Honeymoon Diary #2

Wednesday 22nd July

4.30am was my waking up time. When we decided it was a reasonable time for breakfast we decided to try Duke's Canoe Club for the buffet. It was fantastic - no soggy buffet here, everything was nice and fresh and the crispy bacon was to die for. Our plan was to visit Pearl Harbour today. We eventually found a bus stop and when the bus eventually turned up found we needed change for our tickets. Luckily he said there was another bus following ("and you'll get a seat on that one") so we grabbed some water to change down a big note and climbed aboard the next bus. The journey was about an hour long. When we got to the site, the first thing I had to do was check-in my bag for security reasons (should I sue them for getting sunburnt because they took my suncream away?). We queued for our allotted time to visit the USS Arizona Memorial site (which is free) and then bought tickets for the USS Bowfin and USS Missouri.

We had three hours before we could visit the Arizona so we took the shuttle to the Missouri first. We chose a guided tour which was excellent. Our guide served in the American Air Force and added a real personal air to the majesty of the huge ship. The USS Missouri was the last battleship in active service and could still be turned around for duty within 3 months if needed. There were lots of big statistics. I think the one that impressed me the most was the accuracy of her weapons - the 16" shells have a range of 23 miles and are still accurate to within about 6 foot. It's technology pre-dates modern computers. Indeed when the ship was refitted in the 1980's they tried installing digital computers but took them out again as they weren't as accurate or as reliable as the analogue computers (you really don't want to be facing the "blue screen of death" in a war!)

He showed us the place where a Japanese kamikaze plane hit the ship during World War II. Miraculously the only person killed was the Japanese pilot. Despite the bitterness between the two nations, despite the fact that this man had tried to destroy the ship and despite the fact that the captain's brother had been killed in battle two months earlier, the captain insisted on giving the pilot a proper burial at sea and set his men to work at sewing a Japanese flag to cover his coffin.

The final stop on our tour was the spot where WWII ended, where the Japanese signed their surrender. After the tour ended we were free to look around the open areas of the ship, especially the living quarters and communal areas which was really interesting. There was a real sense of the camaraderie that must exist when you live in such situations and the respect shown for all those who have served on both this ship and throughout the armed forces is contagious.

We took the shuttle bus back to the main site in time for our 2.30pm visit to the memorial. First we were shown a video of that fateful day in 1941 where the harbour, along with various other aircraft bases on the island were the target of the attack that brought the US into World War II. Many ships were sunk that day but the Arizona is one of the few that remains in the harbour and also where the highest loss of life occurred, 1177 died as they slept that night. After the film we were shown to a boat to take us to the memorial site. A white arch covers the site where the Arizona lies and parts of the boat still show above the water line and oil seeps from it's hull. It's strange to imagine that you are standing over a burial site. We spent a few moments looking at the names and took the next ferry back 15 minutes later.

Our last point of call for the day was the USS Bowfin, a submarine that you can walk around with a free audio tour (well I don't think you could get many tour groups down there!) As it was getting late it was nice and quiet, but it still felt claustrophobic as you walked through. The audio tour included input from men who had served on the Bowfin which made it a very interesting insight into life in such a confined space.

We had a quick look around the huge missiles that were on show before we took the bus back to our hotel. Our choice of restaurant for the evening was Ciao Mein, an intriguing mix of Chinese and Italian food. There were only a few dishes which mixed the two cuisines and we tried the Salmon alla Siciliana in a hot bean sauce as well as the more Italian scallops in a creamy sauce with pasta. Again we struggled to keep awake after our meal and went straight to bed!

Thursday 23rd July

Today we were taking our first tour - the Lost tour. We really wanted to do the full 9-10 hour tour but we found we should of booked it before we left and had to be content with the half-day one instead. We were joined in our Hummer by two young Canadians and our driver (whose name escapes me!). As we made our way out of town and into the forest it started to rain. Unfortunately it meant that there was no point in getting out at the Pali Lookout as we would have got drenched and not seen a thing! On our way to the next stop we caught a few glimpses from a few other Lost scenes - the fuselage of the plane covered in blue tarpaulin behind a fence, there was the tree that Eko got thrown against, the bamboo where Jack landed in the first episode and the banyan tree that Kate hid in.

