Hockey in Kuwait? UAE Wins First GCC Ice Hockey Championship by Defeating Kuwait

Taken the night before the final game

Sweet Victory! UAE is the first Ice Hockey GCC Champs

I love Hockey and I love Kuwait. Last night UAE whipped Kuwait's A on the Ice...

A few (the rest are for my eyes only) close ups taken from my Abu Dhabi sweetheart on the UAE team (and that's all I'm going to write about that ;-) I felt like a traitor as I cheered for the UAE team last night but my heart still belongs to Kuwait.

http://www.q8nri.com/home/2010/05/31/uae-wins-first-gcc-ice-hockey-championship-defeats-kuwait/

A Little Shop of Love ~ The First of its Kind to Open in the Gulf

The little shop of love!

A BAHRAINI woman who owns and runs what is believed to be the first sex shop in the region says she is saving marriages, by spicing up couples' love lives. Khadija Ahmed says her products help prevent infidelity by putting the excitement back into people's marriages.

"My business is legitimate and I have all the necessary papers from the Industry and Commerce Ministry," said Ms Ahmed, who opened Khadija Fashion House in 2008. "I established the store to help married couples, because the issue most Bahraini couples suffer from is the lack of interest in their intimate relationship. "Infidelity is one of the main reasons couples get divorced and my store helps tackle that, because once the intimate relations of a couple become better, then they will work harder on their relationship. "It's similar to marriage counselling, but concentrating on the sex lives of couples. New and exciting passion breaks the daily routine of married life."

The 32-year-old mother-of-three appeared before the Lower Criminal Court yesterday, accused of insulting a Customs officer in a row as she tried to import some of her products, which include sex aids and games.
The case was adjourned until September 15, but Ms Ahmed, who denies the charge, says it has already cost her a night in a police cell and lost income on products blocked by Customs.

Customs officials say some of the products which Ms Ahmed tries to import are unauthorised.  But Ms Ahmed argues that some are already on sale in pharmacies and other stores and that she is doing nothing wrong, since her target customers are married couples. She says she has built up a large customer base at the store, which is located in the heart of Jidali, on one of Bahrain's busiest roads.

"The products I sell don't go against Islam. There is nothing that prohibits married couples from enjoying their sex lives, or preventing them from having a happy marriage," said Ms Ahmed. "In the beginning I didn't face many problems but when my store became famous among locals and I started shipping in more orders, I faced a major barricade at the Customs office. "Customs staff confiscated some of my products, even though some are widely available in pharmacies and other stores. "Then representatives from the Customs Affairs and the Industry and Commerce Ministry created a committee to discuss my store and products. "They concluded that I couldn't ship in some of the things I sell.  "Some of the reasons I received were that my business caused an uproar among religious leaders and some people were scared their children would get hold of my products. "But I never got any religious leaders or MPs opposing my store. I even spoke to a religious figure recently and he didn't oppose me, so why am I being targeted ?"

Ms Ahmed claims she was "locked up with prostitutes" overnight on May 6, before being released on bail, following the row with a Customs official, but is determined to continue her mission. "People are misunderstanding the goal of my business, which is why I believe I am facing such opposition," she said. "Bahrainis should be proud that they have a woman like me who is bold enough to create a business that serves married couples and they shouldn't stand against me."

Ms Ahmed appeared on a regional television programme in Lebanon last week which discussed whether the Arab world is ready for such a store. The programme was called Sex Shop Halal and was aired on the Future channel.  Ms Ahmed said her family was fully supporting her, despite their personal views. "My family has been supportive because they know no-one can stand in my way and stop me from fulfilling my goals," she said. But she is bracing for problems, fearing that others may whip up ill feeling. "I am not scared but I have a feeling that worse things are coming my way. I will face them because I believe my business is helping couples and I know I am not doing anything wrong," she said.  "I have a large customer base and I have received many emails and phone calls from people thanking me for saving their marriage. "Our society needs to come to terms with the fact that this actually helps married couples."

By NOOR TOORANI

http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/NewsDetails.aspx?storyid=278826

http://www.arabtimesonline.com/NewsDetails/tabid/96/smid/414/ArticleID/154613/reftab/36/t/Gulf-sex-shop-offers-advice/Default.aspx

Cheap Guys ~ LMAO ~ Wanda Sykes is Hilarious!!!!!!!!!!!

