Fes Day Two

Our second day in Fes was a jam-packed tour of all the artisans Fes is famous for--leather tannery, wood carving, ceramics, carpet making, cloth weaving, you name it! We hired an official guide from the tourist office which I highly recommend--we had read in the guide books that this was the way to go and I agree. He was very knowledgeable and took us to see many of the mosques and koranic schools and also the mausoleum where the founder of Fes' body is interred. As we are non-Muslim we were not allowed to go inside the mausoleum or the mosques, but we could take pictures from outside.

When we went to the various artisans there was usually someone there who spoke English who gave us a description of what goes on in the cooperative. All the cooperatives were at least partially government funded and the guides are all paid by the government, so while there was a sales pitch, it wasn't high preassure and everyone was still very nice when we said "no." I've included some pictures here from the ceramics co--op and the tannery.

In the afternoon our driver took us up to a location where we got panoramic views of Fes. It's a large city and quite sprawling surrounded by beautiful countryside. Morocco is a beautiful country--I'd love to come back again and see more of it.

Today, our last full day in the country, we plan to go to the Batha Museum which is close by before catching the train back to Casablanca. It's cool today and the weather forecast calls for rain off and on, so it'll be a good day to stay inside and for long train rides.

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And Now, Fes

We have been seriously busy since my last post! Our last morning in Marrakech took us to the photography museum which was amazing--pictures from 1880 to 1940 were on display. It was fascinating to me how little had changed in some of the pictures of the square and the souks.

Next we saw a former Koranic school called Ben Youssef which was in quite good condition. We found a little room tucked into a corner at the end of a hall in the students' quarters that had really cool graffiti all over the ceiling.

Afternoon was spent on a 7 hour train ride to Meknes where we stayed in a hotel not far from the train station. Yesterday we took a grand taxi to some Roman ruins called Volubilis about an hour's drive from Meknes and then after lunch took a stroll through nearby Moulay Idris where a local guided us to see the only round minaret in Morocco and also to a beautiful spot with a panoramic view of the city below. It was a strenuous climb! My knees still hurt!

A short train ride to Fes found us in conversion with a gentleman named Omar who works as a guide at Volubilis. He advised us to get a government guide in Fes if we wanted a good historical tour of the old city. Once in Fes, we grabbed a petit taxi from the train station into the Medina and easily hooked up with our guide from the riad.

Our riad here is hard to describe so I've  included pictures. It's mainly targeted at a younger crowd (it has hostel rooms with bunkbeds) and has a very funky vibe. My Honey and I will spend 2 nights here before heading back to Casablanca and then home.

Today, a guided tour of Fes!

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Shopping, Palace, Palace

We walk through the souks to get pretty much anywhere. The souks are endless, narrow alleys of merchandise sold by very pushy and aggressive men. My first trip through was terrifying--so many people everywhere and the noise and the smell and on top of that, motorcycles and scooters are constantly buzzing by. I was more concerned with getting out in one piece than buying anything!

So when I read in the travel guide about a shop run by a women's collective I knew that was where I wanted to shop. We eventually found it (after being led there by a wonderful older gentleman shopkeeper) tucked in a quiet corner of the souk. First, you have to understand--nowhere in the souks do you see women running a stall. In the open-air market in the squares you'll see women selling things but not in the souks. The stalls in the souks are permanent and owned by the vendor which means exclusively men. So to find a place where I could buy from a woman was a great pleasure and relief for me. I ended up spending nearly all my shopping money there and I have no regrets. I was happy to give them my business.

The rest of the morning and early afternoon was spent touring two former palaces--the Badi Palace and the Bahia Palace. The Badi Palace is only a ruin now, but it was still very impressive. The Bahia Palace is newer and, while empty, is in excellent condition. Both are undergoing restoration and it was interesting to see that work in progress. I took tonnes of pictures (of course) and really enjoyed the experience.

After a little rest up at our riad we headed back to the square to watch the evening action from a terrace cafe. We had a great view of the snake charmers and monkey handlers and a again many pictures were taken.

Today we're of to Meknes and tomorrow Fes and some Roman ruins, but before we leave today we'll be visiting a photography museum which has on display some of the oldest photographs of Morocco and Moroccans.

