Mischa | Mischa van Rijswijk

Africa » Morocco » Marrakech-Tensift-El Haouz » Marrakech March 19th 2009

Marrakesh is very touristy, full of British, as they fly in cheap and tons of French. Americans like it there too and there was ofcourse me. I stayed in hotel CTM right on the square, at 200 Dirhams a night not too bad, with great views over place Djemaa el-fna. After I had been in Fès, Mèknes and Rabat, I believed the medina, even though it was still nice. I did all the necessary touristy stuff and enjoyed the music, acrobats and story tellers on the Djemaa el-fna the most. The snake charmers were sad I thought. Apparently they stitch the mouths of the snake closed, so they're unable to feed anymore, so they slowly die and the charmers need new snakes on a regularly base. So the snakes become slowly extinct. I enjoyed the sneaky ... read more

Meknès and Rabat

Africa » Morocco » Meknès-Tafilalet March 15th 2009

Rabats Kasbah

Mischa

In Meknes I visited the beautiful medersa, the medina, all the museums and the next day I took a cab to Volibulis. This is the biggest Roman excavation site in Africa and has the most colourfull mosiac floors I have ever seen. Didn't want to hang around for too long in Meknès, so took the bus the next day to Rabat. Rabat was nice too, although I was kasbahd out and got really sick of that song of the Clash shooting though my head every time I enter a Kasbah. In Rabat I had to get my visa for Mali. Which I was able to obtain the second day. A big fat Malian sat in a huge room with one big table, two chairs and a couch (was it the ambassador himself, I wanted to believe ... read more

Fès

Africa » Morocco » Fès-Boulemane » Fes March 11th 2009

Rush hour in the medina

Mischa

I took a bus across the border from Mellila to Nador. No Hassle at the border. Only remark I got was Mischa VAN?? No family of VAN Basten? Nope! A lot of the Morrocons still live in the past, it is always Gullit, Kruiff, van Basten, Rijkaard. Anyway after a beautiful trip, as it is spring after all in Morocco, I arrived in Fès, entered through the Bab (gate) el Mahrouk and entered the medieval times... After waving off some touts, faux guides, whatever you want to call them, I found the ryad I wanted to stay, full! So I had to make use of one and he brought me to another ryad. A ryad is a privately owned house with a courtyard and several rooms which can be rented. I got myself a smelly, grotty, ... read more

From Malaga to Melilla

Europe » Spain » Ceuta & Melilla » Melilla March 9th 2009

Mischa

I took the boat over from Malaga to Melilla, one of the two Spanish enclaves that remain in Morocco. Boat was big empty and had a bar. I slept all the way to the other side, only to be woken by a custom officer to kick me off. Hassle free arrival and checked in in one of the hotels. Melilla is a kind of a strange place as it has all very rich Spanish people living there, who still adore Franco and a large number of poor Moroccons. The place defenitely has a Spanish atmosphere, tapas bars, wines, the language end feels very colonial, with it's big fort looming over th coast. Anyway stayed only one night, although it was nearly the end of my trip.... As I reached for my toothbrush from the shower on ... read more

Old photo´s

Antarctica » Temp July 19th 2006

MP

Mischa

Guess I have to update once more and since I am going back through Paraguay and Bolivia I might as well secure my photo´s. Here´s some photo´s of Copacabana, Potosi, where I was able to blow up some dynamite and... read more

Dancing on Wayna Picchu

South America » Peru » Cusco » Machu Picchu May 11th 2006

Tres amigos

Mischa

So I quitted my job as I was actually in the way of the local tourguides and they weren´t too happy having me there. Also I only worked for three hours a day. So when Kim arrived we decided to go to Machu Picchu. We took the local bus to Ollaytatambo an from there the evening train to Machu Picchu. Checked in that night in a local hostal and emptied a bottle pisco sour. The next day we got up to go to MP and arrived around 12. As Kim had heard that you had to be early to make the climb to Wayna Picchu, we heaed straight for this. Only 5 minutes before it would be closed we were in and promised the guard to be back before 3. After a steep climb of 40 ... read more

Sacsayhuamán

South America » Peru » Cusco » Sacred Valley May 5th 2006

Sacsayhuamán

Mischa

BLA!... read more

Tour guide in Cusco

South America » Peru » Cusco » Cusco May 4th 2006

Cusco

Mischa

So last monday I arrived here in Cusco after a 9 hour bus journey (bed included). As monday was the first of may, I didn´t have to work and went the next day to the office of GAP. They told me they needn´t anybody in the office, which is fine as I didn´t come here to work behind another computer. They told me I could work as a tour leader in a small village called Ccaccaccollo. Here the women are supported by the Planeterra Foundation, a non-profit organization developed by G.A.P Adventures. They are receiving building materials to build a small hall, where they can weave their products when it rains. They were trained in the old weaving techniques of the Inca´s and sell their products now to the tourists. So the next day I went ... read more

Monestario Santa Catalina

South America » Peru » Arequipa » Arequipa April 26th 2006

Monestario

Mischa

Hoy he visitado la Monestario Santa Catalina con mi Profesor y un guia. Todo conversacion fue en el Español. Disfruta! Mischa... read more

Toro Muerte, Corire

South America » Peru » Arequipa April 23rd 2006

Toro Muerte

Mischa

So last friday I took a bus to corire to see the famous petroglyphes of the Wari indians, who sculpted them some 1200 to 1300 years ago. Scientists are not sure if they were from the Wari indians, but they are pre-inca regradless. The sculpting mainly exists of zig zag lines, depicting water, animals, like llama, alpacas and vicunas, condors, snakes, mouse, rat, dogs, cats and ofcourse dancing indians. Enjoy! Mischa oh btw the Volcan of Ubinas, is about to erupt! All local villagers have been evacuated and a lot of animals have been killed. Arequipa will remain unaffected as the vulcan is located some 80 km from here.... read more

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