Something...Adventures...

Photos: Ireland

rhynardm — Wed, 11 May 2011 23:21:00 GMT

Ireland

rhynardm — Mon, 2 May 2011 05:34:00 GMT

Well, I have moved on from Ireland and am now in Salzburg, Austria. I have finally met up with my friend Martina, and we are starting our trip this coming Saturday!! :-) Ireland was a wonderful place to be for three weeks. I managed to visit the South, East, and West quite extensively. All were beautiful and had their own personality. I spent most of my time hiking in Connemara and Killarney. It was a great way to get to know the country, and, by the end of every day I was more than ready to head to a pub for dinner, a pint, and good conversation with whoever happened to be there. I found the Irish extremely welcoming. They are so proud of their country, and when you show an equivalent appreciation, they are more than happy to talk to you about it, much like Moroccans. It was definitely an odd transition coming from Morocco to Ireland, but I found as many similarities (especially in the friendliness of the people) as I did differences. Due to various scheduling differences, I ended up traveling solo for a majority of my Ireland trip. It was actually probably one of my best experiences so far on this trip. I was able to meet so many different people that I never would have were I not alone. As in Morocco, every time I was about to need help with something, someone showed up that was more than willing and able to help, and I never had a chance to get lonely. I met Shannah in Connemara about halfway through my trip. She had an interesting time getting to me...the bus dropped her at the wrong town and she had to hike 6 km to get to my hostel (which was out in the country), but once she arrived, everything went smoothly. We went on a four hour hike up Ireland's only fjord to this beautiful beach where we ran into a few of the employees at my hostel who were there playing rugby. We then went out to dinner with them and they drove us back to the hostel (which was nice, since we weren't exactly looking forward to hiking all the way back). Our hostel owner had said it was perfectly safe to hitchhike back, but meeting up with the hostel was a much better option in my opinion. Atfter a few days in Connemara, Shannah and I took the bus back to Galway where she got to show me around and I was able to meet all her Ireland friends. Galway is definitely my favorite city in Ireland. It's very alive and friendly with great food. It's also not very big, so there is a small town feel to it that makes it very easy to get around and learn the city. The last week of my trip I met up with my parents. The first day, we went to watch the Irish Grand National, a steeplechase race (horse race with jumps in it). It was amazing, the horses were beautiful, and I definitely realized how much I miss riding. I'll definitely be ready to jump back in the saddle when I get home! :-). From there, we took a long drive south and west to Killarney, a town just outside of one of Ireland's most beautiful national parks. We visited the park and took a carriage ride through the main part, then took a day drive around the Ring of Kerry, seeing several old ruins and lots of sheep. lol. The next day I took another four hour hike up one of the tallest peaks in the park. There were two hidden lakes at the top, and I could see for miles across the Ring of Kerry and up to the Dingle Peninsula. The day was incredibly clear! Our last travel night we drove to a B and B in Connemara. Both mom and Shannah had been there before, so the assumption was that we would be able to find it, so we took our time before heading over. By the time we actually started driving to our hostel it was getting dark. Let's just say that there were pieces missing from both our directions and mom and Shannah's memory about how to get there. We ended up driving around Connemara for about two hours. Mind you, in Connemara there are no shops open past 9 pm, so there wasn't really anywhere to stop for directions. The B and B owner was also not answering their phone. Finally, in an act of desparation, we wandred into the parking lot of a hotel called Castle House. It was, obviously, in a castle. The cheapest car in the parking lot (aside from ours) was a Mercedes. Walt went in to ask for the directions, and the concierge offered to drive ahead to our B and B so that we could follow him, despite the fact that he wasn't really supposed to. So, finally, fifteen minutes later, we arrived at our B and B. It was a beautiful house, and the beds were amazing; entirely worth the grueling night. We got up in the morning, had our delicious breakfast, and then headed back on the road again to help Shannah move out of her apartment in Galway then get to Dublin for me to get on the plane to Salzburg the next morning. :-)

Photos: Assilah and Tangier

rhynardm — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 06:41:00 GMT

Last traveling weekend in Morocco! :-(

Last Night in Morocco...For Now...;-)

rhynardm — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 06:04:00 GMT

I'm sorry it's been a while since my last post. The last three weeks have been a whirlwind. I can't believe that my last night in Morocco is here already. Tomorrow I board a plane for Ireland, where I will be for the next 3 weeks or so. It will be a slight change of pace, to say the least. ha ha.

