One Giant Step For Most...One Regular Step For Me

It's been a long time

2009-05-31T07:35:00.000-07:00

So I don't know who reads this any more due to my lack of maintence. I was getting a bit down on writing things because...well sitting in one place doesn't provide a lot of things to write about...until recently. A few weeks back, as i mentioned, I went to Amsterdam after dealing with the wonderful people at Egypt Air and the Cairo airport. Day two was sucsessful and I met up with my parents at the airport. It was so good to see them after being away for 7 months or so. We enjoyed our time quite a bit. We had a good dinner the first night and then the second day I tried to find them at a flower park which was huge! Finding Older people at a Older people tourist attraction is like finding a flower with four pedals instead of five amongst 1000 flowers with five pedals. But alas...we found each other and enjoyed the day together looking at flowers and eating soup. I actually liked taking pictures of the flowers and landscapes. It was quite different from the rugged terrain of the desert.

I then met up with My sister There and her partner Jen while my parents finished their cruise. We did quite a bit of shopping and seeing the more urban side of Amsterdam. I really enjoyed their company as well. We said goodbye to the folks at the airport and then ate lots of frites and watched wolverine and had some real nice north African food. We also stayed in the original Harlem which was pretty cool as well. I realized that I must be Dutch somewhere in the blood line because everyone thought I was dutch and automatically spoke to me in the language. We took a tour of the red light district as well which I have to say is a really strange thing after being in Muslim countries for the past half of the year. I couldn't figure out whether to be happy that the women were in safer environments or be upset that prostitution exists at all. Ah well..I made it through all the pot smoke and peep shows and moved on to part two of my European side trip.

I hadn't told many people...but I met someone back in early February. Her name is Shaista. She currently lives in Sweden. She's Pakastani, speaks perfect American English, teaches, has a degree in Comparative religions and is very active in the Swedish community in dealing with interactions and awareness of the Islamic community. Man what a score! So as things move very quickly in Islam I decided to visit her in Sweden since I would be pretty close in Amsterdam. I should say more like visit her family as they have the biggest say so ... after her of course. But if Mom and Dad don't like you...it's a no go. Her brother and I hit it off well as we are both into music and such. And So did Shasita and I for that matter. That was the first time we actually saw each other. Things are done so differently in Islamic culture compared to the West. I am confident in how they are done now that i have been around the religion and culutre so much but it really is hard for the western mind to wrap around commiting yourself to some one you don't really know. I was so used to dating and the long process it takes for two people to be ready to commit to each other. But it doesn't work that way in Islam. Sure you'll find the spectrum of people and how they go about their lives but most Muslim sisters I know don't want to mess around with the potential for heart break. It can be a loaded gun as the man isn't always the dream the women thought he was going to be. But what I've found is that what Muslim sisters want most is commitment...and I think any woman really. Not just commitment but loyalty and devotion in the worldly sense of the word. To make a long story short...you all are invited to the wedding : )

Talk about a life changing journey huh?

blllaaaahhhhahaaarrrrggghhhh!!!!!!

2009-05-02T07:32:00.001-07:00

In case you were wondering, this is the written form of the sound of frustration. Indeed frustration has set in today in dealing with the wonderful "system" that is the Cairiean airport and Egypt Air. But I suppose frustration is a good thing in this case because it got me off my butt to write this blog entery.

So I was headed to Amsterdam today to visit with my parents for a few days and then my sister Therese after that. I get to the airport this morning after the usual haggle with the cab driver and am welcomed by a swarming airport that has no apparent system whatso ever. There are a few different security entery points and screens to tell you which flights are to which entery point. Amsterdam was not on there. So I just entered after some Egyptian lady brought me to the front of the line just to as for a tip. I went through security and then saw the madness wich is the line for Egypt Air...ok no problem. Then I hear a man yelling Amsterdam. Ok so I follow him to the check out desk to spped things up. Apparently I didn't have my ever important e-ticket # which is different than a confirmation #. "Go to desk 23 and get your number and then come back." Fine. Desk 23: "YOur ticket has been voided" WHAT? "Voided" It was voided right after the purchase. I searched what's left of my brain these days and couldn't remember reading or recieving anyemail describing this event...and i just checked last night! He says to go to the Egypt Air Ticket agency tantalizingly placed on the other side of the security points to talk to them about getting a new ticket for the flight but to hurry! I go to the security entrance nearest to the office and the officer says "go to gate one to exit" There are only entrances and no exits. I had this problem in Jordan when I entered the wrond terminal by mistake...they have t clear you to leave and all this garbage. Ok I went to gate one. "Talk to the main officer" Talked to the main officer. "You must have an Egypt Air employee with you." Back to desk #23 I need someone to help me leave i plead. He said ok but buy now the check in was closing. Why he didn't get some one to exit with me the first time? The System. So this guy leads us out through two more security checkpoints...both insited on seeing the passport...and then through customs...yes customs, to the outside just to have to walk around the buliding to the main entrance and then all the way to the office.

In the office: I asked the woman about my situation. She said " oh but you are confirmed!" WHAT?! "Oh but you've been voided" Oh ok. How? "Maybe in the computer or something." Ah yes...ok. She was nice though and got me a new ticket and told me t rush. So I rushed. Through security...through the lines to the counter. Amsterdam! I yell. You have to yell in Egypt to get anyone to notice you...it is quite regular. "When does it leave," he says to his partner. He tells me to wait in the line. Line is taking way to long. Amsterdam! I yell. I'm sorry sir Amsterdam is closed now...there is a half hour till the departure. I was dizzy by this point with anxitey. Back to desk 23. "I told you it was closed" But she said....ah nevermind any flights open today. Not today....another day. "Talk to the Office again" Yeah right ok...On the way out the gaurds made fun of me because I knew the "system" of exiting.

BAck in the office: "Did you tell him your story?" It's closed story or not. Can I go tommorow "Oh yeah sure but it will be 890 egyptian pounds more beacuse the 2nd class is full." But I didn't caus any of this! Oh yeah I forgot to tell you...It's no one's fault but yours in Egypt. I then checked with other airlines but no flights today...so i went with the 890 pound upgrade.

I had bargined hard for a bag in the Egyptian market. I was real proud of the bargining skills. Yeah it broke today amongst the madness...just one of those days. Al humdulillah.

gettin hot here!

2009-04-05T12:18:00.000-07:00

summer is upon is in Egypt and here it all the way into April! For this entry I'll let you have a peek into my personal journal:

April 6 2009

I am still in Sairo. I have been presented with both the thought and oppurtunity to work here which is somewhat appealing. the most appealing part right now is living in a Muslim land and learning Arabic continously. There is still a lot left to be desired in Cairo however.

I had some nice experiences yesterday which once again revived my drive to continue this trip. A friend of Jamie's who owns a store is deaf or just mute (I couldn't tell) and has to be one of the most loving creatures. He was using his hands to tell a story that had to do with Sadam Hussien I believe. What a feeling...I can understand Arabic and yet here he was communicating in a completly different means. He wouldn't take our money for some bottles of water either. These types of experiences revive my love for humanity espically after the friday prayer.

We (all the students) gathered in front of the center after the prayer and a bit of lunch for a visitation to many of the graves of the great Awliya (saints if you will) in Cairo. It was very nice to be with the brothers and sisters outside of class and all of us with the intection to visit the various holy sights. We visited names like Suyuti and Ibn Atta Allah. It was so nice to be with my teacher Sayeed in his full Sufi form. (He keeps it hidden a bit in the center : )) After leaving Ibn Atta Allah's grave we came across a game of soccer in the street and we ended up running over the ball with our van! We were all very sad so I told the driver to stop and I ran out to give the boys money for a new ball, but they wouldn't take it. I'm not sure if it was good manners or pride, but I lean toward the first...I was astonished they refused since it was a very poor part of town.

So that wraps up this entry...more to come!

Ping Pong!

2009-03-26T08:36:00.000-07:00

So I found something to distract me from learnig arabic...ping pong! One of my roommates bought a set we set up on the kitchen table and our syrian roommate who is a very serious student turns out to be a competitive monster! Well, the good kind of monster but he is totally addicted to ping pong and the ball hitting the table can be heard late into the night. We also have a rice or grean bean in play rule...if the ball hits a grain of rice or a green bean it is still in play! Quite frustrating if your side of the table had the messy eaters for dinner.

We've also been getting out of the nieghborhood for friday prayers and that has been enjoyable as well. I bought a camera last week and so I'm looking forward to getting back to taking pics again.

Still having a bit of anxiety about continuing the trip but I have gone into planning mode and and am preparing to push off in a month or so...looking forward to India and malasia espically! But Thursday nights help with the anxiety because all of the american brothers get together and eat together and then play basketball. It is a nice touch of home. But I have made a lot of good friends here and at the language center so I am not looking forward to breaking away from them but...the show must go on. But a few more thursdays first!

Stuck between a rock and a loud place

2009-03-18T08:01:00.000-07:00

So I have some decsion making to do. I'n trying to decide if I want to go to Jerusalem next weekend and risk the Isralie stamp which would block me from visiting other places in the Middle East. I'm also trying to decide whether or not to go to Yemen next or later in the summer when there is a gathering which includes a lot of western Muslims learnig about sufism. But it is a forty day deal and that would put me into august...Ramadaan will be starting up in the end of August and it is really hard to travel and fast. So...I'm not sure. I'm looking forward to seeing India and the rest of the east but it is a bit intimidating because of the language thing once again and I'll have to go back to my akwardness of calling strangers for help and...well I'm just tired of that. But once again, the benifits of seeing these places while I am so close is winning right now. I'm in the middle now and I have to go one way or the other to get home....might as well see some new stuff is my thinking!

I had an experience in the cab the other night that reinstated my faith in people and the reasons for visiting places like this. The driver was an old man...hard of hearing. I bargined hard but felt bad because he didn't seem like he was hustling but needed the money more. When he found out that me and my friend were American Muslims he almost crashed the car in delight! ok...that was a bit scary but the beam in his grin was all worth it. He wished on me 10 babies! Wow...what a gift! ha ha ha. But he was so nice and sweet I gave him some extra money and left the cab feeling really good about meeting him as he drove off hanging out of the window (not watching in front of him) yelling his salaams and well wishes half way down the road. He would have givin us the ride for free I am quite sure...but I insited he took more than the fare.

My Egyptian friend Muhammed has invited me back to his home as well to visit with his kids who call me uncle! Home cooked meals and good family fun...I need to get married soon ha ha ha. But not with 10 babies.

So admist the horns honking, stomach ills, sinus issues, arabic struggles and planning anxiety I find myself still enjoying the whole experience so far...that's a good sign.

The stomach chronicles

2009-03-06T10:30:00.000-08:00

Well folks, I have officially turned 32 in Cairo the other day. I went to watch a movie and get a burger from "Fudruckers" in reemberence of the day. It was nice. There is a really big, craziely over the top mall here called city stars. It really puts most of the US malls to shame if you are into the over the top materielest thing. But still it is a sniff of home and I couldn't help enjoy the familiarity of it all even if the clothes are way more expensive than our US ccounterparts. I have been pretty busy with school and extra curricular classes that I have even been to tired to focus on planning the next part of the trip. I still have doubts about continuing on but moreso because of the unfamiliarity of the eastern half of the world. And I will have to go back to calling people I don't know and being in unfamilar places everyday....but i do know the benifit of this so...

