travel beyond the obvious
The harbor in Essaouira seems to always be crowded with fishing boats, some larger vessels, but mostly small traditional boats painted brilliant blue. I had assumed that the market would be open only at the Read More …
The Riad Al Madina is located in the heart of Essaouira’s historic medina. It’s a great location, on a lively shopping street near both the harbor and a few good restaurants. Our navigation of the Read More …
When you need a break from the ochre walls of Marrakech’s medina, there is no better escape than the blue and green and yellow fantasy land of bamboo and cacti-encircled fountains of Majorelle Gardens. It Read More …
I’m a gardener, so the number one site on my to-do list for Marrakech was not the Djemâa el Fna or the souks or the Saadian Tombs or any of the other truly Moroccan sites Read More …
While I would like to be organized enough to identify all of the historic buildings I see when I travel, that seldom happens. I didn’t even try in Morocco, instead I just wandered rather randomly Read More …
Port cities tend to be places where cultures mix. This particularly true of Essaouira, which was both a major port and politically important city for many years. At the end of the 19th century Essaouira Read More …
With just one (wonderful) exotic adventure this year (Morocco), most of our travel in 2013 was focused around family and friends. I love exploring new places, but my favorite trips are those shared with people Read More …
The port at Essaouira is home to a fishing fleet that is largely comprised of family-owned boats. Many of these are very small boats and almost all are painted blue. They are everywhere – on Read More …
For this year’s Capture the Colour contest, I am focusing on the colours of Morocco. Red is found throughout the rusty landscape, but also in the brilliant dyes that enliven the leather goods for which Read More …
Travel Photo Roulette is a popular online photo competition. This week I not only managed to figured out who is hosting (since it moves each time, it can be hard to locate), but found the Read More …
When traveling in Morocco, it is not unusual to see a wall with a variety of symbols painted within a grid. While visually interesting, these graphics serve a civic purpose. Each square in the grid Read More …
The Riad d’Or provides lovely, comfortable lodging inside the medina in Meknès. Living with history The structure that houses the Riad d’Or dates back at least to 1791. It was renovated in 2007, but retains Read More …
We hired a driver for our recent trip to Morocco. Usually my husband does the driving so I can take pictures, but he misses so much that way. Hiring a driver allowed him to really Read More …
We spent two weeks on a private tour of Morocco in spring 2013. under construction! Morocco itinerary Travel Journals Morocco Lodging: It All Looks Good (March 13, 2013) Who Knew? Morocco Looks like Ireland Read More …
In the morning we wake up early and, with some guidance, find the Riad d’Or‘s upper level breakfast room.We are a bit too early, as it turns out, as the staff is still getting things Read More …
It is only about 40 miles between Meknès and Fès. We are mostly traveling on major roads, but there is still plenty to see along the way. Morocco itinerary All Morocco posts
Meknès is one of Morocco’s four Imperial cities, the base from which Moulay Ismail ruled from 1672-1727. A canny, but brutal leader who turned his kingdom into a formidable power, he also undertook grand building Read More …
When we finally arrive (during rush hour, but also during a break in the rain) at the lovely-looking Riad Yacout, we discover there is no reservation for us.This is when using a travel company with Read More …