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Holiday

Do things with your mom

May 11, 2018 by Kirsten Neil Leave a Comment
Makawao, Maui, Hawaii

"Could we have a day?" That was my mom asking my sister and me if we could spend a full day touring Maui together on our last family vacation. We were completely taken [Read more]

Posted in: Friends & Family, Random thoughts, Travel Tagged: Adventure, Family, Hawaii, Holiday, Maui, Photography, Travel

Ho! Ho! Ho! Yum.

December 13, 2014 by Kirsten Neil 2 Comments
Holiday baking

This year was full of holiday baking firsts for me. First time making shortbread (so crumbly), first time dipping stuff in chocolate (why you gotta fall off the toothpicks, [Read more]

Posted in: Food & Drink Tagged: Baked Goods, Baking, Christmas, Cookies, Foodie, Holiday, Oreos, Shortbread Recipe, Sugar cookie recipe

Cruising for sun and fun

January 11, 2014 by Kirsten Neil 1 Comment
Arriving at Iguana Island.

Yesterday, the family spent an amazing morning touring Providenciales by boat. And what a boat! The Kitty Kat Cruise is a gorgeous 65ft catamaran run by Island Routes.

Posted in: Friends & Family, Photography, Travel Tagged: Beach, Caribbean, Family, Holiday, Photography, Providenciales, Turks & Caicos

Turks part deux

January 9, 2014 by Kirsten Neil Leave a Comment
Cast off into the great blue.

Here we are again in Turks & Caicos! Our family thought it was so nice, we visited twice. We couldn't have come at a better time too. We left -30°C to arrive in +30°C. [Read more]

Posted in: Friends & Family, Photography, Travel Tagged: Family, Holiday, Photography, Providenciales, Travel, Turks & Caicos

It’s a critter-filled Christmas

December 10, 2013 by Kirsten Neil Leave a Comment

I found the cutest critter cookie cutter set at Crate & Barrel this year. So making eight dozen of these guys was a no-brainer, right? Especially since I had never baked [Read more]

Posted in: Food & Drink, Home, Photography Tagged: Baking, Christmas, Cookies, Holiday, Polar Bear

The holiday season is upon us

December 1, 2011 by Kirsten Neil Leave a Comment
Maui, baby!

And when I say "holiday," forget Christmas, I'm talking Maui baby! Woohoo! Tomorrow, my friends, family and I will embark on an adventure to Maui to enjoy the beaches, [Read more]

Posted in: Photography, Travel Tagged: Beach, Family, friends, Hawaii, Holiday, Maui, Photography, Travel, Wedding

Summertime, and the livin’ is easy

July 27, 2011 by Kirsten Neil 4 Comments
The laughing statues of Denman Street

Ahh, summer, the best time of year; the days are long, the weather is warm, and taking time away from work is sublime. This year Chuck and I took holidays to go on a road [Read more]

Posted in: Photography, Travel Tagged: Adventure, Alberta, British Columbia, Canada, Holiday, Photography, Road Trip, Summer, Vancouver

Oh by golly, have a holly jolly

December 24, 2010 by Kirsten Neil Leave a Comment

Yay, Christmas is here! I love this time of year. My Christmas actually started last week out in the country at my mom’s. We had a wonderful brunch and gave and received [Read more]

Posted in: Food & Drink, Friends & Family Tagged: Christmas, Holiday

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Artwork by Kirsten Neil on ETSY

Top Posts

Scenes from the Sahara and beyond
Christmas in the village
A little taste of Athens
Gimme a petit taste of Tangier
Live fast, have fun, be young in Dublin
Something wicked's lurking in the dark
Smells like spring
Harry Potter Night V: Stay gold boy who lived

INSTAGRAM

Golden sunsets, golden sunrises, wind-whipped dune Golden sunsets, golden sunrises, wind-whipped dunes, gassy camels, desert camps, deep gorges, high mountain peaks, friendly Berbers, an even friendlier tour guide, all contained within a terrain that screams “STUNNING!” around every bend. What more can one ask for on a three-day journey? How can one fit all that in in just three days? 

