Abdul, our guide for today, was not only born and raised in Chefchaouen, his ancestors arrived here 650 years ago, before the town was established and got a city wall for protection! He is a very proud Arab, who is knowledgeable about customs and traditions, about religion and society. For example, we didn’t know (a) why women always walk behind their husbands and (b) in what case a man can marry a second wife. And (c) why a man can have multiple wives and not the other way around. And (d) why a traditional Riad has 3 doors. And by the way doors, we learned (e) why the doors to a private residence is always very low. A door to a public building is way higher (kind of normal size) and the doors to a building of an important person is even taller; the more important, the taller the doors!
We saw many new businesses, bought another piece for our house – blue, why not? – and had an interesting lunch at a restaurant on the third floor of a house. Kind of hidden. Only local people ate there what looked like somebody’s living room. We had delicious Moroccan soup, an eggplant & pumpkin appetizer, chicken Kebap (delicious) and what was called beef leg with chick peas. The chickpeas were delicious! The beef leg was – how can I describe it in a nice way – made of 2 slices of a cows leg, only bones in the middle and skin on the outside and a glibberish wobbly substance in-between. There was no meat at all, only glibber! Not the big hit! But the Moroccan mint tea and the avocado juice were tasty. And the price was ridiculously inexpensive again: $12
We saw a bunch of instagram addicts, selfie gurus and wannabe celebrities! And cats, of course. They seem to be comfortable anywhere…
(a) if a woman would walk in front of her husband, he would be distracted by her appearance. That’s the same reason why women never pray in the same room as men. By bending down and being on all fourth and touching the forehead on the ground, it would be too distracting 🧐 (b) if she cannot bear any children he is allowed to take a second wife who is able to do so. (c) If a man has several wives, all the children born are his sons and daughters. If a woman has multiple husbands, it is never clear who the actual father is. (d) The entrance door to the alley /street = 1st door. Behind this 1st door is the space for the animals, donkeys, carriages, etc. Behind the next door = 2nd door, there are the guest quarters, with a kitchen and bathroom. The windows of those always face the street / alley and never the inside courtyard. Behind the 3rd door is the area where women can be without head coverings; they can move freely there and nobody will see them ever! Once they get married, they are transported from their parents house to the husbands house in a wooden box! So nobody outside can see them 😵💫
(e) If you walk through a door that is not high enough, you automatically bend your head. This is not only to avoid bruises, but also a sign of respect! 🤨
