Adventures In The South of Spain

         Cuba has always been on our list of “would like to go there sometime” destinations. Images of turquoise waters, Spanish colonial buildings and classic cars floated through my imagination on a cloud of cigar smoke to a salsa beat Havana has the lure of the forbidden: mafiosos, casinos, celebrities, the decadence of pre-revolutionary Havana, home to Hemingway and the inspiration for The Old Man and the Sea. Since 1959 it has been off-limits to Americans, a presumed enemy to capitalism and democracy and a subject of controversy and mixed messages. The relationship between the United States and Cuba has always been “complicado.”

         When our friend Ron mentioned that he was organizing a tour to Cuba on behalf of his congregation: The Full Gospel Apostolic Church of Hazel Crest, we jumped at the chance to go along. I recruited our friend Liz to join the party. We traveled with Classic Havana Tours led by Felix and Juliet, and our van driver Daimel. We ended up forming a group of six, which included Ron’s son Chris and his friend Kyle. We had a delightful five days together! Getting to know our fellow travelers was truly a bonus. Everyone was enthusiastic, curious, respectful and open-minded. Felix and Juliet taught us a lot of Cuban history and culture. Felix gave his honest appraisal of the political situation, and I believe we all left with a better understanding of the complexities involved. I know it has given me a lot to ponder.

         For months prior to departure, Felix was busy organizing the details and preparing us via several online meetings. He shared vital practical information, like bringing enough cash for the trip, as our cards won’t work there, packing bug spray, medications, toilet paper, a water bottle, etc. Cuba has shortages of practically everything. Felix also told us to put our phones on airplane mode before landing to avoid large roaming charges. The hotel would have wi-fi, but other places would not. The original plan was to rent out a private home, but we didn’t end up with a large enough group, so we went to the Grand Ashton Hotel. It is the only hotel approved for Americans by the US government.  The hotel was new and luxurious and in a good location along the Malecón (sea wall).

         We booked our flights on American Airlines. There are no direct flights to Havana, so we had a short layover in Miami. We purchased a Cuban visa from American when we booked our flights. We had to give a reason for visiting Cuba. Ours was “support for the Cuban people.” Felix made sure that we had a full itinerary and opportunities to experience history, art, music, and great food.

         Felix and Juliet met us in the Havana airport and took us to the van where we met Daimel, who would drive us everywhere during the week. At the hotel, Juliet and the hotel staff took care of checking us in and handling our luggage, while we enjoyed a welcome drink in the lobby. Then we went down the street to Casa Mía for a delicious seafood lunch. The restaurant took US dollars for payment and would exchange extra money at a good rate. We only changed about $50 to pesos, as dollars are accepted pretty much everywhere. Credit and debit cards are not accepted; it is a cash economy.

         After lunch, we went back to our rooms to rest and get ready for the evening. Bill and I went to the pool for a refreshing swim. The pool was about sixty meters long with a view of the Caribbean; it was the best hotel pool we have ever experienced!

        

Then it was time for our first night out in Havana. Our first stop was The Hotel Nacional. Built in the 1930’s by an American hotel group, it has hosted Hollywood icons and legendary entertainers. In the 1950’s, it was the headquarters for the American mob, who basically ruled Havana from its hilltop location. The cocktail lounge pays tribute to the past with photos of celebrities who visited there. We had a mojito at the outdoor bar. Live music was playing and it was a beautiful evening. You may already know that one of my favorite things to do when I travel is to have a drink in the bar of the most expensive hotel in town. I could have stayed all evening, but soon it was time to move on to our next stop: the Castillo del Morro, a harbor fortress built by the Spanish in 1589 to protect Havana from invaders and pirates. Every evening they re-enact the closing of the harbor by the Spanish authorities and a canon is shot at exactly 9:00 pm. The fortress is huge and is the site of colonial history as well as revolutionary history. After the fortress ceremony, we went to see the harbor statue of Christ. The nighttime views of Havana were beautiful! Then it was back to the hotel. The kitchen was closed, but the bar was open. Liz, and Bill and I had a glass of wine to celebrate our first day in Havana.

         On day two of our Havana adventure, I awoke to a stunning sunrise over the city skyline. I could see the Malecón and the Gulf waters several stories below. We dressed for a day of sightseeing and went downstairs to have breakfast. The hotel has a large dining room with windows overlooking the bay. The breakfast buffet was extensive, but even in such a luxurious space there are shortages: fruit options were sparse and there were no eggs or yogurt. However, the coffee was strong and hot and there were plenty of sweets.

We met in the lobby and then piled into the van to head out to Finca Vigia, the former home of Ernest Hemingway and his third wife Martha Gelhorn. It is a popular spot, especially with American tour groups. The grounds are lush with tropical plants and trees, the house is preserved as it was in 1960 when Hemingway was forced to leave. Visitors are not allowed to traipse through the home, but the doorways are wide and allow for gaping inside. For a modest tip, a member of the staff will take photos inside with your phone. Staff members are friendly, and happy to talk about the site, the photos, and the history of the place. The guest quarters are still standing, but the interior needs renovation, so it is currently closed to the public. The swimming pool where Eva Gardner reportedly swam nude is empty of water, but full of Havana history. We ended our visit at the Hemingway bar, a charming outdoor space, where we enjoyed a beverage and some live music.

