The Great Mauritius Experiment comes to an end, a long term stay on Mauritius. That’s a wrap Mauritius.
Six weeks staying in one place. In one Airbnb. On one island. The longest we have stayed anywhere. Here is what we learned;
Me: I didn’t feel island fever -the malady of feeling trapped – but I did feel a loss of purpose. I’m not sure how to explain it but six weeks of doing a lot of nothing was too much for me. Some things about a long term stay on Mauritius I loved; I loved unpacking and sleeping in the same bed and feeling at home…and yet…
When I am at home (in the USA I mean), for three or more months during each year I have tasks. Things that need to be accomplished. And although we might often complain about these things, feeling that sense of accomplishment is a good feeling for me.
While on Mauritius for six weeks I set goals and created tasks to keep myself feeling accomplished. Even if it was laundry, meal planning, writing the blog, hiking, running or researching our next destinations. This provides me some sense of purpose.
Don’t get me wrong…I had definite enjoyable days of doing nothing. Even though I can’t spend hours and hours in the sun like I used to, the six weeks here included a lot of relaxing, reading and quiet time. But for me, it was too long.
My husband: He is much less in need of a sense of purpose. In fact, his life goal is no tasks. I’m not saying he is lazy. Far from it. But he prefers a life without a lot of deadlines or pressure. He was and is the driving force behind us moving forward with a travel lifestyle (although most people believe it was me) and continues to enjoy this quiet life without drama that is inevitable back in the USA.
You might also be surprised to learn that it is he who loves the heat. He can spend the entire day reading on a lounge chair in the sun. So a long term stay on Mauritius fit him perfectly.
Me: Moving forward in our planning I think I would want to stay three or maybe four weeks in a place but not longer. We stayed three weeks in Kenya and it was perfect. We stayed three weeks in Antiparos Greece and it was incredible. Much longer I just get ants in my pants. That said, once we leave here we are on a rollercoaster of movement for more than a month (8 countries) and I know when we stop to take a two-week breather in Cyprus we will be ready, tired and irritable. Finding a balance between these two kinds of travel is my goal.
My husband: He would prefer staying in one place for even longer than six weeks. Schlepping the bags is a pain. Driving is a pain. Changing lodging is a pain. Airports and airplanes are a pain. But, he doesn’t want to be back in the USA for extended periods either. The fact we are going to spend the Christmas holidays in the USA in 2020 is all my doing…he would rather not. He doesn’t like the weather, he doesn’t like the chores associated with the holidays (or the house), he doesn’t like the drama and he definitely doesn’t like how much it costs.
And so we plunge ahead. We have no plans to stop this travel life. It’s been good for our marriage. It’s been good for our health (physical and mental). It’s been good for our finances. We just continue to refine it as we go along…it’s a constant learning process.
So where to next? We depart Mauritius February 15th and begin country hopping through six African countries. Two quick days in Johannesburg, six days in the Victoria Falls triangle (Zambia, Zimbabwe and Botswana) five days in Uganda (Gorilla tour), seven days in Rwanda.
A rough picture of the next five weeks.
In early March we say farewell for now to the African continent after two and a half months and head to Israel for 16 days (but in 6 different lodgings) before taking a breather in Cyprus in the end of March. In Cyprus we spend the majority of our time in one Airbnb so it should be relaxing and we will be ready.
I won’t bore you with the details from there, but I will say there is a lot of countries to come as we move north into Europe as spring and summer arrive, culminating in France for a late June wedding and heading back to the USA June 30th.
And I’m already planning 2021, using all the knowledge we have acquired in our travels so far. What a fabulous life indeed.
The flavors of Mauritius come from cuisines far and wide. The Island of Mauritius was uninhabited by humans until the arrival of Arabs in the 12th century. Then the Portuguese and Dutch dropped by and eventually the French and British colonized the island. The Dutch used the island as a stopover port between Madagascar and India and later for harvesting the ebony tree. Slaves were brought from Madagascar to assist in that pursuit.
Sugarcane occupies 36% of the islands total area
The French brought more slaves from the African continent in the 1700’s. Those slaves brought with them much of the African cultural foods and spices attributed to the flavors of Mauritius on the island today. French is still the main language of the island.
