Greetings from Morocco, known to the Arabs as, al-Maghreb al-Aqsa, "the farthest land of the setting sun". We arrived here on May 1st, but before we tell about our time in this intriguing land of souqs and mosques, we want to share our Portuguese experiences with you.

Casa Grande and the village of Burgau have become a second home to us. Sally and her daughter Lisa were swept off of their feet by our wit, charm, and most importantly our work ethic, They opened their hearts to us, and took us in as family. We were included on day trips to the forested Serra de Monchique, where Dana bought each of us a Portuguese sweater as a gift from Sally, and to Lisbon and Sintra, where Lisa took us on a whirlwind tour of the Torre de Belem, the Padraodos des Cobrinentes (figures of Portugal`s Age of Discovery), and the Palacio Nacional de Pena (Sintra`s own Disney Castle). No matter how lousy the weather (and it was for our entire time in Burgau - rain, clouds, wind, and cold), the sun always shined on us at Casa Grande.

CUISINE: Portuguese bread rolls smothered in chocolate spread and strawberry jam. Sally`s chicken curry (which had no curry), Portuguese baked chicken, beef with mushrooms, and Portuguese cream tart to top it all off.

EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES: A 5 hour discussion on Spiritualism followed by an early morning table tapping session (trying to establish contact with spirits and have them communicate through the movement of a table). Tasting the ashes of an Indian Great Master, Sy Barber. Qn afternoon session of yoga and meditation - highly recommended for relaxation of the body. Our first Sedar qs husband and wife in which Sally and Lisa participated (all made possible thanks to Sally and Derrill`s weekend shopping excursinon in the west end of London, i.e. matzah meal, gifilta fish, and soup greens for Grandma Annie`s matzah ball soup). Jason`s rewiring of several electrical appliances and carpentry work on the grounds - great preparation for our future home.

HEALTH: Dana`s bout with gastroenteritis made us 2 for 2 - doctors visits in both Switzerland and Portugal. So far so good in Morocco!!!!

RESTAURANT: Tips rolled in and funded our weekend expenses. A dose of reality - an Ernst & Young partner from Dublin, Ireland joined us for dinner. The Easter Bonnet Parade to the tunes of ABBA`s greatest hits. Many intimate and cozy late nights by the fire with stimulating conversation and far out, entertaining games.

GUESTS: Although each and every guest left a lasting impression, there were a few that deserve specific mention. 1) Frank, Andrea, and baby Linda (Hammburg, Germany) - Gave us invaluable parental advise on taking things in stride. 2) Markus (Switzerland) and Ann (Australia) - Finally a warm and friendly Swiss German as well as an open inivitation to their home in Australia. 3) Mike, Nicole, and little Isabella (USA) - Great tips, new friends, and an open invitation for laundry and on-line services in Germany. 4) Andy and Sharon (Great Britain) - An explanation of British humor, as if there was such a thing.

CHANGING OF THE GUARD: We left Sally in good hands with our replacements Bonnie and Scott. As written in the Casa Grande bylaws, they have the required sense of humor, good looks, and work ethic. However, Scott did have an initiation fee - bagels from back home in New Jersey that we all shared over our last breakfast together.