Cape Spartel, Tangier

i am surprised that not much is written about this side of Tangier-- but for me, i simply love this part of it! the drive to and from Cape Spartel (first pic, tower which dates back from 12th century), down to the main part of the city is simply awesome! there are various spots best for relaxed afternoon stopover, rendezvour or picnics!

Rainy Day in Tetoan

after getting the feel of the moroccan way of living in the medina tour, we opted for a countryside trip... this time, to the spanish-influenced Tetoan community. we requested for a guided tour from the Moevenpick hotel, where we stayed. instantly, they have someone for us! cool!













so, rain or shine, we braved the roads. from Tangier, the road started morphing from brown to green plains... and later, brown sand, and later still, greeneries again. the view is breathtaking! i've been wishing to see greens the past days! i even saw herds of sheep, cows and goats along the way! the road was good going to and from the different cities, which is much needed with agriculture being one of their primary industries.



finally, we were greeted by two towers which means we are by the Tetoan land already. here we are! i saw again a medina and kasbah. the guide asked us if we want to go there. we said no, just let us walk thru the cobble-stone roads and feel the culture of the place. so we hopped on and off from one place to another, with the grand taxi following us. it was drizzling, and most people were looking for covered places, as opposed to us, who were posing for pics in the middle of the road!!!



i liked the mix of detailed moroccan designs with the soft spanish flare. the community speaks of ages of existence, and i guess that is where the magic is-- the untouched culture. many of the folks speak more of spanish, than french. it looks like a serene little town that is oblivious to the modern world just a few hours away. i was wondering maybe it would be nice to get lost there... i'd just have to polish my spanish, french and arabic! we'll see...

Medina in Tangier, Morocco

Tanger is the northern most part of Morocco, just a boat-ride away from south of spain. in a clear day, you can see spain from afar! geographically, this is the best of 3 worlds-- europe, africa and arab world! so the people here are blessed with different tongues, and interesting facial features.

I will take you first to the central part of Tanger- Ville Nouvelle (new city) and Medina (old walled city). These two places can just be an afternoon stroll experience. and that's what we did. the weather was very good, at 15 deg celcius, just the right temp for lots of walking!

the ville nouvelle is just a road strip where new shops are lined up. i feel like i'm in baguio. they do not have malls. maybe because of the french influence, or maybe because they do not need a centralized airconed place coz their weather all year round is nice -- 10-30 deg celcius, no typhoons. the roads are full of cafes with all the chairs facing the road! so when you walk by the pavement, it's a given that a hundred eyes (of men) are going to oogle at you! but people don't care- they just keep on walkign and walking-- maybe that's why i did not see obese people!

now, by the entrance of the medina, there was a central plaza called the Grand Socco, with huge fountain, where people and doves flock together! it was a weekend when we visited, so this must be their weekend thing! beside that is the grand mosque. mosques for men are the ones with mineret (tall vetical structure), while for women, it is domes. later, a guy approached us. it must be the camera that gave us away as tourists... or our peculiar look! he offered to guide us for 20 moroccan dirhams per hour ($3).

typical moroccan cities have their own medinas and kasbah (tower). medina is the narrow- labyrinth-type paths creating a community, where the center of activities happen. it is both a residential and commercial place. kasbah is the tower of the medinas, the highest part which overlooks the port areas. walking around give me the feeling of being in one of the James Bond chase scenes. the narrow walk ways are clean, and there are no 'tambays'. there are free water faucets in most turns. the architecture is amazing. they were able to preserve the intrinsic morcoccan designs. we were shown also the places where the men, yes, the men sew the kaftans (ladies blouses)! so intricately designed, hand sewed, personally designed, that's why each one can be costly.

good thing we got a guide, otherwise, we will not find our way into and out of the maze! but the trade off is-- of course, he has to bring us to the other stores where we will just be 'shown' things-- carpets, kaftans, on top of riads (guest rooms within the medina), natural pharmacy, antique souks... all of which generously offered their moroccan mint tea while we were viewing their stuff. this showing around led us into coming out with our two hands full of souvenirs! haha! good salemen! i got a small carpet for $50, herbal medicines for $20 and moroccan slippers for $10!

best way to cap the trip was a dinner in an authentic medina resto. we had chicken pastila, kebab, couscous and tangine. i love the food! i have an adventurours palate, that's why! the pastila is a deliciously weird combination of chicken, almond, arnis, cinnamon, confectioner's sugar, saffa, all stuffed in a pie!

what we thought would just be a 2-hr tour, lasted for 4 hours! it was worth the trip anyways.

my next blog will take you to the idyllic mountain-seaside of Tangier...

