Day 15, or 16, or ??

It's been an almost surreal 12 hours, as we finally arrived in Foum-Zguid - Boumy's town - "BoomTown" far off the paved road and anything we've experienced so far. We sat on the roof - the coolest place in the house and were served first tea, coffee, cookies and pastries, then a full meal, complete with salad, chicken, goat, bread, etc., all so flavorful. Imagine the most tender, juicy meat - that was the goat. Boumy was so excited to be here amongst his family - his mom is in her 70s and dad is 93, and they both still climbed the stairs to the roof with ease. Boumy was glowing as we stepped out of the cars and he kissed his mother's head - a sign of ultimate respect given to an elder. Cousins, siblings, nieces, nephews and friends surrounded the two as we were warmly welcomed and led upstairs to our feast. It is a cement block building, with one bathroom, a kitchen, large living room, large open dirt floor room where much of the cleaning of dishes, etc., is done, along with a couple of bedrooms down below and the roof terrace. This morning a few of us women (the men had to sleep in another house on the roof) got up early to help make the bread for breakfast. Imagine me crouched on a tile floor, sweat pouring from my forehead as I burn my finger prints off and unknowingly flip hot oil on the women seated near me. The dough was made fresh this morning, kneaded over and over - great job Ellie! - then patted into squared and fried in olive oil. Let's just say I gave the women a good laugh and a bit of a sting as I tried to master the art of flipping hot dough with my hands. They finally gave me a spoon. ;) We're here for two more nights, and will soon be seeing local schools with Boumy's nephew and brother who are both educators. I only hope I get to help the women do more work today!

Jersey Bill's addendum

James and Brian!

Hi Boys I hope yo are well. I miss you like crazy, crazy, crazy. LAst
night we watched that wolrd cup final soccer game that took place in S
Africa. It was so much fun here is what is going on now...

It is onward today! Destination? Foum Zguid. This isa is small
community. A village of an economy based on medicinal cures, salves.
Witch doctor like?maybe. Many pharmaceutical companies send
representatives here to study their methods, often under disguise! And
then? they take it back to the States, Canada, replicate, package,
shelve, and sell it---- making a handsome killing. Beleive it or not,
Viagra is one such possible drug that was taken from here in the most
recent years.

I will be staying with a village family. Taking on the
responsibilities of the male village members. there are talks of
slaugtering a goat, building part of a "Loh" architectural style home.
We will see how this story of Morocco continues to evolve...