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Travel

Moroccan Mosques, Sunsets & Souqs

Essaouria

“Another day has passed, another sun has set; Like sands in hourglass, one day we’ll all get swept.”

Compared to other Arabian countries, Morocco is known for being one of the most tolerant, stable and safest. As a result, it has surpassed Egypt in the past decade as the most visited country in Africa, with nearly 13 million visitors annually. It’s close proximity to European countries like Spain and Portugal also makes it an easy plane or ferry trip away.

Of all the countries I’ve traveled to, Morocco probably tops my list in terms of being the most randomly inspired. One afternoon while at my friend’s house, I perused through his mother’s catalogue of Korean Vogue and Cosmopolitan magazines while I was doing my thing in the bathroom. While flipping through the pages, what immediately caught my eye were pictures of the Jemaa el-Fnaa market place in Marrakesh’s medina quarter. Within that instant, I knew I had to check it out and, sure enough, within a year I was there.

In life, instances like these are the most vivacious and pure — when you have a moment of inspiration, then go out and live it.

I flew into Casablanca and stayed at a colorful residence by the ocean.

When arriving at Hassan II Mosque, which is the 7th largest active mosque in the world, I came upon a celebratory scene on my first day out, one in which the locals were cheering from their vehicles, waving flags as they passed by.

I’m guessing the local soccer team had just won a major victory as the entire town was lively and people stayed out into the night. Either way, it made for an interesting arrival to a country you’ve never been.

Inside the mosque, the scene was quiet and of reverence.

So I got down on my knees and sent a prayer back home as well.

While walking the streets of Essaouria, which is a 250-mile drive south of Casablanca, I met a boy who wanted me to take a picture of him. It was a notable memory because before I took the shot, he looked around the ground for something to hold up, as if to show his pride. He ended up picking a rock and held it up against his chest.

When I come across children like this in developing nations, it’s a bittersweet feeling. The interactions are pure but you realize how little they have in comparison to their counterparts in wealthier countries.

Of course, sometimes they ask for money but more often they’re just fascinated in meeting a foreigner and filled with wonder. As we get older, we lose that sense of childlike curiosity. These children serve as a reminder in my travels of how blessed I am — and how as a global citizen it is also my responsibility to give back.

Essaouria was designated a World Heritage Site in 2001 and is famous for its riads (bed-and-breakfasts) and artisans. In fact, the whole country of Morocco is known for its crafts, whether that’s its tanneries and ceramics or rugs and woodwork.

A Local Tannery

My next stop in Morocco was to Marrakesh, a city full of vibrant colors and mosaics set against the drabness of the desert.

Majorelle Garden

When I arrived in town, I stayed at a friend of a friend’s hotel. I forget the exact backstory of the hotel’s creation, but it was formerly a palace which they had converted into a hotel. I had arrived before they had officially opened but they were fully staffed in preparation. So it felt odd in a way, as there were no other guests. Once I arrived in or out of the hotel, all staff eyes were fixed on me. As a creature of the night, I had a very nocturnal sleeping schedule and wouldn’t return till around 6AM on most nights. They must have found me a peculiar guest.

Out of all of Morocco’s cities, Marrakesh is known for its nightlife, and I made the most of it.

But beyond the frivolities of these nights, what I takeaway most from my experience in Morocco is the hospitality of Kiasa, the daughter of the hotel owners. Out of all my travels, there are few individuals who have treated me with such grace and hospitality. It is these types of interactions that are good for the soul, adding a touch of warmth to what at times can be a cold world.

Sometimes referred to as the Daughter of the Desert, Marrakesh is a destination I would like to return again in the future to further explore its culture and history.

These Feet are Meant for Traveling

But, alas, there are only so many free days we have in a lifetime. So we must take heed to make the most of them.

“All I ask a meeting, or greeting, I won’t be long; For time is a fleeting, one evening, we’ll all be gone.

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Travel

Boracay’s Clear Skies

“Bomb’s away! That’s sometimes how you gotta approach your next step. It’s the leaps in life that define our journeys.”

