Kintsugi (Japanese: 金継ぎ, lit. ‘golden joinery’), is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery by mending the areas of breakage with urushi lacquer dusted or mixed with powdered gold, silver, or platinum.
Wikipedia
My thoughts were scattered, Among the remains of my heart.
They said it was shattered, When our paths drifted apart.
They asked me: “what happened?”
I sang your name, I praised your manners.
I tried, but in vain, to clarify these matters.
Then I told them what happened:
The fire in my heart, That you came and lit,
Was put off at once With no ashes left.
I was by myself, In my darkest of moments.
Your shoulder was missing, When I cried and wept.
So no, my friends. I have no regret. It wasn’t her words Nor that what she did.
It was what was not.
This curse is much older, She was just one bit. I am now getting wiser I, now, can admit.
I gathered my pieces And welded with gold.
My cracks are my stories, And eager to be told.
Your cracks are your secrets, That call me to unfold.
It may once more be shattered I may once more weld I may never surrender More cracks is more gold!
It drizzled on that French-speaking city, You sipped the wine and called me unlucky, Curiosity crowned your head like a halo, And empathy sneaked into your eyes.
How do I feel? I spoke of new days, And of my plan to build a lighthouse, You dismissed my altruism, Proposed I embrace the ego, And I said yes. You promised to remember me.
Oppressed by my ideas, Almost freed by your promise, I left you and rushed into the night, With the moon, full, witnessing.
Between both lands, My heart does sway. A conscious mind, Yet I yearn to play. Rooted in heaven, But the soul breaks away.
Let’s not long ponder Over disparities of the facade. Leave the magic within, Colorful in the shade.
It was dusk by the lake. We sat on an unremarkable bench, shaded by trees, hiding us from some jealous stars. The Alps on the horizon, covered with stracciatella snow, and the quicksilver surface of the lake, reflecting the fancy lights of this elegant city.
His green eyes gazed at the horizon. His frown-wrinkles seemed to dissolve in the evening, and I saw him place his heart on the bench beside him. He handed me a Cuban cigar and a matchbox from Manuel’s. A couple of hours of co-solitude, in the center of the city, or the universe, but very far from all. He unleashed his mind with a hurricane of passion, for creating footsteps, for changing things, and for glory.
I lent him my attention, thankful for all the butterflies that had led to this effect. I felt richer and wiser, and far from the center. Thankful for the clarity of the moment, and the purity of the bond.
After exchanging gratitude, we embraced a comfortable silence. The noise of streetcars, mixed with nearby salsa tunes. We promised more than just words. “See you on Wednesday,” he said softly, Our journey was just beginning.
What if there were no tomorrow, And our eyes would never lock, And I never got to hug you, No more flights left to book, Have I not known this before? Have I not almost lost? All the promises that we give Excuses not to live Then we sail far away. Chasing ports we cannot dock. All we do is stall the call But we can’t stop the clock
Sometimes I consider myself the luckiest person on earth. But if you follow my blog, you also know that my life is full of “events”. A few hours ago, I found myself in another situation that made me think, “That might be it.”
I am now in Bogotá, Colombia. I have been traveling this beautiful for exactly 5 weeks now. During this time, I heard about various tourists being robbed and one being stabbed on a street where I spent a lot of time. So, there’s some context to the story.
Today at 3:00 am, after a nice party, I wanted to head home. My friends from the party have successfully booked a taxi after a long waiting time. Out on the street when I walked them to their taxi, the streets were packed with taxis and other cars. Just a regular busy Saturday night. I found a vacant taxi and jumped in after he offered a reasonable price.
He drove off, I followed the trip on Google Maps to make sure that the path was right. He took small side streets, so I felt a bit dubious. Soon enough, he slowed down on a ramp, where I thought the car might be a bit too weak, suddenly two young thugs jumped into the car, sandwiching me in the back seat, waving knives, and shouting at me in Spanish, including the driver. It was clear, I was being mugged.
