Change of plans…We’re back in Marrakech…A story to tell…More photos from the Atlas Mountains…

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The renowned Kasbah, Kasbah Aït Ben Haddo, located in Dades Valley in the Atlas Mountains.

We’re back in Marrakech one day early. That’s what we chose when we decided to travel the world, the ability to changes our plans without apologies, without rationalizations, and without devising flimsy excuses.

We’re only accountable to ourselves as a unit of two loving, committed individuals whose utmost concern is the happiness of one another. Our own pleasure is derived unselfishly from the joy we observe in the other, making each and every experience worthwhile, even if it isn’t 100% of our own liking.

In order to get to the above Kasbah, we had to navigate across two creeks stepping on these muslin covered rocks. I must say, the distance between each step was about as far as my legs could reach. Luckily, we made it both ways without getting our shoes wet.

The second creek we had to navigate to get to the Kasbah.

For this reason, we ended our road trip halfway through. No camel ride in the Sahara Desert. No second night in a hotel. We stayed true to ourselves and to each other.

Our readers may ask, “Which of the two of you wanted to end the trip early?”

Once we arrived at the Kasbah after a steep downhill climb over uneven rocks and making our way across the two creeks, we were told a movie was in production and we wouldn’t be allowed to take photos. No photos? We left amid the trucks and confusing making the return walk across the two creeks and a long uphill climb back to Mohamed’s vehicle.


We were disappointed to be unable to see the interior of this fortress-like structure.

In our minds, that doesn’t matter. If one of us is not having a good time, the other wants nothing more than the return of the other’s usual sense of well being and contentment. In this case, it meant returning to Dar Aicha, our riad in Marrakech.

Our last look at the Kasbah Ait Ben Hado before we continued on our way.

Some may say this is condescending and patronizing. For us, it’s about being happy, letting nothing short of one of life’s unforeseen tragedies, to impose upon that blissful state of being.

What didn’t we like about this prearranged all-inclusive trip to the Atlas Mountains, ending with a trip to the Sahara Desert, that we decided to cut short?

The drive through the mountains was treacherous with endless hairpin turns on the two-lane road with the necessity of passing slow-moving vehicles. On the seven-hour return drive today, I actually got carsick for the first time in many years.

Oh, we could place blame on the rock hard bed and pillows on which neither of us slept a wink. We could blame it on the beef dinner with meat too hard to chew requiring that every six bites we had to spit out a tangled glob of a sinewy mess into our paper napkins.

We could blame it on the tiny room, a supposed “upgrade” where the towels and sheets were mismatched and threadbare, the toilet paper unperforated (never saw this before), the toilet leaking, and the minuscule bar of soap that refused to lather. Or, we could blame it on the banging drums that started at 10:45 pm to entertain the busloads of overnight guests, while us old-timers thrashed about trying to fall asleep. 

The rock formations varied throughout the area from a dull grey such as this to some of the most vibrant colors we’ve seen since our Blyde River Canyon trip in South Africa three months ago.

In reality, if blame were required and it is not, we can only blame ourselves for these reasons:
1.  Our expectations and frame of reference.
2.  Our unwillingness to spend what would prove to be almost US $1000, MAD $8133, (including tips and beverages) for two nights in hotels and three days on the road and feel forced to continue on, only compounding the angst of this expenditure.

Check out the shepherding dog in the center of this photo. We saw sheep grazing on many different elevations as we traveled.

Why not “stick it out?” Because we don’t have to. That’s the magic of being a grown-up in charge of one’s own destiny.

In our old lives, we may have considered “What will “people” say?”

We were headed to the popular tourist site of the modern village of Ouarzazate (pronounced, wer-ziz-zate). 

In this life, with thousands of people worldwide with whom we’re sharing our story, depicting our daily comings and goings, we decided long ago that many will accept our decisions and many may not. It goes with the territory. 

But, above all, we chose to “tell it like it is” to the best of our ability without hurting anyone or their business by our own occasional displeasure.

 Ouarzazate would be an excellent place to stay for many tourists for a vacation/holiday with its many modern shopping centers, restaurants, and arts and cultural centers.

What did we like about the last day and a half?  Our excellent and thoughtful driver, Mohamed provided perfection. The river view from the hotel and our room were lovely. The hotel concierge, Rashid was helpful and kind. The Atlas Mountains and surrounding villages were interesting and scenic but, not eliciting the awe and wonder of many of our adventures in the past almost 16 months since we left the US.

Yeah, we’re “Hooked on a Feeling” (click link for the song from 1968). Our past amazing past experiences surely have spoiled us, a hard act to follow for future experiences. After Petra, the exciting cruise through the Middle East, the Maasai Mara, and Marloth Park, we knew we ran this risk. 

These swirling rock formations most likely formed million of years ago, made one think these striations were a result of water.

Today, when we returned to the Medina, Adil was waiting for us to help with our bags.  When we entered the riad, Madame Zahra and Oumaima were awaiting us with hugs proudly showing off the usual spotless environment.  We were “home” and it felt darned good after only a short time away.

What do we do from here?  We continue on…with the same hope and perhaps misaligned expectations that we struggled to leave behind during these past 32 hours.  We know that that ultimate high will be ours once again, but not necessarily in the mountains of Morocco.

Tomorrow, earlier in the day than today, we’ll be back with the continuation of our many photos of the Atlas Mountains.  Have a lovely Friday evening!  We plan on it!
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Photo from one year ago today, April 11, 2013:

We opted out of this excursion to Mahogany Bay in Roatan, Honduras to lay on this manmade beach owned by the cruise line which charged for lawn chairs, beach towels and beverages.  Instead, we stayed behind with the pools almost to ourselves without incurring any additional expenses.  For details in Part 2 of the harrowing experience of having our vitamins confiscated, please click here.

Long road trip to the Atlas mountains…Beautiful scenery…Mother Nature did it again…Expectations?

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As we began the ascent to the Atlas Mountains, we realized it was the first snow we’d seen in a very long time.

