dagibbs | Moroccan dining experience and earthquake

Pseudo-randomly picking restaurants, as I drove back to the hotel today I noticed a Morroccan one that was about 2 blocks from the hotel -- easy walking distance. I decided to go there, and I'm glad I did -- it was one of my more interesting dining experiences. All the tables were no more than 18" high (from the floor) with cushions and low couches around them. Little barriers between dinning areas, and the main floor area. The meals were all multi-course, no a la carte, generally 6 course meals or so. And, the interesting thing, was everything was eat with your hands. And, the meal started with the server bringing you a towel and a jug of warm rose water to pour over your hands so you would have washed them first. The service was excellent, and there was even a belly dancer for entertainment part way through the meal. But, not cheap. And while most of the food was good/interesting, the last course (a chicken khebab) was bland and dry, and the baklava was only so-so.

And, to add excitement to the visit, we had an earthquake. When it started, I was thinking it was a really low-flying plane (since I wasn't far from the airport) but then it got louder, and the walls and ground both started to move a lot more than a plane would ever account for. Turns out it was about a 5.6 magnitude with an epicenter about 10 or 11 miles from where I was. I've felt little bitty earthquakes in Ottawa -- not much more than big truck type rumbles -- but this was definitely very different, and far more intense. I'm just glad it wasn't much bigger.