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ALONG THE ROAD

4/11/2014

7 Comments

 
We’re accompanied on our entire trip by a most special Moroccan man, Tahar Najoui.  He’s our driver, translator, cultural interpreter, logistics guide, and teacher.  He’s built like a bodyguard, and not that we’ve needed protection so far, we know he’ll keep us safe.  Tahar is a Berber from the south of Morocco, so even though we’re learning a bit of Arabic (Salaam for hello and Chokran for thank you), he’s teaching us some Berber as well, beginning with the Berber names he’s chosen for us: I’m Eto, Judi is Tuda, Mary Jane is Eja, and Deborah is Talia.

He often gets us moving by announcing “Ya la!” (let’s go!). Tahar grew up in the southern coastal city of Agadir, and worked for several years as a disc jockey at clubs in Casablanca.  Consequently, he’s got a great selection of music, both Western and Moroccan, that he’s brought along for us to listen to as we drive.

After suffering a bit of temporary hearing loss, Tahar quit his job and became a driver for American movie stars on location in Morocco: he was Oliver Reed’s driver when “Gladiator” was being filmed (“He started drinking at 5:00 in the morning!”), and Heath Ledger’s during the filming of “Four Feathers.”  

"AMERICAN SNIPER"

After we left Rabat this morning, we were driving down the road and Tahar spotted a friend of his in another car, driving an actor to the nearby village of Quaria where Clint Eastwood’s new movie “American Sniper” is being filmed.

Tahar said that he’d been offered the job of being Clint Eastwood’s driver, but turned it down because he was already booked to be ours (are we special or what?).  Since we were so close to the action, we decided to drive over to take a look.  One of the great advantages of having our own driver like this is that we can make these serendipitous choices and deviations from our itinerary.

When we arrived, we weren’t able to see the actual filming, as locals were crowding around, and it was a bit of a dicey neighborhood, but we did hear a few huge explosions which were hopefully an intentional part of the filming!  And it was fascinating to see this location, one of many in Morocco that are chosen for making movies.  The movie industry here is referred to as “Mollywood,” and it’s big business.
LUNCH STOP

We stopped for lunch at a roadside stop popular with locals, the Moroccan version of a food court with a series of outdoor seating areas. Rows of steaming tagines (heavy terracotta bowls with tall conical lids) are lined up to choose from, and the chefs are happy to lift the lids for your inspection before you make your choice.  Lamb, vegetable, chicken, fish, all smell and taste delicious!  Before departing, I wandered along the row of food vendors, and a bearded man asked if I’d like to buy some hashish.  I politely declined.

To Westerners, seeing butchered carcasses on display like this might be off-putting.  But the government strictly controls the quality of all meat:  every piece is examined and certified by veterinarians, and consumed very soon after slaughter.  American meat, by comparison, is just not as fresh.
7 Comments
Terry
4/18/2014 02:14:50 am

What fun to happen upon something unanticipated, like the movie set! Sounds like you have a great guide. I love the photos you have been posting and all the fascinating information of areas about which I know virtually nothing.

Reply
Lauren
4/18/2014 02:22:24 am

Mom, these are great photos--especially the one of the two men with the chicken!

Reply
Cheryl
4/18/2014 03:34:46 am

Tahar sounds like a real gem. Love reading about the journey, keep blogging!!

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Dennis
4/18/2014 10:14:55 am

You descriptions and photos show beauty and happiness, including those that depict your traveling party.

Reply
Larie
4/20/2014 05:36:47 am

Love the terracotta bowls. Looks like a great trip. I'm jealous!

Reply
Susan
4/21/2014 12:03:56 am

What an incredible adventure!! Continuing to live vicariously through you, my friend!

Reply
moroccohandmade.com link
12/5/2017 04:17:50 am

Great think to see morocco as a destination of vacation and touristic orientation ^^ and more thank you for covering your journey in Morocco, hoping u'll back again :)
this amazing dishes makes me crazy, the cooked meals in it are realy delicious :p
For sure this is due to the tremendous inherited culture and wonderful landscapes and many old cities to visit and could travel you to the very old fashion of the civilization in Africa
Thus, https://moroccohandmade.com/ is a producer of luxury articrafts and handmade decorating items issued from the Moroccan history and culture.
our piece of art are made by qualified and skilled craftsmen, from metals such nickel, copper and aluminum, also glass and wood are used in combination or entirely in other items.
Our workshop is in Rabat, Morocco
Visit us on our website or our fb page

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    "I cannot be awake, for nothing looks to me as it did before. Or else I am awake for the first time, and all before has been a mean sleep."   
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