Knotty Ewe On the Land

Today I went wandering through the Medina (the old city) to start going in search of the Morocco I’ve been dreaming about since highschool.  It is a truly overwhelming place, but unfortunately very very geared to the tourists.

The main square of the city is the Jemaa El Fna Square which is massive and teaming with life.  You really have to be aware to dodge the cars, scooters, hustlers, horse drawn carriages, and henna tattooists.  There is so much going on it is a feast for the eyes.   At night the square turns into an open air kitchen with top chefs vying for customers taste buds from stalls.  Haven’t gone to this yet.

Jemaa el Fna Square

Koutoubia Mosque is the architectural focal point of the square

Garden center Morocco style

Delivery service Morocco style

You can buy anything – gazelle head anyone?

No one has offered me any camels for me yet.

Animals of all sorts are in the square entertaining the tourists – monkeys and snake and their charmers are most prominent

The square is ringed by many restaurants, mainly catering to tourists but providing relatively palatable food.  So far my appetite hasn’t been very big so I’ve only been eating one main meal in the afternoons (breakfast is at the hostel in the morning).  I’ve been enjoying the Moroccan spices of chicken tajines which is baked chicken and vegetables.

Chicken tajine

The cooking dish is actually the tajine.  You can cook anything really in it that ends up as a kind of stew.

Clay tajine cooking dish

After lunch I wandered through the souks.  It’s like diving into aladdin’s cave with the bright array of colours, sounds, and lights.  I like these souks much better than in Egypt.  The vendors don’t harass you very much at all so you can just look and enjoy.

Finding myself in the northern end of the souk in the older part of the Medina, I stopped by the Ben Youssef Medersa.  The Medersa was learning institution (primarily for religion but also law and science) for 132 pupils for 500 years up until the 19th century.  It was restored about 15 years ago and the architecture is beautiful.  It was actually very reminiscent of the Alhambra in Granada, Spain.

Inner court yard of the Ben Youssef Medersa

Medersa court yard

Light well in the students living quarters (8 x 8 dark cells)

After a return trip through the souk, I ended up back at the hostel.  Since the hostel is actually called Hostel Riad Marrakech Rouge, it is fitting that their front door should be bright and colourful.

Hostel front door – still impossible to find if you don’t know where you are going!

Well tomorrow morning I’m out of this place and headed out to the “new city” which was built outside the Medina by the French in the early 20th century.  That is where the tour starts in the evening (at a proper hotel that might *gasp* have hot water showers).

Yesterday morning I took an early morning flight from Gatwick to Marrakech in Morocco.  It was a 3.5 hour flight which went without problems.  Because it was a cheaper EasyJet flight it left at an insanely early hour of the day.  I think I’ve decided that once I factor in the cost of the airport hotel the night before I might as well have flown a normal airline and the price would have been the same.  Lesson learned for future!

I’m going to be in Morocco for about a month until the 19th of October.  In that time I plan to do a number of things.  Following these couple of rest days in Marrakech the first major one is a tour which starts tomorrow which isn’t a sightseeing tour but rather activity based so lots of hiking, bike riding, and camel riding.  The tour is 10 days.  After the tour Eric is joining me for a few weeks (very very excited to see him!!).  We are going to rent a motorcycle and tour around for a couple of weeks.  This will be followed by a week at the beach near Agadir where I’m going to attempt to learn how to surf.  That is the current plan.  In all of this I have no guarantees of reliable internet access so my postings are likely going to be fairly patchy for a while.

For the couple of days before the tour I’m just hanging out in Marrakech.  Yesterday, besides a short trip to find some food, I stayed put and rested.  I’m going to need my energy for the tour.  Also to be honest I’m feeling pretty down and flat these days.  I’m not looking forward to the challenge of wandering through the chaotic souk alone today but I’ll make myself do it because that’s what I’m here for.  I am really craving the familiar and comforting at this point in the trip.  I’m hopeful the tour will jolt me out of this funk.

Another lesson learned is that I don’t think I really like travelling solo.  Even though I’m staying in hostels, I am totally disconnected from people around me.  This is definitely contributing to my craving for home in a big way.   I’m staying at a hostel in Marrakech which was highly recommended online but I wouldn’t recommend it.  I don’t feel totally safe or more like I don’t feel my pack is safe.  There is no where to lock it up in my room and no lock on the room itself.  So anyone can wander in and rifle through it (I’ve removed anything of actual value).  Anyway, in future unless I can determine better safety at a place I’m going to book a proper hotel.  The money savings isn’t worth this discomfort.

My throat infection thing seems to be clearing up slowly with the medications helping a lot.  I’ve been having fewer coughing fits which is a good sign I think.  I’m hopeful it will clear up soon.