     Then it was back to the van for the ride back into the city. The streets were full of people walking or waiting for buses. Liz asked Felix where everyone was going. He explained that they were constantly in search of goods. Cubans still get government vouchers for food and necessities, but the trade embargo and the pandemic have contributed to severe shortages. Residents spend a good part of their day waiting in line for the basics.

    Our next stop was Old Havana. We strolled through Cathedral Square, Plaza San Francisco, and Plaza Vieja (old plaza). Old Havana dates from the Spanish colonial era which spanned three centuries. Plaza Vieja has been restored by UNESCO and named a World Heritage Site. Tourists come for the history and local children use the open space to play. Our lunch spot that day was La Vitrola. It was loud and bustling, definitely a tourist spot, the food was basic, but the atmosphere was totally fun. A live band was playing a few feet from us, making conversation impossible, but singing and dancing irresistible.

     After lunch, we took a sobering stroll down a back street in the old town, having chosen that over the touristy Calle Obispo. Our guides told us to walk down the middle of the street to avoid falling building materials. Residents share spaces in crumbling buildings, many without utilities and running water. Old cars share the narrow streets with pedestrians and the lucky few with a bicycle. Despite the apparent poverty, there is a social vibe, as everyone seems to be outside interacting with their neighbors. I did not see any obvious homeless people or any panhandlers. I asked Juliet about that, and she said there isn’t a lot of it; most people have some form of shelter. She was very surprised to hear that we have a lot of homelessness in the US. Our walk ended at the Capitol building, built in 1926-1929 with the help of US dollars. It bears a striking resemblance to the US Capitol. It currently houses The Cuban Academy of Science and the Science and Technology National Library.

     It was time to go back to the hotel for a swim and a rest before an evening dinner at Casa Italia. Casa Italia is a boutique hotel and restaurant in a restored Havana mansion. We dined in their beautiful outside gazebo. The food and wine were fantastic and the company could not have been better!

On day three (Wednesday) of our Cuba adventure, departure time was later, so Bill and I took an early walk on the Malecón. Traffic made it impossible to cross to the sea side of the highway. We passed the Riviera, a once famous hotel and casino. The small domed part of the building is the former casino. The hotel looks dated and worn from the outside. We were approached by a man asking us for money. We gave him some and he pushed for more, but walked away when we refused. We never felt unsafe in Havana, but like anywhere, you need to be aware of your surroundings. We stopped for breakfast near the hotel, where we sat outside and enjoyed the view.

Our guides arrived for the day’s events and three drivers in classic cars pulled up to chauffer us through Havana. We were giddy with excitement as we piled into colorful 1950’s convertibles. Our first stop was John Lennon Park. Felix was surprised that I knew about it, but I had read the guide book. It was a small park in a tree-lined neighborhood. The bench with John’s statue is monitored by a local gentleman, who for a modest tip, will take your photo. I have no idea why there is a park dedicated to John Lennon, but I can Imagine.

  Our next few stops were to historical monuments, so this might be a good time for a short history lesson. Christopher Columbus arrived in Cuba (1492) and claimed it for Spain. Under Spanish rule, the indigenous people of the island suffered from enslavement and disease, and didn’t survive long. Spanish colonial life in Cuba changed little until the 1800’s. The mid-1800’s saw conflict between the island born and the ruling class from Spain. An independence movement grew, and during The Ten-Year War (1868-1878), Cubans battled for freedom from Spanish rule. They were unsuccessful, so they waged a second war for independence from 1895–1898. It was during this fight that José Martí became a national hero. He was a writer, poet, and journalist whose eloquent speeches stirred up the national fervor for independence. He was killed in one of the first battles of the war. His Versos Sencillos provided the lyrics for Guantanamera, Cuba’s unofficial national anthem. We made a stop at the statue of José Martí.

  The United States has always had a strong interest in Cuban affairs.The US entered the war against Spain after the sinking of the Maine in Havana harbor in 1898. As part of the settlement of the Spanish-American War, the US gained political power in Cuba. There is a memorial to the Maine in Havana, etched with the name of every victim of the explosion; almost all were Afro-Cubans. The US officers were at dinner on shore when the sinking occurred.

  Our next stop was La Plaza de la Revolución (Revolution Square). It is a huge open outdoor space where Fidel Castro once spoke for fourteen hours straight. The government buildings surrounding the square have black metal silhouettes to the heroes of the Cuban Revolution (1953-1959) which ended the rule of Fulgencio Batista. There are no memorials to Fidel Castro in Cuba, because he did not want any. We saw a few of his quotes on a wall plaque at the Hotel Nacional. They were messages of peace.

 

 Next, was a stop in Old Havana to walk past La Bodeguita del Medio, another famous Hemingway bar, where he reportedly drank his daily mojito. We stopped in Cathedral Square, where a few members of our group bartered for cigars. I gave a little cash to a young boy and within moments I was surrounded by a group of children asking for money.

