Part 2…Sightseeing in Marrakech outside the Medina..A baby…

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This camel calf is one month old.  Mom looked proud of her offspring, not seeming to mind when we moved around her to take photos.

As we drove through the beautiful Palmeraie area, it was obvious we were in an upscale area, although all the residences had high walls preventing us from seeing anything but the second floors and rooftops.

Tom and I, near the baby and her mom with the herd owner in blue in the background.
The herd owner couldn’t have been more pleased to share his camels with us. He suggested this photo for which we’d had no intention of asking. Most followers of the Muslim faith refuse to be photographed.

As I’d mentioned yesterday, there were areas along the side of the side of the road, with several herds of camel, every few blocks. With herd owners in attendance patiently waiting for customers seeking a camel ride or an opportunity to take photos.

These appear to be of a different breed as opposed to those we’d seen in Kenya. These single-humped camels are referred to as Dromedary Camels. For more information, please click here.

In a way, it was sad to see, the diligent camel owners waiting day after day for customers in a relatively quiet area while having the responsibility of feeding, caring for, and housing their camels at night. Surely, there is a considerable expense in caring for the camels, leaving these owners at the mercy of the inconsistent tourist trade.

The camels are used to being near humans and are known to be gentle and non-aggressive.

As we drove through the area, I kept pointing to the camels along the road, desperately wanting to stop and see them.  Samir reminded me to be patient. Shortly down the road, he’d arranged for an owner, friend to accommodate us who was awaiting our arrival.

Much to our delight, we got more than we’d expected, a one-month-old calf that warmed our hearts, bringing memories back to all the babies in Marloth Park.

We noticed the “pads” camels are born with to protect their knees and body when laying or kneeling. We’d noticed this same amazing feature in zebras with the dark spots on the inside of each leg, to protect their body when lying down.

I felt that same calm wash over me that I’d left behind when we said our goodbyes to Marloth Park, that same calming effect that a love of animals can bring when in their presence. Even Tom, a less obvious enthusiastic than I, became engaged in the baby camel, as well as the mature camels as we wandered around their designated area.

They all seemed content as they lounged in the warm sun. Camels of this variety rarely live in the wild in Morocco, as they tend to live well in herds owned by humans.

The kindly herd owner guided us to the best vantage points for our photos as shown here today. It was evident that he took great pride in his herd. We let him know how much it meant to us that he willingly shared them with us. The token tip we gave him was nothing compared to the obvious pleasure he derived from our appreciation of his herd.

A short time later, we were back on the road for our final stop in our sightseeing day concluding at the Menara Gardens and Pavilion.

Tom called me to come to see the baby nursing when I was busily taking photos of the other camels. It was delightful to see this.

For those seeking a quiet long stroll around a manmade pool and a walk through the orchards (not in bloom at this time), this site would be ideal. The quiet contemplative location held little interest for us during the hour and a half period we had until we were to meet up with Mohamed and Samir.

Even the one-month-old baby had a rope around him/her to keep from wandering off. With the attention paid by the mother, it appeared unlikely the baby would take off.

Many tourists seeking a quiet spot to walk, unwind, meditate, and reflect would find this site somewhat appealing. With both of us as Type A personalities, it fell short of our expectations and we took no photos during this period.

Nursing, up close. 

With one more stop at the pharmacy before heading to the restaurant, we paid Mohamed for driving and they dropped us off at our chosen restaurant for dinner. By 5:00 pm, we entered the quaint restaurant, Amaia, a cozy, highly rated French restaurant in Marrakech, a #8 in TripAdvisor.com where we search for reviews of restaurants, hotels, and attractions.

The baby was nuzzling another adult female. As we’ve often seen in nature, the dads have little to no presence in the upbringing of the offspring, although this baby’s dad was in this herd. This may have been an aunt, a grown cousin, or a grandmother.

The reviews wouldn’t have been more on target. We enjoyed a leisurely quiet delicious meal, easily adapted to my dietary restrictions, and befitting Tom’s picky taste buds. The service was impeccable with a lovely French woman speaking perfect English. 

The mom was to the right of the baby while the playful kissing occurred.

To be safe, we didn’t order ice for our drinks or eat any raw vegetables. We’ll definitely put Amaia on our favorites list as we work our way around Marrakech in search of French or other international restaurants. We grabbed a taxi after dinner, getting a ride back to the entrance to the Medina, to begin the long trek back home through the Big Square and the souk.

Mom is on the right, as the baby plays with the other female adult.

Reading online at TripAdvisor.com we saw that many tourists also, after a few weeks in Morocco, had difficulty continuing to eat the spicy, although tasty, Moroccan food, especially when they originated from a culture of less seasoned foods, such as us.

The baby, a Dromedary Camel, was stretching after playing.  he single hump seems to be growing more quickly than the remainder of the body.

Overall, we had a very good day. The sun was shining, the temperature was moderate, we took many photos and we had an opportunity to experience Marrakech outside the wall.  It is an amazing city; modern, progressive, clean, and filled with culture. The locals take much pride in their city, its diversity, and its history.  And, so far, this has been the best smelling place in the world!

Camel’s teeth appear to be more pronounced on the lower jaw.

Last night, Madame Zahra made us another spice-free meal that makes my mouth water mentioning it. Today, we’ll dine out mid-day, and tomorrow we’ll dine in, as we seem to have adopted every other day, dining out and dining in pattern. In either case, we look forward to another great meal, now that we’ve worked out the kinks.

Tom’s dinner on Monday night at Amaia, a pork chop (first pork we’ve seen in Marrakesh, other than on a bacon cheeseburger Tom ordered a few weeks ago) and a serving of “chips” as French fries are called in Africa.
Fresh flowers at our table at Amaia.
My dinner at Amaia, a chicken, and vegetable stir fry, without soy sauce which contains wheat, unless its the special gluten-free variety. The meal was wonderful.

Tomorrow, we’ll share our story of the “trials and tribulations” of taking prescription medication while traveling the world. 

The first beer Tom drank since arriving in Morocco almost four weeks ago. He said the brand, Casablanca, was good enough to order a second. Cocktails and beer are expensive in Morocco. This local beer was priced at US $5.55, MAD $45. 
I don’t drink alcohol due to my way of eating. Instead, I savored these pretty flowers.

