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iheartfictionalboys · 7 years

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Shadowhunters Season 2, Episode 4 Review- Day of Wrath

Another week has gone by and another episode of Shadowhunters has been released. If you remember from last week I enjoyed the episode much more than the first two so here’s hoping the streak continues! Spoiler alert for those who haven’t seen the episode yet.

Things I Liked:

- I probably said this during the first season reviews but I will say it again: the Silent Brothers are PERFECT!! Genuinely just really impressed with how they pulled that look off

- “Thank you for not dying on me” should really be the motto for this franchise AM I RIGHT OR AM I RIGHT

- I love seeing Alec smile. He doesn’t do it enough. I love the shyness between Alec and Magnus like it’s a good representation of two people who clearly have feelings for each other and are trying to figure out how to act like it’s just too cute.

- “Or we can portal to Marrakesh” MAGNUS WHY YOU GOTTA KILL ME LIKE THIS NEVER HAVE I BEEN SO EXCITED FOR A FIRST DATE

- I know he isn’t saying it in an endearing way but I love that Alec calls Clary Fray and not Clary. One issue I always had in the books is that Alec and Isabelle seemed to basically warm up to Clary by the end of book one which is fine but like realistically that’s really fast. I like that in the show they’re taking time with Alec and Clary’s relationship.

- There is a reason I love Magnus taking care of Raphael. I don’t know how many of you have read the Bane Chronicles (if you haven’t I recommend it it’s like ten short stories about Magnus and it’s great) but one of the stories is about how Magnus and Raphael became “friends” and helped each other and I like seeing that hinted in here.

- @lindafellowminion you asked on my last review where Lydia was WELL HERE SHE IS! I like Lydia she wasn’t as prominent in the books I think she was Aline Penhallow’s love interest if I’m not mistaken so it’s nice to see her here with a more prominent place.

- REFERENCES TO THE INFERNAL DEVICES!! MAGNUS IN LONDON, BLACK FRIARS BRIDGE! OBSESSED!

- love the holy sword scene it’s a good scene (other than the incesty stuff)

- I will give Camille this: she brings up an incredibly important point about Magnus: he doesn’t do well with loneliness and I love that they’re addressing that

Things I Didn’t Like:

- Torturing Raphael. Not a fan. I mean Aldertree is crazy in the books anyway so it kinda fits but that’s just... not okay that made me icky.

- In regard to Hodge in the City of Bones: ummmmm no. i recognize they’ve changed the Idris plot so we won’t be seeing him pretend to be Samuel talking to Simon in jail as he “atones for his sins” but I don’t think the Clave caught Hodge I think he turned himself in in the books idk it’s just weird seeing him interact with Jace again.

- What training makes Clary skilled enough to use a seraph blade. She doesn’t even hold the thing right until like book 3 and use it correctly until book 5. She’s been a shadowhunter for a month she shouldn’t know how to work this stuff ESPECIALLY because she’s learning it at a much older age. It’s like learning a new language you’re gonna suck for a while but Clary seems to have skipped that part and it just bothers me for whatever reason.

- K LET’S GET ONE THING CLEAR: MY MEMORY MIGHT BE SHAKY BUT I’M ALMOST CERTAIN DEMONS CAN’T ENTER THE INSTITUTE SO ONE COMING OUT OF A DEAD CORPSE IS SIMPLY IMPOSSIBLE AND I DO NOT APPROVE. AND I’M SORRY NO CLOAKING ABILITY SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET PAST THE INSTITUTE JUST RIDICULOUS.

- this is more personal taste than anything but I don’t like how prominent they’re trying to make Camille. She’s really prominent in The Infernal Devices (or more memorable I guess) she doesn’t really show up in TMI until book 4 and I think book 5. Maybe a little in book 6 and that’s it. I don’t know she just doesn’t serve that much to the plot currently so not a fan.

- Incest questions ARE SO CREEPY I DONT LIKE IT

- Okay so the death of Jocelyn. I’m going to stay calm for this one even though I’d like to not be. Keep in mind I didn’t like Jocelyn but there are reasons I don’t like that they’ve killed her.

a) Clary is going to be forever scarred and we’re probably going to have endure an emo Clary/ super into killing demons Clary phase until she deals with her feelings

b) Alec is going to feel guilty/scarred and he feels enough of that already

c) this is going to screw up Clary and Alec’s relationship so not a fan

d) Poor Luke will be crushed

e) No Jocelyn/Luke wedding

f) Jocelyn will never get to say goodbye to her son now which was a really touching scene in the books

- I. HATE. VALENTINE. HATE. HIM.

