More photos from my trip to Marrakesh. Part 1 is here. You don’t need to read that one before this one, but it’s got some good photos, so check it out. And now, more pictures!
Marrakesh
I’ve been fortunate enough to have been able to travel quite a bit, from Kansas City to Venice, and from Austin to Saigon. Some cities were more foreign than others, some were easy to figure out and others took time to get used to. But Marrakesh is nothing like anywhere else I’ve been. You’ve probably seen Morocco represented in movies, but the thought in the back of your head is always, “That’s what it used to look like 100 years ago” or “That has to be exaggerated. It can’t be like that.” The reality is just as exotic as you’d hope and then some.
The Moroccan Hammam
The hammam is a traditional Moroccan public bath, whose roots started with the Roman baths of 2000 years ago. Back when people didn’t have private showers in their homes but cleanliness was still a desirable state, public bath houses became the norm, as a place to both get clean as well as to meet friends and socialize. While most houses in Morocco now have indoor plumbing and hot water heaters, the hammam is still a traditional experience that’s generally high on the internet’s “must do while in Morocco” lists. So, with some hesitation, I decided to give it a shot. The last time I bathed in front of other guys was after gym class in high school. Presumably this would be less awkward.
One Day In Split
Croatia, located along the northern border of the Mediterranean and on the same peninsula as Greece, forms most of the Dalmatian coast of the Adriatic. Despite the name, there were surprisingly few dogs to be found wandering the city. (And if you thought I was going to pass on the dog joke because it was too easy, you were mistaken. See if you can spot the others.) It is easily accessible from anywhere in Europe, and growing in popularity, since its climate mimics that of Italy, with warm weather and a nice coastal breeze and a lower cost of living. When Europe was dealing with their recession, many people skipped their annual vacation to Spain or Italy and went to Croatia instead.
Travel Burnout
Travel burnout is a thing. On the one hand, I think that being tired of traveling and exploring the world rates pretty high among first world problems, right up there with “My Ferrari is in the shop so I had to take the Jag to get to the helipad” and “The maid service moved the bathroom tap and the water came out way too hot. It’s hard to find good help these days.” Despite how ridiculous it sounds on the surface, you can get tired of travel. How that manifests to you and how you handle it can vary wildly. For me, my burnout results in a complete apathy towards planning, which can very easily end poorly.
Spanish Class Part 2
I finished my first week of class and decided to sign up for a second week. I feel like I’m learning a bit, but I’m definitely getting value out of just talking out loud more. It’s one thing to think the words in your head, it’s a whole different thing to make your mouth make the right noises. It’s funny; they use the same alphabet as we do, but since the pronunciation is different, sometimes it’s hard to make the sounds come out right, and I still stumble over big words, like “adolescencia”, “enamoramiento”, and “antidisestablishmentarianism”.
Learning Spanish in Spain
The instructor shut the door and said in Spanish, “Today we’re going to spend some time learning slang. There are some slang phrases that are common throughout Spain and some that are unique to Málaga. To help with the common phrases, we have a guest teacher today.” He turned to the projector, turned it on, and started a video on his laptop. Our surprise guest instructor was a YouTube video of Antonio Banderas teaching us Spanish slang.
Taste Of America
You can learn a lot about a country by their food. Cultures that use every part of an animal or plant in whatever way they can usually have a history of poverty or scarcity, and some of the recipes they come up with are ingenious. Some things that sound disgusting to an American palate can end up being surprisingly tolerable when properly prepared. But just like you can learn about another culture based on what they eat, it stands to reason that you can see what other cultures think of America based on what we eat. So when I saw a store called Taste of America, I had to check it out.
Mykonos
Take everything you’ve heard about the beauty of Mykonos and forget it. It’s all wrong. All you’ve heard grossly understates how beautiful this little island is.
Greek Ruins In Athens
City laws in Athens prohibit the building of tall buildings, either for commercial or residential purposes, so as not to disturb the view of the Acropolis. As a result, this 2,500 year old group of temples and monuments can be seen from all over Athens. Do you find yourself at a spot known for its good views? There’s the Acropolis. Are you at a restaurant for lunch or a mid-afernoon beer? There’s the Acropolis. Walking down a random alley because you’re lost? You’ll probably be able to find the Acropolis and use that to find your way home.