It’s 5:00 pm Thursday. A short time ago we checked in at the Hotel du Vieux du Dades, Ouarzazate, Morocco after an eight-hour drive through the Atlas Mountains and valleys.

At the lower elevations, we passed many small villages. The higher the elevation, the more modern the villages.

The hotel? Clean, modest. Not what we’d normally choose. But, it’s situated on a river gorge presenting a beautiful backdrop as we sit here now on the veranda, the sound of the rushing water music to our ears.

The sales as a result of tourist trade are what sustains many of the villagers.

As world travelers, having left the US a mere 15 months ago, our expectations when we travel from the vacation home of the month, are outrageously high. After all, we’ve seen exquisite Petra in Jordan, been on an extraordinary Big 5 safari in the Maasai Mara, Kenya, and lived in the free-roaming wildlife area of Marloth Park, South Africa. How does anything else compare?

Periodically, we cross a river or a creek. Many of our photos today were taken through the car window glass as we zoomed by.  I didn’t want to keep dealing with opening and closing the window during the eight-hour drive. Cloudy most of the day, we did our best to take photos.

For us, nothing else can. Nor, as we enthusiastically continue on, do we expect to top those experiences. If we do, we’ll call it “safari luck” and feel grateful. It is from this perspective that we write over these next few days, putting our expectations aside viewing today’s journey through the eyes of travelers perhaps don’t have this outlandish frame of reference.

With the snow melting at the summit, many creek beds and rivers consisted of fast-moving water.

By no means, do we imply that the beauty we witnessed today is any less than the terrain we’ve seen in many of our travels? In many ways, Morocco offers some astounding scenery that many may never see in a lifetime. And, for those who may have seen it, have it etched in their memories, relived in stories and photos they proudly share for years to come.

Of course, I squealed with delight when seeing these sheep along the side of the road. Grass-fed lamb is a frequently served dish in Morocco which we’ve enjoyed every few nights when Madame Zahra cooks for us. Tom, never a fan of eating lamb, actually likes it here for its mild flavor, tasting more like beef pot roast than lamb.

As for the hotel; the room is small, minimally appointed with the barest of essentials. If the bed, pillows, and blankets prove to be comfortable, the water is hot for the morning shower, the WiFi continues to work as well as it is at the moment and the food is reasonably good, we’ll hardly complain. 

The contrast of the clay-colored hills against the lush greenery creating a picturesque setting.

Oh, expectations! Would that they could waft away from our lives to make each new experience blissful instead of wrought with shades of the past?

In some areas, the color of the hills was a deep pink and they were orange in others.

Our goal had been to visit the Atlas Mountains, which we’ve done. Tomorrow, we’ll head to the Sahara Desert to experience the sand dunes and, if we feel ambitious, we’ll ride camels. Saturday, we’ll head back to Marrakech arriving in the late afternoon. 

Many small farms, richly green, dotted the landscape.

Over the next several days, we’ll post our zillions of photos, doing our best to describe where and what we’ve seen. Today, we reached a maximum elevation of 9708 feet, 2959 meters, above sea level, suffering no ill effects. I gasped for air once, when we were up that elevation when we stopped at an overlook rest stop filled with tourists, most of whom were smoking. Smoking is allowed everywhere in Morocco, as is the case in many countries.

The hills and mountains had endless housing areas such as this, with most of the homes occupied, as we determined from clothes hanging on lines to dry.

Another new experience befell us today. We used a co-ed restroom in a public venue, a first for both of us. 

Stopping at a popular overlook, we spotted what appeared to be a soccer field at a local school.

As for the actual driving experience, it was flawless.  Mohamed is an excellent driver for which we made a point of commending him. The two-lane mountain roads were often tricky to navigate when passing slow-moving vehicles and he exercised diligent safety in each instance putting me, particularly, at ease.  Our readers know how I love those hairpin turns, right?

Can you spot the waterfall in this photo of the Atlas Mountains? 

Tonight, Mohamed will also stay at this hotel meeting up with us in the morning after the included breakfast as we begin another day of travel making our way to the Sahara desert while hopefully putting aside those pesky expectations, to enjoy yet another day in our travels.

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Photo from one year ago today, April 10, 2013:

One year ago today was when we boarded the Carnival Liberty in Belize when our bag of vitamins was confiscated by security, none of which required a prescription, all of which may be purchased over the counter. What an experience it was as we were treated like drug smugglers. This never occurred again when we’ve since used or disposed of most of the supplements to lighten our load. See Part 1 for the details by clicking here.

A taste of summer to come in Marrakech…93F, 34 C and sunny…Reminiscent of days passed…In constant motion…

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An out-of-the-way alley.

Yesterday, we made our way through the souk to the Big Square of the Medina to the petit taxi stands. Although too far to walk, each week we’ve traveled to the nearby new city of Marrakesch, as opposed to the old Marrakech of the Medina. 

For the first time in over a month, it felt warm. The sun was shining, the sky was a pristine blue with nary a cloud in sight, as we were introduced to the likes of summer in Morocco, hot and dry. The temperature, although a high of 93F, 34C, it was by no means unbearable.

Typically on Mondays, the souk owners restock their wares after a busy weekend. We’ve found Mondays are good days to go out with fewer crowds.

The short periods of walking in the bright sun in the Big Square, the intensity of its heat reminded me of the morning heat in Marloth Park when I’d drop pellets along the long walk from the house to the main road, dropping pellets in a fashion one would recall from a childhood story, Hansel and Gretel, hoping that “they” would come. And they did.

Another quiet alleyway.

With the intent of drawing the attention of wildlife to the house, I made this fly-pestering trek, day after day, during the five weeks we lived in the Hornbill house until we moved to Khaya Umdani and later, African Reunion. And they came, a memory deeply entrenched in our memories and daily, in my thoughts.

