Are you a Berber?

I took a train from Asilah to Fes and I end up meeting a man on the train who owned one of the two tanneries in Fes. I wanted to stay at a hostel, but he recommended I stay

at a guesthouse. BEST DECISION EVER. I stayed in a traditional Moroccan house that is hundreds of years old in the medina.

I walk up the stairs and enter into the great hall. Really high ceilings! UUhhMAZING!

I highly recommend you stay at:

Dar el Ouedghiri

49, Oude Souafine, Akibt Sbaa, Douh, Fez Medina

email: Dar_lalafatima@hotmail.com

I ate some delicious Moroccan food. A savory chicken pastry!Some of the best food in Fes is made out of her kitchen.

That's the doorway into my room. Beautiful, right?

From there, one of the tannery workers picked me up from the guesthouse and wandered in the 40,000 plus streets of Fes.

Crazy, right?! I definitely would have gotten loswithout Touhammi. Well, my bodyguard really. yehahaha

I love getting lost in there.

To the left is a photo of Ahmed who I met on the train. He really took care of me and showed me around Fes (well, got Touhammi to do it).

Ahmed says I bring him luck. A bunch of Japanese came right after me and bought a bunch of goodies.

I left with a customized leather jacket, sandals, wallets, keychains, and a chair. Ya, I may have gotten overboard a bit.

That's a view from above the tannery. Cool!

And of course I had to look at some rugs! So beautiful! Gosh, everything is beautiful in Morocco.

Alas, my time in Morocco had to come to an end and I had to go back to Spain. Woe is me...yehahaha. Next stop, Seville!

And about the title of the post "Are you a Berber?" I got asked that so many times! I guess Berbers really know how to bargain. Plus, I guess I kind of look like a Berber. I didn't believe it until they showed me photos of famous Berber singers. Funny!

Rewind

Let me take you back to the beginning when I first started the journey into Morocco...

I am quite the lucky girl. I wouldn't really recommend a woman to travel on her own in Morocco especially if she didn't know French or Arabic. But I did. Yes, I did. Let me remind you. I traveled on my own throughout South America, Eastern Europe, and New Zealand. In an Islamic country, a female on her own is slightly different. I didn't join some grand tour, but I took all local buses, trains, taxis, and walked a long ways. And if you do travel on your own, plan it out! PLAN!

It just is a bit different being the only female in a bus. Or wearing pants and a long sleeved shirt and feeling that I still wasn't clothed enough. When I traveled in Egypt with my fellow female friend, there were so many other tourists there that I never felt like I what I was wearing was inappropriate or that I was out of place. (Well, except for maybe on instance, but that is a whole other story on its own).

I traveled from Algeciras, Spain to Ceuta (Spanish territory that borders Morocco) to then catch a bus to Tangier which takes about 45 min to an hour. If you travel from Algeciras to Morocco, make sure the ferry actually goes to the port in Tangier and not to Ceuta. Even though the bus is free to get to Tangier, it is just annoying and confusing. The bus drops you off in a roundabout. I was disoriented and did not know where anything was. The bus station is only on the other side of one of the roundabout streets. It literally is a 20 second taxi ride. Walk it! And try to ask the locals for directions. Or just check every street (there are only 4) and it should not be too far from the roundabout. It is small and a yellow building. I was tricked that it was further and I ended up taking a taxi. Lame.

Anyways, I was headed to Chefchaouen which I hear is a beautiful city with only white and blue buildings nestled in the Rif Mountains. I had my ticket ready to go, but the bus did not leave until about an hour and a half later. I got to the bus station around 4pm. I took the 2pm ferry and Morocco is an hour behind Spain. So, the whole journey from Algeciras to Tangier took about 3 hours. A lot longer than expected!

Back to the story...So, I met this 45-50 year old and 28 year old Moroccan men who were heading to Asilah. I wouldn't arrive in Chefchaouen until about 9:30-10:00 which is well into the night. I didn't have a place booked and I didn't have a map so I was even unsure about my game plan. I was convinced and worth the risk so I decided to go along.

asilah, asilah, asilah.

