Yesterday was Valentine's Day and we didn't make reservations anywhere so when we showed up at this sushi bar the manager told us we had 45 minutes before the crowd came who had reserved and we could eat quick and leave if we wanted. North Africans are like the French and the eating is just small part of the evening ordeal they call dinner. Usually lasting for hours, we knew we could eat and be out of there in no time. So we were grabbing sushi plates off the conveyor belt that came by and downing them like peanuts at a baseball game. We ordered one dish off the menu which was this really good fried meat with melted cheese. Sounds strange but ordering here is always a gamble in a second or third language. We chowed down, payed the bill and headed out in 40 minutes, unheard of in these parts!
We returned this weekend to the blue mountain city that we spent our anniversary in two months ago. Only this time it wasn't so romantic as we were accompanied by 21 national students crammed into a van (not bus) totaling 26 people. They didn't fail to bring their drums and to serenade us with lovely beats and singing the whole trip.
Look familiar? We were at this very spot only a few blog posts back.
This adorable old man came and played and sang for us as we ate dinner at 11:00 at night.
Also in town, was a really ghetto miniature carnival, complete with rickety rides and everything.
I rode the "ferris wheel" with my friends and this adorable little boy while I was holding on for dear life. I wouldn't exactly call this a ferris wheel where you get to see the views and have romantic conversations. This thing was hauling boo-tay and everyone was rocking the carts and standing up. I was SO sick and I thought I was gonna lose my lunch and finally I motioned to the operator to let us off and he gladly obliged.
PLEAAASE make it stop!
Here Cody is attempting to play soccer with the boys. He wasn't actually in the game very long because he biffed it pretty hard early on and cut up his knee and side. Asphalt isn't easy to play soccer on. He was secretly grateful that he had fallen because it gave him the perfect excuse to sit out of the rest of the game. An honorable discharge, if you will.
These are the dorm rooms we stayed in at the ministry of sports complex. Cody thinks he's too cool for school, but I have news for you, "You Aren't" (Zoolander fans out there, hello...?)
We are returning to the Land of Enchantment next week. Oh, those beautiful mountains and sunsets and Mexican food and shopping without bargaining...in English! We are only home for one week and are doing a conference so things will be tight but we are super excited. We haven't been to America in a year in 4 months! Here is our schedule in North African time:
