Tangiers, Morocco \ May 7 & 8

Well, the ferry ride was fantastic.  I love transportation; really I do, and there is nothing better than a ferry ride especially when it takes you to another country. Nothing out of the ordinary but just knowing you are leaving Europe and about to step foot on the continent of Africa is quite the experience.   The ferry from Tarifa to Tangiers is very classy and cost 38 Euros (a bit pricy for a 30 minute ride).  Once on board you can grab a coffee or a snack and wait in line to get your passport stamped…very cool!

 I had read in quite a few places that you are inundated with touts and chaos as soon as you step foot off the ferry in Tangiers.  To our great surprise Tangiers was totally chill and laid back.  Only had a couple taxi drivers tried to give us a ride and offer us hotels.  Told them we already had a place and even gave then the name of a resort I had seen in a guidebook.  Several drivers told us that our hotel was shut down.  I assumed they were saying the hotel was closed in order to get us somewhere else; the ‘your hotel is closed, stay at my friends hotel’ is a tried and true taxi driver technique.  As it turns out that hotel was shut down and everyone was just trying to help us out.  In the month to come we would learn that many of the usual rip off trips just don’t happen in Morocco.  Oh, those crazy honest Moroccans.

We walked ourselves out into the kind, mellow streets of Tangiers on the hunt for a hotel.    It didn’t take us long to wander close to our first Moroccan medina (the ancient walled city that most of the action is in any Moroccan city or town).  Our hassle free wanderings lead us quickly to a clean, comfortable and centrally located hotel called Hotel Miami…and cheap to boot.  We dropped our bags and headed out to get lost in our first medina. 

My first medina, like many travelers, is in Tangiers.  Medinas are the old quarter of a city in Northern Africa.  Tangiers medina, like all medinas, is a maze of small roads, alleys and walkways lined with simply shops and homes.  We learned quickly that the action in Moroccan cities is within the walls of the medina.  Wandering around a good souq (covered market streets) while trying to find the Kasbah or mosque are just some of the good times to be had in the medina. We had a list of places we hoped to check out but spent most of our time lost within the walls of the medina, which by the way is part of the fun of travelling in Morocco.  Tangiers medina is a tangle of alleys on a hillside and we did manage in out lost state to find a killer view of the city with the ocean in the background. 

Food and Morocco go hand in hand.  No matter how picky you are Morocco is a culinary delight.  If you are coming over to Tangiers for a quick visit from Europe and want to dine an as many Moroccan delicacies as possible then hit up Hamadi in the medina.  It is designed for tourists but the food is top notch and the entertainment is well worth getting your ‘touristy’ on.  We dined on kebabs, harira, pastilla, and mezze while dancers contorted around us. 

Now, you always hear the most about the happenings in the medina but the Ville Nouvelle (new city) has heaps to offer.  The Ville Nouvelle in many cities is like jumping forward several hundred years.   In the bigger cites like Marrakesh, Casablanca, Fez and of course Tangiers the Nouvelle is a fantastic place to chill out with the ‘suite and ties’ over a mint tea and watch the modern world blend with the old world. 

There are literally hundreds of cafes to choose from in Tangiers but one stands out as a must go spot.  Café de Paris is like stepping back in time; in fact, it has been around since 1927.  The dim lighting, dark wood, and smoky atmosphere draw businessmen, tourists, and the old world Moroccan men.  The mint tea comes in a tall glass half full of mint leaves and is served on a silver cup tray but a tuxedo-wearing waiter. This watering hole is often full but it is worth waiting for a table to open in order to spend an hour or two taking it all in while you wait for your ‘Bogart’ to walk through the door.   

I am quite use to spending the better part of a day parquring bus or train tickets even in Europe.  I can’t tell you how refreshing it was to walk into the CTM station (CTM is the best and most reliable bus company in Morocco) and buy tickets.  We walked in, didn’t wait in a line, asked for tickets to Chefchaouen, and got them.  It was a new phenomenon to me.  By the way, the bus and train system in Morocco rocks.  The USA should send someone from the FAA, Amtrak, and Greyhound over to get schooled!

More photos:

Tarifa, Spain \ May 5 & 6

TARIFA, SPAIN

(quick note: finally in a spot where I can start posting blogs again...rest of the trip coming soon!)

