Author: Marty Luster

THE OLD FOLKS NOVICE ACOUSTIC JAM is looking for

After more than two years of weekly jam sessions, this collection of aging amateur acoustic musician wannabes is reaching out to others who are similarly situated. Join us at 7PM on Wednesdays at Cape Ann Giclee , 20 Maplewood Ave., Gloucester. We are laid back (or, perhaps, unconscious), non-judgmental, folks who simply like to sing and play acoustic instruments and learn from each other as we select songs to play from an eclectic and large repertoire of compositions of previously recognizable tunes. Our tastes range from The Carter Family to Woody Guthrie to Levon Helm to The Beetles and The Grateful Dead.Join us as we take the best of these artists and turn their work into sometimes barely recognizable mutations, having a great deal of fun in the process.

For more info:

Marty <mabl64@comcast.net>

James<james@capeanngiclee.com>

Gloucester firefighter fixes halyard on flag pole at Kent Circle.

For earlier installments :

Part 1: https://youtu.be/jgqRU4nbfZE

Part 2: https://youtu.be/5ap3pq5f3iw

Here is the final Morocco video.

The second of three videos of our recent  tour of Morocco.

This is a little longer than usual, but there is much material, including our exciting two days in the Sahara tent camp.

This is the first of 3 videos of our recent 2 week visit to Morocco through Overseas Adventure Travel.

We wanted to immerse ourselves deeply in a Muslim culture, in a place that was safe and where foreigners are welcome. We found Morocco to be just that.  The people are warm and friendly (except, perhaps, the guy in a Marrakech square who insisted on draping live snakes around our necks) and the culture is deep, interesting and open.

Although a monarchy, the everyday Moroccans we spoke with had enormous pride in their country, which under the current King, Mohammed VI, has seen dramatic advances in education, health care, gender equality and public improvements.The second-ever parliamentary elections were recently held and although Parliament’s role is more advisory than final, Moroccans are proud of this event.

Depending on location, French, Arabic and Berber are the usual languages and often all three can be heard simultaneously. The population is nearly entirely Muslim and practice an Islam which emphasizes peace, non-violence and respect.  The population rejects fundamentalist “islamic ” extremists and declares that those movements have nothing to do with Islam, but are driven by political factors and greed.

Muslims in Morocco recognize and embrace Christians and Jews as brothers and sisters, having common roots in the Abrahamic belief of one God. We heard more than one Moroccan declare that he “believes” in all three religions.  Even practitioners of polytheistic religions such as Hinduism are respected.

All in all, it was a busy and eye-opening two weeks. I hope that these videos give you a taste of our experience.

Pottery souk, Marrakech medina.

Tomorrow we are off to Casablanca for a quick visit, then home .

Marrakesh medina.

In the High Atlas Mountains, on the road from Ouarzazate to Marrakesh.

Muslim wedding ceremony performed by a local imam in Kelaat Megouna, Morocco.