Gabriel's 3rd Birthday!

Honk! Beep! Zoom! Crash!

It's Gabriel's 3rd Birthday Bash!

How many times has Gabriel watched the movie Cars since we've lived in Morocco? 769, 352.05  How many movies, total, had he seen before we moved to Morocco? 1  We have Cars in Arabic and English and Cars 2 in French.  I should explain that these bootlegged DVDs are sold on the street corners and are extremely inexpensive and easy to obtain.  I believe Gabriel's obsession began when we were living in our first, tiny apartment for two months with no furniture or toys.  We did, however, have a tiny portable DVD player and some Children's DVDs that were sent from my parents just days before we left the States.  I snapped Cars (English Cars as Gabriel calls it) into the player, thinking it would hold his interest for 20 minutes, maybe.  The catchy song at the beginning of the movie immediately hooked Gabriel, and as soon as Life is a Highway came on, it was a dance party in our apartment.  We cannot walk outside without Gabriel comparing cars to the characters in the movie.  He also thinks that every other car is a RACE CAR!  I find this particularly funny, seeing that he showed no interest in cars for almost 3 years.  I remember thinking it was slightly odd that my baby boy didn't take to cars like many other boys his age.  It didn't bother me at all, and I thought I might actually prefer if he skipped over that interest all together.  Ha, little did I know...  

Dear Gabriel,

The week prior to your big day, I often found myself in deep thought about your birthday, probably more than I ever did with your last two.  Maybe it's because I wasn't spending all of my time at Michale's, Target and every party store in the city.  Those stores, or anything like them, have yet to make their way to Morocco.  Thankfully the online world allowed someone else do all the work for me as I waited for my packages to arrive.  I was a little bummed about that, since I enjoy tapping into my creative side for celebrations, but in turn it gave me time to reflect a lot this year.  

I don't believe that there's an official rule that states at 3 you're a boy and no longer a baby, but I sure have felt that to be true.  My tearful reflections of Baby Gabey are overwhelming, and I wonder what your boyhood might possibly hold.  You are growing up right before my eyes!  How many times have you heard that line?  Well, here's another one for you; but you will always be my baby!  Those cliche phrases ring so true when you experience parenthood for the first time.  You, Gabriel, are my first born, and it's beyond amazing experiencing all of these emotions and celebrations with you.

  

Let me be honest, sweet boy.  This year has also been a doosey in some ways.  You took the terrible twos, and you owned it!  Jamil has several grey hairs to show for it, and I have broken down countless times over not only your behavior, but my own.  It's hard being a parent, and it's hard being 2!  I'm not expecting for something magical to happen on your 3rd birthday...well, I might be holding out a little hope. ;)  Regardless, you have taught me patience and compassion (qualities I thought I already possessed) and how to love even more than I imagined.

Here are some of your personal favs: cuddling, strawberry yogurt, singing 50 Nifty United States, Cars, Word World, language in general (you love to talk), lollipops, purple, the library, books (you can read from memory many of the books in your room and I can see your imagination blossoming as I hear you make up stories to unfamiliar books) , your Barcelona soccer jersey, simple special treats, swimming, music, dancing (you prefer break dancing, but we keep trying to encourage you to stay off the ground and on your feet), anything that involves jumping or running, gummie vitamins, Abraham, Katie Perry's Firework, and going for "a little walk". 

Waking up sweetly is a huge accomplishment and sharing with your imposing, little brother looks to be our next big obstacle.  Not only can you recognize your ABCs in English, but also in Arabic, and you can count and associate numbers 1-10 in Arabic, English and French!  You are extremely observant, intelligent, silly and oh so stubborn.  Your genuine I Love Yous never fail to melt my heart.  I pray you grow to be a strong man of God, and I can't wait to see what this fourth year of life holds for you!

I Love You,

Mommy

 Jamil has been itching to go camping for a long time.  What better time than Gabriel's last night as a baby and first morning as a boy?  And what better place than the playroom on our new rug that "kinda looks like grass"?

  Gabriel started school the week of his birthday!  Being a summer baby, I alway thought it would be cool to get to celebrate my birthday at school.  We did just that!  Nothing says, "Will you be my new friends?" better than a batch of cupcakes!

 Un, Deux, Trois!

 Sweet Friends!

 Check out this happy camper.  First week of school (in French), getting a lot of birthday attention, and mom is suddenly here too...not sure what to think of it all.

 A cupcake sure can bring about a quick attitude adjustment, huh?

On Saturday, we held a small party at our apartment.  What theme?  Do you really have to ask?

How adorable are these fondant toppers?  I think someone ate the L in GabrieL...  

The decorations, cake toppers, and G's shirt were all ordered from Etsy.

 Graham crackers, nutella, and M&M traffic lights!  Don't mind that they tray is upside down...

 These car croissant sandwiches turned out too cute with lollipop drivers and black licorice wheels.

 Thanks to our friends, the Updegraffs and the Benchekrouns, for celebrating with us!

