Wandering away from France.
~ Having worked SO hard at my schools, I decided that a month of travel before my return to the US was a great farewell to my time spent in Europe. I picked a direction first: West. This narrowed my possibilities to Spain and Portugal. Having friends in both countries, I decided that this was the time to head that way. And I threw in a trip to Morocco, to see a bit of Africa and to visit the home country of nearly half of my students.
Basque country...
An ancient bridge, clinging desperately from bank to bank, was one of the many sights that captivated me in the mountains not far from Pamplona. First impressions were: this isn't the Spain that I had imagined; it is too cold and rainy; I don't understand the basque language. These quickly gave way to awe and appreciation for all things basque: the people, the food, the plains that stretch out green until they touch the mountains.
Lisboa é muito boa...
I was thinking of including the beautiful view of the city of Lisbon that spreads out below, just to the left of the photo, but I didn't. You will just have to go there yourself to see what it is all about. I will say, however, that it was the most amazing view that I have ever had while sitting at a small table enjoying a coffee.
Gem of the Alentejo...
The streets of Evora wind haphazardly and lazily in their white and yellow splendor. They are beautifully well-preserved and maintained, which makes this city a great place to wander on foot. Far from the commotion of Lisbon, this small town in central Portugal has made my Top 3 List of small towns with charm in Europe.
Mon ami, good food, good price...
Ah, Morocco. Here, having dinner at the Place Jemaa al-Fnaa in Marrakech, I was able to get a small meal for a mere 40 cents. However, the people working at these makeshift "restaurants" that appear in the evening are nearly willing to sell an arm for your money. The tip: look for groups of local Moroccan people eating, then join them for the best non-tourist prices. Watch out for the famous "Marrakech Express" , another word for diarrhea, that most tourists get sooner or later if they spend enough time in Morocco. You don't want to get it, trust me.
Basque country...
An ancient bridge, clinging desperately from bank to bank, was one of the many sights that captivated me in the mountains not far from Pamplona. First impressions were: this isn't the Spain that I had imagined; it is too cold and rainy; I don't understand the basque language. These quickly gave way to awe and appreciation for all things basque: the people, the food, the plains that stretch out green until they touch the mountains.
Lisboa é muito boa...
I was thinking of including the beautiful view of the city of Lisbon that spreads out below, just to the left of the photo, but I didn't. You will just have to go there yourself to see what it is all about. I will say, however, that it was the most amazing view that I have ever had while sitting at a small table enjoying a coffee.
Gem of the Alentejo...
The streets of Evora wind haphazardly and lazily in their white and yellow splendor. They are beautifully well-preserved and maintained, which makes this city a great place to wander on foot. Far from the commotion of Lisbon, this small town in central Portugal has made my Top 3 List of small towns with charm in Europe.
Mon ami, good food, good price...
Ah, Morocco. Here, having dinner at the Place Jemaa al-Fnaa in Marrakech, I was able to get a small meal for a mere 40 cents. However, the people working at these makeshift "restaurants" that appear in the evening are nearly willing to sell an arm for your money. The tip: look for groups of local Moroccan people eating, then join them for the best non-tourist prices. Watch out for the famous "Marrakech Express" , another word for diarrhea, that most tourists get sooner or later if they spend enough time in Morocco. You don't want to get it, trust me.
posted by - joel at 9:55 AM
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