Por fin he terminado!!!
Here it is! Sorry it's so long - I guess it was a week but still - I think it's pretty cool! :)
Mia and Eli are going to kill me for this...
Monday, April 20, 2009
Saturday, April 11, 2009
MOROCCO!!!
I'm home! and I am extremely tired! It's 4:18 in the afternoon and I just woke up after getting back from a 20 hour bus ride from Meknes, Morocoo to Madrid, Spain. Crazy... but let me tell you the whole story!!
So day 1:
Mi Cumpleaños!! I literally ran around all day and packed for Morocco - it wasn't anything too special because I celebrated my birthday the night before with all my friends and my parents - but Sarah was still very sweet to me and kept reminding me what day it was! Love that girl!
So at about 8 we left the piso to catch our bus to Morocco and I literally took a Lunesta and slept! Except I kept waking up - BAD IDEA. We made a pit stop to go to the bathroom and whatnot and I was right in the middle of a deep sleep and I decided to attempt a walk to the bathroom which is really difficult when you just took a sleeping pill - I literally felt like I was drunk and it was the wierdest thing - it was so funny though... So yeah, woke up then, and we had to pick up other students from Granada and some other places - like I said, I was OUT of it so I have no idea where we stopped, I just know that we stopped a few times to get some people... and the craziest part was that I ran into someone I know. In the massive group of ISA kids, I went to high school with one of them - Lauren Herrera - she graduated in Mike's class and it was crazy to see her! We both had to take a minute to remember where we knew eachother from but it was pretty fun to see her! El mundo es un pañuelo!
Day 2:
Still on the bus. Great.
After crossing the Straight of Gibraltar on a Ferry, we got BACK on the bus and drove to Fes. We made another pit stop and got some food and when we went to the bathroom, we quickly realized that we weren't in europe anymore when we saw that the toilet was literally a hole in the gorund. Welcome to Morocco.
We finally arrived at our 5 star hotel (that's right - but it was 5 stars by Morocco's standards which is more like 3 or 4 in the US but it was still very nice) at about 8 ish and we had dinner and went to bed. We can't drink the water there nor eat anything that isn't cooked - and I followed those rules very carefully.
Day 3:
But somehow I still got sick. Not horrible - Sarah was the one who got horribly sick - but I was definitely sick and that made me really mad because the food all looked really good - and then I'd eat a little bit every once in a while and by the next day I was better. But we ate A LOT of bread on this trip because we knew that was the safest thing.
Despite that, it was a really really cool day. We woke up and went to the King's palace and saw that - it was really beautiful and the city was all decorated with Moroccan flags. Then we went to the main market in Fez - the medina - and there were just rows of vegetables, fruit, bread, meat, fish, and even snails - it was crazy! There were people yelling and donkeys carrying these barrels of food and they'd seriuosly run you down if you didn't move out of the way! It was so cool to see that because it was jsut so cultural and everything was so fresh! Families don't have a way to refrigerate their food or anything so everything they eat that day they have to buy fresh that morning at the market. Morocco is famous for their rugs so we went to this place that sold rugs and they did a full out presentation for us - and gave me my first sip of Moroccan tea - SO GOOD. They give you tea practically everywhere you go and it's amazing - My dad brought some back when he came to Morocco but I usually drink it without sugar in it - that was NOT how they made it there. They put SO much in it - so yeah, of COURSE it was amazing...
But the rugs were all pretty expensive and I didn't have that much money with me so I didn't get one but they were definitely beautiful.
We went to an herb shop sort of place and they had all these different spices and medicines and creams - all very natural and exotic - the place smelled like heaven - which is pretty rare for morocco haha
We saw where they dye cloth to make rugs and other things and then we got to see some people actually making all that stuff!
Then we went to the death factory. Yes, death factory.
So Morocco uses animal skins for a lot of stuff - and we were lucky enough to see how that happens. We walk into a leather shop - some lady gives me a mint leaf and tells me to go upstairs. I walk up there and the higher up I go, the more I realize what the mint leaf is for. It smelled HORRIBLE. Like a used diaper filled with Indian food. and death. combined. We were at the top of this roof and I look over and pretty much see blood and animal skins hanging everywhere. The little animal activist girl inside of me made me turn away and I could hardly look at it - it was disgusting. but hey, cultural, right?
we also went to a ceramics place and saw how they made all these beautiful plates and fountains and then at night we went to a show and watched belly dancing, magic, and things like that - and they made me dance with them haha it was a proud moment for me...
