Madrid ... it took two goes but I finally got it

I haven't written a post about Madrid despite spending time here in mid September. On that first visit to Spain's capital I was very undecided about how I felt. Being back here now is very different and I've been trying to work out why.

In September I flew in from Turkey. That country is now very near the top as far as favourites go, so I guess it was a hard act to follow. I was also staying in a party hostel, a very big and very loud party hostel. Obvs I didn't put much time into that accomm research ... although it was very cheap and you could buy homemade paella for dinner for €2!

I spent my first visit to Madrid playing tourist. I visited museums, checked out palaces, churches and loads of fancy buildings. I tasted tapa and drank sangria, dined on chocolate churros too often  and enjoyed the odd seafood paella.



I liked the place but it was all a bit vanilla really.

I'm back in town for a few days, it's mid November and at least 10 degrees colder. But I'm loving it. I haven't played tourist, I've lived like a local.

My guest house is very cute and in a good location. Brekkie is down the road with the locals. No one can speak a lick of English, its great.

On my first morning I wandered outside to the sound of sirens and much noise. The city was shut down and everyone had joined in a 24 hour protest. It was an amazing site, thousands of people of all ages marching the streets, and thousands of police in riot gear trying to keep the peace. It was generally a happy protest ... I didn't feel at all scared when I got caught up in the middle of it. There were a few hairy moments when things looked like they might get violent but I didn't feel like it was going to turn in to a riot ... but really, what would I know!




This hippy dude was staging his own one man sit in. Everyone ignored him. It was very humourous.

My view from Starbucks where the bars were put over the windows, the roller door was pulled down, lights off and we were locked in for a few hours. At least I had coffee and wifi ... not much else needed really.

The police blocked so many side streets to try and keep the protestors on the main roads. But they let me through, obvs I don't look like a protestor, or look spanish for that matter.

I understand that the people of Spain are trying to send a powerful message to the government. And Lord knows, this country needs help. But walking along the streets this morning I could see the damage that had been done. Shop fronts had been spray painted, hundred of thousands of stickers were plastered on every surface and banks were covered in red paint with ATMs burnt out. This wasnt just on one street, this was all over the city. I'm not going to judge but it was very sad to see.

This isn't such a good pic, but I clicked quickly and kept walking ... just in case!

During this second trip to Madrid I walked ... a lot.

I'm not sure why but I saw the city very differently. I think I just enjoyed hanging out with no big expectations on what the city should offer.

This city really is very cool. The people are friendly, the architecture is amazing, the museums and galleries are fab and really, any city that has macarons at maccas has to be a standout.

Links to albums

Madrid September

Spain part 1 - Madrid

Madrid November
(shoes pic for Kathryn, dogs for Anita)

Madrid - Part 2 Nov

 

Morocco ... hitting the coast at last

After my big rest in Marrakech I was ready to hit the coast. We had spent quite enough time in the mountains in very cold weather, it was time for some sunshine.

Well it was actually dark by the time we arrived so we checked into our riad and headed out for dinner. And a fine night it was too, good company and very good mojitos.

Up early the next morning, the sun was shining and it was time to see what Essaouira had in store for me. This fortified town was the first fishing harbour in Morocco and has played host to the likes of Orsen Welles when he was making Othello in the 50s, Jimi Hendrix, Frank Zappa and Cat Stevens in the 60s and apparently the Rolling Stones like to hang out futher around the beach. A real rockers haven it seems.

We had a local lady play guide for the morning. She was a wealth of knowledge and gave us a good overview of the history of the town and too much info about the french and what they may have done wrong. There's not a whole lot of love for the french in this country any more. She took us to some of the more unusal spots within the medina and showed us how the locals live.

I lost focus on the chat when I got my first glimpse of the ocean. Mmmmm wish I was here for a week.

There is nothing as good as the smell of the ocean. Oh well maybe jumping in but it was a bit too cold for that.

We wandered around the harbour checking out what the fishermen were up to.

Then we headed into the depths of the medina, a UNESCO world heritage listed place. The narrow widing streets opened up to some very cool shops and hotels but many of the buildings are yet to be restored. This mix of old and new really adds to the character of the town.

As with all the medinas I've visited, there are loads of shops selling weird and wonderful things. My little eyes did light up at some of the wares!

The people of Essaouira are so relaxed and friendly. There is no great hassle from the shop keepers and everyone has a smile or a chat, abeit in a language I can't understand. But that didn't stop us from chatting anyways.

