The islamic holiday, sacrifice festival called here Ali Adha was still on going in the date we arrived to Nouman's village. His family and relatives welcomed us, even I'm a stranger from oversea. In this Islamic festival, people kill sheep and spread these meat to relatives and neighbors. I've heard that one small sheep costs $100, and a big one costs over $300.

ノウマンの家に着くと、犠牲祭の連休で遊びに来ていた親族が出迎えてくれた。イスラムの国で犠牲祭は日本でいうとお盆みたいなもの。犠牲祭初日に羊や牛をバラして親切や近所に配る。モロッコでは羊をバラすのが普通で、犠牲祭前には大量の羊が取引される。小羊で1万円くらい、大人の大きなやつは3万以上するらしい。


When I was in Marrakech, it was the first day of this festival. The first day is for killing sheep. In the morning of that day, I was on the terrace of the hotel. I heard a lot of sheep crying everywhere. Then by the noon, the sound of sheep has been stopped. As I walked on a street after, there were many skin of sheep piled up on the street. These skins would use for leather crafts like wallets or bags.

マラケシュにいた時が丁度犠牲祭の初日だったのだけれど、朝宿のテラスに上がるとそこら中で羊が泣いているのが聞こえた。それが昼を境にピタッと聞こえなくなって、夕方にかけて大量の羊の皮が通りに並んでいた。この皮も取引されてバッグや財布に加工される。羊は無駄になる部分がない。


Back to Nouman's home. As we were the guest and it was one of the most important Islamic holiday, there were massive amount of dinner prepared at his home.

話をノウマンの家に戻す。犠牲祭の連休ともあって、豪勢な羊料理が出てくる出てくる。イスラムの国では犠牲祭後はしばらく羊肉を食べ続けるそうだ。普通じゃ絶対に食べられない物ばかり。

The head of a sheep was a bit shocking appearance, but it was very delicious. We ate it very quickly till eyeball and brain all gone because we were the hungry cyclists.

羊の頭なんてすごいグロテスク。でも美味い！みんなすんごいガッツいて数分で骨だけになった。目ん玉から脳みそ、骨以外は全部食べる。


We had more other dishes like a sheep meat stew and sheep meat barbecue etc.. It was more than enough to make all of us very very full.

これ以外にも羊の串焼きや、煮込みなどなど、モロッコで始めて腹がパンパンになるまで食べた。

Nouman and other his friends were all about 30 years old. We were pretty much all the same generation, so it was easy for me to get along with. We had a really fun night.

ノウマンや彼の友人達みんな30才前後。歳が近いから接し易くてとても楽しい一日だった。


In the next day, I was supposed to leave his home. However, they convinced me to have a sheep meat cuscus at the lunch. I stayed. Eventually, I stayed one more night again.

翌日、出発するつもりでいたのだけれど、昼はクスクスだよ～ って誘われ、ズルズル居座り結局もう一泊させてもらう事になった。クスクスも羊クスクス。







His father, he was wheelchair, gave me a tour around the village by his special motor bike. He took me his relatives. I had another cuscus and home-baked bread with Algan sauce.

車椅子のノウマン父ご自慢のバイクで街見物に行き、親戚の家でまたもクスクス。パンの付け合わせはアルガンの実で作ったソース。





Algan plants are only glowing in south of Morocco.
アルガンはモロッコ南部でしか見られない特殊な植物。


The oil from this plant is super expensive. It might cost over $100 for a little amount.

この実から取れるオイルはかなりの高値で取引される。日本だと少量で数万円もするとか。


In that day, we had sheep meat again at the dinner. I had more than 10 sticks. I felt I was ready enough to cross Sahara desert.

またこの日の夜は羊の串焼き。出てくる出てくる。10本くらい食べさせてもらったかな。これでサハラも越えられそうです。


From tomorrow, I will start cycling again. It was really nice meeting with them. Actually, I had started feeling very tired of Moroccan since I had stayed in Marrakech where many annoying people live. However, as I met Nouman, other friends and his family, this experience recovered the image of Moroccan. Thank you Nouman and friends!! I think every country has ass wholes especially in touristic area. Morocco is not exceptional. I should keep it in my mind.

楽しいノウマン宅での滞在も最後。明日からはまた先に進む。マラケシュで長居したから、モロッコ人に対してかなりやさぐれていたけれど、ノウマン達のお陰でモロッコ人のイメージは回復した。やっぱりどの国でも嫌な奴はいる。観光客が多い場所は特にそう。そう理解して進む事にした。ありがとうノウマン！そして友人達よ！