Marrakesh - final pictures

I wanted to share two final pictures from Marrakesh. The first one has a story. I passed a small arcade in a shop while I was walking around the city. Some boys were playing foosball, so we joined in. They were pretty good! One kid (probably sensing opportunity) took us under his wing and led us to the city sites. We had been lost, and in all honesty, his guidance was immensely helpful. Afterward he led us through some winding streets that functioned as a metal-working district for the city and eventually to his family's shop. They dye scarves in beautifully rich colors and then the women embroider thread into them. The kid led us to the rooftop of his house where we hung out for a bit to watch the sun set. Scarves were hung to dry on everything - even the TV antennae. This pic reminds me of that whole experience, but has beautiful colors in its own right - the rich, deep blue against the skyline and the sunset.

The final picture is of graffiti, which I love to photograph and I find to be radically different from culture to culture. The wear-and-tear on this picture just adds to its character, and the lighting is perfect. The swan-like figure is dressed, has teeth, wears a comically small hat, and shields its eyes from something - in this picture, it seems to be hiding from the light. The childish figure seems very emotive, and a bit ominous.

Marrakesh - street scenes

The streets of Marrakesh have a very distinctively look to them. The colors are all muted reds and beiges, with red dust hanging in the air. The architecture recalls better times, when kings ruled and had built up palaces and giant walls in their capital city. It is slowly crumbling today and lacks the funding to be maintained.

Children are ubiquitously running about and playing games. People wear muted colors that match the buildings around them, with bright flashes of color in the occasional scarf or shoe. Women are all covered from head to toe, though a full muslim burka is a rare sight. People here are used to tourists and are very friendly, but are shrewd negotiators.

I love both of these pictures - they capture the people, and the action, that you see in every Marrakesh street. The top picture is especially beautiful, with the rays of light shining through into the alley, and vitality of the alley.

Marrakesh - Jardin Majorelle

I went to Marrakesh for a weekend in January with three classmates. It was a great trip - very relaxing, warm weather, great meals, and all the prices were at a steep discount to London.

We didn't spend much time in the Jardin ("Garden") Majorelle, but the color in these pictures came out stunningly well, so I wanted to share them. It was a beautiful place - I've been to dozens of gardens, but never a tropical garden that had figured out a way to showcase bamboos and palm trees so uniquely. Interestingly it's owned/maintained by Yves Saint-Laurent (the company), and Yves Saint-Laurent (the person) chose to be buried here when he died in 2008.

The Tube

The London tube. I think it's fair that this picture (dead of morning - first run of the tube) is the only time you'll ever see it this empty. During rush hour it's packed like a sardine can - and some people have body odor, let me tell you.

I used to ride the tube on occasion - maybe the weekends - but now I'm a regular commuter. I travel to work twice a week. The tube is a wonderful source of transportation; I would never own a car in the UK. But the tube lines are often delayed ("person under a train" means suicide, FYI) or shut down completely. If the tube was more reliable, and/or ran 24 hours per day (it stops at 12:30am), it would be perfect. I find that riding the tube is a good way to become proficient at iPhone games.

Europe's finest nightlife

Only in Europe...




And no, I do NOT know him.

Santa pub crawl - December

I realize that it's March - but! - it has been a very busy semester for me. Next semester may be even more so. Classwork has proved to be easily manageable, but my internship is a big drain on my time. I really enjoy the work so I'm not complaining. But I am a busy, busy bee.

These pictures are obviously a bit dated. But I wanted to share them anyway, because this was a blast. One of my school's biggest social traditions is the Santa pub crawl that we do right before our December exams. Hundreds of people dress up in Santa suits and walk around London - from the tube, to an amusement park, to bars and eventually a nightclub. It's chaotic! It pretty much stops traffic / pedestrians / everything as people stop and gawk at us going by. Oh, and naturally, we're singing carols.

"The Local"

A common expression in England is, "my local," or "the local." It is inevitably a reference to the pub that is closest to you, generally within just a few streets, and that you patronize on a regular basis. It's cultural here that you go to the pub regularly - and almost expected that you'll support your local business.

For me it's almost too easy. The Hobgoblin is just 100 yards away. I can always find a free seat (sometimes it's downstairs) and the beer prices are fair. But the big thing - and the real reason I go so often - is the Thai food. A Thai family has set up shop downstairs and cooks fantastic food at super-cheap prices. They can bring your food upstairs to the pub or you can get it as take-away, which me and my roommate often do. At 6-7 pounds per entree, it's a price and convenience that can't be beat in my neighborhood.