Sunday With Penny

Hey there!

Just yesterday I wasn't sure where I'd be for Sunday. And Sunday when I woke up, I still had that dilemna of having no Dirhams at all. After breakfast with our chef Abdurahim, everything just went from uncertain day to manage my time 'till curfew concerns.

First off. I went to Meknes Catholic Church and from there met Regina and Katarina who were going to a one week prayer retreat with the Franciscan Sisters. Sad news as Regina will be going back to France by June 14, her birthday and she'll be back by September. By that time, Katarina will be very busy packing her bags to settle back in Germany and work on her University degree.

Looking forward still, by July Alice and Val will be moving out of Morocco. Val will be going on a Euro trip while Alice will of course be settling back in our beloved Philippines with her soon to be husband Tiff.

So that means I would have to learn to be on my own. Interestingly, when my Little UN minus Redoune met up this morning, Regina told me, thru Katarina's interpretation, that I would have to learn French from her. Of course I said yes but I forgot to ask for her rate. She is also a teacher in French Language (usted in Darija) and I wouldn't go thru her lessons if she won't accept a language lesson fee.

On to my Sunday activities today:

After walking from the Church and watching the two leave the parking lot, I went looking for the restaurant me and my ward once parked. I ordered salad, water and cola for lunch. Since I was alone and never really knew where to go, my usual blitz meal of 15 to 20 minutes went on for an hour and a quarter.

Excruciating moments of solitary bliss! Salad was good and the place was ultra nice, quiet, low lights and soothing music with about 4 to 5 tables filled with customers. But I was lost in thinking how to spend my day off since all my possible "let's be crazy" companions are all away.

Around 1230 noon, I left the restaurant and walked towards the intersection where one can find the Meknes Police Prefecture. I don't really know what function it does but it is within this vicinity where you will find the barber shop of my ward, coffee shops lined up along the boulevard on both sides, the French Institute can also be located here. A little walk will bring you to Cinema Dawliz, 5 month old Pizza Hut and the ever famous among the young ones, with the Golden Arch logo, Mc Donalds.

I had my tea of course Moroccan tea, in one of the billions of coffee shops in Morocco (exaggeration but just a little) for another hour. I had a chit-chat with another man sitting beside me and of course, he was wrong about my country of origin. He asked me, "Indonesian? ...Chin-wah ....Taiwanese?" And all my answers were "Makeynj, makeynj, makeynj!"

I wanted to say Fujian or Timbuktan but save for my own agony, I said Filipini! Yes, they would easily relate with the word Filipini instead of Filipino. When it was my turn, I simply asked him this "Fin chutranj cafe Meknes?" It literally translates to "Where chess cafe Meknes?"

The guy kept still for a moment and said "Chutranj? Makeynj Meknes... Casablanca"

There is no chess park here but in Casablanca.

After some series of nodding and "ngiwe-ing" from both sides I said Bislema which means 'till we meet again in English, Auf Wiedersehen in Germany, Hanggang sa muli in Filipino and Aw revwa in French.

And then the bulb just lighted up!

I went straight to the cinema house called Cinema Dawliz. They were showing a Cannes film called Vicky Cristina Barcelona featuring Penelope Cruz. Written and directed by Woody Allen, this film showed the flipsides of a bizzare love triangle. Oh how I love the cinematography, Barcelona it is!

Another side of the film that got me interested? One character who is a famous Hollywood actress but not so famous because I don't remember her name, was into photography. So I got a glimpse of some cameras and dark room scenes.

Penny played the cigarette smoking bisexual role Spanish in the film who was tied knits and knots with Juan Antonio Gonzalo, the artist. Aside from the immoral-almost-real plot, I just love the backgrounds in most scenes of the film.

The movie started at 230 and ended by 4.

And off to my usual activity, walking and clicking!

Here are some shots I did today:

And the next two photos were taken Friday afternoon in Meknes while I and Sadik were waiting for my ward to finish the ritualistic public bath of Morocco, Hammam:





I call these two photos as My Meknes Sunset!

The next few photos were taken last week:







So far these are the photos I took from the past week. Ensha-Alah I'd be taking more photos this coming week and really praying I'd be able to own that brand new Nikon D40 by August this year.

Keeping my fingers crossed!