Zion – Day 4

Today began with an early start – though we were held up waiting a bit longer than planned for the Springdale shuttle to the Zion entrance. Upon arriving to the entrance of the park, we spoke with the gear rental folks in hopes of getting boots and neoprene socks for the walk along the Narrows. The sky was a bit cloudy and there was still a flood watch in effect and their chart outfront indicated “probable” for a flashflood. While I was probably more interested in this watery adventure than Obi – we both agreed entering a narrow canyon with a flood watch would not be wise. So – instead we headed towards our back-up option, Angel’s Landing. Now, this hike it under the “strenouse” category and the description clearly warns people who are afraid of heights to avoid it. The hike consists of three phases (we decided to call each section of the hike a phases – this is not how it’s described by the park) of very extreme switch backs, given you are hiking a total elevation gain of 1500 feet, starting at 0. This is steep, so switch backs are necessary and they are truly in the shape of a tight Z. Phase 1: switch backs from base to a 1/3 way up. Transition phase, walking along the back end of the mountain on a relatively flat path – shaded. Phase 2: switchbacks to Scout’s Pavillion another 1/3 way up. Phase 3: “the chains” scaling up rock to the summit. Upon reaching a section called Scout’s Pavillion, you begin the final phase up a very narrow section of the mountain using chains to hold on as you scale up rock. Upon hearing about this hike, I naturally was intrigued immediately but knew Obi would not be interested. However, when learning that our water adventure was not possible Obi suggested again we try Angel’s Landing. I had my doubts but we loaded the Zion shuttle. On the shuttle we had some more time to think and I noticed another hike option called the Sand Bench trail. Given Obi’s disposition on narrow peaks I thought we might want to shift plans instead of attempting Angel’s Landing. The description of the Sand Bench trail was moderate (given the 4 mile length) and sandy. We spoke with the park ranger about it who said not much other than we might see some horse apples – meaning horse poop. When we reached the trailhead we immediately turned around realizing it is totally flat, in sand and peppered with horse “apples” – this is where the horse rides go. Yup – no thanks we said. I guess it was Angel’s Landing after all. This was one stop up the road so we loaded the shuttle again. We were well loaded on water and still had some food-coop snacks in my pack, a quick stop in the bathroom and off we ventured. I spoke with two folks you had just completed the hike – mind you this was at 9:30 am – they were on the first shuttle and began at 6:30 am. The total hike time is about 4 hours – but it seems most people finished closer to around 3.5 hours. The folks we talked to said it was steep on the switchbacks but thrilling. I was ready – but the anecdotes from finishers left us both feeling more confident and ready to go. Off we went – up, and up and up. I set a steady pace trying to moderate my speed so that Obi and I were close. The sun had been hiding behind some clouds all morning, but as we began up, she shone in all her glory. I loaded up some sunscreen but the sweat came on fast. As I mentioned earlier – this was a steep incline in a short distance so you are huffing it north. We eventually caught up with a mom and daughter who set a pace for me – which in turn was a good pace for Obi. We shared some nice chit chat as we ascended. Our plan was to reach Scout’s Pavillion and see what the final phase actually looked like – then decide about going onward or turning back. The mother and daughter had a similar plan and so when the four of us completed the switch backs and took in the view of the pavillion – everyone decided to complete the final phase. We made a pact so support each other. We started at the first chain section (which we learned later on is the most scary given the slope of the mountain) – no sooner did we begin did the mom decide that she was not going forward. She quickly stopped and wanted to turn around so they waved goodbye and sent us along. Obi and I made it through the first chain section – but it was challenging. The chains are like a one way street – so if folks are coming down you have to wait until they pass. Waiting on a typical hiking trail is fine -you casually step aside and wait for the folks coming down to pass (down always has the right of way on an incline). Given the nature of this section, you are essentially crawling on rocks and holding chains – folks coming down are not that speedy (going down is also always more difficult than going up). My favorite mountaineering expression is, “Going up a mountain is optional, coming down is mandatory.” Waiting for people to pass while your adrenaline is going and the anticipation of what is to come is challenging and I started to feel a bit impatient – also starting to worry about Obi given I knew he was very far from his comfort level. After some stop and go action we passed through the tough part to the final plateau before the last ascent which would probably be another 25-30 minutes. According to my watch there were about 700 feet left to climb. It was at this point looking ahead at what is to come did Obi start to vocalize his doubts even more. Despite this, he made the heroic choice to push on – but, the start of this section has a small drop and it was at this moment Obi said “No.” He was done – his nerves were shot. It was clear we would abandon the plan and instead make out way back to the Pavillion and reassess our next step. Before heading back down though we took some pictures of the view we had. Angel’s Landing is a high point in the middle of the valley/canon and so you can see quite far with wild and free mountains along the sides. The experience being this high is thrilling and I was truly proud of what Obi managed to accomplish. After taking in the view, we knew going down was not an option. So…this meant we needed to go back down the chains we had just climbed. We are both tall therefore, holding the chins at certain points is tough because you are leaning down, fighting against gravity and watching your footing on ribbed rock. We did a combination of standing and maneuvering on our butts along the steep parts. We reached the main pavillion for a high five – and deep breath. There was a lot to process in that moment – given everything we just experienced. We had heard from another hiker that the trail going in the opposite direction from Angel’s landing is very nice and not nearly as intense. So, we ventured along that trail for about 20 minutes to a view spot for a second granola bar, some water and a few more deep breaths and processing time. Eventually we started the descent – and talked about best “going down” practices – body positioning, arm movement, toes and quad strain. All features of a decent – and the most important mantra for going down that “every step counts.” Going down is when your body is tired and so it’s easy to miss-step. Intentionality and awareness are key so a decent. Shade and a pleasant breeze were guests on our walk back down which helped after getting so hot. We reached the bus station pretty quickly and it was clear from the look in Obi’s eyes that he was done and ready to go home. We took the shuttle back to the visitor’s center to catch the bus home. The Franimal in me was having some feelings about being done for the day – she was still ready for more. Obi headed back and I stayed to complete one more trail I had read about in the guide. Not before my second nose bleed though – yes, last night after dinner I got a nose bleed and then again today. My nose dried out at the canyon due to the elevation. I stood inside the bathroom stall using toilet paper to help it stop and finally it did. I walked back into the park with our pass and made my way to the trail head. Oy – only to discover this trail was closed due to damage caused by the flash floods from 10 days prior. Admittedly this was disappointing for me – but I decided instead to stick my feet in the cool river. After some plashing around and playing in the water – I walked home through town and stopped at some local shops. It was nearly 3 in the afternoon – there had been no rain yet (so we could have done the water walk) – and the sun was shining brightly. I showered and we had a relaxing afternoon and evening together. Our night ended with dinner at a local cafe and a scoop of ice-cream. Eating ice-cream in 96 degree weather is entraining because it’s melting faster than you can eat it. We both got sugar cones and so there was no place for the drip and down it came. We were laughing and trying our best to eat it quickly – but our efforts were in vain. I had ice-cream along my chin and legs, hands were covered and Obi had to throw his out, as it was nearly impossible to eat. It was a moment to relive what eating ice-cream as a child is like. So messy and yet, so much fun.

The photos are courtesy of Obi – thank you!

Tomorrow we are heading to Vegas for one night – but not before the Franimal completes the Angel’s Landing. Yes, she’s going back to finish what she started.

Angel’s Landing Summit
The valley, can you see the bus on the road and the winding trails?
The switchbacks from phase 1.

Zion – Day 3

I endured a restless night of sleep (during which I spent most of the evening awake imagining rain was falling heavily outside only to finally look out the window at 3:33 am to see no rain but a dry footpath). In my tired state, my imagination led me to believe the sound of wind was rain. Obviously, wind in the GC sounds like rain, oy. Needless to say, I did not get much rest last night but snuck out early in the morning to catch my first GC sunrise. The wind was still howling so I threw on my jumper to locate my perch. I scouted the location earlier with Obi, so I knew where I was headed. I saw a few other folks with their thermos in hand, tripod and camera also scaling up some small rock outcrops for the perfect pic. I was early and so I took a moment to stretch waiting for the first dawn of light to peer over the horizon of trees set on the canyon rim. My eyes were intensely focused on the tree line – and it almost seemed like the birds and squirrels (who chirp a lot here) also knew what was about to happen. It was in the exact moment the sun appeared did I notice the birds calling to each other. They too were waiting for the sun to rise. The sun is certainly stunning over the canyon, the contrast of color is striking between the fiery reds, yellows and pinks to the brown, greens and gray of the stone – but what I found most appealing was the impact the sun had on the coloring of the rock and canyon walls. The walls came alive with sunlight and suddenly shadows appeared while other sections beamed. Maybe today would be a day with less smoky haze I wondered – but knew I would need to say goodbye. Watching the sun, rise in silence was my moment o give thanks and say farewell to a place that will never be forgotten.

