I woke up one morning in Mykonos at 5am. I was in a "room" that would have been more appropriately called a jail cell. Jess had stolen all the covers and my whole left side was numb from laying on it all night. We had spent about 12 or 13 nights crammed in a single bed like this. To make matters worse, the previous night we had been fired from our new jobs...just one week after being hired, all hopes of making our negative bank accounts back in the positive completely disappeared. Yet, I couldn't get the smile off my face. All I could think was "I love my life. I am so lucky. What's coming next? It will be awesome." Why did I have these thoughts, you wonder? Let me try to explain.
It's difficult to sum up why this year of traveling has been so amazing without sounding a little bit corny. I could talk about our first breathtaking views of Machu Picchu, the neon colored fishes in the great barrier reef, the stars of New Zealand, rolling down the dunes of the Sahara, or climbing the crumbling great wall of China...the list of amazing sites seems to be endless. But, when it comes down to it, we weren't seeing famous sites everyday, nor were we motivated enough by the end of our journey to muster up the excitment that these places deserve. What sticks out most in my mind were events and people, not statues or sites - I will never forget our going away ceremony in Laos, having a conversation without words with an old Chinese man, having tea with the Moroccan "Godfather", or the feeling of gratitude towards our new Portuguese family.
What made our year truly amazing was our mentality and the people we have had the pleasure of meeting along the way. We got up and went where the wind took us, teaching me that we shouldn't be in a rush with life and there is so much to see and experience. In a time when being different, having unorthodox beliefs, and looking or dressing against the trends is almost scary, I learned something so obvious - that everything is "normal" somewhere and we all should not be looking with a critical eye but with an open heart. We have had some tough experiences with people and places, but the overwhelming majority of the time we were showered with generosity and kindness, enriching my faith in humankind. We are going home a little beat up, with numerous scars, God knows how many cavities, a semi-permanent layer of dirt, raggedy clothes and no money. But, I don't care. I still have a smile on my face, thank whatever God out there who allowed me to find this drive, and recognize that if it weren't for my home environment - the freedom that I have in my country and the support I have from my family - that I would find life a lot more boring. This drug called traveling is addictive and I'm not sure I will ever have enough.
That being said (with all it's sappiness), I am sure you are wondering "what next?!" We can't travel forever...or can we? In all honesty, we don't know what is coming our way...I suppose a job of some sort must be in our immediate future - what kind, I don't know. I have seen and felt too much this year to not hit the road again sometime soon.
Thank you for reading throughout this past year and I hope that you have been able to get a taste for what we have fell in love with. Until next time....
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
I don't want to work, I just want to bang on the drums all day
Have not heard from us in awhile? Well, that's probably because we have been out in the middle of nowhere doing next to nothing...it is what we do best. As I mentioned before, we were thinking of returning to the desert, which is where we have been for the past week and a half. This time we stayed in the auberge at the edge of the dunes. So, there were less camels, more drums, and frequent showers...a little bit diferent from round 1. We spent the majority of our days hanging out with the vast auberge staff - all interesting (and slightly pre-occupied with us) in their own special way. By the end we were part of the staff, chopping veggies and washing dishes in the kitchen. It was a relaxing time for the last bit of this amazing year. We have barely left ourselves enough time to make the long haul back to Madrid (to fly to JFK)...so, if you don't see us soon then you know it is because we "missed the boat," (literally) from Morocco to Spain.
A quick recap on our time before our return to the desert. We spent a couple more days in Essaouira after leaving our tour group, then moved south to Marrakesh. This city is vibrant and busy with lots of vendors, a large medina, and a main square that becomes alive in the night. Open air food stalls take over the area and vendors go to all measures to ease you into their restaurant. It makes for good entertainment, though we learned quickly that if we were not interested in eating, we had to walk a good 100 meters around the square to avoid getting hassled. It's interesting because I was not bored at any point in Marrakesh, but I can't think of one entertaining activity we did whilst there. Jess did buy a camel necklace...I suppose that is somewhat eventful.
So, that basically brings you completely up to date and rounds out our trip on the blog. I'm sorry that the last entry isn't filled with laughs and fireworks, but we are ending on a calm note in preparation for our exciting return to the homeland. I'm going to post the rest of the pictures soon as well as a final entry on the past year, so make sure you look out for it.
As always, thanks for reading!
A quick recap on our time before our return to the desert. We spent a couple more days in Essaouira after leaving our tour group, then moved south to Marrakesh. This city is vibrant and busy with lots of vendors, a large medina, and a main square that becomes alive in the night. Open air food stalls take over the area and vendors go to all measures to ease you into their restaurant. It makes for good entertainment, though we learned quickly that if we were not interested in eating, we had to walk a good 100 meters around the square to avoid getting hassled. It's interesting because I was not bored at any point in Marrakesh, but I can't think of one entertaining activity we did whilst there. Jess did buy a camel necklace...I suppose that is somewhat eventful.