But first thing first...I have to heal my stomach. It has been messed up for about a month now...which I am glad in a way, that it waited until I am settled a bit. But yeah uncomfortable. I went to the doctors the other night but nto with out pulling a popular Thomas move and going all the way in just to turn around and leave because I just didn't want to go to the doctor. But it was al good and I have some meds...so I hope this clears up soon. I have to stay away from junk food though : (

Stuffed to the brim!

2009-02-21T10:37:00.000-08:00

So I just left the downstairs neighbors house who stuffed my flatmates and I clear to the top! Homemade Egyptian food is the bomb! (good stuff: )) In fact I hadn't had any yet and it reminded me of Turkey which was a month and a half ago now. Where does the time go?!? I went to the Pharm. and got some meds I don't know...but I took them and the tummy is a bit better now. Just in time for the feast! Still digesting funny but there are doctors who specialize in stomach stuff right around the corner. I still can't believe that the meds were only 30cents! It is amazing.

I realized that I am very homesick these last few days but after seeing everyone...I don't know what I would be doing so I am content with studying Arabic. By the way the craziest product I have ever seen belongs to the Egyptians...or Arabs in general. "Be White" It is a cream that acctually lightens the skin! The picture is of a woman with olive skin and then an after pic with white skin! SubhanAllah! Very sad. There are these guys that come around the neighborhood and yell "bakiya" out really loud all the time too. They pick up recycles (anything including a kitchen sink) and the cotton candy man has an air horn and the gas can guys bang on the empty tanks. My point...Cairo can never and should never be called a quite place! ha ha.

Still haven't made around Egypt very much...I think I need to at some point...I am also having troubles deciding when to push off. I think I know that the middle east section of my journey is coming to a close (at some point) and therefor don't really want to leave yet. I'm quite sure I'll enjoy the rest but...I really do like it here.

ugggghhhh my stomach

2009-02-18T08:48:00.000-08:00

Hello all,

So I lost my camera if I didn't tell you last time and am still sad about losing the pictures to Jordan and the originals to Turkey. But what can you do? Cairo has been great though. I have caught up with old friends made lots of new ones and have had a chance to settle in for a bit a study arabic again. It is nice to have a schedule again, and cook at home and such. But for the last few days my stomach has been ginving me problems and I will either go to the doctor tomorrow or starting taking cipiro! Ahhhh Cairo you get me every time! 6 months and no problems until now, that is tough to swallow but all is well give thanks.

My flatmates are fun...two pakistani guys from Canada and a Chinese American guy...and we just took on a Syrian guy who has memorized the entire Quran and is heping us by teaching us the reules of reading properly! The neighborhood is nice, a bit out of the cnter of Cairo so traffic is AS bad but it always is bad in Cairo. I've made friends with the entire neighborhood which I always tend to do and am feeling a bit at home.

I have been contemplating the next moves of this journey...I am a bit tired of traveling but am not ready to go home yet as I really do like living in the middle east. I'll stay here for another month god willing and then decide. I might move through the east fairly quickly but there are some things happening in these parts in the summer I would like to attend so we will see.

I really am happy though...this whole process has been amazing. I am studying arabic 5 hours a day in the classroom as well as studying varied religious subjects on the side. I haven't been doing a lot of traveling within Egypt because I have been here before but I did make it to Alexandria with my friend from Seattle which was nice. Like I said...it is nice to come bace to the same bed every night after six months of moving around!

The drivers in Cairo have to be the craziest ever! I have almost been hit many a times while walking and have almost been in a few accidents in the taxis as well. I literally say prayers while I walk!!! ha ha. Well I am off for now. But will start cheking in more often.

King Tom uncommon is back!

2009-01-28T11:12:00.000-08:00

Well I am back in Cairo now...with dissapointing news. I lost my camera! All the Jordan and Turkey pics are gone! Ouch! But whatever it really doesnt mean anything all said and done. My perspective on life has already changed soooo much.

I have settled into Cairo once again and am studying Arabic here as well as living in an apartment with some cool guys and visiting griends from the past trip here. It is a great place but very large and lots of traffic. My stomach is well accostumed to many kinds of microbes by now so the battle with the street meat is being won by me!

I traveled to Alexandria with my friend from UW and his family and that was quite a nice trip. We also met a really nice young guy stuyding at Al Azhar and we have been touring around quite a bit...visiting the graves of Imam Shaffi and others.

I am going to keep this one short as quite catch up and then write a bit more about my thought about being six months into this crazy thing tommorow inshAllah!

Indiana Bones and the Fast Crusade

2009-01-15T10:13:00.000-08:00

Petra was a highlight of my entire trip. I have always wanted to see this place since I was a kid watching Indie try to get the Grail! And now I ve seen it! It was amazing. I spent an evening and a full morning hiking around the whole canyon which is much more than just the Treasury buliding. I met the leader of a mosque in the town of Wadi Musa and it just so happened that his brother worked at the entrance to the park and got me in for free both days! I sat and had tea with him in the morning and then headed back off into the park just after sunrise and hiked to comanding views of the whole area. I also stopped and had tea with some Bedouins who were trying to sell the tea but I didnt have change so they gave it to me anyway...and then I gave them ten dollars because they were just too nice. Then around the bend was a little girl who was selling trinkits who at age 6 or so had amazing selling techniques. She also made tea in a cave and managed to sell me a rusty spoon from "nabatean" times for another ten dollars. THese things were only a gew dinars/dollars or so but I gave them gifts because not many tourists make it out that way...it was well off the beaten path. I loved the time to be in nature by my self. I like to share experiences with people but nature is one place I like to be alone. It was a recharging experience.
At the same time I heard angry speeches in the mosques...it is not that they were bad but people are fed up with the situation in Gaza. Everywhere the TV is showing the carnage and I had a few tear a few times. It is very difficult being so close to the disaster which is taking place in Palestine. I pray that ends soon...like now.
On the way back to Amman I made freinds with a buch of studnets on the minibus which was a good time. It made the three hours go by faster. Then that was followed by the craziest cab driver ever! Not in driving skills just in bat shit crazy! This guy was wild. He was saying...in very fast colliquial arabic...that he loves Bush because with high fuel prices he gets more customers because they don't want to drive! He was also saying let the Palestinans die...he was plain crazy...at least I hope so. I was glad to get out needless to say.
I have been laying low in Jordan and resting alot. I'm excited for Egypt on Sunday and seeing my friends from back in the day and from UW. People are blown away by this trip and quite frankly so am I. almost 6 months now! Pics coming soon from JOrdan on Facebook.

Jordan almonds

2009-01-10T04:50:00.000-08:00

So I hae since moved on to jordan and back into the middle east. I have mixed feelings about this. On one hand I feel very comfortable in these countries...espcially this one for some reason. I like speaking arabic and I am familar with the food etc. On the other hand the situation in Gaza makes being so close to Palestine very tough. A day doesn't go by with our getting a lump in my throught. I hate the thought of war and people dying for silly reasons and the thought is inescapable here. But rightfully so. Life isn't all Turkish house and meal to fill your belly is it. The media here does what it does best and innindates you with images at every chance...but I can't help to have much sympathy for all of the innocent people who are dying because of military prowess. If militaries fought militaries...this would be different but it is not the case.

i took a visit around to some places and visited some of the companions of the prophet Muhammed (pbuh) grave sights and at one point was able to look straight into the West Bank. On another day we were at the dead sea and once again was hit with the fact that Palestine whas just Kilometers away. I felt excitment on one hand and then the crushing pain of reality on the other that just south of us there was termoil and death. Quite a juxtaposition. This did not deter our plans however. Us being me and two pakastani brothers I met at the guest house of Sheikh Nuh's Zawia. They were great...from the UK ...one of them had planned a tour to Syria and was now doing research for a posible tour to Jordan. It was nice to visit these places with knowledgeable lads and it was nice to hae the company as well. We visited many graves in two days as well as the supposed tombs of the prophets Joshua, Shuyab and Noah (pbut). We topped the trip off with a visit to these wonderful hot springs under waterfalls in the middle of a desert canyon! Nice way to relax the mind.

amman is very relaxed to me. I love the company here at the zawia and being around Sufis again is very nice. The quality of education here is top notch. The city itself is not extremely exciting but it seems like a decent place to live. The people at the zawia all dress ery traditional and so the driver did not recognize me when I got off of the plane in my western clothes.

The land is very beautiful in a desert fashion and I hope to head off to Petra tommorw and wee the famous rock dwellings from Indiana Jones and the last crusade. Looking forward to that. Other than that I am taking it easy a bit and eating lots of delicious shwarma! Missing all of you.

End of the Turkish road

2009-01-10T04:23:00.000-08:00

The last week in Istanbul and Ankara went very smoothly. I arrived back at the dorms in Istanbul, and one thing I loved about these places was that I had many press confrences! Meaning, all these young guys gater around me and a translator and I re tell the same stories oer and over! I love it. I felt like a super star ha ha. The program continued and the people I was with, espically my shining star Utku planned trips to the topkopi palace and other places including more pleaples house and thier food! I gained some necessary pounds in turkey. (I'm afraid they are already gone though.) I also made it back to Ankara to say goodbye to my many new friends there and was welcomed by snow. It was cold! but I have to say that it was nice to get a proper winter. I have never met such warm and wonderful people before in my life. It took me years to gather friends like these and now I gained at least a hanful if not two more in one month! I'm am going to miss Turkey for the rest of this journey and until I return I am quite sure.

Ur fa gonna eat that?

2008-12-30T00:29:00.000-08:00

So To catch up...here are all the Tunısıan photo albums on face book. Eack one has about 60 photos so enjoy. Once agaın sorry for not puttıng pıcs on here so much any more but...yeah here you go:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=48742&l=26c41&id=554554855
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=49015&l=11bc1&id=554554855
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=49016&l=1dbf3&id=554554855
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=49381&l=4b31b&id=554554855

