Rabat, Morocco

I arrived in Rabat yesterday amidst driving rain and record low temperatures (they say there was snow in Fez last night)! Most buildings in Morocco, including this internet place, do not have indoor heating. Forgive me if my fingers, and my brain, are blatantly frozen.

This morning I met with Dr. Abderrahmane Rida, Vice President of University Muhammad V -- Souissi, and Dr. Muhammad Melouk, Director of the ESL Department in the College of Education at UM5. The meeting was friendly and brief, and afterwards I was driven across town by Dr. Melouk to meet Dr. Fatima Harrak, the Director of the Institute of African Studies at UM5. Dr. Melouk, Dr. Harrak and I had a lengthy discussion of Islam in North Africa, Sufism and popular cult practices in Morocco, US/Saudi funding of Islamist/Wahabbi education in Morocco and around the Muslim world in the 1980s and 1990s, and the current US-led "War on Terror." Dr. Harrak was extremely generous with her time and knowledge, and the insights she provided will certainly help me rethink my understanding of Islam.

Regarding the victory of Hamas in the Palestinian elections, as Dr. Harrak observed, extremism breeds extremism.

Meknés, Morocco

I spent yesterday (Friday) visiting every saint's tomb, mosque and madrassa in Meknés. I went to the mausoleums of Moulay Ismail (1672-1727) (the first Alawite monarch of Morocco and the founder of the current ruling dynasty) and Sidi ben Aisa (a Sufi saint whose followers are renowned for their consumption of such delicacies as broken glass, poisonous snakes, and boiling water -- although, as a non-Muslim in Morocco, I wasn't invited to lunch). I also visited the Grande Mosquée and the Medersa Bou Inania. Although I was blocked from entering the mosque, the caretaker waved me right into the madrassa where I wandered around unaccompanied for over an hour.

Tomorrow, Rabat, where I am scheduled to meet with the Vice President of Muhammad V University on Monday (the scheduling of which has thrown off much of my Morocco visit, requiring me to spend extra time in Fez, and causing me to cut short my stay in Marrakesh. Bitter? Yes. But it is nothing a little financial assistance from KCC couldn't cure...)

(Photo by Eric: Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail, Meknes, Morocco)

Meknés, Morocco

Hamas has won 76 out of the 132 seats in the Palestinian Legislative Council:

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/41E37E72-0F01-42C5-BC8D-D5334A15C75B.htm

Of course, all the international news coverage is ignoring the truly important question: Will this affect Eric's visit to the Milk Grotto in Bethlehem, where the lactating Virgin spilled her salvific leche?

Stay tuned!!

(Photo by Eric: Minaret of the Grand Mosque from the roof of the Medersa Bou Inania, Meknés, Morocco)

Fez, Morocco

After three full days of wandering around the medina, Fez has lost some (but certainly not all!) of its charm. I hired a guide named Muhammad on Sunday morning, explained to him that I was interested in religion not shopping, and set off. Muhammad reluctantly showed me the Jewish quarter of Fez (the mellah), and he grudgingly pointed out a mosque here and there. Clearly, there would have been much more to be gained (i.e. commision) if I had been more interested in shopping and less interested in religion.

But soon Muhammad came to appreciate that my interest in Islam was something slightly more than a tourist's passing fascination, and we had a fairly satisfying conversation about Islam in Morocco. There was one humorous exchange early in our conversation when I was asking him about Islamic religious law (shari'a) and he thought I was talking about spaghetti (sharia), leaving us both somewhat baffled, until we realized the source of our misunderstanding (namely, my bad Arabic pronunciation).

As it turns out, it is indeed illegal for non-Muslims to enter mosques and shrines in Morocco. This was a law introduced by the French to enforce some semblance of "respect" for the local population, but it has been maintained (and enforced) by the independent Moroccan government. That said, we did not enter any mosques or shrines, but I was certainly encouraged to stand on the threshholds of their doorways and take photographs.

Madrassas (theological universities) are a different story. We visited the Medersa el-Attarine (founded in 1325 by Abu Said), the Medersa as-Seffarine (the oldest madrassa in Fez, built in 1280), and a third, smaller madrassa off the Place an-Nejjarine.