Thanks to all of our readers worldwide for sharing our ongoing tales and photos of two seniors traveling the world, doing it “our way,” learning as we go.
                                              ______________________________________

Photo from one year ago today, March 26, 2013:

There’s my guy, on the beach outside of our previous home n Belize, one year ago to the date. We had a glorious time in Belize once we moved out of the less than desirable first house after one week to this fabulous location. For the post from that date, please click here.

Part 1…Sightseeing in Marrakech outside the Medina…

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For those who didn’t have an opportunity to read yesterday’s post, we will be posting a photo from our post of the same day and month, one year ago, at the bottom of each new post, including the link to the older post. This is intended to assist new readers in catching up, if those so choose, if they’d prefer not to scroll through the archives listed on the right side of each daily post.

A lily pad in a pond in Jardin Marjorelle, a major tourist attraction in Marrakech which we visited on Monday.
These turtles lined up in a row made us laugh.It appeared there were different varieties based on their shells.
These two were away from the group. Perhaps, a mom and a baby?

Yesterday, Adil came to Dar Aicha to walk us to Mohamed’s taxi. The complex system of the souk and narrow roads and the fact that taxis generally aren’t allowed in the Big Square made planning a pre-arranged spot to meet tricky for us to find on our own. Mohamed was waiting for us in the square in an area designated for certain taxis.

Tom, shortly after we entered Jardin Marjorelle. Visiting a garden if not his first choice of activity, preferring to experience interesting vegetation in its natural habitat.  I totally agree with him, but was anxious to take some photos.
A guide offered to take our photo in this sunny spot.

Taking shortcuts through the souk that we had no idea existed, made the 10-minute fast-trek through the maze-like streets interesting. Adil’s enthusiastic pace made it impossible to stop for photos along the way. Tom, with his excellent sense of direction, feels confident that he can find that path again enabling me to take photos.

Although not the season for flowers blooming, we noticed a few as we strolled through the garden.
There were several bougainvillea trees in the garden.
With tourists at my elbow, it was challenging having ample room to get quality shots.

After a 20 minute stop at a pharmacy outside the Big Square for a medication issue, we’ll describe in Thursday’s post, revolving around, “Oh, it’s hell to get old” and “The trials and tribulations of taking prescribed medication while traveling the world.” Back to that later.

Cactus that appears as a flower.
This bright blue was used in the theme throughout the garden.

After the pharmacy visit, we were on our way to the first sightseeing stop, Jardin Marjorelle. Riding in good driver Mohamed’s new white SUV in air-conditioned comfort added to the experience. Samir was also in attendance, as our guide, with Mohamed speaking little English.

A Koi pond contained several fish.
Symmetry attracts our eye.
These flowers appeared to be in the snapdragon family.

Jardin Marjorelle is one of the most visited tourist attractions in Marrakech. Intrigued with vegetation, I particularly enjoyed viewing the extensive displays of plants and trees beautifully presented in the garden. 

This cactus reminded us of a common variety we’ve seen in the US.
Interesting groupings.

As much as we would have preferred to identify each of the plants and trees by name as we share these photos, it would have required a more lengthy visit when many of the signs describing the varieties were confusing and difficult to decipher with the crowds at our elbows as we shot the photos. We had no choice but to move along to allow others to take their photos.

The blooms on the various cacti are of particular interest.
Curly cactus.
Ouch!

We have included a link here should you care to search for a particular plant, many of which were cactus.  With the cool winter weather and hot summers,  certain varieties of cactus do grow in Morocco. However, many of those displayed were imported from other parts of the world with a more consistent year-round hot dry climate.

Fuzzy cactus.
Tall cactus.
The blooms often appear as an anomaly.

Most of the sights described for Marrakech in this link include much of what we’ll see when we take a few day trips outside the city mid-April. The remaining tourist attractions include palaces and old buildings, some of which we’ll tour at a later date and share here. As previously mentioned, the mosques do not allow non-Muslim visitors.

It’s interesting how cactus produce their self-defense system.
More eye-appealing symmetry.
The blooms reminded us of miniature pineapples.

After having walked literally every path in the garden, we commenced our tour in the Yves St. Laurent and Pierre Berge display pavilion, who’d purchased the garden in 1980 to save it from being destroyed for the building of high rise buildings. Their dedication and devotion to this art-centered garden are illustrated in some of the photos we’ll share here today.

Although the sun was behind this, we were fascinated with these protrusions.

With a little time to spare we made our way to the pre-arranged location where we’d find Mohamed and Samir ready to take us to a drive through the new city, the upscale Palmeraie area as shown in this map:

This map illustrates the various areas of Marrakech, each with its own unique personality.

The following is a quote from this website, explaining the Palmeraie area of Marrakech:

“The Palm Grove quarter: extravagant villas and jet-set parties

At the risk of disappointing, the famous palm grove of Marrakech has lost much of its luster over the years (drought, uncontrolled property developments) and the image of the green oasis that some may have in mind is only today a distant memory.The fact remains that the palm grove conceals treasures which you can get a glimpse if you stay in one of the sumptuous villas that lie behind the high mud walls that line the roads without giving any hint of the splendors that they contain. 

It’s the neighborhood of billionaires and show-business movie stars but there are also a number of vacation clubs (ClubMed.) and wonderful guesthouses combining 1001 nights decors and sweet lifestyle (most of these villas have magnificent pools).

It should however be noted that the Marrakech palm grove covers an area between 8 and 12 miles from downtown and that commuting may therefore quickly be a major concern – and a major budget item. Staying in the palm grove of Marrakech is not necessarily the best choice if your priority is to explore the city. Conversely, it can be a great choice if you are a golfer and intend to devote most of your stay in this sport. In all cases, it will be necessary to ensure the hotel policy about transfers and shuttles to and from downtown.”

An odd formation, leaning toward the ground.
Bumping into this cactus would be painful!
Peculiar shapes.

The hour-long drive through the area was particularly interesting after spending most of our time in the old walled city, the Medina. It gave us an entirely different perspective of Marrakech as a progressive modern city appealing to travelers seeking a more modern environment and yet still being in close proximity to the excitement and charm of the renowned souks and old city.

Perhaps, one’s individual preference in cactus could reveal something about our personalities. Tom and I both were attracted to the symmetrical shapes.

Samir pointed to various walled homes and exquisite compounds owned by dignitaries and celebrities from all over the world. Three beautiful golf courses are a major draw to world travelers with upscale hotels, condos, and houses surrounding them.