The rain cleared before our next proper stop and we saw some real pieces of Lost history - the pier where the submarine was stationed and the school that Sayid was helping to build after he returned from the island (which still has all the artwork painted on from filming). We then went off-road into Kuhio Ranch and saw the old war bunker that was used as the outside of the Tempest station, the frame that held the atomic bomb "Jughead" (it's still there, maybe they plan to re-use it...) and visited Hurley's golf course. Also around this area were the log that Sam Neill hid behind in Jurassic Park to escape the T-Rex and Godzilla's footprints. Our driver had snapshots and video clips so we could put everything into perspective and took some great photos of us in poses from the series and the films. Apart from stepping in the footsteps of the stars it is breath-taking scenery in it's own right and it was a great opportunity to get out of the city and see it.

On our way back we saw where Locke fell out of the window and broke his back, the Hawaiian Convention Center which has posed as Sydney Airport and the church that was used as the Lampost station and we were back at the hotel. After a snack in Duke's we decided to tackle Diamond Head.

Diamond Head is a massive crater that overlooks Waikiki. It was a very hot and exhausting hike up to the top in the afternoon sun which took about an hour. I was glad I brought my hiking boots - it's not overly rough but it's no pavement either and I don't know how people manage it in flip-flops! The view from the top is stunning. We drank it in and recovered our energy before heading back down (much easier!) At the bottom we rewarded ourselves with a Shave Ice - an Hawaiian speciality that's a bit like a compacted Slush Puppy that you eat with a spoon and a straw.

After we got the bus back to the hotel we both took much needed showers and went to Chuck's Steak House in the hotel for dinner. We both opted for a surf and turf, mine with breadcrumbed prawns and a jacket potato and Darren's with scallops in a garlic and cream sauce and fries. The steak was cooked to absolute perfection - a classic American meal to finish a day of classic American sights.

Honeymoon Diary #1

Monday 20th July

I couldn’t sleep. I’d been awake since 4am. I’d been running our fantastic wedding through my head and was starting to dwell on the little niggly bits that weren’t quite so perfect so I picked up a magazine. Eventually the 6am alarm went and we could get up and get on with things. Breakfast in our Paddington hotel was good and we made it on to Heathrow without any drama. After a little bit of shopping (8-hour cream for her, stupidly expensive sunglasses for him). We walked to our gate. We sat and waited and then the announcement came: “We are looking for three people who are prepared to divert to Los Angeles in return for an upgrade to Business Class.” It took no more than a nod from me and Darren was already at the service desk. As long as there was a connection to Honolulu, we would take it. After 15 nervy minutes all the paperwork was sorted and we were being led to the gate for the L.A. flight.

Business Class was an emotional experience! The first thing we were offered was champagne (it would be rude not to). The seats adjusted to almost flat and we were also furnished with blankets, pillows and toiletries. And the food! Tablecloths, real cutlery, china plates. Starter was asparagus and salad, scarily similar to our wedding starter. Main course was a filet mignon that you couldn’t complain about if you’d had it in a top restaurant. Desert was a passion fruit mousse cake that tasted exactly like a Solero! And the wine simply kept coming. After dinner we were left to rest, watch movies on our personal screens and we both tried to get as much sleep as possible. An hour before landing was afternoon tea - a selection of sandwiches followed by scone, jam and clotted cream. Travelling back in Economy is going to be VERY hard after that experience!!!

Indeed flying on to Honolulu in economy wasn’t easy! Our luggage made it as well despite the detour and we actually landed an hour earlier than we were originally scheduled to at 7.20pm. We got a taxi to our hotel, the Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach and checked in. We were offered a room upgrade for $200 a night but that was far to much – I think we’d rather save our money for a flight upgrade! We didn’t need to anyway – our Ocean View room is as close to the beach as possible and on the 10th floor so we have a pretty amazing view already.

After a little unpacking, a freshen up and change out of the clothes we had been wearing for the last 24 hours we went to Duke’s Bar in the hotel for a bite to eat. I had to return to my room for ID – they don’t serve anyone who looks under 30 here (so at 31 I guess I should feel flattered!). On the recommendation of Scott, our wedding photographer, Darren had the Mahi Mahi burger, a fish burger that he said was superb, and I went for the mango BBQ and bacon cheeseburger which was also excellent. When we returned to or room we found the hotel had left us a celebratory bottle of Champagne. After one glass we allowed ourselves to go to bed at 10pm, 36 hours after our day had started!


