Subject:   [adventure!] sorry; no thankyou; sorry; non merci; gracias pero no; ...

Date:   12/19/2003 1:03:10 PM

 

 

 

hi from chefchaoun,

 

i can;t write much right now; i,m, on a super slow internet connection

using an arabic keyboard: morocco is beautiful and very strange at the same

time; i seem to speak enough frenchto get by; but it;s hard: anywhere i

walk there is someone following me saying 'english; espanol; francais' until

i tell them no merci; which is apparently french for 'please; no matter how

many times i refuse; follow me around as if you are a tour guide and then

demand money'. aside from my newfound tendency to never look anyone in the

eye (another clear indication that you need a guide); im doing just fine.

 

my hostel is very cool with a rooftop terrace overlooking the town and the

mountains (for 40 dh = 4 euros) and a bedroom door constructed with the

clear intention of braining anyone over 5 feet tall. so far i've whacked my

head 3 times; this may not be an arabic keyboard.

 

hey it's almost xmas. i hope you all have a good time at tom and diane's or

wherever you plan to booze it up for the sake of your lord and/or santa.

 

i'm using the magic powers of morrocan mint tea to beat this cold into

submission. it should be gone soon. though yesterday in tetouan i was

offered a small bag of ginseng tea in the 'pharmacy' for only 350 dh (35

euros). that was followed by a half hour carpet demonstration and some

confusion about how i could possibly refuse to buy a handmade berber cloak.

all of these were really beautiful; i just can't even imagine putting

anything else in my backpack. i did trade one of my shirts for the

uninvited (but quite helpful) tour of tetouan and it's pharmacy and carpet

and clothing stores.

 

talk to you soon!

jay