Konya was great. One of my new found frıends ın Ankara...hıs father was the manager of the Ihlas dormıtorıes ın Konya so I headed there. These dorms are great because they keep up on all the prayes and the qualıty of people and conversatıons ıs great. As a traveler I had my own room many tımes as well whıch makes the Amerıcan ın me very happy. I was met by a frıend of Abdel Raheem's who took me out to dınner and then to the dorms for a good nıghts sleep. The Englısh was a bıt more hard to fınd ın Konya but nevertheless good. The next day me and a couple of brothers went out sıght seeıng. The dıdnit speak good Englısh but ıt was fun any way. Our fırst stop was the tomb of the orıgınal teacher of Rumı who ıs a very ımportant saınt here ın Turkey but does not get vısıted very much because of the fame of hıs students. It was very cold ın Konya and ıt ıs a very blue collar town so the ıcy fog gave ıt a real nıce feel. That run ınsıde and have soup and tea feel. But ıt was kınd of nıce to see my breath agaın and have the scenery be very wınter lıke. We then ventured on to to vısıt Shams Tabrızı and Rumıs tombs. It was the annıversary of Rumıs death so there were Mevlevı pılgrams mostley from Europe vısıtıng as well...aka Hıppıes. In Shams Tabrızıs tomb there was an ımpromptu readıng of poetry whıch was very hıppıe lıke and dramatıcally done followed by a woman who started to whırl. Not your orthodox tomb vısıt method but ınterestıng to see.
The Mevlana Museam and tomb was excellent. Apart from the awe ınspırıng sıght of Rumıs tomb and the feelıng that goes along wıth ıt was a wonderful museam whıch had sme cool thıngs lıke the world smallest hand wrıtten Quran...whıch ıs crazy small, and haırs from the beard of Muhammed (SAW). I then made the coldest abultıons ever for the afternoon prayer because there was no hot water and then we returned to the dorms for tea and a nap.
My frıends father was most accomıdatıng and followıng the fashıon of the other brothers ın prevıous places, made sure that everythıng was taken care of nıcely...ıncludıng for tryıng to pay for my bus tıcket to Urfa where hıs other son teaches Englısh and hıs parents lıve as well.
I headed off for Urfa both excıted and tıred because ıt was a 10 hour bus rıde at nıght arrıvıng early ın the mornıng...about 8 o clock. I acctually got some sleep on the bus due to the fact that no one was sıttıng next to me so I could attmpt to curl lıke a cat to lıe flat whaıch ıs a prerequsıte for sleep ın my world. I was excıted to go to Urfa because thıs ıs the supossed spot of the bırht of Abraham as well as the place where the story of hım beıng thrown ınto the fıre my Nımrod happened. The Fıre was turned to water and the wood to fısh and subsuqently there ıs a nıce pool of carp adjacent to a beautıfully old mosque where thousands of happy carp are hand fed by pılgram tourısts. It ıs saıd that ıf you catch one of these fısh you go blınd and there are blınd men to prove ıt...maybe...but thıs deters people from eatıng these fısh and there for leads to spoıled fat carp...and fun for the kıds. But the area ıs beautıfully old and feels lıke Damascus or Jerusalem more than Turkey. I met wıth my frıends brother who took me to hıs aunt and uncles house where the spoılıngof the guest contınued. Really ıt was a bıt much. The breakfast and dınner dısplayes were borderlıne 5 star restaurant and I have never had so many good cheeses, honeıes, meats, olıves and frıuts for breakfast. The generosıty of the south ıs ıncredıble and I left wıth many gıfts whıch I felt were to expensıve ıncludıng a handful of money followed by the words ¨you wıll break my famılıes heart ıf you don't take ıt¨ Guılt cıty man. I have never been around better example of Muslım people than ın Turkey...at least ın these quantıtıes and communıtıes.
We toured the sıghts wıth hıs uncle and cousın ıncludıng ımportant tombs ın Harran and the old cıty there whcıh was wonderfully lıt red because of a dust storm...It looked lıke mars. We also vısıted the cave where Job hıd out for many years and hıs well. And then back t the house for more food and tea. Im goıng to go through some serıous wıthdrawls when I leave Turkey!
I then caught a bus to Mardın whıch ıs even closer to Syrıa...60 KM away. It ıs a beautıful cıty buılt on a mountaın and has an ıncredıble mıddle east feel whıch was nıce because I could speak a bıt of arabıc there. I met some ınterestıng folks and had some good food but actually I enjoyed stayıng ın a 3 star hotel for dırt cheap and havıng endless hot water and a televısıon. I forgot what they looked lıke. Unfortunatly the same crap was on ıt...just ın Turkısh. But AlJazeera ınternatıonal provıded some good documentrıes. I then headed wıth my frıends uncles frıend to another southern cıty where I got an amazıng amount of stares for beıng forıegn. But I also got many warm welcomes as well. I then headed back to Urfa for last meals...wonderful wonderul meals and then took a flıght to Istanbul on Chrıstmas eve. Well the weather rerouted us to another cıty whıch was another few hours on the bus and then a waıt at the aır port but I made ıt back to Istanbul!

Two weeks already?!

2008-12-15T04:20:00.000-08:00

So really, I'm sorry about pictures. i do want to post some more but now the computer at this dormitory is not uploading my photos so...All you get is words.
From Bursa...which is an incredibly beautiful place nestled in the mountains I took a bus with a young guy named Fahim to Ankara, the capital city of Turkey. We took the 11:30 bus which took 6 hours and put us in Ankara at 5:30 am. the buses are great here...very comfortable. A huge difference from the shared taxis in Tunisia and needles to say the small, cramped bus /cars in Senegal. But alas 6 hours is 6hours and a tall man grows restless after 2. I tried to sleep but have never been blessed with this ability to sleep in transit very well so I arrived tired. It is cold in ankara but I was given many gifts in Bursa including soft wool thermal underwear. Man...what a gift. I could not ask for a better one I can tell you that much. I was also given a wool sweater with more of a Euro look so I fit in better but mainly I am happy I am warm!!! I got some gloves and socks as well as gifts and had bought a knit beanie in Tunisia. Ill have to shed all of this shortly but it is worth the extra weight.
Ankara is a nice modern city but it lacks the history of Istanbul and Bursa. Abdul Raheem and I visited a famous mosque and tomb and took a nice long walk today but a few days is enough here. But I have gotten some much needed rest after being paraded around as an honored guest from America. I am not complaining but it was a bit tiring. So now I have been staying put at the dorms owned by the same people in istanbul whos arm stretchs long in Turkey...what great people. I have been practicing English with the students here and have been getting a kick out of that as well as learning some turkish. It is very nice to be arund young people who all have a great understanding of Islam and how to practice it as well as the valued morals not always ween in most Muslim lands. Im off to Konya tommorow and have been invited to stay at the dorms there as well so...the hospitality continues! thank God!
I also tried to apply for a Syrian visa based on the thought that the country is so clse to me that I should at least try. I have always wanted to see Damascus...but it looks like it will have to wait. Abul Raheem and I went to the embassy (syrian) today and they said that they do not issue visa for Americans outside of DC. Ah well. I might try at the border but I think that I might just cruise around Turkey a bit more and then head back to Istanbul. There is still plenty to see there and some friends are coming in from England so I'm looking forward to that. Then it will be off to Jordan as shceduled or maybe a bit early.
Next report The town of Rumi!!!

This place is incredible...

2008-12-13T05:56:00.000-08:00

Ok...so the wonderfullness continues. The eid celebration was one of going from house to house with people I don't even know well and eating food...lots of food and drinking tea...lots of tea. It was simply amazing. The Turkish people espically those of the Naqshabandi tariqa (A sufi path) have blown open my impression of what hospitality is. All Muslims are hospitiable...even those with disagreeable notions of religion to my own, but this is a new breed of Hospitality. And from here on out it will be spelled with a capital H for emphatic purposes. After touring Istanbul a bit with my new found friend and brother in european height (6'7 and Polish) Abdu Rahim as well as touring the houses for the Eid. We attended a lecture from a very esteemed man who's only goal is to spread his sheikh's wonderfully peaceful teachings through the use of business. Go figure...Islam in the 20th century. after the meeting was over we talked with some people who were estatic about me traveling around the world and seeing all the muslims and the fact that I was there. From there a man who is now coined as "Funny man" because of his jolly nature and willinhgness to sound extremly funny when he speaks english, introduced me to some young men who were going to Bursa, a very old and important city in the Ottoman empire as well as religious significance. Sort story short...I jumped in the car and was on my way to Bursa. I was housed the first two nights by this amazing family who have two sons who can squeak out some english and we had many a nice english lesson. I cant pay for anything in this country by the way. I wanted to by some long underwear and they bought them for me. They gave me a sweater. I had food and candy chestnuts....ridiculsy good...so good I cant spell ridicoulsly right any more. They took me to more people who all have busniss cards and friends in the places i'm going...God willing. They took me to another very sweet family who put me up for a night and gave me new socks and filled me full of food and good conversation. It is just incredible. My other new found friend Utgu took me around to meet more people and visit more special places and gravesights and even took me to the barber. I really don't know what to say other than...I love Turkey. I am in Ankara now for a few days and then am heading to Konya for the end of the Rumi festival. All is well...cold but well thanks to new, free, soft wool thermal underwear. God bless the Turks!

New favorıte cıty!!! No Istan bull!!!

2008-12-06T13:42:00.000-08:00

I love Istanbul. It ıs quıte expensıve but ıt has to be one of the most beautıful and beautıfully kept cıtıes ın the world. I love mosques and here are some of the best. The Blue mosque an the Aya Sofıa are larger than lıfe...and the calls to prayer here are very beautıful. I walked around a lot today and got a sımm card for my phone, ate a beautıful fısh sandwhıch on the waterfront whıle watchıng men fısh, ate roasted chessnuts whıle walkıng to any number of huge beautıful mosques to pray, bought some turkısh delıght, and ate donner kepap...Im ready to move. Serıously thıs place ıs quıte ıncredıble. It ıs huge a well wıth 15 mıl or so people so ı have seen only a breıf glımpse. It shouldnt be hard to spend a week or 2 here. Im also lookıng foward to seeıng the rest of the country but ıt wıll be hard to travel because of the festıval commeratıng the end of hajj ın the ıslamıc calander. Tomorrow I should be lınkıng wıth some frıends and have already made some here at the hostıl so all ıs well. More to come....

Leaving Tunisia like Luke left Tataouine

2008-12-04T11:24:00.000-08:00

First of all soryy for the lack of photos lately but please check out the face book page to see all the albums of Tunisia.
Well I have been in Tunis a bit and then traveled back to Le Kef to visit my friend Nour's parents and the arcitects again, traveled with Nours friends to the north and saw beautiful scenery, and am now on the verge of leaving Tunisia for Turkey tomorrow. This has sparked both the normal anxiety of going somewhere new and sadness for leaving new friends. But mostly it has sparked contemplation, and Id like to share some thoughts about TUnisia with you; Wanna hear'em...here we go.
Tunisia is a spectacular place. For being such a small country it is jam packed zith interesting things to see. It is truely amazing to me that it is off the American tourist map. Off all the maps really. The country itself has to be one of the most beautifully diverse places ive been to. It resembles Arizona to me in this way. Mountains in the north, Mesas in the middle, and desert in the south. Except the north here looks like southern France or tuscany bordered by the Med.
The entire country is dotted with the most incredible roman ruins and it is not an uncommon sight to see sheep casually grazing amongst ruins while the passengers in the car or bus dont even notice them. The lanscape reminds me of New ,exico as it drys out and then flattens out into oaseses of palmtrees lining the open and vast...and intemidating, Sahara. The fruits are amazing. The food would cure any pepper feins fantasy. The people are very nice...they smoke alot but are nice. Coffe runs like water and is a sign of masculinity...tea is for women or older men who have earned the right to drink what ever they want. Fish is a plenty and cheap along the coast. Sweets are exactly that.
It is just that a month is a long time here. two three weeks would be good for a tourist to see everything. But all said and done Im glad I spent a month here. Im extremley happy I got to see all the sheeps being round up and sold for the big sacrifice in the Islamic calander. (if they only knew) Im glad I got to see this country that is completly Islamic but lacks extremism. The history here runs as deep as the religion and all the religions that came before it. Sufism is widespread here and saints tomds dot the skyline like small white clouds in a pure blue sky. People ask how you are 5 times like morocco and Mauritania. And you tell them thank God more times than that. Football (soccer) of course is the sport of choice qnd the kids have to be the cutest in the world. I met all the representations of the country. I rode with farmers, ate with the help, drank tea with foundation owners and elders, prayed with highly spiritualy eleveated people,was scared by border guards then comforted by them, conversated with kids, ate dates with the labourers, rode long distances with the middle class...what can I say. It has been good. On to Turkey.

