Ezeur - Heather Jasper

This summer I am travelling from Marrakech, Morocco to Paris, France. I was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Kelaa Sraghna, near Marrakech, from 2005-2007. First stop on the trip is to visit my host family and friends from my Peace Corps service. Next I’m heading north since I never had time in Peace Corps to visit northern Morocco. Then I’m travelling around Spain and Portugal before heading up to the Rhone Valley in France to visit my host families from when I was an AFS exchange student there in 1999-2000. This blog also contains my stories from Peace Corps and my summer travels in 2005 before I joined Peace Corps. Enjoy!

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Joined on: May 27th 2005
Last Login: July 26th 2008

Blog Entries: 121
Photos: 545

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Blogs & Travel Journals

by Ezeur, order by Date newest first.

By Ezeur
July 26th 2008

Home Sweet Home

Europe » France » Rhône-Alpes » Cornas

Au Marché de Valence
I love the outdoor markets in France. The cookies were not the only thing beautifully presented - even the vegetables were picture-perfect.

I haven't update my blog in a couple weeks because (surprise, surprise) I'm on vacation! Everything is going wonderfully and life really is beautiful here. I have been able to see quite a few of my friends from when I lived here in 1999-2000. I lived with Gérard and Maryse Montalon, who welcomed me back into their family, which is still growing. I was at the house at the same time as two of their granddaughters: Céleste and Léane. The second day I was there we got the news that Léane had become a big sister. Her twin brothers, Yanis and [View Full Entry]

By Ezeur
July 10th 2008

Back to Spain: Madrid and Onwards

Europe » Spain » District of Madrid » Madrid

Madrid Minaret
I'm still looking for signs of Spain in the "Golden Age" when Muslims, Christians and Jews lived together. There's more obivous Arab architecture in the south near Granada, but even in Madrid it's eas... [more]

When I got to Lisbon I felt tired (probably from four days in a row of sun and beach) and wasn't up for being a tourist in a strange city by myself where I didn't know the language. Sometimes I'm in the mood for that sort of thing, but I wasn't when I arrived at the bus station in Lisbon. I've heard wonderful things about the Portuguese capital and I do hope to spend some time there some day - but it won't be this summer. I wanted to take a night train to Madrid but the bus was more convenient [View Full Entry]

By Ezeur
July 8th 2008

A Praia do Portugal

Europe » Portugal » Algarve » Lagos

Day 1: Praia do Batata

I'm not sure if that title is real Portugese or not. It's my best guess at the translation of "the Portugese beach." I spent my days in Portugal alone or with the Spanish girls who shared my room at the hostel - so I didn't actually learn more than a few words of Portugese. But I didn't go there to learn Portugese. I went there to relax on the beach and that's pretty much all I did. Like Martil, I don't have much to write about in this blog. I spent my days reading, climbing around on the rocks, playing in [View Full Entry]

By Ezeur
July 4th 2008

Seville: The Big City

Europe » Spain » Andalusia » Seville

Sevilla Church with Minaret
My first day wandering around I found this church with a very obvious Islamic minaret. I love seeing the Arab influence here but it is troubling how all the mosques have been turned into churches.

Coming to Seville was a shock. At first I thought I might have made a mistake. I was so enamored with Granada's small town cuteness that Seville'e metropolitan feel was an unexpected change. But now that I have adapted a bit and gotten a feel for the city - I love it here too. It's quite metropolitan but, being a big city, has a lot to see and do. My first day here I just walked around and tried to adjust to the city. I stopped by the tourist office, got a free map, found my hostel, left my backpack and [View Full Entry]

By Ezeur
July 1st 2008

Alhambra - Qsar al Hamra

Europe » Spain » Andalusia » Granada

Merhaba f Granada
Moroccan hospitality followed me to Spain and Latifa showed me around town and took very good care of me.