Day 4:
Off to the desert! yay for 10 hour bus rides! How I love!
Lots of peeing on the side of the road - not a big deal after this trip. that's sad.
So we arrive to this hotel, it's nighttime by this point, and we jump in these 4x4s - like straight-out-of-a-movie safari like things and go off roading to our desert camp. It is literally a giant tent that I slept in. It's technically a hostel and so there's one massive tent and then a bunch of little tents that we all sleep in - so after our long journey we ate some dinner and went to bed because we had an early morning ahead of us.
Day 5:
It started at 5:30 to be exact.
We got up to see the sunrise in the desert. Our alarm went off at 5:30 and we look outside and it kind of looks light out - so we FLIP and everyone BOLTS up from their beds and sprints outside - all of us thinking that we missed it. We didn't, of course, it was just a little bit light out because it was starting to rise but it really wasn't that light out at all. So after sprinting up sand dunes in our pajamas without jackets (it's REALLY cold at night in the desert) we go to a top of a dune and watch the sunrise in silence and it was unlike anything I'd ever seen. It went from purple to orange and seeing it over the desert was incredible.
We went back to our tents and got ready for the day, ate some breakfast in the main tent, and I bought a turban haha - but it really came in handy a few times! then our camels arrived! I shared a camel with my friend Mia - who had never even ridden a horse before - and I'm actually scared of horses - so this was just great. We were a disaster - we were terrified but we had a lot of fun - we'd be talking about this and that and then suddenly the camel would start to walk down a hill and we'd both just stop talking and hold on for dear life. We took the camels to the tallest dune in the desert and stopped at the bottom and I got my workout for the day attempting to climb up it. The locals would follow us and if we dropped something on the camel they'd pick it up for us and they walked up the massive dune with us and would sprint down it, roll down it, flip down it - it was crazy - it's like a giant sandbox, I'm telling you...
Then we took the camels to the town and walked around there. We had a lot of little kids follow us and some of the people in my group brought candy to give to them and it felt like a warzone when someone whipped out that candy...
We also went to a school and got to play with the kids in there and naturally I fell in love with ALL OF THEM. and it really reminded me of Ecuador - which I loved. It really made me miss it!
Then we went back to our... campsite (for lack of a better word) and we played frisbee and soccer with little moroccan kids - and then I got henna!!!
then we ended up having a dance party - soley with singing and bongos - on top of the dunes as the sunset - it was so great.
then we ate dinner and a live band came and we had ANOTHER moroccan dance party in the tent and people came to sell us jewelry and we had a ton of fun - AS usual..!
Day 6:
The next morning we got up, packed, jumped in our 4x4s and left the Sahara.
We met up with the bus and before we got on a bunch of us did some yoga in preparation for the long 10 hour bus ride ahead of us again.
So after this, the bus smelled like BO and desert. That was nice.
We made a stop at this part of the area that was pretty much infested with monkeys - they were ALL over the place - you could go right up to them -but I didn't get too close because apparently they like to steal cameras... haha
We took the bus to Meknes and arrived there at about 5, I think..
We walked around and it was really kind of intimidating going around without the big group because they pretty much only speak French and Arabic and RARELY do they speak Spanish and we went in search of a grocery store for the ride home and then when we were passing through this plaza we saw this guy screaming at this old man - and then he punched him! And I felt so bad for this old man because he just fell to the ground - and we didn't know what to do - we were really close to them and so we were just like, "okay, don't look at him, just keep walking..." and it was really crazy - but later on we met up with some kids who were studying abroad in that city and they told us that things like that NEVER happen and that it's a really safe city. Those kids were really nice and we sat around with them and some other people from out group and smoked hookah and then went to a club. It was so weird because all the girls at the club are pretty much prostitutes - almost all of them. But they were nice - and everyone all dances together and it was almost humbling because everyone always puts prositutes in this low place and everyone looks down upon them so much but behind it all they're just people and they like to have fun and dance too.
Day 7:
The next morning we left early on the bus for our long adventure home - we still all felt disgusting and gross even after showers and were thankful to make it back to spain and be able to drink from the tap and eat anything we'd like! I got home at about 5 in the morning on Saturday and just crashed. It was a great trip and I'm very thankful to have been able to go on it!
Sorry this post was so long...
video coming soon.
