Back in December, I went on a few vacations. Over the course of five weekends, I was in five different countries (Spain, Morocco, England, Texas, Yankeeland). This is the story of the second weekend: Morocco.
With a Thursday holiday and a Friday 'puente' (bridge) linking the X with the SS, I felt the obligation to make a trip somewhere. Somewhere turned out to be Morocco, which, only is a 35 minute (or 3 hour, depending on how busy the port of Tangier is, but 35 minutes is promised) ferry ride away. The original plan was to see Fez, the heavily recommended arts center of Morocco with its medieval labrythny Medina and Fez-donning locals. That changed, however.
We met these two interesting guys from Italy/Germany and Morocco/Barcelona who spoke, respectively 7 and 4 languages, and ended up taking a trip into the Sahara on camels, riding by light of the stars and staying in a Berber tent among the "tallest sand dunes in the world." This was great fun (once in a lifetime experience) and was accompanied by a 15 hour trip back that led us through dunes, arid desert, high steppes where shepherds lost in time herded their flocks of sheep through the treacherous tundra-covered passes, the Atlas mountains and a snowstorm that would close the roads to all traffic shortly after we passed, fields that harvested plastic bags, the chaotic Moroccan coast, the strait of Gibraltar, Jaco-like (Spring Break '05 what?!) Tarifa and back to Cadiz.
Although the geography class went as smooth as butter and the Arabian night in the Sahara was unquestionably cool, the damage was done beforehand. Apparently our two eclectic friends were some sort of con men/scam artists/ crooks/ evil sneaky Africans, whatever you want to call them. I went with English Alex and Tammy, a friend from high school. She and I left Morocco with 7 rugs and about $8000 in debt. $6700 of that was mine.
Now, this wasn't just some splurge purchase (I don't have that kind of money to spend) but a "sure thing" investment gone horribly awry. Even Alex thought it a good idea but hesitated to pull the trigger. Tammy settled at 2 rugs and kept them both as expensive gifts for herself that she hoped would value greatly one day. Mine were straight up money-making schemes. If you knew me in college I'm sure this is somewhat predictable. But c'mon - even I've never done anything on this scale before...
When the rugs got back to the states, my brother took them to some rug dealers who surmised that $1000 for all 5 rugs would be a "good price." At that point, I Sherlock-Holmesed that somewhere in their story, these guys must have been lying.
Not sure if it was that they said they bought rugs themselves and sold them in a shop in Barcelona where people pay "4-5 times the prices we pay here in Morocco" or when they told us that "you can only buy 6 legally, but Rassack (the septalinguist) orders them to all his family and friends and basically circumvents the system" or when they asked "do you have a student card? You can get a big discount on the student card at the rugs stores" (not true), but they got us. I assume that despite all appearances, these guys were neither buying rugs to sell in Europe nor were they even going back to Europe at all. My guess is these guys basically hunted down tourists and brought them to the rug store, where they received a commission for the overpriced sale.
The worst part is my instinct said no, but my desire to make money to pay for a car/apartment upon my return, a trip through Europe, or typical things for a career commencer to need, overwhelmed it. Instead of starting out with some bling in the bank, I'll start out my job next fall with good-ole' consumer debt (albeit on a 0% interest credit card until Jan 15), 5 rugs, a lesson learned, and a damn good story to tell my grandkids.
The most interesting thing about the whole trip is that we thought the two were long-conning us. We just didn't think it was the rugs. In fact, halfway through the trip, Alex and I decided to write a fictional story about three tourists that do the identical trip and in the end, decide the guides are conmen and turn them over to the Algerian police. Who turn out not to be police but the "real bad guys." Realizing their error too late to save them, the tourists are forced to get over their guilt quickly to save themselves. Think of it as a slightly more boring Michael Chrichton thriller, with likely underdeveloped relationships and a lack of drive amongst the characters, whose sole desire in the story is to find out if it's a con or not.
Until quatralinguist Tony pulled a fast one on Tammy and stole a kiss through a dirty trick, however, the story coincided with reality - we weren't sure if we were being conned or not. In the end, I guess we were - but it wasn't really a long con. We had been conned at the rug store, and they went through the motions afterwards to thank us for our business...
22 February 2006
19 February 2006
Map of Where I've been
I'm posting a map in the links section with the map of europe colored in to illustrate the countries I've been. It will be updated as I visit new places
Stereotypically Colored = Visited
Gray = have definitive plans to visit
White = unvisited and currently unplanned
Pull that jersey off the rafters: I'm back
After a lengthy retirement, I've decided to return to the blog in typical OCD force, with a flurry of enthusiasm and stories, only to increase the likelihood that I wind up overwhelmed when I realize I can't devote three hours a night to telling my stories like I will do tonight...
In any case, I'm going to backdate my posts covering a slew of topics and a few vacations, including trips to London, The Sahara Desert and Morocco, Germany, and various places in between.