But the favorite part of my day with Muhammad was visiting the tomb-shrines (zawiya) of Fez's two most important saints (wali): Moulay Idriss II and Sidi Ahmed Tijani. Moulay Idriss II was the founder of Fez and the second ruler of Morocco's first imperial dynasty (in other words, he was a important political leader). His zawiya is a very important pilgrimage destination in Morocco, and crowds of Moroccan women were lined up to present votive candles in front of his tomb, while the religious fraternity (tariqa) associated with his zawiya practiced their mantra-like chanting (dhikr) in the couryard of the adjoining mosque. When Muhammad saw how delighted I was with this scene, he finally offered to take me to the zawiya of Fez's most important Sufi (mystic) saint: Ahmed Tijani (Muhammad had scoffed at Sufism early in our conversation, calling it "superstition" and "witchcraft", but now he seemed somewhat more tolerant of their practices). I couldn't see very much from the doorway of the Zawiya Tijani, but there were some interesting ritual design elements on the outside, including a cage built into the zawiya wall for women to place candles to help them get pregnant, and a brass plate with four blunt spikes around which one places their right hand while placing the left hand on their heart and making a wish. (Muhammad did this with great sincerity.)

Again, seeing my delight, he took me to the shop of his friend, Sidi Abdul, a Berber herbalist and a practicing member of the Tijaniya tariqa (the mystical fraternity dedicated to the teachings of Ahmed Tijani). He was a nice enough fellow (self-righteous as all get-out, but I have come to expect this from people who fervently practice any religion), and we spoke at length about the dhikr of the Tijaniya tariqa (he was very excited that I knew one of their chants from time I had spent with the Chistiya tariqa in India). In the end I bought a small bottle of myrrh oil from him, because he said it would ward off the evil eye and please the angels that surround me (and also because I felt guilty for taking up half his afternoon with my questions). So now I have two souvenirs from this trip, and they both happen to be small glass bottles filled with liquids. Somehow I've got to adjust my purchasing habits.

Encouraged by my apparent willingness to shop, Muhammad took me to the startling, stinking tanneries of Fez (see photo) and then to a rug dealer (in spite of the fact that I had specifically said No rug dealers!!). The rugs were beautiful, but by virtue of the fact that I honestly did not want to buy anything, I found myself inadvertantly haggling with the shop owner. The most beautiful rug I saw had a beginning asking price of 6000 US dollars. By the time I left the shop, he had dropped the price to 1700 US dollars. He was sorely disappointed that I did not buy, but after further thought and useful conversations with friends and family, I'm glad I resisted the temptation.

On Monday, I returned to the medina alone, feeling much more confident in my navigation skills and much more comfortable with Moroccan city life. In spite of my self-satisfaction, the touts and hustlers were all over me, much more than they had been over the weekend. It got a little irritating, but I managed to lose them in the narrow winding streets of the souqs. I went back to the mellah (the Jewish quarter) and visited the old Jewish cemetary and the Ibn Danan Synagogue. I also visited the Belghazi Museum before paying return visits to the Zawiya Moulay Idriss II and Sidi Ahmed Tijani. I ended the day by visiting a tiny elementary school deep in the narrow alleys of the medina (the teacher, who couldn't have been more than 18 years old herself, asked me to marry her, but I politely declined) and then relaxing with my two old friends at the mint tea shop.

Today (Tuesday) I am taking care of some business (buying my plane ticket to Egypt and arranging my meeting schedule at Muhammad V University in Rabat) and relaxing in the (all male) cafés of the Ville Nouvelle.

Bessalama!

(Photo by Eric: Tanning hides yellow with saffron, Fez, Morocco)

Fez, Morocco

What a fantastic day! I spent the entire afternoon wandering around Fez el-Bali -- the extremely old, walled section of town (my hotel is in the relatively "new" French quarter). It was a delightful, chaotic, colorful blast to the senses. The delicious smells of incense and spices and cooking meats mixed with the stench of shit and piss and offal. The sounds of muleteers clicking and whispering to their companions, children crying and laughing, Qur'anic recitations blasting from radios and televisions, Arabic pop-music playing at volumes entirely too loud for their speakers, hawkers advertizing their wares, and all of it interrupted only by the sound of the muezzin calling the faithful to prayer. And the people! All kinds of people!! Snake charmers and beggars and thieves; old women with tatooed faces, and others with their faces entirely veiled, save a very thin slit for their eyes; teenage girls dressed in knock-off American designer fashion, and young women dressed in expensive Parisian haute couture; men in robes and fezes and turbans and colorful, conical headdresses with brightly colored wool and dangling gold medallions; theology students from the many madrassas with their unmistakable air of self-righteous piety; boys playing soccer in the streets; men watching soccer on t.v. in tiny, overflowing cafés; and all of this happening in a wild winding maze of narrow alleys packed with humanity. I sat for several hours with two wonderful old men I befriended outside of a small tea shop. We drank mint tea and smoked cigarettes and watched the world go by. The one old guy, the shop owner, kept ducking behind his counter to smoke (opium?) from an opium pipe. They were so delighted to see their photos on my digital camera, and I was so delighted that they allowed me to take their photos!

