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Darren and Janet
Darren and Janet

Darren and Janet

traveled in 36 countries Read more🇦🇺Adelaide
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  • Darren and JanetMorocco and Portugal 2023Darren and Janet
    1Foggy morning over the Douro River on the way to Pinháo
    Local market, Amarante2Caching in the Douro Valley1Terraced vineyards1River boat being lowered in the lock2Pinháo Station, more tilesOur outlook at lunch, Pinháo2Wine tastingPeso da Régua waterfrontPeso da Régua

    Douro Valley

    April 1, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    We woke up to a cloudy, overcast day for our journey east, up the Douro Valley. Amongst low cloud, the first stop was Amarante, where the local market was in full swing.

    We followed the river, with it's steep banks lined with terraced vineyards, and stopped in Pinháo for lunch. There were 2 river cruise boats in dock, but they must have been out wine tasting, as the small town was very quiet.

    Rui made some calls to fit us in for a tasting at a winery that made table wines as well as port (many only make port) and we visited Quinta do Bomfim for a very relaxing afternoon of tasting on their wisteria covered pergola overlooking the Douro River.

    Accommodation tonight is in Peso da Régua where we had dinner at a non-touristy restaurant (ie not on the waterfront). The staff spoke no English (the same amount as our Portuguese), so we had much laughter communicating our order. The staff always bring out olives and bread at the start of the meal - they are not complimentary, but added to the bill unless you send them back - and tonight we also received a mystery bowl... of chicken gizzards. And they were quite tasty!    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMorocco and Portugal 2023Darren and Janet
    Tasting port in Porto
    Cafe and bottleshop, PortoStreet art, PortoSuper Bock Arena, inside Cristal Palace1View over the Douro from Cristal Palace'Half Rabbit ', sculpture made of rubbishView of Porto from GaiaWalking back up the hill into Porto, under Louis I Bridge - the funicular was out of service 🙁1McDonald's Imperial, Porto

    Walking Porto

    March 31, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    Walking and caching day today. While Bek and Jake did the walking tour of the bookshop etc with Rui, we let the caches be our guide through the city and ended up at Cristal Palace, a Victorian garden with a view over the Douro River. Within the grounds is Super Bock Arena, a sporting and cultural arena built in 1954 (and 7 caches 😁).

    We used the river taxi to cross the Douro in time to meet the others for lunch, at the market in Gaia, which is the name of the city on the south side of the Douro River. The city contains many cellars (locally known as "caves") where port wine is stored and aged, so Oliver and Jake took part in a tasting of 5 varieties of port (neither were won over 🙄).

    We walked back to our hotel via the train station and the flashest McDonald's around, in what was previously an iconic Portuguese 1930's cafe.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMorocco and Portugal 2023Darren and Janet
    Guimarães city walls
    View over Braga from the Sanctuary of Bom JesusStaircase of the 5 Senses, sightLate lunch, Guimarães1Guimarães2Staircase of the 5 SensesBraga city squareGuimarães CastleGuimarães CastleStaircase of the 5 Senses

    Ye olde castle

    March 30, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    Day trip north today to the region where Portugal started as a nation.

    First stop was the city of Braga, third largest city in Portugal and one of the wealthiest cities with a strong commercial and industrial base. We visited the Cathedral of Braga, the first Portuguese cathedral, erected several decades before the founding of the country. It began to be built at the end of the 11th century.

    After a walk around the old city and spacious town square, we headed to the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus (Good Jesus of the Mount), a Catholic shrine in the hills overlooking the city. We walked the 573 steps up the Staircase of the 5 Senses, and rode down in the cable railway, one of only 3 in the world powered by water (each carriage has a water tank, the top car is filled up, and the weight of the water and gravity pulls the other car up the hill, then the process repeats in reverse).

    Our afternoon visit was to Guimarães, the first capital of Portugal. We visited the castle, had lunch in the square and walked the city walls, before heading back to Porto via the coast road.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMorocco and Portugal 2023Darren and Janet
    1Luis 1 Bridge crossing the Douro
    Carmo and Carmelitas Churches, with hidden house in between1Azulejo tiling, Carmo ChurchFountain of the LionsLello Bookstore... Is this the moving staircase?Lello BookstoreTower of Clerigos1São Bento Station2São Bento Station2Upper deck, Luis 1 Bridge

    It's all about Harry

    March 29, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ 🌬 21 °C

    Today was a walking day, the most efficient way to get around the busy and narrow streets of Porto.

