Morocco begins...
The sea is always such a shock when you fly, suddenly there’s a massive line through the landscape and a sold grey-blue surface like burred steel. Flew over the Isle of Wight and the Channel Islands – the sea was rough around their Cornish-like coast. I could see the straight, sleek line of the French coast running away South-East. Another sizeable island with a scalloped north coast and a hot-fat fried pancake south coast, then an expanse of water dusted with white peaks like eraser rubbings. Next we crossed the Brest Peninsular of France, past a bay with a couple of hundred boats all moored in neat curving lines, mirroring the mainland. Over Spain, opaque cloud like a snow drift ended abruptly over the Pyrenees, some cloud pouring down the side of the mountains. I saw long lakes carved between mountains, sandy beige tracks webbing over ridges like contour lines. One lake... Read more...
kumquat's blog, May 18, 1:15pm
Food, drink. Did I mention food?
Have gotten to meet a good few people here. Friends of friends who quickly become friends. We do lots of going out in the evening to visit people and enjoy hospitality. The routine for local people here seems to be to have you round about 5 and serve you 'atey' (tea) and bread. The tea has a whole complicated ceremony with actions that don't have an english translation - as I've discovered when I was set homework around tea vocabulary! They wash the tea leaves first then brew in a pot for quite a while so you can talk and talk. The tea is poured into a 'kes' (glass) from a great height to cool the liquid down. That kes is then often poured from one glass into another to cool it down more before it is put back in the pot! Ah, and of course there is the sugar. I am getting Jo to get mine poured pre-sugar because I don't want an early onset of diabetes. They seriously put in BRICKS of the stuff. It sets your teeth on edge just watching! The bread is phenomenal. They have batbot... Read more...
kumquat's blog, May 15, 1:17am
Brief history
Sorry for not having updated the blog in several weeks. Here is a quick round up in pictures; Read more...
kumquat's blog, May 15, 1:17am
Why take it easy when you can rush?
Jo and I went away for a few days chill time and we had everything timed to perfection. Read more...
kumquat's blog, May 14, 1:16am
Sardinia: Day 3
I stayed in bed all morning, missing breakfast but thoroughly enjoying the freedom to do nothing, guilt-free. It rained while I switched between resting and dozing. Read more...
kumquat's blog, May 9, 1:14am
Sardinia: Day 2
Got to breakfast just after 9:30 and had strong coffee, very good rolls with white butter, jam, a poor croissant in a plastic bag and an apple I kept for later. Rather a disappointing first meal but I was distracted by plans for the day. After checking with the receptionist who told me the wether was going to be bad - cloudy and maybe rain - I thought I would get the bus to Il Poetto and see if I could spot some flamingoes. I stopped en route for postcards and wrote them while having an espresso on Via Roma. Read more...
kumquat's blog, May 9, 1:14am
Monday
Johanne dropped me off at the language school today where I had mistakenly been signed up for Derija lessons rather than Hassaniya but it was quickly sorted out. I had the same teacher as when I was here two years ago and had taken a one hour lesson. We covered how to ask and answer questions about our name, place we are from, languages we speak, things we like, if we are married, what we do for a job and how old we are. Zain andi safar - I like to travel! After ten minutes, the board was covered with Arabic script that I tried to copy for a while but I couldn't keep up, so resorted to writing what I could hear. Read more...
kumquat's blog, May 8, 1:15pm
Tuesday
Jo drove me to my class again this morning but this time I drew a map as we went so I could retrace my steps afterwards. I was expecting to go over what we had looked at yesterday so had been frantically repeating Kem andak minam? Shnoo li zain andak? - How old are you? What do you like? We didn't look at them so I guess I have some extra time to try and lodge them in the ole brain. Read more...
kumquat's blog, May 8, 1:15pm
Sardinia: Day 1
Greta suffered my misdirections to Stanstead and drove on single track roads for too much of the journey! Read more...
kumquat's blog, May 8, 1:16am
The eagle has landed. The first evening.
