Two Weeks in Tangier.

 I have lived in this Tangier for two weeks, this is my cicada song to its white walls.

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Let's return to the take off point. June 27th 2025. It's an early morning flight.

I am traveling with my mother and see last visited Morocco last in 2011. 

 

The Anthill of the Lagoon or The Silent Civilization

 About two weeks ago it was World Biodiversity Day and the Lekki Bird Society organized a bird watch 

expedition to the airy heights of the University of Lagos. The opportunity to soar off was perfect.

My 16 years in this city were closing and that meant this would likely be my last bird watch trip, a great change would be coming. I had to reach out to the skies.

Norwichment

 I landed in Norwich exactly a week ago via a National Express couch that took my behind into England's frontline against Germany.

It my first time in these parts and...well the accents are proper English and the cross of St George's less celebrated. 

 With the Ramadan spirit around me I can only offer you the the food of mankind.

The Return of the Caravel

 I woke up this morning not knowing where I was. I can see a bridge outside a large glass plane. But it told of no place, no where. My destination had been erased from my mind. Casablanca? Tangier? 

I laugh, laughed very hard when I realized I had returned from my journey and was look outside the airport window.

Days of Heaven

We approach the crown of Ouikandem's peaks the Domes of Heaven.

Ouidakem - I came for the stars.

We pray and wish and despair but Time has its own schedule. 

I have read about the renaissance of Arab astronomy for over 10 years. Now those years have focused into a single moment, this one.

Since the formation of the Arab Astronomical society over 7 years Marrakesh has been its HQ. 

Yesterday I was fortuned to be meet Professor Zouhair Ben Khaldoun the society's president and founder. He has very kindly let me lodge at the world famous Oukaïmeden observatory...new worlds became famous here. 

In 2016 the Oukaimeden observatory co-discovered the Trappist 1 a system of 7 exoplanets in Aquarius. 

''There is a truck taking some equipment to the observatory tomorrow." Prof Zouhair words were the music of the ears. So I leave for Ouikadem from a garage on the outskirts of Marakessh.  My driver is an Amazigh man in his early 30's. Hassan. He's wears a baseball cap and hits the road.

The horizon is rugged, we seem on a collision course with a lions mouth.

Marakessh have more Moroccan flags a first time visitor would think this was still living in Almoravid times when Marakessh was Morocco's capital. 

I start to see a grove of trees on my left.

"Ici c'est les jardin?'' 

'''La ziyat'' .....Menara's...le Jardin de olives. So neatly spaced they look like a flank of Oliver Twists asking for more aperture's attention. We give each other a solid Attention!

Getting ready for the Presidential summit

Once I return from the Medina I spread out my clothes ready for tomorrow's snowy peaks.

I look from the top of the Riad and see this drama next to old buildings that were demolished after the earthquake. 

"'Leave that which does not concern you." The Prophet Muhmmed SAW

"I don't love man less but nature more." Alexander Pope

Orion, the Pleiades and Jupiter are bright and titillating they are here to usher me on to the climax of my journey....