Finding our way around the steep mountainous roads of Madeira…Photos of us…

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“Nemo” was headed my way as I leaned into the aquarium inside the restaurant, his cute little mouth, sucking in the shape of an “O.”

Online maps in Madeira, Portugal don’t easily provide directions from our home to where we’d like to go. The paper maps we have, don’t show the smaller streets. Many roads are one way with no seeming way to get back to where we started.

Although the weather was warm, we’ve been cold while attempting to acclimate after the extreme heat we’d experienced in Morocco, South Africa, Kenya. Thus, Tom’s long sleeves. We both had jackets with us which we will again today with it cool and windy.

With a dinner reservation last night and a red spot on Google Maps, showing that the restaurant was on the ocean in Ribeira Brava we figured we could find it. Gina explained there was a parking ramp below the restaurant. After a 15 minute drive from Campanario to Ribeira Brava, we were excited to find the parking ramp with the restaurant above.

Taking this photo of us by the boat reminded us of a similar photo in Hopkins Belize over a year ago.

Parking the car in the ramp after taking a ticket (how modern!) the guard motioned us to the elevator to go two floors up to the restaurant. Meandering out the elevator, we searched for a sign with the name of the restaurant. Alas, it wasn’t the restaurant where we had a reservation.

When we spotted this sign, we knew we found the “wrong” restaurant deciding to stay for dinner anyway.

We looked at one another, shrugging our shoulders, deciding this looked like a great place to dine as we moseyed to the huge chalkboard menu in both English and Portuguese. We decided to stay.

As soon as we perused this boarded menu we knew we’d be staying for dinner, although we weren’t in the restaurant for which we had a reservation.

The day had been perfect at 72F, 22C and the thought of sitting outdoors along the ocean was appealing. I felt like a kid in a candy store with a pocket filled with money, flitting about taking photos, practically squealing with delight over the 6:00 pm sunshine, the sound of the surf, the dogs running about, and the birdcage and aquarium in the restaurant. 

Dining in the interior of the restaurant may be necessary on rainy or windy days. 

Tom had one of those ” _ _ it” eating grins on his face that wouldn’t stop. We sat at a comfortable table for four with a crisp linen tablecloth. 

The restaurant view from the sidewalk. More photos will follow tomorrow with too many to post in one day.

As it turned out, the restaurant, Restaurant and Grill Muralha was listed as #2 on TripAdvisor’s rated dining establishments in Ribeira Brava. What a stroke of luck! The restaurant where we’d intended to dine was listed as #4. We’ll find it next time.

The cozy bar on the interior of the restaurant.

Not only was the menu filled with numerous suitable options for me but also for Tom. We weren’t certain as to spices used in Portuguese cooking, wondering if we’d be disappointed with overwhelming flavors for which we’d soon tire. Alas, we were in luck. Portuguese food is lightly seasoned with spices we found to be not only palatable but familiar, enjoyable over the long haul.

Portugal is known for its fine wine worldwide some of which the restaurant proudly displayed.

Tom ordered a beer while I ordered the usual bottle of bubbly water. The food was beautifully presented, promptly served, and hot, mouth-watering, and delicious. The portions were huge as shown in these photos.  We devoured every morsel on our plates. The service was impeccable, friendly, and English speaking, to our surprise.

A decorative shelf on the interior of the restaurant.

It was so good that we commented that the others may be a hard act to follow. With only nine major restaurants in the area with many smaller café and eateries, we’ll return in the future.

Tom ordered the Mixed Grill which he thoroughly enjoyed.  They had swapped the lamb for more steak. He’d had his fill of lamb in Morocco. Of course, more “chips.”

Our bill plus tip was close to the highest we’ve paid since the onset of our travels, US $62.27, EU $45.47. We didn’t flinch. Able to cook our own meals, most likely we’ll dine out twice a week.  If all of our restaurant meals were of a similar price, we’ll spend approximately US $1200, EU $876 during our time in Madeira, for both homecooked and restaurant meals, an amount we’ve budgeted knowing that prices would be higher on this island than in many other countries we’ve lived thus far. 

This was the most delicious and sizable salmon steak I’ve ever had in a restaurant. 

Based on our research there are only a few restaurants on the island where one could spend more, most of which are in Funchal, a long drive from Campanario. We’ve always preferred to dine within 15 to 20 minutes of home when, here, for example, the mountainous drive is not suitable after Tom after consuming a beer or two. 

My salad and cooked vegetables we fabulous. I know, I shouldn’t eat raw vegetables but we’re hearing the water is fine here, although we continue to consume bottled water. There were no comments in the TripAdvisor reviews indicating anyone became ill after eating at this restaurant.

(Since I haven’t driven a car in 16 months, let alone a stick shift which I do know how to drive, we didn’t add me to the contract leaving Tom as the only driver. In an emergency, I could drive a stick shift if I had to).

This yellow parakeet at the restaurant was checking me out as I attempted to whistle.

After I finish writing today, we’re heading back to the supermarket, the largest in the area, to search for the items we either couldn’t find or forgot to buy in our exhausted state on Friday afternoon. This time, we’ll translate all the items we couldn’t find into Portuguese hopefully aiding in our search for certain items.

While dining, this fluffy dog came by staring at me, hoping for a morsel. The waiter scooted her away. She reminded us of a bigger scruffier version of Jessie of Gucci and Jessie, the two dogs we loved in Kenya.

So far, so good. We love Madeira, the scenery, the house, the food, and the friendly people. A few days ago, we saw Gina’s dad gardening on the steep hill across the street. I yelled out to him, “Olá, como você está?” which translates to “Hello, how are you?” Later, he told Gina, “She speaks Portuguese!” Ha! We shall see!
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Photo from one year ago today, May 20, 2013:

Our last night on Royal Caribbean Mariner of the Sea left us feeling a little sad as the end of the most extraordinary cruise we could ever have imagined.  The Pyramids, The Suez Canal, The Lost City of Petra, and the Treasury where Indiana Jones was filmed, the excitement of The Gulf of Aden and so much more, added to our wealth of growing experiences. For details of that final night as the ship made its way to Dubai where we’d stay in a condo for two weeks, please click here.

Internet issues continue…Unedited post was uploaded…Yikes!…Final mountain photos…Great photo from one year ago!

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Corner shops we passed on the mountain road.

Late last night, when the Internet appeared to have improved I reread yesterday’s post finding numerous errors I thought I’d already corrected. Usually, when writing a new post, I write directly into blogger.com, reviewing each line and making any corrections before uploading it. After I’ve reviewed it making corrections, Tom also checks it for errors. At times, we both miss errors that neither of us nor spell-check spotted.

The handmade wares offered by the locals are a common sight along the highway.

Due to the poor signal yesterday, none of my corrections were saved resulting in my uploading the unedited version. All-day, I was unable to get back into the site to verify its status to ensure the corrections took. Imagine my frustrations when I discovered that all of my errors were uploaded which may have created some difficulty for our readers. 

A more elaborate housing style pops up in the landscape. It appears there’s a river beyond these homes.

Hopefully, whatever precipitated the vastly slowed Internet connection appears to have improved to some extent last night, enabling me to go back into the site and make the corrections as originally intended. I apologize for this annoying inconvenience.

Once again, the blue sky appeared as a backdrop to the colorful hills.

