Rabat - Day 128

Date: December 24th, 2009
Distance: None
Country: Morocco
Song of the Day: Circle of Steel - Gordon Lightfoot

Christmas eve is here, it just doesn't seem like it. It is strange, but I do kind of miss the things I hate back home. Gaudy decorations on every streetlight. Christmas music being played incessantly from all public speakers. Rushing around for last minute shopping. More though, I miss the Christmas cookies my mom or my sister make. The lights my dad puts up every year. The decorations that are older than I am. The cool winter air. The bizarre tradition of bringing a tree into the house to decorate, string cheap electric lights on, dry and become an ever increasing fire hazard.

Instead of rushing around for gifts the PCV (Peace Corps Volunteers) and I headed to a museum of antiquities. They had a number of Roman artifacts there from all over the country. It is pretty impressive to see how far that empire spread. So far, I can think of only one country I have been to that they didn't reach (Iceland).

After that we all headed off to do our own thing. I went to get myself a little gift. I needed to get a new watch to replace the one I busted. I did find something that would work. Not as cool as the one I got in China, but hopefully it will last. Plus it was only 30 Dirhams. I didn't even bargain with the guy. That is less than $5 bucks. So if it craps out in a couple of months, no big deal.

We all met up again and headed over to T.G.I Fridays (tm). Yeah, I know pretty cheesy. Then again all the guys I am hanging out with have been in country for 10 months. The same country. I have only been out 4 months and moving around. So I really haven't had time to get bored of the local food. These guys have. So I can understand their desire for a big greasy American burger. Plus I could go for one myself. Some of us did have to adjust our order because they were out of bacon. Still the food was good and they had free refills of soda. So we left quite full.

That did mean a slow waddle back to the center of town for the Christmas Eve mass at the Cathedral. We got there right on time, but there weren't any good seats left. So we had to settle for a stone pew along the side. The service was great, but also in French. I was quite happy that I recognized the words to a couple of the songs. It was a good way to cap of the evening.

-Dravis