Nitpicks/Neutrals (figured this was a better name for the new category):

- Okay, I want to preface this before I say anything else: I love Kat Mcnamara. I think she is a sweet girl and I love her as Clary. However, and I do not mean this is an insulting way I don’t really think this is her fault, her performance can be a little weak. Sometimes when she’s saying dialogue it just doesn’t feel real? Has anyone else felt this it’s not that often but there are times where I’m just like “ooooo that... could have been better/more powerful delivery” but seriously this isn’t too major it’s why it’s under nitpicks and not things I didn’t like

- interesting how in the books Clary is the one who’s all “we can’t have a future” but they switched it to Jace in the show. Nothing wrong with that just interesting- fits the way they’re going with the show

- Book fan coming out here: I will once again reiterate Jocelyn left the Clave. She can’t be “reassigned to Idris” she isn’t a shadowhunter anymore. There’s really no need to keep Jocelyn a shadowhunter it doesn’t add anything.

- Luke wanting to go to Idris with Jocelyn. Luke hates Idris for multiple reasons: it’s where he got turned into a werewolf, where Valentine tried to kill him, his sister shunned him, not a great place he didn’t even really wanna stay long in the books so I don’t really think he’d just be like “OOO JOCELYN’S GOING LET ME PACK MY BAGS” it’s not the worst it’s just inconsistent

- did... did they change actresses for Camille? she looks different

In summary:

Another good episode. Were there problems? Yes. SOme problems are really gonna screw up dynamics among the characters but i’m just trying to go with the flow and not point out every little issue. The episodes are becoming a lot more enjoyable to watch which I think is great. I do think it’ll be interesting to see how Clary acts with Jocelyn gone because it really will be like the book where she’s on her own except her mom won’t be back. And Jace is back so I’m excited. All in all content, ready for more. Let me know what you think of the episode and I hope you come back and read next week’s review! Sorry this one was so long I just had a lot of nitpicking I wanted to do :P will improve next time.

#tmi #shadowhunters #shadowhunters 2x04 #review #day of wrath #opinion

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trekwithtaylor · 6 years

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Country #93 - Morocco

The Shuks

This morning I had quite possibly the most beautiful breakfast of my life. Not only is my room in Dar Ayniwen stunning, but the house and grounds are as well. I had breakfast by the pool in a setup that could best be described as flawless. Breakfast was delicious and I especially enjoyed the Moroccan spin on pancakes. After finishing breakfast I headed up to my room which had already been made up in the short time I had been gone to eat. I was impressed! I grabbed my things and headed to reception to take the shuttle into the city. As it is about ten to fifteen minutes from town Dar Ayniwen offers a free shuttle both into town and to the airport. It was so useful and very much appreciated!

The shuttle dropped me off in the heart of the Old Medina. I had been mentally preparing myself for today but knew going in that Marrakesh was probably going to be pretty overwhelming, and it definitely was. My first stop of the day was the Koutoubia Mosque. It was huge from the outside but was unfortunately closed to go inside. From there I walked to the most hectic part of the city, Jemaa El Fna, the main square. It was definitely as crazy as I had anticipated! There were people everywhere and lots of people trying to sell you things. There were monkeys and people dressed in costumes and it was a lot to take in. From there I ventured into the Shuks, which are basically a bunch of small stalls arranged on top of each other where people try to sell you things. I wasn’t really looking forward to it but I knew that I had to try it!

The Shuks were also as crazy as I had anticipated. I had to keep close watch on my things (this was true for the whole day, but especially in the shuks) and had to also keep track of where I was. It is very easy to get lost inside as it is literally like a maze. It was interesting to walk through but I was not a huge fan. From the guy who tugged on my arm against my wishes to try and get me in his shop to those who told me to “smile” it was not an overly enjoyable experience. I think it might be better if visiting with other people but I was mainly just concerned with not getting lost or getting stuck in an uncomfortable situation.

After making it out of the shuks in one piece I then headed towards attraction that was a very stark contrast: Le Jardin Secret. Le Jardin Secret, or the Secret Garden, is a sanctuary in the middle of a crazy city. It was recently renovated to its former glory from complete destruction just a few years ago. It was really interesting to read about and to take the tower tour up to the top where you could see out over the city. The cost to enter is definitely worth it as it offers a place to relax for a bit before getting in the middle of Marrakesh again. The garden itself was beautiful and I really enjoyed my time there. It also offered a good example of a Riad, which is a common type of hotel set up when staying in Marrakesh that has a garden courtyard similar to that of the Secret Garden.

After visiting the garden I made my way towards the Marrakesh Photography Museum. It was a long walk through stalls but it was much more enjoyable as I wasn’t right in the heart of things. The museum was truly incredible. It was indoor / outdoor and the building it was housed in was stunning. The photographs were incredible and featured mainly old and historic shots of Morocco. After finishing the small museum there is a great terrace with a view of Marrakesh on top that is a nice plus! I had a great time learning more about Morocco through the museum and highly recommend it.

