Gracie Goes to North Africa

Bonjour,

It's Gracie, and I just arrived in Morocco on Monday with my Mom (Karla), my Dad (Gary), and my PopPop (Bob). I am staying for a couple of weeks with my Auntie Kim, Uncle Bob, and my cousins, Anna and Tommy.

Auntie Kim said that because this is my very first time in Africa, I should write today's post. (You might wonder how it is that at not quite six months old, Auntie Kim is able to transcribe a post for me. Well, Auntie Kim knows just what I want to say (and have been babbling) -- she's the Number One Auntie, after all).

Here I am on Monday night, my first night in Rabat (I probably should have been sleeping, but I was still pretty wired from my flights). I look like an international traveler, don't I?

So, on Tuesday morning, while my parents and I were recovering from a rough night, Nana and PopPop went out with Auntie Kim, Anna and Tommy to see the Chellah, which has lots of 1st century Roman and 13th century Islamic ruins set among flowers and trees. They thought it was pretty cool.

(Below: PopPop, Anna and Tommy snacking at the Chellah).

After that, the group headed out to the Tour Hassan (a 44 meter minaret for a great mosque that was built but never finished in the 12th century and that later survived the Great Lisbon Earthquake of 1755) and the Mosque and Mausoleum of Mohammed V (Morocco's first king and its father of independence) and Hassan II (Morocco's king before the current king, his son).

I sure have learned a lot about Morocco already, haven't I?

After that, my Mom, Dad and I caught up with the rest of the group in the Rabat medina for a little shopping. I was starting to get pretty tired, though. (In the photos below, you can see Nana with Anna and Tommy by a pet store, and me with my Dad).

Come to think of it, my parents should have been getting pretty tired too, but guess who made the only purchase of the evening?

I found the whole medina experience pretty stimulating, so I did what any smart six-month old would do: I fell asleep.

We then headed back home (in three different blue "petit" taxis), where my cousins, Anna and Tommy, had already introduced PopPop to their pets, including the hamster, Coco (who is very cute and funny), and the bird, Petey (who sure is noisy but is pretty and likes to fly).

Since Tuesday, I have had a lot of other adventures in Morocco, so you'll hear more from the Number One Auntie soon.

A bientot et bisous,

Gracie