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Funky Old Medina

Here we are in the old Medina of Marrakech. We're staying in a lovely riad a few minutes from the souks which I plan to be spending money in shortly. Here's a picture of our room which opens into an airy courtyard with orange trees and a small water feature. It's easy to get lost in the Medina--there are endless narrow passages and the riad doors are unmarked so you need to know where you're going or you're screwed. Cross your fingers we don't get lost!

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Day One

So far, so good--we all met up as scheduled at JFK and the flight to Casablanca, while delayed, was uneventful. We took the train to the edge of the old city then a "little red taxi" to our hotel.  These are a couple of pictures of the view from our hotel room balcony. We're pretty conveniently located and spent some time wandering the city centre today. We had a fabulous lunch and dinner (traditional Moroccan tejine for me at lunch and  traditional couscous for dinner) and now we're headed to bed with full tummys in preparation for Marrakech tomorrow. And more pics--I promise!

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Morocco

As some of you already know, I'll be traveling to Morocco in 2 DAYS and I'm hoping to blog the journey so you can all be incredibly jealous enjoy the experience with me. Updates may be irregular as I'm not sure when I'll have internets, but I've been told Morocco is quite internet-savvy so that bodes well.

Assuming anyone still follows this dusty old blog, I look forward to sharing this trip of a lifetime with you I'm words and (of course) pictures.  Two more sleeps!

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Me, My TV and the Month of November

The Documentary Channel is free for the entire month of November!  I'm watching a documentary right now!

I won't be hurt if you don't share my enthusiasm--I understand that I watch TV in a way that is entirely different from the vast majority of the TV viewing public.  I have never watched an entire episode of Survivor, American Idol, Two-and-a-half Men, Jersey Shore, Dancing with the (so-called) Stars, Big Bang Theory or anything that resembles "The Real (blank) of (blank)".  I know!  It's like I live under a rock or something!

The truth is, I need to feel engaged with what I'm watching.  And by "engaged" I mean "educated", "stimulated", and "not entirely disgusted with humanity".  Generally speaking, the only way I can achieve that is through documentaries.

Does this make me a TV snob?  Maybe.  I don't care--I refuse to consume a steady diet of trash TV, much the way I refuse to eat a steady diet of trash food.  Does that mean I don't have my "guilty pleasures?"  Of course I do!  I am strangely addicted to Say "Yes" to the Dress, despite never ever wanting to wear a wedding dress; I try really hard not to miss an episode of Fashion Police (it's pretty much the only reason I know who half our current "celebrities" are); I'm addicted to House Hunters and pretty much anything related to interior design or real estate.

But the vast majority of what I watch is found on PBS, National Geographic Channel or CBC with the occasional Discovery Channel or History Channel thrown in.  To have an entire month of unfettered access to the Documentary Channel?  Let's just say I'll be spending a lot of quality time with my couch and TV for the next four weeks.

O Blogger, Where Art Thou?

Hello? Is anybody there?  If a blogger posts after an 8 month absence, does anybody hear?

I wouldn't blame you for abandoning me--I have been MIA for a very long time, but to paraphrase Mark Twain, the rumours of my demise have been greatly exaggerated.

I had to leave the blogosphere altogether.  I not only stopped blogging, but I stopped reading other blogs--I needed to attend to my real-life relationships and let the on-line ones slide for a while.  In returning, I have paired down my blogroll significantly in an effort to achieve a better balance between my online activity and my real-life activity.  If I once followed you and now do not, please don't be offended--I might yet return one day and you're all bookmarked in my "Favourites" so I'm sure I'll still drop in from time to time.

My ongoing efforts to remain well-rounded have led me in some unexpected directions.  I recently taught myself how to knit and I have completed 4 scarves and am exploring moving on to an easy sweater pattern, although I'm probably going to wait until the new year to tackle that challenge.  I promised scarves to all my family members for Christmas so I'll be occupied with those right up to the 24th I imagine.

Even more unexpectedly, in the late summer I was asked by a former co-worker to be in a play she had written.  As an actor.  ON STAGE.  Of course I said yes, probably because I was under the affluence of incohol at the time and figured I'd never hear from her again.  Astonishingly I did hear from her several weeks later and now I'm knee-deep in rehearsals until the big day on December 4th.

