Sept 2015
After a full year's silence I thought it was about time I added to my collection of events and activities that have become part of our crazy life here in Marrakech. This is the year of our 60ths and to mark the occasion we organised for all the girls and our two little darlings to get together in Euro Disney for 5 days. It was brilliant and well worth the money to share so much fun as a family. Just a pity that Dave, Gill's hubby was not able to join us there. We followed that with four days in Paris on our own before heading to England spending three weeks between Liverpool and Sandhurst. We came back to the sun and the heat at the beginning of August only to have to escape to the coast for a week. It is so easy to forget the draining effects of 40+ degree temperatures when you are stuck in a dull wet afternoon in England. Truth is I can barely fit 9 holes of golf in even by going first light because the temperature gets well over 30 as early as 9 o'clock.
Local elections are imminent here and canvassing is in full swing. People often ask me how we fit in here. Well I was walking back from our local coffee shop when I was swamped by a hoard of young electioneers giving out leaflets inviting people to vote for the 'Tractor Party' (The Authentic Democratic Party). Having received quite a handful of flyers the young guys invited me to join them in giving them out to passers by, which I duly did but only after teaching them that well known election slogan borrowed from back home. What a laugh seeing these young men parading through the local streets all chanting "Vote Early, Vote Often".
In total there are some 34 parties here and each has its own memorable icon to help the large numbers of illiterate voters to cast their vote. As well as the Tractor Party, we have the Bumblebee, the Olive Branch, The Horse, the Rose, the Pigeon, the Book, the Scales, the Medicine Bottle and so it goes on. I have to say apart from the mess and litter created with flyers blowing everywhere, the different groups of canvassers are very entertaining, especially when the cross paths in the street. They are all required to wear identifiable bibs, baseball caps or teeshirts with their party's icon on display. I would swear we saw the same group of lads on three consecutive nights giving out different party flyers. I suspect there is a small enterprise selling your labour to distribute leaflets, to pot with which party owns them. Suppose it is no different to the home mailing systems that deliver all the election paraphernalia through post back home.
Anyway all great fun but I doubt I will stay up late to see the count and declarations on the night of the election!
All for now. Will try and write some more soon, at least not waiting a full 12 months until next time.
After a full year's silence I thought it was about time I added to my collection of events and activities that have become part of our crazy life here in Marrakech. This is the year of our 60ths and to mark the occasion we organised for all the girls and our two little darlings to get together in Euro Disney for 5 days. It was brilliant and well worth the money to share so much fun as a family. Just a pity that Dave, Gill's hubby was not able to join us there. We followed that with four days in Paris on our own before heading to England spending three weeks between Liverpool and Sandhurst. We came back to the sun and the heat at the beginning of August only to have to escape to the coast for a week. It is so easy to forget the draining effects of 40+ degree temperatures when you are stuck in a dull wet afternoon in England. Truth is I can barely fit 9 holes of golf in even by going first light because the temperature gets well over 30 as early as 9 o'clock.
Local elections are imminent here and canvassing is in full swing. People often ask me how we fit in here. Well I was walking back from our local coffee shop when I was swamped by a hoard of young electioneers giving out leaflets inviting people to vote for the 'Tractor Party' (The Authentic Democratic Party). Having received quite a handful of flyers the young guys invited me to join them in giving them out to passers by, which I duly did but only after teaching them that well known election slogan borrowed from back home. What a laugh seeing these young men parading through the local streets all chanting "Vote Early, Vote Often".
In total there are some 34 parties here and each has its own memorable icon to help the large numbers of illiterate voters to cast their vote. As well as the Tractor Party, we have the Bumblebee, the Olive Branch, The Horse, the Rose, the Pigeon, the Book, the Scales, the Medicine Bottle and so it goes on. I have to say apart from the mess and litter created with flyers blowing everywhere, the different groups of canvassers are very entertaining, especially when the cross paths in the street. They are all required to wear identifiable bibs, baseball caps or teeshirts with their party's icon on display. I would swear we saw the same group of lads on three consecutive nights giving out different party flyers. I suspect there is a small enterprise selling your labour to distribute leaflets, to pot with which party owns them. Suppose it is no different to the home mailing systems that deliver all the election paraphernalia through post back home.
Anyway all great fun but I doubt I will stay up late to see the count and declarations on the night of the election!
All for now. Will try and write some more soon, at least not waiting a full 12 months until next time.