My Love Affair....with Marrakech

First things first, I adore Morocco-every last bit of it! I love its inviting people, old world atmosphere and simplicity. Before I even set out on my study abroad adventures, I always hoped to make my way to Northern Africa and more specifically, Morocco. Luckily when we settled into Rome and began planning trips, Morocco just happened to be on the top of the lists of many of my friends. We traveled as part of Snow or Sand, a tour company geared towards students which focuses simultaneously on sight-seeing and cultural immersion-it was the BEST.

My first impression of Marrakech was incredible. After exiting the aircraft and waiting anxiously at customs (apparently Africa takes their borders quite seriously!), I was greeted with the potent scent of curry which was peacefully wafting through baggage claim..Helloooo Morocco. After being picked up at the airport by one of our tour guides, we made our way to the Old Town of Marrekech where we would be staying. The one vivid image of that car ride that has stuck in my head was the chaotic traffic from cars, scooters, bicycles and donkeys...YES, donkeys. I remember looking out my window and seeing upwards of three people on ONE bicycle. After spending the weekend in the city, I learned that the easiest way for locals to get around the quite narrow and crowded streets was by bicycle. To be honest, I am actually quite surprised that I am still alive after walking those streets-bicycles and scooters are constantly coming at you...I never waited long enough to see if they actually would have stopped for me (I think not!)

We spent the weekend at the most beautiful Riad. For those of you who aren't familiar with it, a Riad is a traditional Moroccan house or palace that is somewhat comparable to a bed & breakfast in the States. It was quite the treat to get away from European hostels for a short time. Not that I don't adore sleeping with eight strangers, having to pay for sheets and towels, and sharing bathrooms, but I could use a break! Here are a few pictures of our Riad right in the heart of the Old Town of Marrekech.

The Main Common Room of Riad

Yes, my bed was inside the wall!

Another view of our room

After settling into our Riad, unpacking and snapping tons of photos, we made our way out for a Welcome Dinner with traditional Moroccan cuisine including tangine, couscous, Moroccan salad and so much more..we were STUFFED and I was in a serious African food coma!

I think Chili's should mirror their booths after this design...thoughts?

Myself, Matt, Katie & Abby at our Welcome Dinner

I could not get enough of the Moroccan cuisine-so much flavor!!

From the airplane to the Riad to our first meal, Marrekech was impressing me! The rest of the weekend followed suit; turning out to be, without-a-doubt, one of the most unique and amazing experiences..EVER! In only three days, we rode camels, visited a Berber village, went to an argan oil women's cooperative, indulged in a great meal right on the river, hiked, saw a waterfall, visited an authentic Moroccan rug shop, bought a rug, visited a traditional Moroccan spice shop, bought spices, went to a Hemmen spa (that's a story all its own!), had drinks and hookah, took in a belly dancing show, held a snake AND monkeys, visited beautiful botanical gardens, had a traditional meal with a Moroccan family along with Henna and a lesson on how to properly make mint tea(my drink of choice now!) and finished it all off with hours of night time shopping and bargaining in the Souks Market....pheww! Here are some pictures from my Moroccan adventures:

Moroccan Sunrise on the Riad terrace

Camel Riding

Berber Village House

One of my favorite moments of the trip! Enjoying mint tea, Morrocan music and learning the traditional Morrocan dances from our guides, Simo & Abdul...all on the rooftop of a Berber house in the mountains.

The amazing 360-degree views from the rooftop

Making of the Argan Oils

Abby & I enjoying a delicious meal along the river

Getting ready for our hike!

The waterfall that made the hike well worth it.

Our new rugs! What a great souvenir to take back with us.

Hookah & Friends

Snakes Galore! I was the first brave soul to go....and I was SHAKING!

The monkey on the left snuck in a lip bite...he was quite the flirt!

Amazing henna!

