Don't Look Back in Anger. I {HEART} Manchester.

On May 22, 2017 , 22 lives were taken.

One split second that broke families and shook the foundation of the city.

Many, hundreds small and big acts of kindness flooded in the weeks following.

From donations to the injured and the victim's families, to the free bee tattoos available around town.

Manchester reacted in a calm, unangered way, refusing to be consumed.

This is just a glimpse of Saint Anne square.

* Saffie Rose Roussos, 8 * Martyn Hett, 29 * Georgina Callander, 18 * Olivia Campbell, 15 * 

Elaine Mclver, 43 * John Atkinson, 26 * Kelly Brewster,32 * Alison Lowe,44 * Lisa Lees, 43 * Marcin Kils,42 * Angelina Kils, 39 * Nell Jones, 14 * Jane Tweedle-Taylor, 50 * Michelle Kiss, 45  * Sorrell Leczkowski, 14 * Chloe Rutherford, 17 * Liam Curry, 19 * Eilidh MacLeod, 14 * 

Wendy Fawell, 50 * Courtney Boyle, 19 * Philip Tron, 32 * Megan Hurley, 15 *

Edamus Bibamus Gaudeamus! Primum Vivere Deinde Philosophari.

Where else in the world can you find graffiti in latin?

Edamus Bibamus Gaudeamus! Primum Vivere Deinde Philosophari.

Let's eat, let's drink, let's cherish. First live, then rationalise.

I have the luxury of, in order:

having a sister and brother in law
having a nephew
having them living in Rome
celebrating him for his birthday every year (but one, so far!)

This time was no exception and I went visit.

We forced them to be a tourist in their own town and walked around for two days: he was such a good sport!
And he's beginning to grasp the fact that he lives in one of the most beautiful, meaningful, poignant city in the world, or he will for sure figure it out when he comes visit Manchester :D.

Good thing he's becoming a Potterhead , to which I take all the blame, and he seems to love anything British.

I told him, beauty is the eye of the beholder, but he'll soon understand that nothing, nowhere, can compare to this.

 

Always magic, even with rain.

remember: then rationalise.

What I've Learned This Year

One. Leaving home is always hard, no matter who old you are and how many times you’ve done it before. People kept telling me “you’ve been in this position before, for even further places” and it’s true.   But every time it’s its own set of emotions and it doesn’t get easier.

Two. Changes could be frustrating but they come with growth. Right? Ok. In the past year I’ve changed my status, my country, my living arrangements, my job, my car, the side of the road I have to ride on, what I do in my spare time, how I spend my weekends, my workout routines, my eating routines, my sleeping routines, actually all of my routines. It’s been challenging to say the least but since a while ago it’s starting to look like it’s going to be good.

Three. I miss rowing but what I’ve missed more is what it brought, my friends, the sense of community, the working hard for a goal, even the drama that came with it. Maybe it’s time to start again.

Four. Twenty seconds of bravery is all you need: when showing up to a group of people you never met before and you’re trying to be friends with or be the new colleague, or the new volunteer, or the new member… I’ve used this method a lot in the past year.

Five. Only in case of a move one realises how much stuff one has. Now imagine multiplying that by two. And moving overseas. Very thankful for my parents and their garage and the long hours I spent there in the middle of winter deciding, keep, purge, donate, ship, bring with me. 

I through away more than what I've kept (Including my bouquet).
And for this reason 2018 is the year where I’m not buying anything that is not food or otherwise one hundred per cent not necessary. (I’ve actually already broke this buying a 3 pound DVD..oops)

Life gets exciting so very easily and for this I’m very grateful.

 Things are always moving fast, but this 12 months were one for the books!

May Your Highest Hopes Be Exceeded {Morocco Part 3 }

(part 1 and part 2 are here)

Day 4

We woke up just in time to see the sunrise. 

What a sight , yet again, we were able to admire.

Can you see M walking on the dune?

After another 30 minutes on the camels again, we took the car back and started are route back to Marrakech. 

First stop : Rissani, where one of the biggest open market is held...during the week. We, of course, were there on Sunday :D. 

It was still really interesting to walk around and almost get ripped off for a little bag of dates by a local vendor. 20 years of travelling by ourself in foreign countries, but still I get surprised of how easy it is to feel out of place.

 

Back on the road, desert for hours and hours.

Second stop: the Draa Valley. Pretty impressive how nature changes so fast...and in matter of meters, palms were seen everywhere thanks to an underground river.

We were able to visit yet another Kasbah , Tamnogalt.

One of the towers of the Kasbah Tamnogalt

^^What was the synagogue before it came down. Because there are no more jews living there nor near by, it has not been reconstructed in years.

Back on the road...toward the high Atlas with final destination Marrakech 

Highest peak on the High Atlas

We stopped in a small shop run by women to by all kinds of Argan Oil products...worth it.

The 10 hours in the car back to Marrakesh driving like this and making this kinds on encounters on the road were definitely part of the fun and scheduled part of the trip but was I ever glad to arrived that night at 9 pm.

We went back strolling in the medina as soon as we could.

Day 5: Visiting Marrakesh.

We saved the last day to finally visiting the town and its buildings. We rushed through the historical palaces with a very busy guide in the morning, and saved the best part of the trip for the very last afternoon: wander around through the infinite maze of the medina.

one of the doors of the Medina

One of the visits I loved was the Medersa, a learning center that hosted more than 900 students at a time between 1500 and 1946...it gradually lost its use, mostly because of security reasons, but never lost its charm. It seemed so calm, even if right smack in the middle of the market chaos.
It's inscripted on the entrance door :"You who enter my door, may your highest hopes be exceeded".
Every religion teaches the same, universal truth: humans thrive on hope.

The medersa Ben Yiussef was one of the biggest quranic learning center in Africa

We had dinner in a popular restaurant and had back the the hotel. 

In just 5 days we drove more than a thousand km, rode a dromedary , spent a night under the stars, saw amazing places, faces, food and races. 

If this is how we're going to spend all of our anniversaries, sign me up. I'm ready!