لصويرة‎,

Essaouira لصويرة‎, (pronounced) eṣ-ṣauīrah

First Impressions: I remember as a young boy growing up in California we spent many family vacations exploring the coast from Baja to Big-Sur and points beyond. On these trips we would often beach comb and wander the shoreline playing and exploring. When it came time to turn back to our camp, I would resist, wanting to see what was around the next corner, or just go a little further to see what lay over the next dune. I had no idea what I was looking for, or hoped to find, and trying to articulate that feeling was something for adults to do; I just felt this magnetic pull, and the need to see what might be there. Not an uncommon impulse. I bring this up because as I walked around the old city walls of this ancient sea port, I got that same feeling, and realized that Essaoira may have been the place I had hoped to find all those years ago, or at least it seemed to be pulled directly from the imaginations of a thousand young adventurers, and made concrete, right here on the Atlantic coast of North Africa.

Essaouira, the history of the city goes back centuries, and I just want to give a nutshell. The Kasbah, or citadel sits along a rocky and sandy shoreline, assaulted by waves. The city walls are crumbling in some places, right into the sea. There were settlements on this spot dating back to antiquity. The Romans grabbed this city because of a valuable purple dye made from sea creatures harvested from its shores. It was a gateway port to Africa and Europe and later the Americas. The Portuguese fortified it and armed it with massive cannon, probably for the slave trade. The Tuareg and Berbers among many other nomadic North African tribes brought their wares here to trade. Despite all of the time that has passed, the city looks and functions much the same as it probably did 300 years ago. It is no wonder to me that this city drew to it people like Jimmy Hendrex and Orson Wells, among many other creative heavyweights. The kids think it is right out of a pirate movie, but real life.

The walled city streets are too small for cars to fit down, so there is only room for pedestrian traffic, hand and donkey carts. The salt air permeates everything. There are probably almost as many cats as there are people living in the city. Our riad was located along the North sea wall of the Kasbah, ocean view and everything. I am not sure I have ever sleaped that close to waves that were as big or as loud as the ones crashing outside our windows, nor am I sure that I have ever had as vivid dreams as I did sleeping there. There was a new moon which meant extreme tides, great for beachcombing and tide pooling. We walked through the main street as the souks were opening one morning, and witnessed hand carts full of live chickens being delivered to the row of butcher shops. The butcher would pick a couple, barter over the price, and proceed to do his “business” with the chickens! No question as to the origin or freshness of the meat we were eating, (circle of life kids! Circle of life!).

The first day of Ramadan began while we were in Essaouira. I feel very lucky and honored, (as well as an outsider) to be traveling in a Muslim country during this holy celebration. Ramadan is a month long observance of the transcription of the Koran. Observant Muslims fast during daylight hours for the entire month. Ramadan is the name of the month, like August, but based on a lunar calendar, not a solar calendar, so it starts at a different time every year. Walking through the souks as sunset neared on the first day of Ramadan is an experience I will never forget. There was an electricity in the air, everyone was running around with groceries and dishes, and huge plates of homemade food. They were gathering with family and friends, making ready to break the fast after sundown. Imagine thanksgiving dinner, if you had not eaten all day and it might come close. The Mosques announce the end of the fast, and the celebrations start and continue long into the night.

Soon we are off to Casablanca, and then back to Spain. Morocco is an amazing country but not for the faint of heart or those who shy away from adventure. As romantic and mysterious as it is, it is also a county lacking in (or approaches in a different way) some basic infrastructure and comforts many people back home take for granted. We had an incredible adventure here and are already planning for our return sometime in the future.

Agadir

Agadir

We left Marrakech on the 19 August, it took us 3 hours and 3 cars but we finally made our way to Agadir on the central coast of Morocco. Luckily we had a Berber driver who was aggressive and knew the route and the area well. We drove over a mountain range (name?) and saw some amazing landscapes that seemed to change quickly. Lots of almond and olive orchards, eucalyptus trees, cactus and rock formations. The temperature began to drop from the heat of Marrakech (45 degrees Celsius) as we got closer to the coast, quite a relief. Matt had the unfortunate job of riding shotgun, he white knuckled it all the way to Agadir. On the other hand Monica had the seat that faced backwards which was probably for the best. The road is only one lane in each direction, it is also the only highway in the region that connects North Africa and Europe to the Sahara and below, so you can imagine a variety of vehicles, speeds and temperaments on the road. Lots of passing slow trucks heading directly into on coming traffic.