My last two weekends in Fes were wonderful, and both completely unique experiences that I had never expected. The weekend after the Camel Trek, my friend Melat and I decided we needed a weekend at home to recouperate and catch up on homework. We also realized that, aside from our little neighborhood (which we know very well), we hadn't really explored the city of Fes itself al that much. When we were at home we were either at school, hanging out at the villa, or visting the shops around our house to avoid cab fare.

Everyone else in the house had gone on a trip to a city I had already been to, so the house was ours (and very quiet). We slept in on Saturday and then enjoyed a nice (4 hour) stroll through the medina. We got thoroughly (but safely) lost in its winding streets and managed to find a Berber weaver. I fell in love with a silk bedspread that is the most beautiful metallic teal color, and despite the lack of room in my luggage I got it. I haven't regretted the decision, just wished I had bigger bags. ;-). The weekend was extremely relaxing, and it was a chance to enjoy the wonderful city that had been sitting under my nose for the previous three weeks.

My last weekend here Melat and I traveled to the northern coast to a small town called Assilah. It is a beautiful 15th century Portuguese walled coastal town with a medina painted all deep royal blue and white in the traditional style. We had booked a hostel that ended up being more like a bed and breakfast it was so nice, and we were the only guests, so we got some very personal attention, to say the least.

The hostel owner was out of town for the weekend, so she left her assistant, Nabile, in charge of "taking care of us". I assumed when reading the e-mail that meant making sure our breakfast was out in the morning and that we paid at the end of the weekend. I don't think I could have been more wrong! First he picked us up from the train station, then proceeded to give us a tour of the medina where he took us out to the ramparts and we were able to have a view of the Atlantic at sunset we never would have found on our own. The next day we rented a car to drive up to Tangier and this cave called Hercules' Cave that looks like a perfect cutout of Africa (including Madagascar).

Rather than just help us rent the car, he offered to drive us around for the day so that we didn't get lost. He took us to the cave first, then took us to a park at the top of a hill above Tangier where we could look straight across to Spain. We had lunch there (the most amazing lentil soup with spicy pepper sauce and chicken kabobs), then he took us to another point where we had a beautiful view of the whole city of Tangier.

We arrived back in Assilah around three and met up with one of his friends that had lived in Britain for the last 18 years. Mounir's (his friend) English was excellent. He told us that he had recently purchased a piece of land that included a private beach. He was in the process of building a bunch of resort cabins. He then took us in his Range Rover on this dirt road that definitely required 4-wheel drive for twenty minutes to this wonderfull secluded beach. We were the only people there and full enjoyed the silence and beauty for about three hours. He had a restaurant there, and we were able to watch the sunset over a cup of mint tea.

Once it was dark we headed home, did some shopping in the medina, and bought some fish to learn how to make a fish tajine from Nabile. Needless to say, the day was quite unexpected and definitely memorable. Because of another welcoming and wonderfully generous Moroccan, Melat and I were given the opportunity to see things we never would have found on our own. Because of Nabile we got a completely personalized trip that went far above and beyond anything we would have found on our own.

The next day he dropped us off at the train station, expecting no compensation for the wonderful experience he had given us. (We refused his refusal to accept at least a small tip, however.)

My last week in Fes was certainly bitter-sweet. It definitely caught me unawares. I had fully expected to have fun in Morocco, but since during the week I wasn't doing any traveling, I had expected it to go somewhat slower than it did. It's funny, but I don't think I realized fully that I was on this trip I've been planning for so long until about three weeks in! lol.

However, despite my nostalgia, I'm not going to say that I'm not ready to leave. I think it's the perfect time to head out on the rest of my adventures. There are so many things I'm going to miss (namely my friends at the villa, the vegetable market man that I buy all my produce from, and the gym that I went to three times a week), but that is the time to leave a place, when there still are things to miss.

This last week, along with the nostalgia, there has been also been a feeling of restlesness and readiness to move on. It's not the language barrier at all. I really don't have very much trouble getting what I want communicated. The people here are just tirelessly helpful and they alway let me stumble my way towards what I need without getting impatient or rude. However, my brain has taken about as much intensive Arabic as it can absorb for now. I'm really happy with how much I learned and accomplished, and now it's time to let it sink in. I am also ready to not be the only blonde girl walking around. It has been quite a surprise to me just how exhasting it is to have to ignore pretty much constant cat calls and comments when I step out the door to go anywhere. I have never felt in danger, and nothing said has ever been lude (that I can understand at least), but not responding to the neverending "hello's" and "pretty girl's" I hear is tiring. Any response always warrants more attention, and that is when trouble can start. In any case, I received my nickname at the house from one of these men: Ice Cream. It was the most creative, and I got called it by three men in one night, so the name stuck. Another something to take away from Morocco ;-).

