Dispatch 2: Is good deal, no?

As-salamu alaykum! Labas? Labas. 

I haven't even been here a week but Rabat has already enveloped me in her mystical yet very tangible blend of modern and traditional cultures revealed in the architecture, language and of course - the food.

A rooster roosts atop a fresh veggie shop. More fruits and veggies than you can imagine color the Souk of the medina. 

Every building is a work of art. From my hotel room where I'm staying for the week I can see far across the rooftops into the adjacent city of Sale. Sale and Rabat are separated by a river, not that different from my beloved Twin Cities back in Minnesota. But that's only geographical. The rich cultures deposited by each passing empire, (Romans, Phoenicians, Arab, etc.) have each left a noticeable footprint in many areas.

This morning a couple friends and I walked through the Souk (market) in the old medina and ended up at the river very near to the Atlantic coast. The locals are very friendly and it didn't take long for an older gentlemen by the name of Hamid to engage in friendly conversation with us and offer a tour of the area. What I expected to be a simple directional orientation turned out to be a journey deep into the history and personality of the city. Hamid explained so much, from showing us the original French consulate, to the first hotel in Rabat, to the pirate's fortress (with canons still in place) in the Kasbah, to the Sultan's old palace, to explaining why older street shops are above ground to avoid flooding before there was a drainage system. And so much more.

Later in the day we set out on our first assignment - bargaining. Given a few rudimentary phrases, we were set into the streets to find a local shop (not difficult) and using Arabic, French or limited English, bargain the price of an item down. Different shop keepers have different attitudes, and I'm not great with numbers yet, but it was a success.

I'm healthy and happy.

Peace,
Simeon