LOVE
So day 1:
Mi Cumpleaños!! I literally ran around all day and packed for Morocco - it wasn't anything too special because I celebrated my birthday the night before with all my friends and my parents - but Sarah was still very sweet to me and kept reminding me what day it was! Love that girl!
So at about 8 we left the piso to catch our bus to Morocco and I literally took a Lunesta and slept! Except I kept waking up - BAD IDEA. We made a pit stop to go to the bathroom and whatnot and I was right in the middle of a deep sleep and I decided to attempt a walk to the bathroom which is really difficult when you just took a sleeping pill - I literally felt like I was drunk and it was the wierdest thing - it was so funny though... So yeah, woke up then, and we had to pick up other students from Granada and some other places - like I said, I was OUT of it so I have no idea where we stopped, I just know that we stopped a few times to get some people... and the craziest part was that I ran into someone I know. In the massive group of ISA kids, I went to high school with one of them - Lauren Herrera - she graduated in Mike's class and it was crazy to see her! We both had to take a minute to remember where we knew eachother from but it was pretty fun to see her! El mundo es un pañuelo!
Day 2:
Still on the bus. Great.
After crossing the Straight of Gibraltar on a Ferry, we got BACK on the bus and drove to Fes. We made another pit stop and got some food and when we went to the bathroom, we quickly realized that we weren't in europe anymore when we saw that the toilet was literally a hole in the gorund. Welcome to Morocco.
We finally arrived at our 5 star hotel (that's right - but it was 5 stars by Morocco's standards which is more like 3 or 4 in the US but it was still very nice) at about 8 ish and we had dinner and went to bed. We can't drink the water there nor eat anything that isn't cooked - and I followed those rules very carefully.
Day 3:
But somehow I still got sick. Not horrible - Sarah was the one who got horribly sick - but I was definitely sick and that made me really mad because the food all looked really good - and then I'd eat a little bit every once in a while and by the next day I was better. But we ate A LOT of bread on this trip because we knew that was the safest thing.
Despite that, it was a really really cool day. We woke up and went to the King's palace and saw that - it was really beautiful and the city was all decorated with Moroccan flags. Then we went to the main market in Fez - the medina - and there were just rows of vegetables, fruit, bread, meat, fish, and even snails - it was crazy! There were people yelling and donkeys carrying these barrels of food and they'd seriuosly run you down if you didn't move out of the way! It was so cool to see that because it was jsut so cultural and everything was so fresh! Families don't have a way to refrigerate their food or anything so everything they eat that day they have to buy fresh that morning at the market. Morocco is famous for their rugs so we went to this place that sold rugs and they did a full out presentation for us - and gave me my first sip of Moroccan tea - SO GOOD. They give you tea practically everywhere you go and it's amazing - My dad brought some back when he came to Morocco but I usually drink it without sugar in it - that was NOT how they made it there. They put SO much in it - so yeah, of COURSE it was amazing...
But the rugs were all pretty expensive and I didn't have that much money with me so I didn't get one but they were definitely beautiful.
We went to an herb shop sort of place and they had all these different spices and medicines and creams - all very natural and exotic - the place smelled like heaven - which is pretty rare for morocco haha
We saw where they dye cloth to make rugs and other things and then we got to see some people actually making all that stuff!
Then we went to the death factory. Yes, death factory.
So Morocco uses animal skins for a lot of stuff - and we were lucky enough to see how that happens. We walk into a leather shop - some lady gives me a mint leaf and tells me to go upstairs. I walk up there and the higher up I go, the more I realize what the mint leaf is for. It smelled HORRIBLE. Like a used diaper filled with Indian food. and death. combined. We were at the top of this roof and I look over and pretty much see blood and animal skins hanging everywhere. The little animal activist girl inside of me made me turn away and I could hardly look at it - it was disgusting. but hey, cultural, right?
we also went to a ceramics place and saw how they made all these beautiful plates and fountains and then at night we went to a show and watched belly dancing, magic, and things like that - and they made me dance with them haha it was a proud moment for me...
Day 4:
Off to the desert! yay for 10 hour bus rides! How I love!
Lots of peeing on the side of the road - not a big deal after this trip. that's sad.
So we arrive to this hotel, it's nighttime by this point, and we jump in these 4x4s - like straight-out-of-a-movie safari like things and go off roading to our desert camp. It is literally a giant tent that I slept in. It's technically a hostel and so there's one massive tent and then a bunch of little tents that we all sleep in - so after our long journey we ate some dinner and went to bed because we had an early morning ahead of us.