Wanda Sykes Live ~ Cheap Guys Video

Stay tuned to view the next several videos on the link from Wanda Sykes live...she had me laughing so hard I nearly fell out of my chair!

DANGER!!! Foods Poisonous to Your Pets

If you have pets you do not want to miss this article below...

http://shine.yahoo.com/event/green/foods-poisonous-to-pets-1455341/

Happy Memorial Day ~ A Time to Honor America's Heros

Memorial Day Weekend in Pictures...

My Favorite Steamy Music Video ~ Janet Jackson's Someday is Tonight

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1467509/janet_jackson_someday_is_tonight/

Kuwait Food Delivery Website

Sick and starving ~ it's food delivery and movie day!

My best girlfriend kept telling me about this home delivery website in Kuwait. I never looked it up until today. Most restaurants deliver in Kuwait so I never needed too. Seriously, Kuwait would put NYC to shame...you can order just about anything to your front door here at anytime!

Since I'm suffering from a cold I decided to read up on my favorite blogs while I sip on hot tea with lemon and honey. There it was on the blog: FIVE ONE EIGHT and now I'm going to give it a try.

                                     http://6alabat.com/

What I should be doing ~ eating a creamcicle on the beach with the girls

Rise of the Husband Poachers

Since moving to Kuwait I've met some women dating married men. These are not my friends but expats that I've come across living in Kuwait. One lady that I used to work with explained that she didn't feel it was "cheating" since he could have up to four wives at one time. Are men here allowed to date other women while married since they can have four wives? I wouldn't think so!

A while ago I met a gorgeous, American lady at my old salon.  She was super friendly and loved to travel as much as I do.  We really hit it off and I just knew we would be fast friends.  We exchanged cell numbers and planned to get together for lunch.  Later she would tell me that she is madly in love with a Kuwaiti man who is married to an American woman. That she found out after they fell in love and she couldn't leave him.  He has children already.  She barely knew me but went on and on about his "secret flat" that they shared when he could get away from his family and the late nights, weekend travel and all the gifts he gives her.  That they are going to get married soon which made it okay...

To me that is the ultimate betrayal towards the unwritten laws of sisterhood.  When I told her how I felt she didn't call me again.  

Lately in the news infidelity is all you hear about.  Here are two articles I found about this very subject...

Beware of the Husband Hunter ~ Why Some Women Go For Guys Who Are Taken

By Elise Nersesian

A sparkly engagement ring used to be the symbol of ultimate security for single girls. However, a dangerous ilk of women is on the rise — those who don't consider a wedding band a deterrent, while searching for Mr. Right. They crave the excitement of a passionate romance, but one with an added challenge on top. In other words: They want your boyfriend or husband and aren't the least bit afraid to go after him.

If the tabloids are any indication, one may assume that chasing married men is largely a habit formed in Hollywood — from Rachel Uchitel's recent confession to bedding actor David Boreanaz (a married father of two), to stripper Michelle “Bombshell” McGee's tryst with Sandra Bullock's soon-to-be ex Jesse James, to (insert name of stripper-Playmate-bottle girl)'s fling with shamed golfer Tiger Woods.

However, this recent batch of philandering female star-chasers is indicative of a real-life trend that's been taking place for a while, say scientists at Oklahoma State University.

In a prominent and highly publicized study, researchers divided bachelorettes into two groups and showed them photographs of a hot guy — telling one group he was single and the other he was in a relationship; then, they asked the women how likely they were to pursue him. Only when the woman believed he was committed to someone else did interest in the male subject skyrocket.

So what gives? It's not like mate poaching is a new concept. The idea of seeking several partners — even those who are taken — well, that's classic Darwinian thinking. However, some experts say the more sexual equality females gain in society, the more Rachel Uchitel types are likely to come crawling out of the woodwork.

“Research shows that in societies where women are economically powerful, the more sexually and socially aggressive they are,” says anthropologist Helen Fisher, Ph.D., author of Why We Love. “And today, with more men out of work than women (due to the recession cutting more male-oriented jobs), we're seeing women become bolder in every area of their lives.”

There's even a chemical explanation for why many women pursue guys in relationships. “Any block to romantic love drives up dopamine — a brain chemical associated with love and reward,” says Fisher. “That brain rush can feel addictive.”

And, for the female mate poacher who Oklahoma researchers say bases her self-esteem on her looks and romantic status, that brain rush can be an intoxicating and driving force, causing her to view already-committed men with rose-colored glasses.

