Barcelona, day 1-2

I arrived in Barcelona yesterday.

So far, I've visited Sagrada Familia, the unfinished church, and Park Guell, the place everyone goes to when they are in Barcelona. Both places are overcrowded; I've never been around so many tourists in my life, except in the forbidden city of Beijing! And everybody has a selfie stick!

Here are some pictures:

Marrakech

I've been in Marrakech for a few days now.

It's probably my second favorite city in Morocco. There is part of it that is almost like any big modern cities, but part of it that is very Moroccan. My favorite part of the city is probably joining the crowd at the main square where there are tons of food stalls, shopping, drummers, dancers, monkey acrobats, snake charmers, fortune tellers, jugglers, old medicine men, etc.

It's actually my last day in Morocco today. On my first day here, I walked passed a coffee place with only men sitting outside facing the street...it was intimidating. As a woman, I wondered if I was allowed to go in. If you do go in, men will stare at you as if you've done something wrong. It's still a men's world here...but I've met Rachida, a very independent woman...she taught me a lot about Moroccan culture. There are women who push and fight, women who drive cars, women in parliament, polygamous marriages are almost completely abolished and you're actually allowed to wear short shorts and spaghetti straps in bigger cities (unlike other middle eastern countries). A few years ago, women only went outside twice in their lifetime; on her wedding and on the day she dies. Now, if a man tells a woman to go back home, other women will stand up for her and tell the man to mind his own business.

A lot of things we have in western countries is taken for granted, but we have to remember it's because there were women who fought for us to have those rights. It's such a young country...the older ones resists changes, but try to tell a younger one how it's done and he does exactly the opposite. It's a fascinating country here, and you feel the evolution when you're travelling from the country side to the bigger cities. It was a great lesson.

To be honest, the hot weather really isn't for me, and I've been sick the past few days...but I will miss desert, the medinas, the mountains and the people!

Essaouira

I'm in Essaouira!

My worst nightmare just came true; I found a centipede crawling on my bed. Not kidding.

Other than the centipede, I've been having a good time in Essaouira. It's a charming little town with lots of shops, art galleries, wood workshops, a harbor and fish market and a long beach. People are much more laid back and open-minded; you will see women with headscarves and traditional clothing as well as people wearing more revealing clothes. The medina is much cleaner, and people don't harass you. There are lots of hippies and surfers around.

I went for a wander in the medina today, and ended up at the port. There was so much going on; weather-beaten men mending their vessels and buckets of fish being tossed ashore. Then, I walked to the beach. It's supposedly one of the cleanest beaches in the world. A lady approached me and asked if I wanted henna tattoos. I never liked tattoos, I find them tacky most of the times, but I'm in Morocco and wanted to do it just for the experience :)

I've been approached by a few guys, in a non-creepy way. One said he's seen me a few times (because it's a small place), and wanted to invite me to his show. He said he understands me because probably a lot of people will stare and shout things like "konichiwa", especially because I'm a solo female traveler. People see my pictures and think it's fun...but they forget that it takes someone who is very comfortable being alone, being themselves and being outside of their comfort zone, especially in developing countries. Another guy who approached me, told me about his job and his family, and just wanted to have a tea and a walk. Another also wanted to have drinks and be facebook friends, haha. People are incredibly friendly!

Aroumd

I'm leaving the desert landscape for the mountains today. I took a bus that goes over Tizi n'Tichka pass that reaches an elevation of 2260m, and continues all the way to a little village called Imlil. Imlil is considered the centre of mountain tourism, and many people start there to attempt Northern Africa's highest peak - Mount Toubkal.

When I got there, I hired a mule up to Aroumd, a remote village perched on a rocky outcrop at an altitude of around 1900m. That place is surrounded my mountains that all parts of the High Atlas. From there, we're also able to see Mount Toubkal, and snow falls at its top.

It is a quiet place with a gentle pace; kids use rubber shoes as soccer balls and mules are the only form of transportation...it is a place beyond reach of the modern world. When the sun sets, the enormous mountains reflects the sun light; it's both so imposing and peaceful at the same time.

...and waking up to that crisp mountain air is one of my favorite things!

Predictable and repetitive

Alex wrote me saying that he misses me, trying to justify what had happened, insisting that we make a good team and wants me back.

All this is so predictable and repetitive, and I'm so fed up with this kind of on and off relationship, and just relationships in general. It seems like I've been through this so many times. It's strangling me. Thinking about being with him feels like a huge rock pressing on my chest. I don't want to go through this anymore.

...but the funny thing is, I don't really remember how it was to be with him. Was I happy? or was I just trying to be happy? Were we really a good team? or were we just trying? I'm not so sure anymore. Things can change in an instant, but I'm used to it now. I feel so detached.