    We began by visiting Lello Bookstore, often referred to as the most beautiful bookstore in the world, and one of the inspirations for JK Rowling when she wrote Harry Potter (she lived in Porto from 1991 to 1995).

    The shop has lengthy queues to enter, so to quell demand they charge 5 euro to enter (which comes off any purchase)... but there is still a considerable queue to buy tickets, and a crowd inside all day.

    To save time waiting in the queue, Rui bought our tickets while we visited the nearby Carmo and Carmelitas Churches.

    What looks like the biggest church in the city is actually two churches separated by one of the world’s narrowest houses. The 3-storey house Casa Escondida ("Hidden House") was, according to legend, built so that the two churches would not share a common wall and to prevent any relations between the nuns of Carmelitas and the monks of Carmo.
    Another suggestion is that the building was constructed for purely aesthetic reasons to prevent an unsightly gap between the two churches.

    Near the churches is the Fountain of the Lions (and the model for the Gryffindor mascot in Harry Potter)

    Next stop was to climb the Tower of Clerigos, built in 1754 (and bearing a strong resemblance to the Astronomy Tower in Harry Potter).

    The train station in Porto, São Bento, is quite spectacular - it's UNESCO Heritage listed and has 20,000 azulejo tiles depicting important events in the history of Portugal... and a Platform 9 and 3/4 feel about it!

    We then walked across the Douro River on the Luis 1 Bridge, a double deck metal arch bridge, browsed the market stalls, had some lunch, then returned to Porto via the lower deck... and a number of caches.

    Dinner was a local speciality, suckling pig, at a local restaurant.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMorocco and Portugal 2023Darren and Janet
    3Moliceiro decorative panels, Aveiro (translation "The ripe fruit is falling")
    Courtyard, Coimbra University, Royal Palace in the back centre2Private Exam Room, Coimbra University (formerly part of the Royal Palace)Great Hall of Acts, Coimbra University (formerly part of the Royal Palace)Moliceiro touring the canal, AveiroDecorative ribbons adorn the canal bridges, Aveiro2Moliceiro decorative panels, Aveiro3Spaghetty Chicken Curry 😋Costa Nova beachfront houses

    Menu de Almoço in Venice

    March 28, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C

    After a quick visit to the Fatima Pilgrimage Centre in the daylight, we headed to Coimbra, a university town and home to the 2nd oldest university in Europe. Coimbra was the capital of Portugal until 1255 and the former royal palace is now part of the university. We toured the impressive library (unfortunately no photos allowed), the former royal palace and the chapel.

    For lunch we travelled to Aveiro, the Venice of Portugal. Many of the restaurants were closed, but we found a cafe in the backstreets where the special of the day (Menu de Almoço) was Spaghetty Chicken Curry - and despite the unusual combination, it was delicious!

    Aveiro has been a centre of salt production since Roman times, and more recently seagrass harvesting in a moliceiro (traditional boat), which are now used for tours of the canals. They are known for their colourful decorative panels with satirical, religious or bawdry images on the bow and stern.

    We made a detour to Costa Nova, known for it's striped houses, before arriving in Porto just after 6pm. As we are staying in the centre of their main pedestrian shopping street, getting near the hotel in a vehicle in peak hour was quite the challenge!    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMorocco and Portugal 2023Darren and Janet
    Traditional fishing boats, Nazare
    Monastery of Batalha3Nazare promenade from aboveDrying the days catch on the beach, NazareNazare - dried fish for sale, 3 for 1 euroNorth Beach, Nazare, where the giant waves breakObidos streetsWalking the walls of ObidosFatima shrine and pilgrimage centre3Fatima even has a section the Berlin Wall!

    Big wave surf capital

    March 27, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    We had a late start departing Lisbon this morning, trying to avoid peak hour traffic, and began our journey north visiting the Monastery of Batalha, before continuing on to Nazare.