Tuesday 21st July

Darren was up and out on the balcony at 5.30am hoping to see a sunrise, but despite our window being almost east-facing there are far too many other tall buildings to see anything.. Still it was nice to enjoy another glass of champagne on the balcony while it got progressively lighter and Darren opened his birthday cards. At about 7am we chose the Hula Grilll for breakfast. Two courses no less! To start I had some amazing fresh pineapple and Darren had a very warm nutty muffin. Then Darren had and omelette and I had chocolate chip pancakes. Darren’s omelette with fried potatoes was impressive enough. However my pancakes – well I expected a few of those little discs you get at home. The Americans really don’t do food by halves – they were the size of dinner plates, three of them, covered in melting choc chips and foamed milk. Suffice to say I couldn’t finish it!!!

Our plan for the day was to do some investigation. After finishing our unpacking we took a stroll all the way along Waikiki beach. We made it just past the Natatorium and decided to head back along the main strip, Kalakaua Avenue. Firstly we stopped in the park and enjoyed the breeze as we admired the Diamond Head, a huge mass of volcanic rock that we plan to climb at some point! On the way back to the hotel we grabbed some leaflets for trips, then at the hotel started to make plans. We’re not really a “laze on the beach” couple. Besides, there’s far too much to do and see and who knows if we’ll ever make it back here!

We booked two trips over the phone from our room and also reserved our table for Darren’s birthday meal at Sansei, a highly recommended Japanese restaurant in the Marriott hotel. Then it was time to hit the beach. Well we had to do it at some point! It was very crowded – it’s not very big and is very popular – but we found a small spot right in front of our hotel (our’s is one of the few that actually sits on the beach). After smearing on sun cream (and sand!) I lay for a few minutes reading and then decided to cool off in the water. It’s not Jacuzzi hot but it was perfect for cooling down. And the current, even in these relatively safe waters is surprisingly strong – you have to keep aware of where you are. It was nice to dry off in the sun and it was Darren’s turn for a dip.

After another hour’s sun-worshipping we returned to the room to shower and change for the evening. We went down to Duke’s for a drink and in hope of seeing Hawaii’s view of the solar eclipse, but the sun was still too high and too strong to look at and see the small chunk cut out of it. At the table even Darren needed ID for a drink! Now that IS a great 39th birthday present! Almost as good was the free drink they gave him . Darren had two drinks but I was already feeling quite tired so I opted for water as my second drink. Then it was on to Sansei.

We had heard about Sansei’s Omakase Tasting Menu and it sounded like just our kind of thing. We also chose a sampler or “flight” of three white wines to accompany the meal. First dish was a very good bowl of miso soup. The next three dishes were served together. Edamame beans – Japanese peas served in their pods. A spicy crab sushi roll served with sweet chili sauce. And a Japanese salad with octopus and salmon and tuna sashimi. The sashimi was very good but the rest was simply OK – we certainly weren’t blown away by the food at this point. This all changed with the next three courses though. Shrimp fish cakes in crispy noodles in a ginger, lime and chilli butter sauce and coriander pesto. The most amazing and soft calamari fried with a sweet and spicy sauce, served in a giant wonton. And most breath-taking of all, tuna sashimi wrapped in spinach leaves and panko crumbs, then flash fried and served in a subtle soy wasabi butter sauce. So crunchy on the outside but so soft on the inside.

There were two more courses to follow: Japanese butterfish (I’m guessing so called because it simply melts in the mouth) in sake and sweet miso and lobster, crab and shrimp ravioli in a truffle butter sauce that was divine. I felt full but these two courses managed to be both rich and light enough to finish. At this point I think jetlag kicked in. I had to prop my eyes open with matchsticks to stay awake long enough for the bill to arrive. When we got to our room we both crashed out completely!

Back To Life

After a couple of weeks at home over Christmas, going back out on the road just wasn't the same. Trying to find routes from the Canary Islands and on through Africa was hard and it all felt like more trouble than it was worth. We started to realise that we're just not cut out for the "working things out as we go along" style of travel. WWOOFing and trying to keep to a budget meant that we weren't able to see a lot of the sights we wanted to see. Our taste of home gave us a taste of the things we missed. We simply weren't enjoying it any more. And if we weren't enjoying it any more what was the point of doing it?

