Home

TALES OF 6 ARABIAN NIGHTS (AND DAYS)

or
slideshow Noemi and Barry Discover
Allah, Balak!, and Smekta
in Morocco
March 30 - April 5 1997

In March/April of 1997, Noemi and I spent a week in Morocco. While there, as busy as the trip was, I had a lot of time to write. I kept a lengthy travel diary, as much to record the trip as to keep my sanity by trying to sort out and make sense of the unusual experiences we were having day and night.
This book is composed of the text from that diary (hardly changed since it was first written, with only the addition of subtitles) and photographs taken by both Noemi and myself, with four different cameras. And to think, if Noemi hadn't prodded me, I might not have taken any cameras at all. My tense might shift between the writing about an experience while it happened and writing about the day that just passed; I hope this will not greatly hinder your ability to share in my experience of this unusual trip.

SATURDAY, MARCH 29TH NEW YORK, 3:40 PM TRIP PREPARATIONS In which Barry has pre-trip anxiety.	SUNDAY, MARCH 30TH RABAT, 11 PM TOURING CASABLANCA AND RABAT In which Noemi and Barry hit the ground running. RABAT AT NIGHT In which Noemi and Barry experience the meal of their life.
MONDAY, MARCH 31ST FEZ, 2:22 AM FROM RABAT TO MEKNES In which there is time to reflect and beggars are encountered. FROM MEKNES TO VOLUBULIS TO FEZ In which the tour-guide does strange things. FEZ AT NIGHT In which Noemi and Barry escape from the Tour Group, go to dinner, and are adopted by a group of drunk Moroccans in a disco.	TUESDAY, APRIL 1ST FEZ. 11 PM THE PHONE CALL In which a rude awakening occurs. FEZ'S MEDINA In which Noemi and Barry wander the streets of a past time. A HOME-COOKED MEAL In which Noemi eats Cous-cous.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2ND FEZ, 5:00 AM AWOKEN BY A DIFFERENT CALL In which a pleasant awakening occurs.	WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2ND MARRAKECH, 12:23 AM FROM FEZ TO MARRAKECH In which Noemi and Barry traverse the Atlas mountains. IN MARRAKECH: JMAA EL FNA In which Noemi and Barry encounter henna artists, snake charmers, and other street performers.
THURSDAY, APRIL 3RD MARRAKECH, 12:29 AM ANOTHER MORNING SURPRISE In which Barry refuses to leave the room until Smekta arrives and saves the day. DAYTIME MARRAKECH In which Noemi and Barry tour Marrakech. THE BERBER FANTASIA In which Noemi and Barry regret being alive.	FRIDAY, APRIL 4TH CASABLANCA, 8:52 AM THE RETURN OF SMEKTA In which Noemi refuses to leave the room until Smekta returns and saves the day. A RETURN TO THE SOUK OF MARRAKECH In which Noemi and Barry go shopping and ride the taxi of a crazed driver. FROM MARRAKECH TO CASABLANCA In which nothing much happens.
SATURDAY, APRIL 5TH OVER THE ATLANTIC OCEAN OUR FINAL EVENING In which Noemi and Barry have two unfortunate adventures. TO THE AIRPORT In which Noemi and Barry barely escape Morocco. ON THE AIRPLANE In which food is messy and a fine trip is recalled.	Bonus Topics DRUGS In which drugs are discussed. THE ART OF HAGGLING In which the reader is introduced to the concept of haggling. THE ART OF HAGGLING: DISINTEREST In which the first response to haggling is discussed. THE ART OF HAGGLING: DISCOMFORT In which the second response to haggling is discussed. THE ART OF HAGGLING: DISGUST In which the third response to haggling is discussed.