Old Jewish Cemetery

While in Prague, my friend Caitlyn and I took a trip to the Old Jewish Cemetery in the Jewish Quarter of the city. Our trip happened to fall on Halloween which only made the experience that much more spooky. The cemetery was in use from the 15th century to 1787 and there are believed to be over 100,000 people buried there. Entering into the cemetery you are instantly drawn to the sight of the graves: haphazardly placed on top of one another, falling to the side and growing into tree trunks. Here are some photos I took while inside:

Crossing the Charles Bridge

I can't imagine traveling to Prague and not taking a "stroll" over the Charles Bridge. It's quite difficult to go from point A to point B without catching a glimpse of the beautiful sight whether it be by crossing over it or spotting it in the picturesque distance. I use the term "stroll" lightly, seeing as though walking across the bridge between the hours of 9am-5pm is more an acute form of torture, than a leisurely walk. This is not to say that I didn't love every second of said "torture" complete with amazing street art, hand-made jewelry and beautiful views of the city, but I was not ready for the Olympic sport that I like to call, "Walking-while-taking-photos-on-Charles-Bridge-while-keeping-pace-with-group-and-not-losing-friends-and/or-sanity-in-giant-mass-of-people" The buddy system is a must on this bridge. Thank god one of the girls that I was with had red hair or else she would have been a goner. After making my way across in one piece, I half expected to be greeted with a giant red piece of tape which I would run through to the applause of the kind Czech people for my profound accomplishment...Let's just say THAT didn't happen! Anyway, here are some photos from our first trip to the Charles Bridge. Jokes aside, it truly is gorgeous and a must-see if you find yourself in Prague.

After the olympic "stroll" across, I made one of my only goals for the weekend to make it to the bridge before the masses of artists, street performers and tourists arrived. Sticking to my plan, the morning of our flight I woke up early, grabbed a bagel(YES, I have finally been reunited with this amazing breakfast delight!) and was off! I made it to the bridge at around 8:30am and I cannot tell you how breathtaking the scene was. I think I needed to experience the bridge at it's busiest point, to truly appreciate how serene it was in the morning hours. Apparently tourists in Prague don't believe in the whole "seize-the-day-and-wake-up-at-7am-to-sightsee" and I thank them for that. I was probably one of only 100 people on the entire bridge-How cool is that?! I planted myself, bagel & cream cheese next to a lovely statue and just took it all in. It was a morning to remember.

All you need is...Prague!

Fresh, new paint replaces yesterdays’ ramblings. Those tourists who proclaimed their love for Lennon, the Beatles or merely self-expression the day prior, are now simply an afterthought; a square inch of paint on an ever-changing palette. My trip to the John Lennon wall was truly an amazing experience. Getting a moment alone with the wall was an unexpected blessing. Usually the quaint street is flooded with tourists who spend the majority of their time snapping photos and throwing up the overused, yet necessary, peace symbol (yes…I did give in).

From afar, the wall bears a variety of paintings of Lennon:

a large Peace Symbol:

and tasteless graffiti that can stick out like a sore thumb, but taking a closer look is what really moved me. Individuals from all over the world, in a variety of languages, use the wall as a way to say something; something to a lover, a stranger or simply something for themselves. Visitors christen the wall with lyrics, poems, art, wedding proposals and so much more. Here are a few photos I snapped of my favorite little parts of the wall:

Call me a hopeless romantic, but I could have sat there for hours reading everything. Set me up a futon in front of the wall with a delicious Czech meal and call it a day!

When purchasing several photos of the wall from a vendor on the Charles Bridge and discussing with my friend what I would write on the wall if I decided to do so, the man wrapping up my photos looked up and said, “If you find something that inspires you…write it”. Really? These Czech people are so freaking adorable!

I made my way back to the wall the morning of our flight back to Roma for one last look at my favorite site and to catch a glimpse of the spot before the masses of tourists filtered through. With my headphones on and Beatles tunes blasting, I was beside myself. It was truly the perfect way to say "Until next time" to a great part of Prague.