I flew into Boracay from Beijing, frustrated by an overnight delay and my flight fucked by Air China. I didn’t even know why I was here to be honest. Guess I thought it would make for a relaxing ending to my trip to Nepal and Tibet. While monasteries were the mainstay in Kathmandu and Lhasa, Boracay was a slice of beaches, clear skies, and adventure. And nothing was more adventurous than jumping 50-feet off a wooden plank into the ocean.

To prepare myself, the all-you-can-drink cocktails at Ariel’s Point provided me with that liquid courage.

And I took several shots each time I jumped. To envision what it’s like, get out the 5th floor of any elevator, look out the window, and imagine jumping. You feel the free fall for a few seconds.

My first jump felt like I got my nose finger-banged, as a surge of saltwater whooshed into my nostrils. I forgot to close them. I did three jumps in total from 50 feet, but memories of the first one are most vivid. I was pretty intoxicated by the 2nd and 3rd.

Ariel’s Point is fun no doubt, but it is tourist kitsch to the extreme, as you are surrounded by 50 Aussies and Europeans in their 20s looking for a good time. It’s a slice of Instagram heaven.

And I came prepared for the nights out.

My stay in Boracay was jarring compared to having just spent nine nights in Tibet, where the only tourists you meet are those interested in local culture and history steeped in thousands of years of tradition. Boracay is nothing like that, it’s more known for its white sands and being ranked #1 as the best island in the world by popular publications like Travel + Leisure and Conde Nast Traveler.

There’s lots of activities out here, I’ll give it that. It’s a haven for those into adventurous beach sports. I wanted to try skyboosting but the equipment was unfortunately out of order. So I did other activities like those below.

Unsatisfied with my accommodations from my first night, I found a place on the beach with sunset view in station 1. I negotiated 60% off the rate and I enjoyed my time hanging with the local Filipinos. A really friendly people.

When I came home from my beach activities in the afternoon, I liked chilling in my patio with my neighbor.

So would I ever come to Boracay again? I’m not too sure.

The food was delicious and the locals are amazing, but something about the vibe just felt too commonplace. It nowhere near left the same imprint as a location like Tibet. And, to be fair, I guess few could in the world.

If you want a break from your work routine and just want to chill out, it’s a nice place to go with a group of friends or a date. The peak season for good weather is long, from September-June. Boracay is broken down into 3 main stations for tourists. The first station has the best beaches while the second is better known for its eateries and nightlife. The third is for budgeters, offering cheaper accommodations.

Boracay overall is a relatively small island so there’s not much to do if you plan on staying for longer than a few days. The best moments I remember enjoying are its sunsets, as you realize you just might never witness them ever again from these shores.

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Travel

Ethiopian Wedding Crasher

“Across the continents we explore, all’s fair in this game of love and war.”

Probably the most memorable entry I’ve had into a nation is Ethiopia. I had just flown in from Tanzania, was tired from a hangover to celebrate my last night out, and I had arrived to Addis Ababa (the capital of Ethiopia) expecting a calm night of rest.

Greeting me upon my arrival was a man by the nickname King Rasta who had other intentions. I was introduced to him by someone I knew from Tanzania. He told me we’re heading to a wedding. So I replied, “Why not.”

But to wake me I told him I would first need a drink, to which his friends happily obliged.

It is instances like these I love about traveling. Just the sheer spectacle of it all and how you can never predict how your trip is going to unfold because you’re open to anything, stuff like heading straight from the airport to a wedding without even having dropped off your backpack.

In terms of location, Ethiopia is north of Kenya and Tanzania and south of the Middle East, of countries like Yemen and Saudi Arabia.

Because of its relative centrality between the Middle East and the interior of Africa, the locals here looked very different from the Africans I saw in Tanzania. There was a much greater Arabic influence in its people, both in appearance and customs.

Ethiopia also felt much more developed than Tanzania, as it was unlikely most Tanzanians could afford such lavish affairs for weddings. I heard from Rasta that a family may celebrate their wedding for a month-straight if they could afford it, with each day another festival.

Sounds like my kind of people.

After the wedding party, a group of 20 of us headed to a lounge. It was here my first time drinking Johnnie Walker with carbonated water like Perrier. The Ethiopians I was with all drank whiskey this way. I didn’t like it at first but I find it ironic that right now I’m drinking the same mix. I usually drink my whiskey straight but I end up drinking too fast, so I grabbed sparkling water a few nights ago to slow my pace.