Day 5:
It started at 5:30 to be exact.
We got up to see the sunrise in the desert. Our alarm went off at 5:30 and we look outside and it kind of looks light out - so we FLIP and everyone BOLTS up from their beds and sprints outside - all of us thinking that we missed it. We didn't, of course, it was just a little bit light out because it was starting to rise but it really wasn't that light out at all. So after sprinting up sand dunes in our pajamas without jackets (it's REALLY cold at night in the desert) we go to a top of a dune and watch the sunrise in silence and it was unlike anything I'd ever seen. It went from purple to orange and seeing it over the desert was incredible.
We went back to our tents and got ready for the day, ate some breakfast in the main tent, and I bought a turban haha - but it really came in handy a few times! then our camels arrived! I shared a camel with my friend Mia - who had never even ridden a horse before - and I'm actually scared of horses - so this was just great. We were a disaster - we were terrified but we had a lot of fun - we'd be talking about this and that and then suddenly the camel would start to walk down a hill and we'd both just stop talking and hold on for dear life. We took the camels to the tallest dune in the desert and stopped at the bottom and I got my workout for the day attempting to climb up it. The locals would follow us and if we dropped something on the camel they'd pick it up for us and they walked up the massive dune with us and would sprint down it, roll down it, flip down it - it was crazy - it's like a giant sandbox, I'm telling you...
Then we took the camels to the town and walked around there. We had a lot of little kids follow us and some of the people in my group brought candy to give to them and it felt like a warzone when someone whipped out that candy...
We also went to a school and got to play with the kids in there and naturally I fell in love with ALL OF THEM. and it really reminded me of Ecuador - which I loved. It really made me miss it!
Then we went back to our... campsite (for lack of a better word) and we played frisbee and soccer with little moroccan kids - and then I got henna!!!
then we ended up having a dance party - soley with singing and bongos - on top of the dunes as the sunset - it was so great.
then we ate dinner and a live band came and we had ANOTHER moroccan dance party in the tent and people came to sell us jewelry and we had a ton of fun - AS usual..!
Day 6:
The next morning we got up, packed, jumped in our 4x4s and left the Sahara.
We met up with the bus and before we got on a bunch of us did some yoga in preparation for the long 10 hour bus ride ahead of us again.
So after this, the bus smelled like BO and desert. That was nice.
We made a stop at this part of the area that was pretty much infested with monkeys - they were ALL over the place - you could go right up to them -but I didn't get too close because apparently they like to steal cameras... haha
We took the bus to Meknes and arrived there at about 5, I think..
We walked around and it was really kind of intimidating going around without the big group because they pretty much only speak French and Arabic and RARELY do they speak Spanish and we went in search of a grocery store for the ride home and then when we were passing through this plaza we saw this guy screaming at this old man - and then he punched him! And I felt so bad for this old man because he just fell to the ground - and we didn't know what to do - we were really close to them and so we were just like, "okay, don't look at him, just keep walking..." and it was really crazy - but later on we met up with some kids who were studying abroad in that city and they told us that things like that NEVER happen and that it's a really safe city. Those kids were really nice and we sat around with them and some other people from out group and smoked hookah and then went to a club. It was so weird because all the girls at the club are pretty much prostitutes - almost all of them. But they were nice - and everyone all dances together and it was almost humbling because everyone always puts prositutes in this low place and everyone looks down upon them so much but behind it all they're just people and they like to have fun and dance too.
Day 7:
The next morning we left early on the bus for our long adventure home - we still all felt disgusting and gross even after showers and were thankful to make it back to spain and be able to drink from the tap and eat anything we'd like! I got home at about 5 in the morning on Saturday and just crashed. It was a great trip and I'm very thankful to have been able to go on it!
Sorry this post was so long...
video coming soon.
LOVE
Saturday, April 4, 2009
My Birthday!!!
So my birthday was EPIC. That is the only word I can use to describe it. I had so much fun and I have some really amazing friends here.