So it didn't take long before the craziness set in! Stood at passport control for about half an hour before getting through. A was waiting for me at the other side and it was great to see her again. The first taxi we piled into was already full to my eyes but we sat in the front passenger seat together while her friend got in the back with the three existing passengers. I was closest to the driver, my spine hanging on to the edge of the seat and the gear stick wedged against my leg, with gear changes proving an uncomfortable experience. A 'discussion' began which was deafening even above the Arabic/French radio! A threw herself into the conversation at full volume and the driver turned his head when he 'spoke'. The resulting effect was that he had his eyes off the road and was effectively shouting in my ear! All the while, I'm not at all sure if we are heading towards the right place! A told me I had to go to hers first and that buses don't run after 8m and if I stay at her... Read more...
kumquat's blog, May 6, 1:16pm
Little For-it
A quiet day with little to report, hence the latest bastardisation of a Dickensian title. The journal reads: A late, lazy start. Some breakfast and coffee just after 11. Helped B with some definitions of disability and rehabilitation before F arrived to give her a massage. (She is suffering from cyatica - how do you spell that?) We spent all of the day indoors which allowed me to finish reading Siri Hustvedt's 'Summer Without Men' and start Zadie Smith's 'White Teeth'. In the afternoon, Johanne and I popped out briefly to get a few supplies and we just happened to run into someone who works for the ministry of education. When Johanne introduced me and told him I had an interest in Boujdour, he said that Boujdour was under his jurisdiction and we made plans to see him tomorrow. There's a lot more I could say here but is better to tell anyone face to face if they want to know more. In... Read more...
kumquat's blog, May 4, 1:16am
Sardinia: Day 4
Made it to breakfast this morning for about half nine as I had to catch the bus at 11. Said goodbye to Giuseppe and walked to the bus station. Loved the adventure of catching a bus out somewhere I'd never been before. Arrived in Baia Chia and was settled on the beach by 12:30. It's a really gorgeous location. Sparsely populated, found down a long sandy path before arriving at a large expanse of sand with a tower at one end, up on a hill, lakes surrounded by tall reddes behind the beach and a small cafe with tables and palm leaf parasols. Rocky hills in the background and altogether a perfect place to spend the day. The beach drops into a shelf a few steps into the water. It is like glass in clarity and even when you are nearly neck deep, you can look down and see sandy white fish with black stripes swimming around your feet. I stayed 'til 6:45 when the last bus arrived back. It was overcast and a little too cool for a lot of the day but the last hour or two were very hot with blue... Read more...
kumquat's blog, May 3, 1:16pm
Sardinia: Day 5
Bad idea!Last night I smothered myself in, newly purchased, after sun. This morning I look like a bullfrog. My eyes are bloated and nearly shut with swelling from having put some of the cream near my eyes. I went down to breakfast late with a peaked cap and a sullen air. The guy who runs the bar asked how I was and took my 'so-so' as an indication that I was hung over - an honourable excuse here! I went out to find Saturnino church which was (one of?) the first locations of the early church. Its plain, rough interior and restoration work going on outside was, for me, a lot more attractive than the more ornate churches full of marble and gilded shrines. I went on to where I expected to see art (Exma) but found it was shut, despite what the guide book suggested so I just sat for a while with a cappuccino. Next, I walked round an area I hadn't looked at before. There were no particular attractions but the narrow, pedestrianised streets were very... Read more...
kumquat's blog, May 3, 1:16pm
Sardinia: Day 6
After breakfast we headed to the bus station and bought tickets for Villasimius. It's a longer ride that to Chia but the views are stunning - no flamingoes but a coast like Cornwall with translucent, aquamarine blues. We passed beach after beach, little coves with boats and almost unpeopled stretches of sand. It was a 15-20 minute walk to the beach but i started to have really painful shin splints in my left leg and I was soon limping. We stoped at a little mini-mart for bread, cheese, fruit and water. The beach was equally beautiful to Baia Chia - the water as transparent with the same fish swimming at our feet. I didn't get to read as Sonia and I talked lots and I had a doze too. I just loved getting to practice my French so much. There was a constant wind and the sand was deep in my ears, covering my eyelashes and I had a whole other beach on my scalp. After eating our flatbread and emmental, there was sand between our teeth also! We were... Read more...
