Sunrise, sunset

One our our favorite parts of being here is the sky and hearing the call to prayer as the sun rises and sets. Muslims follow the lunar calendar so they base their prayer times and holidays based in the moon. 

First prayer is just before the sunrise. Midday payer is when the sun is above you when you can’t see your shadow. Afternoon prayer is when your shadow is even with you. Sunset prayer is just before sunset and the final prayer is when it is dark, based on the stars. The shops open and close based on prayer times. In the summer, the most active time for the community is between sunset and final prayer. Everyone is out, shopping and socializing late into the evening. In Azrou, we have our usual stops - places to stop for water bottles or ice cream. Our teaching time at the language school is between afternoon and evening prayer. On our last day we had a little party with the kids. 

We have our meals and outings scheduled by the call to prayer and where the sun is in the sky helps us know what time it is. We are so used to following time on our watches but here we have grown accustomed to time measured by the sun and moon. We have enjoyed that new experience. 

Being in the Middle Atlas Mountains has given us beautiful skies to look at. Naomi has gotten up several mornings to see the sun rise.

In Chefchaouen we had a different view to enjoy the sky.
 In our evenings at Khadiga’s, we often go up to her rooftop terrace to see the sunse when we hear the call to prayer.  We have been grateful for the time to notice and enjoy the skies here in Morocco, especially our Azrou sunsets.