This map was Gabriel's birthday present from Dad, Mom and Abey.  The car pinata was from Oriental Trading and was filled with individually wrapped car gummies!  What is the deal with pinatas these days?  They are impossible to break, but I'm sure this weenie, little broom didn't help!

 Concentrating hard on the perfect spot for each car.  

Thank you, Papa and Mimi for his car collection!

Happy Birthday, Big Boy!

Andalusia, Spain

For our last adventure of the summer we headed 3 hours north to Tangier, drove the car onto a boat, and drove into Spain a couple of hours later.  Can you imagine?  It was pretty amazing to witness the weaving of Spain and Morocco's history through the historical and architectural sights we visited.  While there were many similarities, we also noticed the drastic differences between the cultures, languages, and modern facilities/technology.  Immediately driving off of the boat we noticed the organization, timeliness, professional attire (actual uniforms), women in workforce (and yes, beautiful like they all say), and cleanliness of the Spanish port.  While Spain certainly isn't known for all of these attributes, we found comfort in them...it's all relative, right?  Best part about being in Spain (well, not really the best but possibly ranked in the top 5): street/highway signs and the ability to actually use google maps!  Overall, we are so grateful to have the opportunity to travel this summer (in both Morocco and Spain), and we cherish the personal growth our family has experienced over the past four months.  Thank you Olmsted! 

Andalusia

Our travels resided within the Andalusia region of Spain.  Andalusia is the green area of Southern Spain on the first map.  The name Andalusia traces back to the Arabic language Al-Andalus (الأندلس). This region has a rich culture and a strong cultural identity. Many cultural phenomena that are seen internationally as distinctively Spanish are largely or entirely Andalusian in origin. These include flamenco, bullfighting, and certain Moorish-influenced architectural styles. (Wikipedia)

Cities of Travel in Andalusia: 

Marbella, Granada, Cordoba, Sevilla, Rota

Smir & Tangier, Morocco

After driving to Northern Morocco, we stayed 2 nights in Smir so that we could wake up and catch the early boat out of Tangier.  

The overcast began to part as we drove up to the Tangier port.

Here we are waiting in line to load onto the white boat directly ahead.

Tip: Take the early boat and get your tickets online ahead of time.  The process takes longer than the actual boat ride.

The boys were particularly excited to be driving onto a boat!  How cool is that for a little boy!?!

The top of the boat was open to passengers, but the boys spent most of their time at the stinky, indoor playground.  I wish we had a picture of that mad house.  Nevertheless, I was happy they had somewhere to run around opposed to sitting in our laps for an hour and a half (evidently there is a faster boat, which in turn costs a little more).  We were also glad that the weather cleared up for us to view Morocco, Spain, and Gibraltar from the middle of the Mediterranean Sea!

Marbella, Spain
Hola!  After quickly driving through customs, we drove straight to Marbella.  Jumping into Spanish mode was quite difficult after thinking so much in Arabic and French.  My mind went through four languages (English, Arabic, French, then Spanish) before I could remember how to say simple things like please...Por Favor!  After arriving in Marbella, we had enough time to grab a late dinner (with an order of paella of course) and walk the beach after breakfast the next morning.  Marbella was just a quick rest stop on our way up north, but we would love to have spent more time in this oh so chic city on the Med!  Wow!

Granada, Spain

While in Granada, we chose to spend all of our time at the Alhambra palace.  These gorgeous grounds may have been our favorite attraction in Spain (it's really so hard to pick). The town itself looked beautiful from the castle view, and I would love to have seen the flamenco district if we had the time.  Tip: Get your tickets online to view the inside of Alhambra.  They sell out quickly!  Enjoy!

Alhambra  

The literal translation of Alhambra, "red fortress," reflects the color of the red clay of the surroundings of which the fort is made. The Alhambra's Moorish palaces were built for the last Muslim Emirs in Spain and its court, of the Nasrid dynasty. After the Reconquista (reconquest) by the Reyes Católicos ("Catholic Monarchs") in 1492, some portions were used by the Christian rulers. The Palace of Charles V, built in 1527, was inserted in the Alhambra within the Nasrid fortifications. After being allowed to fall into disrepair for centuries, the Alhambra was "discovered" in the 19th century by European scholars and travelers, with restorations commencing. It is now one of Spain's major tourist attractions, exhibiting the country's most significant and well known Islamic architecture, together with 16th-century and later Christian building and garden interventions. The Alhambra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is a testament to Moorish culture in Spain and the skills of Muslim, Jewish, and Christian artisans, craftsmen, and builders of their era. (Wikipedia)

There is a natural water channel that runs throughout the garden providing such a peaceful sound.  To the left of the channel you can see that the walkways are paved in the traditional Granadian style with a mosaic of black and white river pebbles.  The designs were beautiful! 

I love arches!

We're working with Gabriel on how to smile for the camera.  We have obviously failed as parents.

Arabic inscriptions, geometric patterns, and painted tiles cover the walls and ceilings.

The majority of the palace buildings are quadrangular, with all the rooms opening on to a central court.