We rounded our "gap year" (okay, it was only 8 months) with our big trip around Morocco and came home. We didn't do as much as we planned or wanted to do. Indeed, if we had planned to only go away for 8 months I know we'd have gone further. But we saw a lot of places we wouldn't have otherwise seen and that we'd have never thought of going to. And we met some wonderful people along the way.Instead of being a small part of a long trip our WWOOF hosts became huge parts of a short trip. So before I go any further I must thank Ben and Penny in Cornholme, Francoise and Bernard in the Alps, Brendan and Mandy in Haut-Vienne, Ursula and Victor in Elne, Lluisa in l'Ametlla del Valles, Christina in Monda, Peter and Anna on La Gomera and also to Nabil at Riad Jomana in Marrakech - not a WWOOF host but someone who we'll never forget for the way he put himself out for us. You've all given us memories that we will treasure for the rest of our lives.

My personal favourite excursion was probably at Villefranche du Conflent. The tiny little walled village really found a place in my heart, the scenery was breath-taking and it was the first time I felt I was starting to get somewhere with my French - although I think all my hard work has since been undone! Similarly, Ronda is a small place with a huge amount of endearing character. These are places that I would never have picked out to visit no matter how many times I journeyed to France and Spain. Darren's favourite trip was to see Mont Blanc close up. Re-reading that blog I can see that I didn't do the day justice - I'm sure for those with proper mountains in their countries it isn't that amazing for for a girl from flat ol' Essex it was special!

We certainly haven't lost the travel-bug, but we realised that the planning should be half the fun. When you've got a week to try to find a way off an island and some cheap accommodation it just isn't so much fun. So we hope to tick off all those other places on our list of "things to see" on holidays and short breaks. In the mean time it's back to some semblance of normality. More than anything I'm hoping that a year out of "real life" will give me a bit more focus. I'm the worst person for having ideas of things I'd like to do but ending up watching rubbish on the TV instead. I still feel I have many things I want to do in this life, maybe the last year can give me an extra push into doing them.

Seeing the world is a wonderful thing, but not really having a proper home to come back to can make things quite lonely. I've enjoyed keeping the blog to inform my friends and family of my whereabouts and shenanigans, but I think I'd rather see them in person to talk about it. Whether I keep this blog for my future trips I haven't decided. I'll certainly keep a diary for myself as, no matter how wonderful the experience, I WILL forget things!

Finally, apologies for turning this into an Oscar style speech, but I have to thank my parents for always being there for me no matter what, and my sister and her family for providing a much needed home while I look for a new one. And to Darren, without whom I would never even think of doing such ridiculous things in the first place!!!