Yesterday, we walked toward the main entrance to the Medina to grab a taxi. As shown there are fewer crowds than usual, Mondays being a quieter day that picks up at night.  We opted to go to a late lunch as opposed to dinner. Most nicer restaurants outside the Medina, don’t open for dinner until 7:30 pm. 

I’ve tried not to carry on about missing Marloth Park too much here. After all, we’re in a different place, one to embrace. And as we so often proclaim, during which time, we attempt to “live in the moment.” Which, overall, we do. 

In Windows 8.1 on my laptop, scrolling on a tile on my home screen several times each day, our photos appear of the visitors that came to call. Each time I see a kudu, giraffe, zebra, or warthog, my heart flips in my chest, longing, remembering.  t’s a happy memory.

Motorbikes dangerously dart in and out of traffic, whether traffic is sparse such as in this location or when it’s bumper to bumper.

Last night, awakened during the night, I heard a sound on the roof. For a moment, my mind went back, wondering which of Mother Nature’s treasures had come to call at this late hour, quickly remembering we are in Marrakech, not Marloth Park. Most likely, it was a cat, as cats are revered in Morocco and roam freely day and night. Their home? The entire Medina.

The petit taxi ride to the newer part of Marrakech gives us an opportunity to see some of the hotels in the area.

Knowing that someday we’ll return to Marloth Park brings me great comfort. I’ll leave it alone, letting it rest, relishing in the memories, the friends who still stay in touch, the crisp memory of the constant sounds in the bush of the birds and the wildlife rustling through the low lying trees and shrubs as they made their way to us, in each of the three homes in which we lived over the three month period.

And now? The dramatic contrast from wildlife to culture? Interesting? Sure. Morocco is unlike any place we’ve traveled. The smells of the Moroccan spices, the sights as we’ve shown in our many photos, the sounds of the flutes of the cobra charmers scattered about the Big Square, and the smoke from the cooking meats attracting hungry visitors from all over the world. It’s all enchanting.

Madame Zahra continues to make fabulous meals for us every other day.  We dine out on the other days.  Of course, I don’t eat the bread or potatoes.  See the photo below for the description of the items on my plate.

In two days, we’re leaving for a three-day outing to the Sahara desert and the Atlas Mountains. Our lives are in constant motion, as today we continue to book more of the flights for our 13 family members to meet us in Hawaii in a mere eight months. We’re more than halfway through. 

Soon, we’ll book our flight and rental car for Madeira, Portugal, leaving here in a mere 37 days. Today, we’ll again go to an ATM to get more cash to pay for the upcoming trip, cash required in advance paid to Samir, our reliable houseman, paid in advance to those who will serve our needs during the trip.

With smaller portions of meat typically served in Morocco at each meal, side dishes are a huge factor in rounding out a meal. Unable to have bread, potatoes couscous, rice, or other grains, Madame makes a variety of vegetables to ensure I get enough to eat. Without prompting from me, she’s figured out that egg dipping slices of aubergine (eggplant) and cauliflower sauteed in olive oil, helps round out an otherwise less filling meal. 

It’s all good. We’re accomplishing exactly what we wanted to accomplish in our worldwide travels; to explore, to discover, to learn, to laugh, to love, and to challenge ourselves. 

And even after we’ve left behind the sources of many of the discoveries we made in new environments, we’re left with the glorious memories and photos we can draw upon at any time, taking us back, as we continue to move forward. 
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Photo from one year ago today, April 8, 2013:

The morning on the day before we left Belize. It, too, was hard to leave. Please click here for details.

The real estate market for vacation homes…How does it impact our travels …A sad horse photo….

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This photo was taken after the sun had fully set on Friday night, not shown in yesterday’s post. Witnessing this coloration in the sky was breathtaking.

The riad in which we’re living, Dar Aicha, is for sale. There was a showing yesterday for which we were giving several days advance notice. It was over in 15 minutes and we were only disturbed for a few minutes, none the worse for the wear.

For the link to the real estate listing for Dar Aicha, please click here.

We weren’t surprised since that was also the case for the house we’d rented in Kenya, which had two showings while we were there.

As we’re all aware, economic conditions have resulted in the devaluation of many homes worldwide, prompting many vacation rental owners to decide to liquidate before the market declines further.

Friday, late afternoon, the tourists arrived for the weekend, filling the Medina and the souk.

In some areas property values have begun to rise once again, currently motivating property owners to sell, taking advantage of what may prove to be a temporary rise in value. Who knows how long this will last or when prices will change? I spent 25 years as a broker and company owner and I don’t have a clue nor do any of the predictors out there in the marketplace and on the news.

As we move from vacation home to vacation home, we discover that some of the homes we’re renting may be on the market. In reality, it’s none of our business if they’re for sale except for two following factors:

1  We aren’t inconvenienced with showings.
2. We don’t have to move out early if the property sells and closes escrow prior to our moving out. Of course, we have signed rental agreements in each case protecting our rental period, but, we all know contracts can be broken in desperate times. (In neither of the above two cases have we thought there was any risk of being asked to leave early due to the integrity of the owners, more than the executed document).

The school bus arrives in the Big Square around 6:00 pm, dropping off the children.

For us, the distressed market has made our travels all the more affordable for these reasons:

1.  Many vacation homes were previously listed for sale that didn’t sell, inspiring the owners to rent them as a vacation home, enabling them to use it themselves from time to time between renters.
2.  Many homeowners of more expensive homes have either lost their jobs or retired and can no longer afford to live in their homes. They move to less expensive or senior housing either managing the vacation rental themselves or leaving the management of their homes in the hands of family members or agencies that typically handle vacation homes.
3.  During the better times in the market, enthusiastic investors purchased homes with the hope of a great future investment. Now, unable to rent the homes full time to cover their expenses, they rent the houses at daily or weekly rates with the hope that the house will be rented consistently which is rarely the case, except for in a few markets, such as Hawaii.

Workers and vendors begin setting up their wares to be marketed in the Big Square in the evening as the tourist crowd arrives, prepared to “shop til they drop.”

