Just off France’s northern coast sits a little island, Mont Saint-Michel, atop which is a lovely old monastery. Surely, you’ve seen the pictures. It’s an amazingly beautiful spot. When I say, “island,” that is true most of the time, though the most days the tide is low enough to walk there. In fact, it was…
Reason 317 Why I Love Morocco: Sometimes, when people in larger, northern cities find out you work in the south, where their families are, they call in favors and get you a 30% price reduction on new eyeglasses.
Reason 1,242 Why I Love Morocco:
The Marrakech medina is actually just many little medinas within one enclosure
Most neighborhoods, whether in a big city or small town, still adhere to a medina mentality, meaning most daily needs are within only a few blocks. Each small area typically has a butcher, a green grocer, a dry cleaner, a hammam, a baker (or community oven), a barber/hairdresser, at least four cafés, a pharmacy, hardware store, tailor, a dry goods shop, and endless small convenience stores. What’s not in a shop, is usually at a nomadic stand that shows up every morning. Often, there are also shops for clothing and shoes, doctors’ offices, gyms, and small restaurants.
Since we’ve been waylaid by the incomparable island of Karpathos, Greece and our realization that time well-spent in place is equally good as time well-spent elsewhere. It’s a matter of perspective. Every place can be awe-inspiring if one takes the time to notice, our original intended itinerary needed to be modified. Therefore, our updated plans,…
A quick video of the Hungarian Changing of the Guard ceremony – my new fascination of sorts – at the Presidential Palace in Budapest, Hungary. This one is different than most, in that it also includes drums.
