Algeria- Day1

So I arrive in Algeria at about 9am... and am picked up by my uncle and two cousins... it was SOOOOO nice to see familiar Canadian family faces... so so so nice. All we could say to each other was, I can't believe you/I am here in Algeria! It was a dream come true!!!! I had already noticed a difference in the weather...obviously... it being super chilly this year in Paris. So it was nice to actually take a breath of hot air!!!!

We drove about 30 minutes back to their house....and instantly shocked at the crazy Algeria drivers.... cows crossing the street at a crosswalk and having to dodge them, men riding buggies pulled by donkeys
driving in imaginary lanes between lanes, and the list goes on.

So we arrive to the infamous house where my Uncle's family lives. It is made up of 3 floors.

The first floor has a bedroom, garage, toilet, bathroom, living room, common room, massive kitchen

and an outdoor patio/terrace in the back.

The second floor is mostly bedrooms and a bathroom. We put our stuff in this bedroom, but slept downstairs with everyone as it was way too hot to sleep on the second floor. We spent a lot of time in the hall way too... who's to say you can't?! Many games were played with the kids in this hall!!!!




Also on the second floor is a patio overlooking the road...

it's a space where we were able to watch the daily and nightly street business.... right in front of the house is a massive citrus fruit tree, it was so cute...

we took the leaves and were rubbing them on us like perfume...

mmmmmm.... a delightful eau de toilette indeed :)

The third floor is another suite... one of the siblings lives up there and there's a terrace too... that we took advantage of ...
So upon my arrival I started meeting the loads of family... 2 little ones... including Yasmina (see below in pink) who didn't speak french (they learn it in school and she's only 5 or 6)...but we had THE best time together!!!! She spoke in arabic, I spoke in french...neither of us verbally understood each other, but we in fact very much understood each other. Hard to explain...it was cute though :) She's a sweetheart :)

We we relaxed in the morning, I was introduced to people and of course, got right in there with the children. Munir started teaching me how to play soccer on P.S.2... fun stuff, go brazil go!
We got our hair did....
We relaxed....
We ate...

And we were off to the beach....the beautiful Mediterranean!!!!
We set up shop, went swimming, and enjoyed the sun shine and sun set.
Kamelia and Maria... Maria is so sweet... we really got along toO!!!
To the family in Vancouver... meet Adam... Karla and Samir's 4 year old son!!!!
A weeeee little cutie :)

Check out the islamic bathing suit!!! Don't see that in too many countries in the world!!!!

However...little did we know what was in store for us. As we're swimming out to a level where we can still touch, we go to stand up and end up stepping on prickly things, at the time we just thought they were barnickles....little did we know they were actually sea urchins- in french 'oursins'.
YES my friends....this is what we were stepping on... this is the first time I googled it since the experience.... I am as shocked as you are.

By the time we get out of the water, we look at the bottom of our feet and see massive, thick, sliver like pricks in our feet. OOOOWWWWWWWW...the PAAAaaaIIIiiiNNNNN!!!!!!

What kind of pain you ask? This kind of pain....
And this kind of pain....
And this kind of pain....
The kind of pain where you have 3-4 sets of eyes working on picking out one prick at a time... when you have about 15 stuck DEEP in your feet...
The kind of pain where you get desperate. So desperate that you will try anything.... and yes my family and friends, I was desperate. One of the aunts had heard that if you pee on your feet, the pain will go away. I thankfully don't have any pictures of myself going through the pain and torture of having 9 in one area of 1 inch squared. So.... I went to the bathroom, did my business in a bucket, and went to the back terrace where there was a drain. I sat on the ledge and poured the warm liquid on my feet.... anything to make the pain go away. Unfortunately my little cousin Kamelia had the video camera rolling and because I was so distracted, I couldn't tell her to stop. So yes- family in Vancouver... you will see video of me pouring my own warm liquid on my feet and almost in tears/screaming due to the prickly little punks who made their way into the bottom of my feet.

So now you're probably wondering if it worked... I think it did. We poured soapy water on my feet after and everyone refused to work on getting out the pricks except for the aunt that suggested it. And low and behold she said it opened up my skin a bit and was able to take out a few. So yes it worked, yes it became less painful, but I was still suffering- whether it be from the pricks or the massive holes that were put in my feet from the needle pokes. In regards to the area that had 9 ... at one point I heard them say it's like opening a window at the bottom of her foot, I'm assuming because they took off the first few layers and opened it up to get at the little buggers.

Anyways...we survived... and it was an experience... I don't regret going swimming and now I can add another story to my "What is something strange you have done...." list. It's all about the experiences....
Day one.... fini :)