Obi and I decided to have a quick breakfast before heading to Zion National Park. The drive was scheduled to be just under three hours. It was a surprise to use to see the route we planned to take actually brought us through the eastern entrance of the park through to Springdale where were were staying. Along the drive Obi and I played our favorite alphabet game (which he won this round) and nearly finished the podcast we began two days earlier. I also needed to make some calls to Priceline and Budget closing up the payments for the car we never received – oy. When we entered the town of Kanab, Utah, Obi suggested I search for electronic stores in search of aquiring a new camera battery. It must have been some small kind of miricale but just as I type the word, electronic…I look up to see the sign for an old “Foto Shop” – advertising camera repairs, camera parts and old cameras. We pulled over and walked in – and to my absolute delight they had one battery that fit my camera and one charger – OY MY – I was thrilled. The sales woman could sense my excitement and celebrated with me as we cut open the packaging, paid and ran to the car to begin charging it. It was perfect timing, about 20 minutes later we were at the eastern gate for Zion and immediately in front of what is referred to as the “Checkerboard Mesa.” The unusual patterns of rock formation are a result of two forms of weathering, cross-bedding from the ancient sand dunes the vertical line caused by the expansion and contraction of the sandstone caused by temperature changes. Not only does this Mesa have what seems like a grid like appearance given the curvature and movement of the sandstone there are perfectly symmetrical waves washing over the face giving the structure movement and lightness. What a great math problem this would be trying to imagine what the area of each square is when not all the angles are 90 degrees. Unlike many of the canyon structures which feel block like and heavy in their cube forms – this part of the park is almost dizzying given how many curves surround you. When you stand up at the base turning around in a circle your eyes are drawn upward following each layer to the sky. Imagining these structures as timeless pieces of earth is not realistic because when you look closely you can see how soft the sandstone is by reaching to your feet and collecting sand that has errored away. If you rubbed long enough the rock starts to crumble and you can expeeince what it’s like to actually “make” sand. It is in these moments you need to remind yourself of the presence of time and that in the moment you stand there looking at these monuments – in the next moment something about it will have changed and it’s never going to be the same.

Obi and I ventured further with the goal of getting to our lodging to check in – so as we drove onward the eastern entrance takes you through a mile long tunnel – the darkest tunnel I have experienced with no internal lights but from the car ahead of you and some structural cut outs for a burst of sun to shine through. The tunnel passes through a mountain – another engineering feat for sure! After a quick stop at the bed and breakfast and an informative chat with the inn keeper, we made our way back to Zion for some exploring. This part of Zion does not allow cars in, so you gain access with a free hop on and hop off shuttle. We decided to explore the Emerald pools (which were fun to reach, but green in color:) taking the middle route up to the upper pool and back down through the lower loop. These hikes were short in distance but nice to explore given the linking water pools. We had debated doing a famous hike through the Narrows – where you rent water boots with neoprene socks and a walking stick to wade through the shallow river through canyon walls. A friend mentioned doing this – and upon getting to the park it was clear that during the hot summer months this is the hike to do! The further up the river you walk, the narrower the canyon walls become. Given the time of the day (late afternoon) we decided to hold off on doing this hike – given how much time you need to explore and instead completed the final walk of the day along the river bed. The weather is a bit up in the air tomorrow and it might rain in the afternoon, so when we get to the park in the morning we’ll make a game time decision as to if we want to walk the Narrows or hike Angels Peak (this is a very steep hike with a view of the canyon – you know this is calling to the Franimal). However I have never hiked through water so I am also eager to try this. We also want to drive back to the eastern entrance to explore the structures we drove through earlier. A lot will depend on the weather. I need a good night’s rest tonight. There is a lot to do tomorrow.

I will say having my camera back was a true joy and I took full advantage of using the different lens – to see far and close. I tried hard to capture grand gestures like the wild rush of sandstone sweeping across the face of the mountains and the delicate eyes of a small blue dragonfly lightly landing on a blade of grass.

Grand Canyon North Rim – Day 2

There was no Wifi at the Grand Canyon…so the first two entries were written while traveling and posted two days later.

The Franimal and Obi ventured out early this morning for a full day of hiking and vista viewpoints.  We arrived back to the cabin with sunscreen dripping down from the back of my knees, ankles shaded black from the dirt and so many scratches on my legs.  Our day started with a drive out to Point Imperial where we met up with the start of a trail called the Ken Patrick. We started hiking after eating half of the breakfast burrito we bought from the local ‘deli’ – while they were warm, unfortunately a bit dry for our liking.  We ate a few bites to put something in our stomach and off we went.  We were complexly alone for the entire trail – which hugged the rim of the canyon.  The trail was exactly what I was hoping for an arch along the edge with a view of the canyon the whole time.  We were walking through waist high bushes at certain points that were thorny – Obi is more strategic as he walks, actually making a point to avoid the extended branches. I on the other hand plow forward without a care as to what’s in my way.  The thorns had a field day with my legs – leaving me with countless red scratches hash-tagging me from top to bottom.  All worth the views and the journey – we trekked along in the early morning cool air despite the sun over-head.  The temperature was perfect for a hike.  We rationed our water as we went, knowing there were no more water stations for the rest of the day.  Our plan was to hike along this trail first, finish breakfast and then head further out along the Walhalla Plateau with the car to additional trails and look out points.  Obi and I enjoyed a few prime photo opportunities with our trusty cell phone cameras to capture a few memorable shots.  We each posed on this rock outcrop shaping our figures as dark silhouettes with the canyon backdrop, arms akimbo proud and powerful.  There were many moments today where I just stopped and looked out at the view to appreciate the simplicity of its presences and beauty.   I should add though that we met many folks today that were disappointed with the view given how hazy it was.  The rumor is that the canyon is filled with smoke from the fires that had recently come to pass in Arizona.  It’s hard to comprehend given how much smoke there was – but it did obstruct the view.  I was not disappointed in the slightest because despite this ‘overcast’ effect – the south rim was actually just barely visible in the way distance and we even caught a spot where we saw the river flowing.  I also adopted the strategy of looking closely for an extended period of time – this allowed my eyes to adjust and the more I looked, the more I saw.  Through the smoky fog I could make out ridges and ripples in the stone.  I could see broken boulders hanging on the edge about to tumble to unknown depths.  I could see different colored sections of rock signifying the layers of time.  I could imagine the fossils gorged in the stone from water creatures and plants.  I could hear the heavy buzz of a bird’s flight past our heads and I could see the raven perched on a ridge no human will probably ever explore.  The higher elevations of the north side of the canyon has many land masses that look like islands.  The higher elevation actually causes greater erosion from the increased snow fall that comes in the winter.  This erosion forces cracks into the rock and pushes and prods causing the rock formations to change over time – in a different way that the southern rim.  As a result along the northern rim – these islands and tooth like structures are dynamic and inviting.  Sometimes we were hiking such a distance that we had the chance to see one island from various perspectives, changing the way it appeared.  One of the best moments during our hiking was heading out to Roosevelt Point – I had missed a turn off on the short trail but Obi spotted something.  In a flash I jumped forward and noticed a trail leading to a ridge lookout point.  In was a short and significant drop down and then immediately up to reach the edge. At the edge the stone was cracked which gave the illusion that with one more step the giant bolder would give out from underneath you.  In that moment it’s easy to feel scared – to doubt the sturdiness of the stone and your heart races a little.  There are no metal fences to keep you safe – just the stone and the sheer drop into the abyss.  But it is these moments I feel my most brave – I venture out to sit down and look around – to feel the size of my smallness in such greatness.  It is in these moments I feel truly alive.  Then I glance back and see the look on Obi’s face – so eventually, I retreat to safer spaces and settle into the shade for a moment of silence. 

Our final destination point for today was a Cliff Spring trial, a short ½ mile walk down to a canyon fresh water spring.  I had been looking forward to soaking my hot and dirty feet – and I quickened the pace despite the heat at its hottest for the day.  The earth was dry but as we approached the overhanging rock we started to notice fresh fern like plants and green grass spawning upwards from the base of the overhang.  While there were no puddles for me to frolic in, bright green moss covered large sections through which water drops gracefully fell to help grow the plants which seemed out of place in the dry desert climate.  I placed my head under a steady drip and could feel each drop cool my scalp and neck.  The water felt nice as we trekked upwards again back to the car and when the breeze blew past it cooled the water.  The heat was heavy though and by the time we reached the car – my hair had dried up. 

