tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50474269975238662702024-02-21T22:49:32.932+00:00 dalal tahiraa blog sharing lifeDalal Tahirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06389662646607195795noreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5047426997523866270.post-51574985733498932742022-04-03T18:24:00.002+01:002022-04-03T20:02:21.302+01:00Madrid diary <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhWg2xVorGb0qrnef0no9Da_Xkqak-7gKKD8OFrRGlecEg6FnetlbmexZ5lBYB6a6Sks6zsmFE507TXkmZ5IgzIyFSe1kJ5fH8M47uKeFgHaxTOjsC9jKYVjG4Xpoe8O2joUDwHQvD51-dpdQK6uzxradDBn33G9Cvto4p6Gq6OIS_dNtcP-vK_A8TT0w=s3088" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="3088" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhWg2xVorGb0qrnef0no9Da_Xkqak-7gKKD8OFrRGlecEg6FnetlbmexZ5lBYB6a6Sks6zsmFE507TXkmZ5IgzIyFSe1kJ5fH8M47uKeFgHaxTOjsC9jKYVjG4Xpoe8O2joUDwHQvD51-dpdQK6uzxradDBn33G9Cvto4p6Gq6OIS_dNtcP-vK_A8TT0w=s16000" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>I wrote this in January. I'm only just posting it now - everything remains the same except from the fact that I am currently writing my dissertation and not my cheerful essay on sexual violence through history :) </p><p><br /></p><p>I feel a little silly coming onto here after over a year's hiatus but it's almost 1am, I'm currently in the midst of planning an essay on the ways sexual violence has changed over time and across different societies, which quite frankly isn't very fun, and I am still hanging onto the joy I felt during my week in Madrid at the start of the Christmas break. I begrudgingly left Madrid after my year of living there in the middle of August to return to the UK and start my final year of uni. I'd actually caught covid in my last few weeks of being there and by the time I was out of isolation the city had turned into a complete furnace (43 degrees on some days!) that I didn't really get to do much and see the city properly before going back to London. I did get to have a final summer whirlwind romance so I guess not all was lost haha. But I suppose I felt like I had some loose ends to tie up. I came back to London and of course was hit with a great wave of sadness at the loss of the wonderful life I was living in Madrid. I booked at ticket back to Madrid for a week for the Christmas break and despite an unexpected infection (not COVID!) which left me bedridden for a week and the emergence of Omicron I made it! It was incredibly strange yet comforting being back, walking through the streets that I would pass every day and going to all my old haunts whilst very conscious of that fact that at the end of the day I'd be returning to a foreign Airbnb and not to my room in Goya with my beloved flatmates, that this wasn't officially home anymore.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh4xxF7wx8Lesv5g_IO94MSnP9p2fAhkHBsX1Pt-IwFPRxCASAZhLrtQN84JomFjictJpTn4-_lAu4W1mTOgJOpb5vU1HV_5O3jxwLR-NapU_TPHgenX02LE30szujIduzyHecyvu5J6yuN-4Da8Zot93kxcNEMIw2F5Y8aY4Kw-sJJKIIaDUZgqmBRpw=s3088" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="3088" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh4xxF7wx8Lesv5g_IO94MSnP9p2fAhkHBsX1Pt-IwFPRxCASAZhLrtQN84JomFjictJpTn4-_lAu4W1mTOgJOpb5vU1HV_5O3jxwLR-NapU_TPHgenX02LE30szujIduzyHecyvu5J6yuN-4Da8Zot93kxcNEMIw2F5Y8aY4Kw-sJJKIIaDUZgqmBRpw=s16000" /></a></div><br /><p>Ambra joined me for a few days and it did feel quite full circle that I was <i>finally</i> able to show my best friend the city I had loved and raved about to her throughout all of last year when neither of us could travel to see each other, the city that was the backdrop of all the growth, all the awful date fails, all the new friends made. I really hope her few days in Madrid visiting the Prado, the Retiro, charity shopping in Malasana and Chueca, strolling in Salamanca and basking in the winter sun made her understand why I love the city so much! My sister also joined and again, it was so nice to be able to show her the place I called home for a year. I was worried neither of them would get the 'hype' I'd built around the city. There's a quote by Miguel Mihura where he says that at face value, Madrid isn't anything special, there are no big landmarks, no ancient ruins or sea, nothing super impressive, but it has people in its streets, unexpected corners variety, constant animation and its customs and that is what makes it so special.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi7U4GSfXCWgJD9bBWWY9fo2hE5jPx9C7_lvyR7p8Uw1K2pHRBBK9b812usNZkBlFEro0C5zShzQxbo32LoFWeO3-FUXyVJj4NfYbA33UZgCaQwS_ZjptwZNGVlVn1T5nAiYerKH1Q_fSQtZbPmGSfoIRHWrlnEJa-ktTNouQQilKQoeZKyon8H9qysdg=s3088" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi7U4GSfXCWgJD9bBWWY9fo2hE5jPx9C7_lvyR7p8Uw1K2pHRBBK9b812usNZkBlFEro0C5zShzQxbo32LoFWeO3-FUXyVJj4NfYbA33UZgCaQwS_ZjptwZNGVlVn1T5nAiYerKH1Q_fSQtZbPmGSfoIRHWrlnEJa-ktTNouQQilKQoeZKyon8H9qysdg=s16000" /></a></div><p>I stayed with an old friend on my first night in Madrid and she asked me what I'd missed the most about Madrid. I said I wasn't too sure, a plethora of things. But as the days went on, if I was asked again I'd say the light. The light in Madrid is glorious. It's warm and soft and hazy and it glides along the balconies, bathes the narrow streets and illuminates the pale creamy buildings of Banco de Espana and Cibeles. Then the light changes and the sky turns pale and mottled with light pinks and oranges as sunset approaches. Then the sunset comes and it is glorious and soon settles over the city in a deep blue and then dark blue and then it is night time. Madrilenian sunsets are unbeatable. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEivHLmc97hJ0VURE-cII4xGvyo78HhluQaWuw5EqULte9wKIFYnCI1P4nVNlB1DGk0aK26LyM5U_0GmBEPXIeJCSC_G2LMWq9C1IFTVUDzJYLeRaIlLn4RDCDWHHV23TFeaasKDHrJmkVCryojF14pIXVEtHBpkUD42o5B58ItZqFZ6TxoCZm-XQmXpYw=s3088" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="3088" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEivHLmc97hJ0VURE-cII4xGvyo78HhluQaWuw5EqULte9wKIFYnCI1P4nVNlB1DGk0aK26LyM5U_0GmBEPXIeJCSC_G2LMWq9C1IFTVUDzJYLeRaIlLn4RDCDWHHV23TFeaasKDHrJmkVCryojF14pIXVEtHBpkUD42o5B58ItZqFZ6TxoCZm-XQmXpYw=s16000" /></a></div><br /><p>I think a close second of what I'd missed the most was the streets themselves and the people on them. Madrid's colourful houses lined with balconies and cobbled streets leading to more quaint streets are undoubtedly very pretty. Especially when you've grown accustomed to the streets of London and Exeter... The same applies to the actual Madrilenians themselves, I'd missed being surrounded by such well dressed people. I definitely took a lot of inspiration from the outfits worn around me during my year abroad and adopted oversized long wool coats, chunky boots, different cuts and washes of denim, loose silhouettes, new textures, namely through silk scarves, and more into my wardrobe. I find the style in Madrid so effortless, so chic and above all, it's not really like London where it's all very try-hard (I am the biggest hater of my home town, clearly!) And the incredible vintage shops in Madrid means that it's so much more sustainable and affordable to do so- I will never get over Madrid's vintage shops! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjV471NxCcmYpau2bFtRvvWMZ1zIVWFo05Zk8_YtMIDePU_H3TCgfMlW2dcvjM_a8h2yrvB3qawP8YsXtUdjE94GSTcKAN0Pj6UZCdTxkhNpPv9BfA-9kJd9ZeU3B-C2rvPWWuhz5FiJCEKf7DtcUHBimTvyp-v0-GM20WYr7jUEewCAbzFW0_askSeGA=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjV471NxCcmYpau2bFtRvvWMZ1zIVWFo05Zk8_YtMIDePU_H3TCgfMlW2dcvjM_a8h2yrvB3qawP8YsXtUdjE94GSTcKAN0Pj6UZCdTxkhNpPv9BfA-9kJd9ZeU3B-C2rvPWWuhz5FiJCEKf7DtcUHBimTvyp-v0-GM20WYr7jUEewCAbzFW0_askSeGA=s16000" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>I'm not quite sure where to end my ode to the city. I could go on for days. The nostalgia was warm and comforting but still tinged with sadness, I found myself almost crying on multiple occasions as I stood in familiar places and realised it's no longer so close and accessible as it once was. But just as I was determined to return to Madrid and call it home after my first time visiting Madrid in 2018 (which I ended up doing!), I <b>will</b> be back in Madrid very soon and hopefully for more than just a year this time and I cannot wait. So on that note, if anyone knows of any post-grad jobs in Madrid...send them my way ;) </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div id="accel-snackbar" style="left: 50%; top: 50px; transform: translate(-50%, 0px);"></div>Dalal Tahirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06389662646607195795noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5047426997523866270.post-50700360787867194432020-12-07T17:44:00.004+00:002020-12-07T17:44:43.850+00:00loving life!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6XJFzjyFEJOZ4a8tUJYCyNu8KrVI4FvymXEohdWNwUJ0caL1Dgiqc35mW2KH_UHzV5PQ1Y0WpRGa9CUp93HC1fryOnMah3lpKkKVmL5f7hK5WIxDoTGSmrroczhsK9OElNtAASQEWsTR0/s2048/IMG_0296.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6XJFzjyFEJOZ4a8tUJYCyNu8KrVI4FvymXEohdWNwUJ0caL1Dgiqc35mW2KH_UHzV5PQ1Y0WpRGa9CUp93HC1fryOnMah3lpKkKVmL5f7hK5WIxDoTGSmrroczhsK9OElNtAASQEWsTR0/s16000/IMG_0296.JPG" /></a></div><p>sitting around in our tiny but freezing living room, the speaker nearby blasting The Look by Metronomy as we all chat and laugh. I don't know why I feel like I'm on the verge of tears as my french flatmate and I hold eye contact and mouth the lyrics together. his eyes are <u>so</u> red and bloodshot, you can always tell when he's zooted and it always makes us laugh. the sunglasses never fool anyone. the keyboard synth bit comes on and it's <i>that</i> part of the song which always is so full of emotion for some reason. I don't know how to verbalise (or should I say write it) but it's so euphoric and happy and you're marvelling at how amazing humans can be to make music sound so nice and then it suddenly starts to feel sad and empty again. it's such a wonderful part of the song (minute 2:48 if you want to listen) then all of a sudden we're crying, it feels incongruous to the rest of the setting - drinks, LED lights, a long 4 day weekend thanks to Spanish festivals and yet we were both sat there as the Bose speaker continued it's job and the song continued playing. most things don't stop for you when you're crying. our flatmates notice the tears rolling down our face and are concerned and then start with the awkward laughter, "jodeerr que os pasa?? estais bien?" I think it was just a feeling of contentment. but also "you'll never get anything better than this", I often find myself already mourning my year abroad despite still having 7 months ahead of me. truth is I don't think I have ever felt more free and myself before in my life. university was a nice way to get away from home and become a little more independent but I never <i>really</i> grew or changed drastically. well now I think of it, I think a better way to put it is that my two years at uni were useful in getting me to become an adult, I grew up a lot and those years prepped and primed me for the real growth aka the year abroad. I don't mean to sound so cheesy and like one of those classic year abroad types who never shut up but I think the last 2 months have been the happiest of my life. bold statement no? maybe. maybe I'll look back on this post in a couple of years, when I'm on another level of happiness and excitement and think "ohhh I thought <i>that </i>was the best time of my life? if only she knew!" - which I guess isn't too bad, I wouldn't mind getting shaded by future Dalal if it meant that there are even happier times ahead of me. but for now, I'm happy being happy. crying because a song is just so wonderful. walking around a flea market and spending a solid half hour just looking at a massive bag of old postcards and trying to figure out the stories behind them. reading a book on the top of a hill overlooking madrid and watching the sunset. buying and wearing a new pair of boots that make me feel so powerful. it's so simple. </p><p><br /></p><p>Or maybe calling these the <b>happiest</b> months of my life puts too much pressure on it. Perhaps calling them the nicest is better. I am overwhelmed by the feeling of gratitude, something new to me if I’m honest. I feel so lucky to be here and to be experiencing what I’m experiencing, COVID has definitely added a further layer to this. It sounds weird but even just tapping my metro card (unlimited travel every month for just €20, another reason why I adore this city) and having this metro station as my ‘local’ one just makes me happy! The fact that I actually live here. Sometimes when I’m walking down a street I actually say it out loud to myself and probably scare off a few locals, just that I love where I am right now and how I am grateful to be here. And sometimes when I stop and really think about everything, I realise just how incredible it is what I’ve done. I got a job in a foreign country, I have searched for a place to live and moved into it- all on my own! I don’t really give myself recognition for such things but I am proud of myself. And socialising and making new friends and keeping my days and evenings busy is another thing. Buying and wearing blue (blue!!) eyeshadow. Going up to a guy and getting his number. even if there's no second date, it's fine. Starting running in the evenings, powering through the wonderfully empty streets under the new christmas lights and passing beautiful and iconic sights. Coming home incredibly tired and out of breath and sweaty and getting high fives from my flatmates as they feed me whatever they'd cooked that night. I sometimes wonder if this feeling will ever just stop, if this is just the honeymoon phase and the novelty of moving to a new city is yet to wear off. But two months later, I'm still basking in this feeling of happiness and love and adoration for life itself. </p><p><br /></p><p>okay sorry this post comes off as gloating :/ but I hope you enjoyed reading! </p><p><br /></p><p>Dalal </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Dalal Tahirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06389662646607195795noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5047426997523866270.post-60153725305995998022020-11-20T14:27:00.000+00:002020-11-20T14:27:07.182+00:00livin in madrid<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu3Md0s6ahkzvD6UrgJwHCQx-sG30czG4d3RI8foJcq9jXELbQL-o5L4naCfGrS01Eb3fNSngVrhYac0FTuTXv0js8k7lbrH5sCL6foBJwQxmbmWhGokDfyg0Sj8cGhlw4HL1O11Fd2Wss/s1334/81780DB4-347B-4A42-9E68-358F80DF84F3.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="750" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu3Md0s6ahkzvD6UrgJwHCQx-sG30czG4d3RI8foJcq9jXELbQL-o5L4naCfGrS01Eb3fNSngVrhYac0FTuTXv0js8k7lbrH5sCL6foBJwQxmbmWhGokDfyg0Sj8cGhlw4HL1O11Fd2Wss/s16000/81780DB4-347B-4A42-9E68-358F80DF84F3.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">some flowers I bought myself </td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div style="text-align: left;"><br />Hellloooo! I hope you're all well, I'm writing to you from my new apartment in a very bougie part of Madrid, a city I've been living in for a month now...isn't that crazy! I started work a few weeks ago, so for the 4 weeks before that I'd been making the most of what my french flatmate calls the <i>chômmage</i> life, spending the days settling in, exploring, shopping, eating so many raciones de tortilla and patatas bravas and churros con chocolate, trying to figure out how to socialise in a way that's safe, going on walks and having Italian food cooked for me by guys I've met 2 hours ago. La dolce vita for sure. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCzZ-NZ03H9zTozIho0HeIgoyQS9lL-UlDpiVaaiMluVxTECxczJMj-C7SffXhf7lFaHp0vBHkahyphenhyphenctj4akn-bXi0mRUj5bf9Fo5mOisGXNixQKVtp3V1br7Z9a8EUc-kFUeaNvHF2oNxM/s2048/A88FA5A1-CDEE-4ED1-99DD-937AA5BF7DF5.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCzZ-NZ03H9zTozIho0HeIgoyQS9lL-UlDpiVaaiMluVxTECxczJMj-C7SffXhf7lFaHp0vBHkahyphenhyphenctj4akn-bXi0mRUj5bf9Fo5mOisGXNixQKVtp3V1br7Z9a8EUc-kFUeaNvHF2oNxM/s16000/A88FA5A1-CDEE-4ED1-99DD-937AA5BF7DF5.JPG" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">But I also want to keep it real, the first week and a bit were so difficult and consisted of many tears and anxiety, hormonal acne because #stress, opening of a bank account, getting boring admin stuff done etc and feeling massively overwhelmed in the cheese aisle of the supermarket and crying on the phone wanting to go home. I've always considered myself a very independent person who is more than capable of packing up her stuff, moving away and being alone, but the dynamic of the majority of the past year has definitely compromised such abilities. With quarantine, I guess I'd forgotten what it's like to be alone again. But a few weeks of getting back into the routine of things, I'm loving my independence all over again and have struck a good balance with my social life.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">My first 24 hours in my new flat was so overwhelming in a multitude of ways, first of all my bed was broken once I arrived which filled me with anxiety but thankfully was replaced by my landlord within an hour. Also the prospect of 4 whole weeks with no structure to my day was so intimidating. But I was also inundated with so much <i>niceness</i>, like my flatmate who I'd literally met less than an hour ago trying to help me fix my bed and cooking me dinner that night, the lady at the bank being so nice when helping me set up my bank account or my other flatmate who I met the next morning making me breakfast and offering to go on a food shop with me to avoid floods of tears like the first time. I'm so grateful to be living in a flat with such wonderful and interesting and cool people who I really click with (totally by chance!) after such a tumultuous flat search. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAmKdgpSatRoT7erJQ1SIpaINt6-ZrbtqtmUvbmFNHMDGuQRED9Wd3VMehn46q-x9XE-UM4GU6vG501-qa1LfnhJ8Mdv7UcWncipF-sSZl28pTOV7iK_fAangbI4AbefUUUBMdwD0PD0_M/s2048/IMG_6798.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAmKdgpSatRoT7erJQ1SIpaINt6-ZrbtqtmUvbmFNHMDGuQRED9Wd3VMehn46q-x9XE-UM4GU6vG501-qa1LfnhJ8Mdv7UcWncipF-sSZl28pTOV7iK_fAangbI4AbefUUUBMdwD0PD0_M/s16000/IMG_6798.JPG" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">Madrid itself has been lovely so far. I remember it feeling a little anticlimactic as I went into the centre and took it all in like "oh, okay so I'm here now and standing in puerta del sol... nice!" but it really is the kind of city that grows on you and is built on so much character and charisma. Even though the city is notably different with covid, the streets are still somewhat bustling and the same warmth and openness persists with so many small bars and independent shops. I really do love Madrid. It's a bit crazy that I actually live here now. The charity shops are amazing, I've fallen in love with Humana which is like Oxfam but better, it's filled with some incred clothes - I've already bought quite a few Depop standard vintage pieces and all priced between 3-4 euros which is insane to me, it makes sustainable clothes shopping so much easier. I've slowly but surely gotten back into cooking and baking, I'd forgotten how nice it is to take 30 mins to an hour of the evening to play some music and cook with others or just alone. I'm making new friends (people. are. so. NICE. here) and also deepening friendships with those who have also come from Exeter, I hadn't realised how anti-social I was when it came to my course mates oops. I've been having super shitty luck with guys though, my poor flatmates have heard my continuous complaining about boys. I'm still getting through my roll of film but I already can't wait to see the photos when developed. I've gone for spontaneous piercings. I've also realised how much more free I am with the way I dress, I can't lie I've been turning a couple looks over the last month and I'm loving experimenting with my style and finding new ways to style the limited clothes I've brought with me. It definitely helps that the women my age here just dress impeccably, my metro journeys are always filled with super well dressed people. I've been exploring so many new parts of the city, wandering around museums, book shops and vintage stores, strolling in parks and catching sunsets. There's so many more places in Madrid, and just outside of it, that I'm yet to explore and I can't wait to do so. I'm already dreaming of roadtripping to the Basque country in the spring (if it's safe). All in all, my first month of my year abroad has been absolutely lovely and I'm feeling very blessed to be here. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Anyway! this is getting quite long so I'll leave this here and hopefully share some more photos and stories in the coming weeks. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Love Dalal xx </p>Dalal Tahirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06389662646607195795noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5047426997523866270.post-24643676213134728882020-09-13T22:25:00.002+01:002020-09-13T22:30:03.567+01:00a post summer update <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtM80ZgWTzQpa88BSxZUdyu7w98rHXofQYiUfaSQUzY2H0N4uBOacUhJrLfErCOezvIB2kWHqf2lGtC1QtYHxQALrd3EibZtJyqYDFpNU7LhScA_2UnL0kZPYAwUQet6GHq4vNaYdSJCJw/s1311/295A3262-423B-4183-BC01-560F3AF21804.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1311" data-original-width="851" height="1525" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtM80ZgWTzQpa88BSxZUdyu7w98rHXofQYiUfaSQUzY2H0N4uBOacUhJrLfErCOezvIB2kWHqf2lGtC1QtYHxQALrd3EibZtJyqYDFpNU7LhScA_2UnL0kZPYAwUQet6GHq4vNaYdSJCJw/w993-h1525/295A3262-423B-4183-BC01-560F3AF21804.JPG" width="993" /></a></div><p>Okay so uhhh where do I even start with this post? Perhaps a warning that this will probably be super long because oh my god it's been <i>months</i> since I last posted on here and it feels like I've lived more in these last few months than I have in my <b>life</b>. I remember writing a simple line in my phone notes at 4am as I lay awake in my sleeping bag and looking up at the stars and watching the sky lighten as the sun rose: I fucking love my life. </p><p><br /></p><p>The months of quarantine were the necessary period of time for me to recuperate from the frantic pace of life...the anxiety, the stress and perpetual feel of dread that basically followed me everywhere. Looking back on it now in mid September with talk of a second lockdown approaching, all I can really remember from those seemingly never ending months of quarantine was my heightened appreciation for running, netflix, banana bread, Thursday 9pm claps for the nhs which seems so dystopian now and tiktok. As lockdown began to ease I went back to Exeter to collect some clothes as the pyjamas and fleeces I'd hurriedly packed when returning were no longer cutting it for me. I later returned for another week in July to empty my room before my tenancy ended. </p><p><br /></p><p>The weeks I spent back in Exeter were healing, therapeutic and reminded me of the beauty of the outside world, Devon especially - new friends made unexpectedly, cooking risottos and discovering the wonder that is tenderstem broccoli, dancing in gardens, finding new beaches, charity shops, having Katie over and our evening candle lit strawberries and chocolate (only to have my absolute bitch of a flatmate rain on our parade), cycling, swimming in the river Exe, tanning in the garden and reading Murakami that my strange American flatmate lent me, almost getting Lyme disease from hiking through some woods and getting put on such strong antibiotics I'd feel nauseous for the first hour every. single. day (#justgirlythings), packing up my 2 years of my life and leaving my beautiful university home for the year. Summer in England is just lovely and I will look back on those weeks spent in Exeter so so fondly, they truly were just blissful. </p><p><br /></p><p>But in true Dalal fashion, I also managed to spend a month in Northern Italy which was incredible. I've been back for a few weeks now and I already find myself looking back on that month in total awe that I managed to experience so many beautiful things. I hiked the Dolomites, saw the 'tre cime' which was breathtaking, hiked up the Bergamasque alps which I swear almost took me out, swam in Lake Garda and Iseo, (we all know I love a good lake), spoken a lot of Spanish with an Italian accent and hoped for the best, even picked up a little Italian, albeit very basic, went to Milan a couple of times and met friends, spent nights partying in fields and sleeping under the stars, I ate <b>so so much</b> amazing food and reached the highest weight I've ever been which has been difficult to process but I remind myself that it is testament to the wonderful time I had and a little weight gain isn't the end of the world. I finally got to visit Florence for a few days and walk around the Uffizi and saw the beautiful Boticelli pieces and of course somehow managed to pass out in the backstreets of Florence and napped by the Arno because nothing ever goes smoothly for me in this life but I guess it just adds to the beauty of it all. It also felt as though my lockdown induced order of Dante’s divine comedy (honestly though, I did that for what?) came full circle as I roamed the streets of his home town lol. After my month with my amazing host family (who just feel like a second family to me now) I was planning to take a train down to Naples and stay with my lovely flatmate who's originally from Amalfi, but return flights were too expenny :( But I <i>will</i> make it to southern Italy soon. I had such a wonderful time in Italy and I'm so proud of myself for just going (and forever grateful to Ambra for pushing me to do it) I cannot wait to return and explore more.</p><p><br /></p><p>And now? I turned 20 on the 21st of last month, leaving behind my teenage years and entered a new decade which is scary but incredibly exciting, I really do feel like my life in all it's chaos and madness and beauty is all ahead of me and I can't wait to make it my own. To make more impulsive decisions to live in new countries, to read even more, to swim in new waters and eat new foods, to meet more people (socially distanced ;) ) and spend more time just allowing myself to feel. More crying, more laughter, more euphoria, more love and appreciation for nature. Life is amazing. It's stressful and difficult and sometime's it feels like I am on the verge of tears for what seems like forever and ever but ultimately it is incredible. </p><p><br /></p><p>My next step is moving to Madrid which is insane, it's felt like an impossible task through multiple points of this year. I'm excited to see how the year pans out for me, it's a beautiful city that I fell in love with instantly when I first visited a few years ago, it feels crazy to say that it will be my next home. Of course I have a very characteristic knot of anxiety somewhere within me which likes to hit me at random times "will you even like it?", "will your internship be too demanding?", "what if your flatmates hate you?" and so on but I know (I hope!) it will all turn out fine. And I can't wait to share the journey on here :) </p><p><br /></p><p>How have you all been? How did your summer turn out and how are you feeling about going back to uni/work/placements etc? I shot my first proper roll of film, maybe I'll share them all on here in another post! </p><p><br /></p><p>Dalal x</p>Dalal Tahirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06389662646607195795noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5047426997523866270.post-83855755286914758572020-05-03T15:15:00.002+01:002022-04-05T00:38:57.924+01:00Another quarantine update<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">my lovely room in exeter whose sunlight and view I am missing very much</td></tr>
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Closing in on 7 weeks of quarantine and boy has it been eventful, in the most unexpected ways possible. I've reached new levels of procrastination which have genuinely had me in awe of my capabilities of firmly ignoring things I have to do for weeks on end, even when the deadline is a day away and even then, instead of actually doing it, I apply for an extension instead so I can spend a week more scrolling through tiktok's till 4 in the morning. It's also brought a new love for running and got to a point where I was running 5k each day until I went and sprained my ankle. Worst thing is, the sprain was not even directly from running. No. I was sat cross legged on my bed and as I got up, my ankle just gave up I guess. What other tragic thing has happened? I amazon primed (sorry) myself a copy of the Divine Comedy by Dante and I am still confused as to <i>why</i> I did that? Like, who just thinks 'do you know what? my next read will be a 13th c account of heaven, hell and purgatory by a florentine poet… I'm faced with this question every time I see it in my bookcase. My phone screen shattered a month ago, and two weeks ago that same phone just gave up on me completely. I had a final Spanish oral exam on Microsoft teams and that's when my presentation notes randomly refreshed and just wouldn't load at all on my adjacent google doc, leaving me to improvise it all. To top it all off, I had one of the worst period's in my history of having period's. Honestly, just throw the whole last 2 months in the bin.<br />
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With that being said, it's not been all doom and gloom although from the above, I haven't particularly sold it. I read a new Murakami book (Kafka on the Shore) which I really enjoyed although his books always confuse me a little in the middle of it. I watched Unorthodox which was a great series (and only four 1 hour long episodes so totally bingeable) and subsequently spent the next week listening to Berghain techno sets and Russian doomer mixes on youtube. I watched Euphoria too and fell in love with all the makeup looks, especially Maddy's. I've ordered some random things from Depop, a dark green sports bra for running (although that is now obsolete because mi ankle's fucked), a beaded necklace with 50% of profits going to Mind and a linen zara tie top I tried on in store last year. My mum cleared out her wardrobe and I picked out a few things including a purple wrap cardigan which, if you know me, is the perfect combination of my two favourite things: cardigans and wrap tops. I've also come to the realisation that dark green or any mid green is <i>so</i> my colour. Ehhh, finally got a wifi extender so the wifi can actually properly work in my room. I got a replacement phone through insurance and when restoring my iCloud backup, I found out I'd lost all photos and videos from January which hadn't synced. Weirdly it didn't really matter and the fact that I can barely remember many the <i>good </i>things that happened from January to early March, so there's not much feeling of loss. I went through my camera roll and cleared the hundreds of screenshots of random tweets and memes I'd accumulated and also came across lots of cool snippets from summer and uni which were nice to look back on.<br />
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I've been thinking about where I want to go when this is all over, Cornwall for a few days, maybe Naples to visit my lovely flatmate, Essaouira, Berlin, Madrid, Ibiza. I'm excited to explore new and familiar places, meet new people and make up for the weeks spent indoors.<br />
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Anyway, this post has been so messy (sorry) so I'll leave it here. I hope you're all doing well!<br />
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okaY quick update from a day later- I read and finished Normal People last night and loved it, can't wait to binge the series at peace now, will obviously share my (probably tearful) thoughts on here later lol<br />
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Dalal xxDalal Tahirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06389662646607195795noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5047426997523866270.post-56179599042752615532020-04-10T08:00:00.000+01:002020-04-10T08:00:08.584+01:00quarantine update<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hello! Honestly what a strange month it's been, as I'm sure you already know. I started writing this at the beginning of March and now that I'm reading it back it feels so bloody <b>sad</b> knowing that a lot of the things I was excited about are now shrouded in uncertainty due to coronavirus. I'm trying to stay positive and of course, remember the bigger picture. With that being said, I also just want to let myself <b>feel</b> upset at everything...I mean, it's stupid to repress any feelings of sadness about potentially cancelled year abroad's and travels, covering them up with a flippant reference to "people r dyin kim."<br />
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There's so much emphasis on how hundreds of thousands of people across the world have it worse right now, which is of course undeniable but this shouldn't be an excuse to sweep everyone else's feelings about this pandemic under the carpet. <u>Let people feel sad.</u> Let people be upset about 'small' things like the fact that they won't see their university friends anytime soon or that they won't be going on a holiday they've saved up for or that even simple things like welcoming the sunshine and new season of Spring with long days in parks and beaches. It's not fair to force people to 'get over it' and <i>keep calm and carry on</i> with life when the majority of the population has never experienced anything quite like this and the extent of limits put on our everyday lives. So those of you reading who are mourning their 'normal lives', mourn. Allow yourself to <i>feel things.</i><br />
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I've been home from university for almost three weeks after we were told to leave due to the virus. Being back at home has been nice but I can't shake the feeling of longing for the rest of the academic year. I really love Exeter: my little room with a huge window, 'crazy jan's' garden next door which is truly quite something else (so...eclectic), my packed cork-board littered with photos, postcards and quotes, my flatmates Tom and Luze who are always there for a chat whether it's through tears or laughter, the rolling fields in the distance and the sound of seagulls. I heard some seagulls squawking and I closed my eyes and imagined I was at my desk in Exeter. Having to leave in such a rush has only highlighted how much more I wanted to do and just how excited I was to spend the warmer months in the south west. There's no set date for return now that exams have been moved online and are open book. I just hope I can return soon and make the most of the blue skies and sunny weather, preferable on cathedral green or by the sea, perhaps even a trip to Cornwall to catch some waves :')<br />
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Coronavirus aside, term 2 was super strange. I was perpetually stressed and on-edge and <i>ever so anxious </i>throughout the duration of January and February. It hasn't been enjoyable at all but university wellbeing are amazing. The lack of my already sparse contact hours was exacerbated by the strikes, which I completely support but my God did they make my days completely structureless. But I survived it!<br />
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I'm still in the process of researching and writing my mini History dissertation which was a major source of stress for the past 2 months. I've managed to take a bit of a break since moving back. Global pandemics really do put everything in context. I'm writing on the Jewish/Converso and Muslim/Morisco experience during the later reconquista years in Spain and the treatment of these groups up till the Edicts of Expulsion which kicked them out of their home of 800 years, so exploring how much they were tolerated, their forced conversions, how the crown reacted to crypto-Muslims/Jews and how they came to expel them. It's all incredibly interesting but also hella depressing and super duper dense.<br />
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<i>Sticking to Spain....I got a job! in Madrid! As in....I am actually going to be living and working in Madrid for the year during my year abroad. A city I fell in love with when I visited in the past. I'll be able to call it home for a year and hopefully grow to love it even more. I have a job confirmed but am looking to see if I can find another job and split my year between the two, we'll see how it goes. </i>Current Dalal here :( I really hope my year abroad can still go ahead, although my heart aches every time I see a new update on Spain's situation. I was so close to booking a flight for the start of April last month in the hopes that I could revisit the city and spend a few days solo before moving in September. I've made a promise to myself that even if my year abroad doesn't come to fruition, I'll move to Madrid for a year upon graduating and hopefully carry on my planned internship then. One way or another, I will call Madrid home.<br />
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I've been learning how to drive, not the best time to do so whilst the virus is rearing it's head. I passed my theory test in mid January and started lessons in February but those have obviously been paused. I just hope I'm still confident by the time I'm back on the road, it's taken me 15 hours to finally feel somewhat comfortable behind the wheel (read: no tears rolling down my cheek silently after accidentally shifting to fourth gear instead of second and stalling)<br />
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A positive outcome of the quarantine is that I've had lots of time to do things that make me happy! I've watched new seasons of my favourite shows on Netflix (la casa de papel part 5!), I've water-coloured, I've read lots of fiction and my favourite blogs, I've flicked through family photo albums and restarted my travel instagram and even made a tiktok of my trip to lake Como, I've bought a few summery clothes on depop...even if I probably won't be able to wear them anywhere else but the balcony, I've tried new recipes (and felt ever so tory buying risotto rice as if it were an essential item lol) and work out, I've listened to lots and lots of music from old disco/dance and house to techno to jazz and bossa nova. I still have deadlines and exams but I'm super grateful to be able to take a few steps back and slow down.<br />
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The next few months, including the summer, like everyone else's, are very up in the air. My sister and I had booked to go to Lisbon in mid-June for when she'd finish her (now cancelled) GCSEs but we're not very optimistic about being able to go in the end. We'll see what happens!<br />
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Anyway this post is on its way to becoming way too long! I hope you're all doing well and are staying safe at home. Let me know how your quarantine is going :)<br />