According to my guide book, it is illegal for non-Muslims to enter mosques and madrassas in Morocco (per Moroccan national law, not Islamic religous law). However, I find this a little difficult to swallow. So I've hired an English-speaking guide for tomorrow morning, and I am hoping that he can get me into all these beautiful old mosques and madrassas that are scattered throughout Fez el-Bali. I don't imagine it should be much of a problem, but at least with a guide along I can figure out the etiquette for the remainder of my stay in Morocco. I am really looking forward to going back tomorrow, and the next day!

(Photo by Eric: One of my tea-drinking buddies, Fez el-Bali, Morocco)

Fez, Morocco

After a beautiful three hour train ride I arrived in Algeciras, Spain yesterday and caught the ferry to Tangier, Morocco, passing by the Rock of Gibraltar (it looks nothing like the Prudential Insurance ad from the back side). I spent yesterday afternoon and evening wandering the streets of Tangier. I am pleased to report that the tangerines of Tangier are delicious (I am referring to the fruit, not the inhabitants of the town, who were a little salty).

Today I spent five hours on the train to Fez, passing bright green fields and impoverished villages. As with the tangerines of Tangier, you will be relieved to learn that the men of Fez do, in fact, wear fezes. They also wear these dramatic, Druid-like robes with pointy hoods. I stopped into a shop today to see how much they cost, but the sales clerk refused to believe that I actually wanted one. I thought it would help me blend in better than the red, white, and blue "These colors don't run!" leather jacket that I am currently sporting.

I seem to be getting the hang of this keyboard, although my typing has been cut down to one tenth its normal speed. Otherwise, all is well. I am happy, completely healthy, and learning much more than I ever could from a book.

Ma'a s-salàma!

(Photo by Eric: Detail from the gateway to the Dar el-Makhzen Royal Palace, Fez el-Jdid, Morocco)

Granada, Spain

After a beautiful three-hour train ride through Andalucía, I arrived in Granada on Sunday afternoon. I walked up into the old Muslim quarter (the Albayzín) and watched the sun set over the Alhambra with the snow-covered Sierra Nevada in the background. It was quite cold, and I was finally happy to have a hat and gloves along for the ride.

Sunday evening I met up with Dr. Bahar Davary, an Iranian Professor of Islamic Studies at the University of San Diego, and a friend from my Summer 2004 Fulbright trip to Malaysia and Indonesia. Bahar was in town doing some research for an upcoming USD faculty tour of Andalucía that she is going to help lead. We went to a tea house that night and watched some bellydancing. It was at that point that I decided Granada is a kind of Muslim-Disneyland for Christians. The town markets itself as the last bastion of Islam in the Iberian peninsula, and its tourist industry is driven by this image. One can come to Granada and visit the Muslim world without having to actually visit the Muslim world. More authentic than the real thing! Bahar was too busy shopping for Muslim trinkets to be bothered by my profound observations. (She shrugged and smiled at my dollhouse analogy too. Oh well. We can´t all be as impressed with me as I am...)

Early Monday morning Bahar and I went up to visit the Alhambra (see photo). The weather was cold and rainy, so we rushed through the beautiful outdoor gardens that surrounded the palaces within the fortress walls. Chilled to the bone, we left without visiting the Summer Palace.

On Tuesday Bahar and I walked up to the top of the Albayzín and had a relaxing lunch on a sunny courtyard terrace overlooking the Alhambra. The weather had warmed up nicely and we were able to sit outside without our coats. That afternoon we visited the Cathedral of Granada and the tombs of Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand.

