Saturday, November 13, 2010
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Day 59: thanks
Oh yeah. One more thing. Thanks to everyone that followed us on our
blog, left comments for us to read at night and let us feel a little
closer to home.
blog, left comments for us to read at night and let us feel a little
closer to home.
- jgt and mbm
Day 59: heading home
we were in Belgium). Loved them all and learned a lot about each.
The mullet is alive and well in Spain, only there it is dreadlocked.
We had gelado in every country. The best was from an Italian immigrant
named Santini in Cascais Portugal.
Iceland isn't as cold as they would have you believe.
Denmark was still the most civilized country we explorered.
Guinness does taste just a little bit better in Ireland.
Morocco was a feast for the senses.
Scotland seems to be hardest for us to sum up. It was wet. The
mountains were stunning. The scotch was delicious. The pilgramages to
Skye and Grantown were profound.
Beers around the world.
Here's a list of all the beer we had around the world.
Iceland: Viking, Polar
England: Guiness Red
Scotland: Tennants, John Smith, McEwans
Denmark: Carlsberg
Germany: Erdinger
France: Leffe, Kronenbourg 1664
Andorra: Heiniken (no brweries? Really?)
Spain: San Migel, Estrella, Cruzcampo, Mahou
Morocco: Flag Normale, Flag Special
Portugal: Sagre Super Bock, Sagre Tulipa, Caneca
Ireland: Guinness and smithwicks.
- jgt
Day 58: The Comet
hours in Dublin? Pub Crawl.
We got a b&b near the airport called Pairc na Bhfuiseog and just
wandered the streets of Dublin looking for Guinness. Found a few
lovely, classic looking Irish pubs and what pub crawl would be
complete without a stop at The Comet.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Day 57: back in Lisbon
Peniche. Headed south a bit melancholy that this our last in Portugal.
We checked into a fancy hotel to just hole up til tomorrow when we hop
a plane starting our trip back to CA. We did still manage to have a
great day driving down the coast, having gelado and capping it off
with movies on the hotel and Poetuguese vinho.
So, we really don't have a pic for today.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Day 56: c'mon, seriously!
in which a bell used to be housed atop the fort.
I don't know who the little girl in the green dress is. She ran into
frame trying to get through the door just as I was snapping.
C'mon. Seriously. Not bad for a camera phone, right?
Day 56: Forteleza
This fort was used as a prison up until 1974 when there was a coup and
the dictator was thrown out.
Day 56: geocaching
I've been carrying a travelbug with me for about 10000 miles now.
Well, next to last day, on the edge of the world looking over the
Cliffs of Insanity seemed like a good place to drop off the bug.
Credit where credit is due, Mo actually spotted the geocache.
For the non-nerds out there: http://www.geocaching.com
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Day 55: Obidos
This one was taken in the town of Obidos. Another town that doesn't
allow cars as it is surrounded by fortified walls. This is the castle
at one end that has been converted into a state run pensão (b&b).
Things about Morocco
Personal space - Moroccan personal space is a lot closer with one
another than ours. Shaking hands with strangers just to say hello.
Hugging and holding hands with friends is common. When two strangers
are in a heated argument (as in a traffic accident) laying hands on
the other person is not the immediate precursor to a physical fight.
Hands wave and point inches in front eachothers faces throught entire
conversations.
another than ours. Shaking hands with strangers just to say hello.
Hugging and holding hands with friends is common. When two strangers
are in a heated argument (as in a traffic accident) laying hands on
the other person is not the immediate precursor to a physical fight.
Hands wave and point inches in front eachothers faces throught entire
conversations.
Alibaba - I don't really know the story, but apparently being referred
to as Ali Baba is a compliment. Half the vendors try to butter me up
and lure me in calling me this.
Vendors - few vendors employ good business practices ("come in, browse
around. Like what you see? Tell your friends"). Most use heavy handed
tactics (setting outrageous prices, overcharging tourists, changing
the price, grabbing you and dragging you into their store)
Mopeds - the alleys that lead everywhere are no more than 15 feet wide
and the sides are crowded with street vendors. Still mopeds slalom
between pedestrians at frightning speeds.
Henna ladies - always seems to be fighting with one another. Yelling,
arms flailing, throwing stools around.
Ramadan - influences every aspect here at this time of year. The Souks
absolutely empty for 20 minutes in the evening for prayer and eating.
Certain restaurants only serve drinks during prayer time, and almost
noone serves alchohol.
Mint tea - very common. In most cases overly sweet. Always poured in
an elaborate fashion by raising the spouted teapot a foot above the
glass.
Water on the street - most alleys will have filthy water pooled in the
center at some point. It's probably not pee. Throughout the day
vendors will wash down the area infront of their store to keep the
dust down.
Being neighborly - being cynical, we assume that everyone that offers
you assistance is out to sell you something. Every place in the world
is the same: there are nice people and there are villans in every part
of the world. Sometimes people who offer assistance are just nice
people.
Souks - they sell everything under the sun and will use every tactic
to get you to come in. Streets are insanely crowded, but interestingly
we never felt anything close to threatened.
You get used to the constant flies landing on your ankles when you
stop moving.
Sleeper train to Marrakech is comfy and little exotic.
Labess (pardon my spelling) is how you toast in Arabic.
- jgt
Friday, September 25, 2009
Day 54: go west my son
Here's Mo at the westernmost point on continental Europe, Cabo de Roca.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Day 53: Pedro or Maximilian?
Took this shot down of the wide concorses that run down to the southern gateway to the city. Down Rua de Agusta with the statue of either the King of Portugal or the Emperor of Mexico, depending on who you ask, in the background.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Day 52: ?