Hands-down, the biggest highlight on our Moroccan adventure (besides AFCON, but that’s sports) was a journey from Fes to Marrakech via the Sahara Desert.

We found a highly-rated three-day trip from @moroccofabuloustravel via @tripadvisor. I didn’t know Morocco’s beauty could stun even more after our first few days in Fes, Chefchaouen and Tangier, but boy, did it ever. We were left enchanted…

Read my full recap at betweenbrushstrokes.com
(link in profile)
—
#ckvacays #kirstentravels #morocco🇲🇦 #moroccofabuloustravel
🌴🌴🌴 🌴🌴🌴
Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! A petit taste of Tangier. 🇲🇦 Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! A petit taste of Tangier. 🇲🇦

Tangier was not originally on our agenda for Morocco. But once we saw how pretty Chefchaouen (see previous post) was, and that it was conveniently situated between Tangier and Fes, we altered our plans to visit the coastal city that’s situated on the Strait of Gibraltar. 

We actually didn’t do a heck of a lot in Tangier as we were already spinning from a hectic first few days in Fes. Instead, the city became a place where we could slow down, relax and breathe in the fresh sea air.

Read my full recap at betweenbrushstrokes.com
(link in profile)
—
#ckvacays #kirstentravels #tangier #morocco🇲🇦 #afcon2025
Chefchaouen, a city painted in blue. One saturated Chefchaouen, a city painted in blue. One saturated in cobalt and azure and cerulean and indigo tones so much so that it’s both stunning and exhilarating at the same time. 🙌🏻💙

We didn’t need to add another place to visit on our already packed Morocco itinerary, but a friend said I needed to visit Chefchaouen. I then looked it up on Insta and I immediately knew we had to fit “The Blue City” into our travels. I think this photo gallery clearly show why.

Read my full recap at betweenbrushstrokes.com
(link in profile)
—
#ckvacays #kirstentravels #chefchaouen #chefchaouen💙 #morocco🇲🇦
Here’s looking at you, Fes. ♥️🇲🇦 Fes was the firs Here’s looking at you, Fes. ♥️🇲🇦

Fes was the first place we visited in late December/early January on our AFCON adventure. Since the Nigerian football team was stationed mostly in Fes, so were we. 

We didn’t have a ton of time to explore all that Fes has to offer, but what we did do was lovely. We stayed in a couple riads, dined at some great spots, shopped for lots of goodies and, of course, got lost in the medina on a daily basis.

There were so many moments in Fes that reminded us we were exploring a very cool place. 

Read my full recap at
betweenbrushstrokes.com
(link in profile)
—
#ckvacays #kirstentravels #fes #morocco🇲🇦
A Canadian sports-loving gal goes to the Africa Cu A Canadian sports-loving gal goes to the Africa Cup of Nations and insanity ensues. 😱⚽️

AFCON was the main reason we stopped in Morocco before heading to Lagos for winter. A month-long tournament where the best African football players duke it out (sometimes literally) to be crowned the best team on the continent.

Now, when I tell you this tournament is out of control, believe me. We watched it on TV while in Lagos a couple years ago and I was instantly hooked. No one brings drama like Africans. Mix all that drama with sports… Well, as the ladies say on tv here, “Blood of Jesus!” 😉

The players, the refs, the coaches, the fans, they all go freaking nuts at this tournament. So I assumed I knew what I was getting into. Nope. It was so much more. 

Read my full recap at betweenbrushstrokes.com
(link in profile)
—
#ckvacays #kirstentravels #afcon #afcon2025 #totalenergiesafcon2025
Instagram post 18082803442950567 Instagram post 18082803442950567
This is it. Our last day in Morocco. We leave at 1 This is it. Our last day in Morocco. We leave at 1:00 am to Lagos and all the craziness that awaits us there. 

But Morocco, oh Morocco. We had the best time here. We met so many amazing people who constantly put smiles on our faces. And of course there was a scam or two thrown in. But they were small and didn’t even cause a blip in our journey. 