Fuzzy, large grouping.
Various varieties grouped together.
These almost looked like cherry blossoms one might see in the east coast of the US at this
time of year.

Throughout the Palmeraie area, there were numerous herds of camels on the main road. The camels, owned by various vendors, were for hire for tourists to ride through the executive residential area. 

The blooms filled a large area.

We were especially excited to have the opportunity to stop to see a herd of camels owned by a friend of Samir’s that freely allowed us to take photos. 

The Yves St. Laurent pavilion had many of his works of art.
More art on display in the pavilion.
This area was crowded making photo taking difficult.
Tomorrow, we’ll share the camel photos which include a one-month-old calf. Once again, safari luck! Seeing the baby camel had me squealing with delight, trying not to make a fool of myself.
As we departed Jardin Majorelle, we took this final photo.  The cost for two to enter the garden is US $12.31, MAD $100, well worth the expenditure.

Part 2, tomorrow…please check back!
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Photo from one year ago today, March 25, 2013:

Although this wasn’t our photo, we’d posted this one year ago after a tourist had been stung by a stingray at the beach in front of our home in Belize. We’d seen plenty of these in the water during our long walks along the beach during our over two months on Belize. Their presence did have an impact on our desire to swim in the ocean resulting in our spending time at the pool each day. The injured tourist was taken to a local medical clinic provided care for the tourist and she recovered within a few days. There is no antitoxin for a stingray attack. Here is the link to last year’s post.

New feature to our daily postings…Today is a sightseeing day!…A peculiar coincidence…

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Beginning today, we’ll be posting one photo that we previously posted one year ago on the exact day and month. We’ll also include the link from that date, for any of our readers who may have missed it at that time. 

This particular photo will be our chosen favorite from that date and will be placed at the end of each day’s post. For example, scroll to the end of this page, to find last year’s photo with a caption.

We’d appreciate any feedback if this is something you’d like to continue to see by commenting at the end of today’s post.  It’s easy to comment!

We’ve yet to take one of these horse and buggies when we prefer walking in the Medina. Also, we feel uncomfortable with these poor horses working for hours in the hot sun, often without water.

In less than 45 minutes Samir will pick us up for a day of sightseeing. We aren’t quite sure what we’ll see. With Samir in charge, we’re confident it will be a good day. We’ll wind up the day at a restaurant we’ve selected, outside the Medina, returning home after dark. He’ll drop us off at the restaurant at the end of the day and we’ll catch a taxi back after a leisurely dinner.

It was early afternoon when we went to the ATM, which are scattered about the Medina. None of the vendors accept credit cards, although a few of the more upscale restaurants do.

We’d planned this outing for last Monday but my illness prevented us from following through. Now, fully recovered, we’re both anxious to get out. Overall, the sights in Marrakech consist of that which one would find in most larger cities; museums, parks, old buildings, and mosques (or churches, in many other countries). 

Various vendors occupy these “stations” during the day in order to sell their wares. Most likely, the use of these spots is on a “first-come, first-serve” basis, although yesterday, we noticed that several were unattended.

As we’ve mentioned in the past, old buildings in big cities, which we fully appreciate for their design and history, are not in our “bucket list.” There are a few exceptions, such as when we’ll be in Paris from August 1 to 15th and then in London, for the remainder of the month. One can’t travel the world and not see Paris and London. Our travels would be incomplete without them.

This park is next to the entrance of the Medina where it appears many locals, especially the older population, find comfort and rest in its familiar surroundings.

For those of our readers regularly reading our posts, this is not new information. For the remainder, we’d decided last fall to spend time in both cities since we’ll be departing on a cruise from Harwich, England on August 31st.  

The men sitting on the ground in the white shirts are snake charmers. They have five or six snakes they use to attract tourists for a photo op. Neither of us has any interest in interacting with snakes after our Mozambique Spitting Cobra experience in South Africa. Also, in Kenya, we did participate in a snake show which satisfied us both for a lifetime. 

In 52 days we’ll leave Morocco for the island of Madeira, Portugal where we’ll stay until July 31st, at which time we’ll fly to Paris, staying in a hotel with a view of the Eiffel Tower. Then off to London and then, the cruise. It all makes sense based on our close proximity at the time.

Many tourists are seated at these umbrella tables getting semi-permanent tattoos.

Plenty of old buildings are on the horizon. But, it’s hard to think about all of that right now. Instead, we have today’s plans as we strive to live in the moment.

We wandered down several similar streets in the Medina in search of a pharmacy.  I needed to purchase a mascara. We stumbled upon a pharmacy with many designer brands of mascara. I opted for Maybelline (Lancôme, was my favorite brand in the old life) when it’s common knowledge that designer labels are often “knock offs.” Why bother making a “knock off” of these already low priced items? The cost of the mascara was US $9.85, MAD $80. Overall, it wasn’t much higher than it would have been at Target.

Tomorrow, we’ll be back with photos of sightseeing in Marrakech.  Stay tuned for more.

                                               _______________________________________

Photo from one year ago today. March 24, 2013:

This is a weird coincidence!  It was totally unplanned when we decided to post a photo from one year ago to the date. After writing here today, I looked back for a photo to post from one year ago today, and here’s what I found, a photo from, here at Dar Aicha, our home in Marrakech for which we’d just completed the booking. It was one year ago today, that we posted the first photos of our upcoming home here in Morocco.  How odd.  Tomorrow’s photo will be back in Belize. Here’s the link from one year ago.

Planning for the future…Eight months and counting…Family time…

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Taking photos in the souk is a huge challenge.  Islamic law prohibits its followers from being photographed. As a result, the shopkeepers, rightfully so, don’t want to be in the photos. As you’ve seen, we’ve diligently respected this. But, in an effort to illustrate the unique offerings and culture in the old Medina of Marrakech, we hesitantly take photos as appropriate situations arise. 

In seven months we’ll land by a cruise in Oahu, Hawaii, where we’ll stay for 11 days. Tom, a history buff, is looking forward to visiting Pearl Harbor. Staying for this period gives us time to soak in the frenzied atmosphere of Waikiki and Honolulu and then we’re off for six weeks in Maui for sun and surf.