“Men in relationships have already proven their willingness to commit, which is a major draw to these women,” says Ian Kerner, Ph.D., sex and relationship therapist. “The possibility of landing him may make her feel special and maybe even superior.”

But this high doesn't last for long. Expending all their energy on already- committed men is a risky business, says Kerner. That's because these men are often happy to have sex on the side, but are rarely willing to leave their wives or girlfriends.

Proof can be gleaned from Michelle McGee's infamous quote in Steppin' Out magazine: “I think men are made to spread their seed. Women need to accept that. If you're going to be married to somebody, you need to know that men are not meant to be with one woman. I think you can totally love your spouse and still sleep with other women. That urge will always be there, if you're a man. I believe you can love your wife 100 percent and still stray.”

But in the end, both women get shafted. “The problem is, by expending all their energy on men in relationships, female mate poachers are overlooking potential guys who could be compatible long-term mates,” says Kerner.

Yet, sometimes it does work out. Angelina Jolie — no doubt our generation's most famous mate-poacher — snatched Brad Pitt from Jennifer Aniston; five years and six kids later, they seem to be going strong. But in Angie's darkest hour, does she ever wonder whether one day she could become the next scorned wife?

http://glo.msn.com/relationships/beware-the-husband-hunter-1533311.story?gt1=49006

Rise of the Husband Poachers

Is it time to issue all of the husbands of the world orange safety vests? Today's "other woman" is aggressive, unashamed, and (shockingly) unapologetic.

First came Rielle Hunter's interview with GQ, in which she was equal parts shameless and finger-pointing (towards Elizabeth Edwards). Then came the Vanity Fair spread of "Tiger's Lovely Ladies," and the New York Magazine article on Rachael Uchitel. Suddenly we were wondering: is this a shiny, brand new trend?

Meet the "Proud Mistress." Rather than going into hiding, this girl likes to get out in front of accusations, own-up to being a notch on the proverbial bed post (think: shrug. "Yeah, I did it, so what?"), and virtually double-dare people to judge her. Newsflash: they are.

While we hate to see men behaving so badly, what's really killing us is how little remorse "she" seems to feel. Is this just a savvy PR move (i.e. act innocent and the press will follow), or does it represent a sea change in attitudes toward infidelity? In short, is the stigma of home wrecker a thing of the past?

Though we've tried to avoid blaming the women involved, we're starting to smell that they didn't all play passive roles. Separately, they might be written off as a bunch of "poor life choices" poured into tiny outfits. But their sheer numbers have us wondering if this is really about getting their 15 minutes. Does celeb worship and the quest for fame trump any concern these girls may have had for their fellow women? Is the mere idea of an unspoken sisterhood among women naive and outdated? How would you feel if your husband cheated with a woman who seemed proud of it?

We took our questions to TheNest.com community. Here's what they had to say:

"The whole 'proud mistress' thing is nothing new. I would say most mistresses' fall into that category if they know the man is married. If they were embarrassed, they wouldn't be in that situation in the first place. It feels like a relatively new phenomenon because of the rise of tabloid culture and social media. Scandal sells magazines and discretion has gone the way of the dodo bird. As for the mistresses 'not having any respect for women,' I think that's beside the point. They don't have any respect for themselves." BowiesInSpace

"I hate this idea of some sort of band of womanhood where women are supposed to stick together and support one another, and stay away from one another's husbands. There is no such thing. 'The other woman' isn't doing a damn thing to the wife -- I've no doubt she's just falling for the same lies that the cheater is giving the wife. The cheater is 100 percent at fault and is 100 percent responsible. This has nothing to do with feminism. The question is why are men disrespecting women to whom they made vows? Another woman can 'disrespect' you by flirting with him all she wants, but nothing will come of it unless your husband is a cheater. It's really that simple. It's not any other women's job to keep my husband faithful, and it's not anyone else's fault if he's not. 'She' just doesn't matter at all." OMG Guinea Pigs!!

"Maybe they do it for the thrill of sleeping with someone rich and famous. Maybe they do it because they fall in love (or think they fell in love). Maybe they do it because they're the type of women who sleep with men on a whim or maybe they do it because they have no self-esteem." Shadow42

"The point is that the husband made the vows to his wife, so the 'other woman' owes her nothing. It's ridiculous to blame the other woman when the husband was the person who didn't keep his promise to stay faithful. No one can tempt someone into cheating if they don't want to."

by TheNest.com

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/sex/rise-of-the-husband-poachers-1426899/

Have You Seen This BAD American Cowgirl? Wanted Dead or Alive!

