Salamwalikoum,
I've made one heck of a disappearing act... No posts since January is appalling I know... Pregnancy, buying a house, changing jobs and everything else just got the better of me.
But now the Baby is here and she is a well behaved little darling ... and I have a full year of maternity leave. I will have time inshallah to take up my posts where I left off. I plan on resuming the series on travelling in Morocco and then back to recipes and my randomness.
So hopefully you will stick around for the fun!
Take Care
Rebecca
Wednesday 7 August 2013
Tuesday 8 January 2013
1 Year Blogaversary... and Yes I'm Still Alive!
Salamwalikoum,
I hope all is well in blogland. I'm sorry about my longer than usual disappearing act. But I have some good news to explain the absence.
After 5 years of marriage and 3 years of trying... I finally have a bun or rather BUNS in the oven! My hubby and I are over the moon happy that we're having twins. At the present moment I'm just about getting to the end of my 3rd month and for the last little while have been absolutely useless as a result of oh so lovely morning sickness and pregnancy fatigue.
Thankfully my appetite is coming back and for the last week or so I've been able to do more than just take a shower and make toast... lol.
I will be continuing with the Moroccan travel pics and tips as promised. I may be inclined to make a few posts on pregnancy and mommy-hood... I will keep you all in the loop.
Take care
Rebecca
I hope all is well in blogland. I'm sorry about my longer than usual disappearing act. But I have some good news to explain the absence.
After 5 years of marriage and 3 years of trying... I finally have a bun or rather BUNS in the oven! My hubby and I are over the moon happy that we're having twins. At the present moment I'm just about getting to the end of my 3rd month and for the last little while have been absolutely useless as a result of oh so lovely morning sickness and pregnancy fatigue.
Thankfully my appetite is coming back and for the last week or so I've been able to do more than just take a shower and make toast... lol.
I will be continuing with the Moroccan travel pics and tips as promised. I may be inclined to make a few posts on pregnancy and mommy-hood... I will keep you all in the loop.
Take care
Rebecca
Friday 12 October 2012
Morrocco travel tips
Salamwalikoum,
Sooooooooooooooo it's been a while eh? I actually got back from my month long stay in Morocco about 2 weeks ago, but with all the craziness of getting back into a routine and finding a new place and preparing to move at the end of the month... Well you get the picture...
I should back to regular blogging for the next couple of weeks anyway.
So before I share all the pics and places I visited this time around I though I would give some tips on travelling in morocco and some pros and cons of travelling with a native(i.e. the hubby).
S here we go.
Pros:
-I get to visit only the spots I really want to see and spend as much time as I want there.No wasting time in tourist traps that don't interest me.
-I get to see some spots that the organized tour groups won't usually bother with or that foreigners are normally not allowed to see: for example the interiors of centuries old mosques that non Muslims are barred from seeing.
-I don't get sick too often since we are eating mostly home cooking and well know restaurants.
Cons:
-Not much privacy crashing on family members' couches...
-Public transit...enough said
-Being rushed through site seeing because everyone but you has seen the spot about 20 times...
So suffice it to say that I get a very different experience than most tourists when I go. And I will be sharing some pics of all the spots we visited this time around and some spots I visited on my past trips if I can manage to dig up the older pics...
But in the mean time let me share with you some tips that I don't believe would be mentioned in any guide books.
So handy dandy tip #1:
ALWAYS carry either tissues or tissue paper in your purse/bag/backpack.
Trust me , it WILL come in handy. Most public washrooms are rarely stocked with T.P.. they will likely have a small water tap and bucket within the stall to wash your areas (it's a Muslim thing, we are supposed to rinse our behind with water to clean ourselves clean between prayer times...) And since the most common type of toilet is the whole in the ground/squat to use type- the floor is usually wet and not very clean...OH and remember to tip the attendant especially if the restrooms are super clean compared to usual.
tip # 2:
Public beaches are what I would call "full service".
