This is a chronicle of my trip home from Malaysia, and our last Christmas on the farm. Please feel free to post comments and respond to stuff that I've written. If there is anything you would like to see or pictures you'd like me to take and post on-line just ask and I'll do my best to oblige.

Thursday, March 15, 2007

Once Upon a Time in Tangiers

Tangiers.

Matisee called this city a painter's paradise. I loved it the moment I stepped out into it. Full of art deco buildings, beside the mouth of the Mediterranean where sea meets ocean. It is beautiful for a surprisingly small town.

I've been here since Monday night and am leaving today at 5 on a ferry to go to Spain.

Someone asked the other day where I was from. I didn't know the answer.

Rather I think the question was irrelevant. I just came from Casablanca. Originally, Canada -- 'but no it isn't Montreal or Vancouver, you've never heard of the town so why are you asking...'
A better question might be 'where are you going?' To which I would say Spain, and then Switzerland, and Germany, and Denmark, and the UK, and then Canada. Or if I was feeling really honest I might say 'I have no idea really, your guess is as good as mine!' And though it might scare the hell out of me, it's better than long explanations about where I come from. Those confuse me as much as anyone else.

5 things I won't miss about Morocco:
5/ dirham
4/ taxis with no seatbelts
3/ really bad driving
2/ french keyboards
1/ getting hassled on the street

3 Comments:

Blogger Tom Hayton said...

In Malay there is a linguistic distinction between two types of 'being from' somewhere:

1) Dari mana (tadi) ? (lit. 'where from (just now))

2) Asal dari mana (lit. 'originate from where?)

I find it interesting that this distinction exists in on language but not in another.

7:41 AM

 
Blogger Deirdre said...

Mark! I was seriously just thinking of you the other day - in the "what ever happened to Mark" kind of way. I'm so thrilled you found our blog! It seems like I've got a bit of reading to do to catch up on you...

6:57 PM

 
Blogger Deirdre said...

When you have a moment, please drop me a quick email - deirdrefm at yahoo dot ca.

6:19 AM

 

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