Bobbi Ann Finley ~ Skank Alert!!!

Police are hunting for an American woman who is accused of marrying 11 servicemen and then swindling them out of their savings before she went on the run.

By Mail Foreign Service

Last updated at 3:28 AM on 27th May 2010

Bobbi Ann Finley is believed to have been stalking, conning and stealing from American soldiers for nearly 20 years.

Now, with warrants already out for her arrest in Washington, Nebraska and Texas, the army has hired a special investigator to track her down.  Her methods are cold-blooded and simple: She allegedly trawls U.S. military bases for lonely men who are due to be deployed overseas. Then she tells them that she is the daughter of a Marine Corp general who is owed a large inheritance - but she can only claim it if she is married.  After they are married and the groom departs for deployment, the spending spree begins. Finley allegedly cleans out their homes, maxes out their credit cards, and writes bad cheques before skipping town.

One of Finley's victims, Shane Cheeseman, speaks to local TV about his ordeal

And that's not all - she is also believed to have had nine children by her various husbands since beginning her scam in 1993.  The children are said to be scattered all over the country, many never having met their real fathers. She is believed to have changed Social Security numbers and her last name to escape detection.  One serviceman, Shane Cheeseman, told American media he met Finley while at Fort Hood in Texas in 1998.  They dated briefly, then she pushed him to get married. 'I got married on a Monday, and that following weekend she was gone,' he told reporters.  Within days, he had been financially ruined. He said he was still recovering from the damage to his bank account. Military police later told him that he was one of many. He also discovered there is a 'good possibility' that he has a daughter.

The mother of another victim said her son met Finley while on a San Antonio, Texas base while he was in the Army Reserves in 2004.  Katie Wegg said her son received the same story - and, sadly, fell for it. One of the nine children may be her grandson.  She has since launched her own investigation, claiming she has spoken to 40 victims and 11 ex-husbands.

Finley was last seen in Washington state in July, 2009, when she was arrested for making a false statement to police.  She never showed for her court date.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1281583/Bobbi-Ann-Finley-married-11-servicemen-stole-money.html

Sex and the City 2 ~ 11 Video Clips (Spoiler Alert)

http://movies.yahoo.com/summer-movies/sex-and-the-city-2/1810111276

* For my readers who are not living in Kuwait: I will have to wait to see Sex and the City 2 because it's not allowed in Kuwaiti theaters! If by some miracle it was then more than 75 % of the movie would get cut because of Adult Content! No worries, the DVD should hit the Kuwait streets within days of the premiere.

I'm Ready for the Kuwaiti Weekend!!!

  I took my baby blues down because P said, "someone might recognize those stunners"! ;-) Oops, loool.

This is the only water I drink in Kuwait because it's salt free. Unlike the nasty water we get for free at work that is full of salt. It's only good if you work outside in the hot Kuwaiti sun.

Today I Met the Minnesota Vikings Cheerleaders on Camp Arifjan in Kuwait

 Minnesota Vikings Cheerleaders taken with my BlackBerry

http://www.vikings.com/cheerleaders/index.html

On my way to the office I saw these lovely ladies walking around Camp Arifjan this afternoon.  Of course I had to take a photo for the guys! Enjoy PP and thanks for supporting the American troops in Kuwait ladies!

You Know Your Man is Totally Pissed Off at You When..

1. The Punishment: IGNORING!!! He normally texts and calls you all day long but he's mad as hell and you feel it. He's ignoring you for at least 1 - 3 days.

2. He talks about his weekend plans with the guys and guess what??? You’re not anywhere in those plans sista.

3. Your summer vacation plans together have just evaporated as he discusses his new vacation plans with the guys. Morocco, Thailand, Romania...you get the drift ~ it's not MC Hammer time its Hooker time! loooooooooooool

4. He stops going to the salon on purpose and grows a frightening beard that will cut your face like a chainsaw if he kisses you.

5. He repossesses the brand new European sports car he gave you as a token of his love. It’s 135 degrees outside and he leaves you a month’s free bus pass on the kitchen table.

6. He hints about the gym and how you should actually go there once in a while. After all, he did buy you a year’s membership to the best ladies gym in Kuwait when he was mad at you the last time.

7.  He claims that work is taking up all his free time.  When in reality he has a twenty hour work week.  (Tea and lunch time included).