Leaving Maui on December 1, 2014, we’ll fly to the Big Island for 46 days, at first renting one house on the ocean and on December 15th, renting the house next door, a weird coincidence, with neither related in any way to the other.

While walking, I often hold the camera and shoot, getting whatever I can get.  Sandals and shoes are a common item for sale in the souk and the Big Square.

Beginning on December 6th, our adult children and their families will begin to arrive. Long ago, we had suggested a family gathering at our expense to enable the time together while each would also have a vacation in fabulous Hawaii.

Little did we realize at the time the skyrocketing cost of airline tickets anywhere in the US mainland to Hawaii, ranging from US $1300 to US $1800 per person especially during the busy holiday season. Of course, we knew it would be outrageous. We carefully budgeted not only for the cost of the tickets but also the two houses, food, two rental vehicles, and on and on. 

Not all areas of the souk are filled with active shops and tourists. When searching for restaurants, we often find ourselves in a quieter, less occupied area such as this, wondering how these shop owners can stay in business with limited foot traffic.

We’ve just begun the process of booking the tickets, with one of our four kid’s family’s tickets already set and more to be booked in the next few weeks until everyone has a ticket. Within 60 days, the tickets will all be purchased.

Several times each day we check prices. We have apps that are checking for us as prices change.  Not much is changing at this time. We need to wrap this up soon since we doubt the prices will drop to any degree. The fallacy about prices being lower on certain times or days of the week is just that, a fallacy. We haven’t seen any differences during any specific periods.  

This shop was mainly offering these colorful rocks for sale. A few cats were playing among the items for sale.

Of course, it’s predicated by some formulas and schedules the airlines use that is unpredictable. What motives would they have to make us privy to their best pricing? Duh. None. So we, captive audience that we are, keep checking, hoping to save a few hundred dollars here and there.

Dismissing this financial part, we can hardly wait to see our family, our four grown kids, significant others, and six grandchildren. My younger sister Julie, who lives in Los Angeles, may be stopping by for a few days. Having all of us together is exciting. 

Finally, we found the restaurant after another long and winding walk through the souk.

Feeding 15 to 16 people dinner each night is a bit daunting, but somehow we’ll manage. For dining out in a nice restaurant in Hawaii, the cost per person is from US $70 to $100 per person. Guess we won’t be doing that!

Although the closest Costco is 90 miles from our location, I’m sure a few trips in the SUV will be warranted.  What we’ll do about Christmas is up in the air, hard to plan or think at this point. Tree? Decorations? Wrapped gifts for the little ones? We definitely don’t want this period of time to be spent “doing too much” while not spending valuable time together. We shall see.

By the time we arrived at the restaurant, the sun began to set and we both were chilled. For the first time since arriving in Marrakech, we are indoors at a comfortable banquet.

Our old days of “doing too much” are over. This may come as a surprise to those of our readers who personally know us. The focus will remain on the quality of time with our loved ones, not spending full days baking and cooking. The name of the game will be simplicity and lots of fun.

Had the fireplace been lit, we certainly would have sat close to it.  We still haven’t acclimated to the cooler (but getting warmer) weather in Morocco after over a year in hot climates.

This morning as we sit in the salon of the riad in Marrakech, Morocco, Hawaii is a million miles away. But as we’ve seen, especially those of you who have followed us since the beginning in March 2012, all of these booked events are coming up, tumbling over one another. In two months we’ll be settled in Madeira.  At one point it seemed so far in the future.

My dinner, although small, was good.  Carefully, I avoided the raw vegetables. Luckily, they served nuts and olive as an appetizer which helped fill me up.

Over the past several weeks as we continue to research for the unplanned time after May 2015, we’ve decided to add another element to our travels, winging it. With the excitement over the endless possibilities and after having booked over two years in advance, we are feeling knowledgeable enough with our recent experiences to wait until we pin down what is to follow. 

When Tom heard that the chef was Italian he ordered this lasagna which didn’t disappoint. With bread on the side, he was satisfied.

Doing so, in itself, adds a sense of adventure we both welcome. After spending seven months living on four islands in Hawaii, seeing the sites, whale watching, checking out volcanoes, and reveling in the exquisite scenery, we’ll be ready for the next phase of our world travels. 

With the hope to visit all of the continents, with four under our belts, we still have three more to go. But within each of those continents that we have visited, we have so much more to see. One could spend an entire lifetime traveling and still see so little. 

After dinner, as we were leaving, this colorful seating area jumped out at us. Wouldn’t that be a fun spot for a gathering of friends, food, and drink?

We take it at our own pace, in our own way, seeing what appeals to us, sensing no urgency, with no time constraints other than maintaining a level of health that allows us to continue on. 

Being with our family next Christmas will fulfill a longing in our hearts to see their smiling faces once again, recharging us to continue on and, we will.

Tonight, we’ll dine in while Madame Zahra makes lamb for us. Tom, who doesn’t care for lamb, ordered it on my behalf, knowing how much I love it.

Thanks, my dear hubby!  I owe you one!

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Photo from one year ago today, March 23, 2013:

The piece of driftwood decorates the beach by our villa in Belize The sidewalk to the center-left is the sidewalk directly in front of our villa. For more photos, please click here.

The maze like environmant of the souk…So confusing…Food around the world…

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Yesterday, this was my meal at Le Jardin;  fillet of Dover sole with a spinach sauce made with a flour-less cream reduction sauce. In the center, is an array of cooked vegetables, including carrots, zucchini and eggplant. The chef prepared this meal for me after the server showed the him the restriction list on my phone. It was fabulous. Now, I can’t wait to have this again! See how tempting it is to return to favorite restaurant when I can order a dish as amazing as this?

Firstly, again thanks for the many well wishers, for my improving health.  Now with only one more day on Cipro, I am feeling completely well, having decided to continue and do the full five day regime.  All symptoms have subsided and I’m back to my energized self, chomping at the bit to get out and explore.

Tom ordered the same dish he’d had at Le Jardin the last time we visited, fearful he wouldn’t like other options. Next time, he’ll try a different dish.

Yesterday, we did exactly that!  Explore. On Friday, the holy day for those of the Muslim faith, many of the shops are closed in the souk. As a result, the narrow roads and passageways of the souk are relatively free of foot traffic. Since we aren’t interested in shopping, this is an ideal time for us to get around and explore the area and search for new restaurants to try.

During the long walk, as we searched for Le Jardin we discovered this interesting door in the Jemaa el Fna in the souk..

