Time and bread

"What time is it?" is a more complicated question than just a watch check. They figure it relative to Greenwich Mean Time +1 or GMT exact. So in April (formerly March) the clocks switch to GMT+1 for daylight saving time except for Ramadan when they go back to GMT so there's is less time for getting off work until sunset. So when Ramadan ends (not clear exactly what day that is) we will switch back to GMT+1 until September when it is GMT again. Basically the clock does not matter because life is governed by the calls from the minaret,  dawn, sunrise, noon, afternoon 4-ish, sunset, evening. Given all that, the Moroccan people are very prompt for meetings and appointments, but not insane. Everyone is very prompt for food, anytime.

The first night here I was told not to every throw out any bread or anything made of flour. It has not been a problem since there is very little left on my plate even to wash off. But if you have a crust or bite left it goes in a special plastic bag. Compost? Holy somehow? The answer is that the poor of the city used to often paw through the garbage cans, looking for food and generally making a mess. So they collect all the bread and put it in a separate bag next to the garbage cans so the poor can pick it up easily and not go through the trash.

Today was a holiday - the anniversary of the day some previous Spanish group was reunited wiht Morocco, but there are a lots of people who are not happy with  it yet so we drove by a "demonstration" that consisted of 20 or so guys sleeping in the shade by the state building. They called it a "respectful" demonstration and saud there had been no problems. Occupy Shade.

Tomorrow we start work.