What is shiba?

I have been drinking at least three mint teas a day since arriving in Morocco. I'm not a big tea drinker. But, hey when in Rome....right?! I even bought an authentic "tea pot set" (complete with the little pot holders) to take home. 

So, for the past week I am thinking this "mint tea" is really just boiling sugar water poured over fresh springs of mint, and that would explain why I like it so much. Wrong. Mint tea is actually green tea (boiling water, two pinches of green tea, two sugar cubes boiled) poured over the fresh mint. What is more mind boggling to me is that I don't like tea. And, I really don't like green tea. But, I love Moroccan mint tea!

Stopping at a small restaurant for a mint tea this afternoon proved very educational. We selected a spot that looked really good for people watching near the Bab Bou Jeloud. (The Blue Gate). The place was called Thami's, and I remembered reading an interview with the actual Thami in my guide book. I met his younger brother and he proceeded to tell me all about mint tea. He reminded me mint tea is originally not from China as the world believes, but of course it is from his beloved country, Morocco. (Then he proceeds to sell me a box of green tea for 10 dh that says in French "Made in China". Ironic.)

Then I was told you can also add "shiba" to the tea as well. "Morrocans really like shiba in their tea." Shiba, they show me, is an herb and you can buy it in the grocery store. I can't place it, so I ask,  "What is shiba in English?" They don't know what it is in English. 

Enter my friend, Google. Shiba is absinthe.  That explains a lot...

Camel Burger. Check.

Check camel off my list of foods. Today I ate a camel burger (at the Clock Cafe). It looked like a beef burger, but much leaner and sweeter in taste. Same texture as a hamburger. It was served with sweet ketchup. I wished Heinz would make that sweet ketchup...

A lesson in Argan oil

Argan Oil ... apparently the wonder, cure-all drug. And it's one of the most popular thing to buy in Morocco. It's great for cleaning your hair, for cooking, and for massages. But where exactly does it come from? It comes from the argan tree. The nut has a seed, and the oil is pressed from this tiny little seed. The first pressing produces the oil for cosmetic use (I am told that my skin will look younger if I rub this all over me. Personally, I hoping for a massage from a cute boy with it!), the second pressing makes the oil for use as a shampoo, and the third pressing is for cooking/eating. The stuff is not cheap, either. But apparently more affordable here than in the states. And now, I'm off to experience an argan oil massage at Riad Fes. We'll see if this "liquid gold" lives up to it's name...

Pigeon Poo....huh?

I think it takes about a week to settle in to Morocco, to feel comfortable. Today I felt like I finally fit in (well, as much as possible). 

As we navigated through the leather stores, up to the terraces I had flashbacks of dragging my dear friend Marwan up narrow steps in the back of a knock-off purse shop on Canal Street in NYC.  Finally up on the terrace the views of the dye pits were amazing and the smells were terrible! Apparently, pigeon poo and cow urine are used in the process. Great--can't wait to buy some leather here now!

You don't want to get shot today

As we're walking through the medina in Fes, a man approaches us and says, "You don't want to get shot today."  I think they learn their English from watching American movies. I mean, Who says that? 

Piano Piano!

The language skills of the little kids here amaze me. I guess when your parents throw you out on the street and you're amongst tourist everyday, you sink of swim. 

And they are dressed so crazy. Like this little guy we met today. Jeans tucked into pink socks and hot pink Crocs. Maybe he's leading the latest trend among Moroccan boys age 5-7?

Today a group of little boys--always boys, never girls--approached us. First in French. Then they switched to Spanish. Then German. It was cute. They probably the basic in about 10 languages (so jealous!) So finally I say to them in Italian, "I don't speak French." Silence. We thought--awesome! They don't speak any Italian, they will leave us alone. Yeah. 

Then one little boy, bursts out, in perfect Italian with accent and all, "Italiano piano, piano!"  I laughed so hard.

Back in my element in Fes

I feel like a real experienced Moroccan traveller now. We navigated the Fes medina flawlessly, negotiating parking with ease, and found Riad Fes without paying  a little kid one. single. dirham.

The medina of Fes is mostly souks....and the are narrow and steep. Many more tourists here. It's interesting to notice the subtle and not so subtle differences between the three cities of RAK, RBA, and FES. FES is def less orthodox--more Western clothes, more tourists, but still have an authentic feel to it. Olives and nougat seem to be the prized gems here.

And because I am such a hotel junkie, I have to comment on Riad Fes: it's wonderful. I'm definitely back in my element at this amazing 26 room Relais & Chateaux property. The Junior Suite on the second floor (I have my own private stairway up to the suite) is huge. The all white marble bathroom alone is bigger than the room at the riad in RAK! Dinner at the restaurant--complete with Moroccan wine (finally some alcohol!) was amazing. The house speciality is a lamb dish tossed in smoked onion jam with roasted potatoes--called L'hame M'hamer. Yummy. And the wine made it even better.