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DalalDalal Tahirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06389662646607195795noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5047426997523866270.post-73870167528182611132020-01-08T17:10:00.001+00:002020-01-08T17:16:03.508+00:0019* things I've learnt in 2019<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpqMwUu-MqrknQIaE8mcmMSdptfGj_ZkB0Fx-M1EFN37AT_8m4NWPXOI2Yre7mClpNAiPtlE1k6BYyziVgBGJT4pZmRYW9gJfElL2VvvjU5AvxFkdVye_yAyYjFwZpj8QdycAmzMkX4AO6/s1600/film+photo.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpqMwUu-MqrknQIaE8mcmMSdptfGj_ZkB0Fx-M1EFN37AT_8m4NWPXOI2Yre7mClpNAiPtlE1k6BYyziVgBGJT4pZmRYW9gJfElL2VvvjU5AvxFkdVye_yAyYjFwZpj8QdycAmzMkX4AO6/s1600/film+photo.jpg" /></a><br />
I'm a casual 7 days late to this but life got busy and blah blah blah you don't need to hear it all from me again. I always try to write down things I want to achieve in the new year, scribbling them on the back of whatever notebook I've been using the most throughout those last few months. Mostly just to have them down somewhere and flick to the page sometime in the year and see where I'm at. I also write them out and put them out for the internet to see on my blog, for the sake of authenticity and in line with my generations' ghastly habit of oversharing ;)<br />
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Although I've messily jotted down a couple of bullet points of what I want to achieve for the next year ranging from profound 'discover who I really am' (jk) to 'get your driving license' or 're-dye your hair lighter' I felt as if the end of 2019 was something that had to be commemorated in a more intricate way than reminding myself to cut my split ends off sometime this year. So, I tried to write down 19 things I learnt in 2019 like a basic bitch but only got to 10, so instead I've decided to broaden the time frame- it is the end of a decade after all. I've typed them out to spare you the mind numbing process of trying to read my handwriting.<br />
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1. let love in. welcome it with open arms. hold onto it tight and relish in the warmth it brings with her.<br />
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2. you are so much stronger and capable than you give yourself credit for. you shouldn't have to have other people tell you your worth in order for you to finally start believing it.<br />
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3. travelling is what makes you happy. travelling is your way of pushing yourself and toppling those boundaries inside you. keep on doing it.<br />
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4. you are supported by so many amazing people who <i>want</i> to see you and spend time with you, who want to meet up for coffee or go out on a walk or watch a film with you. don't ever feel like you're alone again.<br />
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5. you enjoy your own company. you are perfectly capable of being alone. you can explore cities in your own, sit at a restaurant or cafe and eat/drink alone, sit in a park and read on your own. this, however, does not mean you don't need others, don't push people away. no man is an island :P<br />
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6. laundry is the best adulting task there is, you get nice smelling, warm clothes at the end of it.<br />
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7. going out isn't your thing- don't force it.<br />
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8. with that being said...techno isn't too bad.<br />
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9. food is good. food is your friend. it is not your enemy! especially spanish tortilla. sometimes you will be so sad and tired that all you want is a bar of chocolate for comfort, who are you to deprive yourself of that?<br />
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10. cats are the best. especially the campus cat which purrs and climbs on your lap. enjoy these short moments.<br />
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11. not everyone will think the same as you, have the same values as you or believe in the same ideologies and principals as you, even though you believe yours will make the world a better place (looking at you, 2019 general election) you will be disappointed that some people could be so selfish and hard-hearted. but don't lose hope...let it radicalise you instead!<br />
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12. richmond park is a wonderful, top tier green space. visit it more.<br />
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13. you're very capable of making friends and socialising with people you don't/barely know. you're no longer the one to disappear in the shadows and hope to be invisible when in a room of people. instead, you're now the one to reach out to those who have slipped into the shadows and make them feel included. carry on with this, within or outside of social settings.<br />
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14. some people, you just won't click with instantly. that's life, you're not going to get along with every single person you meet! stop bending over backwards to redeem some semblance of a friendship.<br />
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15. don't fall into the pressure of following a certain career path because it's what other people are doing and a conventional path to 'success.' if doing GDL and going into commercial law or a summer internship at one of the big four doesn't interest you, don't force it.<br />
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That's all I can think of! Well...I could probably think of another four things to ensure this post title isn't a complete lie but in the words of point number 7, "don't force it" ;)<br />
I promise I'll be more present on my blog this year, I miss it so much and, for the first time in forever, I have quite a few ideas for blog posts which is exciting.<br />
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<b>What have you learnt in the last year? Do you have any goals for the new year? </b><br />
Dalal xxDalal Tahirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06389662646607195795noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5047426997523866270.post-77395491746297254372019-11-29T12:21:00.001+00:002019-11-29T12:21:45.618+00:00berlin <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7WJBv7LDuP74Mhs1Ux-R6FGaTlSHqqgWLxPlUKSBeY7EIrpbvRUpvLIWHA5FKMBD_PI0FmoG6cI0cYzdMFJg7QSo5A5WJBiGc8QFcT3_m8G2p9dWV8W7_T6s5NTC5qHQ2q2H7tmYzICwz/s1600/JPEG+image-7FDA143FDF04-1.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7WJBv7LDuP74Mhs1Ux-R6FGaTlSHqqgWLxPlUKSBeY7EIrpbvRUpvLIWHA5FKMBD_PI0FmoG6cI0cYzdMFJg7QSo5A5WJBiGc8QFcT3_m8G2p9dWV8W7_T6s5NTC5qHQ2q2H7tmYzICwz/s1600/JPEG+image-7FDA143FDF04-1.jpeg" /></a><br />
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in honour of me finally going up to bristol to visit ambra, I thought I'd <strike>procrastinate</strike> start editing and sharing some photos from our trip together over the summer, starting with Berlin. it was a super cool city with lots of history and a very interesting underground/cultural scene which it's infamous for. I don't want to make these too long and wordy but to summarise: cream cheese and bread rolls, lots of green space to sit and do nothing, lots of museums and interesting nightlife!<br />
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these photos are a mix of film and my phone!<br />
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enjoy! sorry I haven't made this into a big travel guide thing, to be honest I've forgotten most things lol and I just wanted to share some of my favourite photos and thats it.Dalal Tahirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06389662646607195795noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5047426997523866270.post-54472100200077839042019-11-10T15:53:00.001+00:002019-11-28T10:25:10.668+00:00autumn<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm missing <b>so many things</b> about the summer. the warm days, the excitement over everything, the days of doing whatever i want, the seemingly never-ending cycle of packing my suitcase and unpacking it, the journey to stansted airport, the ever-present google maps on my phone, the crossed fingers and knocking on wood as I click 'confirm and pay' on a hostel/airbnb booking and the subsequent high fives with Ambra, navigating foreign public transport and usually not paying for it, packed busses up the lake, all the views of water, greenery, little towns as the train zooms past, countless glossier pink pouches filled with things from period pads to paracetamol and loose change.<br />
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I'm writing this on a beautiful Sunday morning. I woke up at around 9 and opened the curtain to the bluest of blue skies, went to make breakfast and looked out of the window and noticed just how orange and yellow the leaves on the trees outside had turned. I'm a summer lover through and through but crisp autumn moments with fiery toned leaves peppering the streets are undeniably magical. Got back into my room with my breakfast, opened the window ever so slightly and played some music to get ready to and I don't think I've ever had such a lovely Sunday morning, even if it has been followed by copious amounts of reading.<br />
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I've been back at university for 8 weeks now which means we're over halfway through term which is just wild. Deadlines and summative assessments are piling up and society commitments and planning have been getting even heavier. It's also been November for 10 days now. I've slightly been walking on eggshells in the days leading up to the month because I am determined to make this a good month and as far away from last years experience as possible. There's so many 'bleugh' things coming up for this month but I'm reminding myself of all the fun things that the month has brought and will bring like a charity week dinner, tar barrels/fireworks, an upcoming talk about psychedelic drugs and meditation, home-cooked Italian dinner by my lovely Napoli flatmate, new music to add to my ever-growing '<a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3bFTSCpF2EVz4OfNFiOM3M?si=O3D0U6-VRseGXvjvfTx2WA" target="_blank"><b><i>smooth</i></b></a>' playlist, a weekend back in London where hopefully I won't spend the whole time ill in bed, a surf trip, coffee dates with friends, Sabrina Claudio's concert, organising a christmas ball and more. November is always that irritating bump in the trajectory of term 1 but it seems like everything will be okay. I suppose my time has been filled to the brim, so much so that I don't even have the time to feel any sadness. It also helps that I have wonderful people surrounding me and supporting me. Second year is going well. It's been incredibly fulfilling already. I'm ready to make the rest of this month wonderful :)<br />
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How's life with you all? I haven't written on here in over a month. Let me know how uni/school is going and if you have anything exciting going on or something you're looking forward to this month :)<br />
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DalalDalal Tahirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06389662646607195795noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5047426997523866270.post-48776715239261040162019-10-05T19:27:00.001+01:002019-10-06T15:43:51.973+01:00Istanbul travel guide<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I spent 8 days in Istanbul at the beginning of last month and have only just managed to get this written lol. I felt like I just had to write a travel guide for the city because, if you're like me, the prospect of a whole <b>week</b> in a city seemed v overwhelming but it turned out quite well and the trip definitely turned out to be a highlight of my summer!<br />
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Istanbul is an amazing city with such a different feel to any other European city I've visited, mostly because the nature of it's geographical positioning with a European and Asian side as well as it being a muslim majority country. The history of Istanbul in particular is astounding and so rich from it's origins as Constantinople in the eastern Roman empire (Byzantium) to the Ottoman conquest in 1453 and most recently in the 20th century, the work of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk which shaped the city (and country) into what it is today. The streets are busy, markets and bazaars are full to the brim with walls of silk scarves, turkish delights and evil eyes hanging everywhere and the mosques are so overpoweringly stunning with low domes and long, thin minarets that seem like if they were a few feet longer, would be piercing into the heavens. The people are incredibly lovely and so helpful with everything from drawing out detailed itineraries on where to go, serving your Turkish tea in their shops to letting you off a few lira's when you're short. The addition of the (super clean) Bosphorus river (the Thames could <i>never</i>) gives the city a whole new feel and it's always lovely to spot the river as you near the banks.<br />
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+ I didn't take my camera with me so the photos in this post are all from my phone- I hope the quality isn't too bad...<br />
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<b>day 1:</b><br />
A good way to start your trip is by walking around the Sultanahmet area which is the main historical district in Istanbul. You'll the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sofia, the Gülhene Park and Topkapi palace. The blue mosque still operates as a mosque so modest clothing is required to enter- they provide scarves and long skirts for both men and women outside the entrance which was so useful. It's worth noting that it's currently under some maintenance works. We also took a break in the park and walked around in the shade which was the perfect way to escape the sun before going into the palace which was full of Ottoman tiling, inscriptions and relics. The Hagia Sofia was lovely too and there are a few byzantine mosaic pieces like one of Jesus, Mary and John.<br />
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<b>day 2:</b><br />
We crossed the river and went to Taksim square which has a much younger, livelier feel than Sultanahmet. It's super busy and packed full of people, especially Istiklal street which felt like the Oxford st equivalent- lots of shops and restaurants and stunning architecture. An old tram line runs through the street too. There's a the flower passage (çiçek pasaji) which has a couple of restaurants. The passage itself is beautiful very much reminded me of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan. Further down Istklal street is the Museum of Illusions which was a nice small museum to pass some time, there's also a similar one in Berlin. We walked further along the street on the way to the Galata tower and came across a different district which had a very independent artist feel, the only thing I can slightly compare it to is Camden (but much less touristy and commercial) There were lots of small stalls with shell necklaces, hand painted coasters, tiles and notebooks and some street art. It's a really lovely area to walk around and get an alternative feel to the city. Then there's the Galata tower which is much bigger than I was expecting- there's an option to climb up it (we didn't) but I can only imagine how beautiful the view over the city would've been at sunset! We headed all the way back up Istiklal street to eat something and then back to our hotel by metro.<br />
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<b>day 3:</b><br />
This day started a little slower. We went to Eminonu (which is another bustling area of the city) and went on a boat down the Bosphorus (which further cemented the fact that Istanbul's river/sea is superior to any other I've seen) Honestly, I couldn't keep myself awake for most of the boat trip, I don't know if I was just tired or if the soft waves were sleep inducing but oh God, a nap on a boat is incredible. In the time that I was awake, I noticed a couple of stairways into the river where people could swim. I would advise against it if you're not a confident swimmer because the currents are quite strong and there's lots of boats and ferries passing by which makes the water rougher. There is a swim spot somewhere along Kennedy Caddessi which my dad and I went to and it was lovely and quiet- if you're looking to go, let me know and I can dot it on a map for you (how vintage). After the boat trip, we went to the Egyptian bazaar (which is just across the street from Eminonu port), found a Moroccan guy working in a Turkish delight shop and subsequently were given lots of tasters. There are lots of similar shops with piles of pistachios, turkish delights, baklava and spices- it reminded me of Marrakech souks. Further into the bazaar are more artisanal shops with hand painted bowls and plates etc. There is a lot of cat calling (which was another reminder of Moroccan souks lol) which is never pleasant- just something to keep in mind.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmKMiogyz8HodRZjlNf-RHruqKCfbSUJYojNSz-nWOi9aCDZgSu4K67oZXnC0PiPlJX2K_HgvlXo1MXZRYgjB8Zgoh3nZVa4U7H3LDeQ8J7-AaohRGgplXHpMHEQT81SPcqxSv0OVwJu0h/s1600/IMG_0127.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmKMiogyz8HodRZjlNf-RHruqKCfbSUJYojNSz-nWOi9aCDZgSu4K67oZXnC0PiPlJX2K_HgvlXo1MXZRYgjB8Zgoh3nZVa4U7H3LDeQ8J7-AaohRGgplXHpMHEQT81SPcqxSv0OVwJu0h/s1600/IMG_0127.jpg" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-gkEKinHr4sItBgbI9srFk6_0wp7GwT7q8E7oLR1eFFOjF5A8iu70z2c-70epHYVeFoX3aI6mz30vvZ-M3CaAPVaynVaOqbX9mAvPE2Lr-rUiBRvB14wVK_2NT9VGUFBdOwvIsmfFYK0O/s1600/IMG_7226.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-gkEKinHr4sItBgbI9srFk6_0wp7GwT7q8E7oLR1eFFOjF5A8iu70z2c-70epHYVeFoX3aI6mz30vvZ-M3CaAPVaynVaOqbX9mAvPE2Lr-rUiBRvB14wVK_2NT9VGUFBdOwvIsmfFYK0O/s1600/IMG_7226.jpg" /></a><br />
<b>day 4:</b><br />
We decided to get out of Istanbul for the day and took a ferry to one of the Princes' Islands from Eminonu- you can get on these with the Istanbul card (I'll get into it in more detail below- it's a must have) and the boat stops off at each island so you can decide which one you want to get off at. They are quite regular and you'll find a schedule at the ports both ways. We stayed on until Buyukada island which is the largest and more developed of the archipelago. There are no vehicles allowed on the island which makes it very pedestrianised and the main forms of transport are cycling or by horse carriage (but please don't get the horse carriages, it's not fair on the horses in that heat :( ) You can hire bikes for the equivalent of €5 so there's nothing to lose! My dad and I cycled around the island in search of a good swim spot, we ended up swimming on the bank again before finding a more private area (you will have to pay around 40 lira though) There are also lots of small stalls and fruit shops in the main area and some restaurants along the sea with beautiful views, especially at sunset- we went to <i>Mirlot</i> and according my family, the fish was amazing.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCL5SAoZ8z28xAuAaldshC4qKbWhbL8eA8Ab3qrpIfqeM6my4docV062tZV6DnpOrYjldUTHTEaiUhkikCm0wniRrMfmE4_vOejWNiD3sfTC05KCI30eux6SWw0I8Jsg31BsZtTggZjTN4/s1600/IMG_7402.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCL5SAoZ8z28xAuAaldshC4qKbWhbL8eA8Ab3qrpIfqeM6my4docV062tZV6DnpOrYjldUTHTEaiUhkikCm0wniRrMfmE4_vOejWNiD3sfTC05KCI30eux6SWw0I8Jsg31BsZtTggZjTN4/s1600/IMG_7402.jpg" /></a><br />
