5th April 2006
2nd Day of my stay in Marrakech…
Breakfast was served in the morning at 7am..i woke up and get myself ready for a new start in Morocco..haha..so I met Mr Guna at the restaurant Le Brassiere…we had breakfast at 7am...we proceeded to the Danes Room for general session for an hour..The room was well decorated and full of the Moroccan flavour..the lamps were special with the beautiful backdrop and a warm welcome from the Turbomeca people..Turbomeca is a French company that actually designs and manufactures aero engines mainly for helicopters..they command 50% of the heli-engine market in the world and they were expanding rapidly!!
After the general session, we proceeded for our workshops at the other side of the hotel..the beautiful tentage was set up with 6 tents in each side…it was beautiful again..haha they are really creative people and went to great extent to make the symposium an unforgettable one..itz really cold when the wind blows…but at the same time, the sun is high up and really hot…so itz hot and cold at the same time…but still the weather is better than Singapore…I attended 3 workshops with Kiat Chao and Seah…we had a lot of interaction with the people and u can really see how much the operators can benefit from it..i am glad that I have a chance to attend the symposium all becoz of Kiat Chao…he is really a nice colleague…
After the workshops, we went back to our hotel for a quick change of clothes for something more fun and exciting…we went to their market place called Souk…itz really crowded and BIG!!! So we were put into teams…my team consists of RSAF personnel, 2 operators from Hongkong and Mr Brouquet (Turbomeca Asia Pacific) and Mr Andre Genvier (Head of Makila Support)…We went to the market place by bus and at the entrance, we were greeted by people in the Big Square with charmed snakes and monkeys …Seah was approached by a man with monkey and he was ‘forced’ to pose a picure with 2 of the monkeys…upon leaving, the guy actually asked him for money…wa liaoz…the people there were atrocious…super money minded!! We were supposed to play a game…to actually get to know Marrakech better..we got to look for the shops selling the item that we need to find and pose for a picture to win some prize…haha
Mr Andre led the team…U need people who know how to speak French and ur bargaining skills come into play!! Cut them at least by half!!!Our first mission is to find a shop that sells Khol and rouge (lipstick) and a team member has to put them on…Khol is something like our eyeliner where Moroccan ladies put them around the eyes..their lipstick is not like ours…it looks like a red clay and upon contact with water, u can put it on ur lips and it works like a lipstick…Andre of coz got mi as the model…haha I was quite resistive to it..wondering if the Khol can be easily removed…but anyway, I put it on my eyebrows …for the lipstick, the boss of the shop wanted to use his saliva to wet the clay and put it on my lips!! Yucks!! I say “nvm, let mi do it myself’ and they laughed..
2nd mission: We need to look for the sundry shop with the particular signboard In our treasure hunt map…we found it and I got to pose for the picture with Mr Guna…haha then we went to look for a bookshop…oh along the roads, u juz hear people greeting mi ‘Konichiwa’…and asked u if u are Japanese…oh my god…haha then sometimes, the shop people will juz kip stopping u from moving on and say ‘good price, best buy’ and stuff..Nv show that u are interested in their products by asking prices or staring at it..u are in deep shit by doing so…Their hard sell is so powerful that u cant resist unless u really dun wan the item…haha then we went to look for a mosque and had to pose in front of it..the instructions was to have a team member to sit on the shoulder of another member to pose for the picture..Wa kaoz…mi again…Andre is damn strong…he put mi on his shoulder and he stood up straight like nobody business…haha but it was scary for mi…coz he is so damn tall!!! I am scared of heights!! Haha..then we went to look at the traditional way of their cloth dye method…itz really quite backward in the country…Kiat chao posed for a picture with the turban on his head…I got the picture!! Haha