8. He discusses marriage and guess what? It’s not to you sucker, it’s to his cousin!

9. He deletes all of your photographs from his phone in order to forget you. So when he begs to have you back the next day he has to ask you to send them all over again.

10. He spends the entire night out barely talking to you while he looks at every woman in the restaurant between 15 – 50.  That's okay hottie, because every man and woman in the joint is checking you out girl!

*** Before I get any ridiculous comments...this is a humorous list based on fiction not fact. Well, # 1 has happened to me a few times and maybe one more. The rest is urban legend! Thanks girls! Luv ya!

Please feel free to add some more to the list! :D

A Wolf in Sheik's Clothing: Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York Snared in a Strange Media Sting

Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York — known familiarly as Fergie — apologized Sunday for trying to sell access to her (unknowing) ex-husband, Prince Andrew. It looks like there's one unusual character responsible for her royal embarrassment.

"It is true that my financial situation is under stress; however, that is no excuse for a serious lapse in judgment, and I am very sorry that this has happened," Ferguson said in a statement. You can watch negotiations between Ferguson and a supposed sheik — really an undercover reporter — To read more and see video click here (video courtesy of Fox News):

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20100524/ts_ynews/ynews_ts2211

I'm so very sorry: Shamed Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson sobs as she apologises for letting people down.  (Click below)

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1281205/Duchess-York-Sarah-Ferguson-Im-very-sorry.html

Who is the investigative reporter Mazher Mahmood???

A Wolf in Sheik's Clothing written By AISHA LABI  in 2002

 http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,388910,00.html

Aspiring actors can hone their talents in school plays. Would-be scientists can tinker with a home chemistry set. But for a kid intent on a career in investigative journalism, the path is trickier. As a teenager who failed to get an internship at the local paper in his hometown of Birmingham, England, two summers in a row, Mazher Mahmood took matters into his own precocious hands. It was the early '80s and the VCR was the hot new home appliance. "There were some family friends involved in video piracy, so I picked up the phone and rang my local T.V. station and the News of the World," he says of his first-ever scoop. "I didn't tell my parents, I just did it." The reason I'm alive is because I'm Asian. Nobody would think I'm a reporter

Q&A

You didn't go to the police when you first learned about the Posh Spice kidnapping plot?

We didn't know what stage they were at. We didn't know if they were serious, and if I went to the police, they might arrest these guys, the few people I knew, but what about the rest? They could carry out the threat and it wouldn't solve the crime.

And it wouldn't be as good a story?

Sure, it's a fine balance. Obviously, we're interested in the story. But we're worried about the welfare of the target as well. I've done jobs, for instance with pedophiles, where children's welfare was at stake, and we go straight to the police. Here, we knew that it wasn't going to happen yet so there was no risk to [Victoria Beckham].

How did the sheik disguise come about?

Back in 1984. It was a vice story, about a hotel in Birmingham that was providing prostitutes for guests. I said, why don't I pretend to be an Arab, get them in, find out if they're prostitutes, then I get a headache and we throw them out. It worked.

You were born in Britain but your parents are from Pakistan. Don't you hesitate to exploit stereotypes of Arabs and Asians?

That's why it works. The only reason I'm alive is because I'm Asian, because I can be a Pakistani market trader, a minicab driver — because of my color. If I don't speak English properly, nobody would ever think that I'm a reporter. That's how you gain people's trust.

Mahmood, has been doing it ever since, adding drug-taking peers, pedophiles and even indiscreet royals to his roster of targets. Last week his most recent undercover sting — which netted the gang allegedly plotting to kidnap pop star Posh Spice, a.k.a. Victoria Beckham, the wife of England football captain David Beckham — was front-page news not just in his, but in almost every other British paper as well. With half of Britain's highest-profile couple as the intended target, the case was certainly unique. But the investigation, which resulted in a police raid and several arrests — captured exclusively, of course, by News of the World cameras — also bore the hallmarks of a classic Mahmood sting.

When a reliable source phoned him in early September with a tip about goods stolen from Sotheby's, Mahmood wasn't very interested. Purloined art, he says, "isn't sensational." But the plot soon escalated. After an initial meeting, with Mahmood disguised "as a sort of Middle Eastern dodgy character," his new associates were so impressed that they invited him to take part in a kidnapping. When the gang chose Beckham, Mahmood had his sensational scoop.

