Archives for May 2015

May 31, 2015

24 Hours in Singapore

Two years later.

I’ve had these photos sitting on my computer for… almost two years now. I remember thinking this time last year, “Oh, I better get those photos up before a whole year has passed from that trip.” Obviously, that didn’t happen! Now I’m thinking, “Oh, I better get those photos up before TWO whole years have passed from that trip!” Well, I think I missed that goal by a couple of days… but today is finally the day!

A few years ago, I flew back to Abu Dhabi from Australia for a friend’s wedding. It was a pretty big investment so I decided to squeeze another stop on the trip. I scheduled a 24 hour layover in Singapore. I asked a blog friend and former expat in Singapore for her recommendations. She gave me quite the list and I did my best to tick off as much as possible.

Now that it’s been so long, I can’t remember all the details. However, I do remember enjoying my time, drinking frozen drinks, and marveling at the mashed potato machine at 7Eleven. Although I’m sure Singapore would be great for a longer stay, it was the perfect little 24 layover for me.

Here comes a ton of photos:

I love the contrast you can see in the photo on the left.

I was kind of a sucker for that onion dome.

The National Museum, one of the best museums I’ve ever visited. You can choose to view the musuem along the social path or the political path. It’s a great way to engage every visitor.

A few hours later I was back on a plane and headed to Abu Dhabi.

xo, jill

posted by Jill 3 Comments
Filed Under: Singapore

May 16, 2015

Moroccan Reading List

What to read on your Moroccan holiday.

As I’ve mentioned before, I love reading books set in the country I am visiting. While living in Morocco, I did my best to get my hands on as many Moroccan related books as possible. It was surprisingly easy! My school’s library was fairly well stocked and I was able to access a few more titles using my e-reader. Reading about Morocco definitely added to the vibrancy of the place. Just looking at the cover images of these books makes me want to head back there for a little more exploration.

Morocco of Old

1. The Spider’s House by Paul Bowles – Set during the Nationalist uprising in Fez during the last days of the French Protectorate. The story is told through the eyes of both an American expat and an illiterate Moroccan boy. Especially interesting to read as an American expat myself living in the French quarter of Marrakech.

2. The Sheltering Sky by Paul Bowles – Full disclosure: I actually read this book years ago. I loved it until I got to a particularly disturbing part and it kind of went downhill from there. However, it’s such a classic that I would still recommend it. It Three American travelers seek the exotic in Northern Africa, but aren’t quite sure what to do when they find it.

3. A Life Full of Holes by Driss Ben Hamed Charade (Larbi Layachi) – This book was actually dictated to the tape recorder of Paul Bowels by the storyteller. The story is not quite autobiographical but closely resembles the life of Larbi. After being kicked out of his home at an early age, the subject goes on to seek survival through any means necessary. There’s sex, drugs, love, and a whole lot of injustice.

4. Dreams of Trespass: Tales of a Harem Girlhood by Fatima Mernissi – Whatever image you have of a harem in your head, replace it with the imagery of this book. Mernissi grew up in a harem in Fez in the 1940s and shares her memories of childhood and the women around her in this beautiful book.

5. The Sand Child by Tahar Ben Jelleum – I found this book to be confusing at times but very powerful. Faced with the realization that he will never have a son to pass his property to, a father of eight daughters decides to raise his youngest as a boy.

6. For Bread Alone by Mohamed Choukri – This title came highly recommended by my Moroccan teaching assistant. It tells the story of Choukri’s difficult early life living on the streets after having fled from the Rif due to drought and food shortages.

More Modern Titles

7. In Arabian Nights by Tahir Shah – This book should really be read after The Caliph’s House, but I didn’t have access to that title at the time. In The Caliph’s House, Shah tells the story of moving to Morocco and settling into his new home. In Arabian Nights continues the story but through the angle of traditional Arabian storytelling.

8. Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits by Laila Lalami – Strangers meet on a raft bound for Spain. This short collection of stories tells the backstory of how and why each person made the dangerous decision to flee Morocco and pursue hope.

9. Secret Son by Laila Lalami – A novel about the consequences of poverty and resentment. At age 19, Youssef discovers that the father he always believed was dead is actually alive, well, and very wealthy. Youssef forms a relationship with his father, only for it to crumble. It is clear that Youssef’s life will never be the same.

10. Stolen Lives: Twenty Years in a Desert Jail by Malika Oufkir – Previously banned in Morroco, Stolen Lives tells the plight of the Oufkir family who was imprisoned after their father’s failed coup attempt.

