In Chefchaouen, Elahe bought a pair of slip-on leather shoes made from the tannery in Fez. Although we saw thousands of similar shoes in Fez, we never saw the same pair, and we discovered that we had haggled well. Although the tannery was interesting to see, mint leaves were needed under our noses to mask the horrible smell that I had assumed was simply from the skins themselves. We learned that the soaking steps of the tanning process are responsible for the eye-searing smell, as first a wash of cow urine, quicklime, salt, and water, and later, a blend of water and pigeon feces act as tenderizers. Pigeon droppings contain ammonia that acts as a softening agent, which allows hides to become malleable so that they can absorb the dye. Locals collect and sell the poop by the pound as the tannery uses hundreds of pounds. The tanner uses his bare feet to knead the hides for up to three hours to achieve the desired effect, eventually producing some of the softest leather in the world. We admired the city from another hilltop viewpoint. As is often the case with a group tour, there were several stops throughout the trip that combined some level of touristic interest with an even greater level of commercial pressure. Obviously leather goods were sold at the tannery stop, and many items were on offer at the ceramic school and factory, too. When everyone was finished purchasing ceramics, we were led on a walk through the medina. We visited one of several madrasas to admire its architecture, and to once again take turns with our fellow travellers posing for pictures. The group's lunch spot provided the day's third viewpoint. We once again opted out of the time consuming group lunch in favour of more time to explore the medina on our own. We reassured our guide that if we weren't back at the designated spot by the agreed upon time, we waived him of responsibility and would take a cab back to the hotel. Once freed from the group, locals approached us far more, offering us looks inside several unmarked doors, where we discovered homes, workshops, restaurants, a hammam spa, and a carpet shop. We bought delicious Nadorcott mandarins and an Americano. We befriended some young footballers whose soccer ball had popped. Upon learning that we were Canadian, they reminded us that Morocco defeated Canada 2 - 1 in the most recent World Cup. When I feigned tears, all of the boys hugged me, while telling me that it was okay. Eventually Elahe gave them money towards a new ball. We learned a little about one of the local mosques. We rejoined the group and continued the walk through the medina. We returned to the bus by walking through a much more recently developed part of the city. Along the way, I was able to have a brief kick around when I met two more young footballers.
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We made it to Cape Spartel, the northwesternmost point of Africa to view where the Atlantic meets the Mediterranean. We made our way to the city of Tetouan. Chefchaouen, "The Blue Pearl of Morocco", is likely the country's most photographed city, and we, too, did our part to contribute. We were very happy with our decision to opt out of lunch with the group in favour of more time exploring on our own. We greatly enjoyed a fresh made-to-order Morocco mint tea with cake in the central square. After the break, we were led through the narrow streets by a local guide. On such a wonderful day of beauty and joy, I gave thanks many times for the freedoms we enjoy today, and will never forget the great sacrifices made to earn and ensure them. The bus took us through the Rif Mountains, and passed scenic vistas on the long drive to Fez for a late dinner and the first of two nights there.
In Rabat, we saw the Mausoleum of Mohammed V and the tower of Mohammed VI... We also enjoyed Rabat's Kasbah of the Udayas. The kasbah provides wonderful ocean views. We made a stop in Asilah for lunch and a seaside travel break, where we visited with Jerry and Trish from Nova Scotia. We continued to Tangier, where we checked in, had dinner, and slept well in anticipation of the following day of travel...
We saw the Sacred Heart Cathedral, perhaps the most white we noticed in the "White City". Casablanca is the largest city in Morocco and is considered to be the most "Western" and "cosmopolitan" of the country's cities. We were happy to have a "free day" in Casablanca on the 9th, so that we could walk further and explore much more of the city at our pace. We strolled along La Corniche, a boulevard bordering the ocean, and visited the King Hassan II Mosque. The world's third largest mosque features the world's tallest minaret. We had coffee and dessert in the famous Rick's Cafe, modeled after the club in the movie "Casablanca". "Stepping into Rick’s Café, you’re instantly transported into a scene from the iconic 1942 film. Thanks to Kathy Kriger’s vision, you can immerse yourself in a setting steeped in nostalgia and cinematic history." I played soccer with some local boys near the cafe. We continued to explore Casablanca on foot. We walked through a variety of neighbourhoods. Of course we spent more time in the market, and of course Elahe found a woman's collective to purchase argan oil from while we were there. The following day, November 10th, the 'tour' officially began and the group was taken to the Hassan II Mosque that we'd already seen on our own, and then the Mohammed V Square before leaving the city. From Casablanca, our driver aimed the bus towards Rabat...
