Hello, twenty-one!
Today was a really memorable way to start my twenty first
year of life. As much as I wanted to be home to celebrate with family and
friends, I’m so glad I got to spend my special day in Morocco.
We were off bright and early this morning, headed for Rabat.
Rabat, which means “fortified place,” is the capital city of Morocco. It is so
interesting and different from what I think of as a capital; the urban city
with its economic and political buildings is mixed with the royal palace,
traditional markets, ancient structures, and a gorgeous beach. We spent the day
in one city and it felt like I had seen half the country.
A lot of interesting and beautiful sights were included on
the morning’s walking tour. Our guide, whose family has lived in Rabat for over
300 years, was absolutely hilarious and could not speak quieter than a shouting
voice. Some of my favorite highlights include the Roman ruins of Rabat
(complete with the nesting storks they are famous for), the first Christian
house in Rabat, and the mausoleum where the current king’s grandfather, father,
and uncle rest. The weather made the seeing the city even more of a birthday
treat – the sky perfectly matched the token blue walls that line the streets.
(Turns out, this color of blue actually detracts mosquitoes, so they paint it
everywhere… Who knew?)
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| Look for the storks at the top of the trees! |
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| Door to the first Christian home in Rabat |
We spent the rest of our time in Rabat at the beach… when we
actually found it. I’m almost certain that my group took the most roundabout
way possible to get there, walking through the shops of the Medina and nearly
turning around hundreds of times. In retrospect, I think my roommates learned a
valuable lesson of trusting my navigation skills. I don’t think they’ll make
that mistake twice. When we did arrive, however, we were greeted by a stunning
view and warm sand. We were also, unfortunately, greeted by a lot of stares and
comments from locals, but that had to be expected. It’s kind of hard to blend
in when you’ve got the whitest girl in the west as part of your team. On a
funny side note, one of the girls in our group today lifted up the skirt of my
dress at one point and said, “Oh my god, your legs! They’re so white. It’s
beautiful, like porcelain. I’ve never seen someone’s skin that white.” Sooo… I’m
going to put that one down as a compliment.
After a long afternoon exploring in the sun and sand, we
headed back to Meknes for the night. My roommates and a few other friends,
however, were determined to get me out on my birthday. I finally decided it was
time to get out of my comfort zone a little more, so I let them take me to my
first hookah bar. It was actually a really good time sitting and laughing with
everyone while we all tried (and mostly failed) to blow smoke rings. The place
we went is owned by our coordinator’s best friend and has a really friendly, relaxing
vibe. There was a singer and a small band playing tonight who ended up
surprising me at the request of one really sweet girl in our group. The band
sang me happy birthday, English and Arabic style! I was embarrassed, but I
loved every minute of it. I also accidentally knocked our hookah over and the
coal fell on my foot, so at least we know turning twenty-one hasn’t changed me
all that much.
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| The lights at the Hookah place made us look strange, but we took selfies anyway. |
Tomorrow we are off to Ifrane for a day in the Atlas Mountains.
I arranged for a birthday present for myself tomorrow too – Katie and I are
going horseback riding in the forest! I can’t wait! So, I have to sleep now so
that tomorrow will come faster.
Thank you to everyone who made my birthday so special.
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