  We climbed back into the cars for the ride to the Bosque de Havana, an in-city rain forest, Just as we approached the park, it began to rain. What timing! We ran for cover in the bar and ordered a beverage to wait out the rain. When it became a deluge, Felix decided it was time to give up the convertibles, tip our drivers and call Daimel with the van. Riding through the flooded streets was an adventure; I felt like we were on a boat. When we arrived for our lunch reservation, the restaurant was closed due to a flooded kitchen. Next we tried Ecléctica, where they were able to accommodate us after we waded through a foot of water to get inside. They provided us with towels, a private dining room, and excellent food and drink. By the time we finished our late lunch, we were all ready to call it a day.

  Day four (Thursday) was warm and sunny once again. We took the ferry to Regla, a village across the bay. As we exited the ferry, we witnessed a young man sacrificing a chicken in the water. This is a ritual of the Santería religion, still practiced by some in Cuba today.

  La Iglesia de Regla (the church of Regla) is a small Catholic church which houses a statue of the Black Madonna. The chapel is beautiful, and the faithful honor the madonna by lighting candles and leaving bouquets.

  After our visit to Regla, we went to El Museo Nacional Palacio de Bellas Artes (Fine Arts Museum). The museum is in two different buildings. The palatial older building houses an extensive and impressive collection of European Masters, Spanish artists, and Latin American antiquities. The newer building has an amazing collection of Cuban contemporary art. We ate lunch at Café Baco in the old building. We were the only customers, and they cooked a fabulous lunch and treated us like family.

  After a full afternoon of art, we made a stop at Havana Club for a lesson in Cuban cigars, in case anyone wished to purchase one to enjoy with live jazz that evening. Then it was back to the hotel to swim and relax before cocktails and music at Ecléctica and dinner at Vista Mar. The jazz ensemble was high energy and very talented. We loved our front row seat on the patio! Cuban cigars don’t stink. We had a great seafood dinner at Vista Mar with a view of huge waves breaking just beyond our table.

  

  All too soon it was Friday, our final full day in Havana. Apostle Ron and Felix had a morning meeting with The Cuban Council of Churches. The rest of us pampered ourselves with sleep, swimming, and massages, and packing for our departure the next day. At 12:30, Daimel picked us up for a visit to Fusterlandia, the home and studio of contemporary artist José Rodriguez Fuster. His bright paintings, drawings and ceramic creations pay homage to both Gaudi and Picasso, but with a distinctively Cuban style. Fuster has inspired his neighbor’s to decorate their homes, and the neighborhood is now an outdoor art museum.

  After Fusterlandia, we went to lunch at Laurel in the Santa Fe ward. We had a table on the lagoon, where families were enjoying a day of swimming and boating. It was a beautiful and relaxing spot to enjoy lunch on our last day in Cuba. The waitress was quite a character, and she literally laughed in Bill’s face when he asked for non-alcoholic beer and decaf coffee. We’re not sure if her reaction was because Cubans don’t understand the point of beer without the buzz or coffee without the kick, or if it was because such luxuries just aren’t available there. There was a bit of a misunderstanding about the bill, because they were using a very unfavorable exchange rate. Whether it was intentional, I couldn’t say, but we were very appreciative of Juliet, who straightened it out for us.

Above: Apostle Ron meets with the Cuban Council of Churches

  

  When we got back to the hotel on Friday, we said goodbye to our younger companions, who had different evening plans and different flights than us on Saturday. Ron, Liz, Bill, and I went to Casa Mía for a light dinner and gelato. The next morning, our wonderful hosts took us to the airport for the uneventful trip home. Cuba was an unforgettable experience, the Cuban people were a joy to meet and we loved every minute of our tour! I recommend you put Cuba on your travel list.

I’ll leave you with a few more photos.

I hope you enjoyed “Dancing In Havana.” Next stop: Tenerife, Canary Islands.

Geri

February 2023

Málaga City is the capital of Málaga province in the region of Andalucía. It has a population of around 600,000. Many Málaga residents are from nations outside of Spain. Like other ports in Andalucía, Málaga was settled by the Phoenicians, later by the Romans, the Moors, and the Christians. The remains of these civilizations can be explored in Malaga’s museums and monuments.

Modern day Málaga lives alongside of its history. The Moorish Alcazaba and the Castle of Gibralfaro look down upon the city from the mountaintop. A visit to these sites provides fantastic views of the city and the port below. At night, they are lit up and provide a stunning backdrop to Málaga’s nightlife. Steps from the Alcazaba is the Roman Theatre and the Cathedral. Trendy shopping and great cuisine, along with a selection of fine museums and art galleries share space with archeological finds. An easy stroll from the old town will take you to Muelle Uno, Málaga’s waterfront boardwalk, where you will find restaurants, cafés, bars, and plenty of street entertainers. Beyond the boardwalk are Málaga’s beaches, a beautiful paseo for walking, and more great restaurants and beach bars (chirringuitos). Nestled between the port and the beaches is the neighborhood where we rented an apartment for the month of February. In February, the days are sunny and pleasant (64 degrees F) and nights are chilly (47 degrees F). Considered the off-season, rentals tend to be reasonable this time of year.

