back again

I finally figured out how to get back here after crashing my old laptop and getting a new one.  We've been in the air again.  This time to Morocco and Tunisia.  I learned so much about the country of Tunisia.  I had no idea.  They are very liberal when it comes to their religion and the practice thereof.  But, just the opposite is true of politics.  In fact there was an articles in our local newspaper today that discussed the political consequences of the economy and the riots and protests that have taken place.  It will be to see how much the president can let go of and trust his people.  It is a very diverse country where a lot of Europeans and Muslims  come for vacation.  Did you know prostitution is legal in Tunisia?  We did not have a discovery in that area, but we visited many types of shops and spoke to the workers.  Their liquor stores are like plain clothes police, you just know that it is a liquor.  There are no signs advertising such unless a drunk stumbling down the street counts.  We had an amazing night camping out on the Sahara desert, learning about sand bread, singing Jingle Bells (it was Christmas Eve), and curling up in a burnouse to stay warm.  We visited a couple of Jewish synagogues, UNESCO sites, and a beautiful blue and white village. One of the highlights was visiting an eighty-plus young woman that lives in a mountain cave and very comfortable she is too.  She has electricity, but no running water.  Her granddaughter brings it to her each day.  Her  daughter got her a cell phone and taught her how to push the button when they call.  While besides touring ancient Roman ruins, wading in the Mediterranean, and shopping for souvenirs in ancient malls, I can't think of a better way to spend a December.