Tea for every ailment
The British claimed the island in 1810 and slavery was abolished in 1835. To maintain the growing sugar cane industry the British secured indentured servants from China and Malaysia and eventually a large number from India. Much of the island today feels more Indian than African and Hinduism is the largest religion.
Salt from the island
Today sugarcane remains the top crop of the island. Tea was once a major crop, but has declined over the years, but still is grown. Salt flats also once prolific have dwindled. Most grains are imported and many vegetables come from South Africa.
Tea tasting and Tea plantation tours are popular activity for visitors
African Influence
Today exploring the cultural foods of Mauritius is a colorful collection of the history of slavery, indenture and colonialism. Creole cuisine traces its history directly to those brought from the African nations to work the sugar cane.
Fish Curry made in our cooking class
While visiting Mauritius we enjoyed a wide variety of Creole foods, both traditional and Nuevo. Creole is a common cuisine enjoyed on the island and we ate it in several locations as well as took an intensive Creole Cooking Class from a local chef (Diary of a Foodie Lover) who helped us explore the flavors of Mauritius. In our class we learned to make a fish curry, octopus salad, and my favorite, the flat bread known as farata.
Making farata from scratch with Chef Didier
Other Creole items we have enjoyed include rougaille – a spicy tomato based stew with chicken or fish – as well as Gaiteau another spicy fried ball made from lentils or chickpeas that you eat almost like popcorn, and hearts of palm salad – one of the most popular dishes on the island. The key to Creole cooking is the spices, very reminiscent of Africa. Many families and chefs create their own secret mixture, with the most popular additions being turmeric, coriander, curry, garlic, ginger, mustard seed, star anise, cloves, cardamom and thyme.
Piment Crazer
A spicy condiment called piment crazer is served along side bread in most restaurants. Watch out! Holy cow it is spicy. Made with chilies garlic and lemon it will make your eyes water!
Smoked marlin salad with hearts of palm
Prawns and fish are popular, of course, since this is an island. Marlin, not normally something you see on a menu, is favored smoked. You can find smoked marlin salads and sandwiches. Chicken is prolific. Although roti is traditionally an Indian bread, the use of roti as a wrapper for curry in the Creole style is common. Roti stands are abundant along the street and often have a very long line.It’s eaten for all three daily meals.
The term “coolie” was used in reference to those indentured servants who came from Asian countries, and although smaller in number their impact on the cuisine is still evident. The Asian immigrants are responsible for making rice a major part of every meal in Mauritius even though rice is not grown on the island.
While visiting we had Chinois food several times. Similar to Chinese and Malaysian dishes we have eaten around the world, except the rice is Basmati. Every rice dish we were served while on the island was Basmati. No Chinese sticky rice like what we are used to.Basmati is a key ingredient in the flavors of Mauritius.
Street vendor serving boulettes
As in all Asian cuisines, vegetables, rice and noodles play a big role, with protein more of a garnish. On our street food walking tour with Taste Buddies in the capital city of Port Louis we loved the boulettes, a French word for a Chinese dumpling served throughout the island by street vendors.
Boulettes in broth
BBQ pork is also a popular dish – glazed with a cherry-honey mixture, the pork is served with fruit and not the spicy mustard we are used to from the USA.
BBQ Pork with fruit
And finally a very popular Chinese dish on the island is called Magic Noodles. It is a layered dish made in a bowl with a fried egg on the bottom, noodles and veg and then turned out onto the plate so the egg is on top. Very popular and very local.
Magic upside down noodles
If you come to Mauritius be sure to explore China Town in the capital city of Port Louis. Want to try Boulettes at home? Here is a recipe.
Indian Influence
Indo-Mauritians (both Muslim and Hindu) have had a major impact on the island economically, politically, culturally, and certainly in the cuisine. Today’s Indo-Mauritians trace their ancestry to the indentured servants who arrived during the colonial era. Hinduism is the largest religion on the island, and much of the population originates from the Tamil region in South India.
