a snake charmer and some couscous

my feet have finally found there way to african soil! arrived yesterday in marrakech safely. a shared taxi ride with 6 large men. a visit to a mosque and djemna al fin. snake charmers; tea a la menthe; music and dance. evening found me in a circle smoking real shisha and playing cards with ten moroccan brothers. the days have lost count: living is simple. tomorrow begins an 8 day journey through the sahara desert… it is difficult to type on an arabic keyboard. i am safe. a short message to wish you all a joyous new year and eve of celebration!

with great love, joy and sunshine

rae

steal away

this holiday season called me to a small village in france. an ecumenical community. the days simple, quiet; meditative, and numbingly beautiful. i have met people of all nations, have crossed languge barriers and celebrated simply, genuinely the birth of Christ Jesus. i am reminded of how good it is to be in community. to be in prayer, silence and song. to feast on the words of the lord, the promises of our maker.

during this season and all seasons; may you hold dear to loved ones and may you rejoice! for He is good.

 

 

this song (below) was sung over me as a babe. it is one that has carried me through all times and all seasons. i feel compelled in this season to share. where there is birth there is death there is life.

we aint got long to stay here.

 

ps- the white dudes pete seeger.

JOYEUX NOEL!

hamburg-munich-dresden-paris-budapest-nürnberg

Sometimes I wonder if I am cut out for this blogging phenomenon. The desire to post comes in waves…I have traveled more since my return from the motherland in Septemner. Here is a sterile recap: (photos included to make up for my current lack of words).

HAMBURG: to celebrate Germany’s day of reunification.October 3rd. Franny and I made the 6 hours drive, finally arriving in Northern Germany at 2:30 am. Stayed with Philipp and new flat mates. Visit to the Reeperbahn aka the sinful mile, the port of Hamburg (2nd largest in europe) and our traditional night out on a soul/funk dance floor! Dancing with these 2 is something I am one day going to really miss. The days were of course packed with Family Guy hysteria and musical oddities. The seaside city reminded me much of Seattle, the smell of fish, the endless skyline -only no mountains…

MUNICH: Ingrid opened for Jason Mraz and invited me to celebrate her last day of her first European tour. I had the pleasure of hosting she and lovely side-kick Allie twice  at the Q and in my home last year. It has been wonderful to see Ingrid’s growth as an artist and her recent successes: sharing the stage with DMB, opening for Ray Lamontagne, a third album and much more. This too made me nostalgic for Seattle and the dozens of artists that I have witnessed flourish and am blessed to call friends….Oktoberfest was ending, the madness fading away. We didn’t drink beers, but after a long search a traditional dirndl was finally found- and jack and cokes were drank oder drunk….

DRESDEN: German Wings offers a 19 Euro flight special. ‘Blind Booking’ they call it. You pay and pick the days of travel then they tell you where your ticket shall take you. I ended up in Dresden for 2 nights. The city that was nearly completely destroyed in the final weeks of WWII. Stayed with a lovely french/german couple.  Zwinger Palace. Elbe River. Slaughterhouse 5. The picture below is from Kunsthof Passage, an artsy little square in the new city. A Dr. Seuss-esqe way of rain catching.

TUBINGEN: a University village 40 km from Stuttgart. Classic german town. Mmm. delightful. 

PARIS: deserves a proper entry… Sigur Ros live. Père-Lachaise. Joey and Mallory. Obama victory party. Am I a qualified European if I enjoyed the hell out of the city and not once laid eyes on Miss Eiffel?

BUDAPEST: A second attempt at the German Wings great offer took me to Budapest. “The Paris of the East/ The Pearl of the Danube”.  Met an old Seattle acquaintance and toured the great city. Vörösmarty Square. Christmas Market. St. Stephens Basilica. Buda castle. Jazz on the Danube. Turkish baths, oh the turkish baths!

NURNBERG: Lauf an der Pegnitz. Return to the holy land, indeed. Drew’s team defeated the #1 ranked in a crazy upset. Carolyn and I cheered from the “stands”  nearly dieing with laughter. The much anticipated Weinnachtmarkt, Ein hundert und dreißig Glas Weine mit Jurgen.

 

P.S.  I must say that Drew’s rumored man-bag aka purse is admittedly much better in person…

—

There IS much more to say for each of these places traveled, sites seen and people met. I don’t know how to do this. I want to take each of you there too. With me. I think of you all often. Very often.  

Until the next wave, perhaps from the next city-

and with great Love,

Rae.