I used my basic Spanish to tell them that I would give them everything. No time for bravery in a small taxi with three thugs in a dark street in Bogotá. They took my phone, watch, the cash I had, and my wallet. I had around 4 bank cards! I usually don’t carry all the cards with me, but today was my lucky day, I guess. They asked me which one had money, so I pointed at the one debit card that had the least amount (around 400 Euros). They somehow believed me and forced me to unlock my phone and open my banking app. They put a cap on my head and kept saying “close eyes” so that I don’t see them and I don’t see the road etc. I kept my head down.
While all of this was happening, the complicit driver was driving around. Then they pulled over where another car came and they exchanged one member of the gang. The one with my credit cards went in the other car, and a new thug came in to help watch me. Then we started driving the streets in what, I assume, was in circles until the other guy withdrew the cash from my card. They communicated back and forth discussing the amount that they would make and which ATM machine would have the least limit on cash withdrawal. They asked me many questions and sometimes with Google Translate when I didn’t understand.
I was there, with a dry mouth, thinking about all the possibilities. I had zero chance of overtaking the three in the taxi with their knives. They can have the money. I just hoped I wouldn’t be harmed. I was trying to prepare to fight if they attempted any physical violence. They drove to a quiet place, where someone started to wash the car. Here, a thousand other scenarios started playing in my head. Will they color the car? Was it a fake taxi? Just a yellow car that I didn’t notice? Is this escalating to a bigger crime? Will they kill me? Stab me? What are the possible lives I could be living? If any.
I kept myself together and stayed mostly calm. I cracked a few jokes, hoping that making them laugh would earn me a few credits of survival. I told them that I was an Egyptian dancer and that they could keep the watch because it was a gift from my Ex. They laughed and even put on one of my favorite songs. I was not sure if this was a good sign or if they were sarcastic. One comforting thing was that they insisted that I look down and don’t see their faces. I hoped it was because they would release me later. One of them told me, “Sleep if you’d like, we will release you in a bit”. They were waiting for the guy who had my debit card to squeeze all that was inside.
After a while, they drove to a dark road and told me that they would release me, and if I looked back, they would stab me. I told them that I understood and that I was not stupid enough to do this. Released in the random darkness of Bogotá, I ran away from that spot. I stopped another taxi (I had nothing more to lose), and went to my hostel, and immediately called the other banks to block the cards. Afterward, I went to the nearest small police station where they said that they couldn’t help me. I should make a report online.
It was a long night. I have lost some material things, but I am glad that I am unharmed. Now, don’t wonder if I am not reachable for the next couple of weeks. I still have access to my Instagram and WhatsApp, but I am not sure how long the WhatsApp on the computer will continue working. I wrote this to share with you my experience, partly because of emotions, but also so that you avoid making my mistake.
Later, while writing this post in the lobby of the hostel, an American girl came crying because she was robbed a couple of weeks ago and her only remaining credit card was blocked, and has no money for food or to go to the airport. She sat beside me and we exchanged stories, and later found solutions to our financial crises, thanks to great family and friends.
I still love Colombia 🙂
Teenage Boy Brandishing Knife And Wearing HoodieNote to inspector:Image shot before Sept 2009
With the other ten thousand children of the neighbourhood, We used to run about.
We’d tease Mr. Ali at his old shop, He’d pretend to chase us with a broom. We had no fear.
School was fun, with friends and games, Our teacher Fatima knew all our names.
Chalk, and dreams, of a world beyond conflict, beyond the suffering and screams.
Today, the sky was sunny, I was on the balcony admiring our olive tree. But in a flash, the sky roared.
I felt really scared.
I have already lost half of my friends. Maryam, Peter and Mahmoud. Under the rubbles of their homes.
Maryam, the little artist, with colors in her heart, Her canvas remains blank, torn apart.
Peter, was going to be the next priest, of our 800 years old church, now he lies under the altar.
Mahmoud, the future doctor, who promised to heal, now, is just remains.
Maryam is killed. Peter is killed. Mahmoud is killed, The olive tree is killed, and the church is shattered. It was all just too much.
Now I am also gone.
Five thousand dreams, now whisper in the wind. In what world is this fine?
Why don’t they care about me? Peter was actually blond, They say his great-grandmother was French, with sky-blue eyes. Would it have helped, if we had shown the world Peter’s face, instead of mine?