Our night ended with a lightning storm over the canyon – we had settled into the Adirondack chairs at the lodge overlooking the view.  When we heard the rumble of thunder and then the jolt of lightening.  Dynamic energy rushed through the crowd of people huddled under the lodge’s narrow lip from the roof.  With each strike an applause broke through and some shrills.  The wind was strong and blowing sand into our eyes.  The temperature dropped significantly and it felt cold, very cold.  We hunkered outside for some time and then retreated into the lodge for the heavy rain drops to pass.  And just like most summer storms it left as quickly as it came. 

Update on the camera battery – I asked about four people today who had Cannon cameras for a battery loan – they were all willing but sadly their batteries were too big.  New models maybe?  I tried – one woman took my email so that she could email the pictures she took from the day.  What a kind gesture. 

Well tomorrow I will be waking up just before 5 am to catch the sunrise over the canyon.  I can’t wait. Obi and I are driving to Zion National Park tomorrow – the heat will be extreme – bring it on.

Grand Canyon North Rim – Day 1

Obi asked, “Will the Franimal include crying at the site of the Grand Canyon in her blog?”

“Yes” she replied.

Before I go on, I should back up a bit.  Obi and I flew from NY Friday afternoon with a mostly uneventful trip aside from a delay in Phoenix boarding the puddle hopper to Flagstaff.  We arrived in Flagstaff later than expected at 9:30 pm, a little over an hour later – to find all the car rentals closed.  They had closed at 4 pm so one way or another we were not getting our car.   We wandered outside to the taxi stand to find one taxi who graciously offered to come back after dropping off his schedule trip to bring us to the hotel.  Before we took the taxi – I called Budget to inquire about our car and was informed that they gave the car away and were most likely not going to have a car for us.  We had no choice but to return in the morning and see what happens.  Being the intrepid travelers that we are, we did book another car (nearly twice as expensive) from Hertz just in case.  We car pooled from the airport with another lone traveler whose plane was also delayed and was stranded sans automobile.  The three of us check in to a hotel that sadly was very run down and – felt dirty.  The internet can be so deceptive when you look at pictures.  Thankfully it was only a one night stay for us and I quilted the floor with unused bedding throws and towels for me to hop to and from so that I could avoid the carpet.  I used a handy dandy travel clothing line that was gifted to me (I brought it along to hang our sweaty hiking clothes because I knew it would be H.O.T.) to pinch the blinds together so that we could get some rest.  We woke up to the sun shining its way through the tiny holes in the vinyl blinds.  The effect seemed like a sun constellation with the small holes of light and the dark inside room.  I could almost make out the big dipper.  I was pretty set on leaving as soon as possible so after a quick rinse and pack –up we scrounged up a few things for breakfast like brown bananas, a small yoghurt and Obi delighted in a “homemade” Belgium waffle.  We opted for a Lyft back to the airport.  As suspected Budget did in fact not have a car for us so we took a few steps so the left to Hertz and got a car.  Yahoo – we were heading out at last! 

The drive from Flagstaff to the North Rim was just under 4 hours according to Google – mostly along a two lane road with designated space for passing the vehicle in front of you.  Obi is steady and calm in the car – often offering me to drive but my excuse is that I am not on the insurance so I don’t try.  I know I should practice – but the fast pace of a highway intimidates me.   About 20 minutes into the drive the car beeps and alerts us to a “system malfunction” – we quickly pull over and can feel the heavy jolt of air as fast cars wiz past us.  The cars tells us to look at the owner’s manual which we do, and see that the sensor used to automatically activate the brakes (if we get too close to another object) does not work.  It is a driver’s assistance feature not an essential feature like actually having brakes that operate – so we continue on.  I did call Hertz to inform them – they said it’s a common problem.   Along the way we passed many Navajo jewelry stands  – wooden shed like structures with built in display tables where we can see many crafts laid out for purchase.

The landscape is what kept my attention though.  Shape shifting land with each mile.  At first a flat yellow sand drenched the ground.  Far reaching yellow earth that eventually starts to elevate from the ground and bold hills emerge, flowing like bubbles from one to the next.  Perfectly rounded arcs of a black rock substance.  Given the smooth and round edge one might think they were soft and could almost blow away with a strong gust of wind.  But then suddenly you can see tire tracks up and down along the edges of many – a four wheel playground/track?  The bubbles turn back into flat rock now turning redder with each mile.  Hardly a tree insight and barely a small bush for any natural shade.  The air was extremely hot, temperatures reached 111 degrees F in areas where we were and the sun was surely broiling the earth.  The rocks at certain points glistened like gems when a ray caught its jagged edge.  As we ventured onward canyon like structures started to appear – as if from thick air.  The air did not feel thin, it felt thick.  The mini canyons joyfully teased you for what was to come.  The final part of our drive was through a national forest.  From what I could tell, and the messages from Smoky the Bear – the fire warning was high.  The forest looked bone dry and the dominant species were evergreens.  Pines pined with their green needles.  Black seared tree bases were everywhere signs of a past fire.  Some trees had been burned leaving only the pointy remains of a charcoal like substance.  At this point in the drive with about 45 minutes to go Obi put on a pod cast from Sam Harris.  We listened to an interview about the impact of food, particularly the animal meat industry has on global warming.  The discussion focused on our economy, the market for meat, the importance of plant based meat substitutes and cultured grown meat and the immunity we are developing to antibiotics (given the percentage of antibiotics given to animals).  All topics that were hard to ignore seeing the charred forest floor, the heard of bison we drive past (yes – so splendid to see) and the menu options at the lodge restaurant (they had a burger mixed with elk, wild board, beef, Wagyu beef and bison, all mixed together!)… but alas I digress and am getting ahead of myself. 

We purchased an “America The Beautiful” pass for access to the National Parks and within a few miles of leaving the park entry point we pulled into the lodge, parked the car and made our way through the crowds to the lodge overlook. 

And just like that we laid our eyes on one of the Seven Wonders of the World. 

And just like that tear started to roll down my checks. 

And just like that I was at a loss for words. 

And just like that I realized again, what it meant to be a Wonder of the World.

Despite the hazy sky and smoky like air the sheer expansiveness and depth of this canyon is something hard to dream up.  Mother Nature has written a master piece here.  The layers of different rock in the cliffs, feel closely to the pages in a book.  With each layer telling the history of a time once lived, of a river that forced its way down and through billion year old igneous and metamorphic rock plates which over time widened and spread open the canyon.   The longer I stood there and from the various vantage points we walked, your eyes focus on new details and crevasses.  This is a Wonder you need to see, like really see so that you understand what it means.   The canyon is dripping with pride as it should – it is humbling to be at the foothold of such a massive hole, looking down inside what was once closed.  Seeing this Wonder is personal and there were moments where I almost didn’t want to look further and deeper in for fear of seeing something I shouldn’t.  The earth is sacred and some parts should be kept a secret, private and unknown – but the more you stand here looking out – the harder it is, to not inch your way closer and closer to the edge for just one more dizzying look into the belly of the beast. 

Obi and I ventured to a popular lookout point and I scrambled up some rock points a bit off trail.  These are the moments the Franimal comes crawling out, pulling me just a little higher and just a little further.  The ground is stable but it’s hard to ignore the feeling of falling.  Obi ventured as far as his comfort level could tolerate. The lookout points provided different angles from which you could see the canyon, and I wanted to see every single one.  

Our day ended with dinner at the lodge restaurant and a conservation with two park rangers about hiking options for tomorrow.  We also ventured out after each doing some writing to see the sun – set over the canyon rim.  While the clouds were ever present, the sun illuminated their shapes and painted them shades of pink, red and orange.  Obi and I were perched alone on a rock outcrop, wind in our hair, dust in our eyes and nose but a sight to never ever forget. 

I should add before I end this long post, about 1 and a half hours into our drive from Flagstaff I realized I forgot my camera battery and charger plugged into the hotel bathroom wall.   My own fault leaving with such haste.  I was instantly furious with myself and it felt like part of me was missing, like a left a small limb behind.  The reality of knowing I could not use my camera – expect for the one on my cell phone made me nauseous. As someone who enjoys greatly taking pictures of her adventures I was, am, gutted.  This was a real lesson in taking in the experience with only my eyes and not through a lens – but it doesn’t mean that tomorrow I am going to do whatever I can to borrow a battery for a few minutes so that I can snap a picture or two with my real camera.  We’ll see what the day will hold – I will surely let you know.  Oh, I did call the hotel and they found my things – fingers crossed – they will give my battery and charger to UPS who will ship it to our home in Brooklyn.  I also asked every general store we passed (not many) for a battery with no luck – maybe in Vegas I can buy one?  Oh my. 

