It’s been how long since we’ve done what???…Three days until departure…A museum visit a year ago,,

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 The prices on the jewelry was very reasonable.

Last night during Madame Zahra’s delicious homemade dinner we talked and giggled over things we hadn’t done in a long time as we’ve continued to travel the world, living in other people’s houses. 

The earrings at MAD 20, were only US $2.45.

As we continued into our discussion, we laughed over the many items that we had taken for granted in our old lives, some of which include:

  • 16.5 months since we’ve used a dishwasher
  • 2.5 months since we’ve cooked a meal, grocery shopped for meals
  • 13 months since we’ve watched US TV programming
  • 8.5 months since we’ve done our own laundry
  • 2.5 months since we’ve made the bed
  • 24 months since we’ve been to a movie theatre
  • 19.5 months since we’ve seen most of our family, 17 months since we’ve seen others in our family
  • 11 months since we’ve been on a cruise
  • 17.5 months since either of us have been to a doctor
  • 17.5 months since either of us have been to a dentist (continued below)
Many of the items were very appealing, again priced at whatever a shopper may be willing to pay.
  • In the past 16.5 months, we’ve only had a car for 3.5 months
  • 11 months since we’ve had access to American type meals
  • 2.5 months since we’ve raided the refrigerator at night to look for a snack
  • 8.5 months since we’ve been able to drink and brush our teeth using tap water
  • 2.5 months since we’ve had an ongoing relationship with English speaking people. (We did have one short conversation six weeks ago at Le Jardin restaurant with a couple at the next table )
  • 2.5 months since Tom had a beer or cocktail at home (only twice in restaurants)
  • 2.5 months since eating: our favorite coleslaw, LC homemade pizza, our bread-less sandwich wraps, a veggies stuffed omelet, ketchup with Tom’s fries, lettuce, a slice of raw onion, a steak cooked properly, a pork chop, Italian sausage and most of all, bacon (No pork is available in Islamic countries)
  • 1.5 months since I’ve been able to wear a tee shirt and shorts (once the sand flies arrived as the temperature warmed, now in the 100F’s)
This shop had all types of souvenirs and trinkets.

What do we miss the most (obviously, besides family and friends)? Tom misses knowing that there’s a car in the driveway giving us the freedom to come and go as we please. I suppose I miss doing laundry the most. The feel, the smell and the sense of accomplishment of washing, drying and folding our clothes is a ritual that I’ve always found pleasing. For both of us, we miss eating our favorite foods.

Photo taken while walking when I noticed the vendor was not inside his tiny shop.

The thought that in only three day, we’ll arrive at a new home where will be able to begin some of the above, is exciting. Long ago, I would never have given a second thought to any of the above items. How freely we adapt, ultimately changing our expectations and subsequently, changing our needs.

A well fed cat at ease living in the souk.

The plans are set for the 2:00 pm pickup on Thursday here at Dar Aicha. The man with the little cart will arrive with Adil or Samir to wheel our luggage to Mohamed’s awaiting SUV. Tomorrow, the final loads of our laundry will be handled by Madame Zahra and Oumainma, neatly folded, ready to pack. Wednesday morning we’ll pack, sucking the air out of the Space Bags as always.

Without a doubt, we’ll be ready for the next leg of our many year’s long journey.
                                                  _____________________________________

Photo from one year ago today, May 12, 2013:
Today is the last day we’re catching up from my posting error resulting in photos being posted from the incorrect dates one year ago. I apologize for the inconvenience. But, here is one more photo from May 12, 2013 and once again, the link for our readers who many have missed it over the past few days. Some of our most exciting year ago photos are coming up in the remaining days in May. Please stay tuned.

At the Cairo Museum, on May 12, 2013 we saw this statue of King Ramses II that was lying down inside a specially constructed building. Apparently, it was too heavy to stand.  For detail of that date, please click here.

To all the Mums…Happy Mother’s Day…100 year anniversary of Mother’s Day today…

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Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms all over the world. This flower was blooming on the rooftop restaurant where we dined.

For me, a Skype call, email or Facebook message will fill my heart with all it needs. As world travelers we can’t receive cards and gifts, leaving us content with a simple acknowledgement. How we’ve changed.

Years ago, I’d await the arrival of the loved ones to make the day special. Even Tom fell prey to the expectation of purchasing flowers along with a well written card with lacy pink decorations to be sitting on the kitchen counter when I awoke, espousing the perfect phrase, magically applying to us. Yeah, for Hallmark!

Since he’d already been responsible for doing the dishes, I’d busy myself making a special meal ensuring whatever it was he’d also like. Tricky. Over many years the kids and grandkids would come to call. But in later years, as they created their own traditions, a card and or gift arrived another day. But the phone call always came. That’s how life is. We all make our own place in this world, doing what works best for us, for our family.

So, today, another Mother’s Day arrives and I have no regrets, no sorrow, just contentment. My son and daughter-in-law posted adorable photos for us on Facebook from grandson Miles’ 6th birthday party yesterday, a darling Lego theme that was so befitting his recent passion. Also, included was a video of our first of two granddaughters Maisie, singing and dancing on her first YouTube video. So sweet.