Desert Rose

Day One
To round off our trip to Morocco we booked a three day excursion to the desert. Our guide Houssaine picked us up from the riad at 7am and we headed south from Marrakech. Our route took us through the High Atlas Mountains via the Tizi n Tichka pass, 2260m above sea level. We had a great view of the country's highest mountain, the snow-capped Toubkal and even saw some snow at our level. We stopped a few times to take in the amazing views but our first main stop was Ait Benhaddou. Like many Kasbahs in northern Africa, Ait Benhaddou has been used as a film set, appearing in Gladiator, Lawrence of Arabia and Jesus of Nazareth among others. After parking the car we had to get a donkey ride across a river – a scary prospect for someone like me who hasn't ridden any animal for probably 25 years! We then walked to the top of the Kasbah to see get a full view of the valley.
Leaving Ait Benhaddou we continued south-east to Ouarzazate, past two studios where films such as The Mummy and Kingdom of Heaven were shot. We stopped for an excellent lunch of kefta tagine and continued towards the Draa Valley. The land was getting more arid, turning into a barren landscape of red rocks and scrubby bushes. We turned a corner into the valley and everything on our right side changed to a greenish hue. Gradually more and more palm trees appeared and we entered the palm grove which stretches for 100km. We arrived in Tamnougalt and Chez Yacob, our resting place for the night at around 3pm.
We were now deep in Berber territory. The Berbers are the native people of Morocco, recognisable by their distinctive headwear and colourful outfits. After a short rest Houssaine introduced us to Abdul who was to show us around Tamnougalt. Here was another famous Kasbah – it has appeared in Babel and Abdul himself can be seen in the background in The Passion of the Christ. He was an excellent guide, showing us around the Kasbah, the village and the palm groves, and despite the fact that he knew little English and we knew little French he was incredibly friendly with a permanent smile on his face. He paid five young girls a few dirham for us to take their photo and they were very excited about seeing their image captured on the camera. After our evening meal we retired to bed – it had been a long day.
Day Two
When we woke the next morning we found it had been raining. After breakfast we headed east, leaving the Draa Valley. We stopped for a break and noticed for the first time a lot of old Renaults covered in racing decals. Houssaine explained to us that we were passing the Renault 4L rally, a race for students from Paris to Marrakech via the Sahara Desert. The rally has a humanitarian aim with participants delivering school equipment to children in south Morocco. We continued onto to Risani, the terrain changing from the lush palm groves back to the barren rocky landscapes we had seen before we reached the Draa Valley. However the land started to flatten out and after we passed through Risani the deep orange sand dunes of the Sahara came into view.
It was quite strange to see those famous sands for real. We arrived at an auberge had a late lunch and steeled ourselves for our camel ride. Houssaine left us in the hands of one of our hosts for the night who led our camels through the desert. It really did feel like being on a film set! An hour later we saw the first signs of civilisation – a small Berber camp. Our guide didn't speak any English so we thought we'd climb a sand dune to take in the view. Walking uphill on sand is very hard work, and as we reached the top it started to rain. We couldn't believe it – we'd come all the way to the desert and it rained! We watched a few sand boarders for a while and trudged back down, a little disheartened. We were sat in the living area, helpfully lit by solar powered lights, when Houssaine arrived. We were also joined by a French couple and their son, and after we all settled down our hosts brought a few drums into the tent. They showed off their skills and then invited us to join them – all manner of glassware and cutlery was involved!
We were served a chicken tagine for dinner then adjourned outside to sit around the fire. It then became clear that the drums we had earlier been given to play were for visitors – new drums were warmed and these were for the professionals. For the next two hours were watched and listened and occasionally joined in. It felt very natural and inclusive, not at all contrived or like they were "performing" for us. When the full moon shone out from the clearing cloud we all cheered. It was amazing how much light the moon creates in this wide expanse with no light pollution. We decided to turn in at 11pm, and were shown to our tent. Our bed was surprisingly comfortable and the huge quantity of blankets we were provided with meant there was no danger of feeling the night-time desert chill – indeed it was hard to move under the weight!
Day Three
Unfortunately the clear skies didn't last until morning. We woke ourselves at 6.30am hoping to see the sunrise over the dunes. It was difficult to tell whether the sky was cloudy or just dark, but as time ticked on and the skies lightened it became clear that we weren't going to see a show. We had breakfast at the camp before setting back off on our camels. After freshening up at the auberge we set off on our long drive back to Marrakech. This time we took a road further north to Ouarzazate stopping at the Gorges of Todra. Houssaine dropped us off at the entrance of the gorge to walk through and take in the majesty of the huge cliff-faces on foot. The road swayed to the left and right alongside a very clear and very pretty stream until it reached a few hotels built into the rock. Here there was a pool of water of the most incredibly bright blue, filled with fish. It was very beautiful, but we couldn't stay long as we still had a long journey ahead of us.
The sun still hadn't made an appearance when we stopped in Ourzazate for lunch. We were then back on the road that leads through the Atlas Mountains to Marrakech – along with hundreds of cars on the final leg of the 4L rally. A combination of the rain that started to fall, the lack of seatbelts and Houssaine's rather impatient overtaking manoeuvres made for quite an unsettling ride! Still we made it back in one piece at around 7.30pm – back in our home from home in Riad Jomana with a cup of mint tea.
I really fell in love with Marrakech. I was less taken with Fes, but I think that was because of the weather. Everyone is very friendly and hospitable, albeit normally because they want to sell you something! It has been amazing to see just how much you can find out about a different country and culture in just a few days or weeks. Houssaine was a brilliant guide, giving us an incredible insight into his Berber roots. We really felt welcomed into a lot of people's lives. And I can't finish my tale of Morocco without mentioning the staff at Riad Jomana and Nabil in particular. They were always friendly, polite and happy to see us. Nabil just couldn't do enough for us, sorting out accommodation, transfers and putting us in contact with Houssaine. Riad Jomana isn't just the most amazing place to stay in Marrakech. It's a reason to go to Marrakech.

