tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15526880799965981482024-03-06T01:24:21.872-08:00The Billat's European AdventureTo share our adventures in Bouzigues and beyond with our friends & family.Gayle Billathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08202995601569398280noreply@blogger.comBlogger166125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552688079996598148.post-15769555908184925912014-06-24T11:25:00.000-07:002014-06-24T11:25:03.105-07:00Finding the Joy<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">One thing I've determined since moving back to the US is that I need to <b>find the joy</b> in life.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It is too easy for me to become complacent, to let every day be the same, to just "get by". </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I'm calling BS on that!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">How am I finding the joy lately?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">- We are getting a puppy! Her name will likely be Luci, and she gets to come live with us July 22 (when she will be 8 weeks old). The whole family is incredibly excited!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">- I am training for a marathon! Running is therapy for me, thanks to my BFF Melissa. :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Those are today's highlights. There are more, which I will save for another day.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Here's Luci's 4-week self ...</span><br />
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<br />Gayle Billathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08202995601569398280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552688079996598148.post-52503889769134197192014-03-25T13:51:00.002-07:002014-03-25T13:51:47.296-07:00How Time Flies ...Do you ever feel as if the world is spinning past you ... as if weeks or months or years are moving faster than ever before? I don't know if it's a result of getting "older" or if it's just life. Either way, I'm not liking it much.<br />
<br />
I cannot believe that we have been back in America for nearly 4 years. 4 YEARS. It's unfathomable.<br />
<br />
Somedays it feels like we never lived in France. Those days are sad. I miss France. I miss my friends there. I miss the lifestyle. I miss the village.<br />
<br />
However, I absolutley love many things about being in California. My family is here. Many of my dearest friends are here. The weather is unbelievable. Basically, we live in paradise.<br />
<br />
So why am I in such a funk?<br />
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I hope that if I start blogging again ... at least a few words a day ... life will seem optimistic again.<br />
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I'm normally not a whiner, and I don't like the feeling! Here's to cheering up! :)Gayle Billathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08202995601569398280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552688079996598148.post-7320001824937674612011-05-10T06:56:00.000-07:002011-05-10T07:40:05.561-07:00Enfin! Notre Nouvelle Maison!Parce que mon <span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">français</span></span> est horrible, je vais laisser des photos parler pour moi!<span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps"><br />Because my French is horrible, I'm going to let the pictures do the talking for me.<br /><br /></span></span><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">Nous manquons</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">tous</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">de</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">vous</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">en</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">France</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">terriblement</span><span title="Click for alternate translations">!</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">En avril prochain</span><span title="Click for alternate translations">,</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">nous serons</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">là</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">pour le mariage</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">de Sophie</span><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations">!<br />We miss all of our French friends terribly! In April, we will be there for our Sophie's wedding!<br /></span></span><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps"><br />Rencontrez</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">Rick</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">et</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">Malin</span><span title="Click for alternate translations">,</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">nos</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">constructeurs</span><span title="Click for alternate translations">.</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">Rick</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">est le frère de</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">Mark</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">(et</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">si vous vous souvenez</span><span title="Click for alternate translations">,</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">Mark</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">est</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">marié</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">à</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">la sœur</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">de Mike</span><span title="Click for alternate translations">)</span><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations">.</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">Rick</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">et</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">Malin</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">sont</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">spectaculaires</span><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations">!<br />Meet Rick & Malin, our contractors. Rick is the brother of Mark (and if you remember, Mark is married to Mike's sister). Rick & Malin are spectacular!<br /><br /></span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;" id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">Premier </span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;" id="result_box" class="short_text" lang="fr"><span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">étape</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;" id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations">:</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">lignes</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">de peinture</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">pour marquer</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">notre nouvelle fondation</span><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations">.</span></span> <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Stage One: painting lines to mark our new foundation.</span><br /><br /><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">J'ai pris</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">ces photos</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">debout</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">sur</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">notre</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">balcon arrière</span><span title="Click for alternate translations">, en regardant</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">sur le côté</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">droit</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">de</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">notre</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">arrière-cour</span><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations">.<br />I took these pictures standing on our back porch, looking toward the right side of our back yard.<br /></span></span><br /><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMqPHktA90RtxjYuHyKSXIDhE8RbpkYNob1zE2KD-7vHsEIu_4vIVNICmGTgb8f5mNrXV8IV8wmyRWFqWUwqyW8mikbx7jWYbwnjPVM94_xE3NkLm9sgc_Sp3tFpyNcV5evpW4BtlaIirz/s1600/spraypainting_foundation_1_jan811.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMqPHktA90RtxjYuHyKSXIDhE8RbpkYNob1zE2KD-7vHsEIu_4vIVNICmGTgb8f5mNrXV8IV8wmyRWFqWUwqyW8mikbx7jWYbwnjPVM94_xE3NkLm9sgc_Sp3tFpyNcV5evpW4BtlaIirz/s400/spraypainting_foundation_1_jan811.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605088209661694642" border="0" /></a></span></span><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2i2JDodLkg4odmc6MtMGUWYlqGG8AnGe21zSvQlozcaWn3wBfMjtYsJbxrg7LKZRFVTYj5V-lvJpKOWNCPSJ9ztyCUF5cIbWl0rEen_L3tykHhbK6svMtlSiyMOvShQtUNFwHqgMCBXq2/s1600/spraypainting_foundation_2_jan811.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2i2JDodLkg4odmc6MtMGUWYlqGG8AnGe21zSvQlozcaWn3wBfMjtYsJbxrg7LKZRFVTYj5V-lvJpKOWNCPSJ9ztyCUF5cIbWl0rEen_L3tykHhbK6svMtlSiyMOvShQtUNFwHqgMCBXq2/s400/spraypainting_foundation_2_jan811.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605088883599643426" border="0" /></a></span></span><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBzsVpkmFEUKHCXs1AyL6rVOKyft8BE-M4QpOwFHcYZP-IcanSACSVZXfI7waCjv2kNSPhh2pbYpPrmQsEUzpXahySewx6TeTeQXdALVz4pqgx6vkkUzQh6qSU-gbCzUPfcg5PNLinA0Ix/s1600/spraypainting_foundation_3_jan811.JPG"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">C'est</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">salle de</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">Josey</span><span title="Click for alternate translations">, qui</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">va</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">devenir</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">la salle</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">à manger</span><span title="Click for alternate translations">.</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">Elle</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">se déplace</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">dans ma</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">chambre</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">lorsque</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">cela est</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">fini</span><span title="Click for alternate translations">.</span></span></a><br />That is Josey's bedroom, which will become the dining room. She will move into my bedroom when this is finished.<br /><br /><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBzsVpkmFEUKHCXs1AyL6rVOKyft8BE-M4QpOwFHcYZP-IcanSACSVZXfI7waCjv2kNSPhh2pbYpPrmQsEUzpXahySewx6TeTeQXdALVz4pqgx6vkkUzQh6qSU-gbCzUPfcg5PNLinA0Ix/s1600/spraypainting_foundation_3_jan811.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBzsVpkmFEUKHCXs1AyL6rVOKyft8BE-M4QpOwFHcYZP-IcanSACSVZXfI7waCjv2kNSPhh2pbYpPrmQsEUzpXahySewx6TeTeQXdALVz4pqgx6vkkUzQh6qSU-gbCzUPfcg5PNLinA0Ix/s400/spraypainting_foundation_3_jan811.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605089132788626978" border="0" /></a></span></span></span></span></span></span><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYk-VWNdVme-W9D3DgPpoQhtG58m1bu2f4DFc4-0PUMRYvUWT5IO2Ug-iWE-BDD2jM6dERPepUOwIKzjYsbRk4NfdTwllS6CcB4Kfk381mIfVJHAHEnD_qkXRs2C67aGHHd0n-_d16W6YO/s1600/foundation_construction_begins_2_jan1711.JPG"><br /></a></span></span></span></span></span></span><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLOhBsijbrHUapyOdoyFNb2hAerQmxh_V7XERqbhxPfWL7SOyBNYlr2GvNwN5GvfS7jPr8TW0rAsgS4iUCs6cdQYaE7itagmiXMvVK5pSbiM2YHVbY4LNUI2b4ZEYXED0c9vZfcohTZokJ/s1600/spraypainting_foundation_4_jan811.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLOhBsijbrHUapyOdoyFNb2hAerQmxh_V7XERqbhxPfWL7SOyBNYlr2GvNwN5GvfS7jPr8TW0rAsgS4iUCs6cdQYaE7itagmiXMvVK5pSbiM2YHVbY4LNUI2b4ZEYXED0c9vZfcohTZokJ/s400/spraypainting_foundation_4_jan811.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605089354074020770" border="0" /></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> <span style="font-weight: bold;" id="result_box" class="short_text" lang="fr"><span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">Deuxième étape</span><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations">:</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">La</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">Fondation</span></span> <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Stage Two: The Foundation</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuhmAjtrOtnt3uVmA3DUBHk_By9KOrtiMVia9v-QFUu5TwLZnsFVkUyfZ2zSupit8F5Sm7hJqwIznxUBS9jGLm7T0x6pumqxNW9Lt2-MgoC3kbOXhUISnQhHcmgGPiXcYCT7ykFmhNvoWK/s1600/foundation_construction_begins_5_jan1711.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuhmAjtrOtnt3uVmA3DUBHk_By9KOrtiMVia9v-QFUu5TwLZnsFVkUyfZ2zSupit8F5Sm7hJqwIznxUBS9jGLm7T0x6pumqxNW9Lt2-MgoC3kbOXhUISnQhHcmgGPiXcYCT7ykFmhNvoWK/s400/foundation_construction_begins_5_jan1711.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605091551111846754" border="0" /></a><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi46WFpd3GE5dPzIzVXslkZUjaXp7_8Clr4-QB5ycNY9GJ0UfQUFT4Wz_LwYxefGg5Z6FCNELzeCKxItvnAoMWq9WTjAKaxANGdyTv_naQeTfIcAaHMAORWTsUMabjJyyO3GfLlL13QRnIJ/s1600/foundation_construction_begins_3_jan1711.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi46WFpd3GE5dPzIzVXslkZUjaXp7_8Clr4-QB5ycNY9GJ0UfQUFT4Wz_LwYxefGg5Z6FCNELzeCKxItvnAoMWq9WTjAKaxANGdyTv_naQeTfIcAaHMAORWTsUMabjJyyO3GfLlL13QRnIJ/s400/foundation_construction_begins_3_jan1711.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605090773489972402" border="0" /><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOQKNmY9aMnFBRmfErCLK26SAhkxJqYNXiz0HLJIJAp1jaB6Km8lWPVXtQ_NvsgQjLvntidzMooJx4H0wevpn7cmPE3aq1MSSrE2CxlSYBgK76z-ehaxEcyu1caN2qK3bXAuKWSgXWDlCR/s1600/framing_3_march2011.JPG"><span id="result_box" class="short_text" lang="fr"><span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps"><span id="result_box" class="short_text" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span id="result_box" class="short_text" lang="fr"><span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps"><span id="result_box" class="short_text" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYWB_vTat4-EWcdEqB0L8cRCSJ5_WCGqWoFvccC1NLx4YBCKvM1YDIu3_p1sB7nrITOF1oIce8qxzArjdh0sppMxrkX7aJCNRDncWM7O-JFX4vqzooUWDvkMRbiuAqPHAJiUI8fTNwUx4b/s1600/foundation_construction_begins_4_jan1711.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYWB_vTat4-EWcdEqB0L8cRCSJ5_WCGqWoFvccC1NLx4YBCKvM1YDIu3_p1sB7nrITOF1oIce8qxzArjdh0sppMxrkX7aJCNRDncWM7O-JFX4vqzooUWDvkMRbiuAqPHAJiUI8fTNwUx4b/s400/foundation_construction_begins_4_jan1711.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605091132118187234" border="0" /><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOQKNmY9aMnFBRmfErCLK26SAhkxJqYNXiz0HLJIJAp1jaB6Km8lWPVXtQ_NvsgQjLvntidzMooJx4H0wevpn7cmPE3aq1MSSrE2CxlSYBgK76z-ehaxEcyu1caN2qK3bXAuKWSgXWDlCR/s1600/framing_3_march2011.JPG"><span id="result_box" class="short_text" lang="fr"><span title="Click for alternate 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translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYk-VWNdVme-W9D3DgPpoQhtG58m1bu2f4DFc4-0PUMRYvUWT5IO2Ug-iWE-BDD2jM6dERPepUOwIKzjYsbRk4NfdTwllS6CcB4Kfk381mIfVJHAHEnD_qkXRs2C67aGHHd0n-_d16W6YO/s1600/foundation_construction_begins_2_jan1711.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYk-VWNdVme-W9D3DgPpoQhtG58m1bu2f4DFc4-0PUMRYvUWT5IO2Ug-iWE-BDD2jM6dERPepUOwIKzjYsbRk4NfdTwllS6CcB4Kfk381mIfVJHAHEnD_qkXRs2C67aGHHd0n-_d16W6YO/s400/foundation_construction_begins_2_jan1711.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605090522520265666" border="0" /></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span id="result_box" class="short_text" lang="fr"><span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps"><span id="result_box" class="short_text" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />Mike <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">a fait beaucoup</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">de</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">creuser</span><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations">!<br />Mike did a LOT of digging!<br /><br /></span><br /><span id="result_box" class="short_text" lang="fr"><span style="font-weight: bold;" title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">Troisième étape:</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="font-weight: bold;" title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps atn">L'</span><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span style="font-weight: bold;">encadrement</span><br /></span></span><span id="result_box" class="short_text" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Stage Three: The Framing<br /><br /></span></span></span><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">Rick</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">et</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">Malin</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">même travailler</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">sous une pluie battante</span><span title="Click for alternate translations">.<br />Rick & Malin even work in the pouring rain.<br /><br /></span></span><span id="result_box" class="short_text" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="short_text" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="short_text" lang="fr"><span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps"><span id="result_box" class="short_text" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhohRKmdX016hR5qsKspKsQEyyRUwrYNJuN3DF-djpzja-fT65JQS41xC3O2Zw67v7xbdfNgBCHvfREuBAzqxCfvklz9ORjvQYuUMYCb_JNLFDf5Pt1aQy2QcU4Q9dd5gZ8K57K-c2Cmqa9/s1600/working_in_the_rain_2_feb2011.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhohRKmdX016hR5qsKspKsQEyyRUwrYNJuN3DF-djpzja-fT65JQS41xC3O2Zw67v7xbdfNgBCHvfREuBAzqxCfvklz9ORjvQYuUMYCb_JNLFDf5Pt1aQy2QcU4Q9dd5gZ8K57K-c2Cmqa9/s400/working_in_the_rain_2_feb2011.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605092627826213618" border="0" /></a><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFhbaLoohXdlnTjvcnHuTleMthe2ae6e_P2SJ8Z8cagJ9Y0VtYlkcPk3TzGgV1xgw8KzN6pDYPv9ARPybwuc_iwUttGI4Xs0q301lN_5NYMDJocsbIFz2xzIswt032dqqiQJDuVtybLSdl/s1600/framing_4_march2011.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFhbaLoohXdlnTjvcnHuTleMthe2ae6e_P2SJ8Z8cagJ9Y0VtYlkcPk3TzGgV1xgw8KzN6pDYPv9ARPybwuc_iwUttGI4Xs0q301lN_5NYMDJocsbIFz2xzIswt032dqqiQJDuVtybLSdl/s400/framing_4_march2011.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605095011961303234" border="0" 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class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVc533v9S2Y_rS5GYOfyFKau0CcgRBLDqYvfNaK-EiDZS99IYzoLKZIMXCcOq9H5wKX-8PHgkB600unlP-EsooXd7MkBEEgBWyNC8pZ8KUWEReBKrPJNvE30Yg3WK7VX-ix6EKE7GK9zf5/s1600/framing_1_march2011.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVc533v9S2Y_rS5GYOfyFKau0CcgRBLDqYvfNaK-EiDZS99IYzoLKZIMXCcOq9H5wKX-8PHgkB600unlP-EsooXd7MkBEEgBWyNC8pZ8KUWEReBKrPJNvE30Yg3WK7VX-ix6EKE7GK9zf5/s400/framing_1_march2011.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605094268488165666" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOQKNmY9aMnFBRmfErCLK26SAhkxJqYNXiz0HLJIJAp1jaB6Km8lWPVXtQ_NvsgQjLvntidzMooJx4H0wevpn7cmPE3aq1MSSrE2CxlSYBgK76z-ehaxEcyu1caN2qK3bXAuKWSgXWDlCR/s1600/framing_3_march2011.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOQKNmY9aMnFBRmfErCLK26SAhkxJqYNXiz0HLJIJAp1jaB6Km8lWPVXtQ_NvsgQjLvntidzMooJx4H0wevpn7cmPE3aq1MSSrE2CxlSYBgK76z-ehaxEcyu1caN2qK3bXAuKWSgXWDlCR/s400/framing_3_march2011.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605094595532807506" border="0" /></a></span></span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span id="result_box" class="" lang="fr"><span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">Les murs</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">sont</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">en place</span><span title="Click for alternate translations">,</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">donc il n'y aura</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">plus</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">picutres</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">bientôt</span><span title="Click for alternate translations">.</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">Je vais</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">essayer de me rappeler</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">pour prendre des photos</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">de la façade</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">de</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">la maison</span><span title="Click for alternate translations">,</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">trop</span><span title="Click for alternate translations">,</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">mais</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">cela va changer</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">bientôt</span><span class="" title="Click for alternate translations">.<br /><br />The walls are up, so I will have new pictures soon. I will try to remember to take pictures of the front of the house, too, but that will change soon.<br /><br />Gros bisous!!<br /></span></span>Gayle Billathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08202995601569398280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552688079996598148.post-25425393901427664632010-09-28T12:21:00.000-07:002010-09-28T12:38:39.085-07:00My 42nd Birthday!<span style="font-weight: bold;" id="result_box" class="short_text"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" title="">En Français</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" > . . .</span> <span id="result_box" class="" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="" title=""><br /><br />Je m'excuse auprès de tous mes amis français. </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" title="">Je sais que je vous dois beaucoup de mises à jour sur notre nouvelle vie en Amérique - avec des images.<br /><br /></span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" title="">Pour l'instant, voici quelques photos de ma fête d'anniversaire cette année.</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" title="">Notre merveilleux ami Danny nous a emmenés à San Luis réservoir, où nous avons roulé son jet ski génial pour 4 heures d'affilée. </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" title="">Nous ne s'arrêta que parce que nous avons manqué de gaz. </span><span style="" title="">Il a été un de mes meilleurs anniversaires jamais!<br /></span></span><span id="result_box" class="" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="" title="">Vous me manquez tous beaucoup! </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" title="">Nous ne pouvons pas attendre pour revenir en France.<br /><br />Gros bisous!!<br /><br /></span></span><span id="result_box" class="" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="" title=""><span style="font-weight: bold;">In English . . .</span></span></span><span style="font-family:georgia;"><br /><br />I apologize to all of my French friends. I know that I owe you a lot of updates about our life back in America - complete with pictures.</span> <span style="font-family:georgia;"><br />For now, here are some pictures of my birthday celebration this year.</span> <span style="font-family:georgia;">Our wonderful friend Danny took us to San Luis Reservoir, where we rode his awesome jet ski for 4 hours straight. We only stopped because we ran out of gas. It was one of my best birthdays ever!</span> <span style="font-family:georgia;"><br /><br />I miss you all so much. We can't wait to come back to France!</span> <span style="font-family:georgia;"><br /><br />Love to all!!<br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span id="result_box" class="" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="" title=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span id="result_box" class="" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="" title=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span id="result_box" class="" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" title=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span id="result_box" class="" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" title=""><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX4fTxq0yqxp52ekTQKGO1CroBHnt5rMjxQD5pAr2F4eHzTIgYgCYXd0GJvUqB7sWfIXXDtE01-FiNb1ERY5d_bBbz5A7lQmAfo4PfcQuOmhej1U6KsHCjkEwPjnouOidiHlxQJ8beXlch/s1600/danny_josey_and_dado_on_the_jetski_sep2010.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX4fTxq0yqxp52ekTQKGO1CroBHnt5rMjxQD5pAr2F4eHzTIgYgCYXd0GJvUqB7sWfIXXDtE01-FiNb1ERY5d_bBbz5A7lQmAfo4PfcQuOmhej1U6KsHCjkEwPjnouOidiHlxQJ8beXlch/s400/danny_josey_and_dado_on_the_jetski_sep2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522048970345397314" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><span id="result_box" class="" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="" title=""><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span id="result_box" class="" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" title=""><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO4TUvvOW2IyQnBxDG4GNmNuH-GZI-ZP0Cpx-bB0qz1mNyh60au_izAT3enGC0Ey6NOmBZVY6hAi8mT6xUAQx6-szL6hybD5toiFmmWW7qvd9JoZTM-9MrfTlbxteP6dzQqD1MXeJIlva0/s1600/max_sep2010.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO4TUvvOW2IyQnBxDG4GNmNuH-GZI-ZP0Cpx-bB0qz1mNyh60au_izAT3enGC0Ey6NOmBZVY6hAi8mT6xUAQx6-szL6hybD5toiFmmWW7qvd9JoZTM-9MrfTlbxteP6dzQqD1MXeJIlva0/s400/max_sep2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522050303353065218" border="0" /></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span id="result_box" class="" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="" title=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span id="result_box" class="" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="" title=""><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCBWPwPS4mpBaeNdyu0_hPcH9grFVAXmepIODuwpYa4nboTjMg4mxdlC8XZjrsKO99GwvM3wowrDeBYdciMwBauKXRqvg3eNCjZ7Jve95-sbCS-o8dgSnNlxPlLei7HCBpaYynxiNlz9TO/s1600/dado_drives_the_jetski_2_sep2010.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCBWPwPS4mpBaeNdyu0_hPcH9grFVAXmepIODuwpYa4nboTjMg4mxdlC8XZjrsKO99GwvM3wowrDeBYdciMwBauKXRqvg3eNCjZ7Jve95-sbCS-o8dgSnNlxPlLei7HCBpaYynxiNlz9TO/s400/dado_drives_the_jetski_2_sep2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522048172724337682" border="0" /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span id="result_box" class="" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="" title=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span id="result_box" class="" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="" title=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span id="result_box" class="" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" title=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span id="result_box" class="" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" title=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span id="result_box" class="" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="" title=""><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span id="result_box" class="" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" title=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span id="result_box" class="" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="" title=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span id="result_box" class="" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="" title=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span id="result_box" class="" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" title=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span id="result_box" class="" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" title=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span id="result_box" class="" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="" title=""></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span id="result_box" class="" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="" title=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span id="result_box" class="" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="" title=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span id="result_box" class="" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" title=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span id="result_box" class="" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" title=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span id="result_box" class="" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="" title=""><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span id="result_box" class="" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" title=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span id="result_box" class="" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="" title=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span id="result_box" class="" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="" title=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span id="result_box" class="" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" title=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span id="result_box" class="" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" title=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span id="result_box" class="" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="" title=""><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKany6Y1iKPeBZWhfsbY7dRDPpHMBQ1SGM4adNnvOGwC74mmbX7PgbIBcMJi-i7eSumm4cQiUamvMRPwltnjXiZe71SDNXjaPvECgoxBwSeFXDShnqmSLNOHWwNzzS78QeOoA0jiZACBn8/s1600/danny_and_the_kids_in_the_water_sep2010.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKany6Y1iKPeBZWhfsbY7dRDPpHMBQ1SGM4adNnvOGwC74mmbX7PgbIBcMJi-i7eSumm4cQiUamvMRPwltnjXiZe71SDNXjaPvECgoxBwSeFXDShnqmSLNOHWwNzzS78QeOoA0jiZACBn8/s400/danny_and_the_kids_in_the_water_sep2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522050824101945490" border="0" /></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span id="result_box" class="" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="" title=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span id="result_box" class="" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="" title=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span id="result_box" class="" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" title=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span id="result_box" class="" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" title=""><span style="font-size:100%;"><span id="result_box" class="" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="" title=""><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span id="result_box" class="" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" title=""><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeMFQq8_kADVTGLGqL0DK_yxpHFLcWDPasUellXbVraU_W9m8kkYjizRVDkvbtag2iaP_9xiEY35yl4TTITWpgeLZ6x7UwanNSc0bOWmC4XSkbD41uptVoCSQ1VbjXuxF1vRIV1OssB8u_/s1600/danny_josey_and_mommy_on_the_jetski_sep2010.