    Nazare was a quiet fishing village until the world discovered the giant waves generated by a 5km deep undersea canyon just off the coast, and tried to surf them. The world record for big wave surfing was achieved here in 2022 at 86 feet (26.2 metres). No such swell today, just the usual 2-3 metres... so it's not for the faint hearted!

    We had seafood lunch overlooking the cliffs at Nazare before continuing on to Obidos, a walled Roman city and the best example a medieval town in Portugal. The buildings are predominantly painted blue and yellow, and their local speciality is Ginga de Obidos, cherry liquor served in a tiny chocolate cup!

    Our stop for the night is the town of Fatima, one of the largest pilgrimage centres in the world. The town of 13,000 residents receives 8 million visitors a year, with mass performed regularly in the modern church which seats 8,600 and has an area of 40,000 square metres (the 5th largest Catholic Church in the world).    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMorocco and Portugal 2023Darren and Janet
    2Cascais, one of the many beaches
    Cascais, viewing platform near Devil's BlowholeCabo da Roca, lighthouse and markerCascais, main streetCabo da Roca, view north along the coastPena Palace, exteriorPena Palace, courtyardPena Palace, entrance gates3Pena Palace, dining roomOn our way to Fado dinner and show

    Sintra and the Cascais coast

    March 26, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    We had a day trip from Lisbon today, west to Sintra, Cabo da Roca and Cascais.

    Sintra is home to Pena Palace, the summer residence of the Portuguese royal family from 1842 until the revolution of 1910 overthrew the monarchy.

    Cabo da Roca is the westernmost point of mainland Europe.

    Cascais is a former fishing village which has transformed into a cosmopolitan resort city, and a favourite day trip location for Lisbon residents.

    For dinner Rui booked us front row seats at a Fado Restaurant. Fado is a traditional Portuguese music style, characterized by "mournful tunes and lyrics, often about the sea or the life of the poor, and infused with a sentiment of resignation, fate and melancholy". It is performed by a singer, accompanied by a classical guitar and a Portuguese guitar (12 string, shaped like a mandolin)    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMorocco and Portugal 2023Darren and Janet
    Monument of Discoveries, Vasco da Gama detail
    Queue for tartsThe original Portuguese tartView of April 25 Bridge from Christ the King MonumentView over Lisbon to April 25 BridgeBelem TowerChrist the King Monument, Oliver and Bek looking for cache clues! (queue in the background to go up)Vasco da Gama Tower, the tallest structure in LisbonLunch, BelemThe breakfast room at our hotel

    It's all about the tarts

    March 25, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    Day 1 of our Portugal tour, and we met our driver/guide, Rui, for a 9am departure.

    We started the day heading inland along the River Tagus to the site of the 1998 World Expo, next to the Vasco Da Gama Bridge - the second longest bridge in Europe at 12.3km (the longest is the Crimean Bridge in Ukraine).

    Bek and Jake visited the Lisbon Aquarium, while Oliver and I went caching in the area.

    We then drove back into the centre of town for a lookout view over Lisbon, toward Belem, our next destination.

    The Belem District is dedicated to the Portuguese explorers of the 15th and 16th centuries, with the Monument of the Discoveries featuring statues of 33 of their sailors and explorers.

    The Tower of Belem, built in 1514 and one of the few structures unaffected by the 1755 earthquake, is a defensive fortress and ceremonial gateway to the city.

    Belem is also the home of the Portuguese custard tart (Pastel de Nata, originally known as Pastel de Belem). The original bakery has been baking them since 1837 and had quite a queue to purchase some. Fortunately Rui has a tour guide "skip the line pass" and walked straight into the shop to purchase ours 😁

    Lunch was at a local restaurant - grilled octopus, and seafood skewers.

    We then crossed the Tagus River on the 25 April Bridge - if you think it looks familiar, it is based in part on two San Francisco bridges. It's paint is the same colour as the Golden Gate Bridge (International Orange), and the design is similar to the Oakland Bay Bridge, built by the same company.