We found Indian inspired foods everywhere, with some of our favorite flavors of Mauritius coming from street food vendors who prepare delicious roti (flat bread) stuffed with everything from vegetables to octopus, and samosa stuffed with potato and veg. We ate roti several times for breakfast, served hot off the grill at a vendor just down the street.
Roti three ways; vegetable, chicken and lamb curry
We learned a lot about this cuisine on our walking tour with Taste Buddies and enjoyed some local favorites like Dholl Puri, a light and delicate tortilla-like bread made from lentils. Sometimes stuffed with curry but often just stuffed with a spicy sambol sauce (sort of like salsa). Dholl Puri in Mauritius is always flat and soft, where in India it can be puffy.
Dholl Puri – made from lentil flour
We had a wonderful surprise when our Airbnb host brought us a full homemade meal of Dholl Puri. She made the delicious Dholl Puri herself and served it for us with Chicken Curry with potato and peas and along side some pickled vegetables and sambol. It was by far the best rendition we had on the island.
Dholl Puri with pickled vegetables and chicken curry
Our favorite Indian meal was at a restaurant close to our apartment called Zub. The service was excellent and the menu huge. We loved it.
French influence on the cuisine is most evident in the abundant use of delicious baguette and other breads, puddings and desserts as well as bouillon, coq au vin and daube.
Although Mauritius was a French colony for a much shorter period than when the British held it, the French influence is greater in the culture. The food and the language are French but the British left behind left-hand side driving.
Entrecote with butter and frites
We made a point to try French cuisine while on the island. Although many restaurants have menu items that salute the cuisine, we visited one of the highest rated French Restaurants in the town of Black River called Bistrot de la Poste about thirty minutes from where we were staying. The owner, a French man who was raised in Basque Country, chatted with us and welcomed us to his restaurant while we enjoyed a remarkable selection of French food and wine. The menu included canard, foie gras, frites, entrecote, and a lovely selection of French desserts.
Canard with scalloped potato
The island also grows its own coffee, and it is often served in the French style – strong and black. We tried three different locally grown coffees, all pretty good. Locals are very proud of their local brew, and you won’t find a Starbucks anywhere on the island. Most cafes we visited also served as a boulangerie and patisserie and included a wide selection of French style desserts and breads.
Our favorite of the coffees we tried – Dodo Cafe
The majority of visitors on the island are French, but there are also many guests from other countries around the world from honeymooners to families. This means in addition to the incredible selection of foods mentioned above, you will find pizza, pasta, burgers, sushi and a wide variety of other internationally loved dishes.
A treat at the Boulangerie down the street from us
Although we try not to eat out often in our travels (in an effort to stay on budget), we did try all the cultural influenced cuisines at least once during our six week visit. Food is the best way to learn about a place, to meet the locals and experience the culture and Mauritius is a tasty tapestry of delicious history, people and food.
Just for you – I continue my quest to eat the world. I hope you enjoy!
Once again we have stumbled on a country full of surprises. The allure of Oman includes it’s majestic scenery; captivating history; kind and thoughtful people; delicious food; fascinating traditions. Oman is all of this and more…as well as an up and coming tourist destination.
The people of Oman
I’m so grateful to have spent ten days here and hope to return again someday.
History
Oman has a long and fascinating history dating well before the ancient silk and spice roads. Oman is the oldest independent Arab state. At one time the Omani Empire stretched from present day Oman down the East Coast of Africa and included the island of Zanzibar.
Prehistoric findings of the region date back as much as 100,000 years. Over the millenia, Oman has been invaded often by Arab Tribes, Portugal and Britain.
In the 1800’s the country had several sultans ruling over different parts of the territory. In the 1900’s two strongholds remained and tensions caused conflict between the Sultan in Muscat and the Ibadei Imam in Nizwa.
The Sultan of Oman’s Seal
When oil was discovered in 1954 the two factions once again went to war, and the British Army sided with the Sultan and assisted in air raids of the Ibadei region, including the bombing of the Tanuf Castle (see below).
From then until 1970 the Omani people were ruled by Sultan Said bin Taimur who decreed the people could have no luxuries…that included shoes. His medieval and archaic way of thinking bred discord as it was a hard life with no schools, roads, or doctors. Disease was rampant.