Above:Views from our balcony

During our stay in Málaga, we reconnected with Ken and Cally, Canadian friends that we met while on vacation in Portugal a few years ago.

Above : Enjoying the beautiful Jardín Botánico (Botanical Garden) and a shellfish spread at the Ataranzas Market.

Málaga was the birthplace of Pablo Picasso. There are two sites were visitors can enjoy his art: The Picasso Birth Home (and gallery) and The Picasso Museum.

The Museo de Vidrio y Cristal (Glass and Crystal Museum) is a private collection housed in a restored 1700’s mansion. It is only accessible by guided tour with ticket purchase. We had the pleasure of touring with Ian, one of the owners. The collection is impressive and beautifully displayed in various rooms of the home.

Pedregalejo is the old fishing village east of Málaga City. We discovered it by accident while walking the beach walk. We passed Baños de Carmen, the ruins of a 1918 spa resort for the wealthy. There is currently a restaurant on site. A bit further on, we turned toward the water and discovered the charming coves and boardwalk of Pedregalejo. We stopped for coffee at one of the charming places along the walkway. Lunch was fully booked, so we made a reservation for a front line table for lunch the next day. We had the smoked fish of the day and it was delicious! The ambiance was perfect.

In my opinion, Málaga is a highly underrated city. Because it is a stop for cruise ships, many people spend part of a day there. Hopefully, they walk a little further than the port area or take a guided walking tour. Other visitors fly into Málaga and immediately take a bus or a taxi to one of the resort towns along the coast. From Málaga one can take a train to many destinations in Spain. We flew from Málaga to Marrakech for our ten day adventure in Morocco (see my Morocco posts). I encourage you to explore beyond Málaga, but also to take the time to explore Málaga City itself. It is truly a gem hiding in plain site.

For more about Málaga City, see my post: “Málaga Sites and Málaga Nights.”

March 2023

We’re Back In Our Happy Place! We are here in Estepona for the month of March. It is our fourth time here and it has become our favorite.

Sunrises From the Balcony

Our balcony looks out over The Mediterranean. I am usually up early enough to see the sunrise. No two mornings have been the same!

The construction workers arrive at first light. The widening of the paseo (pedestrian walkway) is almost complete. Almost the entire length of Estepona’s long beachfront (Playa de la Rada) is now free of traffic. By this weekend, most of the work should be finished just in time for the grand opening of the Mirador; a new building between here and the port. Previously, that site was unimproved and unattractive with weeds and graffiti. It will now be a public access area. The building will house an art gallery, a multi-story library, an auditorium, a restaurant, and a rooftop lookout.

The grand opening is March 31st, unfortunately, the day we travel home. Hopefully, next year we can enjoy the new additions.

All Around Town: The Old and The New

Virgen Del Carmen Church (Patroness of Fishermen)

Just a Sampling of the Public Art in Estepona

They Say It’s A Dog

City Hall (El Ayuntamiento) Behind Us

There is always something happening here. Last weekend there was a street fest to celebrate Estepona’s Old Town. It was complete with cheese vendors, tapas crawls, free concerts, and contests. There was also a rehearsal for the Semana Santa (Holy Week) processions. Since they were out there they collected food donations along the route.

A Day on the Mountain

One Saturday, we took a taxi up into the Sierra Bermeja Natural Park. It was about a 40 minute ride straight up. Sure glad I wasn’t driving! Our driver decided to wait for us. We told him we had a lunch reservation, but he said that was no problem. He would turn off the meter and wait. We walked around a bit up at the overlook. The views were spectacular of mountains, woods, and the town and sea below. Lunch at Venta El Refugio in a charming old inn was delicious. We chatted with a nice couple from Denmark. As promised, our taxi driver was there when we were ready to descend.

We saw the devastation from the wildfire two years ago. It came really close to the place we had lunch.

Our Estepona activities included swimming at the indoor pool three days a week and yoga class outside twice a week.

Favorite After Yoga Brunch Spot

The Orchidarium

Estepona’s Orchidarium is in a beautiful setting. Inside the building, is the largest orchid collection in Europe.

The Beach

The Beaches and Beach Bar/Restaurants are open for the season. Playa La Rada is a super-long beach that is Estepona’s front porch. Whether you walk the paseo or the sand, the views are spectacular. Chiringuitos (Beach Bars) serve great food and drink. Playa La Rada ends at the fishermen’s port. A walk through the recreational port area of town will get you to Playa del Cristo, a lovely cove with a sandbar. This is a favored spot for young families and paddleboarders.

Rent a lounge chair and umbrella for 7 euros for the day. A member of the waitstaff will serve food and beverage to your spot or you can claim a beachside table for lunch.

The best part of choosing a spot and staying awhile is the opportunity to make friends. The “Estepona Gang” is a group of expats who adopted us for the month. We enjoyed hanging out with them very much and hope to be back next year!