<b>day 5:</b><br />
Carrying on with the out of Istanbul trend, we took a ferry to Bursa. This is from a different port (so <b>not</b> Eminonu) called Yenikapi and the Istanbul card can't be used on this ferry as it goes to a whole new city. Honestly, I wouldn't recommend a day trip to Bursa, it was quite lacklustre with barely anything to do aside from a big market, the grand mosque and the teleferic (which was quite nice)<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXXVLJj8apWKTn0PsZA7rSkpYGGlaLE4m9Wy9XK_u7KvnNBOXBekF2Fof-s3EGLLzHjMD4L8orL5lH1XbOrt6JQ53ZgTxz-eCvrw9zh54HLsWdjpxNfbgtJEW39010ZiFRWwqIKYFN8XGP/s1600/IMG_0758.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXXVLJj8apWKTn0PsZA7rSkpYGGlaLE4m9Wy9XK_u7KvnNBOXBekF2Fof-s3EGLLzHjMD4L8orL5lH1XbOrt6JQ53ZgTxz-eCvrw9zh54HLsWdjpxNfbgtJEW39010ZiFRWwqIKYFN8XGP/s1600/IMG_0758.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the state of my hair in this :O istanbul's water is not the best</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwCiVGKOLaG-Bx9uv3IbQdz2OSD3-tr_SBZX134oK1QUDFuPLDIJ391vExCDqinGI0uYfPlgy6_CuWs06aXKbr5djrahq2pYFJTTXmqRrKM9ZvjSf3X7NLqAnbGB-CYZr2jA4mqBu1Tdsw/s1600/IMG_1830.jpg" imageanchor="1"><br /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwCiVGKOLaG-Bx9uv3IbQdz2OSD3-tr_SBZX134oK1QUDFuPLDIJ391vExCDqinGI0uYfPlgy6_CuWs06aXKbr5djrahq2pYFJTTXmqRrKM9ZvjSf3X7NLqAnbGB-CYZr2jA4mqBu1Tdsw/s1600/IMG_1830.jpg" /></a><br />
<b>day 6:</b><br />
Our sixth day also had a bit of a slower pace, we went to the grande bazaar which is similar to the Egyptian one but with many more jewellery and silk scarf shops. I bought a pair of small blue stone hoops for a good price and the owner of the shop, <i>brother Ali</i>, was super lovely and brought over a couple glasses of tea. I think my mum has his business card somewhere so I'll update with his details if you ever are in search for dainty jewellery and find yourself in Istanbul ;) We also tried and failed at going into the Dolmabece Palace...honestly, why does it close at <b style="font-style: italic;">4pm?</b> But the exterior was beautiful so I can only imagine how stunning it is on the inside.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPbyOa95YTUqdeXArb12mqYmL7yuk7tdY7mGYvACId3bPHrbvwOvVBZTU_5rUkJrpAljyxw5FjrsphGNiRsI1SdIllGF-RBuo-muDzsRE6jRcXdyXG2rmAiOrBv5KUG6NKuZYLqUSUJIOE/s1600/IMG_9027.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPbyOa95YTUqdeXArb12mqYmL7yuk7tdY7mGYvACId3bPHrbvwOvVBZTU_5rUkJrpAljyxw5FjrsphGNiRsI1SdIllGF-RBuo-muDzsRE6jRcXdyXG2rmAiOrBv5KUG6NKuZYLqUSUJIOE/s1600/IMG_9027.jpg" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiprju5A9rGP3WcVflA1_6xtb6J6xMWpvz6943RhQRxW4KplA5aBh8O9naRvraHJojRXc28-ZsylssJoDbFYzWPPEVUzya8zRbKTvmiebzLfBdDftlaWCMoB6ZxZu6oWcTw5ljKF3tGbXR-/s1600/IMG_0717.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiprju5A9rGP3WcVflA1_6xtb6J6xMWpvz6943RhQRxW4KplA5aBh8O9naRvraHJojRXc28-ZsylssJoDbFYzWPPEVUzya8zRbKTvmiebzLfBdDftlaWCMoB6ZxZu6oWcTw5ljKF3tGbXR-/s1600/IMG_0717.jpg" /></a><br />
<b>day 7:</b><br />
On the final day we went to the Besiktas Saturday market which the hotel receptionist recommended- it's very local and has everything from fresh fruit and cheese to clothes. It seemed as though not many tourists were aware of it, but maybe it's better that way...We also went to Balat which had such a different vibe to the rest of Istanbul- it has a significant Balkan, Eastern European and Jewish community there which gave it a very unique feel with lots of local coffee shops, restaurants and shops and colourful homes. It reminded me so much of Berlin! We stopped off at Fida cafe- they do a very good iced latte :)<br />
<br />
<b>general things:</b><br />
<br />
there are SO MANY CATS it's amazing!!! there are also lots of dogs- they tend to have little markings on them to indicate that they're vaccinated (I read that the Istanbul city council 'owns' all the stray cats and dogs and keep them healthy) it's not unusual to find bowls of cat/dog food and water by shop stalls for the strays to eat and drink from :)<br />
<br />
get the IstanbulKart- the public transport in Istanbul is really good and well developed as well a super cheap. the card is easy to top up and tram/metro/bus trips are usually less than £1 (!!!) it's also worth mentioning that CityMapper works in the city which was helpful<br />
<br />
try to avoid taxis, they tend to overcharge. if you do get in one, make sure the counter is on and is on the front mirror where you can see it.<br />
<br />
do haggle in markets but also remember to be fair on the seller.<br />
<br />
the Syrian community really came through with the falafel wraps because Istanbul is not the most vegetarian friendly lol- there's a really good place in Taksim called Falafel Zone. It was cheap and the falafel wraps were v nice. PETA have a vegan guide to Istanbul <a href="https://www.peta.org/living/food/vegan-istanbul/" target="_blank">here</a><br />
<br />
despite giving me morocco vibes at times (like in the markets and souks), it's definitely much safer- you can have your phone out at any time without fear of pickpockets and there isn't as much catcalling. walking alone at night is fine too.<br />
<br />
there are varying levels of english spoken. we were lucky in that quite a lot of people spoke Arabic but on a whole, english isn't very widely spoken so it's definitely worth learning a bit of turkish before visiting :)<br />
<br />
early September is the perfect time to visit, the weather is still warm but not unbearably hot, there are less tourists and things tend to be a little cheaper.<br />
<br />
Okay. that's my Istanbul travel guide- I hope it helps because I <i>wish</i> there was a good guide out there before I visited :) I'll probably come back and edit this soon!<br />
<br />
-DalalDalal Tahirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06389662646607195795noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5047426997523866270.post-37999582529105787102019-08-26T12:20:00.003+01:002019-08-27T17:05:44.264+01:00late summer<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdHnl_Yh7KRiQcSRpXeHGGhvrPdSayPkjppqVpyPjsTCpbxXb0N3ziewpnapGZEtN4wHarl7L974z8ut6wX602RaaDmcKEZ1Surj7P9ma263_Ubd0TvoAG8AaYmHYAAOOlOXLMjaz_ZK32/s1600/IMG_9736.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdHnl_Yh7KRiQcSRpXeHGGhvrPdSayPkjppqVpyPjsTCpbxXb0N3ziewpnapGZEtN4wHarl7L974z8ut6wX602RaaDmcKEZ1Surj7P9ma263_Ubd0TvoAG8AaYmHYAAOOlOXLMjaz_ZK32/s1600/IMG_9736.JPG" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO0XTPMfL_DresV5liPGANyw_rJeDSl0oLNRhGynmb8Kr6ri_eThw8WetNBw19TwOZAUAtf8zI07DtVLQnzSWm__5cZ7P6EoKmstkEZ867Rn0DmcWSNKdRO18MZPHKbp5KCXFylNfrOa_Y/s1600/IMG_8692.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO0XTPMfL_DresV5liPGANyw_rJeDSl0oLNRhGynmb8Kr6ri_eThw8WetNBw19TwOZAUAtf8zI07DtVLQnzSWm__5cZ7P6EoKmstkEZ867Rn0DmcWSNKdRO18MZPHKbp5KCXFylNfrOa_Y/s1600/IMG_8692.JPG" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTgi94EmhrOKuMgPzdqaM9cYp9zcAtpFRmAFUOHiyGuWMR2PMxybjgJrB8U4dOTlJNgLW-qvzHdd95P7FINtKqD1iGBS_R4ZBNIsr9TZbunAZskD6cVrDhxZcoSzABlxFzE50prLonzIWy/s1600/IMG_1879.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTgi94EmhrOKuMgPzdqaM9cYp9zcAtpFRmAFUOHiyGuWMR2PMxybjgJrB8U4dOTlJNgLW-qvzHdd95P7FINtKqD1iGBS_R4ZBNIsr9TZbunAZskD6cVrDhxZcoSzABlxFzE50prLonzIWy/s1600/IMG_1879.JPG" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsXaoULssEWZF5cwU187n4qe11Fx0ufflE6vlaz4Ihoc5V1RF8-pgPOliyIvXMOTMAYiiDlR6ckXtJZhr42nbm4Df22A20UQCS3bGYfabOpQXSsKvMevS6F6luK-KDv4u95oZvLqdVNrGW/s1600/IMG_7663.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsXaoULssEWZF5cwU187n4qe11Fx0ufflE6vlaz4Ihoc5V1RF8-pgPOliyIvXMOTMAYiiDlR6ckXtJZhr42nbm4Df22A20UQCS3bGYfabOpQXSsKvMevS6F6luK-KDv4u95oZvLqdVNrGW/s1600/IMG_7663.JPG" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoD-gwZQAXzy0Hh3Hy4Yq6ZC_07RUr2zk4-qxIwDFHQXSF4-LG0gXWTdzXavb9QaDOie2HaxrhUwtd7LaLoKY2USxtoTTzyB3IjaR5cURtJ7iFIRrYNOpycIy1pcaxvz2LsB-CZP8Ul0zB/s1600/IMG_3272.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoD-gwZQAXzy0Hh3Hy4Yq6ZC_07RUr2zk4-qxIwDFHQXSF4-LG0gXWTdzXavb9QaDOie2HaxrhUwtd7LaLoKY2USxtoTTzyB3IjaR5cURtJ7iFIRrYNOpycIy1pcaxvz2LsB-CZP8Ul0zB/s1600/IMG_3272.JPG" /></a><br />
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<div style="text-align: right;">
<u>26 august</u></div>
<br />
We had the genius idea of getting the train to Camber Sands on a bank holiday Sunday as we thought "yeah I'm sure it won't be <i>that</i> packed"<br />
<br />
(it was)<br />
<br />
Busy trains, being the cut off point on the bus to the beach which meant we ended up waiting over an hour for the next one, so much traffic that we got off and walked the journey instead...but the sand dunes were lovely and the sky was so blue and the water was cold and just what we needed after hours of sweating under the sun. We spent the day stretched out on huge mats, very gracefully climbing up sand dunes and racing down hand in hand, floating in the sea, lathering on my spf tanning oil (never without it) and "oh my god it feels like we're ABROAD!!!?"<br />
<br />
It was a nice summer's day and it was good to put on my bikini once more before retiring it for the start of autumn. I'm looking forward to many more days like this.<br />
<br />
How are you spending your bank holiday?<br />
DalalDalal Tahirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06389662646607195795noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5047426997523866270.post-39240943965326706362019-08-22T00:12:00.003+01:002019-08-22T14:18:58.583+01:0019<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuBnrARnvqrtL9bEgM9JzwYC4pbBz_hJDBBBGTJUZKa5HwQU17h4sTpJcoIhuHAuyHmQ8doJJo8n4Y_osU8kmNVtNEVd5ZMXP_jhVVeJFfiVu__qnL4FY_3-2ilDsDW-6x7uJCnQqLQkqW/s1600/IMG_0126.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuBnrARnvqrtL9bEgM9JzwYC4pbBz_hJDBBBGTJUZKa5HwQU17h4sTpJcoIhuHAuyHmQ8doJJo8n4Y_osU8kmNVtNEVd5ZMXP_jhVVeJFfiVu__qnL4FY_3-2ilDsDW-6x7uJCnQqLQkqW/s1600/IMG_0126.jpg" /></a><br />
I'm writing this as the last couple of hours of my 19th birthday draw to a close. I jokingly said that a existential birthday blog post was most likely on the cards, probably filled with me voicing my fears about growing up, complaining about being lonely and all the tears I'd cried throughout the day. But in a strange stroke of luck, everything has turned around. The only tears I shed have been happy ones dotted throughout the day: rereading letters, unwrapping an apple cutter (a game changer), having a bouquet of flowers sent through the door, reading my mum's birthday card, reading Ambra's birthday card (EWWW DUDE WTF, what are EMOTIONS) and watching her unwrap her birthday presents from yesterday.<br />
<br />
My 18th year has been a wonderfully transformative year. A year that I was pushed from within especially, and came out with a newfound awareness of the sheer strength and determination I hold within myself and my existence as a strong, independent woman (as well as the multiple women like this who form my support system). From bringing in the new age crying alone, deciding to un-defer my place at university on August bank holiday (and my dad's panic that ensued), frantically searching for a place to live, going through my first year (which in itself feels like a mountainous achievement after almost dropping out), all the travels, the summer days spent in London. <i>Oh how I have changed since this time last year. </i>I have seen beautiful places, places that I had never dreamed of seeing and met incredible people who have left their mark on me, learnt to appreciate those around me and I truly dove into the deep end with life and growing up and I can't think of a better way to have started adulthood.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvfhnEcP2NKDdy39OM2rSP79KYl2ORwAwr7Z51ajChn_12Aznn4g30KJJW6_6jb73xtfFuRJwHdRDIU2dKT5E-qIkORloF2ovKJZ0KSa1MMwxAKDLb0ndwTPUdeTCshAULdtp-BKs_yy80/s1600/117928C6-7E48-461A-A635-EB8BE7425422+2.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvfhnEcP2NKDdy39OM2rSP79KYl2ORwAwr7Z51ajChn_12Aznn4g30KJJW6_6jb73xtfFuRJwHdRDIU2dKT5E-qIkORloF2ovKJZ0KSa1MMwxAKDLb0ndwTPUdeTCshAULdtp-BKs_yy80/s1600/117928C6-7E48-461A-A635-EB8BE7425422+2.jpg" /></a><br />
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And whilst it feels bitter-sweet to leave this 18th year of unexplainable lengths of growth and love and development, this feeling of grasping nostalgia is neutralised by the hopeful elixir of even better days, even more lessons and high pressure situations, even the lows seem tainted with a luscious lashing of optimism; they may be bad and taxing and it'll probably seem like my situation is so dire that it'll only continue to leak through to rock bottom and worsen but the lessons that I know will come out of it will make it all so worth it.<br />
<br />
I have sat by beautiful rivers and historic buildings and visited museums which house masterpieces and swam in clear blue lagoons and freshwater lakes, dived off rocks and cliffs, danced till my body has ached but kept dancing more, laughed myself into headaches but kept laughing more, walked through streets drenched in cultural significance and fallen in love in ways I never knew I could, all in my 18th year. I have done all this and more, and whilst I already long for these experiences, I know that my 19th will bring <b>more</b>. These things will happen again in abundance and in a multitude of new ways and they'll be experienced with the people that I love and cherish the most.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj54Xnm8PzrUR7dHknsXOjwH3FGzSVzl39KmCo7A3BhzjP3ZmGJ4_ybJiEQliCkkxLes1nLkd9XJ6cG46NP0eXFD1lkildl9__gk-8Sao3qQRdpSnJairkVz5GlTaEQVVgGAo1PQSrzo_XT/s1600/IMG_8813.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj54Xnm8PzrUR7dHknsXOjwH3FGzSVzl39KmCo7A3BhzjP3ZmGJ4_ybJiEQliCkkxLes1nLkd9XJ6cG46NP0eXFD1lkildl9__gk-8Sao3qQRdpSnJairkVz5GlTaEQVVgGAo1PQSrzo_XT/s1600/IMG_8813.JPG" /></a><br />
I cannot wait to see what my 19th year will bring. The unknown is daunting but I swear it has <b>never</b> looked so bright.<br />
<br />
thank you to everyone who has wished me happy birthday !!!! and especially to Ambra, Cam, Hanife and my family for making this day extra special.<br />
<br />
DalalDalal Tahirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06389662646607195795noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5047426997523866270.post-36520385030062563282019-08-14T11:28:00.000+01:002019-11-03T14:53:54.538+00:00so, how's life?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBqSbaZKDTxD0PIiHy1wciBxDLK6fDSnLvV66ekhTM71Jey668mIV4qVZBUzasY24IY6Uc5xwYZZHjP_qFW-KOqtLTngOUhfijcxadahbS6GTimpPwqrJaOB1LsWlXfmxSluBtuvzn6Vnh/s1600/2F933ACB-B540-4228-B93A-8BDA8E5EAC85.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBqSbaZKDTxD0PIiHy1wciBxDLK6fDSnLvV66ekhTM71Jey668mIV4qVZBUzasY24IY6Uc5xwYZZHjP_qFW-KOqtLTngOUhfijcxadahbS6GTimpPwqrJaOB1LsWlXfmxSluBtuvzn6Vnh/s1600/2F933ACB-B540-4228-B93A-8BDA8E5EAC85.jpeg" /></a><br />
"how's life?" is a question I've been getting asked regularly, more so in the last few weeks, understandably so. it's a bit of a hard one because so much has been going on...so many <b>big</b> things which can't really be packaged into a short and snappy sentence that you mutter in the hopes of moving on the conversation and breaking out of the small talk. my responses have changed from "it's okay, just riding the wave" to "where do I even start" but in the best way possible. So much has been happening from travels to friendships and new adventures and I'm relishing in it. I've found myself missing writing and I don't mean the nostalgic open love letters to recent travels or the proceedings of a month that I've been posting over the last few months but just the feeling of opening 'new post' and telling you everything that's been going on.<br />
<br />
so...how's life?<br />
<br />
intense.<br />
<br />
it's been marked by a week of 5am bedtimes leading up to interrail, the <a href="http://www.dalaltahira.com/2019/06/interrail-2019.html" target="_blank">interrail</a> trip itself, a week back home, a week in malta which brought beautiful lagoons and historic old towns but also a lost card holder and a case of heatstroke, a month of walks by the river, waitressing, a week of 9-5 office work (which has solidified that I do not ever want to work in a corporate environment but if KPMG grad scheme recruiter is reading this, i guess don't mind it :P), writing post cards and letters, more waitressing, a few days back down in exeter moving my stuff into my new room for september and escaping to the beach for a couple of hours, an impulsive hair cut and now, I've just come back from a 5 day trip to barcelona which was enjoyable but exhausting in more ways than one. and it only seems like life is getting busier from here as I go back into work, my birthday approaches in just under a weeks time and a family holiday to istanbul is looming over.<br />
<br />
pretty intense.<br />
<br />
but it's been good. I've been enjoying myself and I've been growing and learning more about the world- the world of work, the world of love and the world outside of this little London-Exeter bubble I've been slipping in and out of. it's been a different summer to the other seventeen I've had where I felt stagnant and contained, trapped with no room to really venture out or grow or properly do things. I've also accepted that with this new dynamic of <i>summer</i> comes overwhelming busy-ness. I always feel like a bit of a wanker when someone messages or emails me chasing me up on something I promised I'd tell them/do for them and then responding with "ahhh I'm so sorry, life has been so busy right now" because sis<i>, everyone busy, </i>but like Katie has <a href="https://kaatielouu.blogspot.com/2019/08/life.html" target="_blank">written</a>, it's hard to just stop, slow down and <b>breathe. </b>To drop my shoulders, relax my temples and take down my hair. but as I like to say, it's just another wave I'll have to ride and I'll enjoy it while I'm up there on it.<br />
<br />
How's life been for you? I know A level results day is fast approaching so good luck to those getting their results, I wish you all the best <3<br />
<br />
lots of love,<br />
dalal<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">blog posts from malta and barcelona miiight be up soon. you'll probably also be getting another existential birthday post on wednesday because is it really the 21 august on my blog if you don't? </span>Dalal Tahirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06389662646607195795noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5047426997523866270.post-70587294659727575492019-07-09T21:24:00.001+01:002019-07-11T14:41:31.307+01:00june 19 <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivG274BYLwP5Cqb16EhpHlgSdi7yQ5fsltaI0ucWB9kJqFIA8kGmv1Z7we0BWEd5BUp7ZF5yxRzKBGowr8sY0c7qpqqjAit8eTc92Z37WE-o70AG35MiQVu9Z1Mdv6MUC7zecZl7dUTv-a/s1600/IMG_5289.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivG274BYLwP5Cqb16EhpHlgSdi7yQ5fsltaI0ucWB9kJqFIA8kGmv1Z7we0BWEd5BUp7ZF5yxRzKBGowr8sY0c7qpqqjAit8eTc92Z37WE-o70AG35MiQVu9Z1Mdv6MUC7zecZl7dUTv-a/s1600/IMG_5289.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Careno, Lago di Como</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
si me das a elegir, blaring through my bluetooth speaker as I write this.<br />
<br />
what a month June has been.<br />
<br />
<i>(apologies for the slight delay with this post, I was in Malta and laptopless for the first week of this month so I had no way of writing and posting this.)</i><br />
<br />
