May Madness

The month of May was filled with visitors (Kay and Ben from Boston) and constant travel including a trip back to the U.S. for a week. I was fortunate to use my AA miles and scored an inexpensive flight. Conveniently,  British Airways flies direct to Austin out of Heathrow. Nice to see Austin is hitting the big time!  I was relatively high functioning despite the jetlag thanks to lots of coffee (with unhealthy amounts of cream) - It's been a few months since I had the joy of cream in my coffee so I went overboard…who wouldn’t! It was wonderful to experience the warm Austin sun and downtown nightlife again. Austin always feels like home. All in all, it was a whirlwind of a week back in the States. Not only was I able to attend (and stand up in) my best friend's wedding but the nuptials also coincided with my brother's graduation with his Master's in Psychology. I was a flying fool to say the very least! My travel schedule went something along the lines of  BRU>LON>AUS>DFW>PITT>BOS>DUB>BRU

Upon arriving back home, Ben happened to be invited to a work recruiting event in Reims, France (Champagne region) for the weekend. Oh okay, twist my arm. Given this was our last weekend with access to four wheels (Blue Devil) we were able to make the 2.5 hour drive with Maddie. Yes, she has now been to two areas of France. #spoileddog

It was nice to learn about the Champagne making process through visiting a few different vineyards and Champagne houses outside the tiny city. The weather was a bit chilly but that didn't stop Maddie from frolicking amongst the grapevines. We stayed an extra night to relax and enjoy the sites inside the small, quaint city of Reims before embarking on the scenic drive through the French countryside back to Brussels.

Our last May long weekend was spent in Morocco (initially considered our BIG trip ) with Ben's life-long friend Jason. The weather in Brussels was average (rainy, cloudy, and cold) so we were incredibly anxious to soak in the Moroccan sun and 80+ degree weather. We really loved Morocco! It was a great trip to learn and experience an entirely different culture. That being said, it was still an adjustment to see women completely covered up and doing most of the hard labor. Yes, you heard that right. Visiting the Berber villages we often saw women carrying wood and household supplies uphill while the men sold goods in the nearby markets.  Not to mention, they are fully clothed in 30+ degrees Celsius (85 degrees Fahrenheit) heat.

 

We kicked off our first day in Marrakesh with a full day tour to the Atlas Mountains complete with camel riding. It has always been on my bucket list so I was happy to finally cross it off. Ben was a bit resistant as he didn't find them much fun as a kid. He ended up loving his camel and the entire experience.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We decided to experience another area of Morocco by taking a 2.5 hour drive west to the coast city Essaouira. We initially scheduled a rental car but with that falling through, Jason saved the day by finding and hiring a driver to take us roundtrip for a nice price. Glad to see the hard bargaining skills learned in law school paid off. Our driver, Mohammed, was able to safely escort us there and back with major issues. Essaouria had a hippy, beach bum vibe with the Atlantic ocean as the perfect backdrop. We made it just in time to see a stunning sunset. The Medina is a fraction of the size of Marrakesh's marketplace so it was a bit more manageable for shopping and sightseeing. I was able to relax with a 2 hour Hammam - body scrub, sauna experience that was a bit different than I'd expect in the States but for 30 euros I can't complain!

 

We were surprised how much Americans are loved in Marrakesh. You could almost see the $$ signs pop up in their eyes. Although we weren't thrilled with that the association it was still a fantastic visit. The food was fantastic...I don't think we had a bad meal! I plan to cook up a few tagines once we return home.  We were coaxed into seeing the Tannery (leather production) by a few insistent locals which proved to be an interesting albeit "fragrant" experience. We were given mint leaves as our "gas mask" to help survive the tour. Not the best place to visit after lunch!

 On our last night, we had a scrumptious meal overlooking the mosque at sunset complete with belly dancing.  Overall, we couldn't have asked for a better trip.

 

Only two more weeks left in Europe until we land in the Lone Star State (patriotically arriving on the 4th of July). Stay tuned for more updates on our latest trip to Greece!