“In the 1970 Omani coup d’état, Qaboos bin Said al Said ousted his father, Sa’id bin Taimur, who later died in exile in London. Al Said ruled Oman until his death just last month. As Sultan he confronted insurgency in a country plagued by endemic disease, illiteracy, and poverty. One of the new sultan’s first measures was to abolish many of his father’s harsh restrictions, which had caused thousands of Omanis to leave the country, and to offer amnesty to opponents of the previous régime, many of whom returned to Oman. 1970 also brought the abolition of slavery.
At the Sultan’s Palace built in 1971
Sultan Qaboos also established a modern government structure and launched a major development program to upgrade educational and health facilities, build a modern infrastructure, and develop the country’s natural resources. “(Wikipedia)
Today
The allure of Oman can certainly be credited to the Sultan. The remarkable changes in this country in a mere 50 years is astonishing. We have found excellent infrastructure of highways and roads (but no subway or well connected transit system), sparkling clean public parks and beaches; everyone is educated and speaks English.
With the passing of the beloved Sultan in January, his hand-picked successor (he had no heirs) Haitham bin Tariq became Sultan. It’s not expected much will change immediately.
Wherever we travel, each country has problems. In Myanmar the question of the Royhinga genocide hung heavy over our visit. In China the protests in Hong Kong kept us from our original itinerary. And of course in my own country of the United States, the political upheaval is embarrassing. And Oman too has problems. Cost of oil has dropped and Oman is looking at ways to diversify, including tourism. There are some who feel human rights are neglected and protestors of any kind towards the monarchy are jailed. A clear hierarchy is in place with Omani people serving in government and leadership roles and most service and labor jobs are done by workers who have come from Pakistan, India, Asia and Africa.
Fisherman bring in the catch at Qurum Beach
Oman sits on the Straight of Hormuz at the entrance to the Persian Gulf, only 35 miles from Iran. Oman is focused on territorial stability in a volatile region. As a visitor however you feel very safe and welcome. In fact it feels like a paradise.
The Omani People
We met some really wonderful people during our visit. Although most people keep pretty much to themsleves, it’s not uncommon to have people stop and ask if they can help you find something or ask where you are going or where you are from.
Our hostess for our dinner in her beautiful home
The Muslim men all dress in what is known as the dishdashi and the women are in abaya, usually black but sometimes in other colors. Women wear a hijab. Some women cover their face but most do not. Women actually have a lot of rights in Oman, more than some other Arab countries. They vote, drive and hold professional positions such as doctors, airline pilots and more.
Many people in Oman also dress in “western” clothing, but you will never see shorts or tank tops on locals.
As a visitor I was careful to be respectful of the culture and I did not wear shorts at all during my visit. Long pants and shirts that always covered my shoulders and often my elbows as well. The only time I had to cover my head was when I visited the mosque. (see title photo).
I was a little aghast at some young women we saw from Britain dressed very scantily and I felt it was incredibly disrespectful and as if they were flaunting it. Poor taste indeed.
Spice seller at the Nizwa Souq
Our favorite experience of our visit to Oman was when we went to the home of a distinguished Omani family and had dinner with them in their home. We made this connection through a local business called Zayr whose mission is to connect Omanis with visitors to broaden the understanding of the culture. I am so glad we did this because we really learned a great deal about the daily life of Omanis. The family we visited was a man who is a Omani diplomat, his lovely stay-at-home wife and their five children. We also met a cousin (who works at the US Embassy) and a brother. Another brother is the Omani Ambassador to China. Many of the family members live in a cohabiting way in a large and beautiful house outside of Muscat. We talked about our respective cultures, and how each are so often misrepresented by media accounts of the actions of a few. We ate sitting on the floor in the Omani style and we truly could not have enjoyed this more. We learned about food and traditions such as eating dates in odd numbers, having coffee and dates at every meal and incense burned after the meal to cleanse your palate. It would be my wish that every American could have this experience to understand more about the peaceful and lovely Muslim people.