Traveling During COVID – NYC to St. Louis to Chicago and Traverse City, MI

Obi and I left NYC on July 3rd. A Delta flight. Guaranteed clean, disinfected and half full. We had face masks packed and could feel the hot breath in the one we wore. Boarding passes printed, bag checked, counter wiped and sprayed. TSA security were half asleep – the airport was barren. Shoes off, bags X-rayed and cleared we waited at the gate snacks in hand. Obi begins reading, on his phone comfortable to sit and wait, as I pace up and down (on the phone with Hotels.com trying to get reimbursed for the rooms we booked in North and South Carolina which we cancelled due to the quarantine issued from the Governor) – until we are called to board. Face masks and more disinfectant wipes greet us with a warm smile as we board the plane. We inhabit two side by side seats. Window and isle, room above for my bags and room in front for my feet. We brought Clorox wipes to clean the tray table, seatbelt and any other surface areas we might engage with. Face masks, on. Face masks, on. Face masks, on, even though I sneezed. Face masks, on, between snacks. Face masks, on during lift off and landing. Face masks, on, in the bathroom. Face masks, on, at 10,000 feet. Face masks, on. We landed about 40 minutes early, maybe we flew faster because there were less people on the plane so given that we weighed less we could fly faster – hehe, isn’t that how it works? St. Louis was hot – just what I was expecting and eager to feel. Our car rental was upgraded because they ran out of economy cars – lucky us, I guess! It seems road trips are the way to go right now – a COVID solution to traveling during a pandemic? Again, we took Clorox wipes and cleaned as much of the surface area as one wipe could handle. I rubbed until it felt nearly dry. Our cool blue car with silver highlights, Obi and I cruise on out of the airport ready for our adventure to continue. Our first stop was an impromptu stop to see Grace, Obi’s mom. From her freshly cut grass we stood apart, sharing air hugs and blowing kisses many feet apart. We dropped off some gifts at her door step which she left untouched for 24 hours until she told me she was ready to start eating the salted nuts I know she loves from the food coop in Brooklyn. In St. Louis we spent time with Chike and Rachel – Obi’s brother and sister-in-law. They have a beautiful home in which we enjoyed some Chicago style deep dish pizza in their lawn. I had this pizza the last time I was in St. Louis and have dreamed about it ever since. They do a great flavorful sauce and a cheese stuffed crust, ha, tasty indeed! With Chike and Rachel we also went to visit the St. Louis zoo which is free to everyone – though we did need to make an appointment which was helpful in reducing the number of people around you as you peered into the exhibits. The zoo day was hot, very hot and I discovered how uncomfortable wearing sunglasses and a face mask together were. The elastic band paired with the weight of the glasses put pressure on my ears which I can feel in my head. I was constantly adjusting the two in hopes of finding a safe and comfortable medium. But, there is nothing one can do about the sweat which accumulates under your chin from the mask – lifting the mask for a small breeze to blow in helps. The animals were feeling the heat for sure – aside from the mating tortoise who were active and loud and a mother kangaroo bounding around with her baby’s head and front legs sticking out of it’s pouch – the lion, gorilla, camels, hyenas, rhino and large pigs were practically stone still in the small shady spot their terrain afforded them. Often we peered into an area only to turn away saying, “It looks empty.” The hippos and elephants had the right idea plunging themselves into the water and staying put. Throughout the zoo were many barricades so as to keep visitors from touching the glass displays or fences, and all of the sculptures one would naturally be inclined to climb on, as a small kid or me (for example) were wrapped up or also blocked deterring any curious explores. Aside from these necessary precautions the general tone was cheerful and the compelling thought that we would see an unusual animal propelled us along. The four of us also ventured to a near by sculpture park which afforded me the rare opportunity to see a wild owl. Rachel spotted it as it landed nearby – it was a large brown spotted owl – in charge of the branch and surely watching us. That owl made me feel so good inside – I appreciated it’s freedom and flight. Face masks, and with hands that smelled like disinfectant spray – I stared up at the owl – knowing it was a good luck sign.

It’s been over a year since I started this post (the first paragraphs was written in July 2020) – now, nearly a year later July 2021 I am bringing closure. Maybe the fact that I never finished writing about our trip was my own way of rejecting more time on a screen after having just spent the last four months on a screen from morning till night as COVID changed the world. The ending of the trip I started writing about above went something like this. From St.Louis Obi and I drove to Chicago to see his college friends, then up to Traverse City (my first dip in a Great Lake), a sandy dune walk where I saved Obi’s life and down to Ann Arbor for some love with my sister, her husband Will and their beautiful twin boys, Bertram Sinclair and Duncan Thomas. Obi and I were probably labeled as intrepid by some, brave by others and unsafe by a few for traveling when we did. Whatever the label was, we wanted an escape and so we found one. Now I am making sure the blog site is up and running for our new summer adventure. We’re headed to the North rim of the Grand Canyon, Zion, Vegas (for a night) and Joshua Tree. We’ll have face masks on when required, but traveling won’t be as I described above. It will feel a bit more like the owl we saw, free and adrift.

Morocco, Day 7 Tangier

Greetings friends and family, 
Today was our last day. We’ve trekked all around Tangier and I’ve got some sun to prove it. It was a hot day today but one full of more tiny medina streets, offerings for tours and restaurants from men in the street, bottled water and ice cream! 
This entry won’t be too long because Obi and I will be getting up at 2 am (no snoozing for us tomorrow) for a 5:15am fight. We’ve got to get to the airport, and return the car before checking in. We’ll be taking a small plane to Casablanca from Tangier which will be an hour flight, then a short layover and it’s back to NYC we go. We’ll be flying Royal Air Moroc again.  
We tried, as per Obi’s suggestion a Valencia ice cream shop on the new pier near the beach we were walking along yesterday. I haven’t found the ice cream to be that tasty, it is sweet but seems to lack that rich creamy flavor. But today, oh, today’s ice cream was divine. I got almond flavor, and it was worth every bite. We sat in the shade along the water and relaxed after a long day of waking. Before reaching the end of the pier we happened to come across a large group of men and a few boys doing some serious gymnastics. They had set up a sort of informal runway on which they each took turns doing a series of round off back handsprings while incorporating back tucks and other aireal flips. The athleticism was truly impressive and had us clapping along with the other men when someone did something extreme. My favorite move was a round off followed by three back handsprings then a back pike three more back handsprings and a final back pike into a belly flop into the ocean. Wow! There were many young boys watching and some had started to learn the moves themselves. It was a lively and unique community moment.
We began the day with a hotel breakfast, it was a pretty large spread and included cereal so you can guess what I had. It was pretty sweat though. We meet our tour guide, Mohammed who took us along with the driver to some of Tangier’s hot spots. It began with a quick stop at the largest mosque in the city seen. We were informed a bit more about Islam and some of the core values Muslim must live by. Our tour guide was a bit late which he apologized for but he just had his first baby and has been up all night with his child crying. We were offering our congratulations, he said his child’s name is Jad, which means “the honest one.”  He told us most tourists think being a Muslim means praying five times a day but he said it’s more about being an honest, kind and generous person because without that the prayers will be empty. We drove through a neighborhood called, California. This name came from the hippies and British people who settled here and got high all the time. Those were his exact words! The name stuck and now you’ll find most of Tangier’s upper class living there because the homes are large and have that California feel. There was even a cemetery built for the dogs of the people who lived there. I’ve never seen that before. We then drove over to where the Mediterranean and Atlantic ocean meet at Cap Spartel. It was a hazy day so we couldn’t see Spain from the look out point which normally we’d be able too. The water was a lovely mix of dark blue and a lighter shade of green. I was imagining these two great bodies of water meeting for the first time and what the conversation would be like. The area is also pretty heavily guarded because Spain is less than an hour away by boat so they guard the coast heavily in case people are trying to illegally cross the border. At the meeting point we also came across two large school groups. A boys group all in blue, and a girl’s group all in pink. They were excitedly taking group pictures at the ocean meeting point. Our next stop were the Hercules caves. Our tour guide doesn’t seem to believe in the mythology (I still do) and instead told us these caves were built by the Romans because they needed to a place to stay when finishing out at sea. The caves were much larger than I’d expected and they’d been recently renovated by Morocco for the tourists. Our guide explained to us that the new King is determined to make Morocco a high tourist destination by 2021.  That would explain all of the new tourist spots being developed in Tangier especially along the coast for people to come and explore.  We learned that the king owns three palaces and a summer beach house. We also learned that when you see many Moroccan flags, as Obi and I noticed when driving into Tangier, that’s an indicator the king is either arriving, has arrived or just left. Maybe we were in the same city as the king;) 
Our afternoon consisted of Obi and I exploring the main sights of the city. An interesting and unexpected church. This is the only Anglo- Christian Church in Tangier with a Nigerian pastor. The church includes symbolism from the Koran, Buddhism, Judaism, Catholicism and Christianity. The guardian was an very friendly man who welcomed is inside, turned in the lights so that we could see the beautiful alter with the cedar wood carvings and walked is around allowing us to see the plaques of famous people and artists who spent time there or who lived in Morocco. Henri Matisse was one person who completed a well known painting of the church.  He invited us to the service tomorrow but we’ll be high up in the sky. 
We walked through the old Kasbah, a fort in Tangier and explored the Kasbah museum with very beautiful and old artifacts from the Roman rule. The information was not in English so we tried to get as much from the museum as we could. I really appreciated the hand blown glass objects they were able to recover. The colors were simple and calming, mostly a sea foam green. We then ventured through the medina for I had one final item I wished to purchase, HONEY!  Wherever I go, I try to buy some if the local honey. I’d been searching without any luck and Obi was losing faith. I had asked a salesman who said Morocco does not make honey. I had only found imported honey from India. As we were meandering through the spice market I saw something that looked like honey.  The jars were unmarked and included no labels. They were each different, clearly they’d all been recycled. I tried to ask the vendor but he didn’t really understand, luckily for me a man next to me spoke some English and helped to translate. After one initial miss understanding when he tried to sell me a green powder for my body, I explained again and this time with my imitation of a bee he got it!  The vendor then have me a spoon and asked that I sample three different types of honey. He didn’t seem to care at all that I used the same spoon in each honey.  I couldn’t help but wonder if other people had also sampled the honey.  They each had their own distinct flavor which was indicative of the type of food and pollen the bees eat. I opted for the second one I tried. A rich brown with a thick spreadable consistency.  I can’t wait for my Sunday breakfasts. I found my honey! 
Just because you’ve also been tracking our dinners today we went back to the falafel spot and enjoyed a truly delicious dinner with hummus, two types of eggplant spreads, grape leaves and heart shaped falafels! Yes, shaped like a heart, the cook said they were for love.  That was too funny! You’ll like the picture below. 
I’ll need to end my journaling for the day, and for our trip. It’s getting late given I need to be up in about 6 hours. 
I want to thank you each for taking the time from your day to read about my travels. Obi and I grew stronger in our partnership and were so glad to be here together.  Also, one more thanks is in order for Obi, who so generously took me on this trip. Thank you! This was certainly an adventure one which we’ll remember and tell stories from. I know we’ll be going back home to NYC which is suffering from a heat wave, but I’ll be thinking about the Moroccan markets, people and sights we saw. 
With and care until the next adventure…
Franziska
PS. Obi is going to help me set up a blog, I know a lot of you are thinking, “It’s about time!” So, get ready for my new technology upgrade;) 

