allahu akbar (?)

wow, it’s been our first day of ramadan and it was really hard. I decided to join my bf, because it’s just not nice to eat and drink when he cannot. but did you know that it’s also forbidden to use perfume? well, so we will be hungry stinkers for one month ;) the hardest part is that I’m not allowed to touch my bf during daylight – no kisses, no hugs, nothing. well…

they say, it doesn’t make any sense to do ramadan without praying – it’s like a donkey who stands in the sun all day long. but do religious traditions make a sense at all? I say, if you believe in them, yes. I like rituals and traditions, although they are not mine. I like eating apples and honey at rosh hashana and believe in a good new year, although I’m not jewish (yet). and I have to lose some weight anyway, so why don’t do ramadan?

we’re in! let’s see for how long…

couchsurfing again – ole ole!

lisbon – what a city! but I didn’t stay in the city center for my almost 24-hour stopover, I managed to find a wonderful couchsurfergirl who picked me up at the train station with her amazing van and brought me to a huge farm where she and her boyfriend live at the time. they are a “bilateral” couple too, so it was really nice to get to know them.

at night another couchsurfer joined us – check out his page! he is on tour through europe for the america cancer society at the moment with his enduro motorbike and he’s just WOW! I wish I could have gotten to know him better… so my first days on the road and I feel the pain of saying goodbye again. that’s what I really don’t like about traveling – I might never get used to it.

the good thing was, that I catched my host at the right time. she needed a positive experience, because she wasn’t sure anymore about couchsurfing. some of her surfers haven’t been nice and on top a few days ago, a girl has been raped in lisbon by her host!!! WTF??? I always knew this could happen, but when it really does, you feel so sad and angry! f*** you! f*** you!!! you destroy our beautiful community!!!

all the best to all of my couchsurfing friends out there! have fun and take care…

kickoff! :)

wherever I go, israel is near… on my way to morocco I had a stopover in lisbon. on the plane, I got the place at the window, although I don’t really like it, you know – you do have to bother people when you want to go to the toilet, so after having seen many awesome skies and clouds in the past, I prefer the aisle seat ;)

whatever – next to me sat an older couple and somehow we started chatting. they’ve been born in israel, but left the country 23 years ago for europe. it’s been so cool to talk to them and I’ve been feeling amazingly comfortable, which is really good when you start a big trip :)

the woman has been afraid when we landed, because the plane shaked a bit. I told her “hakol hije beseder” and she was so happy I talked to her in hebrew, it was really funny.

all the best to my new israeli acquaintances and I hope my trip will go on with such nice happenings like this one.

couchsurfing in lisbon will follow :)

lechaim!
-steph