    On the other side is the Christ the King Monument (completed 1959), inspired by the Christ the Redeemer statue of Rio de Janeiro after the Cardinal of Lisbon visited that monument in 1934.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMorocco and Portugal 2023Darren and Janet
    1
    Santa Justa Elevator3Time Out Market1São Luiz Theatre, ready for our showSão Luiz Theatre, interiorA Brasileira Literary Cafe, next to our hotel

    A night at the opera

    March 24, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    Today we walked the streets of Lisbon, finding some caches, climbing hills, and negotiating the slippery slopes of the funicular paths (it drizzled for a while this morning).

    We had no particular plan, but did stop for morning tea tarts, lunch, afternoon tea donuts... then squeezed dinner in before a visit to the opera... and finished with late night coffee and cakes. Thankfully Lisbon has plenty of hills to walk off all the food!

    The buskers in the street outside our hotel are still going strong at 11.30pm to lullaby us off to sleep...    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMorocco and Portugal 2023Darren and Janet
    3The Fantastic World Of Portuguese Sardines - a whole shop dedicated to tinned fish!
    2Trams galore15View from our hotel, street protest bought traffic to a standstill this afternoon2World's oldest operating bookshop (1732) on the ground floor of this building2Farewell Morocco...2Hello Portugal!

    North to Lisbon

    March 23, 2023 in Portugal ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    We caught a taxi to the airport this morning for our 1.5 hour flight to Lisbon.

    We caught the underground from the airport to our hotel, changing lines mid journey... and a surprisingly good price for an airport train - $2.66 each.

    Our hotel is in a mostly pedestrian area in the centre of town, with trams trundling along many streets and a buzzing outdoor dining and cafe scene.

    We bought a local SIM card and had a walk around the local area, picking up a few caches on the way.

    Bek and Jake arrived late afternoon and we found an outdoor dining area near one of the main squares for dinner.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMorocco and Portugal 2023Darren and Janet
    Mint Tea, the national drink of Morocco
    Pottery seller, Jemaa El Fna SquareEssaouira to MarrakechDesert-like scenery, Essaouira to Marrakech2Oliver in front of the illuminated Marrakech sign. It probably looks better at night...Jemaa El Fna Square, night traders yet to set upLast Morocco pool timeEssaouira streets, quiet in the morning

    Marrakech, Take 3...

    March 22, 2023 in Morocco ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    We had a mid-morning departure from Essaouira for our journey back to Marrakech, arriving at our hotel just after 1.30pm.

    It's the third time we've been to Marrakech this trip, so we knew exactly where to go... or so we thought! We headed by foot to the main square, Jamaa El Fna, which was quiet, before the night time traders set up. We attempted to find the same shop we purchased items from last week, but ended up walking the laneways in vain.

    Fortunately there are dozens of shops selling similar items, so we just had to find what we were after, and do the haggling dance from scratch. As the shop was tiny, I sat outside while Oliver negotiated the price... and despite starting one hundred dirham apart, she got it for her requested price 😁

    Another couple of hours by the pool, dinner at the hotel, and we're ready for a flight to Portugal tomorrow to meet up with Bek and Jake.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMorocco and Portugal 2023Darren and Janet
    Cannons line the sea wall
    Orsen Welles filmed scenes for Othello in this hammamFresh fish lunchAfternoon tea in a small square (with a local cat!)City skyline and sea wall4Inner city wall, surrounding the diplomatic quarter (view from our hotel roof terrace)

    Was Mogador, now Essaouira

    March 21, 2023 in Morocco ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    We began the day with a local guide and a walking tour of the medina. It has a totally different feel to the medinas in larger cities, far less hustle and bustle, a greater percentage of tourists, and a relaxed holiday vibe.

    The Portuguese seized Essaouira (then known as Mogador) in 1510 and built a fortress. They only lasted 4 years before it was recaptured by the local resistance.

    During the 16th century, powers including Spain, England, the Netherlands and France tried in vain to conquer the city, but it remained a haven for the export of sugar and molasses, and as an anchorage for pirates.

    The present city of Essaouira was built during the mid-eighteenth century by the Moroccan King, in his attempt to open Morocco up to world trade.