Frustrating. If during the next 31 days, you don’t see a post on any given day, most likely it is due to the fact that we cannot get online. A few times on Sunday, I was able to get into Facebook, but not on into many of my other most frequently viewed sites. 

Wrought with motion sickness, I took all of these photos through the closed window in the vehicle.  It was too much effort to open the power window.

Of course, email requires less bandwidth and is readily available with the weakest of signals. Feel free to email me with questions or comments if you don’t see a post.

The landscape is lined with power lines.

With future plans in the works, we’ve had difficulty getting into the specific sites at certain times in order to look up cruises, flights, and vacation rentals. Booking the flights for our family for Hawaii in December has also been a challenge with this same issue as well.

The scenery was desolate at times.

Today, we’ll be booking our flights and rental car for Madeira. How dependent we’ve become on the Internet!  Without it, we’d have had little interest in traveling the world. How did travelers manage in the past? Or, a hundred years ago? I can’t imagine.

The red color of the earth is seen throughout Morocco is due to the high iron content.

As an avid reader, I’ve often had to try for days to upload a book I’ve ordered for the Kindle app on my phone.  Also, with only two English speaking news channels on the TV, we are dependent on the Internet to provide our entertainment during quieter times. 

Uploading shows from Graboid may take an hour to upload a single one-hour TV show requiring that we upload them during the night when the Internet traffic is low.

Another housing development.

Unquestionably, the thick walls of the Medina and in the riad have a bearing on the ability to get a clear signal.  I have no doubt that outside the Medina there’s a tremendous improvement.

Breathtaking scenery.

However, as we’ve written in the past, we’ve had issues with the strength of the signal all over the world, some countries more than others. The strongest signals we’ve had have been using XCOM Global’s MiFi rental. 

More breathtaking scenery.

Unfortunately, there are two limitations in using XCOM Global that are limiting for us; the allowance of only 250 megabytes per day, not nearly enough for our combined usage which is upwards of one gigabyte (1000 Mb) per day and, the cost at US $395 a month which is high considering the limited usage.

With the rainy spring season, the grass was green and crisp against the iron-rich soils.

We each have our own hotspots that we can’t use in some countries, including Morocco. By purchasing SIM cards that we install into the hotspots, we were able to get a good signal for example in Kenya. However, when we first arrived in Morocco, we visited several cell stores none of which carried the necessary SIM cards. With a router and service provided in the riad utilizing local Internet service, our only option has been to use it.

When we looked across this railing, it was hard to imagine that we were on that section of the road only a few minutes earlier.

Many homes we’ve rented have routers that are included in the rent. When inquiring about a prospective rental, our first question is about the availability and quality of the signal. So far, everyone has been straight with us, explaining the occasional outages and periods of poor signals that occur during the high traffic periods.

I’d wish I hadn’t had motion sickness which prevented me from fully embracing the beauty of the scenery. However, I’m grateful to have taken the photos I did since we’re enjoying seeing them now.

Luckily, this morning I was easily able to get into our site, hopefully catching my errors before uploading today’s post to the Internet. There’s no doubt that on occasion, we’ll have posting issues along with errors that we fail to catch. Although it’s somewhat embarrassing to leave errors in our wake, I accept that its a reality of posting every day.

Moving quickly while I shot this photo of what I believe to be sheep.

Writing every day is comparable to writing a school essay each and every day, hoping to get a passing grade.  Add the cumbersome task of adding photos and it can take time. It’s a case of errors waiting to happen, both mine and those predicted by the strength of the Internet. 

Another case of the road we’d traveled minutes ago.

I try not to stress about any of it. The sheer pleasure of documenting our lives during this exciting time and sharing it with readers all over the world is motivating and never feels as if its a task. Except perhaps, yesterday and other days when the signal is too poor to post or make corrections.

It amazed us how well these roads were made through these steep mountains with elevations up to over 14,000 feet, 4267 meters. At one point we were at 10,000 feet, 3048 meters suffering no ill effect from the altitude. 

Thanks for reading. Thanks for returning to read. Our lives are all the more meaningful with our readers traveling along with us.
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Photo from one year ago today, April 14, 2013:

Still on a back-to-back cruise on the Carnival Liberty as it left Miami, we giggled as we spotted the Norwegian Epic ahead of us, the ship we’d be boarding in Barcelona, Spain one week later. The story from that date describes how we managed to move to another cabin after not sleeping for several nights due to the loud noise from the disco one floor below us making our bed shake until 3:00 am. For details of that story, please click here.

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.

A perfect day…A long walk deep into the walled city…A diamond in the rough…

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Finally, we had reached Pepenero, the French restaurant where we dined yesterday, a long maze like-walk through the narrow passageways in the Medina. This was definitely a daytime-only trek for us.

It would be impossible to have a rental car while living in the walled city of old Marrakech. With the necessary 15 minute walk to exit the Medina and wildly busy traffic on the main road, there is literally nowhere to park. 

As we made a sharp turn on our walking trip to the restaurant we found many interesting sites along the way.

With many petit taxis imminently available outside the entrance at reasonable negotiated rates, we have no concerns about getting around. Plus, Samir will arrange for Mohamed to take us anywhere we’d like to go outside the walled city.

On Monday, we’ll do just that.  Mohamed will meet us outside the wall at noon to take us on a half-day excursion to see some of the sites outside the Medina. Monday, with weekend tourists gone, was a good choice.  At the end of the day, we’ll have him drop us off to try a new restaurant on the return drive, perhaps at one of the many fabulous hotels lined up, one after another, on the main road. 

Many of the roads leading to the restaurant were mostly busy with locals shopping for food and merchandise.

Halfway through our time in Marrakech, we’ll arrange as we often do, to spend three nights at another location, in this case, a journey into the Sahara desert and to see the famed Atlas mountains, staying at different locations each night as we work our way deeper into the desert and mountains. We can hardly wait! 

Then again, we make an effort not to spend time fantasizing about what we will be doing, as opposed to what we’re doing now. As Tom and I always remind one another, “Love the one you’re with!”

As we neared the exit to the Medina, cars were allowed.  Seeing this sign was comforting, so we continued on. We approached a door in this area, thinking it was a public building that we could visit when we were told by a security guard that it was an entrance to a palace occupied by a king. Thus, no entry! We continued on our way.

Yesterday, we did just that, loved the one we were with! Planning a hike through the huge Medina to a TripAdvisor highly rated, #4 restaurant on their list of best restaurants in the Marrakech, PepeNero, we were excited to be on our way.

Finding a restaurant located in the Medina that isn’t situated in the Big Square can be challenging. The narrow winding roads, many unmarked, are comparable to a maze, where one can meet numerous dead ends or seemingly walk in a circle ending up close to where one started. This possibility doesn’t intimidate us at all. 

We walked along many fairly isolated roads such as this with an occasional beggar awaiting a token.

Tom’s excellent sense of direction, coupled with directions on my phone, we took off an hour before our scheduled reservation at 1:00 PM. We’ve found that going on these long treks deep into the Medina is best attempted during daylight. Although the Medina is guarded in the main areas, many of the narrow alleys could easily invite trouble at night, nor would we want to get lost in the dark. 

It was easy to imagine that we thought we were going down the wrong narrow road when we encountered isolated areas such as this. But, it was at the end of this road that we found the restaurant, PepeNero.

Making our way to PepeNero was more about the fun of finding it than the idea of a midday main meal.  However, as many long term tourists have mentioned online in reviews, an occasional meal away from the popular flavors of tagine and its varied spices, is often welcomed. 