As I mentioned my plan for today is to go out into the Medina to explore a bit and to get a SIM card for my phone.  I’m having to steal myself for this.  I’ll post some pictures later.

On my last day in London it proved to be another soggy day despite starting out with a glimmer of hope with patches of blue sky early in the morning.  The promising conditions  lured me for a long walk in Hyde Park walking the length of the long water.  It is a beautiful urban green space that is obviously enjoyed by Londoners.  Even though it was the middle of the week there were people jogging, walking their dogs, cycling, and even roller blading and horse back riding (there is a stable in the park).

Coots on the Long Water in Hyde Park

Horseback riders in Hyde Park

There are many monuments from Victoria and Albert in the part which are testaments of their relationship.  Victoria erected a massive monument to Albert after he died in 1861 and spent 40 years in mourning.  Albert built an italian water garden as a romantic gesture for Victoria.

Italian water garden

The Albert memorial across the street from Albert Hall

As the weather started to deteriorate I decided to stick with a tradition started in my first visit, and go see the Tower of London.  When we were here previously the first time it rained on the trip was when we were standing in line to enter the Tower.  Fortunately given the weather and time of year there were no line ups and almost no tour groups.  I even managed to jump on a tour led by one of the Gentlemen Yeoman Warders of the Tower (aka Beefeater).

White Tower – the original core of the tower – now the armoury display.

Real soldier guarding the crown jewels

Legend says that when the ravens leave the tower the kingdom will fall

Tower Green – Where Anne Boleyn lost her head (note the new glass coffee table on the spot instead of the old wood block)

Gentleman Yeoman Warder of the Tower – there are 37 of them who live in the tower with their families. All retired armed forces members.

Traitor’s Gate – where high ranking prisoners were brought into the tower from the Thames

The Tower of London

I went to see the crown jewels which are housed in the Tower and consist of all the regalia (crowns, swords, sceptres etc) used during coronations.  Sorry no pictures allowed (shock!).  I liked to think of it as doing a little jewellery shopping!

From the tower I had a nice view of Tower Bridge.  But by this time it was raining pretty heavily so I called it a day.  I collected my pack from the hostel and headed out to Gatwick where I stayed the night before my early morning flight to Morocco.

Tower Bridge

In the past few days I haven’t been finding I’m getting any better with my energy still low, a persistent cough, and sore throat that makes talking painful.   To try and get some insight for the first time in my life I went to see a doctor in a foreign country.  Apparently, walk in clinics here are a fairly rare thing here and are operated as part of the private system.

I found a clinic online (incidentally just around the corner from Harley Street the traditional stronghold of doctors – for reference watch “The King’s Speech” again or read some Agatha Christie).  After getting the go ahead from my travel insurance folks, I headed there bright and early this morning.  I anticipated that it would be like walkin clinics in Canada where you can wait a while.  However, I was the only person there.  After filling out a form and paying I saw a doctor immediately.

Final result was unsurprisingly a viral upper respiratory tract infection (causing the post-nasal drip, cough, and sore throat) with some secondary mild bacterial infection causing ongoing mild fever.  The long and short of it is that I have to take a course of antibiotics and use some other meds to manage symptoms for the next while until it runs its course.

It felt so strange paying to see a doctor – just wrong somehow that that service isn’t available to everyone.  I like the way we do it better, it’s more fair.

Besides seeing the doctor, I didn’t really have any real plan so I just headed off wandering.  This is one of my favourite things to do when travelling – just start walking and follow interesting looking streets.  The result was that I actually ended up hitting many of the typical spots you’d go to see in London.

First discovery was Liberty’s department store which I remember visiting in 1990.  It is still as beautiful inside.

Liberty’s of London

Interior court

Liberty prints – can’t believe these are still for sale but they still seem to be popular!

Continuing to wander further afield, I came across Trafalgar Square.  Interestingly the pigeons are so inbred that they are their own breed of pigeon now!

Random blue chicken sculpture in Trafalgar Square

Trafalgar Square and National Gallery

Canadian Embassy by the square

Following the lovely green space of St James Park, I stopped by Buckingham Palace.  Unfortunately I’d missed the changing of the guard by about an hour.  Next time!

Buckingham Palace

Pelican in St Jame Park

At the official Buckingham Palace Shop they still had the commemorative plates for little Prince George.  Though I have a soft spot for the monarchy I couldn’t see making that a souvenir!

Prince George birth commemoration plate

Heading down toward the Thames I went to Westminster Abbey.  I decided that I’d go in and do the full audio guide tour.  I’m glad that I did as I had totally forgotten that it is the burial place of so many British Monarchs.  Being a lover of Tudor and Stuart history it was fun to see the tombs of so many of them (Elizabeth, Mary, Edward etc).  Unfortunately photography was prohibited (why do I always follow these rules??) so I am dependent on post cards for pictures of the interior.