Maybe that was a lesson. Sometimes, I look at him, and I think of Patrick...and I wished it was actually Patrick. There's a difference between knowing someone and knowing about someone. I knew facts about Patrick, but I don't really know him, and I shouldn't be obsessed about him or even wonder what-if...and even if we dated, we could have incompatible personalities. He could've been anybody, he could've been Alex, and we would end up the same way.

To be honest, maybe I was also influenced by other people's words. My friends told me that they'd feel used if they had to drive a guy around all the time. My mom didn't really approve of me dating a Quebecois, saying we don't share the same values. It didn't do anything when they said that, but after a month...it kind of got me. It suddenly really bothered me. Maybe I was trying to see past those things all along...but I couldn't.

I don't have the energy to respond, I just blocked him.

I know it's mean but, I don't even have the energy to give a fuck about that.

Todgha Gorge

Todgha is a canyon in the eastern part of the Atlas Mountains. Powerful rivers carved out cliff-sided canyons once upon a time, but has since dried up. I hiked through the gorge and was fortunate enough to meet some of the local nomads and joined them for a cup of tea. There were two little girls, the younger one is Fatima, and the older one is Abisha. Abisha was playing with her baby goat when I arrived. She then made me play with rocks with her. Although we didn't speak the same language, it reminded me how easy it was to communicate as a child. It was very refreshing.

It's a wild place with spectacular views, not many people go there, but you share the road with goats, mules and donkeys. The sheer beauty and serenity of this place is overwhelming; you just wonder how did mother nature create this...my gopro really don't do this place justice.

Sahara

I took a bus to Sahara desert where I camped for a night. The bus drove through those high rocky mountains that reminded me of western China. It doesn't seem like it, but the road is situated at an altitude of approximately 1900m. The rocky mountains slowly turned into smaller rocks, and soon disappeared into sands.The heat was so strong that even the air-con gave up (and I slightly bled from my nose). The nearby towns were made of stone buildings that blend into the picture so nicely.

The bus dropped me at an auberge at the edge of the Erg Chebbi where I embarked on a Camel to trek into the towering golden dunes, up to 150 meters of heights. The color of the sand was vibrant and the edges of the dunes looked like it was drawn with a sharp pencil. I watched the beautiful sunset, and the blue sky turning into the dark of a starry night.

I just feel so lucky to be here...how many people can say they spent a night admiring the stars and the milky way in the mighty Sahara? It's such a magical destination; it's one of those places I will remember for the rest of my life.

To do before I find a job again

I'm just bored and I decided to write a list, because I'm a girl, and I love lists. So, here's the list of things I will do before I start looking for a job again...in 2016.

Day Hikes
-Gothics
-Colden
-Katahdin

Backpacking trips:
Presidential traverse
Mahoosoc Range

Other
Mec 10K race

Smaller trips
-Western Canada
-Maine

Bigger trips
-Italy
-Egypt
-Unknown destination during Christnas/New year

Fes

I'm in Fes!

Fes is the most impressive city in Morocco so far. It has the most complete Medina in the Arab world. There are everything from hospitals, mosques, and schools in the Medica, and some people never leave it. Personally, I would never be able to live between those tall walls because I have mild claustrophobia.

For those who don't know, the streets in the Medina look like the first picture. It has more than 9000 streets, and the only transportation allowed are donkeys or mules. It can be dusty and smelly, but full of history and colors. If you walk into the street where they sell meat, you will see camel heads hanging...yummy!

I've never seen a place like this before, it takes me out of my comfort zone but it is amazing. It really gives you a good insight of daily life in medieval times...

Volubilis

Volubilis is an excavated Roman city that is destroyed by earthquakes. I thought it was interesting, especially when you see a rock with a penis on it, haha. It is actually a decoration in front of a brothel. It's funny to think that there were brothels and manholes (made of rocks as well) even in ancient times when people were living between rocks and sand.

That place is impressive and has mosaics that are almost intact because it remained pretty much undisturbed until excavation. I could almost imagine what that town looked like before life left it behind. The Romans were amazing for the sophistication of their city designs, and today they conquer the world with pizzas! 

Meknes

I've had some weird food in my life, probably has to do with my Chinese genes. I've had crocodile in Africa, horse in Japan, iguana in Honduras, scorpions in China, dog in Vietnam, etc. This time, I tried some Camel burger in Morocco! It tastes quite good, it's sort of tastes like beef with something off, haha.

Oh, I'm in Meknes; a town with less tourists and scams, and more of natural sites, historical monuments and nice people.

Here is Meknes in pictures!

Rabbat

I took a train to rabbat, and had a walk in the old city and Kasbah des Oudaias, which has some nice views over the ocean. A local guy ended up showing me around (for money obviously); it was a little bit of a labyrinth inside so it was nice to have him around. He provided some interesting information about this place and showed me some great "intagramable" spots as well :)