The Rhythm is gonna get you!!!

There is so much to say about this trip, I'm going to try to keep it in some sort of order. I'll also ask you to forgive me if I don't.

We (the group of us) boarded the plane on Tuesday headed to Rabat Morocco which is the northern most tip of Morocco. Why there? They were (and I just tagged along) invited to participate at the International Music Festival of Rabat “MAWAZINE, World Rhythms”. This was a free (do you hear that America - FREE) concert that had some amazing performers. Over the 9 nights, Modern Arab musicians took part in the show, including Lebanese nationals Nancy Ajram and Diana Haddad, Egyptian Amr Diabe, and Tunisian Saber Rubai among others. [Please click the link above for "Mawazine, World Rhythms" to see the official program and all who attended]

This seventh edition of the festival that has the ambition of being a harmonious mixture of tradition and modernity has laid down a substantial and “heterogeneous” program where jazz and gypsy colors will be combined with a strong presence of salsa, Brazilian pop music, afro-beat, reggae, hip-hop and gnawa. There were also some amazing world artists over the 9 days: George Benson, Ziggy Marley, Gocco, Christina Bronco, Al deMeola, Dee Dee Bridgewater, and the show stopping Ms. Whitney Houston. More about that later.

So given 'life', it took me a bit to decide if I was going to make this trip. So much so, that the flight was Tues and I got my ticket 2 days before. Once I purchased it, I realized that there were some fears that I would quickly have to get over. You know the normal...'Can I afford this?' Will I be ok traveling to a country where my French is horrible and my Arabic non-existent beyond hello?" "What will I do while my friends are working and I'm left to fend for myself?" Well, in all honesty the last one didn't matter, because I'm a world traveler, and like Indiana Jones, I can both get myself in and out of trouble with ease. Besides, this is one of my dream trips. This is the county I have hanging on my wall as "Places I dream to visit one day". Well now that day is here!! I've done my on-line research. I've mapped my route. I know and respect the Islamic customs, and plan to be respectful in my dress. This is one of the places where all my tunics will come in handy. I have enough money because this seems to be the only place in the entire world where the dollar is 1:7. I'll be fine.

You know how I know I'll be fine...My parents (who I love dearly) didn't say "be careful". Instead they said "Have Fun". That's exactly what I did.

After an early AM job interview (yes I had an interview at 10am and had to be at the airport by 3pm) I rushed home, put on my traveling clothes and headed to the airport. There was a mix of excitement and nervousness as well. OH...let me take a step back. This is the first 'real' trip I've taken w/o my best sister-friend April. We usually go places together and have more fun than the law allows, and create more memories than most people have in 2 lifetimes. This time, she couldn't go. She had just spend 5 months sailing around the Caribbean, and had some personal work that the needed to attend to. Will I miss her - of course. She is my road-dog (my partner to have fun and as girls, we giggle a LOT when we're together, and also have those sacred moments where we share some of our deepest thoughts/feelings), but I'll bring her something nice. Maybe we can't go together now, but we will. :-) I'm sure April and I will have several different types of adventures in the very near future.

Because this trip is being sponsored by Royal Air Moroc, we have 'the good seats'. Business Class all the way!! Their Business class room at JFK was nice, the people were friendly and they were expecting us so that made things even easier. As the members of the group filtered we 'set up camp' on the upper level, and the round of Hello's and jokes began. I've traveled with this group before, and let me tell you. They are some of the nicest, sweetest, smartest, warm, caring and talented group of people on the planet. I love being with them, and love them more for allowing me to be a part of 'the group'. Some had just flown in from LA or Chicago, others were more local, but everyone was doing the last min email check, and some of the girls were doing the last minute mani/pedicures. Hey, we are girls after all.

Once we did the last guitar and computer check (making sure not equipment is left behind) we all headed to the gate. As we began to board the flight, it was becoming really-real for me. I'm going to Morocco, I'm going to see Casablanca and Marrakesh. I'm going to the Kasbah. They are all within my reach. This is CRAZY!!! Everything thing that had weighted me down, work, medical issues, and even my upcoming surgery 2 days after we return...vanished. Nothing mattered more than living this dream and being with these people.

We begin food service (which I should have taken a picture of - sorry), which was beautifully presented. I had the lamb and coucussus, wine (yes there is wine and beer in Morocco-mostly for the tourists I think. It's really not bad!!) dessert, and then began to settle myself for the 6 hrs flight. It's shorter in time than going to London, but still it's been a crazy exciting day, and tomorrow, I'll be on the mother continent. I want to remember every color, every texture, every shape and smell. I've always wanted to go to Morocco, and now it's almost here. The moon is so close I can touch it. It is welcoming us. It is singing to me. It is purely magical, and I'm ready to be on this carpet ride.

Good Night!!