When we finally got to Rasta’s house that night, he had prepared for me to sleep in his room. I was shocked by the gesture and initially refused, but he persuaded me that it is Ethiopian custom that a guest take the best room available in the house. He slept in his sister’s old room. The next day I got to interact with his parents, who were just as gracious.

The above gesture was one of the kindest that a stranger has ever offered me, and provided me a greater awareness of what hospitality means. I was only 25 at the time, and this was my first go-through Africa. The experience was so different from what I had conceived prior to my arrival — it was good in the sense that it educated me.

I feel too much of our knowledge these days derives from the Internet and clickbait. So we grow up with a distorted mind-frame in which we know a lot about the world but experience very little of it. My hope in writing these entries is that it compels in audiences to devote more time to actually going out into the world and exploring it for yourself.

Instead of passively viewing content, become an active participant in events. Read less, Do more. As you age, the memories and recollections you have become much more vivid that way, with your growth immeasurable.

Of Sub-Saharan African countries, outside of South Africa, Ethiopia is probably the most known for its cuisine internationally. If you’ve ever eaten at an Ethiopian restaurant, you’re likely to remember the experience because of how unique it is. The staple dish that goes with most any meal is injera, a type of sourdough bread that is spongy in texture. Laying over it are various dishes, which you eat with the bread. Ethiopians will use their right hand to grab a piece of injera as they then mix it up with the dishes. It’s unique in that you’re eating your ‘plate’ with the meal. I couldn’t locate my old photos but found this one online as an example:

Courtesy of Mail & Guardian

I also ate raw meat straight from the butcher. Rasta took me here to try authentic Ethiopian cuisine. This dish, tere siga, requires no preparation and you literally eat it raw, as you cut up and dab slices of beef into mitmata and awaze, which consist of a peppers, cardamom, cloves and salt powder mix and chili pepper sauce, respectively.

Pretty gnarly, right? They’ve eaten this way for centuries. As a polite guest, I dug in.

I honestly can’t say it was tasty. It tastes like how it looks, an acquired taste I’m guessing. Tere siga is a dish in which the meat is firm and dry. Ethiopians assert it tastes different from American cuts because American cattle is grain fed, which makes it more watery and soft as a result.

The above information will likely in no way, shape or form impact my future, but it’s little takeaways like this that make a trip memorable.

Aside from these events, I visited a few museums, cathedrals, and mosques. Ethiopia has some of the oldest human skeletal remains in existence, dating back several millions of years. But other than that, I don’t remember much from these excursions.

It is my memories of Rasta I remember most, and I appreciate his graciousness and the hospitality of all the wedding guests I had met on my arrival in Ethiopia. My stay was brief yet succinct, and then I had to catch a plane to Egypt to see who would greet me next.

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Travel

Oregon Trail

“In humanity’s trails, it is ultimately landscapes which direct our journey. While some look to our footpaths, the greatest imprints will always be found in nature.”

When it comes to Oregon, it’s one of the few places I remember more for its residents than I do for its landscapes.

While most trips I sojourn alone, Oregon is a destination in which I visit family, with both my brothers living there.

What I witnessed from visiting Oregon three times in the past six years is that where you live affects the person you become. An obvious distinction, right?

But nowhere has this been more evident than Oregon, as I saw how my brothers have transformed to living in rural America, far from the metropolis that is Los Angeles. In a way, I was able to understand Trump supporters more from seeing the changes I saw in my own brothers, as they went from city liberals in their 20s to conservative hillbillies in their 30s and beyond.

Oregon averages over 40,000 incoming Californians per year, with a whopping 57% of its residents migrants from other states. So what’s driving the boom?

The state is famous for its nonexistent sales tax, 4 seasons, laidback style, and its bevy of more than 200 breweries and nature trails. It’s kind of how I imagine California would have been a century ago, before Hollywood took over its culture.

So what are Oregon’s highlights?

Crater Lake

Topping the list has to be Crater Lake, which is famous for its deep blue waters and clarity. At near 2000 feet deep, it is the deepest lake in all of America and is featured on America’s quarter as an emblem for the state.