I took myself off to the local hamman after lunch. I wasn't up for the skin slapping, body pounding that is the traditional scrub but did have a lovely massage. I left looking like an oil slick, but a very relaxed oil slick.

I was obviously in a bit of relaxed delirium as I seemed to forget I was a homeless vagabond and managed to become the proud owner of a moroccan carpet, a big lantern and a few other bits and pieces. All homewares .... and I have no home. Interesting.

 This is me with the carpet dude. Can you believe I forgot to take a photo of the rug before they wrapped it!

The next day I toddled off to the post office to see about shipping said purchases back to Australia. While one man packed my already well packed goods in more wrapping and tape, another dude explained the cheapest options to me in broken english. The air freight service was loads cheaper than post, $140 for 10kg. Much cheaper than I had expected. So I handed over my money and looked fondly at my newly acquired goods, not knowing if I would ever see them again.

All too soon I had to leave this wonderful seaside town and head back to the delights of Marrakech. This was my last night in town as I was leaving the group a day early.

My farewell dinner was at an outside stall on the main square. It was so much fun ... people everywhere, stalls selling all sorts of weird food made out of even weirder animal body parts, everybody laughing and having fun.

 Me with our fearless leader Tahar ... he did a great job to put up with us for two weeks.

And me cooking a few kebabs ....

I didn't eat at this next stall, not being a fan of goats head soup and all

 

And then finished off the night with a relaxing cocktail at our rather fancy hotel

 

 

It was a great way to say goodbye to a city that I will certainly visit again and to the good friends I made whilst slepping around this very cool country.

Link to the online photo album

Morocco - Essaouira & Marrakech

And would you believe, my precious purchases arrived in Melbourne 6 working days after I sent them. Unbelievable!








 

Morocco ... mountains and deserts

It was time to leave the towns behind and find out what else this country had to offer.

On the long and windy drive up through the Middle Atlas Mountains we happened upon some monkeys. I didn't get too close cause they can be nasty little buggars.

It was a lovely warm day, I didn't even feel chilly when I glimpsed the snow topped mountains. This so isn't what I had pictured when I thought of Morocco.

The landscape is so diverse in this part of the country ... snow topped mountains one minute and a palm tree oasis the next. Truly spectacular.

We paid a visit to a local handcrafted place where I feel in love with this wall hanging or rug or whatever. It made it into the parcel I sent home. Yay. Oh, but mine is finished, not the one part done!

A big part of the reason I had wanted to go to Morocco was to see the Sahara Desert. And not only did I see it, I slept in it!

We dumped our gear at an auberge (guest house type place) and headed out to find our camels. Mine was called Betsy.... well that's what I've named every camel I've ridden on this adventure. I think this is Betsy number 4. I got in to camel riding mode by tying my scarf around my head. I'd learned to do this in India and it comes in very handy when the sand blows in your face.

Betsy was a mild mannered camel, but like all beasts of her kind, not the most comfortable. After an hour of riding up and down sand dunes I was pleased to give my butt a rest for a while.

Our desert camp was very civilized. We had some big tents to share and even a hole in the ground loo .... much more upmarket than the tree loo I had to use in the desert in India. And it was a good thing as my trip into the Sahara coincided with a tummy bug. Now I won't go in to details, after all I didn't name this post diarrhea in the desert!

But life in the Sahara was lovely. The sun had set as we were riding in to our camp then we woke to see the sun rise over the dunes. A truly spectacular part of the world and one that I am so grateful to have visited.

The next morning I reunited with Betsy, who I found out was actually a Bobby, oops, and wandered through the rolling dunes back to our auberge.

After a much needed cup of coffee we headed to Todra George, our home for the next few days, stopping for some great photo opps along the way. It all seemed very lovely and all but let's just say I saw more of the bathroom than the landscape. So moving on...

Our mini van twisted and turned along the Tizi 'n Tichka Pass into the High Atlas Mountains. There were many stops so we could capture the amazing views, including a stop at the highest point in the country.

The group were going on a bit of a walk (up a mountain for an hour or so in the freezing cold) to sleep in a local gite that night but I was still not feeling the best so grabbed a ride to Marrakech to rest and try and shake this bug. I sleep for 15 hours so am ready for the next Moroccan adventure.

Links to all photos

Morocco - Midelt, Sahara & Todra George

Morocco - Ait Benhaddou & High Atlas