travel beyond the obvious
The seagulls own the harbor in Essaouira. There is no escaping their aggression, except to surrender, to leave the water’s edge for the relative safety of the medina. I read somewhere that Alfred Hitchcock got Read More …
It has been a long day of driving and sightseeing and now there is only an hour or two left before sunset. We are more than ready to check into our hotel and collapse over Read More …
The stark contrast between the average tourist and the life of the average Moroccan is often on display in popular tourist areas like Marrakech, but it can be seen anywhere. This was the scene in Read More …
It is late in the day, and we are following a nondescript van along a quiet rural road when we realize there is a hand sticking out of the back door. This is probably a Read More …
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 …
“The conscience of a nation.” In many ways Nelson Mandela was more than that, serving as the conscience of the world. He was both a great leader and the wise father or grandfather of us Read More …
What is a “travel fail?” Is it the unexpected thing that doesn’t go right and creates frustration, confusion, or humor, but that really doesn’t matter in the long run – the delayed luggage, the missed 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 …
Often people will tell me “I don’t need to travel to see the world; I can see it through pictures.”As a photographer, I should be grateful for this attitude, as it provides a potential market 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 …