Marrakech to Fez (February 14, 2023)

The Marrakech Express made famous in the song by Crosby, Stills, and Nash is an overnight train from Tangier to Marrakech and is still in operation to this day. We took a six-hour day train from Marrakech to Fez. The compartment accommodated six passengers facing each other with luggage racks above. We paid extra for first class, so the seats were pretty comfy, but there was not much else in the way of amenities. A kid with a snack cart came by a couple of times. The scenery was very pleasant; much of it agricultural. As we got closer to Fez, there were rolling green hills that reminded us of Wisconsin. In fact, there were dairy cows, along with sheep, horses, and donkeys.

Our compartment mates were a young Egyptian couple and a young Moroccan man. All of them spoke English, were highly educated and well-traveled. The Egyptian couple had a lot of luggage. The woman was planning on doing a lot of shopping; specifically, in leather goods.

Mohammed, the Moroccan, told us he works for the Cultural Bureau and had been in Casablanca for work. He was an amiable conversationalist, and at one point asked us if we had a tour guide arranged for our stay in Fez. We said we were reviewing our options.

He suggested that we meet his colleague Adam, born in Fez and later adopted by an Australian couple. Adam was in town from Australia for another day. If we were interested in meeting him, Mohammed would call him. No charge for Adam’s tour; we could make a voluntary donation to his Widows’ Charity.

At this point in the story, I should probably pause to explain my reaction to helpful strangers versus the reaction of my husband Bill. I tend to see the positive side of human nature and Bill tends to think that everyone is out to get him. For those of you who know us well, you can pretty much figure out our reaction to this situation. I’m ready to go all in for Adam’s tour and Bill is saying, ” Wait a minute, what’s happening?”

Next thing you know, Mohammed calls Adam, and Adam is available for the next day.  Mohammed tells us where the culture office is in relation to the train station. The train arrives in Fez, we all say our goodbyes and get off. At this point, I am thinking we might just disappear into the crowd and book a tour on Viator later.

Just as I was thinking we had dodged a bullet, a smiling young man approached us on the platform. Yes, it was Adam. Let’s face it, we don’t exactly blend into the crowd. Adam seemed trustworthy enough and we arranged our tour for the next day. He would come by taxi to our hotel at 9:30 am.

We took a taxi to Palaj Faraj for our stay in Fez. The hotel is just outside the Medina and is lovely. We enjoyed dinner in their dining room and a “mocktail” in the bar. Apparently, the hotel has recently changed ownership and the liquor license is in limbo. Disappointing, but not tragic. Our room was luxurious, and breakfast the next morning was fantastic.

Adam arrived promptly at 9:30, and we were off to the Medina. The Fez Medina (old city) is the largest in Morocco and, reportedly, the one in which you are most likely to get hopelessly lost. There are over 1,000 unmarked streets. Adam was an excellent guide. He knows the Medina and seemingly everyone in it. He showed us where he lived as a child: a one room space in one of the many narrow alleyways. He is from a family of seven children. His parents divorced; leaving his mother in abject poverty. As a teenager, he went to work in a tourist hotel. It was there that he met the Australian couple, who offered to sponsor him. He moved to Australia to live with his adoptive parents and get his education. He is now a successful businessman who exports Moroccan goods to Australia and the USA. He bought his mother a nice home in the new city and his sisters are both doctors. He feels compelled to give back to his people by volunteering his time and support to a widows’ charity.

We strolled through a section of the Medina that is being restored by UNESCO. The Fez Medina is over 1,000 years old. The restoration work is painstaking and expensive, but the result is breathtaking. The tile and woodwork honor the history of the artisans who continue the ancient handicrafts today.

Within any Moroccan Medina are numerous small neighborhoods, each with five important features: a mosque, a school, a hammam (public bath), a bakery, and a fountain.

We visited the former School of the Koran, which is now a museum. The architecture is stunning. The student rooms are small; three or four students shared each of them. The better rooms, those with a view of the courtyard and more light, were given to the higher achieving students. This museum and others give non-Muslims an opportunity to see the interiors of historic sites that would otherwise be off-limits. Non-Muslims are not permitted to enter active places of worship.

We walked along the river, which ironically, separates the Spanish section of town from the Muslim. Andalusian culture existed for centuries in both Morocco and Spain, due to the Moorish occupation of Spain (711-1492). Having studied and experienced the Moorish influence in the south of Spain, it has been really interesting to come to the source. During and after The Reconquest, there was a huge wave of immigration from Spain to northern Morocco by Jews and Muslims, fleeing persecution by the Catholic Kings.

Next, we were off to visit some of the Cooperatives. Adam explained that Fez differs from Marrakech in that, rather than souks, it has Co-ops. I am not sure this distinction would be obvious to us. While there may have been less density of shops in Fez, there were definitely shops. The Co-ops are overseen by the government of Morocco. I was hoping this would mean set prices and no haggling or hard-sell, but no such luck. Our first stop was a Widows’ Carpet Cooperative, First we met Aziz, who took us to the rooftop for sweeping views of Fez. He is a teacher who volunteers at the Co-op. He was delighted to meet American teachers, and we enjoyed asking him questions and taking selfies. Aziz took me to meet the women, and see their home and work space. Bill was taken to the showroom for tea. The woman and their children are given shelter from the streets, although the living space is quite modest. While the children are in school, their mothers learn to make carpets by hand. I was told that a single carpet takes up to two years for completion.

