22 November 2002

Fourth and last week in Morocco, Friday, 15–Friday, 22 November

Friday, 15 November, Marrakech: Green Ice, continued; more rain; take-away dinner from Restaurant le Port.

Saturday, 16 November, Marrakech: Samir visited; dinner at N’zaha with Youssef.

Sunday, 17 November, Marrakech: N’zaha with Youssef, Simo, goofy-looking Mohammed; Polly returned; dinner with Polly at Djemaâ al-Fna, biggest tajine in the world; wandered in concentric circles; blue turban day at Belhaj.

Monday, 18 November, Marrakech: Djemaâ al-Fna, continued; walked down street near Cusabine Mosque; drinks at N’zaha; watched billiard game in Kebir café; dinner at Belhaj with Lankan woman; saw Nouredine; Cybernet Bab Agnaou.

Tuesday, 19 November, Marrakech: Djemaâ al-Fna, continued; drinks with Polly and Hafida at Moustafa’s restaurant.

Wednesday, 20 November, Marrakech:

Thursday, 21 November, Marrakech:

Friday, 22 November, Marrakech, Casablanca, London, New York City:

14 November 2002

Third week in Morocco, Friday, 8–Thursday, 14 November

Friday, 8 November, Marrakech:

Saturday, 9 November, Marrakech: Kebir café was crowded; Âbdelkerim (Baguira) visited; dinner at Mbarek; wandered with Polly.

Sunday, 10 November, Marrakech: drinks at Âbdelmajid with Polly and Samir while Mohammed wrote a letter; Ghadouan visited; dinner at Chez Mohammed and many people said hello; more drinks at Âbdelmajid; Polly left for France.

Monday, 11 November, Marrakech: Internet Iris; Kebir: Hafida wore lovely coat; dinner at Chez Mohammed, Hassane wore two hats; drinks at Belhaj.

Tuesday, 12 November, Marrakech: Internet Iris with Mohammed from Âbdelmajid and Âdel from Meslouhi; long walk with Saïd who used to live in Connecticut: mellah, kasba, royal palace etc.; dinner at Meslouhi.

Wednesday, 13 November, Marrakech: drinks at Belhaj and N’zaha with Samir; Internet Iris with Âdel from Meslouhi; deaf Djemal visited; walked downtown with Saïd; dinner at Belhaj.

Thursday, 14 November, Marrakech: another walk with Saïd through medina to Bab Doucala and café thereabouts; Djemaâ al-Fna; mugged and camera stolen on Moulaï Hassane Street near Daurade du Sud restaurant; various police stations; outrageous storm; take-away dinner from Bella Pizza, dessert at Green Ice, both in the Milennium Complexe.

07 November 2002

Second week in Morocco, Friday, 1–Thursday, 7 November

Friday, 1 November, Marrakech: Met the two Youssefs at N’zaha; Polly ordered table at Mr. Fouad’s store; dinner at Belhaj, Rachid temporarily fired; bumped into Hicham in lovely new park; more food at Mbarek.

Saturday, 2 November, Marrakech: sat in park in front of the Koutoubia; Salman Khan movie at Kebir café, Âdel flirted with me; moved to Résidence d’Atlas in one petit taxi; dinner at Mbarek with southern Lebanese men.

Sunday, 3 November, Marrakech: Kebir café with Hafida and Naïma; dinner with Polly at Islane.

Monday, 4 November, Marrakech: Belhaj, my apartment, Diamant Noir with Samir; Kebir café: Kuch kuch hota hai, Egyptian film, more henna from Hafida, cigarette seller’s daughter had yoğurt on her face; again returned telephone to Samir in Guéliz; take-away lunch from Chickenland; Marjane with Polly; drinks at #42 Djemaâ al-Fna restaurant, Belhaj and Mbarek.

Tuesday, 5 November, Marrakech: (First night of Ramadan.) N’zaha with Samir and Âbdoula; watched Mbarek close; dinner party which never happened; bought compact discs at Kebir; Djemaâ al-Fna, including #42; saw younger Youssef.

Wednesday, 6 November, Marrakech: (First day of Ramadan.) Kebir café, Salman Khan movie; visiting various restaurants at Djemaâ al-Fna; plastic bags from cassette man Âbdelrahim.

Thursday, 7 November, Marrakech: Kebir café with Polly, Dilvale dulhaniya le jayenge.

31 October 2002

First week in Morocco, Friday, 25–Thursday, 31 October

Friday, 25 October, Cairo, London, Casablanca, Marrakech: Taxi driver Rachid waited with us in front of McDonald’s; searching for apartment thanks to crazy Moustafa and Âdel.