The lovely family we dined with
Oman, which is about the same size as California, has a population of 4 million, but only 2.5 million of those are Omani. The rest are expats who come to Oman to work, mostly from India, Pakistan, and other surrounding African and Asian nations.
Gulf of Oman
Muscat
The capitol city of Muscat is the most beautiful in Oman. The allure of Oman is found in this utopian city. Restriction on high rise buildings (no more than nine stories) as well as architectural restrictions that only allow Arab style structures with stucco in white and desert colors makes the city very symmetric and alluring. Hundreds of workers can be seen tending greenery in parks, medians and along roads keeping the capital city pristine.
You can also enjoy the beautiful Sultan’s Palace from the outside. The area known as Muttrah was one of our favorites, it includes a beautiful harbor (cruise ships dock here almost daily), a promenade with parks and viewpoints as well as the historic Muttrah Souq.
Muttrah Souq
Outside of Muttrah we also spent one day hiking in the beautiful barren mountains that surround this region. We had an outstanding day hiking up the craggy rocks and returning through the wadi (Arabic for valley or river bed) where we worked our way around babbling brooks and standing ponds back to sea level.
Hiking high above Muttrah
Nizwa and Balha
We took one full day to tour the forts in this region, about a two hour drive southwest from Muscat. Many visitors stay one or two nights in Nizwa but we chose to do it as a day trip from Muscat.
We visited the restored Nizwa Fort, built in the 1600’s and restored in a very high quality way between 1985 and 1995. Today it is one of Oman’s top tourist attractions and we enjoyed it very much. Connecting to the fort is the Nizwa Souq. We hit it on a Saturday and many of the vendors were not open (the weekend is Friday Saturday) but we still enjoyed it and bought some spices and tea and dates.
Nizwa Fort
We also toured the Balha Fort, which was built in the 1100’s. It is currently being restored but you still can walk around it and enjoy it although there is no interpretive information. Hopefully that will be added when the restoration is done.
One of my favorite things we did was crawl around the Tanuf Castle ruins. Nothing has been done to this site and it sits as it has since it was bombed by the British during the insurgence battles between Muscat and Nizwa in the 1950s. I really enjoyed this place and wish the government would add some interpretive information here.
Balha Fort
Many people also go out into the stunning mountains in this region to hike. However we did not rent a 4WD vehicle, and you can’t get very far without one.
Tanuf Castle ruins
Sur and Surrounding
We spent one day driving south and east from Muscat towards the city of Sur.
Our first stop was to just admire the amazing view of the ocean on this drive. The gorgeous turquoise blue of the Gulf of Oman will take your breath away.
Our next stop was at the Bimmah Sinkhole – a super cool hole in the ground that was formed by the collapse of the surface layer of limestone. It is considered a lake but it is slightly salty. Visitors can swim in the crystal clear blue waters and enjoy this area for free.
It is 50m by 70m and 20m deep. There are a few small fish that live in the hole.
Bimmah Sinkhole
Wadi Shab is a very popular hike not far from Sur. Both tourists and locals flock here for the beautiful nature and for a chance to swim in the waterfall cave.
We went to Wadi Shab just after our visit to the Bimmah Sinkhole. However it had rained really hard the day before and we were quit surprised to find mud and silt all over the parking area several inches deep. We were told hiking to the cave was open but expect it to be slippery, muddy and difficult.
With that information we reassessed our plans and decided to give the area a couple days to dry-out and return. Which we did. And I am so glad we did. A forty-five minute hike up the Wadi was difficult but fun. Wading through deep water and clambering over boulders made for quite an adventure. If you want to go to the cave at the top it requires swimming for about 100-yards. We did not do this, but even without seeing the cave, it was one of my favorite things in Oman. I highly recommend it. Hiking in any of Oman’s beautiful Wadi’s should be a highlight of any visit to Oman. Check out this great list to learn how many Wadi options are waiting to be explored.
Wadi Shab
The town of Sur itself wasn’t all that special. We did visit the lighthouse in the old town of Al Ayhar and walked along the ocean boardwalk. We had a wonderful experience having lunch in a tiny little restaurant here. There wasn’t even a menu! The very nice man just brought us lots of lovely food and it all cost only $10.