After Morocco I thought it would be best to start off my travels in Europe with the last stronghold of the Muslims in Spain. I took a boat from Tangier in the evening and took a night bus from Algaciras to Granada. The boat was interesting and I chatted with some Moroccan women on the way over. I saw a couple other foreigners, but practically everybody on the boat was Moroccan. After customs I found the bus for Granada, which was also completely full of Morccans. The bus got to Granada a bit earlier than I had expected - it was [View Full Entry]

By Ezeur
June 27th 2008

La Playa en Marruecos

Africa » Morocco » Tangier-Tétouan » Martil

Breakfast on the Beach
I got "take out" from a cafe and took my mint tea and harsha to the beach both mornings. The guys who rented me the parasol had a bet going the first day as to whether I was Moroccan or a foreigner. I... [more]

I had never heard of Martil - which was my biggest reason for going there. It turned out to be a small beach town, very relaxed and full of tourists, all of whom were Moroccan. Once again I excaped the tourist traps created for foreigners and found myself mixed in with tourists from Fes, Marrakech, Tetouan and Casablanca, plus the usual assortment of locals. Martil is a short taxi ride from Tetouan, which is an hour or so by bus from Tangier. I have heard great things about Tetouan, but didn´t stop to visit the city since I was eager to [View Full Entry]

By Ezeur
June 25th 2008

A Surprise Trip to Tangier

Africa » Morocco » Tangier-Tétouan » Tangier

Al Mersa
Mersa is the Arabic word for fish market or port - which is the same thing when you think about it. I finished off my meal with the requisite glass of mint tea.

When I went to the bus station in Meknes to see if I could get a grand taxi or a bus to Chefchouen I found that there aren´t any direct taxis, plus the only bus is at 5am. I didn´t feel like waiting another twenty hours for the next bus, so I took the first bus that was heading north. It would take me to Tangier and I figured when I got to Tangier I could stay if I liked it, or see if I could get to Chefchouen from there. Luckily on the bus I happened to sit next to [View Full Entry]

By Ezeur
June 24th 2008

North to Oualili

Africa » Morocco » Meknès-Tafilalet » Meknes

Oualili
I arrived early, before the busloads of tourists arrived and before the storks had left their nest above the old Roman judicial hall - which was changed into a church in the 300s.

It was hard leaving Rebecca and Maryam, but it was time to hit the road. Yesterday I left the house early in the morning and took a shared grand taxi to Ben Guerir where I caught a train north to Meknes. Hotel Maroc had been recommended to me and it's nice though after being used to the cheap hotels in Marrakech any other city seems expensive. This morning I got up early again (early on this vacation seems to mean before ten a.m. but today I actually got up at seven). I went to the taxi station for the town of [View Full Entry]

By Ezeur
June 19th 2008

Marrakechi Hospitality

Africa » Morocco » Marrakech-Tensift-El Haouz » Marrakech

Orange Juice Carts
No visit to Marrakech is complete without a glass of fresh squeezed juice at one of the carts in Jama l'fna. It's only three dirhams - less than fifty cents US and perfect on a hot day.

After a week of skirting around Marrakech I dove into the city for an afternoon to have lunch with my friend Kamal’s family. They welcomed me in true Moroccan style - actually it was a much more impressive meal that I’m used to, even after all the homes I’ve been welcomed in. Moroccans are experts at hospitality which can be really intense for somebody who’s not used to it. When I first arrived in Morocco in September 2005 I felt smothered by all the attention and hospitality; it was overwhelming. Now that I know what to expect I love it. I [View Full Entry]

By Ezeur
June 17th 2008

Out in the Country

Africa » Morocco » Marrakech-Tensift-El Haouz » Ait Ourir

Cleaning Day
Salma finally tired of playing soccer in the living room and we sat down on the floor to cool off.

I decided to visit my friend Rebecca, who was in Peace Corps with me and is still here since she extended her service a year. Becky lives in another town close to Marrakech and I used to travel from Kelaa to her site in Ait Ourir almost every month. Maryam woke me up in the morning around 11:30. It had been another hot, sleepless night. When I looked out the door of my room into the central living room I saw all the furniture had been moved. It was washing day. From the cleanliness of Boise it’s hard to understand just [View Full Entry]

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