for me, time tends to just clump into one big ugly mass, occasionally punctured into my memory by a specific event or feeling, like november 2018 which will forever be characterised by the overwhelming lonliness and depression that I was drowning in. or april of 2019 which I will remember by the trips I took to Valencia and Morocco. I would say that June is the same.<br />
<br />
same but different.<br />
<br />
same in that it is a month I don't think I will ever forget. but different in that it is unique and unforgettable in a novel way. a month I will look back on in 70 years time when I'm old and weak and frail and aged and I'll smile to myself and my heart will break into song and the faded washed out colours of life will be bright again because it was the month I truly lived my youth with reckless abandon and travelled and fell in love and kissed and ticked off firsts and oh my god I really have loved and let live or <i>lived and then just let love take me from there...</i><br />
<br />
with every new month that approaches, I simultaneously pine for the crisp white sterility of a whole unscathed four weeks ahead which I can take as I want...but I have found myself not wanting this month to end. I don't want to ever move on from the euphoria of this month. but, the prospect of new layers, new trips, more kisses, more love, more sleepy train rides and more days in the sun and new experiences provides solace. maybe june will never be replicated but it's a fucking amazing foundation for the rest of the year.<br />
<br />
I don't know where I'm going with this <span style="font-size: x-small;">(spot a pattern with all my other blog posts yet?) </span>I'm surprising myself with my ability to write a blog post about a... month. but I guess I just wanted to say that although I haven't been the most consistent on here, I am in a really good place. suspiciously good but i'm taking it as it comes and just riding the wave till it breaks. everything is clicking into place and the next few months/years.../decades are drenched in hope and optimism. and I know that whatever way life goes from here, I will always have the month of june 19 to remind me of the good in life, that good things do happen and they happen when it's least expected.<br />
<br />
I hope you have all had a wonderful month and that July is going well for you and summer is living up to all your expectations. and if not, then it's okay. things come in waves, yours is yet to break.<br />
<br />
lots of love,<br />
dalalDalal Tahirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06389662646607195795noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5047426997523866270.post-64389602745674379142019-06-24T10:35:00.002+01:002019-06-27T14:24:49.697+01:00interrail 2019<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgimUWw2UUcO6nbDOcf3dqsC9WrezsMnFSG_DSUWUaBmIElfTMNxWMJ9jZ4CY0aW6c-A5T-esVr2deCeCneS6w1Fm0i2tlZy5sPcBmCrTEdLydpAx7Vd2cWmaX8u0Zj2TPKgI_iOLH0M0gd/s1600/IMG_2835.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgimUWw2UUcO6nbDOcf3dqsC9WrezsMnFSG_DSUWUaBmIElfTMNxWMJ9jZ4CY0aW6c-A5T-esVr2deCeCneS6w1Fm0i2tlZy5sPcBmCrTEdLydpAx7Vd2cWmaX8u0Zj2TPKgI_iOLH0M0gd/s1600/IMG_2835.JPG" /></a><br />
I'm back from just under 2 weeks of interailing around Europe with my best friend, Ambra. Possibly the most wonderful weeks of my life. We flew to Berlin then took trains to Prague, Vienna, Budapest, flew to Milan, took a train to Lago di Como and then back to Milan before our flight back to London.<br />
<br />
It's my second day back in the UK and there's this feeling of longing that I can't shake off. I am <b>totally</b> going to be that wanker that brings up their interrail trip in almost every conversation, but it really did have a huge impact on me which I will never be able to shed. The shit moments like transport fines, sexual assault, missed trains (and ambra's insistence on tomato pasta) are all glazed with a beautifully glossy sheen of longing and nostalgia for the chaos and thrill of new places, people, smells and experiences. Even the Billie Eilish album I had to play to sleep at our Budapest party hostel is tinged with an extra layer of meaning.<br />
<br />
This trip was a personal triumph of some sort too.<br />
<br />
I ticked off bucket-list cities, dragged Ambra to new museums, saw beautiful cathedrals and government buildings, sat in the grass under the sunshine, tried disappointing food but laughed about it after, realised I cannot speak a word of German, got caught in a storm with only a map of Berlin as shelter, fare-dodged, slept in a medieval building in the middle of the hills of a regional park, made the first move with friendships, met up with two uni friends in Vienna and Budapest who just happened to be in the same place at the same time by chance, swam in thermal baths, had stunning bus and train journeys, sat on the steps of a national library till 4am, had weird nights out *ahem Berlin*, opened up about love, sex, friendships, uni, changed into a bikini in the middle of a small street and dove head-first into a lake and was left breathless, learnt to keep myself calm in moments of intense stress (which I'm sure Dalal from last November will be glad about), stood up to cat-callers and sexual harassers, ate the most amazing pancakes, got absolutely mauled by Italian mosquitos, experienced true sleep deprivation, bought post cards, had <u>many</u> hair crises, opened my uni results surrounded by the mountains and got a solid 2.1 in my first year, deepened a relationship...fell in love, did a lot of self-reflection, appreciated this journey I was on, stayed in hostels for the first time and adored every moment of it and just did a shit tonne of learning and <i>living</i>. Oh, there is so much more to say but I wouldn't want to bore you all. And to think I was hesitant about going...<br />
<br />
The possibility of travel diaries for each destination is still there. I didn't take many photos on my DSLR so you'd have to deal with my phone camera... I don't know if I'd do them like actual travel guides (but if you do happen to go to a city that we did, just DM me and I'll send you everything I know and would recommend.) Maybe I'll share stories from each city and what made them memorable. I think that's more 'me'.<br />
<br />
I'm going to finish this here because I have this weird restless feeling in me which I have no idea how to deal with. I thought writing would help but it is still here. I'll try and actually write into a journal or something. Ah man, even opening google maps and seeing the blue dot in London is depressing me.<br />
<br />
I can't wait to develop my film and share more on here.<br />
<br />
Love from DalalDalal Tahirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06389662646607195795noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5047426997523866270.post-7514563432689750882019-06-07T12:54:00.000+01:002019-06-07T12:54:22.125+01:00Valencia<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFVOBUVNhYuul8dKsRaH2mbA_AWO039q-oyL77DQE7mSsdh_S31MFRisCw3lnpw349B2P9nITttXp2SfroVvNACkEMiH_01I6X-IhIFqla6wTuQq-4DUCIE6EDuP8aX3NK1ASzBKhaAXZB/s1600/IMG_9833.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFVOBUVNhYuul8dKsRaH2mbA_AWO039q-oyL77DQE7mSsdh_S31MFRisCw3lnpw349B2P9nITttXp2SfroVvNACkEMiH_01I6X-IhIFqla6wTuQq-4DUCIE6EDuP8aX3NK1ASzBKhaAXZB/s1600/IMG_9833.jpg" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNnzqvKMVbjj1ZUzmzPMPcatqMRqpuImyNovcQm7ZiJ8PG1dPq05ktiw1O4o3gdSshIcr3fzXnf-v1EWC-56Eieq8o7WgypMoue6sRNQqZjJQXynHjNUq8EB7TlX373dQG-pveqO5OfGh3/s1600/IMG_9857.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNnzqvKMVbjj1ZUzmzPMPcatqMRqpuImyNovcQm7ZiJ8PG1dPq05ktiw1O4o3gdSshIcr3fzXnf-v1EWC-56Eieq8o7WgypMoue6sRNQqZjJQXynHjNUq8EB7TlX373dQG-pveqO5OfGh3/s1600/IMG_9857.jpg" /></a><br />
It's been 4 months since I last posted. I'm not very good at explaining myself nor reintroducing so I'll just head straight to writing and uploading my photos in the hopes that my words and photography will be enough excuse me. If you're new or just really want to hammer home the impact of my absence, my about me page is still up there. Oh, and before I forget: here's the promise that now that it's summer and I have less commitments, I'll be writing and posting more frequently. the typical excuses that you've heard from me way too many times in the past.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWcio1TbB4luMLU1WWww8UF7mmo3wh7tJtOq1vmNQOn5w8TWDSr5qrxfGgIQ6XMJV3-wAU6ra0HYxbryfkWTF_BAy-ZLyUEhcQesB92RWKnYnRm7hwpB4Y9Ybhcwt5txoLtNQCGwmcglDz/s1600/IMG_9846.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWcio1TbB4luMLU1WWww8UF7mmo3wh7tJtOq1vmNQOn5w8TWDSr5qrxfGgIQ6XMJV3-wAU6ra0HYxbryfkWTF_BAy-ZLyUEhcQesB92RWKnYnRm7hwpB4Y9Ybhcwt5txoLtNQCGwmcglDz/s1600/IMG_9846.jpg" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ6dCXzYIOJRPMG3uhQk1nK959fKm0Q5Qz0loWgZP4W0F8mx_quaz0JsWfVQKWlkwk4yBevfasHNyTgeByW2u8_biCzQMgWoQJkIteai5z2r6j5CFyJpmliR8tY5L3ttpOzLeZUpE9Syih/s1600/IMG_9875.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ6dCXzYIOJRPMG3uhQk1nK959fKm0Q5Qz0loWgZP4W0F8mx_quaz0JsWfVQKWlkwk4yBevfasHNyTgeByW2u8_biCzQMgWoQJkIteai5z2r6j5CFyJpmliR8tY5L3ttpOzLeZUpE9Syih/s1600/IMG_9875.jpg" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBix-2xcaaO2RtP0Y8yzwFtfYuN58ZRG0qSK2PfGkUgGVSjApyFnAwSJ7vcD7PwRqONbQKS2zGxEe8cKzPEsL8RkNTJoLpE44w8GhnGFYk5NVaEqy8pUFSwPRK8o1JrSn4ha2QWHM8m3ro/s1600/IMG_9877.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBix-2xcaaO2RtP0Y8yzwFtfYuN58ZRG0qSK2PfGkUgGVSjApyFnAwSJ7vcD7PwRqONbQKS2zGxEe8cKzPEsL8RkNTJoLpE44w8GhnGFYk5NVaEqy8pUFSwPRK8o1JrSn4ha2QWHM8m3ro/s1600/IMG_9877.jpg" /></a><br />
I was in Valencia in the first week of April because a) my dad was really keen on going away somewhere and b) who am I to not accompany him. Flights were cheap as was an entire flat on AirBnB so we booked and went the following week. I liked that Valencia didn't really have much of a definitive list of 'things to do' and 'must-sees' It was a very relaxed and laidback city which is relatively unscathed by hordes of tourists. I also really enjoyed experiencing the individual culture of the region of Valencia. It seemed very French influenced and you may be able to see that in some of the following photos. Walking through some parts of the city brought memories of Paris. Take that as you wish.<br />
<br />
Another thing to mention: the beach. It's an hour walk away from the centre and we spent more time there than sight-seeing. I always have and always will love the sea (and any open body of water, let's be honest)<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGfs2jVZZh-O-tU-UoqMrSJPUc7KqipEC0wfefnNK5Y2W5NQap8AoUm2JoBlRiqP9ns3uMlbbjNkmdnQbF7A5iB-KylDyDY21v0NaJ1UYiLFAiNImnMeakkIIxBON40qhwgJsPUC6PAQXd/s1600/IMG_9916.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGfs2jVZZh-O-tU-UoqMrSJPUc7KqipEC0wfefnNK5Y2W5NQap8AoUm2JoBlRiqP9ns3uMlbbjNkmdnQbF7A5iB-KylDyDY21v0NaJ1UYiLFAiNImnMeakkIIxBON40qhwgJsPUC6PAQXd/s1600/IMG_9916.jpg" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic940_q8guzYU1MWPyeSc36dJKCqo8S_532toU18jhboRBYp8q48YPH0xgST8_HiAdK8jRjUYUXJx0Xak8YStR8fWfAd1lkKEjM0KJzJnksgIWrPOOrpZxWAYHhuF_HNwW6d73v8HH3Cg9/s1600/IMG_9810.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic940_q8guzYU1MWPyeSc36dJKCqo8S_532toU18jhboRBYp8q48YPH0xgST8_HiAdK8jRjUYUXJx0Xak8YStR8fWfAd1lkKEjM0KJzJnksgIWrPOOrpZxWAYHhuF_HNwW6d73v8HH3Cg9/s1600/IMG_9810.jpg" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiocWmiu0JYk2uEC5C62d7my0OMIH6iixy419CgVxHQCQMVFRG5x6KkZd2GABVBBa1SrZPcLn92x1cW9vXI848szv3rjDhgCu7n7t-wOA_TeSTo5tyZsOprhZ3HCyADwUJHPbv6UMBA7Nj/s1600/IMG_9931.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiocWmiu0JYk2uEC5C62d7my0OMIH6iixy419CgVxHQCQMVFRG5x6KkZd2GABVBBa1SrZPcLn92x1cW9vXI848szv3rjDhgCu7n7t-wOA_TeSTo5tyZsOprhZ3HCyADwUJHPbv6UMBA7Nj/s1600/IMG_9931.jpg" /></a><br />
<u>Things I did in Valencia:</u><br />
Napped under the sun on the beach<br />
Ate paella and found out that single portions just don't exist<br />
Tried horchata and still don't know how I feel about it<br />
Bought and ate 2kg of strawberries<br />
Had the best tarta de queso<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">seems like all I did was eat </span><br />
Climbed up El Miguelete bell tower<br />
Visited Valencia Cathedral<br />
Went to the fine arts museum and saw the self-portrait of Velasquez<br />
Sat alone in the Plaza de la Virgen. An old lady started speaking to me in Valencian<br />
Napped on the beach some more. Acquired some <i>really</i> sexy tan lines<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">and an even sexier sunburn </span><br />
Went into a war museum because it was free. Saw some rifles<br />
Found out my dad loves a good food market<br />
Got lost in the huge Corte Ingles on Carrer Colon<br />
Saw a cat on a walk<br />
Paid €6 for churros and chocolate<br />
Went into la Llonja del Seda to kill some time- felt like I was in Seville with all the oranges<br />
Photographed lots of pink and yellow houses<br />
Saw a nunnery<br />
Bought some beautiful watercolour post-cards, wrote them in the nearby Plaza de la Reina but sent them from the UK because I have trust issues with the Spanish postal system<br />
Sat amongst the flowers on the Puente de las Flores<br />
Went into the beautiful ceramics museum- the exterior was stunning as was the interior. didn't really care much for the ceramics, the decor was definitely centre-stage<br />
Saw the Torres de Serranos<br />
Listened to A Mi Manera being played by a sweet couple<br />
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I'm glad I've finally managed to get my Valencia travel diary off my mind, my mum was constantly hounding me about it and how I need to 'give the people what they want.' I'm currently back in London from Exeter and have some exciting plans for the summer between volunteering/working which I can't wait to share. I'll be back in Exeter sometime in late August to catch the tail end of summer. I hope you're all doing well (and didn't miss my blog too much ;))<br />
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Have you ever visited Valencia?<br />
-DalalDalal Tahirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06389662646607195795noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5047426997523866270.post-89316576736718032362019-03-24T19:27:00.001+00:002019-03-24T19:33:30.289+00:00Sevilla<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I actually started writing this post on the day I got back from Sevilla but quickly abandoned it when I realised that my laptop was way too full to actually import my photos from my camera and start compiling the visual part of this post. I kept telling myself I'd get around to it and lo-and-behold it's now the 24th of <b>March</b> and I've finally stopped procrastinating the gruelling job of sorting through and deleting files to make space of the 276 photos taken on this trip. Looking through these photos was lovely and has made me so excited for my upcoming trip to Spain (Valencia this time!)<br />
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There's something about Spain which makes me feel so <b>content. </b>It's a country that I will return to over and over again and never get bored of (as you can probably tell by my recent trips) and I would go as far as saying it's my favourite country so far. The history, the art, the language, the food, the people...I guess there's a reason I'm studying it at university!<br />
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Despite having already been to Seville back in 2016, I feel like I still managed to take on the city with a fresh mind and fell in love with it all over again. My dad and I had only spent a few days in Seville and used it as our base when embarking on our inter-rail journey around Andalusia so my memories of my previous trip to Seville were very hazy and definitely written over by the experiences I had in the multiple other cities my dad and I visited during our journey.<br />
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I returned 3 years later with a whole new proficiency in the language, so I could actually converse confidently instead of having to rely on my dad to do all the talking for me when we had previously visited (he lived in Ibiza for 2 years so his Spanish is perfect) Now I could actually order food in over-crowded tapas bars, listen to 45 minute guided tours of museums in Spanish (I did have to record a few clips to refer back to though), hold almost 1 hour conversations with our AirBnB host and more.<br />
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As well as knowing the language, my knowledge of Spanish history and culture has infinitely multiplied and I came back to Seville with a much more solid understanding of the history of the region as well as utter adoration for Spanish artists. I think that when you have these extra layers of connection to a place, you really do enjoy it more and feel so much more immersed in it all.<br />
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Seville is a <i>beautiful</i> city. Think orange tree lined streets, cobble stones, tiles, warm light, blue skies and sun. Moorish, renaissance and gothic influences everywhere. Those of you that dont know, the Iberian peninsula was under the Muslim Moor control from 711AD up until la Reconquista in 1492 by the Catholic monarchs. The period from then saw the Spanish Inquisition and fleeing of a high proportion of Muslims and Jews that had resided in the peninsula and enjoyed a degree of religious coexistence between the three faiths. When the Catholic monarchs returned and put the Inquisition into full force, Muslims and Jews were given the choice to either convert to Catholicism (which some did) whereas others left the land and mostly dispersed across North Africa, particularly Morocco which is why there are such large communities of Moroccan-Jews to this day. So much so that the king Mohammed V actually blocked the Vichy's efforts to implement anti-Jew legislation in Morocco and also prevented the deportation of 250,000 Jews from Morocco to concentration camps in Europe.<br />
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I digress.<br />
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I guess what I'm trying to say is that the history of this city is incredibly detailed and intricate due to so many different civilisations being established there. I've grown more and more appreciative of art and art history and was absolutely spoilt by exhibitions showing the works of Spanish painters like Murillo, Zurbaran and Velasquez. The fine arts museum had a special exhibition dedicated to Murillo and I loved each and every room. Seville has an incredible artistic history so try and visit every art museum there is in the city!<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK5KD3weBwSpkpIF79j5lou08xyzMtEVO4tGfxCMHGw5uHacce_Z0HVifdOd9D5kbeiAqPbUqioz-fnTvK-V0OGNS9NDB_0fopwPxdQ-Xs7wMfJ9psHHYZlzyXfsLg1x_Ov0TAUQUo78XP/s1600/IMG_9458.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK5KD3weBwSpkpIF79j5lou08xyzMtEVO4tGfxCMHGw5uHacce_Z0HVifdOd9D5kbeiAqPbUqioz-fnTvK-V0OGNS9NDB_0fopwPxdQ-Xs7wMfJ9psHHYZlzyXfsLg1x_Ov0TAUQUo78XP/s1600/IMG_9458.jpg" /></a><br />
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Have you visited Sevilla? If not, <b>go!!!</b><br />
-DalalDalal Tahirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06389662646607195795noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5047426997523866270.post-33959337177407446522019-03-01T09:00:00.001+00:002022-04-05T00:25:58.558+01:00summer in film 2018 <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMelpgto7rjSn-XIVgXHhvIirkhdMJ8XKXmH_LxwtEtE3azJEq1jSO6aBpECu9FMQoTqlMPod3TTJxmW4-zYjeU7CVcXSkJkpdCbEA8RMyd9GWK1OW3K-VHnTWmeJ9rCQ3uZAK94nzLtay/s1600/photo+in+palace.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMelpgto7rjSn-XIVgXHhvIirkhdMJ8XKXmH_LxwtEtE3azJEq1jSO6aBpECu9FMQoTqlMPod3TTJxmW4-zYjeU7CVcXSkJkpdCbEA8RMyd9GWK1OW3K-VHnTWmeJ9rCQ3uZAK94nzLtay/s1600/photo+in+palace.jpeg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">this was taken in the Bahia palace courtyard and has a very strange light leak but I don't mind it!</td></tr>