I guess it is too late now. We are all playing in heaven.
Mom, it is so nice here. Serene, no cries. Nobody hates us for no reason, and nobody is discriminated. We are all loved and cared for. Equally.
Before coming to Morocco, I had more negative than positive experiences with Moroccans in Europe. This trip flipped my perception 180 degrees, turning me into a fan of the country and the countrymen (including countrywomen for our feminist readers among you). They were mostly kind and sincere people. Compared to Egypt, I found more quality services in Morocco. I always felt very welcomed, especially when people came to know that I am Egyptian. The two countries share a history rich in culture. I also noticed that the rate of obesity is not as high as in many other Arab countries (and definitely less than in Germany and England, for example). To my surprise, the local cuisine does not have a lot of carbohydrates. It is hard to find a dish that is served with rice, and the cuisine in general had lots of meat and vegetables.
I arrived in Rabat on a Saturday, just in time for the Liverpool vs. Tottenham football game. A local taxi driver guided me to a rooftop terrace crowning a fancy-looking hotel, where a simple espresso costs 5$. The other clients were mostly couples enjoying romantic dates. Joining me in a non-romantic way were Mirjam, a new local friend she had made, Sufian, and two fellow young travelers from Ireland and Colorado that she had met at the hostel. We exchanged travel impressions and suggestions, a great way to refine your trip-plan on the fly.
The Colorado traveler, Braeden, had taken the opposite route, starting in the north. He visited Chefchaouen, the famous blue mountain village known for its reputation in weed production. Surprisingly, he was disappointed by the quality of the weed in comparison to Colorado, where marijuana had been legalized around a decade ago. It seems they’ve likely perfected the art of growing weed using scientific methods, research, and development.
I left the crowd after the game and headed to my accommodation in a local riad in the old town. Moroccan riads are traditional, elegant residences with distinctive architecture, often centered around a courtyard or garden. They are renowned for their intricate tilework and Islamic decorations.
The riad in Rabat
***
Rabat showed me a different side of Morocco. Its clean, wide streets were lined with perfectly aligned palm trees and featured many beauiful architectural constructions. I went to meet Sarah, a Moroccan architect who had spent six years in the United States pursuing her MBA and managing some exciting projects in DC. We had a lengthy walk in the suburbs of Rabat, near the king’s palace and a golf course.
The highly intelligent and talkative Sarah shared valuable insights about Moroccan society, the economy, and politics. A significant portion of the economy is based on mining, particularly phosphate mining, with Morocco holding the world’s largest phosphate deposits, comprising 75% of global reserves. I was charmed by her liveliness and her fluency in four languages. She expressed her intention to leave Morocco after a few months to explore new life perspectives.
Following our walk, we enjoyed a cozy lunch with more conversations. Then, Sarah volunteered to drive me around Rabat in her white Fiat 500. We drove through the streets of Rabat as she pointed out different landmarks, including the new, under-construction Hassan VI’s tower and the soon-to-be-operational magnificent Grand Theatre of Rabat, designed by the late, great British-Iraqi power woman and renowned architect, Zaha Hadid. I made a promise to myself to come back to Rabat.
Hassan VI’s towerGrand theatre of Rabat
After saying goodbye to Sarah, I attended a local afternoon Latin party for some social dancing, where I was impressed by the excellent local salsa dancers, surpassing those in other cities. Soon after, I had to depart after nearly 24 hours in Rabat to catch my train to the historic town of Fes. At the train station, I discovered that the train was delayed by 2 hours. I hummed some thankful prayers for the taken-for-granted Swiss railways company, and spent my waiting-time reading.
After a bus journey to Marrakesh , it was time to split the company. David stayed in Marrakesh while Mirjam and I took the train for Casablanca. The almost 3 hours of discomfort in the second class was not my most favorite experience, and the train was packed with locals with no significant air conditioning so that by the end of the ride, I felt myself drained of all manifestations of life, like a deflated balloon! But Casablanca was a significant stop on my trip. Many travelers would say that Casablanca is just a big jungle of concrete not interesting to visit. For me, big cities are homes for many smart and professional people, which is a big focus of mine in my trips.