So, that basically brings you completely up to date and rounds out our trip on the blog. I'm sorry that the last entry isn't filled with laughs and fireworks, but we are ending on a calm note in preparation for our exciting return to the homeland. I'm going to post the rest of the pictures soon as well as a final entry on the past year, so make sure you look out for it.
As always, thanks for reading!
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Mama Africa
Morocco has proven to be yet another land of extremes. People fast all day during Ramadan only to stay up all night to get their fill of food and entertainment. "Guides" peddle you for cash (for some service they have supposedly provided) while strangers welcome you in off the street for breakfast or mint tea. The chaos of the street is mixed with the serenity of prayer. One breeze is filled with the butcher's stench, the next with the sweet aroma of spices. A man crosses the road with his Mickey Mouse loving son in one hand and 10 chickens in the other. It is a place that stirs your senses and your mind - and so far, I am a fan.
We started off in Tangier - a city that leaves much to be desired. In the end we spent about 2 days there when we should have left after about 2 hours. What can I say? We move slower than molasses. However, if I can say one thing about Tangier....it was good practice for shooing off guides and carpet vendors....practice we have come to value!
Next stop was Chefchaouen, a laid back "city" in the mountains with a small, manageable Medina (another name for walled city with lots of winding, complicated streets). It was here that we made friends with various mothers and daughters, effectively filling all our evenings with duck duck goose and hand games. One night there was a free concert in the Kasabah (castle)-complete with traditional Moroccan instruments and refreshments delivered right to your seat. As I sat watching the performance, soaking in my surroundings, I had a "moment." I seem to have had a lot of these "moments" this past year, where I am thinking "What the hell is going on? Where am I? Why is this overzealous woman sitting next to me trying to feed me a cookie? And why is the other woman sitting next to me trying to get me to clap to the beat? Who is that child on Jess's lap?" It takes me a minute and then I realize....ah yes, I am in Morocco...of course I am at a free concert and WE have become the main event! Overall, we spent a lot of time roaming the Medina or lounging in our hostel, waiting for the sun to set so that we could go outside to eat. Although it isn't prohibited in the least to eat in public, I know that if I were fasting, I wouldn't want someone chowing down on chips and a sandwich right in front of me. So, we exercise a certain level of respect.
Moving on from the mountains, we arrived in Fes. We liked this city from the start because there is so much going on. There are tons of vendors selling beautiful things, lots of different street foods, and much to keep your eyes busy whilst walking down the street. One must always be aware in Fes; you are likely to get run over by a runaway push cart (filled with God knows what), dog, donkey, child, or carpet vendor if you don't pay attention. Since we aren't Muslim, we couldn't go inside the innumerable mosques that takeover the city. But, we did get to glance inside...the amazingly detailed tiles and carvings are gorgeous and watching all of the people arrive, clean themselves, then pray in unison has a really calming effect. I have put up some pictures of a mosque turned school (so we were allowed in) so you can get an idea of the architecture.
Our first day in Fes we randomly met this guy named Adel. He invited over to his house for "breakfast" (not our kind of breakfast...its after sunset and called this because it's the meal that they "break the fast"). Though he was a friend, he was also a tour organizer, and we cashed in on this fact. He ended up throwing us on a 6 day tour with a group of 12 Spaniards for an incredibly cheap 250 dolla, everything included. So, with the tour we went south to Merzouga, got on some camels and set out into the desert for a couple days, then continued west to see some gorges, an awesome waterfall, and ended up all the way north to Essaouira (where we are now).
By far, the best part of the tour was the 2 nights we spent in the desert. We camped out in the Sahara just 20km from Algeria in the dunes called Erg Chebbi. I was a little skeptical at first...considering the fact that 1- it was pouring rain when we first arrived at 8pm after 9.5 hours in the car 2- I hate animals...no less smelly camels that spit. But, to my surprise, I loved every second of it. There is something about your first time camping in the desert that is magical. That's right, I said it. By the time we got out there the rain had stopped but the lightening had picked up. If you looked just in the right direction when lightening struck, you could get a full view of some of the dunes - the bright orange sand contrasted to the dark blue, star ridden sky. It was unreal. I was almost giddy with excitement...even after we stopped and my camel started peeing...practically on Jess. The craziest part was that we were being led out there by a guy who had no flashlight or compass and was walking the dunes like it was some clearly labeled highway. I asked him how the hell he knew where he was going and he said "No problem. I love Mama Africa." Well, me too! The trip only got better and I will always remember the night I slept outside on top of a dune, underneath the stars and moon, with nothing other than Jess to keep me warm. We stayed out in the dunes for 2 nights and it was hard to leave. I think that we might return. Here is a picture of our camel parade:
The rest of the tour was mediocre in comparison to the desert, but still entertaining. Pictures of all the sites are now up. At the moment we are in Essaouira, a beachy city in the north. We suspect that we will head down to Marrakesh in a couple of days then (hopefully) back to the desert to become one with Mama Africa.