    We wandered the medina again in the afternoon, stopping for fresh fish lunch, and a haircut for me at the local barber.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMorocco and Portugal 2023Darren and Janet
    3Essaouira port
    Gates to the cityOn the way to our hotelEssaouira fishing portEssaouira beach... camels, horses or kite surfing on offerEssaouira beach3Argan tree goats

    Road to Essaouira

    March 20, 2023 in Morocco ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    We hit the road at 9am for our journey west to Essaouira, a port and resort city on the Atlantic coast. For many years the city was the main port of Morocco, due to it's straight line access to Marrakech.

    On the way we passed the "famous" Moroccan tree climbing goats - they've becomes an Instagram favourite, but the major tour companies refuse to stop at them because of the cruelty issues (the goats don't climb the trees, but are placed up by farmers, balancing on small platforms with no access to water or shade)

    We were dropped at the city gates of Essaouira to walk to our hotel, as there is no vehicle access inside the medina.

    We went for an afternoon walk along the foreshore, from the bustling fishing port in the north, to the luxury resort style hotels as we headed south. The tourist trade now dominates the beach, with numerous offers for us to ride horses, camels or quad bikes on the beach.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMorocco and Portugal 2023Darren and Janet
    All roads lead to...
    1Street scene, horse drawn tourist rides, snow capped mountains in the distance1Recycling at it's finest1Tray top motorcycles are used to transport everything1Lunch, watching the world go by1Yves Saint Laurent Museum, Majorelle Gardens in the backgroundCine-Palace, 1923-1984, hosted Rita Hayworth and Nat King Cole in it's heydayTheatre Royal, built 2001Dinner tonight

    Time travelling around Marrakech

    March 19, 2023 in Morocco ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    We had some confusion with the time this morning - the data package on our phone ran out last night, so the time was different to the tablet and must have been wrong... so we thought!

    Turns out Morocco is on permanent daylight savings time, except for Ramadan (which starts Thursday), so the clocks went back an hour this morning. Just that no-one told us... and the tablet was still set to a German time zone 🙄. So, at a cafe for morning tea we were trying to look at people's watches to see what time it really was 🤣. On the upside, we got an extra hour today, and I got to ask all day "old time or new time?"

    We did plenty of walking today to clean up the caches north of the city (16,000 steps, 10.2 km according to the tracker).

    We saw old theatres, new theatres, museums and gardens, including the Yves Saint Laurent Museum and Majorelle Gardens, later owned and restored by Yves Saint Laurent and where his ashes are scattered.

    We arrived back at our hotel around 2pm (new time 😁) for another sit by the pool, then wandered out to a local cafe where we had one of the traditional Moroccan soups for tea.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMorocco and Portugal 2023Darren and Janet
    Tangines galore... and some tangia!
    Spice marketLeather auction on todayJamaa El Fna Square tradersInside Bahia PalaceBahia Palace, ornate ceilings are a feature3Found me a new chairBahia Palace

    Badia Palace and Medina walking tour

    March 18, 2023 in Morocco ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    We met our city guide again this morning for a walking tour of the Medina, and a visit to Badia Palace.

    We did the palace first to beat the crowds - a good move, as the queue to buy tickets when we came out was lengthy!

    Completed in 1900, Bahia Palace isn't a royal palace, but was built by Ahmed bin Musa, the Grand Vizier of Morocco - effectively the head public servant, but with direct access and influence over the Sultan, so he was the defacto ruler of the kingdom. Upon the sultan's death Ahmed enthroned the Sultan's third son as the new Sultan, a boy of 14, effectively giving Ahmed complete rule of the country. He built the palace to house his four wives and numerous concubines, and named it after his favourite concubine!

    We then did a walking tour of the Medina for 3 hours, exploring many, many streets we missed the first 3 days we were here, including the metal workers street, leather worker's street and spice market.

    We had lunch at a cafe just off the main square, did a bit more shopping, and returned to our hotel for a few hours by the pool (bit too cold to swim though)    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMorocco and Portugal 2023Darren and Janet
    Ouzoud Falls basin
    2Ouzoud Falls, crossing to the other sideHelping out the juice man6Snails5Potato chips cooked freshNuts and seedsOlives galore2Jemaa El Fna Square comes alive at night(our guide in black, bottom right corner, in front of Oliver

    Ouzoud Falls and Marrakech Foodie Tour

    March 17, 2023 in Morocco ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    Late start today with an 11am departure from the hotel, so plenty of time for breakfast and a walk before we were picked up.