Westminster Abbey

Westminster Abbey nave

Westminster Abbey – Lady Chapel erected by Henry VII to be the Tudor family burial place

I know that we were here in 1990, but I only have vague memories.   I do know that the coronation chair had the Stone of Scone in it at that point (it’s been returned to Scotland since).

After the abbey I just walked along the Thames admiring the parliament buildings and other sites.

Parliament Buildings

London Eye – I would need some company to give me courage to do that one!

As you can see the weather deteriorated later in the day so I headed north towards the hostel as I was totally pooped and my legs done in.  I’m hopeful that I won’t pay the price for all this walking by a deterioration in my health tomorrow.  I really need my energy back quickly as I’m heading off to Morocco on Wednesday and will shortly start an “active adventure” tour where the focus is doing hiking, biking, and other active pursuits.  Keep your fingers crossed for me!

I just wanted to mention how much I enjoy seeing comments and hearing your thoughts.  I’m having a good time and I’m glad that you are also enjoying sharing in my explorations.  Please keep them coming and I’ll keep posting!

On my second day in London the sun finally made an appearance in the morning.  I set out to enjoy it with a stroll through Kensington Park which is just north of my hostel.  There were so many people out enjoying the green space walking their dogs and running.  I really wanted to be one of the people running.  That was actually my original intent in booking this location.  However, my energy is still pretty low and my head still feels pretty foggy.

Kensington Park

Kensington Palace – no one home for tea

My goal in walking north was the Vodofone store in Notting Hill to get a local SIM card for my phone.  My card from Ireland wasn’t allowing me to use data so a local card was needed as I’m depending on my phone to help me find my way around.

My other piece of business was to get an Oyster card which is the refillable pass for the tube.  I found single rides pretty pricy and having an Oyster card will just make getting around easier and cheaper.  Plus I have it for my next visit – along with my SIM card.

Business accomplished I headed out to the British Museum.  When Dad, Tatiana, and I were in London when I was 12 we didn’t manage to see the British Museum.  It has been noted as the home of many objects referenced in my history studies and so has always been a place I wanted to visit.  It far from disappointed.   It is massive – you could spend days and days going through it and never really get your head around all the artefacts.

Rosetta stone – used to decipher ancient Egyptian heiroglyphics as it has the same text in heiroglyphics and greek

Internal court of the British Museum

Reliquary of a saints head

Unfortunately my energy gave out pretty quickly and so I wasn’t able to fully appreciate it all.  This will definitely call for a redo on a future visit and I will definitely take the audio guide instead of wandering through aimlessly.

This morning we got up at an unspeakable hour to catch our flights from Dublin.  Mum was on the very first flight out of the airport in the morning which goes to Frankfurt leaving at 5.20 am.  My flight left at 6.25 for London.

Mum at the Dublin Airport – note the new extra rolling case for all the extra stuff we bought.

I was very sad to see Mum leave.  It has been a fun trip so far with her especially in Hamburg seeing family related locations and the first part in Ireland (being sick hasn’t been so much fun).  Now I am on my own for the first time on this journey.   Though I was solo in Malta in February some how this seems bigger.  I’m definitely much less prepared this time for each location.  Though I have accommodation booked, I haven’t really done any research to know what I want to do with my time.  This is very unusual for me and I’m working to get used to it because I know I can’t memorize the guidebook and map before getting there as I would normally do!

After seeing Mum off on her flight this morning I hung around the airport for a while before hopping my Ryanair flight to London.  I’ve never flown with Ryanair before but I’m going to be using a lot of discount airlines in the coming months so I’m going to have to get used to no leg room or other frills like free checked luggage.  Oh and I can’t buy anything as my bag currently weighs 15.1 kg and the limit for most of these carriers is 15kg.

I’ve spent the day just wandering around Kensington and Knightsbridge which is the area of London, just south of Hyde Park where my hostel is.  On confirming my reservation I noted that the age limit for this place is 35 (and they actually check!) which means I likely won’t be back next year!

Houses in Kensington

The one touristy thing I did was wander around the Victoria and Albert seeing their exhibits of medieval and renaissance decorative arts.  It was fun and I’ve wanted to go there for many years.

Victoria & Albert Museum (free admission!!)

This bed made a king look small and had four mattresses on it!

These should never come back into fashion – I have a hard enough time with door frames!

Of course being in this corner of London no random exploration would be complete without a wander through Harrods.  There were mobs of people (the tour busses parked out front should have tipped me off!) so I didn’t stay too long – maybe an early morning visit would be better.