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeMFQq8_kADVTGLGqL0DK_yxpHFLcWDPasUellXbVraU_W9m8kkYjizRVDkvbtag2iaP_9xiEY35yl4TTITWpgeLZ6x7UwanNSc0bOWmC4XSkbD41uptVoCSQ1VbjXuxF1vRIV1OssB8u_/s400/danny_josey_and_mommy_on_the_jetski_sep2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522049650619389250" border="0" /></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> </span></span>Gayle Billathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08202995601569398280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552688079996598148.post-76288325818583930232010-08-04T17:07:00.001-07:002010-08-04T17:25:48.249-07:00Bastille DayWe missed Bastille Day (le quatorze juillet)<b> </b>our first two Julys in France, but we caught the festivities this year!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVANUZK7rzCsGEjppsMkaAkqPxbDZe_omdAljiRX7disbKUVT12LOEURvbCA_NWhmcLoDcDNUwKyBMz1z_Uw1MaSkwWfWqyGd_eMOCEDWsxHah6dle2fHzaiJGBsZGfASdyIvwcbgKxo2u/s1600/bastille_day_all_of_us_with_debb_and_girls_july2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVANUZK7rzCsGEjppsMkaAkqPxbDZe_omdAljiRX7disbKUVT12LOEURvbCA_NWhmcLoDcDNUwKyBMz1z_Uw1MaSkwWfWqyGd_eMOCEDWsxHah6dle2fHzaiJGBsZGfASdyIvwcbgKxo2u/s400/bastille_day_all_of_us_with_debb_and_girls_july2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501714133630025410" border="0" /></a>Bastille Day is technically on July 14. However, to maximize the viewing pleasure of the fireworks around l'etang, each of the villages on l'etang celebrates a different night. So, it all started in Bouzigues on July 13 (followed by Balaruc July 14, Meze July 15, etc.).<br /><br />The Bouziguads (both by birth and by general acceptance) gathered in front of the mairie (town hall) at 9:30 pm. Everyone received a French flag, and each child received a lantern (a paper lantern on a bamboo pole with a candle inside - obviously OSHA does not exist in Bouzigues!).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIwvTte6MsaRAD0nkYgWmRI5kRj5bC2qKBgAMXnM2rJhLCkEzP0yv4sg0zmuGNwoBe7uk8JWBg7_6fXCg6OC58ITze3rVjKwX6oQwpbnLNSA1H8reDJkcSqNBkF3HXGsyjOudMFR4mUTRr/s1600/bastille_day_lantern.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIwvTte6MsaRAD0nkYgWmRI5kRj5bC2qKBgAMXnM2rJhLCkEzP0yv4sg0zmuGNwoBe7uk8JWBg7_6fXCg6OC58ITze3rVjKwX6oQwpbnLNSA1H8reDJkcSqNBkF3HXGsyjOudMFR4mUTRr/s400/bastille_day_lantern.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501714004379548306" border="0" /></a><br />When it finally got dark around 10:30, the parade through the village began.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ5mK3uhJuxyh4XARcrrfIwpGsY0X7j9gJEkAOE_PArmw1_OmYyg_u5Ap9eu6KOWKAQAMknZUc3Gn5NwNy0kImZj4PoK0vobKDhB04HvLHTBASsBniyNNUUSBZhAyGmJ4ymgr0Z2Toh3Dv/s1600/bastille_day_parade_josey_july2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ5mK3uhJuxyh4XARcrrfIwpGsY0X7j9gJEkAOE_PArmw1_OmYyg_u5Ap9eu6KOWKAQAMknZUc3Gn5NwNy0kImZj4PoK0vobKDhB04HvLHTBASsBniyNNUUSBZhAyGmJ4ymgr0Z2Toh3Dv/s400/bastille_day_parade_josey_july2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501714585706936834" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAG46sNRVD1NNWgvgTzfHjcTSkHRr-QSVRv6vM4sUgjj3mqMth-E0SzZJACQiQWNsVe67CT4hHR1UpneFqW6UnNIGxmyo5dhcfZ4Uk7shb4wSCtn0ycFM4IspyrQtlyMtdSuDkkEGD13Ey/s1600/bastille_day_parade_max_july2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAG46sNRVD1NNWgvgTzfHjcTSkHRr-QSVRv6vM4sUgjj3mqMth-E0SzZJACQiQWNsVe67CT4hHR1UpneFqW6UnNIGxmyo5dhcfZ4Uk7shb4wSCtn0ycFM4IspyrQtlyMtdSuDkkEGD13Ey/s400/bastille_day_parade_max_july2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501713650400780306" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnd3RNRR9gMFFCygcbWiKFokLDETn8fnrf9ygf_F_RzU7WL4ht_PjIl_Ls4OA_MCX-PzjnFK6LWTDf6H5TN3Ae_GdFSlp2drKGO0qeQNzg71Q5XjzMC8_vIyJOkzIB9wCt-dLVFrJIDzrE/s1600/bastille_day_parade_josey_and_isabelle_july2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnd3RNRR9gMFFCygcbWiKFokLDETn8fnrf9ygf_F_RzU7WL4ht_PjIl_Ls4OA_MCX-PzjnFK6LWTDf6H5TN3Ae_GdFSlp2drKGO0qeQNzg71Q5XjzMC8_vIyJOkzIB9wCt-dLVFrJIDzrE/s400/bastille_day_parade_josey_and_isabelle_july2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501713888546745074" border="0" /></a><br />We ended in front of the port where the fireworks show dazzled us!<br /><br />For us, it was very magical. Before the village festivities began, we ate dinner at Sophie's where we met Hamza (Sophie's fiance) and Jessica (Sophie's best friend) and Milan (Jessica's son and Sophie's godson). It was very fun, and we were thrilled to finally meet Hamza, Jessica & Milan!<br /><br />At the festivities, we got to hang out with Debb, Reed, their granddaughters, and we got to see all of our other French friends!<br /><br />It was almost like Bouzigues was having a going-away celebration for the Billats. How cool is that?!<br /><br />Sabrina, Cyrielle, Laurent, Axel, Logane, and Jordan joined us for the fireworks, too.<br /><br />A perfect end to our last summer in Bouzigues. We are very, very lucky people.<br /><br />Love to all!!Gayle Billathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08202995601569398280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552688079996598148.post-39666803574074623242010-08-04T16:27:00.001-07:002010-08-04T17:06:41.709-07:00Our Last Fun Day in FranceWe were lucky enough to spend our last day of fun in France with Debbie, Reed, and their granddaughters - Sophie & Isabelle.<br /><br />We spent the day in one of our favorite places in France - Roquebrun.<br /><br />Thank you, so much, Debb & Reed for helping us out the last week (not to mention all the countless other times!). Summer evenings in your garden are priceless memories.<br /><br />Love to all!!<br /><br />I'll let the pictures do the talking for me this time...<br /><br />Sophie<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmpbUTWyj_EAesdLv1fj009wBDjO3vNiXD3KKk4mio0_3sVrJKCoVIgLkZGLDt49WE7GbI92W4M8o2gIIbdmvPcAlr63DW_w9C2ypr1RivAbo5O9zn93WuHXXCXz9baUGsMjVt6Lh88eQ0/s1600/roquebrun_sophie_on_the_rapids_12_july2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmpbUTWyj_EAesdLv1fj009wBDjO3vNiXD3KKk4mio0_3sVrJKCoVIgLkZGLDt49WE7GbI92W4M8o2gIIbdmvPcAlr63DW_w9C2ypr1RivAbo5O9zn93WuHXXCXz9baUGsMjVt6Lh88eQ0/s400/roquebrun_sophie_on_the_rapids_12_july2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501706582478845794" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj59CSHcwNXwDclQJcbJNYmntLv8-DZT0Wd05_STJeOlFDw5ts8i7gdB8ozzCO8zAv6PhJplu8avAlKWDLvMEU5dLMlUuGICjL58_-tFWvu7PRnx3xUoYFqkmjt48XPQwDtgtFfIgU7zomd/s1600/roquebrun_sophie_on_the_rapids_13_july2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj59CSHcwNXwDclQJcbJNYmntLv8-DZT0Wd05_STJeOlFDw5ts8i7gdB8ozzCO8zAv6PhJplu8avAlKWDLvMEU5dLMlUuGICjL58_-tFWvu7PRnx3xUoYFqkmjt48XPQwDtgtFfIgU7zomd/s400/roquebrun_sophie_on_the_rapids_13_july2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501706754006550034" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirJ-jVFI6zR3kBtIy0Gq9DjgBV21xxB5VivtWnfWqVdJDnhbUB4KXzLOkbyJgmUN9UYt0KLz6sWxYnE8_fY4IdbKVPZTVvRZpThcP14n5aV8iEdPhkrlKxH5wyEkzoE-lBkj9jdOoTEOyI/s1600/roquebrun_sophie_on_the_rapids_7_july2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirJ-jVFI6zR3kBtIy0Gq9DjgBV21xxB5VivtWnfWqVdJDnhbUB4KXzLOkbyJgmUN9UYt0KLz6sWxYnE8_fY4IdbKVPZTVvRZpThcP14n5aV8iEdPhkrlKxH5wyEkzoE-lBkj9jdOoTEOyI/s400/roquebrun_sophie_on_the_rapids_7_july2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501708346135931090" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTdF9wsASzZK3i6nvaVA1R-7mTP3EdLZ9UREpBCYl9ItZAiqL7irEfxhisfinXFcgAMI9z2wLTfzWhEXtR7CQLFaCQLfyxG_hv1jzq99KHM6cm3osyU37_2e1enB7Wn-PgQA5Y1HVGrQsu/s1600/roquebrun_sophie_on_the_rapids_14_july2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTdF9wsASzZK3i6nvaVA1R-7mTP3EdLZ9UREpBCYl9ItZAiqL7irEfxhisfinXFcgAMI9z2wLTfzWhEXtR7CQLFaCQLfyxG_hv1jzq99KHM6cm3osyU37_2e1enB7Wn-PgQA5Y1HVGrQsu/s400/roquebrun_sophie_on_the_rapids_14_july2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501706945322460898" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinG-ZktXl72dJqNXYXKgFORki-Wxltei-hc77iUqxEqyDzkASAPfaUP_8WC3mfL0rgBNhCXZ1ML5Kp1H6CcIgnKsM7oCk4EGdNAO_L8H1MU4OsJx7jAunNIdyofEEpiDC4LxRmHdPHH-08/s1600/roquebrun_sophie_on_the_rapids_10_july2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinG-ZktXl72dJqNXYXKgFORki-Wxltei-hc77iUqxEqyDzkASAPfaUP_8WC3mfL0rgBNhCXZ1ML5Kp1H6CcIgnKsM7oCk4EGdNAO_L8H1MU4OsJx7jAunNIdyofEEpiDC4LxRmHdPHH-08/s400/roquebrun_sophie_on_the_rapids_10_july2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501707149145822418" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi74uVMTjkshNctXyKoEWcCWA_OBtB97WYg6IxXhrqe_yxlGOrBmyo4mNVi_MWVuh2P_b42zwQrzhknoAZgjbGpeuNtSyMRMSY2LPMkQUUjUZJ7rzcIR3kqv5pjPtdmx3rSVLyPpAe93u5f/s1600/roquebrun_sophie_on_the_rapids_15_july2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi74uVMTjkshNctXyKoEWcCWA_OBtB97WYg6IxXhrqe_yxlGOrBmyo4mNVi_MWVuh2P_b42zwQrzhknoAZgjbGpeuNtSyMRMSY2LPMkQUUjUZJ7rzcIR3kqv5pjPtdmx3rSVLyPpAe93u5f/s400/roquebrun_sophie_on_the_rapids_15_july2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501707324994134322" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix7fAN8xJKxVAN3NtaSOBHSFMXaVW461j9gU2FMk-w30ElnAopUrSJJHlumbAaiQ3Wae38Xjw-QaB63vYZemteGo-5te0XdyJovUwIcjonpoYO_lN1BuWi0l2TC8bA35vWXBkOmJuGPOnj/s1600/roquebrun_sophie_on_the_rapids_11_july2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix7fAN8xJKxVAN3NtaSOBHSFMXaVW461j9gU2FMk-w30ElnAopUrSJJHlumbAaiQ3Wae38Xjw-QaB63vYZemteGo-5te0XdyJovUwIcjonpoYO_lN1BuWi0l2TC8bA35vWXBkOmJuGPOnj/s400/roquebrun_sophie_on_the_rapids_11_july2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501707903204892450" border="0" /></a><br />Max<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaMn2vXtfJ3airkRKN2is7uhrBWnkGODGOpmsSdvXhQW_QDNYvzCpki-Zig4sx3LjxuNYN0D8wBgfknv5oNXenS1gneB1qQivMS3KflS2mie4xHMxlgFge8yA_ldaHZ9jL9MrbsWwVpEsF/s1600/roquebrun_max_july2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaMn2vXtfJ3airkRKN2is7uhrBWnkGODGOpmsSdvXhQW_QDNYvzCpki-Zig4sx3LjxuNYN0D8wBgfknv5oNXenS1gneB1qQivMS3KflS2mie4xHMxlgFge8yA_ldaHZ9jL9MrbsWwVpEsF/s400/roquebrun_max_july2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501704260176125154" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg63X0TykR7lUfYxvDo5N8dJwU0w6hj3oFlrS95PdjtAEgi0xj2PoXpnk7a1_r7ZB3SONd6h5UHhOfUK30V3CXsU9Fu5QPoOpJ6cDUZhYH99q0QAvGs4swe7ouHidyNpcWr81JBZ2wg7DCG/s1600/roquebrun_max_on_the_rapids_3_july2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg63X0TykR7lUfYxvDo5N8dJwU0w6hj3oFlrS95PdjtAEgi0xj2PoXpnk7a1_r7ZB3SONd6h5UHhOfUK30V3CXsU9Fu5QPoOpJ6cDUZhYH99q0QAvGs4swe7ouHidyNpcWr81JBZ2wg7DCG/s400/roquebrun_max_on_the_rapids_3_july2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501704654980402594" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIWn7XruP1pvv7BoaZdCxwiF0fxVCUaFBUXHbcfeyKF-8Xhw37Up1tuRPK2zspbw_-GS44TTkxUV1E0pbVgmg2VTCeSDAJMbaMrdDF_DVpy6zf7QMMFvZ7E6f2wSmDRcWZpznvC9vNyZlp/s1600/roquebrun_max_on_the_rapids_4_july2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIWn7XruP1pvv7BoaZdCxwiF0fxVCUaFBUXHbcfeyKF-8Xhw37Up1tuRPK2zspbw_-GS44TTkxUV1E0pbVgmg2VTCeSDAJMbaMrdDF_DVpy6zf7QMMFvZ7E6f2wSmDRcWZpznvC9vNyZlp/s400/roquebrun_max_on_the_rapids_4_july2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501704770007332610" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVHWNv1a8hpd787yXq8Q-SHn8MKsPvGYGdqQYEkvS9kqFBkaRuf0JXZ1c0HZiNYQlwwxVI1kNMyD56XFw_xlFo93wIfX_yuweSU8tLc-cuuuEqsABc1FUettMDcUXksPaumRfAeu_l7im_/s1600/roquebrun_max_on_the_rapids_5_july2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVHWNv1a8hpd787yXq8Q-SHn8MKsPvGYGdqQYEkvS9kqFBkaRuf0JXZ1c0HZiNYQlwwxVI1kNMyD56XFw_xlFo93wIfX_yuweSU8tLc-cuuuEqsABc1FUettMDcUXksPaumRfAeu_l7im_/s400/roquebrun_max_on_the_rapids_5_july2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501705030701406514" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQyZWRlS1z-Ove1kqN5j5grwbfbmk_5JlRrYtrZGYKtay4u1h8XqDspVsk_U7zv8pRiIn7w-1hSkeAogPPLBjVrIxB3JFR9Yz_LcKqvnyKe_3M6DVHzodKzcuElLsikysPFbsQJZUSVTcC/s1600/roquebrun_max_on_the_rapids_7_july2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQyZWRlS1z-Ove1kqN5j5grwbfbmk_5JlRrYtrZGYKtay4u1h8XqDspVsk_U7zv8pRiIn7w-1hSkeAogPPLBjVrIxB3JFR9Yz_LcKqvnyKe_3M6DVHzodKzcuElLsikysPFbsQJZUSVTcC/s400/roquebrun_max_on_the_rapids_7_july2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501705155227913986" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguIxHweRxn6z7N9D2BA4HS3h2gQuDvuTMue1PlfZNFsmsbYVU8ULVcRw3etEJEJiQeOAtuP01OeeYKF0_hfypLGVcTcs-5gqZ_eGw_rWSZLb9WwVlCp3eopcswTJ8jaUe7Anxn52-lB2IS/s1600/roquebrun_max_on_the_rapids_8_july2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguIxHweRxn6z7N9D2BA4HS3h2gQuDvuTMue1PlfZNFsmsbYVU8ULVcRw3etEJEJiQeOAtuP01OeeYKF0_hfypLGVcTcs-5gqZ_eGw_rWSZLb9WwVlCp3eopcswTJ8jaUe7Anxn52-lB2IS/s400/roquebrun_max_on_the_rapids_8_july2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501705272604720626" border="0" /></a><br />Josey<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGNJSqoVam13zVJPSveQOCqVmR3XWRD4uqSHRvoGLIaiygYaIsifqJ4pQMlrEHk6LcZNMUieEfTNcIIvb_ZgiE3cn5q11_XOpwO9pBVeDwGIyAeD9mjlsPPkUutnAji6EFhVsGP5DhTw6u/s1600/roquebrun_max_and_josey_on_the_rapids_2_july2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGNJSqoVam13zVJPSveQOCqVmR3XWRD4uqSHRvoGLIaiygYaIsifqJ4pQMlrEHk6LcZNMUieEfTNcIIvb_ZgiE3cn5q11_XOpwO9pBVeDwGIyAeD9mjlsPPkUutnAji6EFhVsGP5DhTw6u/s400/roquebrun_max_and_josey_on_the_rapids_2_july2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501702884828573042" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1-HKjRhtyQbKu-v6KvHtFGyhpNhP2cWDVPQ5TzOR2gDm_CzCJ7YmtApRcs60Sl-SFWxsLsEtuDjLjwqQ8GnWjuUUYYLyNPaRUFJ8KaBs345xkd_PEDYsi2FYXhRhLClXfyudYjBfYNmFV/s1600/roquebrun_max_and_josey_on_the_rapids_3_july2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1-HKjRhtyQbKu-v6KvHtFGyhpNhP2cWDVPQ5TzOR2gDm_CzCJ7YmtApRcs60Sl-SFWxsLsEtuDjLjwqQ8GnWjuUUYYLyNPaRUFJ8KaBs345xkd_PEDYsi2FYXhRhLClXfyudYjBfYNmFV/s400/roquebrun_max_and_josey_on_the_rapids_3_july2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501703418721256082" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrSmYCuDGknKvq89EPc7tW45XnoDMhIu2OGce42C6cvAQxuQS50bpO7RX41WsmEHrZS8XQe0WLioGe39ZyPuw0v73vVXGNm3fI9VTc5SIVJAbx3LdD2-d25Y8nk_WqrVVaXIKcdmCXfF4N/s1600/roquebrun_max_and_josey_on_the_rapids_4_july2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrSmYCuDGknKvq89EPc7tW45XnoDMhIu2OGce42C6cvAQxuQS50bpO7RX41WsmEHrZS8XQe0WLioGe39ZyPuw0v73vVXGNm3fI9VTc5SIVJAbx3LdD2-d25Y8nk_WqrVVaXIKcdmCXfF4N/s400/roquebrun_max_and_josey_on_the_rapids_4_july2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501703089524534546" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihkecpOadAdzbkP8k61ykG2tSnIMWU4WfITAcip6sx6vc9ld6eRs_cTDLU113zgrNbO8aaYXLgYO8Is1ahes5jhdiD6noNcZRV92KGL9eKr5twy2zBItTdtRsHdNhZkLXws9knn4voR6b6/s1600/roquebrun_max_and_josey_on_the_rapids_5_july2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihkecpOadAdzbkP8k61ykG2tSnIMWU4WfITAcip6sx6vc9ld6eRs_cTDLU113zgrNbO8aaYXLgYO8Is1ahes5jhdiD6noNcZRV92KGL9eKr5twy2zBItTdtRsHdNhZkLXws9knn4voR6b6/s400/roquebrun_max_and_josey_on_the_rapids_5_july2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501703608128639474" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb564TfW1ET3m_wxNeG-UCgMjPNQdgVmRArvKvHEucDQ86Nfm9xwLL1sMOQK7L_x1AkpPQiIk2r5dCzWtx7-UYFr3Af_34nuHX-G75iQMyzGDL6efM0e3WNDrK0CDP5ZUcvSMkybk6QOR7/s1600/roquebrun_max_and_josey_on_the_rapids_7_july2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb564TfW1ET3m_wxNeG-UCgMjPNQdgVmRArvKvHEucDQ86Nfm9xwLL1sMOQK7L_x1AkpPQiIk2r5dCzWtx7-UYFr3Af_34nuHX-G75iQMyzGDL6efM0e3WNDrK0CDP5ZUcvSMkybk6QOR7/s400/roquebrun_max_and_josey_on_the_rapids_7_july2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501703997402824482" border="0" /></a><br />Isabelle<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq2X74FC-BpIwFZ8kEdhMylJe92jL9PPioddbjn0wNnPO8DrX05LKv95OFAsoMeAIip6vstC8oZA2C2NAjYTE0NIaIngGN6CDO75FLWQV4COQl1q62mzqISWkBtVyoL4FvyCbZWjEesjgd/s1600/roquebrun_isabelle_july2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq2X74FC-BpIwFZ8kEdhMylJe92jL9PPioddbjn0wNnPO8DrX05LKv95OFAsoMeAIip6vstC8oZA2C2NAjYTE0NIaIngGN6CDO75FLWQV4COQl1q62mzqISWkBtVyoL4FvyCbZWjEesjgd/s400/roquebrun_isabelle_july2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501701403321001490" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVeLoYec8GYRN98sHrVrTErNEyP8Oz9my-jFl9HqUxWQol6ORKYeF_xmZWnL6Q1SQAIpXxuPsrPdOLlPXYN5WWLudPsB7lmm98XUC-bwVGQ3So5_vjdrNDg2m4yP_1PftWmp6w1AJcT87Y/s1600/roquebrun_isabelle_on_the_rapids_2_july2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVeLoYec8GYRN98sHrVrTErNEyP8Oz9my-jFl9HqUxWQol6ORKYeF_xmZWnL6Q1SQAIpXxuPsrPdOLlPXYN5WWLudPsB7lmm98XUC-bwVGQ3So5_vjdrNDg2m4yP_1PftWmp6w1AJcT87Y/s400/roquebrun_isabelle_on_the_rapids_2_july2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501701640298944722" border="0" /></a><br />Random Fun . . .<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ytkizjbRg86YgaZYISMzOd_AJ1Rvz9UeG9kY6ado62wwikJWhYIicaAZZ31on_zo96ajjMgAC1lr18xQ5FKehx_syinjilR2IdsUV606ZlEcCGsdeHmmAXhy1hMFx7n0RsDR7WhhdQ5V/s1600/roquebrun_josey_and_isabelle_eating_lunch_in_tubes_july2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ytkizjbRg86YgaZYISMzOd_AJ1Rvz9UeG9kY6ado62wwikJWhYIicaAZZ31on_zo96ajjMgAC1lr18xQ5FKehx_syinjilR2IdsUV606ZlEcCGsdeHmmAXhy1hMFx7n0RsDR7WhhdQ5V/s400/roquebrun_josey_and_isabelle_eating_lunch_in_tubes_july2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501702165983238770" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN0-zGg0jA__C99uweXxhVIyGTk3zzYLTrCm-tVteFZw1p835P2gmJhYhaE23vz1R_LdQwfGNUm76OPVlGS6YSTrwCgKVU1qrpqZh9OfRkaRDtdguyl7up3D_fZpXcoLF6EpYUqlE86C77/s1600/roquebrun_max_and_josey_july2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN0-zGg0jA__C99uweXxhVIyGTk3zzYLTrCm-tVteFZw1p835P2gmJhYhaE23vz1R_LdQwfGNUm76OPVlGS6YSTrwCgKVU1qrpqZh9OfRkaRDtdguyl7up3D_fZpXcoLF6EpYUqlE86C77/s400/roquebrun_max_and_josey_july2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501708784443903650" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2pZiKH1lz8h_PS3mV_2oEVtnX9Xh3WoupiRpE4RuBg5vAuGxcQVo-FH-daDcTx5QLRrjoJhkNCROrTMKJZCTGDhDqGhj2WpHCnKyiaUwbR6yinhwvmHZX3cBqueoCCdkvc_Sh-Nih1Qj2/s1600/roquebrun_reed_takes_a_siesta_july2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2pZiKH1lz8h_PS3mV_2oEVtnX9Xh3WoupiRpE4RuBg5vAuGxcQVo-FH-daDcTx5QLRrjoJhkNCROrTMKJZCTGDhDqGhj2WpHCnKyiaUwbR6yinhwvmHZX3cBqueoCCdkvc_Sh-Nih1Qj2/s400/roquebrun_reed_takes_a_siesta_july2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501705645433474834" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsCh_rmOkId_Frq8uaKazxFcgxdML019kwyf7sAxSAEROFm3vbne1h2HZYq7SaQG0gMTS3gjTEy0m9pog1Pgk0IZgdCR6oilDIH1ynPAeHrJE_A2N_ZoHlGkMDmzb3AdVAChyphenhyphenunqRxLM2l/s1600/roquebrun_dado_tubin_3_july2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsCh_rmOkId_Frq8uaKazxFcgxdML019kwyf7sAxSAEROFm3vbne1h2HZYq7SaQG0gMTS3gjTEy0m9pog1Pgk0IZgdCR6oilDIH1ynPAeHrJE_A2N_ZoHlGkMDmzb3AdVAChyphenhyphenunqRxLM2l/s400/roquebrun_dado_tubin_3_july2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501709231015120578" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCx6UQqVno2VI-9s0uxaGDPfmCSR2Q1jRIpgp7qXnPz0cCF46NacTSBgV6w-rN-6FnjO3cHZSzhLOq3J_R84gmADUtTACHIcXB3zztgbyQwfVZCxAfvUeo57-C3CyLEmxpwpvBkrk0Tx2w/s1600/roquebrun_dado_and_josey_tubin_july2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCx6UQqVno2VI-9s0uxaGDPfmCSR2Q1jRIpgp7qXnPz0cCF46NacTSBgV6w-rN-6FnjO3cHZSzhLOq3J_R84gmADUtTACHIcXB3zztgbyQwfVZCxAfvUeo57-C3CyLEmxpwpvBkrk0Tx2w/s400/roquebrun_dado_and_josey_tubin_july2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501701051153080850" border="0" /></a>Gayle Billathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08202995601569398280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552688079996598148.post-975924616369848282010-08-04T16:12:00.000-07:002010-08-04T16:27:07.029-07:00Merci a Sophie!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDs2RD-XpfcUIBCHKz6iXWRt70FmNSKWMUGCiL2EdzlM69ZkDbYQqlaKM-h7W8HBwd9IJ0sKCW6tUG3t709aR2jT7Vuc9TBjUVuS1R_bFQRJjsvVYrmJ_rQlJF7WDT6dl2kY2oDQo3qIG4/s1600/sophie_and_amza_july2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDs2RD-XpfcUIBCHKz6iXWRt70FmNSKWMUGCiL2EdzlM69ZkDbYQqlaKM-h7W8HBwd9IJ0sKCW6tUG3t709aR2jT7Vuc9TBjUVuS1R_bFQRJjsvVYrmJ_rQlJF7WDT6dl2kY2oDQo3qIG4/s400/sophie_and_amza_july2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501700094213530306" border="0" /></a>Although it has a taken me several weeks to post this, it is not due to a lack of desire!<br /><br />I want to thank Sophie, from the bottom of my heart, for making our last year in Bouzigues so much fun.<br /><br />My regular readers know who Sophie is. She is our young friend (now more like the little sister I never had) who spent time with us each week. She took us fun places, she cooked us amazing food, she taught us all about life in the village of Bouzigues, she entertained us with stories, she helped us learn more French . . . She is the best!<br /><br /><span id="result_box" class="short_text"><span style="" title="">Chère Sophie,<br /></span></span><span id="result_box" class="long_text"><span style="background-color: rgb(230, 236, 249); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" title="">Je tu remercie beaucoup pour faire partie de notre famille. </span><span title="">Tu nous manquez terriblement. </span><span title="">S'il te plaît viens nous rendre visite bientôt. </span><span title="">Tu peux rester aussi longtemps que tu </span></span>souhaites<span id="result_box" class="long_text"><span title="">!<br />Le plus gros bisous dans le monde!<br /><br />Our last week in Bouzigues, we finally got to meet Sophie's entourage! Her </span></span><span id="result_box" class="short_text"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" title="">fiancé</span></span><span id="result_box" class="long_text"><span title="">, Hamza, her fabulous parents Gerard and Helene, and her best friend, Jessica. We hope to see them all again for a visit next summer.<br /><br />Love to all!!<br /></span></span>Gayle Billathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08202995601569398280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552688079996598148.post-21109394121378418402010-07-12T01:47:00.000-07:002010-07-12T02:05:02.907-07:00Alizée and Ondine<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9xbRIuhMDxqYCKR6zjLyirHMwkFbl48-hPWcmyRJ_RRMQGAp8CK5xJBwvaGovkiUoXWHCPuZZCsiGc4QxDof3UwLHXkksGswLF5QpYimbQ3qvYZEu-TTqeh1Hmp8Fogko5LLaUYZME2Q0/s1600/alizee_and_ondine_in_letang_GREAT_july2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9xbRIuhMDxqYCKR6zjLyirHMwkFbl48-hPWcmyRJ_RRMQGAp8CK5xJBwvaGovkiUoXWHCPuZZCsiGc4QxDof3UwLHXkksGswLF5QpYimbQ3qvYZEu-TTqeh1Hmp8Fogko5LLaUYZME2Q0/s400/alizee_and_ondine_in_letang_GREAT_july2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492941288270511426" border="0" /></a>Another heartbreaking farewell . . .<br /><br />During our last year in Bouzigues, we have had the great fortune to live in the center of the village in a <span id="result_box" class="short_text"><span style="background-color: rgb(230, 236, 249); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" title="">maison de pêcheur (a uniquely French fisherman's house).</span></span><br /><br /><span id="result_box" class="short_text"><span style="background-color: rgb(230, 236, 249); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" title="">Our greatest joy in living in the center of the village has been the fact that Max and Josey can play outside, unsupervised, for hours at a time. They have taken full advantage of that spectacular gift, and their pleasure in playing outside has been in great part due to A</span></span><span id="result_box" class="short_text"><span style="background-color: rgb(230, 236, 249); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" title="">lizé</span></span><span id="result_box" class="short_text"><span style="background-color: rgb(230, 236, 249); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" title="">e.</span></span><br /><span id="result_box" class="short_text"><span style="background-color: rgb(230, 236, 249); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" title=""><br /></span></span><span id="result_box" class="short_text"><span style="background-color: rgb(230, 236, 249); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" title="">A</span></span><span id="result_box" class="short_text"><span style="background-color: rgb(230, 236, 249); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" title="">lizé</span></span><span id="result_box" class="short_text"><span style="background-color: rgb(230, 236, 249); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" title="">e means tradewind, and she truly did blow into our lives like a breathtaking wind, leaving pure delight in her wake.</span></span><br /><span id="result_box" class="short_text"><span style="background-color: rgb(230, 236, 249); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" title=""><br />She is the most darling child I've known, besides my own (of course), and I'm so sad to see her go.</span></span><br /><span id="result_box" class="short_text"><span style="background-color: rgb(230, 236, 249); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" title=""><br />Her family is leaving Bouzigues, too, and </span></span><span id="result_box" class="short_text"><span style="background-color: rgb(230, 236, 249); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" title="">A</span></span><span id="result_box" class="short_text"><span style="background-color: rgb(230, 236, 249); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" title="">lizé</span></span><span id="result_box" class="short_text"><span style="background-color: rgb(230, 236, 249); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" title="">e left one week before us.</span></span><br /><span id="result_box" class="short_text"><span style="background-color: rgb(230, 236, 249); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" title=""><br />Yes, overall, that makes it easier for Max and Josey to leave Bouzigues. However, it was a heartbreaking farewell.</span></span><br /><span id="result_box" class="short_text"><span style="background-color: rgb(230, 236, 249); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" title=""><br /></span></span><span id="result_box" class="short_text"><span style="background-color: rgb(230, 236, 249); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" title="">Max and Josey adore, absolutely adore, A</span></span><span id="result_box" class="short_text"><span style="background-color: rgb(230, 236, 249); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" title="">lizé</span></span><span id="result_box" class="short_text"><span style="background-color: rgb(230, 236, 249); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" title="">e and her wonderful sister Ondine. Their friendship has been a gift, and I know all four children will remember one another for the rest of their lives.</span></span><br /><br /><span id="result_box" class="short_text"><span style="background-color: rgb(230, 236, 249); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" title="">Goodbyes are so bittersweet. I'm crying right now because I am so grateful for having </span></span><span id="result_box" class="short_text"><span style="background-color: rgb(230, 236, 249); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" title="">A</span></span><span id="result_box" class="short_text"><span style="background-color: rgb(230, 236, 249); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" title="">lizé</span></span><span id="result_box" class="short_text"><span style="background-color: rgb(230, 236, 249); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" title="">e and Ondine in our lives, but it's so sad that it's over.</span></span><br /><br /><span id="result_box" class="short_text"><span style="background-color: rgb(230, 236, 249); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" title="">I know we will keep in touch, and I hope to see them both many times in the future.<br /><br />I leave the rest to pictures.<br /><br />Love to all!<br /><br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirCdm-cR2J4XDn12J9zCyN-tKTqnbUAixVyKAJeA2p-wrXHg_73A13qoHvmbUpF1yt-C7aND6u1vYxgK0gYiE2ElAeaqK53iL-uTNOBDiDYu4Abe5J-J4kpgjkS6Mp8t7wOPOaAa6bt38J/s1600/josey_and_ondine_in_letang_july2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirCdm-cR2J4XDn12J9zCyN-tKTqnbUAixVyKAJeA2p-wrXHg_73A13qoHvmbUpF1yt-C7aND6u1vYxgK0gYiE2ElAeaqK53iL-uTNOBDiDYu4Abe5J-J4kpgjkS6Mp8t7wOPOaAa6bt38J/s400/josey_and_ondine_in_letang_july2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492942391690457330" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXbhdsguXqcgICE8jVVQVr2wykBHPMU1_mOT2BHd7o9V7fxFZVD0Z8cyu6RmLQ5XcRErLj6R0vwfwlbbdXs0c5WpPs5uh57yQZyB3yfLVJrXcslswMidV9b1OkqYJqZIMNAOqPDv7uWk1i/s1600/max_and_alizee_eating_ice_cream_july2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXbhdsguXqcgICE8jVVQVr2wykBHPMU1_mOT2BHd7o9V7fxFZVD0Z8cyu6RmLQ5XcRErLj6R0vwfwlbbdXs0c5WpPs5uh57yQZyB3yfLVJrXcslswMidV9b1OkqYJqZIMNAOqPDv7uWk1i/s400/max_and_alizee_eating_ice_cream_july2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492942481298839202" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga87v1WfjOpCGt896Z88XAn_SXN7Y42bahvScl8yMnUsKWKo3E-0w4WRiigSh7O57CjbCtorwloaxPlqQt0vQxZRdYoVIONkLdfv3a-ilXkawndHDYuLXBr1kJ5tlOqBoLZ8bC_lTpjtXK/s1600/max_and_ondine_in_letang_july2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga87v1WfjOpCGt896Z88XAn_SXN7Y42bahvScl8yMnUsKWKo3E-0w4WRiigSh7O57CjbCtorwloaxPlqQt0vQxZRdYoVIONkLdfv3a-ilXkawndHDYuLXBr1kJ5tlOqBoLZ8bC_lTpjtXK/s400/max_and_ondine_in_letang_july2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492942608240984290" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBZ4bDa3QEQXb30JGn8E8_z0kOXJ3OGyThWHwp3qssqf7p0SOUH_XOPw-4xjqHNyUzLXfvF6O3jCdZmXDF_v5DJy_ihFNNfmC-jbGS7qqfxvoJwvKvjiFXvswWauOQKOVmj44c-pUidIof/s1600/josey_max_and_alizee_making_mosaic_july2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBZ4bDa3QEQXb30JGn8E8_z0kOXJ3OGyThWHwp3qssqf7p0SOUH_XOPw-4xjqHNyUzLXfvF6O3jCdZmXDF_v5DJy_ihFNNfmC-jbGS7qqfxvoJwvKvjiFXvswWauOQKOVmj44c-pUidIof/s400/josey_max_and_alizee_making_mosaic_july2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492942081453548898" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPxkuwY3XglWmCzEKJLZYRgdMNmIJGrOy_6-voQaP_UNxxFlw0Z8QtNobt4osV6yOQzYgRoEa1GcnYEuCHGk03M0-DQRoLni9w-4stDvAF4K45hugpwQqaxW45uH49GBF7xAMhyphenhyphenQfmis28/s1600/josey_and_alizee_in_letang_july2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPxkuwY3XglWmCzEKJLZYRgdMNmIJGrOy_6-voQaP_UNxxFlw0Z8QtNobt4osV6yOQzYgRoEa1GcnYEuCHGk03M0-DQRoLni9w-4stDvAF4K45hugpwQqaxW45uH49GBF7xAMhyphenhyphenQfmis28/s400/josey_and_alizee_in_letang_july2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492941853905701490" border="0" /></a><br /><span id="result_box" class="short_text"><span style="background-color: rgb(230, 236, 249); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" title=""><br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-BV6pt_yNZdR0C9b9FePmSU6e7FQ57OesaWQ7P0A1BY64oXrP6YmclP6YFTAK7mC1sYx-MYoatRuigpPmGIuMI3yFsulSTO5ieTGiE3y3LOXGr6PUrlTr2rCvV_DgQjaYHD5aQchx3MMA/s1600/all_4_kids_eating_ice_cream_july2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-BV6pt_yNZdR0C9b9FePmSU6e7FQ57OesaWQ7P0A1BY64oXrP6YmclP6YFTAK7mC1sYx-MYoatRuigpPmGIuMI3yFsulSTO5ieTGiE3y3LOXGr6PUrlTr2rCvV_DgQjaYHD5aQchx3MMA/s400/all_4_kids_eating_ice_cream_july2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492941434918783474" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXiamL70A8kxA8Rh1P_MzgTwnhxgXO4ZRkNzSXoWRBR9-MVwN84onnNyoHQzFU6K_aRlDAPXOM4vL9yabSR0AlOZPGMv56mPnuck2yVKNBMhOPDyq1nj4gURuRqiNdQ9V0GXKAdWntdVYZ/s1600/all_4_kids_in_letang_2_july2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXiamL70A8kxA8Rh1P_MzgTwnhxgXO4ZRkNzSXoWRBR9-MVwN84onnNyoHQzFU6K_aRlDAPXOM4vL9yabSR0AlOZPGMv56mPnuck2yVKNBMhOPDyq1nj4gURuRqiNdQ9V0GXKAdWntdVYZ/s400/all_4_kids_in_letang_2_july2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492941560453412706" border="0" /></a>Gayle Billathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08202995601569398280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552688079996598148.post-18778823925928734392010-07-12T01:00:00.000-07:002010-07-12T01:47:17.774-07:00Farewell Party Chez SabrinaI am very sad to say that our time in France is almost at an end. Early Friday morning, July 16, we will drive away from our home in Bouzigues, on our way to our new home in Santa Cruz.