As the day awakens in that side of the world, I’m sure we’ll see more photos and wishes from my two stepchildren and three more grandchildren. That’s all I want or need. My  eldest son in Las Vegas, Nevada never fails to observe a special day with a Skype call or email. Expectations are minimal in this life we live. We appreciate the simplest acknowledgement.

Perhaps, it’s easier this way. Father’s Day will be no different as are all of the celebratory days of the year. A few words of acknowledgement, a token of love is all that is required for us in this vagabond life we live.

This morning after settling in on my seat on the uncomfortable sofa in the salon, onto which we’d added bed pillows long ago to soften the load, I looked at Tom and said, “Well, we’re waiting.” (A favorite line of my sons from their favorite movie as kids, Caddy Shack).

He looked at me in amazement wondering what I could possibly be “expecting.” Several minutes passed and finally I saved him from his bewilderment, “Say, Happy Mother’s Day,” I muttered. We both chuckled.

Roses grown in Morocco are beautiful in the spring. (Previously posted).

He said, “Oh, yeah, Happy Mother’s Day, Sweetie!” I know every year he’d think that I’m not his mother (rest her dear soul) and such wishes were unnecessary. In our old lives, he fell prey to my expectations. Not so much now. It no longer bothers me.

Why would it bother me? In a mere four days I’m going to the resort island of Madeira for two and a half months and then off for two weeks in Paris, then two weeks in London, then two weeks on a cruise to see the Northern Lights in Iceland.  Who’s complaining? Not I.

Yes, life s good. The itchy bites, the annoyances, the 5:00 am chirping birds, cooing pigeons, crowing rooster and the Islam Call-to-Prayer have been a part of our daily lives these past two months. As we move along, other such unique morsels will step in their place, like the ringing of the clock tower next door to the house in Italy last summer and the baahs of the goats in Kenya.

We continue on with love, hope and prayers for the future for all our loved ones, friends and readers from all over the world.  Happy Mother’s Day but more so, Happy Every Day!
                                                   ____________________________________

Photo from one year ago today, May 11, 2013:

OK, over the past few day I mistakenly posted the wrong dates photos and links from one year ago. Sorry for the inconvenience. So today is catch up day. The following photo is in its place from May 11, 2013.

For some odd reason, Mohammed, our security guy in black in this photo, with the UZI in his back pocket, took a liking to us and stayed at our side the entire time we visited the site of the Great Pyramids. For details of that date, please click here.

Winding down our time in Marrakech.. Sexist steaks in Morocco?…A year ago treasure of the ancient world…

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The ATM is near the entrance to the Medina.

Last night, we headed out to the souk to make our way to one of the few ATMs in the Medina, one closer to the souk and another close to the exit to the Medina, quite a walk.

We’re not intimated with long walks. With the continuing necessity for me staying covered up to avoid being bitten by sandflies, the walk in the sun at 93F, 34.4C was challenging. The small bottle of relatively ineffective insect repellent has proved of little value, now with the bottle almost empty. At US $25 there’s no sense in purchasing another bottle. 

Exiting the souk to an outdoor area in the Medina.

It has worked to keep my hands from being bit further but there wasn’t enough in the tiny bottle to cover my entire body every day. Thus, the necessity of wearing jeans, a long-sleeved BugAway shirt, and heavy socks are my mode of dress through our remaining time in Morocco. Tomorrow, the temperature will be 104F, 40C. 

Last night, I wore a long cotton dress to bed topped with a long sleeve shirt. The two bites I got on Thursday kept me awake most of the night with my knee and thigh both swollen, red, hot, and pulsating.

At the entrance to another souk.

I tried everything we had on hand including a jar of prescription cortisone cream that I found in the prescription bag. Nothing helped. I didn’t scratch having learned weeks ago that it merely prolongs the discomfort. One might think, “Get a grip. It’s just a sandfly bite!”

But, these are no little bites. I can only compare these bites to the types of discomfort from getting a horsefly bite years ago on my hand which swelled to the size of a baseball mitt, painful and itching for weeks.

We took advantage of walking in any shaded areas.  Friday, which is the Islamic holy day, the souks and Medina are less crowded.

Enough about that. We continued our walk to the closer ATM only to discover it was “closed.” Our only alternative was the walk through the Big Square in the sun to the other ATM. 

We have yet to pay the household staff for the second portion of their tips before departing, requiring a few ATM visits. The machines only dispense MAD 2000 per visit (US $249.99) certainly not enough for tips for all four staff members, the cart guy to bring our luggage to the road, and the taxi fare and tip for the ride to the airport.

Undercover at the ATM where there are multiple machines.

We always attempt to be left with no local cash when leaving each country with the outrageous exchange rates once outside the country in which the money was issued. Monday, we’ll go out again for more cash and dinner since we plan to stay in today and tomorrow due to the extreme heat.

With only two remaining dining options in the souk, we headed back to Café Arabe, where I’d found the noodle in my food last week. This time, I ordered a plain grilled steak and a side of butter sautéed vegetables, not cooked in the reused pasta water. Our usual waiter hadn’t forgotten last week’s faux pas agreeing to cook the vegetables himself.

The ATM stations are not guarded as they were in Kenya and South Africa.  Surprisingly, the Medina and souks are safe during the day with guards at various locations. Of course, one must take the usual precautions against pickpockets.

