Still-Life: September 2009

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Friday, September 18, 2009

More things to snack on...

yummy. Dates, dried fruit, nuts. Good things. Every time I see dried fruit I think of tara and nell... bizarre. but makes total sense to all them I hope.

It is hot here. And everyday I walk through the 'Place' I stop for a fresh orange juice. I have never tasted anything this good in my life.I have never really liked orange juice..too much acid or something...but this.. WOW!

They squeeze it in front of you and then fill up a small or large water bottle size for you. The small are only $1.50 or 10DH. It is not too sweet,has a tiny amount of pulp..and beware does have seeds sometimes!

A couple a years ago they made the vendors all have organized carts...while it was probably a pain in the ass for them, it looks quite nice to the visitor.

Indigo Dye: Morocco

Indigo is in the middle

You buy these by weight in the Pharmacy..where they sell all the remedies and spices for cooking and weird things like ground up frog legs mixed with tea...etc.

They ask you in and all where white lab coats...and then take you into a room with all the potions and of course the Argan Oil. They also have pure oils which smell great..and anything else. They also offer Morocco Viagra...Since I don't need it...I didn't really ask what it is. I think it is a tea??

And in another room they have the dyes. They are 1g for 2dh. which would work out to 25cents a gram..which is a pretty great deal. They are messy. I practiced on paper and various amounts of water. It is like paints..but when dry the powder still falls off.

The colors are much better for fabric. And I am sure with the right amount and playing around for long enough with right solution the amount of different colors from one dye would be beautiful.

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Silk Dyeing in the Medina

If you stand on the roof of any building in the Dyeing quater or the souks you will see bright, vibrant colors of wool, cotton and silk hanging to dry.

It is then spun onto dowls and sold for embroidery, or used for weaving. The dyers bodies are covered in which ever color they are doing that day usually from head to toe. It is a very quick process..and there are vats filled with the dye. I bought a few small quantities of the dye and have been playing around with the colors on paper.

The indigo is stunning.

In Essaouria this weekend I hope to find the authentic Tyrian Purple Dye which was produced and is still produced in the Ile de Mogador, two islands and several tiny islets off the coast. They are going to be off limits because of breeding season for Eleanora's Falcons.

They used to be called the iles Purpuraires because in roman times this is where the royalty would get the special purple dye for their clothing.

There is a whole history lesson about how the dye is cultivated from a mollusk.. I won't bore you with it, but it is fascinating how long this has been in production and how only very few people know how to do it...

Saturday, September 12, 2009

Exploring the Souks

We had a few bottles of wine on our last night in Paris. Woke up very early and made my way to the airport and then onto the plane. Somehow my bag seemed twice as heavy as it was when I left LA, and I didn't buy anything in Paris?! I was not feeling 100% and trying to drag the bag down stairs through the metro was not very fun!
The flight seemed very long... it was 2.5 hours and it was packed!When going through Passport Control I was the only person (american) that had to get a Health Screening. They wanted to know when I left the US and if I had a fever...guess they are taking the flu pretty seriously as no other nationality had to go to through that process.
I landed..Ahmed picked me up and then onto the riad. He dropped me at the outside of the Medina and then my friend with the chariot (wheelbarrow) then took me to the riad. It was exactly as I hoped. Quiet, beautiful and comfortable. It is all around a courtyard. There are three bedrooms each en suite, there is a lounge area with books and magazines to hang out in and read.
There is a kitchen with a little table to sit at...but breakfast is served outside. And then Patricia has a little office..

Patricia. She is a trip. Very eccentric, very talkative, very interesting. She has a story for everything..and has lived many lives and she likes to be the center of attention!! but not in a showy way...I think she is just used to things being that way. She has a beautiful daughter in London and two grandbabies.. She has been here for 9 years or so.. She seems to be a little jaded by the lifestyle now. And what seems exotic might now be more day to day.
She lives here full time which is different than a lot of Riad owners who stay here for a little and then go back to London, Paris,...etc. She Loves being around people..and she has been a great person to talk to. She is very genuine, very strong and very sincere. She has been a great to me.
She is also very willing to share everything with me..her information, her time, and her home.
It is great.

There were two major thunderstorms the first two nights. They were great! I never get them at home..it was soothing to go to bed to the rain and the smell of jasmine.
I walked the souks and have met a lot of people. Everyone has been so nice and welcoming..and not in your face as has been described. I stop and talk to all the merchants and tell them I am here for trois semaine.. three weeks..I think that lets them then just talk and not feel like they have to sell me anything.

I saw the dyemakers..and am going back to see more. I will most likely buy some pigments and play around with those. You can also paint with them. The colors are like nothing I have ever seen.

Going off to see some sights today. The Tombs, and the old school.
It is ramadan so everyone is on their best behavoir. Also the KING is here. I saw him yesterday whihc is a rare treat I am told.