Visitors to our home in Campanario, Madeira, Portugal…A procession on the Day of Ascension that was enchanting and memorable…

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The procession of all ages gleefully made their way into our house to sing in celebration of the Day of Ascension.
After making a delicious Sunday roast beef dinner with multiple side dishes, we decided to eat and clean up before our visitors would arrived. Unsure as to when they’d arrived, we were done with dinner and out of the kitchen by 7:30 pm.
We couldn’t have enjoyed their visit more, waving and expressing our gratitude as they made their way down the steep road to the next houses.

Gina had alerted us that as an annual local tradition, a procession of children and adults of all ages would be stopping to sing for us wearing their festive traditional attire, tossing candy and rose petals onto the floor at our feet.

The procession began at this local Catholic church in Campanario.

We hesitated to settle in after dinner wondering when and if they’d arrive. Throughout the day, we heard the loudspeakers in the valley blaring the church services. On many occasions we stepped out onto the veranda listening for a procession, wondering when they’d arrive.

Without hesitation, they barged their way into our house to which we couldn’t wipe the smiles off of our faces.

Early in the morning, we rushed through our weekly grocery shopping fearful that we’d miss something back at home. Alas, they didn’t appear until after we’d cleaned up from dinner. We’d timed it perfectly.

It was obvious they’d practiced their songs as they harmonized with expertise.

We never heard a thing until the loud pounding on the door at 7:45 pm. Startled, we both jumped up, opening the door to the good-sized group of locals cheering, laughing, and pushing their way into the house. 

The young accordion player was quite skilled.

It was a good thing Gina had given us a “heads up.” It would have been weird to open the door to strangers, dressed in colorful clothes pushing their way inside the house without giving it a thought!

In one fell swoop, they were out the door and on the way to their next house.

Of course, we welcomed them with open arms as they immediately formed a semi-circle and began singing while a handsome young man, perhaps 11 or 12 years old, began competently playing the accordion. 

They left rose petals and wrapped candies on the floor. Of course, Tom ate the candy as  I swept the floor.

Camera in hand, I began taking a video. Flustered and excited, I totally messed up the first video which I later deleted. Luckily, I got two decent videos as shown here today, one inside the house, the other as they began the steep trek down the road to the next houses.

They made their way down the steep road near our house to the next house around the sharp turn.

We couldn’t stop smiling, even after they’d all left, as we ran to the veranda to watch them make their way down the road to the next house. Apparently, all of the locals expect their visit and stay home, cash in hand, to welcome them for this annual tradition.

As they approached the house around the sharp turn in the road.

It’s these types of cultural experiences that we love, the warmth, the laughter, and the traditions well embedded into a culture for many generations.

The Catholic church in Ribeira Brava.

To further enjoy local traditions early his morning we drove up a very narrow, steep road to the bakery at the top of a mountain that Gina had pointed out to us one day when she’d visited. It was one of those situations where you could see it but, how in the world would we get up there?

The interior of the church in Ribeira Brava.

Leave it to Tom and his competent driving and navigation skills, after only a few corrections, we made our way to the top finding the bakery inside of a bar. The baker, a hard-working local woman, starts baking in the middle of the night to serve bread and pastries to her local patrons.

The alter of the church in Ribeira Brava.

Tom purchased two items each stuffed with cream. They appeared to be some type of doughnut. Eating one when we returned home, he saved the other for tomorrow saying it was good but, not as good as the filled doughnuts he used to buy unbeknown to me at the SuperAmerica on his way to work in our old life.

The confessional at the church in Ribeira Brava. 

As it turns out, baked goods outside the US tend not to be as sweet making them less appealing to his taste buds. Ah, that my dear husband is conditioned to excess sugar and processing in his preferred snacks. 

Our Sunday dinner served well before our guests arrived. It’s wonderful to be cooking again. I didn’t realize how much we missed it until we started preparing it again. Dinner included roast beef with sautéed onions and mushrooms, grilled vegetables, steamed cauliflower for me, and green beans for Tom and, for both of us, side salads. All the produce is locally grown with flavors much stronger and more flavorful than we’re used to.

On the return drive, we stopped at the pharmacy for contact lens solution which they luckily had on hand, a tiny 100 ml bottle for US $7.09, EU $5.20, and then off to the little grocery store for a few items we hadn’t found in the supermarket yesterday.

This huge red pepper purchased from the produce truck has a stronger and more tasty flavor than we’ve experienced in the past. I cut and grilled this pepper along with chunks of carrots, onions, mushrooms, and zucchini tossed with olive oil and seasoned for a delicious side dish.

It was a good day and evening. My illness is now completely gone and I feel like a new person. The bed is made. The washing machine is washing. We have excellent leftover roast beef for dinner tonight with only a few new side dishes yet to prepare. The sun is shining. We’re as grateful and content as we could be.

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Photo from one year ago today, June 2, 2013:

On this date a year ago we were busy packing to get ready to head to Italy. As a result, we have no photos from that date. Please check back tomorrow. To read the post from June 2, 2013, please click here.

Fabulous day out and about…Unreal photos from one year ago…Burj Khalifa, tallest building in the world…A building anomoly…

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The view of the ocean as we explored the area and dined.

It was definitely time to get out after two weeks with a few outings due to my recent illness. Although not yet 100%, the fresh sea air, and sunshine were exactly what we both needed to freshen our enthusiasm and usually joyful spirits.

As summer approaches, we expect this area to be jammed with tourists.

Starting the day with our first walk in the neighborhood, we were enthralled with the sights and sounds as we made our way up the very steep hill. I was surprised how easily we tackled it after weeks of laying low. For me, this will become a daily occurrence as I rebuild my health stamina. Let’s see if I can get Tom to join me most days.

The Don Luis Restaurant is located on the right with many tables outdoors and inside. 

Later in the day we easily found our way to the boardwalk in Ribeira Brava and after parking the car in the modern ramp, we were enthused to stroll along the shops and narrow streets lined with a variety of vendors selling local wares.

The outdoor area of the restaurant, a popular tourist spot.

We felt liberated when it suddenly dawned on us how this beautiful island and lovely home made us feel comfortable and free of constraints and unfamiliar customs. We freely held hands and took photos with nary a vendor’s opposition. Our perusing presented no pressure to purchase.

We chose a table closest to the ocean under a bright red umbrella, casting a red glow on all of our photos.

It was interesting to see new merchandise as opposed to the common items we walked passed day after day in Morocco. Without a doubt, Morocco had its charm and unique persona. Madeira is more relaxed, moves at a slower pace, and provides the expanse of fresh cool ocean air, so appealing to our senses. 

Tom was more relaxed than I’d seen him in months.
It felts so wonderful to be out in the fresh ocean air.

During the later fabulous dinner at Don Luis which we easily found in the area, we discussed the possibility of returning to Madeira someday. Similar to South Africa, in the warmth of its people and magical surroundings we’ve easily embraced our surroundings in no time at all, feeling as if we belong.

