Heart Stopper!
A few weeks ago I got up to make a cuppa at about 7am (in the UK, not in Fez) and thought I'd check my emails as the computer was still on. Before anyone berates me for wasting electricity, it's a laptop with a sleep mode that uses no power but will instantly spring into life at the touch of a key.
Among the usual offers to enlarge parts of my anatomy and meet willing Russian and Thai ladies, was one from my friend Alami in Fez. The email was titled 'Big problem in your dar'. At the time our friend Pippa was staying there (one of the only people to make use of our house since it's completion) so, intrigued as to what the big problem was, I read on as the kettle boiled.
When we were having the house renovated we decided to have a gas fired water heater mounted outside on the terrace. This seemed a logical option as it was economical and would be sufficient for the hot water requirements of a small house. One worry was the possibility of a gas explosion, although we also have a gas cooker in the kitchen, as do most Moroccan houses.
Our gas bottles sat out the summer of 2007 in the full sun with no problems, and provided steaming hot water during winter visits to the house. We also had a bamboo cover made for the heater to improve the aesthetics.
So, the email started 'I dont knoe where to start, the gaz has explode'.
The first thing I imagined was the top floor of Dar Mystere atomised, smouldering and scattered around our part of the Tarayana area of the Medina. Pippa would be in hospital. Needless t say my early morning cup of tea was less enjoyable than I had hoped. It is pretty rare for one of the gas cylinders to go off, but not unheard of, and the devastation they can wreak is enormous.
I had been trying to work out why Skype wasn't working on my computer for a couple of weeks. I found I was able to get it sorted out quite quickly all of a sudden.
When I finally got through to Alami my first question was is anybody hurt. There was nobody and it turned out there was relatively little damage compared to what I had imagined. The gas had not exploded as such, but the heater had malfunctioned, setting fire to the bamboo cover (probably not a good idea in the first place). The heater was knackered, the wall was scorched, and part of the plastic on the halqa cover was melted so the cover will not work until a repair is effected.
The charred and knackered gas water heater.
The melted halqa cover.
The melted halqa cover - another view.We figured it was time to change to an electric heater. So now there's a nice, big, safe, white cylinder in the kitchen/utility room on the terrace above the washing machine - which just seems to make so much sense.
Not the most interesting image you've ever seen on blog I reckon.
This picture will give you an idea of what I was imagining when I first read the email. This is actually a house on the corner of Rue de la Poste close to the post office on Place Batha that seems to have collapsed.
6 comments:
Good to know that no serious damage had occured and no one was seriously hurt.
Regarding the last image, it tells a bit about the shape of some habitation, after all, some are about hundreds of years I understood, does that mean few dars/riads could have the same fate?
First I would like to say that I found your blog while browsing, by chance. I find your initiative pretty bold to have decided to purchase a house in unchartered territory, a courageous move especially when having children- that said it's just my view.
Now, I'm wondering after those years if you will do it again, meaning that has the passion gone away or on the contrary knowing better the country and the people there, you will tend to think that living in morocco could be a better option than the UK? I believe you made the move because accomodation were cheaper than Spain, was it? which is not the case any more as price have soared to record in the year or so.
Now, I have seen other blogs written by people that bought/renovated such dars/riads, coud they really live on renting, and if tourism falters, could they work there? i just try to figure out if it make sense to take such risks or is there any risks?
Lots of questions, but related to praticallity and wondering how some foreigners could handle day to day life after a long period...actually the same type of hquestions aroused to me for some expatriate that went to Britanny in France, althoug accomodation at the time could be cheap but in the long term, it's a new way of life not anymore a long holiday.
Otherwise you have done a very good job of renovation, after all, you all are rescuying treasure of the past that if not taken care would have gone into ruins as local seems not to estimate or appreciate those values or do not have the mean to such thing...
Very interesting comment, our intentions were partly for investment (as property ventures usually are, aside from accommodation), and partly adventure, to have another focus away from our lives and jobs in the UK.
Hi Michael and jo,
Thanks for your answer, the adventure you are doing somehow remind of the book I really liked that describe a group of Oxford Student that goes to Morocco, in an unknown territory but experience a great adventure (The book is "Berber Village" by BRYAN CLARKE). I believe Churchill has been living there, and wrote few decades ago "Morocco was to me a revelation", maybe it for you too? Somehow it seems that Brits have shared with moroccan some honest, respectful time together.
Regarding investment, time is a bit more difficult as it was in the past 5 years. So I expect a bit more turbulence in the next 1-5 years mainly due to the financial crisis, world wide inflation and a peak of the business and housing cycle. That being said, it can only be healthy for the moroccan economie and housing market that has not this "Irrational exuberance" since it could hurt in the medium term tourism and will fail to attract more money in key industry such as housing where thousands could not see any more employment - that could be a blow for the talented "artisan" or "artist" that you are describing in your blog...
By the way, that house didn't collapse. It is being demolished to build a new structure.
Thanks for that information Anonymous, I was under the impression that the building had collapsed as I saw workers rebuilding some of the end wall. Do you know why it is being demolished, perhaps it's structurally unsound?
It will be interesting to know what is now your feeling of owning a Dar in Fes.
I suppose lots of event happened in the meantime. The credit crisis that started in the US. UK housing being on free fall recently and possibility to have the economy heading for a hard landing.
Would you recommend people to buy in fes as an investment? knowing that price are now almost at the level of continental Europe.
I suppose you know as well lots of people/expat living there, are they planning to leave and sell since maybe price seem to have peaked or looks toppy? It will nice to hear that.
What do you think of owning a property but living far away from it. Isn't then better to rent whenever you go there?
Price of fuel have shoot up and seem to stay at this level due structural change in the global demand. It will mean that transportation, by plane won't be as cheap as it used to be. could that be a stopper?
*I will really appreciate to have some answer from you. You don't have to. In fact i'm planning to go to Morocco in about 4 years and i'm doing some research on which place are the best and type of housing too.
Here is my email: unpassant@live.com
You can remove the part of the message starting from (*) if you want to answer through you blog.
My best regards,
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