Personally, I'm in a good place right now, and no longer grind my teeth at night in agony over my purgatorian status as far as having a job for next year is concerned, and recently (as in Today) I have decided I have achieved a level of Spanish high enough that I will be comfortable speaking to my children completely in Spanish, one of my main personal goals for this year. This is no small accomplishment, but I also realize I have a long way to go before I can even consider myself proficient in the world's #3 and the USA's #2 language. But we're taking positive steps...
In any case, I'm going to backdate my posts covering a slew of topics and a few vacations, including trips to London, The Sahara Desert and Morocco, Germany, and various places in between.
Personally, I'm in a good place right now, and no longer grind my teeth at night in agony over my purgatorian status as far as having a job for next year is concerned, and recently (as in Today) I have decided I have achieved a level of Spanish high enough that I will be comfortable speaking to my children completely in Spanish, one of my main personal goals for this year. This is no small accomplishment, but I also realize I have a long way to go before I can even consider myself proficient in the world's #3 and the USA's #2 language. But we're taking positive steps...
14 February 2006
Bombing Down the 'Bahn: Trip to Germany
If you've never driven down the Autobahn, I recommend it, if only to tell people that you did so. The thrill of driving 100 mph and having a BMW whiz past you at least 40 mph faster is like nothing else. I, unfortunately, had the bad luck to drive the majority of the time at night, and since I am one of the millions of Americans who suffers from the harmless congenital stationary night blindness (can't-see-shit-in-the-dark), I was forced to drive significantly slower than I would have preferred. Still, it was nice to be free from the nerve-wracking process of cresting hills at 77 mph, afraid there's a quota-filler t-rexing in the bushes below...
After sleeping in the backseat of my rental car and ensuring i wouldn't be discovered during the night by covering my car with snow before bed, I awoke on Saturday morning cold, alone, but in Munich. An interesting city best saved for the summer's biergarten outdoor drinking fests or the fall's infamous Oktoberfest, Munich was enjoyable if only to experience the Weissbier, pretzels, and Weisswurst veal sausage. (These three things made up 90% of my weekend diet). But I recommend going in the summer when you can experience it at its best.
Although I thought renting a car would cut down costs of hotels (I slept in the car for two nights) as well as provide me with the luxury of freedom, I found both to be utterly untrue. I haven't felt as shackled with something in a long time when I had the rental car parked illegally in Munich, and between the parking garage and the following general principle, I spent way way more on the car than I would've on a train ticket:
For one person:
car + gas - train ticket - hostel cost = net loss
For multiple people:
car + gas - 2+ train tickets - hostel costs for two = possible net gain
Although my Saturday was a low point of loneliness, missed opportunities, closed museums, and walking in snow, my trip was saved after I went to the world famous Hofbrauhaus, "prosted" 2.5L of beer (84 ounces, or 7 beers), and woke up with my eyes sealed shut on Sunday. For the first time in the history of the world, I think I drank away sorrow, and went on to see a fantastic how-things-work science museum (the mostly bilingual Deutches museum) and eventually Neuschwanstein Castle, the fairy-tale castle built (and never inhabited) by Mad King Ludwig II that would eventually serve as the inspiration for Disneyland's Sleeping Beauty castle.
The castle was great - don't get me wrong, and you should probably see it for yourself if you ever venture to these parts. But beware - no one ever lived there (Ludwig, and his money, disappeared when only 1/3 of the interior rooms were finished), and you should probably go to the overlook bridge, because it's impossible to see the postcard view without climbing a mountain or two, and the view from the ground makes breadth and depth hard to appreciate.
My trip to Germany was a lot more expensive than I thought it would be (round trip airfare, after all, had only cost me $35) but a good experience, if nothing more than to teach me the valuable lesson that vacations and rental cars are best done with someone else.
After sleeping in the backseat of my rental car and ensuring i wouldn't be discovered during the night by covering my car with snow before bed, I awoke on Saturday morning cold, alone, but in Munich. An interesting city best saved for the summer's biergarten outdoor drinking fests or the fall's infamous Oktoberfest, Munich was enjoyable if only to experience the Weissbier, pretzels, and Weisswurst veal sausage. (These three things made up 90% of my weekend diet). But I recommend going in the summer when you can experience it at its best.