<br /><br />We are sad to end our Bouzigaud adventure, and we are very sad to leave our friends.<br /><br />In a fabulous farewell party yesterday, we said goodbye to some of our favorite people in Bouzigues.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxiiRWGpNMtZeM1tghe9NZXeX1H_-_fM-AF-I7qtaPRY8GRYaN1Ml_kBVzvJPtooTCf-iU0Z7NzjHH7wSKC8m76qg1TTyXNhTtKCET9OqeOb0_09uvRvmMa8S_FrV7F19sayLcY6Et2FmL/s1600/our_souvenir_sign_closeup_on_cyrielle_and_sabrina_july2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxiiRWGpNMtZeM1tghe9NZXeX1H_-_fM-AF-I7qtaPRY8GRYaN1Ml_kBVzvJPtooTCf-iU0Z7NzjHH7wSKC8m76qg1TTyXNhTtKCET9OqeOb0_09uvRvmMa8S_FrV7F19sayLcY6Et2FmL/s400/our_souvenir_sign_closeup_on_cyrielle_and_sabrina_july2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492935995474320226" border="0" /></a>Merci mille fois to Sabrina, who has been a wonderful, sweet, considerate, and thoughtful friend to us for 2 years. Sabrina hosted the party at her house with Cyrielle, another awesome friend who we will sorely miss.<br /><br />It was a perfect day, with perfect friends and perfect food. I am very grateful to Sabrina, Cyrielle, Franck, and Laurent for making our farewell so memorable. We will miss them so much.<br /><br />Sabrina & Cyrielle made us the most awesome souvenirs!! Check out the great artwork (I hope you can see it).<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgosfgi7KjC3cizpTh2hs4xX1O10fDLMJbkiA9aAwyJO2PbLr1K1WeErNje-eAycgXXDv1xpGv3nSG2uDcLDKte9Ds0CjMMx8AGHLhOBLUx8Tc6-A8BVdgyijPHpWDXPFu_u07YaEYpsc3Q/s1600/our_souvenir_sign_july2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgosfgi7KjC3cizpTh2hs4xX1O10fDLMJbkiA9aAwyJO2PbLr1K1WeErNje-eAycgXXDv1xpGv3nSG2uDcLDKte9Ds0CjMMx8AGHLhOBLUx8Tc6-A8BVdgyijPHpWDXPFu_u07YaEYpsc3Q/s400/our_souvenir_sign_july2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492935465291334530" border="0" /></a>They captured some great memories: camel riding in Morocco, Dado (a.k.a. Miko) surfing a wave in Biarritz, Josey sailing in an Optimiste sailboat, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the French flag & the American flag - just to name a few. Each of us also received personalized souvenir t-shirts! I don't have pictures of my cool shirt or Mike's yet, but they are spectacular.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTtXagYQe1vMth_cE9eYKtAm3IZfBX0LNv90NjspLaEfSqouUI1N4vVsXCsZ_QQAyVTbEHWKnS-RufnbULKO_9MU2h038JAwlS0pQQs6Pj0YHR2nMTkOEBOYYNgy7fekbpJthqLWg7PUzc/s1600/maxs_souvenir_tshirt_july2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTtXagYQe1vMth_cE9eYKtAm3IZfBX0LNv90NjspLaEfSqouUI1N4vVsXCsZ_QQAyVTbEHWKnS-RufnbULKO_9MU2h038JAwlS0pQQs6Pj0YHR2nMTkOEBOYYNgy7fekbpJthqLWg7PUzc/s400/maxs_souvenir_tshirt_july2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492935277855162498" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD0veMBS5JYdObCptSgnCtTYo0X5g-dWdecqG1J5wBAmZgxwfUraPwO3nb-Rv7Xd1PGx1yBF1_ICnCWkkNSlmBBKvzq2XJ51re3mLy0BeeQTK0UYxxhohhE5oTz01iLtAOkmVFK8NftOBR/s1600/joseys_souvenir_tshirt_july2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD0veMBS5JYdObCptSgnCtTYo0X5g-dWdecqG1J5wBAmZgxwfUraPwO3nb-Rv7Xd1PGx1yBF1_ICnCWkkNSlmBBKvzq2XJ51re3mLy0BeeQTK0UYxxhohhE5oTz01iLtAOkmVFK8NftOBR/s400/joseys_souvenir_tshirt_july2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492933651174061602" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPNNI70xW6f-L2Q31fxYMjaOgb5-mIpejgLUGmkE4sO_UTvs1vVmGQFDLY60vEorsXeBZUSXbhZ_7v3PjUFxjmYxUZk-YTWFzF-TUWwX00trJ5k2Gai5s8D03t2MwEbayu0IE60Mr-7Vq6/s1600/joseys_souvenir_tshirt_back_july2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPNNI70xW6f-L2Q31fxYMjaOgb5-mIpejgLUGmkE4sO_UTvs1vVmGQFDLY60vEorsXeBZUSXbhZ_7v3PjUFxjmYxUZk-YTWFzF-TUWwX00trJ5k2Gai5s8D03t2MwEbayu0IE60Mr-7Vq6/s400/joseys_souvenir_tshirt_back_july2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492933451065371090" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sabrina et Cyrielle,</span><br />On <span id="result_box" class="short_text"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" title="">va nous manquer de passer du temps devant l'école, de rire de l'histoire choquante. </span></span><span id="result_box" class="short_text"><span style="background-color: rgb(230, 236, 249); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" title="">Vous êtes merveilleux amis, et nous sommes vraiment reconnaissants pour votre amitié. </span></span><span id="result_box" class="short_text"><span style="background-color: rgb(230, 236, 249); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" title=""><br /><br />Et merci beaucoup </span></span><span id="result_box" class="short_text"><span style="background-color: rgb(230, 236, 249); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" title="">pour la grande fête </span></span><span id="result_box" class="short_text"><span style="background-color: rgb(230, 236, 249); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" title="">et les souvenirs parfaits!! </span></span><span id="result_box" class="short_text"><span style="" title="">Nous aimons nos t-shirts et panneau!</span></span><br /><span id="result_box" class="short_text"><span style="" title=""><br /></span></span><span id="result_box" class="short_text"><span style="background-color: rgb(230, 236, 249); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" title="">Vous allez nous manquer beaucoup.</span></span><br /><span id="result_box" class="short_text"><span style="background-color: rgb(230, 236, 249); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" title=""><br /></span></span><span id="result_box" class="short_text"><span style="background-color: rgb(230, 236, 249); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" title="">Jusqu'à la prochaine fois. </span></span><span id="result_box" class="short_text"><span style="background-color: rgb(230, 236, 249); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" title="">Gros bisous </span></span><span id="result_box" class="short_text"><span style="background-color: rgb(230, 236, 249); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" title="">et beaucoup d'amour,</span></span><br /><span id="result_box" class="short_text"><span style="background-color: rgb(230, 236, 249); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" title="">Gayle, Mike, Max & Josey<br /><br />P.S. </span></span><span id="result_box" class="short_text"><span style="background-color: rgb(230, 236, 249); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" title="">Et encore, je parle et ecris comme une vache </span></span><span id="result_box" class="short_text"><span style="" title="">espagnole</span></span><span id="result_box" class="short_text"><span style="background-color: rgb(230, 236, 249); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" title="">!</span></span><span id="result_box" class="short_text"><span style="background-color: rgb(230, 236, 249); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" title=""><br /><br />And now, to show everyone what a wonderful time we had . . .<br /><br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTx7uTWgzXCb1l209TiKv_1VVjeIuxjB4knLSJf6zOgml27VIxuVEjQK95oqaIzRI0yI4qRaQ1c7AIvFmKQ-zYW3fCk-fE5xaTQyDYUrTsdzHbgv343g8_gQM3sS1vjiVlhDVQkUV-XXJQ/s1600/logane_max_and_josey_on_the_crocodile_GREAT_july2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTx7uTWgzXCb1l209TiKv_1VVjeIuxjB4knLSJf6zOgml27VIxuVEjQK95oqaIzRI0yI4qRaQ1c7AIvFmKQ-zYW3fCk-fE5xaTQyDYUrTsdzHbgv343g8_gQM3sS1vjiVlhDVQkUV-XXJQ/s400/logane_max_and_josey_on_the_crocodile_GREAT_july2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492934589719247778" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4bBMv8td7vU__aWXJ1ImmtemN1lvjyxxwr_jANPjMG-SYHdl_AcxBGsMUc_MPe-oQv6eQMaoZ6tKPE9opgVrvAEHpSGyma4y43OqL1RG6ccn2HOACUoJpxvq5JLCxG00__SH0DXA3cJaB/s1600/splashing_around_GREAT_july2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4bBMv8td7vU__aWXJ1ImmtemN1lvjyxxwr_jANPjMG-SYHdl_AcxBGsMUc_MPe-oQv6eQMaoZ6tKPE9opgVrvAEHpSGyma4y43OqL1RG6ccn2HOACUoJpxvq5JLCxG00__SH0DXA3cJaB/s400/splashing_around_GREAT_july2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492935692144215090" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvwF0ZEk3ixG1AJjapuKSty4O9JTPvbl9CnTarCvzgltS1mj0cFzaVwBJJtcf76NGZU8Hu7F226o7mmvQqWHqEZIMNTwgpVOzPLoye2eccW9riS_uoGkaMzwyJNT3WnM8QkPmJjySDEtqZ/s1600/max_soloing_on_the_crocodile_GREAT_july2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvwF0ZEk3ixG1AJjapuKSty4O9JTPvbl9CnTarCvzgltS1mj0cFzaVwBJJtcf76NGZU8Hu7F226o7mmvQqWHqEZIMNTwgpVOzPLoye2eccW9riS_uoGkaMzwyJNT3WnM8QkPmJjySDEtqZ/s400/max_soloing_on_the_crocodile_GREAT_july2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492935052809577282" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKE90KA4o53kfodxx7Pms9z5b1bAEm5_A6PzP240ZJVxMJmKAzIM6LsS9ImVWnLF5viV4myitL06bJlBo8dGnnCijlY1bjAl47VjWI5-33nWT7uyk9120CDvD9dGVKbhOUAqx0AE34gkzN/s1600/logane_in_the_tube_july2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKE90KA4o53kfodxx7Pms9z5b1bAEm5_A6PzP240ZJVxMJmKAzIM6LsS9ImVWnLF5viV4myitL06bJlBo8dGnnCijlY1bjAl47VjWI5-33nWT7uyk9120CDvD9dGVKbhOUAqx0AE34gkzN/s400/logane_in_the_tube_july2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492934509589405378" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVP3Ql-nSwcjBbxXRV2sgrm6RYDUBYJe8slNgRNlcurV-t-Aa-mIduYdWlngCdcYDvGOblB3kZr3Ffiyt6gdJk0qQH0JE2JQFovXbQujjHFUv3ezjWU0zQwlMhaS8VqlwuO5QqJN3QM0Xk/s1600/kids_splashing_5_july2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVP3Ql-nSwcjBbxXRV2sgrm6RYDUBYJe8slNgRNlcurV-t-Aa-mIduYdWlngCdcYDvGOblB3kZr3Ffiyt6gdJk0qQH0JE2JQFovXbQujjHFUv3ezjWU0zQwlMhaS8VqlwuO5QqJN3QM0Xk/s400/kids_splashing_5_july2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492933973078860642" border="0" /></a><br /><span id="result_box" class="short_text"><span style="background-color: rgb(230, 236, 249); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" title=""><br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb-Av1DIjVJcfp_iQ31bA4OuI2HEp1kNu9dYhxJa6LwXFcL0sVjJ4GnpXLFMumftXmUgHpF5KLSG7zFnsuYcTsk6e25S4zxc92NIeUpblal5w970OlADcJXCHm0P-49s1ugfGaA6NuzYYD/s1600/josey_drying_off_july210.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb-Av1DIjVJcfp_iQ31bA4OuI2HEp1kNu9dYhxJa6LwXFcL0sVjJ4GnpXLFMumftXmUgHpF5KLSG7zFnsuYcTsk6e25S4zxc92NIeUpblal5w970OlADcJXCHm0P-49s1ugfGaA6NuzYYD/s400/josey_drying_off_july210.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492933225737966738" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie3NXUUW0kWadFagyOf0dYFbOaiWhqwxWjpwjN-SMkA74ZKk82mLYR23CMrimdXioWo70p_EJ4zq_BZktRMe2x-GH68NjvD1Kyt-yGuOwgQxBF9emPwRbnLAH-4dKS6DCiqJoPTA9_qanX/s1600/axel_jordan_and_josey_on_the_crocodile_GREAT_july2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie3NXUUW0kWadFagyOf0dYFbOaiWhqwxWjpwjN-SMkA74ZKk82mLYR23CMrimdXioWo70p_EJ4zq_BZktRMe2x-GH68NjvD1Kyt-yGuOwgQxBF9emPwRbnLAH-4dKS6DCiqJoPTA9_qanX/s400/axel_jordan_and_josey_on_the_crocodile_GREAT_july2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492932597524001362" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCLNK6C-Pdz2BkjMl3vhZnv7hwAB1qTgIOkkRm2BV9Adxng6t8NZAwayD7FlMcB4VwkcBW-pC58LigIE7TwiuTJN0FTcCLl8f2NJ8oqjSJFA1YrQpZdwwqXL0-9LaS6tPkKjHFjsUrOeJm/s1600/franck_diving_july2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCLNK6C-Pdz2BkjMl3vhZnv7hwAB1qTgIOkkRm2BV9Adxng6t8NZAwayD7FlMcB4VwkcBW-pC58LigIE7TwiuTJN0FTcCLl8f2NJ8oqjSJFA1YrQpZdwwqXL0-9LaS6tPkKjHFjsUrOeJm/s400/franck_diving_july2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492933012395938418" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP6lOzZccubh8LxzKsFqNHik6cszeteYAsQnfrOeHKvIoXICev1ul-Xbj4264Xm006pTIXwoVUUZDATqdkzNNfhfHvT0eNvCKLg_ANHX3N9jisxkjJo-Nf_A9SYbvuFKXtWrqLq8U9xPKr/s1600/cyrielle_floating_july2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP6lOzZccubh8LxzKsFqNHik6cszeteYAsQnfrOeHKvIoXICev1ul-Xbj4264Xm006pTIXwoVUUZDATqdkzNNfhfHvT0eNvCKLg_ANHX3N9jisxkjJo-Nf_A9SYbvuFKXtWrqLq8U9xPKr/s400/cyrielle_floating_july2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492932836476985346" border="0" /></a><br />Oh my, it's going to be a brutally sad last few days in this amazing place.<br /><br />Love to allGayle Billathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08202995601569398280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552688079996598148.post-60872772912898461152010-06-07T06:59:00.000-07:002010-06-07T08:01:40.772-07:00Birthday Time of YearWe have had a lot to celebrate recently!<br /><br />In May, Daniel had a birthday and so did Grandpa Dude. Of course, the very last day of May is reserved for . . . Josey. Yay! She is 11 years old. Can you believe it?<br /><br />And speaking of hard to believe birthdays . . . Alex turned 16 on June 5th. My little girl has turned Sweet 16. I can barely believe it.<br /><br />I'm waiting for Alex to send me pictures. The last time I posted pictures of her without her permission, and she was not (let me repeat, NOT) happy. I thought they were great pictures, too. Alas, she doesn't like my taste in clothes either.<br /><br />As for Josey, her birthday was wonderful. She brought homemade chocolate chip cookies and Coke to school - a truly American goute (that's snack in French) to celebrate. At home, she tried to blow out a sparkler in a HoHo (thanks, Grom & Dude!), then she unwrapped presents.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0iOoTzyDPXeBfcpHkhSNJqlIMZfm21jXOQ7dk9UbKeh4PB8Ph7go3_WxJz4hF5aATqdPyMexkP2kJDrDSA3_MHDSCIlzTCWthsuRuopJFnpuBh0FlJqlJCRoQ_M-VRQisGSQvVLm1OBNS/s1600/josey_is_11_first_thing_in_the_morning_2_may2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0iOoTzyDPXeBfcpHkhSNJqlIMZfm21jXOQ7dk9UbKeh4PB8Ph7go3_WxJz4hF5aATqdPyMexkP2kJDrDSA3_MHDSCIlzTCWthsuRuopJFnpuBh0FlJqlJCRoQ_M-VRQisGSQvVLm1OBNS/s400/josey_is_11_first_thing_in_the_morning_2_may2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480046902951779042" border="0" /></a>This last weekend, she had a birthday party at Fantasy Park Adventure, home of bounce houses, trampolines, limbo sticks, and general fun, fun, fun.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge0xqfWg3Fbz7SZKR7Q2KdcPEmBGUftoX9i1NcIWg5HBCo8yJXPTM8fFJtXzw5l3OketHWA0iEwZr4oYKNfkB6KL0wT2YQTgS7e9DP3lq7gDGXhjkFgu2JecLASaX2CQYqxIxhVfTGsi9P/s1600/musical_chairs_une10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge0xqfWg3Fbz7SZKR7Q2KdcPEmBGUftoX9i1NcIWg5HBCo8yJXPTM8fFJtXzw5l3OketHWA0iEwZr4oYKNfkB6KL0wT2YQTgS7e9DP3lq7gDGXhjkFgu2JecLASaX2CQYqxIxhVfTGsi9P/s400/musical_chairs_une10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480045664343408066" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpBOyqBiakijq6_bsRUS7iO3vu-4i9RCVaFrq86ZtgbCPdtcmDL76csIFl5yu3qkzgAlx-IQGGmJlw8T0fssbCAyp7eZA0ReC7mIXvMdvZL_7ngB3EJMFD_cxhLIH_R_ObtoyOTb01dGtO/s1600/bday_girl_in_a_sombrero_june10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpBOyqBiakijq6_bsRUS7iO3vu-4i9RCVaFrq86ZtgbCPdtcmDL76csIFl5yu3qkzgAlx-IQGGmJlw8T0fssbCAyp7eZA0ReC7mIXvMdvZL_7ngB3EJMFD_cxhLIH_R_ObtoyOTb01dGtO/s400/bday_girl_in_a_sombrero_june10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480044682789719330" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHl7wYLZhqNvSU3AqpwytbiYEy9hrKIqKLNuNKpTdxns-LcEzV9rfvhhsKO2T0E0WXTtHSur5uYvRoJaGAbijJmdVu9GNorTVj6kKhkmveDu3POPGWiuF3BzOycFM9i9_xB_2gWyJAA4yI/s1600/limbo_time_june10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHl7wYLZhqNvSU3AqpwytbiYEy9hrKIqKLNuNKpTdxns-LcEzV9rfvhhsKO2T0E0WXTtHSur5uYvRoJaGAbijJmdVu9GNorTVj6kKhkmveDu3POPGWiuF3BzOycFM9i9_xB_2gWyJAA4yI/s400/limbo_time_june10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480045183952237234" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs5tBmpUt1GuwdKjR25l9r0SwXr2HgF4hUmNN4xY6USNzKde6gj_Tyb4hu3BRvFVQLP3sLaXMIRxM684bCTcldftOMBimQQLxFD9Yx2xQmUPX1ocORWX3h3iDRrh2nrXykipGyuazO-h9X/s1600/blowing_out_candles_june10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs5tBmpUt1GuwdKjR25l9r0SwXr2HgF4hUmNN4xY6USNzKde6gj_Tyb4hu3BRvFVQLP3sLaXMIRxM684bCTcldftOMBimQQLxFD9Yx2xQmUPX1ocORWX3h3iDRrh2nrXykipGyuazO-h9X/s400/blowing_out_candles_june10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480046111006510562" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBCnXMCy073dabVtkb9fgy780FoL8_o5JzziFAxmEJKMY_z_lKbGOhrJqGCJHT_wNaK9B40HK-0hGuieoKoAnxs0Ek2rDyN8VwVSg4FF9X_ii9bUNxtGzZmXPxQjpfgEtXtEw4JWeAVmqC/s1600/group_photo_june10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBCnXMCy073dabVtkb9fgy780FoL8_o5JzziFAxmEJKMY_z_lKbGOhrJqGCJHT_wNaK9B40HK-0hGuieoKoAnxs0Ek2rDyN8VwVSg4FF9X_ii9bUNxtGzZmXPxQjpfgEtXtEw4JWeAVmqC/s400/group_photo_june10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480045047236066210" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX97_R5akvncwxcGOYJKfFwaWWtNq1p5NLTJjfYydXRq-5VotNNaWmhFMjBtO2WIm2Cw5msjO9tuZcMsoyzEFz09XzoDAlaGSJ9brNS9Lf6elVHRsPymQkM4Nx9fcxESmTQUmNLkq8fmEg/s1600/super_closeup_on_josey_and_camille_june10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX97_R5akvncwxcGOYJKfFwaWWtNq1p5NLTJjfYydXRq-5VotNNaWmhFMjBtO2WIm2Cw5msjO9tuZcMsoyzEFz09XzoDAlaGSJ9brNS9Lf6elVHRsPymQkM4Nx9fcxESmTQUmNLkq8fmEg/s400/super_closeup_on_josey_and_camille_june10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480035744019631666" border="0" /></a>Her birthday present from me & Mike is sailing lessons! As part of the school curriculum this year, her class has sailing lessons in l'etang. Thus, they walk 3 minutes down to the port, prepare their little 2-person sailboats, and sail for 3 hours every Thursday. How cool is that?!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Here are some great shots of her school sailing lessons. Amazing!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuvxxH33GvhO9S7vNVj_H1ObQ8ta-Z4PXjZym9Y4tDVULi-EPD0NZeuACd9XkfeVoGC89BtkwCF8L2qBZKV44O4jHpMERYcSV790gNybosOxOBlYz2ehEv7cpeQF7p0GpAVRETMtVRyInV/s1600/preparing_to_launch_june10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuvxxH33GvhO9S7vNVj_H1ObQ8ta-Z4PXjZym9Y4tDVULi-EPD0NZeuACd9XkfeVoGC89BtkwCF8L2qBZKV44O4jHpMERYcSV790gNybosOxOBlYz2ehEv7cpeQF7p0GpAVRETMtVRyInV/s400/preparing_to_launch_june10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480035413311018354" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYpKQSX2vS5bqvFz078Up8XYnKOl8A5gw8MZBgXkQXhRRRiilY8wxawMxLHVBwPBDwtNb0SdSevxuRZafPiqCS8dY45ODcXICypadTzimvCjdtSdHowHWydsg3cT0KpyG8lNQgO8P-jqNC/s1600/closeup_on_josey_onshore_j2_une10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYpKQSX2vS5bqvFz078Up8XYnKOl8A5gw8MZBgXkQXhRRRiilY8wxawMxLHVBwPBDwtNb0SdSevxuRZafPiqCS8dY45ODcXICypadTzimvCjdtSdHowHWydsg3cT0KpyG8lNQgO8P-jqNC/s400/closeup_on_josey_onshore_j2_une10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480035217607174898" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMcHN9CKD5xg34OqKPfJSboTTZq5RfYzrnXNS-CFqSZdDo-ZkY8Pl6sNqo_0ii1bYDP-AB9blJOV5CZR4TcVfmutIS2hQAz53Cy4UcrYZtQ4LBKrudclvwltUQV1P9CV3Bb94GWXMP2pR7/s1600/ducks_in_a_row_2_june10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMcHN9CKD5xg34OqKPfJSboTTZq5RfYzrnXNS-CFqSZdDo-ZkY8Pl6sNqo_0ii1bYDP-AB9blJOV5CZR4TcVfmutIS2hQAz53Cy4UcrYZtQ4LBKrudclvwltUQV1P9CV3Bb94GWXMP2pR7/s400/ducks_in_a_row_2_june10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480035930517607410" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDZBP9Prrp8PhLonFjJ0tKbqJpsy4m7E0gQsDoOoIUOfQVkhRMZDwqzT5xuWtOn-Wzit7PMWv6yJAXn4lluNNVOzFLtUO2WfDtcxdqEaN-L9y9-PWmF0hl_HZSzIbOje8w9EeC0y9j9X9Y/s1600/closeup_on_josey_and_camille_june10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDZBP9Prrp8PhLonFjJ0tKbqJpsy4m7E0gQsDoOoIUOfQVkhRMZDwqzT5xuWtOn-Wzit7PMWv6yJAXn4lluNNVOzFLtUO2WfDtcxdqEaN-L9y9-PWmF0hl_HZSzIbOje8w9EeC0y9j9X9Y/s400/closeup_on_josey_and_camille_june10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480036138720557778" border="0" /></a><br />In the shot above, Josey is in the boat with the white sail on the left.<br /><br />She was having so much fun at school that when the Yacht Club de Bouzigues flyer arrived, we signed her up for lessons. Now, every Wed & Sat afternoons, she sails for 2-3 hours with up to 5-6 other children. Her first lesson was completely private because she was the only child there!<br /><br />She absolutely loves it. She told us, "This is the most fun thing I've done in France yet!"<br /><br />Mike and I observed that she (of course) has selected the most expensive sport on the entire planet to be her personal favorite.<br /><br />It may be difficult to tell, but that's Josey in the little white sail boat - kickin' back & sailing. All alone!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWn-M4NKuyTFm-t3MhTDWq4qIiB7lTghHGMtR37sRCUQiHqaHgVI1qAcQrrjqkCinLNS9AuSZpPXFijt_uaCeKIdezV4XN_FELLWqTPN1eF5tFTF4lityPI6MDk4n6JdsqquH4j8xZNzGm/s1600/private_sailing_lessons_josey_closeup_june_5_2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWn-M4NKuyTFm-t3MhTDWq4qIiB7lTghHGMtR37sRCUQiHqaHgVI1qAcQrrjqkCinLNS9AuSZpPXFijt_uaCeKIdezV4XN_FELLWqTPN1eF5tFTF4lityPI6MDk4n6JdsqquH4j8xZNzGm/s400/private_sailing_lessons_josey_closeup_june_5_2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480034179993950546" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQFoVcGuxNNJ1hxQ809VwV0UUfaf8h1sLeyrpmj81x5fL9zXd4Sqc9hyphenhyphenJrvHurDCeHktY1tUg5VReJyRGdFad_3hIHw7sn9M6iZTVfVq2uUiEWLQ2kl080xII__790x2iaekdes4iilBhT/s1600/private_sailing_lessons_josey_closeup_4_june_5_2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQFoVcGuxNNJ1hxQ809VwV0UUfaf8h1sLeyrpmj81x5fL9zXd4Sqc9hyphenhyphenJrvHurDCeHktY1tUg5VReJyRGdFad_3hIHw7sn9M6iZTVfVq2uUiEWLQ2kl080xII__790x2iaekdes4iilBhT/s400/private_sailing_lessons_josey_closeup_4_june_5_2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480033952468174738" border="0" /></a><br />And here's a group photo in front of the oyster farms.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQcWibzWEAQ0DtX2fMWJxNzuu0MFq15mGiYGAuhhBDUM58dS53JZkb4sYLx4bYH6ttpQf9Sq4ChIk1QeH_Eg49U3zmz6wopbmssrmUS6pMVHDLtzRouGABf5JhRXUC_m4d0P8VZTMmXuqd/s1600/group_shot_2_june10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQcWibzWEAQ0DtX2fMWJxNzuu0MFq15mGiYGAuhhBDUM58dS53JZkb4sYLx4bYH6ttpQf9Sq4ChIk1QeH_Eg49U3zmz6wopbmssrmUS6pMVHDLtzRouGABf5JhRXUC_m4d0P8VZTMmXuqd/s400/group_shot_2_june10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480034348383841522" border="0" /></a><br />Love to all!!Gayle Billathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08202995601569398280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552688079996598148.post-31117851199251270262010-05-05T09:47:00.000-07:002010-05-05T10:49:16.335-07:00Flat Koa Visits BouziguesI have to post something happy - right now!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDpdcDrtmsyzPAk5XO9Et_XzZ4iBLZSOZ7idsCC-UzR-1-feMDC8_hQ-vnibHOyMVyFc4yxAcYaN0B879eZ1-5TswcLQljXwacLLEfzjeKVumWISZcWw0S_vtqQF85JXmBBtaImTAjjoNj/s1600/pointing_at_sete_with_josey_max_and_alize.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDpdcDrtmsyzPAk5XO9Et_XzZ4iBLZSOZ7idsCC-UzR-1-feMDC8_hQ-vnibHOyMVyFc4yxAcYaN0B879eZ1-5TswcLQljXwacLLEfzjeKVumWISZcWw0S_vtqQF85JXmBBtaImTAjjoNj/s400/pointing_at_sete_with_josey_max_and_alize.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467830681177098082" border="0" /></a>My BKFF (best knitting friend forever), Sharlene's, son, Koa, had a recent school assignment.<br /><br />His class read the book Flat Stanley, about a boy who is flattened (without harm or pain) and sent in an envelope to California. Koa's class then made their own Flat Stanleys and sent them to friends & family around the world.<br /><br />We were happily selected to host Flat Koa on a brief (but fun) visit to Bouzigues.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyXydFJ0jQy5wg8OxiXV2CUuWJDz2idOIYyTR-LxCHh9qDbc3OlNYHTdTjSNEE7VMUdGdtWwHZoBPEf5VN-OZ6yQFIuJdlNsP-g3shXb9809WWU2G6FEa_ygl3ha7tx7rpJ5an5liHXfIx/s1600/with_josey_the_church_steeple_and_rooftops.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyXydFJ0jQy5wg8OxiXV2CUuWJDz2idOIYyTR-LxCHh9qDbc3OlNYHTdTjSNEE7VMUdGdtWwHZoBPEf5VN-OZ6yQFIuJdlNsP-g3shXb9809WWU2G6FEa_ygl3ha7tx7rpJ5an5liHXfIx/s400/with_josey_the_church_steeple_and_rooftops.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467844241179318594" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW0A6SDnx4lVC4S6iwyPKDeWj_AXm4yACFfsGc_5DxpwokGOy8MZCoUup3xuW7CZjsqnKdDnS29vCBvZjjmfyPnvav0cKdcIerPJXErkBADA3Kv9o0iRLsjTVXlsDLoWWCkQoVJoOsKmJW/s1600/with_oyster_farms_in_the_background_and_josey_max_and_alize.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW0A6SDnx4lVC4S6iwyPKDeWj_AXm4yACFfsGc_5DxpwokGOy8MZCoUup3xuW7CZjsqnKdDnS29vCBvZjjmfyPnvav0cKdcIerPJXErkBADA3Kv9o0iRLsjTVXlsDLoWWCkQoVJoOsKmJW/s400/with_oyster_farms_in_the_background_and_josey_max_and_alize.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467844104476095298" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLZi8FvtDiiBAvEjBxLf6yK9VdnNQg4M1qqyeeerYLDYU1rwzxSDOm_84f2HEhL-0dA3jElAC4hhOu9ym0uuvynXQ2m3rDlMhgp4WcmxV_rktA0PSbBQoKQ-Ryas1EIoBVUZT6G585yPK3/s1600/rue_jeanne_d_arc_sign.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLZi8FvtDiiBAvEjBxLf6yK9VdnNQg4M1qqyeeerYLDYU1rwzxSDOm_84f2HEhL-0dA3jElAC4hhOu9ym0uuvynXQ2m3rDlMhgp4WcmxV_rktA0PSbBQoKQ-Ryas1EIoBVUZT6G585yPK3/s400/rue_jeanne_d_arc_sign.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467830824879349314" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh2psmf8onJ2-yq-P6sP-CmNU61jRQB66_qAg3OjApgB6w2ZAgYPq3e3MX3W1BlhtpHjwZXc7gKe7WcO9omtlwk05x6g5KkOLHlVnQAG425kIlrZIBRoGEZR6TO1q13Dw4WAqwVy0WkigD/s1600/maison_pitchiline_sign.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 346px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh2psmf8onJ2-yq-P6sP-CmNU61jRQB66_qAg3OjApgB6w2ZAgYPq3e3MX3W1BlhtpHjwZXc7gKe7WcO9omtlwk05x6g5KkOLHlVnQAG425kIlrZIBRoGEZR6TO1q13Dw4WAqwVy0WkigD/s400/maison_pitchiline_sign.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467843916358100882" border="0" /></a>Love to all!!Gayle Billathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08202995601569398280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552688079996598148.post-26720227301054855682010-05-05T08:58:00.001-07:002010-05-05T09:01:32.839-07:00Please Say a PrayerPlease say a prayer for our dear, dear friend, Kathy Wilkes, who passed away yesterday.<br /><br />Please also say a prayer for our dear, dear friends, Danny, her husband and Dot, her mother.<br /><br />I am terribly sad.<br /><br />I will miss her very much.<br /><br />Love to all!!Gayle Billathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08202995601569398280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552688079996598148.post-35552755675044625372010-04-28T04:22:00.000-07:002010-04-28T04:29:38.077-07:00April UpdateWe have lots to share, but it will all come in small posts.<br /><br />Coming attractions . . .<br /><ul><li>We bought a house in Santa Cruz!</li><li>Personal thanks to Mr. Ritter of the Rezidor Hotel Group</li><li>A Venetian vacation (prolonged due to volcanic ash)</li><li>A Moroccan vacation</li><li>Flat Koa visits from Santa Cruz<br /></li></ul>I promise to have something new & exciting (well, exciting to us) up on the blog soon.<br /><br />Love to all!!Gayle Billathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08202995601569398280noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552688079996598148.post-4390408210792091422010-03-08T10:11:00.000-08:002010-03-08T10:43:13.263-08:00Carnaval!Saturday, Bouziguads celebrated Carnaval - in a big way! Last year's Carnaval celebration was fun, but this year's was even more elaborate.<br /><br />The parade had lovely floats . . .<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpwvTRsCddLCCywqG-bbs0DDCCjsigPwotfMOQysVtkFYPrNPLEdbJfb4qqjN0cHHt0xQf5vEj95k_iyLqLsuFF2bEa5Xuxhpqe4O3gE_YZNKUymUcYaVZEVg4yF1b0_lCG7_EepW88MtV/s1600-h/parade_from_the_front_mar2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpwvTRsCddLCCywqG-bbs0DDCCjsigPwotfMOQysVtkFYPrNPLEdbJfb4qqjN0cHHt0xQf5vEj95k_iyLqLsuFF2bEa5Xuxhpqe4O3gE_YZNKUymUcYaVZEVg4yF1b0_lCG7_EepW88MtV/s400/parade_from_the_front_mar2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446333563703693986" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZpRit6_KbJ10Az0uD0zhQV1M8LUsbZBnl2g527e4Ewbb2-AFE7gmw9JD0xyjXcVLJ9UbFZslCGg9U_Bwk1WeNcTvOWW8KD-gCN2fsOefyvwKLwN_SUj8miDOXuwHMuB_PP5RyyIXa6auA/s1600-h/bonbon_float_from_the_front_mar2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZpRit6_KbJ10Az0uD0zhQV1M8LUsbZBnl2g527e4Ewbb2-AFE7gmw9JD0xyjXcVLJ9UbFZslCGg9U_Bwk1WeNcTvOWW8KD-gCN2fsOefyvwKLwN_SUj8miDOXuwHMuB_PP5RyyIXa6auA/s400/bonbon_float_from_the_front_mar2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446328190797632018" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZIQM3PZThOC3PaIOQ0KWS_0bllLZCEAYOnjt24F-vJiEQZWzDR0TUQdHmykzjiyP591I7vPqX47FiRkhtHuaxs3vBSMd92ASbJQPi_yS3rBFeDqw-Gx2TpHRru2x2Q2ZoNBGuPm0jWLE9/s1600-h/bonbon_float_indian_driver_mar2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZIQM3PZThOC3PaIOQ0KWS_0bllLZCEAYOnjt24F-vJiEQZWzDR0TUQdHmykzjiyP591I7vPqX47FiRkhtHuaxs3vBSMd92ASbJQPi_yS3rBFeDqw-Gx2TpHRru2x2Q2ZoNBGuPm0jWLE9/s400/bonbon_float_indian_driver_mar2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446329482277418066" border="0" /></a><br />And sexy nuns . . .<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq2qs2IKBiCPGd4seZUf2kRUXNCSmFxTirXdWyuGos7lF9J-MjP7ev31h4AgHyOw1hmxPzqybvcOijDcVu6DQkh8enh34wFPfVIXOTDv71mW9_G7p5YECNJkGxYfXMzFHR3QSIEKsTTDL2/s1600-h/alis_sister_mar2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq2qs2IKBiCPGd4seZUf2kRUXNCSmFxTirXdWyuGos7lF9J-MjP7ev31h4AgHyOw1hmxPzqybvcOijDcVu6DQkh8enh34wFPfVIXOTDv71mW9_G7p5YECNJkGxYfXMzFHR3QSIEKsTTDL2/s400/alis_sister_mar2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446334075190956946" border="0" /></a>And there was a band . . .<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9WWkKqgTjQJFWFx_SU2Cea7ELN-hanIXZzQSY7A5jVOJlVtIYDE-JlTNmiVS7gFfJOEl48FxLULv-yWaWwBeGERm6F27qMsldEocURxuqPUId3HfouWDvIUMgNWD1G2AcFdKzSrC04Bmf/s1600-h/bouzigues_band_mar2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9WWkKqgTjQJFWFx_SU2Cea7ELN-hanIXZzQSY7A5jVOJlVtIYDE-JlTNmiVS7gFfJOEl48FxLULv-yWaWwBeGERm6F27qMsldEocURxuqPUId3HfouWDvIUMgNWD1G2AcFdKzSrC04Bmf/s400/bouzigues_band_mar2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446332997651305554" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNV3gbql134GTvI8mwzfLIjfkWWJunZVGSlq7m0dB1fP1HvJPmU-X0Olv15n8pKlv6wt_msfHFoeSlxoIkvn5a-R_A8R78tWWOK1Oq2UMPQ-ap0Pi9OJ-b999GTJO99fhKEYl2mQcs7C0J/s1600-h/bouzigues_drummer_mar2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNV3gbql134GTvI8mwzfLIjfkWWJunZVGSlq7m0dB1fP1HvJPmU-X0Olv15n8pKlv6wt_msfHFoeSlxoIkvn5a-R_A8R78tWWOK1Oq2UMPQ-ap0Pi9OJ-b999GTJO99fhKEYl2mQcs7C0J/s400/bouzigues_drummer_mar2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446333173519230370" border="0" /></a><br />And there were girls on ponies (although I can't say I enjoyed the "treats" the ponies left in their wake!) . . .