11. Hideous Kinky by Esther Freud – This is a good one. A mother moves to Marrakech in the 1970s with her two young daughters. Her pursuit of adventure and spiritualism draws the family into poverty and at times conflict. The story is based on the author’s own experience having lived in Morocco as a child. We watched the movie adaptation on the roof of our apartment building one warm night. It was gorgeous.

12. Lulu in Marrakech by Diane Johnson – This book is terrible. It rubbed me the wrong way more than once but since it’s set in Marrakech, here you go. Lulu is the stupidest undercover agent ever and I honestly kept rooting for her to fail. Let’s leave it at that.

I would love to hear if anyone has any other recommendations for Moroccan related books.

xo, jill

posted by Jill 1 Comment
Filed Under: Morocco

May 13, 2015

Welcome to Mr. Toilet House

In celebration of sh*t.

Last week, we had a day off from work in honor of Childrens Day. I must say, the children here really deserve the holiday. All of my students put in a full day at school and then attend a few extra classes at varying academies in the evening. It’s also not uncommon for these kids to attend Saturday classes as well.

Mike and I decided to spend the day exploring our city. We headed to a very unusual tourist attraction… the Suwon Toilet Museum. Yep, the city we live in is famous for toilets.

Special festivities for Childrens Day.

It all goes back to a former mayor, Sim Jae-Duck, whose personal mission was to upgrade the state of public bathrooms. A silly sounding, but very worthy goal. When Mike asked one of our co-workers what she thought about the toilet obsessed mayor, she began with a serious face that slowly turned to a grin, “He did a very good job. If we need to use the bathroom, we know that it will always be nice!” Really, that’s a luxury not found in most cities.

Mr. Toilet House / Future parenting blackmail.

The Toilet Museum aka Mr. Toilet House is dedicated to all things toilet related. When I say “all things,” I really do mean all things. Inside, the museum showcases the history of pubic toilets in Korea as well as worldwide efforts to bring toilets into the forefront of international conversation. On top of that, there are also the winning entries in a poo-related coloring contest and my personal favorite, bathroom pictograms from around the world. Oh, and did I mention that the building itself is in the shape of a toilet?

Korea’s first flush toilet, used by noble women (57 BC-935) / Common toilet in rural areas.

Outside, the garden is festooned with an exhibit that could accurately be called, “Toilets Through the Ages.” All different kinds of toileting receptacles are featured with short explanations. Just another time in my life that I’m happy to have been born in the late 20th century.

Female toilet from the Baekje Kingdom (18 BC – 660)

Chamber pots

Toilet in Ancient Rome / Toilet in Medieval Europe / Modern Day Urinal

Even the plant markers are poo themed. You have to appreciate their commitment.

I have to say, it was a fun yet strange afternoon. It was so puzzling to see parents posing their children to look as if they were using the toilet… and then snapping photo after photo. I laughed a lot.

Traditional toilet on Jeju Island and a family enjoying a photo op.

Finally, a little palette cleanser.

xo, jill

*Interestingly, Sim Jae-Duck is not the only “Mr. Toilet.” There’s a man from Singapore with the same nickname who even has his very own short documentary.

posted by Jill 1 Comment
Filed Under: Korea

May 9, 2015

Spring at Hwaseong Fortress

Suwon’s crown jewel.

Spring in Korea has been absolutely gorgeous. Every morning on my way to work I’ve been marveling at flower after flower. It started with the delicate cherry blossoms and magnolias. Then, it was on to the vibrant azaleas. Coming up next is daisies. I saw quite a few waiting to bloom during my run today. Unfortunately, I’ve been warned that spring is nearly over and the summer heat is on the way. All good things must end, I guess!

A few weeks ago, Mike and I headed over to Hwaseong Fortress on a pleasant spring afternoon. I wanted to visit Suwon’s crown jewel tourist attraction while the cherry blossoms were still sticking around. The fortress was built between 1794 – 1796 and is now a UNESCO World Heritage site.

We started our exploration near Paldalmun Gate and headed up the steep fortress wall. Our intent was to buy tickets for the dragon train. Of course, being such a popular attraction, tickets were sold out until later in the afternoon. We were kind of expecting that so it wasn’t too much of a disappointment. We decided to just explore as much as possible before our departure time.

There are about a million things to do and see at the fortress. You can walk/hike the walls, enjoy views over the city, ring the Bell of Filial Piety, try your hand at archery, visit the palace, or take in a cultural performance. I’m probably leaving something out.

We enjoyed the views, walked along the walls, rang the bell, watched a beautiful traditional dance, and then finally hopped on the dragon train. The dragon train takes you around the exterior of the fortress and offers some hard to hear commentary in Korean and English. It was cheap (just a few dollars each) and worth the wait.