rants and raves

2008-11-28T11:44:00.000-08:00

So I'm quite sick of the fact that people feel they can take advantage of the fact that you are travelling as a tourist. Most of the time people feel that just because you are white and from Europe or America that you have tons of money to blow on things that are completly trival in the scheme of real life. For instance...I was in Jerba and I wanted to rent a bike. I went to a different hotel that was close to ask if there is a shop that was close in order to rent one. The man at the desk said yes and then got on the fun and called his friend to come an bring a bike. Im thinking great...I don't have to go far...what a nice guy. Then he says, "That will be on dinar for the phone call." I went off in arabic because if I would have known this I would have left and asked someone els who is nice and would tell me for the sake of niceness. But I gave it to him in Arabic and used religious language and then he got quite. I gave him the dollar but told him he needs to tell people ahead of time...will he listen...probably not. I had a few of these experiences but riding with the farmers and haveing taxis give me free rides because they are interested in my story is worth it I suppose.
After Jerba I made a long days travel to Mahdia which is another coastal town and a very nice one at that. By the way I got a haircut in Jerba and it has been the best one since Miguel cut it. These guys are very skilled here. So anyway I walked around the city and got some good photos and then left out the next morning to El Jem where there is a very nice roman ruined ampitheater. Really quite interesting. The same day I jumped on a train to Tunis and here I am. It is always nice to return to somewhere that you know a bit about. Ive been on short edge with the cabdrivers and such, expecting them to stiff me, but all is well. Im starting to anticipate my trip to Turkey now which is in one week. Ill try to keep busy until then.

sand sand and more sand and then beach

2008-11-23T07:53:00.000-08:00

So victor, the chilean guy, did give me a boost and from Touezr I jumped in a shared taxi (which Im very good at now) and rode to a village named Tazouer in the morning, got some wonderful pictues of a ruined village and then shot back to Touzer where I caught a bus to Douz which is the "gateway to the Sahara." The ride was beautiful through varied oases of palm groves. It is Date harvest time so all the people are out picking and the markets are a buzzin with fiber. And so am I again thank God. nuff said. Douz is a strange Tourist place but is very cool at the same time. A friend of Nour's in the States hooked me up with her cousins and they showed me around on the back of a scooter and in a 4by4. The hotel was great and so were the people. It was market day on thurs. so I bought a new scrub glove for the shower (i love these things) and some dates, got my clothes washed and walked around the market where they sell the animals. Sad but fun.
I wanted to go to Matmata after that where there are Berber villages undergroundm that served as set for star wars. I was going to have to go the long way and take three shared taxis because there are no direct routes. But this guy who was estatic at my American Muslimness asked a friend of his if he could take me direct. I was a bit skepital at first ecause he said I didn't have to pay so I went to the shared taxi stand and started my route but then I got a call saying the car was leaving. I said a prayer and went. it turned out to be this cool old farmer returning to his village in this little old truck. Very cool experience. We passed by big Tour buses and I just thought how different of an experience this is for me compared to them.
I met some cool loder tourists from Canasa in Matmata and one of the women had done a trip like this when she was younger. From there I headed to Tatouine which is not very attractive and is on my bad list because I spent the most tourist dollars there. It is hard to bargin with these guys...they are good. But I went out in a taxi and saw some very interesing berber villages and had a conversation with a guy about the antichrist and some other interesting topics (weirdo) But all said and done The people were once again nice and I had good conversations with the young guy at my hotel and his friends in Arabic.
And then I went to Jerba. The friend of Nour's in Tunis, Her husbad's brother picked me up from the shared taxi station and fed me and helped me find my hotel. this is a very nice laid back place. I'm just glad its off season. The htel is beautiful and chep and I tried Lableby for the first time to day for breakfast. You crumble bread into a bowl and then they put olive oil beans some tomato sauce stuff and garlic with olives and a parlty bolied egg all together. Sounds nasty but after stirring it all together...it is the breakfast of Champions! or me! Loved it. Then I got the best haircut Ive had since Miguel with a straight razer shave and the works. for Eight dinars (about 5-6 bucks) very nice. That's it for now...dinner time...cous cous!

Funis in Tunis (errrrrrr????)

2008-11-18T09:45:00.000-08:00

I wanted desperately to write more about Senegal and indeed I should but the time has somehow pass through my fingers like the last bits of rice and meat did all too many times. I should go for more shorter entries but for now you are subject to a longy. (Littletonese for long one) So I must leqve my 2 year old friend Cheikh Ali...who called me uncle in Wolof (I kept thinking he was saying give me and so I was a bit bitter but then caught a lump in the throught when I found out it meant uncle) and dear sweet friends at the daa'ra espically my new big sister Raissa (soory for spelling) who fixed my glasses, washed my clothes, made my dinner, all with a headache and a smile, my friend and new father Muhammed who I could barely communicate with but somehow managed to see all of Dakar with, the brains of the operation or at least blowhorn, Aisha (no one tell her that!) who educated me in many ways and between her and her husband made the whole experience possible...yes I leave them as words on paper and invite you to take me to tea or coffee (which I drink everyday now...sometimes several times throughout the day) and ask me about Senegal because it was truely one of my favorite places so far.
Tunisia has been a very interesting personal experience (like this whole trip isn't right?) I've managed to spend more tourist dollars here than anywhere else and I still have two weeks left. these people are amazing at the the abalities to get the money smoothly from you. That's why I'm not mad. I get blazing angry (as angry as Thomas can get) when they are blantly trying to screw you but if they have allready succeded and you realize it after the fact...wow...you're good. I've been to the most European city in the Middle east/N. Africa and caught stares from the tres chic as they sip their coffee's on the main ave. I've managed to buy perfumed oil at a higher price than I pay for it at home. I've wandered through ancient Islamic mosques and visted tombs of people who were alive and companions of the Prophet. I have made a million kids and young girls giggle...or flat out laugh...when I pass and say "how are you in Arabic". I froze my but off(which isn't much of one to begin with) with three arcitects from America and Canada (the other America) while being extemely afraid of border police taking us into the desert and stopping the car only to find out that there were taking us to the top of this extremley cool mountain with roman ruins on it because of the issues with algeria....whoo that was a long one. I managed to find a Chilean travel buddy who is also travelling around the world and travel the same distance from another city as I did just to collide in the desert and experience Star Wars sets together. I have been amazingly subdued this go round. Think I geeting tired but somehow I keep going. This chilean guy gave me a boost. He just goes from place to place on couch surfer and does give himself time to get homesick. So I'm following these footsteps. And it's working well. I'm whirling around the south right now and trying to make it back to the capital by the weekend. We'll see. I am having fun though. This is the important part. I still can't believe that I am doing this.

Ka Pout

2008-11-09T12:31:00.000-08:00

Perhaps the highlight of Senegal, besides the people, was my trip to Pout. Pout is a village outside of Dakar where Cheikh Ali of the International Sufi School, Khdmitul Khadim, and his wife Ayesha are in the process of setting up a community for people of all faiths but right now is in the early phases. At the moment it is a farm...a very large farm...a very beautiful large farm where you really feel at ease and in Africa. All the Workers were great and extremely nice. Things qre done in q bqck to bqsic style of farming meaning that some tradtional tools are used as well as using what is artound you to make things work.
I actually got my hands dirty and got to work for a bit which was nice for a change to do something productive. But man was it hot!!! My favorite time of the day was mid mrnig senegalese tea break under a huge mango tree. And then lunch under the mango tree, and then qn nqp under the mango tree. These guys know how to respect the heat! I really respected the women and their work ethics. It was crazy how much they did in a day. They would come into the farm from the village on the horse cart and leave late in the day on the same cart. They were extemly nice to me and enjoyed the fact that I was there working. But my favorite worker was this big dude who was built for physical labour! He would hold these huge baild of hay up over his head while singing religious african style songs which really made work easier while listenting to them.
As the day would come to an end, the sun set would light up the country side in beautiful colors and I would eat peanuts fresh from the gound on the roof of the house while watching it all come to a close for the day.
Aysha wqs extemly nice to me and prepared dinners and made time to discuss all of the details of the peace and nonviolent aspects of which the sufi school teaches. Ill never forget this one. My friend Chou who kindof managed things walked to the road with me and we caught the bus back into Dakar for my last few days in Senegal. This all taught me to respect what I have and that I dont need much. I also taught me how to fold up in cars and buses for long periods of time! But seriously bqting from q bucket qnd working hard and remembering to remeber God while your working was a very important lesson for me and I hope to return to Senegal to help the situation of those who can't help them selves some day.

Cheikh Amadou Bamba

2008-11-04T11:54:00.000-08:00

One of the reasons I came to Senegal was to find out more about the Mouridya Sufi movement which is very prevelant there and in fact is most probably the majority of muslims in Senegal. Many people don't get to hear about these groups because often times...and this is unfortuanatly the case here...People in mainstream Islam have a hared time dealing with the revernce of saints. The Mouridya is particularly interesting because their figure head, Chieikh Amadou Bamba, is daid to have contacted Muhammed personnaly as well as in recieve miricales from God. This is not so strange among the saints of Islam. However the Cheikh went through some very tough times with the French who were colonizing at the time and he was put into exile several times as well as circumstanses of sure death. He was accused of leading an armed rebellion against the French but this was the complete oppisite. The man embodied non violence. So much so that now the schools that have came in his footsteps teach not only nonviolence but the importance of one humanity through the examples of peacemakers all throught time and the world. (MLK, Ghandi, etc.) He eventually built a holy city in Senegal that was to be entirely devoted to the worship of God in order to be not in same rank of but the perfect servant of Muhammad (PBUH). There are many attacks on the Cheikh and the movement and Im not writing to say right or wrong, but I got a chance to tour these areas and see what is being done now in his vein of teaching and I have to say I have been waiting to see this within Islam for as Long as I have known it to be a religion.
I fisrt went to Dourjbell where the Cheikh lived and prayed and was taken into Exile...visions from the prophet etc. I love a beatiful mosque but I have a hang up on physical beauty over taking the meaning of the person but this case was different for me. The mosque where he prayed is beautiful and it is kept that way but we wnt to the room where he made his prayers ...and it is a specical place. The beauty only inhances this.
We then went to Touba...the holy city. Many things mirror Mecca and Madina which some people have problems with. But once again the place is very fancy and beautiful but I could not help but to feel a bit of specialness there. Phsycological maybye. For me the point was to fully embrace the concepts of non violence through the practice of Islam and have this man be an example of this and to see into what holds a nation of people together. These phenomanon are brilliant to me. Africa needed this man. Black Africans needed this man. Islam needed this man to show that race is truely unimportant. Other wise we are humans and we fall back into the same thinking patterns as we always do. Beyond prophetic examples are other human exapmples in the ways of these prophetic figures, it seems to me, to revive certain aspects of teaching that may have been pushed aside intentionally or unintentionally. There are fakes and frauds but it was beautifull seeing a unifing element for not just for Senegal but for others as well.