The month began with me hanging out in New Westminster with my friend Karyn's dog, Jovey, and eating the food graciously left for me. I was grateful to be included for a Thanksgiving dinner with my wonderful neighbours, Stephanie, Phil, and Sophie. I started to appreciate the beauty of nature and the world again. I still don't really cook, but I think I ate a little better in October, too. Once I truly came to terms with my situation and let go of the past, opening my heart and mind to new possibilities, everything changed and I was rewarded with a miracle! Joy, happiness, connection, and endless possibilities appeared and coloured my life in beautiful ways. The future is bright! Fall can be confusing in this part of the world... One day I was marveling at the warmth of the bright sunshine with cold beers after a glorious morning of pride inducing, well played soccer, then shortly thereafter, it snowed and I was without power overnight! With an improved outlook & sunny skies, I headed back to my favourite hike in Stoney Hill Regional Park to enjoy the spectacular views. Hundreds of sea lions returned to Cowichan Bay in October. I logged MANY hours of video calls getting to know Elahe from a distance. At the end of the month, I travelled back to the mainland... We met for the first time in person and Halloween was fantastic, as everything was new for Elahe - she had never worn a costume or been trick-or-treating. We went with my sister and nieces, watching fireworks, checking out impressive displays, and drinking hot chocolate by a fire, before going to see my dad. My little buddy Sophie's Halloween was all about Skye and Paw Patrol. I ended October back staying at Karyn's place. Both the NHL and the NBA returned to regular season action and the Lions are set to host a home playoff game. By my usual standards, I watched very little programming in October. Since I spent so much time chatting, I only read two novels in October. October left me eager to experience all the promise of November...
Early in the month, it was great to see the members of "TAG" visiting from Australia after six long years, as they hosted dinner at their Airbnb in Langford. Unfortunately, our second catch up at the Kinsol Trestle was proof that even beautiful, sunny days with fun friends can be filled with heartache and pain... Shortly before I went to meet them, Lisa told me that she no longer intends to ever return to me or our marriage despite acknowledging that I had made the most of each opportunity I was afforded over the past three months to demonstrate growth and empathy. I respected her request for "time and space" and truly believed that we were both gaining better understanding and skills to communicate and support each other more effectively. Clearly we are not on the same page, and I am devastated. After 31 years together, 28 married, life now feels surreal; my dreams literally feel more like reality than my waking hours.
I spent one of the two weeks based out of my sister's place, and it was nice to spend some time with her and my nieces. I got to watch both Katrina and Annika's dance classes and coach Katrina a little on some basketball techniques. I visited my mom five times at Langley Lodge. I made a quick three night roadtrip to see friends and cousins, spending one evening getting caught up with Angel(a) in Abbotsford (including dinner at Boston Pizza), one night camping at The Glen at Maple Falls near Mt. Baker with Rob, Shawn, and Sydney (including dinner at North Fork Brewery), and another with Bronwyn's family in Lynden (including dinner at my Auntie Valerie and Uncle Kip's house). It also worked out that Ellis was in town, too! Dad shared his beer & took me out for brunch. I walked Annika to & from school several times and hung out some with Alison, Tara, & Johnny. It was fun watching the Lions win live with friends and my dad. On thelast day of September, I began a four night stay dog sitting Jovey in New Westminster while Karyn dicovered Iceland. Canada won bronze at the FIBA Basketball World Cup, qualifying for the Olympics in the process. I watched three UFC events this month. The to BC Lions assured themselves a home playoff game and the Blue Jays earned a spot as a Wildcard. A new NFL season kicked off and the 49ers are doing well for my fantasy team. I always manage to watch some movies. My sister and I watched some movies, television, and stand-up together. "Lioness" led me down a 'rabbit hole' of special ops spy shows that will definitely carry over into October's viewing with other series. Some of my September television viewing may have been influenced by the company of my nieces. As always, I continued to read - some for entertaining escapism, and some for continued insight and growth. I finally don't cry every single day and had some more reasons to smile.
