reopened in the evening.
When we had group meals, we waited until after iftar. Whatever activity we were doing, he would excuse himself and join other Muslims at the riad or hotel. It struck me as a meaningful gathering.
Abdellah asked me about Yom Kippur. Of course there are practical differences: Yom Kippur goes from sundown to sundown, so it is a longer fast. But the meaning is also different. On Yom Kippur Jews fast to atone for their sins. The meaning of the fast for Ramadan is not as straightforward. In part, it teaches self-control, reinforces one’s faith and piety, and helps one become more mindful of the blessings of God. It is a private act of worship bringing about nearness to God, as well as a form of spiritual discipline and a means to empathize with those less fortunate.
I was glad to have part of my time in Morocco during Ramadan. It gave me a deep respect for Islamic religious practice and tradition.
Weather
Today marks one month since I left home. In that time, it’s hard to believe how incredibly lucky I’ve been weather-wise. In all that time, there have been three rainy days:
- The day we left Chefchaouen and drove to Tangier. We drove through a heavy rainstorm, but it let up as we approached the Strait of Gibraltar, and the skies cleared just enough so we could see the Rock. By the time we got to Tangier, the sun was out.
- The day we drove from Fez to the desert. It was rainy and very windy. We spent the entire day in the bus, so it didn’t interfere with any activities. The next day, in the desert, the sun was out.
- The last day, driving from Marrakesh to Casablanca. Again, it didn’t interfere with any activities.
Temperatures were chilly at night and in the morning, and it warmed up to pleasant afternoons with highs just below 70o F.
So far, more of the same in Valencia.
Leave a Reply