So, If you're in the K-W area on December 4th and want to see a bizarre play called The Waiting Room that's kinda like Waiting for Godot but with more anger, then swing by the Chrysalids Theatre.  I'll be the one knitting.

I Got Nothing

I know I've been MIA lately, but I really haven't had anything to put out there.  Don't worry--all is well, nothing to see here.  Since I have nothing exciting going on, I'll attempt to win your attention by posting adorable pics of my puppy I took this morning:

Wook at dat cute widdle face!  Aw, who's a cute poopy woopy?  You are!

Gimme a break, you know you talk to your pet/baby this way too.

Dog vs Food

I have no qualms about feeing Jacques "people food" since the dog food I do feed him is full of human-grade ingredients.  But just like with humans, it's important for the food to be healthy.  So today I decided to give him a chunk of broccoli stem.  I don't eat this part of the plant anyway and I figured it would be the perfect toughness for him to chew while still being edible and not full of fats and crap.  Turns out he loved it.  Here's some photographic proof:

I kinda hoped this would keep him occupied for a while, but it only took him about 10 minutes to completely demolish it--not a speck remains.  In fact he sniffed around for any he might have missed for another minute before giving up and coming to me for more!  Maybe tomorrow, my friend.

Also in dog-related news, Jacques has now learned to go do "his business" outside.  He's had far fewer accidents since learning to go outside and this has allowed me to let him move more-or-less freely within the apartment.  He still isn't allowed in the bedroom or My Honey's office, but he's too busy chasing the cat around the kitchen and living room to notice.  I still restrict him to the bathroom and hall when I'm not at home because there's just too much for him to get into when not supervised, but having him follow me around has been fun and we're bonding even more.  I was worried he'd be chewing on everything in sight, but that hasn't been the case at all.  He's being very well behaved and having enough naps that the cat isn't too put-out by having to share the space.  Fingers crossed, we seem to be moving in the right direction.

Welcome to 2011 CRTC

I love my country, but I'm always astonished at how good our citizens are at adopting and embracing new technologies while at the same time our governing bodies are absolutely terrible at it.  Canadians rely on debit cards more than any other country; our internet usage per capita is among the highest anywhere.  42% of Canadians have a Facebook profile.  But strangely our governing body for telecommunications, the CRTC, is on the verge of deciding that metered internet billing is a good idea.

Everyone knows the TV in it's traditional role as provider of programing over the airwaves/cablewaves is on the way out--the Internet is the way of the future.  Despite this, the CRTC might allow Bell and Rogers (who conveniently have a HUGE stake in driving consumers back to traditional TV) to bill Internet users additionally for "overages" in their data consumption.  This means when you go to the National Film Board and download free content from filmakers across Canada you will likely be paying extra on your Internet bill.  How about Netflix?  Streaming content on You Tube?  Yep, they'll cost you extra too.

So what can be done about this?  Probably not a whole lot, but I chose to sign an online petition to express my disappointment in the lack of foresight shown by the CRTC and perhaps you might want to as well.  Follow this link to join the over 40 thousand others who have signed the petition.

Get a clue CRTC.  Don't leave us in the dark-ages because Big Business can't figure out a way to make money in the new Internet reality without resorting to billing practices that have no place in 2011.

****UPDATE****

Sadly, this ended up being a case of too little, too late.  The CRTC has decided to allow the major players to adopt metered billing, which means the small providers who buy bandwidth from Bell will have to stop offering unlimited downloading which will severely limit competition in Canada's already more-or-less monopolized Internet provider market.  A small bone was thrown to the consumer in the way of a reduction in the cost of basic service, but it's little consolation.

One Year

It's hard to believe it's been an entire year.

It seems like only yesterday we coloured your hair pink, but in comparison it feels like it has been forever since I felt one of your hugs.  So much has happened in the year since you died, so many times I wanted to call you and tell you about my day.  It is an impulse that will always be there; you were always the first person I told about everything.

I still tell you, I just don't need a phone to do it.

I miss you, but you are always with me.  I channel you more and more as each day goes by--when I laugh, it is your laughter I hear; when I chat up the person next to me in line at the grocery store, it is you who is being friendly to a stranger; when one of my customers flirts with me on the phone it is you they are flirting with.