Today (Wednesday) I went back up to the Alhambra to visit the gardens surrounding the summer palace (Bahar had left for Sevilla). This afternoon I am taking care of some business (banking, blog, etc.) as I will be leaving for Morocco tomorrow morning. I am taking the 7:00 a.m. train to Algeciras, Spain (in the shadow of the Rock of Gibraltar) and then a ferry across the Strait of Gibraltar to Tangier, Morocco. I will probably stay in Tangier for only one night before moving on to Fés. The Lonely Planet Guide is under the impression that internet connections are easy to find in Morocco, but incredibly slow and nearly impossible to use because of their Arabic-only keyboards. This may or may not be the case. However, if it is true, you may not be hearing from me for a little while. I plan to travel in Morocco for about three weeks: Tangier, Fés, Meknés, Rabat, Marakesh, and Casablanca (in roughly that order). In Rabat I will be meeting with representatives from Muhammad V University with which KCC is in the process of establishing a formal institutional relationship. I´ll try to behave myself.

¡Hasta luego!

(Photo by Eric: Tile roof, Alhambra, Granada, Spain)

Seville, Spain

I spent Thursday afternoon in the Fine Arts Museum of Seville. Alas, no lactating virgins.

On Friday morning I went to one of the homestay houses for the IIS, just to check it out. I also met with the General Director of the IIS and discussed a variety of Study Abroad options for our KCC students. It all looks very good -- a great program at reasonable prices.

Last night (Fiday) I went out and enjoyed some fantastic flamenco (en La Carbonaría y El Tamboril). And then this morning I made the pilgrimage to Northern Seville to visit María Santísima de la Esperanza Macarena (a.k.a. La Macarena; see photo) and El Señor del Gran Poder, the two most famous Catholic images in Seville. I danced the Macarena for La Macarena, but I don´t think she enjoyed it. She never stopped crying... And then I touched the heel of El Señor. I could have kissed his heel, but I think that´s how I got face-herpes when I was in elementary school (not by kissing Jesus´heel, but by touching a drinking fountain with my lips -- not a good idea to swap spit with the general public). At any rate, it was all very exciting. I was so moved by the experience that I actually made my first major purchase for the trip -- a bottle of Holy Water from the Bascilica of La Macarena. That´s right, a bottle of Holy Water. Because glass bottles are fun to travel with and easy to ship.

Siesta time. Mañana, ¡Granada!

(Photo by Eric: La Macarena, Seville, Spain)

Seville, Spain

This afternoon I had an incredible, four-hour long lunch with Dr. Ignacio Martinez, the Academic Director of the Institute of International Studies. We began with beer (I love beer) and appetizers of fried sardines and boiled prawns. After that we had a delicious white wine with Pescado a la Sal (sea bass that had been packed in about 2 inches of sea salt, baked for half an hour, the sea salt chisled open, the skin pealed, and the flawless, tender meat served with olive oil and garlic. It made me reconsider my atheism, as coffee often does. Perhaps Chef Pranayama can tell us more about it...). The fish wasn´t at all salty, and it was oh so juicy and delicious. After that we had a delicious pastry dessert with an extraordinarily tasty, sweet, frozen after dinner drink. (Here, of course, lunch is dinner and supper is much smaller.)

Add to the delicious meal a delightful conversation, and I had an exceptionally good day! Ignacio spoke very frankly about Spanish politics, life under Franco, the varieties of Spanish anarchist and communist movements, and, of course, the Catholic Church (including a delightful diatribe about Opus Dei and the Legionnaires of Christ). The four hours seemed hardly enough for us to finish our food, and our conversation, and so we will meet again tomorrow night (inshallah) for supper. I especially enjoyed listening to him talk about La Mano Negra (not Manu Chao´s band) and the exile of his sister for tossing molotov cocktails at Franco´s police.

Oh yeah, and the IIS Study Abroad program sounds pretty good too!

(Image from Internet: Pescado a la Sal)

Seville, Spain

Some people have expressed concern that I am unaware of what´s happening in some of my intended destinations. Don´t worry, I am very aware, and I am watching closely.

Turkey:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4601196.stm

Jordan:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4593206.stm

In the meantime, there are oranges to be eaten in Sevilla!

