first post of the new year

Happy New Year!

I have said that so many times to so many people (most of whom I didn't know) in the past weeks. I have never said it so much. But it's pretty much over now. I'm settling into the aftermath of the craziest new years on record (we finallllllly made it to edinburgh after missing our flight in barcelona and sleeping in the airport...after losing a ton of money on our hostel in edinburgh and having to call home for cash...after edinburgh's hogmanay (new yrs celebration) was cancelled due to high winds and rain). Now I find myself in Morocco, having a long-awaited day of chill at my sisters house. She made me thanksgiving dinner (better late than never). Morocco is a crazy country, I think it has an identity crisis. It is European in the north (it's right next to spain and was once colonized by france), arab in the middle and african in the south. they speak arabic, french, berber and sometimes english. They have mountains covered with snow, flat grassy lands and the sahara desert. It's got a little bit of everything.

We went to the markets of marrakech a few days ago and returned yesterday. it reminds me of aladdin. of all the places I have traveled I cannot compare it to anything. I guess its closest to spain with a strong dash of arabia. though I have been told that morocco's closest political ally is the UAE, which makes a lot of sense. Anyway, we have done marrakech and are going to agadir tomorrow. my sister and her husband have been very gracious hosts.

I had three pairs of jeans hemmed here and it cost me only 30 dirhams...about $4. That's like 2pounds. What a wonderful country!

Happy New Year! oh wait, I already said that.