Coincidentally I also just finished an unusual and intriquing book about a trip to Morocco, and I'm starting to notice my hand is getting itchy.
I found the book in the laundry room of my building, where I happen to get lots of my reading material. It's actually been great for that as I have found such gems as The Kite Runner, Gods Behaving Badly, A Stranger In Tibet, and very modern and topical novels like Water, Inc. Not to mention some real throwaway stuff, books you were glad you didn't have to pay for.
Anyway, this month's find was The Tattooed Map by Barbara Hodgson. The style of the short but beautifully illustrated hardcover is that of a travel journal, the first half written by Lydia though after she mysteriously disappears her traveling companion (once lover) Chris takes up the narrative.
After some time in Morocco she develops an irritation on the skin of her left hand, which she at first attributes to flea bites. As the marks on her skin grow it eventually develops into a map made of lines and symbols, and eventually covers her entire arm. She keeps it from Chris and becomes more distant from him in both space and time, and eventually disappears altogether after meeting an enigmatic restaurant owner. Chris takes over writing the journal but eventually returns to Canada after searching for Lydia becomes futile...
Unhappy with this outcome, he soon starts hanging out in dusty libraries reading all the history he can find of the North African country...and soon finds himself back in Morocco.
The part travelogue, part mystery is just a bit spooky and so was the timing of it showing up when it did.
Anyway, I don't expect our trip will take as mysterious a turn, but I suppose you never know. Maybe you will notice a few weeks from now that Linda has started to write this blog. If so, don't worry, I'll be ok...wherever or whenever I happen to be!
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