Mo-Rockin' the Kasbah

The morning of March 2nd (Texas Independence Day, BTDubbs*), I woke up, turned on my iPod, and started packing. For Africa. (Normally, I might play Toto's "Africa" once through, but on that particular morning, I couldn't resist. I bless the raiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiins down in AAAAAAAAfrica!** ...on repeat at the top of my lungs.)

That's right my friends. This time for Africa!

It all started in France with an English girl named Lottie...

...and an American girl named, well, me. We took a train in France...***

...past the Mediterranean AND the Pyrenees. (Welcome to L-Doc!)

Then we took a FrogBus out of France and into Spain. (See France saying "Merci et à bientôt!"/"Hasta pronto!")

Then we hopped on a RyanAir flight. (RyanAir: It's a love/hate relationship.)

Yeah, we were THOSE people, taking a picture on a plane.***

AND THEN WE WERE IN AFRICA.***

We got supa' rich. (€1 = 11 Moroccan Dirhams)

With our new international friends from a variety of continents (whom we met on the bus, when we were in a bus crash, nbd), we found our way to the hostel. Where there was a camel on the wall. Good sign.

Home sweet home! Here you can see the top bunk with the dangerous ladder I fell from. Yes.

Then out to meet Lyndsay & Zack for fooooood!***

AND MINT TEA. Moroccan specialty - mint tea with sugar. So amazing. I want more. Now.

And tajine. A tajine is the name of the particular pottery that the food is cooked in (you'll see pictures). All the dishes that are cooked within are called tajines. This particular once was beef, apricots, and almonds. Delish!

And fresh fresh fresh orange juice! For 40 cents.

first taste of the markets

best hostel breakfast EVER... and this hostel was less than €7/night, people!

Place Jeema El-Fna, the center of the Medina**** (Old City within the walls)

This man was selling... teeth?! After we took this picture, he chased us. We got away. Lottie & Katy: 1, Market: 0

This is when Lottie and I started buying stuff. Lots of stuff. Before we really knew how to haggle. We went a little overboard. Lottie & Katy: 1, Market: 1 

Note: You have to haggle/bargain for EVERYTHING. There are no prices. They just start with a ridiculous price and you have to get it down to something you'll pay, or leave. It's fairly overwhelming... but also amazing because everything's so beautiful and there's just... so much of it!

Henna tattoos... of course. We were those tourists.***

This is the street our hostel was on... where we daily dodged multiple motorcycles. As well as donkey-drawn carts.

the Koutoubia Mosque

Aladdin, c'est toi?!

Seeeee the snake? These guys also chased me after this. Lottie & Katy: 2, Market: 1.

Orange trees were EVERYWHERE!

outside the Medina... part of the Ville Nouvelle (New City)

Jardin Majorelle, designed by French expat Jacques Majorelle, and also the place where Yves Saint Laurent's ashes were spread

This specific blue is called "Majorelle blue" because of its prolific use throughout the garden.

Yves Saint Laurent designed a different "Love" card to send out to his family and friends every year... & here's mine!

the walls of the Medina

For this photo, I was a total creeper and caught this cute little guitar-teaching scene. But seriously, how cute?!

See those MOUNTAINS?! Nbd. Just chillin' by the mountains in Africa. (These are the Atlas Mountains, BTDubbs.)

Jeema El-Fna, as viewed from the terrace at our fave tea spot

tea break #3 of 150,498,134

... which for me included pastilla, a delicious pastry filled with shredded chicken and ground almonds and cinnamon and all the good things in life. PASTILLAAAA.***

Want more Morocco?!***** Well I hope so. Because there's more... lots more! Soon!

ps: Happy St. Patrick's Day!

pps: Today I've been gone 6 months! Craziness.

........................

*DID YOU KNOW that the Republic of Texas was its own country from March 2, 1836 to February 19, 1846?! It was.

**This'll come back later.

***Stole these pictures from Lottie! Merci ma chère!

****Synonym for Medina = Kasbah (as in, Rock the)... Think about that, think about the name of the country, look back at the title, you there yet? Just making sure we're all on the same page. ;)

*****I sure do.