Took a three-hour bus down the coast from Torrmosolis to Tarifa today.  What a view; at least the last hour or so of the ride.  The coast down to Tarifa is quite hilly and because of the high winds there are new windmills peppering the hillsides. Really makes for a spectacular view to see these huge windmills spinning away with the ocean in the forefront.  Very cool!  Wish our driver could have stopped along the way so I could take pictures.

Tarifa is a windsurfer’s paradise.  The wind blows wild in Tarifa most of the year to the delight of the avid windsurfing community.  I absolutely hate, hate, hate wind!  That said I am so thrilled that we spent a couple days in Tarifa.   Granted we had to roll through to catch the ferry to Tangiers anyway but…

 There are heaps of adorable little shops with what looks like one of a kind jewelry, and just as many clothing boutiques that could have kept me satisfied for days.

Did I mention the hip little coffee shops around town as well?  I do loves me a good coffee.We stayed at Correos Hostel right next to the church.  The hostel is housed in an old, multilevel-whitewashed building.  The doors are all painted a vivid blue, which makes for a great contrast against the whitewashed walls.  The room was huge; actually it was three rooms and a bathroom.  I rarely take photos of the places I stay, especially since I am a budget girl, most of the places I stay are forgettable, but I did snap a few of this place.  There is one downside to the Correos Hostel and it is not the staff, which is a super friendly family, but the church bell rings as it pleases.  There seems to be no rhyme or reason behind the chime. 

All the streets here are whitewashed and as usual they are a maze to wander, which I love.  One of the cheapest meals we have had it Spain was in Tarifa and what is funny it was about one of the best.  I don’t even remember the name of the place but it was just a simple pizza joint.  We ended up there for the mere fact that some soccer game was on and everywhere was packed out, well everywhere with a TV anyway.   The pizza joint was the only place around without a crazed crowd of men screaming inside.  It was greasy, New York style, Pizza to die for.  And did I mention it was cheap!

I would highly recommend Tarifa for anyone coming to Spain for more than a couple weeks.  Beautiful beaches, great shopping, tasty grub, and chilled out atmosphere.

Left for Morocco on the 1pm ferry.  Actually considering it is only a 30-minute ferry ride the cost of 37 Euros is quite steep.   Off to Morocco soon.  Adios amigos!

More photos of Tarifa

Torremolinos, Spain \ May 2,3,4

May 2
First thing I noticed right off the train was that the temperature has gone up by a good 20 degree and this made me a very happy girl. Spain is not a big country but the climate from North to South is so dramatically different. I had been cold for so long now that torremolinos has made a very good first impression on me just with the temperature alone.

Torremolinos is a suburb of Malaga really but it doesn’t feel like it is attached to a largish city. There is a defined beachfront, resort town feel here. Cortney is out for the count but Nathan and I head off in search of just what this little town has to offer and for some well deserved grub.

Food is not going to be a problem here, there is a café or restaurant on ever corner. I can already see that the English pounce on this place in the Summer. Every other menu I see raves of it’s Full English Breakfast (sausage, eggs, toast, tomato, and baked beans). Sounds great for my heart and waistline. Nathan and I were a bit worried we wouldn’t find food as it was three or four in the afternoon and we have learned by now that all of Spain shuts down between 2-5 to catch up on sleep. In Torremolinos the tourists rules and we found plenty to eat. Nathan dined on fried fish surprise and I ate whatever.

After a tasty meal and some wine we decided to wiggle our way down to the beach which stretches on forever. Torremolinos is on a hill so down is always to the beach (unfortunatley that mean up is always back to your hotel). Like I said there is more than enough dinning options here as well as shopping. I didn’t really pay too much attention to the shopping as I live out of a backpack at the moment and have to save ever penny but it looked like good times for someone down for a week of beaching. I can see Torremolinos as one of those places where you play on the beach for hours, eat, nap, shop and then hit the beach again.

The main boardwalk stretches on for miles and is lined with shops and food, all a girl could want. The news stands have newspapers from all over. I was very excited to pick up the International Edition on the New York Times. Cortney will be happy with all the English tabloid mags too.

May 3 & 4
I am going to call this one day as it would appear I cannot distinguish between the two days. That, my friends is very sad indeed. We arrived in Torremolinos just a handful of days ago as well. Me poor mind is going I do believe.