When property owners find themselves unable to rent their vacation homes for the prices they ask, at times, they are willing to negotiate for better pricing for us due to our long term commitments. You know, a bird in the hand.

Then, of course, there are the prime vacation rentals, managed by whomever the owner so chooses, that rent for premium prices that don’t budge for long term renter such as us. We can spot these in a minute when observing that the nightly rate is comparable to that which we’d be willing to pay monthly. We avoid even making an attempt to negotiate these in most cases, as mostly a waste of their time and ours.

Had we been able to travel the world in 2003, it wouldn’t have been affordable. The travel market was booming (although it’s now on the rebound) and fewer vacation homes were available.  Plus, the vacation home rental sites such as listed here as one of our advertisers, weren’t as prevalent as they are now. We use all of the major players, many of which are owned by the same company as in the case of HomeAway.com who owns four or five websites.

I always feel bad for the horses pulling the buggies. Some flail around seeming uncomfortable with their bit or harnesses.

Over time, the public has become less suspicious of sending prepayments to property owners they don’t know all over the world. With many sites offering insurance to avoid the risk of scams, many vacation renters freely send payments through PayPal and via credit card without giving it a second thought. 

I can’t say we don’t give it a second thought since based on our being constantly on the move, the insurance would become a prohibitive expense. Paying by credit card or PayPal gives us some assurance. 

But, in the long haul, we’ve prepared ourselves and budgeted accordingly that someday we may pull up to an address and no house it there, just an empty lot, or that the photos were all fakes and the house is a dump.  Yep, this could happen.

We were shocked to see this horse’s bloodied neck obviously from wearing the usual bulky harnesses as shown in the above photo. Thank goodness the owner had put on a lighter weight harness. But it still looked as if it must continue to irritate the poor horse. This was heartbreaking to see.

The likelihood is relatively slim that this will happen, especially when we communicate with each owner or manager through dozens of emails, research the owner’s name online and through Facebook, and read every review at our disposal. 

If and when our instincts send up a red flag, we pull away before sending any money. If suspicious, we’ve called the company that hosts the owners listing asking if there have been any issues.

So far all of our experiences have been good except the first house in Belize where we had no regularly running water. We moved out in a week, losing our first month’s rent which the owner refused to refund. Oddly, this first experience didn’t deter us and we carried on, determined, and full of hope, having had nothing but great experiences since that time.

Another ice cream truck trying to find a good spot to park for attracting the most business. After a few minutes, a policeman told him to move to another location.

With the time from May 15, 2015, yet to be booked as we research the world deciding where we’d like to travel from that point on, we feel comfortable that we won’t have any problem finding desirable homes in fabulous locations.

We continue on, looking forward to leaving this coming Thursday for a three day/two night trip to the Atlas Mountains and the Sahara Desert. Will we ride a camel in the desert? You’ll find out right here!

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Photo from one year ago today, April 6, 2013.

This little table and chairs were on our veranda in Belize. We weren’t kidding when we’ve said we were steps to the beach. Waking up to this view every morning was pure pleasure. There were two padded lounge chairs on the veranda where we lounged every afternoon after pool time. It was heavenly. In 39 days, we’ll have views of the ocean from our veranda once again although much further from the water.  For the story and remaining photos from that date, please click here.

A day in the life…Not as laid back as it may seem….

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Yesterday, as it rained inside the house, Madame Zahra handed us an umbrella so we could go out to dinner. With the crowds in the souk, it’s not easy to walk around with an open umbrella fearful of poking a passerby in the eye. It was a trying 45-minute walk to the restaurant as we maneuvered the many puddles, all the while getting soaked from the spray from motorbikes whizzing past. It was cold, 13C, 55F. By the time we reached the restaurant, my shoes were wet and my toes were numb. 

This morning, awakening at 6:00 to the loud sounds of birds flapping their wings and squawking to the heavens in the center courtyard, I was ready to jump up and look out the bedroom door, knowing they’d fly away the second I peeked out. 

As soon as we entered the restaurant we cozied up to this flaming heater, seeking a little warmth, after the long walk through the rain-soaked souk.

Reminding myself to bring my camera upstairs tonight, I’m determined to get a photo of their rambunctious mating rituals with spring in the air. The loud squawking can’t possibly be pigeons which we often hear at a lower tone. If nothing else, I’ll video the sounds to share here tomorrow. It’s absolutely unreal!

Once inside the restaurant, closing off this door to their courtyard, we were able to warm up enough to remove our jackets while we had dinner.

Instead of getting up I grabbed the novel on my phone’s Kindle app and lost myself in reading for the next two hours, finally bolting out of bed, almost feeling guilty for lounging so long.

Do we retired (or in my case, semi-retired) folks ever get over the feeling that there’s something that “must be done now” in order to stop feeling a sense of obligation or responsibility? Isn’t retirement about “retiring” from those dreadful feelings of self-imposed pressure to constantly be productive?

Excuse the blur as I took this photo of a ceiling in the souk while on the move through the dense tourist crowds who were shopping in a frenzy on a Saturday. This type of roof is typical in the souks resulting in rain dripping on us as we walked with little space to open the umbrella. Many of the vendors dragged their merchandise inside their tiny shops or covered them with plastic.

In deep thought as I overlooked the drying out courtyard after days of rain, I reminded myself of a few things, applicable at this time: I don’t have to clean, do laundry, take out the trash, cook or do dishes. Gee…how stress-free can it get? 

All of us, deep within our core is shaken from time to time with the reminder from the habits of many years of getting up and going to work, only to come home to added responsibilities. That’s over now.

The colorful entrance to a mosque inside the souk.

The only responsibility I have at this moment in life is to make myself presentable for the day (now down to 20 minutes flat), keep track of our finances, and blissfully write here each and every day. 

Don’t get me wrong. Writing here each day is not as simple as sitting down and banging out our recent activities and thoughts. It requires careful planning, researching, and a constant search for photo ops, not always an easy task. 

