前途: A Year in Morocco

17:31 p.m. It’s hot. 108’F currently (42’C). This reminds me of when I was in Cordoba in July 2005 and the temp was a whopping 48’C, or 118’F. My office is coming in at about 81’F, and I feel sorry for my poor computer working away dutifully in this heat.

Here are the heat-escaping strategies I have been considering:

1. Going to the beach. Not too far away, but probably crowded with lots of males and would not be so fun by myself. Not to mention the grand taxi ride out there would be miserable.

2. Staying inside. It’s a good 20 degrees cooler, and I have everything shut and shaded. This seems like the best option, especially since I don’t feel compelled to maintain modest attire inside my own home.

3. Finding somewhere with a pool. I know of a hotel in Rabat with a terribly expensive drink menu and a nice pool, and I probably should’ve gone there earlier in the day. Not much point in going now. Requires some planning/packing.

4. Going to Marjane, which is basically a Wal Mart equivalent. The grocery store was pretty cool (although some of the veggies were rotting today), but there wasn’t a reason to hang around. Marjane’s a lot bigger, and I suspect I could waste a few hours there, which would ideally culminate in the purchase of a moka pot so I can make iced coffee.

Anyway, I am intending to make coke chicken tonight for dinner, and I picked up a bottle of Emirate-produced ketchup for it. Its origin intrigued me, because ketchup in Morocco can be, as my friend put it, “wonky,” and never tastes quite like Heinz and home. I never dreamed that I’d miss ketchup so much…

Edit: The Emirati ketchup is pretty damn good. Between that and the fact that coke here uses real sugar instead of high-fructose corn syrup, plus the boss fresh onions I topped my chicken with, my kitchen smells amazing.