There have been some dark days this past year--it's been a tough road for this family--but we have made it through.  I know you would have been proud of me, of all of us.  We've lost so much, but gained a stronger bond with each other.  I know you'd want to be there to comfort us, but we find strength somehow just in the knowing.

Is it strange I still want to be a better person for you?  A better daughter, sister, niece, partner, friend.  I still strive to make you proud of me, even though you're no longer here to see my efforts.  I want to be that person you always believed I could be.

It's a work in progress.

Maybe it always will be.

Sad Day

I found out today that, 1) friends of mine had a miscarriage, 2) my brother's dog had a seizure and is in the doggie hospital and, 3) my friend Katie has pneumonia which is aggravated by her downstairs neighbour who won't stop smoking indoors which likely means Katie will have to move out of her new apartment (which would really suck because she just moved in and she loves that apartment.)

I'm done with today.

Jacques Gets a Taste for Parquet

I came across my puppy the other morning in the throes of ecstasy.  No, not that--he's still too young--something much more disturbing.  And amusing.  I particularly enjoy the snorting!

Happy New Year! And I Mean That

Well hello 2011!  My, you're looking swell.  Did you do something with your hair?  Lose some weight?  Well whatever it is, it's really working for you.  Perhaps it's just me--you see, I'm so happy to see the back of 2010 that you just look wonderful to me.

The last year has been pretty shitty, not just for me but for many close to me.  We've suffered losses, faced challenges.  But one thing that keeps me going is finding balance in all this:  friends have drifted a way, but new ones have taken their place; loved ones have passed away, but friends have been blessed with a new life and I share in their joy.  It's a timeless and endless cycle--just when we think we've taken all we can, new hope appears and sustains us.

This year has been surprisingly fruitful for me in some unexpected ways--I have seen success and growth in my job; my talent in photography has allowed me to share some treasured images with friends and family; my new companion, Jacques, has been a joy and a challenge but I wouldn't have it any other way; friendships and family ties have been deepened and strengthened.  Most of all, I've grown up a lot--I have met the challenges of the last couple of years head-on and I made it through a better friend, sister, daughter and partner.

I want to thank all of you for the tremendous support you have provided me over the last year.  Your words of encouragement and your unwavering belief in me have been the light in the darkness--I don't know if I could have done it without you.  My New Year's resolution to you is to not let you down--your faith has not been misplaced.  I've been battered and bruised but this is another year and another opportunity to make my own happiness.

"Often daunted, never defeated."
                    -- Vicky Gabereau, Canadian radio and television personality

Breakthrough

I think we've finally made some head-way with house breaking Jacques.  I've been giving him treats after he goes on his pad and this has coincided with a significant decrease in the number of accidents.  This evening alone he's stopped playing out in the living room twice to go to the pad to poop--this is awesome because he's never done this before.

I was hesitant to use the treats as a training tool despite knowing that French bulldogs as a breed are typically motivated by food.  Treats notoriously have lots of empty calories which can cause obesity in dogs, so I was thrilled to find some natural treats at my local Pet Valu that are simply freeze-dried cows liver and nothing more. And the dog loves them!  So does the cat, for that matter.  Also, Jacques isn't eating nearly as much as I expected he would so I figure a few nutritious treats won't kill him.

Having said all this, I really hope I haven't jinxed myself.  I've been lulled into a false sense of security by this puppy before--remember the first 24 hours?  I will remain cautiously optimistic until he can prove himself over the next several days.

In the meantime, please head over to my photoblog and vote for your favourite picture of Jacques.  Sadly, I couldn't convince Jax to pose with him....

Trying to Get Into the Christmas Spirit

I decided to not put up a Christmas tree this year.  I've had a Christmas tree every single year since being on my own at age 19.  I bought my first tree for $9.99 at Canadian Tire--it was 3 feet tall and that first Christmas I decorated it with a homemade popcorn garland (which was entirely too much work and I never did that again!)  A couple of years ago, when we moved into our current apartment, I bought a larger tree since we had a bigger space that would make a larger tree fit better.  It was also purchased at Canadian Tire, cost $24.99 and was 4 1/2 feet tall.

The other reason I had to get a larger tree was I've accumulated a tonne of ornaments.  I try every year to get a "special" ornament and these have grown to a large number which just couldn't all fit on a 3 foot tree.  Then, last year my Mom gave me the family collection of "special" ornaments so now even my 4 foot tree seems to bend under the strain.

