Ramadan, An Annular Eclipse, Sheep Riding in Car and Salads Overload
Today (October 5, 2005) is the first day of RAMADAN. During the next 29 days, I will be fasting (personal choice, not required) from dawn to sunset; fasting means no food or water while the sun shines. Breakfast is at 4:00AM, breaking of the fast is around 6:00PM, and dinner is around 9:00PM. So, as you can imagine, the whole of Morocco (and the Islamic world) goes on a different social activity cycle during this time. Due to the shrouding darkness, I was not able to take a picture of the trumpeter who goes around town around 3:30AM to remind everyone to eat before dawn.
The architecture in Morocco is absolutely stunning. Though I did not go into the mosque (forbidden, except for a tourist mosque in Casablanca), this gate caught my attention (this is one of 30+ pictures I have of this gate).
An annular eclipse occurred on Monday, around 7:45AM to 10:15am UT, and I was fortunate to witness it. However, my digital camera was blinded by the celestial phenomenon.
Leaving Khemisset for Azrou, our group needed to catch a grand taxi (this is a cheap mode of transportation between cities). The grand taxi in front of us was loading a sheep to go into the trunk. I was both fascinated and disturbed with this mode of transportation for livestock; from what I can tell, expect more livestock-transportating pictures in the future.
We are completely spoiled during our training. Here is a selection of salads (no less than eight different types are available at lunch and dinner meals) that I must learn to make before I go off to my assigned community site. I'm not fond of the potato salad.
The architecture in Morocco is absolutely stunning. Though I did not go into the mosque (forbidden, except for a tourist mosque in Casablanca), this gate caught my attention (this is one of 30+ pictures I have of this gate).
An annular eclipse occurred on Monday, around 7:45AM to 10:15am UT, and I was fortunate to witness it. However, my digital camera was blinded by the celestial phenomenon.
Leaving Khemisset for Azrou, our group needed to catch a grand taxi (this is a cheap mode of transportation between cities). The grand taxi in front of us was loading a sheep to go into the trunk. I was both fascinated and disturbed with this mode of transportation for livestock; from what I can tell, expect more livestock-transportating pictures in the future.
We are completely spoiled during our training. Here is a selection of salads (no less than eight different types are available at lunch and dinner meals) that I must learn to make before I go off to my assigned community site. I'm not fond of the potato salad.
tags: peace corps.morocco
another point of view ...
hello Nam, yeaps, today is the 2nd day of Ramadhan, I am fasting as well.
You will of course feel tired in the first few days, but after that, it should be no problem once your body adjust itself.
And since you are in a Muslim community, there would be not so much temptation on food though, I'm guessing most restaurant are closed, until it is time for breaking the fast.
On a lighter note, so many salad ! maybe you can get somer ecipes and shared it with us :)
CANADIAN DUDE: actually, the fasting is a great way to appreciate food! yeah, sure, i don't get to eat from dawn to dusk, but when i do .. there's so much food, and each bite causes a fantastic sentation! let me know if you ever try fasting :-)
JAJA: i've fasted in the past, so this isn't difficult for me .. but some of the others are having a difficult time fasting .. after the exciting and new-ness wears off on the first day, there are less non-muslim fasting .. but i'm still fasting, i just need to watch my jogging routine each morning, so i don't dehydrate during the day! ;-)
mmm... the salads look tasty! it's always the first day of fasting that is difficult, isn't it?
and how strange it is about the taxi... i wonder why they don't just stick him in the backseat?
JADED MANIAC: indeed, the salads are delicious .. i'm having a very good time sampling all the food .. don't think i've ever eaten so healthy until now!
the fasting isn't too bad, i've fasted before .. so i'm cool with the process now, but it is a bit difficult to wake up at 4am to eat, and then go back to bed :-)
those taxis don't leave until 6 or 7 ppl are packed in :-)
speak up!
Jaja
hello Nam, yeaps, today is the 2nd day of Ramadhan, I am fasting as well.
You will of course feel tired in the first few days, but after that, it should be no problem once your body adjust itself.
And since you are in a Muslim community, there would be not so much temptation on food though, I'm guessing most restaurant are closed, until it is time for breaking the fast.
On a lighter note, so many salad ! maybe you can get somer ecipes and shared it with us :)
Nam LaMore
CANADIAN DUDE: actually, the fasting is a great way to appreciate food! yeah, sure, i don't get to eat from dawn to dusk, but when i do .. there's so much food, and each bite causes a fantastic sentation! let me know if you ever try fasting :-)
JAJA: i've fasted in the past, so this isn't difficult for me .. but some of the others are having a difficult time fasting .. after the exciting and new-ness wears off on the first day, there are less non-muslim fasting .. but i'm still fasting, i just need to watch my jogging routine each morning, so i don't dehydrate during the day! ;-)
Julie
mmm... the salads look tasty! it's always the first day of fasting that is difficult, isn't it?
and how strange it is about the taxi... i wonder why they don't just stick him in the backseat?
Nam LaMore
JADED MANIAC: indeed, the salads are delicious .. i'm having a very good time sampling all the food .. don't think i've ever eaten so healthy until now!
the fasting isn't too bad, i've fasted before .. so i'm cool with the process now, but it is a bit difficult to wake up at 4am to eat, and then go back to bed :-)
those taxis don't leave until 6 or 7 ppl are packed in :-)
speak up!
previous 10 posts:
- Khemisset Wood and Wool
- Khemisset Immersion Experience
- Living Large in Azrou
- When in Azrou, Part Deux
- Walking Around Azrou
- When in Azrou
- Meet Me in Azrou!
- Big Brother .. Not Really
- The mosque close to my hotel in Rabat; the call to...
- El Shutdown