***
On the first day in Casablanca, I had a local breakfast and then headed to meet Mirjam to visit the remarkable Hassan II Mosque. It is the largest functioning mosque in Africa, and its minaret ranks as the second tallest in the world. When we arrived, the 60-story minaret was almost disappearing in the fog that surrounded the mosque. It was nearly prayer time, making it clear that Mirjam wouldn’t be going inside. I decided to attend the Friday prayer, while Mirjam waited in a café, and we met again after the prayer.
The mosque is immense, and its decorations exude majesty. Intricate patterns in marble, wood, and other materials, the nature of which I couldn’t identify, contributed to a certain atmosphere of peace and serenity.
During the “Khutbah,” the imam’s sermon, the topic was the earthquake, highlighting how Moroccans were united in managing the aftermath. The absence of differences between Arabs and Berbers hinted at underlying sensitivities in the region. Throughout my trip, I encountered many Moroccans who took immense pride in their nation’s earthquake response, recounting stories of how they proudly declined assistance from France. France was not amused.
A short video showing the Hassan II Mosque
After visiting the mosque, I met Mirjam again, who had managed to make a random new friend, Faisal, a local young guy in his thirties. I also got to know Faisal while observing surfers ride the high ocean waves just outside the mosque. Faisal didn’t hide the fact that he was deported from Germany after living there for 5 years. He was then trying to build his startup, specializing in various crimes like stealing and selling drugs. He traveled around many European countries in the process of finding a new home. After his deportation, he decided to start a new life and switch to the side of the angels by visiting Mecca. He currently works as a taxi driver, and today was his day off. We all went to the “Medina” together, where we had a quiet, fancy lunch with even better food than usual. Afterwards, we joined a Couchsurfing meeting where many young Moroccans and travelers gathered for chatting and later for a party. At some point, I detached to visit a Latin party, only to find that it was canceled because of the prophet’s birthday (which is not as important for Muslims as Christmas is for Christians). I called it a night.
***
The next day I went again for a local breakfast and decided to have a Moroccan hammam experience. Who could imagine, that there is a big colossal hammam underneath the big Hassan II mosque?
I decided to go all-in, and took the deluxe package with all the features, which costed me around 60 euros.
First, I found myself in a jacuzzi filled with sea water, where I tortured my body with a hydraulic massage. After around 30 min, they took me to a steam room, where my hammam-man (?, I don’t name of this job, maybe hammamist?) soaped up my body, and I stayed there for eternity, I think to open the pores of the skin to receive the next mystery.
Then came the main event – the hammam table. The hammamist got to work, scrubbing away at my skin like it was his enemy. As I sat down, I noticed some dark thingies on the floor. With an embarrassment, I asked him if that was what he had just exfoliated from my skin. He grinned and confirmed it was indeed my “dead skin.” I thought I was Mr. Clean with my daily showers, but this was next-level cleanliness. I had to ask my hammamist how often he subjected himself to this ritual, and he proudly said that he did it once a month. From that moment on, I became a believer that Morocco must be the cleanest nation on Earth. Sorry, other “hammamistans” out there.
After the epic scrubbing session, he slapped on a mask made of coffee and chocolate, claiming it was a treat for my skin. I felt like a piece of fruit dipped in chocolate in a Christmas market. I didn’t have any erotic thoughts at all 😀
Then, he unleashed a full-body massage and some moves that looked like he was a chiropractor. Following the mask’s wash-off, I received another round of massage, this time with argan oil.
Leaving the hammam, I looked at my skin in disbelief. Somehow I didn’t recognise my own skin. I felt new and I promised myself that I shall offer my body this love regularly. I went straight to the beautiful Casablanca train station and took the train to Rabat, the capital.
A short video showing the hammamWith one of thr fount In front of Hassan II Mosque
Although surfing with Adam in Marrakesh was a nice experience, I decided that it was enough for this trip. I guess at my age, I prefer a certain minimum amount of comfort. On the other hand, hostels are great places to meet people. I decided to continue the trip sleeping in private rooms in hostels or hotels. I grew to appreciate good privacy and alone-time at the end of a socially packed day.