These colorful rose-filled fountains were a common part of the decor in PepNero.

The thought of another meal in a French restaurant was particularly appealing to both of us. Having budgeted enough for at least two of these more expensive outings each week, we didn’t flinch over the added cost.

Most likely, every day, they’d add fresh roses to decorate the fountains in the restaurant.

The Big Square in the Medina is a wide-open area filled with vendors, acrobats, storytellers, snake charmers, and musicians during the day and exploding at night. There are numerous side streets branching off of the Big Square, that one can explore heading to many parts of the souk, homes, and shopping areas for the locals. 

It was bright and comfortably warm from the sun in the courtyard as we were seated near one of the flowery fountains.

Taking any of these narrow (no cars allowed) roads is not only exciting but has an element of danger with motorbikes zooming by and with the sudden appearance of fast-moving carts with donkeys and horses.  Although we proceed with extreme caution, we often come within inches of being run over. 

The beautiful roses were displayed throughout the restaurant.

Tom, my personal navigator, pulls me from one side to another as we maneuver our way through the busy alleyways. It’s only when we’re deep into a narrow road, far from the crowds, that the traffic diminishes. Even then, we must remain on guard when suddenly a fast-moving motorbike appears out of nowhere.

Our view from inside the courtyard of the restaurant while we dined.  Heaters were available, but we were comfortable.

Yesterday, caution prevailed while we diligently followed an occasional sign pointing us in the direction of the restaurant. As each sign appeared, we were comforted that we were on the right track. At a few points, when we hadn’t seen a sign in a long while, we became concerned, when moments later, we felt relieved when another sign magically popped up.

There were banquettes for those preferring to dine inside as opposed to the courtyard.

Finally, we reached our destination, the final sign on a wood door. But, the door to the restaurant was locked.  Luckily, an employee also trying to enter, rang a doorbell and we were let inside along with him, wondering for a moment, if perhaps something was wrong with our reservation. 

This bird found a morsel for his meal.
Adjusting the camera in the bright sunlight, she was easier to see.

The website and TripAdvisor.com both stated they were open until 2:30 for lunch, reopening at 7:00 pm for dinner. I’d received an email confirmation for our reservation. Moments after entering, a charming English and French-speaking waiter seated us at a sunlit table for two in the open courtyard. At that point, we were the only guests, although 30 minutes after we arrived a few others appeared.

There were orange trees growing in the courtyard.

It fascinates us that orange and lemon trees grow inside the riads.

This gave us a great opportunity to linger over the interesting artifacts, architecture, and design of the riad and to take photos unhindered by other diners. We couldn’t have had a more enjoyable time in the exquisite ambiance, dining on an equally exquisite meal combined with the finest service in the land. 

A complimentary small appetizer referred to as an amuse-bouche was served prior to our meal. Mine was gluten-free, as are many offered items on the menu. After showing the waiter my written-in-French list of items I cannot have, he assured me this appetizer was befitting my way of eating. It was made with Aubergine, which is eggplant.
Tom’s amuse-bouche had a cracker decorating it.  Surprisingly, he ate it finding it acceptable for his picky taste buds.

Our waiter understood perfectly, obviously from many experiences when to ask how we were doing and when to step back, as we engaged in lively conversation as I told Tom a long-forgotten story from my many years as a business owner. 

Tom’s entrée including filet mignon, grilled potatoes, and vegetables which he thoroughly enjoyed, eating every last bite.

It’s ironic, how placed into a relaxing environment such as our world travels, that long-forgotten stories come to the forefront in our minds. In our old lives, the stress of daily living kept our brains preoccupied. Now, away from all of the stress, we find ourselves recalling stories we’d never taken the time to share.  In a funny way, it makes our relationship new and exciting. 

My entrée was grilled salmon and vegetables which was divine. The total cost of our fabulous meal including a liter bottle of water, tax, and the tip was MAD $400, US $49.25.

Living in a new environment every few months easily makes way for new thoughts, ideas, and conversation that invariably keeps our 24/7 lifestyle fresh and entertaining. Of course, with Tom’s relentless humorous observations and my rampant optimism and attention to detail, we never seem to have a moment of boredom with one another or for that matter, in anything we do.

After we lingered in the pleasant surroundings of the restaurant for a while, we began the walk back, feeling satisfied after a delicious meal and excellent experience.

Currently, we’re sitting on the sofa together in the salon in Dar Aicha,  the little heater cranking out a bit of warmth, I’m writing and posting photos, while he is listening to his favorite radio show, Garage Logic, which is blaring in the background on his laptop. Whether I like it or not, I am a captive audience of his radio show finding myself laughing out loud from time to time.

Returning to Dar Aicha requires a walk through several souk after leaving the Big Square.

Here we are in Marrakech, Morocco, living in a much larger-than-we-need house, the open sky inside brightens our days in sunlight and our nights in stars and occasional moonlight. We’re graciously and elegantly attended to by an amazing household staff of four as we find ourselves content and above all, grateful, for each and every day.

After our almost three hour outing, we returned to find this cat snoozing on the grate outside our door.

An evening outside the Big Square…

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Karim, the owner of the French restaurant, Cheese Me, suggested we take a photo together.  He was also a world traveler which we discovered after our taxi was ordered. Next time, we’ll spend more time with him sharing world travel stories. No longer carrying a handbag, I stuff my pants pockets with girl stuff, as shown in my zipping right pocket. Although we’ve seen few insects in Marrakech, my two pairs of lightweight insect repellent pants come in handy.

In a perfect world, traveling the world would result in being “free spirits” able to do exactly what was most appealing. In the “real” world we have budget constraints that have a distinct effect on how we spend our time and money. From time to time spending a little more than usual is inevitable and last night was a perfect example.

As we walked through the Big Square toward the street, the sun was setting. This area is close to the street outside the Medina and was less crowded during this time.

It was obvious to me over the past week that Tom was needing a more familiar meal with fewer vegetables, fewer spices, and something he could dig his teeth into. After spending the morning posting here and the early afternoon working on tax stuff, I quietly searched online in an effort to find a restaurant for last night’s dinner more befitting his limited taste buds.

The simple décor was pleasant and welcoming.

Fingers flying across the sticky keys on this new laptop (yes, now more letters stick than the letter “i”), I was looking for dining options at TripAdvisor.com and other websites. Screaming out at me over and again was a peculiarly named restaurant, “Cheese Me,” a required cab ride from outside the Medina.

Tom, with his observant eagle eye, noticed that this chandelier was made of upside-down wine glasses. Not only does Cheese Me offer many cheesy dishes, but they also have an extensive wine list. 

Using Google Maps, I found the location, set it up on my phone, sent in a request for a 7:00 pm reservation for two, telling Tom the good news when he came back downstairs after his shower.  He was set and ready to go.

The casual nature of updated daily specials adds a nice touch to any dining establishment.

With it raining off and on all day, with a break at 6:00 pm, we began to make our way outside the Medina to the street where we grabbed a “petit taxi” to take us to our destination. It’s a long walk to the street from our riad, including walking through the Jemaa el Fna souk, then across the Big Square through hoards and hoards of people. 

Tom really enjoyed this flavorful French Onion soup, usually served in a cup. At Cheese Me it’s served in a nice-sized soup bowl.

