In Morocco

This is a spectactular country. Currently in Ouarzizate, going to marrakesh tomorrow. I visited Zagora and some sahara sand dunes yesterday. Incredible countryside, and music and bread everywhere.

seriously.

I love arabic music.

un chat compositeur

Et Voila.

Il a l'air d'etre un grand musician.

kinda like those cat playing piano videos Alex Ross posted, but this one is my favorite.

So sarko won

No surprises here. lets just hope he's just not crazy. also some cars are apparently burning in the banlieu. its become a "fashon" here to burn cars, the french are not impressed anyway.

What else.

well, on the 14th im headed to Rome, then Napoli to see Pompeii and Herculanium, and then Paestum as well. Then on the 22nd im headed to see my sister who is living with a family in marocco. I'll be in marrakech, plus ou moins, for the week or so. Im really excited for my trip, and marocco in particular.

Im speaking french every day, and comfortable, generally, in doing so. its chiant, as i would say, that right now when im getting to the point of "fluency" that im soon going to leave.

Saw Rigoletto last night here in Nantes. Nice opera house. Have to say, didn’t get anything in terms of a coherent plot. The scenery didn’t exactly explain much to an opera novice like myself. It appeared at first to be set in a 17th century anatomy lecture hall, and never really changed too much after that. Sure there were fog machines and a boat in the end, but nothing ever really appeared different, they were always in that strange round room. Essentially it appeared like a series of tableaux of various contrasting melodramas without any kind of connection between it. Im not quite sure what happened, there was a kidnapping, and several people singing and then the lead lady dies laying down in the end by throwing her arms up and saying "bleaah!"

ok, the last bit i made up, but that’s what it seemed like, and there was definite arm moving going on. Anyway, the music was lovely, i want to get a CD of it, even if i couldn’t discern any kind of message or story. It was a pleasant exercise in abstracted contrasting histrionics.

And it reminded me of that euro-trash question on the recent meme i filled out.

From the cathedral of Toledo, Spain

Kurt Vonnegut, 1922-2007

Currently in Sevilla, Spain, and writing from my hostal. Seen Madrid, Toledo, Granada, Cordoba and most of the major sites in this city, so im heading back to france land soon and i know im going to miss iberia. Granada seems livable, as does cordoba, and i need to learn spanish, should i even try to study abroad again? well, maybe i should graduate first.

and pictures will come soon.