Morocco, Day 6 Drive to Tangier

Greetings dear friends and family, 
We have one more full day of adventuring to go, that leaves me starting to feel uncomfortable. Transitioning from a trip is always tough. But alas, I’d like to tell you about our day today. 
We had another super relaxing morning with our typical start to the day, enjoying breakfast at 11am.  I had reserved the pool again this morning and enjoyed another session of water exercises with some additional pool tricep dips and shoulder dips. One has to get creative! 
We wanted to get to our final destination and reluctantly departed the stunning Chefchaouen.   While we were eager to see the final leg of the journey I couldn’t help but miss the peace in blue when we drove into the chaos of this North African city.  The first sighting of the city is a sprawling neighborhood which seems to consume a wide and vast landscape. These are homes for people with very low income, a neighborhood so large it couldn’t almost be a city into itself.  As we drove along the main road, N2, it’s flanked by green patches of grass upon which many people were sitting, almost in a picnic style. This was certainly a less than picturesque setting for a social scene with thousands of cars streaming past, trucks carrying gravel and other natural resources minned from the surrounding mountains, motor bikes, local buses and taxis, so many taxis.  While we couldn’t look into the neighborhoods they were densely arranged though it might be that there are no green spaces for the residents.  Therefore, heading out the road side where the grass is green works. 
Luckily the drive was simple and we had no issues, Obi has become a real expert at navigating these lawless streets.  He’d probably say otherwise, but compared to the first day he’s become much more confident.  Boldly entering the roundabouts and can manage the many people walking out into the middle of the roads. We did start the day with fresh air in the tires and sent a picture of the dashboard symbol to the car rental place. We have only one more drive to go, a 21 minute drive to the airport incredibly early on Sunday morning.  We’re counting on the blue rental Renault to get us there! 
Driving has been, as you know, a point of stress for us, however it serves the most wonderful purpose of really allowing you to see the country. My favorite part of today’s ride was seeing the road side products for sale change as we drove along. It seems the prickly pear is a staple throughout Morocco. They are sold everywhere along every road and in every city. Today’s ride began with so many stands selling clay bowls and tagines.  Some of the bowlo are painted with beautiful patterns and designs but more often than not, almost all of the products are the natural clay color. A rich brown. These stands were over flowing with molded and kiln fired pottery to purchase. The tables they rested on looked tired and buckled in the center  from the weight. Every stand also utilized the surrounding ground and pilled high the ware for display.  It reminded me of a pumpkin stand one that is fresh with the new harvest. So many pumpkins in similar shades of color but different in sizes everywhere. I remember as a kid wanting to find the most perfect one, but with so many to choose from it was difficult. These stands have hundreds of options of the same exact item.  Sometimes hanging on the wooden slats behind the pottery are woven blankets also with a similar pattern of white and a stripe of color. Comon colors are red and blue. As we drove onward I started to see buckets of limes being sold. Small but bright green limes with elder women and men seated behind them.  They were just selling limes.  Then we passed a large section where hay was being sold in rectangular brick like blocks. Near the hay were horses nibling on the pieces scattered around.  The most visually exciting product for sale were the knotted onion ropes. These were heavy strings with onions strung on like a beaded necklace. Some of them draped over tall walls and could have easily been 8-10 feet long. I’ve never seen so many onions before! The bands were different in size ad they sorted the onions from small, medium and large. Each size was organized on its own string.  The stands were endless, and the onions looked amazing. Each with a soft reddish brown flaky skin. I do love a good onion dish. 
Our hotel is grand in size with a pool nicely designed with a mosiac flower in blue tiles so under the water it’s visually appealing. The hotel is also well situated in the town center and will allow us to walk around easily tomorrow.  This afternoon instead of venturing into the Medina and seeing the cultural sights we decided to take a 50 minute walk to what the guide books described as a green hill where the locals walk up and sit to overlook Tangier. The guide book said it is the only place you can go for a view of the city. I had a lot of energy and so off we went. The walk was relatively enjoyable in that we got to see a main thuoroughfare and saw a young man on roller blades hook onto a car as it drove up the hill. He saw us watching and gave us a “rock on” finger sign. We had expected the walk to not be too pleasant but were excited for a view. The higher we climbed the sooner we realized there was no greenery here and unfortunately the view of the water was highly obstructed by trees, and new waterfront buildings reaching high. The area at the top was beyond trashed, the ground was littered with broken glass and other small garbage debris.  I noticed a lot of sheep scat and then we saw a small flock of sheep hearded around. I’m not sure what they were eating.  There were a few young men seated in some flat cardboard boxes. We walked around to the other end and found a large Muslim cemetery. This was the foreground to the poorer neighborhoods which spread far. The grave markers were white with Arabic writing, the plants were all dehydrated and dried up. Some were thorny and others were sticks and roots.  From this angle we were able to see pretty far into the distance and even spotted the windmills we’d seen driving in.  By now we were very sweaty but the wind was strong and nearly took my glasses from the top of my head. We saw a grounds keeper digging a whole which he was measuring for a giant plastic bucket. Chickens were scattered around as well. So it wasn’t what we expected but it was a moment to remember. 
We decided to head towards the ocean, on the Tangier Bay, which is unfortunately the most polluted ocean in Morocco given the amount of cargo ships and boats which head to the port directly next to it.  This didn’t stop the hundreds of beach goers we saw. Along the beach are also many young boys and men with horses for you to ride. They speed up and down the beach, hitting the horses legs looking for someone to want a ride. The horses were also a broad range of types from a standard size horse, miniature horse, standard ponies and even miniature ponies. The animals were fully saddled and often standing like a stone statue with their eyes closed. I was struck by how stoic they were amidst the beach chaos as if they had developed some type of coping mechanism to deal with their destiny. Just as Obi and I had walked out to the ocean and snapped a few pictures, see below :), we spotted the first camels we’d seen also available for rides. Three camels seated in the sand, looking more at home than the horses. No one was riding them but they were prepared with seats and mouth pieces tied to ropes. 
At this point I was very hungry and so our final event of the evening was looking for a restaurant. Not always such an easy task, so we decided to keep walking towards the hotel. We wanted falafels but had not seen one advertised this whole trip and then like magic a Syrian sandwich shop appeared which sold falafels, yum! Just as we were about to enter an employee said they were closed and in a genuine and kind manner said he knows a restaurant around the corner with vegetarian food, couscous and vegetable tagine. We trusted him and he led us to a place that offered food. He ordered for us, (way too much food) but we ate our full and felt satisfied.  I had to sample a few more Moroccan cookies and so we stopped in two pastry shops for dessert. I enjoyed my treats while Obi ate some less than thrilling Oreo flavor ice cream. 
Tomorrow I booked us a two hour tour to see Cap Spartel and the Hercules caves. Legend has it Hercules himself rested in these caves. You know I love a good Greek myth. In order to see these places you would need to drive, I wanted to avoid more driving for Obi and thought a tour guide might be nice. I’ll fill you in tomorrow. 
For now, goodnight from Tangier. 
With care, Franziska
PS. These two girls were having so much fun in the water! 