This is the ornate architecture above the colorful door of the mosque as shown in the previous photo.

Overall, it’s no less than a six-hour a day “job” that we both take seriously. Tom, as my editor and sharing equal time in research, joins me in the incessant scanning of our environment searching for stories and photos.  However, we love every moment, even when on an occasional morning, for a moment, I may think I’ll skip a day…and don’t…I can’t…I want to do it.

Without this, we’d travel the world taking an occasional photo, writing a repetitive series of emails to family and friends, leaving memory after memory stuck only in our heads, and on “camera uploads” in Dropbox. 

Often when passing these bakeries with amazing looking desserts and cookies, I encourage Tom to try something so I can live vicariously through him. Alas, his picky taste buds prevent him from trying a single cookie. Good thing I have no alternative but to maintain my restrictive way of eating, sans sugar, starch, and flour or I’d have gained a substantial sum of weight while here. Then, my limited clothing supply would no longer fit. I suppose for Tom, in this case, his picky eating habits serve him well.

With this, we need only click back to a year ago or two to be reminded of the glorious, or otherwise, experiences we had along the way, with stories and photos, reliving it over and over again. Add the joy of knowing that thousands of readers all over the world are sharing this adventure with us, catapults us to another level of pleasure we can hardly describe.

Even the prospect of generating enough revenue from the links on our site that hopefully, more and more readers will use, at the same pricing offered on the original websites, to defray it’s maintenance costs and perhaps a few other related expenses, adds a level of enthusiasm that only my long-ingrained entrepreneurial spirit can hardly dispel as we travel the world.

Tom refused to stop to let me ogle another sweet morsel as I shot another bakery display in passing.

Oh, would that our grandparents had left us a legacy such as this that we could wrap our brains around, knowing from whence we came, even if only to a small degree, that for us may explain the wanderlust in our hearts and the willingness to share it with others.

No, it’s not always exciting and thought-provoking. At times, it may even be dull and repetitive. But, for us, the joy continues as we share the mundane, the tender, the exciting, and the quiet contemplative times of our lives as we move from one country to another filling our hearts and minds with the knowledge, the wonder, and the constant longing, for more.
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Photo from one year ago today, March 30, 2013:

On this date last year while preparing to leave Belize, we illustrated how we scan our tax deductible receipts and safely dispose of the paper with no shredder on hand.  Please click here for the link to the rest of the story.

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)!

It’s a fairyland…Full of magical sights…If not for food and shopping…Why are we here?…

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Out for an early dinner, we had a bird’s eye view of the Big Square.

As we walked through the Jemaa el Fna souk yesterday, we passed a carpet shop. The hip-looking well-dressed owner looked directly at us and said, “Want to go for a magic carpet ride?”

A wide variety of women’s clothing is displayed in both the souk and in the Big Square.

We chuckled aloud, along with another couple walking next to us. The old city isn’t as old as it appears.  Everywhere you look, young nicely dressed salesmen, rarely women, manage the shops in the souk, smartphones in hand, fingers flying in text or game mode. Times have changed.

A postcard and newspaper stand in the Big Square.

Modern looking clothing, similar in appearance to clothing one may find in their modern local mall, hang from neatly arranged displays. Oh yes, there is the expected belly dancer outfits that one may purchase for a flirty girlfriend or as an outfit to be worn to a costume party. 

Cats are respected and revered in the souk and the walled city. The shop owners feed and care for them and yet they don’t “belong” to anyone. We see them everywhere roaming about the streets with little fear of humans.
These four cats were on a rooftop.  Gingerly, they move from rooftop to rooftop.

Many of the shops contain the long robes worn as everyday clothing by the locals with matching scarves for the modesty required for women by the Muslim faith. 

The Medina and souks is guarded by local police. Overall, it feels safe in the walled city, although one must be careful of pickpockets as one would anywhere in the world.

Overall, the merchandise is geared toward the tourist anticipating negotiating the bargain of their lives for an excellent price from an owner. Most often, they may pay a similar price at the local mall, a short taxi ride outside the Medina. 

Locals commiserating in the Medina.

The owners may purchase the item for US $10, ask for US $40, and settle at US $25, a seeming win-win for everyone. It’s all part of the process that travelers experience in any country they visit. To buy or not to buy.  To stop and look, or not.

Playful interaction among the locals as they await their next “job.”

What often amazes us is the dedication and hard work of the vendors as they must continually procure new prospects to enter their shops, to hopefully make a purchase. Did any of us ever have to work at a job where we continually had to bark at passersby in an effort to attract them for a sale? 

It could have been a bake sale at a local church bazaar or at a flea market in an effort to sell homemade craft items we somehow believed that people would flock to, and yet they didn’t. We’ve all been there.

Ordering hot tea, this tray was delivered to me. The mint-flavored tea was delicious and the water stayed hot in a little silver pot, often seen for sale in the souk. Apparently, the locals utilize similar tea trays and pots when sipping on tea in the souk.

It goes against the grain of our humanity to pester potential shoppers to buy something. In a sad way, we equate it to begging. Our nature and desire is to simply display our hard gotten wares and buyers will come.  Not the case as any person with a job or a career in sales so well knows. You have to “be in their face” in order to get results.

These rolls are often served with meals as in this case for Tom’s dinner.  No butter is served at any of the establishments we’ve visited.  When asked, the waiters explain that buerre, French for butter, is not available.

I commend these hard-working people as we wander through the souks; the older generation selling peanuts in the shell, the middle-aged well-dressed man selling women’s modern-day dresses, the young man playing a game on his phone, frequently looking up to invite potential customers into his grandfather’s pottery store or the butcher behind the bright lights and his hanging slabs of meat, hoping locals and self-catering tourists will partake of his fresh meat. 

It appears that salad is my only “safe” meal when dining out. This Nicoise salad, a vegetable and egg salad with canned tuna had potatoes on it which I removed. Tom, good Irishman that he is, will eat a potato in any form.