Cest Triste

2008-11-04T11:24:00.000-08:00

One of the experiences that had quite a bit of impact on me was a trip to Isle de Goree. This is a very beautiful island off the coast of Dakar but its beauty is deceptive. This was one of the major ports for the slave trade and the home of the famous "door of no return." The buildings are gold and red...the gold built by the portuguese and the red by the dutch...and set against lush green tropical plants. There are no cars on the island so it is very peaceful. Many artists have set up bohemian shop there and quite a few rastas having givin it a very laid back friendly vibe.
I even knew that the islan was used for slave trade but it is difficult not to get sucked into its beauty. But my visions of beauty were quickly shattered when my friend Mohammed's friend lead us around and described to me in english the horrors that took place there. Families were seperated into men, women, and children. Young girls under 25 were all in one room and this gave me the shutters to think about what happened there. If the people were under 60 kilos...yes they were wieghed...they were fed peanuts to fatten them up. It is not ironic that one of Senegals main crops is peanuts which were imposed by the colonists in order to make a cash crop. Africans that agreed to keep watch over the prisinors before the door of no return were promised not to be sent off. I couldnt help what this must have felt like to be in either position...not wanting to be shipped off so you do a horrible task or to have your own people watching as you were shipped off.
There are memorials visited by Papa Bush and Clinton and the likes but I was sinical about any peice of concrete having enough meanigh to apologize for such acts. And so went the them of Senegal for me. You take the good with the bad because it is the whole package that is truelly beautiful. Ironic Huh

catching up again

2008-11-04T08:23:00.000-08:00

So I am actually in Tunis now but Im going to try to describe the wonderful time I had in Senegal to the best of my abailities.
Senegal perhaps was the most different place I have been to to date. Mauritania was very different and was a good prelude but I could speak arabic a bit there. In Senegal there was a real outsider feeling I had allthough not from the treatment of the people. There are not many white people in Senegal so I was a bit of a spectacle espically for the kids but it wasn't just this. It was more of the fact that colonialism still runs in the memories of people and there seems to be a bit of a hesitancy toward meeting some of the folks. But Im not saying this because I think this is a bad thing...I think it is a warrented response to history. But if you show any bit of wanting to get to know someone the response is huge. I tried to learn a bit of Wolof as I went and this got some smiles. I really cant say enough about the hearts of these people. The African are sooooo hospitable. The feeling is very different from north africa to more central though. I think I liked Senegal the best so far because of the huge plus sides to the character of the people and also the huge downside to the poverty situation there. It was both exterems in your face and this was the intense part. But it was what I liked so much. It is just so different from America. No one eats alone. Genoristy and hospitality are genitically part of the culture. I just wish I knew French! So now Ill describe a few of my favorite parts but a little later...Im hungry.

Run for the Border

2008-10-21T17:03:00.000-07:00

So I`m in the truck and we are tearing through the desert in a obvious hurry. The kid next to me gave the old lean forward lunge with full cheeks at which point I yelled to stop the car in Arabic and he let it fly once I got out. Ill be honest I was almost at that point my self. I thought I was going to die in a fliped truck in the middle of the desert thinking why didn`t I get on that plane. That actually became the theme song. We stopped in a village and had some drink (zariq...sweet milk drink) and tore back off. Just when I realized we were not going to hit a real road which we should have allready done if we were going via Noukchott we came to a town, stopped and I lost my Zariq. Emabarrasment aside that was worse than mister toad. I then realized we wer on the border waiting for the ferry to cross the river into Senegal. A border guard came over and talked to me and asked me if I was with Sheikh Hajj and I delt good at that point until he took my passport and said come back at three which I willingly said OK. We went to one of the sheikhs people`s house to eat where I made friends with one of the guys who was the only one to like that I was there. I was getting the cold shoulder otherwise. We get back to the border and the ferry is loading up but we can`t find the guy with my passport. And the money I had apparently wasn`t a whole lot or enough for a hotel (a good one at least) Then The guy showed up like I told you not to worry and gave me my passport back with it stamped which meant I my visa for Mauritania was done. The sheikh did have pull because I didn`t have to wai in any line or anything but man i was commited at this point. This is also where the othere shiekh from Senegal started telling everyone that he didn`t have room for me in his car. My new found friend was a bit upset with this. I told him I didn`t have a place to stay and as a true honest to God Muslim would do he said you will stay at my house for the night and then you can go to Dakar in the morning. Sweet Thank you God. Getting on to the ferry the Shiekh guy was like allright I did my part see you now go on the boat and leave me alone...but my money was being changed by one of Sheikh Hajj`s loyal followers so the other shiek guy gives me 5000CFA (not a whole lot but a bit) as if to really seal the deal. Good riddence to you too...I`m still a bit bitter.
Ahmed could have been nicer. We got to his village late at night and his brother came up welcoming me and his kdis too. We had some drink prayed and then rested a bit before food came. They are poor poor but still gave me all they had and put me in a mosiquito net inside there hut to rest peacefully. And I did.
Got up for the morning prayer and got ready to shove off. We called Ayisha in Dakar with the Muridya tariqa and she explained how to get to the school/home where I would stay. Ok next step. Ahmed puts me in a cab and tells me to go to St. louis where Ill catch a bus to Dakar. I did that. But the buses here are white vans that are crazy cramed but cheap and I did it for like 5 or 6 hours. The people coming into Dakar were half and half about me. The young guys runnig the bus cared less but some other people helped me get to where I was going even though I couldnt communicate with anyone at this point. In fact this one woman got off the bus bought a phone card for me and called the people...got into a cab with me and made darn sure the guy knew where to take me. God bless that woman. I got here and here I am. Well fed, well rested and am being shown around by these wonderful people. I am looking forward to learnig more about the philosophies and holy cities which they are going to show me as well as the plans for a physical place for multifaiths to live in senegal. God bless these people.

Last call for Mauritania yall

2008-10-21T16:29:00.000-07:00

I just hung out in Noukchott for a few days. The amount of time it takes to travel and the uncomfortablity factor made me downright lazy. I actually tried to go to Chinguiti which is a very old Islamic powerhouse town which was something I wanted to do but when the Senegalese guy (who I was going to ride with) and I pulled up my white skin made the price go up 2000 ougiya. So I left so the whole car wouldn`t have to suffer the whity tax. I was actually running low on cash as well seeing that there are no Atms in Mauritania that would take my card. I should say THE ATM in Mauritania wouldn`t take my card. But Isa and I had been invited out to an educational confrence in the village of Mauta Maulana where the Tidjyanni shiekh Shiekh Hajj Mishry runs his school (and the village). I had met Sheikh Hajj earlier in Noukchott and he had told me that I could ride down to Senegal with some people who were coming in for the confrence if I liked so I figured I would give that a shot.
Isa and I paid more to ride in the back of a Trooper like vehichle which was cramped but still better than the back of a Toyota risking loss of the feeling of you butt for a week. Actually loss of feeling would have been good. By the way thanks for riding out there Isa...it was good to have you around the last few days. So we got out to the village at night after a flat tire and repair of the flat. But being a festivity the food was a flowin. We also got put up in a very nice home and slept out on the roof (mosquito net required) (Isa eating Wheatabix) The confrence was a yawnfrence. No but it was enjoyable to see how things are orginized or not. Sheikh Hajj was clearly the starr of the show and we got to meet the whose who of local sheikhs of his order. Some sheikh are wonderful spiritual men...others know they are shiekhs. I`m sorry but I had a bit of a bad taste left in my mouth because classism is alive and well in Mauritania and some people worship the ground these guys walk on and don`t get too much back. Others ride the coat tails and eat thier food which the shiekhs are willing to feed anyone. this would make me bitter too.
I had decided to go back to Noukchott and wait for my plane but then after breakfast the shiekh from Senegal called me outside and said to get in the truck. I wasn`t even ready but my inabaliity to say no kicked in and I found my self rushing back to the house throwing my things together and hoping into a squeezed truck hoping I could get off in Noukchott but it wasn`t long that I realized we were headed straight for the border.
The sunsets on Mauritania.
.

Picture catch up

2008-10-21T16:09:00.000-07:00

First night sleeping experience...and really the whole time in Mauritania...except under the stars for most of the nights because its HOT!

There is no skyline to show in Noukchott so I`ll show you what you see...everywhere

Kids studying Quran at the school on Nabighyia...also where I slept

The truck was half full at this point...I thought it was done...There were 30 people on the way back!!!

A sideways version of Sheikh bah`s Mosque in Nabighyia

Nabigyeeeaaaahh

2008-10-15T06:51:00.000-07:00

Isa, my new found helped me out quite a bit and had since put me on a truck for the village of nabighyia where my friends study at an Islamic school there. The Shiekh is very well known for his knowledge and his seven teachers who are scholars in their own rights. So I headed out on this truck which was first packed with things like boxes qnd such. Then we piled on top for the ride out. I though there would be a limit to how many people ride on it but there isn't. The limit is until people almost fall off. Ive never ridden precariously perched on top of a truck for two hours before and I couldn't feel my but for three days after but it was worth the ride. We traveld through checkpoints and dunes to get to the village which is well placed in the middle of the desert. We pulled in and I thought I was going to yell for joy when I jumped off and went looking for the house of Benjamin from England who was studying in the village. He wasnt home at fisrt so i moved toward the Shiekh's mosque as instructed by Isa qnd Abdel malik and was shown into the home. Most the shiekhs were away but they told me to sit and drink some sweet milk called zariq, my new friend, which was more than welcome after two hours of sun and wind.
I was introduced to benjamin who was very nice and welcoming and we spent the next few days talking religion and meeting the old wise people in the village which was a spectacular experience. I became more interested in what to focus my future learnings on and just took in the desert scenery. It was very hot but Muslims don't go three minutes with out offering you something to drink. I met some of the students who were great and got to eat amazing meals at the shiekh's house.
All of the Islamic sciences are studyied here and the students are very dilligent. They live extemly simple but free and the lessons are free as well. Just the desire to dedicate must be paid. It is very humbleing qnd bqck to nqture to live qlong donkeys, camels, and goats. Bugs and lack of showers and beds is also part of the simplicity. I liked it. I didn't really want to go back to the city but alas it was time.
I said farewell to Nabighyia and benjamin and I headed off on the once again insanly packed truck bac to Noukchott.

Man its hot here!!!

2008-10-12T06:43:00.000-07:00

Ok...I haven't been able to keep up with the blog the way that I would like too but c'est la vie. I am going to go ahead and fast forward past the last days of Morocco which were nice but fairly uneventful. I basically said goodbye to my new found friends and relaxed on the beaches of Essouria until I left for Mauritania.
Here is where I begin.
I was unusually calm on the flight over although it was at 11:30 at night and I had some coffe before I left so was wide awake at 2:30 when the plane landed in Mauritania. I didn't know what to expect but the capitol city's (Noukchott) airport was very small and a bit of a free for all. Thkis was no big deal because Egypt was not much different. However Casa Balnca's airport and Morocco's transportation system had grown on me and left me with slightly higher expectations of Mauritania. I had planned to sleep at the airport because it was so late but...the airport isn't necessarily conducive of a good nights sleep. I tried haggeling with the taxi drivers knowing I shouldn't pay more than 1000 ognyia for the ride to the hostile style residence but was tired and agreed to pay more that...700 more than that. But at 250 to 1 I still felt ok about it.
My friends told me this is a different place but you never know a statement like that until you are there. Mauritania is very poor. Very poor. Not much money is put into the things like parks and roadways or even city planning. I got to the hostile place which turned out to be more like camping on the rooftop. Literally. but for what I wanted to pay this was the deal...and it was clean camping. My friend Abdel malik had told me about this place soI brought that up to the guy and exchanged friendlies that go along with having a mutual friend. Even though it was 3 in the morning and it was still very hot. But all I was concerned with was a mosquito net which there was in the hut which I rented.
When I woke up I realized how different this was.Noukchott is also a very dirty place. Which is qllright but it really does make you sick to your stomach after awhile to see and smell all kinds of garbage decomposing all over the streets and sides of the roads. I didn't sleep much because of the flight but did manage to squeeze out some hours of shut eye well after the morning prayer and closer to sunrise. I then caught a cab to "downtown" to this moswue I read about in Lonely planet and realized once I asked which street I was on that no one knew. The city isn't developed like other cities so it is very hard to circumnavigate and in fact locals don't use street name the only use landmarks to get from place to place. This kind of frustrated me because I like to get oriented on a map so that I can keep busy with finding places and feel acomplished as well. I realized how hard this was going to be so I found a internet cafe on the corner and decided to retreat to the comforts of connecting to those who I now and catching up on email.
In the cybe cafe I heard an American accent dressed in local islamic Sahara clothing and decided to ask where he was from. It turns out that Isa (african american guy from California) knew Abdel Malik (the guy from fes) and he said not to worry from there on out and that I could stay with him. Wow. I then read an Email from Abdel Malik which said to get in contact with a guy named Isa who was now sitting next to me. Double wow. God is good. We then hung out for the day meeting Sheikhs and friends from Kentucky (I know...go figure) and even had a hamburger and some donuts shortly after! Ill fill you in on the rest in a bit! Pics coming soon.