Like the most celebrated investigative journalists, Mahmood relies heavily on informants. But instead of tales of government malfeasance, his deep throats are more apt to cough up stories of cocaine-snorting celebrities. He is not averse to paying for information, but he must be one of the few tabloid reporters who can get away with expensing cocaine. "I don't think there's anything wrong with us buying drugs," he says, insisting he's performing a legitimate service by exposing the foibles of those in the public eye. Others aren't so sure. "The only purpose is the greater good of the circulation of the News of the World," says Alun Jones, the lawyer who represented the Earl of Hardwicke at his 1999 trial for cocaine dealing, the result of a Mahmood sting. Sophie Wessex, Prince Edward's wife and another Mahmood target, would probably agree. But since Mahmood, disguised as a fake Arab sheik, taped her chatting unguardedly about other members of the royal family last year — "it was hard to shut her up, it was embarrassing," he says — Sophie has maintained a more regal reserve.

Mahmood conducts most of his investigations undercover and the shady Middle Easterner is his most reliable incarnation. Of Pakistani parentage, he speaks almost no Arabic, but this hasn't impeded the success of his sheik persona. But for a tabloid legend so fond of flamboyant disguises and the "James Bond-like aspect, the undercover stuff," Mahmood in person is surprisingly low-key. With his boyish face, soft-spoken demeanor and sober pin-striped suit, the loudest thing about him is his tie. But there are hints of his 007-like alter egos. He won't be photographed. And his constant companion, a hulking bodyguard, is an unobtrusive but quietly menacing presence. His name: Jaws.

Jailed in Iran, Americans are Engaged ~ Now That's Romantic!

Detained Americans Shane Bauer, center, and Sarah Shourd, right, sit with Shane's mother Cindy Hickey during their first meeting since their arrest, on Thursday in Tehran

They plan to wed once they're released, mothers say

MINNEAPOLIS - Two of the three Americans held in Iran on suspicion of spying have gotten engaged in jail and will marry once they are freed, their mothers said Monday.

Shane Bauer and Sarah Shourd, along with Josh Fattal, have been jailed since their arrest in July along Iran's border with Iraq. Their families say the three were hiking in Iraq and strayed over the border accidentally. Iran accuses them of being spies.

Bauer, 27, proposed to Shourd, 31, using an improvised ring he wove together with threads from his shirt, the mothers said in a joint statement. The mothers traveled to Iran last week to visit their adult children for the first time since their arrest. Fattal, 27, will serve as best man at the wedding, the mothers said. "Shane told me that he proposed to Sarah in the yard of Evin Prison on January 6, the very same day that we applied for our visas to go visit them," Cindy Hickey, Bauer's mother, said in the statement. "We're all so overjoyed at the news but it's obviously impossible to know when the wedding will take place. We just hope and pray that Iran will do the right thing and release them so they can get on with their lives," Hickey added.

Prisoner swap proposed

Iran's intelligence minister Heydar Moslehi said Sunday he had no doubt the three Americans were spies and called on the United States to propose a prisoner swap to secure their release, the semi-official Fars news agency reported.

Moms' campaign

May 21: The three mothers of the U.S. detained hikers in Iran receive encouraging news in their fight to bring their children back to the U.S.  Their imprisonment has further complicated relations between the United States and Iran over the Islamic Republic's nuclear ambitions. U.S. officials have called the three "innocent tourists" and demanded their release but have said they are not considering any kind of prisoner swap.
The mothers told ABC's "Good Morning America" program Monday it was an enormous relief to see their children but that the three had not been told anything about the status of charges against them. "They are very unaware of anything going on with their case," Hickey said on the television show.

The women used last week's visit to plead with the Iranian government to release their children, but they told ABC they did not meet with high-ranking officials, only low-ranking handlers. The three Americans appeared generally healthy, the mothers said. Bauer and Fattal share a cell, the mothers said. Shourd is being held alone, but is able to see the others twice a day for 30 minutes, they added.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37315063/ns/world_news-mideastn_africa/?Gt1=43001

Why I Fell in LOVE with Morocco

I went on holiday to Morocco and traveled to Marrakesh, Fez, Casablanca and the Atlas Mountains.  The Moroccan people are very friendly, the food is delicious, the shopping is fantastic, the scenery is gorgeous and the Riads are magnificent.  I highly recommend you stay at a Riad instead of a hotel. 

Most of the photographs are mine that I took while traveling around by train, private car and airplane.  Except for the beautiful, Moroccan women at the end of my post and # 10 from the top of the post. 