kumquat's blog, May 3, 1:16pm
Their Mutual Friends
I slept very well on a bed made up for me and woke a couple of times during the morning before getting up around midday, thirsty but reliant on someone buying me bottled water before I can drink. Sat listening to and watching a channel of men singing from various Arab countries but all in long, white robes and head scarves. All five of us went out to buy our tickets for tomorrow; another long walk with sweat pouring off my brow al the time. En route we saw the usual donkeys and carts laden with fruit standing at the side of the road, scarlet hibiscus and purple and white bougainvillia pouring over walls and gates and the endless Yamaha Citizens laden with passengers and goods. We got back, drank water and rested. My ticket to Laayoune was 22o dhirams. We packed up half an hour or so later and took a taxi to Assmae's flat. She changed while I sat in the little room in the courtyard again. We crossed over the main road opposite the compound and found a place to eat. I generously stood... Read more...
kumquat's blog, May 3, 1:16pm
Great unexpectations
Twenty four hours ago I had no plans for today. Now I am on the train to Gatwick to attend a wedding in the desert and reconnect with Assmae and Johanne. Read more...
kumquat's blog, May 3, 1:16pm
Sardinia: Day 8
In the morning we said various goodbyes and Sonia went to look around the Botanical gardens and amphitheatre area as she hadn't explored this before. I just walked to a local cafe for coffee and to catch up with my journal, partly because my leg would prevent me from walking without pain. Read more...
kumquat's blog, May 3, 1:16pm
A Tale of Two Cities
I slept fitfully and spent my waking time falling in and out of love with Africa; in the last three days I had not been in a toilet that was more than a hole and without any sign of toilet paper and the romance of living like a local was wearing thin in that respect BUT the clouds of women in highly pattered floating mulafeh was like watching flocks of exotic birds preening themselves as they rearrange the material over their heads BUT there is a constant thought near the front of your mind that whatever is causing that fearful smell in the market might splatter up your feet BUT the night sky is stunning and you see so many more stars clearly etc... Read more...
kumquat's blog, May 3, 1:16pm
Barnaby Grudge
Slept in the lounge on the floor just because it was cooler than lying on the cushions of the sofa/banquette which sink to nothing after a few minutes of sitting on them. I slept well and lay awake for quite a while before a call woke Assmae, enjoying the quite and time to myself. We got dressed and had a breakfast of sweet mint tea, poured from a great height into small glasses, returned to the pot and the same procedure repeated. More bread and chocolate spread and olives if you wanted them. We sat together for a while, Assmae and her grandfather and his wife talking and watching more Top Gear. Assmae then said she was going to leave me for a bit and she disappeared for maybe an hour. I read 'Nice Work' and got to within a page of finishing when she came back and we prepared to leave. We dropped in, unplanned, to someone else's house for a few minutes but involved ltos fo greetings and farewells and 'a la prochaine, inshallah'. At the same time I had a call about a job that... Read more...
kumquat's blog, May 3, 1:16pm
Sardinia: Day 7
Sonia and I took the bus to Baia Chia together. She has not already been to this beach. The sky was more cloudy but still warm. We laughed about how we crept in last night and then the moment we got to bed the two German girls came crashing in and turned the lights on and how Francesco had made signs from paper plates with numbers to grade 'Miss Hostel' in an event that never took place. We laughed about the woman we'd seen at the traffic lights with long tapered toe nails and how I'd said she looked like Wolverine! Read more...
kumquat's blog, May 3, 1:16pm
ROME
All photos from this trip can be seen on my facebook pages. This is just the travel journal as it was written each day. Read more...
kumquat's blog, May 1, 1:16am