Wahiba Sands
The Desert
I wanted to see “the desert” and most of the area along the coast of Oman is craggy mountains. Though these mountains are really beautiful, being in the Middle East means camels and sand dunes to me! So from Sur we drove two hours southwest to the Wahiba Sands desert. Without a 4WD you can’t drive into the dunes. There are plenty of drivers available and willing to take you out into the sand. Overnight camel treks are also available. But since we had done both of those in Morocco, Egypt and Namibia, here we decided to just enjoy the view from afar.
Come to Oman
If you are fearful of the Middle East, Oman is the perfect destination. It is welcoming and beautiful and you can learn a lot about the culture of the Middle East and the Muslim people. Don’t fear it – the allure of Oman is as much about the region as it is about the culture…both full of mystery and history just waiting to be discovered.
Muslim people and Omanis in particular are kind and welcoming and want to share their culture and country.
I am so glad we came. Shukran Oman. We feel blessed to know you. Tusahibuk alsalama. Peace be with you.
If you watched the Hanna-Barbera cartoon of the 1960’s called The Flintstones, you might remember one of the things Fred loved to eat…Dodo bird eggs. In the cartoon the egg was as big as Fred, and his wife Wilma always needed help carrying it.
The Flintstones and Dodo egg (c) Hanna-Barbera
Because the name is kind of funny, you might think a Dodo bird is a figment of the imagination of the creators of The Flintstones. But in fact, Dodo Birds were a real animal found only here on the island of Mauritius where I am currently living for six weeks. Not only real, but prolific and healthy until the arrival of man to this island in the 1600’s. That’s when Dodo’s and other animals of Mauritius became extinct.
A Remote Island
The Dodo story is a sad one, and also one we should learn something from. But Dodos are not the only animal that became extinct after man arrived on this remote island in the Indian Ocean. The Giant Domed Tortoises and the Mauritius Saddle Back Tortoises were eaten as protein by sailors until they too became extinct. The Mauritius Giant Skink, the Mauritius Flying Fox and the Mauritius Owl are no longer in existence, as well as another dozen animals and birds. The Pink Pigeon was brought to the brink of extinction but now, thanks to preservation efforts, it is beginning to return.
Endangered Mauritius Fody
A Little History
From 1502 to 1968 the tiny island of Mauritius bounced around between Arab and European sailors and eventually colonists including the Portuguese, Dutch, French and British. When the Dutch first arrived in 1598 the island was uninhabited by humans, but was home to a variety of animals only found on the island…similar to its much larger neighbor Madagascar.
Nearly extinct Pink Pigeon
Man’s arrival brought hungry sailors and slaves as well as rats, monkeys and pigs. These introductions to the uninhabited island caused Dodo eggs to be eaten from the nest and the large (3 feet tall and 45 pounds), flightless bird (a member of the pigeon family) to easily be captured and consumed.
Artists Rendition Dodo Bird
Same is true for the two species of giant tortoise. At the time there were so many of these giant tortoises it is said a man could walk along the beach across the backs of the tortoises for miles (by the way, they CAN feel that, their shells are very sensitive). The tortoise eggs also were eaten by both man and introduced animals, and the protein provided by the giant beasts was much preferred in taste to the Dodo.
Seychelle Tortoise breeding on Mauritius
Quickly Extinct
By 1681 the last Dodo was killed. Less than a century to eliminate an entire species. Sad.
Today no species resembling the Dodo is on the island or on the planet. A species of giant tortoise that is similar to the Domed Tortoise is found on the Seychelle Island. This tortoise is now being bred on Mauritius. But farewell Dodo.
Today’s Preservation Efforts
Today the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation is working to protect and reintroduce flora and fauna to the island in several protected areas both on and off shore. Their mission is;
The Mauritian Wildlife Foundation (MWF) is the only non-governmental organization (NGO) in Mauritius to be exclusively concerned with the conservation and preservation of the nation’s endangered plant and animal species.
Mauritius blue gecko
Their work is both restoring entire eco-systems and sharing restoration knowledge both locally and internationally.