As Time Goes By

I was quite sad to leave Marrakech, even though we are returning in a few days. Our next destination was Casablanca by train. Not somewhere I particularly felt the need to visit but Darren wanted to on a whim about the film, and then we heard that it has the world's third biggest mosque (after Mecca and Medina) – the only active mosque in Morocco that non-Muslims can enter.
After checking into our hotel (basic, but fine for one night) we went out for a wander. Not that there's anything to see. Casablanca is the biggest city in Morocco, the sixth biggest city in Africa and essentially nothing more than a business centre. We walked around the big expensive hotels and Darren got his very dusty shoes polished, but otherwise there was nothing of note. Hassan II Mosque is also the tallest religious building in the world, and we headed towards it to get a closer look. We then saw the other side of Casablanca – derelict and half-demolished houses, the very poor almost living in a shanty town under the shadow of a mosque which cost $750 million to build. We couldn't go in at that point as visitor can only enter on set guided tours so we'd wait for that until the following morning. But we got a wonderful view of it as the sun set and could hear the evening prayers take place from outside the open door.
Walking back to our hotel wondering where to eat, all of Darren's wishes came true. There it was – Rick's Cafe. I thought it would probably be a bit of a dingy, touristy dive, but we thought we'd bear it in mind and maybe pop in for a drink later. Making use of our hotel's free internet we found out it was actually quite a posh (but not too expensive) restaurant, a labour of love by an enterprising American woman who was amazed that no-one had done it before. I could protest no longer and it became our destination for dinner. And it was an excellent choice. The staff were friendly, the food delicious, the decor very tasteful and there was a pianist playing all the old standards, including of course As Time Goes By.
The next morning we arose early enough to catch the 9am tour of the mosque. It was completed in 1993 after 6 years of round the clock work. It holds 20,000 worshippers, has an openable roof, and as well as the prayer hall you can view the ablution chamber and the hassans (public baths). It is grand, elaborate, immense and quite an amazing feat of architecture. It is rare to see such a modern religious building and it's ingenious to see how modern technology has been fused with traditional crafts (especially when they show you how they've hidden the hundreds of speakers!). Although the mosque is used daily, it is essentially a showpiece – the public baths have never been used and are just for demonstration. And as beautiful as it all was, this gave me a sense of emotional detachment which was quite strange.
We then returned to our hotel to check out and catch the train to Fes, the next destination on our Moroccan adventure...

Rock The Casbah

Over four days in Marrakech I think we managed to take in more or less all of the sights. Our first venture into Place Jemaa el Fna was pretty scary stuff. It was quite late so all the entertainers were out in force. Everywhere you go is like trying to run the gauntlet, with people trying to persuade you to take their picture or eat their food. Our guidebook recommended Hassan's with "the best merguez sausages" but it was packed, largely with locals. We eventually planted ourselves at one stall and ate well for 90 dirham (DH) – about £6 for the two of us. However, I still hadn't managed to accumulate much change for the entertainers and we had become a bit weary of being hassled and returned to the riad.
On Wednesday we visited the Musee de Marrakech, the Madrassa Ben Youssef and Koubba el Baroudyn. The Koubba was part of the Ben Youssef mosque which was used for ablutions, but was buried for hundreds of years before being re-discovered in 1947. It was the first piece of Arab architecture that we had really looked at and a great starting point – although not elaborate it is the only surviving structure from the Almoravide period in Marrakech and it's design and decoration have been replicated ever since the 11^th century. From there we crossed the track to the Madrassa of the Ben Youssef mosque. Non-Muslims aren't allowed in all but one mosque in Morocco, but madrassas (where religious students live) are often opened up to allow tourists to view. It was beautifully decorated and I've been most stunned by the deep stucco work on many of the buildings. The open courtyard reminded me a little of the monastery at Montserrat, and you can explore the rooms to see the difference between the bad ones (little boxes with no windows) to the best (much bigger with views over the courtyard). The best thing about looking out of these windows was that it gave a closer look at that intricate stucco work.
Next on our ticket was the Musee de Marrakesh. More of an art gallery than a museum, the main piece on view is the building. Like most buildings in the city there is an open courtyard, although this one had a tented roof which gave the roof a strange, yellowish glow. There were quite a few chairs and benches around so apart from anything it was a lovely place to sit and relax and listen to the sound of the water trickling over the fountains. The art displayed was vibrant and wonderful, reminding me that I'd love to find a nice piece from a souk vendor to take home!
We decided to take a break from the Moroccan cuisine and visit an Italian restaurant recommended by the guidebook. It was early so when we arrived we were the only diners, but Casanova was a very nice restaurant with good food (it's great when you order something you've had before and are served with an excellent version of it). Our waiter was intriguing and determined to practice as much English as possible on us, regaling us with tales of how he hated his job, hated the Spanish and was really a very creative and sensitive soul. His accent was heavy and we often lost track of his musings - as sweet as he was we were pleased when more customers came in to take his attention!
For our final day in Marrakesh we ventured to the south of the city – the Kasbah and the Palaces. The first place we wanted to see was the Saadian Tombs. 66 members of the Saadian dynasty (16^th-17^th century) are buried here, and the most intriguing thing (for us Westerners at least) is that the graves are more or less unmarked. Rectangles of mosaic tiles differentiate one grave from another, and even those housed under ornate roofs are relatively plain. Slightly disappointed we walked to El Badi, a Saadian palace. After the Saadian dynasty fell, Sultan Moulay Ismail stole all the marble that decorated it for his palace in Meknes, so essentially it is nothing more than a ruin that is now owned by the many storks who build their nests on top of the walls. But it is huge! There are a few walls along with sunken gardens, ex-fountains and foundations with good signs explaining how the building may have looked, and you can envisage just how grand the parties there would have been. You can also walk around some of the unearthed outbuildings – the ground was very uneven and you would never be allowed so much freedom on a ruin in Rome!
On our way back we decided we had to eat where the locals at. It was relatively early but Hassan's stall at Jemma el Fna was already doing the business. There was no fussing about with menus, just sit down and eat what's put in front of you. The merguez were indeed very good, as was the slightly random (not sure I want to know what was in it) meat stew and with bread and tea it was no more than 40 DH for both of us! Just shows that the locals (and the guidebooks) do know what they're talking about sometimes!