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I am aware that it's literally <i>March</i> at the time you're reading this. I've actually had my film developed since September but since moving to university I no longer had access to the scanner I usually used and every time I went back to London, I'd forget to bring all 45 film photos with me to scan back there. I haven't yet found a place to scan my prints here in Exeter but I managed to find an app which does an okay job- they're not perfect but then again, what is ;)<br />
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I had a wonderful summer last year, it was the one that followed A levels so it just felt that little bit sweeter. I had so much time to just do what I want and not feel the guilt of not studying or the impending doom of exams because I had none. Even the thought of results day was completely blanked out until August hit which is pretty impressive considering I finished exams in the end of June. Because I had so much free time I managed to do quite a bit of travelling which means the photos in this post are from Madrid, Venice, London, Gibraltar, Marrakech, Casablanca and Ceuta. I still vividly remember finishing my last exam, texting my mum and Katie with something like "I'm freeeeee" and then walking to Argos to pick up my disposable camera.<br />
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Anyway, I hope you like scrolling through these photos, it's been nice to dig these prints out and have a look through them again. My initial plan was to hang them up in my uni room but I can't think of anywhere good and I'd quite like my deposit back from my land lord tbh. So even though these photos are stowed away in my drawer, I still love looking through them and being reminded of past summers which it only makes my excitement for the coming one even more intense.<br />
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One more thing- I apologise for the weird caption formats. The different sized photos has made it so hard to get the captions into one uniform size so some might be smaller fonts than others. Also, count how many times you see my little yellow bag in these photos and comment it down below (or take a shot each time, your choice)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2aR5PDWUJpCG9r5_XfmqnM-LHBl1AM2MHvCS14CjZJ_GqhXEH-sxUgv8pWCbDDZWXp748EK1CHdyMXtfLLCSfYzaJMgDbIKQO4deqVx3GX3YO6WN5i-tr4pvPxK0i6UNcAs0B0XBsCxrC/s1600/new+doc+2019-02-24+18.22.37_1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2aR5PDWUJpCG9r5_XfmqnM-LHBl1AM2MHvCS14CjZJ_GqhXEH-sxUgv8pWCbDDZWXp748EK1CHdyMXtfLLCSfYzaJMgDbIKQO4deqVx3GX3YO6WN5i-tr4pvPxK0i6UNcAs0B0XBsCxrC/s1600/new+doc+2019-02-24+18.22.37_1.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjXHvwqzwQ3vF7NlSD9F96rd8GK4JU7_cVHN5JhpxNFwwDMrpBDZoHjvlR9dBJ15IYNg_dKyKu7xp83ja54wx0hqj6ZEJOR81MToWUp1nQbMWWjFD-AchXj7XP4oaSObWtfqLImOG-cjEs/s1600/churreria.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjXHvwqzwQ3vF7NlSD9F96rd8GK4JU7_cVHN5JhpxNFwwDMrpBDZoHjvlR9dBJ15IYNg_dKyKu7xp83ja54wx0hqj6ZEJOR81MToWUp1nQbMWWjFD-AchXj7XP4oaSObWtfqLImOG-cjEs/s16000/churreria.jpeg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Churros con chocolate and fresh orange juice in Madrid. There were two men playing the guitar just out of the shot and to this day I rewatch the *one* video clip I took of them playing and hope that some day I'll be able to know the piece they were playing</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The mountains in Ouzoud falls. Aside from being the site of the stunning waterfall, this place is also a village with quite a substantial civilian population. Our tour guide was a Moroccan guy who was born and raised here and it was interesting to think about what life must be like living here</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mint tea at a cafe overlooking the sea in Rabat with my cousin. I come to this cafe anytime I visit Rabat, I feel like it's so hidden and unknown by any tourists which is a shame as it is such a good spot for a glass of tea or coffee</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs2dZJR-Ud3YmfTM-fTLVCPK6mX62Ipbsuo0MYD8vni3MRJHO8d7gHe3fQITV5IqUQ7Y-Pa1d23eezhFoLbKU1o8OISS1zk4wWDDgTJf7dnKKrfg0zww2zIh6huo5dkR745SNTovblrGNo/s1600/bahia.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs2dZJR-Ud3YmfTM-fTLVCPK6mX62Ipbsuo0MYD8vni3MRJHO8d7gHe3fQITV5IqUQ7Y-Pa1d23eezhFoLbKU1o8OISS1zk4wWDDgTJf7dnKKrfg0zww2zIh6huo5dkR745SNTovblrGNo/s1600/bahia.jpeg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Courtyard in Bahia Palace (which took us 2 hours to find) but was very worth it</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-dyvTCV6KT1wyt5PsxijnFDOzUd72YAwiBV28sGY3DicFsTP4VQMBOXYRBQEzUokJlR7w9vPy5z2RjlsAxJ5eE97ux6j3CPwlvOaNZk6_I4hJZwCELnuefY53ylEBQUAPbCHNo1qTWgwJ/s1600/ousous+pt2.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-dyvTCV6KT1wyt5PsxijnFDOzUd72YAwiBV28sGY3DicFsTP4VQMBOXYRBQEzUokJlR7w9vPy5z2RjlsAxJ5eE97ux6j3CPwlvOaNZk6_I4hJZwCELnuefY53ylEBQUAPbCHNo1qTWgwJ/s1600/ousous+pt2.jpeg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The actual waterfalls!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIWGlONyGESVS8ghwN4aP4bju9SWa0ndKwgmohfiJPk102228MEKAu6WrFBgX9TggfG4u_mgDA_KDL4Q203kgc-N0tYvNRgzwZOfjSxX0yirlzupsp7W960xjDT7olXcjrKhOddErhnAH9/s1600/orane+juice.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIWGlONyGESVS8ghwN4aP4bju9SWa0ndKwgmohfiJPk102228MEKAu6WrFBgX9TggfG4u_mgDA_KDL4Q203kgc-N0tYvNRgzwZOfjSxX0yirlzupsp7W960xjDT7olXcjrKhOddErhnAH9/s1600/orane+juice.jpeg" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Our 32p orange juice which we drank way too much. It's so fresh (you can see the oranges behind me!) and squeezed right in front of you. I tried pomegranate juice when I went back to 'kech in December and it is <i>wonderful</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE9KQ_c_ERRrRe7vMEmAwGf9xuHO3x2Mu7DkRNriFhQiyWJTnoT7Tc8pG7CTpQyKMBAO5ERXuuv1H51ck9xd8RDosmymomrjkDY4ok0X1SHlJC5g2Hfe9morRAiIBdk4vgG5FxFKDzvnzj/s1600/jardin+secret.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE9KQ_c_ERRrRe7vMEmAwGf9xuHO3x2Mu7DkRNriFhQiyWJTnoT7Tc8pG7CTpQyKMBAO5ERXuuv1H51ck9xd8RDosmymomrjkDY4ok0X1SHlJC5g2Hfe9morRAiIBdk4vgG5FxFKDzvnzj/s1600/jardin+secret.jpeg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Le Jardin Secret in Marrakech, a nice and calm hideaway from the chaos</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYwCsti64o7-kNeNuDDRN9M6I_4ubm5TiElQgSkZwblVxPobRqY49hmS8n4c1WQUu2KnuHuo-1ALs1JkpAq4d2mu_eq0WoSsMjDmJY7G15ZbXbG6Im5ce2RXMR2Zfc3s4g7DMSPiedfGZx/s1600/on+the+way+.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYwCsti64o7-kNeNuDDRN9M6I_4ubm5TiElQgSkZwblVxPobRqY49hmS8n4c1WQUu2KnuHuo-1ALs1JkpAq4d2mu_eq0WoSsMjDmJY7G15ZbXbG6Im5ce2RXMR2Zfc3s4g7DMSPiedfGZx/s1600/on+the+way+.jpeg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the way to Ouzoud Falls. It's so interesting to see how the Moroccan countryside differs to the English one- significantly less green but way more hilly (and that's coming from someone who lives in Exeter)</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7xwgLQsClFsu-mAnKyEUaUZ7DG4xRNYHmLAmTFUFB9mbuTSvhPZBi0dcMrgALb4GEHB0AErDCowlzrxkofpwl_ptQsW0Fz9_ga_0BG8J9P2lyr9s8DMbRP-0wx4U80qTX4ml-11gA6GH1/s1600/back.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the many rooftops in Marrakech, this one is the Photography Museum's one which has a small cafe/restaurant if you couldn't tell from the menu </td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Another one from Le jardin secret. I couldn't have asked for a better travel partner ;) Also, my arm looks insanely long (wooo!</span>)</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq68pXUNM_K-IfpQduJ7Xl22GIh2W1fIWSYuWaOO8_2XzRj01xuyVE8j7HYMQEMN4PWyhFCGyadkJPLy3BQoCiJm3S0gjvmTDo3tKv-xQvuiycsx4DhNxVqVt4m-adBMvWSxUvgsubZWbk/s1600/portogruaro.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq68pXUNM_K-IfpQduJ7Xl22GIh2W1fIWSYuWaOO8_2XzRj01xuyVE8j7HYMQEMN4PWyhFCGyadkJPLy3BQoCiJm3S0gjvmTDo3tKv-xQvuiycsx4DhNxVqVt4m-adBMvWSxUvgsubZWbk/s1600/portogruaro.jpeg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A photo I took whilst balancing on a bike which is as hard as it sounds. This was taken on a random street lol and it felt so old and typically Italian, the whole town gave off that vibe</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5SlCHa_2vlUDP6Rz3R-icTOHQdG2Dggtkjq6n0s50atfFvQZIiZnl5ek14T3gQd9smQI_eGJ9sTSH8G79zIcpMQgxv-mGoXZH4XHKAIK90a0s3XHJdMjd7TJod5V5qv-UQV6lPf8tZF6J/s1600/canals.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5SlCHa_2vlUDP6Rz3R-icTOHQdG2Dggtkjq6n0s50atfFvQZIiZnl5ek14T3gQd9smQI_eGJ9sTSH8G79zIcpMQgxv-mGoXZH4XHKAIK90a0s3XHJdMjd7TJod5V5qv-UQV6lPf8tZF6J/s1600/canals.jpeg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Bridge of Sighs, Venice. Venice was super crowded but for a very good reason...t'was stunning!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9VigzqfN6Mdz8ZcBszld645NqRk9qnBHOzsYJ778TZgjCfYX3xqaI8MW_IjnTavAfhHdChg4_UXy7PQq1DcZonNEVRiIt0fmpk8VPXPdvmf57005ENWfzZTkGPBfP8VMvlRwFCWd8xyjD/s1600/rowing.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9VigzqfN6Mdz8ZcBszld645NqRk9qnBHOzsYJ778TZgjCfYX3xqaI8MW_IjnTavAfhHdChg4_UXy7PQq1DcZonNEVRiIt0fmpk8VPXPdvmf57005ENWfzZTkGPBfP8VMvlRwFCWd8xyjD/s1600/rowing.jpeg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another photo from my mum and I's rowing endeavours in El Retiro park in Madrid </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioWM4-CUQGaEt2h_xlHKjCkyd_h6q40dLQqjDMrKWY4S9xMU42ayk7T2vs426IZKW-XNxxHgjVFPl8sedduRVdStuXtAJjUOfqjBXIrGIatqkXhLNG9DH_cT8ujPoCE-LKAspFzh1oJxb-/s1600/failed+mirror+pic.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioWM4-CUQGaEt2h_xlHKjCkyd_h6q40dLQqjDMrKWY4S9xMU42ayk7T2vs426IZKW-XNxxHgjVFPl8sedduRVdStuXtAJjUOfqjBXIrGIatqkXhLNG9DH_cT8ujPoCE-LKAspFzh1oJxb-/s1600/failed+mirror+pic.jpeg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A failed mirror selfie in the riad </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHrPiqPcJ1Lyvcddtrco4mQjCw-jl171jUV3dcGawoalXCZjVHnKo-0zewybvhG_dXlSA271V4hjS-uAjUKEe_gxXRCLpr_TU-VkuzVTtfE18fi486uqj0kF3QFQOzUm9BsgOMSzp8Va_B/s1600/veneie.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHrPiqPcJ1Lyvcddtrco4mQjCw-jl171jUV3dcGawoalXCZjVHnKo-0zewybvhG_dXlSA271V4hjS-uAjUKEe_gxXRCLpr_TU-VkuzVTtfE18fi486uqj0kF3QFQOzUm9BsgOMSzp8Va_B/s1600/veneie.jpeg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from outside Venezia Santa Lucia railway station- we'd missed out train and had to wait 40 minutes for the next one but that was totally fine with me because it was golden hour and the sun's reflection onto the grand canal was insane. I also love how all the warm coloured buildings were super illuminated too. I'd happily miss more trains if I got a view like this every time</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA6IM98JUqxu-F79zVPkBuT96OI7idfJVaRA7TdjMn7OtsQdkdRnbLpSGbDyAzc-FAi8-JTRNoyBoR1blUdd6waaDbh8h6pz5Y8xS2gXSnC4FTDxSvuKP_jWcHWvdWMZrCrIU5Q7lYZHzO/s1600/st+marks.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St Mark's Square, Venice. Super packed and honestly slightly underwhelming ha </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju_uzEfGqwIursKxsBsi7nf7yzIQkwBmCVta2AY4x85w92VErXx9VvdafAWJJFEPz6yodueuhfbeYnkQ27kTfA5HYtXY6jOYxdpip6LvH3-pcjgQSjpRMn0ucEW7NzcWJXmVf6NeAko57v/s1600/ysl+fountain.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju_uzEfGqwIursKxsBsi7nf7yzIQkwBmCVta2AY4x85w92VErXx9VvdafAWJJFEPz6yodueuhfbeYnkQ27kTfA5HYtXY6jOYxdpip6LvH3-pcjgQSjpRMn0ucEW7NzcWJXmVf6NeAko57v/s1600/ysl+fountain.jpeg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The YSL gardens which everyone and their mum has visited</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA6IM98JUqxu-F79zVPkBuT96OI7idfJVaRA7TdjMn7OtsQdkdRnbLpSGbDyAzc-FAi8-JTRNoyBoR1blUdd6waaDbh8h6pz5Y8xS2gXSnC4FTDxSvuKP_jWcHWvdWMZrCrIU5Q7lYZHzO/s1600/st+marks.jpeg"></a><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQCSD1cgE-miNyh3DBQ5jNNhDMwK8oCljPV0jAA_zemY28hDJDjU9rMAObkp_11A6rgQ8keiUTVJDaZoXmkqcHz037JfIPBZ6gyQC6-DD92s3_HEHsi_smj_Rb0WBwY8Japj6ktW3bBYUu/s1600/reading+in+pool.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQCSD1cgE-miNyh3DBQ5jNNhDMwK8oCljPV0jAA_zemY28hDJDjU9rMAObkp_11A6rgQ8keiUTVJDaZoXmkqcHz037JfIPBZ6gyQC6-DD92s3_HEHsi_smj_Rb0WBwY8Japj6ktW3bBYUu/s1600/reading+in+pool.jpeg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reading in the rooftop pool in Marrakech. The best way to escape the midday heat and have a few hours of calm. The pool was tiny but it was more than enough and such a treat when you've been out in 36+ degrees </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3HObldNZwCoo5n3GUuifLFef6jrTSQiq5UxoSeoryFgrLwzSLHk46T_WDAwacAESFK2Ctm2uxA5wv5qVCbf-NbivxyjKJAjznEH9zg8F7jXg8AUO5OV7iE41YLZHxRyfvzoH0scXmyC4b/s1600/ysl.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3HObldNZwCoo5n3GUuifLFef6jrTSQiq5UxoSeoryFgrLwzSLHk46T_WDAwacAESFK2Ctm2uxA5wv5qVCbf-NbivxyjKJAjznEH9zg8F7jXg8AUO5OV7iE41YLZHxRyfvzoH0scXmyC4b/s1600/ysl.jpeg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Iconic electric blue house in le jardin majorelle- I'll never tire of the colours in this place</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_BuwT5noXN3VhqqzwUlhyphenhyphen34PjM_la3WOsLbLoFPMjAI3y2WdubFmST7SsZTn1NdbXck9a2UisAuGt-_K2ACTwg21qoZLeHD5A2kvefZDjYOJsB2Zr8SasPwJnh40tHDrT69Q_88ft6yi_/s1600/ououd.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_BuwT5noXN3VhqqzwUlhyphenhyphen34PjM_la3WOsLbLoFPMjAI3y2WdubFmST7SsZTn1NdbXck9a2UisAuGt-_K2ACTwg21qoZLeHD5A2kvefZDjYOJsB2Zr8SasPwJnh40tHDrT69Q_88ft6yi_/s1600/ououd.jpeg" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Yet another photo of the waterfall ;) Clearly couldn't get enough of it!</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYTG5tMfxjtYdGUG6yODG_JyerBTQ9NICLHZakseDghyGfGsgatTrmWEtVb57XSxEeBpk0YXPtSShIY_ki95n8DKXRAR8hTqiIagQDDJJaH7XaQUlBuiOACzZmKIbJkM2Ntz0bDfJlg9nF/s1600/ceuta.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYTG5tMfxjtYdGUG6yODG_JyerBTQ9NICLHZakseDghyGfGsgatTrmWEtVb57XSxEeBpk0YXPtSShIY_ki95n8DKXRAR8hTqiIagQDDJJaH7XaQUlBuiOACzZmKIbJkM2Ntz0bDfJlg9nF/s1600/ceuta.jpeg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">A photo of the sea in Ceuta. The land/mountains you see in the far left are actually Morocco. Ceuta is a Spanish enclave in Morocco so you enter it through border control and are officially in Spain but Morocco is obviously still physically visible- it's really cool. Also this beach was wonderful and I'll be returning when I'm next in Ceut</span>a</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhyphenhyphenhWqkMcKld_Fbxqe1fEJgyK7_u_9HxsbS2i0RM8OgrpLGBjrUH_DtrTyezBQW0f6lD1tWsh-V4hsGrLkLKRt0QhKgY92LydBJg74oRxsvpwg1p6cKwBZJ6TpXT5uBs6aieojkRKKUsW2/s1600/aalala.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhyphenhyphenhWqkMcKld_Fbxqe1fEJgyK7_u_9HxsbS2i0RM8OgrpLGBjrUH_DtrTyezBQW0f6lD1tWsh-V4hsGrLkLKRt0QhKgY92LydBJg74oRxsvpwg1p6cKwBZJ6TpXT5uBs6aieojkRKKUsW2/s1600/aalala.jpeg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And finally, a pic of me sat on a bench taking in the aura of El Badi palace, a ruined 16th century palace in Marrakech. I love how this picture shows just how huge this place is, even if it is just the ruins!</td></tr>
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And there we go! <br />
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I hope you enjoyed these photos and that it has encouraged you to use a disposable camera when the summer time rolls around. At the time of writing this, I've bought my camera for the year, albeit way too early, and I can't wait to use it in the coming months to document the rest of my time as a fresher at uni. I'll probably have to buy another one for the actual summer but I'm more than okay with that. I'm already excited to develop the photos which I haven't yet taken...<br />
<br />-Dalal</div>
<div id="accel-snackbar" style="left: 50%; top: 50px; transform: translate(-50%, 0px);"></div>Dalal Tahirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06389662646607195795noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5047426997523866270.post-60920272237128524102019-01-30T20:36:00.000+00:002019-01-31T00:28:49.554+00:00on that time of day<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1ecAYWNRIOYJoikBXy38SM8optW0-IV4gCmKEyiO8z89IbuISKTDeNFuEBt7UeBkCXTSNSm-i9afYAmfwtae5f62k4b4kNfzijEfT88kN27lo0fhD4iVUJBBmvV0hi5QjoD3wxX_I2HI1/s1600/IMG_9567.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1ecAYWNRIOYJoikBXy38SM8optW0-IV4gCmKEyiO8z89IbuISKTDeNFuEBt7UeBkCXTSNSm-i9afYAmfwtae5f62k4b4kNfzijEfT88kN27lo0fhD4iVUJBBmvV0hi5QjoD3wxX_I2HI1/s1600/IMG_9567.jpg" /></a><br />
See, I live for that time between daylight and the sun setting. The sky is still blue but the streetlights are starting to turn on and illuminate the darkened streets with dappled warm honey pools of light. The birds are still singing, not yet succumbing to the silence that the night brings with her. There's a certain warmth in the air, it hangs there, heavy and weighty, <i>pesado</i>. It's that time where everything is in a limbo: restaurants and bars preparing for the evening dinner time, the loud clanging of shutters being pulled up, resisting against the natural forces that pull them crashing down. People are either walking home or heading out for the night, I don't know what I plan to do but I let the pace take me, I'll end up where I'm meant to be.<br />
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There's a humming of people whilst the blue engulfs the yellow sun on the horizon. Thoughts of last summer, the excitement of new people, the adventure, the walks down streets looped around your date- a guy you just met 4 hours ago- legs, arms, necks, <b>breath</b> intertwined. Your arms around each other, staggering back and feeling so free and young and <i>shit is this the life? this is definitely the life</i> and those are the moments: the moments spent with new people: friends or lovers, the moments spent with a camera in hand, the moments spent just walking around aimlessly, these are the moments that will stick with you as you grow old. I continue down the cobbled streets and the fragrant bougainvillea fill the air with their scent.<br />
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<b>I love this time of day.</b><br />
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Everything is logical: night follows day and yet my thoughts rebel. They are free and young and liberated and they don't need to conform. If I want to hit up someone, anyone and spend the next few hours together, I can and if I want to catch an early night I can: the choice is mine. The freedom excites me. The breeze has started to pick up and I mentally remind myself to thank my airbnb host for telling me to bring a light jacket.<br />
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Life is too short to be spent pent up indoors or strapped down to a certain commitment whilst your mind runs away with thoughts of adventures, love, new foods and new experiences. To live in a way that restrains you from these things...what a waste.<br />
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Any time spent abroad to me is time well spent. A new part of me is unlocked and I am transformed. I am a carefree, laidback, fluid and ever-changing woman. I am no longer restricted to a certain mould expected of me. I, unlike the moon and sun, do not need to follow a routine every day. I do not need to rise up and go down like they do. I control my own movement, my own thoughts and my own actions. And that is what I love so much about this time of day, you feel young and free and it reinforces that because you're at a cross-road where you can call it a day or exclaim that the night is still young.<br />