It’s no job any of us would choose. And yet, generations of vendors line the souk and the Big Square as tourists from all over the world long to partake of the unique excitement and energy one only finds in faraway exotic places. Or, a Tom mentioned one day, “In a lot of ways, it’s not unlike the State Fair.” So true.

Amid the various satellite dishes, a common sight in the walled city, sits a local enjoying the view from his rooftop as darkness fell.

For us, making purchases, however, tempting is impractical. We don’t own a kitchen cabinet to hold the pretty plates or a wall on which to display a handmade tapestry either made locally or imported from India or China.

Back down on the street, we made our way back to or riad. Having failed to wear jackets, we headed back.  We’ve since learned that wearing jackets at night is a must, even on warm weather days as the nighttime temperature drops considerably.

Tourists come to Marrakesh to eat and to shop. For us, we must look deep inside the culture to discover the wonders it beholds beyond food and wares. Perhaps, in essence, that is a more interesting perspective for us to pursue as we strive to glean every possible treasure from this magical place for which we don’t need a carpet, as opposed to an open mind and heart.

From the rooftop of our Moroccan home…The Islamic Call to Prayer…A video…

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 Our video of the Islamic Call to Prayer from the rooftop of our home in Marrakech.
 Within the first few hours of our arrival in Marrakech on March 1, 2014, we couldn’t help but hear the melodic sound of the Islamic Call to Pray which is broadcast from loudspeakers throughout the city of Marrakech and also in other Islamic cities as we’ve observed in our travels.
This photo was taken from a third floor rooftop of a restaurant where we dined in the past week.
A closer version of the above photo.

Never before were the sounds as evident as they are here at Dar Aicha where one of the loudspeakers is close to the rooftop of the house. On the second day of our arrival, sunny and warm, I climbed the steep steps to the third floor rooftop to make a video with the sounds as the focal point and the sights secondary.

Although the architecture of many mosques are similar, they each posses their own unique design.
While walking around the rooftop, it was necessary to go up and down various steps as I worked my way around the rooftop for the best vantage points. Thus, the jittery camera. Plus, with one eye on the camera, my other eye was set to watch my step to ensure I didn’t fall. (The walls of the rooftop are high so there was no risk of falling off of the roof).
Here is a link describing the Islamic Call to Prayer.
The below schedule illustrates the various prayer times throughout the day. It all begins with a preliminary early morning prayer as shown, that is relatively quiet at this early hour but tends to awaken me each morning, although I can usually fall back to sleep until the second louder chant at sunrise, time to get up anyway. Tom, hard of hearing, rarely awakens from the earliest call to prayer.
 
Marrakech, Morocco Prayer Times (State: Marrakech)
Prayer Schedule March / 2014
Date Day Fajr Sunrise Dhuhr Asr Maghrib Isha
11 Tue 5:26 6:47 12:43 4:05 6:38 7:54
12 Wed 5:25 6:46 12:42 4:06 6:38 7:55
13 Thu 5:24 6:44 12:42 4:06 6:39 7:55
14 Fri 5:22 6:43 12:42 4:06 6:40 7:56
15 Sat 5:21 6:42 12:41 4:06 6:40 7:57
16 Sun 5:21 6:42 12:41 4:06 6:40 7:57
17 Mon 5:19 6:39 12:41 4:07 6:42 7:58
Monthly/Annual Schedule 

As we’ve read online, some tourists find the call to prayer annoying and interrupting of their holiday time. For us, the sounds are pleasant and soothing, reminding us of the devoted faith of 1.6 billion (23% of the world’s population) followers of this ancient religion beginning at approximately 600 A.D.

When we’re in the souks or the Big Square during the call to prayer, we see congregations of men, separated from the women, on the street or in mosques in a state of prayer. 

We posted this photo of Tom last week with a mosque in the background.

As one may expect, the roles of men and women are separate in the older population. However, as typical in many parts of the world, women of the younger generation have taken on many new roles. 

As visitors, we respect, accept and appreciate the differences as we have been given the opportunity to live among the local citizens of this amazing cultural city. Non Muslims are not allowed to enter the mosques, some of which are shown here in the walled city.  Last May, while in Dubai, UAE, we had the opportunity to visit the interior of the Sheikh Zayed White Mosque in Abu Dhabi, UAE (please click this link to see our story and photos of our visit to this mosque). 

Unfortunately, I was very ill during our entire two week period in Dubai having contracted a respiratory virus during the cruise to Dubai. Unfortunately, it evolved into a raging sinus infection. On the day we visited the mosque, the temperature was over 100F, over 42C, while I had a fever. Thus, wearing the black abaya, required to enter the mosque, was exceedingly difficult. Tom wore the cooler white thobe. (Click this link to see us in our required attire for entering the mosque).

Also this photo was previously posted, taken from the petit taxi when we headed to the grocery store.

As difficult as the day of sightseeing proved to be, I am grateful that I bit the bullet for the experience. Many of our friends and family, not knowing how sick I really was, chuckled over my appearance in the abaya. Little did they know, how I struggled to keep it in place in an attempt to honor the required state of dress. In looking back now, I certainly understand their humorous perspective!

The memory of visiting the exquisite mosque in Dubai will have to suffice for now. We can only imagine the beauty and dignity of the many mosques in Marrakech and other parts of Morocco.

Why did we wait so long to post this video? The Internet was too slow for it to upload to YouTube.com, where we post all of our videos. On several occasions I attempted to upload this video only to tie up my computer for hours without success. Last night, I left my computer on allowing it to upload during the night. Alas, this morning, the video was available. Why didn’t I think of this earlier? I suppose my best excuse is that my brain is otherwise occuped.

If you’d like to see more of our videos please click here. (Please bear with me as I continue to work on developing better video taking skills. The bad shoulder prohibits holding the camera steady for more than a few seconds. I’m attempting to learn other ways in which to handle the camera. Hopefully, soon we’ll purchase a new camera to once and for all be rid of the smudge on the lens that appears in many of our photos. Sony has a new model coming out at the end of this month, we may purchase.