We both were excited to come here to watch the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). I had watched it for the first time a couple years ago on TV and I was a goner. The games are fun, the drama is completely over-dramatic African-style (iykyk), and the fans are a sight to behold. 

What we didn’t expect was to be completely blown away by Morocco’s medinas and landscapes. Breathtaking, chaotic, saturated, aromatic, kind, shouty, welcoming are just a few words to describe our experience here.

Also, being with an African while touring an African country… there’s nothing like it. People everywhere are constantly high-fiving Chuck and asking, “Nigeria?” And as soon as he says yes, my God, do the Moroccans go nuts. They truly love the Naija people. And the feeling is mutual. 🇳🇬🤝🇲🇦

I think my biggest highlights were our trip to the desert (camel rides, fancy tents and atvs!) and of course the main reason we came: to attend AFCON. Watching the @ng_supereagles kick-ass has been a delight. Go Osimhen! Go Lookman! Bring home the win! 🏆 

We attended four matches (one group, two knockouts, one quarter-final) and were lucky to see Nigeria play three of them. The last match we attended was a quarterfinal rout against Algeria. They dominated them to embarrassing levels. Not one shot on goal for the opponents. They are exciting to watch as a team. Algerians were so mad after the game they tried to fight the refs and Nigerian players. As Chuck said, “they got bad belly.” 😂 

Anyways, that was Morocco for me/us. If you are ever thinking about visiting, please reach out with questions. 😊

Now I’m off to pick up my luggage at the Casablanca airport that arrived 10 days late. 😂 

More to come when I get more of my thoughts about this place together. 

xoxo Morocco ♥️🇲🇦
—
#ckvacays #kirstentravels #morocco #morocco🇲🇦 #africatravel
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Golden sunsets, golden sunrises, wind-whipped dune Golden sunsets, golden sunrises, wind-whipped dunes, gassy camels, desert camps, deep gorges, high mountain peaks, friendly Berbers, an even friendlier tour guide, all contained within a terrain that screams “STUNNING!” around every bend. What more can one ask for on a three-day journey? How can one fit all that in in just three days? 

Hands-down, the biggest highlight on our Moroccan adventure (besides AFCON, but that’s sports) was a journey from Fes to Marrakech via the Sahara Desert.

We found a highly-rated three-day trip from @moroccofabuloustravel via @tripadvisor. I didn’t know Morocco’s beauty could stun even more after our first few days in Fes, Chefchaouen and Tangier, but boy, did it ever. We were left enchanted…

Read my full recap at betweenbrushstrokes.com
(link in profile)
—
#ckvacays #kirstentravels #morocco🇲🇦 #moroccofabuloustravel
🌴🌴🌴 🌴🌴🌴
Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! A petit taste of Tangier. 🇲🇦 Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! A petit taste of Tangier. 🇲🇦

Tangier was not originally on our agenda for Morocco. But once we saw how pretty Chefchaouen (see previous post) was, and that it was conveniently situated between Tangier and Fes, we altered our plans to visit the coastal city that’s situated on the Strait of Gibraltar. 

We actually didn’t do a heck of a lot in Tangier as we were already spinning from a hectic first few days in Fes. Instead, the city became a place where we could slow down, relax and breathe in the fresh sea air.

Read my full recap at betweenbrushstrokes.com
(link in profile)
—
#ckvacays #kirstentravels #tangier #morocco🇲🇦 #afcon2025
Chefchaouen, a city painted in blue. One saturated Chefchaouen, a city painted in blue. One saturated in cobalt and azure and cerulean and indigo tones so much so that it’s both stunning and exhilarating at the same time. 🙌🏻💙

We didn’t need to add another place to visit on our already packed Morocco itinerary, but a friend said I needed to visit Chefchaouen. I then looked it up on Insta and I immediately knew we had to fit “The Blue City” into our travels. I think this photo gallery clearly show why.