In other news, we have booked a flight home for October 17th and hope to see everyone at my house for a homecoming party! Can't wait to see all of you.
We started off in Tangier - a city that leaves much to be desired. In the end we spent about 2 days there when we should have left after about 2 hours. What can I say? We move slower than molasses. However, if I can say one thing about Tangier....it was good practice for shooing off guides and carpet vendors....practice we have come to value!
Next stop was Chefchaouen, a laid back "city" in the mountains with a small, manageable Medina (another name for walled city with lots of winding, complicated streets). It was here that we made friends with various mothers and daughters, effectively filling all our evenings with duck duck goose and hand games. One night there was a free concert in the Kasabah (castle)-complete with traditional Moroccan instruments and refreshments delivered right to your seat. As I sat watching the performance, soaking in my surroundings, I had a "moment." I seem to have had a lot of these "moments" this past year, where I am thinking "What the hell is going on? Where am I? Why is this overzealous woman sitting next to me trying to feed me a cookie? And why is the other woman sitting next to me trying to get me to clap to the beat? Who is that child on Jess's lap?" It takes me a minute and then I realize....ah yes, I am in Morocco...of course I am at a free concert and WE have become the main event! Overall, we spent a lot of time roaming the Medina or lounging in our hostel, waiting for the sun to set so that we could go outside to eat. Although it isn't prohibited in the least to eat in public, I know that if I were fasting, I wouldn't want someone chowing down on chips and a sandwich right in front of me. So, we exercise a certain level of respect.
Moving on from the mountains, we arrived in Fes. We liked this city from the start because there is so much going on. There are tons of vendors selling beautiful things, lots of different street foods, and much to keep your eyes busy whilst walking down the street. One must always be aware in Fes; you are likely to get run over by a runaway push cart (filled with God knows what), dog, donkey, child, or carpet vendor if you don't pay attention. Since we aren't Muslim, we couldn't go inside the innumerable mosques that takeover the city. But, we did get to glance inside...the amazingly detailed tiles and carvings are gorgeous and watching all of the people arrive, clean themselves, then pray in unison has a really calming effect. I have put up some pictures of a mosque turned school (so we were allowed in) so you can get an idea of the architecture.
Our first day in Fes we randomly met this guy named Adel. He invited over to his house for "breakfast" (not our kind of breakfast...its after sunset and called this because it's the meal that they "break the fast"). Though he was a friend, he was also a tour organizer, and we cashed in on this fact. He ended up throwing us on a 6 day tour with a group of 12 Spaniards for an incredibly cheap 250 dolla, everything included. So, with the tour we went south to Merzouga, got on some camels and set out into the desert for a couple days, then continued west to see some gorges, an awesome waterfall, and ended up all the way north to Essaouira (where we are now).
By far, the best part of the tour was the 2 nights we spent in the desert. We camped out in the Sahara just 20km from Algeria in the dunes called Erg Chebbi. I was a little skeptical at first...considering the fact that 1- it was pouring rain when we first arrived at 8pm after 9.5 hours in the car 2- I hate animals...no less smelly camels that spit. But, to my surprise, I loved every second of it. There is something about your first time camping in the desert that is magical. That's right, I said it. By the time we got out there the rain had stopped but the lightening had picked up. If you looked just in the right direction when lightening struck, you could get a full view of some of the dunes - the bright orange sand contrasted to the dark blue, star ridden sky. It was unreal. I was almost giddy with excitement...even after we stopped and my camel started peeing...practically on Jess. The craziest part was that we were being led out there by a guy who had no flashlight or compass and was walking the dunes like it was some clearly labeled highway. I asked him how the hell he knew where he was going and he said "No problem. I love Mama Africa." Well, me too! The trip only got better and I will always remember the night I slept outside on top of a dune, underneath the stars and moon, with nothing other than Jess to keep me warm. We stayed out in the dunes for 2 nights and it was hard to leave. I think that we might return. Here is a picture of our camel parade:
The rest of the tour was mediocre in comparison to the desert, but still entertaining. Pictures of all the sites are now up. At the moment we are in Essaouira, a beachy city in the north. We suspect that we will head down to Marrakesh in a couple of days then (hopefully) back to the desert to become one with Mama Africa.
In other news, we have booked a flight home for October 17th and hope to see everyone at my house for a homecoming party! Can't wait to see all of you.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Thank you!
We just wanted to say a quick thanks to all of you out there who have donated to us at some point during our trip. Despite the fact that this video does single out my Aunt Anne and Aunt Denise, it was made with all of you in mind. Personalized videos will be made upon request....you name the song, we write the lyrics. Here our first work,entitled Favourite Things!