Marafresh

2008-10-03T15:15:00.000-07:00

Well unfortunatly quite a bit of time has passed since I entered the last blog. After a long but peaceful train ride into Marakesh, I was pleasantly met by Hamza who had been the one who introduced me to Abdel Malek in Fes. He actully had car which was nice for a change. We picked up some groceries (at a bonified grocery store no doubt) and then went off to his house. For some reason Marakesh looks fake to me...Like over done California stucco arcitecture or something. But his neighborhood was very nice, and once again like Jojo's in Phoenix it was nice to be in a domesticated atmosphere. He and his extremely nice wife have three beautiful children which were gems. He is very involved in the Sufi community in Marakesh and so after we broke fast there was a beautiful dhikr (rememerence of God) session at his house where I also met Mohamed Yaqub-an American convert from northern California.
The next day I was wacked out tired so I slept most the day but upon waking up from a nap a pinched a nerve in my neck which completly locked up all the muscles in my upper back! Like an idiot I tried to play basketball later on and made it worse. The whole next day I laid in bed basically.
Eventually I made it out the day after and went to the major tourist/shopping area with Yaqub. Marakesh is the worst of the tourist areas because of the amount of effort that goes towards taking foriegners money. Never the less we found some good deals on leather sandals which are staple footwear around here. When you take your footgear off everytime you enter a house or mosque...they are necessary. But really besides the wonderful experience of staying with Hamza and later with Yaqub the parts of Marakesh that peoplke come to see are not my cup of tea.
Well the month of Ramadaan came and went and has left a bit of a hole in my life. Who would ever think that you would miss fasting. But alas it is true. In such a discipined month one finds an incredible amount of happiness and sharing which I have yet to be topped. The Eid...Clebration at the end of the month...was great. Abdl Malek made it down from Fes on his way to London which was a treat to get to see him again. The prayer took place outside with litealy tens of thousands of people. Later we got together at Hamza's for a very nice Lunch with a lot of his friends and family. Having coffe in the daytime was nice as was a large glass of water. You literally forget what it is like to eat durring the day.
I could not have asked for a better month with better people. It is one for the record books for sure.

Experiences

2008-09-28T07:08:00.000-07:00

I have since moved on through Rabat again and on to Marrakesh. But I would like to take the time to catch up on some experiences I've had.
One of the most moving experiences was when I was praying the afternoon prayer in Fes. It was a normal afternoon prayer in the mosque in the neighborhood where I was living. (in the midevil part of the city) The people there are simple, hard working and without most of the modern conveniences which I for one am used to. I walked over the horse and donkey dung, up the narrow dirt ally, past the fountain where both children and horses were getting a drink in to the mosque. It is situated on a hill with an amazing view of Old Fes. I went to wash in the fountain in the courtyard for prayer among the local men. The prayers began in the open air mosque and ended as usual. However after the prayers ended I noticed commotion in the center of the mosque. There was a body being brought in on a wooden stretcher wrapped in a beautiful green textile with Quranic verses embroidered on it in gold. I realized right away that it was a corpse and a very strange feeling came over me. Everyone stood and we then retook our positions in the ranks and prayed the funeral prayer for the deceased. I had never done this and was actually taken aback by the experience. The body was then taken to the graveyard but I did not follow. It was such a simple yet reverent process. No parades no massive flowers. Just this mans body and the congregation. And whether you knew him or not you stopped to pray for him. Very moving.

Fes Fotos

2008-09-24T11:08:00.000-07:00

Sweets for breaking fast.
Me drinking Tea at Zubair's house.
The oh so reassuring structure of the old city. This picture is also accompanyed by the smell of buring electric devices which pop and spark when it rains.
The old city of Fes. Right outside of my gracious host Abdel Malik's place.
The craftsmanship.

Feservation for 1 contd...

2008-09-23T15:49:00.000-07:00

So sorry again but I haven't been on the camera ball in Fes. This place is still blowing me away. I walked around the new city a bit today and the difference is insane. The old city really is like living in ancient times. I have to admidt that the grid structure of the european style with a main avenue made me feel relaxed. Perhaps because in city atmospheres you don' really have to worry about people bothering you. There are plenty of banks and stores...a bit of realibilty I suppose. But in the old city it's the people who are fantastic. I came to one of the main gates and it took me an hour and a half to go a hundred yards. Not because I got lost this time but because people kept pulling me aside to talk. There is this old man who is facinated by me being muslim. We tryed to talk for a very long time. Sweet old man. There were two young guys as well one of which has a fiance from Tucson! Small world.
Being able to stay in my friends apartment has been great. I've been under the weather so its been nice to lay low. I actually cooked tonight which was a nice change. Going to the market to buy fresh stuff is the best. Super cheap by American standards as well. I did have to fight off a cockroach the size of a surfboard though. Cest la vie. Bugs are a part of life here.
Fez is mostly craftsmen. Which is very cool. Every where you go you look into a room and see men making jalabeeyas or sandals or metal artwork. The craftsmanship is incredible. All the production shops are off of the the tourist stroll where I live. There is also a school right on the ally where the apartment is so it can get noisy but cute. The amount of religious study here is amazing as well. Al Qaraween university and mosque have been stong centers of Islamic learning since the 12th century. That is why it is hard to take flicks here. It is just a beehive of life that is almost better if not better left to experience. It will be hard to leave.

Feservation for one

2008-09-20T17:07:00.000-07:00

The road to Fes was a long one. I jumped on another local bus company because the CTM company was full (but then a ticket mysteriously opened up when i got to the train station and was looking at the other company) The off brand was leaving earlier so I went but not after getting hit on by some nasty perv guy who wanted me to travel to his town with him. Not cool. Then there was a huge fight on the bus. Moroccons are very emotional people...kissing , hugging...yelling.Usually that is all that is. I have noticed a real primal need to be heard first and loudest in order to assert dominance and everyone does it not just men. I sat back and watched this huge drama unfold which eventually lead the bus driver to pulling the bus over like in highschool or JR high. When one of the guys did get off the bus I looked over qnd he had a rock in his hand. Half the bus emptied to be evolved...except me and the spanish couple.
All was well though qnd we arrived to fes which is a swirl of history and poverty and dusty wind on that day. A friend of a friend picked ,e up at the bus station and has put me up in the flat he is borrowing for the last 3 days. We also attended a break fast at a prominant sufis house and then went to a gathering later on. it was unreal. Kind of like people being fillied with the holy ghost in Christianity. Well the cyber cafe is shutting down so ill finish this later.

Chefchoun (Too nice for a funky title)

2008-09-16T10:10:00.000-07:00

So the bus ride was...not bad but long. I took a smaller bus company which left from near by the hotel in Asilah. It was a total local Greyhound type of thing. The bus was packed (as usual for Moroccon transportation) but I got there super early so I got a seat. I was told that it was a direct bus to Tetoun which is directly east of Asilah and also where I would switch buses to Chefchoun. I might have been too early or something because we went to Tangeir first which I was trying to avoid. But it was ok. After arriving in Tetoun (which I made sure to ask if that was it...and I can read the Arabic signs now...Thank you UW) The bus to Chefchoun was right in front of us so no problem transfering. The funny thing is the baggage fee varies with what you have in your hand so this time it was 10 because I gave him a 20 as a opposed to five for the previous (and longer) ride. Whateves.
I was a bit scared of getting car sick but it was ok. Mountain travel on a packed bus can be tough. No problems though. We arrived in Chefchoun and there were no taxis which is rare and the hills here have seattle matched. I walked up one and found some English speaking backpackers who gave me the general direction. I found a cab and then headed to the hotel. I haven't been calling ahead because there doesn't seem to be a need to. But this place is crawling with tourists and backpackers trekking in the nearby mountains. The first place I went only had a shared room right off of a parlor where there was a lot of smoke and talking. Lots of young hostel types too. I must be getting older because I just want to be left alone (at least right away.) Long story short...the guy moved me after I threatened to look for another place but then after walking around a bit got bumped back to the bad room because a family had a res. I was a bit upset so set out to find anther one which most were full. Found one but then I went to pray the evening prayer and break my fast...Calmed down and then right then a guy in the mosque told me I was going to eat with him. He was a very nice Iraqi man from Norway who spoke English. He then took me to his hotel where he is staying for all of Ramadaan and introduced me to the staff and we ate together. Then He talked the people in to letting me stay there for 60 dirhams a night which is like 8 bucks. The rooms are simple and run down and the bathrooms have seen better days but it is allright. We ate dinner later on and then our morning meal which he has the staff prepare special for him. Goat cheese and bread with butter olives Hhoney and sweets...all kins of yuminess.
I went with the market today with him as well and he introduced me to all his friens and showed me the best way to buy eggs and all kinds of things. What a blessing. Right at a low spot. Seems to be happening alot lately.
The town is gorgoues as it is set at the base of the mountains. Espically at night. We sat outside the mosque and talked last night...good stuff. The allyways and doors are National Geographic like. I'm debating staying a 3rd day or heading for Fes where there are some people I talked to there to meet. I'll let you know.

Like water to a fish

2008-09-14T14:59:00.000-07:00

I arrived in Asilah which is just south of Tanja and was automatically in love. It is something about small ocean towns that grabs me. Tourism is heavy here so of course there ws a tout (guy who tries to get you to go to his hotel or shop) right off the train. Annoying but managable. I wandered the town until I found my small hotel which is nice and cheap. The rooms remind me of a monestary or something in there simplicity but it's like 14 US dollars a day. The people are really nice as well. I have this knack so far of making friends with the older Muslim desk guys. In fact this guy invited me into his little room and fed me and I bought him a liter of coke which we shared. He kept overflowing the glass caus of the bubbles which amused me greatly. He speaks like 4 languages and is really sleepy in the way he speaks.

I relaxed a lot here. I spent three days and ate some really good fish prepared in a morrocon dish and walked around quite a bit to see where this fish come from. I made friends with another guy in the mosque but he worried me a bit more than my buddy Fouad so I kept my distance. He was allright but a bit preachy.

My arms fot enough sun to look Morrocon by now which is fine by me. I went in to a bakery and there bees all over but no one seems to care. It freaked me out...but the bread ws still really good. I like the small towns, they are a nice break but cities are a bit more accomidating. I also met a barber here and had my beard trimmed up a bit. The whole place is beautiful and reminded me what typ of atmosphere I would eventually like to live in. Tomorrow is a 6:30 bus to the mountain town of Chefchouan. Mark your maps...I'm on the move.