Where The Streets Have No Name

Today we got lost. After two days in a city that we know quite well, we are in what feels like a completely different world. The cacophony of sights, sounds and smells makes Marrakech everything I expected and I’ll try to put it into words. But firstly, I’m getting ahead of myself...
We had a wonderful meal on my birthday but couldn’t stay up too late as we had to pack and leave early to catch our flight. Our hostel was actually just north of Barcelona in Badalona, but still accessible by metro. It was very nice and clean, fine for a couple of nights. While in Barcelona we thought we’d try to see a something we hadn’t visited before – Montjuic. When we arrived on the funicular we found that the cable car to the top was closed for repairs, so instead we walked to the Olympic Stadium and museum. The stadium itself isn’t that impressive, although we were quite intrigued that it didn’t look anything like other ultra-modern recently built stadia. The museum was very interesting, chronicling the history of sport in general as well as the ancient and modern Olympic Games. We then headed back into Barcelona centre to book a few more future travel plans and buy a Morocco guidebook. We thought about eating in a restaurant but Barcelona on a Saturday night is a VERY busy place and we decided to get a takeaway pizza and rest in our hotel room instead.

Our flight left Girona airport at 4pm. As with all Ryanair flights it wasn’t the most pleasant experience but it was clear enough during most of the journey for us to have a good view. As we approached Marrakech we took in the sight of desert and neatly kept plantations, then the red city came into view. For the first time in my life I was out of Europe – and had to queue up to get my passport stamped. We had arranged a lift with our riad, and it’s possibly the best £10 we’ve spent as there is no public transport from the airport and Marrakech is a mish-mash of unlabelled streets. We’ve not yet found a comprehensive map and even if we did I feel it would be fairly useless!

Having visited quite a few European cities in the past, the main thing that has struck both of us is just how different it really is. It really does match up to your expectations in so many ways. The smells are the most incredible – aromas of different foods and spices, the charcoal that much of the food is cooked upon mingling with occasional whiffs of petrol or sewerage. The local music predominates, with a mix of different languages – Arabic, French and sometimes even English – and the calls to prayer booming out over loudspeakers five times a day. Even in cloudy February the heat is intense when the sun comes out. There are few cars inside the city walls but there are countless motorbikes, mopeds and bicycles with apparently no road rules.

We are staying in Riad Jomana and our welcome couldn’t have been warmer. The riad is in a small alleyway and doesn’t look like much from the outside, but inside is beautiful, comfortable and very relaxing. It only has four rooms so the staff are always on hand and willing to bring us more delicious mint tea. There is a roof terrace where we had our breakfast this morning and an internal courtyard from where I’m writing this. We spent our first evening lounging here as we were a bit scared to tackle Marrakech in the dark!