My prawn and squid skewer.  Delicious! I haven’t had squid since we were in Kenya

Our house overlooking the sea feels like home with its views, spaciousness, and clean lines. Everything is comfortable from the L shaped leather sectional to the leather-bound dining rooms chairs to the fluffy down comforter on the bed (to which we’ve adjusted, sleeping well), to the easy to use modern kitchen, to the huge soaking tub, I use every morning. 

Tom’s mixed grill with a side of chips (they call fries “chips” here, too).

Dining last night was divine as shown in these photos. The price for our meal including one large beer for Tom, two bottles of sparkling water for me, a side salad, and our entrees came to a total of US $63.39, EU $46.50, similar to the cost of our dinner out a week ago at Muralha. 

A side dish of steamed veggies was seasoned to perfection with garlic butter and spices.

Based on our budget of US $1200, EU $880, for restaurant dining, we plan to dine out no more than twice every 10 days or so, choosing the nicer establishments. Most less expensive restaurants have few suitable options for my way of eating when many items include gluten and starch.

Had I realized the extra cost for this small salad I would have passed on it.  It was US $6.82, EU $5, not worth it. From what we’ve observed, salads aren’t served with salad dressings outside the US unless specifically requested which I don’t bother.

The service at Don Luis was superb and to our delight both of our wait staff spoke excellent English.  At the end of dinner, they poured us each a shot of banana liqueur. I handed mine over to Tom as usual.  He chugged them both down with a scowl of his face.  He’s not a “shot” kind of guy.
Ice cream cones and other ice cream bars are often seen in these freezer carts outside of restaurants and shops.

Last night when Gina stopped by she suggested we try two of the local less expensive restaurants here in Campanario.  She pointed us in the direction of the restaurants. The trick is finding them on these maze-like mountains.

GPS doesn’t help  in these mountains and turn by turn directions are confusing when many streets aren’t clearly marked.  Today, we may try to find them when we head out to the nearby local market.

View as we were leaving Ribeira Brava at 7:00 pm.

We had a wonderful afternoon and evening, settling in for the evening after dark with a few new shows to watch, hunkering down on the comfy sofa with a blanket on our laps and content to be “home.”  Life is good.

More photos of our trip to the village will follow tomorrow. 

Yes, even a pigeon holds our interest fluffed up and standing on one foot, in this relatively wildlife sparse area.
Hummm…the pigeon pair that hung around us as we dined managed a little action of their own while they too, enjoyed the romantic setting.

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Photo from one year ago today, May 31, 2013:

 Tom took this photo from the 124th floor observation deck of the tallest building
in the world, the Burj Khalifa, with a total 163 stories.

Oh. Here’s the most intentionally crooked skyscraper in the world in Abu Dhabi, UAE, the Capital Gate, built at a full 18 degree angle.

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. 

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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!

A day outside the Medina…An exhilarating dining experience…Stumbles along the way…Negotiating taxi fares…

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We were pleased to find this upscale Italian eatery open during lunch hours, our favorite time to dine.

No matter where one travels, whether in their home country or away, we all occasionally encounter unpleasant experiences. We’re always grateful that above all that we’re safe, in good health, and at the end of the day, able to return to a lovely environment, our home away from home, in this case, Dar Aicha which couldn’t be more perfect.

At noon yesterday, we took off on the 20 to 30-minute walk (depending on the crowds) to the main road outside the Medina, where the “petit taxi” area where the gold-painted little cars wait along the road to take tourists to their chosen locations.

The name of the game is to negotiate the best fares. It helps to know what those fares “should be,” which we did, having taken these routes in the past. We needed three cab rides in one day:

It was a beautiful day, sunny but not too warm.

1.  L’annex Restaurant (all indications on their website indicated they were open for lunch on Monday.
2.  From L’annex Restaurant to Marjane Mall’s grocery store to purchase nuts and cheese for the next several weeks.
3.  From Marjane Mall grocery store back to the Medina (the Big Square) for the return walk to Dar Aicha.

From our past experience, we anticipated that each fare should be around US $4.91, MAD 40 for a total of US $14.73, MAD 120 plus tips. None of these locations were far but it’s slow getting through the busy trafficked streets with cars, horses and buggies, carts with donkeys, buses, motorbikes, and pedestrians, all of which appear to be oblivious of one another.  How the traffic moves so quickly without endless accidents amazes us.

Yesterday, while on our way to the restaurant.

Our first taxi driver refused the MAD 40 we offered for the ride until we started walking away. At that point, he told us to wait while he took off for a minute to grab another taxi driver that agreed to take the MAD 40 for the trip to the restaurant. Off we went, in the tiny vehicle. Most of these cars either don’t have working seat belts or they are inaccessible, making buckled up unlikely.

Arriving at the restaurant, the driver turned and looked at us, in French explained it was closed. Online, everything pointed to a Monday lunch from 12:00 to 3:00 pm. Well after 12:00, we realized they were closed. I had tried calling several times getting a message spoken in Arabic, with no option of leaving a message. I’d sent an email to their listed, reservation only to have it bounced back. We took the chance and went anyway.

There was a photo of Morocco’s King Mohammed VI on the wall in the restaurant.
Paying the driver we decided that we’d walk until we discovered a restaurant open for lunch. It was a beautiful neighborhood, leaving us feeling totally safe.  It wasn’t long before we stumbled upon the Italian restaurant, L’Ultimo Bacio Restaurant surprisingly rated #19 out of 506 restaurants in TripAdvisor. Hopefully, after we posted a glowing review yesterday they’ll move up to a much deserved higher slot when readers read our review.
This photo was taken from my seat at the banquette.

Reading the menu posted outside, we were certain we’d each find something suitable. Walking into the attractive trendy designed space, we were seated at a banquette, where we often sit with Tom always insisting I take the padded seat. As I sunk into the most comfortable seat I’ve experienced since “my comfy chair” back in Minnesota, I’d have been happy if the food was mediocre.

Before even ordering, I said to Tom, “Let’s come back here.  This is wonderful!” The ambiance was inviting, the service impeccable and the food, divine.

Tom enjoyed checking out the pleasant décor in the restaurant.

Carefully reviewing the menu, I noticed a few options that could work for me with a few adjustments. Taking out my food list on the phone, I handed it to the waiter, who actually spoke some English. Immediately, he pointed to a few options, the same I’d considered and we were good to go. Tom ordered the lunch special which is shown here in photos.

The meal was superb, one of the best we’ve had in Morocco. The owner stopped by during our meal to check on us. Later, when we were done, he spent considerable time chatting with us in his Italian accent, good English. This simple touch adds another level of enjoyment to any dining experience.

Tom’s complimentary appetizer of fried mozzarella cheese.

Languishing over our meal the time flew by and finally, we were ready to leave, our bellies full of great food and our hearts filled with appreciation for a blissful dining experience. Our bill was US $30.08 including tax, plus tip, much to our delight. We had no alcohol or dessert, only adding a one-liter bottle of still water which we shared, as usual.