Nice to Ken-eet-ra

2008-09-13T16:22:00.000-07:00

My Rabat portion of the voyage ended well. I recieved the visa from the Mauratanian embassy which was funny in and of itself. I didn't fill out half of the form because of the French/Arabic stuff and the guys were like "whatever." They asked for an adress in Mauratania and I said I would be staying in hotels so they said write "hotel" then. Quite the beuracracy. I'm sure it was more about the 200 dirhams that it cost.
I met this young guy named Fouad in the mosque one night and we became instantanious friends. He loves the Japanese culture and swears that he is half Moroccon half Japanese. : ) He even uses terms like "in Japan we say... " Very funny. Amazing person and he showed me all around Rabat and then he mentioned that he was going to visit an old friend in Kenitra. I told him that I was going to go there to visit the place where my father had been in the military even if it had changed. He told me in very typical Moroccon/Islamic fashion, "You will stay with us." I told him I would get a hotel and maybe we could get together for break-fast. The next day I finished up laundry and then jumped on a train to Kenitra. I sent him a text saying I was headed up there and I'll call him later. No less than a few minutes later I get a call from him telling me to get off at the first station (which was good caus I thought there was only one station) Long story short he and his friend took me back to his friends house and I stayed the night and met the family. We ate (well). Homeade Moroccon food is the stuff dreams are made from. We broke fast and went to the mosque and then I let the young friend talk me and my buddy into going with him to a "club."
Moroccon clubing is more of a testrone fest than anything else. It was a bunch of guys drinking soda pop playing billiards and smoking like chimanies. Loud musiq and a lot of starring...my type of night. My buddy Fouad is more religious than his friend and it is clear thay are kind of growing apart in this way. Suhair was more concerned with Tu-pac and MTV than reciting the Quran. Nevertheless it was an experience. We then went back and ate a late night meal which was great. His family is very sweet and well off so it was a treat to stay in their house. Suhair (the young friend ) was in slumber party mode and wouldn't let us sleep. But it was a great chance to see a real suburan neighborhood and watch kdis play soccer int the street and such. God bless that boy's parents. Tooo nice.
The next night I slept in a hotel. Downtown kenitra is shadey and not on Lonely Planet's top ten list for sure. I was safe though. I think that a few fights have broken and a few more drugs have been done since my dad was here in the sixties. I was glad to leave the next morning and head off for Asilah which is a small coastal town just south of Tangiers (Tanga in Arabic) popular with the Euro crowd. Beach time.

More Rabat Photos

2008-09-13T06:32:00.001-07:00

Beautiful ally, Kids Fishing

Guard of tomd Muhammed V

Guess who

Women walking
Check out my Facebook page for the full albulms along the left hand side of the page. Just do asearch for Thomas Littleton.

Experience this

2008-09-09T10:13:00.000-07:00

So I've been in Rabat long enough to stop the play by play action for a bit and share some of these great sights and smells with you. Photos on the way but this will be all written.

I've been really excited to play human frogger again. For those of you who don't know my Cairo experiences...human frogger (yes the Atari game) is aka crossing the street. It's also like human tetris. You have to have good spacial awarness and risk will pay off with a quicker dispatch of the body to the other side of the street to where you want to go. Standing in the middle of the street while cars pass on either side is all right. Or the stop go method works very well too. Stop...let a car pass. Go. Stop...let a car pass. I absolutly love it. It's clear that there is no such of a thing as a jay walking ticket here. And I love it.

Pollution and dust I do not love.

The kids here like to rollerblade at top speeds through completly packed sidewalks espically at night through ramadaan crowds. There is a real letting things happen around you type of thing going on with me.

The beggers are...poorer than any begger in the US by far. I have seen some horrible deformities that automatically make the hand go for the pocket. Espically in the old market here. But this is counter balanced by the smells of nuts and spices. The beautiful colors of vegtables and fruits...leathers and shoes.

The mint tea here really is the good stuff...but not to be taken to close to bed time. And the Sweets...they deserve a capital S! Oh my God! I'm suprided the country is not on UN diabetic assistence. But I'm not compaining.

The people...people are people, but some of the nicest in the world live in this country. It really is quite western in a lot of ways in Rabat which is good and bad but it is all good.

The angry taxi driver today had me gripping my seat when he drove on the other side of the roead to escape traffic facing oncoming cars! But you just got to let it happen man!

Rabat Photos

2008-09-07T07:48:00.000-07:00

Ave. Mohammed V...at like 12am this is packed. Mohammed V Mosoleaum

Fountain in cortyad of hotel Maakdoonaaldz...No I didn't eat there.

Rabat

Casa Photos

2008-09-07T07:44:00.000-07:00

Building from my window 'Aiin Daab nighborhood/oceanfront

Artwork at Hassan II Minuret at Hassan II...This place was HUGE!

Inside the Mosque after night prayers

Arigato Mr. RABATo

2008-09-07T07:08:00.000-07:00

So I said bus but I meant train. And by the way I've been having problems uploading photos so I'll have to catch you all up soon. I havn't been taking to many either. I get real concerned about what people think of a big wihte guy taking their picture during Ramadaan...but I'll try harder. Back to the train.
The trains run great here, pretty much ontime and such. It is a real nice way to get around too. It was about 5 us dollars to get to Rabat which is an hour away. Not bad. I pulled my famous move and got off of the train early though! I don't think this one was my fault caus I swear the automated lady said my stop in Arabic. Everything is in Arabic or French so you really have to pay attention and ask questions. Well I didn't ask until i asked the parking guy where Mohammed v street was...I was confident that I could walk to my hotel from there according to the map. Well I got off early to reitterate. Rabat has two train stops and this one wasn't that far away from the center but I didn't want to be defeated by the train so I went back inside and the guys told me I could get on the next on which was an hour away. Ok I thout so I sat down and started reading over som materiels about senegal and such. Then I saw the train to Kenitra (hey Pops!) and I asked the food lady on it who was hanging off it to get some fresh air and despit I got laughed at a bit she helped me back on and I rode it one stop down to the one I wanted. (5 min. away ha ha_)
The hotel is nice...the shower is downstairs but in good condition and the hall bathroom is by the head of my bed but it is not that busy so... I've generally like Rabat betterbecause of the European layout and the amount of French style bakries with RAmadaan goodies! Ummmmm!
Around 4 oclock pm the streets get busy with people crammed into the bakeries to but parts of their break-fasts (this is how Abdur Rahim said the evening meal in Casa) The streets then quite don until about 9 pm after the night prayers are over and then Baaam! Super crowded espically on the weekends...crazy. Until like 1-2 in the morning.
I also met a classmate from UW here who is studying here with his girlfriend. That has been a blessing to sit and eat with some one who speaks english and I already know. They have been brilliant. They gave me food for the morning meal and acsess to thier computers and info about the city. Good stuff.
So I'm just waiting on the Maurtanian Embassay to open tomorow then I'll head down there and try to get a visa. I caught a stomach bug last night...it was enivatable. I was just suprised that it took this long! I suppose fasting cuts down on your chances! ha ha. Something might be going on in my chest too but I am prepared with my meds if need be. Don't worry mom, I'm not fasting today in order to rehydrate and I'll continue to do that until I'm better.
The thoughts of how long this thing is is still plauging my my mind but I keep having positive experiences which push me forward so...

Casa to Rabat

2008-09-06T11:06:00.000-07:00

So Casa ended up well. One of my SERVAS connections finaly came through after really woking the "Moroccon" time. I caught a bus to his neighborhood which was really poor. And I found the bus by asking a guy on the street who was going that way. The guy had told me to call him as soon as I got on so he could time it. The man working on the bus had to get off with me and was nice enough to wait for my guy to come through. He did though and then we went to his hous and broke fast there. It was great. His family was very nice and I started to relax pretty quick. I was going to leave for Rabat that night but his brother took me to the Hassan II mosque for Ramadaan night prayers. Amazing! There were about 20,000 people there. That was crazy. And he showed me around the mosque and we spoke in formal Arabic which allowed me to learn quite a bit. He drove me back to my hotel after picking some people he knew from his neighborhood in the small car. It was a tight fit but one of them spoke English and was practicing on me.
Didn't sleep well because of the jetlag but I did rest well enough to catch the bus in the morning to Rabat...

mi casa, su casa blanca

2008-09-03T16:27:00.000-07:00

Therese and I finished up the NY portion by checking out a few favorite stores of her's and then we headed to central park for lunch which took place by a nice jazz band. The weather was beautiful as well. We shut my phone off which brought a weird sense of sadness. To think that you can't get a hold of the people you call every day or at least at your lesiure is hard to get used to. As we got closer to the airport my anxiety grew a bit but I was all good on the plane ride.
Even the plane ride was nice. There is a huge since of community in the Muslim culture and this kid kept falling off the seat because he was asleep and every time about 5 Morrocans were there to catch him. One even held him in so his father could get some sleep. These people don't know each other. Pretty amazing. These same type of people helped me get on to the train into Casa which had no words on it. That was tough caus I knew I was in Kansas any more. But a guy made sure I got off all right and then came the cab drivers.
The guide book said that it would be about 10 dirhams and the fist one said 40< I ditched him since he wouldn't run the meter and the second said 20 so whatever. Except he was trying to hard sell a hotel he was getting comission for the whole way. Akward! Were weren't all that nice to each other as I got out, but my bag had leaked some soap on the back seat which he was pissed about but there you go jerk number one!
The hotel guys were cool but the room was super basic and on the street with a shower that is a step over form the bed. That's what saving money is all about. I tossed and turned the whole night with the craziest thoughts running through my head. I had bought a cell phone the first day which has helped but Casa is a functional place...not alot to see which I guess is all right because people leave you alone. Unless there weird and trying to sell you something then they walk all around with you and speak English. But weirdly enough these have been the nicest guys you just don't know what they want...probably the reason for the niceness I know. I'm ready to move on or go back home...The sense of quitting this whole thing has been huge. But I'm going to stick it out for now. It's just being buy yourself in a new city not knowing what to order food wise and such is really hard. And this is going to repeat itself over and over for me. Wooohooo! Pics coming soon. I'm having troubles uploading them right now.

New York New York...

2008-09-03T07:00:00.000-07:00

New York was all that and a bag of chips! My sister, Jen and I came in on the bus from Reading PA. after leaving Jens mom and -our lovely hosts- house. (sorry no apostrophies...Im in Casa bBlanca and the French keyboard is strange) We got in and dropped off our bags at the hotel and Jens eastcoast nature and hotel knowledge saved Therese and I from sharing a bed that night. We then picked up our train tickets for the next day like good little travelers and headed out into the city. Just the train station alone was crazy enough. Ive never seen that many people of different ethnic backgrounds in one place before! I loved it. Being my first time to the big apple and all I totaly did not expect to see so many sneaker shops and barershops in one place! Just the amount of shops in general was nuts. You really can get EVERYTHING there. It was pretty hot but beautiful weather so that means hot and sweaty subway stations. But this did not take away from the pure ecstacy I was feeling from the big rumble of NY silver. Ive been in love with subways since I was a kid qnd other systems Ive ridden on dont compare. Sure they might be nicer qnd newer but this is NY what can you say!
We popped out in Soho, got a slice (pizza), bought a new water bottle (lost the first one for the second time) and walked down to see the Brooklyn Bridge and the Statue of Liberty. We walked alot...ALOT! And you know it is alot if a huge walker like me capatalizes it. We took a taxi to the hotel (which was real nice) and the taxi had a TV with internet accsess in it! Wild. I washed off a layer of NY grime and then we got lost in a maze of the biggest Brazilian festival Ive ever seen. The crowd for the concert alone took up 4 blocks! Common Market (my friends band) beat that! We were starving at this point so the sizziling sticks of meat were killing me! I did have a Hallal one earlier on from a street cart. Another food dream down.
After some super nice chinese noodles we said farewell to Jen, went to see Times sqare qnd took in the view from the top of therockafeller center. Wow! After a day like thqt we crashed out hard. Leaving NY and trip to casa up next... dont change the channel!

