Aid Kebir - the big feast

OK,... so today was a bit of a shocker. 

Somewhere along my readings of Morocco, I was spared the info that the biggest day of the year includes slaughtering a sheep on your driveway.  (!)

Fortunately being Team Isaac, we don't need to fulfill this requirement anymore, but annually this sacrifice (re: Ishmael) is observed in EVERY Moroccan household, no matter what your level of income.

So, the week started out with numerous amounts of sheep gathered on the sides of the roads with their 'dealers' - think turkey farmer at Christmas :) Cha-ching!
Men stop, check them out and decide on a price. ($200 - $300 each). Delivery is then scheduled OR you simply carry off Mr. Sheep on your back, like an airplane pillow.  I still can't quite get used to seeing a sheep 'baa-aaing' on the backseat of someone's car.

Dar Bouazza sheep negotiation

By Thursday evening, the sheep are at their residential location, waiting for the unknown.  I enjoyed folding my washing to the bleating of the two sheep at my next-door neighbor's. OK, so maybe not.

Tool Shed Buddies

I thought they looked more goat-ish... but alas, they are sheep

Friday morning (this morning) brought the actual ritual.  Generally children under 12 are discouraged from watching the act.  Thankfully. 

The process is quick and filled with great anticipation... a bit like Christmas morning. 

Observation time, after the fact

Neighbor giving anatomy lesson

Mid-morning I took some friends to the airport.  The roads were eerily quiet.  Along the way I saw many families, without private driveways, performing their activity in front of their apartments.  

Pelt-collector steers his fresh load down the street.

At the end of the day our neighbor's shared tasty meat skewers of barbecued liver, rolled in fat and some homemade pastries.  Quite delicious with Moroccan wine.

Tomorrow the REAL feast begins as the meat requires one day of hanging before preparation.  

Moroccan Encounters

We've had a few new fun experiences:

No.3 Sahara ready

No.1, "Mommy, is there Halloween in Morocco?"

Camels at the beach:

Boy #2 can't be happier.  He spends his weekends trapping bees, finding crickets, stroking frogs and deciding whether the spiders in his room are happy there.  He attends a British international school where he starts the morning by feeding the 2 rabbits and 5 tortoises hibiscus flowers.  Then he checks on the emerging butterflies and the vegetable garden, before the morning bell rings.  There are only 8 students in his class!  

The fish markets are abundant and fresh here. Here's No. 2 testing a fish eyeball:

This boy is braver than me.

Move-In!

July:  A bit of a backtrack, but with unpack chaos, family shuffle and no connectivity, the weeks in our new home have quickly passed by.

With mixed emotions, we departed the 5* comfort of Mazagan Resort and embarked on our every day lives as residents of Dar Bouazza seaside town.  [Pronounced DUH-BWAZZAA, if you want to be understood by the locals]

We live in a new gated community of about 300 houses.  Fortunately, we're located just outside Casablanca, for quiet days and ocean breezes.  The city is just a hop, skip and a jump away - perfect for us.

Move-in day went pretty smoothly, considering that it was the middle of Ramadan (and nobody had eaten since sunrise). I got my first lesson in Arabic - counting to 5 - when I realized that I wanted the offloaded boxes to arrive at the correct rooms.

Greetings from South Africa

It's HOT & it's COLD in South Africa... but at least there is Wifi!

I find myself in South Africa, compliments of the generous governing powers of Morocco.  The Moroccan Embassy and I are embarking on a relationship that will hopefully culminate in a work permit. In the mean time, DH (dear husband) and I keep our lives interesting by hopping between the two countries [not by choice], while handing off children to keep them in school.

The up side to this is that I was able to spend time with my mom and her lovely husband this weekend.  They live and work at a lodge squeezed between two mountains, in a forest (Serenity).  The river and waterfalls constantly flow.  The thatch-roofed luxury bungalows are built on stilts.  It feels like another planet!

Serenity Lodge

Bridge to restaurant

On top of the mountain

Granny's backyard! (no kidding)

Glad this guy is immobile

Neighbor's giraffe - not particularly
good for 'walkies'

Rather skittish zebra

End to the day, with champagne in hand

Thanks, Mom & JC.

Home at last!

(The long silence is due to lack of Internet access at our new home.  But this will hopefully soon change.)

WATCH THIS SPACE

Enjoy these few funnies from a day in El Jadida:

"Honey, I'm feeling cow head for dinner"

The bus station for the ones not traveling must
be around the next corner.

American / South African / Moroccan Birthday

Boy #3 celebrates the big 5.

Not to be confused with a 4-year old, this 5-year old greets the new day:

C

On to breakfast:

The official breakfast tea pourer congratulates C.

Ain't nothing wrong with that for breakfast!

Kid's Club organizes birthday bash much to his delight.

Our favorite R'Kia

Thank you to everyone who sent birthday wishes.  He felt special.

A Few Funny Ones

A few funny ones that made me laugh:

While driving with my new friend and partner in crime, Marne, we happened along this top-heavy spectacle.

Not my first choice in moving companies

Two hours later, on our way back from El Jadida (and a delicious Turkish lunch) low and behold, who do we get stuck behind:

Seriously! This guy gets around.

If the daily road spectacles are not enough, you can apparently find them at this restaurant and night club:

Restaurant - Night Club - Spectacle

Infant car seats probably not a big priority here:

This one reminds me of South Africa