Afterward, we walked the neighborhood checking possible future dining options with most of the menus posted outdoors written in French, which I can read, or in Arabic, which I cannot. When we were ready for petite taxi #2 of the day, we stood on a busy street near the curb. 

We’ve found that “calling” a taxi limits the opportunity to negotiate to leave one stuck with whatever fare they ask. Flagging one down, we peek our head in the window, first asking, “How much?” at which point the negotiation begins, rapidly going back and forth to finally settle on a number. Each time, Tom and I decide in advance which of us will do the negotiation. It gets very confusing if more than one of us is involved in the process.

Tom’s starter included in the lunch special, cheese pizzas with hand-rolled crusts.  He said it was better than pizza he’d had while we were in Italy.

In two of three of yesterday’s cases, the drivers started at US $12.28, MAD 100, finally to end up at US $4.91, MAD 40, a typical price for this distance. For those who don’t like to negotiate when traveling, they may be in for a rude awakening finding themselves paying two to three times more than necessary for taxi fare. 

For us, using taxis frequently, we must remain diligent in our pursuit of a reasonable price for the area. In the US, the fare would be almost $5 before getting out of the driveway. It’s all relative, based on going rates for the area.

Flagging down a petite taxi, we were on our way to Marjane shopping area’s “supermarket” (as referred to in Africa in general). When the driver pulled up to the strip mall, it wasn’t the Marjane mall where we’d previously shopped. The driver insisted there was a “supermarket” in the center and for us to walk three doors down to it. 

Tom’s entrée, pasta with meat sauce.

We couldn’t figure out why he didn’t drop us closer to the door to ensure we were at a supermarket. When we saw a few grocery carts in the parking lot, we decided we’d accept this location, after trying to explain to the non-English speaking driver that this wasn’t the Marjane Mall we’d visited in the past but a strip mall with a similar name.

Once in the store, similar to a Walmart, we went about finding the few items on our list. As we approached the bulk foods area I took a photo of the huge open bins of various frequently used grains, for sale by the grams.  Immediately, a well-dressed man wearing a store name tag approached me, telling me I’d have to delete the photo in his presence.

Of course, we don’t want to make trouble. I showed him the photo as I deleted it. I guess we didn’t realize that it was inappropriate to take food photos in a grocery store. Tom put the camera in his pocket while we proceeded to shop for our few items.

My delicious entrée, chicken breasts with a light garlic and cream sauce made without starch or sugar, and the accompanying layered grilled vegetables layered with fine cheeses.

As we proceeded to pay at the register, their credit card machine wasn’t working.  We waited for at least 15 minutes, as other shoppers using cash were scooted through the line. I’d seen several ATMs in the mall knowing if necessary we could get more cash to pay for the items, totaling US $135.53, MAD 1104.  Finally, the manager brought the checker another portable device that worked and we were on our way with our groceries in a cart.

Now, we needed to find our third and final taxi of the day, none of which were in sight in the parking lot. Heading the long walk to the main road, we flagged down the third taxi. I asked” (It was my turn), “How much to the Medina?”

“One hundred,” he said.

“Too much!” I said, walking away.

“Fifty,” he said.

“Forty,” I followed. He waved his arm for us to enter with our groceries. As soon as we were situated, he turned to us and said “Fifty to the Medina!”

“No!” I bantered. “You agreed on 40!” He shrugged in agreement on the 40. Bait and switch. It went downhill from there. He spoke little English and indistinguishable French.

A buffet of various vegetable appetizers might be a future option for me with a side of some form of protein. This looked delicious in person.

After driving for a few minutes, he took off on a side street stopping the car, saying, “Excuse me, madame, two minutes.” 

Tom and I looked at each other wondering what this was about.  He turned off the car and exited, leaving us sitting there stupefied. Tom could see him talking to a man on the street. Do we jump out with our groceries, taking off on foot, or wait out this peculiar scenario? We decided to wait for the two minutes.

When he returned, he apologized to me (the negotiator in this case) again and we were back on our way.  Within another minute, he turned on the radio to an Arabic-speaking station turning up the volume as loud as it would go. It was earsplitting and nerve-wracking. We looked at each other with the same realization,  he was “getting back” at us for the MAD 40. What else could it be?

The intimate décor would definitely be romantic at night.

Luckily, in 10 minutes we approached the square, Tom handed the driver the MAD 40 with no tip and no word.  We exited the taxi as quickly as we could, left to navigate the busy road with fast-moving traffic while carrying our four bags of nuts, cheeses, and a few toiletry items. 

Need I say, we were relieved to be back at the Medina back on our way to Dar Aicha. We’d been gone for five hours. 

After almost a five hour outing, we headed back to the Medina.

Our dining experience at L’Ultimo Restaurant…stupendous. Our taxi experiences…not so much. But, we were safe, well-fed, and had a pleasant evening ahead of us, playing Gin (Tom’s beating me in the fourth country in a row), watching a few recorded shows, munching on our nuts, and generally, grateful for yet another day in the life.
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Photo from one year ago today, April 1, 2013:

A year ago, we ordered the Sony camera from Amazon.com with these accessories.  We didn’t receive it until weeks later in April 2013 and, we didn’t begin to use it until sometime in May.  For the story and specs on the camera, please click here.

Video from the Big Square at dusk…Challenges of life in Marrakech….

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Last night, as we dined on a rooftop in the Big Square, we took this video at dusk during the Islamic Call to Prayer.

Any foreigner living for months in a foreign land must deal with unfamiliar and at times uncomfortable situations. To say that Marrakech is exempt from these situations would be an unrealistic representation of our travels.

Yesterday around 6:00 pm we asked an English-speaking salesperson outside the restaurant if we could enter for dinner. He directed us up two flights of steep stairs. Apparently, they’d just painted the handrail on the right side. When we attempted to use the handrail to aid us in getting up the steep steps, our right hands were covered in black paint. I don’t care if you’re 25 or 75 years old, climbing these steep steps without the use of a handrail was challenging.
At the top of each of the two stairways, there was a sharp turn where the steps became and angled. This was particularly challenging when unable to hang on. 
 Once we were seated on the third floor we were relieved to have safely made it up there. As soon as we began to peruse the menu, we were told we had to leave. The table had been reserved for others. We left with black paint on our hands.

In an effort to always be “straight up” with our readers and having allowed two full weeks to pass to see how much we are able to adapt, we feel it is appropriate to share some of our annoyances, issues, and concerns considering that we don’t leave here for another two months.

This car was allowed into the Big Square to accommodate a disabled individual.  t times, we’ve seen other vehicles that obviously have permits to enter the Big Square.

I assure you, we make every effort to adapt to the best of our ability, commenting and complaining very little to one another, although both of us tend to notice various areas of concern simultaneously. If we were to start complaining, it could turn into a runaway train, placing us in a state of mind, where it wouldn’t stop, leaving us unhappy and disappointed. 

Looking across from the rooftop from where we were dining we spotted another rooftop restaurant that we’ll eventually try. Dining out three to four times each week leaves us with enough restaurants in order to try a new one each time we go out.

