Happy New Year from George Washington Academy!

One of my students had requested a candy cane from the US for Christmas. I asked Jim and Jenny to bring them from NY City. My class was SO excited to see that they had actually brought them from New York City! ( I was actually excited to see that all 24 were in perfect shape when they arrived! Not one was broken!)

This is Yasmine enjoying her candy cane!

My 2nd grade class at GWA with candy canes from America!

(back left to front)

Ali, Yassine, Yahia, Lilia, Ayat, Lila, me, Sara T, Sophia, Fahd

Sarah F, Nour, Ghita, Mehdi, Yasmine, Sara S, Sara Z

Amine L, Zach, Salahaddine, Mariama, Adam, Amine S, Omar, Lean

.....and the "silly shot"! (Every year my classes know I take one "good shot" and then one "silly shot"! :) They love it!

Have you ever seen so many colors used on Santa?? What can I say....it's Morocco! ;)

I can't remember if I shared some photos of my apt over the holidays!

 

 

 

 

 

The stockings were hung...but no chimney this year!

This was my first Christmas card. It was made by one of my students....Yasmine. She is just a darling little girl.

The inside of the card Yasmine made for me. (I especially LOVE the drawing....with her eyes looking up at me!) :)

New Years Eve in Casa

We went out for dinner on New Years Eve. We needed a break from Moroccan food, so we chose Asian Gardens in Casablanca!

The food was wonderful and the evening was loads of fun!We had finished our meal and visiting for quite a while when a waitress came up and asked if we wanted any more to drink. We said no thank you and she proceeded to tell us the owner is American and wanted to offer us a drink....
Well, then Lynn realized the owner is one of her student's parents and he is Moroccan. He came over then and chatted with us. He offered more to eat or drink several times. Finally he offered jasmine tea and Lynn said that would be great. They brought four jasmine teas, two plates of sliced fruit and a chocolate dessert to share. SO KIND!

Happy New Year to everyone back home!

Then we stopped at the grocery store on the way home and they were just starting to take the sad little Christmas tree down! :)

Driving in Casa with Eric...

One of the mornings that Eric was still here we woke after a nice rain the evening before to see the local cows enjoying the green grass in the "park" across the street.
Growing up on the farm with cows and pigs I'm always surprised how these animals stay close by their shepherd and don't take off  in opposite directions!

Another look across the street. The cafe/pastry place on the left and the "park - green area" on the right.

Later that day Eric and I were driving through Casa. Eric did most of the driving while he was here and I enjoyed the break. (He enjoyed the crazy driving in Casa!! ) :)
I asked him to drive up my favorite street so I could show him and so I could take a couple of photos. I have named this street "Cow Street" (I'm not even sure what the real name is....
It's the most bizarre street...one sees cows, horses, chickens, donkeys in the median and everything from motorcycles, people, horse and buggie.......on the street you are trying to drive on! :)

Two guys just chatting in the median while the horse waits patiently! :)

This spot always catches my eye on the way home from Casa. On any given day there will be 12 - 15 clothes lines full of clothes hanging to dry. I always wonder how clean they can be given the dirt from the street and cars going by...

Having fun with Eric...shopping, Sunny Beach and the Grand Mosque!

Inside and outside photos of the Grand Mosque.....

Jim, do remember this view? When you and Jenny were with me it was high tide and there were guys out there body surfing. I thought they were going to run right into the wall. Well, this is how it looked when I went with Eric. Low tide....rocks showing and looked very different.

The size of the Grand Mosque is very impressive!

Eric and I trying out the water temperature.

Yea....a little bit chilly at first! :)

Whoops.....out a little too far...!

Two cute little old men in the Medina in their djellabas.

More photos of the Grand Mosque - third largest in the world.

Stopped at a pottery place near my home to do a little shopping.

Eric thought the weather here in Casa was very similar to San Francisco.

Playing in the ocean with my son....what a great vacation!

We went to the Medina in Casa.

The end of another fun day with my family here! Loved it!!

A day in Marrakesh....

Having breakfast after catching up on some much needed sleep. We didn't actually get to see as much as we might have liked in Marrakesh, because we were so tired. We slept in Christmas morning instead of sight seeing.

Amazing....even a "Santa" in Morocco! :)

Jim and Jenny heading into the Medina in Marrakesh. The look on Jenny's face is because of the snake charmers all around us...

Walking through the Medina.....something of everything for everyone!!

Jenny sampling the colorful, assorted candies. Taste result....ick! :)

Beautiful colors everywhere you looked!

Odd animals everywhere you looked also!

Colorful hats and scarves and necklaces and .......you name it!

Another tuckered out kitty!

Some of the halls of the Medina are quite tight....especially because everything from people to motor bikes to donkeys to kids are going through them all at the same time!!!

The wood carver was tuckered out too! :)

Merry Christmas! We were toasting the special day with fresh squeezed orange juice!  Yummy!!

Jim liked this cat's black goatee.

I liked that he chose this warm trunk lid to sit on for his afternoon nap!

Right....what would a Medina be without the snake charmers!  Yikes!

...and the pet monkeys!

After another 4 hour ride in the car we were back in Casablanca and heading to Rick's Cafe for Christmas dinner!

What a fun dinner we had. The food was great and the restaurant (copied from the old movie "Casablanca") was very entertaining.

The only thing that was really from the movie was the bar that they had shipped in from Hollywood. :) But the rest of the restaurant ....right down to the manager in a white coat and the help with the cute crimson hats on.....was just like in the movie!

Lastly, was home to open gifts! Monk and Max (my grandcats) weren't with us this year. They were home with a sitter. But Santa even brought something for their stockings!

Then, we ended the evening with a card game....anyone guess who the winners are? Yip.....the GIRLS!! So as I prepare to take Eric to the airport in the next hour or two to head back to San Francisco....I'm thinking back and thanking God for a wonderful Christmas in Morocco with my kids!