pinkbirdflies

Joined an Urban Adventures tour to get an overview of Marrakech before taking it on on my own! Starting at Jemaa El Fna we visited the Koutoubia Mosque which I have since heard calling all Muslims to prayer at various times of the day. We walked through the old Medina and through the Jewish quarter to the Saadian tombs and Badii Palace. We took in a modern photographic exhibition on the people of Marrakech and finished passing through the markets and souks. Much more touristy than Fes and there are a lot of tourists recognisable. Marrakech is Morocco’s largest city and I have noticed the interpretation of Islam in varying degrees in regards to the womens’ style of dressing. Morocco is a moderate Islamic country where the majority are Sunni Muslim. Women wear the headscarf mainly although a few don’t and the other few still cover up with a face scarf style. The girls wear modern clothes although covered  bodies and headscarves.

Early morning Muslim call to prayer echoing across the valley, hill top mosque, almond trees, spectacular views of houses clinging to a hillside in various shades of blue and white with terracotta roofs, gushing mountain stream, narrow alleyways, men and women in traditional clothing, womens heads covered with scarves, blue and more blue, chickens, donkeys, tiny packed shops,  delicious tagine with prunes,almonds and beef, more mint tea, rugs and carpets, dried figs and dates, henna tattoos…

Orientation walk around the city which is famous for its sherry production. Visited a sherry Bodega (winery) which I thought was boring until I tasted the actual sherry…absolutely beautiful…I’m guessing absolutely nothing like the McWilliams flagon sherry at home!??! Fortified, we took a bus through mountainous countryside to the busy, industrial port city of Algiceras where we could see the Rock of Gibraltar in the distance. Changed buses to arrive at the ferry port town of Tarifa and caught a large high speed passenger ferry for a rough crossing of the Gibraltar Straight to land in AFRICA at Tangier, Morrocco…very exciting. Complete change of culture immediately noticeable…busy, poor, third world, dirty  but so different and fascinating. 3 hour drive through mountainous countryside in a private transfer van. The agriculture is not mechanised, small plots and all worked manually however huge dams being built on the river. A long, winding journey finally led us into Chefchaouen a beautiful town spread across the mountainside with predominantly blue coloured houses. it was freezing cold and rainy but very exciting to be in such an unusual and fascinating culture so very different to our own. The hotel is just lovely and very morroccan in style. My room is set up high overlooking the whole town so I scored very well except for the “tepid” hot water. Wonderful morroccan feast of breads, salads, olives, vegetables, tagine, meat skewers and the sensational mint tea….sooo sweet!

Early departure from Olhao on a bus to Seville in Spain. Passed through fertile countryside with citrus orchards. Arrived in Seville and stored our bags at the train station to take a whirlwind tour of the older part of the city. First stop at the oldest tapas bar with so much character…spinach, chickpeas and omlette washed down with Cruzcampo beer. Seville was quite lovely but cold and windy weather has struck. Flamenco dresses in the windows, shoes shoes shoes and streets lined with seville orange trees. Train to Jerez so a long travelling day! Checked into nice hotel and straight to dinner which was one of the nicest meals I have had so far…fillet of beef with cooked foie gras and vegetables in a sensational sauce. Finally got to bed…

Explored Coimbra which is a University town and evidenced by students getting around in Academic gowns and holding some sorts of rites of passage on the streets. The old town area is filled with rustic buildings and the characteristic Azulejos, Portuguese tiling, which is very beautiful. So too are souvenirs and depictions of the Portuguese “Le Coq du Bonheur” or the rooster of luck and happiness. Rooster was also on the menu last night! Gorgeous weather and finally warm enough for short sleeves.  

Finally have my luggage issues sorted and feeling so much happier!! “Little Olive” was purchased (on special!!) in Sol Madrid and is my new travelling companion. Dinner last night with Mal and Di from Hamilton in Victoria. Had drinks in the Mayoral Square which was bustling with people and dinner at a restaurant/bar with a view across the beautifully lit square. Wandered the streets this morning and then we had a private bus transfer to Coimbra in Portugal. Passed through a lot of spanish countryside, flat with wheat fields. Then, into granite country with boulders and then into river valleys with more vegetation and smaller plots of cultivation. Architecture seems to be white houses with red tiled roofs. Passed a lot of gum trees, some of which looked loke plantations. had our “orientation’ and it is certainly a character filled place. All dined together at the local Portuguese grill. Does anyone remember Mateus Rose??

The flamenco was just incredible, captivating, passionate and totally engrossing….it was at a little club at the back of a restaurant so an amazing atmosphere. Afterwards we dined at Restaurant Botin which has been operating since 1725. We were privileged to receive a tour of the “house” and were led through packed diners to the cellar full of incredibly dusty wine, 3 floors of restaurant which was packed to the brim of Spaniards. It was my first 11pm dinner reservation so I feel very spanish now. They still have ‘siesta” where businesses close for lunch anywhere between 1:30pm and 4pm. We farewelled Jaime our tour leader and agreed to meet for one last breakfast of chocolate churros in the morning.

Spent a glorious, sunny, blue sky day in San Sebastian walking the promenade to take the Funicular up the mountain. Spectacular view! More pintos before a city bus and 5 hour train trip to Segovia in central Spain. The topography was quite amazing as we left the coastal mountains and coniferous vegetation to pass through wide valleys and rolling hills. The country is drier and every inch used for cereal crops, mainly wheat as far as I can tell. The Spanish infrastructure is excellent..trains, great looking roads, power lines, loads of wind turbines, solar farms and industrial estates. It doesn’t appear that the economy is hurting in this regard!. However, the people in the towns, even in rural areas, live in apartment blocks which don’t look that fab. Its all so”spanish” though. Villages with stone churches with bells atop…just like in the old western movies! We arrived at about 10pm in the dark and bussed to our ‘Hostal’ in the older section of the city. Quick spanish hamburgers and the local soft drink before collapsing into bed.