We’ve noticed an oddity when we’ve both ordered filet Mignon in Moroccan restaurants. As a female, I always get the smaller steak, and each time we’ve ordered I’ve forgotten to ask for the man-size steak. Eyeballing Tom’s larger steak, he always cuts off a portion of his for me. 

When eating only a small steak and veggies, it’s hardly satisfying. He usually has chips (fries), and bread to fill him up. Plus, I prefer rare to his medium-rare.  His larger steak is usually rare to my small medium-rare.

The heat of the scorching sun will only increase over the next week.

Soon, we’ll cook our own steaks to perfection in Madeira on the grill on the veranda overlooking the ocean. Last night, contemplating the excitement of cooking for ourselves, I made a grocery list on the Grocery Tracker app on my phone, a nifty app I’ve used over the past several years.  Here’s the link to download this excellent free app.

As I write here now it 11:30 am, later than the usual earlier time of 10:00 am, Morocco time. Tom’s sitting beside me in the salon listening to his favorite radio show from Minnesota, US, Garage Logic Sports, an adjunct to his usual show, Garage Logic.  Here’s the link to the podcast.  At the moment their discussing the NFL draft picks for the Minnesota Vikings, the only sports team he follows. 

A garden shop in the Big Square.

Later I’ll continue to listen to Day Five of a free 12-day seminar with many of the speakers espousing the benefits of my life-changing diet for diabetics and for those with many other health conditions. If you or someone you know may be interested in this free three hour per day podcast, please click here. 

I should have mentioned this sooner since they’re already into Day Five but with seven more days remaining, much more valuable information is available. These are many of the top doctors and medical professionals in the world on the topic of inflammation, the source of most diseases.

That’s it for today, folks. Have a wonderful day as many of you ramp up to celebrate Mother’s Day tomorrow.
                                               _____________________________________

Photo from one year ago today, May 10, 2014:

We were surprised as we stood looking a The Great Sphinx of Egypt one year ago today. It was much smaller than one might expect. I purposely left the tops of two tourist’s heads as a frame of reference for the size. For details from that date, please click here.

A leap of faith…Uncertainty prevails…More new and one year ago photos…

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My friend Joan posted this on Facebook last night and it caught my eye this morning.  So true.

“Sometimes your only available transportation is a leap of faith.” How more applicable could this be to our lives? An ongoing sense of uncertainly has become a part of our daily lives.

We have no home. We have no storage. We don’t own a sofa, a coffee pot, an end table, or a lamp. If one day we became tired of traveling, we wouldn’t know where to go. Most of our family, whom we dearly love, live in Minnesota but we don’t want to live in a cold climate. Florida and Arizona are not our cup of tea-too cold in the winter. 

These dried fruits create an interesting display that included a wide variety of dates and figs.

Hawaii may prove to be too costly, which we’ll discover after living on four different islands for a period of seven months beginning on October 5, 2014. We shall see. We’ll share the costs and details here, of course.

Although we have absolutely no desire to settle down anytime in the near future, from time to time one can’t help but discuss and wonder about what may be in store when the time comes that we can’t or don’t want to travel anymore. It’s human nature.

This small display is the only one we’ve seen in the souk selling women’s underwear.

For now, it’s a leap of faith. The world is at our fingertips with plans in the works for 2015, 2016, and 2017, not as far away now as it seemed over two years ago when our original planning began.

Uncertainty was not a sensation that I could accept only a few short years ago. As the proverbial planner always anticipating my next event, I was one to plan my next few hours let alone not know what was transpiring well into the future. 

Off on a side alley, we find used items for sale, most likely purchased by the locals.

If three years ago, someone told me we’d be in this spot, I’d have laughed aloud at such a preposterous thought. Now, I take it in stride, anxiety-free. 

Tom, never the planner, accepts the uncertainty without a thought or concern. In actuality, he’s been instrumental in assisting me in acquiring this level of ease with frequent reassurances that finally I’ve finally taken to heart. 

A vendor with his second-hand merchandise on the ground.

Uncertainty doesn’t require a sense of fear, apprehension, or angst. It’s simply a fact of our lives that each day we’ve grown to embrace. It’s not unlike how we no longer have anxiety about traveling from location to location. 

We do ponder, not worry, if our flights will be on time or if we’ll like the new location. We’ve experienced it all, good and not so good and somehow, we made our way through it all.

Our health and safety are our biggest concerns. And those we manage to the best of our ability with caution and diligence. The rest is definitely a leap of faith. 

More “odds and ends” second-hand merchandise offered for sale.

In six days, we embark on yet another leap of faith, the uncertainty of traveling, the uncertainty of a new location, and the obstacles of another language barrier. And yet as we’ve continued on we’ve grown to allow ourselves the privilege of expecting a good outcome, as long as we have each other and our health and safety intact.

Later today, we’re walking to the Big Square to go to the ATM, a dinner out, and to take more photos. With a few new itchy and painful sandfly bites (it was hot last night and my right leg ended up outside the covers), I’m still at ease, feeling ready to tackle the world. Tom, still coughing a little from his recent illness, is his old self, also ready for our next adventure.

After all, it is a leap of faith…
                                                    __________________________________

Photo from one year ago today, May 9, 2013:
No photos were taken on this date although we did post a story, as our ship made the way toward Egypt. More tomorrow.