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I don't know what this post has turned into. It was meant to be my Sevilla travel diary but it has clearly evolved into something more than that. I like that though, it truly does stick with the theme of this blog post and spontaneity. I'm working on my actual Sevilla travel diary and I can't wait to get that up. I had a blissful 3 days and I'm so ready to share more stories from it.<br />
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Dalal<br />
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Dalal Tahirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06389662646607195795noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5047426997523866270.post-33446408533720088452019-01-12T18:24:00.001+00:002022-04-05T00:28:52.542+01:00Venice<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0b6meFQI4IVHl3xm4aN84M-ulaMemHpie-zCmJ40ZXtGOMNyK7V-FtmP3ipdXhKWnqU_VbsvHDSauf1N_RYC1W6kj77T3rck4Cai_fiBzc1dxYeOdNFyf1B2cbU6mhzEfyGMkBt802iRS/s1600/IMG_8796.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0b6meFQI4IVHl3xm4aN84M-ulaMemHpie-zCmJ40ZXtGOMNyK7V-FtmP3ipdXhKWnqU_VbsvHDSauf1N_RYC1W6kj77T3rck4Cai_fiBzc1dxYeOdNFyf1B2cbU6mhzEfyGMkBt802iRS/s1600/IMG_8796.JPG" /></a></div><div><br /></div>
<div>
My time in Italy has come to a halt. </div>
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I spent 5 days in the Portogruaro and visited Venice too. My trip can be summed up by daily bike rides, weird weather and being randomly kissed by a man on the street </div>
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Oh and injuries. So many cuts and bruises that truly exemplify my clumsiness. </div>
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Will divulge into each in a second, I won't leave you hanging.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl0XFWUAI5iKzWLOaLad1bAcbBW3f0HLDBii0FhJ8OAMatXMuHgj2kARwCmBVAiShBwZbrojeOtMw0lfwVMycEao8iJMUUBksyvvzQIWJf4oadZ2oYXsoDp_amU_BIawo0UWYKtdiaLOEt/s1600/IMG_8651.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl0XFWUAI5iKzWLOaLad1bAcbBW3f0HLDBii0FhJ8OAMatXMuHgj2kARwCmBVAiShBwZbrojeOtMw0lfwVMycEao8iJMUUBksyvvzQIWJf4oadZ2oYXsoDp_amU_BIawo0UWYKtdiaLOEt/s1600/IMG_8651.jpg" /></a><br />
Dalal from the future here: I'm plucking this post out of the deep depths of my drafts folder and have subsequently been drenched with a strong wave of nostalgia for the summer. Even though we're currently in the deep depths of January I still want to upload this post on my blog as it's a place I've travelled to and well, my blog is some sort of travel diary. Venice was beautiful and quite frankly, I didn't take hundreds of photos to not share them as well as the stories behind them. I'd just like to add that it does feel a bit strange looking at photos of Venice when the season of high flooding or <i>acqua alta</i> is approaching. It's a bit unnerving to think that the city may be fully submerged underwater within my lifetime. I've just had a thought of me telling my kids something like "I was there in the summer of 2018..." as we watch the news report telling us that it's completely sunken.<br />
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bit morbid lol.<br />
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I didn't really know what to expect with this trip, I was going to be staying just outside of Venice with two aunts that I didn't really know, I think the last time I had seen them was a whole decade ago. Despite this, I was so excited to visit which you can probably gather from <a href="http://www.dalaltahira.com/2018/05/summer-dreaming.html" target="_blank">this</a> post. Aside from slightly falling in love with a guy who was boarding the same flight as me (honestly I don't think I've ever seen someone so attractive in my <i>life</i>) I just had a feeling that this trip would be one of good memories. The decision to actually go to Venice was so last minute, I think I booked the tickets in May? I was browsing Ryanair (this is honestly a real life hobby of mine) and saw that tickets were £55 so you know, it'd be rude not to...<br />
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I stayed in Portogruaro and cycled from one aunts house to the other every morning and evening- as gruelling as it was at the time, in retrospect cycling along a little river and being surrounded by greenery and hearing the crickets in the evening was a pretty good way to commute (especially as I've since had to become accustomed with delayed GWR/SWR trains with shitty wifi)<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWKwb401G6kqglGxs-fncUExKw3NUddFpHWFH3VWifNB7pYyoeNrGq7ZJrD7EZYM-wPswaAd5mOhg3gW88VJe3kBohQwQwUL0qcUpJaJFXtRj1Ptj_jEaiJpjS7oR9pFlMpGG8aprmY3Dn/s1600/IMG_8689.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWKwb401G6kqglGxs-fncUExKw3NUddFpHWFH3VWifNB7pYyoeNrGq7ZJrD7EZYM-wPswaAd5mOhg3gW88VJe3kBohQwQwUL0qcUpJaJFXtRj1Ptj_jEaiJpjS7oR9pFlMpGG8aprmY3Dn/s1600/IMG_8689.jpg" /></a><br />
My Italian cousin and I took a train into Venice Santa Lucia station which literally cost us €12 return each. I got to the station and was instantly greeted with an actual swarm of people, so I guess what they say about Venice being full of tourists is 100% true- especially near St Mark's square, the rialto bridge, the bridge of Sighs and surrounding areas.<br />
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One thing I'd like to shout out is that VENICE ISN'T EXPENSIVE. Well at least not as much as travel bloggers online say it is. I was expecting to get there and be hit with expense after expense but a massive margarita pizza was €4.50 and our late lunch cost €24 <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(flirting with the waiter does help knock off some of the cost but still)</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span>You honestly just have to use common sense. Of course food in restaurants near landmarks is going to be overpriced but just walking for another 10 minutes means you can find places that are so much more affordable.<br />
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The one downfall of the city is that there are barely any toilets. A) you have to pay for the very few public bathrooms or B) you have to go into a restaurant. I was #blessed to have gotten my period just as I arrived in Venice so I had to buy an emergency pack of pads from a random supermarket and then hunt out a bathroom. <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilbMSQKVqeenQY8OLqW__tK6f9WVZJTIltM2lOVEO8XlB2mtxjsPmuqnYO6bwjE4d03gnFC_ZIivf0D0K5oKZucGbhQCxyta62Qv-re7VeIQJ91mgioTe_VnmaUyEaZtJfXEc90eQNEKkO/s1600/IMG_8783.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilbMSQKVqeenQY8OLqW__tK6f9WVZJTIltM2lOVEO8XlB2mtxjsPmuqnYO6bwjE4d03gnFC_ZIivf0D0K5oKZucGbhQCxyta62Qv-re7VeIQJ91mgioTe_VnmaUyEaZtJfXEc90eQNEKkO/s1600/IMG_8783.jpg" /></a><br />
<i>What did I do in Venice?</i><br />
I don't know if it's the fact that I'm writing this 6 months later but I honestly can't remember doing anything super significant. It was mostly just walking around, taking breaks and sitting by the canals in the backstreets to cool down, wondering if it's legal to swim in the canals (it's not) and just taking it all in. I didn't go into any of the museums nor did I pay €80 for a gondola. I do know that I walked 25km on that day which is saying something. I also spent €40 on a bikini from Oysho, instantly regretted it and returned it only to come back to the UK and order it online because I realised that I actually really liked it.<br />
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Aside from Venice, I went to the beach in Caorle so I can tick off the Adriatic sea in my non-existent list of where I've swam...which is a list that I'm now realising a former competitive swimmer should probably have. I also went to a music festival in Portogruaro and (somewhat ironically) tried sushi for the first time. I also had my face pulled in for a kiss by a random Italian man on the street which left me breathless, as you can imagine, and also had me yelling "Viva Italia" shortly after.<br />
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So I guess that was Venice for me. I had such a great time and ate a shit ton of pizza and just made a lot of good memories.<br />
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And in the very unlikely event that the guy who oh-so-romantically french kissed me is reading this: <i>chiamami.</i><br />
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I hope you liked reading the very disjointed stories from my time in Italy. Oh the memories :')<br />
<i><br /></i>-Dalal<br />
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<div id="accel-snackbar" style="left: 50%; top: 50px; transform: translate(-50%, 0px);"></div>Dalal Tahirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06389662646607195795noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5047426997523866270.post-86353294193223021692019-01-03T22:13:00.000+00:002019-01-04T23:07:29.993+00:00some goals for 2019<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSls6rFDNI9IJ7q3ouWumMgDSKZ6CCkcSLY8YHzVl5Kr-4geYf9Zgwtg9S7f4easQkj4RVCAEnnSMiyo5plIv7TX7Tq5khNYlvEneWeN80INap2-_j6WCr2UnyerzaewnN0-dt9vdODQkX/s1600/IMG_6312.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSls6rFDNI9IJ7q3ouWumMgDSKZ6CCkcSLY8YHzVl5Kr-4geYf9Zgwtg9S7f4easQkj4RVCAEnnSMiyo5plIv7TX7Tq5khNYlvEneWeN80INap2-_j6WCr2UnyerzaewnN0-dt9vdODQkX/s1600/IMG_6312.JPG" /></a></div>
I started by scribbling these down in the back page of my shiny new Kikki K agenda but as I reread my previous '2018 goals' post I uploaded onto here (and felt very smug at the fact that I actually did achieve the majority what I had wanted to) I figured it wouldn't do any harm to type them up onto here. So here we go...goals for the year 2019.<br />
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-Spanish. I want to speak more of it, learn more of it, read more of it, write more of it. I just want to immerse myself in this beautiful language that I feel so <i>privileged </i>to be able to say I can communicate in. I visited Madrid and my passion grew stronger, to indescribable lengths. I will live there in my lifetime. I have to.<br />
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-Get through first year. I'm already almost there, I can do it.<br />
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-I want to travel. Yes, yet another person throwing that word around 'travel...travel...travel' But I want to do it. Praying I get the discover EU internal pass. A place I've been wanting to go to desperately is Lisbon, it looks beautiful and laidback and historic and has pretty tiles, yellow trams and custard tarts. I want to visit Central Europe: Prague and Budapest. I want to spend days lazing on hidden beaches around Menorca, the Balearics lesser known younger sister. I want to go to more parts of Spain: Valencia, Barcelona, Madrid and Sevilla (again)<br />
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-I'm living so close to Cornwall, I would love to take a week or two in the summer following the end of term visiting the beaches around there and exploring the Jurassic coast, tanning, swimming and surfing.<br />
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-Venture more into art and art history. I continually regret not taking a short course in Art History that my sixth form offered and this regret was intensified whenever I had to test my friends who were studying it in the run up to exams. I love looking at art and matching it to its corresponding time period, the links between a portrait and the year in which it was painted is so fascinating to me and I truly do see it as another medium into studying history in general.<br />
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-Continue viewing my blog instagram as a place to post photos that I like, share what I'm doing and upload fun insta stories. Viewing it as anything other than that sucks the fun out of it.<br />
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-Hit 200k views. I'm at 150k at the time of writing, I can *so* do it. Reach 400 followers on bloglovin. I don't see my blog as a massive potential business and gateway to becoming an 'influencer' of some sort. No way. To me it's a place where I can write and share photos and stories from my own life and the community I have here is invaluable.<br />
<br />
-Do something different with my hair...dye it a bit lighter or get some highlights into it.<br />
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-Read more. It's another one that everyone has put on their list but I really want to get through more books this year, I’ve got a growing list of books I want to get through this year- no specific number as I definitely don’t need the pressure of 40+ books looming over me. I just want to read more and if I can get through just 5 books this year I’ll feel accomplished.<br />
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-Stop worrying about things and take life as it comes at me. <i><u>'Ride the wave until it breaks'</u> </i>Everything that is meant to be, will be.<br />
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-I want to post on here more often, my blog posting schedule is very sporadic and I don’t really have a set framing for my blog posts. I think the ship has already sailed for my beauty posts and I much prefer sharing skincare or the few makeup products I really like. I would say the same for my fashion posts, as much as I love putting together outfits sharing them on here is such a hassle. I want to post more of what I love: life updates, travel diaries (my actual fave posts) and those random lifestyle posts.<br />
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-I hope 2019 is the year I finally go up to Newcastle (and Oxford, for more than 3 hours) and visit Katie instead of making her come down to London<br />
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-Learn how to drive...something I've been putting off for a year now!<br />
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-Meet more blogging friends (I'm looking at you, <a href="http://eleanorclaudie.com/" target="_blank">Eleanor</a>)<br />
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-See J Balvin and Maluma live<br />
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-Film 1 second everyday, I'm on day 3 and it's still going strong. I'm already looking forward to seeing the finished product!<br />
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Those are all the goals I have at the moment, there's nothing profound or groundbreaking but I like it that way. I'll probably revisit this post and add on a few more new goals as I go on. 2018 was the best year of my life which is something that has been thrown around by many others but it truly was- it had its ups and downs with the end of exams, travel, big life transitions and rough patches. I'm excited to see where this year takes me but I simultaneously don't want to think too much about it; I'll just ride the wave until it breaks.<br />
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Do you have any goals for this year? Wishing you a very very happy new year<br />
DalalDalal Tahirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06389662646607195795noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5047426997523866270.post-88941325727630181902018-12-21T16:47:00.002+00:002022-04-05T00:32:04.636+01:00who am I? life lessons<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />photo creds to <a href="https://www.yossyakinsanya.com/" target="_blank">Yossy</a> who aside from being an amazing photographer is also one of the best and nicest friends one could ever ask for. thank you. </td></tr>
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I've been doing a whole load of self discovery since coming to university and I've learnt a <i>lot</i> about myself and who I really am. Kinda like a gap yah but condensed into 3 months and obviously missing the main principal of a gap year which is the time away from education. Whilst I have clearly not taken a gap year to compare the past few months with, I honestly do believe that I have come out of the end of the term as a new person. Of course there's the generic "I learnt how to cook, do laundry and clean a bathroom" which is definitely a massive achievement for me considering how 'untrained' I was, to put it in the words of my mum who was in awe and disbelief when she came home to a fully cleaned home on Wednesday lol.<br />
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But of course, trivial things aside. I've managed to learn a lot about myself: how I am not in fact as introverted as I thought I was and how I really do crave human attention and socialising, how I can easily slip and isolate myself and fester away in my room in a pit of despair and self-hatred, how I am so quick to discredit my own achievements, how anxious I am, how scared I am to admit that I'm not feeling good and that life isn't happy for me at all.<br />
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These are all things I would've never thought I would find out about myself. I'd always held the perception of myself being quiet, shy, reserved and introverted- someone who prefers to be alone and would rather not socialise. Being at university and subjecting myself to these self-appointed views of who I am/should be essentially ended up as the biggest downfall ever. This isolation and lack of self-belief made a seriously lethal combination which culminated in 3 weeks of absolute hell and pain. I don't think I had ever felt so down and the term 'prolonged low mood' which was overly used by pastoral and wellbeing support counsellors seemed like an understatement. I've since been diagnosed and have much more support available to me which I am grateful for, thank you Exeter Uni for having the best further education mental health services in the U.K.<br />
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Depressing stuff aside, I guess the silver lining of such temperamental and difficult times is that I am here to reflect on it and learn from it. I really do love the quote "everything will be okay in the end and if it's not, it's not the end" because to me, it provides hope, a light at the end of a dark, all-consuming tunnel which seems to be inescapable. I learnt that I have an excellent support system around me. No exaggeration, when I posted those instagram stories of me quite literally bawling my eyes out and admitting the truth I received over 40 messages from people, some of whom I had never spoken to and then of course from the people I was much closer to. Those messages, phone calls, twitter DMs and more really did give me perspective on what was happening to me. So thank you to everyone who reached out and made sure I was okay, I am eternally thankful.<br />
