Morocco: Day in the Desert

Today we are packed with activities, especially since we are trying to add some more activities today to avoid the rain the day after. Yes it does rain in the desert if you time it right.

We start our day with a visit to an oasis where a desert community has their gardens setup with a very good irrigation system. Each plot has a time spot for irrigation which is managed by digging up or placing barriers in the waterway. I see lots of crops that I can actuallly grow at home. We also see some date palms up close. I love viewing how others grow their gardens.

We next take a 4×4 jeep ride across the dunes of the desert. We have two jeeps between our group but we seem to be on the wild one. We zoom over steep dunes. I am glad I am wearing my seatbelt.

We then stop at a nomadic community of Amazigh (Berber) along the border of Algeria. Since the French occupation in the area there is a point of contention between the surrounding countries. There are also many in these communities that were forced to work in nearby mines during a prior occupation. We meet some locals and visit an abandoned mine. We are served tea and learn about daily life in the community from a young mother.

While still hugging the Algerian boarder we visit the community of Khamlia. People here come from other parts of Africa. Residents have specialized in a type of music that has origins from a few different countries; the music skills are passed down to others in the community. A large way Gnaoua musicians survive these days is sharing their music with tourists like us. We enjoy a performance and a few of us break out in dance.

We then visit another town and where we have lunch in a home. We learn how to make medfouna and play dress up in special occasion attire to feel like we are part of the community. Berber pizza or khobza medfouna is a traditional dish.

Originally we are supposed to travel to see Dades Gorge tomorrow but there is rain coming that is supposed to cause large floods in the area. Instead we schedule to see another gorge today so we don’t get trapped in the region (in fact another group after us does get trapped and we see footage of devastating flooding). For now we visit Todgha gorge instead.

We walk along the gorge and see a hotel that had to be abandoned due to flooding.

On the final part of our drive today we stop to see from a view the nearby communities in Tingher. There are many homes abandoned for various reasons. People forced to work in the mines by the French would live in the houses. When the mine work wasn’t as prevalent they became abandoned as residents moved on. While the population is growing in the area currently, people are choosing to build new houses instead of moving into the old style homes; the brown homes sit as ancient city compared to the backdrop of the colors of the new city homes.

We are staying at a kabash style hotel tonight. A large extended family used to live in a large building like this. After dinner we do a quick exploration of the top floors and get a look over the city.

Dinner is good as it seems to be more of a curry (chicken). The meals seem to be getting progressively better as days pass which is good since I’ve not loved the blandness of my earlier meals during my travels.

Also to note I picked up some Moroccan eye liner from a street side seller.

Tomorrow we follow Morocco’s Road of a Thousand Kasbahs. More to come.

Vintgar Gorge and Radovljica

I thought I heard the man at the front desk of my pension tell me Vintgar Gorge was one and a half hours away but I misunderstood him because google is telling me a ten minute drive. Fortunately I can catch breakfast and still make it in time for the booked visit time. The parking lot they push you towards is a satellite lot which a bus that comes periodically and for this you must get there thirty minutes earlier than your entry time. Since I have one of the earliest appointments I decide to try for the lot closest to the gorge. Luckily it is still fairly empty for the day. Also at one point there is a sign on the road that lets you know how many spaces are open approximately in each lot. I figure with fifty I should be fine and I am.

I have a few minutes to wait for my entry time but it goes by fast. I try to let a tour group get ahead of me to avoid a crowd but there is no avoiding them since they are stopping for many photos. I have better luck passing by the groups. I am traveling at a swift pace through the gorge but I still think I am getting a great experience. At about a mile long the gorge is beautiful and formed by the Radovna river and Bohinj glacier.

The day is beautiful and accompanies the gorge visit perfectly.

There is a beautiful rainbow at the last waterfall of the trail.

The path through the gorge is one way. In order to get back to the parking lot I have to follow a trail back to the entrance that is about a 45 minute walk. It starts through a rural part of town and then ends up on a nature trail. There is an area at the exit where buses pick up groups but since I am by myself I hike back.