By the time we reached the street, it was 6:25 pm. The traffic on the street was crazy with fast-moving cars, tuk-tuks, horse-drawn carriages, motorcycles, and bikes seeming to go in different directions at once. While scanning the area for a taxi, a driver approached us. 

My watercress salad, although simple, was fresh and crunchy with a delicious tangy homemade vinaigrette.

Showing him the address and a map on my phone, I asked him, “How much?” to which he says, “70 dirhams.” (US $8.62). Tom flinched and started to walk away.  I started negotiating. Once we were down to 50 dirhams, US $6.16, I waved at Tom, “Let’s go!”  He yelled out to the taxi driver, “40!” The taxi driver began to walk away, waving his arms in the air saying, “No, no, no!”

Tom savoring his French Onion soup.

Oh, good grief! Ten dirhams is US $1.23. “Let’s get going!” I bellowed to Tom over the noise of the crowd. (I am not one to yell by any means, but the situated required a loud voice). The traffic was awful with horns honking, sirens blowing, pedestrians scrambling to cross the street to avoid getting hit, and I thought for US $1.23, we should get going. 

it would be fun to return to Cheese Me, sit at this cozy bar to chat further with Karim.

Tom wasn’t thrilled when we piled into the little car. Later, Karim, the restaurant owner, told us we shouldn’t have paid more the 40 dirhams, US $4.93 for the ride from the street outside the Medina. So, once again, Tom was right. 

Back inside the walled city, the night’s festivities were in front of us as we made our way back to our riad. It had begun to rain again.

But, my rationale is always the same, circumstances prevail. It made sense to get into the taxi at that point.  Fortunately, Tom and I don’t argue over such incidences. We let it go. Next time, we’ll say 30 dirhams and settle for 40. We learn as we go. In any case, the extra US $1.23 was not that big a big deal.

Tom suggested I turn around to take this shot of the mosque’s lights.  What a sight!

Arriving at “Cheese Me” a few minutes before 7:00 pm, Karim welcomed us at the door. Upon entering the cozy French restaurant we were comfortable and at ease as we settled into the molded plastic chairs, noisy to move across the floor, comfortable for sitting. The menu offered a wide array of simple options, dishes that incorporated fine cheeses in one way or another, exactly what the doctor ordered.

Tom ordered their highly acclaimed onion soup, based on a review I read in TripAdvisor.com while I had a plain watercress salad with a homemade vinaigrette as a starter. For the entrée, we both ordered the bacon cheeseburgers, mine without the bun. I gave Tom my included homemade French fries.  hey even had ketchup which Tom appreciated.

We had to watch carefully while walking as the horse-drawn carriages stopped for no one.

When our burgers arrived, we were both so hungry that I forgot to take a photo. Sometimes our appetites supersede our desire for a photo op.  Taking the first bite, both of us were in heaven. I hadn’t had a bun-less burger in a restaurant since Kenya and the taste sent me reeling. The bacon was actually pork bacon, an oddity in Muslim countries, smoky and perfectly cooked.

The presentation, the ambiance, and the friendly conversation and suggested photo with the owner, Karim, put the final touch on a delightful experience. The cost of the meal, the most we’ve spent dining out in Marrakech so far was, MAD $350, US $43.03 including tax and tip, without cocktails but with other beverages. We didn’t flinch. 

Yes, it was a little pricey for “soup, salad, burgers, and fries” but, the service, the presentation, the quality and taste of the food, the ambiance, and the special attention paid to us by the owner, made it worth every penny.  Maybe, we’ll return, but Tom seemed a little hesitant with the high price for burgers.

Once back inside the souk, we noticed that many of the shop owners had closed for the night, although this butcher still had his products on display.  Humm..I always wondered how meat could sit out so long without spoiling.

The waiter called our petit taxi cab driver when it was time to go, for the return 50 dirham trip to the Big Square for a total cost for the evening of MAD (same as dirham) $450, US $55.41. Most often, our meals inside the Medina have been half of this cost, but dining at Cheese Me was well worth the added expense. 

Dining out three to four times each week with Madame Zahra cooking for us on the nights in between, requires us to pay attention to how much we spend each week when dining out. Don’t we all? The cost for each meal Madame Zahra prepares for both of us is MAD $200, US $24.62. (The US dollars for this amount may vary from day to day as the value of the dirham changes). 

The dark alleys of the souks are cluttered with litter at night, all of which will be cleaned up for the opening time in the morning.

Each Tuesday, we pay Samir for Madame Zahra’s meals to ensure she isn’t out of pocket for the cost of the groceries for long. Each time we dine in, she shops in the souk for the ingredients in areas the locals frequent as opposed to where the tourists shop. (We’ll be including tips for the four household staff members halfway through our stay and again before we leave).

Last night convinced us that one or two “special” dining out experiences each week is well worth the added expense and fits into our budget, considering that the other evening’s costs are lower.

By the time we unlocked the door to our riad, the floor in the courtyard was covered in rainwater. Luckily, we’d returned in time to avoid getting ourselves soaked. When walking from room to room on the main floor we have to walk around the edges in order to stay out of the water. This morning, when  the rain had stopped, this area is still wet. Oumaima and Madame Zahra used a squeegee to move the standing water to the drain.

Back at Dar Aicha by 9:30, after another exciting walk through the Medina in the dark with the activities in full roar, we were content to watch a few shows on my laptop and head to bed for yet another good night’s sleep in the comfortable bed. 

Today, more work on the taxes and another walk through the souk. We’ve yet to shop for our jogging suits. Neither of us is excited about shopping, knowing our luggage is overweight as it is. Anything we purchase results in disposing of something we already use. At this point, I can’t imagine what that might be.

African Reunion…Our new home for now…A new “Vigil for Visitors”…A huge Spider, the Golden Orb…

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African Reunion House, named after the island off the coast, is considerably larger than it appears in this photo with four bedrooms, five bathrooms, two huge verandas, a Jacuzzi room, open kitchen with dining bar, over-sized dining room and inviting entertainment/TV/living room/lounge. 

Yesterday, our only challenge once we’d moved into the African Reunion House, was which bedroom we’d choose. After nearly a half hour of walking up and down the stairs to the second level and back and forth on the main floor, we looked at each other contemplating our dilemma.

Tom, doing his usual power lounging on the “new” veranda at African Reunion House, another temporary house we’re enjoying in Marloth Park.

“You know what, Honey?” I said, grinning from ear to ear.  “Look at us. Our biggest problem is which bedroom to choose.” We burst into laughter.

The stone braai area, conveniently located to the house and pool.

At that point, we quickly made a decision. We’d choose the two bedrooms on the main floor, the one overlooking the pool for me to use for showering and dressing for the day and the other for sleeping. 

The infinity-edge pool is cool, clean, and refreshing. We took our first dip today.

This way, I wouldn’t awaken Tom in the mornings when I usually get out of bed before him. We’ve made this type of arrangement in most of the houses in which we’ve lived in the past 16 months. This plan has served us well.

Today, we had a chance to soak up a little sun after the dip.  No wonder I’m behind on posting today.  I was goofing off!

Moving was relatively easy with Zeff and Okee Dokee helping on both ends. An hour after arriving at the African Reunion House, we were fully unpacked and organized, in awe of the ample supplies and storage areas at our disposal.

This wall of various size and shape twigs and branches provides a privacy wall at night simply by flipping a light switch that magically creates full blocking of the veranda.