Meanwhile, back in the showroom, Adam and Bill were sipping tea, while a team of men unrolled carpets for us to view. The show was orchestrated by one gentleman, whom I will refer to as the “used car salesman”. Each carpet was unique. I made the requisite comments about their beauty, while Bill sat with his arms folded, and repeated continuously, “We aren’t here to buy a carpet, but I’ll be happy to make a donation to the widows.” “No, we don’t accept donations here, only purchases. Now, what size carpet can you use?” The prices started at $4,000 Euros for a very large rug, which wouldn’t likely do much for our minimalist decor even if we could afford it. The used car salesman told us these carpets were an investment. We could purchase it and resell it in the States, making enough profit to pay for our trip. Bill told them he was not buying a rug and he certainly wasn’t going into the rug selling business. Each time we protested, smaller rugs appeared and the prices got lower. By the time we were exiting (without a rug), the used car salesman was trying to hand me a very small rug and shouting, “Please take it, it’s a gift!”

After our escape from the Carpet Co-op, it was on to the tanneries and leather goods shops. Leather was a product in which I had a bit more interest. The sales approach was gentler than the carpets. Again, the asking price is outrageous, negotiations occur, and a settlement is reached. Even Adam bought a jacket, although I’m pretty sure his price was lower than ours. He did help us to negotiate, and in the end, I had two leather handbags, and each of us had a new camel leather coat. We’re pretty sure we overpaid, but not enough to break the bank.

Time for a lunch break! We went to a small family run restaurant, where we were invited into the kitchen to taste the day’s specials before ordering. As soon as we were settled, who walked in and sat next to us, but the used car salesman. Coincidence? You decide. He made one more pitch for us to stop by and get his card for our friends back home.

After lunch, we had one more Co-op on our agenda: the pottery artisans. While I was at the point of skipping this one; I’m glad we didn’t. These artisans were amazing! I thought of my ceramic artist friends at home and how much they would enjoy seeing this. The painstaking tile work is done with hand tools. The products are beautiful! Bill was picturing one of those fountains on his deck back home, but it will probably come from Amazon and be made in China.

And so ended our tour! Bill handed Adam a cash donation for his Widows’ charity. Some of you are shaking your heads now at our stupidity. I would like to believe it got to those in need and Bill says it’s in karma’s hands now.

At the end of the day, it felt a bit like we were in a Hollywood movie complete with exotic stage settings, a cast of characters, (with us as the naive tourists), a few twists of fate, and an ambiguous ending. Kind of like “Now You See Me” Was the whole thing a set-up from start to finish? Maybe. Maybe not. But even if it was, no real harm was done. We saw beautiful places, met interesting people, and took memorable photos. I have enough material to write a screenplay. And I’m rockin’ that leather coat!

There is an Epilogue to the leather coats, but that’s a tale to tell over a glass of wine.

NEXT: Chefchaouen: the Blue City

(February 2023)

I have always wanted to go up in a hot-air balloon. This seems strange for the kid who made them stop the Ferris Wheel at Kiddie Land, because she was too frightened to go through with it. I have evolved, but only to a point. I did ride The Navy Pier Ferris Wheel with the grandkids last summer. However, I still don’t ride rollercoasters, skydive, or get too close to the window in a skyscraper. You’ll never find me on the glass floor skydeck at The Willis Tower. But balloons, yeah, there’s just something about balloons. And maybe something about being far from home in a foreign country that brings out my reckless streak. I have snorkeled in Mexico, walked over a gorge in Spain on a suspension bridge, and climbed countless narrow bell towers while traveling.

Viator Tours has a Hot-Air Adventure Tour from Marrakesh, which includes a traditional Berber breakfast and a camel ride. After a trip to Bryce Canyon in 2019, Bill announced, ” No more horses, no more mules.” So I had to ask, ” How do you feel about camels?”

Meeting our tour meant an early alarm and departing in the dark. Once again, Aman escorted us to the parking lot and talked to the driver. We were a group of eight in the van. There was some confusion on our part as to whether we were with the right tour. Attendance taking was pretty lax and we were never asked to show our ticket. But it seemed we were all headed for a balloon ride, so that was good enough. The drive there was actually scarier than the balloon ride. Our driver was going very fast on the highway and when we went off -road, things got pretty bumpy. We arrived at the compound in the dark. There was a huge tent, bathrooms, hot coffee, tea and croissants to enjoy while we watched the crew prepare the balloons. There were three huge balloons in our compound. Later, we would realize that this was one of many balloon launching sites in the area.

At first light, they began filling the balloons one at a time. They lay on their sides; once filled, the crew rights the gondolas. Once they were prepared, we were signaled to line up to get in a gondola. Twenty people fit in each gondola. You have to climb over the side to get in and it is no small feat, because the gondola walls are pretty high.