(Photo by Eric: Oranges in the courtyard of the Grand Mosque, Cordoba, Spain)

Seville, Spain

I arrived safely in Seville on Sunday afternoon. I spent much of Monday exploring the city´s Cathedral. I don´t have much to say about it, except that it´s HUGE (one of the largest in the world, or so they say). They also say that Cristopher Columbus´ tomb is inside the Cathedral. However, much like Buffalo Bill Cody, Christopher Columbus´ remains are not in Christopher Columbus´ tomb. (Some of you may be shocked to learn that Buffalo Bill Cody is not buried in Christopher Columbus´ tomb, but life isn´t always what we want it to be. I think he´s buried in Cody, Wyoming, or Lookout Mountain, Colorado, I can´t remember, and it is difficult to really know.) Anyhow, I also climbed the Cathedral´s bell-tower, much as the Hunchback of Notre Dame might have done, had he been travelling with me. The bell-tower used to be the minaret for the Mosque that once stood where the Cathedral now stands.

Last night I went out for drink and tapas with Julia, a friend of Lee (Siegel) and Elizabeth. She brought along a friend (Patrícia?), and I got the two of them talking about international politics. Their talk soon became a full-fledged argument, which I enjoyed tremendously.

I spent much of today in the Alcázar Palace. I have visited many Muslim palaces in my travels (in India, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Turkey), but none of them compared to the Muslim section of the Alcázar (see photo). Truly spectacular! And the gardens surrounding the palace were incredibly serene, filled with orange and lemon trees, their limbs bowed with ripe fruit.

This evening I met with Ignacio Martinez, the Academic Director of the Institute for International Studies here in Seville. I talked to him about setting up a Study Abroad program for KCC students. We had a nice visit, and we´re meeting again tomorrow for lunch.

Right now, I am completely exhausted and going to bed.

(Photo by Eric: Alcazar Palace, Seville, Spain)

Córdoba, Spain

I spent much of today in the restored Arab baths near the Burger King Mosque of Córdoba. I must admit that I have been spoiled by the Turkish baths of Budapest, which are much larger, much cheaper, and much more integrated into the culture of the city. Nonetheless, I suffered through it, including the lavender aromatherapy massage (no happy ending).

This afternoon I visited the Julio Romero de Torres museum, offering a modest sampling of Córdoba´s favorite painter and his immodest works.

Mañana: ¡Sevilla!

(Image from Internet: La Chiquita Piconera, Julio Romero de Torres)

Córdoba, Spain

Several people have asked about the artists whose paintings have appeared on my blog. Whenever I post an image, I will put the credits at the bottom of the page, as I have already done for the last two paintings.

Today is El Dia de los Reyes Magos (Epiphany) -- the last day of the Twelve Days of Christmas -- so everything in Córdoba is closed. I spent most of yesterday in the Grand Mosque of Córdoba -- called ¨the Holy Cathedral Church¨ by the Catholics and ¨the Burger King Mosque¨ by the city of Córdoba. That´s right: Burger King! If only I was joking.... (The city´s Burger King franchise is located directly outside the Mosque gates.) Originally built in 785 by Abd ar-Rahman I, the emir of al-Andalus, it is considered one of the greatest creations of Islamic architecture. (I´m sure you´ve all seen pictures of it before, but I am including one here, so you know what I´m talking about.)

I also visited the small, 14th century synagogue and a little museum that attempted to recreate daily life in Muslim Spain (Casa Andalusí). Last night the entire city of Córdoba converged on one of the central plazas to watch the Three Wise Men arrive in a grand parade. They were preceded by mounted soldiers and a marching band, and each arrived on his own float with courtiers tossing candy into the crowd. The third king and his entire court were in black-face.

I have moved into a nice little hostel called El Repaso de Bagdad in the old Jewish quarter (¡gracias a Raquelita!). The rooms are all situated around a beautiful little patio courtyard with a fountain. And it´s only 20 Euros a night! (About $24.)

I will leave for Sevilla on Sunday, so tomorrow I can see the sights that I missed yesterday and that were closed today. The holiday, in combination with the falling rain, allowed me to spend most of today reading The End of Faith, by Sam Harris (a gift from Mark). His scathing indictment of Islam was interesting to read (albeit somewhat lacking in solid evidence and overly dismissive of politico-historical facts). Regardless of the validity of his arguments, or lack thereof, I think I will get rid of the book before I am confronted by curious Moroccan border guards.

My ¨research¨ continues tomorrow with an aromatherapy massage in the newly renovated Arab baths. Así es la vida...