Most beaches usually have a couple of guys sitting near a large pile of parasols,chairs,tables,etc. Go see these guys, they are there to rent out said items for a pittance really( about 2$ for a parasol,table and 4 chairs for the whole day) Now these aren't the only conveniences on offer. You will see some guys wandering the beach repeating stuff, usually carrying a small cooler or basket with treats in them. You can buy on the spot anything from Popsicles,water bottles,soda pop,candy,nuts,even hot coffee. (the coffee guy was wandering around with a large kettle with some charcoal in a can attached to the bottom-BEST COFFEE I'VE EVER HAD) I would avoid stuff with meat though- but prepackaged nuts and lollipops are definitely okay.
tip #3:
This one I'm sure most people know about- Negotiate,negotiate and bargain,bargain,bargain!
If the prices are clearly shown then don't bother. But if no prices are listed, automatically assume they have double the normal asking price since you are a tourist. So by all means don't be bashful about negotiating. I've seen my in-laws got at it so hard you swear a fight is about to break out and they threaten to leave or they say someone else has it at a lower price... It can get a little heated but in the end once the money changes hands everyone is all smiles and jokes.... So don't worry about being aggressive-just don't insult the seller. Also, even if you LOVE the item on offer, act like you don't really care whether you get that one or any other item.
tip# 4
Look for restaurants that are full of locals not tourists, with faded signage, and mildly off the beaten path(not too far off...)
This may seem a little counter intuitive to us North Americans to purposely look for a slightly beat up restaurant, but think about it- A lot of businesses come and go very quickly in morocco. So if the restaurant has been around long enough to get faded signage and is still full of people then it means the food is likely to be good, cheap, and won't make you sick. Hence the reason the locals all go there. And pay attention to things like the chicken in rotisseries- the raw ones should always be on the lower bars so the blood wont get onto the cooked ones and make you sick... Gotta pay attention,being sick in another country is noooo fun.
tip #5
SMECTA
Just in case you do get sick to your stomach, or even as a precaution. You can walk into any pharmacy and simply say the name and they will know what you are talking about. It's a safe over the counter medication that won't interact with anything else really. It's really just vanilla flavored clay... You mix 1 packet with about 2-3 ounces of water and drink before every meal. It helps you not to get too dehydrated and will slow any runs that you may have. This little miracle has saved me more than once over the years.
I think this will do for now. I will be sharing some more tips that are slightly more specific to location as I go.
I hope this will help anyone planning on travelling to this beautiful country in the near future.
Till next time
Take Care
Sooooooooooooooo it's been a while eh? I actually got back from my month long stay in Morocco about 2 weeks ago, but with all the craziness of getting back into a routine and finding a new place and preparing to move at the end of the month... Well you get the picture...
I should back to regular blogging for the next couple of weeks anyway.
So before I share all the pics and places I visited this time around I though I would give some tips on travelling in morocco and some pros and cons of travelling with a native(i.e. the hubby).
S here we go.
Pros:
-I get to visit only the spots I really want to see and spend as much time as I want there.No wasting time in tourist traps that don't interest me.
-I get to see some spots that the organized tour groups won't usually bother with or that foreigners are normally not allowed to see: for example the interiors of centuries old mosques that non Muslims are barred from seeing.
-I don't get sick too often since we are eating mostly home cooking and well know restaurants.
Cons:
-Not much privacy crashing on family members' couches...
-Public transit...enough said
-Being rushed through site seeing because everyone but you has seen the spot about 20 times...
So suffice it to say that I get a very different experience than most tourists when I go. And I will be sharing some pics of all the spots we visited this time around and some spots I visited on my past trips if I can manage to dig up the older pics...
But in the mean time let me share with you some tips that I don't believe would be mentioned in any guide books.
So handy dandy tip #1:
ALWAYS carry either tissues or tissue paper in your purse/bag/backpack.
Trust me , it WILL come in handy. Most public washrooms are rarely stocked with T.P.. they will likely have a small water tap and bucket within the stall to wash your areas (it's a Muslim thing, we are supposed to rinse our behind with water to clean ourselves clean between prayer times...) And since the most common type of toilet is the whole in the ground/squat to use type- the floor is usually wet and not very clean...OH and remember to tip the attendant especially if the restrooms are super clean compared to usual.
tip # 2:
Public beaches are what I would call "full service".