<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht2VkA_b_EmOrlGTn2WAV_FYklUs5anpLVigafxGw0fiZsxh4NWmI2kO1mpLyllRw0zcCkXMdwKJl-um1Hz0VB6YbP4hXmQdgZ9Ah09bRKbB5n5j-aZMlhrPXSajgBoBENboc4F1FNl5bW/s1600-h/girl_on_pony_mar2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht2VkA_b_EmOrlGTn2WAV_FYklUs5anpLVigafxGw0fiZsxh4NWmI2kO1mpLyllRw0zcCkXMdwKJl-um1Hz0VB6YbP4hXmQdgZ9Ah09bRKbB5n5j-aZMlhrPXSajgBoBENboc4F1FNl5bW/s400/girl_on_pony_mar2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446334347429963330" border="0" /></a>And there were hundreds of Bouziguads - both in and out of costumes . . . Here are some of my favorites, including Josey's friend Mathilde.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB3ukl1KvCSuYiVn-I3UjwiakL95BmQ6iYLfX5K1VFk9p-boEOiJsDWHLm7d4Pz-lBNIl_I83oJxEmuzJBaprntJ-cpPN-gysga__caZpo405fFvYwLP6nPTCIq2Kb004t02Wb6xEYygt0/s1600-h/bouziguads_in_costume_mar2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB3ukl1KvCSuYiVn-I3UjwiakL95BmQ6iYLfX5K1VFk9p-boEOiJsDWHLm7d4Pz-lBNIl_I83oJxEmuzJBaprntJ-cpPN-gysga__caZpo405fFvYwLP6nPTCIq2Kb004t02Wb6xEYygt0/s400/bouziguads_in_costume_mar2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446329819984817698" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwU29zq2Ofk3YeP55BZJwj5dWvkgu-UqMigawYlb8VY7ENaiBmtKxt9naStoHYFKNjmzSMvnZkcoDjxuQIdIkGqBZIIEb-0xsPKF4el8a6LT_OWTiGUENWyBrqJk8S9hCOmJElTcuLIl3r/s1600-h/mathilde_mar2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwU29zq2Ofk3YeP55BZJwj5dWvkgu-UqMigawYlb8VY7ENaiBmtKxt9naStoHYFKNjmzSMvnZkcoDjxuQIdIkGqBZIIEb-0xsPKF4el8a6LT_OWTiGUENWyBrqJk8S9hCOmJElTcuLIl3r/s400/mathilde_mar2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446334529946168050" border="0" /></a>And there was the burning effigy . . . Remember, this is supposed to signify a cleansing of all the year's sins as a precursor to Lent.<br /><br />Check out the action shots. No problem lighting him this year!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA6VSFg5ZNDLmKXZq5Mu7-y31MZUkE75bAQu3F2wjeey6IEHZ4WKhmQIAjhl1e0cXz_K-4yI0tYGwY-_AyvfVoTYCLkj_UzItEKuWEJRXiMhNvoM9WCKY6yq5q3MWMFdct2x80E-yrcqhW/s1600-h/burning_effigy_lighting_mar2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA6VSFg5ZNDLmKXZq5Mu7-y31MZUkE75bAQu3F2wjeey6IEHZ4WKhmQIAjhl1e0cXz_K-4yI0tYGwY-_AyvfVoTYCLkj_UzItEKuWEJRXiMhNvoM9WCKY6yq5q3MWMFdct2x80E-yrcqhW/s400/burning_effigy_lighting_mar2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446330610383953282" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR2KGmqGKHY1FeMf5-WiThHPbaKrmseVutGIzEc_9Upb1r4Y9h09AC8PwggWPwRHhLLZFu5tdLq9ZE3RwHF4mDLTmhuFnwnzGGqtFBCuajzatJSidTRh18aEVO0hah8JwZbv3DFipoclhv/s1600-h/burning_effigy_conflagration_7_mar2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR2KGmqGKHY1FeMf5-WiThHPbaKrmseVutGIzEc_9Upb1r4Y9h09AC8PwggWPwRHhLLZFu5tdLq9ZE3RwHF4mDLTmhuFnwnzGGqtFBCuajzatJSidTRh18aEVO0hah8JwZbv3DFipoclhv/s400/burning_effigy_conflagration_7_mar2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446330089482454162" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheAb0KeOb5mDydJzXVArL2DeUwwzBIvFw5I2hkV3maAApazaw8iLkuam-KoP3Iw0bKG9EpWQxJtejX_SGQ-uXAfVZKiAJqeaJoJxmk1Sbdx5Sx5kPVmFG2H7g1wB2PETgP59-q2EmNDgPs/s1600-h/burning_effigy_conflagration_mar2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheAb0KeOb5mDydJzXVArL2DeUwwzBIvFw5I2hkV3maAApazaw8iLkuam-KoP3Iw0bKG9EpWQxJtejX_SGQ-uXAfVZKiAJqeaJoJxmk1Sbdx5Sx5kPVmFG2H7g1wB2PETgP59-q2EmNDgPs/s400/burning_effigy_conflagration_mar2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446330346863442386" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgxzKmkKtzOJMcd2fP8e5kqs1Ttu6Bl8Z03OwCG1HdSqSfuVzJ3dC3WSGPER8FhZMf6R07_jIGUUxGCS6QEhDtI2d5zz9SCWJwaWj89Hehq5-L2tSHq25fV4yXAYO3xIuxxcZYMs28_ey9/s1600-h/burning_effigy_the_end_mar2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgxzKmkKtzOJMcd2fP8e5kqs1Ttu6Bl8Z03OwCG1HdSqSfuVzJ3dC3WSGPER8FhZMf6R07_jIGUUxGCS6QEhDtI2d5zz9SCWJwaWj89Hehq5-L2tSHq25fV4yXAYO3xIuxxcZYMs28_ey9/s400/burning_effigy_the_end_mar2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446331006304682482" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikw-f29q8zXbZVmRYzvx07w7s_srN61S1ktKyAS95QmpPjuF4zfdYk67VvR5TuLnNgCx_G3nAQAgySvwxJ4Ryx47tpWMBuum5UBsiOJjN_QJAEvBP5C-XUdHy2C4_GneEZj5Znp7aPRIF3/s1600-h/the_crowd_in_the_square_mar2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikw-f29q8zXbZVmRYzvx07w7s_srN61S1ktKyAS95QmpPjuF4zfdYk67VvR5TuLnNgCx_G3nAQAgySvwxJ4Ryx47tpWMBuum5UBsiOJjN_QJAEvBP5C-XUdHy2C4_GneEZj5Znp7aPRIF3/s400/the_crowd_in_the_square_mar2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446333792479229362" border="0" /></a>Max and Josey made great use of their new Moroccan attire! Alize (the kids' best friend) joined us for the day.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidlO13NNfhtkRdfasHxFZNI5WjERmvqrKkpB_fDVvO0arx7mkeuKtzLXkFUfyPyXOOMW5_raivvtxvtzAfubYiL1AfNqJU6m2Ue03Jys2mZeC6GlyrLoycpu_eMLNuNUA5y-wiJtCVgxwZ/s1600-h/max_and_alize_mar2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidlO13NNfhtkRdfasHxFZNI5WjERmvqrKkpB_fDVvO0arx7mkeuKtzLXkFUfyPyXOOMW5_raivvtxvtzAfubYiL1AfNqJU6m2Ue03Jys2mZeC6GlyrLoycpu_eMLNuNUA5y-wiJtCVgxwZ/s400/max_and_alize_mar2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446331952898284770" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKN0HpWvJ4osP_eVjGe7-o5WSRJBBakv35Ga90ALzv1oNBSC4gZtbLknZltzQr-KUmU9mWwgY-8IzuUmoP3w57Bl1Q-qg-GdOQ27tcwrHrTteJfJAOgvaR2CrA8rzDvQJhhcYcHZcllspg/s1600-h/josey_max_and_alize_2_mar2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKN0HpWvJ4osP_eVjGe7-o5WSRJBBakv35Ga90ALzv1oNBSC4gZtbLknZltzQr-KUmU9mWwgY-8IzuUmoP3w57Bl1Q-qg-GdOQ27tcwrHrTteJfJAOgvaR2CrA8rzDvQJhhcYcHZcllspg/s400/josey_max_and_alize_2_mar2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446331277599313298" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicxVTpAL1dkJlIBjsu7HH06f8J0svG-tju6Zhv_AfZhE0Tz0iE1blGy0lhgJWD-o4N8EVISG-gE4PuIsQ6cm12AlxE4i7-4bN0nsrcijFV5R4gl_hQl9xALtDhajf0QfluXCcJTIuc03Kw/s1600-h/josey_the_moroccan_princess_mar2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicxVTpAL1dkJlIBjsu7HH06f8J0svG-tju6Zhv_AfZhE0Tz0iE1blGy0lhgJWD-o4N8EVISG-gE4PuIsQ6cm12AlxE4i7-4bN0nsrcijFV5R4gl_hQl9xALtDhajf0QfluXCcJTIuc03Kw/s400/josey_the_moroccan_princess_mar2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446331670819047378" border="0" /></a>And there was a ton of confetti & silly string! Here are Max and Marie in a confetti war. Marie is one of our other favorite Bouziguad children.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Rnl6-cXxJF8vtlBTSZa1BWQipsjZgKaIji1bAfZC006Na2NScnnOYfaox8w1qpYD-0ICSH5mOkvaqMUHuzRsOtFDZGzH40zHYKJgymWMkYF0bIuR8JisPC19yecbc_KC-rgkdczEuWxu/s1600-h/max_and_marie_throwing_confetti_mar2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Rnl6-cXxJF8vtlBTSZa1BWQipsjZgKaIji1bAfZC006Na2NScnnOYfaox8w1qpYD-0ICSH5mOkvaqMUHuzRsOtFDZGzH40zHYKJgymWMkYF0bIuR8JisPC19yecbc_KC-rgkdczEuWxu/s400/max_and_marie_throwing_confetti_mar2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446332301199531522" border="0" /></a><br />Love to all!!Gayle Billathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08202995601569398280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552688079996598148.post-47764106185253854972010-03-07T05:29:00.000-08:002010-03-07T06:12:09.927-08:00Better Late than NeverLast weekend, poor little Max Man had a 24-hour flu. While he was laying miserably upon the couch, I asked him if he wanted to look at some pictures to cheer himself up. He said yes, and he wanted to see happy pictures of himself with Grandma & Dude.<br /><br />That's when I realized: Oh no! I never blogged about our last day in Paris with my parents. Quelle horreur!<br /><br />Our last day in Paris was almost a bust! Why? Well, Dado had done quite a bit of research before our arrival, to ensure that the entertainment level was high. In his research, he learned about Chinatown in Paris. Our little family had so much fun in San Francisco's Chinatown that we decided it would be a fun thing to visit in Paris, too. Alas, that last morning in Paris, which was a Monday, while doing further research, Dado learned that Monday is the only day that is not a good choice for a visit to Chinatown because most stores are closed. Oops.<br /><br />We went for it anyway! We plotted out our Metro trip, boarded, and traveled on. When we arrived in Chinatown, it was indeed shut up for the day. However, all was not lost. We found a terrific Vietnamese restaurant, and we enjoyed a fabulous lunch.<br /><br />Thus fortified, we decided that we would try to visit the famous catacombs in Paris. Again, we plotted our Metro trip, boarded, and traveled on. Unfortunately, many of Paris' touristy sights are also closed on Monday. Darn! No catacombs.<br /><br />Now it was about 2:00 in the afternoon, and we still wanted to find something fun to do on our last day! Grandma to the rescue. On the train, on their way into Paris, she told the kids that she really wanted to see Sacre Couer, the famous church on the hill overlooking the city. Mike and I had visited Sacre Couer on our first day in Paris, but now it was time for us all to go together.<br /><br />Again with the Metro . . . and we arrived (very successfully, I might add) at Sacre Couer! Here are some great pictures from outside.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHPEuhd8Ngkuwb_dG2U1gU5KSlAva1jWjOsWJ5kdvz4uOprN6heXuy1Tm5FRcDfMjUrbDyan29be4Cbkon-wK502dmsgvOccXbXcILoMe7pJrLW1olG-7vA0_86FWILtApBrhWrNoli10Z/s1600-h/dude_and_josey_at_sacre_couer_jan10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHPEuhd8Ngkuwb_dG2U1gU5KSlAva1jWjOsWJ5kdvz4uOprN6heXuy1Tm5FRcDfMjUrbDyan29be4Cbkon-wK502dmsgvOccXbXcILoMe7pJrLW1olG-7vA0_86FWILtApBrhWrNoli10Z/s400/dude_and_josey_at_sacre_couer_jan10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5445887066672247202" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgODskJ_NdvU5OZxxItFlZIAPON2aURXNs2RrCaQ9qcGVpMNx3vcQyvwwFWN-SJ-7Bx4i1gR70AkXs0hCp9ksU-93yefuuxBJ39ZLWI3PR-Xlgg4iIiYMOP5JFY-p7dYjsL4Q-MHJYgjvlY/s1600-h/dude_with_max_and_josey_at_sacre_couer_jan10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgODskJ_NdvU5OZxxItFlZIAPON2aURXNs2RrCaQ9qcGVpMNx3vcQyvwwFWN-SJ-7Bx4i1gR70AkXs0hCp9ksU-93yefuuxBJ39ZLWI3PR-Xlgg4iIiYMOP5JFY-p7dYjsL4Q-MHJYgjvlY/s400/dude_with_max_and_josey_at_sacre_couer_jan10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5445889173375533810" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikKY3X_qIKWROzcTIBYAgWzNEOSfzgETLMMfjbqmVPoYCxddq9J180dSGsRx7K4HBoMUNDlIgm8snSQtevv0wBSKwJ0Do1ECTeuUUYOs8NMCIizUSJ3KGdwGQmGQgOpcXEla3eDIf8Rqx3/s1600-h/grom_with_max_and_josey_at_sacre_couer_jan10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikKY3X_qIKWROzcTIBYAgWzNEOSfzgETLMMfjbqmVPoYCxddq9J180dSGsRx7K4HBoMUNDlIgm8snSQtevv0wBSKwJ0Do1ECTeuUUYOs8NMCIizUSJ3KGdwGQmGQgOpcXEla3eDIf8Rqx3/s400/grom_with_max_and_josey_at_sacre_couer_jan10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5445890822550034722" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5xsx6r9vYFkeay-Y2b8wgNBtUKIREs1N9z3ZtAK_1lqLTIPKEUr2QeUtUg0re3tcelHq1N6dhr4qrbinoFCaBzDQQLDrEJozT_uZaSxi7BY8t8sVqGcsSRwtDiB51iNB-mdMcBNvmFMdF/s1600-h/grom_and_max_at_sacre_couer_jan10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5xsx6r9vYFkeay-Y2b8wgNBtUKIREs1N9z3ZtAK_1lqLTIPKEUr2QeUtUg0re3tcelHq1N6dhr4qrbinoFCaBzDQQLDrEJozT_uZaSxi7BY8t8sVqGcsSRwtDiB51iNB-mdMcBNvmFMdF/s400/grom_and_max_at_sacre_couer_jan10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5445889637285619298" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHxLnJ022wl-toJk0y8zRaCS09Rf0rcU-OfJMubPR_pfsbb-NnDAP5Rm0GsX-doT9d22otKwbbVpFzdSrSyLMWrXyQ9BIalslFhVReAsQePAa6-mlhZADpZ4N_t22aILzsj43kG2NPjyRk/s1600-h/sacre_couer_jan10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHxLnJ022wl-toJk0y8zRaCS09Rf0rcU-OfJMubPR_pfsbb-NnDAP5Rm0GsX-doT9d22otKwbbVpFzdSrSyLMWrXyQ9BIalslFhVReAsQePAa6-mlhZADpZ4N_t22aILzsj43kG2NPjyRk/s400/sacre_couer_jan10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5445894328203742978" border="0" /></a>When we were finished touring Sacre Couer, we started our walk back down the hill to the Metro station. Along the way, we all wanted a rest and something warm to drink. Check out the hot chocolate at the cafe Dude selected!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDEI9E3UDo8H_H9AL5FG6YyC4WMBw3l0fOdHO9laFqxp4rNTehyphenhyphenBKjKsXM-tJ9I-QtlbMZY-0leAYwvQQkP5tLTRYI8zEGDdugGB77YZ0gRYhSwFfDHfu7dHFpE396wkh3Vjz11yK27dwX/s1600-h/hot_chocolate_in_cafe_closeup_jan10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDEI9E3UDo8H_H9AL5FG6YyC4WMBw3l0fOdHO9laFqxp4rNTehyphenhyphenBKjKsXM-tJ9I-QtlbMZY-0leAYwvQQkP5tLTRYI8zEGDdugGB77YZ0gRYhSwFfDHfu7dHFpE396wkh3Vjz11yK27dwX/s400/hot_chocolate_in_cafe_closeup_jan10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5445889885936927506" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmXTYxbnFJ4Pw39yg6TRPa7ehs1X9NpFbIUAIcYi0hDtvi7jJAaoAL9rR0Cm80e5mEsYevYYkc55CnX7MzbQP_oCu7gVFZiFqkcN3XN2fYASCh4_ignQ1DOD2T37CSga3oOx_K9eM6STkc/s1600-h/josey_in_cafe_wearing_groms_new_hat_GREAT_jan10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmXTYxbnFJ4Pw39yg6TRPa7ehs1X9NpFbIUAIcYi0hDtvi7jJAaoAL9rR0Cm80e5mEsYevYYkc55CnX7MzbQP_oCu7gVFZiFqkcN3XN2fYASCh4_ignQ1DOD2T37CSga3oOx_K9eM6STkc/s400/josey_in_cafe_wearing_groms_new_hat_GREAT_jan10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5445890271186146482" border="0" /></a>And Grom was also successful because she found the hat she had been looking for since arriving in France! Of course, this is Josey wearing it, not my mom.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sidebar</span>: There is an awesome iPhone app for the Metro! I think it was 2.99 US, and it was well worth the cost.<br /><br />We took the Metro home, tired from the day. We arrived gratefully back at Debb & Reed's apartment, and Dado whipped up our last meal in Paris.<br /><br />Then, I had one more store I wanted to visit. I simply had to go to Fauchon, where they sell small tins of chocolate (and an amazing selection of gourmet foods and wines of all sorts!). I wanted one of those little tins to use as a knitting notions box. What a perfect souvenir, right? I wanted to get one for Sharlene, too.<br /><br />We plugged the address into Dado's iPhone, and it looked to be about a 30 minute walk. Ha! We were gone about 90 minutes. However, I was successful.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj21XuZ5blBgBtZd7eiIz3g3ItWHqWQC2j33x8OEf7H7aiXoAr2wNARw79bkz6HRq5cxzgS05OilCLldM3YUhWhKw8s0aJP1a4OtdmlivTS9fP-V9rmSZ3hi2rTMbmJ2NUelZqUgt3SOzxR/s1600-h/fauchon_chocolat_jan10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj21XuZ5blBgBtZd7eiIz3g3ItWHqWQC2j33x8OEf7H7aiXoAr2wNARw79bkz6HRq5cxzgS05OilCLldM3YUhWhKw8s0aJP1a4OtdmlivTS9fP-V9rmSZ3hi2rTMbmJ2NUelZqUgt3SOzxR/s400/fauchon_chocolat_jan10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5445891863793534082" border="0" /></a>The next day, Grom & Dude left around 6:30am. I thought they were overestimating the time it would take to go through security at CDG airport. However, due to the attempted terrorist attack on Christmas Day, they are lucky to have left that early! After lots of extra security lines and delays, they made it home safely.<br /><br />We had a quick hop on the Metro to get to our train station. Then, the train ride back to Bouzigues was simple - with hardly anyone on the train. Our friend Sabrina picked us up in Montpellier, and thus ended our Parisian adventure.<br /><br />Love to all!Gayle Billathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08202995601569398280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552688079996598148.post-87441844037907787972010-03-07T03:49:00.000-08:002010-03-07T05:28:58.769-08:00Tarragona & The PyreneesWhen we returned from Marrakesh, we flew into Reus, Spain - the airport from which we were able to catch the 24 euro roundtrip/each plane to Morocco. We arrived around 10:00pm, so we spent the night in Reus. And, since we were already so far from home, we decided to profit from our location and spend a day in Spain and some time skiing in the Pyrenees (which were on our way home from Reus).<br /><br />Tarragona is a city about 15 minutes from Reus, and it has an amazing number of Roman ruins. That is where we spent our day in Spain.<br /><br />Tarragona is right on the coast of the Med, which is probably why the Romans built a city there. Here is a view of the coast from atop the Roman Circus ruins.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2RZeYDaHHDG1xJ9zvq1bIc20ZbbpxN3PCpmiyuTe6dE6zd9nwNFtrsljatwVdkj-n1kmianZ7nxBjRPEB4W7Jl5NxT6OekqpZ5yDni8rXrWeG8kNnsv3S5m6uKDjsv-HRX25yTc0rtt2g/s1600-h/beach_in_tarragona_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2RZeYDaHHDG1xJ9zvq1bIc20ZbbpxN3PCpmiyuTe6dE6zd9nwNFtrsljatwVdkj-n1kmianZ7nxBjRPEB4W7Jl5NxT6OekqpZ5yDni8rXrWeG8kNnsv3S5m6uKDjsv-HRX25yTc0rtt2g/s400/beach_in_tarragona_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5445864348354549490" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNF-GI61MKdRA-JmDiUnTNxQlnBpL93zSftHO3oX_MZojcaAHbHOCmaHeAWxqKDl80Lq5qiluEnBbx4pVcpB4PTJswQ4xTjW6u2TSrNL9-WmgVQU2flCGhhrEyXvZTTnPIXnW3zzCVDcwg/s1600-h/roman_circus_from_far_above_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNF-GI61MKdRA-JmDiUnTNxQlnBpL93zSftHO3oX_MZojcaAHbHOCmaHeAWxqKDl80Lq5qiluEnBbx4pVcpB4PTJswQ4xTjW6u2TSrNL9-WmgVQU2flCGhhrEyXvZTTnPIXnW3zzCVDcwg/s400/roman_circus_from_far_above_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5445865504625161922" border="0" /></a>The Roman city was immense! There was a Circus (home of chariot races), a Colosseum, and a Forum.<br /><br />The Circus was so massive during it's era (based on the descriptions we read) that it would outsize an American football stadium. Now, the ruins are but a mere portion of that size. That's where we started our tour of Tarragona, and it was fascinating.<br /><br />A lot of the Circus ruins are below ground now. It was unclear to us if they always were underground, or if they were buried over time. There were over 50 enormous arches that supported some of the structure (the entryway, I believe), and we walked through the remaining part of this section of the building. The scale is incredible, especially considering that this was built over 2000 years ago!<br /><br />This underground portion was used for many purposes once the Romans were toppled from power. It was a dump, and then it was a munitions storage facility. Now, the Spanish are trying to preserve what is left.<br /><br />In the picture above, you can see one of the arches from the entryway. I took this picture standing atop the circus building. Unfortunately, we were never in a place where I could take a complete picture of the Circus (because it is enormous).<br /><br />Below are several photos of the Colosseum. The first picture is a view of the Colosseum from the Circus.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4gG97_lMRMb-WKVksCyM1YZE3XfeP8ATn1Pz2fn7Yvq_gIL6my5HnJW9h7j2Q2qzk2CBJMjrNW5gYtF0VPs85yC77vgEGLeqU0keIf35QP0dombBs7VbEzjR8u6_oy3n6sWTSoLcZJ50M/s1600-h/colosseum_from_far_above_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4gG97_lMRMb-WKVksCyM1YZE3XfeP8ATn1Pz2fn7Yvq_gIL6my5HnJW9h7j2Q2qzk2CBJMjrNW5gYtF0VPs85yC77vgEGLeqU0keIf35QP0dombBs7VbEzjR8u6_oy3n6sWTSoLcZJ50M/s400/colosseum_from_far_above_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5445863266778357394" border="0" /></a>This is a picture of the center of the Colosseum, where you can see a bit of the underground area, which is where the animals and gladiators were often raised from below the stage via pulleys & trapdoors.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ6Es2wTiBOFsGMHAVCwN84He53x-Bzb-fDskSharHbh732Nyhyphenhyphen691093wVbETbOTrmmKiGeFjAPhJCqjpXM7RSurJC0o1gguebUWFBJyUK2Axs_TpUPpuai_Lk5Buu2ifckeweSV8m3Xl/s1600-h/colosseum_wideangle_GREAT_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ6Es2wTiBOFsGMHAVCwN84He53x-Bzb-fDskSharHbh732Nyhyphenhyphen691093wVbETbOTrmmKiGeFjAPhJCqjpXM7RSurJC0o1gguebUWFBJyUK2Axs_TpUPpuai_Lk5Buu2ifckeweSV8m3Xl/s400/colosseum_wideangle_GREAT_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5445861857798936930" border="0" /></a>And here is a closeup of the underground portion of the Colosseum stage.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyG3v131irGs8GLB4iBLEdSQzamZFhWcuy_KNra7jtXS8lX1J5xlpamy6u6PgyvkbHkDevnFplT1honydpvocWqxmYxnWHK2v13pXkjs6Wi0EEI0pO5RXoIhwaCDvO9v0VX1dAG-Uh1_m4/s1600-h/colosseum_underground_closeup_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyG3v131irGs8GLB4iBLEdSQzamZFhWcuy_KNra7jtXS8lX1J5xlpamy6u6PgyvkbHkDevnFplT1honydpvocWqxmYxnWHK2v13pXkjs6Wi0EEI0pO5RXoIhwaCDvO9v0VX1dAG-Uh1_m4/s400/colosseum_underground_closeup_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5445862411236279154" border="0" /></a>Below is a picture of remaining columns in the Forum. The Forum was quite spread out. Now it is completely surrounded by huge (and not pretty) Spanish buildings. You can see an apartment building in the background. The unattractive background scenery did not encourage me to take additional pictures.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT4z1Pjf5N99j_OpbIDs75M-yXm68ceO5bCW-dbQXeZac9UaeElxf6w4yNjDg-rfaHS8h-6LBmsDyzvp49B16OIrcls1fv0bS_gEQAuGtUPCYE3-jG4PoWRFW_4HiGAV864LxGLR1MJKZ4/s1600-h/roman_columns_in_tarragona_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT4z1Pjf5N99j_OpbIDs75M-yXm68ceO5bCW-dbQXeZac9UaeElxf6w4yNjDg-rfaHS8h-6LBmsDyzvp49B16OIrcls1fv0bS_gEQAuGtUPCYE3-jG4PoWRFW_4HiGAV864LxGLR1MJKZ4/s400/roman_columns_in_tarragona_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5445861207481152882" border="0" /></a>Tarragona's city centre is on a hill, which overlooks the ocean and many of the Roman ruins. Here is a view of the city centre from atop the Roman Circus ruins.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy9OZC9vMWzXZkvNVXD95o6MRs15usv4qdCVhYjrFn_0NJbM2vsySf271wGTUbtPTLMuYFt4YgERj86CyCQLD5asOB4hkYJys4_o5YNGhp53aefdTXrPEwX2KYMMGPk8fEvbEnmimrBF89/s1600-h/city_centre_in_tarragona_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy9OZC9vMWzXZkvNVXD95o6MRs15usv4qdCVhYjrFn_0NJbM2vsySf271wGTUbtPTLMuYFt4YgERj86CyCQLD5asOB4hkYJys4_o5YNGhp53aefdTXrPEwX2KYMMGPk8fEvbEnmimrBF89/s400/city_centre_in_tarragona_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5445864676815199074" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWrT0gbd6slS-GH7TrseCeBVeeqpegenftQf9TyFiTTrZH3-n1UM2uFzUTRWe228Ezn4u-Vouzlio35C4eRZNw-Jhxy3Sxuiez2oWfdJ1_bpwEvUhRsiC20PYViTOJ_HaBcouemsEtEo5N/s1600-h/max_with_strange_statue_in_tarragona_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWrT0gbd6slS-GH7TrseCeBVeeqpegenftQf9TyFiTTrZH3-n1UM2uFzUTRWe228Ezn4u-Vouzlio35C4eRZNw-Jhxy3Sxuiez2oWfdJ1_bpwEvUhRsiC20PYViTOJ_HaBcouemsEtEo5N/s400/max_with_strange_statue_in_tarragona_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5445860401487045378" border="0" /></a>There is also a very nice pedestrian area from the Roman ruins, along the coast a bit, and through the commercial part of the city - much like the pedestrian area in Barcelona. There were even interesting & slightly bizarre statues along the pedestrian area here (as in Barcelona). The only things missing were the humans posing as statues. Of course, it was rainy, and that may have kept the human statues indoors.<br /><br />As for our time in the Pyrenees, I do not have any photos to share. We were so busy skiing that the camera remained in our little hotel/apartment. However, we had an excellent time! The kids are quite the accomplished skiers already.<br /><br />Love to all!!Gayle Billathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08202995601569398280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552688079996598148.post-76700456308767614422010-02-27T07:38:00.000-08:002010-02-27T07:46:03.183-08:00GratitudeThere are many things for which I am grateful. However, spending a week in Morocco has made me more aware of how lucky I am to have been born in America.<br /><br />By the standards of many in this world, I am spoiled, pampered, and incredibly rich.<br /><br />As an American, I take many material things for granted.<br /><ul><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Shelter</span>: I have a home that would be considered a palace by billions of people in this world. A home with bathrooms, that does not leak in the rain, has windows to provide light, has beds for sleeping, has chairs for sitting, has a table for eating . . .<br /></li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Running water</span>: At the turn of a faucet, I have clean water to drink, to bathe in, to cook with, to wash my clothes in, to flush toilets with, and so many other things that I cannot even imagine.</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Electricty</span>: At the flick of a switch, I can turn a dark room bright, turn a cold room warm, heat my water, refrigerate and cook my food, wash my clothes, wash my dishes, and so many other things that I take for granted.</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Food</span>: I have grocery stores everywhere, all with more food than I can possibly eat, including fresh, healthy produce; safe and sanitary meat, poultry, and fish; fresh dairy products of all sorts; and anything else my taste buds could want.</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">A Job & Money</span>: I have a great job, one that provides me with enough money so I can afford to pay for the things for which I am grateful.</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Transportation</span>: I have two cars that take me where I need to go, and they are safe and reliable, with heat, air conditioning, a radio, seat belts, and room to hold anything I need to transport.</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Clothes</span>: I have far more than I can wear and everything that I need to be warm and dry from head to toe.</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Doctors & Medicine</span>: I can go to the doctor for whatever ails me. I can also go to one of those aforementioned grocery stores or a drug store and buy medicine for almost anything that ails me.</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Equal Rights</span>: As a woman, I can expect to live, work, and be treated as fairly as a man.</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Education</span>: I received an excellent education as both a child and an adult. For this, I am grateful both to my country, which provides free education to every child, and to my parents, who financed most of my college education. How fortunate I was to be able to educate myself well enough to be gainfully employed!</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Freedom of Religion</span>: I can practice any religion I choose.<br /></li></ul>I know there is more, so much more, that I cannot even think of because I expect it - things that I take for granted that others may never experience in a full lifetime.<br /><br />I am also thoroughly grateful for the ability to travel. Without the ability, desire, and interest in traveling, I would not have the wonderful opportunity to see that which I have seen, and I would also not be reminded to appreciate that which I have.<br /><br />And, of course, I am grateful for my friends and family. Without them, where would I be?<br /><br />Love to all!!Gayle Billathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08202995601569398280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552688079996598148.post-28323003500281273212010-02-27T06:00:00.001-08:002010-02-27T07:38:03.526-08:00Our Last DaysOur last full day in Marrakesh was truly one of leisure. After another yummy breakfast of fresh yogurt, Moroccan bread and fresh-squeezed OJ, we went hotel crashing. You may remember that we crashed the Sheraton when we were in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Tenerife</span>. Well, Dado decided that we should crash Le <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Meridien</span>, one of the Sheraton hotels, here in Marrakesh.<br /><br />We set off with our map and managed to walk almost directly to Le <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Meridien</span>, which was about 20 minutes away. We didn't even need a guide!<br /><br />Le <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Meridien</span> is nothing at all exciting. We are even more grateful now that we chose a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Riad</span>! Here at Dar <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Silsila</span> we have personal attention from <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Mohammed</span> and the other employees round-the-clock, we have <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">opulent</span> rooms, and we have the most amazing dinners!<br /><br />Our visit to Le <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Meridien</span> lasted a mere few minutes: long enough to scope out the pool (not heated), see that there weren't any restaurants open for lunch, and use the bathrooms. That's it.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr5xdcCE4Ha3BuC8Qg_27C4U2oLz-hBWbnO0c00UfeNlfkdVkhQ8__SVBTSJ_HuniXFVmpOhwuXU_tnj-Bjv8Dn9IeN_iOmR9fFCKP2g9wD4aVo41D9-_DJ75ZCxmwKz22yfCIaQujqVf1/s1600-h/le_meridien_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr5xdcCE4Ha3BuC8Qg_27C4U2oLz-hBWbnO0c00UfeNlfkdVkhQ8__SVBTSJ_HuniXFVmpOhwuXU_tnj-Bjv8Dn9IeN_iOmR9fFCKP2g9wD4aVo41D9-_DJ75ZCxmwKz22yfCIaQujqVf1/s400/le_meridien_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442946404599579538" border="0" /></a>We walked out to the main street and caught ourselves a horse-drawn carriage ride back to the square.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzthtu68chyphenhyphenc8CuZJk6D3NHYJXz9ptK7NAmw9Xp0vHOM1h7WVchiosmG1M_cgBT5nYxyZRX7-jFcLAIGxKi-DRKVi8cw0_r9_VP_oKqgMnrKB3U4cb6_nyEKWw7NBLL7GvICHs0PXRfenT/s1600-h/our_horse_carriage_2_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzthtu68chyphenhyphenc8CuZJk6D3NHYJXz9ptK7NAmw9Xp0vHOM1h7WVchiosmG1M_cgBT5nYxyZRX7-jFcLAIGxKi-DRKVi8cw0_r9_VP_oKqgMnrKB3U4cb6_nyEKWw7NBLL7GvICHs0PXRfenT/s400/our_horse_carriage_2_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442946101336307650" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL08NyYx8bTSWYCW31nqJ6RGhsG3Qa8Pm691PFhyZVEFVtXFQ_7tWWbqQlQUWYYFy7pSVpcBCZw-swGTwb2CTHtHMshFtjeoh6WmmcccL0D4d2N7_PPDo0zogXS4rmOFowUZFuWKJjYdol/s1600-h/josey_and_max_in_the_horse_carriage_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL08NyYx8bTSWYCW31nqJ6RGhsG3Qa8Pm691PFhyZVEFVtXFQ_7tWWbqQlQUWYYFy7pSVpcBCZw-swGTwb2CTHtHMshFtjeoh6WmmcccL0D4d2N7_PPDo0zogXS4rmOFowUZFuWKJjYdol/s400/josey_and_max_in_the_horse_carriage_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442945783370254530" border="0" /></a>Along the way, we had some great views of the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">minaret</span>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQqR-Bkq54S-SFb_ucdjst4aZmjpSF_T0FCFQ76Lta1F6WLVdNDLZJSXxV1QnliGbTENk5Rg_-TRETTwKaVRWoh8bW0gWR-ZSUlAR9YAr39h_dcQ7pa-f42CgzFL55al5wHu9A4thQgIGz/s1600-h/miniaret_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQqR-Bkq54S-SFb_ucdjst4aZmjpSF_T0FCFQ76Lta1F6WLVdNDLZJSXxV1QnliGbTENk5Rg_-TRETTwKaVRWoh8bW0gWR-ZSUlAR9YAr39h_dcQ7pa-f42CgzFL55al5wHu9A4thQgIGz/s400/miniaret_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442944670417320610" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBmQKGbVgLJtIDq8C7ae9Fg4BSRjVZlB-lbfZVSwV40PzUAWNo6YEGNH_4Ku5AOzL7sLqbaGegYb3HeRXAdRlcwhGVShrdDGQjGjofiPQ5eX0LkU68e8Q1Sq6leYbP229osw03U3Jw7R9u/s1600-h/miniaret_GREAT_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBmQKGbVgLJtIDq8C7ae9Fg4BSRjVZlB-lbfZVSwV40PzUAWNo6YEGNH_4Ku5AOzL7sLqbaGegYb3HeRXAdRlcwhGVShrdDGQjGjofiPQ5eX0LkU68e8Q1Sq6leYbP229osw03U3Jw7R9u/s400/miniaret_GREAT_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442944357799193634" border="0" /></a>And the wall of the Medina.