The Uselessness of Ice Cubes

Wikipedia photo

My new refrigerator came with a plastic tray for little teeny ice cubes.  I mean teeny.  You could fill the individual spaces with an eye dropper. I asked a friend to bring some ice cube trays on her visit to Morocco. I shouldn't have bothered.

Ice cubes are useless in drinks when it's 107 degrees. By the time you drop the ice in your water and go from the kitchen to the living room, your cup has already self-combusted.

Here is what to do instead:

1. Reuse your plastic water bottles or wash out and recyle your 2-liter soda bottles.  
2. Fill all of them about 2/3 full with water and toss into the freezer. 
3. When completely frozen, remove and add water on top. 

The frozen bottle of ice lasts much longer than a few measley ice cubes, no matter their size.

Just something I learned here in Marrakech.

4 Ways to Beat the Heat in Marrakech

We are in the middle of our first heat wave of the summer.  It is currently 102.  Tomorrow it's supposed to be 107. The forecast is for 9 straight days of triple-digit weather.  It is just May.  Here are some tips based on my observation of the locals:

1.  Leave town.  Marrakech is inland and unrelentingly hot. Locals find a host of long lost relatives and friends who live somewhere on  the coast (read: near a beach)  to visit during the summer. Don't bother giving your aunt the line about how much you suddenly missed her.  You come every summer.  She's already expecting you.  (If you don't know anyone in places like Tangier or Agadir, you can always rent a house in a tourist town like Essaouria).

2.  Psyche yourself out.  There seems to be a widespread perception that temperatures that reach only up into the 80's are cold.  All breezes are also cold.  Almost everyone is still wrapped in at least 2 layers of clothing during such weather. Their parents start dressing them this way as babies. So don't put away those jackets or winter undershirts yet.

3.  Turn off that a/c or fan.  What happens when you go outside after lounging around  in that artificially-cooled environment?  You sweat buckets from the shock of the sudden change in temperature, that's what.  You will actually sweat less if  allow your body to acclimate itself to the heat. Although I doubt this was on your to-do list of New Year's resolutions (and don't get heatstroke/heat exhaustion while trying this out).

4. If all else fails, you can always put on a movie, relax or take a nap  until the sun goes down.  What else could I recommend but Casablanca?