Elections! Elections!

just last week, one of my bosses was muttering about their election in france. and now, it's our turn in the philippines...

12 senatorial slots are up for grabs (6-yr term)... and so with the house of representatives (3 yr-term) and of course the local positions...

i already voted twice since i got the right. my first was a celebration of my adulthood, and the next was as usual as my daily breathing...

and this time, i am very pathetic! and most of my colleagues are! we did not even exercise our absentee voting privilege! in a way, i can say it wasn't my fault, since i really planned on going home last april... talking about blame-shifting eh? still, i would eagerly wait for the initial partial unofficial results tomorrow.... i would like to know who among the celebrities were able to make it, hahhaha! and would the Team Unity (TU) make it despite the obvious strength of the Genuine Opposition (GO)?

i hope that the results will reflect a more educated voting class... or else, there goes another of our money down the drain, and the kids' future becoming so bleak. even if i do not pay taxes anymore, i still care.

To My Single Girlfriends... Part 2 of 2

what is it then that we can enjoy in this stage in our life?

rest from heartaches - we are spared of the heartaches of being cheated, of losing a loved one, of heated arguments, of misunderstandings, etc. i guess the only heartache at this stage is when the guy we like, do not like us back, which is kinda minute compared to the ones stated above. it is basically a 'peaceful' stage, a needed plateau to the highs and lows of being in a relationship...

freedom - ask some of your married friends, and they'd tell you what that means ;)

decision-making - there are some things which are better off being decided by only one mind... where to go, what to eat, what to wear, what time to leave, what to watch, what to buy, etc.

time for our personal growth - we would like to accomplish much, and with more choices coming up, i think this is the right time to do them without much distractions! you want to study again? go! you want to switch jobs? go! want to shift gears? go! want to expand your travel portfolio? go! and the choices goes on and on...

time for others - why would the singles be tasked to take care of their younger siblings, or their parents, or be called on by friends? or be asked for a church ministry? it's because, we have more time! and time is such an expensive commodity nowadays which we are rich with! just don't be a corporate slave and be married to your job, or else you'll lose this privilege.

disposable income - we wouldn't be called the favorite titas for nothing? haha! this is also the time when guilt does not bite us if we have 2 pairs of our fave stilletos in different colors, or think of milk or diaper when we are looking at a killer bag on sale!!! nor our hands fighting between a much-desired out-of-town trip and the tuition fee for the 'kids'...

excitement at things - attending gatherings, new hobbies, meeting new friends, etc. excitement can be at an all time high, especially if prospects are available ;) plus, no guilt-feeling attached.

opportunity to widen our circle of friends - singlehood is usually the time when we widen our circle of friends because we have the opportunity and the drive to do so. friends from elem, high school and college, work colleagues, hobbies, orgs... we lose some on the way, and we retain some, until we are old enough and bruised enough to just be happy with our 'genuine' circle of friends...

service to our married girlfriends - they usually call on to us if they want some color in their lives! we regale them with our latest adventures. we provide the twist in their daily routines. we give them what they cannot buy for themselves. we provide the shoulder to cry on when the couples have misunderstandings. we lend a ready helping hand in whatever situation we are called, and other services which we are capable of giving because we are singles.


i do not know which of these are true for you, but these are just some of the things I can think of at the moment. the point is, let us always count our blessings as a single, and use it to prepare us fully, if and when the right time comes for God's blessing for the next stage -- of marriage.

To My Single Girlfriends... Part 1 of 2

singlehood is a stage in our life, just as being a kid, a teen, a young adult, a married person or an elderly is. but unlike being a kid, a teen, a young adult and an elderly which are clearly defined by age, singlehood and being married are not.

when we try to fit these two unto an age bracket, that's when problems begin-- discontent, impatience, frustration and unhappiness. we always had the internal pressure such as "when i reach 25, i should get married"... or "i'm 35, and i'm still single???"... or "oh my, i'm 40 and i don't have a baby yet!!!"...or worse, the external mockeries that push us "hey, when are you getting married?"...

dearies, you can be 30, 40, 50 and still be a single! the amount of time that you'd stay single, and the lenght of time that you'd be married is in God's hand. you maybe given more time to experience the joys AND sorrows of singlehood, or given more time to experience the joys AND sorrows of a married life. a married life isn't necessarily a charmed life, as what we were always taught, nor singlehood isn't always a pityful stage...