Well, now that I've written a book, I think it's about time to sign off for now. The next time I write here I'll be in Ireland, probably meeting up with Shannah and the parents!

:-) Bye for now!

ALIF Camel Trek

rhynardm — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 02:55:00 GMT

Last weekend was another great time in Morocco. I went on the ALIF (Arabic Language Institute) Camel Trek. I had considered not going, as I have already been once, and it was such an amazing experience that I didn't want to try and top it, but several of my friends from the villa (where I live) were going, and so I decided to go with them. Even though we did relatively the same things, this trip was entirely different from the last, and I'm very glad I went. I mean, it's the Sahara...what was I thinking not going again? lol.

We started the trip packed into a bus. The group was about 20 strong, and there were definitely some interesting personalities that came along. But I just put in my ipod, and off we went on the five hour ride to our first hotel. The kasbah (fortress) we were staying at was amazingly beautiful. It had been restored into a quite luxurious resort complete with pool (indoor and outdoor), sauna, jacuzzi, and buffet. The buffet was the most dangerous part. I am ashamed at how much I ate. lol And of course the eating didn't stop once we left because we just went to another hotel the next morning where we had tea and lunch before heading off on our camels. Needless to say, I'm still recovering from a weekend that felt a bit like a neverending Thanksgiving.

The camel ride was 2 hours into the dunes. We ended at the tallest dune for miles just in time for the sunset. It took us 20 excruciating minutes to climb it, but once we got to the top, it was entirely worth all the pain and effort. We were able to watch the sun set and moon rise basically simultaneously. It was breathtaking. Plus, it was a full moon, and it was also the closest it will be to earth for the next 200 years or something, so it was definitely a once in a lifetime experience. The moon was so bright the whole night that there was absolutely no need for lanterns or flashlights.

We were served a traditional Berber dinner and then set up our beds under the stars where we slept with two very warm blankets and all the layers of clothing that we had. It got quite chilly over night, but under the blankets, it was perfect.

The next morning we woke up at 5:30 am to watch the sunrise. We did not reclimb the dune, but we were on the eastern side of it, so the view was still perfect. After sunrise, we got back on the camels, trekked back to the hotel to another delicious breakfast buffet, then loaded back into the vans for our long ride home.

It's pretty hard to believe I've already been here basically an entire month. At the close of the this week I only have two weeks left of school before term ends and I head off to Ireland to meet Shannah.

I absolutely love it here, and I am going to miss my routine a lot.I really do feel like I just got here, and I'm going to miss all my friends at the villa, but at the same time, I feel like six weeks was the perfect amount of time to stay. Not so long that I start to feel restless, but just long enough to truly miss it. I think what I'm going to miss most are my friends at the veggie market. The three old men I buy my nuts, fruit, and veggies from are adorable and have been so patient with me learning all the different names for things. They have also taken to giving me free food whenever I pass. Just yesterday, I wasn't even buying any nuts, but I was given three dates just for dropping by to say hi. The people are just so incredibly generous here, and it's something I still have trouble getting used to sometimes. It's also something that is going to seem so obviously absent when I get home. Even if people can't help you here, they still try. Sometimes, as in the case of giving directions, you don't end up exactly where you wanted to go, but there is always another person waiting to give you a hand. It's a very beautiful part of their cultulre that I hope doesn't ever change.

Photos: ALIF Camel Trek

rhynardm — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 01:45:00 GMT

We went with a group from ALIF (Arabic Language Institute) for a night out in the Sahara.

Casablanca and Rabat with Shannah...

rhynardm — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 06:40:00 GMT

This weekend Shannah flew down from Ireland to meet my housemates and I in Casablanca for a girls' weekend of touring and hanging out. We met her at the airport around 6 pm, then headed to Rick's Cafe (an almost exact replica of the set from "Casablanca") for an evening of food, wine, and live piano. Then it was back to our hostel for free Moroccan mint tea. Quite wonderful. :-)

The next day we got up early to walk to the Hassan II Mosque, which I believe has the second tallest tower on a mosque in the world. It is one of the most beautiful, breathtaking buildings I have ever seen. Three-quarters of it is built out into the ocean, so when the tide comes in, the waves crash into it and spray everywhere. There was a storm forming out over the ocean, and the sky was a dark purple, which met the sun and blue sky over land right above the mosque and beach.