Morocco is one of my top 10 favorite travel destinations and I can't wait to go again.  We had a fabulous time!

The local market ~ Fez

Moroccan Stork in Marrakesh

Nesting Storks you can see all over Morocco

Famous Marrakesh Market with snake charmers

Gorgeous Moroccan doors and enchanting lanterns ~ taken outside our Riad

Our Riad in Fez

Fabric dyeing ~ Moroccan Style

Moroccan beauty ~  a view of the Alps. (Google Image)

Moroccan Food is simply delicious

Moroccan Tea ~ Get your sweet mint on

Moroccan ceramic factory

Moroccan Cave Living

Moroccan Goat Herders ~ such sweethearts.  They let me play with the baby goats.

The local thief's ~ He tried to sneak in my car and steal my backpack

One disappointed Monkey after he wasn't successful  because I rolled up my window.

Moroccan Boy on his donkey

The lovely fountain at our Riad

Riad in Fez

Fountain inside our Riad in Fez

Moroccan Beauties in traditional Caftan's. (Google Images)

Henna ~ Moroccan Style. (Google Images)

Traditional Moroccan Weddings. (Google Images)

One thing I noticed while traveling around Morocco was that many of the women have a hard life. Most of the women I saw were hardworking and did not age well.  They looked rugged and harsh from the environment. They were very friendly and kind to us. We did meet a lovely Moroccan lady on the train that was on her way back from University. She took the time to tell us all about her city and what we shouldn't miss while vacationing in her country.

Before studying in Europe, I briefly lived in London on a summer university exchange program. My classmate (another American girl) and I lived in a building in the center of London. We shared a tiny room because we chose to live in the most expensive area. The building was full of Moroccan ladies that didn't seem to work and they slept most of the day. I had never met anyone from Morocco and they were very curious about us. One by one they would come to our door and introduce themselves. We thought they were so glamorous and exotic. We didn't have a clue about the "real world" and they sort of adopted us. These ladies were so kind to us and would cook for us almost daily. The hot, home cooked meals were simply delicious. They taught us how to eat with our hands using the freshly baked Moroccan bread. This is starting to go off subject so I will save this true story for another post.

The seedy side I witnessed while on holiday in Morocco: It made me sad to see so much open prostitution in a Muslim country. I was told by our Moroccan guide that the Moroccan prostitutes did it to feed their families. That Morocco was very poor and jobs were hard to come by. He said that some families actually encouraged their daughters who were pretty to work abroad or sell themselves here so they could survive. How many of these women look for foreign boyfriends on holiday so they can seduce them into sending them money every month when they return back home. They only need to send a little money because these women have duped tons of tourists into sending them money so it all adds up. They make a killing off of these idiots! He said they pretend they are poor students when in reality they are skilled prostitutes. When I told our guide I lived in the Middle East he said that Gulf Arabs kept the sex tourism going. He was laughing and said that these men believed in magic and thought that Moroccan women put a spell on them. That in reality they just conned them into thinking they loved them and would stay faithful until their return to Morocco. They would do everything sexual to ensure these men would send them money every month. Our Moroccan guide said that some of these men were even conned into marrying local prostitutes. That it was more common than not. He said that he hated to see the women of his country selling their bodies for a price of a meal. But he didn’t look down on them because he knew what it was like to go hungry.

I was surprised at how honest our guide was about his country. He was also very protective of us. He drove us everywhere and escorted us when we went out at night. He jokingly said he would get a lot of camels if he sold some Blondie's. While staying at a beach resort there was an incident of a Saudi who was beaten within inches of his life. He was walking down the street with a Moroccan prostitute when a gang of Moroccan men jumped him. Apparently the Moroccan men do not like to see their women with Gulf Arabs. I was shocked to see and experience this side of Morocco.

Of course the USA isn't any different when it comes to prostitution. Except for the fact that you don't really see that many pretty, middleclass women selling themselves because they can’t find work and feed their families. It's mostly drug addicts on the streets. Hell, thanks to the sexual revolution, most American girls give it up for free. Loool. It's not just in Morocco, any poor country where you see large numbers of prostitution you will see many young, attractive women selling themselves. For example: Thailand. It’s very sad when you realize this is the only way they might be able to provide food for their families. I do not blame these women for doing what they must to survive. I blame the sleazy men that travel there to exploit the poor because they can’t get lucky in their own country.