Our stay was a bit north of Agadir, a small community with two mosques and a few markets. We stayed at Moroccan Surf Adventures so that Matt could catch some north African waves. Led by Abdul, Matt got to get some surf time in at a couple of the local spots. The conditions were chest to head high, rights and lefts, with warm water to surf in…. Matt was a happy camper. The coastline here was very reminiscent of home, lots of rocky points and long sand beaches, all practically abandon. Monica, Martin and Ginny along with the kids were led to various outlooks to see the beautiful coast line of Morocco and then for a couple day adventures at Camel Rock Beach. It’s called Camel Rock because there is a rock on the beach that looks like a…… camel! Ani, Sam and Roan got some surf time in with the help of Said. Said was a genius at teaching the kids and got Ani up on her first surf board. She caught a few waves too! Monica and Ani took a ride on one of the local camels as did Martin and Ginny. Sam and Roan said they would wait until Egypt. Okay.

A couple of pleasant days hanging at the beach and surfing then we took off for Essaouira, heading further north along the coast.

مراكش المدينة القديمة

Marrakech, Morocco

We met my parents in Barcelona, so they could join us on this leg of our journey. They have been traveling for the last month and a half as well, and it was good to meet up with them. We arrived in Marrakech at 2:00 o’clock in the morning, after a delayed flight from Spain. Our riad رياض (house) was called L’Orangeraie, and was located inside the old Medina (city). The cool night air and dim alley that led along the street set the mood for this edgy and fantastic city. According to custom, the outside of many of the riads are very modest mud, brick, or stucco walls, with no visible windows or markings beyond a number or name, and usually an austere looking large wooden door, that is carved or riveted. The inside of the riad is a different story. Ours was very ornately decorated with a beautiful garden courtyard and rooftop terrace. It was an oasis in the middle of the ancient city. We awoke to the sounds of the “calls to prayer” that were broadcast form the many Mosques that dot the city center, as well as the songbirds. We had an amazing breakfast of fresh fruit, Crepes Maroc, and French crepes prepared by the staff. Next it was out in to the city streets, and the souks (سوق ) .

The souks are markets and shops that line the streets all thought the ancient city quarter. One of the several times we became lost in the souks, I asked a local for directions and he obliged, telling me that the streets and souks were a lot like my stomach and intestines, winding around and around, but there was only one way in and one way out, a very fitting description! It is hard to put into words the experience of walking through the souks. Sensory overload comes close. The sounds, smells, and visual intensity is overwhelming. I felt like I could have found anything I wanted in the souks. There were live monkeys, cobras, lizards of all kinds, clothing jewelry, what ever you wanted. The souks eventually leak out on to Djemaa el Fna, the main square in the old medena.

If the souks are indeed the guts of the city, Djemaa el Fna is the heart. This diverse square changes through the day. In the morning it has fruit and spice vendors, and is rings by orange juice stands, (there is nothing to compare to Fresh squeezed OJ when it is 45 degrees centigrade out!). Snake charmers, fortunetellers, henna artists, and Monkey wranglers populate the square center. There are also several medicinal and herbal stands that sell all kinds of strange and wonderful object to help ward off the Jinn جني, including, (my personal favorite) dead, dried chameleons that explode when thrown in the fire, to ward off the evil spirits. During the middle of the day, it is almost to hot to do anything, and the square and souks slow down. This is the calm before the storm, and as the air cools in the evening things start to ramp up. Sunset in the square makes burning man look like Sunday school. The center fills with movable food stands with all kinds of specialties, many cooked in a Tagine, a kind of clay pot, but there is also kebab and almost anything else. Smoke and open fire billow from these stands, creating a very dreamlike atmosphere. Surrounding the food stands are hoards of entertainers and people. While crossing this section with Ani in the stroller, I had a monkey and cobra thrust on me, and Ani had a monkey thrust on to her, just to give an idea of the chaos. Our time in Marrakech has been wonderful, but it would be very easy to become overwhelmed here if you were not careful. We stayed in an amazing Riad, L’Orangeraie, in the old town and had wonderful hosts. If you come with a love for adventure, and are not afraid of exploring outside of your comfort zone, you will not be disappointed. I love this city, and look forward to the next time I can return. The next stop, Agadir, and the coast for some surf!