Today was beach day for us. Cortney is finally feeling better, not 100% yet but ready to recoup at the beach. Grabbed our books and made a beeline for the beach. Before making the big decision on a location to park our bodies for the day we ate. Surprise. Just about every beach front restaurant has a whole set up of beach chairs with umbrellas. I am not a sun bunny by any means so we decided this was a perfect option, if they don’t charge an arm and a leg for the pleasure of a cozy spot. 4 Euros for the day works for me. We picked a joint that also had king sized beds on the beach. The beds where 40 Euro a day but if you are having drinks you can hang out on them for an hour or two.

Very little happens now. Read, have a glass of wine and watch people fry their skin. Just about everyone on the beach must be out getting there first sun of the year. Don’t think I have ever seem some much pasty white in my life. Within a few hours those same pasty white bodies were a nice pink color…a couple more hours and we can feast. I really wanted to wander the beach with my sunscreen and help folks out.

(I fell terrible about it but I did take unnecessary photos of some interesting sunbathing characters out there on the beach. Believe me the tabloids wouldn’t touch these photos with a ten foot pole.)

Travel Day: Santiago de Compestela to Malaga \ May 1

Our train isn’t until 10pm and Cortney has nasty case of food poisoning. As seems to often be the case on Fridays in Spain it was a holiday, Labor Day I do believe and we were unable to keep our room as the entire pension was booked out. Thankfully the owner walked me over to a friends pension where he thought there might be a room.

There was a single for only 16 Euros and I grabbed it. It look quite a while as the little, old lady who owns the place can barely get up the stairs and has almost completely lost her hearing. Very cute and very fantastic that Cort can sleep away the day until our train….if she can even get on it.

After moving Cortney to her new digs’ Nathan and I had an entire day to kill. Don’t get me wrong, Santiago is a beautiful city with lots to do but it was a holiday and only restaurants were open. In the end Nate and I chilled out and several different cafes moving between coffees and wine. Not a hard way to kill a day really.

Cortney decided she could do the train thing which was a nine hour overnight train to Madrid before changing stations and jumping on another three hour high speed train to Malaga. The 1km walk almost killed poor Cort but she pulled it off. The train had sleepers (not for us unfortunately) and tourist or second class. Not a full train so tourist class worked out fine.

Jumped off train number one and had to get onto a local train to get us to Atocha Station where our train to Malaga departs from. Easy as pie except for the fact that Cort is still battling a nasty bug in her body. A ten minute train ride and an hour wait later (over coffee of course) we where in our cozy first class seats off to the sunny beaches along the coast of Spain. Only a few of us on the train to Malaga as well. Nothing wrong with Tourist Class but a First Class ride every now and again hit’s the spot.

Malaga is a decent size city (600,000) that sits on the coast of Spain. The beloved Picasso is from Malaga and he has a museum in the city. It had been a tough decision but we decided to stay in Torremolinos just south of Malaga instead of in the city itself.

OK. So we are on train number three now (train to Madrid, local across town, high speed to Malaga). Just one more train and we are there. Another local train down to Torremolinos. Even at the train station in Malaga you can tell we are in tourist central. The ticket machines cover all the major languages and you can hear the buzz of different accents in the air. All the sunburn bodies was a bit of a giveaway as well.

This last train was buzzing with activity. Travelers with there suitcases, backpackers navigating their packs around people, English retirees, and sun baked 20 something English girls with sunburns and very few clothes. We kicked back and enjoyed the activity especially the just over middle aged drunk Spanish ladies out for a mid-day booze fest in Malaga.

Found our hostel with trouble and put Cort to bed at last. It is now May 2.

Seville, Spain March 30,31 and April 1

Doubled back to Madrid in order to jump on a fantastic high speed train to Seville. Love doing this First Class thing. Trains are typically a nice comfy way to travel (at least the more developed countries) but this was one step up. Sat in my big cushy seat and drank vino, ate one of the best transportation meals I have ever had and had a lovely view of the landscape zooming by.

We stayed at the Samay Hostel near the center of Seville. Since there were six of us we got a room to ourselves. Most people think that hostels are for the 20 something’s but it just isn’t true. The younger crowd definitely out number everyone else but you can easily steer away from the party hostels. At the Samay there were quite a few over 50’s and a few parents with kids like us.

