Daily Living

A couple of days ago we drove out to the small town of Mehdia, where we visited the port, the fish market, and the ruins of Moulay Ismail’s fortress. On the beach, people were playing soccer and paddle ball, swimming, surfing, or boogie boarding. There was a guy who’d brought out a dromedary, loaded it with a handmade saddle and was charging for a picture. Another man was walking a faux zebra (a white mule painted with black stripes) and was charging kids for a ride. A teenager was fishing on the rocks for calamari. Later, he’d sell them to a restaurant in a nearby town. A woman was walking door to door by the beachfront homes, selling rghaif (a type of pancake). On the strand, there were dozens of shops selling everything from escargot to barbecued fish. Unemployment is in the double digits right now but people are resourceful in thinking of ways to make a living.