Morocco, Day 5 Chefchauoen

Dear friends and family, 
There is something magical about a city blanketed in blue.  The white wash buildings covered in various shares of blue are truly special. I’ve never been to a place so calming and intensely captivating. 
We started our morning with another traditional breakfast with various breads, some yogurt with dates, fruit salad, mint tea and orange juice. While eating bread for breakfast is something I only like to do on Sunday, I’m thoroughly enjoying the mix of flat bread, semolina bread, Moroccan style pancakes light as air and Berber bread. The goat cheese and honey combination make a nice pair.  
Chefchaouen is not a very large town but we found enough to do to keep us busy. We began the day with the goal of visiting the town’s natural spring. The spring is the reason this town was formed. The natural water source is in abundance, so that many years ago people settled here. Today because so many tourists visit the spring a small building was built above it for people to photograph. It has a sort of holy presence, water coming from the earth is always incredible. We saw the water bring pumped through various hoses which isn’t that pleasing to look at, but knowing the importance of this water source was meaningful.  
Before the financial crisis in 2008 Chefchaouen had been a wildly popular place for Spanish tourists from Spain to visit. The Spanish made up 90% of the tourist industry. Since the crisis that number dropped significantly and now it’s a much smaller percentage and the tourist industry is approximately 80% international. This was evident on many of the signs we saw, the languages were Arabic, French and Spanish. 
At the site of the natural spring there is a walking/hiking loop around a small mountain which is 30km long. Obi and I were not prepared for the whole loop walk but we did venture out along a very picturesque section to a Spanish mosque.  The mosque was built for the Spanish population in the 1920’s but has long since been abandoned and more recently renovated. While it’s not an active mosque is boats the best views of the blue city. Obi and I took a leisurely pace to the top which allowed for the beautiful breeze to keep us cool. It was approaching the hottest part of the day so the sun was heavy.  My back was drenched in sweat but I don’t mind these things.  The air had an unfamiliar odor, which I found pleasant. There were goats in the distance along a dry path. We stopped to take some pictures along the way but were truly impressed by the view from the top. One can see the whole city with the backdrop of the mountains in the distance. Eventually we were the only people up there and used that opportunity to enjoy the view and take a photo sphere with Obi’s phone camera. A neat 360 degree image which brings you into a virtual reality type feeling. We really had a nice time even though Obi joked I tricked him into walking UP so much:) The funny thing is that yesterday evening I spotted this mosque high on the hill and said I want to go there, Obi gave be that look of, “No way.” I just smiled. Ha, so when today’s opportunity presented itself I casually kept waking:) No tricks here, just luck.
We then decided to head deeper into the Medina towards the towns oldest square. At this location, where all the Medina streets converge is the cities oldest historical building, the Kasbah. This Kasbah was built in 1471. The Kasbah served as a governor palace through the 17th century. The building was used to house a prison, animal barn, horses, garden and princely residence. The Kasbah is also like a castle is some ways with 13 towers and a defensive rampart. The material is a rich brown gravel type cement so it feels medieval. In the center is a garden with orange trees, palm trees and other local plants. We were able to climb into the tallest tower from which we had a great view from within the Medina. Obi and I were again the only two people there and decided with a four way breeze it’d be a nice spot for a snack. As we snacked a few other people trekked through and I took their photos for them;) 
We both observed pretty quickly how clean this small city is.  While there are certainly areas for trash to accumulate, the piles are tiny and seem to be swept up quickly by city employees. You’ll see cat litter often because there is a tremendously high number of stray cats, everywhere. Kittens lay on almost every street some in groups and many as single cats. They are so tiny it’s hard to spot them, but people place food outside and raw fish scraps for them to eat. There also seems to be a high level of priority from the residents to keep the city clean. It feels like everyone acknowledges the importance and maintains a high standard. 
Obi and I spent a little over an hour at the hotel in the late afternoon which was perfect for me to take a swim. The pool is by reservation only so when you reserve it, you have the whole space to your self. It’s not very large but just big enough that I could do about seven breast strokes in one direction. Back and forth I went but also incorporated many of my water exercises which got me truly breathless and hungry for dinner.  This was my first workout since being on our trip, see how relaxed I am;) 
Speaking of relaxing, Obi and I have been offered on numerous occasions to purchase hashish, which is the dried resin from the plant. It seems to be in abundance here and because we look young (I guess) so many men come up to us and say things like, “You want to buy some good hashish?” or, “You want to relax tonight with your lady?” or, “You want to have fun tonight?”  Obi learned that Morocco is the largest hashish producer globally. That explains the quantity, but with the persistent men trying to sell to us we have to be equally as persistent in saying NO! 
Earlier we’d seen an area at the Kasbah which had many restaurants to choose from. Certainly a tourist location but one with some more vegetarian options. Obi ate pizza! I had a traditional Moroccan soup which had a light tumeric taste in a cream sauce, paired with vegetable tagine. Tonight’s Berber bread was made from a dark grain, it was more rustic and hearty. 
Our day ended with a long evening stroll through the Medina and outskirts of the city.
Our walk tonight let us to the outdoor produce market. It can drop into the low 50s here at night so the air is very cool and this is when everyone comes out to shop. Even though it was dark outside the market was packed with people. Farmers yelling so loudly over each other the names of their products and prices. The streets were covered in the flaky onion skin, excess green leaves from corn and other squash, damaged apples littered the streets along with abandoned melons. I could’ve watched the scene unfold for an hour. Women with bags full to the brim with every vegetable and fruit they need. 

We only glanced at the gps once. I really feel so relaxed here and trust that which ever path we take, I have the inner gut feeling it’ll get us back. While the Medina here is like the other Medinas with narrow streets, steep steps and twists and turns, I can always see the sky, and the mountains serve as a great geographic landmark. Even if I can’t see them, my bones can feel them and this has somehow let us to exactly where we’ve needed to go every time. Obi and I were joking about this… Because everywhere else we go or have been together such as any place in NYC, his hometown in St.Louis or Belgium, my directional gut is always wrong. Without fail, I’m somehow turned around and want to walk in the wrong direction. You put me on a mountain though and I could practically go blind. I use the natural landmarks as they are intended and have always known this is an area of strength for me. Little did I know, the disorganized style of these Medina streets are no match for me.  The stroll through the dark with street lights thoughtfully placed allowed for a meditative walk. Hand in hand we meandered along without a moment of worry. And like a magician’s trick the final street we took lead us directly to the foot of our hotel. Voila!   I will also say that walking through the medina at night was special because we could sneak little glanceo into the windows of the homes to catch home life in action. Kids crying, women washing dishes, men chatting with their children or friends, cooking or some doing laundry.

