Have been flying all over the place so much that I am not even sure what language I am supposed to be speaking. Flew into Madrid and did a whirlwind tour of the city...the Prado, the Palace and lots of window shopping and people watching. Couldn't figure out what they were saying half the time though. Certainly no one here speaks either French or Arabic. Guess English is my fall back. It is hard to believe that Spain is having such financial problems because there were so many people filling the stores and restaurants. I also cannot believe how much more expensive Europe is than the US, particularly Delaware. Once again, most Americans just don't understand how good they have it.....
Took Ryanair from Madrid to Marrakesh without incident although I had been warned that there were lots of problems with this low cost airline. While it doesn't have the humor of Southwest, it is cheaper. On the plane were about 150 people under the age of 25 who clearly slept in the airport and me...the old lady.
Arrived in Marrakesh and proudly presented my passport and said my "shukran" (thank you) to the customs agent. It was great to get to some place where I knew my way around and promptly installed myself in the El Andalous hotel which now feels like home since I have stayed there three times in the last year. The best thing was that it has a pool which was wonderful because it is really hot in Marrakesh. It felt good to be able to do my laps again and after a walk through the new town of Marrakesh (where many of the Europeans live), I found: the French restaurant that we ate in on the tour last year; a real sushi restaurant and the only operating synagogue in Marrakesh (found with the directions from my always helpful Muslim tour guide). The synagogue only has a little sign on it saying Beth el and no indication that it is indeed a Jewish house of worship. I was also told that usually there is a policeman on guard but there was none to be found. This is all a lead-up to the fact that I will be returning there this weekend for the yartzeit of my dad's death so that I can say kaddish. This is going to be quite an experience since, of course it is an Orthodox synagogue and probably conducted in French. Stay tuned. The day ended with several hours of coffee in a cafe in the same area and a feeling that I had been transplanted to France instead of Morocco.
Today, after a trip to the Carrefour shopping center for supplies, Gretchen (the other American volunteer) and I got into our 6 person taxi with all of our luggage in the open trunk which was of course tied down to hold it closed, and we went back up the mountain to Asni. But it was all worth while when I saw the girls, two Latifas and Mina and we all exchanged so many hugs and kisses. Boy am I glad to be back. Now I just have to worry about the fact that I am leaving again soon.
This Sunday is the big fund raiser (Open Day) and there are people coming from all over the world: a former volunteer from England, one from Australia, one from France and my good friend Liz from Berkeley via London. I will be wearing my new jellaba that Latifa's sister made for me.
Took Ryanair from Madrid to Marrakesh without incident although I had been warned that there were lots of problems with this low cost airline. While it doesn't have the humor of Southwest, it is cheaper. On the plane were about 150 people under the age of 25 who clearly slept in the airport and me...the old lady.
Arrived in Marrakesh and proudly presented my passport and said my "shukran" (thank you) to the customs agent. It was great to get to some place where I knew my way around and promptly installed myself in the El Andalous hotel which now feels like home since I have stayed there three times in the last year. The best thing was that it has a pool which was wonderful because it is really hot in Marrakesh. It felt good to be able to do my laps again and after a walk through the new town of Marrakesh (where many of the Europeans live), I found: the French restaurant that we ate in on the tour last year; a real sushi restaurant and the only operating synagogue in Marrakesh (found with the directions from my always helpful Muslim tour guide). The synagogue only has a little sign on it saying Beth el and no indication that it is indeed a Jewish house of worship. I was also told that usually there is a policeman on guard but there was none to be found. This is all a lead-up to the fact that I will be returning there this weekend for the yartzeit of my dad's death so that I can say kaddish. This is going to be quite an experience since, of course it is an Orthodox synagogue and probably conducted in French. Stay tuned. The day ended with several hours of coffee in a cafe in the same area and a feeling that I had been transplanted to France instead of Morocco.
Today, after a trip to the Carrefour shopping center for supplies, Gretchen (the other American volunteer) and I got into our 6 person taxi with all of our luggage in the open trunk which was of course tied down to hold it closed, and we went back up the mountain to Asni. But it was all worth while when I saw the girls, two Latifas and Mina and we all exchanged so many hugs and kisses. Boy am I glad to be back. Now I just have to worry about the fact that I am leaving again soon.
This Sunday is the big fund raiser (Open Day) and there are people coming from all over the world: a former volunteer from England, one from Australia, one from France and my good friend Liz from Berkeley via London. I will be wearing my new jellaba that Latifa's sister made for me.
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