(Double click on photos for larger view)

When our gondola was filled and our weight properly distributed, the captain fired up the “engine”, the crew cut the ropes, and we began to rise. It is a gentle rise and so quiet that it wasn’t scary at all. The sensation of floating 1500 meters above the Moroccan dessert is amazing! The sky was filled with balloons as the sun rose over the Atlas mountains. There was some friendly conversation and photo taking in the gondola; but there were also long minutes of silence as we all contemplated the beauty of the experience. We floated peacefully for a good hour.

Gradually, we began our descent. We floated over abandoned compounds, small villages, and luxury villas. We could see a caravan of balloon crews following our path. The captain announced, “When we get closer to landing, we will all face one direction, bend our knees and hold on with both hands.” Only then did I consider that the biggest challenge lay ahead: a safe landing. Our captain then told us to take our landing posture and without delay, he “stuck” the landing. The crew ran over and held down the gondola, and began removing passengers a few at a time. Bill and I were among the first. Once on the ground, I looked up and noticed that the balloon was rising again, taking the crew members with it. They were hanging on to the outside as it went air born. I have to say, I was relieved to be out of the gondola. It didn’t take long for it to land again, this time for good, and everyone exited safely.

Now, it was time for breakfast. Moroccan breakfast is a carbohydrate heavy feast. There are always at least two kinds of bread and two kinds of pancakes, along with donuts, coffee and tea. Usually, an egg is offered, and often fresh fruit.

After breakfast, we were headed to the camel compound. Bill had not yet decided if he was riding. When we got there, one group was departing and another arriving. Things looked pretty tame. The camels were tethered together and they get down low to the ground for people to mount and dismount. Truthfully, that didn’t look very comfortable for the camel. The guide assured me that the animals are well-treated and only work mornings. The next thing I knew, Bill was aboard the lead camel! The ride was only about twenty minutes, which was probably just enough. To dismount, you have to lean back, way back. There is a brief moment that feels like you might get thrown, and then the camel is down and you climb off.

After our camel ride, we had an uneventful ride home. Another bucket list item accomplished!

NEXT: Join me as we take a train to Fez.

By now we were feeling pretty comfortable in Marrakech. We wanted to go out for a nice Saturday night dinner, perhaps with entertainment.

Sana suggested La Tanjia in Place des Ferblantiers, the main square in the Jewish quarter. She also suggested we go by Tuk-Tuk, since it was over a half an hour walk each way. That seemed like a good idea. Aman from the Riad walked us down to meet the driver and explain where we were going and that he should return to pick us up after dinner. The restaurant hostess would call him when we were ready. We climbed into the back of the Tuk-Tuk and greeted our driver. A moment later, we were careening through the Medina, tires bouncing, horn beeping, narrowly missing people and banging into the door of a souk. Dirty looks were directed our way. Our driver was shouting in Arabic the whole time, as we held on for dear life. It was like a carnival ride; frightening and fun at the same time. We arrived at La Tangia and my heart rate returned to normal.

Dinner was delicious and the view was spectacular. Toward the end of our meal, the entertainment began. Joyful Moroccan music, belly dancers with candles on their head, a wildly illuminated dancer who swung a large neon umbrella over the tables. Patron participation was encouraged. After dessert, it was time for our return ride in the Tuk-Tuk. Our driver asked if we could pick up another couple nearby. Sure, why not? We went out of the Medina onto a modern boulevard, and then parked in front of a hotel. The driver was talking to us in some mixture of Arabic and French with a little English in the mix. He raved about what a grand hotel this was, a really grand hotel. “The president stays here when he comes to Marrakech.” he bragged, so I asked, ” Is the president going to ride in the Tuk-Tuk with us?” He understood me enough to think that was uproariously funny. He must have been referring to the French president, because Morocco has a king.

A fashionable French couple approached the vehicle and we welcomed them to the back seat. The woman was upbeat, but we sensed that her husband was pretty horrified to be riding in the back of a Tuk-Tuk with AMERICANS. We learned that they were from Marseilles. The wife had been in town for three days for an art exhibition and her husband was joining her for the weekend. He probably had visions of a luxury evening at the grand hotel, but she was dragging him out to visit friends who were renting a place in the Medina.

We drove into the Medina and turned down a narrow street. Another vehicle had parked to unload crates, and was blocking our progress. I’m not sure of the protocol here. There are no one-way streets, stop signs, or no parking signs. If two vehicles come face to face, someone has to back up. Our driver had no intention of being that someone. He aggressively drove toward the other vehicle, yelling the whole time. A couple of guys came to his window to discuss the situation. In moments, we were surrounded by angry men. I began to imagine an international incident. The French couple seemed quite amused by it all, and actually applauded when the other vehicle backed up for our Tuk-Tuk. And just like that, the crisis was averted and we were home a few minutes later. I can’t help but wonder if some of the posturing is theatrics to entertain the tourists.

We survived the Tuk-Tuk! Next: The Hot Air Balloon.

A Private Photography Walk with Omar (February 11, 2023)

We found Omar’s tour on Air B&B Experiences. He is a local Photographer who offers two types of private experiences: You as the Photographer or You As the Model. Apparently, he makes a decent living doing photoshoots of Instagramers in the exotic settings of Marrakech. I think you can guess which tour we chose.

