A quiet Friday, after a Thursday where I launched myself into the bustling city to see the sights. I can report back that I spotted no tourists here. About 200,000 come each year to the country, and mostly from Tunisia. Vancouver receives about that many every week or two. I read that the government plans to develop its tourism potential by 2010, but alas that year has come and gone. It seems that the younger generation would like change, while the older generation would like peace and security.
Dinner soon. A small group tonight. We have had fairly esteemed people here, and more to come, and due to the wonderful system here we all come together to do the dishes after each meal. I went out for a walk in this area, which is full of embassy buildings. I google map a bit before, and see a few buildings with Chinese names. Someone joked at breakfast that perhaps the Grand Mosque (which "the Chinese" are building) might take the form of a pagoda when they're done, who knows. The air is very nice at dusk, and around one corner I do smell jasmine. There are lots of tall walls. And every nation has their own kind of barbed wire.
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News flash at dinner: a Norwegian cruise ship came into the harbour today. Père G says this was the first time he's ever heard of one here, though Google tells me this is number 3. I take that there *has* been progress on tourism. The police presence on the streets either equalled or outnumbered the passengers. The boat fed them through the Casbah on its most inactive day, which is a pity. I imagine that many might have wanted to experience the area in its everyday, authentic spirit. But perhaps what we have here is a demonstration of both change and security.
The weather has turned, quite dramatically. Very high winds at the moment, causing even a car alarm to go off.
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