Merry Christmas!

For years my lovely Mom has "strongly urged" (never guilted) ;) my brother and I to have a picture with Santa. At 18 years old, this is the first time since I was born I have not had a picture with Santa. However, I still managed to get in there this year:




My brother Jake and Santa (and me, kinda). Ho ho ho!

Even here there is Christmas spirit. We have a meter tall fake Christmas tree with ornaments and lights. And I have a Santa hat! And bobble lights to put around me :D. It's nice to have some of that homey feeling here.

I won't have wifi again for awhile so I want to wish my family and friends and followers a joyful, peaceful Christmas!

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Going, Going, Gone

Well, Morocco, it has been fun. Alas, our time has come to an end. Time to leave Morocco!

We are going a different way than originally planned because of trouble spots (i.e. tourists getting kidnapped and killed). And, of course, we all want to stay safe.

I was instructed that I actually can't say specifics on my blog because of how dangerous the places are. There are people who can't know where we are and the Internet is an open space. Once we pass through all the really bad places, I'll post more details.

To stay as safe as possible, we will have non-stop drive days until we get to somewhere safe for the night. We will also have to be very careful with water and wood. Everyone of us will have to be on top of things.

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Casablanca

...is a whole lot of nothing. There is a big mosque, the 3rd largest in the world. That is all.

I found "Rick's Cafe" which was an overpriced name-sake of the gin-joint from the movie. I did not go in, just looked outside. It didn't resemble the movie version at all and was rather worn down, just like the rest of Casablanca. Most buildings were half-built and everything was rather bleary.





I was expecting it to have more charm, like the rest of Morocco, but awhile ago they had a large earthquake and rebuilt everything as quick as they could. This resulted in no character in the town.

It was a bit of a let down.

But they do have a lovely view of the sea.



Hassan II mosque and Atlantic Ocean

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Essaouira

I am in Essaouira now. Like I wanted it is a much calmer place. It is a sea side town with little shops. Starting from our camp site, it is a 30 minute walk along the beach into town. Then a fish market and little roads with shops, cafes, and restaurants.















The fish markets serve freshly made meals right from the sea. Being the fish lover that I am (blech!) I had a baked potato with chili. Very Moroccan.

I am on my way to Casablanca. Here's looking at you kid!


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Marrakech Markets

Marrakech is a bustling place with so much to do and see. Just look at all the amazing colors...








Fresh squeezed orange juice, just 4 durhams (40 cents)!


The motor bikes and cars ride through the streets and markets fast with little regard to the people around them. Vendors squawk and people follow others around trying to sell trinkets. Donkeys and horses pulling carts are led through tiny passage ways that they could never fit through- and somehow they manage and you must get out of their way.












It's all rather hectic and good fun. But I think I'm ready to go somewhere a little less crowded.

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Master Chef: Marrakech Style

My first whole day in Marrakech, I took a cooking class.

We started out shopping in the local markets. We needed veggies, spices, fish, bread and various other ingredients.















After the shopping, it was time to get cooking! The kitchen was a big open space with palm tree fronds for the roof.





We cooked for hours.





















After slicing, dicing, chopping, folding, mixing, stirring, and mashing, we went up to the top of the building to eat.





And the finished product :



And our group plus the cooking instructor:


(from left to right: Charlene, Nancy, Steve, Michael, Jaquie, Gemma (the instructor), Jenny, and me)

Bon Apetit!
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I Am So Loving This

Really, this is so wonderful. I am having the time of my life =D

We made it to Marrakech today and are going to explore the town tomorrow.


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Crazzzzzzzzzzyyyyy

December 4th, 2011

This is day 18 of travel for me. There is nothing significant in the number but this morning, as I woke up in -2 degree weather in the Atlas mountains, I realized I haven't been homesick or had any culture shock. Which is very strange.

Actually, after not sleeping for 36 hours during my travels to London, being alone for the first night, and right after talking to the fam, I did feel rather worn down and homesick. But ever since that night, I have thoroughly been enjoying myself.

And, of course, I miss my family and friends. But I have phenomenal people in my group that make all the work involved in this type of adventure fun, and all the fun things even better.