Here’s the dilemma. We’ve decided we can no longer dine at most Moroccan food restaurants. Having decided I will no longer eat raw vegetables after this dreadful illness there are few foods that I can eat in a Moroccan restaurants with any assurance that there will be none of the ingredients that I can’t have. Many dishes have flour, sugar, grains, fruit and starches, all which I must avoid.

Continuing on through the narrow roads, we looked for any familiar landmarks that would assist us in our search for Le Jardin.

A few days ago, Tom suggested I write about food too much. I agree that it is a frequent topic of conversation.  But, let’s face it, people usually travel for a few reasons other than to “get away from it all.” They travel for the shopping, the sights and for the food and wine. 

We thought we were close when a few weeks ago, we’d spotted these same two kittens playing at perhaps the same spot.
Many of the homeless cats hang out in pairs.

When travelers board a long flight, one of their first questions asked is, “Do we get a meal?” One of the major reasons travelers enjoy cruising is for the food, the “all you can eat” aspect, with many courses with an endless array of desserts. When travelers arrive at a new location, they immediately get to work to find out where to eat using the Internet, the concierge or by inquiring to other travelers.

From time to time we’ll see what appears to be a traditional home furnishings shop. 

We live in a “food” orientated society. Our holidays and celebrations consist of big meals with many desserts.  Sporting events appeal to many for the food and drinks that seem to go along the frenzy. A trip to a movie theatre results in a desire for popcorn, candy and drinks. 

Ever go to Las Vegas and not discuss a plan as to where to have the biggest and best buffets, maybe “comped” if one is a serious gambler, or to immediately return to a favorite haunt for a special dish?  Its our nature.

If we go back to the caveman/cavewomen, most likely the first thing they thought about upon wakening, is where and how they’ll get their next meal. In the animal world, we observed both on safari and in living in Marloth Park, that animals lives revolve around the constant hunt or forage for food.

What an interesting door!

Its in our DNA whether its out of the need to feed our bodies or for sheer pleasure. We can’t help but think and talk of our desires for food in various the forms in which we’ve become familiar. A huge part of traveling is the excitement of seeking the new food experiences, the new flavors.

Here we are in Morocco, dealing with my major food restrictions (which I don’t resent at all) and Tom’s picky taste buds, in one  of the “foodie” capitals in the world! Food is a major point of discussion in our lives perhaps in a slightly different manner than for most travelers.

A few decisions have been determined by my recent illness coupled with Tom’s taste buds:
1.  No more dining in Moroccan restaurants
2.  All dining is to be in French, Italian or other suitable international restaurants
3.  When dining in, Madame Zahra will make all meals without the traditional Moroccan spices which at this point, neither of us cares to eat.

Finally, we spotted the green sign at the top of this photo, assuring us at long last, that we were heading in the right direction.

Our lifelong taste preferences can be changed for a few days or even a few weeks. But, none of us, prefer to eat the strong flavors of another culture’s food for months. For example, I love Szechuan Chinese food. Could I eat it everyday for over two months? No. Could one eat foods with Italian spices everyday unless  you were Italian, used to eating those flavors at each meal? No.

Ingrained in all of us, are the tastes most familiar in our lives and from our upbringing. Deviating for a period of time is acceptable but, not so much for the long term.  When Madame Zahra made our meal on Thursday without spices other than salt and pepper, we both moaned in appreciation not only for her fine cooking but for the familiarity of the simple flavors.

With French spoken in Morocco by many of its citizens and the fair number of French restaurants, we’ll have no difficulty finding French restaurants. The bigger problem is, “finding” those in the souk, many of which appear to be tucked away.

The fresh organic produce offered for sale at Le Jardin.

Yesterday, we decided to do a “repeat” and go back to Le Jardin, a French restaurant offering a combination of Moroccan and French influenced options. Having dined there recently, greatly enjoying the food and the ambiance, we decided to return. 

The first time we’d dined at Le Jardin, we stumbled across it during one of our many walks through the maze-like souks. We thought searching and finding it on one of the many online map programs would make returning a breeze. We encountered a few problems. 

They didn’t appear in any of the map programs. The map on their website was confusing and when I tried to call them to email directions, there was no answer. When I tried sending an email to their posted address, it was returned. We were on our own.

Today, we’ll return to the same general area to dine at this French restaurant we stumbled across when looking for Le Jardin.

Tom has the best sense of direction of anyone I’ve ever known. When we left there weeks ago, he had no trouble finding our way back to our home. Time having passed with many outings in the souks, he wasn’t 100% certain as to the course to take.

Needless to say, we wandered around the souks for 45 minutes until we found Le Jardin. We’ve discovered it makes no sense to ask shop workers for directions.  Invariably, the salesperson drags us inside their shop or to another shop, hoping we’ll make purchases.  We’ve learned that we must figure it out on our own. I suppose the shop workers have grown tired of giving directions to confused tourists.

Yesterday, we had another excellent meal while enjoying the birds and turtles roaming freely in the courtyard.  Hence, a few of today’s photos.

Here is one of the two resident turtles at Le Jardin. The staff carefully maneuvers past them when serving guests. It was hard to believe how fast these turtles move. They moved so quickly that I had a hard time taking the photo.  he turtles are on a constant “crumb patrol” mission.

Today, we’ll venture out again to a French restaurant we found along the way yesterday. Again, the souk will be packed with tourists especially as Spring Break becomes relevant in many parts of the world. However, we’ve yet had to wait for a table at any dining establishment.

At Le Jardin we were given two larger maps that hopefully will assist us in the future. The hostess, speaking excellent English, explained that tourists have trouble finding their restaurant which is tucked away at an unexpected location.

Madame Zahra made us this Moroccan spice-free meal which wasn’t bland at all with her use of garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper. From left to right, starting at the bread for Tom; sautéed carrots,  chips (fries) for Tom, egg battered sautéed cauliflower (my favorite), sautéed fresh green beans and fried mashed potato puffs for Tom. In the center is the rooftop grilled chicken with both white and dark meat which works well for us; Tom likes the white meat while I prefer the dark. As always, there is more food than we can eat. But, homemade Moroccan cooking consists of many items. 

In two days, on Monday, we’ll go out on a day of sightseeing which we both anticipate with enthusiasm, ending the day at a new-to-us, upscale French restaurant. See… even sightseeing is laced with concerns about FOOD.