We then grabbed the train for the 45 min ride to Rabat where we vistited one of my favorite places in Morocco, the Chellah ruins. It was originally a fort built by the Pheonicians, then occupied by the Romans, and later by the Arabs, so the architecture is amazingly varied (and well-preserved). It has also been turned into a botanical gardens because of the aquafer that runs through (and under) it. There is so much water, and storks settle there by the hundreds. Since it's just getting to be the end of the rainy season, everything is incredibly green. It looks more like India than Moroccco.

While we were there wandering around, taking in the beautiful views (Chellah sits on a hill that over looks the city of Rabat), a guard found Shannah wandering alone. In another example of Moroccan hospitality and pride for their country, he gave her a free tour of the entire complex, taking her to some of the best views. I tagged along for the last half of the "tour." He was extremely kind, and as our excitement grew with each new thing he showed us, so did his enthusiasm. He could see that we appreciated this wonderfully unique place as much as he did, and as a result, we probably got to see more of the intimate parts of Chellah than any paid guide would have shown us.

After Chellah, we visited the Kasbah Oudaia, the fort that overlooks the Atlantic ocean on the coast of Rabat. Inside is the old Jewish quarter where everything is painted the most vivd blue and white. We were able to find our way out to the rampart and got a gorgeous view of the bay.

After taking some time at the beach, eating at a cafe that was basically right on it, we headed to the Rabat medina and did a small amount of shopping before heading back to our hostel in Casablanca for an early trip to bed. Shannah had to leave at 7 am the next morning. All went well, and she's back in Ireland safe and sound. :-)

Photos: Casablanca and Rabat

rhynardm — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 04:35:00 GMT

Met Shannah in Casablanca and visited the Hassan II Mosque and Rick's Cafe there. Then, traveled to Rabat and looked at Chellah ruins, Oudaia Kasbah, and the Rabat medina.

Fes Medina, Ifrane, Volubilis, and Moulay Idriss

rhynardm — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 01:10:00 GMT

Well, this last weekend was my first traveling weekend here in Morocco, and it was, of course, wonderful. Saturday morning was spent touring the Fes medina (the ancient center of the city) for three hours. It is a World Heritage site and I think probably the largest and oldest medina in Morocco.

In any case, it was beautiful with mosques tucked in among the souks (markets) and donkeys carrying various wares around the tiny, cobblestone streets. We visited the copper souk, the carpentry souk, the tannery, and of course the food. The smells in each of these places is probably what will stick with me the most. It varied from the lovely smell of carved wood to the rather rancid smell of the tanneries and butcher shops.

In the afternoon, a couple friends and I decided to travel to one of the nearby mountain towns called Ifrane. It was not a traditional village, but rather was settled by the French in 1929. As a result, it looked more like an alpine village with a bit of Moroccan flair. Very disorienting, especially after spending the morning at such a traditional place as the Fes medina. Buildings in this town were designed for snow (which they get plenty of), and rather than have the city designed with its market medina as the center, Ifrane was built around several large parks. Very European.

Even the attitude in Ifrane was different from in most of Morocco. Most, if not all, the girls and women were dressed in Western clothes, couples walked around holding hands and kissing, and we even saw two young teenage girls comparing tongue rings! People just in general seemed far less impressed and curious about three westerners wandering around, which was a nice rest. However, along with all the western feel was the lack of Moroccan warmth that I love so much. Aside from the day being a bit chilly, the general feel of the town was just much less welcoming that I have ever felt. A lot more closed off and unavailable to outsiders (which we definitely were). All in all, I was very glad to return to Fes and find the hospitable, wecoming Morocco that I know and love.

The next day, I traveled with another housemate to an old Roman town called Volubilis. It is extremely well preserved, especially considering how little has been done to keep it that way. We spent about an hour and a half wandering around the ruins. It was actually quite a large town! After that, we visited the village on the hill directly above Volubilis. We had an amazing dinner, then wandered around a bit.

In the square, just as we were about to get a taxi to head back to the train station, a little man stopped us and asked if we needed a guide. We had already sort of seen the medina, and the town wasn't that big, so we figured we had pretty much seen all there was to see. However, he was pretty adorable and quite cheap, so we accepted. Thank God we did. He knew we were on a limited time frame, so he took us to a few of the main sites and then we started climbing stairs to the top of the town. On the way up, it wasn't that impressive...typical Moroccan town. The houses were tall and the roads small, so there wasn't that much to see. However, all of a sudden, one of the tiny alleys we were in opened up to an incredible panoramic view of the whole town and valley with Volubilis below. At that point, the sun was beginning to set and the view was about as perfect as it could be. Definitely worth the 30 dirhams we spent, and something we never would have found had we not accepted the guide's offer.