Once I finished at the Photography Museum I made my way back towards the center of town. This was the most enjoyable walk of the day as it was mostly residential and not stressful at all. Instead I was able to take in the beautiful architecture and enjoy the culture without someone trying to sell me something unnecessarily. I ate at a small but tasty place called Roti D’or. I had a shawarma wrap that was pretty good minus the fact that half of it was lettuce that I had to pick out after asking for no lettuce. It was still tasty though! It was a nice break with wifi in the middle of the day as I don’t have cell service in Morocco.

After lunch I spent the remainder of the day visiting some of the main tourist attractions of Marrakesh. The first was Bahia Palace. This beautiful former palace was very interesting to walk through, especially for the beautiful tile work. One of the most annoying things about the visit though, and something that I had been encountering throughout my time in Marrakesh, was the incredible amount of people attempting to take pictures. Pictures are fine and great. I take tons of pictures, and I ask people to take pictures of me quite often. But this was a whole other level. Like, I couldn’t walk two feet without walking in the middle of someone’s “model” shoot. Everyone seemed to be in Morocco for the perfect picture instead of actually appreciating what was there to see. I have been all over and this is the first place that this has really been noticeably detrimental to my experience in a city.

Anyways, Bahia Palace was great and did not take too long to visit. From there I headed to El Badi Palace, which was one of my favorite stops of the day. The former palace is massive! There were many interesting things to see inside. There were caves you could walk in, a terrace to look out over the city, and a giant pool in the middle. You could tell it used to be very grand and it was very unique to walk through and see all of the different parts. After finishing there I made my way to my last stop of the day, the Saadian Tombs.

The Saadian Tombs are tombs from the Saadi dynasty that are hundreds of years old, but are still amazingly beautiful. It was not a lengthy visit but it was definitely worthwhile to see all of the colorful tombs. The main room was definitely the highlight. It was so immaculate! After finishing at the tombs I walked back to where I was meeting the shuttle to go back to Dar Ayniwen. The shuttle was right on time and we were back to the Dar Ayniwen in no time!

When I got back I met with Stephane, the manager of Dar Ayniwen. His dad actually built the original house, and over the years he has added on and helped to make it what it is today. The property is truly incredible, and it was so interesting to learn about Stephane and his history (he went to University in the US) and also the history of Dar Ayniwen. It was very cool to learn that most of the items in the house were actually collected by his father when he traveled. Some of the items were so unique, like a Syrian wedding bench, that they probably belong in a museum instead of a hotel. The property is very eco friendly and is home to many animals. My favorite were the birds, which Stephane was inspired to start collecting after visiting a bird sanctuary in Florida. We had a really great conversation and it was very enjoyable to learn about such an incredible hotel.

I decided to eat dinner at Dar Ayniwen after a long day out and about in Marrakesh. I informed the kitchen a bit late so there weren’t too many options, but they did have vegetable kuzkuz available. I had never had it before so I gave it a shot, and actually enjoyed it okay! It wasn’t my favorite dish ever but it wasn’t bad and is not something that I can have everyday at home. After dinner I worked for a bit before going to sleep pretty early. It’s nice to not have a super early flight for once tomorrow so I will be able to get a good night of sleep. Marrakesh was pretty crazy but I’m definitely glad that I came and saw it!

93 countries down, 104 to go.

For more information on Algeria click here to read my guide.

To learn more about Dar Ayniwen click here.

#Marrakesh #Morocco #Country 93 #Dar Ayniwen

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wanderlustjas-blog · 7 years

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Welcome back! Look at me go, two posts in one week. This year is off to a good start! So let’s dive right in, onwards to Marrakesh!

I also forgot to add the day-sheet for Fes, so just sticking it in here!

DAY THIRTEEN: Daysheet for reference!

Shoutout to Simone for reminding me of some of the conversations we had along the way about Morocco which I had honestly forgotten about until she reminded me – how we thought language evolved and thinking without words – we had some weird and wonderful conversation on this trip – so thank-you and sorry for forgetting :P

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To say it was hot when we were in Morocco was an understatement. Height of summer, lots of sun meant you were sweating as soon as you woke up. So having a surprise stop for lunch on our drive to Marrakesh was heaven for me – a pool.

This wonderful, random hotel in the middle of the desert allowed us to stop in for a few hours, get our swim on and have some lunch. It was a wonderful surprise and it definitely rejuvenated the group.

Back on the road, we arrived at our hotel in Marrakech after a few hours, so we dropped our bags and headed out for our first look at the Jamaa el Fna Square where the main marketplace of Marrkech is. Again, because of Ramadan, there’s not too many people around during the day, so the square was pretty empty.