Louise and Danie stopped by later in the day to check on us, although it was totally unnecessary. Their thoughtfulness and consideration for our well being are outrageous. 

The view from the main floor veranda provides an excellent sweep of the yard as one searches for visitors.

Louise, bless her heart, had brought along four beautiful white linen napkins knowing that we were entertaining Linda and Ken for breakfast on Tuesday morning. Apparently, she’d read our recent post about how in our old lives, I’d always used linen napkins when entertaining and for ourselves when dining alone. 

Danie handcrafted this wood door. Not only is he a highly talented designer and builder, but, he also excels in the fine art of woodworking. 

There are no words suitable to describe the quality of service and attention to detail that these two over-the-top hosts provide on all of their properties. One hardly needs to ask. They pick up tidbits in conversation and respond to them quickly with the utmost of consideration. We’ve never felt so pampered in our lives.

Yesterday afternoon, while riding with Okee Dokee and Zeff, both of whom helped us move from Khaya Umdani to African Reunion House, we spotted this giraffe along the road. We tried to entice her to stop munching and pick up her head for a good photo.

And, this same personal service they offer is evident in the meticulously stocked, designed, decorated, and maintained houses they own and manage. If one were expecting perfection, they’d be totally fulfilled. If one expects less than perfection, they’d be surprised and in awe, as we have been long before we arrived, by the prompt and complete answers they provided for all of my annoying and seemingly endless questions.

This was the best photo we could get from her.  That must have been one tasty tree.

African Reunion House, although different from Khaya Umdani, offers similar quality design, decor and construction. With four bedrooms, each with an en suite bathroom as well as a fifth half bathroom on the main floor, two are located on the main floor, one of which is fully handicap assessable with a “roll in” shower and extra-wide doorways, the room we finally chose for sleeping. The bed, the pillows, and the covers were exquisitely comfortable. 

A few hours before leaving Khaya Umdani on Sunday, our friends Linda and Ken stopped for a visit. Earlier, I’d noticed this spider when I walked through its web. Ken captured this excellent photo, identifying it as the Golden Orb, which is non-poisonous.  As far as Spiders go, what a beauty!  As far as photos go, what a beauty!

One of the many enticing aspects to this home is the “outdoor” fully screened Jacuzzi tub off of one of the two bedrooms in the second-floor suite which also includes an inviting living/TV/entertainment room. 

Coincidentally, today, when OKee Dokee and I stopped at the little house for supplies she spotted this Golden Orb, hanging over the pool. My camera can’t do as good a job as Ken’s. But, I was thrilled to get this shot showing a smaller spider caught in the web.

There would be no disappointment by a group of four couples deciding on which of the four bedrooms to select. Each of the bedrooms and the other rooms in this fine home has its own special charm and amenities.

We’d planned to dine out last night, but decided to cook instead. The fully equipped kitchen was calling to me.  I couldn’t wait to chop and dice in the open space overlooking yet another tastefully decorated dining room with seating for eight. Also, eight can be served on the veranda at the comfortable handcrafted wood table and wicker chairs.

Last night, not only did we dine at that spacious table on the main floor veranda (there’s an additional veranda on the second level), but we stayed outdoors until after 11:00 PM, looking and listening to the nighttime sounds of Marloth Park, now so familiar and music to our ears.

After an excellent night’s sleep, we couldn’t wait to wander outdoors to begin the new “Vigil for Visitors” which without a doubt, will prove to be rewarding, as will be our stay for however long, in the enchanting African Reunion House.

Today, shopping was on the agenda resulting in another trip to Komatipoort for groceries, more data at the Vodacom store, the chemist to pick up Tom’s vitamin B6, which we’d ordered last week, a stop at Credence Clearwater for more bottled water, and a quick trip to the little house for more of our stuff. Leaving at 10:00 am with Okee Dokee, we didn’t return until after 12:00 pm which put me behind on posting today. 

For the early birds out there not seeing our post this morning, we apologize for the delay. Tomorrow, we’ll be back on track posting in the morning with lots more photos, South Africa time, of course.

Happy day to all.

No Super Bowl Sunday here…”Home is where the heart is”…Pricing for Khaya Umdani…The Safari Room…New wildlife photos…

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Louise suggested we put out some yogurt at night for the nocturnal bush babies. We placed a small bowl in a hanging wood birdhouse close to a tree. Unfortunately, we were distracted yesterday morning and forgot to remove the little plastic bowl of yogurt. Going inside to get beverages, we returned to find these Vervet Monkeys with the little bowl in hand, lapping up the yogurt. Tom scared them off (they can be destructive) and they dropped the bowl, running off.

Never much of a football fan myself and Tom being a die-hard Minnesota Vikings fan with no interest in other teams, other than the unlikely prospect of the Vikings beating a team in a game, missing another Super Bowl didn’t have much effect on us.

It’s tricky taking photos of Vervet Monkeys.  They never sit still for a second. After Tom chased them the veranda, the hung around the braai area, without a concern.

However, we did discuss the time difference as to when the game would begin (it was 1:30 am this morning here in South Africa) and we wondered who won until Tom discovered the winner by opening Facebook first thing this morning and seeing the score this morning in an email from his brother Jerome.

This Vervet Monkey was trying to figure out how to lap up a few drops of the yogurt on the stones that the other had spilled carrying the bowl.

Although, we did think of our friends and family gathering together for the game, as we had done at times in the past with me making a football-shaped and decorated cake, along with a smaller football-shaped cheese ball with all the other nasty snacks we used to enjoy. How times have changed for us!

The moms are exceedingly protective of their babies making it difficult to get close enough for a clearer shot.

Nostalgic?  Perhaps, a bit, mostly over missing the “people” not the game or the food. But, this morning, when we threw open the entire glass wall of doors to the veranda at Khaya Umdani, we knew we were “home.” You know, “the place where the heart is.” 

And that place is the “home” that Tom and I had made for ourselves wherever we may be at any given moment. Isn’t that what “home” is, the place you gravitate back to at the end of the day, or after an outing to find the familiar comforts that embrace you the moment that you walk in the door?

For now, it is luxurious Khaya Umdani. In a few days, it will be back at Hornbill, the smaller house, where perhaps our warthog families are awaiting us, standing in the driveway at full attention with ears flicking back and forth when I speak in my high pitched voice in greeting. Even here, only four short days later, several moms already respond when I say, “Good morning, Ms. Warthog. Good morning baby warthogs.”

An outdoor adventure can be had in the Safari room on the second level of Khaya Umdani.

As for the rates on Khaya Umdani,* which we’d mentioned yesterday, that we’d post today, here they are:

December/January (per night)
(01 Dec ’14 – 31 Jan ’15)		 – – – ZAR 5000  US $469.58  EU$344.14
All other periods – – – ZAR  4000    US $376.66    EU $275.31

*Rates are subject to change and may vary based on the size of the group. Imagine how reasonable this would be for two families sharing this fabulous house as compared to each family tightly packed into two small rooms in a resort hotel? 

The Safari room is completely screened for an open-air experience, enjoyed by young and old alike.The sounds of the night are enchanting in this “sleeping outdoors” experience.

Restaurant prices are usually no more than US $25, ZAR $266.20 per couple, including cocktails, at the finest of establishments in the area. Groceries are usually 40% less than we’ve seen in other large cities. The most tender delicious filet mignon is usually no more than US $3.91, ZAR $41.67 per serving. 