Most beaches usually have a couple of guys sitting near a large pile of parasols,chairs,tables,etc. Go see these guys, they are there to rent out said items for a pittance really( about 2$ for a parasol,table and 4 chairs for the whole day) Now these aren't the only conveniences on offer. You will see some guys wandering the beach repeating stuff, usually carrying a small cooler or basket with treats in them. You can buy on the spot anything from Popsicles,water bottles,soda pop,candy,nuts,even hot coffee. (the coffee guy was wandering around with a large kettle with some charcoal in a can attached to the bottom-BEST COFFEE I'VE EVER HAD) I would avoid stuff with meat though- but prepackaged nuts and lollipops are definitely okay.
tip #3:
This one I'm sure most people know about- Negotiate,negotiate and bargain,bargain,bargain!
If the prices are clearly shown then don't bother. But if no prices are listed, automatically assume they have double the normal asking price since you are a tourist. So by all means don't be bashful about negotiating. I've seen my in-laws got at it so hard you swear a fight is about to break out and they threaten to leave or they say someone else has it at a lower price... It can get a little heated but in the end once the money changes hands everyone is all smiles and jokes.... So don't worry about being aggressive-just don't insult the seller. Also, even if you LOVE the item on offer, act like you don't really care whether you get that one or any other item.
tip# 4
Look for restaurants that are full of locals not tourists, with faded signage, and mildly off the beaten path(not too far off...)
This may seem a little counter intuitive to us North Americans to purposely look for a slightly beat up restaurant, but think about it- A lot of businesses come and go very quickly in morocco. So if the restaurant has been around long enough to get faded signage and is still full of people then it means the food is likely to be good, cheap, and won't make you sick. Hence the reason the locals all go there. And pay attention to things like the chicken in rotisseries- the raw ones should always be on the lower bars so the blood wont get onto the cooked ones and make you sick... Gotta pay attention,being sick in another country is noooo fun.
tip #5
SMECTA
Just in case you do get sick to your stomach, or even as a precaution. You can walk into any pharmacy and simply say the name and they will know what you are talking about. It's a safe over the counter medication that won't interact with anything else really. It's really just vanilla flavored clay... You mix 1 packet with about 2-3 ounces of water and drink before every meal. It helps you not to get too dehydrated and will slow any runs that you may have. This little miracle has saved me more than once over the years.
I think this will do for now. I will be sharing some more tips that are slightly more specific to location as I go.
I hope this will help anyone planning on travelling to this beautiful country in the near future.
Till next time
Take Care
Thursday 30 August 2012
Vacation...
Salamwalikoum,
Sorry for such a long absense... Ramadan was crazy busy as usual and a few days after Eid the hubby and I travelled to morrocco to visit his family. So that's where I am right now...I'm going to be here the whole month and hopefully inshallah I will twist my in-laws arms into teaching me the recipes for their wedding cookies and some traditional cross-stitch techniques. More news when I get home in september....
Take care
Rebecca
Sorry for such a long absense... Ramadan was crazy busy as usual and a few days after Eid the hubby and I travelled to morrocco to visit his family. So that's where I am right now...I'm going to be here the whole month and hopefully inshallah I will twist my in-laws arms into teaching me the recipes for their wedding cookies and some traditional cross-stitch techniques. More news when I get home in september....
Take care
Rebecca
Friday 3 August 2012
Some Cookery Inspiration
Salamwalikoum,
Long time no blog for me.... My work schedule got all flipped around again and finding time for blogging seems to be getting harder... And the fact that Ramadan seems to be kicking my bum this year isn't helping... fasting in this heat has been tough. But I have to say I am proud of myself for sticking it out.
Anyhoo I thought I would give a sign of life today and share a website that I regularly peruse for my own amusement.It's called Project Gutenberg. Now I know many people probably already know about this site, it's been around for a while, but for those not in the know here is the scoop. This site is a repository of copyright free books from allover the world in several languages.