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With regards to social life, university does seem like the pinnacle of social 'stuff' with bar crawls, society socials, nights out, pre drinks...it gets overwhelming. There's something on every night, especially if you're at university in a city which is mostly propelled by the student population. I'd always turned my nose up at it all <i>"that's not my scene" "I'd rather to stay in" </i>and perhaps most representative of me: <i>"fuck that." </i>Well, that is definitely not the case and it turns out that I love being around people, provided I've had some time to myself beforehand. I love surf socials, modern languages socials, extravagant history socials (perks of extensive funding from the guild) and latin nights where I can dance the night away with amazing people and end the night/morning (lol) with Spanish tortilla or arepas at an afters. Socialising is a huge part of university life but it isn't something that just comes to you, unless you actively make an effort to go out, you will be left behind. If you are going to university in September and see yourself as someone who isn't much of a social butterfly, I am urging you to at least make an effort. It gives you a break from the mundane reality of lectures and seminars and endless reading and it of course makes you feel less isolated.<br />
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I think I also learnt to really appreciate myself. We can be so self-loathing and then that paired with certain mental health conditions intensifies it. I'm not stupid, I'm not dumb, I'm not an idiot. I am intelligent, articulate and expressive. We don't give ourselves enough credit. I do not want to compare myself to others because I am not them, I am my own person and I deserve to be in this institution just as much as they do. It's so important that we begin to understand the extent of our beauty/intelligence because, *insert cliched phrase her* if we can't then no one else will.<br />
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So those are my thoughts and reflections on my first term of university, it has quite literally been a roller coaster with profound highs and lows. The good has been <i>good</i> and the bad has been pretty fucking <i>bad</i>. But I've made it and now I have all these new lessons about myself which are going to be with me for the rest of my life. I hope you enjoyed reading and possibly found that you yourself could identify with some of the things I've mentioned. Have a fab christmas and I'll hopefully catch you before 2019 (jesus)<br />
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What have you learnt over the past 3 months, whether you're at university or not!<br />
-Dalal<div id="accel-snackbar" style="left: 50%; top: 50px; transform: translate(-50%, 0px);"></div>Dalal Tahirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06389662646607195795noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5047426997523866270.post-11106456965658084002018-12-04T11:33:00.001+00:002022-04-05T00:30:20.060+01:00a few good things<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I've been sad and struggling for the past month and quite frankly, wallowing in a pit of self-pity. It's so easy to get utterly consumed by negative emotions that sometimes you forget to take a step back and look at the bigger picture. I remember seeing this post on someones blog, but I just can't remember whose exactly, and thinking it was an great way to truly prove that it's the little things that count, not matter how stupid or superficial they may seem. So I quickly scribbled down 'a few good things' on a hot pink post it note and I'm writing them up on here to share them. I hope it makes you evaluate what good things there are in <u>your</u> life (because trust me, they do exist) that make you feel relaxed and at peace!<br />
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New glossier makeup</h3>
This is a brand I've been wanting to try out since 2015/16 and I finally made the order last Friday. I'd already tried out their priming moisturiser which I bought new off Depop but had never tried out their makeup. Until now! I have an amazing new mascara which does the best job at giving you fluttery lashes and omg I don't think my lashes have ever looked this nice before, boy brow which is hyped up for a very good reason and a sheer lip colour in Jam. I hadn't worn makeup in weeks so receiving this order really pushed me to put some on and feel good about myself again. The packaging is absolutely divine too, as you probably already know.<br />
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Fresh Lush face masks</h3>
Even more so then they're completely free. My flatmate works at Lush and brought back £42 worth of face masks and messaged our house group chat to tell us they're ours to use. I've since taken it upon myself to try each mask each night, just after working out and before showering. I'm incredibly loyal to the self-preserving Mask of Magnamnity but a few of the fresh face masks have earned a spot in my heart.<br />
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<h3>
Post cards</h3>
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I am a sucker for a good post card and my cork board in my room is testament to that. Whilst the ones from places I've visited are tucked away in a photo album, I love the random artistic ones. I love sending them to people even more. Paperchase and Hema are my go to's but places like the museums and galleries are also great places. I recently bought a postcard with a watercolour painting of London and I adore it so much, especially as I can see the area where I live in on there. </div>
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<h3>
Letter writing</h3>
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Somewhat related to the theme of post cards, I've also gotten back into writing letters after a two month long stint (sorry Katie) Letter writing was <i>the</i> way to destress for me during year 13 and it was also a way to write out my problems and physically send them hundreds of miles away (again, sorry Katie) I finally managed to write and decorate a letter on Wednesday and oh my god have I missed using pastel highlighters for something other than notes, spreading cat design washi tape along an envelope, using watercolour post it notes and placing stickers on paper. It sounds so child-like and trivial but it's so so much fun, especially when you think of your pen-pal's reaction to seeing a prettily decorated envelope at their doorstep. I would highly recommend letter writing and if you feel the urge to do what I've just described but don't know who to send it to, I would be more than happy to give you my details so you can send it to me! </div>
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<h3>
New perfume </h3>
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I love perfume but I only brought two with me to university, one of which is my summer one by L'Occitane and the other is a cheap one from Avon which surprisingly smells amazing. My mum didn't let me bring her perfumes with me so I've been restricted to the two, especially the latter as the L'Occitane one is way too summery for 2 degree weather. So, my mum kindly decided to order me the perfume I've been wanting since I smelt it on my GCSE history teacher (yep, my history teachers have influenced me in more ways than one lol) I am now the owner of La Vie Est Belle which has been one of my favourite scents for years now. The name of the perfume itself is also a good reminder to not worry too much because life is good. </div>
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<h3>
Daily workouts</h3>
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Lol. Despite having a very athletic background (that sounds so wanky) I have become so lazy and unfit and that definitely has an impact on my mental wellbeing. When my dad came to visit me, he <strike>kinda</strike> forced me to join my universities 'body soc' which is basically group exercise classes on campus with yoga, LBT, HIIT etc. I've been going to those as much as I can as well as using Blogilates videos on youtube which I remember having an almost unhealthy obsession with a few years ago. Yoga with Adrienne is also a huge part of my workout routine and I like to do her flows in the evenings as well. It definitely helps that I bought a few new work out clothes over the weekend. </div>
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<h3>
My history society fleece</h3>
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Honestly this is the best £20 I've spent thus far. I bought the navy blue history soc fleece which has a half zip and my unis crest embroidered onto it and considering I bought it on Monday, I've worn it an awful lot. It's <i>so</i> soft and warm and legend has it that if it's worn whilst writing an essay, you will get a first. So there's that. </div>
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Some other honourable mentions are long phone calls with my mum, the campus cats (we have a ginger and a black one and they are the highlights of my day), <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcpAh78saoo" target="_blank">this</a> music video, smooth radio which always reminds me of my dad and the prospect 'sister santa' with my sister, a tradition where we spend £15 on each other that we've had for 3 years now. I have a few self help books I've been dipping into as well, one from my dad and one from my flatmate. I guess the prospect of December is also exciting, as it's a new month and a chance to get away from the hellish November I've had. Even though it's filled with deadlines, I'm going to Bath for the Christmas markets with body soc on the 9th and then I also have the history ball and then the modern languages ball shortly after. It also means going home is coming soon and then going home home to Morocco is also close. So there's a lot of exciting things happening!</div>
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<div>-Dalal </div>
<div id="accel-snackbar" style="left: 50%; top: 50px; transform: translate(-50%, 0px);"></div>Dalal Tahirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06389662646607195795noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5047426997523866270.post-56722115997912790492018-09-15T09:05:00.001+01:002018-11-23T16:44:02.219+00:00A love letter to London <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As I write this I am sat on a train on the way to Exeter. My home for the next 3 years (with a year in Spain sandwiched in.)<br />
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It felt weird booking these train tickets. Having my parents and sister buy return tickets and myself only a one way. We haven't even arrived and they haven't even left yet but I'm already feeling like I've been thrown into the deep end. I'm more than capable of spending time alone and away from family- this summer alone I spent a total of 41 days without my family whilst I was away in different places. But actually living and studying alone in a new city feels strange. But this post isn't about how much I'm going to miss my family or even my friends. It's about how much I'm going to miss London. The city I was born in and grew up in and the city that has essentially made me into who I am today.<br />
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I'm so used to slating it; calling it a soul sucking and depressing place but as my days in the capital dwindle away I'm starting to realise how much I'm going to miss this place. I'm so blessed to call this place my home, to live in an area where Tower Bridge is a 10 minute walk away, 6 if I speedwalk, an area where I can walk to Covent Garden and Oxford street if I really wanted to and get there in under half an hour, the double deckered busses that have served me for the past 18 years and that I've never had to pay to get on, even that god awful Central line service. The Jubilee and Northern lines which whenever I get on, mean that I'm on my way home. The convenience of everything. On the day of the Westminster Bridge attacks, when all public transport was held and roads were blocked I simply walked home. It's been the only way of life I've ever really known- having everything at my disposable and as I count the days till I'm gone I truly understand a) why my parents decided to migrate here and b) the quote "When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life."<br />
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A few days ago I met up with my secondary school friends for the last time before we all parted ways to embark on new adventures from gap years to Biology at Oxford. We walked around Soho under the candy floss coloured skies as the sun was setting and I couldn't help but say "wow, London is actually beautiful." Covent Garden by night, a place that is usually full to the brim of tourists and locals alike was deserted, with a slight hum of people chattering from rooftop bars and alfresco restaurants. We walked around the cobbled streets and appreciated our last time together until Christmas. And that night, walking back to Elephant and Castle where we would all see where the next leg of the night would take us, with a bottle of Bacardi and a litre of coke in hand felt somewhat monumental.<br />
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Those who know me will know that I will defend South London till the day I die but walking over Waterloo bridge at night, a journey that would take us from the North side of the river back to our local South felt so bittersweet- as if we were leaving behind our new memories from that evening in central London and returning back to the reality of home. Home where suitcases are strewn across the floor in a failed attempt to pack for the 'big move' They say that walking over Waterloo bridge at night is an almost euphoric experience. Seeing the cities landmarks lit up and the reflection of those lights onto the Thames. I don't know. It does something to you.<br />
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So as I get ready to settle into a new city and start a new chapter of my life, I will mourn my departure from my beloved London. The place that I and my dearest friends call home.<br />
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-DalalDalal Tahirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06389662646607195795noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5047426997523866270.post-48584377053620725492018-09-06T08:00:00.001+01:002022-04-05T00:36:15.296+01:00marrakech | مراكش<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQGxLqQNP44bxX1nSofYpTW8J_gge_9q6a0tEGHplcsRZsQxsXJvc7HTEot-834fI_Ow-ar4FOBL4OQoNGFM2Y6XJaxWRwcN1iOmXyr2Ob_9vMsP8oGIqMnb9dRHTjmDY6tar9a26tpLUs/s1600/IMG_8981.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQGxLqQNP44bxX1nSofYpTW8J_gge_9q6a0tEGHplcsRZsQxsXJvc7HTEot-834fI_Ow-ar4FOBL4OQoNGFM2Y6XJaxWRwcN1iOmXyr2Ob_9vMsP8oGIqMnb9dRHTjmDY6tar9a26tpLUs/s1600/IMG_8981.jpg" /></a><br />
I wanted to write the title of this post in Arabic as well as English as a way to pay homage to my background and culture lol. I was in Marrakech almost over two months ago but the experiences that I went through are still fresh in my mind. Like the rest of Morocco, Marrakech was a huge sensory overload- one that can be overwhelming if you've never visited the country or city before. As a Moroccan I'd already visited multiple times before with my parents. Despite this, I had never actually done Marrakech the touristy way which I guess would be a blessing? We would always stay far out of the medina and even Gueliz, the new town, favouring resorts and hotels to the hustle and bustle of the medina. We would subsequently spend our days by the pool and only ventured into the city in the evening before escaping back to the Europeanised version of the city.<br />
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<u>I wanted to change this.</u></div>
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How could <i>I</i>, out of all people, continue experiencing one of the most vibrant cities in the country through the watered down perspective? Even the European tourists I love criticise so much were getting out there and exploring more than I was. Katie and I spent a few days smack bang in the middle of the Marrakechi medina in an oasis of calm that was Riad Aya (even though we may have gotten henna on the bedsheets and had a whole issue sorting that out afterwards)<br />
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I don't know where to start but perhaps summarising it in some bullet points would be a good beginning:<br />
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<ul>
<li>crazy, unbearable heat that drenches your backpack straps (which your friend will then have to feel when you alternate) gross but very effective way to bond with someone lol. </li>
<li>3 hour slots of pure tranquility on a terrace, by the pool and the smell of spf. </li>
<li>orange juice. so much orange juice. </li>
<li>warm tones everywhere. and tiles.</li>
<li>lush gardens that I still can't wrap my head around- how are they still so green when they're basically in 30 degree + heat for most of the year...</li>
<li>questionable cat calling. seriously: lady gaga and shakira? </li>
<li>early breakfasts in the courtyard.</li>
<li>haggling. </li>
<li><i>someone's </i>sleep talking. to this day I don't know who the missing third person was. </li>
<li>visiting all the historical monuments the city has to offer from ruined palaces to tombs.</li>
<li>spending 2 hours looking for a place and going through some sketchy places only to realise you literally walked past the entrance before. I even looked and read the signs but still missed it. </li>
<li>a lost phone in the middle of the medina- miraculously still there and actually got it back.</li>
<li>(after paying 50 dirhams because the hustle don't stop) </li>
<li>wild roads. if you don't cross, you never will. those cars will not stop. </li>
<li>a whole load of languages. </li>
<li>random garages filled with watermelons. and a sleepy vendor beside them. </li>
<li>getting the best seat in a restaurant, looking at the menu and realising it's much more overpriced than you thought, feeling too awkward to just get up and leave, pretending to get a call from someone and loudly declaring that you're on your way down just so you can avoid confrontation with the staff. then assuring yourselves that you don't owe that restaurant anything. </li>
<li>3 hour car journeys to the waterfall (mostly spent asleep) </li>
<li>navigating the souks- thanks Katie. </li>
<li>a nose bleed and banged heads. what a day...</li>
<li>the constant drumming in the main square. </li>
<li>finally learning the word for stamps in Arabic (it'sتنابر btw) </li>
<li>going straight up the terrace as soon as we got in late at night to just lay down and talk. </li>
<li>wondering what on earth a group of lads could be doing in Marrakech (?!) </li>
<li>borrowed wonky sunglasses. </li>
<li>cats!!! </li>
<li>buying a ridiculous amount of 1 litre bottles of water. </li>
<li>forcibly drinking mint tea because you don't want your friend to miss out on the experience. </li>
<li>"excuse me miss can I have [your] snapchat?" </li>
</ul>
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After reading through this bullet point list, I think that it encompasses my time in Marrakech perfectly. A collection of fast paced events that have made this trip one that I'll never forget. </div>
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And I don't know if it's strange to thank the person you travelled with for, you know, travelling with you, but I can firmly say that having experienced Marrakech (and Ouzoud) with Katie has made it even more memorable. So here's to internet friends/pen pals turned travel buddies. I hope we have many more trips together. </div>
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Dalal </div>
<div id="accel-snackbar" style="left: 50%; top: 50px; transform: translate(-50%, 0px);"></div>Dalal Tahirahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06389662646607195795noreply@blogger.com18