Can you imagine how exciting this room would be for kids, especially, preteens and teenagers?

Although airfare from some countries is high and the time to travel is long, the experience is priceless; friendly people, wildlife in the yard, Kruger National Park a short distance for some of the most amazing safari experiences in the world and the unreal experience of the Bush Braai and Game Drive, hosted by Louise and Danie, an experience we’ll always treasure.

Yes, the posts of the past few days may have been a huge ad for this house and this area. And yes, we share these details on behalf of our wonderful hosts, Louise and Danie. But, folks, we’re experiencing the most unbelievable adventure of our lives. For nature lovers, nothing compares. 

The moms often look at me intently when I talk in my high pitched voice. They’re asking for pellets. I comply. No longer will I toss pellets near this small fence after yesterday’s incident when the baby crawled inside the fence and the mom went after it, almost knocking it over. Tom scared them off before the fence broke. (See yesterday’s post with photo).

When we’ll be in Hawaii beginning in eight months, we’ll spend most of our days whale watching and hopefully, we’ll swim with the dolphins. Maybe, sometime in the future, we’ll watch for moose in Alaska, crocodiles, and anacondas on the Amazon River or tigers in India. With continued good health, we hope to continue on and on.

Impalas, in this case, a male with the antlers, are rather shy. Their gentle nature and gracefulness make them a joy to watch, especially when they leap through the air.

But, being here, living in Africa and now in Marloth Park, which is at times hard and challenging, has been the best experience of our lives, one that has changed us forever and that we will carry into our hearts wherever we may be.

We often hear “people,” ask, that on one’s deathbed, what will they wish they had done differently? The answer will never be, “I wished I had worked harder,” nor “I wish I’d had more “stuff.” It will always be about “love” and “experience” of which, if it were all to end now, we can emphatically state, “We’ve had it all.”

For this, we are humbled. For this, we are grateful. We carry on…

Khaya Umdani…An exquisite opportunity…A respite in another area in Marloth Park…Our temporary new home…

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Khaya Umdani is a six bedroom, five bathroom stunning bush home fully embracing the integrity of African culture while providing a luxury environment befitting the expectations of both the seasoned traveler and those less traveled, seeking the comforts of stylish and easy living.

It’s not that we weren’t happy in the other house. We were rather content. But, our fabulous hosts, Louise and Danie suggested we experience a few of their other properties to review and share with our worldwide readership. Over the next several days, we’ll share our experiences as residents of Khaya Umdani.

We couldn’t have been more thrilled and appreciative of this opportunity, especially after we arrived at 10:30 yesterday morning for Louise’s expert tour of this upscale home, most likely one of the most desirable properties in Marloth Park.

This veranda is where we’ll spend our time for easy viewing of the massive grounds, a combination of the dense bush with a few open spaces for wildlife to run. This shot reminds me of a scene in the movie “Out of Africa” which we watched a few months ago while in Kenya.

Nothing was spared in the design and décor of this luxury home with six bedrooms, five of which have en suite bathrooms. Each bedroom is aptly named befitting this unique bush location and in some cases, includes a story surrounding past wildlife experiences on the property which we’ll share soon.

Packing yet again, including clothing, toiletries, food for meals, drinks, snacks, and digital equipment was challenging in yesterday’s heat and humidity apparently typical as South Africa moves into February, comparable to August in the northern hemisphere. Today, it’s cool and pleasant after last night’s rains.

This is the oversized eight-person table where we’re sitting as we write here now, overlooking the ‘double pool” with a shallow and deeper depth suitable for all. Chaise lounges to the left await us as soon as the sun appears after a much needed rainy night. 

Once we were unpacked, securing all of our food supplies from a potential monkey invasion, Danie stopped by to ensure all of our needs and comforts were met, showing us how to use the first gas grill we’ve had access to since leaving the US many moons ago. 

We brought along two frozen uncooked chickens and we were delighted to see an “American” type grill over which we all laughed as Danie removed the cover. The convenient modern kitchen has every possible amenity including a wine cooler, a dishwasher and a wide array of small kitchen appliances, few of which we’ve had in any of our vacation homes outside the US.

To the left is the open braai (fire pit) suitable for cooking or a bonfire with a stone seating area. To the right, is an enclosed wood-burning braai with a stainless steel sink and every possible rack and utensil. The yard is this area is “gently” fenced to keep nosy visitors from occupying this area while preparing meals.

In addition, the cupboards were impeccably stocked with spices, coffee, teas, and every imaginable dish, knife, flatware, bowl, container, and pot befitting the most ambitious cook. 

Tomorrow, we’ll share photos of the well-stocked interior of the cabinets, an unbelievable sight to see.(We’re waiting for the sun to appear for brighter interior photos). Only Louise‘s fine taste and detail orientated demeanor could create such pleasing and useful spaces. 

And for the less savvy braai cooks, here is the “traditional” and delightfully, familiar gas grill on which we’ll cook tonight’s dinner, roasted chickens on the electric spit. 

In South Africa, the wood-fired open braai (fire pit) is a daily means of cooking that for most citizens, is more of a tradition than a necessity, a reason for friends to gather to partake of the local beer and wine, for which South Africa is known. Add a variety of delicious grilled and stewed grass-fed meats, a few starchy side dishes and a South African meal is ready to enjoy.

Khayi Umdani offers features we experienced, in part, during our past two months in Marloth Park, including daily maid service, dishwashing if desired, laundry service, and maintenance. Every possible means of providing relaxation and comfort are afforded by it’s guests. 

The attention to detail in the finest of amenities is reflected in the lovely locally made table on the veranda.

Louise suggested we leave our breakfast or prior night’s dishes for the staff to handle the next morning. We never leave dirty dishes overnight. But, the staff is on hire in any case and prefer to be kept busy than standing around from 7:30 am to 2:30 pm each day as they work about the house attending to every detail. They are unobtrusive, quiet, and respectful, never causing us to feel that they are underfoot.

With Zeff only, coming to the other house twice a week, we were more than satisfied. Knowing how much we’ve liked him, Louise and Danie ensured he’ll be here for us during our time in Khaya Umdani. What service! The quality of service provided by Louise and Danie and their staff fined tuned to perfection, is comparable to that which one would find in the finest of five-star resorts and hotels. That quality of service follows through from our smaller house, all the way to Khaya Umdani and other fine properties owned and managed by Louise and Danie.

The natural stone pool is meticulously maintained daily.  The water is crystal clear.

Already scheduled to dine out when we moved in on Thursday, I had wished we were dining in. The moment we feasted our eyes on the massive dining room table with seating for 10, we knew a home-cooked meal was imminent. Also, the square oversized dining table for eight on the veranda holds an enormous appeal for us, where we’re seated now as we write here. The temperature has cooled and we’re blissfully relaxed.

Today, we’re sharing exterior photos of the house with interior photos following over the next several days.  Tonight, once the beautifully appointed dinnerware is filled with our homemade “grilled chicken,” veggies, and salad, we’ll take photos to share in Saturday’s post along with more photos of this exquisite vacation/holiday home as we experience the endless areas offering the utmost of comfort, style, space, and amenities. 

These sturdy swing chairs are actually very comfortable.

So far, we’ve seen a number of warthog families, tentatively approaching us curious as to our motives. Soon, they’ll see that we respect their environment and that they need not fear our presence.