After our quick look around the square, it was off back to the the hotel to get changed for our dinner out. We would be travelling in style this evening with a horse ride to the restaurant. It was definitely a race to see who would get there first which was slightly harrowing when there’s horses, cars, scooters, pedestrians and the like all clamouring to get through first. Not sure if there was a speed limit, but it really didn’t feel like it! You basically just go when you want. Thrilling, and glad to be finished!

I do remember before we got to Morocco, that Simone & I were wanting to find the ‘David Beckham Morocco’. The pretty, exclusive part/s of the city that looked so beautiful and inviting. So we were on the lookout for that on the way in to the city!

Dinner was in this big room, massive round table and comfy couches. Logan and I bee-lined for one big couch and pretty much took up the whole thing. Dinner was comprised of mountains of food and it felt like it just kept coming. It was lovely, like a Moroccan tapas, picking at lots of little bits and pieces. The food in this country was just lovely.

Once again, we had dinner and a show with traditional dancers as well a few belly’s in the mix. I did not get up again, my time in the belly dancing spotlight was one0time only. It was an enjoyable evening and we wanted to keep it moving so after dinner we went back to the square to find a nice bar to continue with a few drinks and maybe a shisha or two. The atmosphere was so very different to that very afternoon.

(Apologies for the blurred pic, my phone is no good for night shots!)

Our Egyptian Guider, Muhammad, took us to a rooftop bar in the marketplace. I do remember that there was a bit of gossiping going around at this point of the tour. Mainly from the group that joined ours and what they’d heard about what had happened (or people thought had happened) before they had joined us. I distinctly remember Christina telling me that one of the girls from the other group had told her gossip that was meant to be about her. It was such an odd way to go about putting a group together and it didn’t really work that well to integrate everyone together.

At this point in the tour, people had made friends and little groups so there wasn’t much that could make that change.

Anyway, some drinks were had before we headed back to the hotel.

DAY FOURTEEN: Another full day in Marrakesh! Another scorcher as well, I think it got over 40 degrees in the full sun. So I was very happy when we started our tour of the city within the cool walls of the Bahia Palace. Beautiful old building, gorgeous mosaic patterns, doorways and tiles.

After this we walked past another spot that I remember Simone and I being excited for, the Casbah!

It was a fun moment to see and the song got stuck in my head all day afterwards.

Following this, we hit up the Berber pharmacy, somewhere quite a few of us were excited to visit. Berber’s are a group of people who are pre-Arab and live in North Africa. Old-school medicines, make-up and cheap products full of argon oil. This place was a lot of fun and it was interesting to learn how they made the products. It was also interesting to see them put the lipstick and eye liner and stuff on some of us.

I bought a couple of things, mainly lip-balm and some cold medicine as a just in case.

We had the rest of the day free to do with as we wished. Logan, Amy and I decided that we wanted to go to the Moroccan bathhouse. I’ve already done one in Turkey, so I knew what to expect. It was a lot smaller than what I was expecting, but it was warm and steamy and the three of us had the room to ourselves. You haven’t bonded with people until you’ve sat in a hot room on a hot day in just some disposable underwear.

Having burnt the back of my legs quite badly the previous fortnight before in Malaga, getting scrubbed down was wonderful – goodbye dead skin! After people properly rubbed, scrubbed and rinsed, we headed off to find some of the others for lunch near the Medina.

I had a tagine for lunch and then proceeded to completely sweat through my pants. Oh my god, the back of my legs just seemed to pool all of the liquid from my body so it looked and felt like I’d wet myself. A lovely feeling, really. 40+ degrees will do that to you.

After lunch and a chill out, Logan, I think Amy was still with us, and I went off to play in the Medina – the marketplace. Me being a cheap bitch, I just got a pair of new sunnies, but there was so much to see and look at. If I’d had unlimited bag space and money, I would’ve bought a lot more. Just means I’ll have to go back one day!

We wandered for a few hours, picking up bits and pieces, finding different people from our tour along the way. We could’ve played an amazing game of hide and seek in this place.

I don’t know if anyone else felt it, but I know I felt a little bit guilty carrying around my 2 litre bottle of water and chugging it down in front of the Moroccan’s who were working the heat and not being able to have anything themselves.

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We were out again for dinner in the evening. I have no recollection of the meal. What I do remember is going out to the club at the casino afterwards.

I wasn’t there for very long, I had a chat with Areti about Bianca, dancing for a bit and then buggering off home with Trevor and Lionel.

Our time in Marrakesh was at an end. I enjoyed this city a lot more than the more traditional Fes, it felt more ‘me’ and I would love some time to go back and explore it more fully.

Next day, we’re onto Tangier and the coast via Casablanca!

Contiki: Morocco – Marrakesh Welcome back! Look at me go, two posts in one week. This year is off to a good start!

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