One week and counting…A year ago today, pirate drills commenced aboard our ship…Adventures of a lifetime…

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A pleasing display inside of a restaurant we frequent, Le Jardin.

Each morning as I begin to work on the post of the day, the first thing I do is look back to one year ago to the date, to see where we were at that time, saving a photo, copying the link to post, and rereading our story.

Of course, it frustrates me when I see errors but overall, it is as exciting to us now as it was at the time. Over the next several days we’ll share photos and stories from a year ago when we’ll have experienced the most stunning adventures of our lives on the cruise of a lifetime through the Middle East.

The post of one year ago depicts the concern and precautions that Royal Caribbean cruise line exercised as we were about to sail through the Gulf of Aden, some of the most dangerous waters in the world. At first, we read the letter with a bit of trepidation. Later, we felt safe and at ease. More will be posted in the next few days at the end of each day’s “year ago” section at the end of the daily posting.

Our ship had sailed from Barcelona, Spain to Dubai, UAE during which time we sailed through the Suez Canal, the Gulf of Aden, and the Red Sea. Sailing on we traveled through Egypt, the Gulf of Aqaba, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Jordan, Yemen, Oman, Iran, Somalia. As one can see by these locations, it wasn’t surprising that the ship took special precautions to ensure the safety of passengers. We stopped in many countries along the way.  Stories of the experiences we had in some of these countries will be mentioned at the bottom of each post over the next several days.

It is these types of experiences that make our travels exciting. It’s not the massive historical buildings that accomplish this for us. It’s the opportunities to be a part of experiences that shape who’ve we continue to become as we strive to stretch ourselves, emotionally, spiritually, intellectually, and at times, physically. 

More will follow over the next few days, including the most amazing adventure of our lives, up until that point, the visit to Petra, Jordan to see the Lost City and the Treasury.  Amazing. 

For those of you who have faithfully followed along with us from long ago (we started posting in March 2012), we apologize for the redundancy. For our newer readers of one year or less, this may all be new to you.

For us, it all rolls into one extraordinary ongoing experience, the journey of a lifetime, stepping outside the box to stretch ourselves outside of our comfort zone to attain new heights, beyond our wildest dreams.

Of course, over this last week in Marrakech, Morocco we’ll continue to venture out, taking photos to share with you each day over the upcoming seven days until we depart on May 15th to travel to Madeira, Portugal.

Yes, there are many days where our lives are mundane and uneventful, staying in, living a simple daily life.  But for us, beating each other at a game of Gin producing a tirade of whoops, hollers and an occasional rash of swear words is exciting in itself.  Tom has beaten me in three countries.  If I can maintain my current lead, I may finally win in Morocco!
_________________________________________

Photo from one year ago today, May 8, 2013:

After dinner on May 7, 2013, this letter was sitting on our bed when we returned to our cabin. Taking a photo of the letter, we posted it the next day and the pirate drills began. For details of that story, please click here.

Are we becoming seasoned travelers?…Soon to depart Morocco…A year ago…The cruse adventure of a lifetime began…

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These beautiful photos of Moroccan women are offered for sale in the souk.

This morning the pigeons cooing, the rooster crowing, the birds chirping and the Islam Call-to-Prayer awoke me at 6:41 am. My first task of the day over these past few weeks has been to check for new sandfly bites.  Alas, another bite-less night! I bolted out of bed, ready to start the day, a smile on my face.

Tom was still sleeping, as I tiptoed to my “dressing room,” another bedroom I use to avoid awakening Tom which is around the corner, also overlooking the open courtyard. I was anxious to get ready for the day, get downstairs, make tea, check my email, glance at Facebook, and sit down to begin writing as I do each and every day.

Although many packaged candies and cookies have different names then the familiar brands, these products have similar packaging making it possible for tourists to choose what they like.

With only eight days until we leave Morocco, we’ve begun the mental process of winding down. As for the packing, it will occur closer to departure. A few days ago we made our final payment for the upcoming two and a half months in Madeira, Portugal. 

We wrote to Gina, the lovely owner of the house in Madeira, asking that bottled water, bar soap, a coffee pot, a WiFi password, and keys be left at the house for our midnight arrival. And also, we asked that a map with directions from the airport in Funchal to the house in Brava Ribeira be sent to us via email a few days before our arrival.

Dyed yarns hanging to dry in the souk.

No longer do we think about packing until a few days before we’re to depart. No longer do we feel anxious about the flight, security, long lines, immigration, layovers, and lost luggage. 

Finally, we’re beginning to feel like seasoned travelers. After all, we’ve been on the equivalent of 25 or so vacations in a row in the past over 18 months, some for one day, some for three months, and everything in between. 

Although this shop was closed last night, some products remain outdoors. It appears there is little risk of theft when the souk owners look out for one another and with armed guards in the Medina at all hours.

Of course, as we’ve said in the past, they’ve never felt like vacations. How could they? Vacations end.  Vacations have the anxiety of ending, midway through. Vacations are a break from daily life. This is our daily life.

A point that we’ve mentioned on occasion when talking to people we’ve met, is that we have no place to return to in order to repack, as many long term travelers do, to an apartment or condo somewhere in their home country or at the home of a family member with whom they live with for short periods. Nope, not us. This is it.

These colorful scarves are often low priced, often as little as US $2.47, MAD 20.