Edible Tour of Brussels

After our train from Amsterdam arrived in Brussels that Sunday, we had upwards of seven hours to spare before having to catch our flight back to Roma. Although sightseeing is an obvious must when stopping in to a foreign city for such a short amount of time, the main priority involved food (doesn’t it always?). I’ve learned through my travels that what I tend to remember the most is not the famed art gallery or the tour book-worthy monument we stopped to see, but rather the amazing meal we shared or the great café we discovered. Sticking to my kind of traveling, my friends and I got off the train and headed straight to the first restaurant we saw that sold waffles…like they say, “When in Belgium”. This was not your average Eggo here; we’re talking SERIOUS waffle. I devoured mine, complete with strawberries and melted chocolate…yummm! After doing some sightseeing to walk off the waffle sitting pretty in our tummies, we found this great shop called Chocopolis (take a wild guess what they sell?!).

If you ever have a craving for chocolate in every possible form, then Chocopolis is for you. It's debatable, but the hot chocolate that I got there may have been the best I've ever had. There was no need for mini marshmallows in this bad boy...the chocolate speaks for itself.

After finishing every last drop of my hot cocoa, we ventured to Grand Place. We were told by friends who had either visited or studied in Brussels to make sure to visit this spot: a large square with beautiful buildings framing it and crowds of tourists and street artists inhabiting it.

We snapped some pictures and wandered around before making our way to a bar close by the square to complete our edible day tour of Brussels with one last thing: Beer.

I asked the waitress to give us a true Belgian beer and she came back with Leffe 9° for each of us and we were not disappointed. Waffles. Check. Chocolate. Check. Beer. Check. Brussels. Check!

Red Light by Night

Amsterdam by day was a beautiful and elegant city to explore with its winding cobblestone streets and unique architecture. The city has a great deal of character; whether it be from the diversity of its inhabitants, its’ rich history or the alternative lifestyles that take place within it. Amsterdam by night provided the weekend backpacker with a quite different experience: the eye opening and jaw dropping walk through the Red Light District. Although the discomfort of that part of town and its reputation can be overwhelming, the experience of seeing such an unusual sight, if only once, is something that I would recommend. You may (scratch that..you will) feel awkward and uncomfortable, but I believe it is an unusual memory to be made. As my friends and I entered into the famed district one night, we realized that maybe we weren’t as comfortable with the prospect of seeing scantily clad women sell themselves. This isn’t a movie. This isn’t a television show. This is actually happening right in front of us!!

As strange as it was upon our entrance in, we slowly started to become a bit more comfortable with it all and made our way around the streets and window-fronts; trying our hardest not to stare…this was not the easiest task for yours truly (Helloooo I was born to be a people watcher and this was IDEAL people watching!) All and all the experience is a must for those who can bear the concept of it all. Whatever your opinion may be, the district is a large part of what makes Amsterdam the city that it is.

Biking in Amsterdam

First things first, my track record with bicycles is not the best. The last memory I have is slightly blurred due to a traumatic experience, but I can paint you a quick picture: awkward 4th grade allison + bring your bike to school day + hand-me-down rusty bike + mailbox...do the math. Let's just say that the bicycle and I had been on an indefinite break from one another...until Amsterdam. My travel partner-in-crime, Amanda, and I had heard from people we'd met that if we were to ride a bike anywhere, it should be in Amsterdam-the unofficial bike capital. Seeing as though the city is complete with bike lanes and a higher ratio of bikes to cars we found it to be the safest place to do it!

The first 15 minutes of our biking adventure were some of the most entertaining; where we found that apparently we are quite slow riders (we were passed by almost every single cyclist in Amsterdam, scratch that, every cyclist in Holland!), both Amanda & I have quite awful balance (we both fell over when another biker got a little too close to us) and stopping wasn't our forte....at all.

After our initial introduction back into the biking world, we were naturals! We made our way to every nook and cranny of Amsterdam; riding along the famed canals and taking a break from city riding for a relaxing bike stroll in the park.

During our ride we even discovered this empty green patch of land complete with a lake, angry ducks and gorgeous houseboats.

I never thought I would say this, but I was actually quite sad to say goodbye to my bike. Maybe a bike for Boston is in my future?! I will have to work on my hand-eye coordination a bit more :)