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEvZm1D8r4t1s4m9p3tHZJg3G3ii0fbynU8T-crxPsy2_H6n8r1KiLeKlcr2clRZguhMFCPNQ_lKelFkV-HqEA5uk1xhkplV7erPkm4m4LC_xculgc1dN8xdt1RV31xwuZ_IsQm5Zsj91g/s1600-h/medina_wall_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEvZm1D8r4t1s4m9p3tHZJg3G3ii0fbynU8T-crxPsy2_H6n8r1KiLeKlcr2clRZguhMFCPNQ_lKelFkV-HqEA5uk1xhkplV7erPkm4m4LC_xculgc1dN8xdt1RV31xwuZ_IsQm5Zsj91g/s400/medina_wall_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442945454924720866" border="0" /></a>At the square, we were hoping to eat <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">shish</span> kebab as we did our first night. However, all of the restaurant stalls were gone! Either they are not there during the day, or - this being Friday, which is a holy day - they were closed for the day.<br /><br />Instead we settled for what turned out to be a completely boring lunch except for the call to prayer. There was a small mosque in front of the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">restaurant</span>, and Dado loved the opportunity to see the real thing.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJNVZ1NTO4eIE7AyjqBNccp30W1gGbDU1bgoO8Z9a3S91PlaxGAnu5QKj_uYzhldaVa6ZQSd3CJkSRdKHAgCJn9m53zeuSM_Ysce4oHakIJXgTL-sPB6OtUBhykG3RxisLURvDndja0COb/s1600-h/call_to_prayer_2_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJNVZ1NTO4eIE7AyjqBNccp30W1gGbDU1bgoO8Z9a3S91PlaxGAnu5QKj_uYzhldaVa6ZQSd3CJkSRdKHAgCJn9m53zeuSM_Ysce4oHakIJXgTL-sPB6OtUBhykG3RxisLURvDndja0COb/s400/call_to_prayer_2_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442925688071799026" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifhMfphb-06hM3e23ATGdZlxWVnTA8usWPd77XUnBt4h58iWCNBGmQGjwx28vumAK8BY1A6c5JRLw5nyf3BQoDgsE08hHD3e69uCkg0CzI9I1PuFHQTICGlyZgmPrUEyK0WG3GB7Oj2rRz/s1600-h/call_to_prayer_5_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifhMfphb-06hM3e23ATGdZlxWVnTA8usWPd77XUnBt4h58iWCNBGmQGjwx28vumAK8BY1A6c5JRLw5nyf3BQoDgsE08hHD3e69uCkg0CzI9I1PuFHQTICGlyZgmPrUEyK0WG3GB7Oj2rRz/s400/call_to_prayer_5_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442925970422608706" border="0" /></a>Josey also decided that she was going to confront her fear of snakes and snake charmers. Wow!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2n37ETzMwOyWcVqGYTACWWjyeBBSTxmUqJ8msnSyHbfZtTXi4AT6l-yTJ3yYtulLuTSUbI-eZUUuDGH17Yx5GQCHShRGkxxokO63yH2o-BxMtNOLAIvqC1zS2cnzz-lDFSE1mHqrP62Jx/s1600-h/josey_wears_a_snake_GREAT_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2n37ETzMwOyWcVqGYTACWWjyeBBSTxmUqJ8msnSyHbfZtTXi4AT6l-yTJ3yYtulLuTSUbI-eZUUuDGH17Yx5GQCHShRGkxxokO63yH2o-BxMtNOLAIvqC1zS2cnzz-lDFSE1mHqrP62Jx/s400/josey_wears_a_snake_GREAT_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442926164034776338" border="0" /></a>Here are some other strange sights we wanted to capture. Some are self-explanatory.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHK8lAh5avC2kGjXHOKpuuoAcWxDvsmVGp3XrzIZp4PCTOBAoPqqK23uT9Buv8QswuCwBOTmIPks6ebNHgPINZe-QgwSryAN32uBPtoyxk_9fqIlGms-m4EDG2VslfHcDvjM4RtnCE67_m/s1600-h/arabic_coke_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHK8lAh5avC2kGjXHOKpuuoAcWxDvsmVGp3XrzIZp4PCTOBAoPqqK23uT9Buv8QswuCwBOTmIPks6ebNHgPINZe-QgwSryAN32uBPtoyxk_9fqIlGms-m4EDG2VslfHcDvjM4RtnCE67_m/s400/arabic_coke_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442924248651039090" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKxtRCNfUvHjPi6a6QVTfC5myOm1zM9nwRjj3eodiNneYlFmDZVly0iwgKvYHJxtb9-k9Zj153JelgSK5hr19C3vb3_H8YQB7kWXG6TouB7IrPVBOqshJDwoT7CKUzmxaDte5dmlFBlHhH/s1600-h/arabic_fedex_truck_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKxtRCNfUvHjPi6a6QVTfC5myOm1zM9nwRjj3eodiNneYlFmDZVly0iwgKvYHJxtb9-k9Zj153JelgSK5hr19C3vb3_H8YQB7kWXG6TouB7IrPVBOqshJDwoT7CKUzmxaDte5dmlFBlHhH/s400/arabic_fedex_truck_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442925387327790082" border="0" /></a>The square with the snowy Atlas Mountains in the background.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKd9rsP6hgnVHxzZU3xP6PZ8W-M6P2GWpnPaGH9adSPMVANpa-zwQ0th0FCxWPB5Cgp8VxTDv5R8dnjiODsi6g0shAog4uxlOYao-iKeRdDcHQPwchakE09aZ9FtLkj7H2O9HloJPXZy8Q/s1600-h/souk_with_atlas_mountains_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKd9rsP6hgnVHxzZU3xP6PZ8W-M6P2GWpnPaGH9adSPMVANpa-zwQ0th0FCxWPB5Cgp8VxTDv5R8dnjiODsi6g0shAog4uxlOYao-iKeRdDcHQPwchakE09aZ9FtLkj7H2O9HloJPXZy8Q/s400/souk_with_atlas_mountains_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442944138716879490" border="0" /></a>These are the nut vendors who populate the center of the square.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixF8_zm94bSd46sw_ruSL6uRWsCy8ojF9Ldy3x8OACxUvi6dTwwN-eP_VExdT0C0_C2yaDP9mry_e1PGkyDGDK8JAmF-zkVjz8lXiqLOku9WfqX_TS8mbpkojsxwxcAEoSHI9ws1GmSF9V/s1600-h/nut_vendors_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixF8_zm94bSd46sw_ruSL6uRWsCy8ojF9Ldy3x8OACxUvi6dTwwN-eP_VExdT0C0_C2yaDP9mry_e1PGkyDGDK8JAmF-zkVjz8lXiqLOku9WfqX_TS8mbpkojsxwxcAEoSHI9ws1GmSF9V/s400/nut_vendors_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442930128533430754" border="0" /></a>And the olive vendors at the start of the souk.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2JYaan2LKbouzlEgYG-lf9cX18KCoWzbrRV0LgnG4IMdp-pRlF0e0ALjPUPCJ0xCU58Q0I9h82UCTryDUuwcoO3mCAs0NoJVbU7yX2VuD1E_pkdlG5hogr5hIdoXADJCPg06r-fR8VekL/s1600-h/olive_vendors_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2JYaan2LKbouzlEgYG-lf9cX18KCoWzbrRV0LgnG4IMdp-pRlF0e0ALjPUPCJ0xCU58Q0I9h82UCTryDUuwcoO3mCAs0NoJVbU7yX2VuD1E_pkdlG5hogr5hIdoXADJCPg06r-fR8VekL/s400/olive_vendors_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442930393259224018" border="0" /></a><br />Dado and I later indulged in a local tradition: <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">hammam</span> baths.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sidebar</span>: According to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Mohammed</span>, we learned that every neighborhood in the Medina (there are many!!) has its own mosque, bakery, fountain (although most of these are no longer in operation), and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">hammam</span> bath. The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">hammam</span> baths are public (one for women and one for men). In the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">hammam</span>, you coat your body with the Moroccan black soap, and you sit in the dry heat for several minutes. Next, you rinse the black soap off with water. Then, you use a coarse glove to scrub your skin. It is a very, very old tradition in Morocco, so the black soap is very significant.<br /><br />At Dar <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Silsila</span>, you can have a couple's <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">hammam</span> with a massage. Wow! Talk about indulgence. Sorry, though, no pictures. This was completely in the nude. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">Woohoo</span>!<br /><br /><br />Our very last day was spent completely browsing . . . and it provided a last, fantastic shopping adventure for me and Josey.<br /><br />Did I mention the silk vendors? I had noticed them on our first day. Apparently it is "cactus silk", which is rayon. It is in the most vivid colors imaginable. I love it!! However, I don't know what to do with it. Thus, the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">crafter</span> in me wanted to go back and buy some "just in case" I ever have a need for it.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Lr9xN3oYYhR0ZszGsIDhE0Qumbp8_bqaNYtCw6vOQA2Iep5JlFbnbULta4cdb7RTKlLvOdB4bKz9mQh7dnCA12MyvAOWwwRfOkBMIAM1Rkyj2NM02kuINeAmXFF0QfAtx4xJA7xAKuI6/s1600-h/silk_and_yarn_store_portrait_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Lr9xN3oYYhR0ZszGsIDhE0Qumbp8_bqaNYtCw6vOQA2Iep5JlFbnbULta4cdb7RTKlLvOdB4bKz9mQh7dnCA12MyvAOWwwRfOkBMIAM1Rkyj2NM02kuINeAmXFF0QfAtx4xJA7xAKuI6/s400/silk_and_yarn_store_portrait_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442929548609909986" border="0" /></a>I had seen the silk vendors during our wanderings, but I had not yet seen any yarn. Imagine, a country that grows sheep but nary a yarn store to be seen! Well, luck was with me. Max stopped at a stall in the souk to admire some beads, and I happened to notice an entire wall of yarn in the background. You would think that with my love of knitting, the yarn would have been calling to me. However, the visual <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">cacophony</span> of the souk makes it nearly impossible for me to focus.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />So, thanks, Max, for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">doddling</span>!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGPVsYD7jLwY6JpCKie3GKRzEtdHXx1la8ZiVP1w57eG5H8AcPsRfsEkeTOhd2Sd4fyDfC0ePKVaKDGtiYhQka9t8s-EaPjMpvqXBiE_yt0lx2gW1wtbkVUT3K4thBwnTCAH3l_ZCnXqUC/s1600-h/silk_and_yarn_store_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGPVsYD7jLwY6JpCKie3GKRzEtdHXx1la8ZiVP1w57eG5H8AcPsRfsEkeTOhd2Sd4fyDfC0ePKVaKDGtiYhQka9t8s-EaPjMpvqXBiE_yt0lx2gW1wtbkVUT3K4thBwnTCAH3l_ZCnXqUC/s400/silk_and_yarn_store_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442929129678470786" border="0" /></a>Josey and I each bought a ball of yarn with a matching hank of silk, and I also bought some for my friend Sharlene. Sharlene, when you read this, pretend you didn't notice this part. I also bought some extra silk . . . for some future project.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY6GiWtjV-XJ2K6b3mRbbmZIyUa4HOLAgEi54z3Bl-I3UauUasJgeO63AI8UklbOxtZU7J9bjJdmpJ_lPKuMgyiFDQqm6ocld2EHcX7VotXmE1tMRisU4xp-LBC5XPHi2l_gGxEYeubdiK/s1600-h/silk_closeup_2_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY6GiWtjV-XJ2K6b3mRbbmZIyUa4HOLAgEi54z3Bl-I3UauUasJgeO63AI8UklbOxtZU7J9bjJdmpJ_lPKuMgyiFDQqm6ocld2EHcX7VotXmE1tMRisU4xp-LBC5XPHi2l_gGxEYeubdiK/s400/silk_closeup_2_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442927159671179426" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaxTBQQq2809oLFiLJIopoojVdy4lctQzUK1YV3U122XFqoNcurUnxEouIGcm9oa1yud38FwW0U8GgZwT9mdkLpo13wNmu0f2tIVPBehgQPPchapUdEWMQVmdKwkW2Aup9uECf6yvS2sAW/s1600-h/yarn_and_silk_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaxTBQQq2809oLFiLJIopoojVdy4lctQzUK1YV3U122XFqoNcurUnxEouIGcm9oa1yud38FwW0U8GgZwT9mdkLpo13wNmu0f2tIVPBehgQPPchapUdEWMQVmdKwkW2Aup9uECf6yvS2sAW/s400/yarn_and_silk_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442926947031082738" border="0" /></a>Of course we also had to make a final stop at the pharmacy/spice shop to drop off our bags of clothes. They were so happy. Max stocked up on henna, so he can give us his own henna tattoos. Great idea!<br /><br />At last, it was time to take the van to the airport. Sigh. The kids did not want to leave. Thus is the sign of a successful vacation!<br /><br />The airport was <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">stressful</span> because one has to wait in the same "passport control" line to leave as you do when you arrive. Luckily it moved faster this time - only about 30 minutes. However, prior to that we had a real thrill.<br /><br />In the US (and everywhere else we have traveled in the last year and a half), you are not allowed to bring more than a bit of liquid through security. Not so in Morocco! We carried through water and wine! Can you believe that?!<br /><br />And even better?! Dado's 2-foot, 40 pound fossil had to go as a carry on, disguised by a jacket draped over the top of the suitcase. Well, right as we were leaving Dar <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">Silsila</span>, I moved the suitcase in front of the fossil suitcase, and it tipped over - breaking the tips off of the fossil! I was so terribly sad! However, Dado handled it very well . . . Until the security guard said it was too dangerous to take <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">onboard</span>, so we had to check it.<br /><br />Well, we did not have the option to check it because we had no room in our single checked bag - plus it was well, well over the weight limit. So, Dado paused a moment, the security man walked away, and we just continued on to our gate. No one stopped us. No one made us check the fossil. Dado hauled it right onto the plane! Lucky for us, but not so safe. Wow!<br /><br />Our flight was quick, the landing in Reus, Spain was uneventful, and we were checked into our hotel by 10:00<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">ish</span> PM.<br /><br />Many, many thanks to the staff at Dar <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">Silsila</span>. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">Mohammed</span> was the best. The food was to die for. The atmosphere was perfect. It was an amazing gem in the heart of a chaotic place.<br /><br />Many, many thanks to the other wonderful people we met during the week. They were welcoming, kind, and considerate.<br /><br />And so many wonderful souvenirs! Luckily, the damage to Dado's massive fossil is almost unnoticeable.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidRQuJ54Wqvaxw8pieAsw_HrzYjMYAL-Ooy8HErvBdT4bUQitLTtGR59h-6R8uIOs2PdJ9y9s6rwNnDHcLm8B4zJVac_E053c8LK2beUl9WUAR0ktT6jWhBAm6myvHdbiFBy74SaYaYcoJ/s1600-h/souvenirs_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidRQuJ54Wqvaxw8pieAsw_HrzYjMYAL-Ooy8HErvBdT4bUQitLTtGR59h-6R8uIOs2PdJ9y9s6rwNnDHcLm8B4zJVac_E053c8LK2beUl9WUAR0ktT6jWhBAm6myvHdbiFBy74SaYaYcoJ/s400/souvenirs_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442927511645445330" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxt6i-t31Wmy4jGrOdgYUOuCeYWjnml_VqrsLIrifWAqs6k2uBbU_cJNfUvZEgVmkbsEMEt7JXbwiuA9Ih_R5NtGysaLwieQ1oymM1uZgygu4gxLvDmpzrkBUwdWOdIO5xN8BRvk_GtVK8/s1600-h/close_up_on_the_floor_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxt6i-t31Wmy4jGrOdgYUOuCeYWjnml_VqrsLIrifWAqs6k2uBbU_cJNfUvZEgVmkbsEMEt7JXbwiuA9Ih_R5NtGysaLwieQ1oymM1uZgygu4gxLvDmpzrkBUwdWOdIO5xN8BRvk_GtVK8/s400/close_up_on_the_floor_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442928519506049986" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8fg6eMTRryqH4V9FubSWvq0bEmStGIOkUJbKZZ0RHoj7Kel1Frpw5QNx8RK8za7hFsnTsznry8eP_g6_bU_mTrC8L9KJES8ttAY1OElTagMamYU57agaWLlHmtnC1SEUoEtjNJLk-P4R5/s1600-h/close_up_on_clothes_my_carpet_and_cloth_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8fg6eMTRryqH4V9FubSWvq0bEmStGIOkUJbKZZ0RHoj7Kel1Frpw5QNx8RK8za7hFsnTsznry8eP_g6_bU_mTrC8L9KJES8ttAY1OElTagMamYU57agaWLlHmtnC1SEUoEtjNJLk-P4R5/s400/close_up_on_clothes_my_carpet_and_cloth_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442928004944845154" border="0" /></a>We were fortunate to have had such a perfect, wonderful vacation.<br /><br />Love to all!!Gayle Billathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08202995601569398280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552688079996598148.post-16394296813448877942010-02-27T03:55:00.000-08:002010-02-27T05:44:39.499-08:00Essaouria & Camel RidesBy this time, we were getting overwhelmed by the hustle and bustle of Marrakesh. We are not shoppers at heart, and that is the main attraction in Marrakesh. Thus, we decided that a day trip was in order.<br /><br />We asked <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Mohammed</span> for recommendations, and he suggested either the 12-hour trip to a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">kasbah</span> or the 8-hour trip to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Essaouria</span>, which is a beach town on the Atlantic coast of Africa.<br /><br />After much debate and research, we decided that the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">kasbah</span> would be more interesting, but the description of the road and "people puking" on the way scared us off. Josey gets carsick very easily, and that wouldn't be fun for anyone.<br /><br />Thus, we chose <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Essaouria</span>. They even have surfing there, so how could we go wrong?<br /><br />Our next decision was to stay the night in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Essaouria</span> because we didn't want to spend all day in the car. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Mohammed</span> helped us with all of the arrangements, hired us a driver, and we were set!<br /><br />We expected a 2 hour and 20 minute drive, which was what <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Mohammed</span> told us. We also expected many stops along the way, as we experienced on the way to the waterfalls. Neither turned out to be true.<br /><br />Instead, we had a journey of more than 3.5 hours through almost completely uninhabited terrain. Well, I should say undeveloped. There were small settlements with anywhere from 2 to 10 square stone houses spread out all along the roadway.<br /><br />Here are some pictures Dado took from the car . . .<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMFsx7Mtuo1RWm85zPxE5wTorJs73uVlMDNtEU4FdCfv5d4frdkQNzbGxxa-nhkqqvG_9tNJhkZV0fZ1YHY2ZV-lYn-6RmDf_NeEid2H2t6H5EsoKTDvOBww0o2Asp-PMjw5dygVP9TxJ9/s1600-h/berber_lodging_en_route_to_essouria_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMFsx7Mtuo1RWm85zPxE5wTorJs73uVlMDNtEU4FdCfv5d4frdkQNzbGxxa-nhkqqvG_9tNJhkZV0fZ1YHY2ZV-lYn-6RmDf_NeEid2H2t6H5EsoKTDvOBww0o2Asp-PMjw5dygVP9TxJ9/s400/berber_lodging_en_route_to_essouria_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442914047917576610" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht7wAK9jR9b2Au8V-trdSVrMqN1E_V7DsCwoAhmIRv7re40yPfV4i0O_Y-FkEO4ZRpYrF21TlF4lsyH3OM0ofM6NZMa0aSt86dX8qhvQ9KA4dLWR3ETtmlnHr1PlyUjDPvD681rUSfVFr-/s1600-h/berber_lodging_en_route_to_essouria_3_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht7wAK9jR9b2Au8V-trdSVrMqN1E_V7DsCwoAhmIRv7re40yPfV4i0O_Y-FkEO4ZRpYrF21TlF4lsyH3OM0ofM6NZMa0aSt86dX8qhvQ9KA4dLWR3ETtmlnHr1PlyUjDPvD681rUSfVFr-/s400/berber_lodging_en_route_to_essouria_3_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442914698776717538" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPXCoDc1hOC5yyjto2Wh4KCn9OsV13nplJ_geZzXwYoden0LgoAr9sGPPjdiGfLQY44Ad2UPY2xfzxfX1oEn1zeAghusEecD4BCc89lCIIMEwdpgUWCkr8p9u6EZcbHNe7IfWwnlJ43iKA/s1600-h/berber_village_en_route_to_essouria_with_hill_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPXCoDc1hOC5yyjto2Wh4KCn9OsV13nplJ_geZzXwYoden0LgoAr9sGPPjdiGfLQY44Ad2UPY2xfzxfX1oEn1zeAghusEecD4BCc89lCIIMEwdpgUWCkr8p9u6EZcbHNe7IfWwnlJ43iKA/s400/berber_village_en_route_to_essouria_with_hill_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442914265559875602" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQP_BAJqm82i8fWcQD8wpoNFuN-HDn_q3QHzP5E1YAYyEuDEAsQQHgODwBiOnlqPhgRt3bhIF6pJdVePSaxW7omTgYfYpheQsJ1NtqVNUHMuDfksjDfiX-6mI2uCrx0EKNTIurYevMOZ5L/s1600-h/sheep_and_shephards_in_argan_forest_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQP_BAJqm82i8fWcQD8wpoNFuN-HDn_q3QHzP5E1YAYyEuDEAsQQHgODwBiOnlqPhgRt3bhIF6pJdVePSaxW7omTgYfYpheQsJ1NtqVNUHMuDfksjDfiX-6mI2uCrx0EKNTIurYevMOZ5L/s400/sheep_and_shephards_in_argan_forest_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442915795634769362" border="0" /></a>There where also some larger villages that were bizarre. They seemed to spring up out of nowhere, and they had a lot of new construction that seemed completely abandoned. Thus, there were large apartment-looking buildings with openings for windows and doors but no additional work being performed. Eerie.<br /><br />Here is what Dado could capture from the car.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhztHj3_lJZbqQa9XQq3qm_keR15_C_rOJ50KBs_0bIEM7UeZOurm1PnfdFM4DArOT7FOmDS2ZvsK-8qaGPqYeupm1ZMhPCCjfmTJpOvA5aHs6pxc4eV_Vn5qSCnOnbLi_K7RUWnBZkeFGw/s1600-h/village_en_route_to_essouria_3_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhztHj3_lJZbqQa9XQq3qm_keR15_C_rOJ50KBs_0bIEM7UeZOurm1PnfdFM4DArOT7FOmDS2ZvsK-8qaGPqYeupm1ZMhPCCjfmTJpOvA5aHs6pxc4eV_Vn5qSCnOnbLi_K7RUWnBZkeFGw/s400/village_en_route_to_essouria_3_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442916160227180866" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQHlyzlOCyTPtcX4tBuTPENjZX0MrvZpWI9VrNjfkATM5MmZLoTU4mCfsivPxJzwCXO5RG-zPB0UZBkkOH6Jm7Qa5BmKLIwdD9EKYNFotzyrmeLmU7ZUl9Gj3YZnuXQ87_ZRE6Lfn4nej8/s1600-h/village_en_route_to_essouria_4_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQHlyzlOCyTPtcX4tBuTPENjZX0MrvZpWI9VrNjfkATM5MmZLoTU4mCfsivPxJzwCXO5RG-zPB0UZBkkOH6Jm7Qa5BmKLIwdD9EKYNFotzyrmeLmU7ZUl9Gj3YZnuXQ87_ZRE6Lfn4nej8/s400/village_en_route_to_essouria_4_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442916393594470834" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoM6xErcjN5Ezil1pw9WzIC6-YrDulM5gQ9_onFk_mARwr_xSBzlSABBkIZSwcOuTg-K_AdvteeFyKOd_r187OW8Tg3fxKSrk8hW7mD7Y8Ulhyphenhyphen-lhGSuHuJNkDeYH8-rDAc_m69wZNqOL5/s1600-h/village_en_route_to_essouria_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoM6xErcjN5Ezil1pw9WzIC6-YrDulM5gQ9_onFk_mARwr_xSBzlSABBkIZSwcOuTg-K_AdvteeFyKOd_r187OW8Tg3fxKSrk8hW7mD7Y8Ulhyphenhyphen-lhGSuHuJNkDeYH8-rDAc_m69wZNqOL5/s400/village_en_route_to_essouria_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442916590774351090" border="0" /></a>There was also a lot of road work. It seems that they are building an <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">autoroute</span> throughout Morocco, and we encountered many spots of construction. In between these spots, the roads were sometimes smooth and well maintained and other times dirt. The heavy rains lately certainly were not helping the roadways.<br /><br />Overall, it was a somewhat depressing drive. The only other noteworthy thing about the drive was the small "<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Argan</span> Forest" we encountered. Here, some of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Argan</span> trees actually had goats in the trees! It was pretty funny to see. Can you see that white goat in the branches?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxMDN39uV2W5OP6e1od4TtQutgJTl1UOeyM-5f8VzczEneviRh3gVBULk0GMMMviKaMYo5uIO5r4IW52R0bv61gH_c9Xi76Yy7ICc9NJpCmyWwZ3dxt67glLbG3M5mFKRKvn8n-X6dHCbM/s1600-h/goats_in_the_argan_trees_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxMDN39uV2W5OP6e1od4TtQutgJTl1UOeyM-5f8VzczEneviRh3gVBULk0GMMMviKaMYo5uIO5r4IW52R0bv61gH_c9Xi76Yy7ICc9NJpCmyWwZ3dxt67glLbG3M5mFKRKvn8n-X6dHCbM/s400/goats_in_the_argan_trees_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442913716669146562" border="0" /></a>As we finally topped the last mountain before the coast, we saw <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Essaouria</span> spread out below us. It was much larger than we expected.<br /><br />Our driver dropped us off at the port, where another man put our tiny suitcases and our kids into his cart and wheeled us to our <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Riad</span>.<br /><br />We checked into our <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Riad</span> for the night (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Ick</span>! That is all I will say about the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Riad</span> Maison <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">de</span> la Sud. The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Riad</span> Dar <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">Silsila</span> is far superior!!), put our stuff in our rooms, and headed out for lunch. Since the drive took so much longer than we expected, we were starved. Good thing we had "emergency food" in the car to snack on.<br /><br />We found a little cafe right at the entrance to the Medina where we enjoyed food in the warm, warm sun! Up to this point, our time in Morocco had been very, very wet. Thus, the sun was very appreciated! In fact, it was so warm that Max took shelter in the shade.<br /><br />While eating, Mike and I were people watching. Our general observations were that the people of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">Essaouria</span> are not as strictly Muslim as the people of Marrakesh: they do not seem to wear as much traditional clothing. And, there were women working in the restaurants and shops! This was almost unheard of in Marrakesh. The people also seemed to be more affluent, or at least they did not look as poor as most of the people in Marrakesh. There were a lot more dogs, too.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaHMTBeNtYQ4AL3Lmk0MMli5rJioTCvdY2DvqG4k8s5ClfAHdGQ6EWxE2U5RgDzBjUf-AFDK04i64c4sRSx3j9wnf6VKf3ULyLqnj9ttBtUM_rYkv_AbD9NF4VAAYZXd5iChZtHL_uVQjr/s1600-h/archway_at_port_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaHMTBeNtYQ4AL3Lmk0MMli5rJioTCvdY2DvqG4k8s5ClfAHdGQ6EWxE2U5RgDzBjUf-AFDK04i64c4sRSx3j9wnf6VKf3ULyLqnj9ttBtUM_rYkv_AbD9NF4VAAYZXd5iChZtHL_uVQjr/s400/archway_at_port_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442913486911071746" border="0" /></a>After lunch, we went for a walk on the beach. Wow! We were actually strolling the African coast. How bizarre is that?!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Here are some pictures of this quaint little port town.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_979xJpDMmWPHnqkaaLLWU2XSuQGE1WKbOaKHQdw9Vzz_xy3hGojKLz2kWgIwVY265u3VLy8OJbCsSfjGM983AkQ2hEkkzHjeepztWQ1aXWciTKIKGvzrAMvPjuPitJEp8e-xK4HueHxg/s1600-h/essouria_port_wall_with_dado_and_kids_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_979xJpDMmWPHnqkaaLLWU2XSuQGE1WKbOaKHQdw9Vzz_xy3hGojKLz2kWgIwVY265u3VLy8OJbCsSfjGM983AkQ2hEkkzHjeepztWQ1aXWciTKIKGvzrAMvPjuPitJEp8e-xK4HueHxg/s400/essouria_port_wall_with_dado_and_kids_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442912322750550386" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEaSDzIrTaWQEFv2I6v1ZbOg6cxMy22dpKGTWmPfDkVRY_nvze4EMCxkA74dLpaXGAeBrEmL40wbz67Yi7BDmHvX2uaRpy4Q1t2s0zaGf5Vjiw0uNHRTespqoeXmNKXxjreigb5OExAAnH/s1600-h/essouria_port_wall_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEaSDzIrTaWQEFv2I6v1ZbOg6cxMy22dpKGTWmPfDkVRY_nvze4EMCxkA74dLpaXGAeBrEmL40wbz67Yi7BDmHvX2uaRpy4Q1t2s0zaGf5Vjiw0uNHRTespqoeXmNKXxjreigb5OExAAnH/s400/essouria_port_wall_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442912016238963810" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6DtCD2GU2KJWMFiCLbxz2KMlP_y1yi5YjEZ3hdZzXj6Jk6VcSF4ALZcUA59RY1msgtNhVLxF-YpYTd4woYmgi2BDn2mwXJKokK7Sn4tjVQFbHnlT8Key61ceLA8NsxkAiftPfZz0xHUvl/s1600-h/the_port_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6DtCD2GU2KJWMFiCLbxz2KMlP_y1yi5YjEZ3hdZzXj6Jk6VcSF4ALZcUA59RY1msgtNhVLxF-YpYTd4woYmgi2BDn2mwXJKokK7Sn4tjVQFbHnlT8Key61ceLA8NsxkAiftPfZz0xHUvl/s400/the_port_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442911254425350594" border="0" /></a><br />The beach was very stormy: lots of debris strewn about, lots of mud in the waves, and the waves were very disorganized from the storm. However, there were actually several kite surfers, a wind surfer, and a few normal surfers. Considering how awful the waves were, I really don't know why the surfers were out there. They were "getting hammered," as Mike described it. Not to mention that the water was so dirty and full of debris that it must have been rather icky!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCdleyT_t4eWwltyJxQsBhL2SpIKOSRSkhaI2mzCfH3kdusDb8orw2DiQUEoshhdGbkN0FBLUPOBD6gxFX4th0ggVsTO5L-bxus7Jcv5pzp0V5MCbqNSj4X74pSSgZ_Erk0_Xwt1dccvWP/s1600-h/essouria_port_and_kite_surfer_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCdleyT_t4eWwltyJxQsBhL2SpIKOSRSkhaI2mzCfH3kdusDb8orw2DiQUEoshhdGbkN0FBLUPOBD6gxFX4th0ggVsTO5L-bxus7Jcv5pzp0V5MCbqNSj4X74pSSgZ_Erk0_Xwt1dccvWP/s400/essouria_port_and_kite_surfer_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442912743835622018" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAgR-Mb_8at0DD_jD_fhXU9RKZORDeyX77kMXyg5ADuVTjFlX-UzfqZnD_-ZAlNi3EI8KWu23Hr59yn1Qc7OqU2IMMlwyInCwiQQIjYbL4UnCnaYWJYAXiaTgcIKe2TFX2aMz0vPi6AojQ/s1600-h/josey_draws_in_the_sand_2_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAgR-Mb_8at0DD_jD_fhXU9RKZORDeyX77kMXyg5ADuVTjFlX-UzfqZnD_-ZAlNi3EI8KWu23Hr59yn1Qc7OqU2IMMlwyInCwiQQIjYbL4UnCnaYWJYAXiaTgcIKe2TFX2aMz0vPi6AojQ/s400/josey_draws_in_the_sand_2_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442911803992777170" border="0" /></a>As we walked along, I noticed that there were camels across the cove! Camel rides were one of our priorities for Morocco. We had originally wanted to ride camels in the desert, but <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Mohammed</span> said that a desert trip required 2 days (and I really did not want to spend the night sleeping in "an authentic Berber home" in the desert!!). So, camel rides on the beach would be almost as good. Not long after I pointed out the camels, a Moroccan man "approached us" (read as "hard sell") to see if we were interested in camel rides. Dado negotiations to the rescue. He worked it out so that all 4 of us could go for a ride.<br /><br />Oh, yippee! To be perfectly honest, I really didn't want to ride a camel. I'm allergic to horses and have had some miserable horse-riding experiences. I was worried that camel rides would be the same. So, my excitement level wasn't at an all-time high.<br /><br />However, it was really fun!! Josey and I rode on "Caramel", the girl camel, and Dado and Max rode on "David", the boy camel. The two camels were tied together, with me and Josey in the rear, and we were led by a guide.<br /><br />Here is one of my most favorite pictures from our Moroccan vacation . . . Josey preparing to give Caramel a kiss.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixg_0XQ4P0PZAHwZ6lzVzs7e6J7qAAkzraZJp4byZ2N9oEa6SFFjPjVbUFhlQtxbedbrfp4c5RvrL9DtD80c2OktNDNZ0EJ-LHDoTAiHFrWQPfWmFy1eV7gfGyyYFFTwMSz20ABqB-9ewU/s1600-h/caramel_gets_a_kiss_from_josey_3_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixg_0XQ4P0PZAHwZ6lzVzs7e6J7qAAkzraZJp4byZ2N9oEa6SFFjPjVbUFhlQtxbedbrfp4c5RvrL9DtD80c2OktNDNZ0EJ-LHDoTAiHFrWQPfWmFy1eV7gfGyyYFFTwMSz20ABqB-9ewU/s400/caramel_gets_a_kiss_from_josey_3_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442902759553231922" border="0" /></a>And David "smiling". Can you see those teeth?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX63SdMDpqa-4Iu2V3x3co6xMtRiwQSJ1skAXYDmdSvmxkKcTsIoIYpubQ1_iMWsTuCZW9o9tTWpgGBLSWf7SnanyyauIZEX1C6FUQ7tueoPPJj-_Zod3sPVnqwqiD6l4R12WmonNwD99X/s1600-h/david_smiles_GREAT_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX63SdMDpqa-4Iu2V3x3co6xMtRiwQSJ1skAXYDmdSvmxkKcTsIoIYpubQ1_iMWsTuCZW9o9tTWpgGBLSWf7SnanyyauIZEX1C6FUQ7tueoPPJj-_Zod3sPVnqwqiD6l4R12WmonNwD99X/s400/david_smiles_GREAT_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442903726224601314" border="0" /></a>And drooling!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGhM-j-4JQ05giE3hqocBVCH6k8ljWBAaaU6oRUdBoIkUYyA3btZ1B3kEhJpyIsaBjEGbeXf2FfDMnDAnaJwCHzpY_Zq49LILtcx-CEcrMTX-xBlW_RghIqkMSliOp3M5T5YwhOm3VRANW/s1600-h/david_drool_4_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGhM-j-4JQ05giE3hqocBVCH6k8ljWBAaaU6oRUdBoIkUYyA3btZ1B3kEhJpyIsaBjEGbeXf2FfDMnDAnaJwCHzpY_Zq49LILtcx-CEcrMTX-xBlW_RghIqkMSliOp3M5T5YwhOm3VRANW/s400/david_drool_4_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442904544948646178" border="0" /></a>The most exciting moments were when Caramel stood up (you mount while the camel is sitting on the ground) and when she sat back down. These were exciting moments because they are lurching moments!<br /><br />Here are Dado & Max getting ready to ascend.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3jwq4QuOgCHPNvzpKRNKCKKXZ3ugwaCpI0f6VWqZSBuTtGUeK9oPsjIresU8bwuGQkGu4iVzJFyz-Q70IFJLfS8wBDJEt2lgMg1HkwrfwwLOtKCaXul4mmHqUWoaJQ1sYcMtJRxgkH6pM/s1600-h/david_getting_ready_to_ascend_with_dado_and_max_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3jwq4QuOgCHPNvzpKRNKCKKXZ3ugwaCpI0f6VWqZSBuTtGUeK9oPsjIresU8bwuGQkGu4iVzJFyz-Q70IFJLfS8wBDJEt2lgMg1HkwrfwwLOtKCaXul4mmHqUWoaJQ1sYcMtJRxgkH6pM/s400/david_getting_ready_to_ascend_with_dado_and_max_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442903086721305474" border="0" /></a>If Josey hadn't been hanging on tightly when Caramel sat down (below), she would have fallen off right over the top of Caramel's head!