We are neither unhappy nor disappointed. We continue in our excitement and enthusiasm to further explore Morocco which begins tomorrow on our first foray outside the Medina to see some of the local sights. Plus, our beautiful home, Dar Aicha, is comfortable with an extraordinary staff whom we already adore which is easy to do with their individual and collectively kind and caring demeanor.

These colorfully dressed entertainers were preparing for Saturday night’s festivities, most likely the busiest night of the week with many tourists flying in for long weekends.

As for our concerns, they belong to us. There is nothing anyone could do to make it easier. It’s all on us.

These little pots were for sale for MAD $10, US $1.23.  At times, tourists were flocked around this display purchasing several in varying colors.

As we’ve discovered in the past two-plus weeks, Marrakech is ideally a great cultural experience for the usual one or two-week traveler. The “state fair” like environment in the Big Square and the souk can become repetitious as we go out almost every day.  (We’ve only stayed in twice).

As we watched the activities below, we suddenly noticed all the satellite dishes atop of many riads. Although this area of Marrakech is ancient, there’s no shortage of modern-day digital services and equipment. The style of the riads such as ours without windows with only the open courtyards, the WiFi signal is very poor. We investigated other solutions, but, nothing that we could have implemented would have improved the signal.
The fact that we can’t shop for ourselves, family, and friends without an ounce of room to spare in our luggage, with our already sparse clothing supply, takes away a huge aspect of the pleasure of visiting the souk.
Having forgotten to say, “no rice” in my salad, I picked out each grain before eating.
My two-egg omelet with cheese. We dined at Les Premises and had an OK dinner for only MAD $150, US $18.47. Tom has yet to have a beer or cocktail since we arrived in Morocco due to the lack of availability of his favorite brands and also the fact that most restaurants only serve wine and a few brands of beer, none of which he cares for. As result, our dinner tabs at these more casual restaurants have been low.

Another aspect is that we don’t shop for groceries with Madame Zahra making those wonderful meals. Not shopping for groceries and cooking our own meals, removed an enjoyable aspect to our travels; shopping in the local markets, finding interesting and delicious ways to incorporate available foods into our lifestyle. 

Tom’s beef bolognese was served with bread. Believe me, at this point, I never comment about anything he eats.  If he likes it, I’m thrilled as he is when I receive a meal befitting my way of eating. 

We realize that we knew this going in. In our adventuresome nature, with a desire to experience other ways of life, this element has had somewhat of an impact on us. We’d be lying to say otherwise. 

The smoke from all of the food being prepared to be served in the tents after dark.  The smell is enticing.

Sure, we love not chopping the cabbage and carrots for our former nightly coleslaw salad, which oddly, we don’t miss. We love not having to cook, clean up, and do dishes. Selfishly, we enjoy being served and then being able to get up from the table and wander back to the salon to enjoy the remainder of our evening. Who wouldn’t?

The orange juice vendors prepare for another busy night.

Last night, we dined out once again, took a video and many photos, had another enjoyable evening, later returning home to watch a fun movie, “The Wolf of Wall Street.” It was a perfect day and evening.

Delivery trucks are allowed into the Medina to drop off bottled water, a popular selling item.

We’ve shared many aspects of life in the Medina over the past few weeks that we’ve enjoyed and will continue to enjoy. We have no regrets.

Looks like three locals commiserating in the outdoor café.  Note that they are all wearing jackets as we have done when going out at night.  It’s very chilly.

This is the fifth country we’ve lived in during the past 14 months: Belize, Italy, Kenya, South Africa, and now Morocco. We’ve visited dozens more during our cruises and travels. Each home and each country in which we lived have had certain challenges:

The amount of smoke increases as the sun sets.
The tents are preparing to open for the evening diners.

Belize: The necessity to move within a week of arrival when the first house had no water most days.  Once we moved, there were no issues.
Tuscany: Summer with no screens on the windows, no AC, zillions of biting horseflies, and a location too far from everything to easily dine out or explore.  Awful heat and humidity.
Kenya: No living room or salon inside the house, no AC, many mosquitoes, scary bugs, and poisonous centipedes.  Awful heat and humidity.
South Africa: Hot, humid, some AC, bugs, snakes, and a leaky roof in the first house from which we moved, thanks to Louise and Danie, into two fabulous homes with pools, great AC in the bedrooms, and more.
Morocco: Noisy construction going on in the adjoining house next door with pounding all day long.  Unable to shop and cook our own meals. Unable to enjoy much of the food when dining out due to my dietary restrictions and Tom’s picky taste buds. Unable to shop in the souks, a main aspect of enjoyment for travelers.

The mosques are lit for the evening.

From each of these scenarios we’ve learned to adapt and have had the opportunity for the most amazing experiences in our lives; living 25 feet from the ocean in Belize, going on safari in the Maasai Mara in Kenya, living with wildlife in our yard in Marloth Park, South Africa and now many wonders to be explored in Morocco; the Sahara desert, the Atlas mountains and more.

Darkness falls.

But, we must add, we have no regrets. From each location, we’ve learned a lot about the countries, the locals, the sights and sounds, and most of all, ourselves. We’ll continue to anticipate our remaining time in Morocco with a sense of curiosity and wonder.

We continue on…

Many vendors don’t allow their wares to be photographed. As a result, I often snap a few here and there without looking through the viewfinder. This is a result of snapping without looking at these candlelit pots after dark as we walked back through the Medina.

It rained inside the house, an unusual phenomenon…Yikes! April 15th is looming!…

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Lemons are growing inside the riad, absorbing last night’s rain, a rare exception, and reaching for the sun that shines most days through the open roof of the center courtyard. 

Living in Dar Aicha is delightful in so many ways, all of which we take time to appreciate; little birds flying and walking about in the courtyard; sunshine streaming through the opening to light and warm the courtyard; comfortable rooms and furnishings; the finest bed and covers one could imagine; en suite bathrooms with powerful water pressure and hot water and the finest staff in the land.

Water on the floor as the rain began last night.

The placement of the furnishing and draperies prevent anything from getting wet. As a precaution, we moved our scattered electrical equipment undercover.
Last night, we discovered a rather curious element to our stay in Dar Aicha. It rained inside the house. Please keep in mind, we didn’t get wet nor did any of our belongings get wet nor, did we suffer any ill effects in any manner. Simply put, it was interesting.
We continue to explore beyond the crowds in the most popular souk, finding interesting nooks and crannies.
A table of shoes likely to appeal more to the locals than the tourists.  In the more popular souk, many of the shoes have well-known labels and are arranged to catch the eye of the tourist, while this is a more functional display with lower prices.

It is definitely usual for it to be raining into one’s house other than if, God forbid, a roof is torn off in a tornado or hurricane or if a roof is worn and leaking severely, which we’ve definitely experienced in our travels. A free-flowing rain inside the house, such as we experienced last night, was unusual even for us.

Colorful scarves are a commonly worn accessory by the local women and in many cases, by the men as well.

It started on Sunday night when a mysterious wind whipped up around 9:00 pm that brought us out into the open courtyard from the cozy comfort of the salon as we watched a movie on my laptop. The sudden sound of wind swirling about startled us. 