Saturday, 26 October, Marrakech: reunion of old friends at Belhaj restaurant, Djemaâ al-Fna; visited Âzize’s house with Âbdelrahim; moved to next temporary apartment with crazy Moustafa and Âdel; met Mr. Hassane; N’zaha restaurant, tea with Âbdelâli in his new store, Djemaâ al-Fna.

Sunday, 27 October, Marrakech: Belhaj, Djemaâ al-Fna; Âzize and Âbdelrahim visited our apartment; Mr. Hassane: man in towel at Yasmine building; Samir visited.

Monday, 28 October, Marrakech: Samir’s visit; purchased telephone from Samir at N’zaha; dinner at Belhaj; visited Mbarek restaurant; N’zaha: Âbdelhadi, returned broken telephone to Samir, “belching in the corner.”

Tuesday, 29 October, Marrakech: (My mother’s birthday on the Gregorian calendar.) N’zaha, continued; Rachid visited; Résidence d’Atlas; lunch at N’zaha; souk, including Souk Souafine; bought audio adapter for Samir in Canaria; N’zaha again with Samir, Polly and Hicham.

Wednesday, 30 October, Marrakech: N’zaha, continued; I spilled Coca Light on Samir; visited Belhaj as it was broken down; bumped into Cherif and Âbdel-something; lunch with Samir at N’zaha; bumped into goofy-looking Mohammed at Djemaâ al-Fna, and he visited; hidden Internet place with Samir; Samir visited.

Thursday, 31 October, Marrakech: (Halloween.) Samir’s visit, continued; Djemaâ al-Fna: various restaurants; bumped into Âbdel-something again, and he visited; Marjane with Polly; dinner at Mbarek; bought gandouras at Âbdelâli’s store; tea at Belhaj; shared figs and apricots; souk.

25 October 2002

Last half-week in Egypt, Wednesday, 23–Friday, 25 October

Wednesday, 23 October, Cairo: Hana restaurant (Zamalek); visited Fathi Hamamah’s factory and met his son Musa‘at(?); searched for Blal’s boxing match.

Thursday, 24 October, Cairo: Dr. Ragab’s Phara‘onic Village; discovered too late Ahmad from the Bronx was also in Cairo; goodbyes and propositions at Khan al-Khalili.

Friday, 25 October, Cairo: Horus House hôtel, airplane to Morocco.

22 October 2002

Second week in Egypt, Wednesday, 16–Tuesday, 22 October

Wednesday, 16 October, Cairo: (World Food Day and Boss’s Day.)

Thursday, 17 October, Cairo: Train to Aswan.

Friday, 18 October, Aswan: Aswan Station; Hôtel as-Salam; dam; Philae complex; unfinished obelisk; Chief Khalil restaurant; Nubian Museum.

Saturday, 19 October, Aswan, Abu Simbel: (Sweetest Day.) Felucca ride around Elephantine Island; Kitchener’s Island; Abu Simbel; Sami in the souq.

Sunday, 20 October: Aswan, Luxor: Shady Hôtel; East Bank: Luxor, Karnak temples; café with Walid, Ahmad, Mamduh; wandering with them and ‘Ala’.

Monday, 21 October, Luxor: West Bank: Valleys of Kings, Queens; temple of “Hot Chicken Soup”; locked out of room at Shady Hôtel; market/storefront; train to Cairo.

Tuesday, 22 October, Cairo: Khan al-Khalili/Muski: met Blal, ‘Amber store with Dracula, ad-Dahan, met Mustafa and friends with sexually agressive sales pitches.

15 October 2002

First week in Egypt, Wednesday, 9–Tuesday, 15 October

Wednesday, 9 October, London, Cairo:

Thursday, 10 October, Cairo: Longchamps Hôtel (Zamalek); Khan al-Khalili (Islamic Cairo); Hamis Travel (Central Cairo).

Friday, 11 October, Cairo:

Saturday, 12 October, Cairo, Memphis, Giza, Saqqara:

Sunday, 13 October: Cairo: Old Cairo.

Monday, 14 October, Cairo: (Columbus Day in the United States.)

Tuesday, 15 October, Cairo:

30 August 2002

Visit to Sullivan and Orange Counties, Tuesday, 27–Friday, 30 August 2002

Tuesday, 27 August, New York City, Monticello, Hurleyville: Westchester Avenue walk; Hurleyville thrift stores, including Şeyndl’s store; dinner at Brother Bruno’s.

Wednesday, 28 August, Middletown, Westtown: lunch at Wendy’s; Salvation Army store in Middletown; dinner at New York Buffet.

Thursday, 29 August, Monticello: haircut at Golden Clipper and shopping in Gutenberg Holdings, both in Apollo Plaza; dinner at Gager’s; Dollar General Store.

Friday, 30 August, Monticello, New York City: return home.