Our Wild Thing!
Hi Finn,
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And so we move on to another new year, our third..or is it fourth in Fez…who’s counting!
This one however is important as it’s when you discovered the wonders of Papa Noel, and boy has he made a splash in your life! Of course it all started with us putting up a new Xmas tree in the house. This is the first we’ve celebrated here and we made the most of the opportunity to get festive…a bit anyway. I have to say that your mum makes a very festive household, infact she makes a very good nest full stop. It’s nice, something I’m not so sure I’d be as good at on my own.
Finn and Beccie putting up our xmas Tree.
We’ve certainly made ourselves at home now and it’s great to see you and us having friends to stay. Here’s you with Sammy and kenza, your besty Mates in Fez..well they’re besty mates along with your other besty mates, James and Lulu, Franchesca, Myriam and …., infact you’ve gotten yourself quite a crowd!
Finley and Friends, Sammy and Kenza.
On a personal note I’ve noticed you’re developing quite a special dancing style. Now I don’t know how to say this but there are times you move and look a bit like a young Shaun Ryder. Now don’t get me wrong, the looking bit is only a resemblance and let’s hope it stays at that, but none the less, Move On Finley!
Obviously New Years are times of reflection and when I think back at the year we’ve had, we’ve certainly moved on to far better places. The hotel might not be finished YET, but we are all better with each other and how/where we are going. There’s been some very rough riding and for large parts of it, I’m sure we’re glad it’s behind us, but as I look forward to a new year, I’m hoping that we’ll finally get to finish the hotel, maybe finally get you the brother/sister you also keep talking about and maybe even get to start the tours and Xaouen.
Another wild thing.
We’ll see. There are so many variables here in Fez and despite the desperate need for employment, the authorities fail to appreciate the role they play in facilitating the development of the tourism sector..or not. When we speak to people who have done something similar to us in Marrakesh, they are amazed at the obstacles we face. Of course corruption, but also shere obstinacy to broaden the sector. There are people here who would rather limit the sector to themselves and as such block developments from others. Silly!
Around Fez.
Xmas brings lots of fun for all of us and that included the annual knees up at jens. Oh yes lots of fun for all and as ever outstanding musicians. Of course jen had a great time, well it is her party, but so too did we…you’ve got to love a good party.
Oops and here's another wild thing!
One of the things that we constantly remark on is the foreign community here. It’s great to be surrounded by so many really friendly people. There’s a rather bizarre split between the Franco and Anglophone communities, but within the Anglophone community I’d say there’s a lot of dynamism, support and solidarity, as well as a significant degree of exciting initiative taking.
Let’s see how this develops this year!
Outside Fez.
Because it’s been such a mild winter we’ve spent a lot more time on Zalagh which has been a sheer joy. For me this is very much with an eye to starting the “tours” and increasingly I’ve been focussing on leaving the car behind and just walking. I can truly say that each and every time I’ve been up there it’s been another pleasure to find yet more beauty.
Beautiful Zalagh in Spring.
I’m now developing walks across the mountains that will I hope bring pleasure to many! As with so much here tho, I find myself unable to really develop this fully until we have finished the hotel. Perhaps I’m just “typically male” and thus struggle multi tasking, but frequently Dar Finn takes up so much time with workers, supplies, neighbours, decisions etc, that the development of things on zalagh is left behind. It’s another reason to get the hotel finished and to spend so much more time up there.
An Olive Press on Zalagh
Beccie also had good reason to go up to zalagh as she was developing some work for a TV program on the travel channel. Thus we looked up a number of foodie type things which included visiting a donkey driven olive oil press and going to stay with a family to see how couscous was made.
Couscous On Zalagh...but at what price?
It should be said that both were a pleasure, tho I think that the ever present troubles that surround money issues, somewhat soured things for Beccie. And this is of curse part of the challenge of working here…MONEY and TRUST. For some reason here everyone feels that you are out to do them out of something. There s no trust here and as such everyone also feels it obligatory that they get to cheat on you first.
It really sours so much and of course there’s no way to improve this until you have managed to build some level of trust, until then it’s horrible and so prone to angry outbursts based purely on the premis that one or other person is intent on putting one over the other..and that s simply boring!