I adore Seville. This is one of those cities I could live in. Finally over our jet lag and ready to get some serious sightseeing on. Our hostel was in Barrio Santa Cruz which is a high energy neighborhood right in the middle of everything. After getting settled in and getting a bit of a seiseta in we decided to just wander our ‘barrio’. In some ways it reminded me a lot of the cobbled alley like roads of Venice. The lanes are so small in fact that that we often had to jump into a doorway to avoid getting run over. Good fun.

The first night in Seville we got our tapas on big time. Found a great little tapas bar and gave a bunch of goodies a try. During this dinning experience I realized that everyone in Spain dines outside no matter the temperature. In fact, most places don’t really have enough room to hold more that a couple tables. I really notice as it was bloody cold out and has been but everyone still eats outside. Very Colorado of them.

On our second day we did a nice walking tour around town and spent some quality time at the park near our hostel….rockin’ slide park for the girls. Amazing how quickly little kids make friends. Ever time we hit up a slide park, which is often, the girls have conversations with kids that don’t speak a word of English. Even though I don’t want to have kids of my own, they are pretty cool little beings.

After the park we went to the Cathedral. Ever city in Spain it seams has a major Cathedral and they are always simply referred to as ‘the Cathedral’. Mr. Christopher Columbus has a fancy little crypt here. Never been a fan of they guy so it was not such a draw for me. But….this Cathedral was absolutely overwhelming. I look at things we build today and wonder where our creativity and honor has gone. The delicate sculpting of the Cathedral in Seville are mind blowing. For me this is the number one attraction in Seville. Next we walked the 30 plus levels to the top of the Giralda Tower (Cathedral tower). The views on the way up were great but wow…the view of Seville from the top of the Giralda Tower is one you don’t want to miss.

I think this is also the day we took a horse drawn carriage ride around the touristy stuff. The best part of the carriage ride was the stroll through Parque de Maria Luisa and Plaza de Espana. I usually am not one to do a carriage ride but I must admit that this was a great idea….thanks mom.

Since I am a bit behind on my journal I can’t quite remember which day we went to the Flamenco Dancing. I do know that is was the same day that we ate ice cream at a hoppin’ plaza just behind our hostel and guess what….we hit up another slide park after ice cream. Anyway, we went to a Flamenco Dance show at a bar like setting (kid friendly). First drink was included and since we were watching Flanenco Dancing in it’s birthplace we decided to have a Spanish specialty….Sangrias!

The show was super cool, I really wish I had any kind of talent. I have to get my dance on behind closed doors, I think my dreams of becoming a Flamenco Dancer will remain just that. We did get some video of the dancing, will have mom post it for me as it is on her Flip.

After the show we went once again for tapas. We have already fallen into the Spanish ways of dinning after 9 or 10pm. The bar\tapas joint we hit up this time was jam packed and everyone was loving their eats. Legs of ham hung from the ceilings (common around Spain). Everything in Spain is ham….ham this….ham that. Thank Goddess I love me the ham. Would love to take a leg with us on the Camino de Santiago…just strap it to the back of my pack. Wicked!

Let’s see how did we get out of Seville. Oh, that’s right! Getting to Portugal from Seville looks like it would be easy by not so. We ended up taking a bus as it cut the travel time in half. As we were sitting in front of our bus, mere moments from loading luggage I notice that one of the stops was Lagoa and two or three stops later was Lagos (main and final stop…big tourist city).

We had bought tickets for Lagos, of course, as that is where everyone goes in the Algraves region of Portugal (Southern Portugal). I turned to everyone and said ’wouldn’t it be funny if our resort were actually at Lagoa since the names are so similar’. Well we pulled out our confirmation and lo and behold the Boca da Rio was is Lagoa. If a bus doesn’t have a record of tickets for a particular town they don’t stop so we had to sort it out. We did get off in Lagoa instead of Lagos. What was really amusing is that most of the folks on the bus were also tourist and they assumed that the fact that we where getting off ment it was Lagos. Luckily for them the bus driver let them know that the stop was Lagoa not Lagos.

Easy trip to the Algraves. Portugal should be fantastic!