The narrow streets away from the tourist areas, attract the locals in search of food and clothing.

As we stood in the courtyard, leaves blew around the courtyard as billowy curtains flew about. As we watched each other’s hair blowing while inside the riad, we both chuckled over the odd phenomenon. 

This little square offered outdoor dining with lower prices on food than in the Big Square. Overall, the cost of dining out in Morocco is reasonable with only a few higher-priced establishments.

Loud noises came from the rooftop as lawn chairs and other items flew in the high winds. At one point, Tom went up to the roof to investigate if something was wrong. Nothing was. Quickly, he returned back inside, securing the door behind him. I had visions of him flying off the roof.

Heading back to the Big Square we noticed more clouds rolling in.
Back in the courtyard, we reveled in the oddity and went back to our movie, content that there wasn’t a thing to be concerned about. This property is built like a fortress with thick stone and plaster walls.
 Tom made the mistake of wearing a short-sleeve shirt as the weather turned. We’d wished we’d both worn our jackets as we continue to adapt to the cooler weather. Soon, Morocco will warm up as spring nears, much to our pleasure.

Last night, Monday, there was little wind, but it began raining lightly around 8:00 pm. Tom, with his hearing problem (a result of 42 years on the noisy railroad) didn’t hear it when I did, as the droplets of rain began clinking onto the brass fountain in the center of the courtyard.

Many orange juice carts are available in the Big Square, offering fresh-squeezed juice.

We bolted off the sofa in the salon, standing on the edges of the room under the overhang as we watched the rain sprinkling into the room. With some of our power cords and strips scattered about the second-floor lounge, we ran upstairs moving everything undercover, just in case. What if that wind returned while it rained?

Daily, the outdoor food tents are reconstructed after the necessity of taking them down every night to make way for the daytime street vendors. What a huge amount of work for owners and their workers! 

Later heading to bed, the sprinkling ended and we didn’t give it another thought. At 3:00 am, I was awakened by the sound of pouring rain with an occasional burst of thunder. The rain was pelting into the house through the open roof in the courtyard.

As we return to the more popular souk, the streets are lined with colorful merchandise.

Jumping out of bed, I looked over the second-floor railing and yes, indeed, it was pouring rain. With nothing out of order, I returned to bed and soon back to sleep. This morning, although the fountain had some standing water and the stone floor was soaking wet, nothing was out of order.

Many of the vendors object when I’ve attempted to take photos of their displays. As a result, we try to take photos when the opportunity arises with less resistance.

Need I say, all and all, it was a pleasant, albeit unusual experience. But, then again, many of our experiences as we’ve traveled the world, are “different” from life as we knew it in the past while living in a cocoon of familiarity, consistency, and comfort. How that has all changed.

Various souvenirs that may appeal to the shoppers.

As for yesterday, we headed out in the late afternoon for a hike around the souk and Medina in search of a restaurant. Spoiled from Madame Zahra’s fine cooking, we continue to struggle to find restaurant food appealing, especially befitting my way of eating and Tom’s picky taste buds.

We’re committed to continuing to try a different restaurant every other day, at least until we feel repeats of favorites are in order. Last night’s dinner at a new location was mediocre at best. Most assuredly, many tourists would have found it to be exotic and delicious. 

This similar costume is found on many men we’ve seen in the Big Square. He is referred to as a “water boy” from the period when the nomads came across the desert needing water. These costumes indicated that he was the provider for water. Now, with less of a need for providing water, he poses for photos for a small sum, while still carrying the cups and supplies for the water to add to his authenticity.

In truth, our personal limitations do tend to hinder our enjoyment of the local flavors wherever we may travel. As we’ve stated in many prior posts that we have resigned to the fact that food around the world is less important to us, as it may be to other travelers. It is through this acceptance that we’re able to revel in the food that we can and do eat while focusing our attention on many other aspects of traveling the world.

This sign atop the building apparently says, “Welcome to Marrakech.”  Why Marrakech is upside down baffles us.

As we sit here this morning, delicious coffee in hand, we’re content that we’re dining in tonight for yet another authentic Moroccan meal lovingly prepared to our tastes by dedicated master chef Madame Zahra.

Another of our favorite meals prepared by Madame Zahra for Sunday night’s dinner including, from the left at the salad, clockwise; salad with radishes, cucumbers, celery, onions and lettuce; cooked, seasoned zucchini; (center) my favorite, egg battered and fried Aubergine (eggplant); another favorite, fried egg battered cauliflower; and Tom’s fried egg battered potatoes, which, along with chips, he particularly likes. 

A painful task I must begin to tackle today is the preparation of the worksheet for our accountant for our 2013 taxes, due to be filed on April 15th. As the record keeper in the family, I had taken on this daunting task as soon as Tom and I were married 19 years ago. 

So, today I begin, allowing myself two days to complete the task, forwarding everything to the accountant by late tomorrow. Having already logged all of our deductible receipts, hopefully, it won’t be as intimidating as it feels at the moment. 

This dish was Lamb Tagine which I absolutely loved.  Tom, on the other hand, is less inclined toward lamb. Much to my surprise, he ate a portion, leaving the remainder for me. 

Without a doubt, this is a painful reminder to those US citizens with this job hanging over their heads. Once completed, the sense of relief will be profound when we’ll be able to relax and we’ll be able to arrange sightseeing outside of the Medina.

Our commitment to continuing to provide new photos each day is ongoing, amid our other responsibilities. May your day be filled with a sense of accomplishment, as we too strive for the same.

Part 1… A night in the Medina…A memorable experience…

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As we entered the Big Square in the Medina, the night’s varied activities had just begun.

Yesterday, we were itching to see the “Big Square,” the center of the Medina, as often called by the locals, on a busy Saturday night. Marrakech is a short flight from many locations in Europe. attracting many tourists from many countries.

Leaving Dar Aicha at 5:00 pm, our home until mid-May, 2014, we immediately got into step with the massive crowds, working their way through the Souk, stopping every few feet to look at the vast array of colorful merchandise. 

On the crowded trek through the Jemaa el Fna colorful shops began to light up for the evening’s activities.

With both of us adamantly opposed to being caught in crowded areas, we’ve somehow had put aside our disdain since arriving in Marrakech (going forward I will spell the name of this ancient city, in the same manner as the locals, ending in “kech,” not the English version of “kesh”). 

I’d be in big trouble if I had room in my one large suitcase for a few of these colorful dresses.  I’d then ask myself, where would I’d wear a dress such as this?  How would I wash it?  Practicality is of the utmost importance when traveling the world.

The relentless crowd pushed and shoved as we bounced around like ping=pong balls, neither of us into shoving and pushing. During the week when more locals were in the Jemaa el Fna Souk it was an easier trek to the Big Square.

Leather bags are a popular item among tourists. Excuse the blur as I shot this while maneuvering through the crowds. Also, some shop owners don’t want photos taken of their merchandise and we must refrain from doing so or be discreet in doing so.