I pretty much celebrated it yesterday on the 3rd because my parents were here and I wanted to celebrate with them. And of course it was my mom's birthday on the 1st and they got back from Barcelona that day and we went out to this really great place to eat - the guy who owns it was friends with my brother when he was here so he gave us a bottle of cava (champagne) to share and was really great to us - after that we went to a 24hr churros and chocolate place which was pretty much wonderful. The next day we went to a thai place which made my life because the food actually had a kick to it - which NEVER happens here! (I just had to throw that in there) My parents were so great to me and my friends throughout the week and I really appreciated everything they did for me while they were here! So yesterday we got up and went to the park and threw the frisbee around for a while and it was a gorgeous day! After that we ran around getting everything ready for the night because we were going to have a party for me at my piso. So that night we had a bunch of empanadas and pizza and a cake! (and mike, we had to uphold the tradition and get some zumo de mono) My friends were so sweet and got me jewlery, a scarf, and a feather headband (my new obsession) which was more than I ever expected, and besides sarah, I live with all boys and they got me a bouquet of roses (!), one MADE ME a bracelet, and the french boys bought me a book for Paris because I'm going there in May! At midnight everyone screamed happy birthday to me and I live with Argentinians, Frenchies, and Italians so I ended up having Happy birthday sung to me in 4 different languages! (and then on the way to the club that night we talked a Chinese guy on the street into singing Happy Birthday to me in Chinese! hahaha) We all had so much fun just hanging out all night and it was just perfect! Then my parents had to leave and I was very sad to see them go but I'm really happy that I got to see them on my birthday. It was great. After they left, we all ended up going to a club and stayed there until 6 in the morning and for the first time in my Madridian career I took the first morning metro at 6am... yep. Needless to say it was a really fun night!
Now I'm packing and getting ready to go to Morocco today! We have a LONG bus ride to Africa (haha it still blows my mind saying that...) so knowing me, of COURSE I'm not fully packed yet - I mean, come on... it's ME we're talking about here - I still have a few hours though... haha
We're going to Fez and Meknes and going from hotel to hostel to desert - yep. I'm going to sleep in the desert. No big deal. Oh yeah, I'm going to ride a camel too. Just another day in the life of Kira...
When I get back I'll be sure to let you all know how my trip was! I'm really excited!
Take care everyone and I'll talk to you all in a week!!
Much love!!
I pretty much celebrated it yesterday on the 3rd because my parents were here and I wanted to celebrate with them. And of course it was my mom's birthday on the 1st and they got back from Barcelona that day and we went out to this really great place to eat - the guy who owns it was friends with my brother when he was here so he gave us a bottle of cava (champagne) to share and was really great to us - after that we went to a 24hr churros and chocolate place which was pretty much wonderful. The next day we went to a thai place which made my life because the food actually had a kick to it - which NEVER happens here! (I just had to throw that in there) My parents were so great to me and my friends throughout the week and I really appreciated everything they did for me while they were here! So yesterday we got up and went to the park and threw the frisbee around for a while and it was a gorgeous day! After that we ran around getting everything ready for the night because we were going to have a party for me at my piso. So that night we had a bunch of empanadas and pizza and a cake! (and mike, we had to uphold the tradition and get some zumo de mono) My friends were so sweet and got me jewlery, a scarf, and a feather headband (my new obsession) which was more than I ever expected, and besides sarah, I live with all boys and they got me a bouquet of roses (!), one MADE ME a bracelet, and the french boys bought me a book for Paris because I'm going there in May! At midnight everyone screamed happy birthday to me and I live with Argentinians, Frenchies, and Italians so I ended up having Happy birthday sung to me in 4 different languages! (and then on the way to the club that night we talked a Chinese guy on the street into singing Happy Birthday to me in Chinese! hahaha) We all had so much fun just hanging out all night and it was just perfect! Then my parents had to leave and I was very sad to see them go but I'm really happy that I got to see them on my birthday. It was great. After they left, we all ended up going to a club and stayed there until 6 in the morning and for the first time in my Madridian career I took the first morning metro at 6am... yep. Needless to say it was a really fun night!
Now I'm packing and getting ready to go to Morocco today! We have a LONG bus ride to Africa (haha it still blows my mind saying that...) so knowing me, of COURSE I'm not fully packed yet - I mean, come on... it's ME we're talking about here - I still have a few hours though... haha
We're going to Fez and Meknes and going from hotel to hostel to desert - yep. I'm going to sleep in the desert. No big deal. Oh yeah, I'm going to ride a camel too. Just another day in the life of Kira...
When I get back I'll be sure to let you all know how my trip was! I'm really excited!
Take care everyone and I'll talk to you all in a week!!
Much love!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
