I have a bit to catch up on as I have not written anything since our return from Morocco. I had another ASP tour- we did a tour of Versailles. Having been a few times, I was not expecting to learn anything new- but of course I did. It was also exciting because former NBA player David Robinson was in front of us the whole time. I nonchalantly took a photo and texted it to Chris to get his name as I knew he was a ballplayer because of his massive height.  Chris tried to get me to get his autograph- but was too embarrassed to ask.

 Kids had dental appointments. It is so difficult with dentists as each time I or the kids go- everyone needs to follow up with something. I have ortho appointments for 3 of them so will see if metal is in the kids future.  Kids have started new activities after school as well. Alex and Olivia are now playing tennis once a week and Alex started basketball.

Alex had his first french friend birthday party. He plays hockey with Alex and the two have become close as each tries to speak in each others native language. I do not know the birthday party customs here so Chris and Alex went to but a gift. I asked Alex how it went and he said they opened the gifts. He received a helicopter, 10 books and a huge Nerf gun. Yes- the Americans gave him the Nerf gun. I can only imagine what his parents were thinking as this boy was jumping up and down screaming with joy while opening Alex's gift.

Chris and I are continuing our date night as we went to a fondue restaurant called Pain, Vin, Fromage. It was such a good time that we decided to buy our own fondue set.  Will be testing it out next week. We also went shopping as they have huge sales here from Jan 08- Feb 11. Things are marked down as much as 70%. People are everywhere with multiple shopping bags.  Its the time to come to Paris if you are in it for the shopping.

I took Luciana to see an American doctor. She just cant shake this cough and I really need to be able to communicate and explore her options. Unfortunately- he disagreed with every medication she had been given. He claims that the US have done studies on these meds over 5 years ago and found them not to work in pediatrics. The french docs say steroids are good for children while my American doc said...no way!  It got me thinking about the health care system- why isn't quality of care measured and shared globally?  Why can't there be a best practice and hold doctors accountable?

I started my private french lessons.  We met at a cafe and I was forced to speak only french.  I tried to explain that I know very few verbs and do not know how to conjugate most of the time.  It is not easy to learn a new language as an adult.  The hardest part is being able to accept the fact that you are going to say things that do not make sense.   I have classes for 2 hours twice a week.  The first week my brain was tired and she suggested we go shopping at the end of class.  She wanted me to talk to the salespeople and I couldn't get anything out.  How humiliating- I felt like a child as I looked at my teacher for guidance.  I need to go in with the mentality that I have nothing to lose- and a lot to gain!

My girls are already thinking about boys.  Someone in Olivia's class asked her to be his girlfriend.  I asked Olivia whether she liked him and her response was - " he doesn't pick his nose and that is saying a lot for 5th grade boys".  I am glad her standards are so high. Even Emilia has me a bit worried as she now says she wants to be a cheerleader when she grows up.   She says she wants to marry a strong man and if she is a cheerleader then chances are high she will meet a football or hockey player.   And then there is Alex.  He has had a crush on the same girl for months and just found out she has a crush on him too.  He was so excited and started jumping up and down.  I asked him what he was going to do about it and he decided to leave her a note with chocolates in here locker.  He couldn't sleep the night before- already a romantic!

I can't believe we have been here for 6 months already! I still miss some of my American things....almond butter, refried beans and forever om yoga being at the top of my list -but I have adapted to the french style. A few observations on the french...

- Way too many tags on clothes! There are literally between 5 and 8 tags on everything. I don't understand it. Even on children's underwear- I need to cut them off and the little edges still bother Emilia.

- I really do like the whole french kissing- by that I mean the pecks on each cheek. How can people hold grudges when you have to kiss them twice when saying hello and goodbye. This is something I will miss in the states.

- How can women walk in high heels on uneven bumpy cobblestones? Not only can they walk quickly but with perfect posture and going uphill.  I found myself slightly out of breath behind an elegantly dressed woman in her eighties who was just moving along with no problem.

-  I learned that the french tend to have much of their clothing tailored- thus explaining their sleek style. I am so used to buying things off the rack and just letting it fit as is- I think I will try getting things hemmed and tucked where needed- I may be able to look just as chic!

- Both men and women in Paris tend to be quite thin. In fact, Chris who is a 34 waist has a difficult time finding pants. 32 seems to be the max at most places! Chris is in great shape too- its just that I have realized that both the men and women do not have any derrières! Nothing at all to cushion themselves- its no wonder they never seem to be sitting down!  Although- I now have a disclaimer to this. I went with the kids to a suburb about 30 minutes away this past weekend and we had lunch at a chain called Buffalo Bills.  I couldn't believe that half the clientele was not the Parisian thin I am used to.  I felt  like I was back in the US as we were seated next to some pleasantly plump children.

