Be Grateful You Can't Smell This Blog

Many things to be grateful for this time of year . . . including the fact that you can't smell this particular post.

Because if you could, you'd quickly move away (and probably unsubscribe!).

I was in Morocco several months ago. Here are two photos from the medieval town of Fes.

This is a donkey carrying dried leather skins to the local tannery. (Hey, what's that smell?)

Okay now, Full Smell Alert!

[Below] Here we are at the tannery. Here the skins are being dyed in concrete vats. Notice the many different color choices.

Quite a strong aroma.

It's worth the trip -- even if the smell takes a while to leave your nose.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Comments

[michael bells]

I was in Maroc... pre-digital camera days... it's a fascinating place. I was in one town on market day, making friends with some goatsmen [my high school french enabled us to communicate a little] a bit later i was trying to sneak a picture of this very distinguished older gentleman [i think i was using a 135 telephoto] he saw me & came after me with his cane, but my new friends the goatsmen stepped in and protected me and guided him away

[Mr. Zeus]

If a picture is worth a thousand words, how many words does an odor equate to?

This device digitally records a smell using 15 sensors and can then reproduce the odor in the future. Maybe that's the next gizmo to be added to cell phones, "smell mail". Just record a unique smell and send it to your buddies. Talk about scratch and sniff for the next millennium.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/6043428.stm

Keep up the good work Roger, and the thanks for making my Xmas shopping for the relatives easy. Balls of Whacks for all.

[Michael Wagner]

Your post reminded me of a trip to a farm with my insurance selling dad when I was young.

I was shocked at the "bad smell" from the cattle next to the barn and complained bitterly to my father.

I'll never forget his reply. "That's the smell of money."

I wonder if that is what tanners say to their children when they complain of the odor? Or is it something different?

What if we made a list of possible answers meant for a child when they complain, "that smells"?

What would they be?

[Ann Handley]

It might be "That's dinner."

I was in a long-ish line during a busy night at a local Chinese take-out place -- ahead of me was a little girl of about 5 or 6 with her dad. The whole time she was dancing around her Dad, little girl fashion, "Daddy! I'm hungry! Dad! This line is sooo long, isn't it Daddy?" "Daddy, aren't you hungry, too?" "Daddy, it smells good in here!"

Finally it was her turn at the register. As her Dad paid for their order, the little girl could barely contain herself. "Ooh Daddy! It's ready!" "Oh Daddy...I am so hungry, aren't you?!"

And finally: "Oh Daddy! Yummy! It smells so good...what is it?!"

Her Dad's response: "Chinese food."

Little girl. suddenly outraged: "What? Chinese food!!! I *hate* Chinese food!!"