Jazz Hands!

Philly!...wh...wh...where ya at?!?

2008-08-29T13:19:00.000-07:00

I've moved on to the part of my journey where I don't know the places and people (or at least most of them) and...yeah...my anxiety received a bit of a poke with the thought of that but I am having a blast (do the kids still say that?) I've always wanted to go to Philly because of the incredible hip hop/neo soul music scene which emerged from there. But then again East coast cities can be a bit intimidating...nah...it was cool. I checked in to my hotel at about 10pm so I chilled out happy that the cab ride was so easy to navigate and had a real nice political conversation with the cabby who was from...from...I didn't ask and my amazing ability to guess where one is from was on the fritz. It must have been the altitude and lack of moisture in the airplane...yeah that's it. So I got a good night's rest and ate a nice bowl of continental Raisin Bran with a continental Bagel with continental cream cheese with you guessed it...continental coffee and OJ. This powered me up for one of my famous "the only way to get to know a place is to walk it" walks. So I strolled over to the Historic district by way of the Reading market which was full of so many dope (hip hop for nice or great) smell it made me wish that I hadn't gone so continental for breakfast. Alas the sight of it was good enough. Kind of like the Pike Place in Seattle on international steroids. I made it over to the historical part of the city not too excited about it but quickly realized I was at where i had read about in his-story books in grade school and such. I took the tour of Independence Hall and loved it. I like being in the same room where huge decisions went down...

I wouldn't have wanted to make these decisions but after the fact is all right. Strolled by the breakfast/cheese steak carts (man those things smell good!!!) and checked out the mandatory Liberty Bell and a few others. Walked ov

er to the water front on Penn's Landing and then up South Street as instructed by my sisters in Seattle. Dope! (in this case...exciting!) Great shopping. Sneaker shops, a

crazy number of spots to eat, and that oh so good city feel. My type of street. Had a slice of pizza. they only come one way...cheese. The sign said "No additional toppings on slices, so don't ask!" I love it. I'm not one of those people who care how food is prepared...if it is the way the people in the city eat it...that's how I want it. of course there is people in Philly who like peperoni and such...I just love the balls (excuse t

he expression but it is the east coast) of some one who says this is how I serve it and that's it...buy it or don't. So I bought it. Good too...real gooooooood.

Made my back up through down town and rested for a bit before hitting up the Westside (always the best side) for a Hallal Cheese steak (Muslim version of Kosher for simplicity purposes.)

The Place is Saad's on 45th and Walnut. It's middle eastern fast food with American staples like fried chicken and cheese steaks for the Muslims who can't get that type of food anywhere else. If you're in Philly....go. Everyone eats there...Muslims, kids from U Penn, everyone. Not intimidating although there is a certain way to order...but darn it go!!! After fulfilling my lifelong dream of eating a cheese steak and having fit in to my dietary needs to boot, I jumped on the subway back into Center City and slept like a baby.

My sister Therese's partner's mother (that's a mouth full) Picked me up the next day for a tour of the Philly Art Museum. Awesome place.

Saw the Rocky steps and all the great art inside. Another must see for those of you who might visit Philly. After that we road out into

Amish country and bought fresh veggies form a roadside stand and took in the Amish culture. Very cool. I've always wanted to see that as well believe it or not. So I've settled into her house for the next few days and am waiting on my sister Therese and her partner Jen to get in from the Democratic convention in Denver. Gobama! It will be nice to see them before I blast off over seas. I'll check in after NYC.

Make up pictures

2008-08-29T12:29:00.000-07:00

Ok...so I've moved on fro the land of big trucks, big oil and gas, big open land and big ice cream. I know I was harshly sarcastic about Texas in the last entry but I actually have grown to like visiting there because the people are incredibly nice. They say hello, ask how your day is and wave from their cars. Much nicer than the concrete ostriches of Seattle...you know the ones...when you walk by say hello and down goes the head to the sidewalk as if to pretend you didn't say anything! Yeah definitely like Texas for that...and the FOOD!

So here are some pics I've been wanting to post:

That's Jolan and Melake (pronounced: me-LA-ka) at Jojo's and his wife Sarah's house in Phoenix. (Aka the "thank God for AC place.")

That's the homie Nick in Tucson by my old high school reminiscing. Sorry no picture of Steve the Greek and with a name like Steve the Greek you know why. Just kidding. but still no pic.

The beautiful skies of an Arizonan monsoon blowing in over the Catalina mountain range.

That's my beautiful sister Cathy at her house in Dallas, Tayhas (or Texas, but I like Tayhas better)

And these fine folks are the reason I'm here! Take a guess? That's right...Mom and Pops or in my family we say the ones responsible for twisting the handle on the big gumball shoot in the sky. (Our family myth for how babies are born...ha ha ha)

And that my fine feathered friends...or not so feathered, you're welcome too...catches us up on photos. Now on with the show...

Burleson, Texas y'all

2008-08-22T20:06:00.000-07:00

I love my parents and I've even grown to love Texas (in a certain way...it's still all about the left coast!) But every time I visit them in Burleson (just SW of Fort Worth) the Texan culture never ceases to put a sarcastic smile on my face and an "I know i just didn't see that" chuckle in my belly. So rightfully so...the secondary name of this entry is: "I know i just didn't see that."
Sight #1: A sticker on the back of a car window which read something to the effect of, "The Ultimate Body Piercing" next to a very large sticker of a hand with with a nail through it. Kind of the "my boss is a Jewish carpenter" type of thang.I didn't even need the large word JESUS taking up 1/4 of the window to figure it out! I'm a smart one. Right then I knew I was in Texas.
Sight #2: In the same car trip, I look over to the right and see a Golden Coral restaurant with a boat load of seniors coming out. Then the road side sign caught my eye because it read: "Seniors buffet $6.99." The next line read, "Mon-Fri 2-4." Sure enough it was 3:20pm. But the third line is the kicker: "God Bless America" (and its seniors.) That's when you REALLY know your in Texas. It's as common as saying goodbye to someone.
Sight #3: I was in Borders with my mother picking up a b-day present for my pops and a travel book about Turkey when I saw the Religion section of the store. Anyone that knows my interests knows that I can't pass by that section with out taking a look. So I did. I thought to myself "I wonder how many of these will be about Christianity." The first wall (that's right I said wall) was Bibles. The second wall was books about the Bible. The third wall was books about how to live the Bible. These were followed by about 200 Christian lifestyle books and then-just as I was about to give up- one wall dedicated to the rest of the world...and I own most of them. Ah Texas...Where diversity of religion lies between Catholic and Evangelical.
I'm sorry I'm so harsh and truly believe that anyone has the right to believe in anything, but man this is just toooo stereotypical!

Back Home...

2008-08-19T20:53:00.000-07:00

So I'm not sure of how many people are interested in hearing about the US portion of the trip but I've decided to go ahead and tell the whole tale since the US portion is as integral as any of the the more "exotic" destinations I'll be visiting. Why? Because it had been a very long time since I had seen and hung out with my brothers/best friends in Arizona. Because I MUST see my parents and my sisters before I do something as crazy as this! I think that I would be banned from the U.S. Association of Good Family Members (made up : )) if I didn't! And Philly and NYC have always been dreams of mine to visit.
With that said, I have successfully completed the first piece of this puzzle: AZ. I love Arizona, I don't think that I would live there again but the place is special to me. probably because I spent the "formative years" there, but on the other hand I truly believe that there is something special about the Sonoran desert. Phoenix...eeehhhh...sprawling cityscape with no true centralization and a desire to be slightly like LA?...enough said. Tucson however is not quite the same...A truly beautiful place that still holds the character of the South West. Sure there are issues with both but to me it is hard to top sipping Horchata while munching on a carne asada burro from Nico's (aka the best gut bomb in the world!) at sunset while a monsoon rolls in over the mountain tops displaying nature's fireworks in the form of a lightening storm which illuminates the respectful stance of the Saguaro cacti. OK...I'm a bit partial...and romantic...hopefully it lands me a wife one day!
Besides a true connection to the land itself, i have dear friends here who are more like brothers and who showed me the up most hospitality on my trip. I had long talks and borderline debates with my ace coom boom (sorry for the hip hop reference) Melake in his unusually hot...I mean hot like 94 degrees hot...apartment. My man lives bare bones so it was good practice for me but my lanky self missed a bed for sure! He reminded me to continually press forward in all that we do because laziness and its other friends lie just around the corner. Valuable advice for a trip like this. I enjoyed air conditioning, a couch, bed, TV, and Internet access and Jolan's house. He is fully domesticated now and gone are the days of smoking pot and freestyling for hours on end speaking with New York accents...this was a spec-e-al-a-tay of ours in our twenties. Now he is the best father in the world as well as a model husband. You know things are changing when your friend says they are going to have a party and all the guests come in pairs! He reassured me that the balance of a stable (aka married)life is something I have to look forward to...not to mention it's my goal to have a cuter kid than him...but I don't think that is possible.
In Tucson My friends nick and Steve allowed me to enjoy in the fruits of reminiscing yet at the same time compare where I've been to where I'm at. I never felt like I was a stranger to Tucson...but this time I did. My parents left and so there is no "home" there anymore. But they showed me that my heart is welcome there anytime. You can't be around Nick without learning some behind the scenes political info that will blow your mind away and Steve...Steve showed me that you will never be able to assume anything about your friends even if they are predictable people...God bless you man.
So I pulled away from Tucson and Phoenix today with a full belly and a renewed since of friendship. Sure people change, interests change, as well as other things but good people are good people and having a few of them left where you grew up is priceless.

To Possibilities

2008-08-08T01:30:00.000-07:00

So this first post must be dedicated to one of the strongest reasons why this trip is even possible. The people in my life. From all the people who got their haircuts and talked about travel, to the friends and brothers who urged this move into reality. From all the new people I've met and been invited to their families homes by just saying "I'm traveling around the world," to my rock solid family who helped me prepare for something like this in more ways than one. I officially feel ready...as ready as I can be. As fear and doubt always hold me close, it was and is-no doubt- these people who perpetuated my determination in at least attempting to live out this dream. And for them I am truly thankful.
I hope that everyone enjoys reading this. I feel that writing is one of many gifts of expression...one that I happen to love and I hope that I am half way decent at. I've kept journals before as well as blogs...but I have never been faced with the idea of a full years writings depicting so many different places and experiences. It still numbs me to think of the idea of eating Pho in Vietnam or catching a cab in Casa Blanca. Praying in the desert, or hiking in the Himalayas. In preparation for this trip I've been faced many times all ready with the fact of the possibility of death. But the truth is is that death is always among us and we can only prevent it by making healthy decisions...beyond this there is nothing we can do to avoid it. I've become very comfortable with this idea...at least in theory...I definitely won't be taking this one to the lab to experiment. Not everywhere in the world is a safe place anymore but people remain the same in the sense that even in all of the bad there is at least some good.
Here's to all of the wonderful people who make it easy to find the good in life.