We proceeded lastly to get a henna mark…itz meant for good luck …and of coz itz mi again…they charged 300 DH for it…and they will say ‘ any price u like it..as u like’ itz not true ok!! Coz Mr brouquet asked her for 50 DH and ended up giving her 20 Euro and itz 200DH in their context..i have a picture of that henna…itz juz like our Muslims in Singapore will do it on their hands when there is a big occasion going on..Then we went to have tea at a nearby coffee house..by the time, it was around 6plus in the evening..we proceeded to the hotel and the next event of the nite was going to the desert for our dinner…haha exciting right!we changed into something warm and I put on a coat my Aunt lend mi…it was not good enuff to resist the wind but better than nothing..we had to put on a costume which is their local dress..the guys were in blue and ladies in white…it was quite a nice piece of costume I tink…haha then we went on bus…all of look like Harry Potters going to Hogwarts except we dun have a wand and a broom! Haha
We had a welcome performance by the locals and it was really nice, special and unforgettable..we went into a big tentage and it was designed in the most tribal Moroccan flavour…our first dish was a ‘Minstrone’ soup..it taste a bit more starchy than the normal ones..the next one was a roasted lamb… I didn’t eat much coz I cant stand lamb..then we had some bread before we had another dish..i have no idea what itz called but it doesn’t taste very good too..not to my flavour I tink…I will die if I stay another 3 days there coz of hunger! Haha ..there was some tribal performance..i understand from Kiat Chao that the people were dressed as Moroccan Warriors..in the Bible, they were warriors who protected the Morocco land long time ago…Then we went back to our hotel..everybody feeling tired!!!
6th April 2006
The 3rd day of my stay in Morocco… Again, we have breakfast at 7am…we went for our general session..this time we have 4 different operators to speak with us what they have achieve for the past one day and wat they have to share with the other operators about their experiences..One of the very interesting operator talk was this English man from UK..He used the helicopters for Emergency medical rescues and also in the police force..he came from Metropolitan Police Force…he showed us clips of how the helicopters can help to track traffic offenders..it was damn funny coz there was a guy who crashed a few cars and after which he did, he tried to hide in a building but his whole actions was caught by the camera in the helicopters..haha
Then we proceeded for another 3 workshops and everything ended around in the afternoon where we had lunch and a lot of operators and personnel left swiftly after that…
Our flight was scheduled on the 7th …Mr Guna just didn’t feel good about mi taking a train back to Casablanca and take a flight from there back to Singapore…he was very concerned about my safety and it was not really safe on the streets and I am alone…so he persuaded mi that I should get an airticket.. Claiming wise should come later…most importantly, I should ensure my own safety…so we went to the city area of Marrakech, Gleiz to Royal Air Maroc to get an airticket…I though it was nt very safe for mi to travel by train again…so I heeded his advice.. the airticket cost around 1372 DH which is around S$250…so I got my ticket and arranged to be in the morning so that I will leave for the airport with RSAF…then we walked around the shopping mall…I saw very cute pepper/salt container and bought 4 of them..i tried to argue for cheaper price but that man wouldn’t budge..from 150DH …I slashed down to 60 DH for each one…that man was a cheater…he said 50 DH at first , but after he wrapped up, then he say 60DH…idiot..somemore he say he gonna close shop soon tatz y itz cheaper…wa kaoz…he closed at 8pm loh…(I found it out later..) then Mr Guna bought 2 of it, 3 keychains for 25 DH..110 DH for 6 pretty glasses…haha he promised his wife to get some of it…
We walked around the city streets and Mr Guna was bent on going back to Souk…Kiat Chao, Seah and mi wasn’t quite enthusiastic about it…coz itz very crowded and u get lost easily…worst is u dun speak French…anyway, we still walked all the way there …took around an hour plus…I took some pictures of the streets and saw Macdonalds ! Mac is simply fantastic to have outlets everywhere in the world!! They grow many roses on the streets…Red, yellow, orange, pink…so pretty…Kiat Chao told mi that Marrakech is also known as the Red City as all the buildings are in different shades of brick colour…and the place we stayed was actually the old city…the old city was surrounded by a long continous brick wall to protect the citizens and it was opened up for national development..
