Day 17: Morning - the moment Tom has been waiting for...

Jaime and Tom wake up early this morning, eagerly anticipating their visit to the local market, having heard so much about it. Their day starts in an unexpected way, however, when Tom spots a snake slithering along the trailing climber just outside the window; we all run outside, but it has gone, hiding no doubt amongst the undergrowth. I thought I saw a snake in the same place last week, but came to the conclusion my eyes were tired and it was probably the tail of a gecko. Now Tom has confirmed my initial thoughts! It's a small snake, probably a grass snake of some sort, so we're not unduly worried - a python would be a different matter altogether!!!!!

We set off for the market with Said who is eager to make Jaime and Tom's visit very special. Unfortunately it has been raining all night and so this morning what I referred to last week as 'stony muddy ground' has now become thick squelching mud or 'runny chocolate' as one local seller jokingly refers to it. As the men walk on ahead of us, Jaime and I are surrounded by berber men trying to sell us jewellery, djellabahs, and the like; we squelch uphill clinging to each other to stop ourselves falling over whilst trying to fend off the locals at the same time; we find  the whole scenario hilarious and shout to the men to help us - but they just continue walking, laughing at us. The funniest moment is when a man, who has followed us from the moment we stepped out of the car, (trying to sell us  a white djellabah, then a blue one the same, then a pink one the same as that one - can't he understand that we don't actually want a djellabah in any colour?!) sees that we have lost our men and points us in the right direction, then follows us again with the same continuous blurb about his djellabahs - our sides are aching by now with laughter; this mud is getting harder and harder to walk through and we are slip sliding everywhere! We bump into the dentist from last week who sees Tom as his latest victim, and before we can say 'La' (No!) Tom's hands are bound together and his 'ordeal' is underway.

Awaiting dentistry

Please don't hurt me!

Teeth everywhere!

We struggle on our way again and Said shows us a typical berber bathroom - basically it looks like a large wicker birdcage! Apparently these are often to be found in the villages outside the houses, and it is here that ablutions take place with bowls of water. It is a fascinating insight into the berber way of life.

A berber bathroom

Next is the traditional berber cafe from which billows of smoke are pouring out onto passers by as brochettes de poulet et agneau (skewers of chicken and lamb) and tajines are cooked on charcoal in front of our eyes - Tom takes a closer look. The smells are very enticing but we need to move on. We wander on amongst the stalls selling veg; Mart buys some produce - not because we need any, but because this is Said's friend and he feels guilty if we don't buy anything - more stuff to go off in our already full store cupboard -  but better for that to happen than Said's friend to not earn any money today. What is it to us to spend 15 dirhams, about £1.20?! Yet it could make a big difference to this man's family).

Brochette heaven

Can I have a look?

Jaime and Tom inspect a clay oven

Now the bit Tom has been waiting for - the butchers! Goat's heads adorn stalls, livers and intestines alongside them; carcasses hang on hooks, we try not to stand on various bits of animal that are strewn haphazardly on the floor, often unidentifiable!

Tom loves the gore!

Tom is mesmerised at the sight; he loves the gore. Jaime tries not to heave. In front of us is a young boy, no more than about 15 years of age - his job is to slaughter the chickens. Tom is intrigued as the boy puts one finger down each chicken's throat, then draws a massive knife across the throat to slit it open, then throws the dying chickens into a basket. It's not a sight we are used to seeing at home - this is far from being 'Chicken at M&S' !!

The chicken - slaughterer

These same chickens are then passed to someone else to pluck them, and then on to another person to be sold for tonight's tea - How much fresher could a chicken be?! Not that I personally would want to eat one that I've seen killed in front of my eyes! After further meanderings and squelchings we all make our way home for lunch and a chat about all that we have encountered this morning.