Amsterdam, Holland 22.04.11--24.04.11

--NO PICTURES--

Brugge, Belgium 19.04.11

• Belgium's fairy tale town:

Brussels, Belgium 18.04.11--20.04.11

When in Belgium, eat waffles, chocolate, fries (with mayo), and drink the world's best beer--hands down.  Also, only in Belgium is a naked baby urinating one of the largest tourist attractions.  Lastly, allow Nigel Farage to explain the state of Belgian politics.

• Architecture:

• Belgium's national icon (no joke):

Belgian Baby Elvis

• More architecture.  Why do they like naked babies so much?

• Delirium Cafe, pictured below, is famous for its variety of 2,000+ beers in stock.

• Europe's capital.  Pictured below is the EU Parliament.

Segovia, España 23.04.11

•  Segovia's famous aqueduct.  It used to bring water to the city's residential area from the hills you will see in the distance in the next picture.

Ávila, España 22.04.11

• The Great Wall of Ávila:

Road Trippin, Morocco 18.03.2011

•  Women extracting oil from argan, a crop native to southern Morocco that is a major source of fuel, timber, and oil for Berber people (the indigenous people of Northern Africa):

•  One of the craziest things about this place is that you feel like you're in the desert then you look up and see snow-capped mountains in the distance:

Essaouira, Morocco 18.03.2011

•  Essaouira is a hippy town on the beach.  Apparently, Jimi Hendrix used to come here for "inspiration."  A view from above:

• And a view from within:

• The foundation of Essaouira's economy is it's harbor:

•  The boys chillin at the harbor:

Marrakech, Morocco 17.03.2011--20.03.2011

I find it ironic that the best weekend of my time overseas was in a Muslim country with no alcohol.  For an American in Spain, Morocco was unreal--It's no longer Western culture.  Stoplights occasionally seem optional and there's really no order to the way automobiles, horse-drawn carriages, bikers, and pedestrians function in the streets.  There is also no such thing as a fixed price for street vendors.  Bartering is the norm, which is nice if you have a way with words, but God forbid you make eye contact with a vendor and don't intend on buying anything because you won't have an easy time walking away.  And the Moroccan sun is a different animal.  I thought after one day in Djemaa el Fna, Marrakech's main square and market place, I had skin cancer.  The natives, though, have an unbelievable ability to withstand the heat--Pants and jackets are customary in 70°F weather.  I could have gone nuts with my camera, but I guess the locals don't like pictures being taken of them.  I'm not exactly sure why, but from what I could gather, they feel that tourists taking photos exploit them and their culture.

• It's illegal to take pictures of Moroccan police officers:

• From Djemaa el Fna:

•  I rode this bad boy:

• Raspberries:

• Bahia Palace (a near-replica of Alhambra in Granada):

• From the Majorelle Garden:

European PDA

Announcement: I will now begin releasing weekly editions of a new series entitled European PDA.  Lovin' is everywhere baby and I can't help but recognize what is so uniquely European.

• Chico & Rita: A nice, G-rated family experience.  Coming to theatres near you soon.

Sitges, Cataluña, España 06.03.2011

• Carnival is Europe's equivalent to Mardi Gras in the States, except it lasts for a week (and then culminates on Mardi Gras).  Most cities in Spain host their own Carnival festivities and Sitges' is recognized nationally as one of the best.

• Everything is acceptable at Carnival.