***
The bus from Marrakesh to Essaouira took around 3 hours with a short break. Beside me was a French girl with whom I started chatting in the second half of the trip. Upon arriving in Essaouira, I immediately felt pleasant vibes, the complete opposite of the chaotic vibes in Marrakesh. Already from the bus, you could see countless kites of surfers in the famously windy city. I went straight to the hostel where I booked a room and was greeted by a German young man with one arm. He volunteers working there in exchange for surfing lessons and accommodation! I immediately climbed to the roof terrace with my book to have a read while observing the sun setting in the Atlantic Ocean. Around me were groups of young people who seemed to be traveling together, mainly French or German. I thought about putting on my noise-cancellation headphones since young people in general intimidate me👴🏼. In parallel, I checked out “couchsurfing hangouts,” which is a section of the Couchsurfing app to find other solo travelers to meet up. There, I found Wouter, a Dutch gentleman, and we agreed to go for dinner. Soon enough, a young European lady entered the terrace, saw me, and directly came to me, saying “you were on the bus from Marrakesh.” I said yes and invited her to have a seat nearby, and we started chatting and getting to know each other. Mirjam, a Norwegian 27-year-old traveling solo around Morocco. Mirjam, Wouter, and I went for dinner in a tiny family-run restaurant in the old town of Essaouira. The cook was a Moroccan lady, assisted by two others who looked really old, while the son waited on the tables. We ordered Tajines while discussing life, love, and Morocco. After dinner and the homemade cream caramel, we wandered around the “medina,” charmed by all the handcrafted goods, the small alleys, and passing by the fish market where fishermen prepared their fish of the day for the market the next day, I assume. Mirjam is a janitor, and Wouter is an animation artist. The conversation was very engaging and went much deeper than the casual customary fact-based chit-chat, to include childhood traumas and matters of the heart.
***
On the next day, Wednesday, I started the day with breakfast in the hostel. A modest breakfast that included my new favorite Moroccan almond spread “Amlou.” It consists of argan oil, almonds, and honey. The almonds are toasted, then crushed and kneaded with honey and argan oil. I enjoy it with some freshly made pancakes despite the flies hovering over the whole breakfast! I then went to the medina, met Wouter, where we bought a chess set and went to a local cafe for some games of chess and more conversations. On the second floor of the cafe, we sat separated by the chess set, the early morning sun rays sneaked from the window and shone directly on the chessboard as well as on Wouter’s stressed face 😅. While playing, we discussed differences between Morocco and Europe and mainly topics which one can’t discuss in Europe since they are tabooed. Wouter’s lack of political correctness was refreshing, and I enjoyed the time we spent together a lot. We exchanged contacts and decided to try to meet later in our trips in another city.
***
Mirjam has a talent to know random people on the street; I met her later in the afternoon with her new friend, Hicham, a Moroccan French young man passionate about Salsa and working in tourism around the world. We spent some beach time where we built a sandcastle like a group of kindergarten children. The sea is relatively dangerous for swimming since the waves can be very high. This is why Essaouira is a good place for wind-surfing, kite-surfing, and etc-rfing. In the evening, we went for dinner accompanied by two new travelers that Mirjam recruited from the hostel, David, from the Canary Islands, traveling the world and speaking 5 languages, and Bartly (fake name), a Chinese electric cars engineer. Bartly barely spoke English but had a radioactive enthusiasm and positivity. We all went for dinner and had funny x-rated conversations, where Bartly was the protagonist translating everything we say with some efficient Chinese app. David and I laughed till tears when Bartly referred to oral sex as “sea-food” 😂😂😂. I hope no children are reading these lines. After another great meal, we went for some dancing in a local bar that was also filled with tourists. On the way back to the hostel, in the windy night of cute Essaouira, David said, “First and last time in f***ing Essaouira.” Mirjam and I will head to Casablanca tomorrow, while David will join us halfway and then stay in Marrakesh.
Stress 😉With Mirjam and WouterThe view from my modest hostel room, ocean, palm trees and laundry!With Davi and Mirjam in Marrakesh train station
