Update from Sharm El Sheikh

Jen, Roudy, Michael, and I have been in Sharm El Sheikh for the last 24 hours. We saw the sites of the two bombings which were awful to see, but the most devastating thing is seeing how empty the place is. Its the height of the season here and although some strong-hearted tourists like us linger on, the place is very very empty.

I feel very safe though...very very safe. And I still think this is the most beautiful place I have ever been. Today we spent the day snorkeling and touring the bay by boat...I am in love with Sharm...and more upset than ever with the idiots that would destroy a place as beautiful as this.

Contacting Me

While I am here in Egypt I have an Egyptian number I will be using so anyone who needs to contact me can call me there:

It is +20 10 3787238

Ana Fee Msr!! I'm in Egypt!!

Arrived late last night...Roudy, Jen, and Hassan picked us up at the airport and I remembered just how much I love my friends here and why I wanted so badly to come back here one more time.

Today we are wandering around Cairo...went to the Citadel and now at Tahrir Square. Funny thing is that for all the time I have spent here, this is the first time I have been a tourist.

We have decided to go ahead with our trip to the Sinai Peninsula despite the Sharm bombings. Statistics show that you are LESS likely to be attacked somewhere that an attack just happened. Anyways, we will stay the evenings in Na'ama Bay (part of Sharm) at the Marriot but will be spending the days travelling around the region and not in Sharm so I feel pretty safe. Anways, I didn't move out of New York after September 11th did I? These IDIOTS are not going to get the best of our vacation.

Safe in Morocco and Sick of the Stupidity

Just arrived in Marrakesh, via Casa and Rabat. My time in Morocco has been AMAZING so far. Mouna and Naguib's wedding was SPECTACULAR and I had a BLAST partying last night at La Bodega with Achraf. In a few days, once I am in Egypt I will post the photos and crazy stories from my time here, but this post is about something more serious.

I woke up yesterday to a phone call letting me know about the attacks in Sharm. I have a room booked in the Sharm el Sheikh Marriot from the 27th-28th...2 days from now. My plan was to travel there with Roudy, Jen and my brother. Now I am not so sure :( I am seriously so sick of the stupid people in the world.

Being here in Morocco while the attacks happened has given me a whole new understanding of the "INDIRECT" effects that these attacks have. You would be amazed at how many tourists are freaking out, even here in Morocco, and getting out of the region. This has such HUGE impacts on the thousands of people here who are dependent on tourism to feed their children.

When I talked about the attacks yesterday with Moroccans they seemed more impacted and upset by them than anyone I know. Then I realized, that in some ways the biggest victims of these attacks are the 99.9% of Arabs who don't condone these attacks. Because of these attacks, the tourists flee their countries, taking people's hopes of financial sustenance with them. Because of these attacks, the western media develops stereotypes that follow good-hearted people who cry when they see these attacks everywhere they go. Its so sad that the people who the terrorists hurt the most are their own Arab brothers and sisters. Inshallah, someone will wake up one day and realize this and stop the stupidity.

I'm leaving on ANOTHER jet plane!! Morocco and Egypt watch out!!

I just got home from the airport an hour ago...its 3:00 AM here. Flew out at 6:00 AM. Was in Michigan for the day with a client and my flight home got messed up due to weather. That is the part of the story that sucks.

The good news is that in 12 hours I will be at the airport AGAIN on my way to MOROCCO!!!

My brother, Michael, and I are travelling to Morocco tomorrow to attend Mouna's wedding and then heading to Egypt for 10 days of craziness. This is Michael's first real international travel so it is going to be a blast.

We will be in Morocco from the 20th-25th of July and in Egypt from the 26th July-4th August. For all you nomads in Msr wa Magreb I can't wait to see you and practice my EVER improving Arabic with you!!!!

Meet Ana Paola

Ana Paola- The World's Cutest Child
Originally uploaded by suzannemo.

Meet Ana Paola- Future PAI, my new Spanish teacher, queen of her kindergarden, and daughter of one of the most amazing women I know. When you meet her you wonder how she could possibly have so much SPUNK and WIT at only 22 months...but all of us who know her mom understand :) Bea, you are doing an amazing job at this "mother" thing!!!!

Craziness in El Salvador

El Salvador- El pais mas buento del mundo
Originally uploaded by suzannemo.

Yes, I did temporarily go missing from the Blogosphere... but I have a good excuse and a lot of crazy stories..... I just got back from EL SALVADOR!!!!

I FINALLY hopped on a plane last week and headed down south to visit Bea!! It just happened that Nicole was "wandering" around Central America so we ended up having a little estrogen-loaded MCP reunion in San Salvador!!

So, here are my favorite memories of El Salvador:
• Laying in the hammock at Bea's beach house listening the Pacific Ocean beating on the black-sand beaches.
• Eating the BEST seafood I have ever had at a litte restaurant in El Salvador
• Seeing Bea's brother and Tiziano Ferro live in concert...and the 3 of crazy girls dancing along with the dancers on stage
• Driving to this BEAUTIFUL little town in the North of El Salvador and drinking coffee on the top of a GIANT volcanoe
• Having COMPLETE culture shock due to the Wendy's, 4 lane expressways, giant shopping malls, American license plates, Office Depots, 9 West Stores, and use of the US dollar :)
• FINALLY getting to meet Ana Paola- who is, by the way, the most beautiful and intelligent child in the world and I am sorry if you have kids but there is no way they can beat her out of this category.
• Eating REAL Mexican food cooked by a REAL Mexican
• Sitting in a little cafe, listening to Jazz played by a HOTTIE El Salvadorian guitar player, and sorting all the men that Bea, Nicole, and I have ever met into three categories. Sorry guys, but the categories must remain anonymous.

You can find all my pictures from El Salvador online HERE.