Tazi…or should we say Dar Finn!
As has been parr for the course Dar Finn moves at a snails pace, but we are moving at least. We’ve now finished taking down the ruin which I thought would have meant a quick throwing up of the concrete structure that will be the garden, kitchen and balconies………….
Of course I was wrong. Now again there are many reasons for this. We had to wait for our new masons to arrive, and of course the day they were supposed to start, they didn’t! Then we discovered that our engineer is a total twit and he’s over designed the area and refuses to reconsider..”who’s the engineer here” he’d say, to which I only wanted to reply…”um, good question, don’t think there is one!”
Anyway apart from failing to even come and see the site before designing the plans, he’s now intent on putting up a sub structure that would be more suitable to a block of flats than a small garden.
Right wots goin on 'ere then..Bex in Ruins!
Nonetheless we plod on and have now begun to dig up the former under the ruin to see what we have…which is of course the oued…which complicates things even further, so we now have to dig further and create a new level upon which to place the new floor.
This should be easy, but of course it isn’t. We have had massive antics from Fatima a loonie neighbour whose son started throwing bricks at our workers because 10.00 was too early for his muddled pot head to manage hearing work happening next door. This was followed a week later by Fatima herself throwing a fit and kicking down our back door.
And yet more wild things...Door broken by neighbourly Fatima.
Not to be out done Shameless are up to their old antics and have come over and smashed the glass bricks we’ve put in and another set of neighbours, over two houses away have made a complaint to the Caid, that a wall that we’ve put up, at the request of closer neighbours (to prevent guests loking down on to them) blocks their view of Fez. Of course they have a spectacular view of Fez, tho they never go up to the terrace to see it. We exlained to the Caid that to take this down for them will cause complaints from other neighbours. He agreed and told us to take it down anyway!
And she's not alone..Shameless attack again!
Madness, but all in a chantier. If we succeed I hope you appreciate it all. If we succeed, hope we appreciate it all!!!!!!
Added to this has been our completing some of the carpentry repairs and the downstairs doors look great. We’re still working with Absalam who did a great job restoring the doors and has given us a carpenter who will work in the house until we finish.
Absalam on the doors in Dar Finn.
Excellent!
Family, Friends And Things That Have Nothing To Do With Fez.
Of course the main thing though is Xmas and unlike last year when we tried to stay and push through, this year we went off home for the festive season. Good call, tho we were lucky to get there as all airports bar one were closed due to the snow. This was your first experience of snow and I think it made a great impression.
Whose the snow monster now?
There’s nothing like a huge fall of snow to bring out the child in us all. Grandad found a sledge he’d had either as a kid himself or for mummy and you all managed to put it to great use.
The Longdon Green Junior Sledging Team..Olympics?
You certainly got in to the swing of what to do both with the snow and with the presents. It’s a funny thing this with you and toys/games. I’ve never even heard of Ben 10, but that’s all you wanted and despite having never seemingly seen anything more violent than Tom and Jerry at home, some how you are completely au fait with all things, shooting, cutting, killing and powing!
Ahh, that'll be Papa Noel's Visit then!
Must be an inherently boy thing……you certainly are 100% boy! Although I’m not too sure that your mum wouldn’t be too unhappy if you happened to be slightly more girly, she certainly tries to bring out your feminine side….and it must be said, you look good in tights!
Don't worry Finn, lots of boys go through this!
You made many other new discoveries, one of which was that there are other super heroes than Spiderman and thus a new outfit of Power Ranger had us all assuming the position!
Looks pretty wild here!
Of course Papa Noel isn’t just for you youngsters, us adults managed to get the odd present too. I was more than happy to get some after shave, dvds and cds, and of course QPR were top of the league (but I’ll wait before I impose that on you!!!) whilst your Papa Noel did very well in getting mummy the exact boots that she wanted….we were all impressed with that.
Santa gets 10/10 from Mummy.
And finally we got to spend some more time with your cousins which is always a joy. Uncle Tim and aunty Michelle showed off their wonderful new Pizza Oven…which gave us all ideas for the future in Fez....
Ahh, yes, there's Wild Things everywhere!
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