Well this week has been tough as Chris has been in the states for 8 days...2 more to go....Lots going on again  this month as we prepare for Alex's biggest hockey tournament, Olivia's first gym meet and our first experience with french ballet....plus my brother and sister in law are arriving in a few weeks!  Never a dull moment!  Well that's not really true.....

Morocco

Just returned from a wonderful adventure in Morocco!  Took over 300 photos so only sharing a few! We had a private tour arranged for us so it was nice to have drivers, guides and rooms reserved all in advance.  It truly felt like a vacation as we had nothing to worry about!  We arrived on Sunday evening and were transported to the old town of Marrakech.  King Mohammed VI was in the city so there were red flags and police officers posted everywhere.  We were told that the people love their king- he is a hard worker and has the people's interest at heart.   We asked our driver if he could live anywhere in the world- without hesitation he replied,  Marrakech!   Morocco is a warm inviting country.  The people are so friendly and especially drawn towards children.  I cant count how many times Luciana was picked up or kissed by a stranger.  Kids were constantly getting their heads patted, hugged and greeted with smiles on all our ventures.

Upon our arrival we were driven to the Medina.  The Medina is a district that has a wall surrounding the town.  Inside there are narrow, maze like alleys.  Cars have no access so we had to have our luggage brought in by a wheel barrow.  Kids jumped on as well as we headed to our riad.  On the way in we were mesmerized by the streets- all dirt, with mopeds and donkeys whizzing by us.  We had to stand against the street walls so we could let people pass.  We were a bit worried as we walked through the dark covered passages until we arrived at our plain door and it opened up to the most beautiful home.  The riad where we stayed had 6 rooms and we had the whole place to ourselves.  It was decorated beautifully and the staff was very inviting and treated us like family.

on route via wheel barrow to the riad

Riad Tzarra nestled in the middle of the streets

kids enjoyed mint tea 

doors to the bedroom

riad balcony- had a rooftop terrace

We set off to walk to the main square, Djemaa El Fna.  We were given a map and told to always turn left and we would eventually get there.  As we ventured off through the small dark alleys we were greeted with smiles and hellos along the way.   We then were surrounded by the souks (outdoor markets).  They are in every direction and one can easily get lost in it all.    We kept forward toward the main square where we were greeted with snake charmers, monkeys, henna artists and more souks.  Alex and Emilia were brave enough to handle the snakes and the cobra was pretty cool.  We decided to have our first dinner at the food stalls.  Olivia was hesitant but we convinced her to embrace the culture.  We had a great dinner of couscous and sausages.  We then followed up with a dessert that the kids chose from a pastry cart. We headed home without getting lost as we geared up for the week ahead.

The next day we were awoken at 6am by the sound of prayer.   You can hear the muezzin singing from a minaret to announce prayer time.  It is  the first of the five daily prayer announcements.  The prayers are divided evenly throughout the day so one is constantly reminded of God and given opportunities to seek guidance.  After a couple days, we became used to the loud announcements throughout the entire country.   We hired a guide to take us to the cultural sights.  Our first stop was the Meders Ben Youssef.  It was built as a school for young boys to study the Koran in the 14th century. The architecture is incredible as the buildings are built of cedar roofs, marble and stucco.

We then headed to the Musee de Marrakech and the  Palais el Bahia.   The museum had a beautiful fountain in the center with four rooms of historical items.  We also stopped to have the kids names written in Arabic by a local painter in the museum. The Palais en Bahia is a  beautiful palace with rooms opening to courtyards with Cyprus trees.   It was built in 1880 and was named after one if the wives. It has beautiful decor on the walls and ceilings.  There were rooms for his harem and his 80 concubines.

Marrakech museum

The Palais en Bahia

We spent the remainder of the day exploring the souks and shopping.   We were told to reduce the asking price in half to start the negotiating.  We bought some poofs and slippers for the kids.  We taught the kids to say  Hello and Thank you in Arabic and that  brought joy to the locals. 