On the way down, we thanked the guide profusely, tipped well, and headed home. For such a short trip from home, the day was a great break from the city, and it felt like we had been gone a lot longer than we actually had. We got home, I started homework, and then the week began. There are pics from the trip in the photo gallery labeled "Fes Medina, Ifrane, Volubilis, and Moulay Idriss". Enjoy! :-)

Photos: Fes Medina, Ifrane, Volubilis, Moulay Idriss

rhynardm — Tue, 8 Mar 2011 21:18:00 GMT

Weekend of 3.5.11

Finally Here!

rhynardm — Tue, 1 Mar 2011 07:47:00 GMT

Well, I'm here in Fes, safe and sound. The trip wasn't without its hurdles, but as far as hurdles go, these were pretty standard and tame. Just delayed flights and slow customs. Rather than arriving in Casablanca at 4pm the way I had planned, I ended up getting in at 9pm, which meant finding a taxi and my hotel (which was in the medina - the old part of the city with no road signs) in the dark. This was definitely worriesome for me. I did not want to be wandering around, weighed down with bags, hoping to find a hotel in the middle of the night.

However, this was when the good part of the trip began. As I was walking out of the airport, I found a taxi right away. He knew exactly where my hotel was, and he spoke english! We talked on the way there, and then he parked his car and walked me right to the hotel, making sure my reservation worked before leaving.

Help has been everywhere on this trip so far. When I talked to people before heading out and told them I was going alone, the first question/concern voiced was always worries about being isolated and alone. However, in my previous travels (and this trip is proving to be no different), I find that it is exactly the opposite. When you travel alone, that is when you are forced to find conections and be resourceful.

The next morning, I was eating breakfast and another lone traveler ate with me. He was a retired Frenchman who had just bought some property here with his wife. He had to meet her at the train station at the same time I was leaving for Fes, so we shared a cab fare.

On the train, I then met a man who's aunt owns a boarding house in Fes. I didn't end up taking the offer, as her house was a cab ride away from my school rather than within walking distance, but regardless, he gave me his number and, in true hospitable Moroccan fashion, offered to help me with anything while I'm here. One thing after another has just worked. I am not alone. Someone is taking care of me, and I am very grateful for that. :-)

That's not to say that everything is perfect. I am definitely still a stranger here, though a welcomed one. However, there are still the cat calls and begging children that shout obscenities from a distance when I don't give them money. Per my new friend's advice, I have discovered how helpful a good pair of sunglasses are. Not for the sun, but in order to avoid making eye contact. It just invites less attention. I don't blame people for being interested. I am without a doubt an oddity here. But there has been nothing that has ever made me worry for my safety, so no one worry please! :-)

On to other news, I had my first day of school today, which went very smoothly. I have studied a bit of Arabic on my own, so am probably about 2 weeks ahead of the class, but it is acclerated, so that lead is going to shrink fast. There are only 4 people in the class (including me). 3 Americans and 1 Belgian. We worked on beginning to memorize the letters of the alphabet today, and I am, at this point, feeling optimistic. Mind you, in 2 weeks, this may not still be the case, but we will keep our fingers crossed. ;-).

I have decided to stay in the residence at the school. There are other students staying there, the internet is reliable, they have a computer lab open 24 hrs a day to practice the homework, and it is in a very safe part of town. I will be moving in there tomorrow, and it is going to be so nice to unpack my bags! Since I have been moving from hotel to hotel the past few nights I have been living out of my overnight bag rather than deal with the hassle of getting into my big (and very carefully and tightly packed) bag. It's time for laundry and a change of clothes.

Anyway, that's about it for now. I hope everything is well with everyone, and I'll post again soon. Hopefully with pictures of my new home! :-)

Waiting in the Airport...

rhynardm — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 05:02:00 GMT

Well, here it goes! I'm in the airport, about to get on the plane, and it's definitely actually happening...finally! I have been planning this trip for so long, but in the process somehow hadn't really thought that much about the day of departure. ha ha. I'm not heading out of the states right away. There's a quick stop in Seattle, then it's on to Frankfurt, Casablanca, and then Fes. The whole thing will take about two days, but I am spending the night in Casablanca, so I'm not sure that really counts as travel time. It should be a nice respite before finishing the last leg of the first part of my journey. I'll get in at 4:30 in the afternoon, probably arrive at the hotel by 5:30, settle in, and then either sleep or explore. We will see! :-)