The visit of the Rabat government to Ahfir and its surroundings coincides, ironically, with the “Ahfir government” traveling to Rabat and its nearby areas.

 

After the King’s official passage through Ahfir on Friday, he returned on Saturday and Sunday unofficially. As some locals expected, his trip to Saïdia usually happens before the afternoon, and his return to Oujda is around 6 p.m.

 

The car he used on Saturday was different from the one on Sunday. The Sunday car looks like a Mercedes… but it isn’t. It’s also worth noting that two young women from Ahfir took advantage of the King’s return from Saïdia to Oujda: after greeting him, they showed him a letter. He greeted them back and instructed the car behind him to take the letter.

 

Customers of the cafés in the Zitoune area now know the approximate times of the King’s passage: Café Aâkacha, Café Al Jazira, and Café L’Escal. The latter is known as the meeting place of “successful candidates,” because — as locals say — “the poor don’t sit there,” with the cheapest coffee costing 5 dirhams. I had a coffee there this morning and was surprised to see Bentafrit still convinced that his team hasn’t lost yet and that a comeback is still possible.

 

As for Jouber’s team, they didn’t only enjoy the plane trip to Casablanca, but also visited some of the city’s most upscale places. Someone met them there, had dinner with them, and when asked how they were doing, he simply replied:

“Just like a carnival in the village.”

 

Amar Jalloul, 2012