So yesterday morning we braved the outside world. We found our way to the famous Place Jemaa el Fna (Place of the Dead) fairly easily and entered the souks. Our intention was to get lost - the owner of our riad said it was the only way to experience Marrakech and it wasn’t difficult. It’s almost impossible to orientate yourself as few streets are signposted and directions are few and far between. Everything is so unbelievably cheap that it’s difficult not to buy a bag full (and of course a new bag to put it all in). When you enter a shop you have to intend to buy something, and as Darren wanted to add to his ingredients collection back home we did eventually succumb to a spice stall. We were treated to some tea and got to smell lots of wonderful spice combinations as well as herbal remedies and essential oils. We left with plenty of goods, some freebies and the knowledge that we’d had a good, traditional Moroccan tourist experience!

After a couple of hours of having no idea where we were, going in and out of the souks by various entrances, walking around in circles and being hassled by EVERYONE (fun for a while, eventually tiresome) we found our way back to the “big square” as all the local children trying to earn a few dirham from lost tourists describe it. We had lunch in a cafe overlooking the square as people started to set up for the evening, but decided to have a fine meal in the riad instead.

It really is a place of contrasts, and you need the wonderfully relaxing side – either in the riad, the gardens outside the city or even in a cafe - to balance the frenetic madness that takes over in the streets and the souks. We have spent today relaxing in the Jardin Majorelle botanic gardens and Cyber Park - a big park with Wi-Fi and computers where it seems most of the local youth hangs out. So tonight we feel relaxed and ready to take on the Place Jemaa el Fna with it's many entertainers and street food sellers.

Celebration

After four weeks of living in relatively basic circumstances, it’s nice to check into a hotel. And our first priority in Hotel Taburiente in Santa Cruz de Tenerife was to have a good, hot, powerful shower. We then headed out for a Canarian meal and to sample a little of the Carnaval. We had drinks in a couple of bars and danced for a while amongst the crowd in front of the stage, but headed back at about 11.30pm. Well, we had been up VERY early that morning and wanted to conserve some energy for the next day, even though it seemed to be just at the point when the party was starting!

After breakfast on Tuesday, we took to the streets for a stroll to get a feel for Santa Cruz and try to find out where to watch the afternoon’s procession which started at 4pm. It travels a long way along the coastal road and must have left its starting point a lot earlier than the scheduled time! After 3 hours we felt that there was only so much procession you can watch so we headed back to the hotel to change for the evening and watch the rest on television. Our plan was to head out for the firework display at 9pm, but at 8.30pm we heard a few bangs – this carnival obviously doesn’t run very precisely to schedule! Still we headed out for some food and to have another boogie in the street. It seemed a lot quieter than the night before though, and we got a sense that we’d missed the main party.
On Wednesday we took the tram to the Museo de la Ciencia y el Cosmos. It had lots of interactive experiments, and was much like the interactive section of London’s Science Museum but with far fewer kids running around! We then took the tram back into Santa Cruz to have a look at the magnificent Auditorio. Clearly influenced by Sydney Opera House, it gleams in the sun looking like a wave from the Atlantic Ocean. After our evening meal we joined the crowds lining the street for the Burial of the Sardine. Another key event in Santa Cruz’s Carnaval celebrations, it was a short but rowdy group of many men (and even a few women) dressed as widows (although how many people would attend a funeral in this get up I’ve no idea!) The procession hadn’t got far although it was already 11pm, and we decided to head back to the hotel instead of follow it. At about 3am we were woken by some huge bangs – the “mourners” had clearly reached the sardine and the fireworks sounded much more impressive than the previous evening.
I’ve had a nice relaxing birthday today. We first took the tram to La Laguna, the old town of the north of Tenerife. There we visited the Museo de Historia de Tenerife which is based in one of the many beautiful old buildings in the town. We then had a nice wander around – you can see very clearly where the old town starts – and headed back to Santa Cruz. Our hotel sits opposite the Parque Garcia Sanabria which we’ve walked through a few times but I wanted to walk the full spiral of the footpath that runs to the centre. There are many sculptures and exotic plants, including the banyul trees that were so inspirational to Gaudi when he designed La Sagrada Familia. Most importantly we could sit out in the sunshine in t-shirts, something I’ve never done on my birthday before!
Tonight we’re having a meal in the hotel restaurant – the menu has been taunting us every time we use the lift! Tomorrow we leave early for our flight to Barcelona before flying to Marrakesh on Sunday. Finally, thank you all for the birthday messages. It’s been strange not having any presents or cards to open, but I knowing that people remembered is much more important!