My travel Christmas card collection
Every year I develop one or more fanciful Christmas cards based on my travels. Here’s what those have looked like through the years: Christmas 2017 Christmas 2016 Christmas 2015 (My imagining Read More …
Category: Africa & Middle East
It’s World Rhinoceros Day!
Did you know that today is World Rhinoceros Day? First designated in 2010 by the World Wildlife Foundation in South Africa to draw attention to the world’s five species of rhino (two native to Africa Read More …
Happy World Penguin Day!
Everyone loves penguins, right? So today is a good day to show your love for these amazing creatures! Why today? Every year on April 25 a colony of Adelie penguins at McMurdo Station in Antarctica Read More …
A Bit of Benin at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston
Intricately detailed bronzes from Benin allow visitors at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston to peek into a very different time and place. Housed together in the intimate Benin Kingdom Gallery, these 15th and Read More …
Through the Back Door at the Riad El Yacout, Fès, Morocco
The Riad El Yacout sits outside the medina wall near the gate of Bab Boujeloud. Along the one side the scene is dominated by a large construction site that is becoming a new hotel. This Read More …
The Tannery, Fès, Morocco
Fès has been famous for its fine leatherwork for 1000 years. Even today the medina features locally-made leather items. Most prominent of these may be the gaily-colored babooshes – the pointed toe, open heel shoes Read More …
Donkeys in the Streets, Fès, Morocco
The ancient medina of Fès is said to be the largest urbanized area in the world that prohibits motor vehicles. (There were a few motorbikes around, so it didn’t seem completely non-motorized.) In some parts Read More …
El-Attarine Medersa, Fès, Morocco
The El-Attarine Medersa (the Medersa of the Spice Sellers) was founded in 1325 by Sultan Abou Said. A medersa is a place of learning – it is a college that teaches subjects like science, law, Read More …
Cascades d’Ouzoud, Morocco
The Cascades d’Ouzoud is the largest and most dramatic waterfall in Morocco. You may think, as a co-worker of mine did, that this isn’t saying a lot (Morocco isn’t generally associated with waterfalls). But that Read More …
The Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail in Meknès, Morocco
Meknès became an imperial city in 1672 under the sultan Moulay Ismail. He built the city’s imposing walls and enormous palace complex, using this city as his base throughout his 55-year rule. Indeed, this city Read More …
Meknès, Morocco: Home of a Few Imperial Gems
Often overlooked by tourists in their hurry to reach Fés, Meknès is a perfect introduction to Morocco. The historic medina is of a manageable size and scale; the few remains of the imperial city are Read More …
Snow Fences in Morocco
I’m from Minnesota, so I’m pretty familiar with snow fences. Still, I was surprised to realize the sturdy structures arranged in neat lines across the broad valley were snow fences. Winter must be really intense Read More …
Riad Cascades d’Ouzoud, Morocco
Although dramatic, the Cascades d’Ozoud mostly draws Moroccan tourists. Few foreign visitors do more than stop for a few hours as a day trip from Marrakech or along the way to somewhere else. For that Read More …
At the Argan Cooperative, Morocco
The countryside west of Marrakech is known for its argan trees. These small scraggly trees produce seeds with an oil that is high in vitamin E, anti-oxidants, and essential fatty acids. It is touted as Read More …
Sunset from the Rooftop, Essaouira, Morocco
We scope out our dinner options as we explore the city, or rather, I looked up at some point, saw umbrella-topped tables perched at the edge of a roof, and decided that was where I Read More …
The Doors of Essaouira, Morocco
“There was a door to which I found no key: There was the veil through which I might not see.” Omar Khayyam More Essaouira posts All Morocco posts
Lodging in Essaouira, Morocco
Visitors to Essaouira have two basic lodging choices: in the medina or on the beach? We stayed in the medina, which gave us an ideal base for exploring the city. We enjoyed our stay at Read More …
The Most Beautiful Route (Heading Toward Demnate, Morocco)
We are on our way to the Cascades d’Ouzoud. It has been a long day of travel that included spectacular sights: the Ait Benhaddou kasbah, the Glaoui kasbah at Telouet , and the Tizi n’Tichka Read More …