It's a huge mix of every kind of book out there, but my favorite section that I find the most amusing (weirdo that I am) is the cookery section. This part of the website contains cook books that even date back to the Roman empire. Some of the books that I find the most useful are the ones that were printed around the 1st World War. These books contain tons of recipes that will fill you up on the cheap and keep you going.
So there is my contribution to blogland for the day. Hope you guys find the website as entertaining as I do. Have fun.
Long time no blog for me.... My work schedule got all flipped around again and finding time for blogging seems to be getting harder... And the fact that Ramadan seems to be kicking my bum this year isn't helping... fasting in this heat has been tough. But I have to say I am proud of myself for sticking it out.
Anyhoo I thought I would give a sign of life today and share a website that I regularly peruse for my own amusement.It's called Project Gutenberg. Now I know many people probably already know about this site, it's been around for a while, but for those not in the know here is the scoop. This site is a repository of copyright free books from allover the world in several languages.
It's a huge mix of every kind of book out there, but my favorite section that I find the most amusing (weirdo that I am) is the cookery section. This part of the website contains cook books that even date back to the Roman empire. Some of the books that I find the most useful are the ones that were printed around the 1st World War. These books contain tons of recipes that will fill you up on the cheap and keep you going.
So there is my contribution to blogland for the day. Hope you guys find the website as entertaining as I do. Have fun.
Friday 15 June 2012
Pattern for Smartness (1948)
Happy Friday!!
The week-end is upon us yet again... I thought that on this sunny friday afternoon I would share another one of the educational video jems I found on you tube this week.
It honestly had me chuckling a few times.
I love these old videos and hope some of you out there enjoy them too.
So here my dears is 1948's Pattern for Smartness:
Enjoy!
Have a nice week-end !!
The week-end is upon us yet again... I thought that on this sunny friday afternoon I would share another one of the educational video jems I found on you tube this week.
It honestly had me chuckling a few times.
I love these old videos and hope some of you out there enjoy them too.
So here my dears is 1948's Pattern for Smartness:
Have a nice week-end !!
Wednesday 13 June 2012
Moroccan Recipes...Celeri and Meat tajine
Salamwalikoum,
Today I`m sharing a recipe that my husband really enjoys. I made it on Tuesday night for dinner.
It's pretty straight forward. So let's get to it shall we?
Ingredients:
meat
1 medium potato per person
1 celery stalk per person
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-2 onions
1-2 cloves garlic
dash of pepper
dash turmeric
1/4 pickled lemon
olives
fresh cilantro
Direction:
I forgot to do this... Cook the celery in a bit of water to soften before adding it to the tajine.
So in the tajine or slow cooker put the chopped onions in the bottom with a bit of oil.
In a bowl add all the spices and the put the potato slices with a bit of water and mix until the potatoes are coated with the spices.
Add the potatoes to the tajine. then put the meat in the bowl and coat with the spice mix.
Add the meat to the tajine.
Add some chopped up pickled lemons, the celery and the olives.
Add 1-2 cups of water.
Heat on low to medium heat until well cooked.
So there it is, celery tajine.
Enjoy!
Till next time
Today I`m sharing a recipe that my husband really enjoys. I made it on Tuesday night for dinner.
It's pretty straight forward. So let's get to it shall we?
Ingredients:
meat
1 medium potato per person
1 celery stalk per person
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-2 onions
1-2 cloves garlic
dash of pepper
dash turmeric
1/4 pickled lemon
olives
fresh cilantro
Direction:
I forgot to do this... Cook the celery in a bit of water to soften before adding it to the tajine.
So in the tajine or slow cooker put the chopped onions in the bottom with a bit of oil.
In a bowl add all the spices and the put the potato slices with a bit of water and mix until the potatoes are coated with the spices.
Add the potatoes to the tajine. then put the meat in the bowl and coat with the spice mix.
Add the meat to the tajine.
Add 1-2 cups of water.
Heat on low to medium heat until well cooked.
So there it is, celery tajine.
Enjoy!
Till next time
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