To repack, we merely go into the closet or cupboard where we currently live and take out the same stuff, albeit with a little wear and tear, placing it into the now worn luggage consisting of our combined two large bags, two small bags, and two computer bags. We’ve learned to travel lighter, physically, and mentally.

Becoming a seasoned traveler doesn’t make us exempt from learning. At every turn we learn, we adapt, we remain open to new ideas and experiences and we kick ourselves for those times when we “should have” known better. But, it’s all a part of the process.

More beautiful giant oranges. 

After all, in most people’s daily lives, they glean new knowledge and new experiences simply from living. The only difference for us, is the frequent change in our surroundings, offering new opportunities to stimulate our brains, our senses, all the while opening our hearts to new people, new ways of life, new cultures, and new scenery. 

Many of you have or have had these same opportunities while being rooted in the homes and towns to which you’ve become familiar. The difference for us is the familiarity part. We don’t have a familiarity to any great extent. Although, in certain locals, we’ve felt as if “we’re home” when returning from outings. I imagine that those of you who have closely followed us, know exactly where those places were.

I must admit that we look forward to that familiarity, even for short periods. It adds so much to the experience. Does that mean that we’re longing to be settled? Not at all. We love this vagabond lifestyle even though at times it’s not ideal. But, isn’t that life anyway?

Of course, we’d love to be able to take better photos in the souk, but the owners resist in most cases, resulting in taking photos without the ability to stop and focus.

Today, we’re staying in. Going out into the crowds and dining out has worn thin. We can easily depend on entertaining ourselves staying in while reading, writing, listening to podcasts, and chatting with each other.

We continue on, for now, and over the next several days, living in the moment, filled with hope and a tinge of anticipation for that which is yet to come.
______________________________________________

Photo from one year ago today, May 7, 2013:

This was a portion of the glass floor in the casino on Royal Caribbean’s Mariner of the Sea which we’d boarded the prior afternoon. This cruise was the most exciting, adventurous, and memorable cruise of the eight cruises on which we sailed in 2013. Check back here each day for more photos from that cruise and the exciting stories of our experiences. For details of the post on that date, please click here.

Tom is better…Sandfly bites are improving…Gluten free fiasco…Warning!…New photos….

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Fresh strawberries are a common offering in the souk.

What a week. Tom was sick for days. I was miserable with the remnants of too many sandfly bites, itching relentlessly for days. 

The scorching heat with no AC was remedied in part by Madame Zahra hauling a standing floor fan into the salon which helps. (Oddly, today, it’s cooler). Samir shopped for us outside the Medina, finding a spray bottle of insect repellent that US $25 later proved to be well spent. It seems to work, although I still have a few new bites, itching like crazy for a week or more.

Sadly, our friend Lane passed away, which we shared in a tribute to him that we posted two days ago. It was a tough week.

These oranges were huge as shown by the comparison to the water bottle in the upper right.  The smell permeated the air as we walked by.
As for the better parts; We booked three more tickets for our kids for Hawaii with only one more to go as we wait for Richard‘s preferred dates. Soon, we hope. Prices continue to climb. It’s a fallacy that prices are better on Tuesdays. We’ve been watching prices daily for the past two months and Tuesdays are no different at any time of day than any other day of the week.

Actually, we managed to go out to dinner on Sunday evening, having an experience that we’re surprised hadn’t occurred here in Morocco up until now. I was served food laden with wheat but was told it was gluten-free.

We’ve been dining at a favorite restaurant in the souk once a week over the past few months. Over the past month I’ve been ordering a dish I was assured was gluten-free, grain-free, starch, and sugar-free. 

Many shops in the souks offer cheaply priced leather and cloth bags.

Kefta Tagine is a dish made with small meatballs (without bread crumbs) placed into a nonsweetened tomato sauce similar to an Italian red sauce supposedly made without sugar and seasoned with Moroccan spices. 

On the side, I’d always order a plate of sautéed vegetables with julienne carrots, zucchini, and peppers, never thinking there was any risk in ordering the sautéed vegetables.

As we sat in the cozy restaurant at a corner table, our regular waiter served the usual complimentary nuts for me, breadsticks, and olives for Tom. These “appetizer” items added to the appeal of this restaurant as Tom and I repeatedly ordered the same dishes over and over, with few other appealing options on the menu. (Repetition is not a factor for us which we’ve learned may be necessary when dining out frequently with few choices available that are suitable for me and acceptable to Tom’s picky taste buds).

This appeared to be a display of decorator items, perhaps, locally made.

The Kefta Tagine tasted especially good to me as opposed to other dishes I’d ordered in various restaurants. After multiple reassurances from both the chef and the waiter, I accepted their comments as fact that this dish was free of any of my restricted items. Speaking good English they both seemed to understand. But, the extra good flavor nagged at me. 

One might ask if I eat gluten, starch, or sugar, would I immediately notice a difference? Not immediately. carb-laden foods including sugar, grains, and starches cause inflammation in the body. If I eat enough of these forbidden foods, it could take days for the effects to become apparent. I don’t have Celiac disease but am obviously sensitive to gluten. A person with Celiac could have an immediate reaction, impacting their health for days or weeks as their symptoms exacerbate.