    We stopped at Ouzoud Falls for a walk around the top and bottom of the falls. It's a popular day trip from Marrakech, so was busy with locals and tourists.

    The drive to Marrakech was a couple of hours, so we arrived in time to settle into our hotel, then head straight into the city centre for a foodie tour.

    We started in Jemaa el Fna Square with a local guide, sampling a vast array of street food and local specialties, including juices, snails, soups and sweets, and finishing with a tangia - an urn shaped cooking pot with slow cooked beef and preserved lemon. We got back to the hotel at 10pm, not sure if we'll ever need to eat again!    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMorocco and Portugal 2023Darren and Janet
    2Sunset from our deck
    Ifrane LionView over the valley on the way to Bin El OuidaneIfrane main street3Berber lunch with our driver, Souleiman

    How's the serenity...

    March 16, 2023 in Morocco ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    Longest drive of the trip today, 6.5 hours from Fes to Bin El Ouidane, in the Atlas Mountains.

    Our first stop was Ifrane, the Switzerland of Morocco. The town is known for its alpine-style architecture and nearby ski slopes and forests. It's a popular holiday destination for Moroccans looking to escape the city heat. In the centre of town, a stone statue of a lion represents the last known Atlas Lion shot in the wild in this area in 1942.

    Lunch was a traditional meal in a Berber family home, a meat and vegetable tagine... although I'm not sure the fries on top are traditional?? But it was all delicious.

    We arrived at our accommodation near Bin El Ouidane at 5.30pm, a beautiful room overlooking the Ait Ouarda Dam, and a relaxing evening watching the sun set from our deck.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMorocco and Portugal 2023Darren and Janet
    Weavers quarter
    Royal Palace, main gateOverlooking the medina from the south fortMosaic table1Mosaic tables are made upside down and the artisan has to remember what colour each tile is1Tannery quarterWeavers quarterHandpainting designs on ceramicsMorning tea stopWhere can we put this in the backyard...?

    Fes Fun

    March 15, 2023 in Morocco ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    We did a walking tour of the Fes medina today, the largest in Morocco, and the world's largest car free urban zone.

    There are 300,000 people living in the medina, in 250 quarters - each quarter is self contained and has a mosque, Koran school, Hammam, fountain and community bakery.

    The medina is made up of 9,600 alleys - no wonder they tell tourists to stay still if they get separated from their group and someone will come back to find you - don't try and find your own way out!    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMorocco and Portugal 2023Darren and Janet
    3Chicken Pastilla
    View of Meknes medinaJewish Cemetery, MeknesMeknes main gate, under restorationMeknes, entrance to medinaMausoleum of Moulay Ismail, entranceMausoleum of Moulay Ismail, inside

    Meknes Medina

    March 14, 2023 in Morocco ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    We were met by the local guide for a 9am tour of Meknes. We drove to a lookout point over the medina, visited the Jewish cemetery, and the mausoleum of Moulay Ismail, the longest reigning Moroccan sultan (55 years), who allegedly had a harem of over 500 women and fathered more than 800 children, making him one of the most prodigious fathers in recorded history.

    We then had a walking tour of the medina, which is undergoing much restoration work.

    We drove to Fes in the afternoon, getting lunch locally near our hotel.

    For dinner we had a local speciality, Pastilla - it's a Moroccan chicken pie, containing shredded chicken, saffron, egg and onion, with a crunchy topping of fried almonds sweetened with orange flower water, enclosed in a crispy pastry shell and garnished with icing sugar and cinnamon.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMorocco and Portugal 2023Darren and Janet
    Volubilis
    2Fully loaded hay truckHerbs, spices and vegetables, Zaggota market1Hoof anyone? Zaggota marketFish sales, Zaggota marketHerbs and spices, Zaggota marketVolubilisVolubilis mosaicVolubilisLunch in the main square, Moulay Idress Zerhoun

    Roman ruins of Volubilis

    March 13, 2023 in Morocco ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C

    We travelled from Chefchaouen to Meknes, a distance of 194km. The journey took over 3.5 hours, as we could only travel at 60kph for most of the way due to the number of local buses, pedestrians, donkeys, sheep and tractors sharing the road.