I was successful in calling the car company today and reported the tire issue. They need a picture of the dashboard symbol so tomorrow when we arrive in Tangier we’ll send them one. We’ll fill the tires up with air tomorrow again and cross our fingers the 2.5 hour drive will be smooth and without a speeding ticket! 
I’ll keep you all posted;) I’m eager to see the ocean again. 
Here is a picture of us being absorbed into the blue magic. 
With care, Franziska

Morocco, Day 4 Drive to Chefchauoen

Greetings friends and family, 
Obi and I said goodbye to Fes this morning. I certainly slept better last night and while my digestive concerns are still present overall it was a much calmer emotional day;) 
I received much feedback from my last entry from fellow traveler’s who experienced similar struggles in Morocco but find that they become minor blips in the journey.  
We had a projected three and a half hour drive to Chefchaouen today, which as I miss spoke in my last email I sent you is the, “Amsterdam of Morocco,” ( not of Europe!).  Our Google map was for the most part very accurate guiding us brave globetrotters through the mountains except for the very last part of the drive… I’ll get there. 
In total our drive ultimately took us just over five hours and we stopped four (nearly five) times. First to get gas, and fill our tires up (again), second so that I could relieve myself behind a thorny tree, third by a group of wildly bold children selling prickly pear on the side of the road, fourth by the police for speeding(!) and fifth to purchase some much needed water.  You may be wondering about that fourth stop by the police… Yup, we got a speeding ticket.  A speeding trap in it’s finest form.  Here’s the scene: Two officers were at the top of a big hill, so just after you cruise out from an 80km zone, gliding downhill while naturally picking up speed (because of gravity) they have got a speed gun aimed directly at you and clock your speed before you enter the 60km zone which is at the top of the hill.  So just as Obi notices the 60km sign and starts to slow down, they pull us over.  One officer asks for our car registration, then Obi’s drivers license and his passport. The other officer shows us the speed gun to prove what we did. He clocked us at 71kmph in a 60 zone. Obi was truly polite and calm. Inside I was worried that they were holding his passport and licence. Obi said it’s confusing and explained that we were going downhill. The officer said, “It’s not America. It’s Morocco, it’s confusing. 60, 80, 60, 80. It’s confusing.” Obi asked how much it would be, “300MAD replied the officer”. He asked Obi to come with him to his vehicle. I waited by the car watching. It took a few moments and Obi returned with the three documents and 100MAD. Obi explained to me what transpired at the car, first some small talk about his name, and if he was an American. Obi replied, “Nigeria,” and the officer gave a pleased remark. Then in a friendly way gave Obi some money back asking if he was my husband.  Obi said he didn’t record anything down, just seemed to take the money and send us on our way. Believe me when I say we were watching those speed indicator signs like a river duck searching for fly larva who’ve hooked themselves to the rocks under the water.  There were some stretches of road in which between a span of 20 km the signs would change from 60, to 80 and back again. Oy vey! We did see more officers with speed guns but luckily did not get pulled over again!
Back to the children who nearly stopped us, they saw our car chugging slowly along and immediately ran to the middle of the road. The girl stood in the road with her arms out wide and the two boys ran to Obi’s window. We slowed down to a very very slow crawl. They all yelled loudly, “Stop, stop” and were aggressively banging on the window. We were trying to communicate that we didn’t want to buy anything and drove incredibly carefully past them. They didn’t give up easily though. 
Fortunately for us, this was the last of the difficult drives (fingers crossed). When we leave here on Friday we’ll be driving to the big city of Tangier and expect the roads to be fully paved and wide.  Our drive today was long because while these roads were paved there is excessive erosion on each side of the pavement so all that remains is just enough asphalt for one car to wobble through the middle. When another vehicle approaches we drop into the rocky gravel along the shoulder. The road is also full of potholes. Some so large we’d cringe upon hitting them.   Given our apprehension towards the car with it’s tire issue and the quality of the roads… Being many miles from anything at all during large stretches of our journey left us on the edge of our seats. We had a few worst case scenarios planned out just in case the worst did happen.
I don’t want to leave you with the impression that the drive was solely about the road quality (as compared to American standards) because this drive was so much more than that. The country side was changing again as we drove deeper into the mountains. Craggly rocky ridges with sheep herders along the treaded for paths by livestock dotted the valleys mountain faces. Farm fields of hay turned into lush green orange groves using water from the fresh water river. We saw people washing and swimming in the cool water colored a faint turquoise. There were many small towns we passed with markets, selling oranges, watermelons, plums, grapes, potatoes, spices, onions, garlic, leafy greens and so so so much more laid on the floor on top tarps. The homes were bound by rope and tin, sheets of corrugated metal, old wood and some built with bricks and cement. The farmers sitting sideways on the donkeys each caring two bulbous sacks on either side full of groceries to bring home, or something to sell in the market. The riders allow their front leg to bop up and down on the donkey which seems to be the way they communicate in terms of speed and direction. They also make commands with their voice. They sit so comfortable. The donkeys often look tired and worn. Swollen bellies, skinny legs and knobby knees with speckled fur. Children walking along the road playing or helping each other carry a heavy load. There were some women outside of the house working in the field, adorned in large wide brimmed straw hats with a distinct cone shape often with colorful pompom like decorations. There truly was a lot to see and take in. 
Alas, we bumped right along until reaching the city in blue. Chefchaouen. Our first sighting was at the top of a ridge, with a view many people stopped to take a picture from.  Before we got out, a group of children ran over to our window holding a camera. I suppose they were hoping to take our picture for us.  
The city is known for its white and blue homes. I’ll take some pictures tomorrow, but you can see the view from our hotel in the photo below.  There are multiple theories as to why everything is painted blue. They range from blue keeps the mosquitos away, or to prevent termites from eating their homes copper sulphate was added to the paint which caused the blue color, or that Jewish people introduced the color blue in the 1930’s after taking refuge from Hitler, or that blue symbolizes the heaven and sky which reminds people to live a spiritual life. I will ask a local tomorrow and see when their response is. Stay tuned. 
Now, as I mentioned earlier the map was mostly accurate. However, the final part of our journey was to the hotel which as it turns out is within a pedestrian only area. We followed some hairpin turns going to some very challenging “off roading,” only to find that the real road stops even though the Google road continued. Lol. So we turn around and find another road that also stops at one of the cities babs or gates.  We load up our luggage with Obi using his location and we trek up and down, around and up an down again the narrow but strikingly beautiful blue streets.  It was hot, very hot. Sweat beads accumulating fast but our minds focused. At one point we found ourselves behind a house with the cats at a total dead end. A man comes out and said he heard is through his window and asks if we needed help. Yes please;) He told us we were nearly there, just a bit further down and to the right.  Teamwork.  Bingo… He was correct and we made it! Our hotel is truly lovely and peaceful. The color blue swallows you right up. 
We did get help from a hotel employee to take us back to the car and drive to a more local parking lot. I loved going back to the car because I championed up the steep steps without a moments hesitation. You know I do love going uphill! When we finally made it back down to the parking lot we watched as the parking attendant maneuvered our car into the tinniest of spots for it’s two night stay.  He had some very strong spatial awareness. 
At this point it’s nearly 6pm, our stomachs are growling and we need food… Hopefully not vegetables and couscous, or rice with lamb sauce. I had read about a restaurant with great food called Bab Ssour. It was nearby and off we went. I have to say, I thought it was a fantastic meal. We had oven fired bread, with olives, a spicy dipping sauce, a bowl of incredible lentils, spaghetti for Obi, and a plate with warm salads which included (spinach, lentils, squash, tomato and peppers, eggplant).  Each flavored differently and so flavorful. Oh, we also ordered fresh juice. I had a glass if blackberry juice, imagine a blackberry smoothie (a first for me) and Obi fresh pineapple. They were both fantastic though I thought my blackberry juice was perfectly sweetened.  They also don’t give you a check, instead to go to the counter and tell them what you ordered to pay. The whole meal cost us $12. The restaurant was small in size but shines a rainbow with it’s wonderful food, friendly staff and finding places built on honesty is truly rare. 
We ended our night with some fresh cookies I bought at a nearby bakery while looking at the sun’s setting shadow cast over the city. We might’ve taken a selfie also down below. 
Tomorrow we’ll explore this new place a bit more and get lost in the adventure. 
With care, Franziska
PS. With help from if the front desk, I called three numbers for the car rental, no luck. I’ll try again when the sun in shining. 