Although I thought renting a car would cut down costs of hotels (I slept in the car for two nights) as well as provide me with the luxury of freedom, I found both to be utterly untrue. I haven't felt as shackled with something in a long time when I had the rental car parked illegally in Munich, and between the parking garage and the following general principle, I spent way way more on the car than I would've on a train ticket:
For one person:
car + gas - train ticket - hostel cost = net loss
For multiple people:
car + gas - 2+ train tickets - hostel costs for two = possible net gain
Although my Saturday was a low point of loneliness, missed opportunities, closed museums, and walking in snow, my trip was saved after I went to the world famous Hofbrauhaus, "prosted" 2.5L of beer (84 ounces, or 7 beers), and woke up with my eyes sealed shut on Sunday. For the first time in the history of the world, I think I drank away sorrow, and went on to see a fantastic how-things-work science museum (the mostly bilingual Deutches museum) and eventually Neuschwanstein Castle, the fairy-tale castle built (and never inhabited) by Mad King Ludwig II that would eventually serve as the inspiration for Disneyland's Sleeping Beauty castle.
The castle was great - don't get me wrong, and you should probably see it for yourself if you ever venture to these parts. But beware - no one ever lived there (Ludwig, and his money, disappeared when only 1/3 of the interior rooms were finished), and you should probably go to the overlook bridge, because it's impossible to see the postcard view without climbing a mountain or two, and the view from the ground makes breadth and depth hard to appreciate.
My trip to Germany was a lot more expensive than I thought it would be (round trip airfare, after all, had only cost me $35) but a good experience, if nothing more than to teach me the valuable lesson that vacations and rental cars are best done with someone else.
13 November 2005
out of retirement
It's ironic that the longest time I would go inbetween posts immediately followed a post announcing my return... how ironic indeed...
Rather than pull a Roger Clemens and announce my retirement only to draw more publicity (and money) by ceremoniously unretiring twice, I'm just going to make a calm collected return to the blog. I'm back. that's it.
Truth be told, I grew tired (and short on ideas) of writing anecdotal collections of short cynical stories. I wanted to write more cohesive pieces that captured my readers' interests and led them through the hoops I had to jump through in my story.
So, effectively, I am unretired. But I'd prefer to think of it as reborn, like the Phoenix.
Tomorrow I will tell the story of the fruit flies, and how they have captured the kitchen and are presently camped out in the foothills of the dining room. Their front line is advancing as we speak, and although they take many casualties, they show an unconscious hunger for victory and push onward towards our lands. I must not ignore the presence of scouts in my bedroom, for they are coming, I know it. I must stop them...
Rather than pull a Roger Clemens and announce my retirement only to draw more publicity (and money) by ceremoniously unretiring twice, I'm just going to make a calm collected return to the blog. I'm back. that's it.
Truth be told, I grew tired (and short on ideas) of writing anecdotal collections of short cynical stories. I wanted to write more cohesive pieces that captured my readers' interests and led them through the hoops I had to jump through in my story.
So, effectively, I am unretired. But I'd prefer to think of it as reborn, like the Phoenix.
Tomorrow I will tell the story of the fruit flies, and how they have captured the kitchen and are presently camped out in the foothills of the dining room. Their front line is advancing as we speak, and although they take many casualties, they show an unconscious hunger for victory and push onward towards our lands. I must not ignore the presence of scouts in my bedroom, for they are coming, I know it. I must stop them...
20 October 2005
A glorious day
Tonight was different than Monday. Not just because the Astros won, clinching the NL pennant for the first time in franchise existence, and are headed to the World Series, but also because I remained calm and level-headed, much like Bagwell and Biggio, who weren't yelling and screaming, but smiling, patting each other on the back, and feeling happy. Monday I would have run into the streets in my underwear, proclaiming the good news to the 6am streets, only to be shot at most likely. Tonight, I grabbed my celebratory beer, opened it, and settled in with a huge smile on my face. I'm not sure if i matured as a baseball fan, more capable of handling the highs and lows, or if I was simply still numb from Monday night. But rather than overwhelming enthusiasm, I felt just happy. Pleased. Content.
Finally. The World Series in Houston. What a day.
Finally. The World Series in Houston. What a day.
18 October 2005
Astros one win away
So I haven't written in this in a week or maybe more (i'm not too sure) but it's not because I've forgotten. I just haven't had much to report. I'm teaching, I love it, my kids are great, blah blah blah.
I'm working on trying to create longer, more captivating stories, since someone has stopped sending me silver packages of nice one-paragraph making-fun-of-Europe stories (Don't let me track you down, whoever you are...). Now, I'm left with the terrible predicament: I must mature as a writer. I'm not entirely sure i'm capable of that.
For now, I'll just fill up space slobbering over the Astros, who turned the Greatest Double Play of All Time last night. In case you're living with Osama B.L. in a foxhole (even Spanish TV showed a highlight of the game), a mental gaffe allowed Larry Walker to sneak (like Gollum) over to third base with one out in the top of the ninth and the astros ahead 2-1. Lidge was on the mound, and since he had got just one double play all year (spanning 70+ innings), it appeared that we would need another miracle to pull this one out. And a miracle was delivered. A softly hit ground ball that Thom Brennaman of FOX said would be impossible to turn came to Bruntlett, who gave the crispest and quickest relay to second I have ever seen. That was one. But it would still take the most fluid turn and bullet throw to first to nab the hustling Mabry. Adam Everett, who plays every game not because of his bat, was probably one of two or three shortstops in the last half century who could have turned it. He did. I went crazy.
