Amanda Needs a Local

I walked to the Old City from my hotel. The walk is not too far, just lots of hills. I arrived at the New Gate and entered into the market place. It is CRAZY! Tons of shops on either side of the little walkways and things are hanging up and the colors are vibrant. The shop owners are for the most part very nice - offering you to come and look and reminding you that looking is free :) I did have a few grab my arm which wasn't okay, but for the most part I had a great shopping day. I wanted to find my way into other parts of the city and happened to be walking where the muslims were going to pray and was stopped by a local alerting me to this was a mistake that I was about to make; so he took me to the side and said let me show you some great views. Oh boy. We start walking towards the higher levels to get a view of the Old City and he says I love you. I say I am married. He says that I am too young - ugh! So I decide that I have to ditch this guy and fast. Then walking back towards the gate as I had decided that I should not be there alone and I have more guys saying I love you can you come to dinner with me. Ugh! Enough! So I get to the gate and grab a cab back to my hotel.

Lunch with my co-worker and his family was fabulous. All of his children from around 7th grade to college knew english very well. It was fun talking with them. They are all such beautiful kids - especially the girls. The lunch was fabulous - rice with chicken and carrots. Yeah! Then it was tea and cookies before I headed back to the hotel to work.

Today wasn't a fabulous day - I guess that I should have learned to just call my driver as he had instructed. Oh well, day off for him - tomorrow though he will have to show me the Old City in four hours as we've got lots of work to do!