Well, wouldn’t you know, I was misled as to the safety of the food at this particular restaurant when I found the following in my plate as shown in this photo:

I found what at first I thought was a worm in my plate when I’d been assured my dish was 100% gluten and starch free. No wonder I liked this dish so much when in fact on Sunday after finding these noodles, I surmised that they had a huge pot of the red sauce in the kitchen filled with noodles. When I placed an order for gluten-free, starch-free Kefta, most likely they scooped out the sauce and meatballs picking out any stray noodles. I should have paid more attention to my instincts. The taste was “starchy.”

When I called the waiter to our table, he was flustered and embarrassed, stumbling over his words, going on to explain that my side order of sautéed vegetable, was precooked in the same water used to cook pasta. Double whammy! My main dish and veggies were laden with gluten.

Not one to complain loudly (neither of us tends to make a fuss) I asked the waiter why the chef thought this was acceptable. He answered that the chef thought was would be OK. Assume nothing. Asked and answer. Answer is wrong.  

Lesson learned, once again. Don’t order anything from a pot of any type or any mixed dish with many ingredients. I should have known better. The vegetable?  Who’d think that sautéed vegetables would be precooked in a pot containing pasta cooking water?

Another walk through the souk late in the day as we made our way to the restaurant on Sunday. Most weekend tourists have left by this time making it easier to walk through the souk.

This situation serves as a lesson for me and hopefully for any of our readers out there who possess a gluten allergy, sensitivity to gluten, or Celiac disease. Also, this impacts those of us who also strive to maintain a low carbohydrate, anti-inflammation way of eating.

Luckily none-the-worse-for-the-wear, we’ve decided to forgo dining at this restaurant, although the waiter did “comp” our bottle of water for the mistake. Oh. Generous. 

Now our dining options are narrowed down to one restaurant, Le Jardin. Preferring, at this point, no longer wanting to spend US $25 on taxis or take the long walk to the petite taxi stand in the scorching heat, we’ve narrowed our options down to one restaurant since Tom will not eat a single tagine or Moroccan spiced food. 

A cat outside our door when we returned to the house after dinner.

Le Jardin is the only restaurant in the souk that has offers a few non-Moroccan dishes that is open all day.  Other restaurants don’t open until 8:00 pm, too late for us to dine when we only eat one meal a day. With nine days remaining until departure, I imagine we’ll dine at Le Jardin three or four more times until we depart, dining in with Madame Zahra’s cooking on the remaining days.

Besides, they have the two turtles on “crumb patrol” at Le Jardin and, the two parakeets, greatly adding to the experience. 

                                                       ___________________________________________
Photo from one year ago today, May 6, 2013:
With no photos taken that day (soon these photo free days will get to the end of the point whereby we began posting photos every day, as we do now). 

Instead, we’ve included this photo of Tom and me while sightseeing in Marseilles on May 4, 2013. For the link for May 6, 2013, when we stayed overnight in a hotel in Barcelona, please click here.

Tom and I on a cool day outside this archway in Marseilles, France.  Gee…I wish I still had that sweater!

Household hazards…Treading carefully in vacation homes…Mindfulness is the key,,,

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Standing at the low railing outside the master bedroom illustrates how one could fall over this railing to the brick floor or fountain below. Frightening!

Over the past year, we’ll have spent five and a half months living in houses 100 years old or more as here in
Marrakech and last summer in Italy, a 300-year-old property. In each of these cases, we’ve experienced a similar situation, dangerous steps, and uneven stairways. What frequently causes steps to be dangerous, in their unexpected placement and unevenness in both height and depth in a stairway.

While living in Boveglio, Italy last summer, we’d posted photos of uneven stairways, but also of unexpected steps along a long hallway, a dangerous tripping hazard. Add the fact that if one fell they could easily bang their head on the stone or brick walls or floor adding to the risk of serious or fatal injuries. For photos and details of the tripping hazards in the old house in Italy, please click here.
 
When booking Dar Aicha, the riad in Marrakech, we anticipated that there would be many steps throughout the
riad, some uneven, others unexpected. We were right. They are everywhere.

The extra-long draperies kept closed to keep the sandflies out also creates a potential tripping hazard if one isn’t mindful when exiting.

From our perspective, unexpected steps are more hazardous than uneven stairways. Why? When going up and down stairways, aware of the risks, we tend to be more careful in general, holding onto a railing or wall if no railing is available while stepping gingerly.

Simply leaving one room to walk into another is often done without thought, resulting in tripping. The ultimate key to avoid tripping lies in a single word: mindfulness.

This has been a learning experience for me, the proverbial “bull in a China shop.” For Tom, having walked on uneven areas while working on the railroad for over 42 years, he has ingrained mindfulness. 

This is the stairwell from the main floor to the second floor. Although not easy to detect in this photo, the stone steps are high and shallow not fully fitting one’s shoe as each step is taken.

Luckily, I’ve had Tom at my side to “educate” me since the onset of our travels. When we walk, he always says, “step,” “two steps,” etc. ensuring I’m noticing what’s upcoming. With my camera in hand when we’re out, I’m often oblivious to uneven walkways, steps, and stairways.

In the process, I’ve become more mindful, able to easily maneuver throughout the riad, constantly aware of the possibility of tripping. Of course, this is not to say a fall is impossible or unlikely. 

