To Climb or Not to Climb...

That was the question.

Bonjour,

Mom (aka Marlys or Nana) and I have now returned to/arrived in Morocco. I am very happy to be back.

But first, more about Paris:

As you may have heard, France has had some trying times of late, although it looks much worse on CNN than it felt to us. In fact, despite the labor strikes and terrorist "alerts," we didn't notice much out of the ordinary.

We saw a few strikers, but they mostly looked like high school students who seemed happy to be skipping school. They sometimes marched down our street (see photo below).

And we were not deterred from visiting key places in Paris (more on that to come in the next post). But many (outside of France) expressed concern about whether we should climb the Eiffel Tower since that has been frequently mentioned as the site of a possible attack and has been evacuated a few times in recent weeks.

We decided we better go there and check the scene out for ourselves. Below, another picture I took of the Eiffel Tower (or Tour Eiffel) at night, when it is all lit up.

So what did we adventurous travelers decide to do?

We climbed, of course. (Well, took the elevator).

While there, we took these shots of Paris.


A bientot,

Kim

Marlys Takes Paris

Bonjour,

So I'm off to Paris for nearly a week with my Mom. We've had two days here so far, and Marlys (Mom) is certainly getting around town. (Above, in the Tuillerie Gardens).

Here's her first stop, just outside Eglise St. Sulpice.

And now she's off to Cathedrale Notre-Dame.

Wait, isn't that her at the Arc de Triomphe?

Wasn't she at Pont St. Michel too?

But now she's moved on to the Louvre?

And isn't that Pont Neuf and Isle de la Cite in the background?

Look, now she's even taking over Anna and Tommy's favorite park in Paris after she chased away some little kids. (No, actually she waited patiently for them to finish so she could have her turn).

That's definitely a Marlys-sighting at the Seine.

And now she's moved on to the Pompidou Center.

Wonder what her favorite color is (in the Pompidou's contemporary art collection or elsewhere)?

Her rental car in Paris.

(Just kidding).

The view from our apartment in Paris.


(Not kidding).

More adventures to come: Tomorrow, Marlys spends the day shopping!

A bientot,

Kim

Un Petit Cafe'

Bonjour,

Lest you begin to believe that I spend most of my time on this sabbatical shopping (in medinas, markets, or lovely, boutique-y stores), I wanted to assure you that I also spend a great deal of time hanging out in cafes, drinking lattes (or café crèmes, as they are called here).

In fact, one the best things about this sabbatical has been the opportunity to spend quality time with Anna and Tommy and indoctrinate them into the coffee culture.

For the entire year, Tommy and I have spent every Monday morning getting coffee (or, in Tommy’s case, usually the' a la menthe (mint tea) and pain au chocolate) at a café near the school. In the photo below, however, he was actually drinking an apple milkshake at our cafe.

And beginning this fall, Anna’s schedule now allows her to join me for coffee every Thursday morning (Anna’s school schedule is now much more like that of a "true" college student than a student in middle school -- called "the college" in the French system-- but more on that later).

Like mother, like daughter: Anna has discovered lattes while she finishes her homework.

Sometimes, I even find myself at the café with this interloper.

Many of the cafes in Morocco appear to be men-only (not officially, of course, but I have gotten a few annoyed looks at some). Throughout the city, the men seem to while away hours in cafes, drinking coffee and smoking, while the women scurry through the streets, managing work, household tasks and children. Many Moroccan women just don't seem to have much leisure time.

But, luckily for me, there are some cafes, like my favorite near the school, that are happy to welcome women who enjoy their lattes.

A bientot,

Kim

A Weekday in Rabat

Bonjour,

It's a weekday, and Bob and Kim are each doing their own things.

In Bob's case, that means that unless you are surfing, you sit at a table for most of the day working on the index to your new book (Metaphysical Themes, 1274-1689, now available for pre-order at Amazon.com). Fun.

And then you study your Arabic flashcards. More fun.

And about three times a week, you meet with Fouad, your Arabic tutor, and review your progress (will have to substitute later with photo of Bob and Fouad and not just Bob).

In Kim's case, that means that after taking the kids to school, you might go to an exercise class or a French lesson. But you also might go to hammam for an hour or two with your friend, Marie.

Then you might go shopping at a lovely store with Marie and buy some beautiful things.

After that, you might pick up a still-warm baguette from a French bakery and have leftover onion tart, soup and fruit salad (all prepared by Rachida) for lunch on the porch with Marie. (Sorry, no photo -- too busy eating).

Then you head off to the MegaMall for some shopping at a mall with very nice stores.

Or, instead, you might stay home and have coffee and oreos with your friend, Livy. The two of you might talk a mile a minute (especially after the caffeine kicks in).

So who is having more fun on this sabbatical?

A bientot,

Kim

La Vie Quotidienne

Bonjour,

So you may have gotten the impression that here in Morocco, we do all of our shopping in the medina or in rural local markets.

Not exactly.

We certainly do love the medina and the local markets, but much of the everyday stuff we need we can get within easy walking distance of our house. (Immediately above, our favorite produce stand about a five-minute walk from our home.)

Here are pictures of some of our usual neighborhood haunts -- with a couple of bonus photos.

The local post office.

The closest pharmacy. In Morocco, it's possible to get many antibiotics and other medications right over the counter.

The best place to buy fresh French baguettes.

Our favorite sushi place.

One of our local mosques (as non-Muslims, we obviously don't go in, but we can admire it from afar).

The bank branch office.

Our usual grocery store (see also photo at top):

(That last photo shows the bulk spices, bulk olives and fresh produce. You bag the spices, olives or produce yourself and take it to attendants to weigh and print out the price).

The check-out area of the supermarket. It's pretty quiet in the photo, but it can be mobbed.

Although it's true that we live in a nice neighborhood in one of the nicest cities in Morocco, it is also true that Moroccans can enjoy nearly all of the amenities we are used to in the States (if they have money, as western-style amenities usually have western-style prices).

And if you really miss American fast food (not me), you can walk to McDonald's and order a Big Mac, or better yet, a McArabia sandwich (with kofta, naturally).

A bientot,

Kim