We were on a mission to find a rooftop restaurant for dinner and an opportunity to watch the evening’s activities while high above the crowds. The challenge? Food I could eat, food Tom was willing to eat. 

It’s a good thing I can’t eat these tempting confections. I’m certain I would have loved them gaining weight while here. We have no option of gaining weight in our travels. Our clothing supply would no longer fit.  In his old life, Tom had jeans in a few different sizes for those “up and down” times. Now, he has one size, the size he wore when we left the US, which he’ll definitely return to while in Morocco as he struggles with the spicy foods when we’re dining in restaurants.  This is not an issue with Madame Zahra’s cooking, which we both enjoy.

All of the restaurants in the Medina have menus posted outside, giving us an opportunity to review each as we made our way from one restaurant to another. None of the menus are in English. They are posted in Arabic and French. 

The colorful fabrics in the souk are appealing to the eye.

Thank goodness for my four years of French studies while in high school, 50 years ago. Thank goodness, that my way of eating has been instrumental in my memory being sharper than ever. (Read Grain Brain by Dr. David Perlmutter, if interested in improving your memory and health by eliminating inflammatory foods from your diet).

As we entered the Big Square we could sense that the size of the crowds was growing by the minute.

I was able to translate the entire menu except for one word: huile. Looking it up this morning in Google Translate, I discovered it means “oil.” OK. Good to know. 

Products that please the senses are a big aspect of life in Morocco, both for selling and incorporating into one’s life. The combination of the herbal scents coupled with the smell of the spices and foods being cooked is heady.

As we discovered after dining in three restaurants thus far in Marrakech, my only safe bet is to order a salad with grilled beef, chicken or fish, avocado, olives, veggies, and cheese. Of course, when we dine on Madame Zahra’s fabulous foods, we have no fear. She totally gets it, making the most interesting and delicious foods I’ve had since the onset of this way of eating 31 months ago. 

If we stop to take a photo, the hard-working vendors are compelled to get us to make a purchase. Where in our luggage could we ever fit any of the colorful trinkets?

We won’t mention the name of the restaurant where we dined. The food wasn’t good. It could have been an “off” night and long ago, we choose not to write bad reviews. In other words, “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all,” a policy, we adopted when we started writing about local businesses. Why would we want to potentially hurt the hard-working owners and employees of local establishments? We wouldn’t.

The size of the crowd continued to grow as we made our way around the Big Square checking out the dining options.

The view was the restaurant’s rooftop was stupendous, as you can see from our photos. Later, when we walked through the Medina we were amazed how the Big Square became about food after dark as tents were set up with vendors enthusiastically steering passersby to their “stations” each of which we clearly numbered for future referenced.

As the sun began to set and the crowds grew, we were comfortably situated atop of the roof of the restaurant we selected for the evening.

As we passed, literally hundreds of diners were seated together at picnic tables, plates piled high with colorful fresh foods cooked to order. As we meandered through the outdoor food area, I’d wished we hadn’t already had dinner when I saw many items that appeared to be suitable for me. We’d hoped to participate in this exciting aspect of this extraordinary old city. 

The vendors organized their wares in preparation for the upcoming evening’s activities.

This morning in speaking with Samir, he suggested we avoid the “street” food. He explained that it would be very risky to ensure these foods are made befitting my way of eating. We can’t take the risk and will stick to the restaurants where each item is prepared individually.

The crowds increased by the minute…

Dining high above the crowds at one of many rooftop restaurants definitely has an appeal after last night’s experience. Last night’s dinner was our most expensive, thus far, at US $38.53, MAD $320 with no alcohol included. 

The vendors were prepared for the growing crowds.

Madame Zahra’s amazing meals are US $24.08 (for two), MAD $200. There’s no comparison to restaurant food and her delicious meals. We’d dine in every night for the divine quality of her food if we weren’t so determined to get out for more experiences. 

The sky darkening over the rooftops of the homes and shops located in the walled city. We were too far from our riad to find our rooftop.
It seldom rains in Morocco, although the sky at dusk was covered with fast-moving clouds.

Before we’d booked Dar Aicha we’d read several reviews written by past guests stating the exact same dilemma; Madame Zahra’s food as compared to restaurant food inspired them to prefer to dine in.

Smoke began to waft through the air as wood-fired grills were started for the evening’s foods. The smells were indescribable.
The pigeons are fed by the locals as well as the many cats that wander the Medina and the souk.

The old walled city of Marrakech and the Jemaa el Fna Souk, make it tempting for a visitor to seldom venture outside these walls. The energy, the excitement, the entertainment, and its diverse culture have an irresistible appeal. One’s senses are stimulated to a point of wondering why one would want anything different or more. 

The horses and colorful buggies were awaiting their next customers.
Many of the vendors began to turn on the lights in their tents and shops.
This mosque was lit creating an enchanting scene.

In time, we’ll explore outside these walls to discover what other wonders Morocco has in store for us.

Note: Tomorrow, we’ll return with photos of the Big Square, after dark when we were able to get some excellent shots of the night’s activities.

The magic of the Medina and the Souk…Adjusting to a new environment isn’t always easy…Lots more photos..

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This was the view as we dined in an outdoor café on Tuesday. 

It’s only through our 17 months of travel, 14 of which have been spent outside the US, that we’ve come to realize how convenient life was in the US. We had access to anything we wanted and could afford.

“Tuk-tuks” lined up to take customers to other locations in the Medina. So far, we’ve hoofed it.

The Internet on our phones and in our houses was something we rarely thought of unless something occasional went wrong. Cable and Satellite TV provided a massive amount of options, enhanced by services such as Netflix.

Carts with donkeys are often used to transport merchandise.

Yes, I know, two donkey photos. Maybe I need a little more time to adjust to the lack of animals in my environment.

Movie theatres were within 20 minutes for most of us. Restaurants serving food that we could and would eat were a hop, skip, and a jump away. If we needed a new pair of socks, a trip to Target was all that was required.

Check out the size of these strawberries!

If we were cold, we turned on the heat; hot, we turned on the whole house AC. If we decided to make a special recipe, a short trip to a grocery store was all that was required to find the necessary ingredients.

Tassels, a common decorative item in Morocco and colorful plates.

When we fell ill, a phone call and usually short drive to our family doctor was all that was required to get us pointed in the right direction. We drank water from the kitchen tap. And on and on.

Munchies for sale in street kiosks in the Medina.

Dried figs and dates are a common snack and are also used in cooking in Morocco.

More dried fruits and snacks.

Yes, we took all of this for granted but, why wouldn’t we? It was the normal course of life for many of us. Yes, there were many others less fortunate. Our hearts broke for them and some of us, we did what we could, however small. 

Beautiful handmade dresses are on display in the souk.

We were caught up in our comfortable little world of work, responsibility, love, family, and friends. We found comfort and familiarity in that life. And, for many of us, we found a level of happiness, at times intermittent, at other times, constant. 

Although these pots appear to be chocolate something, it’s actually “black soap.”