One area of major concern while living in Dar Aicha has been when stepping outside of the master bedroom onto the second level balcony. The heavy drapes covering the doorway, necessary to be closed at all times to keep sandflies out, have two feet of excess material at the bottom, in itself a tripping hazard. 

There are two shallow steps to maneuver into and out of the master bedroom. 

With the two steps to navigate with a wide landing in between, required to get from the bedroom to the hallway, it’s an accident waiting to happen. From the photos we’ve posted here today, it may be difficult to determine how easily one could trip while coming out of the bedroom, either on the drapes or on either of the two steps resulting in being flung over the railing to the brick floor below in the open courtyard. Yikes! This possibility has scared us. 

Falls are the leading cause of household deaths worldwide. When adding the injuries incurred inside and outdoors one’s home from tripping and falling, it proves that even in one’s familiar surroundings the hazards are rampant. We’ve all seen the possible debilitation of a senior citizen’s health when breaking a hip from a fall, a common occurrence. 

As we’ve mentioned in the past, “Fear is a powerful motivator.” Maintaining the fear may be responsible for maintaining mindfulness.  Each time either of us steps outsides the bedroom door, we do so with the utmost of care. 

In this photo, the short distance from the two steps necessary to exit the master bedroom is evident which has prompted us both to be extremely careful.

With ten days remaining until we leave Marrakesh, we remind ourselves not to become careless by taking our newfound familiarity with the layout of the riad for granted. 

Another area of concern is when walking in the souks and in restaurants. There are dangerous steps and uneven stairways in almost every restaurant we’ve visited. Here again, we both tend to mention “step” to one another everywhere we may go, continuing to do so as we continue in our worldwide travels.

The final step is in the lower portion of this photo a short distance from the doorway, too close to the short railing.

Having the experience of being injured when the steps collapsed under our feet in Belize on the night of our anniversary on March 7, 2013, no fault of our own, we’ve upped our mindfulness. Please click here for the link to the story and photos from that date.

Please share this post with your family members and friends as a reminder to be mindful wherever they may walk and perhaps together we may prevent an injury or worse. 
                                                ________________________________

Photo from one year ago today, May 5, 2013:
No photos were posted on this particular date.  In this short period as we progress further into our travels, we won’t have many dates without photos taken, as we’ve become more and more diligent in taking new photos for our daily postings. 

Yesterday, we didn’t include a photo from one year ago which we’ve included below when we’d instead posted a tribute to a dear friend that we sadly lost.
                                                  ____________________________________

Photo from one year ago today, May 5, 2013:

The Palais Longchamp in Marseilles, France which we visited on May 4, 2013.

For the link of the story and more photos when we visited Marseilles, France on May 4, 2013, please click here.

For the link of the story from May 5, 2013, please click here.

We lost a dear friend…Saying goodbye from afar…

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Lane and Peggy and their beloved dog.

Yesterday morning, we lost a friend, Lane Barton, a prince of a man. 

How easily we extol the virtues of those who pass from this world with our well-intentioned popular phrase of the past 20 years, “We’re sorry for your loss,” words that I’ve come to find redundant and monotone for a lack of the use of a more meaningful expression. 

How easily, “they,” say the person who has passed was good and kind and loving. Often, whether he or she was or was not, out of some form of reverence for those who have passed. 

But, Lane Barton, was good and kind and loving.  When he walked into a room, all eyes averted to him, waiting to hear what morsel of wisdom, humor, or hearty welcome he easily had on the tip of his tongue ready to spew to the audience on hand, eliciting a bout of laughter, or a rush of warmth, flooding through the heart. He was a prince of a man.

His family? His greatest treasure. With Peggy, his wife at his side for 50 years (they recently celebrated their 50th), they personified a couple to be reckoned with, a couple to aspire to, in their love and adoration of one another; relentless, strong, never wavering.  It was easy to be with them as a couple, independent and individual, yet united and unstoppable. 

To their two daughters, Tricia and Lisa, he was a prince of a man. Attentive, in tuned, and in touch he was loved and loved back, cherished and revered by them, for them, along with his grandchildren and other family members and friends. He will be missed. He will be remembered.

Lane and Peggy spent considerable time in Duluth, lovingly caring for Peggy’s Mom. Lane was the epitome of a fine son-in-law. never wavering in his commitment to family and friends.

Almost twenty-three years ago, I met Lane and Peggy, shortly after I’d met Tom. They were “friends of a friend.” You know the drill, with “friends of a friend,” tread lightly, be inclusive of the first friend. But, selfishly, we couldn’t share. We wanted them to ourselves.

As our friendship blossomed, I couldn’t wait for them to meet Tom and vice versa to share in this mutual connection. Tom was working “on the road” for the railroad, often gone for days, back for short stints, only to be gone again. We’d set up several dates for the four of us to get together only to be disappointed when Tom was suddenly called away shortly before our scheduled time.

I’d get together with Lane and Peggy anyway, never feeling like a third wheel when Lane had this magical way of making everyone feel inclusive. After several attempts to meet Tom, they finally met at a prearranged dinner party I had hosted. Lane vigorously pumped Tom’s hand saying, “You are real! I was beginning to think you were a figment of Jess’s imagination!” We all laughed as we often did in times to come.

And the magic continued with the four of us chatting endlessly time after time, no subject taboo, no words left unsaid, often all of us speaking simultaneously and yet, all of us somehow engaged in an animated four-way conversation. 