On the agenda for today? More time on tax stuff. And later today, we’ll head out to find a restaurant for tonight’s dinner and, hopefully attempt to find a shop in the souks where we can each purchase a warm jogging suit. A popular attire for many of the locals who don’t wear the traditional Muslim attire, these sets are available at many of the shops.

Last night, it rained almost all night, again soaking the floor in the courtyard.

My problem will be finding a set with long enough arms and legs to fit me. Tom has the opposite problem. We’ll see how we do on finding what we need and if we do, negotiating a good price.

We’ll return tomorrow with the results of our shopping expedition, our outng and with many more photos, as we continue to experience life in Marrakech.

Part 2, a night in the Medina…a memorable experience…

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As darkness fell and the crowds increased, the lights in the Big Square cast a breathtaking glow.

Sunday afternoon, we walked the narrow, out the way streets, most often visited by the locals for their shopping far from the crowded tourist shops. 
Our perception was that the old city of Marrakech was comprised of most of the areas we had seen.  Not the case.  After all, this is a city, not a tiny village.

We enjoyed watching the evening change as the sun began to set. 

As we wandered from one narrow shopping area to another we found ourselves in less “touristy” areas, instead in the areas where many of the locals shop and eat.  The prices at the restaurants were considerably less than in the Big Square, the vendor stands were less “fluffed up” for attracting patrons and the vendors were considerably less aggressive than in the popular souks.  It was another version of this highly cultural and diverse environment.


Grateful to get a table by the railing of the third floor roof of the restaurant, we were excited to watch the evening unfold. 

Of course, this area intrigues us, as has been the case for as we’ve traveled the world.  We’re not trying to cram everything into a long weekend or a one or two week vacation.  We’re trying to experience everyday “life” as much as possible in our short two to three month stint in yet another country. 

Most assuredly, even our short stays aren’t long enough to make a full and fair assessment as to the quality of life long term in an area.  But, we do get the “flavor” of the city, the town, the village, the country in order to determine if someday we’d like to return for a longer stay. 

The smoke from the various fires for cooking created a hazy view of the area.

Few places we’ve visited have left us imminently wanting more, instead leaving us, in each case, with a sense of pride for the region and a connection to its culture and its people, however our short stay may allow.

This was our favorite photo of the night, clearly depicting the color, light and energy occurring at night in the Big Square.

The exception to this has been Marloth Park, South Africa which, for those of you who have followed us these past many months, was unique and special in its own way that will always tug at our hearts.  Most likely, nothing we will ever find again.

Many vendors display their wares on the ground making walking around the Big Square at night a bit challenging as visitors are pushed through the crowds.

In Morocco we find the experience far removed from any past experiences we’ve had, a place drenched in cultural diversity with a potent mix of stimulation of the senses.  

Tom, a little perplexed by the French language spicy menu, wasn’t quite as animated as when there is a burger and fries on the menu. He ordered a three course meal including a salad, a steak and a chocolate mousse which was his favorite of the three.

Where else in the world would one become intoxicated with the smells that waft through every doorway, every narrow alley, every open square and most assuredly, through every house as taste, smell and companionship gather its citizens to commiserate over food?  None other than Morocco. We find ourselves drawn in.

The view from the rooftop of the restaurant.

Yes, the Internet is slow as I sit here now struggling to load photos to share with our readers. 

Yes, no more than 30 seconds from our door we’re bombarded with persistent crowds and barking vendors. 


Yes, the language barrier is a struggle even with my limited French when lovely people such as Madame Zahra only speaks the Marrakech dialect Arabic for which Google translate offers no solution.  Yes, for this long term stay, its not easy.



Many of the vendors lit their displays with visually appealing lighting for the best
advantage for their offered merchandise.
Its from these very challenges that we grow, we adapt and, in our advancing age, we learn more than we ever imagined we’d be learning at this stage in life.  For us, it’s a heck of a lot better than sitting in a high rise waiting to watch “The View” and “Dr. Oz” each day, as we so easily could have done had we chosen another route for our lives after retirement.
This hotel has one of the many restaurants we will try soon.

Instead, Tom spends time each day when we’re not exploring, continually piecing together his ancestry and his varied investments. And, with my ceaseless entrepreneurial spirit in tact I have a website that magically turned into a lifetime dream of writing with adequate fodder to attract a population of readers worldwide. 

After leaving the restaurant, back on ground level, we found an area we’d yet to see, the dining tents.  As we walked by each “booth” we were bombarded by salespeople encouraging us to dine at their station. Each was numbered to ensure one could find the one they’d preferred the next night. These stations are put up and taken down each day to make room for the daytime vendors, a daunting task for the owners and staff.

How ironic that the business spirit that I’ve always possessed has turned into a website with big advertisers without forfeiting the personal perspective that we willingly share each and every day. 

Although I’d just eaten my dinner salad, my mouth watered over these confections. Sweet
desserts are everywhere, none of which I can have nor Tom is interested in.  He prefers a plain cake donut.  

How ironic that my disdain for taking photos up until May of 2013 when we started using the newer camera, would magically turn into a passion for me and for Tom with his great eye for good story telling shots and me, with my determination for a clear and concise angle.

Today, our photos tell more of the story of this “magic carpet like” city as we continue to plan further explorations over the next few months which we’ll joyfully share with you once they are confirmed. 

Each station had a slightly different theme but most, maintain the use of the popular  spices savored in Morocco.

For now, we continue on, with open hearts, inquisitive minds and an impassioned spirit to discover what more this unique environment has to offer.


Mostly tourists, these picnic tables were filled with a hungry captive audience.  We’ll stick to the restaurants which tend to use fresher refrigerated foods.  In any case, it was exciting to walk through this area to see what it was all about.