At different times in our lives, we were unhappy, unsure, grieving, in pain, and in sorrow. For most of us, in time, we’ve found a level of peace in a world we could live in and fit in.

Each night at dinner, Madame Zahra serves the main course in one of these clay pots which keeps the food warm.

For us, world travelers that we are, most of this has changed. Here in Morocco, we find some of our greatest adjustments: not being able to shop for and cook our own meals; having difficulty staying warm after nine months of hot weather; finding foods we like and can eat in local restaurants and, the language barrier with only a few locals speaking English. 

Cats are everywhere in Marrakesh, seemingly well fed and accepting of the crowds.
These kittens were playing in the street. 

None of this is a result of a problem with Morocco, our hosts, or our current home. All of this is “on us,” as we strive to adjust. We find this to be the case in varying degrees in every country in which we’ve lived for a month or more. 

Lamps and lanterns are a common theme throughout the souk.

We realize that many of our posts are filled with excitement and wonder over these very differences. Our eyes are wide open to the adjustments we must make in order to continue to revel in the differences, as opposed to complaining about the necessary adaptation required to fit in and to feel at ease.

Tom is usually smiling. Catching him without a smile is an oddity. He thought his hair looked like Squiggy from the TV show, Laverne and Shirley after the wind whipped his hair.
That’s my guy with the usual smile on his face as we waited for our meal at Yamy, an outdoor café in the big square.

It would be so easy to complain. We chose not to. Instead, we continually strive, each and every day, to find ways to enhance that which we may find difficult.  

It was hard to believe the reasonable prices at this casual café when MAD $40 is US $4.82. My seafood salad as shown below was only MAD $40!  It was delicious. Tom had an excellent burger and fries for MAD $32, US $3.85!  He eats the same of the foods that I can eat when dining in, with Madame Zahra cooking and, splurging when we dine out with no objection from me. 

Tom doesn’t care for spicy food. But, I do. When I cooked I’d use a gentle touch to ensure our mutual satisfaction. We adapted, meeting each other halfway. Moroccan food is very spicy, all of which I love. With nary a thought, Samir spoke to Madame Zahra to cut the spices in half for all of our meals. 

The orange in this salad is slightly cooked carrots which I can have. The remainder consisted of small bites of shrimp, squid, and chicken. I put plain mayo on the top as a bit of dressing. It was divine. I’ll want to have this in the future. But, first. we’ll try many of the other restaurants before doing repeats.
I was so wrapped up in my own plate of food, I forgot to take a photo of Tom’s food before he dug into it. He said it was great, the first American meal he’d had in a restaurant in a long time.

Last night’s dinner, after Madame Zahra graciously made this adjustment, was flawless. We couldn’t have enjoyed it more. We practically ate everything on all those little plates as shown in our photos with barely having room for the entrée. 

My vegetable first course, made by Madame Zahra last night. Peas contain starch so I only had a single taste. I never knew veggies could taste this good.
Tom’s first-course vegetable plate. It’s hard to believe that he’s eating all these veggies and actually enjoying them.

The more we adapt, the more we ultimately find joy in the experiences, which we take with us when we leave;  a new understanding, a new knowledge, and deeper confidence in our ability to grow and learn from our varied experiences.

My plate, with Chicken Tagine, cauliflower, and salad. Lately, we do “mono” eating, having one item at a time, which we find allows us to savor each item for its varied flavors.

No, it’s not as easy as it may often seem. Let’s face it, in South Africa, it was hot, humid and there were bugs and snakes. But, we found a tremendous diversion in the pleasure we gleaned from our amazing visitors and our equally amazing friends.

Our shared salad of which Tom only had a few bites. I had at least half, eaten after my entrée, a habit I have acquired since leaving the US. Eating the salad after the entrée, allows the entrée to be eaten while still hot and also aids in digestion (so they say).

Morocco will be no different. We’ll embrace our surroundings, the food, the unique flavor of the country and its people. And after a short time, we’ll once again, be home.

A special bush braai to remember…A sunset like none other…And a moon that lit the night…

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Excellent stopped the vehicle for us to take photos of this amazing sunset. This occurred at 6:19 pm.
 This occurred one minute later at 6:20 pm.
 This occurred at 6:26 pm. We all agreed that it looked as if the “eyes of God” were watching us. In awe and total silence, we all snapped away.
The moon as it appeared on the horizon. Wow!

Dinner in the dark in the bush is not for the faint-hearted. Although safe with an armed guard on the constant lookout, a cleared area for cooking and table setup, we weren’t traipsing in the tall grass in order to dine. 

The table settings were lovely. Imagine serving a meal for eight guests (and most times as many as 18 guests) in the dark. 
We were so busy having fun, I missed taking a few good food photos and, spent little time making sure my shadow didn’t end up in the photo. The others had sushi while had this appealing and delicious appetizer plate containing everything I could eat.

An enclosed candlelit, toilet area off to the side, partially damaged by rhinos when no one is around, provided ample modesty when a visit was much needed after the long game drive. 

Tom squawks that he doesn’t like salmon. But each time it is presented to him when dining out he enjoys it.  Go figure. Tom’s holding his little LED flashlight in his hand, as shown.
In South Africa, shrimp is referred to as prawns. After consuming these multiple prawns, I could easily have been satisfied to stop eating. We continued on.
This dish took me aback. It was Ostrich Carpaccio, a local delicacy. I thought of our two-time visitor, Clive (aptly named by a Facebook friend), and I had trouble with this item. Tom loved it, eating mine as well.

A roaring fire and our gracious hosts, Louise and Danie, and all their helpers greeted us warmly when we arrived, as the smell of a wide array of foods wafted through our senses.

After we were served the multiple courses, we headed to the table with the main courses, piling our plates with wide a wide array of local favorites.
This plate is pap, a common maize dish in South Africa. In my old life, this would have been a favorite of mine. Now, I had to pass. But, the vegetables on the right become a favorite. The yellow item in the pan is pattipan squash, an item I can have.
This pork dish was made with pineapple.  Danie had left a portion held aside for me without the fruit.
This Greek salad was right up my alley, also a local favorite found in restaurants.

This special Valentine’s Day braai had been postponed by a day due to rain. The eight of us, a small group for this special occasion, were immediately offered beverages, alcoholic and non, easily finding ourselves at ease in this seeming vulnerable location in Kruger National Park, with no fences, with wild animals all around us.

This is a pan of skewered Moroccan chicken. I told Tom, “Get used to it, Honey. You’ll be eating plenty of that soon enough!” It was delicious.
My plate, filled with the above items that I could have, all wonderfully seasoned and prepared.

This has been our third bush braai since arriving in Marloth Park. The first time, I must admit, I was tentative, looking under our table every few minutes for scorpions or snakes and glancing around the lighted perimeter for lions or hippos which we could hear at a distance. But, these next two occasions, I rarely looked down, feeling safe and protected by our conscientious hosts and their staff.

Tom didn’t hesitate to partake of his dessert plate.