So why did I forgo the tree this year?  A few reasons--I am concerned about the potential danger to Jacques who is a quick little bugger and might do some damage to it or himself if I let my guard down for even a second; I won't be here at Christmas, I'll be in Huntsville with my brother and his family so I will get my fair share of tree there; My Honey isn't able to come home for Christmas this year since he's used up all his vacation time so he won't be here to appreciate it; and lastly, it's been a tough year with more losses than I care to name and I just don't feel like it.

Now I know some of you will think these excuses are just that--excuses.  You'll think it would be good for me to put up the tree, embrace the Christmas spirit and chase away the blues with tinsel and lights.  I appreciate your concern, but I'm here to tell you you're wrong.  There's nothing more depressing than putting up a tree by yourself that no one (besides yourself) will see and then taking it down by yourself after Christmas when the sugar-high has worn off and the reality of 3 more months of freezing cold and snow is setting in.

By not putting up a tree, I can worry less about my dog, I can get my fill of Christmas cheer back in Huntsville without the work of putting up or taking down the tree, and lastly I don't have to look at all those "special" ornaments that will flood me with bittersweet memories of Christmas's past with my Mom.  I'm just not ready for that.  Instead, I'll be making new memories with my adorable nieces and my wonderful brother and sister-in-law who really need me there this year to bring the festive and not the sad and depressed.

So, instead of having my own tree, I've installed a Photos of Christmas Trees widget on the right-hand side of my blog.  Here I go, bringing the festive!  You're welcome.

Merry Christmas!

So Freaking Tired

Okay, no more talk about pee an poop except to say this--the diarrhea seems to be improving and we still have a long way to go with house-breaking.

Today I had to go back to work so Jacques was left to his own devices.  As far as I can tell, he didn't get into anything he shouldn't have and didn't destroy his bed, his kennel or any of the plethora of toys I left him with. Mind you, he was confined to the bathroom so there wasn't much he could get into.  I came home at lunch to feed and water him but other than that he was on his own for just over 8 hours.

Jax is still handling things like a champ--I have to say he's doing way better than I thought he would.  We had a nice snuggle on the couch tonight while watching TV.  It would appear he's forgiven me for "the interloper."

Didn't get the best sleep last night--Jacques woke me up 3 times to "do his business" so I'm absolutely exhausted and going to bed.  Right.  Now.

Hours 49 to 72

Jacques and I had another terrific night with no accidents and a pee break at 1am.  We woke up at 6 this morning (there's been too much sleeping in going on around here) and he ate all his breakfast.  Then the first set back occurred--he pooped (not diarrhea, thankfully) on the floor in the hall.  Not on his pad.  Accidents happen, but as it turns out this was going to be a harbinger of things to come.

We had a good play-time in the living room whereupon Jacques again raided Jax's toys, discovering items long since forgotten.  Speaking of Jax, he's pretty much behaving completely normally now--he's back to being his snuggly, needy self and he's eating normally, too.  He still hisses at Jacques and keeps his distance for the most part, although he is daring to come closer.  He's not sniffing/tasting the air as much and he seems perfectly content to nap on the back of the sofa while I sit on said sofa and hold Jacques.  Hey, if this is as good as it ever gets then I'm a happy camper!

At 10, Jacques and I went to visit my Dad and his wife (aka Grampy and Grammy).  They were babysitting her niece and all three of them instantly fell in love with Jacques.  Unfortunately, Jacques promptly christened the living room carpet, despite my excellent plan to bring a dry but used pee pad and making sure he knew where it was right away.  He proceeded to pee on the floor a total of 3 times.  Granted it wasn't much--just a few dribbles--but I was getting frustrated.  He had been doing so well at home but here he was going all over the place!  I was glad I'd not brought any food or allowed him any water which probably helped to minimize the damage.