More photos of Seville

Toledo, Spain \ March 28, 29

Madrid was amazing and I would love to spend a hell of a lot more time there but off we go. After hitting up the ‘Big Smoke’ of Madrid it’s time to slow down the pace and enter the medieval walled cited of Toledo. Toledo is one old mother, I’m talkin’ 192 BC things were happening here. UNESCO listed the city as part of World Heritage in 1987. There is defiantly a Venetian feel to this city. Toledo is a labyrinthine of curvy, curly walkways that turn out to be actual roads. Amazing to turn a corner and watch a car squeezed themselves up a lane only an inch bigger than they are. Very cool, hope to get to drive around here.

We stayed and a reasonably nice hotel called the Carlos V. It would appear that our hotel is quite centrally located as it was Mardi Gras loud every night. Not to worry…that’s what ear plugs are for, right? We did get a fantastic breakfast included in the mornings.

The Cathedral is the major attraction in Toledo and I can see why. Quite the little church I must say. I was a bit bummed that we where there on a Sunday but couldn't’t go to the service. I am not Catholic or anything but wow, the Catholic Churches rock, so when we found out that only Spaniards could go to service is was very sad. I should have just gone…I can’t imagine that they have passport control at a church plus I blend in everywhere. My sister even lost me in China when I was standing right next to her. There is something to be said about looking like everyone I guess.

more photos of Toledo

Ice Skating in Gorky Park \ Moscow, Russia

Last night I was thinking back on some of the best experiences I have had while traveling.  One that came to mind took place back in the Winter of 2002.  I am usually not good with dates or times of the year when things occur but this one is easy because it involves ice skating in Moscow with the snow a falling.

My sister Tisha and I had been traveling for about five months by the time we reach Moscow via the Trans-Siberian.  It was December something or other and wicked cold.  Way back when I had read the book and seen the movie 'Gorky Park', so of course, we had to track it down.  It was actually quit easy to find...just a 1/2 mile straight down from a metro stop. 

 The first time we visited Gorky Park it was just days before we headed off to St. Petersburg.  It was well into December so all the trees where bare and icicles hung everywhere.  Wandering around the meandering footpaths throughout the park you could tell how crazy fun this park must be in the Summer.  There where rides, food stalls, and entertainment venues everywhere (most closed for winter).   Both of us thought it pretty cool that we got to check out Gorky Park.  As we were leaving we notice a little old man ice skating on a small patch of ice.  We stopped to watch for a minute not thinking much about the ice he was on as we had been slip sliding our way around Russia for a couple weeks.  This ice was different than the chunky bits of ice we had fallen on repeatedly throughout our trip.  This graceful, old fellow was on a picture perfect piece of ice.  It the background we saw a Zamboni (esk) machine laying down water and smoothing ice. COOOOLLLL!

(a week later)

Upon our return from St. Petersburg we made a bee line for Gorky Park to see what that 'Super Cool Zamboni Thing' had done.  OH MY ICE SKATING GODDESS!  The entirety of Gorky Park was under ice.  All the walking paths were covered in a perfect coat of ice.  It was the middle of the afternoon and people from all walks of life were out on the ice.  Men in business suits, retired couples, tough looking kids, and anyone else you can imagine were out enjoying the ice.  

We worked our way to the main hub of activity and inside an old building in the middle of the park was an ice skate rental joint and concession stand.  You know what happened next....skates on.....and off we went.   Tisha learned to skate that day.  Can't imagine a better way to learn to ice skate than on the meandering walking er skating paths of Gorky Park in the dead of Winter in the middle of Moscow.  A few falls did occur...come on now.....there aren't any walls to grab onto in the middle of Gorky Park. Everyone looked as if they were out for a nice walk in the park except that there was a smooth, grace to their movements.

We had the best time ever.  Talk about a cheap day out.  Skate rentals and a hot chocolate after.  This simple, accidental experience is still one of the most memorable of my travel life.  

Road Trippin' with your Dog 101!

Traveling with your pet can be a fantastic experience.  It's always stressful to leave your best friend at home while you are on vacation but it becomes easier everyday to hit the road with fido.  More and more motels and hotels allow pets and there are countless resources out there to assist you in planning your pet friendly trip.  The key to a stress free trip with your pet is planning.  