It is no surprise that my German roommmate did not speak to me today; I most likely woke her up on half a dozen occasions last night. But it was worth it. The only thing disappointing about last night was that Backe won't get the credit due after pitching almost as well as he did last year in game 5. What a game.
All this has contributed to maybe my best day in Spain; I taught two nice classes, planned my lessons for the next week, cooked an Indian curry that would make Vikash proud, and drank a liter of wine that cost me €.50 (about $.60). My roommate and i have decided to speak only in Spanish to each other in effort to improve and that made me pleased almost as much as cooking dinner, doing the dishes, and doing my laundry did. If you want to laugh at me for being happy at things a domesticated housewife normally hates, well go ahead. You still couldn't rain on my parade today. Only the Cardinals could do that...
Ok I take that back. I just turned on the TV to watch the game. The media favoring the *&$#% white sox for the first time in mmmm ever, is pissing me off. The Red Sox are one thing. They've talked about the Red Sox for the last 8-9 years. They've conveniently ignored the WSox while the Cubs and RSox "curses" (curses shmurses - they don't exist) have dominated media time over the last few years. But now, it's like someone just finally realized the WSox haven't been there and told FOX and they've run with it. C'Mon! Your stories are just as good on our side! Clemens and Pettitte teaming up? Bagwell and Biggio, in their twilight, finally getting a shot? 15-30? Last season? No... all they want to talk about is 1917 and "Go Go White Sox." The Cards and the 'Stros have been two of the classiest and most consistent organizations over the last 10 years. Not to mention teams that do draw pretty well attendance-wise (we're not talking about the '03 Marlins or the '00s Braves)
Thank you AJ Pierzynski. "I don't really know anything about 1917 other than what you media people talk about." So irritating...
I'm working on trying to create longer, more captivating stories, since someone has stopped sending me silver packages of nice one-paragraph making-fun-of-Europe stories (Don't let me track you down, whoever you are...). Now, I'm left with the terrible predicament: I must mature as a writer. I'm not entirely sure i'm capable of that.
For now, I'll just fill up space slobbering over the Astros, who turned the Greatest Double Play of All Time last night. In case you're living with Osama B.L. in a foxhole (even Spanish TV showed a highlight of the game), a mental gaffe allowed Larry Walker to sneak (like Gollum) over to third base with one out in the top of the ninth and the astros ahead 2-1. Lidge was on the mound, and since he had got just one double play all year (spanning 70+ innings), it appeared that we would need another miracle to pull this one out. And a miracle was delivered. A softly hit ground ball that Thom Brennaman of FOX said would be impossible to turn came to Bruntlett, who gave the crispest and quickest relay to second I have ever seen. That was one. But it would still take the most fluid turn and bullet throw to first to nab the hustling Mabry. Adam Everett, who plays every game not because of his bat, was probably one of two or three shortstops in the last half century who could have turned it. He did. I went crazy.
It is no surprise that my German roommmate did not speak to me today; I most likely woke her up on half a dozen occasions last night. But it was worth it. The only thing disappointing about last night was that Backe won't get the credit due after pitching almost as well as he did last year in game 5. What a game.
All this has contributed to maybe my best day in Spain; I taught two nice classes, planned my lessons for the next week, cooked an Indian curry that would make Vikash proud, and drank a liter of wine that cost me €.50 (about $.60). My roommate and i have decided to speak only in Spanish to each other in effort to improve and that made me pleased almost as much as cooking dinner, doing the dishes, and doing my laundry did. If you want to laugh at me for being happy at things a domesticated housewife normally hates, well go ahead. You still couldn't rain on my parade today. Only the Cardinals could do that...
Ok I take that back. I just turned on the TV to watch the game. The media favoring the *&$#% white sox for the first time in mmmm ever, is pissing me off. The Red Sox are one thing. They've talked about the Red Sox for the last 8-9 years. They've conveniently ignored the WSox while the Cubs and RSox "curses" (curses shmurses - they don't exist) have dominated media time over the last few years. But now, it's like someone just finally realized the WSox haven't been there and told FOX and they've run with it. C'Mon! Your stories are just as good on our side! Clemens and Pettitte teaming up? Bagwell and Biggio, in their twilight, finally getting a shot? 15-30? Last season? No... all they want to talk about is 1917 and "Go Go White Sox." The Cards and the 'Stros have been two of the classiest and most consistent organizations over the last 10 years. Not to mention teams that do draw pretty well attendance-wise (we're not talking about the '03 Marlins or the '00s Braves)
Thank you AJ Pierzynski. "I don't really know anything about 1917 other than what you media people talk about." So irritating...
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