There were strategically placed chairs in most rooms for worn out mothers to tackle their children and force moments of stillness.

We have seen many beautiful attractions throughout Morocco, but there was one thing that caught my eye in Spain; the beautiful views outside of the ancient attractions.  The cities themselves have held tight to their old charm while staying modern and clean.  There was beauty everywhere.

Cordoba, Spain

Cordoba has a lot of history, being the former capitol during the Roman Republic, Roman Empire, and Islamic Caliphate.  The Great Mosque of Córdoba and current cathedral, alongside the Roman bridge, are the best known sights of the city.  You can see them both in the second picture below, which was taken from our hotel window.  The cathedral-mosque was first a church that was converted into a mosque and later converted into a cathedral.  It is seen as a masterpiece of aritectucral art, as it was particularly interesting to view the combination of ornate architectures and religions.

The original beams were kept and hung from the ceiling to display the ornate engravings.

The double arches were new to architecture at the time and helped support the high ceilings.

Islamic Architecture

Gothic Architecture

Outside of the mosque-cathedral was a charming, old Spanish city with narrow streets, small gardens and potted plants, and adorable boutiques.

Sevilla, Spain
Sevilla is the capital of Andalusia.  There were so many amazing things to see that we decided to add a second day trip to our itinerary.  The first day, we visited the two World Heritage Sights which sat side by side.  Both sights, the Alcázar and the Cathedral, including its bell tower built up from the minaret of the original grand mosque, represented the Islamic influence on the city from the 8-13th centuries.  During our second trip, we visited two amazing museums: The Flamenco Art Museum and The Bullfight Museum.  Unfortunately, neither of these actual events fit into our family schedule.  However, the museums were a close second, and I would highly recommend them to any travelers. (Sadly, pictures from the second day are nowhere to be found.)

This former Moorish Palace, the Alcazar, was constructed for over 500 years.

These odd street entertainers had everyone doing double takes.

 

Arabic                                               Spanish

The tiles on the first floor reflected the Islamic architecture, while the second floor addition reflected the Spanish architecture.  Spanish style has been our favorite for sometime now.  However, we are both slightly partial to the geometric patterns in the Arabic tiles.  I'm sure that living abroad can change many things about a person, including their sense of style. :)

We unexpectedly got caught pushing the stroller up 34 steep flights before making it to the top of this bell tower. By we, I mean Jamil 30, DeDe 4...maybe even more like 32-2.  Regardless, it was a hike!  The tower interior was made of ramps, rather than stairs, to allow the Muezzin to ride horseback to the top.  Gabriel has not stopped talking about bell towers ever since.  Just when I'd think I needed to check his hearing after repeating myself 10+ times, he'd hear a bell from miles away and stop in his tracks to find the tower.  Come to think of it, we haven't heard any bells since we've been back home.  I suppose the call to prayer from the minarets is our version of the bell tower.

                                               Arabic                                                   Spanish

Bull fighting originated in Andalusia.  In the first picture, you can see the famous bull rink 

from the top of the bell tower.  We visited this sight in hopes to see a bull fight, but the schedule did not align with our travel plans.  However, we did get a tour through the rink and museum.  Did you know that they actually kill the bull...slowly!  Silly me just thought that the matador waved his cape around while the bull chased him.  After being educated about the history and culture behind bullfighting, the animal rights side of me was somewhat set at ease.  We look forward to attending an event in the future, and Gabriel has a new favorite book, Ferdinand The Bull, by Munro Leaf, about a bull who would rather smell flowers than fight. :)

There was a serene park in the middle of the city.  We took a small detour to allow the children to run and play on the modern and safe playground.  It's amazing how we were unaware that our categorizations of all things nice had slightly shifted in just 4 months.  You truly learn what you live, even as an adult.

Staring into what seems to be the oh so far away future...

Laughing over a yummy lunch of tortillas, macaroni, and an empty glass of sangria!

We took a detour just to drive over this bridge.  It reminded us of the Cooper River Bridge in Charleston, and we were a bit nostalgic.

Too Cute!

Rota, Spain

After making our way through the tourist attractions, we headed west towards the Atlantic coast where we relaxed in Rota.  We spent 5 days at a resort where our days consisted of going to the playground in the morning, having breakfast on the beach, lunch by the pool and repeating it all over again after our afternoon nap.  Jamil and I were even able to take advantage of free child care for an hour while we rode bikes through this precious town.  Did you know that they make motorized bicycles?  Well, watch out!  These things have a mind of their own.  I may or may not have crashed 3 times.  
Why so long in Rota?  There is a Navy base there, which is where Jamil spent three days completing his French exam.  We found ourselves thinking about how an AF officer could end up stationed in Rota...

An hour of adult time... what a luxury!

On the last day, we decided to raid the rooftop pool and bar where all the hip, childless travelers hung out.  Yes, Gabriel is jumping on the lounge chair with a lollypop in his mouth... Muchas Gracias, Olmsted, for such an amazing and unforgettable summer! 

Ciao Spain!  Adios Amigos!