In the city of Bend, are several nearby geographical features that give it its moniker of being an outdoor sports gateway for fishing, hiking, skiing, and mountain climbing.

Deschutes River
Smith Rock
Elk Lake

With so many scenic spots and an affordable standard of living, Men’s Journal ranked Bend as one of “The Top 10 Places to Live Now” in 2015.

Though I could imagine living here for a few months, it’s hard to imagine doing so permanently, as my middle brother appears destined. With less than 100,o00 residents, the city feels more like a town and there’s not much to get into at night.

While its craft beer scene is fulsome, I just might drive myself mad from the silence.

But that’s what gives Bend its character. The town isn’t one for those who strive for Hollywood glamour, it’s meant for those who prefer comfort with who they are.

Sisters Waterfall

In the bottom-right of the above image, you can make out the tracings of my figure. In a way, this scene encapsulates life in Bend — and that of greater Oregon. At center stage, it is Oregon’s natural beauty that takes precedence, while humanity sifts to the outskirts of her trails and powerful rivers.

I wonder, “How would living in such tranquil bliss have affected my upbringing?” Perhaps it is something my nephew and niece could inform me upon in 20 years.

As it is now, my travels must continue — for there are many more destinations that beckon my arrival. As a proper guest, I must not keep them waiting…

Categories
Travel

Kuala Lumpur, Nothin’ More?

Skyline from the rooftop pool

“Trips are like books: Sometimes the plot is hollow, the meaning tangential, and the conclusion arrives without much climax.“

Have you ever traveled to a place that wasn’t bad but didn’t leave much of an impression? In our ever-evolving world of social media pizzazz, we like to present our travel experiences as better than they are.

But, sometimes, when we look back on a trip it has no rhyme or reason, underscoring the random nature of our existence. That’s how I would describe my 3-week stay in Kuala Lumpur. I have nothing against the city and enjoyed my time visiting Malaysian friends who I had met from other destinations, but I’m not sure how else I could describe my trip.

It started off rather ominously. I flew into Malaysia from Africa to visit my brother and his wife on vacation, then he promptly flew out 2-days later after a trivial dispute with his wife. I then got a new client from my company and had to work at a feverish rate to meet a 5-day deadline in time for New Year’s, of which I celebrated just as randomly as well.

Happy New Year?

I’ll unlikely ever start off a trip like this again, but it does leave a unique imprint, if nothing else. Having spent 15-hour days working behind a screen, the best part of my stay was having a decent view.

That’s probably my biggest takeaway: Hours of staring away into the city skyline while feverishly working; drinking whiskey to keep me inspired and coffee to keep me up.

Though Malaysia is considered slightly more expensive than some of its Southeast Asian neighbors, it’s still relatively affordable out here and the local cuisine offers a good mix of Malay, Chinese and Indian cuisine, with those three ethnicities also comprising the vast majority of Kuala Lumpur’s population: at 46%, 43%, and 10% respectively.

So is there anything much else about Kuala Lumpur? I don’t know… The purpose of my blog isn’t to write about fascinating destinations necessarily, but more to serve as a journal in which to catalogue my experiences. I think it’s okay to look back upon a trip or experience and not imbue it with much meaning. Life doesn’t always work out like that.

In terms of my travels, sometimes people are under the impression I’m always doing exciting things because I change destinations frequently. When you’re traveling almost year-round, however, a routine eventually sets in and you will experience several days where you do nothing; just eating at restaurants and walking the streets like any other local.

My day-to-day pace is much more like this than it is chock full of activities. I enjoy sleeping in, browsing the Internet, and doing the typical things anyone else would do in there daily routines. Though my scenery changes more frequently, the rhythm of my average day doesn’t. I think that’s an important realization for any aspiring digital nomad: the understanding that not every day or trip will be enthralling and that sometimes even traveling the world can get boring.

Having had this lifestyle for six years now, that’s the best advice I could give to the younger generation of backpackers. It’s okay to not update your social media regularly or feel the need to make the most of every moment. Embrace the Boring. As each trip has its downturns, there will also be its simple moments to relish.

So keep your head up!