We left around 12:30, Jacques thoroughly worn out and nodding off in the car (despite the pee issues, my Dad and his wife absolutely adore Jacques and can't wait for another visit.)  Back at home he again ate all his lunch and I left him to have a little nap while I snuggled with Jax.  After an hour or so I let Jacques out for another romp in the living room but this turned out to be a bad idea.  After briefly playing with a few toys and taunting the cat, Jacques started to sniff and circle suspiciously.  Just as he was about to "assume the position" I chased him back to the bathroom and corralled him onto the pad.  After a few escape attempts he eventually made a small poop on the pad (just barely) so I let him back out to play.  Well, the next thing I know he's crouching again, this time on the carpet.  I quickly scooped him up and brought him back to the pad, but he frustratingly refused to go.  By now I've finally smartened up and I leave him in the bathroom for a while.  His accident in the living room is small--only a few drops--but it's a wake up call.  He's still a puppy and now he's feeling confident enough to test me.  Clearly we still have a long way to go with this training business.

Unfortunately the set-backs didn't end there--I got a call from the vet and apparently Jacques has an intestinal parasite.  It's pretty common and easily treated but it's probably the cause of the diarrhea he's been having.  At a cost of about $25 I have to give him a pill every day for 10 days at which point he should be cured.  There's no risk of it being transmitted to me or the cat but I do have to thoroughly clean up his poop to prevent him from reinfecting himself.

And lastly, Jacques has really bad farts.  And I don't mean "oh isn't that cute, he farted!"  I'm talking eye-watering "silent but deadly" emissions of noxious gases.  On the bright side, now I can blame mine on him.

To finish off, here are a few pics I took of Jacques this morning playing desperately with all the cat's toys:

That's it--bite him right on the bum.

****Update****

Aaaaaaand the diarrhea's back again.  Big time.  So for now, Jacques is confined to quarters (ie the bathroom) until further notice.

Hours 25 to 48

Last evening was fairly uneventful--I played a bit with Jacques and tried to snuggle with the cat, chatted a bit online with My Honey, watched some TV.  A nice relaxing evening with my happy, wonderful pets.  Yeah, right.

Anyway, Jacques went to bed very well and I was smart enough to set the alarm clock for 1:30am at which time we got up and he did a pee (no accidents!) and then we went back to bed.  He slept through to 7 again and then right away did another pee and poop on his pad (yay!) while I got Jax fed and the coffee on for me.  Unfortunately, the poop was, well, "loose" shall we say.  I was a tad bit dismayed but he seemed to be feeling fine so I didn't worry about it.  I did start worrying when he refused to eat--he had some water but he wouldn't touch his food.  I left it with him for about 15 minutes and then gave up.

After that I decided to let him roam the living room a bit--he'd already peed and pooped and since he hadn't eaten anything I figured we were safe for a little while.  Jacques frolicked and took off with Jax's toys while I snapped a few pics (head on over to my photoblog for a peek) and Jax eyed us warily from the safety of the dining room which I had blocked of with a baby gate.  At one point, however, Jax decided to take a closer look.  Jacques of course took this as an invitation to play--not what Jax had in mind.  Jacques playfully "barked" (I put this in quotes because his bark is so quiet and non-eardrum-piercing that I'm a little embarrassed to actually call it a bark) and sorta darted toward Jax.  Well, Jax decided that was a little too close and gave Jacques a good swat with his (thankfully declawed) left paw.  Evidently Jacques is a very smart little puppy because he correctly interpreted this bell-ringer as a sign the cat was not in the mood to play and he backed off post haste.

The rest of the morning was uneventful and at 12:30 (after unsuccessfully trying to entice Jacques to eat) he and I took a little trip to the vet for a quick look-see.  After scoring a clean bill of health (and thoroughly charming the vet and her staff with his good manners and even better looks) we took a swing by the parking lot of my work-place (where he charmed a few of my co-workers and showed off his adorable new winter jacket) an finally arrived back home for a nap.

While Jacques dreamed his puppy dreams, Jax and I had some alone time on the couch.  He's much more snuggly today and that makes me very happy.  He's also not hissing at Jacques unless the dog intentionally comes toward him--before he would just hiss if the dog was in his vague general vicinity.

Jacques and I just spent some time playing on the floor and he (finally!) ate some dinner, but he's still having diarrhea issues which I hope will clear up by tomorrow.  At least he's still pretty consistently going on his pad and doesn't appear to be sick.  I'll set the alarm for 1:30 again and see how things go.

Here's a pic from Jacques first trip to the vet:

No shots of him in his new coat today--the weather was crappy and neither one of us wanted to hang around outside.  Maybe tomorrow...