The private watering hold attracts wildlife from all over the area. During heavy rains, this “creek” is filled with water.

As always, our eyes continue to scan the grounds for even the slightest movement, anticipating full well, that more visitors will arrive in these surroundings. Although we’re only a few miles/meters from the other house, perhaps a few of our favorites will wander our way. One never knows!

Our first warthog visitor with two babies, the mom giving me “the look” that says, “Did you bring any pellets with you?”  “Yes,” I said, “We certainly did,” as I ran to the kitchen for a handful.  Khaya Umdani, heavenly!

Wrapping up our trip to Blyde River Canyon Lodge…A treasured memory…

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The exquisite view from our room at the Blyde River Canyon Lodge, Hoedspruit, South Africa, where we stayed for three nights while we toured the many sites in the area.

It wasn’t an easy decision to leave Marloth Park for three days. One, we’re already paying for one home and to leave it empty to pay for another place to stay, makes us think twice. Two, I was afraid we’d miss visitors while we were away. (Tom didn’t quite feel the same – a guy thing).

The veranda and casual dining area in the Blyde River Canyon Lodge overlooks the pool and the expansive grounds.

However, if we had a permanent home, we’d occasionally take a three or more day trip out of town and the costs associated with owning the home would continue in our absence.

The door to our first floor guest room was conveniently located near the lounge, veranda and dining area.

What if the giraffes came to visit while we were away, maybe 12 of them as in the first time they wandered into our yard on a sunny morning in December? What if the wildebeests visited for the mineral lick, yet to occur in these almost past two months that we’ve been here?  What if Clive, our favorite Ostrich, lumbered down the driveway, proud and determined, while we were away?

We’d hope for time to use the pool, but our busy schedule made it difficult.

If any of these events occurred in our absence, we’d have never known. Yes, I did wander up and down our long driveway after returning on Saturday checking for animal tracks and piles of poop. There was plenty of both. 

The manicured grounds were a change after living in the bush these past almost two months.

Leaving Marloth Park wasn’t easy. The only way I could lessen my apprehension was to stay in an extraordinary place surrounded by nature. Blyde River Canyon Lodge filled the bill. We couldn’t have been more pleased. Need I say that we researched our option for several days?

On the grounds at the Blyde River Canyon Lodge, as a part of the lodge, is a separate luxury two-story guest cottage with a full kitchen, two bedrooms, large living area and inviting décor.

Based on recommendations from the wonderful locals, we met, especially our friends Piet and Hettie, the Panorama Route was the thing to see, not too far away, a pleasant mountain drive with incredible scenery.

The lounge in the lodge was tastefully decorated with the finest furnishings and accessories.
Alternate view of the lounge area. There’s a small bar to the far left of this area where a wide array of drinks and mixes are available. 

With an abundance of attractions in the area we chose those most appealing to us as shown here over the past several days: the Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, the Blyde River Canyon boat ride and a visit to the Elephant Sanctuary, and finally, the Panorama Route, leaving us busy and out and about each of the three days that we stayed at the Blyde River Canyon Lodge.

This was our table for all of our meals, breakfast (included) and dinner at the end of each of our three nights at the lodge. We had no issue with insects in the morning or evening. Notice the zebras visitors who stopped by daily. It was fun to see them racing through the huge expanse of lawn as shown in the background.

Another day to stay at the lodge would have been ideal. But, we had to return the little pink car on the return trip to Marloth Park via the airport in Nelspruit. (More on that frustrating story later). 

This was a young Vervet Monkey (photo from afar) that we’d see playing together at dusk.

We had little time to enjoy the beauty of the lodge’s surroundings. Much to our pleasure, there were visitors stopping by early in the morning and again late in the day, the few times that we were able to be at the lodge, savoring every moment.

The huge gnarly trees created the perfect amount of shade for lounging comfortably outdoors on hot sunny days. 

As for the Blyde River Canyon Lodge, we found it to be the perfect choice for us, conveniently located to everything we wanted to see, affordable, and most of all, absolutely enchanting.

Who needs a lawnmower when Zebras cleanly dine on the grass?

The service was “over-the-top” by every staff member. The attention we received from the owner Vicky and her assistant Portia was appreciated and unexpected. 

A zebra was scratching on the tree while impalas leaped through the air with the ample open spaces.

This was the first time we’d seen zebras mating when all that have visited us in Marloth Park have been males. The zebras courtship rituals resulted in animated playfulness that we found entertaining as they chased and ran through the open spaces on the grounds.

The food at both the included breakfast and reasonably priced dinner served outdoors, couldn’t have been more suitable for my way of eating and to our mutual liking, freshly prepared with the finest of ingredients. The chef didn’t hesitate to meet with me to discuss my dietary restrictions in order to prepare my food accordingly.

At each meal, the table was set utilizing a new color scheme.  We never saw the same place setting twice during our six meals at the lodge.
At each dinner, a starter, an entrée, and a dessert were served. The chef made this special starter for me when the starter for the evening wasn’t conducive to my restrictive diet. It was so delicious I asked for it the second night to which they complied.

Tom splurged and enjoyed this delicious Berry Compote Panna Cotta. We were having such a fabulous time at dinner, I failed to take photos of our entrees, all of which were wonderful.

Tom usually doesn’t care for cheesecake, but he managed to get this down! I must admit, this one was hard for me to resist which I did without even a taste.

Our room, although a basic hotel room, was situated on the ground floor, close to the lounge area and outdoor seating, was spotless and in excellent condition with no signs of wear and tear. The bed and covers were comfortable with the air conditioning working perfectly for a good night’s sleep. The shower had excellent water pressure, something we recall from a life long ago.

As the Vervet Monkeys played on the lawn and in the trees, this young impala stood back, occasionally joining in the play.

Unfortunately, I didn’t sleep well while at the lodge. I was so excited to get outdoors, awaking each day at 4:00 am waiting for the sun to rise. Also, with a slow WiFi signal, typical for the area with the surrounding mountains, I was chomping at the bit to post our stories and photos which had to be accomplished in the early morning and finished in the evening.

The Vervet Monkey on the right was no larger than the size of a small cat. The smaller, on the left, could easily have fit into the palm of one’s hand. 

Typical for me on our “side holidays,” I slept poorly, fearful of missing something. Yes, I know. It’s a flaw of mine, one of many, driven by a brain that just won’t shut off when I’m having fun. It’s during the quiet, less stimulating times that I can sleep for seven hours.

The simplest of naturally occurring vegetation, growing next to a piece of driftwood, created a pleasant scene.

Our total cost for three-night stay at the Blyde River Canyon Lodge including dinners, drinks, and tips was US $582.27, ZAR $6200. The total cost of the lodge and the cost of the fees for the stated activities was US $886.42, ZAR $9438.50, also including gas/petrol to and from the area.

More natural vegetation highlighted the grounds.

Although this side trip wasn’t a bargain, we definitely felt that the quality of the experience was well worth the cost.  In our old lives, if we’d gone to Duluth, Minnesota, USA for three nights, we’d certainly have spent a comparable amount if including the cost of a four-star hotel, several attractions, meals, drinks, and gas/petrol.

Although a quaint, intimate facility, the Blyde River Canyon Lodge, with seven guest rooms plus the private luxury cottage, was offering the utmost amenities, service, and food, commensurate with a much larger high-end resort.