Here Mo is storming a castle built in the 5th century by the
Visgoths. Where the famous Portuguese knight Martim Moniz lost his
life when he prevented the defending Moors from shutting the gate
aiding Afonso Henriques in his attack.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Day 51: touring Lisbon
Mobility Day. Doesn't really mean that much to us either, except that
the metro is free all day!!! Woot!! So we made full use of it making
our way to various sections of town and checking out some of the
neighborhoods, doing some shopping, eating and drinking.
So far we both really love Lisbon. Seems so modern and clean and
refined and easy to get around. Everything seems to have just slowed
down. We think the slower pace has something to do with lack of
scooters or mopeds buzzing around you. They like their cable cars
too. This shot kinda reminded me of San Francisco.
Tomorrow: city sight seeing
Day 50: travel day
taxi to the Marrakesh airport, flight to Madrid, 7 hour layover,
nuther flight to Lisbon, taxi to hotel took up pretty much our whole
day.
Don't have much in the way of pics to upload so I'll just put up a
view from our hotel in Marrakesh and then one from our hotel in
Lisbon. Talk about a change of scenery.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Day 49: The Man Who Ate Too Much
stumble across a little gem that we hadn't read about in any book.
Marrakech is no exception.
We wanted to dress in our "finest" and go out for a last hurah here
for dinner.
We stopped into a restuarant a stones throw down one of the dark
little alleys near our hotel and found Dar Essalam. We had what seemed
like and endless meal of Olives, Moroccaine salads and Kefta Tagine.
While we ate a trio played some traditional Moroccan music and a gal
danced around the room balancing a tray of lit candles on her head.
Later a belly dance came out to entertaine us.
Almost as a side note, this also the restaurant that James Stewart and
Dorris Day ate at in the Alfred Hitchcock classic "The Man Who Knew
Too Much"!
Tomorrow: Portugal
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Day 48: vendors
buying or selling. At 7:00pm the daily fast is over and within
minutes the place turns into a ghost town. 100 or so Europeans are
all that are left.
With the place empty, I was able to take a couple of random shots of
some the street vendors in the souks.
Moroccan cakes, more like cookies. The fig newtons are better than
anything Nabisco makes.
Day 48: Saadian tombs
we visited the Saadian Tombs where 66 of the royal family are burried.
Day 48: Badii Palace
remains of the Royal Palace. Upon it's completion in the 15th century,
was said to be one of the most magnificent palaces ever constructed.
Was only occupied for 100 years before being destroyed by another
conquering sultan.
Day 48: mopeds
Morocco. Since cars and motorcycles aren't allowed in the medina,
everyone flies around way too close to pedestrians on mopeds.
Here two of them have crashed into one another and the croud is
gathering to break up the two men.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Day 47: gandora
negotiating to get a good deal on the scarf and gandora.
Day 47: cyber park
in old medina. What a contrast! Quite modern and really florishing.
We took a walk through the public olive and argan gardens where they
have installed a dozen or so free Internet access stations throughout
the park.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Day 46: what is that?
Here's a quick one. Hanging at one of the street vendors...
Any guesses what these were? Cat? Rabbit? Other?
Day 45: spices and street urchins
overlooking the market place. Then we checked around for a more cost
effective place to stay. After wandering down a few back alleys and
stopping into a few riads, we found an only slightly less comfortable
place for 1/5th the price ($12 / night). Apparently being in the Lonely Planet guide
allows you to raise you rates.
Next we went for massages at spas called hammams. Mo went for the full
pull. Massage, savon noir scrub, bathing, the works. I just got the
massage. I had no idea how sore I was, I think sleeping on the ground
most of this trip has caught up with me.
After massages we tried to go Rock the Kasbah. Ok, 'Rock' might be an
overstatement. We tried to go walk the Kasbah where the royal palce is
located. On the way we bumped into a police officer directing traffic.
He told us that that part of town was closed after 3:00 during
Ramadan. So he just leaves his traffic duties to walk us about 5
minutes away into the Jewish Quarter to a spice vendor. Mo was excited
to go to see the spice vendor as it was one thing that shes been
looking forward to in Morocco. I was a little skeptical, not really
being in the market for paprika or saffron or any thing, but after
talking with the guy for 5 minutes, I was really glad we came in.
Really knowledgable guy, more like a pharmacist than a street vendor.
The had herbs and spices for every type of cooking and herbs and
spices for anything that ails you. Bronchitis, migraines,
aphrodisiacs, anything.
From the Jewish Quarter, we walked along the busy streets and
stumbled into a French hotel. Since it is a European hotel, we are
able to get a beer here unlike the restaurants in the Medina where
alcohol is strictly forbidden.
After a couple of pops, feeling really good about our day, we headed
back to the square where we had a slightly unpleasant expirience. Mo
was in the middle of making a good deal on some dried apricots, when
she was approached by yet another 14 year old girl offering henna
tattoo. Mo brushed her off but the girl was insistant. The girl
grabbed Mos hand and started drawing on it anyway dispite the protests
while saying "It's free. It's free" as if this was a free sample. The
girl finished the scribbles and Mo tried to tip the girl 10dh ($1) for
it but the girl was now demanding 250dh. Mo refused to pay and still
tried to give the girl the dollar and get away, but the girl was
making a scene now grabbing her arm and yelling "You pay me! You got
tattoo, now you pay me!". Took both of us to break her grip on Mo and
get away. Affraid that she would call someone or something, we called
it a night and headed back to our hotel. In the end, nothing came of
it, but put a bit of a damper on our day.
Tomorrow: nothing
The pic: Cumin, saffron, paprika, Moroccan curry, fish curry,
sandlewood...
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