The movie, Casablanca…We watched it last night…Another movie for our area…As Time Goes By…The equinox…

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Every moviegoer worldwide is familiar with this poster of one of the most popular movies of all time.

While spending last summer in Italy, we watched the movie, “Under the Tuscan Sun.” In the fall, while living in Kenya, we watched the movie, “Out of Africa,” some of which were filmed in the Maasai Mara where we went on safari.

Last night, we watched one of my favorite movies, “Casablanca,” which Tom had never seen in its entirety.

Play this video to hear the movie’s theme song, “As Time Goes By.”

In each case of watching these three movies, we found ourselves giggling over phrases, scenery, customs, and local architecture, all of which we’ve become familiar with after a period of time in each local.

Rick’s Café Americain actually still exists in Casablanca. 

We downloaded “Casablanca” from Graboid in a digitally re-mastered version which was as clear as it could have been but was still in black and white. Normally, I don’t prefer watching movies in black and white.  Although, Tom doesn’t seem to mind, especially since he’s used to watching war footage. Last night, in a matter of minutes, I forgot it was in black and white and for perhaps my 10th viewing of the movie, I loved it more than ever. 

This line, “Here’s looking at you, kid,” was actually spoken by Rick, four times in the movie.

Although neither Humphrey Bogart or Ingrid Bergman won an Academy Award for their roles in the movie (he was nominated but didn’t) the movie won for Best Picture.

How ironic that we watched this famous Moroccan movie while living in Morocco? How ironic that many aspects of the movie were familiar to us after such a short time here? Of course, there is no doubt the movie was “Americanized” when it was made. How could it not be when it was made entirely in the US?

Police Captain, Louis Renault, was played by Claude Rains.

Once again, we were disappointed to discover that the entire movie was filmed in a studio in Hollywood when so much of the scenery looked authentic. That’s the way of movie making when today many scenes and actions generated by the use of computers, as will be the case, more and more going forward.

The line most people recite from the movie is “Play it again, Sam”which was never once stated during the movie. The actual lines spoken by Rick was, “You know what I want to hear. You played it for her, you can play it for me.” When Ilsa wanted Sam to play the song, she actually said, “Play it once Sam, for old  times sake.”

Movies such as “Casablanca” will slip further and further into the memories of old timers, such as us, as we rapidly move into an age of technology beyond our wildest imaginations only a decade ago. 

Years after its release the movie was “colorized.”  We preferred watching it in its original black and white.

In any case, we both lost ourselves as we watched the movie, chuckling from time to time from aspects familiar to our current daily lives to humorous playful moments contained in the story. At times, we had tears in our eyes and at other times, our hearts were warmed so much that an involuntary “aaaahhhh” slipped from our mouths.

This mosque was shown during the movie, but could have been any mosque here in Marrakech, except for the ocean in the distance. Marrakech is a few hours from Casablanca, which is located on the ocean and is a substantial shipping port in northern Africa.

Then, it was over. We looked at each other and smiled, happy to have seen this together at last. More than anything, we were happy for the experience of sharing a favorite movie. Above all, we were reminded of how happy we are to be sharing this varied life, making our own “movie” of our lives as the scenery really does continue to change and is authentic as it can be.

All scenes in the movie were filmed on the studio lot except for this seen filmed at the Van Nuys Airport in California.

Note: We’ve rescheduled our sightseeing day for Monday. Today, and over the weekend, we’ll be out and about searching for more great photo ops to share with our readers each day. Have a lovely first day of spring for those of you above the equator and lovely first day of fall for those of you below the equator!

Yesterday, both above and below the equator had equal amounts of daylight. Yesterday was the day of the equinox.

Go figure! Who would have thought of this in our old lives? (Oddly, Tom did)!

First outing in days…New photos…On the mend….

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This building, a short walk from PepeNero, attracted our attention. We approached the guard, asking if we could go inside and take a look around. He shook his head, “No, Madame. This is the palace of the king.” We walked away laughing at our “faux pas.”

How did I get so lucky that many wrote to us offering various solutions for my ill health? My sister researched online and found a nearby English speaking doctor in a clinic, a short cab ride away. A dear friend offered to have her doctor call me on Skype for an online appointment.

If one loves cats, Marrakech is the place to visit.
These three cats were enjoying the balmy day next to one another.
The stray cats are fed and cared for by the locals.  We’ve yet to see one that looked unhealthy or underfed.

Many of our friends sent well wishes by email and some posted online. Thanks to everyone for your kindness and concern. A few chastised me for not seeing a doctor, saying so with the most caring of intentions.

Aubergine is popular in Morocco, used extensively in cooking. It’s actually a fruit but is extremely low in carbs and sugar, which enables me to eat it. It is in the eggplant family with a taste and texture almost identical to eggplant. We’ve never seen aubergine in any other country.

As I write this I’m halfway through the six pill dose of Cipro and today, I’m almost completely better, only a little weak from all the lying around. “They,” say that one begins to lose muscle mass within 18 hours of lying in bed (or on a sofa). It takes time to rebuild one’s energy and sense of well being.

This was the first shoe store of this type that we’ve seen in the souk. Most of the shoes follow a similar style, colorful with low heels, mostly made of cloth and plastic as opposed to leather.

Yesterday, we went out to lunch, back to our favorite new restaurant, PepeNero, where we had a fabulous lunch. The long walk was challenging for the first time out in days but, Tom managed to walk at my slower pace. By the time we returned home, I felt refreshed from the good food, the sunshine, and the fresh air.

It’s common to see women holding hands as they walk through the souk or men kissing one another, a friendly acceptable show of affection among friends and relatives. However, men and women do not touch one another in public. Tom hangs on to me since I am always so busy taking photos and not watching my step. Yesterday, feeling a little weak on our first outing in days, I only took a few photos, especially needing to pay attention to where I was walking. The narrow roads are uneven, filled with potholes, grates, and tripping hazards.

Today, the wheels are in motion again as we begin to lock up plans for sightseeing at long last. Honestly, I now know, after getting sick the second day here, that I dragged my feet in wanting to get out at all. Something wasn’t right and I knew it. Arriving on March 1st, I guess I’ve been ill for almost three weeks, forcing myself to do everything we actually did.