The private stand alone cottage was charming and well appointed.

The spacious living area and kitchen in the private cottage.

The master bedroom in the private cottage.

The second bedroom in the private cottage.

The master bath in the private cottage.

The view from the private cottage from the living room.

Tomorrow, we’ll share the frustrating story of the pink rental car which, by the way, we no longer have in our possession, or any vehicle for that matter and… What we’re doing for transportation over the remaining 38 days we’re living in Marloth Park. Plus, we have more new unseen photos to share.

Please stop back.

Photos of our house in Marloth Park… The nuances…How much is our rent?

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These photos were taken a few years ago by Louise and Danie. But the condition of the house has remained constant and these photos are exactly as we are experiencing this house. As a newer house, there is more vegetation close to the house at this time. The veranda to the right in this photo is where we spend most of our daylight hours.
There’s a veranda off of the living rooms on each level with another outside the kitchen door.

The only reason we’ve hesitated to post photos of our house in Marloth Park, South Africa is the same reason that most women will understand: Who wants to take photos of the interior of your house, room by room, without tidying every inch of space?

Dani takes care of finishing touches as they photographed the house, now all cluttered with our foodstuffs and miscellaneous supplies.

No, we’re not that messy. But, everything we own is strewn about the house in a reasonable state of tidiness, but by no means, to the degree that I’d love to have photos taken. 

It’s a pleasure to have use of all of the kitchen amenities, making cooking a breeze. 

We could take the time to go from room to room, of which there are seven, and organize it all, making it photo-worthy. Or, we could let the chips fall where they may and take “as is” photos. Not gonna’ happen! 

Currently, this bread keeper contains matches for starting the stove (required everywhere we’ve lived outside the US so far) and a few of our own kitchen gadgets.

Posting “as is” photos here isn’t as if only a few people will see them. With our rapidly growing worldwide readership, I cringe to think of how many readers would actually see our mess. No, thank you. I may be wearing socks with holes and only own a few items of clothing but my dignity is still intact. 

The stainless steel double sink has been a real boon for my favorite dishwasher, Tom. Having lived without a microwave for a year has made it of less interest to us now.

The first thing we’ll do when we get the rental car this Friday is to find a store to purchase socks. We’ve been told that they sell them in Nelspruit although selections are limited. Tom also needs socks. Who goes 14 months without buying a pair of single pair of socks or underwear? How weird is that?

We’ve moved some of the furniture to accommodate our needs, including the bar stools on which to set my laptop for movie viewing and some side tables to act as TV trays.  Thus, we can dine while sitting on the sofa, rather than on the backless bar stools.

Anyway, back to the house. We either had the choice to clear everything off of the shelves or, to use the photos Louise and Danie had used online that attracted us to this house and this location in the first place. We chose the latter.

Ah, a comfy sofa with ottomans. Indoors, none the less!

Thus, only a few of these house photos shown today were taken by us. As we’ve mentioned in the past, anytime we use a photo taken by others, we will disclose it. 

To the right in this photo are the sliding doors to one of the three verandas, two of which have the iron gates, as do all of the accessible windows, to protect us from animals entering the house or in the event of theft which is a rare occurrence in Marloth Park.
Here is the door from the living room to the master bedroom which we keep closed at all times to keep the insects out. Keeping the outside doors shut at all times is vital to keeping the interior insect population under control. There are no screens, but the three AC units make this less of an issue when inside.  Plus, we spend most of our day outside on the main floor veranda, fearful of missing any of the action.
The second-floor loft/living room.

This isn’t to say we won’t post photos that we’ve taken of the house of insects, creatures, and unusual situations we encounter indoors, for instance, the photo of the live bat, I found in the kitchen sink yesterday morning which has been saved for the next “Small Things” post for next month.

Our photo of the second floor bedroom which I use as a dressing room.  What a luxury!

 

The master bedroom on the main floor where we sleep is almost identical to the upstairs bedroom which I use for storing my clothes and as a dressing room. With two en suite bathrooms, we avoid bumping into each other. There are two beds in the master, full size and a twin size. We sleep in the full size which is the smallest bed we’ve slept in thus far.
Main floor en suite master bath.

We like this house. It’s small but has everything we need; two stories, two bedrooms, two en suite bathrooms, two living rooms, a well equipped modern kitchen, three verandas, a plunge pool, and fabulous bedding and towels. 

The second-floor soaking tub which I’ve only used once. Soaking in a bath has always appealed to me.  However, the brownish colored water, although safe for bathing, makes doing so unappealing. 

It’s clean and well maintained. A few odd items require a “workaround” such as;  the main split Dutch door from the kitchen to the veranda sticks, making opening and closing tricky; the pool has a slow leak which requires refilling each day; the location of the light switches and lack of easy access outlets is tricky; the kitchen windows are too high to see outside (to prevent monkeys from trying to get in) making it impossible to see the driveway from the kitchen. 

The veranda off of the second-floor living room.

Most homeowners often have a number of annoying items in their homes, many of which after a period of time are simply ignored.

Excellent views from this second story veranda.

Twice weekly, Zef arrives to clean the house, change the linen and towels, clean the verandas, the pool and take our latest batch of dirty laundry to be returned the following time. There’s always lots of gecko poop everywhere. Zef gets it all.

To the left are the steps from the kitchen to the main floor veranda we use most often.  We’ve yet to use the outdoor grill since most of the food we’ve made has required stovetop cooking.

The house aside, Louise and Danie are the most attentive, helpful, kind, and responsive hosts one could imagine. On a dime, they’ll rush over if we need assistance, as in the time we locked ourselves inside or, on the hottest day thus far when one of the three AC units quit. They were here in minutes from our reporting it. 

The small pool, although lovely, has more appeal to the wildlife than for us. 

Where does one get this type of service? Their dedication to all of their guests in the many properties they own and manage in Marloth Park is astounding. When they made the food for the Bush Braai after the game drive in Kruger Park, they cooked everything suitable for me. I won’t let this happen again!!!

As has been the case with most of our vacation rentals, we’ve been able to negotiate excellent rates for a couple of reasons; first, we usually stay for extended periods, and secondly, during the extended stay, we’ll continue to promote the property. 

This is a sizeable boon for a property owner with our extensive (and growing) worldwide readership, often motivating them to offer us a more reasonable price than the “going rate” which ultimately proves to be more befitting to our budget.

Here is our previous photo of the outdoor Braai area. With so much rain lately, we’ve yet to use it. It fills with rainwater from which the visitors drink. The hose is held in place by the rock on the ledge of the pool keeping it easily accessible for adding more water each day. I couldn’t resist including this photo without a photogenic visitor! 

The usual nightly rental rates for this house in Marloth Park ranges from ZAR $1500, US $147 to ZAR $2000, US $196, (during high season which is now). Most vacation homes are rented for shorter periods resulting in nightly “hotel’ rates.  

Almost two years ago, when working with Louise to determine this special “long term” pricing, we settled on a nightly rate of ZAR $350, US $34.30. This appreciated and affordable rate has resulted in a budget allowance sufficient for a rental car and the expenses for game drives, bush braais, and visits to other areas.

Included in the rent are the twice-weekly cleanings, paper products, cleaning supplies, laundry service, all utilities, cable TV, and the most attentive host and hostess in the land. And of course, included is the endless stream of visitors stopping by on a regular basis.  How can we ever put a price on that?