Morocco, Day 3 Fes

Dear friends and family, 
Today was a day for mixed emotions.  I didn’t sleep well last night and this might have contributed to how I felt at certain points of the day. 
We began the day with a breakfast consisting of seven different types of Moroccan beads, honey, jam, yoghurt, packaged cheese, eggs, orange juice and mint tea.   Obi had hardly an appetite and I’m struggling with some bathroom issues as well. We think our stomachs might have reacted to the prickly pear. We’d been warned not to eat any fresh fruit, but in the moment yesterday it was hard to refuse even after we’d already politely refused multiple times. We’ve learned people here are extremely forceful in their will. During breakfast I did manage to sample the breads and ate a full meal, my top bread was the Moroccan flat bread with honey. After which point we ventured out to meet someone we’d meet yesterday as a guide.  Fes is an extremely challenging labyrinth unless you’re familiar with it, or have a highly developed spatial awareness, good luck! The amount of twists and turns without points to orient with except for chicken stalls, grain and spice racks,  clothing stands, leather shops, shoe shops, etc.  To someone new these stalls look so familiar, it feels a little like a house of mirrors.  
Needless to say, a guide was required and so we found the man we’d met yesterday who asked his friend to join us. Two young men, acting as not official guides. They took us to the usual spots the tourists like starting with a view of Fes and then down into the Medina. Because they are not official guides they would tag team and split up, one in front, another looping around a corner street to meet us. There were times we couldn’t see either one, and then suddenly they’d appear almost as if they’d materialize from the cracked cement wall. Walking with them was certainly informative as they shared facts about the city. They were very proud of the UNESCO identifying Fes as an official heritage site, when this happened they said each house received $8,000 dollars to repair and improve their homes. Then they said houses only got $4,000 and the government took half. It was unclear who got what money, but throughout the tour they’d show us fountains for potable water which were placed everywhere and wooden beams installed to reinforce structures.  They spoke to us about the limited opportunities for work, which we could observe as well. Mainly because it seems like there are three categories of activities for people, people are shopping (women and children), working (inside the home mostly women and outside the home mostly men) or looking to make money in any way possible. Almost every male not behind a shop counter is walking around/near our seated at a shop socializing looking to speak with a tourist and offer a type of service for payment.  It’s a challenging environment to live in they explained and this was evident.  Our guides were well known around the town, often shaking hands with people. They took us to some shops with the hopes that we’ll buy some things. I did purchase a few items but declined many other offers. It’s a bit taxing to decide often, but it’s evident that tourism is a true revenue source and so they have to keep trying. 
The most unique place we went to visit was the tannery cooperative.  The tanneries are leather processing plants which date back thousands of years.  The process of turning animal hides into soft rot proof leather.  The tanneries are near a water source and ideally away from residential areas because the odor is highly unpleasant. These tanneries were directly in the middle of Fes, and it was a smell I’d been noticing since we arrived. The first step is to soak the hides and remove the hair. They are rinsed in a huge tumble dryer type wooden machine and then soaked in a liquid solution mixed with vats of pigeon poop. We learned that pigeon poop is high in ammonia which breaks down the fat from the hide. The smell comes from this stage, and it’s a smell I’ll never forget. It has a mix of rotting meat, rancid fat and chemicals which have been nearly boiling in the sun for days on end. Men stand inside these small containers waist high in the liquid with bare hands stomping and mashing the soft hides in the liquid solution.  You can imagine how wine was made years ago, stomping on the grapes.  The “cleaned” hide is then dyed and dried in the sun.  Finally mules are loaded up with 30-40 hides which transport them through the narrow streets of Fes to local craftsmen who cut and sew the leather into anything you can imagine. 
I came to realize today that while I enjoy seeing such unsuall and different ways of life, being beholden to a guide is extremely frustrating for me. As an independent traveler, not being able to go where I want is aggravating and if we did venture off we’d most likely get wildly lost.  This began to weigh on me. The tour was certainly worth it, but after a few hours I was ready to transition. Obi and paid the guides at the end of the tour what we thought was a fair price but they insisted we give the same amount to each of them and pay for the entry to a terrace for a view of the university mosque.   It was unclear if they actually paid for us, but either way we got to see the city. 
Obi and I took a rest at the hotel in the afternoon and decided to drive over to the new part of Fes, which didn’t require a guide to see the town and the palace doors. Despite the heat, Obi was at my side. We easily found parking and started walking along. I was finally at ease, relaxed and confident in my whereabouts. At one point we stopped to check our map, and a man came up saying politely the palace gates were around the corner. He said the way we wanted was only one gate guarded and the other way we’d see seven. We followed his advice thinking it was innocent, but it was a full on trap. We turned the corner he indicated and no sooner do we turn around he’s directly behind us, indicating to follow and he’ll show us. It happened so fast but he guided is instantly into the Jewish quarters of Fes, another highly complex labyrinth of streets. He kept saying the gates are here, but they weren’t. He was taking us on a tour talking about history, showing us very old homes, iron work, synagogues, the Star of David on homes, teaching us about the five pillars of Islam, explaining how the Jewish cemetery is designed and even takes us to a fence with a whole cut into it so that we could photograph the tombstones. I politely declined every opportunity he gave us for pictures, and while the information was absolutely fascinating I couldn’t concentrate or enjoy myself at all. I was so angry inside. I felt trapped and anxious. I despised not knowing where I was or how to get out. I couldn’t think about anything else but escaping. Obi could tell I was loosing it inside despite my best attempts to be polite. I really tried but I needed to get out. I did not like that he tricked us, this made it worse. Eventually I said stearnly that I wanted to exit so he took us back out, and then wanted to walk us to the palace gates. I said no. He then wanted money, I said no again. He kept pushing. He didn’t realize that in my book, no means no. And I meant it. My heart was beating, I was surprised by how strongly I didn’t like being so trapped but it was challenging for me to control. Obi helped me to settle down. 
After I de-escilated we went the way we should have gone for the palace and saw the seven stunning palace gates. Golden in all of their glory. Given the intense heat we took some pictures and made our way to the car, with food on our minds. Unfortunately when we got back on the road the tire pressure sign came on again! We found a tire shop and a young boy covered in black oil and dirt checked our tires and added air. He used the tire air pump with such fluidity. He really knew what he was doing. We paid and thanked him. 
Back at the hotel we decided to see if they’d have a recommendation for a restaurant. We were hoping for something different than what we eaten the last two days, couscous and vegetables. While delicious, a third night would have been less appealing. The hotel recommend a place and made us a reservation. It was in the city though which meant we’d need a guide to get us there. Sigh. We were desperate for something new to eat so we accepted and the hotel employee walked is there. I was watching carefully so that I could get us back home. But as we began the restaurant was too far away that I struggled to keep it all in my head. When we got to the restaurant the man said he’d come back to get us. We enter the restaurant and we’re the only guests, certainly no need for a reservation. The place is huge and ornately decorated. We sat in a cozy nook with cushions hoping someone else would come in. The waitress said she knew we were vegetarians and said the only thing she had was… couscous and vegetables!!!! The exact meal we were trying to not eat again. What were we to do? Risk going back and getting lost? We’d just gotten there? If we returned the hotel could only offer is the same food as well!?  We asked if there was any other vegetarian option, she talked to someone else and she came back to report they could cook rice with the tagine sauce and grilled veggies. We accepted. We waited a while and finally the food arrived. We were so hungry at this point. Upon looking at the food we realized the veggies were not grilled, they were exactly the same as what would have been on the couscous. Instead of the couscous we had rice in a tomato sauce. I served two plates and we began eating. Upon my fist bite I tasted lamb. I like lamb but didn’t want to eat any and Obi is a strickt vegetarian. I didn’t say anything because there was no meat in the dish, I just tasted something like lamb. I figured since the hotel called and said we were vegetarians and we told her, AND she made this meal especially for us… There would be no meat and this was all in my imagination. I thought it just a new Moroccan spice I was unfamiliar with and kept eating. No sooner do I have these thoughts Obi finds something hard in his mouth. Upon inspection it was a rice grain. Fine. Then two bites later another hard thing in his mouth, rice grain again? NO! A chunk of bone! Okay, we think that’s odd, and cautiously keep eating until he takes a final bite to discover TWO more chunks of bone! That’s it! We’re done. I told him, it’s lamb, the bones confirmed my suspicion. Oh it was so disheartening. We told the women (who was very apologetic). We were still hungry but at this point just wanted to get home. But alas… Were in the middle of the maze, alone!  Obi said, “adventure time,” and I kicked into survival mode. I navigated us again right out of the maze home with only one wrong turn which we corrected. 
Anyhow, today left me with many feelings, some moments of curiosity and amazement (it’s impossible to not acknowledge how hard working the men at the tanneries are), feelings of high anxiety, disappointment, fright and see. J
Despite all of this our day ended with Obi and I sitting on the terrace with food coop nuts watching the lunar eclipse listening to the final day’s evening prayers bellowing from the many nearby mosques. Absolutely pleasant.
My friends, tomorrow we’re driving to Chefchaouen, locals say it’s the “Amsterdam of Europe.”  Let’s hope our car cooperates. 
With care, Franziska

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