April 28th - Deepest, darkest, AFRICA!!!!!!!

Okay, maybe we didn't get to deepest, darkest Africa.... but it turns out that it only takes 35 minutes by catamaran to go from Tarifa to Tangier, Morocco - so how could we pass that up?!?!



It was recommended that we hire a personal guide, to be taken around for a quick day trip, to avoid the monster tours, and not be harrassed too much by the locals. As we stepped off the boat, the crowds parted and there standing in front of us was Ahmed Ben Tayeb, an official Tangier tour guide. He offered up his services to show us around Tangier, take us into the countryside (with our trusty Mercedes cab driver), into the casbah, and stop in the markets for a little shopping - sounded perfect!

We drove out along the shore to a lighthouse, passing through rural residential Morocco... had a little ride on a camel (as you do!) and then headed back into the Medina (the old walled town).


We walked along with Ben ahead of us, the locals parting in front of him - answering all of our many questions. We headed into the food markets, including an unbelievable fish market - then stopped for some mint tea while Ben went for his one of 5 daily prayers. We sat in the local tea shop with 12 local men, who stared at us for a few moments, then went back to their chatting and watching Algecera (CNN equivalent) that was blaring over our heads.


We ended our afternoon doing some shopping - very hard sell - I went in for jewellery, and came out with a lovely Tuareg carpet - after haggling him down from 2500 Euros for 3 carpets to 100 Euros for one lovely one...


Because of the 2 hour time difference, we were back to Spain with enough time to continue along the Western coast that day to the beach at Bolonia... see next post!

April 27 Onwards to the south - the southernmost tip of Europe

We headed out of Ronda and drove south... past cool gas stations (with great cafes/restaurants inside), beautiful arid scenery, with white villages dotted in the hills.

As we headed south, wind generators started appearing along the mountain ridges... what would have Don Quixote thought?

We ended up in Tarifa, the most southern point in Europe. Mediterranean on one side, Atlantic on the other...

April 25th - 27th - First days in Spain - Madrid and Ronda!

After a missed flight in Frankfurt (the business lounge there was lovely!), we arrived in Madrid, and had the wonderful experience of trying to navigate into this city of 3 million people - quite a maze, and the tiniest street signs you have ever seen! We spent the night with Ole and Berta Bredberg and their 2 lovely girls, Ingrid and little Didi.

After stashing the stinky hockey gear in their spare bathroom, we were off the next afternoon - driving south through La Mancha into Andalucia. I would like to post some pictures of that drive, but we were driving so fast that all but one of the photos came out blurry!


We finally arrived in Ronda, our only reservation for the entire trip. Ronda is one of the most famous hanging white villages, literally built on the edge of an escarpment. There are 3 bridges over a deep gorge connecting the old and new parts of town - an old Arab bridge, a Roman bridge, and the Puente Nuevo (New Bridge) being built - in 1793!

We stayed in Enfrente Arte (check out their cool website!), a hotel highly recommended by friends, which did not disappoint! A super funky place with a subtropical garden/greenhouse, pool and sauna, a myriad of intimate courtyards and balconies with marvelous views of the mountains, and eclectically decorated rooms.

Our room ("The Suite") was two floors - dark and mysterious, full of Moroccan artifacts and lamps, a fireplace and bed on the first floor, and a sunny bathroom on the second.


Another highlight of Ronda is the oldest bullfighting ring still in use in Spain.