We seem to have gone from summer to autumn with a bang. In the space of a week the days went from being crisp in the mornings but still up to 25 degrees T-Shirt weather midday, to max temps of 13 degrees, constant rain and fog so thick we couldn't see the apartment opposite us. Top of our checklist for next place to live after Thailand was a place with seasons. Well we certainly got what we wanted. There has been talk of snow within the next month or so. There are signs of winter preparation all around. Big piles of coats, woollies, snow boots and wellies are appearing at the weekly travelling souq (market). Even bigger piles of wood are appearing for sale and stacked precariously in and around apartments and homes. Out in the fields beyond the edges of town, onions are being hoarded. Moroccans love onions and use them in everything. They have developed a way of storing tons of them through winter. Once the onions are picked they pile them up in head height rows on long low walls. These they then cover with straw and top with a bright yellow tarpaulin. This way they have enough onions to last the winter. Finally, the biggest clue that winter is on its way is the sight of the kids arriving for school every morning dressed as polar explorers. It has been said many times that Moroccans fear the cold, even the ones born up here where temperatures can reach as low as -27 degrees C. If they dress like that when it is about 10 degrees god knows what they'll produce when it drops to freezing. Maybe they'll revert to the traditional and I'll have a class full of heavily caped mini jedis.
The leaves on the trees are refusing to turn properly but there is some colour about. The leaves won't last long on the trees anyway. The area is known for a vicious wind that comes screaming across the plateau towards us. The school and apartments are the first line of defence against the wind as we are facing the west on the edge of town. We experienced this wind properly for the first time the other day. The roof at the school is halfway through being replaced and there was loose debris being blown everywhere. It was too dangerous for the kids to go outside. Apparently it gets strong enough to blow the smaller kids over. Well, this is variety at least.
Speaking of the roof, that new roof on the residences that the roofers spent the summer disturbing us while fixing, well it leaks. It cost a fortune and according to many, it leaks far worse than it did before they fixed it. In the school lunch room we have buckets and wet patches all over the place. I was working on the computer on Thursday and heard dripping. Looking to the wall on my left I saw that there was water streaming down it towards the electrics. It is moments like these that I am reminded that I am in Africa. With all the Mercedes, Audis and rich students driving around in a posh manicured setting it is possible to forget which continent we're on.
With the change of the weather and the increasingly frequent and warming wafts of wood smoke, we have decided to knock our blocked fire through. Fingers crossed it works and we don't bring the chimney down, but the thought of a real fire each evening while the wind and rain sheets down outside is just too tempting to resist.
We had miserable weather all week, but this weekend was truly glorious. Chilly in the shade but just warming enough in the sun. Perfect hiking weather. Sick of waiting to get in touch with a guide who can show us the area, we got a friend to drive us to an old dried up lake on the outskirts of town to see what we could find. Once there we set off into the forest not really sure where we were going, just happy to be getting some much needed exercise and fresh air. A randomly chosen path turned out to be a popular runners training route. Morocco's only real claim to fame in sporting terms is for long distance running. They take it very seriously and the high altitude and forest tracks around Ifrane make it a popular training spot for professionals and those just hoping to improve. Sunday runners here pass you like a freight train. They power on no matter how hard or uneven the terrain. We walked the 12km track and were passed by many small and large groups of runners. You see them one minute, they are gone the next. They just flew by. The route took us through grand cedar forest that opened regularly into rocky sunlit clearings and often wound round dried up lake beds. As well as the runners we stumbled upon a troupe of wild Barbary apes which took to the trees screeching in alarm. There were so many of them the tree tops seemed to be moving. Nick thought it looked like a mini Ewok village. Further down the track we saw a dung beetle with its perfect ball of muck. It travelled so fast that it had to keep stopping and climbing on top of its ball to check where it was going. No matter what we tried it was near impossible to photograph.
Although this week was another tough week at school, tears seemed to be avoided. The walk, shopping at the souq, and a good night out with friends has made this week much more positive. The big night out took us to a new bar (amazingly one with heat, candles, atmosphere, bearable music, food and alcohol all in one place... genius, who'd have thought) and bowling. I sucked as usual at bowling, but redeemed myself somewhat with a game of pool. Pool is a game I play once every two or three years and also truly suck at. Playing Sarah who was thrashing me and only had one ball and the black to go, I then managed to clear my four remaining balls and the black off the table into my pocket of choice with five consecutive shots. I shall never play pool again for that will never be topped. I still am not quite sure how I did it but it shall be giving me positive feelings to start the week with. That as well as the fact that next weekend is a five day weekend and a two day camel ride in the Sahara should get me through the week.
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