At night the warm air begins to cool, depending on the heat of the day. It has gotten as hot as 105 degrees Fahrenheit during the day, taking it down to the low 90’s? At night it’s been lovely to sit on the roof terrace looking at the stars listening to the call for evening prayer. It reminds me much of hearing church bells in St. Mark’s Square or at many cities in Europe. The minarets (towers) that rise from the numerous mosques remind me of bell towers. The calls to prayer begin in the distance and sound remotely like a crowd yelling in the distance, it soon begins to amplify as the mosques closer to where we are start in unison and all around us you can hear the calls. Matt says that they start like a small murmur and then like a wave they overtake you. Like the church bells call believers to either go to church or to pray the calls from the mosques are very warm as they remind one to remember Allah (or God). Since this is my first time to a Muslim country, I find the experience very comforting. No matter if you are Christian or Muslim the call to prayer reminds us to be thankful and thoughtful, at least to take a moment to pause throughout the day.

Barcelona

Gaudi is amazing to experience in person. Words can not describe the way he sculpted space and environment. I cant help but think as I walked through several of his creations that he had to have had a great relationship with his contractors and craftsmen. For one of his buildings all he created was a maquette and some drawings, not much to go on if you were in charge of actually realizing and building the space, but it was executed amazingly none the less. Having a father who was a coppersmith, and an uncle who owned a foundry had to have come in handy when organizing and designing the spaces he created. After spending the last two days with his buildings, I am inspired, I feel I need to design and build something when I get back!

Picasso…. The Picasso museum here was also a treat. It houses much of his early work, and is laid out in an impressive building in the medieval section of Barcelona. Many of the works of art are very early, and trace his progression from academic to groundbreaking visionary. It is always great to see the rendering skills he possessed as a boy and young man. The part of the collection I enjoyed the most was seeing his series of work dealing with Velasquez, “Las Meninas” it seems that every good artist, or artist of significance has to deal with the history, and the artist that came before. For Picasso, that was Velasquez, and in some part, looking at “Las Meninas” referencing Velasquez, I can see how Picasso felt that Velasquez was the giant that Picasso had to deal with in some way, either to battle, or to stand on his shoulders, or to absorb him in some way. It seems that Picasso made the right decision.

La Rambla…The main street, leading from the port up to the city center is called La Rambla. It is a wide pedestrian walkway, flanked by tall apartment buildings. There are all kinds of things happening along La Rambla, from bird and live animal markets, to hustlers with shell games and turtle races, to street performers and amazing Tapas Bars. The kids had a blast exploring along La Rambla. Spanish schedules are great; adjusting children to them is a little bit of a challenge. Luckily there are enough places around to find food and snacks.

We Leave tonight for Marrakech Morocco, and other parts of North Africa. It should be a very different experience!

Mediterranean

Dubrovnik, Croatia, the Dalmatian Coast….Great city that I’d love to visit again, would love to see more of the country. Saw one Dalmatian dog and we dodged a major hailstorm and flash flooding.

Santorini, Greek Islands...

don’t take the donkeys up the mountain, the cable car is worth every Euro. You can walk down the mountain, just beware the donkey patties.

Athens and Piraeus…Can’t believe we saw the Parthenon (more or less)!! Felt like our guide was from My Big Fat Greek Wedding, “Parthenon is the Greek word for….” Not sure I would want to spend more time in Athens though, big city.

Naples, Pompeii, Sorrento and the Amalfi coast…LOVED Naples and the surrounding areas. Pompeii was such a big surprise as far as the ruins and how much has been discovered over time. Just infatuated with how there is still paint on the walls and murals with fairly vibrant colors. It really gives you the sense of scale for what Pompeii must have been like and how the streets were laid out and how the houses must have been. The drive on the Amalfi coast reminded me of driving PCH around Big Sur in California. The lunch in Sorrento knocked my socks off, so far the BEST meal that I have had so far, I just don’t know if I would ever be able to find it again or tell anyone else how to. I thought of Charmaine the entire time while enjoying my homemade Limoncello!

