إفريقيا

Hello people of the English-speaking world. I, Ross Voorhees, have discovered a new continent! It’s called Africa and it is very close to Spain, about a half hour south by boat to be exact. The people there do not call it Africa though. No no, they call it “l’Afrique” or even إفريقيا !

The Africans in fact have many cities. I was only adventurous enough for two (this time around!); “Tangier” and “Marrakech.” Both lie in a country that is called “Morocco.”

I went with three other brave adventuristas; Erica, Maria and Hermina and while the journey was strange and at times difficult, dangerous and wild! I enjoyed it very much.

There were rooftop parties with ex-pat artists, Arabic discos, night trains, dirt cheap hotels and cafés, snake charmers, monkey handlers, mystical dancers, labyrinths of old streets and shops called “medinas” and surprisingly enough, really nice and cool people. (View of the Place Djemma El Fna from the Hotel de France in Marrakech; Home to such rarities listed above.)

I made friends with one of the locals there in Marrakech, in the Café de France. His name was Lahsen and was studying English. He had a good friend studying Spanish but not English. We drank powerful ginger and mint teas and talked about our families in two or three languages. Lahsen has five siblings! I told him about Americans; how they really like family too.(Weighing the Good and the Bad with Maria.)

I will go back to the Café de France soon, hopefully run into Lahsen again. Maybe even venture out into the untamed and uncharted desert that surrounds the city. Until then I am relaxing back in Granada and trying to figure out the best was to say “stubborn” in Spanish.(Tangier at dusk)

(Waiting for the Marrakech Express)

(Cafe Hafa in Tangier, old Beat hang-out.)