    We broke the journey with a visit to the local market at Zaggota. It is a weekly market, so people come from miles around to do their weekly shop, many by shared taxi with their roofs piled high with produce, or by donkey cart if they live closer.

    We arrived at Volubilis early afternoon for a guided tour. Volubis is a partly excavated Roman city near the city of Meknes, founded in the 3rd century BC and abandoned in the 11th century AD. It remained largely intact until an earthquake in 1755. It was subsequently looted by Moroccan rulers seeking stone for building Meknes, until excavation and restoration during the time of French rule, 1912-1955.

    We had lunch in the nearby town of Moulay Idress Zerhoun, before travelling onto Meknes for the night.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMorocco and Portugal 2023Darren and Janet
    Lunch location2Cemetery overlooking townBeef tagine with prunes again tonight

    Chefchaouen Hammam

    March 12, 2023 in Morocco ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    We have a full day in Chefchaouen, so a leisurely breakfast and a walk up to the cemetery was the only thing on the agenda for the morning.

    We then ventured into the medina for lunch, before our 3pm massage and hammam, which means “the spreader of warmth” in Arabic. It is essentially getting scrubbed down and washed in a sauna. They believe that purifying the body goes hand-in-hand with purifying the soul, so after being washed while lying on a marble slab, you get rubbed down/exfoliated with a kessa glove (made of goat hair... think 120 grit sandpaper), then an all over body rub of black clay. We were left to marinate for 15 minutes before a final wash down.

    We also had a massage from head to toe (literally), front, back and sides - she was very thorough, massaging places we didn't know needed massaging!

    Dinner was at the same restaurant as last night, overlooking the hum of the medina as the sun set.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMorocco and Portugal 2023Darren and Janet
    Small square, where we had lunchLunch, goat cheese and pastriesView over the medina, from the KasbahTraditionally only the lower level was painted blue2View from our hotel bathroom window!Sunset view from the Spanish Mosque

    Into the Blue

    March 11, 2023 in Morocco ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    We left Tangier at 9am, early enough to beat any traffic (highly unlikely on a Saturday... even on a weekday nothing gets going until 11 am)

    We stopped for morning coffee with plenty of other travellers at a cafe overlooking a dam. Tourism is slowly recovering here - there only are a handful of large buses getting around, but quite a few small vans like ours.

    We travelled through the lush green crops of the Rif Mountains and arrived in Chefchaouen, the blue city, just before lunch.

    Chefchaouen is traditionally an agricultural centre, also known for leather and textile handicrafts, but recently tourism has been the main income earner due to their distinctive blue buildings.

    There are several theories as to why the walls were painted blue - one is that the blue keeps mosquitos away, or that blue symbolizes the sky and heaven and serves as a reminder to lead a spiritual life, or simply they were painted blue in the 1970s to attract tourists!

    We met our local guide for a walk around the medina and Kasbah, including a stop for lunch of goat cheese, bread, pastries and mint tea, then walked to our hotel, just outside the medina.

    After dinner in a rooftop cafe (for the record, beef tagine with prunes - and absolutely delicious), we walked up the hill behind our hotel to watch sunset over the city from the Spanish Mosque, a disused mosque built by the Spanish in 1920.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMorocco and Portugal 2023Darren and Janet
    Tangier foreshore
    Entrance to the medinaTangier foreshoreInside Cave of Hercules2Cave of Hercules sea opening, "The Map of Africa"Foreshore and medinaCape Spartel lighthouseWhere the Atlantic meets the Mediterranean

    A little lighthouse keeping*

    March 10, 2023 in Morocco

    Longer drive today, about 3 hours to Tangier, located at the entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar, just 14km from Spain.

    Through it's history it has been under Spanish control, Portugese control and even English control - in 1662 it was transferred to the English crown as part of the dowry of Catherine of Braganza, wife of Charles II.

    In the 1940s and 50s, as an international zone managed by colonial powers, it became a haven for artists, eccentric millionaires, secret agents and writers. It is now a modern, attractive city, with a fascinating mix of old and new - an ancient medina fringed by a modem harbour and corniche.