As the years rolled by, we often socialized at our home, on occasions at theirs, sharing deep thoughts, dreams, hopes, fears, and frustrations. Oddly, we talked little about our hobbies, our recent trips, or our favorite movies. Instead, immediately in each other’s presence, we delved into the “meat” of our lives, the funny stories, the sorrows, and the joys.

No matter the topic, Lane always had a twinkle in his eye. He loved not only the people in his life but savoring and cooking good food, having good friends, playing with his old cars, his home, photography and so much more.  

Lane loved his dogs. There’s something to be said about us, animal lovers. We seem to find one another, relishing in the ability to seek the joy one receives from a beloved pet; unconditional, unfettered with needs other than love and nourishment. 

And, that was Lane, love, and nourishment. His love fed our hearts as he freely nourished our minds and our souls, always to remain and never to be forgotten. And, now we must say goodbye. He was a prince of a man. 

                                           _____________________________________

Photos from one year ago today, May 4, 2013, won’t be shown today.  Please click on this link to see the story and photos from our day in Marseilles, France.

Tom remains under the weather…We were egged!….Photos follow…96F, 36C and sunny today…

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A broken egg that I found yesterday outside the door to our bedroom, most likely one that fell from the top of a door or a decorative appendage on the wall.

What can I say? Tom’s still not ready to go out. Although his symptoms have abated somewhat, he remains sluggish and out of sorts, lounging across the room most of the day. 

Over the past four days, I’ve taken over his daily “job” of making ice tea, cracking the ice cube trays, and filling the water pot for morning coffee, a seemingly easy job which proves to be cumbersome for me. 

Pouring water from 4-liter bottles into the tiny ice cube trays and then into the narrow nozzle bottles we use for the ice tea is nearly impossible with my bad shoulder. Doing his job may have been helpful in preventing his germs from infecting these items and making me sick. So far, so good. No symptoms.

Roses on display when we last dined out on Wednesday, when Tom was in the throes of the first day of his illness.

For three nights we’ve slept in separate bedrooms which hopefully ends tonight. We often hear of couples who no longer sleep in the same bed and it always saddens me. Yes, I know, snoring and all that. For us, the distance adds nothing to the quality of our sleep, only the temporary freedom from him sneezing and coughing into my face these past nights.

I don’t sleep well without him, even in the tiny beds we’ve shared over the miles. He doesn’t sleep well either from that which I can surmise. What guy says, “Oh, my love, I can’t sleep without you!” 

Yesterday afternoon on one of my many daily forays upstairs to go to the bathroom or to get something from the bedroom, I noticed a broken egg, contents oozing, on the steps outside of the heavy drapery to the doorway to the master bedroom. 

It’s hard to resist stopping to peer at these cookies in a bakery window.

Usually, a broken egg inside a house occurs in the kitchen. How odd. Getting up close and personal, I studied its contents searching for what perhaps might have been a bird embryo. Nothing was evident. Most likely it was a pigeon egg.

Each morning as I’ve mentioned many times, the pigeons fly inside the riad, cooing loudly while flapping wings against the railings and walls, while the rooster next door crows every minute. Add the call-to-prayer every few hours and it quite the noise fest. None of that bothers us. It’s simply unusual. But then, it was unusual when a warthog showed up at our door with four babies in tow day after day.

It was only last week that we posted a photo of the contents of a nest that had fallen from the top of a doorway to the floor in the courtyard. It is these types of infinitesimal experiences that add a special element to our travels, not the towering historical buildings surrounded by hoards of tourists. It’s a broken egg. 

These neatly stacked bags of dyed yarn make a colorful display.

It was the dinner Madame made for us last night, always delicious, when she made a favorite of mine that requires more work and time to make; egg dipped sautéed aubergine (eggplant), a huge plate that I always devour in its entirety added to the perfectly roasted chicken parts, dark for me, white for Tom and the green beans, carrots, cooked cabbage and chips (fries) and bread for Tom, who only picked at his food. 
 
I was famished eating enough for two minus the bread and chips. Then she adds another favorite of mine, omelets with no cheese, no butter, no salsa, and no veggies that somehow tastes divine in its simplicity. That special touch. More broken eggs, prepared with care and love. This is what we’ll recall in years to come.

These two basic shoe styles are popular in the souks; slips on with pointy toes and slip-on with rounded toes. This style of our little interest to me, finding backless shoes unsuitable for the amount of walking required in our travels.

As both Oumaima and Madame entered this morning they immediately inquired as to Tom’s well-being, worry, and concern on their faces. Soon Adil will stop by for his daily visit to inquire as to our choices for dinner based on another day and night indoors. 

Well, we’re not really indoors living in a riad, as I notice another little tibbit (bird) walking on the flying carpet under my feet within inches (millimeters) of me. I longed to take a photo as I have more times than I can count. But, the slightest movement will send it flying away.

All of this…is what we’ll recall of our time in Morocco.
                                              ____________________________________

Photo from one year ago today, May 3, 2013:

There was no photo from one year ago today. It was the day that we donated three full large suitcases filled with mostly new clothing to a charity in Barcelona in order to lighten our load. Later, I regretted not taking photos. We were distracted and had time constraints in order to get everything ready for the port agent in Barcelona. For the full story, please click here.