2007 - Post-Graduation Mediterranean - Day 6

Day 6:

- up at 4am. climbed dune from ridge and saw sunrise with others. a bit cloudy.
- windy at night, get cold later on.
- needed to go, so went in a stee plarge crater at top of dune.
- Berber with long hadscarf, left hand an ddrop in sand. feel bad after. confused.
- Camel back. Jakob said mine was "badass." was dard, sped ,mean, mohawk.
- lost shirt.
- vallies and Todra Gorge. trickle of water makes luscious jungle of palms and olives.
- sick salad story.
- tasted spring at todra. like bottled water. seeing late at ouarzazate make me very happy. realized importance of water.
- Mohammd talk about how we need more money and how he didn't like the tourism industry since he has to pretent to care.
- Night life great. huge square. kids playing hide and seek, chasing cats, picking up puppies, playing soccer, etc. traditional Arabic and Berber dress.
- Morning dunes yellow and blue tinge. met Arafa, had ice cream.

2007 - Post-Graduation Mediterranean - Day 5

Day 5:

-Breakfast from patisserie. Met Mohammed at 8am. Drove through to see Draa Valley.
- Amazing palm forests. (Day 7: 13 or 14 year old zooming through square with bike)
[sitting in museum in Marrakech, music, water, sultan palace feel]
- stop in Tazzarine for lunch. Call to prayer everywhere. Before: stop for view, get off, Mohammed pulls car ahead and two ppl with lizards came. Was scared for a moment!
- Risani like a movie set. palms, old buildings, white earth, whirlwind.
"rag" desert amazing. features: tableaus, cliffs, layers that look like rock fences.
- stone (and distance) markers all along highway. talk politic and islam.
- feel small and insignificant in erg chebbi.
[on train to casa]
- turn off before Merzuoga to an almost non-road. See dunes in distance.
- glow orange-red. Deep blue sky. Took short walk in desert. very quite. hear wind howeling on sand, rocks cutting through air when thrown.
- Met 3 slovenians and 1 quebec. ride camel. up nad down great. remind me star wars.
- barefoot up dune. low sun, amazin gview and colours. top ridge of dune very sharply defined, shadows. camp couple of tents. climbed dune, but not in time for sunset. climbed straight up. bad idea. can see the edges of erg on all directions. returned for soup tagine, fruit with cinnamon in a candellit camp. many flies, other bugs and scarabs. lied outside camp and enjoyed the star, galaxy, meteors. slept in bed outside camp. windy. even with clouds, cna see milky way without glasses. starlit, palms, dune, dunes in distance. beautiful. not much sleep. bed at midnight.
- nicholas translator. bathroom "anywhere".
- wore headscarves to prevent sunburn.

2007 - Post-Graduation Mediterranean - Day 4

Day 4:

- Wake up 620 before alarm. Went to airport early and found out plane. Checked in bags. I am nervous.
- Plane: Morocco card with french, arabic. Arabic over plane announcements hard.
- Arrive Casa, Felix almost exit, but I dragged his back to right door. Very different feel, Arabic and Moroccan star.
[on bus to Marrakech]
- Old prop plane. Obvious wear. arabic stuff and drinking glasses. Cargo hold with nets.
- steep takeoff, see dry earth below. Fly over Atlas, see clouds being blocked. Spactacular descent after mountains. gorges, ravine, desert (rak) landscape.
- very hot, sun directly overhead (almost). immediate pictures. strict customs. pic of king. All closed, cop call taxi for us. wait outside, police around, hot bright, Arabic elevator music, Arabic signs. Car switch, sales pitch, meet Mohammed. Arrive hotel and agree Ait Benhaddou, got taxi in town. had 2 in it, then 2 more got in (6 total)! Squeeze in middle, old men and 2 girls with traditional clothing. got change, water, lunch. Most stores closed. found way back with some difficulty, met Mohammed for Ait Benhaddou. Stop by kasbah, Altas, then Ait Benhaddou(AB). Dry riverbed, bridges just piles, no railings. Explored AB and sat up top wathcing colour changes as sun gets lower.
- Dinner in hotel and sleep. Town wakes up at night. Bought nail clipper for 3dh.

2007 - Post-Graduation Mediterranean - Day 3

Day 3:

- Walked around and got internet. Just missed changing of guards.
- South Madrid and botanical gardent and park. Sat fo rbeer again and some snacks. (Note olives were great from day before)
- A couchurfer from Florida came. all go ot dinner. Wanted to infite fito, Sebastian, and Raquel but had Fit, Racquel, new arrival (who liked pickpockets) and Racquel's friend. We pay 30 euros each for dinner for all. Talked for while in room before sleep. Excited about tomorrow. Decide goto Merzouga. Said bye, liked first CS experience.

2007 - Post-Graduation Mediterranean - Day 2

Day 2:

- Cleaned sink, shower... mysterious window to middle of building & other bathroom in bathroom. Did some laundary.
- Elevator talk & small. Wait for Felix. Around 1 hr late.
[on flight to Casa, just filled customs card.]
- Dropped off bag. No electricity! We worried we did something. Saw pot plant. he had it because his friend's dog ate it so he gave it to him.
- Left note and walked around. Sat and had beer in Plaza Mayor. walked to Sol & Atocha, Gran Via. Royal Palace.
- Went to restaurant, don't know what to order. German phrasebook.
- Ordered the "two person" meal. Beef, potatoes, some special peppers.
- Found out forgot to pay electric so no lights. Some candles.

2007 - Post-Graduation Mediterranean - Day 1

Day 1:

- Sat at Philly completing my cheat sheet.
- long flight. Some 30 min sleep, Pam's Laberinthe cut off at end.
- met 3 ppl travelling, they were also excited 1st time Europe.
-> 2x senior, 1 sophemore. 1 senior been to Paris before.
- customs no questions
- store suff at Atocha Renfe
- walked all around Parque del Retiro
- Visited Farmacias, misunderstanding -> bought toothpaste
- sunscreen expensive!
- creepy old guy at park, spoke some French. "chaude"?
-> rub my back, arm... stop when others pass by.
-> phone message & walked away as he talked to someone asking money.
- Read lots of DaVinci Code started it.
- Arrived at apartment at 8pm.
- Went to Casa Mingo & had cider & baked chicken. Their monday tradition.
-> special way of pouring, drink same glass. taste surprisingly different with special pour.
- Met some other friends.
- 10 hr sleep.
- surprising lack of English speakers.

2006 - First Backpacking Trip - Day 21

Day 21:

- Munich.
- nap, police ask guy across.
- saw sights. tower
- tower view: alps, like fairy tale town.
- hofbrauhaus, met christian: Christian Weber. Wallmenichstr. *, ***** Munchen, tel. ************, christian.weber@muenchen.de - 43 yrs old
- pork hock and mass of hofbrau.
- bought beers at place with beer from wood barrel.
- Drunk at station "tour Europa", point at shoes.
- Munich lions.
- Bavarian Music (live), electrical problem, bretzen sellers.