A reason to celebrate…Spending our anniversary in a foreign land…Life is different for us now…

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Yesterday, we dined at Le Jardin, a lovely restaurant that had good reviews. The food and ambiance were excellent in this “riad,” a building with an open-air, center courtyard, as is the design of our current home. Tonight, for our anniversary dinner, Madame Zahra will prepare and serve yet another fabulous meal which we’ll savor by candlelight in one of the most romantic settings in town, Dar Aicha, our home for the next 10 weeks.

Spending 24 hours a day with another human being could be challenging, whether a spouse, partner, child or family member, business associate, roommate, or friend. 

Seated next to a birdcage with two parakeets, Tom got a kick out of their playful antics.
When there are no giraffes, kudus, or warthogs to watch, birds can be fun!

Retirement often brings couples together around the clock, creating an environment for stress and disharmony. We’re not totally retired, spending half of each day researching, writing, taking, and posting photos, in the ongoing documentation on our website keeping both of us busy half of each day.

No more than two minutes after we were seated, we noticed this turtle on the floor, on a mission. In search of crumbs, he moved rapidly.
Later, during our meal, these two turtles were hanging out together.
Later, they basked in the sun in close proximity to one another.

Although Tom doesn’t write here, he is actively involved in researching information about the city and country in which we’re currently living and the research as to where we’ll live in the future. 

Few Moroccan citizens own dogs, perceiving them as unclean. But, a foreign customer allowed her Jack Russell Terrier to wander about while she dined.  Oddly, (duh) his name was Jack.

Together, we research through 1000’s of future possible vacation homes in many countries, available transportation, cost of living, while continually checking on activities available in our current country. 

These common Tibbit birds frequent the riads in search of food, as they do in our temporary home.

One huge benefit of our daily postings is the manner in which it inspires us to get out and about in order to explore the area in which we’re currently living, taking photos along the way, while soaking in the glory of the experiences. 

Fresh produce from the farm, used in the menu items, were freely on display in the restaurant.

It would be easy to fall back into the “staying in” mode we thoroughly enjoyed in our old lives. But, we get out, as we doing here in Morocco with the colorful culture at our fingertips, a few steps from the door of Dar Aicha.  We’ve been out almost every day.

This was Tom’s lunch, Moroccan seasoned penne and meat sauce.  Asking for half as much spices as usually prepared, he liked this dish. No comment from me on him eating pasta.

In Marloth Park, South Africa, most of the entertainment came to us. Although, we regularly went out. We took a separate three day trip to Blyde River Canyon, several outings in Kruger National Park, attended game drives/bush braais, dined out three times per week, spent a night in a tent on the Crocodile River, and spent many days and evenings in the company of friends all while living in three different houses.

My dinner was this mouth-watering Moroccan seasoned chicken Caesar salad, minus the croutons The black items are dried black olives which I can eat.The homemade salad dressing was on the side. 

Here in Morocco, we’re busy researching possible overnight trips in order to experience the desert and mountains, further away from the city. Samir is organizing possibilities as we also research online what may appeal to us the most. 

After our meal, we explored new other areas of the Medina and the souks, discovering more interesting items along the way. The huge maze-like Medina can present difficulty in finding one’s way back. Tom’s good sense of direction once again served us well when it was time to return home.

Each time we go out, we find ourselves in situations that we find “photo-worthy” inspiring our daily stories. How amazing that years from now, that we, as well our grandchildren and great-grandchildren, will be able to look back at our worldwide travels in stories and photos, let alone the joy we feel in sharing it with our worldwide readers as we post each and every day.   

The top of this mosque in the background serves as a landmark for finding one’s way to through the Medina.

Some have said that we should “get out more.” But, this is not a “vacation” or “holiday.” This is our daily life. Who amongst us, went sightseeing every day in the city, town, or village in which we lived? We shopped, we dined out, we saw a movie. We attended a sporting event, a wedding, a birthday, or a retirement party. 

Did you ever have a fantasy as a child of riding a magic carpet?

We spent time with our family and friends either in their homes or ours. We attended a grandchild’s soccer, football, or softball game. We attended doctor and dentist appointments. We had a medical test, anxiously awaiting the results.

Vendors sit on the ground as they await their next customer.

–

Had we been cooking our food while here, it would have been fun to shop from these vendors.

All of this is different for us now. Neither of us has seen a doctor or dentist since December 2012. Fortunately, we feel well, energized, rested and healthy. If we felt otherwise, we’d see a doctor. In seven months, we’ll be in the US, in Hawaii, where we’ll see a dentist, a doctor if need be, or have a test if warranted.

Finally, we found our way back to familiar territory to begin the trek through the busy souks to return to our home. We were never concerned about being lost. It’s best not to ask passersby for directions to avoid paying for an answer.

In nine months, we’ll be together with our family during the holiday season. Of course, we can hardly wait to see each and every one of them. But, life is different for us now.

When my eye caught this Chameleon, the friendly shop owner noticed my camera, offering a “free” photo. Some shop owners won’t allow photos without paying a fee which we discovered when we tried to take a photo of a meat market.

Samir suggested one only buy spices at “certified” shops to ensure quality and freshness.

These similar items are offered in one spice after another, all with prices subject to negotiation.

The shop owner gave me this palm-sized clay holder. The color in it is actually a Moroccan lipstick made from poppy seed flour, activated when water is added. We offered a tip but he refused, hoping we’d return another day.

After they fly away, we’ll continue on our worldwide travels, living our lives to the fullest, exploring that which we find most interesting, trying that which we may never have imagined, in places we’d never expected to see.

Pashmina scarfs, popular in the US years ago.
 Sandals in many styles and sizes, tempting to me in my old life, not at all now.
Lighting fixtures galore.
Bean pods, herbs, and carrots for sale in the souk.

As we celebrate this 19th wedding anniversary (23 years together), we celebrate with love, with gratitude, and with passion for our lives, for each other, and for living life to the fullest.

Happy anniversary to my husband, lover, and friend for sharing this outrageous adventure with me; for your continued optimism, your cheerfulness, your humor, and for most of all your love.