Rome and Vatican City...Besides being very crowded and hot (as expected), I enjoyed revisiting the Coliseum and touring the city again. We had a great guide who knew a lot about art history and had moved to Rome to work in the archives there. Seeing the Sistine Chapel again was different than my first time, not as pleasurable due to the crowds. BUT I do have to say that the restorations had not been completed since I was last there and this time it was so vibrant! The colors in the paint just popped out from the walls and the scenes came to life. Interesting range of people visiting, some talking on their cell phones and others in tears, moved by the work of Michelangelo.

Florence and Pisa... The tower is still leaning. I actually wonder why they just didn’t tear the whole thing down when they first realized it was leaning, rather than try to fix it so many times over the years. Just a query. Florence is the birthplace of gelato and we found some amazing gelato close to the Ponte Vecchio. We visited Santa Croce where we saw the burial place of Galileo and Michelangelo and some work by Brunelleschi as well as Donatello.

Nice and Ville France…..Made our way to the Matisse Museum where I was personally amazed by the maquettes that Matisse had made for a chapel ( the name escapes me at the moment). Many works that I have never seen before and some interesting artifacts that were left over from his home and studio.

Our next stop is Barcelona where we will be for a few days before we leave for Morocco. We are going to miss being with my family but are ready to move on in our travels. Cruising is a great way to see a lot of places and I am looking forward to getting our feet back on the ground for a while.

Venice

Venice…

A city where the streets are for pedestrian traffic, and the only motorized vehicles are boats that access the houses and buildings through ocean canals. The kids have grown quite accustom to Subways, Metros, Tram, Taxi and bus systems by how. The main forms of public transportation we have been using over the past month to get to and from our daily destinations of museums, monuments, parks and cafes. It was a thrill for them to see the same systems of public transportation in use in Venice, but all of them waterborne craft of some sort. From the large public (and at times quite crowded) water buses, to the private water taxis, and the gondolas. There were all sorts of municipal watercraft as well, from trash “truck” boats, to construction boats, to all manor of private watercraft. It was the same as any of the other large cities we had visited, but everything was done on the water, in canals. The kids were blown away.

On the far side of the Grand Canal, opposite Saint Marks Square, the island was much quieter. The throngs of tourists were not evident here. I ran across a workshop where a very special part of the Venitian boats were crafted. This apparatus, a kind of oar-lock is a very special part of the indigenous watercraft, weather it was a Gondola, or other local boat. The workshop I visited was incredible. An apprentice was working when I walked in to the workshop and he took some time to talk to me about his craft. The basic explanation was that what he made was much like a letter in an alphabet, each one had a specific function, and was different form all of the others, a brilliant analogy. The forms were incredibly sculptural, and ultimately functional, my analogy would be that these wooden apparatus were much more like bones than letters, resembling some particular skeletal mechanism. Needless to say I was fascinated. I am going to visit the shop when we return to Venice in a few weeks.

After leaving the shop, we went to Peggy Guggenheims house on the Grand Canal. This museum created in her private residence was very impressive. I would suggest it as a destination to anyone interested in art, while visiting Venice. What I liked about it was that some of her original furniture was still in the house, along with the art, and photographs of Peggy in the house as it was when she was there. Peggy is buried in the garden, along with her multitude of dogs (listed as “children”). I could not help but think to myself, standing in front of her grave, that I too would have liked to have lived out my later years in that house as well.

Other Venice highlights that should be included, The Venice Biennale, Titian, Tiepolo, Tintoretto, Da Vinci, The Academy, and getting lost on purpose, which I highly recommend in this city. Tomorrow we board our ship and head out across the Mediterranean Sea to the Dalmatian Coast, and the ancient port of Dubrovnik, Croatia. More from there! At sea the internet is shaky and slow, so for the next few weeks the posts will be at different intervals. As I post this page today, I am doing it from sea, over a marine satellite link, so I have had to reduce the image and video quality, the post is also a week old by now. New post to come about the Greek Islands, stay tuned!