Read my full recap at betweenbrushstrokes.com
(link in profile)
—
#ckvacays #kirstentravels #chefchaouen #chefchaouen💙 #morocco🇲🇦
Here’s looking at you, Fes. ♥️🇲🇦 Fes was the firs Here’s looking at you, Fes. ♥️🇲🇦

Fes was the first place we visited in late December/early January on our AFCON adventure. Since the Nigerian football team was stationed mostly in Fes, so were we. 

We didn’t have a ton of time to explore all that Fes has to offer, but what we did do was lovely. We stayed in a couple riads, dined at some great spots, shopped for lots of goodies and, of course, got lost in the medina on a daily basis.

There were so many moments in Fes that reminded us we were exploring a very cool place. 

Read my full recap at
betweenbrushstrokes.com
(link in profile)
—
#ckvacays #kirstentravels #fes #morocco🇲🇦
A Canadian sports-loving gal goes to the Africa Cu A Canadian sports-loving gal goes to the Africa Cup of Nations and insanity ensues. 😱⚽️

AFCON was the main reason we stopped in Morocco before heading to Lagos for winter. A month-long tournament where the best African football players duke it out (sometimes literally) to be crowned the best team on the continent.

Now, when I tell you this tournament is out of control, believe me. We watched it on TV while in Lagos a couple years ago and I was instantly hooked. No one brings drama like Africans. Mix all that drama with sports… Well, as the ladies say on tv here, “Blood of Jesus!” 😉

The players, the refs, the coaches, the fans, they all go freaking nuts at this tournament. So I assumed I knew what I was getting into. Nope. It was so much more. 

Read my full recap at betweenbrushstrokes.com
(link in profile)
—
#ckvacays #kirstentravels #afcon #afcon2025 #totalenergiesafcon2025
Instagram post 18082803442950567 Instagram post 18082803442950567
This is it. Our last day in Morocco. We leave at 1 This is it. Our last day in Morocco. We leave at 1:00 am to Lagos and all the craziness that awaits us there. 

But Morocco, oh Morocco. We had the best time here. We met so many amazing people who constantly put smiles on our faces. And of course there was a scam or two thrown in. But they were small and didn’t even cause a blip in our journey. 

We both were excited to come here to watch the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). I had watched it for the first time a couple years ago on TV and I was a goner. The games are fun, the drama is completely over-dramatic African-style (iykyk), and the fans are a sight to behold. 

What we didn’t expect was to be completely blown away by Morocco’s medinas and landscapes. Breathtaking, chaotic, saturated, aromatic, kind, shouty, welcoming are just a few words to describe our experience here.

Also, being with an African while touring an African country… there’s nothing like it. People everywhere are constantly high-fiving Chuck and asking, “Nigeria?” And as soon as he says yes, my God, do the Moroccans go nuts. They truly love the Naija people. And the feeling is mutual. 🇳🇬🤝🇲🇦

I think my biggest highlights were our trip to the desert (camel rides, fancy tents and atvs!) and of course the main reason we came: to attend AFCON. Watching the @ng_supereagles kick-ass has been a delight. Go Osimhen! Go Lookman! Bring home the win! 🏆 

We attended four matches (one group, two knockouts, one quarter-final) and were lucky to see Nigeria play three of them. The last match we attended was a quarterfinal rout against Algeria. They dominated them to embarrassing levels. Not one shot on goal for the opponents. They are exciting to watch as a team. Algerians were so mad after the game they tried to fight the refs and Nigerian players. As Chuck said, “they got bad belly.” 😂 

Anyways, that was Morocco for me/us. If you are ever thinking about visiting, please reach out with questions. 😊

Now I’m off to pick up my luggage at the Casablanca airport that arrived 10 days late. 😂 

More to come when I get more of my thoughts about this place together. 

xoxo Morocco ♥️🇲🇦
—
#ckvacays #kirstentravels #morocco #morocco🇲🇦 #africatravel
Follow on Instagram

Top Posts

Scenes from the Sahara and beyond
Christmas in the village
A little taste of Athens
Gimme a petit taste of Tangier
Live fast, have fun, be young in Dublin
Something wicked's lurking in the dark
Smells like spring
Harry Potter Night V: Stay gold boy who lived

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