    We ventured a few kilometres out of town to Cape Spartel, the most north western point of mainland Africa, and home to a lighthouse dating from 1864.

    Nearby is the Cave of Hercules - mythology cites that Tangier was founded by Hercules and it was in these caves that he rested after completing the 12 labours set to him as penance for his sins.

    The cave has two openings, one to sea and one to land. The sea opening, known as "The Map of Africa" is believed created by the Phoenicians in the shape of Africa when looked at from the sea.
    The caves were was used as a brothel in the 1920's, and in 1995, British rock group Def Leppard played a concert in the cave.

    *Naming credit to The Goodies 😁    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMorocco and Portugal 2023Darren and Janet
    Door and cats, kasbah
    6View from our balcony - why have 1 turning lane when you can have 5! (medina in the background)Grand Theatre of RabatSteps to the kasbah4Mohammed VI TowerMausoleum of Mohammed V and Al Hassan MosqueHassan Tower and ruins of old mosqueGates to the Royal PalaceWalls of the medinaKing's residence inside the Royal Palace site

    Road to Rabat

    March 9, 2023 in Morocco ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    We woke up to a cool, overcast day, and met our driver Souliman for a 9am departure to Rabat, a distance of only 90km.

    We arrived mid morning to a city in complete contrast to Casablanca. Rabat is the capital of Morocco, neatly ordered, and known for it's mix of Islamic and French colonial architecture.

    The skyline of the city is currently being transformed by the contruction of Mohammed VI Tower, a hotel and residential building. Started in July 2017, and due for completion this year, it will be the second tallest tower in Africa and is designed to be visible from a distance of 50km.

    We met a local guide for a walk through the grounds of the Al Hassan Mosque, Hassan Tower, and Mausoleum of Mohammed V, and our first chance to introduce both driver and guide to geocaching, as there was a nicely hidden cache on the edge of the carpark 😁

    We then visited the Kasbah, the original walled part of the city, and partook in mint tea and biscuits, before travelling to the Royal Palace, where the king resides when in Rabat. It's a sprawling 43 hectare site, where his 2000 staff all live on-site. Jobs at the Royal Palace are much sought after and often pass down through family generations.

    After lunch we walked through the medina, across the road from our hotel, then back there again for tea after a walk around the local area.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMorocco and Portugal 2023Darren and Janet
    Casablanca train station forecourt
    Casablanca train station1Trams, station precinctStreet scene, station precinctMint tea is the local speciality1View of train station from our hotel room

    Casablanca rest day

    March 8, 2023 in Morocco ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    Quiet day today after yesterday's unwanted excitement. All we had to do was move hotels in preparation for the start of our tour tomorrow, so we had a sleep in, lunch locally, then caught a taxi to our new hotel near the train station.

    We purchased a new SIM card for Oliver's phone, had a relaxing mint tea at a cafe and a walk around the station precinct, before a shawarmer for dinner.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetMorocco and Portugal 2023Darren and Janet
    Hassan II Mosque from afar
    Hassan II MosqueSeafront fort, now a restaurantRick's Cafe... as far as we gotRick's Cafe2Casablanca corniche

    Casablah...

    March 7, 2023 in Morocco ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    Given the limited tourism sites in Casablanca, we set our sights today on the coast and promenade.

    The most prominent feature of the city is the Hassan II Mosque, built in 1993. It is the largest functioning mosque in Africa and is the 7th largest in the world. It has a capacity of 105,000 worshippers, 25,000 inside and 80,000 outside. It's minaret is the world's second tallest at 210 metres.

    We then walked around the corniche to the second most famous attraction, Rick's Cafe, inspired by the 1942 film, but only built in 2004 by a former American diplomat to Morocco. Unfortunately for us, we couldn't go in because they don't allow patrons wearing shorts!

    We had lunch at a restaurant housed in a former fort on the foreshore, before starting to head back to our hotel. Unfortunately on the way, while checking Google Maps, my phone was stolen by a bloke on a motorcycle who came up from behind and was gone in a flash. To cut a long story short, 3 police stations, 2 rides in a police car and many hours later, we still didn't have the phone. We're both fine, just annoyed and inconvenienced...    Read more

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