We were scheduled for 8:00 AM, so our Riad served us breakfast early (of course they did). Omar arrived before first light and off we went. Omar explained Street Photography etiquette in Morocco. I had been hesitant about it, not wanting to go against the cultural norms. Omar said it is fine to photograph the architecture, and if people happen to enter your frame, that’s fine too. A quick, unobtrusive shot of someone is fine; just don’t be sticking a camera in their face while you adjust your settings. The artisans and Medina workers we would be meeting have a relationship with Omar; he has paid them for welcoming us to their space.

Early morning is quiet in the Medina. Walking is much more tranquil than later in the day. The souk keepers are slowly setting up shop and drinking their morning tea. The morning light is soft.

Look who walked into my frame! Remember to double click if you want a larger image.

Our first official stop was a bakery. We entered a cave-like space where one baker was forming loaves of fresh dough and placing them onto large wooden paddles for his colleague to bake in the roaring wood burning fire. We ate fresh warm bread while we watched the process. It smelled fantastic in there!

We resumed our walk, and Omar pointed out the neighborhood hammam. The hammam is the public steam bath. In Muslim culture, people visit the baths on a regular basis. Men and women have separate hammam hours. The experience involves three steam rooms of varying temperatures, scrubbing the skin with black soap, applying argan oil to the skin, and relaxing in a cooler room.

After explaining the importance of the hammam in Moroccan culture, Omar took us into another cave-like space. There was a gentleman living there, who we assumed (wrongly) was homeless and squatting in the space. He immediately offered me his seat and served us hot mint tea and bread with oil. It turns out, he is responsible for keeping the fire that heats the pipes that make the steam for the hammam. That fire needs to burn continuously. We watched him tend his fire, and then he played his traditional Moroccan guitar and sang for us. What a beautiful person!

After our visit, we headed back out to the Medina, where the souks were opening up. We visited some artisans: a metalworker, a blade sharpener, a carpet warehouse, some artists’ workshops, and a spice and pigment store. Omar continually assured us that we did not need to buy anything, but we couldn’t resist a few items. I’m not sure why I need a pounded gold dish with a camel motif, but in that moment, I had to have it. Bill bought some tea glasses, almost bought a painting, and we did a little damage in the spice, soap, pigment, etc. shop.

We ended our tour by enjoying a rooftop brunch with Omar. He is a delightful conversationalist and speaks perfect English. I am continually impressed by the language skills of so many Moroccans. It is a privilege to spend time with local citizens and definitely one of the joys of travel.

I’ll just leave you with some more photos of the Medina.

Join Me Next Time for Adventures In A Hot Air Balloon and a Tuk-Tuk.

My fascination with Spanish towns has everything to do with the juxtaposition of the ancient and the new. Nowhere is this more on display than in Valencia, Spain’s third largest city.

Roman ruins are steps from the Cathedral, which has been a site of worship for 1,000 years. Previously, it was a Roman temple, Visigoth Cathedral, and an Arab Mosque. The Cathedral spans centuries of architectural and artistic styles. The Capilla del Santo Cáliz (Chapel of the Holy Grail) proclaims to display the actual chalice used at the Last Supper.

Every Thursday for 500 years, the “Water Council of Valencia” has held a meeting to determine which canal lock will be opened to irrigate the rice fields outside the city. The council is an elected body; agricultural districts each get one representative. The local farmers can plea their case to the council, who then decides, and the verdict is announced by the head councilman (see below- with the staff) at exactly noon. As the church bells are tolling twelve o’clock, the council members walk to the doors of the church, where the decision is chanted in Valencian. The weekly event draws a crowd. In addition to the interested parties, there are school groups, locals, and curious tourists like us. The vibe is festive: selfies with the “judge,” cheers, and jockeying for the best view.. Once the decision is announced, there is applause and the crowd begins to disperse. Just like 500 years ago, but with selfies and videos.

Beyond the remains of the historic city walls, is the ultra-modern, fashion-forward city, where art, architecture, music, and cuisine are celebrated daily. Valencia is home to numerous study abroad programs and supports a large ex-pat community.

The City of Arts and Sciences

This was previously a neglected area of Valencia. In 1991, Valencian architect Santiago Calatrava was commissioned to design a museum campus. The 7 buildings took 13 years to build. The huge area is stunning! The “city” can be accessed from Turia Gardens (next gallery) or from street level. The museums and performing art center are state of the art. Since it would take days to see every museum, we chose to visit the Oceanarium, which had a great dolphin show and amazing habitats of the 7 Oceans.

Above are scenes of Jardín de Turia. ( Turia Garden). It is a 5.5 mile long park that follows the former path of the Turia River. In 1957, the river overflowed its banks and flooded much of the city. Authorities had the river diverted to south of the city, and the dry riverbed was repurposed to green space. It is a fabulous place to bike or walk. It is home to multiple sports fields for soccer, rugby, and baseball. As you walk, run, or bike, you will see people practicing yoga, dance, and a form of pole climbing using fabric ropes hanging from the bridges.