CandL23

Tues 30-Aug-2011 Morocco Marrakesh After last nights' festivities it was to be an excursion and simple city tour this morning A scenic drive south of Marrakesh took us to the beautiful and fertile Ourika Valley named after the River Ourika. Spectacular views of the towering High Atlas Mountains (which are snow capped nine months of the year). Local traders pounced as the bus stopped at a scenic lookout then pursued the bus to bargain their local handcrafted jewellery at evey opportunity. At visit into the house of a local family we enjoyed freshly made bread and the making of the local mint tea including a 'tour' of the house 12 people call home On a guided tour, of the city we saw the Koutobia Minaret, visited the Saadi Tombs, & explore the Medina with its many ... read more

Sun 28-Aug-2011 Morocco Fes It was a morning for a sleep in as we prepared for a 9:00 departure With Ramadan into it's 27th day it was a relaxing start to our local travel out and back to Fes During a guided tour visiting the Medina & the walled city of hidden courtyards, mosques & tiny workshops, the ancient bazaar & a carpet co-operative And a vist to the tannery wher things have not changed mush in 600 years A return to the hotel for an easy lunch befor a 2:30 departure to Meknes, 50 km from Fes Meknes, once of Morocco's imperial cities. We visited the famous Mosque, the former stables (for 12,000 horses of the 14th century) and granaries and take in views of the impressive city walls.... read more

Wed 24-Aug-2011 Travelling Lisbon to Seville It was an early start with a wake-up call at 6:30 with bags out 7:00 and on the bus at 8:00 for a busy day travelling into the Argarvie and onto Seville. Leaving Lisbon via the modern Vasco deGama bridge (2nd longest in Europe) over he Tagus river with views back to the 25 April bridge it was freeway (120 kph) all the way to a regulation stopn at an impressive 'Truck stop' Crossing the impressive suspension bridge border into Spain we continued to reach Seville. A tour with a local guide included the immense Cathedral, burial place of Christopher Columbus, & the slender Giralda Tower. A walking tour Santa Cruz Quarter with its flower-decked wrought iron balconies & to see the Alcazar. Tonight we settled back for a highlight ... read more

Fri 26-Aug-2011 Travelling Seville – Gibralter - Morocco It was a 6:30 wake up for an 8:00 departure on what would be a busy 26 hour day visiting 3 contries The am was spent travelling the beautiful country side of this southern part of Spain with enormous wind turbines by the hundreds including a regulation stop after 2 hours at a quaint 'Truck stop' A further hour took us to the border of the British territory (since 1704)of Gibralter. A huge rock fortress at the mouth of the Mediterranean sea A fascinating guided tour of the 'rock' with non stop humorous Pepe including St. Michael's Cave (who would have expected a cave of this size high up in the centre of the rock) & the Barbary Apes (local monkeys that have made this place home) Then ... read more

Tues 23-Aug-2011 Lisbon No rush to pack our bags this morning as it was a morning sightseeing around Lisbon city then followed by a tour of the local surrounds Sightseeing with your local guide to view Sao Jorge Castle, the Monument to the Discoveries & the Belem Tower, starting point for Portugal's great navigators & explorers to the New World during the 1500's (think of Vasco deGama and Christopher Columbus), & the famous Jeronimo's Monastery. We continued past the fashionable casino resort of Estoril then along the coast road onto the quaint fishing village of Cascais. Lunch was the real thing 'Nandos' chicken with Peri Peri dip (Wow!) followed by a Santini (no other ice cream like it) Returning to Lisbon via the very scenic grandeur of the slopes of the Sierra de Sintra. Tonight the ... read more