We walked around the brick wall and came to the botanic garden..rather beautiful…and we rested there before we moved on to Souk..At Souk, we went in and I bought a red lamp for Ginny..2 plates( handicraft) which is 1 for Sze hao and the other for jiawei…I didn’t buy too much anyway…didn’t change enuff money for it…haha
We went to a crowded street outside the Souk and went to a restaurant for dinner…it was a treat by Mr Guna..So nice of him…I had a spaghetti but it was not very nice…too bland…then we walked back to our hotel…it was at least 3 km long I swear!! So tiring!!
We wanted to go to pub but we were too tired to move so we rested early for our flight the next day…
7th April 2006
My last day in morocco…we met up in the morning and I was shocked to realize that Mr Guna had made hotel calls of 158 euro!!!! He juz talked for 20mins….oh my god…tatz daylight robbery siah!!We checked out of the hotel and proceeded to the Marrakech airport…
I took my first flight and in the airport, we had breakfast…Kiat chao and the rest were going by British airway to London and transit from there to go to Singapore…I got 3 flights…Marrakech to Casablanca(30mins), Casablanca to Paris(4 hours) and Paris to Singapore (12 hours)!! So long!!
At Casblanca airport, I bought a lot of local products back for my colleagues and family…then I bought 2 perfumes, Estee Lauder for Mummy and DKNY (mi and my aunt) …haha then upon reaching Charles De Gaulle Airport…Everything didn’t seem right …after I left the aircraft, 2 policemen looked at my passport and checked mi…I was retained at least 20mins juz becoz my 2 photos in my passport doesn’t look like the present mi! I was so pissed off…they are kind of brainless anyway..Some French are just prejudiced against Asian..i was the only Asian on that flight…irritating….then I reached the second checkpoint and I was checked again!! Haiz…nvm, I proceeded to look for departure lounge but I cannot find it…asked 2 airport staff and they gave mi unclear directions…luckily my transit was at least 3 hours..if not, I would have missed the flight..At CDG, I bought some chocolates back….bought After 8…haiz..Singapore sells them but I dunno watz the price…anyway, upon the flight, I got a window seat and I tried to change but the flight was FULL…so cannot changed…in the end, I changed with a French man and his family…ended up sitting in the centre of the centre row…I was actually sitting with his kids..so I changed my seat with the wife…it was very squeezy for the seats in Air France…damn tight…u feel very uncomfortable…then after I put my things in the cabin…an American lady juz squashed my stuff with her bag..i was so damn bloody pissed off that I took her bag and put on the other side…Luckily with the help of the French man…but the flight at CDG was delayed due to the strike…we wasted an hour in the aircraft and then finally it take off..the strike did affect mi in the end!! Haha haiz…
Finally, I came back to Singapore!! At the arrival duty free shop, I bought a desert wine and a bottle of icewine..haha yeah I can drink that with June, Ginny and kailing…haha
I got home..feeling tired and started upacking my stuff…after that I went out with Ginny and we chatted since we haven’t met for a long time…and one thing about our conversation was about change…she tried to change her bf from the day she knew him…and maybe tatz where a lot of problems came about in the relationship…I told her that both belong to different worlds. Just like he is a fish and Ginny is a human…Ginny sees how beautiful humans live their life and wanted her bf (fish) to see what she sees and wat she enjoys…she tried to change him bit by bit…giving him some expectations here and there…itz as good as taking the fish and try to make him survive in the human world, the land..by taking it out of water for 5 mins and subsequently increasing the time that u wan the fish to be on land, u hope that one day , it can learn to breathe on land, grow 4 legs and eat like a human…is tat really possible?? Is tat what we want for the person we love?? becoz u cant accept him the way he is, that is why u try to change..he is unhappy of the change and when he cant change to the way u wan him to be, u juz get disappointed and angry..we finally realized what went wrong….i told ginny to really think about what she wans..if she really cant accept wat her bf is, the best way is to give up..no point to hold on to someone u wan him to change for u juz becoz what u perceive the change as is good for him…if he changed, he is no longer the person u used to know him as…I hope she can have the ans herself…as a fren, I can only support and gif her my blessing for whatever decision she makes… jia you ginny!!
thinkin' of you at ... 12:57 AM
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