Alex bought some slippers and wore them the entire trip

next to the shop is the workshop where they make slippers

one example of the hundreds of souks

Luciana enjoying her avocado shake

Views from the restaurant rooftop of the main square

The next day we left the city behind us as we drove along the Tizi n' Tichka mountain pass making its way over the High Atlas mountains.  We stopped for lunch in the small town of Telouet.  We are beginning to realize that the only Moroccan cuisine is couscous and tajine.  We order way too much food but it is always quite tasty.  We then head to the towns  main attraction- the Kasbah. Built in the 1800's by the Glaoui family, the family became very wealthy as it was along  trans­Saharan trading route. After Morocco's independence the family was evicted and the Kasbah was left to ruin. On first sight the Kasbah walls are crumbling and close to collapsing. The entrance to the building has incomplete walls and rubble. It is only when you reach the center of the building that you can see the stunning home. The mosaic walls and intricate ceilings are beautiful.  The views from the rooftop were amazing as well.  We bought a local berber rug and enjoyed some time with the local children.  I had brought pre-made wrapped crepes and we distributed them to all the kids.  Everyone loves chocolate! After another couple hours driving we finally reached the Kasbah Ellouze, where we would be spending the next two nights.  It was new years eve and we enjoyed a festive local celebration.  The kids all danced to the Berber music and it was a memorable way to welcome the new year.

restaurant where we had lunch

the entrance to the kasbah

the inside of the kasbah

one example of the beautiful architecture

View from the rooftop- kids playing soccer 

another rooftop view

The kasbah where we stayed

Emilia and our driver 

Omar and the kids

Ringing in the new year

The next day Olivia, Emilia and Chris decided to walk to Ait Ben Haddou, a two hour journey.  They were told to follow the river and the would reach the site.  Alex, Luciana and I met them their with our driver. The Ait Ben Haddou is a Unesco World heritage site and is estimated to have been built in the 17th century.  Its purpose was to be a principle link in the trade route from the Sahara to Marrakesh.   It is built from clay brick so it blends in and is quite amazing.  Its background has been used for many films including Gladiator and Lawrence of Arabia.   That afternoon our driver gave Alex a soccer ball. Chris, Alex and Olivia played soccer with the families living next to us- about 15 kids for 2 hours. Everyone had lots of fun and the kids were pleased as Olivia gifted them the ball.

Ait Ben Haddou

Alex

Emilia and Luciana preparing for the desert 

Views of the Ait Ben Haddou

Luciana- on one of her many moments- where she got upset and wanted to be alone

Our neighbors home

The next day we began our route to the desert.  A long drive passing many small towns and we reached a valley of many palm trees.  We passed through a larger city called Zagora.  It is the 2nd largest distributor in the world of dates- so it has acquired some wealth.  It even had 3 large fountains in the street.  An unusual thing on route to the desert!  We finally made it to the town of M'hamid, bordering the desert.  We had a quick lunch and started our 1.5 hour off road trip.  We had a 4X4 jeep and our guide maneuvered through the desert with such ease.  His parents were nomads so navigating the desert without any signs or guidance was no problem.  Along the way, we saw dromedary  We thought they were camels- but we learned that the Sahara does not have the camel- rather dromedary.  They have only one hump.  We were anxious to arrive to our luxury camp- we did not know what to expect.  Upon arriving, we couldn't believe the setting.  Large white tents with full size beds and decorations.  We even had a private bathroom and a place to bathe. The staff was friendly and we met other tourists staying there as well.   We had little time before sunset, so we did a quick walk on the dunes nearby. The evening sky was filled with stars- I have never seen such a night sky.  Olivia enjoyed naming the stars and sharing her astronomy knowledge.  We enjoyed a nice dinner and campfire music. The band was very loud and I can't believe the kids all fell asleep with that drumming noise. When I headed to bed I was told that we should not sleep with the heaters on because of the gas so we turned them off...mistake!!! We were freezing!!!  The desert gets very cold at night 30F.  My nose was freezing and every time I moved the cold sheets would make me shiver.  The kids slept right through it- never awakening to the cold or the music!

On our way to Dayt Chgaga

The drive

The bar at our camp

Kids bedroom- 3 twin beds

The camp

Bathroom- barrels are filled with hot water to bathe

Chris and the three kids on top of the dune

The bedroom tents

The next day we had our dromedary ride.  He kneels down so you can get on, but as he stands up, you nearly fall off as your body leans way forward.  They are very friendly animals and it was very easy to ride.   Along the 1.5 hour ride, we stopped just to soak in the sun and the scenery.  Olivia did her gymnastics tricks while the boys wrestled.   Upon returning to the camp, we had lunch and took off for the next venture.  Alex and Chris rented an ATV for a journey through the dunes.  The girls and I had to trek it up to the highest dune so that we could watch the sunset.  It was very steep at times and goopy was tired.  I had to carry her and the backpack- the extra 50lb load was exhausting!!  We made it to the top and waited for the boys.   Chris and Alex tried sand surfing and the kids played with local nomad boys on top of the dune.  We saw a beautiful quick sunset and returned to the camp.  We played cards with our guides and taught them Old Maid.  We kept our heaters on that night and got some well needed rest!