Whenever we heard a sound, we all stopped talking as our guards went into action to investigate further. His rifle-armed and ready with ample bullets on his belt, we had little to fear. “Lucky,” our guard was a military guy. He knew what he was doing.

This shot was taken while seated at our table. We felt fortunate to see the breathtaking sunset and rising moon all in one night.

Soon we were seated at our beautifully set tables with comfortable chairs, linen napkins, fine china, silverware, and glassware, it could only be construed as elegant dining in a rather unusual place, for most of us anyway.

Tiffany and John, the darling couple we thoroughly enjoyed on the game drive and at our table during the bush braai.

At our table was the lovely couple from Australia with whom we chatted on endlessly only stopping long enough to savor course after course of delectable delights presented by our hosts. The special dietary needs of both Tiffany and I were honored with great reverence and creativity. Tiffany is a vegetarian and me, well, you know the drill. Not a morsel was presented that didn’t comply with our needs.

What a fabulous group of people.  Four of us were tourists and the remaining are residents of the area.

A bottle of champagne in a silver ice bucket sat unattended on our table. We commented that we hoped that later Louise and Danie would enjoy it in celebration of yet another fine job of entertaining guests in the bush, one of their many specialties. 

Tom took these beautiful sunset photos using the small pink Samsung camera.  The lens was dirty from smudges on the interior of the lens resulting from humidity in Kenya, as is the same problem with my Sony.

After a delicious dinner and dessert (I didn’t  have dessert but didn’t mind at all), a bouquet of red roses and a box of chocolates were presented to the ladies with little liqueur bottles presented to the men, an elegant touch to end a fabulous Valentine’s evening, a special bush braai, a night to remember.

Another similar shot from the Samsung camera. Before my computer crashed, I had an app capable of removing the spots. Now it is gone. Soon we’ll purchase a new camera.

The people were astoundingly fun and playful and  Louise and Danie shared in our merriment. We couldn’t thank them enough for this evening and all they have done for us since the day we arrived.

At different points the group was singing, laughter filling the air. Group photo-taking ensued and when it was time to go, we all hugged one another, none of us want to say goodbye.

An evening to remember in every way added to the surprising number of extraordinary experiences we’ve had in South Africa.  It’s hard to believe that in 11 days, we’ll fly to Morocco. This, dear readers will be a hard act to follow.

Guests for breakfast at African Reunion House…Visitors in the bush…What more could we want?.

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Yesterday, late afternoon, we had our first visitors to African Reunion House.  “They” say the number of visitors increases the longer humans stay at a house in Marloth Park. 

We sat at the end of the table and the seat to the left to allow our guests a great view of the pool and the bush.

Much to our delight, a warthog family of four stopped by, not a family that we recognized, although the little house is only a few short blocks away. It is easy to identify the moms and babies when they each have their own distinct features, as humans.

The bedroom we chose to use at African Reunion House on the main floor overlooking the veranda.

They visited only seconds after Okee Dokee stopped by to drop off a flash drive that she had purchased for me in the town of Malelane, for me to use to make Windows 8.1 reboot set for this new computer which I had yet to do. Not wanting to carry four discs with us as we travel, a flash drive was a more sensible option. 

The king-sized bed has provided a great night’s sleep for both of us. The comfortable mattress, bedding, size, and coolness of the room have been highly instrumental in uninterrupted sleep.

When she and I shopped yesterday morning in Komatipoort, we stopped in an office supply store to discover they didn’t carry anything over 8G. I’d decided we’d buy one to be included in our next supply order to be shipped to Morocco shortly after we arrive.

The addition of this zebra backside only adds to the gorgeous décor in not only this bedroom but is carried throughout the entire house.

Lo and behold, Okee Dokee, who originally was suggested to us by Louise and Danie, never ceases to amaze us, called me from a computer shop while out and about, asking if I wanted her to purchase it. Unreal. A few hours later she appeared at the door, 32G flash drive in hand.  Reimbursing her promptly, she stayed for a while for a much deserved cold drink. 

This soaking tub is located in the bedroom we chose.  It’s unlikely I will use it when there’s a special Jacuzzi room upstairs that is outrageously appealing.  Tomorrow, we’ll post photos of that special area.

We’re lucky to have met such wonderful people in Marloth Park. And, as we sit here now overlooking the lush greenery of the bush, our breakfast guests having left for Kruger National Park in the afternoon, we are once again reminded of how fortunate we have been to have the opportunity to enjoy new friends and, another luxury home.

I chose this bedroom for showering and dressing in the mornings to avoid waking Tom, who usually stays up an hour later than I and sleeps in a little longer in the mornings. This beautiful bedroom has an en suite bathroom with a double shower.

Entertaining guests in African Reunion House was seamless with all the amenities for setting a lovely table and cooking a great breakfast. 

The formal dining room off of the kitchen, seats eight.  Dining outdoors each night its doubtful we’ll dine at this table. Instead, we’ve used it for my now-defunct laptop as shown. 

Ken had recently gone gluten-free making it easy and familiar to make an entirely gluten-free meal consisting of GF Coconut Flour Pancakes (click for link to the recipe we posted some time ago), scrambled eggs with cheese and onions, bacon (referred to as “streaky bacon” in South Africa), orange juice and fresh fruit. 

This tree frog on the rafters on the veranda has been watching us all day, occasionally sticking out his tongue in a feeble attempt to grasp a flying insect.  We laughed at how he has his front legs tucked under himself.
 Of course, I don’t drink juice or eat fruit due to the low carb aspect of my way of eating. It had been a long time since we’d cooked breakfast which turned out to be a very pleasurable meal, added to the enjoyment of the companionship of our guests.
Local art is highlighted throughout African Reunion House.

Ah, the simple things in life hold so much more meaning to us now than they ever in the past. 

The work of a local artist is a fine addition to the dining area.

And even then, we found great pleasure in the gathering of family and friends. I suppose the difference now is based on how little we take for granted in this life; the kindness of a friend or a stranger, a thoughtful gesture, four linen napkins delivered by Louise, and the peaceful beauty of this new environment, now our third house in Marloth Park.

Danie handcrafted the bar and the bar stools. Both Louise and Danie are creative and artistic.
African Reunion House is difficult to compare to Khaya Umdani. They each possess their own unique features and appeal. Would we choose one over the other? As difficult it was for us to choose which bedroom we’d sleep in, it would be impossible to decide which of the two houses we’d select. As a tourist, the only necessary consideration would be sleeping capacity. 
The door free cabinets makes finding items in the kitchen easy.

While Khaya Umdani can sleep eight to ten guests, African Reunion House can accommodate eight guests, each with two guests per bedroom. For us, both houses have been perfect. We love the spacious feeling, although we tend to use only the bedrooms, kitchen, and verandas.

We feel as if we are on vacation/holiday until we return to the little house containing the rest of our belongings, and to begin packing to leave Marloth Park in a mere 17 days. How did three months pass so quickly?

As “they” say, “Time flies when you’re having fun!”

Tomorrow, we’ll be back with more photos including the “surprise room” upstairs and more wildlife photos as we begin to wind down our time in Marloth Park.