Taking a new way back home, we spotted this colorful olive and pickled vegetable area with one display after another of appealing items. Our meals at home include many olives commonly used in Moroccan cooking.

As soon as we hear from Samir today, we’ll start booking our plans. Finally, I feel excited. Tom, of course, has been my usual “go with the flow” guy supportive of whatever I’ve needed. That doesn’t mean that I “run the show.” We both share in decisions. 

This kindly vendor allowed me to take a photo of his beautiful display.  Most Muslim people do not allow photographs of themselves, which we respect when taking photos.  As a result, he covered his face as I took this shot.

It’s raining today, which unfortunately will keep us indoors. Everything is outdoors and it makes no sense to be getting wet while recovering. However, we don’t feel trapped when staying in. 

We’ll easily entertain ourselves researching future travels, playing Gin, reading, chatting, and watching world news on either of the two English speaking news channels, BBC and Bloomberg. Also, we spend time chatting with friends and family on Facebook or via email, never feeling alone or bored. 

After all, life isn’t always exciting, a fact that makes the exciting times all the more meaningful. However, going forward, a little excitement is exactly what the doctor ordered!

Desperate times, desperate measures…Couldn’t wait until Friday…

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Sorry, but this is the only photo we have for today. It’s important for travelers to be reminded not to walk or step onto any grates, manhole covers, or the like when walking in a foreign country. Many years ago, a friend fell into a grate which resulted in a compound leg fracture requiring a US $25,000 fee for an air ambulance ride back to the US from Mexico. That was 30 years ago. Imagine how much it would be in today’s dollars! They had to borrow from family and friend’s credit cards to pay the fee in advance! As a result, both Tom and I do not step on grates or manhole covers which are everywhere in the souk, the Medina, and the streets of Morocco. We ask our readers to consider taking this same precaution, even at home. 

Last night, we became very worried. The illness had escalated. I could hardly walk across the room or pick up my head from the pillow.

Without a morsel of food in 24 hours, unable to eat, we asked that Madame Zahra makes two, three-egg omelets with cheese with unseasoned meatballs with no veggies and no seasonings. For Tom, she added, “chips” (French fries) and bread. An innocuous seasoning-free meal.

When Tom didn’t like his omelet saying something tasted “funny” and with so little of the food suitable for me, I ate both omelets. It wasn’t hunger as much as it was needed. Never in my life, did I eat six eggs in one sitting until last night. My body must have been craving the protein, especially when I gobbled up my share of the meatballs.

The thought of one more bite of Moroccan spices turned my stomach. Somehow, after becoming ill a few days after arriving in Morocco, I now associate the spices with the illness.

Feeling hot and cold all day, left me sweating by 10:00 pm last night and I went to bed with the room spinning.  As I lay there alone (Tom was still downstairs) I realized that Friday was too long a wait to take the Cipro. My plan of letting this illness work itself out had failed. I couldn’t take another day.

I called to Tom from the upstairs railing down to the courtyard below for him to bring me some iced water. I dug out the full bottle of Cipro from the pill bag, holding a large oval-shaped white pill in my hand, praying a three to five-day dose would help. When Tom handed me the ice water, I chugged it down. He tucked me in bed under the comfy covers.

Being ill and lying around for days, I’d already read all of the books on the Kindle app on my phone except for a few non-fiction scientific books I had started and yet to finish. There’s nothing like scientific research to lull one off to sleep. An hour later, the phone fell out of my hand startling me awake. It was 11:45, one hour and 45 minutes after I’d taken the pill.

This may sound utterly ridiculous, but I felt slightly better. The lightheadedness was improved and although my mouth was terribly dry, the feeling of toxic fluids running through my system was greatly reduced. Many may call this a placebo effect. This was no placebo. This was Cipro running through my system sucking up a raging infection. 

No longer did I think about having malaria. I was on the mend. I smiled from ear to ear, easily falling back to sleep and not awakening until almost 8:00 am this morning. Now, I won’t say I’m 100% better, but, I’m 50% better, a sizable improvement.

After this morning’s dose, I still have four more doses to take if I’m going with the three-day regime which the instructions indicate is acceptable if the symptoms have subsided after twice-daily dosing for a total of six pills.  At this point, at noon on Wednesday, I’m fairly confident I will return to good health by the last dose on Friday morning. 

Today, desperately needing to move about, we’re heading out for lunch to the same restaurant we visited last week PepeNero. Ah, who cares about trying something new? I surely could use a perfectly cooked piece of salmon and a few sautéed vegetables. Tom’s chomping at the bit for a Moroccan seasoning-free meal.

Don’t get me wrong, I do like Moroccan seasonings. But, with my illness and our unfamiliar taste buds, the spicy flavors become redundant after so many weeks. Most tourists enjoy the flavors for one or two weeks during their holidays. For the long term, it’s an acquired taste that neither of us has achieved at this point nor do we expect that we will be going forward. 

The long walk to PepeNero today is a bit intimidating. We’ll take it slow, stopping from time to time to take photos. The fresh air and sunlight will do us both good after being cooped up for the past four days.

Soon, we’ll reschedule our sightseeing trip and our upcoming out of town stay for mid-April. For now, I need to get back to doing the taxes and feeling well. Whew! We continue on, dear readers. We continue on…

Still sick…Friday deadline…My dreadful mistakes…

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The moon as we dined across the way from a third-floor rooftop.

This morning after another dreadful night, I’m still ill. The raging case of some type of intestinal bug is playing hell with me. If I’m not better by Friday, I’ll begin a three to five day dose of Ciprofloxin, commonly referred to as Cipro which we have on hand.

As dusk fell, the brightness of the moon became more evident.

I despise the necessity of taking antibiotics and will do so only when in dire need. Now, perhaps the second time in less than a year, I do so hesitantly. So far, we haven’t been able to find an English speaking doctor. 

Tom pointed out this late afternoon moon.

If we did, I couldn’t make the long walk through the Medina to get out to the road to take a taxi. At the moment, I have trouble walking across the room, let alone dressing to go out and riding in a taxi.

A horse and buggy driver awaits his next customer. What a nice sky!

Home care is the only way to go at this time. I realize many will disagree with this idea, but for now we have no other options. I don’t know if this intestinal issue is related to my occasional fever, bouts of sweating and shivering, tiredness and general malaise. For now, I will assume they are related and begin to treat it as one.