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCjGTXHDOwHF5sacrn1dBcxsPd3Mhg8jZHVISPENHtetvp5ADdZj5Zm-6swgHuxJzF7Sk2SIPfVnFVt8vIVE4GPo5QVIa67iPqwpHNfGVkOEMH6JQiAgLbBPMBNDlXeOz0BTv5aBcwQB94/s1600-h/caramel_descends_with_josey_and_mommy_2_GREAT_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCjGTXHDOwHF5sacrn1dBcxsPd3Mhg8jZHVISPENHtetvp5ADdZj5Zm-6swgHuxJzF7Sk2SIPfVnFVt8vIVE4GPo5QVIa67iPqwpHNfGVkOEMH6JQiAgLbBPMBNDlXeOz0BTv5aBcwQB94/s400/caramel_descends_with_josey_and_mommy_2_GREAT_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442904997368194418" border="0" /></a>Our ride lasted about 30 minutes, and we were led along the beach and through the sand dunes. Going up and down the sand dunes was also rather <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">lurchingly</span> thrilling. Josey and I had a more entertaining ride because David, the lead camel, was tooting, burping, drooling, and otherwise digesting! Josey and I can tell you that camels are pretty stinky. However, that made the ride even that much more interesting.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiXlBGCGIvNeBUCtPh2fO2KypzEEyW71x3SvfXUhxSgmW4P50lTOf0X8-4CAxPvLLKpRO5qTuTSWIc2tVwwGhCCQrCJrQAKpGBt_GJNsqtVJvCYsZ9iVW7Rhot68MU4b8eriRna3xpHXa2/s1600-h/camel_ride_for_the_billats_faceon_5_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiXlBGCGIvNeBUCtPh2fO2KypzEEyW71x3SvfXUhxSgmW4P50lTOf0X8-4CAxPvLLKpRO5qTuTSWIc2tVwwGhCCQrCJrQAKpGBt_GJNsqtVJvCYsZ9iVW7Rhot68MU4b8eriRna3xpHXa2/s400/camel_ride_for_the_billats_faceon_5_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442906235244811874" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYpZiwKF_cFdEUBJKGrOjISOGC3rWsfJYXi8BC59_51Sm-M6tbVNel9eokEhdBSJUPmn5EOUPSwQhm1dyGn5ZKbpXYYiNyRXsIRdX4AOd4ngflusM3k3cET3wTXXUIceLNmgcAZkbpK6Ac/s1600-h/camel_ride_for_the_billats_ocean_in_background_2_GREAT_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYpZiwKF_cFdEUBJKGrOjISOGC3rWsfJYXi8BC59_51Sm-M6tbVNel9eokEhdBSJUPmn5EOUPSwQhm1dyGn5ZKbpXYYiNyRXsIRdX4AOd4ngflusM3k3cET3wTXXUIceLNmgcAZkbpK6Ac/s400/camel_ride_for_the_billats_ocean_in_background_2_GREAT_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442914907878627570" border="0" /></a>Caramel was smart, she kept her head near Dado & Max's legs, which was a little in front of David's stinky end. Can you see the expression on Max's face.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5z8A3v_TCYwXqlpYC3UWO6OptcaNbwCsJTm-q5pwa3nKOW12oomf9b6ZGpojwiRKsZAeTtYT2h9dPgbRFasaYnpOGBWCOwq8akPpZv0HaXuNoXF_viLZ5HkV7fCHwG7DvAU8x0m9CiotS/s1600-h/camel_ride_for_the_billats_caramel_eating_max_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5z8A3v_TCYwXqlpYC3UWO6OptcaNbwCsJTm-q5pwa3nKOW12oomf9b6ZGpojwiRKsZAeTtYT2h9dPgbRFasaYnpOGBWCOwq8akPpZv0HaXuNoXF_viLZ5HkV7fCHwG7DvAU8x0m9CiotS/s400/camel_ride_for_the_billats_caramel_eating_max_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442906465441766674" border="0" /></a>So, afterward, we all determined that the camel ride was definitely a highlight of the trip! And, as it turns out, we were extremely lucky to have chosen the timing for our camel rides. The wind became very, very strong about 30 minutes later, and it stormed violently all day Thursday!<br /><br />After the camel ride, we wandered along the beach and through the Medina of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">Essaouria</span>. This <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">medina</span> was much like the one in Marrakesh only smaller and a lot less high-pressured as far as sales go. In fact, the entire vibe of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">Essaouria</span> was almost laid-back in comparison to Marrakesh.<br /><br />Max found some cool beads; I found an absolutely gorgeous cloth of silk, cotton and wool that is died with the red poppies that are my favorite in all of France - this will someday be a bedspread or lovely covering for the back of a couch; and Dado found more <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">Argan</span> oil for cooking (this was even more plentiful in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">Essaouria</span> than Marrakesh!).<br /><br />Later, Dado found a fabulous restaurant tucked away in a little alley. It was the most authentic looking building we had seen, complete with brick walls and the bizarre dark wood ceilings. The server was very, very nice, too.<br /><br />And thus ended our first day in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">Essaouria</span>.<br /><br />Our second day in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">Essaouria</span> was noteworthy for only two reasons.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqQ69a5yGIIKIr41IbNPzf1DpprW94hU_BIbAxX5i1jaqKYKwxWklr7yGYW0L5Zs_nQkv3XaHl_NOeaZ5LtUinxsOis4LbuANyajfGnoGbzh1_n4F8LiLfdAc-olLfAXjGxqatxFd_Sc8w/s1600-h/goat_heads_and_boucherie_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqQ69a5yGIIKIr41IbNPzf1DpprW94hU_BIbAxX5i1jaqKYKwxWklr7yGYW0L5Zs_nQkv3XaHl_NOeaZ5LtUinxsOis4LbuANyajfGnoGbzh1_n4F8LiLfdAc-olLfAXjGxqatxFd_Sc8w/s400/goat_heads_and_boucherie_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442901076599512434" border="0" /></a>One, there were violent wind and rain swells all day, and these kept us indoors or seeking shelter most of the day. Not very conducive to walking along the beach or browsing the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29">medina</span>. Although we did get this lovely sight.<br /><br />Two, Dado got a haircut!! He tries to only get haircuts in foreign countries now. This is not hard, considering we live in a foreign country. Check out the pictures. Too bad the first shot is so washed out . . . you miss out on the full effect of the cyrillic writing.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho25Wx2VUnrpxEMFTMyDGSzJjhJQdW4nULxWxUIO2-4cpYuaIKVJpzVR7aKe4wR-VTj39lt3XPaG3B_GacDQaRsM7ClTnOZM6g3HdrKSTLOgntm1it90s6Pz9EQmUz7-P2LrBWxq4T1IFb/s1600-h/dados_moroccan_haircut_store_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho25Wx2VUnrpxEMFTMyDGSzJjhJQdW4nULxWxUIO2-4cpYuaIKVJpzVR7aKe4wR-VTj39lt3XPaG3B_GacDQaRsM7ClTnOZM6g3HdrKSTLOgntm1it90s6Pz9EQmUz7-P2LrBWxq4T1IFb/s400/dados_moroccan_haircut_store_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442900669913171874" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjykpXSFiMC8lPWHCxprMqN5yKkXz7y6o5-v00sXKmwCtAgZUflT3JVXnlgmHZL1vWJtouh4j3LgjbaPAzNV9Oz1iFbTWilESTIWLW1GCiSYLlWChH9CT2ACOMhEGp3-9ruB9A3dg99q8r0/s1600-h/dado_and_his_haircutter_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjykpXSFiMC8lPWHCxprMqN5yKkXz7y6o5-v00sXKmwCtAgZUflT3JVXnlgmHZL1vWJtouh4j3LgjbaPAzNV9Oz1iFbTWilESTIWLW1GCiSYLlWChH9CT2ACOMhEGp3-9ruB9A3dg99q8r0/s400/dado_and_his_haircutter_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442899672727491202" border="0" /></a>I especially love how the man sterilized the straight razor - alcohol and flame.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMa9m6Zh9zDSAFoUWwPrgyqkysFyG9-Wowf1HLNADfQx1ddITK7l0nXrpaYobh943Tbo0XjBhlJT3eKM1CcEQ6B1oVmiQR2IF0v9ZbGPJ3vr0nhvPeddZFKKZYID4MW8bJPcdhcCtB3gFD/s1600-h/sterilizing_the_straight_razor_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMa9m6Zh9zDSAFoUWwPrgyqkysFyG9-Wowf1HLNADfQx1ddITK7l0nXrpaYobh943Tbo0XjBhlJT3eKM1CcEQ6B1oVmiQR2IF0v9ZbGPJ3vr0nhvPeddZFKKZYID4MW8bJPcdhcCtB3gFD/s400/sterilizing_the_straight_razor_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442900019676512802" border="0" /></a>The rest of the day was spent in the car. I kept my head down, knitting, while we drove through mud and water the whole way home.<br /><br />We were so pleased to be back at Dar Silsila!! Back to our clean rooms, a working shower, and a wonderful, absolutely delicious dinner. It was chicken cooked in a tajine with lemons and spices. Incredible!! Mike and I ate so much that it was almost embarrassing. Merci to all the staff at Dar Silsila for one of the best meals of my life.<br /><br />Love to all!!Gayle Billathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08202995601569398280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552688079996598148.post-68904414505501755052010-02-27T02:01:00.000-08:002010-02-27T03:00:40.698-08:00A Day with FahdFor our third day in Marrakesh, we decided to wander around and see the tourist sights within walking distance from the hotel. Because our agenda was so casual, we lounged around in the morning, ate our leisurely breakfast at the Riad (yogurt, bread, fresh OJ), and set off around 10:30.<br /><br />We stopped to say hello to our friends at the spice shop/pharmacy from the first day. Max wanted to buy some Moroccan black soap, and Josey wanted to buy some kohl makeup (which is also very plentiful here and has traditional/religious significance). As we were negotiating, Dado suggested that we give them our clothes before we left. This was perfect! They obviously could use the clothes.<br /><br />So, Dado explained what we had done in our packing and asked if they wanted the clothes. They were very pleased! As a result, we received all of our intended purchases as a gift that morning. As I said before, we really like these men, and they provided a lot of great Moroccan memories for us!<br /><br />We also scheduled an appointment for 4PM that afternoon for both kids to get henna tattoos - the real thing this time, from a real tattooist - not one of the maniac women from the square!<br /><br />Then, we consulted the map and headed off. By the time you exit our little neighborhood (about 1 block from the Riad), there are already Moroccans lining the street waiting to ask you, "Do you need a guide?" "Do you want a taxi?" "Do you want to take a horse-drawn carriage ride?" etc. It's overwhelming!<br /><br />However, Mike had a good feeling about one man who asked if we needed a guide. They agreed on a 10 dirham (1 euro) fee to guide us to the Saadiens Tombeaux - the tombs of the royal family. We could have found it by ourselves, but this was much more entertaining. The guide's name was Fahd, and off we set.<br /><br />He led us through the amazingly busy streets of downtown Marrakesh, where we all stared wide-eyed at the people and shops around us while trying not to step in puddles. Max only fell down once, narrowly missing landing face-first in a road apple!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sidebar</span>: Other than the rain and resulting mud, the streets of Marrakesh are remarkably clean! There are almost no dogs, so there is no dog poop. Yay! In France, there is dog poop everywhere. It is actually disgusting. So, this is a nice change. There were very few road apples, too, because the horses all have poop-catching bags under their tails. So, I really have no idea how Max almost managed to fall face-first into one, but he did.<br /><br />The remarkable aspects of the Saadiens Tombeaux are:<br /><ul><li>The fact that they date from the 1500s, but they were only "discovered" in 1917!</li><li>The ornate scrollwork and detail that covers every square inch of the walls and ceilings in the open tomb buildings.</li></ul>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saadian_Tombs<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLOOc4K0Nu50Hshki1T0K4fxD9YozB1FreiNV7D0kVcyJ9Di-o0iDS7PFU-MlZc7zYGxbkcROJ1LahI_7z56uqHFEjamPLLgtRAByUOYmiAXCSlFuEpBUrwEOrKbvYmtIrbDu_Bl6vvubl/s1600-h/tomb_column_detail_2_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLOOc4K0Nu50Hshki1T0K4fxD9YozB1FreiNV7D0kVcyJ9Di-o0iDS7PFU-MlZc7zYGxbkcROJ1LahI_7z56uqHFEjamPLLgtRAByUOYmiAXCSlFuEpBUrwEOrKbvYmtIrbDu_Bl6vvubl/s400/tomb_column_detail_2_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442873148145421938" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitbyM2GZM4e7zec8YpXUoImOEIdB8gO_MkS0gCdtNB3MVsFayn-pIAIiAxU7LKvZopgnwKcWvVjPd-az8oSC-EEOuvCjY3faxUQGGJKMuKrGliptvS5dD9wSO-iayAz0ZpAp5mnMdikLHb/s1600-h/ceiling_detail_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitbyM2GZM4e7zec8YpXUoImOEIdB8gO_MkS0gCdtNB3MVsFayn-pIAIiAxU7LKvZopgnwKcWvVjPd-az8oSC-EEOuvCjY3faxUQGGJKMuKrGliptvS5dD9wSO-iayAz0ZpAp5mnMdikLHb/s400/ceiling_detail_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442873548289300066" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The tombs themselves are in the ground, marked by rectangles of different tile work. There are remarkably few tombstones. The tombstones and narrow, short strips of rock centered on the rectangle of tile. Fahd told us that the scrollwork on the walls was the story of each person's life: their accomplishments, etc., that would help them in the afterlife.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc58FhCLz7VMRXnqlD_0uXqoMHuL2Iz9H5Ffx5iqXHanQwS4FT5RGJoId_M0_dZCqVHBklDvrX1P8TBH5CnxeoCeQwhGn9eCEWE4I-Ct3Y0pSCAdW4DFcAKxPGOoJiF_V2Lhh58NWd1wmr/s1600-h/tombstones_and_wall_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc58FhCLz7VMRXnqlD_0uXqoMHuL2Iz9H5Ffx5iqXHanQwS4FT5RGJoId_M0_dZCqVHBklDvrX1P8TBH5CnxeoCeQwhGn9eCEWE4I-Ct3Y0pSCAdW4DFcAKxPGOoJiF_V2Lhh58NWd1wmr/s400/tombstones_and_wall_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442874218893773026" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK64XsFLPC0c1ISVRrO2NByNFQOZSWgRukJISXA0QQMPu1-1FwBUYAEkwzbiCeh4mIGhEomXCxMDfxSorEnwnV1R48evRozwqCP8mejm-Bdkha-MUdO3KSAqNOzKlOqJFT43p__BOZlJxI/s1600-h/tomb_interior_with_tombstones_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK64XsFLPC0c1ISVRrO2NByNFQOZSWgRukJISXA0QQMPu1-1FwBUYAEkwzbiCeh4mIGhEomXCxMDfxSorEnwnV1R48evRozwqCP8mejm-Bdkha-MUdO3KSAqNOzKlOqJFT43p__BOZlJxI/s400/tomb_interior_with_tombstones_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442872625454823890" border="0" /></a>There were 4 tomb buildings, and they are all open air, which surprised me. There are low walls to keep people out, but the cats and birds were inside.<br /><br />On the way to and from the tombs, we passed one of the several entrances to the Medina (entrances in the inner city walls). There were storks nesting at the top of the entrance!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAWTzHiAj-wLqyVUz5-BTjJYccpr1d48_OKcHvPMxmRG33pmqo3xlyXvAx1cNPVFG3CihHQAWRuNrKuqOu0PasbUlQ1u2SD5-vdki01Bv8ThlB_O8lCzKMe_U6GGX9gt0cAQsSZcZEjOqG/s1600-h/storks_and_archway_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAWTzHiAj-wLqyVUz5-BTjJYccpr1d48_OKcHvPMxmRG33pmqo3xlyXvAx1cNPVFG3CihHQAWRuNrKuqOu0PasbUlQ1u2SD5-vdki01Bv8ThlB_O8lCzKMe_U6GGX9gt0cAQsSZcZEjOqG/s400/storks_and_archway_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442871790781541378" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0t698mC-hXa2hIdjBD0tlN1_Jccsp5b5cvX3CyxvoPz7RXwsCMrizrawrYB3UbDAHDoXveCI-tr9wggUTMnz3WDR8GepLjpQ95mIMDe__f4ApHWcYvND6AHa3F9ecBY-oW-TaAwh83Qt4/s1600-h/storks_on_medina_wall_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0t698mC-hXa2hIdjBD0tlN1_Jccsp5b5cvX3CyxvoPz7RXwsCMrizrawrYB3UbDAHDoXveCI-tr9wggUTMnz3WDR8GepLjpQ95mIMDe__f4ApHWcYvND6AHa3F9ecBY-oW-TaAwh83Qt4/s400/storks_on_medina_wall_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442871525861460946" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn9SWLGWidrNRmZ_KqfEb7Wjcscx47ttLM6j2O4YzCqh3cf3JiR4LOkuNJ3-6WvxZ1iJ59dDujzi_GD7OB9Y6Jcsqro7N_xXqhuEp50U6HU5ZVgO2nhYxOaKkynJAnQ9nNVUTaUBJI84-Y/s1600-h/medina_doorway_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn9SWLGWidrNRmZ_KqfEb7Wjcscx47ttLM6j2O4YzCqh3cf3JiR4LOkuNJ3-6WvxZ1iJ59dDujzi_GD7OB9Y6Jcsqro7N_xXqhuEp50U6HU5ZVgO2nhYxOaKkynJAnQ9nNVUTaUBJI84-Y/s400/medina_doorway_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442871276514894162" border="0" /></a>Our tour of the tombs required a mere 15 minutes, so we were quickly looking for something else to do. By now it was nearly lunchtime, so Fahd led us to a Berber Riad/restaurant. We invited him to eat lunch with us, so during lunch we received a lot of great information about Berbers, the Muslim religion, and the surrounding area.<br /><br />Lunch was delicious and different from our other meals thus far.<br /><ul><li>First course = Moroccan salads: Cucumber and tomato; marinated eggplant (but it was green eggplant!); lentils; green salad. This was served with the traditional Moroccan bread that is shaped like a fat frisbee.<br /></li><li>Main course: Shish kebabs for me and the kids; beef and veggie tagine for Dado; and chicken and citron tagine for Fahd.</li><li>Fruit course: A gigantic plate of fruit with oranges (which grow everywhere here); mandarins; apples.</li><li>Final course: A collection of Moroccan pastries served with traditional mint tea. The pastries were three different cookies.</li></ul>Fahd taught us that there are three traditional varieties of tea in Morocco, and the mint tea is typically served in the heat because the mint has cooling properties for the body. It was a delicious and enjoyable lunch!<br /><br />After lunch, Fahd led us to the terrace. Since we were enjoying a break in the rain, there was incredible visibility. We could see the Atlas Mountains as well as the tallest mountain in all of Africa: Jbel Toubkal.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWJi_EAr_u-yfMfNACtYqo_mRrdzT7dQpgyTDQ4uoBWVLlErJbw-z-VCKpgjc_Fe9Kn8sqGNb3grnGQZwnaeL2AaQItPR0M07ZURkArzpqpLEjA_-THTEQJbiBHCeZ7W-zCxr8nhGwsqfD/s1600-h/rooftops_and_atlas_mountains_from_restaurant_terrace_GREAT_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWJi_EAr_u-yfMfNACtYqo_mRrdzT7dQpgyTDQ4uoBWVLlErJbw-z-VCKpgjc_Fe9Kn8sqGNb3grnGQZwnaeL2AaQItPR0M07ZURkArzpqpLEjA_-THTEQJbiBHCeZ7W-zCxr8nhGwsqfD/s400/rooftops_and_atlas_mountains_from_restaurant_terrace_GREAT_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442869759240240994" border="0" /></a>The restaurant was right near the square and the souks. Since Max had shown an interest in an authentic Moroccan robe, Fahd brought us to a clothing shop run by his friends, where he said he could get us a good price.<br /><br />This was a fun stop! Max knew exactly what he wanted, a djellaba, which is the robe worn by 50% of the men in Morocco. Check him out! He looks like a mini Obi Wan Kenobi, doesn't he?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitrkJ_xeeaCCYfWiByVxHtAx4Sv1Xfn1x1cX1dakeiwKa_d_vLko7CBHtqWjy1dQ2QT3A_K2vGFoibJMZtYXBJ-h6x0rNHqrPbUnJFzgX0sH-1be3RsjwwiKM_QUQfbg-uWZ9QRypOdAbh/s1600-h/maxs_gelhaba_face_shot_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitrkJ_xeeaCCYfWiByVxHtAx4Sv1Xfn1x1cX1dakeiwKa_d_vLko7CBHtqWjy1dQ2QT3A_K2vGFoibJMZtYXBJ-h6x0rNHqrPbUnJFzgX0sH-1be3RsjwwiKM_QUQfbg-uWZ9QRypOdAbh/s400/maxs_gelhaba_face_shot_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442867004930428562" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnQUSXG7TuEEBD2YnTQANzElPyXmzFm2eUfLSp6XC44QgIaziQYCB0xbXtbJ92CkddpcKyEdqi3lZ3kv8NdXvzHLsFGrcyAPpssXPJ10faduri42Q_odSmxlWxKlQf4XZJSM3_yWg-9vxG/s1600-h/maxs_gelhaba_profile_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnQUSXG7TuEEBD2YnTQANzElPyXmzFm2eUfLSp6XC44QgIaziQYCB0xbXtbJ92CkddpcKyEdqi3lZ3kv8NdXvzHLsFGrcyAPpssXPJ10faduri42Q_odSmxlWxKlQf4XZJSM3_yWg-9vxG/s400/maxs_gelhaba_profile_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442866639346594402" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBXew-Tb22agv6W6S8ARvxW14RWOIxL8COQnQWKDiHBqzx81kJm8Px-ecoGvQhpYc5r5NW0CBF5cWLOmJpnPmqGD6QwQCGCTap-Kdww0aZOx8usrJT_26BaRHSxzzmcKFYqzapni_eQxnV/s1600-h/joseys_new_robe_full_length_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBXew-Tb22agv6W6S8ARvxW14RWOIxL8COQnQWKDiHBqzx81kJm8Px-ecoGvQhpYc5r5NW0CBF5cWLOmJpnPmqGD6QwQCGCTap-Kdww0aZOx8usrJT_26BaRHSxzzmcKFYqzapni_eQxnV/s400/joseys_new_robe_full_length_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442867348839547762" border="0" /></a>Josey wanted one of the traditional women's robes, a kaftan. Her choice took a bit longer. She started wanting pink (to match the head scarf she had purchased on the first day), then she changed her mind to teal. The only teal robe she liked was too long. Not a problem! They offered to hem it for her, ensuring many additional years of wear when she let out the hem.<br /><br />I originally had no intention of buying anything. However, while the kids shopped, I found a beautiful pink tunic with white trim and a hood!<br /><br />Next were the negotiations. We learned on our first day that because the kids are spending their own money, the Moroccans give them a better price. Thus, we let Josey do all of the negotiating for herself and Max. Of course Mike aids when necessary, but that is rarely required. They started at 350 dirhams for my tunic, 300 for Josey's, and 300 for Max's. I got mine lowered to 300, and I stopped negotiating. I know I could have dropped the price further, but I wanted the kids to succeed more than myself.<br /><br />Max caved at 200 dirhams. If the guidelines are true, that you can usually get your item for 1/2 the original asking price, he still had a bit more wiggle room. However, he was so incredibly happy with his purchase that it was a good thing!<br /><br />Josey was once again the master. Considering she was also receiving custom alterations, I had to remind her of that fact and that you pay extra for that. She finally settled at 180 dirhams. She looks fantastic!!<br /><br />Whew. That took a while. However, Fahd said that we were near the spice area in the souk, so off we went. We stopped at his friend's spice shop, where we were served tea. We bought some Moroccan cinnamon: several small US bottles worth for 1 euro. It smells divine! The shop owner gave Max an Josey each an interesting necklace, so they were thrilled. And while we were wandering around, Fahd found little wooden camels for each of the kids, too.<br /><br />Imagine that! Here is a man willing to guide us around Marrakesh for a single euro, but he gives my children gifts! Of course, Mike and I had already decided to pay him much more than the original euro, and we did buy him lunch. But still. Very considerate.<br /><br />Here are some action shots from this part of the souk . . .<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYxI6q92Rh2lNIzk20x70oVPyvyzjsWzYguh3JIlHAKvS3R1sdIbx6Dws70_aM37xFGW_QaA64J6lNVyeWgzXouJBIEXlrrn7Ec5r47CSKWJ4GIEI2YFkfwxeDxln4JtUSELPZNU8dhJC1/s1600-h/carpets_and_chaos_GREAT_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYxI6q92Rh2lNIzk20x70oVPyvyzjsWzYguh3JIlHAKvS3R1sdIbx6Dws70_aM37xFGW_QaA64J6lNVyeWgzXouJBIEXlrrn7Ec5r47CSKWJ4GIEI2YFkfwxeDxln4JtUSELPZNU8dhJC1/s400/carpets_and_chaos_GREAT_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442869391022498706" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOoIU89zQM4dR_TkH_TnuOzvw9IFY6qm9fX77p8JNC2r6q7OqlfSFmiC8Ej_7JDzlP_lcTINp-Q4IQJaae3oz8oIIrFXe-wZvRSG1zzxCDFLoomz0qUpwZv6I7_hJGlsEWQnGS9Shiklwo/s1600-h/hats_and_baskets_closeup_GREAT_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOoIU89zQM4dR_TkH_TnuOzvw9IFY6qm9fX77p8JNC2r6q7OqlfSFmiC8Ej_7JDzlP_lcTINp-Q4IQJaae3oz8oIIrFXe-wZvRSG1zzxCDFLoomz0qUpwZv6I7_hJGlsEWQnGS9Shiklwo/s400/hats_and_baskets_closeup_GREAT_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442868699118660898" border="0" /></a>Okay, by now we were once again overwhelmed by the sights, sounds, sales, etc. It was time to wander back to the hotel. We parted with Fahd, and he gave us his number in case we needed a guide again.<br /><br />Back at the hotel, we decided to talk to Mohammed about taking a day trip the next day, to escape the chaos of Marrakesh. Details on that in the next blog entry.<br /><br />And suddenly it was already 4PM, time for henna tattoos! The kids were so excited. We walked to the spice shop/pharmacy, and they sent for the tattooist. Either she didn't speak any French, or she wasn't supposed to speak to us. I think it was that she didn't speak any French, to be honest. So, we negotiated the mere price of 50 dirhams for both kids (remember, I left 100 dirhams for the tattooing vultures in the square!!), and the kids decided to let her use her imagination.<br /><br />It was interesting. She squeezes the henna out of a syringe and simply draws her design. Then, the kids had to wait 20-30 minutes for the henna to dry. Once dry, Mike scrubbed it off their hands, and voila! They rushed downstairs to show Mohammed the finished results, and he recommended putting some olive oil on to bring out the color.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpamP1bRqvhDWLOTX3Cujl2QJGzCXN4vg8zVrIDZlprmbSaVFrSebVS8LrC9Fg0sR3_MTatw0onu34KZGEcR9HyOA7Ym1K4TOIXavBfl9TaGzasmXM8ezb2m1vVRlJnhhOsjY4qpnDiQP3/s1600-h/maxs_henna_tattoo_before_henna_removal_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpamP1bRqvhDWLOTX3Cujl2QJGzCXN4vg8zVrIDZlprmbSaVFrSebVS8LrC9Fg0sR3_MTatw0onu34KZGEcR9HyOA7Ym1K4TOIXavBfl9TaGzasmXM8ezb2m1vVRlJnhhOsjY4qpnDiQP3/s400/maxs_henna_tattoo_before_henna_removal_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442865884526879234" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7pZnEmmbxGwYvS3NNdsZOIDwSpsjxX5oA8KUsf59aQxh80byl0Jj8PVgpDaQ5Tm02XFXuLD8qq5LL7E6Xjw_C6BtmFYMVzERlWXK1krfgtykn1_riMkaP_nXMNQ7QfQRwgyyUIObRXug9/s1600-h/maxs_henna_tattoo_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7pZnEmmbxGwYvS3NNdsZOIDwSpsjxX5oA8KUsf59aQxh80byl0Jj8PVgpDaQ5Tm02XFXuLD8qq5LL7E6Xjw_C6BtmFYMVzERlWXK1krfgtykn1_riMkaP_nXMNQ7QfQRwgyyUIObRXug9/s400/maxs_henna_tattoo_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442866086467950834" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC_AfRm_kTAdsmC86niUsJd0sqTMbO5OxX4x_EEONekCA4b_vZzbtqfFWG20ZPfb7nsYEyEQODaz8uBcNhCgVBvpgY5XbmC2Ayz5bnvzELdW0nOxHjq8ovALh7CDu8UAftQm9H4h62UVOS/s1600-h/joseys_henna_tattoo_before_henna_removal_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC_AfRm_kTAdsmC86niUsJd0sqTMbO5OxX4x_EEONekCA4b_vZzbtqfFWG20ZPfb7nsYEyEQODaz8uBcNhCgVBvpgY5XbmC2Ayz5bnvzELdW0nOxHjq8ovALh7CDu8UAftQm9H4h62UVOS/s400/joseys_henna_tattoo_before_henna_removal_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442864503609275666" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhSawnO4k_DMzxxbp-Q5S57h8YlLJyalRq2lK2wvO8Dxali7Me-RP3mYuwUHkvoLrApf3t1JdnTae1CQ1APONxsF8mirBZF1vFn-HCvyDPSw4J805MDveCPTKWF4A_E0X3rrCxYYsfGNY1/s1600-h/josey_and_her_henna_tattoo_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhSawnO4k_DMzxxbp-Q5S57h8YlLJyalRq2lK2wvO8Dxali7Me-RP3mYuwUHkvoLrApf3t1JdnTae1CQ1APONxsF8mirBZF1vFn-HCvyDPSw4J805MDveCPTKWF4A_E0X3rrCxYYsfGNY1/s400/josey_and_her_henna_tattoo_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442863443782813410" border="0" /></a>They are beautiful! Many people now have told us that the real henna tattoos are this light reddish-brown color. We have seen many black ones, but those are made with chemical dyes.<br /><br />The kids were very happy with the results.<br /><br />The rest of our evening was very relaxed. Dinner at Cafe Arabe, then off to bed.<br /><br />Love to all!!Gayle Billathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08202995601569398280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552688079996598148.post-21937101457551251232010-02-26T23:45:00.000-08:002010-02-27T01:50:36.070-08:00The Atlas Mountains, Berbers, and WaterfallsWe decided that we wanted a break from the chaos of the Medina for our next day of vacation, so <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Mohammed</span> helped us with an itinerary. We decided to hire a driver to take us to see the 7 waterfalls of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Ourika</span> Valley in the Atlas Mountains.<br /><br />http://www.marrakech-cityguide.com/en/sightseeing/surroundings/vallee-de-l-ourika.shtml<br /><br />The Atlas Mountains are about 45 minutes away from Marrakesh. Our driver said that in the winter, they are typically covered in snow. There is even a ski resort! However, this winter, there was only snow at the highest <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">altitudes</span>, which were much farther away than we were planning to go.<br /><br />On the way to the waterfalls, we would pass a village with an authentic Berber market, so we planned to stop there on the way. We were so excited with the idea of seeing Berber people and their wares.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Sidebar</span></span>: Here is a little history gleaned from my research and from our driver. The Berbers were the original inhabitants of Morocco when the Arabs arrived. The Berbers then fled to the mountains and the desert to maintain their cultures. Now the Berbers live in fairly remote places, such as high in the Atlas Mountains, in the Sahara, etc. The Berbers grow most of the fruits and vegetables available in the cities. This means that they grow the produce in terraced gardens on mountainsides!<br /><br />The Berber market was a bust because it was pouring rain. The rain would not have stopped us, but the mud that resulted from the rain was definitely a show stopper. We really tried! We walked through about a block worth of the market, seeing spices and vegetables, before I finally called a halt. By that point, I had mud squishing between my toes. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Gak</span>!<br /><br />I wish I had snapped a picture of the mud, to give you the full impact of just how awful it was. However, my camera was safely tucked into my jacket to protect it from the rain. Darn.<br /><br />So, we climbed back into the van with our driver, and we set off to see the 7 waterfalls of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Ourika</span> Valley.<br /><br />Well, we thought we were off to see the waterfalls. It turns out that when you hire a Moroccan guide, you actually make a lot of stops along the way.<br /><br />Our next stop was a shop on the road that sells fossils, pottery, jewelry, and other Moroccan items. Dado fell in love with a 2-foot tall, 40 pound fossil (left); we all fell in love with the gigantic fossils (right - but no, we did not buy any); Max fell in love with a stone chess set; and I fell in love with a silver bracelet with a lovely pink stone.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdUqLdLJbZ7r7N5226tWUGgWHvzEJmKPSPphkAqzdaBFRXIwzBczbXnTE24jUyt5LM_dTBi9Vr-sPdUmrfPIaH2MxGczp4_sCxowFI85gSkdDEAlB-tBXpQ5nksN3pqUHEz5_WcOrLqCGS/s1600-h/dados_fossil_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdUqLdLJbZ7r7N5226tWUGgWHvzEJmKPSPphkAqzdaBFRXIwzBczbXnTE24jUyt5LM_dTBi9Vr-sPdUmrfPIaH2MxGczp4_sCxowFI85gSkdDEAlB-tBXpQ5nksN3pqUHEz5_WcOrLqCGS/s400/dados_fossil_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442853747468143922" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbZmbZRSIG7wuaGdF1AHgZc_mJubu8gjkZIEtVCrAqqOvKP2xRz63em8glFSSytLDGR-XieozpzAD0ItZFKHfhSYL1tDeCF954ZlkyQYASQzHzO83taUCE7AlwXOD4_Psh_Y_uwL8UlEOq/s1600-h/gigantic_fossil_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbZmbZRSIG7wuaGdF1AHgZc_mJubu8gjkZIEtVCrAqqOvKP2xRz63em8glFSSytLDGR-XieozpzAD0ItZFKHfhSYL1tDeCF954ZlkyQYASQzHzO83taUCE7AlwXOD4_Psh_Y_uwL8UlEOq/s400/gigantic_fossil_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442854645911878402" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZGcB3N7wqYzsu5QWQXHJlKdmf5-NqLkeRpzuyJEvdMBPYxVKQJ9rqtuuwfQbNdKIHNOJ7Wl1aDs8uuMA76SYYW1IgPHla8NOVoKSzEeuo6BP3Voi7nmkv2ViJHTB1vvj_pEGxHejslWfW/s1600-h/maxs_chess_set_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZGcB3N7wqYzsu5QWQXHJlKdmf5-NqLkeRpzuyJEvdMBPYxVKQJ9rqtuuwfQbNdKIHNOJ7Wl1aDs8uuMA76SYYW1IgPHla8NOVoKSzEeuo6BP3Voi7nmkv2ViJHTB1vvj_pEGxHejslWfW/s400/maxs_chess_set_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442853919150853954" border="0" /></a>Next, we stopped at a cooperative where local Berber women make products from <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Argan</span> nuts.