Surprise Morocco is GREEN! G-R-E-E-N. I know I was literally across Spain, but when I thought of Morocco I saw deserts and brown and sand! Lots and lots of sand! But no, Asilah was green as ever. It is a small beach town known for a music festival and Paradise Beach. Ahh yes, it was magical.

After Tangier, Asilah was a relief.

I stayed in a guesthouse in the middle of all this greenery. It is about 10 minute cab ride from town. Once you veer off the main road and hit the dirt road, you are getting closer. With only the moonlight to guide me and the sheep to pass my way, the experience was surreal.

All Moroccan cities have a medina which means "city." Asilah has a small medina and easily navigable. I did not get so lost. It was easy to get in and out of it. Asilah is an artist's town and there was so much street art. Such a charming town! And the medina was oh so CLEAN!!!

And after seeing some of the Moroccan goodies and crafts, I wanted more. And I was ready for the big city life! Off to Fes!

tapas and beer

Nothing beats Granada's cheap eats and drinks. For every beer, you get free tapas, say whaaaat?!! SO GOOD. A beer is about 2 Euros and with just about 10 Euros you could probably have a slight buzz and a full belly.

Having only been to Barcelona, I didn't really know what to expect from Grenada. It is a bigger city than what I thought it was going to be. It definitely has such an interesting blend of European and Arabic architecture and influence.

MUST SEE: The Alhambra. It is a beautiful fortress that rests in the hills of Granada.

You must also go to the view points at night and take some pretty photos. I suggest to get your ticket online to avoid the line and that way you know the time you are allowed into the palace.

I am now obsessed with Arabic doors. They are so beautiful!! My future home will definitely have some of them.

I roamed around the Albaycin which is the Arabic quarter and Serramonte which is the Gypsy quarter.

I seriously got lost wandering around the Albaycin. The streets are so confusing, small, and at times claustrophobic.

I felt like I was in a maze. An action movie can definitely be shot here!! I was so intrigued by the Arabic influences of Granada that I had to go to Morocco. Next up, Tawny in Moroccco.

The New Girl

So, since I last left off I was doing a bunch of recaps of my trips and also writing a little bit about the Philippines. And now, this girl is in New York!

I am on a mission to live and find a job here by any means necessary! yehahaha Once I land the job, I will be heading out of the country for a week or so before. Everybody, think happy thoughts that I get a job soon so that I could blog more about the randomness of being abroad.

Exploring

Since the last update, I have been up and around the Philippines. I actually have a flight to catch in an hour so this is going to be short. Below is a list of the places and what I have been up to in Manila. I will update with a full description of each.

1. Vigan 04/28 - 05/01: The only preserved colonial Spanish town in the Philippines.

2. Sofitel Moonlit 3k run 05/07: Night run that included buffet and free flowing San Mig.

3. Pacquiao fight 05/08: He won.

4. Bohol 05/09 - 05/12: Tourist spot. Chocolate Hills, Diving, and Tarsiers!

5. Banaue/Sagada 05/12 - 05/15: Famous for the Rice Terraces.

And now going to Coron from 05/16 - 05/20 for diving! diving! diving!

There is not enough travel information about the Philippines. So, I will try to recollect everything I did the past week for information.

Culture Shock

Well, not really culture shock, but some things that I do not think I can or will get used to and some other things that I just lovelove.

1. If a guy answers the phone when I call the lobby, he usually says "bodyguard" or "guard." I chuckle to myself every time.

2. Not cleaning up after myself after eating at a fast food restaurant. I have to consciously remind myself.

3. Gravy and rice. So good. Now, why isn't gravy a condiment in the States? Well, at least not in California! We need to keep up with the times.

4. Hiring a driver, maid, assistant, or what have you makes everything so convenient. Granted it is not that cheap, but definitely affordable!

5. Dampa. Buy seafood or whatever you want at the market and go up the stairs to have it cooked fresh for you anyway you like it.

6. Polite people, but not so polite drivers. Filipinos are ultra nice when it comes to everything else besides driving.

7. I always feel awkward when I come back late at night. The guards say "Morning, mam!" I am usually drunk at that point and feel like a child coming home late.

8. Garlic fried rice should be available everywhere. The States again needs to catch on!

9. Turkey does not exist here. :( Or quite difficult to find.

That is all for now. I have to write down when I think of it because I am drawing a blank.