Not to say there haven't been some bad moments. A 24 flu-type thing, getting my finger slammed in a door (all better now), and the frigid cold aren't all that great.

In a weird way, I want to feel homesick or culture shock now because I'm concerned it will hit me out of nowhere. Like somehow I will be walking around in a village and break down in the middle of a market and be the hysterical, crying white girl. In other words, I'd like to know if, or when, the crazy is coming. Crazzzzzzzzzzyyyyy!

Anyhoo, this has been a less than exciting post and I don't know how to nicely wrap it up. So here is a picture of some sheep:






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Ait Benhaddou

We left Todra Gorge and had a drive day.

We are heading towards Marrakech but, since we didn't make it today, we are bush camping tonight. And brrrrrrrrrrrr is it cold! Up in the mountains, it is freezing (literally) and so windy.

During the day we stopped to see Ait Benhaddou, a city that has been there since the 11th century! We explored around the old mud and straw buildings and hiked up to the very top for a great scenic view.
















Movies like Passion of the Christ and Gladiator have been filmed here because, even through the necessary restorations, it has remained largely intact and the same as it was 100's of years ago.


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Todra Gorge

As we make our way through Morocco, we had three days in Todra Gorge. Running along a sandy river, it had massive red-orange cliffs that rose a thousand feet into the sky.



View of gorge from on top of Nala










Hiking along the riverside


We stayed in a hotel near a little village named Tizgui.





Jenny, my tent mate, and I walked through town exploring some of the old mud and straw buildings, seeing the preschool, walking along the river, and looking through shops.

When we came to one shop, we met a really nice guy named Mohammad. We talked outside for awhile then he invited us in for mint tea. He was ver hospitable. He runs his family's business of carpets, blankets, jewelry, scarves, and other things. They make the things themselves or buy traditional things from the Berber people up in the mountains. Turns out he has a very good friend who lives in Portland, OR, just a few hours away from where I live. Small world!



Tizgui



Mohammad and I



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Nobody Puts Baby In a Corner

The nickname of Baby stuck. Really stuck. No one has called me Anna in over a week so I am henceforth and forevermore 'Baby'. And with the suction cup "Baby On Board" sign Steve put on Nala, it's practically official!





When you look out the window everyone can see my special sign. It's actually a pretty cute nickname (and I could have gotten something much worse *cough Anna Montana cough*) so it's grown on me to the point that it's rather endearing :).


Plus, it's nice to know that Baby can chop wood like nobody's business.


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Stuck

See how Nala is tilted to her right?




Yeah, she isn't supposed to be like that...

Today we got stuck in the mud for the first time! I'm sure we will tire of it quickly but the first time was exciting :)





Toni and Jenny point to poor Nala's stuck wheels


Keep in mind this a super heavy duty truck. But the wheels were sunk into the mud by about a foot and a half and when they spun, there was absolutely no traction. 18+ tons is a lot to move.

So these guys show up and tie a chain and a very thick rope from one truck to the other.



Helpful Moroccan talking with our driver


But Nala snapped the rope.

A different truck came and, with lots of smoke and mud, was finally able to help Nala out.



Whoop whoop! We're out!


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Snow

We're driving up into the Atlas mountains now and we have snow!

Did I get snow before all y'all back home?



Snow ball




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Fez Tanneries

Our local guide Kolom showed us around Fez's Medina (a medina is the old part of the city.) This one was huge with over 12,000 streets winding down into the ground and up up up.

There is so much to see and do there. One thing that caught my attention was the smells. Sweet, sour, dank, yummy, fragrant, rotten and so many in betweens, sometimes all mixing together.

Guess what this smells like?:



A camel head outside the butcher's stall

We went to a local tannery too. The Muslim holiday of Eid Al-Adha, where people sacrifice animals, has just ended so the tannery was very busy.




The dyes used on the skins



A man putting a skin in the liquid








The finished product


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Fez

In Fez now, we first took a tour around the new part of the city. We saw the Kings palace. This is where he stays when he visits Fez.



We walked around town and eventually came to a spot that overlooked much of the city.




My favorite part of the day was going to the ceramics store. Watching the work and concentration that goes into one piece was crazy. One man had been perfecting his work for over 30 years!

























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