Playing marbles

Emilia being helped up the dune by a nomad

Sunset

 The next morning  during our final breakfast in the desert we discovered our milk was bad.  Chris tried to explain in English and sign language to the staff to no avail.  Then Emilia stands up and says in french "le lait n'est pas bon" and the staff all smiled and said Oh!  It was pretty funny. Her french has really kicked up a level.   Our first stop on our way back was in a town called Tagounit.   It is known for its pottery.  We stopped at an area where they made the ceramics.  It was just a hole in the ground where a man made hundreds of pieces.  They are then left outside to dry and put in outdoor kilns.  We of course had to buy some local goods and we had limited cash on us.  The shop owner took our deal as long as we threw in Chris's headphones.  Chris was on a work call and he was eyeing them- so we gave them to him to close the deal.  We made it to our destination for the evening in a town called Agdz .  We stayed in the Kasbah Azul.  It was another beautiful place to stay.  Beautiful salon and bedrooms.  It had a nice pool as well and the gardens were plush.   It was nice to have a real hot shower and sleep in a heated room!  

Kasbah Azul

 We continued on to a town called Quarazazate, the Moroccan capital of Cinema.  There are several films made here.  We got close to the props and scenery used for several movies including Gladiator, Mummy and Alexander. We also stopped at  local apothecary.  The man showed us a cure for nearly every ailment .  We bought some oils and teas.  The owner offered to host Olivia in his home next summer for one month and in exchange we would host his son.   Olivia was not going for it.  We  continued our drive and finally made it back to Marrakech!    It was a long drive!  Thank goodness for the electronics the kids got for Christmas.  Made the drive seem shorter and broke up a few scuffles! We waked back to the large square.  It was funny as just 5 days earlier it seemed all mysterious to us but now we walked the alleys knowing exactly where we were.  We had grown tired of Moroccan cuisine at this point and headed to a pizzeria.  Kids were overjoyed for a Margarita pizza and an Orangina!  Emilia also came home with a loose tooth.  Not loose enough to come about but she was determined to get it out so that she could say she has lost a tooth in three different continents.  She and Olivia wiggled it for hours and a final pull by me and it was out.  In Marrakech, a pigeon comes to take it away so she was very excited as she received 20 dirham the next morning.

Alex in the movie jail/cinema museum

Chris in the senate room/cinema museum

Chris of Arabia

The apothecary demonstrating all the products

scrubbing our heads with argan oil,  it is used for nutritive and cosmetic purposes.

Our last day in Morocco.   The girls wanted to get the henna tattoos on their hands so we did that first. We then gave the kids 100 dirham each ( 10 Euros) to go shopping in  the souks.  The only condition was that they had to bargain and get a good deal.   Alex was looking for a knife.  He found the one he wanted for 250 dirham.  Alex was hilarious as his bargaining started at 100 with a counter of 200 and he kept going lower.  The shop keeper wound up selling it for 70 dirham as Alex walked away pretending it was too high.   Olivia wanted sheepskin desk lamps.  They were 100 each and she managed to get 2 for the price of one.  They may have inherited Chris's business sense!  Emilia got a magic cedar box and Luciana got three small cedar camels.  

Goodbye Morocco!

We really had a wonderful adventured filled week!  I have been to several countries around the world and Morocco is at the top of my list.  The people are friendly, the food is fantastic, the culture is welcoming and the history is remarkable.  It was not only an adventure but an educational experience.  Of course it wasn't without its issues-someone would get a stomach sickness or a headache for a day but it would quickly pass.  Kids would get antsy in the car and start fighting.  No one could eat another tajine, etc.....  However, I did learn to appreciate my family even more.  The kids were so adaptable- never complaining about their environment.  They were very respectful and kind and courteous to all. They said thank you in Arabic without being prompted to.  I really have a new found love for them. And of course Chris was fantastic- he is so fun to travel with and is always finding ways to entertain while teaching the kids.  I am truly a lucky mom and wife!