An Endless Adventure: Marco, Marruecos, Morocco

Hello my friends, we meet again! Wow, it's been a crazy couple of weeks. I've been going to classes everyday, and traveling MUCHO on the weekends. Valencia was last weekend. I've already uploaded pictures on Facebook. I don't really have much to say about Valencia because it's just been too long and it's not very fresh on my brain. It's a shame, too, because it was such a beautiful city. <3 I got a really nice sun burn which has turned into the most beautiful bronzey shade. :) This I am happy about.

Mood: tired, grateful.

So since I can't remember much of Valencia...I will post a couple of photos here and then I will move onto Morocco--because so far, it's been my favorite, and to be quite fair--- there's not much to say about Morocco besides this: It's beautiful in the photographs, but the pictures don't do the cities we saw any justice. I also wish I had more time, to wander off, to explore, to take more raw pictures of the way these people were living, so that you could see the poverty in this third world country. That's one thing that I have really seen so much of since I have been here-- real poverty.

Back where I am from I am very sheltered of the reality of going without. Some of these people here were literally living like they did in the movie Slum Dog Millionaire, but there was so much history in this place, and so much dedication to a religion that I don't really know much about, besides hatred, and fear, but if what I knew were to be true, then I know I wouldn't have been treated so kindly by all of the people I came across (besides the shop keepers who were desperate for your money)---

There was one time on the trip when we literally passed (by bus) an entire mountain side littered with plastic bags. I thought maybe for decoration because there were SOOO many of them. Thousands, maybe millions scattered about, stuck in the brush---and all you can wonder is--why? The guides didn't have answers and I imagine it's something like---just because.

Our hotel was really nice, pretty much in the middle of nowhere, but the schedule of the tour stayed relatively close to the times we were supposed to be here and there. The tour guides were very sweet and funny. Daniel and Carlos were there names. One of which I thought was guapisimo, but I won't go into detail here ;). We also had a Moroccan guide, and a guide in the city of Chefchauen. Pictures to drop later. I wasn't impressed with the food, but I'm very hard to please. I think I might be a food snob. Some of the meat tasted off to me, as did a lot of things. I was careful not to drink any of the water. I tried my best to dress appropriately. I was never shouted at or spit on. I found it to be quite the contrary, people were all very welcoming and friendly.

Oh and for the record, I SUCK at bartering or whatever that b word is. I am actually really really bad at it. So here's to hoping the man I marry is really good at bargaining in the streets of large cities. Not my forte. The scarf you sea in the photos : 9 euros. Simply because I am an idiot. I was also asked to find a pin for my friend and a tea pot of silver for my professor. I found the teapot, bought it for 26.50 (euro)-- when I could have gotten it for lower (15-20). Then couldn't find the pin all together. My friends, if you ever want someone to barter for something for you-- I AM NOT YOUR GIRL--- Promise. You will not get a deal. You will not get any of your money back, you will infact probably owe me money in the end. That is all. :)

We rode camels by the sea, after which our tour guide asked... "Well guys, did enjoy your ride -- camel?" --- mixing up the words ride and camel. tres cute.

I'm procrastinating on school work because I can't get anything else out. My creative juices in regards to analyzing literature are failing me now. I am taking a free-writing descanso to break the monotony.

Of course, these photos and these blogs are tangible evidence that I once was here. That this place was my home for a time. That my footsteps have walked in these places and seen these wonders. I look around me sometimes and I take a deep breath smelling the air and I think to myself, how lucky are you? 26, still in college, and able to be on this magnificent journey. 4 years ago you hated your life, the direction you were headed, and you couldn't stop thinking about all of the terrible things you had done or thought you would do .

Here I am today in Spain, typing this, 4 years sober (on the 10th of July)-- and happy as can be in Europe, able to travel with ease from place to place, gaining new stamps in my passport, making new friends, and creating memories to stow away in the deep dark memory recesses of my mind, so that one day I can encourage my children to go on their own adventures.

Thank you universe, for swallowing me up and spitting me back out, new, fresh, clean.

I am sooooooooo eternally grateful.

xoxo.

M.