God is so wise in not putting all the good things in one stage. and man is so unwise into always wanting to hop out of the stage he is in without enjoying it fully (or in contrast, enjoying it soooo much and never wanting to leave it), onto the next, oblivious of its ugly aspects thinking that the other stages will always be better. oh, happines then will always be like the horizon for you... so near, yet so far.

i think the secret lies in enjoying all the stages that we go thru in life, especially singlehood, until we are called to the next! living it up honey, coz if you don't, you won't find happiness even in marriage... don't rush out of singlehood, as you may just quickly bounce back to it...

there are those who are single since birth, and a number are newly single--- fresh out of a broken relationship. to all of us, cheers, i have good news to us girls...

gone are the days when singlehood is typecasted with the negative connotation of spinsterhood.
gone are the days when singlehood is socially unacceptable.
gone are the days when singlehood is boring, a state you'd like to jump out from.
gone are the days when singlehood is only enjoyed by men.

am i justifying my current state? no, i am stating facts. facts that many of us need to open our eyes to, and willingly embrace.

so the next time someone pesters you about your lovelife, just be cool with it and get used to it. do you think it will stop after you finally get a new guy? nope! i guarantee you it'l just start a new, yet still nagging question 'when are you getting married?'... and after you get married, 'when are you going to have a baby?'... and after you have a baby, 'when are you going to have another baby?', and so on and on...

didn't you notice that most of these questions come from people who does not really know much about you and are just trying to have some small talk? so don't let them affect you...

or, or, they are from real friends you haven't gotten in touch with for quite sometime? i'm sure you'd not take it against them...

you may disagree, but really, no man will complete you.... and as preachy as it may sound, but believe me, only God can! that i guarantee! ;)

so chill out, smile and give them your new attitude! go girl!

The Butt of Jokes!

April 23 (make sure you read from the 'Major Blooper' entry and up to fully understand this trail)...

as asked in my previous blog... the answer is, i became the butt of jokes the whole time! looking at the 3 choices, i guess it was the least evil! with that line of thinking, i managed to handle the humor. they obviously did not get angry, and as to being taken as stupid, i had a lot of opportunity to redeem myself ;)

from my bosses, to my colleagues, to the other delegates, i had become so infamous! each opportunity they see to infuse my experience into a joke, they will! good thing i am not too touchy about it. i have to, or else it'd be a nightmare! haha! i just had to let is pass, and enjoy the rest of the trip!

and enjoying the trip is what i do best, despite the misfortunes that had happened to me! well, i do not know if i'd be given another chance to go there.... as i might miss my passport or my flight again, bwahahhaha!!!

anyways, all's well that ends well...

Adding Insult to Injury

April 19. 510pm, Casablanca time.

as if forgetting my passport was enough to make my trip to morocco a very eventful one, another blow came. a real injury! i was waiting for my flight going to Tangier via Royal Air Maroc, in gate 9B as stated in the ticket. the flight was at 505pm, I was there at the gate as early as 3pm. at 445pm, people started lining up. i lined up, but the person in-charge, when he saw my ticket, said that the line was for Marakkesh. I asked where is for Tanger. He motioned me to ' just wait'. I sat down at the nearest bench, i waited for another 5 minutes. they kept calling ‘Marakesh! Marakesh!’.

I thought, 'how come they are using 2 flights for 1 gate? how unlikely?' i felt something is fishy. so i asked the person beside me, she said she’s going to marakesh just waiting for the line to shorten. i asked another girl, but she can barely speak in English, but she kept blaberring somethng but can't figure out what she meant. i showed myt ticket to the guard, he pointed me to the the same person at gate 9B. i asked the guy-in-charge again, and showed him my ticket. He said wait, and then cupped his hand on his ears to tell me to listen to the announcement.

i spoke to an airport staff who was walking at the gate, and showed him my ticket. he pointed me to the same guy at 9B. so, i approached the guy again, this time it’s already 510pm. And he said, ‘plane left’. "What?!#$% are you joking???? What happened? How come the call for tanger was not made? I was here, since 3 pm, and asked you 3 times, and now you are telling me the plane left?" i didn't know anymore if he understood what i said, but i just can't stop myself from talking and shouting! i know, i didn't handle my act well at that time! i've been up 17 hours earlier, i was left by the plane, and nobody understands me! I really blew my top!

