We travel home…
Richard with all the bags
Last breakfast together in airport
Becky, Raquel, Jennifer and Hilda
One more glass of Moroccan tea
Our drive here in the Grand Taxi was both wonderful and
exhausting. I hear from the
others that their taxi was much more subdued, but Jennifer and I went with
Khalid who was both English speaking and eager to talk about America. He asked me about Mitt Romney and
who I thought was going to win the primary elections. I am not so sure jumping into my opinions of partisan
American politics is a good idea, but he does seem to have a low opinion of
Obama and what he has done to the American economy. And I suppose American economics do have their
repercussions every where else in the world.
Khalid has sent his wife and two daughters to New Hampshire
in the past, and is eager to go himself, but is too busy working two jobs as a
cab driver and at a call center.
He tells me that if I come back or any of my friends comes back – there
is no problem he will arrange transport.
Even if we want to go to Marrakesh or to the desert. He gives me his card.
We speak about the King – Mohammed VI. Khalid says he is the first to ever
present his wife to the public.
She is an engineer doing research in cancer treatment and is not even
royalty, but a commoner like Princess Kate of England. His father Hassan II and all
those before kept their wives sequestered. So the new king is quite a bit more progressive. Khalid says he has really boosted
the economy. Mohammed VI has
one son and one daughter.
The son is Hassan III and his son will be Mohammed VII. The succession alternates and all
are descended from Moulay Ismail, Moulay Idris and the prophet Mohammed. The monarchy is completely tied
to Islam and its development.
Khalid wants his daughter who is now 10 years old to study
English and go to college in the US. We talk about movie stars and singers. Mariah Carey will be in Rabat for
the music festival in June.
Whitney Houston was there last year before she died and the Moroccan
people love her.
Nancy, our host on Tuesday evening, had said she has seen Julio Iglesias,
Sting, Elton John, Quincy Jones
and even met some of them. Khalid says, “Brad Pitt now he really likes
Marrakesh. He owns a
riad. He go to disco.
He take a little liberty from son maree.” I can only imagine.
To be Brad Pitt and own a riad in Marrakesh!
It is raining this morning, overcast like yesterday. Khalid says, “This is good,
good. It is very dry this year and
we are a country dependent on agriculture. Last year there was much more rain at this time.” Eventually we pay our 300dh
and say good-bye, make our way through to customs where the Moroccans inspect
all of the scarves and rugs and pottery I have brought back. Thank goodness my spice bag is well
hidden in my underwear.
Jennifer, Hilda and I all sit together on the flight back, which is nice
because we have become fast friends over the last week. Hilda works on finishing her last
painting and I continue working on this blog – when I’m not sleeping. Richard wanders around the
airplane making friends. We are all split up stateside when we hit
customs. The US customs lets
me pass through too, but a man from West Africa travelling with two large bags
of rice is not so lucky and those are confiscated. We are lucky to even say good-bye at baggage
check as all of our various rides and cabs are waiting. I don’t even see Hilda, but
Toshiko needs a ride to Manhattan and there are my husband and daughter so off
we go into NY leaving Moroccan Travels behind.
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