I road tripped with my dog, Bella Bean Dog, for over six months.  Between the road trip and working as a professional Dog Walker I do have a few tips to share about traveling with pets.  Below are tips for making your next vacations with the pets a pleasant one.  

1.  Pet tags.  Make sure you pet has their tags on at all times.  Have tags with two numbers on them.  For example...your cell phone and a friend or family member's phone number.  It is also helpful to keep a spare set of tags with you...tags do fall off.

2.  Chip your pet.   One in three pets become lost in their lifetime.  Think about all the rest stops, hotels, and camping you do on a road trip.  The possibility that your pet will go missing greatly increases on the road.  $20.00 will in all likelihood get your best friend back to you .  (check out Home Again)

3.  Prepare your pet for the ride.  If you don't have a roadie dog it's time to test drive your pup.  In the weeks before a road trip start taking your dog on short drives.

4.  Creature comforts in the car will make for a happy pet.  There are lots of ways to make your pet comfortable in the car.   Everything from a dog hammock (Bean Dog's personal favorite), a 

carrier, toys, whatever you pet loves at home.

5.  Exercise you pet often.  You have to stop to stretch your legs and 'nip to the loo'...so does your dog.  Stop and take your pooch for a walk as often as possible.  It's great for both of you.

6.  Vaccinations.  Make sure your pet is up on all their vaccinations.  Do your homework and make sure our pet is physically ready of their destination.  For example, heatworm may be prevalent at your final destination.  It takes a month for heatworm medications to protect your pet.  Be prepared.

7.  Papers.   Make sure you have copies of all your pet's paper work.  You never know when you will have to take your pet to the vet or a kennel on your trip.  Make sure all updated paper work goes on the trip with you.

8.  Photograph your pet and keep it with you.  Getting fliers up quickly is the key to retrieving a lost pet.  Having a photo only adds to your chances of a quick reunion.

Here are a few more helpful pet travel tips that I learned from first hand experience!

1.  Home Sweet Motel.  The 

first thing into your hotel\campsite should be your dog's bed as they associate it with their space which makes them more comfortable instantly.

2.  Shoot Out at the OK Corral.  Many historical towns have shoot outs and military re-enactments for your entertainment.  More than 50% of dogs are horrified by fireworks and gunfire.  Check at the visitors center for times of possible re-enactments and avoid a casual stroll turning into a mad dash back to the car with a trembling, terrified dog.  (happened to me tow days in a row before I figured this tip out)

3.  Motel 6 is a guaranteed pet friendly budget motel.  All Motel 6 locations are pet friendly and do not charge a pet fee.  In fact Jack Hannah is their Spokesperson.  Most Motel 6 locations have dog and cat treats at the front desk as well.  Bean Dog and I looovvvvee Motel 6!

4.  Ask.  More shops (especially mom and pops) than you think will allow you and your well behaved pup in...it doesn't hurt to ask.

5.  National Park vs State Parks.  Pets are restricted to roads and campgrounds in National Parks (strictly enforced).  State Parks on the other hand, are much more pet friendly.  State Parks, typically, allow dogs anywhere except buildings.  If you plan to take your pup hiking and exploring plan to stay at a State Park and do some day visits to the National Parks.  (there are a few exceptions to the National Park rule)

New Adventure

Anyone who listens to Travel Hub Radio or The Road Trip Junkie Radio Show know that I am a total travel Freak. Travel Hub Radio is hosted by myself (Rochelle) and the beautiful Jeff Gerstl out of a studio in Sunny San Diego. Last year the show hit the road, well, I hit the road and The Road Trip Junkie Radio Show was born as a bit of a spin off of THR. The eight months Road Trip is over (check out the Road Trip Junkie website for details) but a new adventure is on the horizon. Cortney (my sister) and I are off to Spain, Portugal, Morocco and India (odd combo pack I know) for five or six months.

Keeping up a website for both Travel Hub Radio and Road Trip Junkie was good fun but, alas, a ton of work. Both websites will remain up during my next adventure but there won't be updates as this trip will be me and my backpack. I am going to blog this new journey in order to save a ton of time and hopefully better document our adventure.

It is still up in the air if I will take podcast equipment....but podcasting is good fun. Just have to see how much room is available in the old pack.

That's about it for now. Just a bit of an update on the Road Trip Junkie..aka Wander Gal!