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhagdeBmst1KWStPbI2KVaGcKmx23JmLcqxLq8vfiY2G5MT-iwjFcWgxeqg9jirK2cimYjqlw-ArEozXcbzhQGpiclBM37qMon2xBZHmEQ-vfaUBRKDzJFMG6-hacIAOF2BWVHCtDCne9mw/s1600-h/argan_coop_woman_demonstration_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhagdeBmst1KWStPbI2KVaGcKmx23JmLcqxLq8vfiY2G5MT-iwjFcWgxeqg9jirK2cimYjqlw-ArEozXcbzhQGpiclBM37qMon2xBZHmEQ-vfaUBRKDzJFMG6-hacIAOF2BWVHCtDCne9mw/s400/argan_coop_woman_demonstration_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442853525821287266" border="0" /></a>According to the spiel, which was delivered by a beautiful, young Berber woman, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">argan</span> oil is fabulous for cosmetic purposes: wrinkles, stretch marks, just keeping your skin lovely. Mike learned this in his Moroccan research, too. It is also delicious, so you can use it in place of olive oil.<br /><br />The spiel was interesting. Apparently, the cooperatives that produce the authentic <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Argan</span> oil are run <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">solely</span> by women. However, I think what that really means is that only women are allowed to do the hard work of shelling the fruit, cracking the nuts, grinding the nuts, etc.<br /><br />They even let Josey have a turn grinding the nuts into oil.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB_aJHwNpRd0Q3CJnDkb1mFalifb6QKzvA3QLR2RBd9DMaa947DI7CMLH0PJxj3mjZ9GXcSOJRLX5MhDjFSYAvDEpLG4O0qk_Pb_3sPGOhX8yUujZKDlVUJPELtMi1rgTgdSRAm_T6-NZy/s1600-h/argan_coop_josey_grinding_nuts_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB_aJHwNpRd0Q3CJnDkb1mFalifb6QKzvA3QLR2RBd9DMaa947DI7CMLH0PJxj3mjZ9GXcSOJRLX5MhDjFSYAvDEpLG4O0qk_Pb_3sPGOhX8yUujZKDlVUJPELtMi1rgTgdSRAm_T6-NZy/s400/argan_coop_josey_grinding_nuts_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442849575261862690" border="0" /></a>However, they truly use every bit of the nuts. The fruit husks are used to feed animals; the nut shells are burned for heat; and the paste produced from grinding the nuts into oil is used to make Moroccan black soap, which is a vital element to the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">hammam</span> baths. More on the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">hammam</span> baths later.<br /><br />I did indeed buy some <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Argan</span> beauty products: body lotion, anti-wrinkle cream, and cosmetic oil. Mike bought some <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Argan</span> oil for cooking. It is really, really delicious. Even the kids liked it.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><br />By now, we were back on the road, but it had been 3 hours since we left the hotel, and we still were not at the waterfalls! So, we asked for a lunch stop.<br /><br />Our driver obviously has many friends along the route, and he knew of a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">restaurant</span> for us. It was actually a restaurant/hotel on the side of a mountain with a lovely garden. A little oasis from the crowded road.<br /><br />When we left the restaurant, we asked that our driver take us straight to the waterfalls. No more stops!<br /><br />Try to picture the scene:<br /><br />We are driving up a mountain road with small houses (almost huts) occasionally sprinkled on either side of the narrow road. Occasionally there was also a larger village. Most places seemed to have some electricity, but everything was muddy from the rains. This is a land not used to the rains! Mike and I were both getting depressed by the poverty, yet there were still shops and restaurants strung rather frequently along the road. There were many, many cars full of tourists like us. There were also many, many mules bringing Berbers to and from their tasks.<br /><br />Occasionally there was also a more picturesque looking village across the river. According to our guide and what we could see, most of these villages were accessible only by foot.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3hVMk_xSvGLyOpuyY832qpwvXooU_WTNXQU38Thg3LCJvtp1isqECN8IqW__3NrOnkgYzrCXznNSDiwIihXvhYKoXd-M0Auu10I-Hu4mSemKVzEwEL-r6urTZakqUeRtk7hNC8d9TAMVB/s1600-h/village_in_atlas_mtns_foothills_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3hVMk_xSvGLyOpuyY832qpwvXooU_WTNXQU38Thg3LCJvtp1isqECN8IqW__3NrOnkgYzrCXznNSDiwIihXvhYKoXd-M0Auu10I-Hu4mSemKVzEwEL-r6urTZakqUeRtk7hNC8d9TAMVB/s400/village_in_atlas_mtns_foothills_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442850649094575378" border="0" /></a>About 15 minutes later, we arrived at what appeared to be another tiny village along the side of the river. The difference was that here, the road literally stopped!<br /><br />Here is the tiny village at the end of the road and the riverbed (very little water despite all the rain, which was very surprising) you cross to get to the trail head.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjzjZDmSC16SrwKSyHzg3xrHnn2iEBCR1QtROVv-zI4OV4m3DPV33I_sZdJg6qqnmpfeU62OsIi55xWQPXHcDfPe8kl2-nhyXWDXq4pfTgrPPnZtFCGtKWuToSyM9ZMnl7Si-6PvoW1w5-/s1600-h/the_village_at_the_end_of_the_road_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjzjZDmSC16SrwKSyHzg3xrHnn2iEBCR1QtROVv-zI4OV4m3DPV33I_sZdJg6qqnmpfeU62OsIi55xWQPXHcDfPe8kl2-nhyXWDXq4pfTgrPPnZtFCGtKWuToSyM9ZMnl7Si-6PvoW1w5-/s400/the_village_at_the_end_of_the_road_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442852078130037842" border="0" /></a>Our driver offered to get us a guide to lead us to the waterfalls, but Mike wanted to do it alone. As we tried to walk to the trail head, there were several men who tried to sell their guide services. They all insisted that you can't do it without a guide, especially with kids. Finally, Mike agreed to hire one of the men.<br /><br />It was a good call for two reasons: one, we would never have found the trail head because it was <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">camouflaged</span> by restaurants and shops; two, our guide was awesome.<br /><br />Here is a picture of Max crossing the first of several sketchy wooden bridges and the trail head, which weaves through the restaurants.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtheNb3Smx5OKB-BVkeEFGMoHmAkZv281UiueiA_8rNTEUMsAzv6PE8FktV8FBQX7j1Go0T_H9xqbujGWOhMxOUEbTbHDj3pwvBMUEsaXkcKrJzAX1SoMqidnLCkcn6j6O5b57sfEkCBkG/s1600-h/max_hits_the_trail_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtheNb3Smx5OKB-BVkeEFGMoHmAkZv281UiueiA_8rNTEUMsAzv6PE8FktV8FBQX7j1Go0T_H9xqbujGWOhMxOUEbTbHDj3pwvBMUEsaXkcKrJzAX1SoMqidnLCkcn6j6O5b57sfEkCBkG/s400/max_hits_the_trail_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442848345386493202" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcxKRSpgcGC8oeoJ5fIDhaAZjVwqZHWKXTMCsh1PJYO5fotlEGUiJb3qrl9F5wJ-AdPS7UQJr8voc6G-72XJ0b8Z3lqDvPJGPdAZ6EOgB1WGeDm8f3IWU13S0-58ZH7W96WHADLI0vwDH2/s1600-h/waterfall_trail_head_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcxKRSpgcGC8oeoJ5fIDhaAZjVwqZHWKXTMCsh1PJYO5fotlEGUiJb3qrl9F5wJ-AdPS7UQJr8voc6G-72XJ0b8Z3lqDvPJGPdAZ6EOgB1WGeDm8f3IWU13S0-58ZH7W96WHADLI0vwDH2/s400/waterfall_trail_head_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442851600688732594" border="0" /></a>It was raining, and the rocks were very slick! And there were some sketchy places that made me and the kids nervous. However, our terrific guide helped us each across the tough spots. He was like a mountain goat - springing right up the side of the mountain. The climb was fairly steep, but we're all in good shape, so it wasn't difficult at all.<br /><br />It turns out that our guide is a serious mountain guide. He leads people into the Atlas Mountains to a lake that is a 3-day trip each way. He was also very educational about fossils that are found in the Atlas Mountains. We were fascinated by him. And, best of all, he wasn't trying to sell us anything.<br /><br />Here is a picture of him in a tiny little tea shop at waterfall number 3. Here we were sheltering from the rain with several other people. They were serving traditional Moroccan mint tea (which our guide called Moroccan Whiskey, although there is no alcohol): green tea is steeped in boiling water then poured over mint leaves and lots of sugar. The result is yummy but a bit too sweet for me. (I think it's hysterical that he was wearing a "<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">RipCurl</span>" hat!)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJvrVhlmMg8q5vbjko-0HLdQz6fdbrb2xmbL6qyxn1dtjEDj9Nw-HerTyd08BBESpY_Zr0gFeqognWTVskCBv8SVPJJw4vHtYBvZb3Zv6fUu5zRp4EF-1Ps8xG91zHtMqYJhvB7xRZjKTT/s1600-h/our_guide_profile_GREAT_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJvrVhlmMg8q5vbjko-0HLdQz6fdbrb2xmbL6qyxn1dtjEDj9Nw-HerTyd08BBESpY_Zr0gFeqognWTVskCBv8SVPJJw4vHtYBvZb3Zv6fUu5zRp4EF-1Ps8xG91zHtMqYJhvB7xRZjKTT/s400/our_guide_profile_GREAT_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442845767477476594" border="0" /></a>Along the way, there were many restaurants and little shops. You simply cannot escape commerce in this country it seems. Here is a man who was carving little trinkets and Berber masks from the rocks of the Atlas Mountains.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTgWRrB7Ocnj08r3EnqEPr02-JXH0ZWQV1kFgocpx3w-WQ8yrGOGlOdI49vL8taVNtvbTszCtlkxFJ7629An0Hl_ZUCDiSsUy2grzA7qRx_Em0HBDxsMx4TdWIEimdV4afwzqms8B9OXDm/s1600-h/stone_carver_on_trail_closeup_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTgWRrB7Ocnj08r3EnqEPr02-JXH0ZWQV1kFgocpx3w-WQ8yrGOGlOdI49vL8taVNtvbTszCtlkxFJ7629An0Hl_ZUCDiSsUy2grzA7qRx_Em0HBDxsMx4TdWIEimdV4afwzqms8B9OXDm/s400/stone_carver_on_trail_closeup_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442848014875359362" border="0" /></a>The waterfalls themselves were anti-climactic. We were only able to climb to number 3 of 7 due to the weather. We have seen far more majestic waterfalls. However, it felt good to be outside exercising a bit. It was a bit too touristy for us. There were a lot of other people on the trail, even considering the rain. The guide said that during the summer, there are up to 20,000 tourists there each day. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Gak</span>!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoBLpGimfX6qB4wiD2jILn-4vY71iXxe2Bo6uoxcXxtD282VtXPFv5rQMlon6g5rfqpom_kyQz5T5rwCvuF19DqvB6_IcrhMHrIWZH-McGUxrqyDNfeGLxxgAMrgQbT4apu1YfZ1BCH1qK/s1600-h/all_of_us_at_waterfall_3_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoBLpGimfX6qB4wiD2jILn-4vY71iXxe2Bo6uoxcXxtD282VtXPFv5rQMlon6g5rfqpom_kyQz5T5rwCvuF19DqvB6_IcrhMHrIWZH-McGUxrqyDNfeGLxxgAMrgQbT4apu1YfZ1BCH1qK/s400/all_of_us_at_waterfall_3_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442846105809864546" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHYOLuYf8iP8l8qN96f55QNnG27oBP6qlgF-JIww-KU92alFbKZj7BzFKQCdxR2df06fBF-svijuulaFQizKvqXj5aNXaY55Gxe3e_2JPrpS0A-LIuhfl4gk6Rd6B3MDTkRNWCcFoWdoPN/s1600-h/max_and_josey_at_waterfall_3_GREAT_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHYOLuYf8iP8l8qN96f55QNnG27oBP6qlgF-JIww-KU92alFbKZj7BzFKQCdxR2df06fBF-svijuulaFQizKvqXj5aNXaY55Gxe3e_2JPrpS0A-LIuhfl4gk6Rd6B3MDTkRNWCcFoWdoPN/s400/max_and_josey_at_waterfall_3_GREAT_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442847003631465538" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpK6PyTEIvtM66Je-Hg73xUCVErRID6av22PiLG92QyH3jwcabxbDGVhqRYopebiWBtjFF5tHYCTNsW01tDbnrBUgW7_87_cHpIiFURn7RjRRN5om10rj4ky1tKdMUL9WIUOEFvgdWYenW/s1600-h/dado_as_moroccan_in_roman_ruins_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpK6PyTEIvtM66Je-Hg73xUCVErRID6av22PiLG92QyH3jwcabxbDGVhqRYopebiWBtjFF5tHYCTNsW01tDbnrBUgW7_87_cHpIiFURn7RjRRN5om10rj4ky1tKdMUL9WIUOEFvgdWYenW/s400/dado_as_moroccan_in_roman_ruins_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442845305603812962" border="0" /></a>At the bottom of the trail, there were - of course - more little shops. The kids found the fossil shop immediately, and Josey started bartering. Meanwhile, Mike found an authentic Berber wool jacket, and he was bartering with the men in the next store over. I was supervising the kids (well, just looking official - they handled themselves perfectly). Max was a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">sweety</span>! He wanted to buy belated Valentine's gifts for Dado & Josey. So, from the fossil shop (where the man said that his father found the fossils himself in the mountains) he bought Dado a really cool geode, and he bought Josey a cool fossil scorpion necklace.<br /><br />Dado and I each got a Berber jacket. Yes, the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">Billats</span> were out-of-control on the spending! However, so far, the purchases were deemed a very good deal, and we were supporting the local economy. Plus, given my love of fiber arts, I really wanted one of those Berber jackets.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLHXRLy111r6ckxwJpDyJE1F5s8jB2UGXsHwZDmjM8ZnrqZ8zhGPn5k4-iUGSalKEguGcxp8ssc7RsaohGkhvtfkdHeRU05p90WLBF3Aq7aWtGENVuHf6bSCewHCKKbFwVMJzOVpTuJwKd/s1600-h/berber_jackets_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLHXRLy111r6ckxwJpDyJE1F5s8jB2UGXsHwZDmjM8ZnrqZ8zhGPn5k4-iUGSalKEguGcxp8ssc7RsaohGkhvtfkdHeRU05p90WLBF3Aq7aWtGENVuHf6bSCewHCKKbFwVMJzOVpTuJwKd/s400/berber_jackets_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442845595925580338" border="0" /></a>Finally, we were back in the car and headed back to the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">riad</span>. No stops, thank you very much!<br /><br />We made it back in time to shower before dinner. We ate dinner at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">Argana</span>, which is a restaurant with a terrace that overlooks the chaos of the square. Dinner was good fuel, but there wasn't anything very noteworthy. The highlight was the Moroccan pastry assortment at the end! Well, that was my highlight. I think I was the only one who really liked the sweet, nutty little delights. One <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">definitely</span> needs to brush and floss after indulging in those!<br /><br />Love to all!!Gayle Billathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08202995601569398280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552688079996598148.post-72074453237325733602010-02-26T07:07:00.000-08:002010-02-27T01:55:44.976-08:00The Souks!Day two in Marrakesh was another adventure! It started at 5:48AM with the call to prayer. That was a fascinating way to wake up our first day in Morocco, and I was very grateful that we were all able to fall back to sleep.<br /><br />It was also Valentine's Day. They don't celebrate it here, but Mike remembered! He bought me a silver sea horse necklace, which he surprised me with first thing in the morning. I am married to the sweetest man on the planet!<br /><br />Now onto the Moroccan part of our adventure . . .<br /><br />At the Riad, breakfast is included. We wandered downstairs around 9ish, and we were seated in one of the sitting rooms at a very nicely set table. Then we were served fresh (as in homemade - not from a carton!) yogurt with fresh strawberries. Although everyone said they liked it (I think Mike only ate his because I told him that yogurt has a lot of protein!), I obviously liked it the best. I finished Max's, too.The next course was fresh Moroccan round bread and interesting-looking pancakes, served with butter, sugar, honey, and apricot jam. We also had fresh orange juice (which is a specialty here in Marrakesh), coffee, tea, and hot chocolate. Yum, yum!<br /><br />Then, we packed the camera, our Moroccan Dirham (currency), our map, and some emergency food and water (we never go anywhere without food for me and Max, as we get, ahem, rather unpleasant when we are starving), and we set out to wander the streets of the Souks.<br /><br />We walked out to the main street through our dark tunnel & alleyways, and the first thing we saw was a Moroccan pharmacy. The pharmacies here sell all natural medicinal cures, so the walls are lined with glass jars full of stuff. The owner asked us to have a seat, he welcomed us warmly to Morocco, and he proceeded to give us a demonstration of the medicines, perfumes, spices, and oils of Marrakesh!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHXJ8deLRFT0xyBKGp5KHbbEzj3N9NKQJADF5noKL7MELCvZK4IFh0JmDRHk5CkikUte-3S9syf36aY6uY7ASRJ0PQ-iisQ1ZUZnsB-EW7siheBFY-LqwFDggZEz4DZykQnDuSp-Pu-878/s1600-h/our_spice_shop_buddy_dishing_cinnamon_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHXJ8deLRFT0xyBKGp5KHbbEzj3N9NKQJADF5noKL7MELCvZK4IFh0JmDRHk5CkikUte-3S9syf36aY6uY7ASRJ0PQ-iisQ1ZUZnsB-EW7siheBFY-LqwFDggZEz4DZykQnDuSp-Pu-878/s400/our_spice_shop_buddy_dishing_cinnamon_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442590744475169506" border="0" /></a>It was fascinating and perfect!! Mike loves spices, and his Marrakesh research told him about the special oils that are produced only in Morocco from a nut that grows here, Argan oil. Apparently, it is delicious for cooking and it is also a well known beauty product ingredient. Mike also loves spices, since he still does all the cooking Chez Billat. Thus, he wanted to learn about the spices.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The man was very interesting. He used French & English, and we learned a ton.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyC0KM4L4oM4VysgKrY5Dt0Dc63Oqj4L-0km8S8PIembUxWdOZ3LKBNDsk7xSZFDi8HW6fjP9zwRZNAxv-OtqbZ29UiOV8V33GalRs2Dgztw4OYEZbOzqDwGSLy0VTIISjJSHgksqi_Fon/s1600-h/spice_shop_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyC0KM4L4oM4VysgKrY5Dt0Dc63Oqj4L-0km8S8PIembUxWdOZ3LKBNDsk7xSZFDi8HW6fjP9zwRZNAxv-OtqbZ29UiOV8V33GalRs2Dgztw4OYEZbOzqDwGSLy0VTIISjJSHgksqi_Fon/s400/spice_shop_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442589980797781154" border="0" /></a>We now have some Moroccan 25-spice, some Moroccan 4-spice (for fish), Moroccan Vicks (explanation available for those interested - Dude, you will get some in the mail!!), various oils, and about 6 little gifts. It was very fun. The more we bought, the more gifts he bestowed upon the kids. They received jasmine perfume, rose perfume, magic lipstick (it's green in the tube and changes to "your color" upon application), and all sorts of other goodies.<br /><br />Josey is so adorable. She and Mike wanted to give him some type of gift, too. Well, we bought M&Ms in La Jonquera, and we brought them in our carryons. We took our purchases back to the Riad and gathered up the M&Ms. Josey passed them out to Moroccans throughout the day. It was very cute!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sidebar:</span> The pharmacy/spice shop ended up being an almost daily stop for us because the kids had so much fun buying unique things there! We donated all of those clothes we packed to the two men who ran the spice shop during the day. Although I intended the clothes to be a donation, they did give us many gifts in return - more spices, cinnamon, poppy dye for me to try, perfumes, etc. They were wonderful men, and they provided a lot of great memories for us!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVb9RQ7ChX-44OCx6umM5H09gQn83sbsBIqz-adlbY0vm9nsZis4RpRnjo2pkmK5Jp4ByvGvdcFpmtekJTtYUhEQVUdSF_D89Eq8me1LApgVC0dOpCBbIb3WrRFcp1CU3maHZjtHDfFNQE/s1600-h/us_with_our_spice_shop_buddies_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVb9RQ7ChX-44OCx6umM5H09gQn83sbsBIqz-adlbY0vm9nsZis4RpRnjo2pkmK5Jp4ByvGvdcFpmtekJTtYUhEQVUdSF_D89Eq8me1LApgVC0dOpCBbIb3WrRFcp1CU3maHZjtHDfFNQE/s400/us_with_our_spice_shop_buddies_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442590435826208018" border="0" /></a>While we were shopping at the pharmacy (and I forgot to mention how inexpensive things are here!!), another Moroccan man walked in, and he offered to show us some palaces. We were thrilled! In hindsight, it turns out that he was bringing us to various places where we could shop, and I'm sure he got a cut of the action, but it was still very fun.<br /><br />Our next stop was Palaise Vizir, which was an enormous building devoted entirely to the sale of Moroccan carpets. I am very familiar with foreign carpets, since my father sells them. However, this was a truly foreign sales experience. They took us through the various rooms of this former palace, and every room had carpets everywhere! The color of the carpets combined with the colors of the tile was brilliant and lovely! I was spellbound.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFTO0EJ-0ZbVhHmDUsAviyN0tHzBxancP-7M25PBA4H554a5_mzTh4d7CVIQBHgijmD5z81jqZnBLm0v0Ekav7E-w1BxEotWYqmn1sxS9JCHjqAl27qsvH6lswap1He261IdbBft5afrXD/s1600-h/carpet_store_door_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFTO0EJ-0ZbVhHmDUsAviyN0tHzBxancP-7M25PBA4H554a5_mzTh4d7CVIQBHgijmD5z81jqZnBLm0v0Ekav7E-w1BxEotWYqmn1sxS9JCHjqAl27qsvH6lswap1He261IdbBft5afrXD/s400/carpet_store_door_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442586953357045234" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP4l2mJR3ul6XJQzqebvLR1GHDTC4Qym1LP71vXcVABt_Pmee8rqBg-nFzqkZ3xAVJAgiw3RTGFylpaeWnrPC0AK9jg7W74g4i7rkcbsaFBoFA3SM9W2TXWVMmMezhThm5FotcXRygn07f/s1600-h/Carpet_store_arched_entry_closeup_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP4l2mJR3ul6XJQzqebvLR1GHDTC4Qym1LP71vXcVABt_Pmee8rqBg-nFzqkZ3xAVJAgiw3RTGFylpaeWnrPC0AK9jg7W74g4i7rkcbsaFBoFA3SM9W2TXWVMmMezhThm5FotcXRygn07f/s400/Carpet_store_arched_entry_closeup_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442585137138009490" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcyVbI94mZeM5g5QsFkIdyTsHUgoIgJRRnsra6VrZbeAEB9BrcJeszbH_e0OTjlozXE3e9t3o-RwjEU7uUA03NmlTbVWRvxs-HJ6OscKTazJj7Q-THnz3GDU1olYHHRk1BCu0KElHtlLsB/s1600-h/carpet_store_mint_tea_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcyVbI94mZeM5g5QsFkIdyTsHUgoIgJRRnsra6VrZbeAEB9BrcJeszbH_e0OTjlozXE3e9t3o-RwjEU7uUA03NmlTbVWRvxs-HJ6OscKTazJj7Q-THnz3GDU1olYHHRk1BCu0KElHtlLsB/s400/carpet_store_mint_tea_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442585646281899842" border="0" /></a>As I snapped pictures, they led us upstairs. We were seated in a little alcove and served traditional Moroccan mint tea (very sweet, and very yummy), and the carpet display began! We were shown at least 30 carpets: Arab traditional carpets, Berber traditional carpets, hand knotted, embroidered, wool, silk . . . Wow!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Here are just a few pictures of the wonderful things we saw.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3E6So_0Roo8hDbi1zAAnItrWzQrPdVFE6R4ccMYAsv_Lrc9WG87CPcvBh4Smb_njIsMaj5KwkuTQo2InFui3VzKmsCsuffhfrC0B4pimZoiE5jl6y1QwhvtSRQPmzjJicuqBpnWK5HZGj/s1600-h/carpet_2_closeup_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3E6So_0Roo8hDbi1zAAnItrWzQrPdVFE6R4ccMYAsv_Lrc9WG87CPcvBh4Smb_njIsMaj5KwkuTQo2InFui3VzKmsCsuffhfrC0B4pimZoiE5jl6y1QwhvtSRQPmzjJicuqBpnWK5HZGj/s400/carpet_2_closeup_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442588604019153922" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkYqecdYj06qWTJoPcgMQDtkjuWIh5rgRfBgBygoFPy1PjugxEjvfeRChrR4ibuaShwqMI7wUYDrAOyCmSIGRdaDa-g98xzqP34iPZebpe4ngrTgBulat5o3bxhtRAUFR9l_S5SQVv_5hY/s1600-h/arab_carpets_poppy_selection_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkYqecdYj06qWTJoPcgMQDtkjuWIh5rgRfBgBygoFPy1PjugxEjvfeRChrR4ibuaShwqMI7wUYDrAOyCmSIGRdaDa-g98xzqP34iPZebpe4ngrTgBulat5o3bxhtRAUFR9l_S5SQVv_5hY/s400/arab_carpets_poppy_selection_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442586384289131858" border="0" /></a><br />I had not the slightest intention of buying carpets in Morocco. In fact, I did not even know that Morocco was world famous for its carpets. However, we are now the proud owners of 2 beautiful little carpets! Amazing souvenirs. We are very pleased!<br /><br />The whole sales experience was very entertaining. I had a favorite, and Mike had a favorite. The owner was determined to sell us both before we walked out. The negotiations were friendly, and they went on for at least 30 minutes. When we decided to buy just one carpet, the price dropped for 2 . . . and on and on until they were packaging our carpets to be a carryon for the plane.<br /><br />It was really fun! In fact, Mike and I both decided it was our highlight of the day.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGp0w037qdSRmL9szQUfy_5DIQE2MSoL51DC6P4J57iv4V3WiqSVFSeLG7wDTsdEDYi_d96Cccr1inSk9jkHpgM56JUsD9P7m9aKA1Bo-R4JkCze_R_lUkh0I4QaMsnf8OOWv14LlNXX3_/s1600-h/us_with_the_carpet_store_guys_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGp0w037qdSRmL9szQUfy_5DIQE2MSoL51DC6P4J57iv4V3WiqSVFSeLG7wDTsdEDYi_d96Cccr1inSk9jkHpgM56JUsD9P7m9aKA1Bo-R4JkCze_R_lUkh0I4QaMsnf8OOWv14LlNXX3_/s400/us_with_the_carpet_store_guys_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442584631914103938" border="0" /></a>And we have 2 beautiful carpets to memorialize the experience. Dado's pick is on the left, and my pick is on the right.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfODwF3LKk61xrZpdLhOjmBOqx1LDkJSLpzE1z2XZcR1JY9vjegjZoGuYfYEcWovXHMYyFFmawIsUBb2SogT7hrEsh7gZ_sE1HtJ1yKKIrND4tYHatQiRYA5TUuGXnHSINfxzLQzcfjvyg/s1600-h/dados_carpet_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfODwF3LKk61xrZpdLhOjmBOqx1LDkJSLpzE1z2XZcR1JY9vjegjZoGuYfYEcWovXHMYyFFmawIsUBb2SogT7hrEsh7gZ_sE1HtJ1yKKIrND4tYHatQiRYA5TUuGXnHSINfxzLQzcfjvyg/s400/dados_carpet_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442587583529936978" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBqMO0U_kU0_ALtwwHOngE-p87IhVvy5D4arSchUEz-K6Dsw3fcm5FLrBmWtNRDcgsYDaPTpkWpXNNFd9hlgMLI5La9e563xb5VHc7fXPLKcPuUKkqGDw8nEndsvVuJ2zXikOHz1l91YIe/s1600-h/mommys_new_carpet_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBqMO0U_kU0_ALtwwHOngE-p87IhVvy5D4arSchUEz-K6Dsw3fcm5FLrBmWtNRDcgsYDaPTpkWpXNNFd9hlgMLI5La9e563xb5VHc7fXPLKcPuUKkqGDw8nEndsvVuJ2zXikOHz1l91YIe/s400/mommys_new_carpet_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442587992424110034" border="0" /></a>After we dropped our new carpets off at the Riad, we decided to strike out on our own to see the souks.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUDOLNI3xmTB-xBwnbGvuuQ3-jqcGgjBhkgvYfGp85h1gtFuQ9_9WgVbWYa5KaHWg4bEhuuojgTgxXk9_Cy_WuymeEyMBXKTD9CtBAiVchLDAMp9nT9v_ugx2LiFf99UlP5zfPnBwrZDI8/s1600-h/souk_with_mule_GREAT_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUDOLNI3xmTB-xBwnbGvuuQ3-jqcGgjBhkgvYfGp85h1gtFuQ9_9WgVbWYa5KaHWg4bEhuuojgTgxXk9_Cy_WuymeEyMBXKTD9CtBAiVchLDAMp9nT9v_ugx2LiFf99UlP5zfPnBwrZDI8/s400/souk_with_mule_GREAT_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442581719769957378" border="0" /></a>Now, how do I describe the souks? They are the heart of the shopping and artisan activities in the Medina. They are literally a warren of tiny alleyways lined on each side with tiny shops. The alleyways are only wide enough for small mule-drawn carts. There are no cars in the souks. However, there are many, many motorbikes, bicycles, donkeys, and people. No dogs (thank goodness after our experiences in France!), but there are cats.<br /><br />The souks almost defy further description. They are a cacaphony of sound, color, and activity. There are carpets, traditional Arabic clothing, scarves, metal work, fossils, crystals, wooden trinkets and treasures . . . all handmade in many cases by the actual shop owner (okay - obviously not the fossils; although, in many cases, the shop owner says he knows the man who found the fossil). Often, the shop owners are sitting outside the shop, beckoning you in to take a look.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjdwm7otGBIZfSCjvYAqBxOzww34nlgKRsiIiJJEL-Ll0PfEeipVXGuSDJxAPKVvViayRJKpOgnBf1mCc96hBBbxjxE67hjeincR31PhUr7dkd5IZtXpNu46wldTLHib5SSbRuJbosNGxK/s1600-h/souk_with_paintings_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjdwm7otGBIZfSCjvYAqBxOzww34nlgKRsiIiJJEL-Ll0PfEeipVXGuSDJxAPKVvViayRJKpOgnBf1mCc96hBBbxjxE67hjeincR31PhUr7dkd5IZtXpNu46wldTLHib5SSbRuJbosNGxK/s400/souk_with_paintings_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442582336635032914" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB7YgIWwbyi3M07So4p36Rg6714TOx4V5gGAZP9uYJBsQczfERqAHamPCyI4TaO79TuFMZ6JWkbFDHK4al-IL9sW1OOoQdEPJVFe8TqB2J8r5TvV7Q3m099PmnMizPcizhr0k0M-sYu-Ss/s1600-h/souk_with_mules_and_moto_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB7YgIWwbyi3M07So4p36Rg6714TOx4V5gGAZP9uYJBsQczfERqAHamPCyI4TaO79TuFMZ6JWkbFDHK4al-IL9sW1OOoQdEPJVFe8TqB2J8r5TvV7Q3m099PmnMizPcizhr0k0M-sYu-Ss/s400/souk_with_mules_and_moto_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442582966884708466" border="0" /></a>Here is a look at the dyers section of the souk.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje-uzy_E35FUDfV01_jBJq35D7aJYQzLyZFXLvhp8mwiymOIzaynotUMvNyoIkHhNjVQDq1MUhmMZ_L8ES1_04QRNTh2M5y4QiEROdkLQGumfjLXK-r-Vfg-aNbs9YPLfyjx6ep1-rqWwx/s1600-h/dyers_alley_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje-uzy_E35FUDfV01_jBJq35D7aJYQzLyZFXLvhp8mwiymOIzaynotUMvNyoIkHhNjVQDq1MUhmMZ_L8ES1_04QRNTh2M5y4QiEROdkLQGumfjLXK-r-Vfg-aNbs9YPLfyjx6ep1-rqWwx/s400/dyers_alley_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442578212767118194" border="0" /></a>And did I mention the beautiful, random doors that surprise you from time to time?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9CfcakGQGu5DUCjSx0Wp3JshDPIdJgLwcjUGcEWhbn9WkU9yMKfRpTxb8FDEyMJ-8QWAl4kCp60UTK2PCfFV6eo-A6m1liZ-kkoHtVWP_3KTXWzXeCJkI2WR7LPgjWJXVEcqg0A0j7F1h/s1600-h/doorway_in_souk_metal_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9CfcakGQGu5DUCjSx0Wp3JshDPIdJgLwcjUGcEWhbn9WkU9yMKfRpTxb8FDEyMJ-8QWAl4kCp60UTK2PCfFV6eo-A6m1liZ-kkoHtVWP_3KTXWzXeCJkI2WR7LPgjWJXVEcqg0A0j7F1h/s400/doorway_in_souk_metal_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442577200895774930" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuMfmPgufFNfRjodZID_Ahi0aOm8PgAMdmVwnEFpEK6F_EIDkrvjSGIaY9YhHL-9NKsciuFjdevwn4fgrmYbIocZr8TUY42M1Kd-pa6mS7cwd_NelV-94nLdg1uhKEIws58qJp3SmYCDqC/s1600-h/doorway_in_souk_with_arab_man_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuMfmPgufFNfRjodZID_Ahi0aOm8PgAMdmVwnEFpEK6F_EIDkrvjSGIaY9YhHL-9NKsciuFjdevwn4fgrmYbIocZr8TUY42M1Kd-pa6mS7cwd_NelV-94nLdg1uhKEIws58qJp3SmYCDqC/s400/doorway_in_souk_with_arab_man_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442577766162398354" border="0" /></a>Everyone speaks Arabic, French, and at least some English! We are communicating easily, which is a relief.<br /><br />And, Mike and Josey are the masters of negotiation, which is vitally important here. In our research, it seems that you should only pay half of the original asking price, and we seem to be doing so consistently. However, if the negotiations are left to me or Max? Well, let's just say that both Max and I always ask for help.<br /><br />Josey is hysterical! That little mite does not get intimidated at all! She does not back down more than about 50 cents worth in the very end. I am so proud watching her. I know that her determination and skills will take her very far in life.<br /><br />So, as we wandered through the souk, we saw so many amazing things. There was one wood carver who was working his lathe with his feet and manipulating his knife with his toes! We stopped to watch him, and he made the children what he described as Moroccan good luck charms. Dado had wanted Moroccan skewers, so of course we purchased his handmade skewers.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfUhDhmPHKwTW5QKtqQtkFvTk3WJRVFl5zpKdkdoLTNJ4tON2jEcbrLKIOTBBQpcXOB7s32A4u0NBqOpCCab6BfJ7IHu_K_bty9TGYluiGaBz6o3LQFrBJnJzlQ15V6RRRKVaSCFN46DVR/s1600-h/man_carving_with_feet_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfUhDhmPHKwTW5QKtqQtkFvTk3WJRVFl5zpKdkdoLTNJ4tON2jEcbrLKIOTBBQpcXOB7s32A4u0NBqOpCCab6BfJ7IHu_K_bty9TGYluiGaBz6o3LQFrBJnJzlQ15V6RRRKVaSCFN46DVR/s400/man_carving_with_feet_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442579663588997890" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjspqRgFKPr7-XNZfmXkkIiyDZvYgtj2LjL4Vr7Eg49lXwGwiRks4YxroD1p5SCNvfl89aVWVSaeVdba8NC_NBfUXCRQP8WBLVWM0jU0Pkr2xSLCU4WuChwbNhSE7ghLC84Uc3fzXMEZqbV/s1600-h/joseys_good_luck_charm_from_carving_man_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjspqRgFKPr7-XNZfmXkkIiyDZvYgtj2LjL4Vr7Eg49lXwGwiRks4YxroD1p5SCNvfl89aVWVSaeVdba8NC_NBfUXCRQP8WBLVWM0jU0Pkr2xSLCU4WuChwbNhSE7ghLC84Uc3fzXMEZqbV/s400/joseys_good_luck_charm_from_carving_man_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442578622317197682" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC4z6WT2zOmFSyN1s9zC6YIMFQWQu6vmtTaXFFNzRE8T6IGBiMfVZoVx7ZDeJs3uUoGU5R48cKQ7tilZlNzn_oEuXiClf5acq88m0Uwcd9Op2I3yNIZtXek1R6ZASFX37G-Hkxp2Bi3PMf/s1600-h/maxs_good_luck_charm_from_foot_carving_man_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC4z6WT2zOmFSyN1s9zC6YIMFQWQu6vmtTaXFFNzRE8T6IGBiMfVZoVx7ZDeJs3uUoGU5R48cKQ7tilZlNzn_oEuXiClf5acq88m0Uwcd9Op2I3yNIZtXek1R6ZASFX37G-Hkxp2Bi3PMf/s400/maxs_good_luck_charm_from_foot_carving_man_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442579087109393042" border="0" /></a>Inventory after our first few hours? Spices, carpets, skewers . . . wow! The thrifty Billats were on a buying spree!