Harrod’s Knightsbridge

Today was our last day with the car so we spent it slowly making our way north through the mountains to the Dublin Airport.  We stopped en route at Glendalough to see the ruins of the medieval monastery there.  It was originally founded in the 6th century but most of the ruins are from the 11th to 13th centuries.  It is in a beautiful setting in a valley of the mountains and is actually the starting point for some major hiking trails.   The site is still used as a cemetery as it is still consecrated ground.

We then set our not so trusty GPS device to point us to the Dublin Airport car rental return.  In the process, because we have not been taking any major high ways, we saw some very beautiful country side.

Unfortunately our GPS I don’t think had the most recent maps or very good logic.  Throughout the trip it always seemed determined to take us through the centre of every town, even if the road we needed to be taking skirted it.  Unfortunately the same proved true today.

The mountains are south of Dublin and the airport is north.  So of course the route it set was straight through crazy Dublin Friday afternoon traffic.  As a result a trip that should have taken an hour took almost 2.5.  I’m glad I’m used to driving in Toronto because Irish drivers are crazy aggressive!  Dublin only has something like 550,000 people but you’d think there were a few million with how many cars there were!  Oh and construction on the road to the airport didn’t help.  I relinquished the keys to our Yaris hatchback with sadness.  I’m very happy to not have to drive for a few months at the very least!

We are now settled at an airport hotel which has good reliable wifi which has allowed me to finally get caught up on my postings.  I’m sorry I fell so far behind but I plead a combination of illness and faulty technology (aka B&Bs that say they have wifi on the website but don’t!).  Tomorrow morning very early I will kiss Mum good bye as she heads home to Canada and I start the first solo portion of my journey and head to London for a few days.  See you in the UK!

This was another day of very low energy for us both.  However given as we needed to be in Dublin by the end of the next day we needed to start making our way north.  Our plan was to spend our last two days in the Wicklow mountains just south of Dublin.  This is beautiful country with amazing hiking.  Unfortunately the best laid plans haven’t seemed to be working for us.

Being a fiber-lover I declared that we had to at the very least go to the Avoca Handweavers mill in Avoca.  I’m very glad we did too.  This is a weaving mill that has been run in this small village continuously since 1723.  The original Mill is still used (though expanded a bit by now).  They produce lovely warm, colourful blankets and fabrics.

Of course I couldn’t resist buying one of their snuggly warm throws (sorry it’s packed and I don’t have a picture).  I’m actually surprised how little I’ve been purchasing.  Only a couple of small things here and there.  In the end though when combined with what Mum bought we needed to get her an extra bag to take it back to Canada.

In driving straight from Killarney to Midleton then on to the Wicklow mountains I realize we skipped many traditional “must-see” sites including Rock and Castle of Cashel, Kilkenney, the Waterford Crystal factory, and Blarney Castle (and seeing people kiss the filthy Blarney stone).  We had to be selective in what we have done in the past few days.  As I’ve said before this just leaves lots to see next time I come!

Overnight my fever returned so we decided to stay put at the B&B for the day and just sleep.  This seems to have done me some good as by the evening my fever was really gone but had moved into a very sore throat.   Our B&B was lovely and our hosts, Cheryl and Brian, were so kind to us by providing lots of Lemsip (hot lemon drink) and small sandwiches.

View from my sick room of the host’s horses and the estuary

On Tuesday we sadly left the lovely and picturesque Killarney and headed east.  Because we were not feeling very well still (my fever was still raging) we only managed to drag around the Old Midleton Distillery in Midleton which is just outside Cork.  This is where Jameson Whiskey was distilled for 150 years.  Mum is fan of Scotch and so originally there were quite a few distillery visits planned for our trip that we weren’t able to squeeze in.   We took a tour of the distillery to see how the whiskey is made from barley and malt.  Apparently what distinguishes this whiskey is that it is triple distilled instead of twice distilled as is the case for Scotch.  This is supposed to give is a smoother taste.  Since I’m not a whiskey aficionado I’ll take their word for it.

Midleton Brewery – Buildings from 1825 used to brew all Jameson Whiskey until 1975

Midleton Distillery (ignore the finger – I was burning up with fever)

Of course like all of these tours and events it ends with a free whiskey.  From our tour group 8 volunteers got to do a whiskey tasting in which they compared Scotch, Bourbon (made from corn), and Jameson Irish Whiskey.  Neither of us was up to this exercise so we didn’t volunteer! Mum gamely tried the Jameson though but wasn’t a convert declaring Scotch more interesting.

Mum enjoying her free whiskey

Bearic enjoying his share of the take

We then headed to our B&B which was around the corner and went to bed.  Happily by evening lots of paracetamol (aka acetaminophen) had brought my fever under control a bit.