.
Here are the lyrics if you can't understand our beautiful voices:
Cheese on white bread with tomato and ham
this is our dinner, i know it sounds bland
but when you're at home you may not realize
that real ham is better than meat surprise!
25 dollars
doubled our money
and we knew what to dooooo
we bought us a few of our favorite things
and for this we thank you!
a pint of Guiness
2 bananas
and a Snickers bar!
the dollar is weak but we stretched it quite far....
it got us more than 5 gallons of gas in your car!
And now for a personalized video, just for you, Aunt Anne. For those of you out there reading all of her comments on this blog, you will understand.
.
Here are the lyrics if you can't understand our beautiful voices:
Cheese on white bread with tomato and ham
this is our dinner, i know it sounds bland
but when you're at home you may not realize
that real ham is better than meat surprise!
25 dollars
doubled our money
and we knew what to dooooo
we bought us a few of our favorite things
and for this we thank you!
a pint of Guiness
2 bananas
and a Snickers bar!
the dollar is weak but we stretched it quite far....
it got us more than 5 gallons of gas in your car!
And now for a personalized video, just for you, Aunt Anne. For those of you out there reading all of her comments on this blog, you will understand.
Friday, September 12, 2008
BARCELONA!
As promised, here is a quick update on our short but sweet trip to Barcelona. We met up with the lovely BU Meg(h)ans (actually 2/3 of the BU Megs...) and had a chilled out week seeing the sites, lying on the beach, and catching up on our 1st years out of Boston. It seems as though we are not the only ones going through a year of transition, learning lots about ourselves and how the world works. It was refreshing to be reminded of those at home and all we have to look forward to when we return. A special thanks to our sugar mamas because without you we never would have looked trendy in a trendy place, experienced tapas and real sangria, nor would we have had the pull we needed to go to the wonderful city that is Barcelona.
I don't know about the others, but I have found my new favorite artist and architect: Gaudí. The Sagrada Familia, Park Güell, and Casa Batlló are like nothing I have ever seen before. The works left me feeling like I was in some sort of Doctor Seuss inspired heaven. Check out the links to get a better feel of what I am talking about.
The Picasso Museum forced me to find a new respect for the artist. I am not proud to say it, but I previously had little taste for abstract paintings my little cousins could make (no disrespect to my little cousins). But, now that I have actually given the guy (Picasso) a chance, I think he is the real deal. I think everyone was impressed with the museum...but if they weren't...who cares!?...it was free that 1st Sunday of the month! Beyond this, we saw various statues throughout the city, walked the Gothic corner, and spent plenty of time on the beach. The "magic fountain" show in front of the Palau National was truly magical. We went with a collection of characters that we met during the week who should not go without mention. Thanks for making our week that much better and lets just say now we have 4 reasons to go to Seattle! Beyond that, we learned that the party never stops in Barcelona and that is just one of many reasons why it is Jess's new favorite city.
As for right now, Morocco is the spot. We dropped off our bags in Madrid and are living out of our small day packs with just a couple of shirts and pants. So, we should be sufficiently smelly by the time we leave. Clueless as we tend to be, we arrived smack dab in the middle of Ramadan, so that should make an interesting country all the more interesting.
That's all for now...some pictures from Barcelona or up, but not all of them. Thanks for reading and we always love to read all of your comments!
I don't know about the others, but I have found my new favorite artist and architect: Gaudí. The Sagrada Familia, Park Güell, and Casa Batlló are like nothing I have ever seen before. The works left me feeling like I was in some sort of Doctor Seuss inspired heaven. Check out the links to get a better feel of what I am talking about.
The Picasso Museum forced me to find a new respect for the artist. I am not proud to say it, but I previously had little taste for abstract paintings my little cousins could make (no disrespect to my little cousins). But, now that I have actually given the guy (Picasso) a chance, I think he is the real deal. I think everyone was impressed with the museum...but if they weren't...who cares!?...it was free that 1st Sunday of the month! Beyond this, we saw various statues throughout the city, walked the Gothic corner, and spent plenty of time on the beach. The "magic fountain" show in front of the Palau National was truly magical. We went with a collection of characters that we met during the week who should not go without mention. Thanks for making our week that much better and lets just say now we have 4 reasons to go to Seattle! Beyond that, we learned that the party never stops in Barcelona and that is just one of many reasons why it is Jess's new favorite city.
As for right now, Morocco is the spot. We dropped off our bags in Madrid and are living out of our small day packs with just a couple of shirts and pants. So, we should be sufficiently smelly by the time we leave. Clueless as we tend to be, we arrived smack dab in the middle of Ramadan, so that should make an interesting country all the more interesting.
That's all for now...some pictures from Barcelona or up, but not all of them. Thanks for reading and we always love to read all of your comments!
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