As my world was seemingly falling apart, my dad and I had as nice a visit as possible under terrible circumstances to start the month. By the middle of the month, the province was fighting hundreds of forest fires and we were monitoring air quality forecasts and reports. This summer I have done many of the same things I always do, but nothing has felt the same. I played soccer every Sunday and my physical fitness and game continue to improve weekly. Monday mornings I continue to shoot hoops. Friday mornings my counsellor encourages me and praises my efforts. Every day I discover a new reason to cry. The Women's World Cup and Messi's move to the MLS provided plenty of entertainment and motivation for Sunday morning kick arounds. The Blue Jays continue to play well, but still find themselves in the most competitive division. I also enjoyed watching the BC Lions and UFC. Even when there are no sports on, there are still plenty of people talking with athlete guests. At the very least, they fill the house with some sound. I passed a lot of time watching a variety of movies. Television offered a full spectrum of programming options. I also read an eclectic collection of books in August.
I debated whether or not to post a blog this month and eventually opted to post some pretty pictures from an ugly month. I played soccer four times, shot hoops six times, ran a little, and even hiked Cobble Hill Mountain. I wasn't there in person to celebrate Katrina's 13th and Mom's 76th, so I appreciated the photos being shared with me. I checked out the Duncan Days festivities and parade as well as Slim Sandy & the Hillbilly Boppers at Cobble Hill's Music in the Park. Despite continuing to eat, I have lost 22 pounds in less than two months. I figure I had 8-12 pounds to lose, but anxiety doesn't know when to quit. July 2023 required more distraction than ever since I couldn't sleep through the entire thing, so there was a lot of programming consumed. When I wasn't binge-watching television, I also had time for movies. The Lions and Jays continue to play well and the UFC put on two great events in July. Unfortunately, the reigning Olympic champions were disappointingly dispatched from the FIFA Women's World Cup. I did a lot of reading in July; despite much of it being online, I still managed to read ten books as well. A month is shockingly long when merely survived on an hour by hour basis through guided meditations, breath work, thought re-framing exercises, counselling sessions, journalling, research, napping, physical exercise, and other coping mechanisms.
After returning from South Africa, we spent three nights in the Lower Mainland visiting family and trying to readjust to the time zone. We checked out the new trestle bridge at the base of Cypress before heading home on the ferry. We still had plenty of time to wander around Horseshoe Bay, then continued our daily walks throughout our own community, including hiking Cobble Hill Mountain as usual. We enjoyed the blooms in our own yard, too, especially when they attracted hummingbirds. Midway through the month, things went to shit; Lisa continued to 'stonewall' and I yelled too much. Lisa went to spend time at her mom's. Somehow I managed to function well enough to still follow some sports and read a little. Movies, comedy specials, and television series continue to provide entertainment and much needed distraction from reality. I ran over 50 kilometres in under two weeks, including a half-marathon for the first time and joining a running group.
Our South Africa trip was all about Kruger and Cape Town, but getting there required much travel. We were relieved when Westjet signed an eleventh hour deal with its pilots because despite having booked all KLM flights, we discovered just days before our trip that our first flight would be "operated by Westjet". We flew to Calgary to connect to Amsterdam. Then waited for another long flight to Johannesburg. We transferred from the airport to our nearby hotel and had only a brief delay when they didn't have record of our stay in their system. By then we had been travelling more than 29 hours, with an additional 9 hours of time zone difference tacked on for good measure. It was late and we had to wake early for breakfast before a long journey the next day. I took a photo of the information placard to demonstrate what we wanted to see, and another to show what we actually experienced. Fortunately we had much better luck just a short distance away at the viewpoints for "God's Window". After three nights at Kruger, we needed to make our way back to the Johannesburg airport for a flight to Cape Town. We took a different route back, stopping first at the Alzu Petroport - a gas station complex with restaurants, shops, cafes, and a massive animal reserve where we saw elands, gemsbok/oryx, ostriches, and more. Our main stop of the day was at the Union Buildings in Pretoria. We joined thousands of school children on fieldtrips outside the official seat of the South African Government and the office of the President of South Africa. There are large terraced gardens with statues and cannons. Our return trip was slightly simpler as we had just one connection in Amsterdam , but it was still a very long journey from Cape Town to YVR.
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