I pass by some creepy old houses and tunnels in the path. I also meet a very cute snail along the way.

I make it back to the parking lot. Since it is still early in the day I decide to drive to the nearby town of Radovljica, known for its gingerbread and well preserved medieval architecture. On the way I drive down very narrow roads.

Last hours in Lake Bled

My last hours in Bled are spent relaxing, avoiding the rain, and watching the rowers practice on the lake. I take it easy on this last day, leaving lots of activities left in case I wish to return another time.

I try the popular Bled cake, not unlike the cream cakes I’ve tried across the Balkans. This last time it is decent but believe it or not the best I’ve had so far is the one I bought two days ago at the grocery store. It was the best and only cream cake I’ve eaten with my bare hands (no forks or spoons in sight 😆).

Tomorrow I am driving through Soča Valley on the way to south Slovenia. Looking forward to the mountain views.

Spain: Into the gorge of Ronda

I don’t have much sightseeing planned in Ronda but one thing on my agenda is to hike down to an old mine to get a view of the gorge from down below. The access to this is through La Casa del Rey Moro. But first breakfast.

I’m taking many stairs today so the goal is make sure I have a large enough breakfast to hold me over a few hours. In addition, I have a fancy dinner scheduled this evening; I want to skip lunch so I have the appetite to enjoy all the courses tonight. More on that later.

Not many things open early in this town but I do find a restaurant a nearby that serves breakfast early enough. The breakfast is perfect. I order coffee and one of the biggest dishes on the menu. I am excited when plates of things are brought out to me. Many Spanish breakfasts consist of toasted bread with a spread on it such as crushed tomatoes. This morning I am given a number of choices to spread all over my toast: crushed tomatoes, olive oil, butter, jam, sobrasada pate (ground pork sausage, paprika and spices), zurrapa de lomo (another pork pate), and zurrapa de hígado (liver pate). I had fun making all kinds of combinations with all the toppings. The only one I didn’t care for is the liver pate but I am not a fan of liver normally. My order also includes a side of eggs and ham. In retrospect I didn’t really need the eggs and ham since the toast is more than enough. I am now well nourished for my day.

I head over to La Casa del Rey Moro to check out the water mine. La Casa del Rey Moro is palace is from the Nasrid period that has never actually housed a moorish king (the translation of Rey Moro). The appeal of this property is its gardens and water mine. Currently you can not visit the house but you can take about 300 steps down to the gorge below to see the remnants of a water mine and the clear water below.

I pass the gardens and head directly to the mine. I am expecting it to be busy because it is one of the few things to do in town but surprisingly I only see a couple people attempting the stairs. I head down the wet, cavernous stone staircase. I should have downloaded the audio guide in advance because there is no WIFI available. I feel like I am missing out on some important commentary on the way down. (Note: I am always forgetting to pre-download audio guides this trip).

With things like these I always get a set of stairs that are very tall which are always challenging for my short legs, this place was no exception.

I reach the bottom and get a great view of the water. It is very clear. I have the urge to jump in and swim. There is no sign prohibiting it nor is there any security or persons around to see me, but I don’t attempt it. Perhaps on a warmer day I might have taken the chance.

I stay a while and observe the birds flying above. I am by myself for at least 20 minutes, probably more. Another couple comes down the stairs onto the deck area, I chat with them a bit then start my ascent, giving them the same privacy I was given.

I stop a couple stories up to what looks like a storage area that might have been used during battle times.

I return to the top and explore the gardens and the view from the gardens.

There is an adorable peacock chick in the garden. I watch it carefully following its mother around.

After my visit I head towards the Baños Árabes or arab baths. It isn’t too far from here.

Baños Árabes Yacimiento Arqueológico is positioned at the beginning one of the old town entrances. During the days of Muslim rule a person had to enter the baths in order to enter the town. I watch a movie that describes how the baths work and how steam is used instead of warm pools. There is also a garden outside that is recreated as it would have been in the past for aid in the purification of the body and the soul.

I continue my day by following around the edge of town to look at the muralles or old stone walls. There are beautiful patches of wildflowers along the sides of the city.