i kept arguing with the guy, raising my voice to level i do not usually achieve. my heart was pounding so hard, i could barely catch my breath! my voice was tweaking already from a mix of exhaustion, frustration and anger! we went to the airline manager, and filed a complaint! finally, someone speaks good english! but still, too late a hero... the plane left!

i broke down and cried while talking to my boss, telling him my unfortunate plight while i lined up to get the next flight, which is in ....the next 6 hours! the guy at the counter tried to console me. ‘please don’t cry miss’. i told him I am still enraged...

after getting my ticket, and complimentary meal stub, i walked aimlessly. i have another 6 hours to burn. what do i do? with the airport so small, i've mastered the gates already. i knew it like the back of my hand! later, a girl approached me. i learned that she had been offloaded too. whew! heaven-sent!

we had coffee. we went to duty free shop. we had dinner together. in between those stuff, we have explored already each others' worlds—hers, in Germany and Tanger, and mine, UAE and Philippines.

later, while waiting still on one of the seats and with my new friend taking a catnap, the guy i fought with approached me. he told me (in broken english) that the what happened a while ago was the gate for Tanger was changed. the announcement was made in french and arabic, so it was not my fault. oh well, i’ve exhausted my anger already a while ago, so i just shrugged off my shoulders, and thanked him for the info. too late... the damage has been done.

i've missed one workshop day because i forgot my passport. and now, i've missed our evening activity because i missed my flight. the other delegates waiting for me may either get angry at me, or take me as stupid, or i'd be the butt of joke when i meet them. am i ready for any of these? or even, ALL of these?

Flying to Morocco...finally!

April 19.

woke up at 415am. left the villa at 515am. reached dubai airport at 545. checked in at 615. at the boarding gate at 630am. flight at 735am. good thing I had “Tuesdays with Morrie". with an hour to kill, I can read the book and do people watching on breaks. that’s exactly what I did.

i think i was the only Pinay on board. and I was alone. there was a group of Kenyan athletes. others were locals. Others, were mediterraneans. they kept talking either in arabic, or french.

aboard, i was hoping to be seated with someone interesting. slim chance! we stayed silent all along, me having finished 2 movies and him asleep the whole time. it was only when the plane was about to land, when we both didn’t have anymore headsets, that we managed to strike up a conversation. it was just another small talk. he is not well versed in english, and so am i with either french or arabic.

inside the cabin, people kept walking back and forth maybe to exercise their legs. there was a time that an elderly man leaned towards me, maybe seeing that i am the only one looking quite different. we had small talk which we both dropped immediately after i found it difficult to lift my head up always just to talk to him, and him to understand the words i say without leaning forward, which was quite awkward.

at last we reached Mohammed V airport in Casablanca. i walked out, and felt like i was back in Manila in terms of the size and the oldness of the airport. i kept asking airport staff each step of the way so as not to waste precious minutes with a few mistakes, though i really have 4 hours stopover to burn. twice, when airport staff saw my passport, i was asked “filipini"? i say, " yes!" "oh, abu sayaf". I said "no". he said, "no, they are good"… ohhhh…morocco is a predominantly muslim country.

after getting my luggage, i had to check in again for a local flight which will fly 4 hours after!!!! I felt too sleepy already. tried to have lunch, but was so unlucky to find a resto that will serve me rice. walking to and fro the departure area, i finally heard familiar words--kabayans! three guys working at the duty free. they engaged me in a very short talk and left. wheew, finally, saw some people familiar.

Flying Alone?

April 18.

After facing the embarrassment talking to my boss about my passport, I was glad that God provided other means for me to make it the next day.


Passport. CHECK!!!
New flight. Check.
Roaming phone. Check.
All morocco contact nos in the wallet. Check.
Separate wallet for Moroccan money. Check.
All other things prepared the other night. Check.

Then later he called me again. He asked “Are you afraid to fly alone?” Hmmm…. Now that he mentioned it, it finally sank into my thoughts.... "yeah, i'd have to fly alone????" I became terrified... new territory, arabic and french speaking, a handful of pinoys only, and it's an 8-hr flight from UAE! whew!

I held on to my God who is my comfort... and it never fails! ;)