(Photo by Eric: Grand Mosque, Cordoba, Spain)

Córdoba, Spain

I have arrived in beautiful Córdoba, home of the famous Grand Mosque of Córdoba with its rows of red and white arched columns. I spent all day yesterday in the Prado Museum of Madrid. It was absolutely amazing! El Greco, Goya (including El Tres de Mayo and Saturno Devorando a Su Hijo), Velázquez (including, of course, Las Meninas), Bosch (including the bizarre Garden of Earthly Delights), Rubens (including The Three Graces), Botticelli, Tintoretto, Titian, and many, many other great artists filled the halls with their extraordinary works.

I was particularly struck by the large number of paintings dedicated to the cosmic lactation of the Virgin Mother´s breasts: the Holy Virgin suckling the baby Jesus; the Holy Virgin suckling various saints down through the ages; the Virgin Mary feeding Saint Bernard with a Hail Mary of milk (aptly named); and the Holy Virgin showering Purgatory with her salvific leche. Who knew?

Mark will be happy to learn that I´ve been treating myself to some delicious cuisine, including paella last night in Madrid and salmon today in Córdoba. The Spaniards, I am happy to report, are beer drinkers, but last night I enjoyed some sangria with my paella today I enjoyed a delicious white wine with my salmon.

Depending on the number of sites I can visit tomorrow, I may stay another night in Córdoba before continuing on to Sevilla.

¡Hasta Pronto!

(Image from Internet: El Milagro de San Bernardo, Alonso Cano)

Madrid, Spain

After spending the day amidst the work of Spain´s great 20th century artists (Picasso, Dali, Bruñuel, and many others), I found myself outside a bar called the Hawaiiano last night. The interior was a combination of a bad Hollywood movie set and a nightmare. I ordered a drink called a Honolulu. You know, a Honolulu. It was exactly what you would expect -- rum (that quintessential Hawaiian drink) and some sugary sweet syrupy stuff. They were playing traditional Hawaiian music (Bob Marley) and serving typical Hawaiian pupus (coldcuts and chocolate). It was not unlike a Bruñuel film.

I´m enjoying everyone´s comments -- especially given the fact that I´m not exactly certain who all of you are. Don´t be intimidated by my intellectual friends. As long as they´re wearing their muzzles, they don´t bite. The Director, on the other hand, is a frightening character. He did, however, name me Scholar-in-Residence for AJ´s Advanced Institute of (http://ajsadvancedinstituteof.blogspot.com/), and for this I am eternally grateful. Although I am still waiting for the grant money...

(Image from Internet: La Muchacha en la Ventana, Salvador Dalí)

Madrid, Spain

Alright, so maybe my doll-house analogy wasn´t very well developed or articulated, but the more churches I visit in Madrid, the more I am struck by the kernel of truth in the analogy. At the same time, it is quite possible that the toy horses are actually imagining the children playing in the churches...

During the past two days I´ve walked every square inch of Madrid, or so it seems. The Spanish celebrate Las Navidades, the Twelve Days of Christmas (25 December - 6 January), so every day has been a fiesta here. Having slept very little on the night of the 30th, I was inclined to stay in my room on New Year´s Eve to avoid the drunken crowds and catch up on some much needed sleep. But after a 3 hour siesta, I was out on the streets again for the arrival of the New Year. Eat. Sleep (a little). Party (a lot). Repeat. This seems to be the rhythm of life here, at least during Las Navidades.

This afternoon I am going to visit the Modern Art Museum (Centro de Arte Reina Sofia), and tomorrow I plan to spend the day at the Museo del Prado (the Louvre of Spain). On Wednesday I am leaving Madrid for Cordoba, the seat of the Caliphate of Al-Andalus (Muslim Spain). And after two nights there, I will go to Sevilla.

I am torn by two contradictory inclinations: to see much more than I originally planned (Tunisia, for example, sounds more and more attractive to me), and to see much less than I originally planned (six months of hard travel will surely kill me, won´t it?). In the end, I will probably stick to an itinerary that looks much like the tentative plan I laid out before I left.

I´ve met some very nice people here, who have been quite generous in showing me their city and offering their observations on religion, culture, politics, and everyone´s favorite villain, George Bush. His re-election seriously damaged the reputation of every last American, myself included. It will be interesting to see what kinds of receptions I receive in the Arab world.

I hope you all had a fun and/or relaxing New Year´s Eve. And I hope the New Year brings some semblance of sanity to this world...

Feliz Año Nuevo!!!

(Photo by Eric: Angel Caido, Madrid, Spain)