The souk is filled with tourist over the weekends, thinning out by Tuesday.

Taking the Cipro will tell all. If after doing so for three to five days and if there’s no improvement, I’ll have no choice but to go to a doctor. Hopefully, that doesn’t happen. 

These sparkly baskets were eye appealing but not practical in their small size and lack of an option for fully closing, making them a target for possible pickpockets. We’ve yet to see any interest in these as we walk past this display when we enter the souk.

Why wait until Friday? After reading what the CDC has to say, I should give it a little more time since in many cases it will resolve on its own but can take up 30 days. Actually, the intestinal thing started after we were here only a few days.

Late afternoon Saturday, before the arrival of the crowds for evening dining and shopping.

Here goes…it was all my fault. I ate all the wrong things when dining out the second day after our arrival.  Here’s what I did wrong:

1.  Salads in almost every occasion when dining out: Salads contain lettuce and raw vegetables washed in local tap water
2.  Salad on first time we ate out made with fresh seafood and uncooked calamari.
3.  First few times out, I ordered beverages with ice. Tap water used in making ice except in fine dining restaurants and nicest hotels.

What was I thinking? I knew better in each of these situations. Any one of these scenarios could be responsible for my illness, or all three. The bottom line, I must further curtail what I order. Why did I fall short of following our own guidelines?

This vendor combined the less popular baskets with spices and other items.

I can only equate my error in judgment to complacency. When dining out in Kenya we stayed with the restaurants at the nicer local resorts who were diligent in avoiding illness for their overnight guests. If guests were to get sick, reviewers would write negative online reviews, affecting future business. Only once, did we eat at a standalone restaurant when I ordered a steak and cooked vegetables and no ice.

In South Africa, the local water was relatively clean, although we drank bottled water, as we often do. When I cooked four or five meals a week I washed raw vegetables in a bowl of purified water. We always dined at local resorts rather than standalone restaurants. But, we were always able to eat salads with raw vegetables without incident.

Many vendors carry a variety of products.

By the time we arrived in Marrakech, I had become complacent. Also, there are some of us traveler that perceive, after a period of time traveling the world, that we become invincible. That was me, a mistaken rationale, so wrong in the assumption. Now, I pay the price.

With 58 more days in Morocco, I’ve promised myself to proceed with caution. No more salads, no raw seafood or cooked shellfish, no uncooked vegetables and no ice in my beverages when in restaurants, which I cut out two weeks ago. (We make our own ice from bottled water at home).

Hopefully, with Madame Zahra cooking, I can begin to heal. Tonight, we asked for cheese omelets, beef tagine and chips for Tom. No spices. 

When one isn’t feeling well, the strong Moroccan spices are especially overwhelming. In Madame Zahra’s meticulous desire to feed me well, she’s prepared three or four vegetables each night along with meat. Eating this much fiber in my current state has obviously been detrimental. For the next several days, I won’t consume any vegetables at all.

The use of these colorful glass bottles is a mystery to us.  In Morocco, many offered items are more decorative than functional.

After an entire day spent lounging and reading books on my phone, lying on the sofa in the salon with two of my bed pillows, another day of the same awaits me, as soon as I post for today.

The photos we posted yesterday and again today, are photos we’ve saved that we’d yet to share, all taken last week before I became immobilized. Hopefully, soon, we’ll be able to return to our regular lives, go on our previously cancelled outing and book our trek to the desert and Atlas Mountains. At this point, everything else is up in the air.

Thanks our family members, friends and reader friends who have written expressing their good wishes for renewed health. This means the world to both of us. And, thanks to all of you for continuing to read our less interesting posts while we’re housebound. 

Note: Samir stopped by as I wrote her this morning.  e suggested that when and if needed, he will arrange for a doctor to come here and he’ll translate. After reading from the CDC”s website an alternate drug is suggested if Cipro doesn’t work. Seeing the doctor will enable me to get the necessary prescription. If I start Cipro on Friday, by next Wednesday, after five days of dosing, we’ll know if the doctor is needed. As always, there’s comfort in knowing we have a plan in place.

Cancelled plans for today’s outing…I’m sick…

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Colorful scarves are one of the major items for sales in the souk and in the Medina.

Our plan was to meet Samir at noon for a half-day outing. Over the past few days, I’ve felt hot, cold, and tired, going to bed early. Add the intestinal bug I’ve had since a few days after arriving in Marrakech, I’m a mess. 

Colorful dresses are also offered in many shops in the souk and the Medina.

Somehow I’d thought (or hoped) I’d feel well enough to go out today. But, after a dreadful night of feeling hot, cold, and feverish, I knew that going out today wasn’t an option.

Bread and baked goods are offered in big pots and bowls.

I haven’t had a “sick day” since we arrived in Dubai, UAE, last May 21st when I caught a virus on the cruise that brought us there.  Luckily, we have plenty of antibiotics with us. After a five-day Z-pack, I started to turn the corner.

Hand-painted plates and prints are offered for sale throughout the souk and Medina.

Now, I wonder what I have wrong. Finding medical care outside the US is tricky with the language barrier and concerns in some locations as to the quality of care. 

Handmade baskets and pots are a common sight.

I remind myself that if we were still in the US, I wouldn’t have run to the doctor feeling like this. I would have waited it out for a week if there was no escalation of symptoms. Now, I’ll do the same.

This particular display is located where one of the souk enters into the Big Square, a seeming ideal location.

Of course, all kinds of potential illnesses run through one’s mind after spending six months in Africa. After all, I am a mosquito magnet, although I wore repellent around the clock and we took Malaria pills for more than a year, starting before we went to Belize last January only stopping them here only a few weeks ago. There’s no risk of malaria in Morocco.

These vendors on the ground are often women selling their handmade wares.  It’s been cool lately, but this must be brutal in the heat of summer as they wear their traditional Muslim attire.

Taking Malaria pills is no guaranty for avoiding mosquito-borne illnesses. For now, I can’t worry about that instead, choosing to focus on getting better on my own if I can. Tom is running circles around me to make sure I’m comfortable and hydrated with hot tea at my side, pillows under my head, and the kind of loving care we all long for when under the weather.

Tonight, we requested food with no spices. At this point, I can’t imagine spicy food. For that matter, Tom will welcome a spice free meal with salt and pepper at the table.

Hopefully soon, this will pass, and we’ll get back into the groove with more photos and stories.