<br /><br />We found a fossil vendor. For those of you who don't know, Mike and the kids love all things fossils. So does Uncle Mark. So, Josey and Mike started negotiations while I stood outside the shop oggling the silk vendors next door. The man wasn't willing to come down as low as they wanted for Max's cool, hot pink geode, so we walked away. Ah! He chased us down the alley, so we were back to negotiations. Max finally decided that 650 dirham (6.50 euros) was a fair price. In France, that same geode would have been at least twice as much, if you could find it. Josey also bought her first camel gift, and we got some cool fossils!<br /><br />Here is Max's 650 dirham, hot pink geode (along with several other goodies he collected on our journey . . . he had a lot of birthday money to spend).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsZoqnmifZTWjlyvPklB4WNR95cMXB5HJ86314IrcR49nDA0fyFthKP-Zh7t0kwkYSlIIazDetBoHcZe2tCI2Y56uo3ugjbcRD5NDtZzgpQnYCzrSFP2W-waGkDFWeBP7cUv9SR80vIf4M/s1600-h/maxs_loot_esp_pink_geode_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsZoqnmifZTWjlyvPklB4WNR95cMXB5HJ86314IrcR49nDA0fyFthKP-Zh7t0kwkYSlIIazDetBoHcZe2tCI2Y56uo3ugjbcRD5NDtZzgpQnYCzrSFP2W-waGkDFWeBP7cUv9SR80vIf4M/s400/maxs_loot_esp_pink_geode_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442859075092233490" border="0" /></a>And, while Dado was helping Max negotiate for the geode, Josey spotted a head scarf. The kids both ended up with a lot of truly Moroccan things. Here is a good example. Josey was quite pleased with herself, too. She ended up negotiating and buying this for a mere 200 dirham (2 euros). Max didn't buy his, but it looks great!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK6QlnoTHcQO0yz71KCq-jh7INKHfvQNAJ9BaChT9Eld8SNbb-pFz6b_hLFDjQ2DwS9oBfBMpZoBACNDTU3UTd_i8iiqJzuOcoFcYN2zBiQVunSFXWvbvZmX6fixOT2owbUpPN4PjlZH42/s1600-h/joseys_headscarf_with_vendor_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK6QlnoTHcQO0yz71KCq-jh7INKHfvQNAJ9BaChT9Eld8SNbb-pFz6b_hLFDjQ2DwS9oBfBMpZoBACNDTU3UTd_i8iiqJzuOcoFcYN2zBiQVunSFXWvbvZmX6fixOT2owbUpPN4PjlZH42/s400/joseys_headscarf_with_vendor_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442580679349158082" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtElJkpOMNSoALKQyzvn5zHLAbyKMQkVqosliSLMksMPTChAPoJLhw2i2usc4TVn2fH58j9Y-aS3_krmOMWKNWIAEvDh1j-lB2TEyOFddqq_CK_1-IZk6OdTDGn-EDD3NqVB820YSAenMD/s1600-h/max_and_josey_in_headscarves_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtElJkpOMNSoALKQyzvn5zHLAbyKMQkVqosliSLMksMPTChAPoJLhw2i2usc4TVn2fH58j9Y-aS3_krmOMWKNWIAEvDh1j-lB2TEyOFddqq_CK_1-IZk6OdTDGn-EDD3NqVB820YSAenMD/s400/max_and_josey_in_headscarves_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442581228466571346" border="0" /></a>By this time, we were hungry and needed a rest from the souk. However, finding our way out was proving to be difficult! We wandered at least 15 minutes. In that time, we managed to find the leather district (very stinky!) and the metal district (don't look at the welding torches!), but we did not find a way out.<br /><br />The only food in the souks appear to be little stands, the sanitation of which I was not comfortable with. Thus, finding an exit was critical.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghyphenhyphen21EltkS3cyPQ8Vmd4omsu1Lu7HaKymxFkKovLDEpcjGASMQmwQ009NdiiMDJ_cT30sVK1x_SdcDfjXikZXTiE8t82y95lJdpnL-vJXqd8DRinGOIdlC2U0drKrVJcbE-g6AKC8AnoaO/s1600-h/cafe_arabe_kids_on_the_terrace_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghyphenhyphen21EltkS3cyPQ8Vmd4omsu1Lu7HaKymxFkKovLDEpcjGASMQmwQ009NdiiMDJ_cT30sVK1x_SdcDfjXikZXTiE8t82y95lJdpnL-vJXqd8DRinGOIdlC2U0drKrVJcbE-g6AKC8AnoaO/s400/cafe_arabe_kids_on_the_terrace_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442576488406678930" border="0" /></a>Luckily, a nice Moroccan man took pity on us. He led us right back to our original entry point. Whew! Again, luckily there was a restaurant right there. Cafe Arabe. Yum! Here's a picture of the kids on the terrace at the restaurant.<br /><br />We checked out the menu, and they offered Italian (wow) and Moroccan fare. The kids joyfully gobbled up spaghetti with red sauce while I ventured to try the pastilla poulet (savory chicken pie), and Mike ordered a meat tajine dish.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8tE8uefzg23RSgIQUBZkr0ZckD3MdZ2KWxcDxr1ZY3n0fINIT3bppTkohWemFWf8_Glfz17Zdx-6YMLbsCb_bMYMAoaWeEf_ayhSjYS0NYQJAF0YPSaTx9WIs0MWMjrAEMDlFnAXd5MR6/s1600-h/cafe_arabe_dados_tajine_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8tE8uefzg23RSgIQUBZkr0ZckD3MdZ2KWxcDxr1ZY3n0fINIT3bppTkohWemFWf8_Glfz17Zdx-6YMLbsCb_bMYMAoaWeEf_ayhSjYS0NYQJAF0YPSaTx9WIs0MWMjrAEMDlFnAXd5MR6/s400/cafe_arabe_dados_tajine_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442574832837324578" border="0" /></a>Tajine is the famous fare of Morocco. It is cooked by heating in an inverted cone-shaped ceramic dish. In the dish can be anything from lamb, beef, chicken, and fish combined with spices, olive oil, and water (to provide steam for the cooking). They also have vegetarian tajines, tajine with couscous, etc. We are finding that we really enjoy most of the tajine meals. Delicious!!<br /><br />My chicken pie was very beautiful and not at all what I expected! It was sprinkled with cinammon (very prevalent here) and powdered sugar, thus it tasted much like a dessert. It was phyllo dough-wrapped chicken, chopped almonds, and spices. I think there was egg, too, but I'm not certain. It was very good!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvo92p5YaeMwicOjHEagOO2xKsNuypQGEUmYyCRaLKuCBncxHQD04UMO2uPbaRxXSG8tofrX2AXSg1Jyann5hxqd6ZMHBp2Fjz4ebrDdPRS3hQNc5mDBd1OF_L6RbbKiUNgqLmaywera-e/s1600-h/cafe_arabe_chicken_pastilla_guts_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvo92p5YaeMwicOjHEagOO2xKsNuypQGEUmYyCRaLKuCBncxHQD04UMO2uPbaRxXSG8tofrX2AXSg1Jyann5hxqd6ZMHBp2Fjz4ebrDdPRS3hQNc5mDBd1OF_L6RbbKiUNgqLmaywera-e/s400/cafe_arabe_chicken_pastilla_guts_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442574548256557218" border="0" /></a>Thus well fueled and well rested, we set off again. We weren't willing to wander back into the souk yet, so we headed for the main square. We wanted to see it in the daylight!<br /><br />We found the snake charmers immediately . . . or should I say, they found us! The Moroccans in the square are incredibly aggresive with tourists. They tried to put snakes (non venemous) around Max & Josey's necks. How can I communicate this effectively?<br /><br />Max and Josey DID NOT WANT SNAKES ANYWHERE NEAR THEM!!!!!!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2BViAAW6uEHd00bbRa98a1aXNxWOfeuDF987T7zPbzEexd5LKDV6P83TvW6bNGs4Pp5Nvn5UeJwZH4K2wjC23VEWTLlJEESJFUm3y6rMod8tMVf347MELMN7ceD12ZHDVc0PO1W4CF5Wk/s1600-h/snake_charmers_closeup_GREAT_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2BViAAW6uEHd00bbRa98a1aXNxWOfeuDF987T7zPbzEexd5LKDV6P83TvW6bNGs4Pp5Nvn5UeJwZH4K2wjC23VEWTLlJEESJFUm3y6rMod8tMVf347MELMN7ceD12ZHDVc0PO1W4CF5Wk/s400/snake_charmers_closeup_GREAT_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442573551860919122" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaBUmFaQBnSnMXJM__7bGrp9tYI1aQA0_VQP1gjFTDyz4n-cg1nDIo2gfknfycznLYGsw4YnQpWDTkmzah6nfTGH2c_zxbddmtA_-jtBZaqpFlBSf-mVI6xpU1NFuZaOjvh6lFFhIycMCq/s1600-h/snake_charmers_3_GOOD_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaBUmFaQBnSnMXJM__7bGrp9tYI1aQA0_VQP1gjFTDyz4n-cg1nDIo2gfknfycznLYGsw4YnQpWDTkmzah6nfTGH2c_zxbddmtA_-jtBZaqpFlBSf-mVI6xpU1NFuZaOjvh6lFFhIycMCq/s400/snake_charmers_3_GOOD_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442572876756272098" border="0" /></a>So, I calmly let them put snakes around my neck, to demonstrate that there was nothing to fear. So did Dado. But, the damage was already done. Max was freaked! Poor guy! He's in a foreign country, overwhelmed, tired, and now he's scared that some dumbass is going to flop a snake around his neck.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqbc3P3ts643O0EeMGUxGCDEog1_3K8QQ42dhtVkiRU7XuS9eJRqVtdJffIELPDTlOi_n5DI7HZJq6LOSkSG8X-PUyiDz9uJ1_RyVQsaQ5I7lYMn9nxXTasPlo0BqXItZhdjtiQtxsMTlz/s1600-h/dado_with_snake_charmers_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqbc3P3ts643O0EeMGUxGCDEog1_3K8QQ42dhtVkiRU7XuS9eJRqVtdJffIELPDTlOi_n5DI7HZJq6LOSkSG8X-PUyiDz9uJ1_RyVQsaQ5I7lYMn9nxXTasPlo0BqXItZhdjtiQtxsMTlz/s400/dado_with_snake_charmers_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442574088522136178" border="0" /></a>As we moved away from the snake charmers, the women who give henna tattoos moved in for the kill! Josey and I both wanted a henna tattoo, but we wanted it leisurely. Ha! When the woman handed Josey her sample book, that was it. Two women each grabbed Josey's hands, "Just to show her that it doesn't hurt", and started applying flowers. They apply the henna from what looks like a syringe, but they just use it as a pen. The syringe never touches your skin. Here's a look before things went downhill.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwiYDzy3sfZm1rnu1ZAQWkaMgXzMj3YenKLyz5JfB8g6I0CRuC9CDwWnFAqjBGxz6sDIEq4o5vT6PQhuHdKczsPzUVrZX6gVKR4iQntAMVymMhwpRrsAJ8ydyKxkLFnktcaQy6_WOPDJvs/s1600-h/josey_is_accosted_by_henna_tattooists_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwiYDzy3sfZm1rnu1ZAQWkaMgXzMj3YenKLyz5JfB8g6I0CRuC9CDwWnFAqjBGxz6sDIEq4o5vT6PQhuHdKczsPzUVrZX6gVKR4iQntAMVymMhwpRrsAJ8ydyKxkLFnktcaQy6_WOPDJvs/s400/josey_is_accosted_by_henna_tattooists_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442571653613960674" border="0" /></a>However, these women started to literally lead Josey to their chairs, while I'm yelling at Mike to come with us. The last thing I wanted to do was get separated in the square!! He's yelling back, "How much?" I said, "I don't know!" So, I started asking how much, and they wouldn't answer!! I asked and asked, then I said, "Stop. No more. You won't tell me how much, so we're leaving."<br /><br />Oh man. That's when things got stressy. Mike handed me 100 dirham and walked away saying, "I'm leaving so you won't have anymore money. They are going to try and rip you off." You see, he had read about this and not yet told me how aggressive these women are.<br /><br />In the space of less than 4 minutes, they had tattooed the back of both of Josey's hands and wrists. I handed them the 100 dirhams, and they were mad!! So, the arguing began. They wanted 400 dirham (whihc is 40 euros!!), and I said, "No way. You are lucky to get anything." I finally just dropped the 100 dirham bill on the chair and started to walk away. Then, suddenly, some other Arab woman came out of nowhere and actually GRABBED JOSEY'S WRIST! I was LIVID. She said, "Go get more money from your husband." I said, "Let go of my daughter!"<br /><br />I had that woman by her own wrist, and if she hadn't let go of Josey immediately, I'm afraid that I actually would have hit her. The whole situation was so stressful and almost scary that my adrenaline was surging. I couldn't believe that she actually grabbed my child!!<br /><br />They all finally backed away (I think Mike storming over may have helped, too), and we headed in the other direction.<br /><br />Josey still had the henna on her hands, and we had no idea what to do to remove it. Luckily, another nice Moroccan man came to our aid. He removed it, and Josey was happy with the tattoos. She gave the Moroccan man some M&Ms, Mike gave him a tip, and I brooded over having left the 100 dirhams with the evil tattoo women. In Mike's research, it clearly states that if they don't agree on a price before beginning, you don't have to pay. It's all a technique to rip off tourists. Ack!<br /><br />Josey and I still plan to get better henna tattoos, but we are going to ask Mohammed here at the hotel for a recommendation of where to go.<br /><br />That was the end of the excitement our second day. It was late afternoon by now, and we all needed a rest. The Riad was the perfect respite. We had also requested dinner at the Riad. Mohammed explained that our dinners had cooked for 8 hours, and although they were cooked in the tajine ceramic dish, they were not cooked in the faster traditional tajine fashion. This was better because the meat was even more tender. He was right. The beef was delicious, as were the vegetables.<br /><br />The best part was dessert. Imagine how simple and healthy this is: peeled oranges, sliced into rounds, sprinkled with cinnamon and a little sugar. That's it! Try it. It's incredible.<br /><br />Sorry - too busy eating to take pictures of this amazing dinner.<br /><br />Love to all!Gayle Billathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08202995601569398280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552688079996598148.post-91837173452269783762010-02-26T06:51:00.000-08:002010-02-26T09:22:29.745-08:00Morocco Bound!The kids have a 2-week school vacation in February. Last year, we profited from the time off by vacationing with Mark, Susie & Sean in Rome. This year? We are going to spend a week in Marrakesh, Morocco!!<br /><br />We started planning in late December/early January, and Mike found the most awesome plane tickets on RyanAir. RyanAir is much like SouthWest - a low far airline. Well, Mike found us tickets that were a mere 24 euros/each, roundtrip! The only catch was this was the fare from Reus, Spain. Reus is about a 4-hour drive from Bouzigues. Not a problem for us!<br /><br />Mike bought our tickets and started researching the baggage limitations. Turns out, we had to pay 30 euros for our one suitcase. That was more than our own tickets.<br /><br />My family loves, loves, loves fossils. We now know from our fossil collecting experiences that there are a lot of fossils in Morocco. We wanted to go on a fossil hunting trip in Morocco, but the archeological sites are too far from Marrakesh. However, we packed as if we were going to bring home lots of fossils that we find in shops instead.<br /><br />How did we pack for this, you may wonder? Mike had a brainstorm! We packed 90% of clothes that we plan to leave in Morocco. Clothes that were getting too small for the kids, that we didn't wear much any more, etc. We will donate them to a Moroccan when we are ready to leave, and we will use all that space in our suitcase for fossils and other souvenirs. Clever, right?<br /><br />Well, as part of our 2-week school vacation, since we were going to be 4 hours from home anyway, we decided to stop and ski in the Pyrenees on the way home. Sweet!<br /><br />However, that meant packing for 2 separate trips, with 2 completely different climates. Let's just say that it was an organizational feat of wonder, and our Kangoo was full to the brim with suitcases, etc. when we drove out of Bouzigues early Saturday morning, February 13.<br /><br />The drive to Reus, Spain was completely uneventful. We stopped in La Jonquera (the "frontier") to do a little shopping for necessities. La Jonquera is home of very inexpensive shopping, as it is on the border of France and Spain. We picked up toothpaste, snack foods, spices, etc. It made for a good break in the drive.<br /><br />Then, after killing a few boring hours in Reus, we were on our RyanAir plane to Morocco! Woohoo!!<br /><br />Sidebar: RyanAir is hysterical. No seating assignments. Nothing free to drink. Strict rules about carry ons. Bright yellow and royal blue interior (Mike, who is color blind, kept saying how ugly the plane was). And they are constantly selling things to you on the plane: drinks, food, cigarettes!! Can you imagine? They were actually selling smokeless cigarettes on the airplane. Unbelievable.<br /><br />We landed in Marrakesh around 7:00 PM local time (they are 8 hours ahead of California; one hour ahead of France). We were so excited when we got off the plane! We were the very first people to deplane from the back doors. When we saw the glowing blue letters on the airport, in both French and Cyrillic, we were snapping pictures immediately. First steps into the airport, and I was already commenting on how pretty the mosaic tile work is . . . and how pretty the columns were . . . and look at this . . . and look at that . . . Ahem.<br /><br />Our fun was temporarily interrupted by 1 hour and 15 minutes of passport control line. It was an awful, hot mob of a "line" to get your passports verified.<br /><br />The good news? We now have Moroccan stamps in our passports, too. Cool!!<br /><br />Luckily, our driver waited for us, and he quickly spirited us away from the airport.<br /><br />Since in was dark, we couldn't see much during the drive. But, what we could see was incredible. It was already obvious that the architecture was different, people were dressed uniquely, etc. We were fascinated!<br /><br />We entered The Medina, which is the old city of Marrakesh. The driver told us that the wall that surrounds the Medina is from the 14th century! Amazing.<br /><br />He parked on a side street, and we immediately crossed (on foot) a busy street, thronged with cars, motorbikes, bicycles, and people. Ohmigosh! Then, he led us into a little neighborhood that was hopping with shops still open and selling exotic things. He took a couple turns, ending up walking us down an unlit tunnel into a warren of tiny alleys. Okay, I was a bit concerned! Where in the heck was this guy taking us?! Then, he suddenly stopped at a beautiful door in the middle of the alley, and we entered Dar Silila, the Riad where we will be spending our week.<br /><br />I said to Mike, "We aren't in Kansas anymore!" We went from a dingy, dark alley to a wonderland. Colorful mosaic tilework . . . palm trees growing out of the floor in the courtyard . . . amazing miniarets carved into the walls, beautiful artisan details on the ceiling, Moroccan carpets scattered around the floors, intricate iron work wall sconces, exotic smells. It was such an bizarrely incredible introduction!<br /><br />Our host, Mohammed, greeted us at the door. He led us to one of the many seating areas downstairs and brought us Moroccan sweet tea and cookies. Yum! Mohammed turned out to be an absolute delight for our entire stay. He was incredibly helpful, kind, and super sweet!<br /><br />Then he showed us to our room. We are on the rooftop, and we have 2 rooms. Wow, wow, wow!! There were rose petals scattered on the beds, fresh roses in the rooms, beautiful Moroccan decorations everywhere. It was absolutely lovely!<br /><br />Here is a link to the Riad. You have to check out the video (especially) and the pictures because they are better than the ones I took, and you have to see this place to believe it!<br />http://www.darsilsila.com/<br /><br />Seriously - click that link!!<br /><br />Riads are houses that were formerly owned by families who were either rich and/or royalty. Mohammed doesn't know exactly how old this house is, but it is several hundreds of years old.<br /><br />We are so happy to have chosen a Riad instead of a hotel. The Riad was the highlight of our entire stay in Morocco! Look at how happy the kids are with Mohammed!!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjphyAZfJhSQntgzpsgIeUi7t168UP_0OuBMmMXMalhoB4XognNVGMHDRUsKNIwkI_4bNHaRdTUPwlHG4QgXOxNH5RvGNNR55Cp_OMT7vBwJrmZw-jMF3A4S6RitEiKwoyNVknA1oVY8Lc5/s1600-h/mohammed_with_the_kids_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjphyAZfJhSQntgzpsgIeUi7t168UP_0OuBMmMXMalhoB4XognNVGMHDRUsKNIwkI_4bNHaRdTUPwlHG4QgXOxNH5RvGNNR55Cp_OMT7vBwJrmZw-jMF3A4S6RitEiKwoyNVknA1oVY8Lc5/s400/mohammed_with_the_kids_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442567782943131362" border="0" /></a><br />All hotels are outside the Medina, which means that they are in the "New City", home of fast food chains, big store brands, etc. Bleck.<br /><br />After we settled in, we left again to find dinner. Our bellies knew it was way past dinner time, so we braved a walk to the famous square in Marrakesh: home of snake charmers by day and Moroccan dancers by night. Day and night you can find food vendors. Yay!<br /><br />Honestly, I was very nervous about walking to the square. However, Mohammed assured us that we would find it with the map and the instructions he provided. He said, "Just use the Miniaret as a landmark." When you see pictures of the Miniaret he referred to so casually, you may recognize it. It is a very photogenic part of Marrakesh!<br /><br />So, off we went. And, true to Mohammed's claims, we walked straight there. We were so wide-eyed! Everything was fascinating. Everything was busy, busy, busy. People everywhere! In the square itself, it was almost overwhelming. We wandered past dancers on the way to food.<br /><br />The food stalls sell skewers of chicken, beef, fish, and lamb. They also sell plenty of vegetarian delights and some soups. We stuck with chicken and beef with grilled eggplant and french fries for the kids. It was served with a round bread, which we now know is standard for Moroccan meals. It was very yummy! Max especially was pleased to learn that he liked the food. He is very particular, and he had been afraid that he would not like the food in Morocco!<br /><br />Poor Max, though. It was almost midnight for his internal clock, and his eyes were closing at the outdoor dinner table. Even with all of the people coming to our table trying to sell things or take the food from our plates, he was falling asleep. Thus, we headed back to the hotel and ended the first day of our amazing adventure!<br /><br />Sorry, but in my overly excited state, I completely forgot to bring my camera that first night! Mike took some pictures on his iPhone, and I'll upload those later.<br /><br />Here are some cool pictures: One I snapped of the scary dark tunnel in the daylight . . . Of course it is scarier at night, and the other is of the door to our Riad - tucked away in a teeny, tiny alley that leads nowhere (literally).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidRN-JbZY_8_jo0XzLf7fEQEd-ahfZSjA3hZ4lQTs5lL1wF5x2DL6znz27WJ0Z91DvvxEGPF6DVw7Zo3yhaE_lrwwkGjIxMfBLywZ77dJOmUAY8uRye9zf7TCEI8_mGZROacrcJMTNxyZb/s1600-h/dado_and_kids_at_entrance_to_scary_tunnel_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidRN-JbZY_8_jo0XzLf7fEQEd-ahfZSjA3hZ4lQTs5lL1wF5x2DL6znz27WJ0Z91DvvxEGPF6DVw7Zo3yhaE_lrwwkGjIxMfBLywZ77dJOmUAY8uRye9zf7TCEI8_mGZROacrcJMTNxyZb/s400/dado_and_kids_at_entrance_to_scary_tunnel_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442602942766756530" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgslMbm9iTzqNL6vYK4GMhuNclyjRGr6abuEOd-bHaAESdxnH61g9wHctFo10FiqmvW2EPkIGaCHv73bO5gzHFfEZQCjQkXH-NUyl7o7YUNxe6WIccvqaJsi-Mha7-6pu1BTlCLlavTqbaP/s1600-h/dado_and_kids_at_riad_door_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgslMbm9iTzqNL6vYK4GMhuNclyjRGr6abuEOd-bHaAESdxnH61g9wHctFo10FiqmvW2EPkIGaCHv73bO5gzHFfEZQCjQkXH-NUyl7o7YUNxe6WIccvqaJsi-Mha7-6pu1BTlCLlavTqbaP/s400/dado_and_kids_at_riad_door_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442602212814373522" border="0" /></a>Love to all!Gayle Billathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08202995601569398280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552688079996598148.post-52207523323357298302010-02-07T07:16:00.001-08:002010-02-07T08:12:18.193-08:00Max is 8 - Isnt' that Great?!Max turned 8 on February 5th. Wow. That's all I could say! Wow.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ-tzCBjnF-oXr3Hhhoqis10bHfnmBsRu-JtVCDnkJPevDMyGj-albSkRX3PaRoDoDyz1JN7uko6Ygff3Js6wijteoQfmVJIScfR2mSCCaKP_ABpidzY8EVtKOVZjYrfBnuLi_23usV41Z/s1600-h/party_max_on_slide_GREAT_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ-tzCBjnF-oXr3Hhhoqis10bHfnmBsRu-JtVCDnkJPevDMyGj-albSkRX3PaRoDoDyz1JN7uko6Ygff3Js6wijteoQfmVJIScfR2mSCCaKP_ABpidzY8EVtKOVZjYrfBnuLi_23usV41Z/s400/party_max_on_slide_GREAT_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435522078484657170" border="0" /></a>He had a wonderfully successful birthday party. Here are some great action shots of him with his friends.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUCMdycN_xk4fL4c1ZbQeH_miWIMMCBc778mnesr0ZATx_T03IxQcUVpOopGKOj_lufRhQTAwO6ZDmx55iBbyT48OJJGAYdhBR1pXFkLbvPW6JPXY5zBYqFVkq9oC-0ipWKa18SybC0aTm/s1600-h/party_everyone_eating_cake_fev10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUCMdycN_xk4fL4c1ZbQeH_miWIMMCBc778mnesr0ZATx_T03IxQcUVpOopGKOj_lufRhQTAwO6ZDmx55iBbyT48OJJGAYdhBR1pXFkLbvPW6JPXY5zBYqFVkq9oC-0ipWKa18SybC0aTm/s400/party_everyone_eating_cake_fev10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435534813833232562" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlWGzHujF3EkYFEU_RBKof0hrBEA0hd3ptNWw3tvTrBD9XioOyBdHE8mL0_WV_qyna7LxfuQ3i4noF5tWO2LvCOknOmXhl4As7Sd8mddxXf94l79oi5cyseRkCVOrrO5PJIAGmkJzWzHP-/s1600-h/party_josey_and_max_on_the_slide_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlWGzHujF3EkYFEU_RBKof0hrBEA0hd3ptNWw3tvTrBD9XioOyBdHE8mL0_WV_qyna7LxfuQ3i4noF5tWO2LvCOknOmXhl4As7Sd8mddxXf94l79oi5cyseRkCVOrrO5PJIAGmkJzWzHP-/s400/party_josey_and_max_on_the_slide_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435526184168041234" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBFBDlF_71tYsJyz4ZENO5SbRXJ_EGgvHI2AhaOxdTMO_youhPRCRPbL98vVbzQZxvoW9GDkGPcdgkCwymahv_UKtXWgPSCKpCRfNNEqpcLaALLtza49dcw83glQioopVy2Tc_2BCVS8UV/s1600-h/party_maxs_cake_2_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBFBDlF_71tYsJyz4ZENO5SbRXJ_EGgvHI2AhaOxdTMO_youhPRCRPbL98vVbzQZxvoW9GDkGPcdgkCwymahv_UKtXWgPSCKpCRfNNEqpcLaALLtza49dcw83glQioopVy2Tc_2BCVS8UV/s400/party_maxs_cake_2_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435533333071103810" border="0" /></a>He had great luck, and it was sunny and warm out. Note that most kids aren't even wearing jackets, which is truly noteworthy lately.<br /><br />And here is a group photo!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxpgW-Mr-C6gGnQg9p3OgLqD99x7LxFI9ep-fTHwP3PVFvWSCVifkJL7XeB0hRY6mxx72_YteDbAkfVH4YLPoVJwpPbPc5lVnPAtpxygwKhaFjzTX_nP-mkwjjXh9hGASa5BcVeptQUM5_/s1600-h/party_everyone_2_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxpgW-Mr-C6gGnQg9p3OgLqD99x7LxFI9ep-fTHwP3PVFvWSCVifkJL7XeB0hRY6mxx72_YteDbAkfVH4YLPoVJwpPbPc5lVnPAtpxygwKhaFjzTX_nP-mkwjjXh9hGASa5BcVeptQUM5_/s400/party_everyone_2_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435534278589517394" border="0" /></a>Of course he loved all of his presents. He even liked the clothes!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSJMbGoqy_tIDt9uxRt9pDvbT6-HAFXR_AGSvX5hntyGpxKR_cU90hnjXXOjLkRE1A43ZOPlc9BusUiTEgP3Buzu8hjzmH3rspJXBpm1CQ7E6SRYsx16BjSFTRrFmtQqq2ZGB7B-BweA1L/s1600-h/max_amid_his_presents_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSJMbGoqy_tIDt9uxRt9pDvbT6-HAFXR_AGSvX5hntyGpxKR_cU90hnjXXOjLkRE1A43ZOPlc9BusUiTEgP3Buzu8hjzmH3rspJXBpm1CQ7E6SRYsx16BjSFTRrFmtQqq2ZGB7B-BweA1L/s400/max_amid_his_presents_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435521427952815026" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-uOtzfoX8CPt5KOL323AkBSD4SLFEcd2bawiDWbwrO3CRutf-k9qCu175sIZrznuAdwObZIJu3d4QaL5r9mN0Ei88oedKu-Fm-hiS2ZliJ5WObQRg9caROf1fblnzXAAsF0KdU-8rsy1O/s1600-h/max_and_josey_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-uOtzfoX8CPt5KOL323AkBSD4SLFEcd2bawiDWbwrO3CRutf-k9qCu175sIZrznuAdwObZIJu3d4QaL5r9mN0Ei88oedKu-Fm-hiS2ZliJ5WObQRg9caROf1fblnzXAAsF0KdU-8rsy1O/s400/max_and_josey_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435521548252475602" border="0" /></a>We enjoyed our new traditions: birthday cake (or brownies in this case) with sparklers & une feve**. The only problem is that it's hard to blow out a sparkler!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih6QVgXLGBk6vPmGX5DKAsdoxjn9mHz0GYaPessWDLymz1uK6tcduZv0vikltBwcTlLp7EDqXVR2Ipu0sQL7JNfcH5_1W9fP9hizfybw0gbq4ELrynFgXp0JybB66676sjy25lbiWI6kgK/s1600-h/max_blows_out_the_sparklers_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih6QVgXLGBk6vPmGX5DKAsdoxjn9mHz0GYaPessWDLymz1uK6tcduZv0vikltBwcTlLp7EDqXVR2Ipu0sQL7JNfcH5_1W9fP9hizfybw0gbq4ELrynFgXp0JybB66676sjy25lbiWI6kgK/s400/max_blows_out_the_sparklers_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435524485378099602" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaNAGxx37ItCwdKu_zap41UvpeltZ2d4Rsmo6LY6t13jD_Zyh8m-KMf4OmrEiFz6tT9AxwpU9ds85FBdF9JJe3d-_-AdkvMJY3xs6axMDc-HCj2mreyyhftIMZfeRGH1FTsHid8lJWAgfQ/s1600-h/max_finds_the_fevre_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaNAGxx37ItCwdKu_zap41UvpeltZ2d4Rsmo6LY6t13jD_Zyh8m-KMf4OmrEiFz6tT9AxwpU9ds85FBdF9JJe3d-_-AdkvMJY3xs6axMDc-HCj2mreyyhftIMZfeRGH1FTsHid8lJWAgfQ/s400/max_finds_the_fevre_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435524166126868722" border="0" /></a>I simply cannot believe that my youngest child is already 8. Does that mean that I'm old?!<br /><br />Love to all!!<br /><br />** In France, there is a tradition celebrated for the Catholic Epiphany called La Gallete de Roi/Reine (The King/Queen's Cake). There is a special cake-like pastry available in all the bakeries & grocery stores, and hidden in the cake is a feve. The feve is a good luck charm, typically made of porcelain. According to tradition, the youngest person in the family hides under the table and directs the cake cutter to serve each piece to a specific person. The person who then receives the piece of cake with the feve also receives the good luck for the year! We decided to have our own feve tradition for Billat birthdays. MaGayle Billathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08202995601569398280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1552688079996598148.post-25656316358527099622010-02-07T07:10:00.000-08:002010-02-07T07:15:51.172-08:00The Pyrenees & BeyondWe cannot usually see the Pyrenees from the terrace. They are 2.5 hours away by car.<br /><br />There is a saying here in the Midi . . . If you can see the Pyrenees, it means that there will be a big storm 2 days later.<br /><br />Look at our view of the Pyrenees from the terrace earlier this week, during the sunrise. And, true to the saying, we did have a big storm 2 days later.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3fLFnogKT0C5tIJ2nPnfwSUbaEmMR0bOXAUQETPnb5m_GRNrGPP50viVrGO2vK9cC4bGYPDOI_n4h19kwCwxKGuqi0LnYir6yqvBtLo7sKD-A2WgC4jOALOGNKhqz5zNdTf1NJ5eM761_/s1600-h/sunset_with_the_pyrenees_GREAT_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3fLFnogKT0C5tIJ2nPnfwSUbaEmMR0bOXAUQETPnb5m_GRNrGPP50viVrGO2vK9cC4bGYPDOI_n4h19kwCwxKGuqi0LnYir6yqvBtLo7sKD-A2WgC4jOALOGNKhqz5zNdTf1NJ5eM761_/s400/sunset_with_the_pyrenees_GREAT_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435520123553589714" border="0" /></a>And a view of Sete in the sunrise . . .<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTJLC7JxWowIegrvf1THcaV_IcJRm-RWupEFZEyTmSFKDqIyUb8uEI6NDUGSVXypTJ3KU9VR1C24fS-nVr7uAb9iJ2qFUfWlLAjQjIKNrY1ZGeYhB4jVvbBv0bkTav4-K_5MZe7ePkSg3Y/s1600-h/sete_in_the_mist_2_feb10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTJLC7JxWowIegrvf1THcaV_IcJRm-RWupEFZEyTmSFKDqIyUb8uEI6NDUGSVXypTJ3KU9VR1C24fS-nVr7uAb9iJ2qFUfWlLAjQjIKNrY1ZGeYhB4jVvbBv0bkTav4-K_5MZe7ePkSg3Y/s400/sete_in_the_mist_2_feb10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435519929021884226" border="0" /></a><br />Love to all!!Gayle Billathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08202995601569398280noreply@blogger.com0