Visitors and locals are able to see first hand the conservation projects being carried out in Mauritius including the offshore islets and Rodrigues. MWF works with local and international partners, with the long-term aim of recreating lost ecosystems by saving some of rarest species from extinction and restoring the native forest. Another important part of the work is to raise awareness about conservation issues through education programs.
Endangered Bottle Palm
During our visit to Mauritius we enjoyed an amazing guided tour of the off-shore atol of Ile aux Aigrettes, as well as a self-guided tour of Petrin, a birding paradise, within the Black River Gorges National Park.
You don’t need to stay six weeks on this island to understand how unique it is on our planet as home to a diverse collection of plant and wildlife, as well as a migratory stop-over for many species. A visit to Mauritius is recommended, and while you are here be sure to connect with the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation and support the incredible work they are doing to protect, preserve and educate. Yabbadabbado!
Diani Beach Kenya – It’s been a year since the deadly Nairobi hotel terrorism attack that took 21 lives. Kenya has had its share of terrorism over the past decade, mostly attributed to Al Shabab, an African Islamic group associated with Al Qaeda.
Diani Beach at sunrise
During this same year 40000 people died in the United States from gun-related violence.
I share this comparison not to advocate against guns but to make a point; media accounts of violence around the world create a fear of faraway places, even while violence at home is often just as severe.
It’s a dilemma to decide how to travel safely around the globe. And though we take our personal safety seriously, we do not believe we are in any more danger in Kenya, with its history of terrorist hits, than in the USA, with its history of domestic and international terrorism as well as rampant gun violence.
Sheldrick Falls
And so we came to Kenya – specifically Diani Beach Kenya.
Diani Beach Kenya is both a dilemma and a delight. This beautiful coastal town on the Indian Ocean has seen its own share of violence including murder and bombings.
Diani Beach from The Edge Restaurant
The larger image of Kenya as a violent place over the past decade has been disastrous for the tourism industry, especially in Diani. Like other places we have visited (Eastern Europe, Africa, Asia and Central America), war, coups, violent crimes and terrorism – and the media accounts of these- can devastate tourism overnight, and the damage takes decades to recover.
Think about it.
Abandoned Hotel Diani Beach
But what of places like Paris, Las Vegas, London or Boston? All places that have had terrorism attacks over the past few years but visitors still flock there. Why do we feel safer from terrorism in a “western” culture?
Entrance to abandoned amusement park
Diani Beach Kenya, touted as the most beautiful beach in Africa, deserves a chance to rebuild its tourism program. Within the 17 mile stretch of white sandy beach sit several abandoned hotels, bars and even an amusement park – places unable to hold on when the tourists stopped coming.
Abandoned hotel pool, Diani Beach
Today, and particularly during the holiday season when we were visiting, tourism is on an uptick. Europeans from Germany, Scandinavia and Britain were abundant on the beach, in restaurants and bars and in the shopping areas.
Abandoned beach bar “40 Thieves”
Convincing Americans to travel here will take more time, and hopefully there will be no more attacks. Meanwhile we feel safe and happy to have enjoyed this beautiful, affordable and incredibly friendly place.
We want the best for the Kenyan people and our new friends in Diani Beach. Hardworking people who for the most part want jobs to support their families and have a good life. Tourism is the vehicle for that and they want it to thrive once again.
Dinner at the beautiful Sands at Nomad
So here are some recommendations from our three weeks in Diani, for you to consider when planning your Kenyan adventure.
Where to stay – Frangipani Cottages – very affordable, beautiful pool and 700 meters to the beach.
We loved our three weeks at Frangipani Cottages
Our favorite bars and restaurants – Tiki Bar, Havana Bar, The Edge, Nomad Bar and Restaurant, Kokkos, Java House, Oasis Bar, Salty Squid, Piri Piri.
There are MANY other activities in and around Diani that we did not do such as multi-day safari, Colobus Monkey Reserve, slave caves and fishing. Learn more here.
Next stop for us the island of Mauritius out in the Indian Ocean! Don’t miss our ANNUAL WORLD TRAVEL AWARDS 2019 blog coming on January 17th.
Thanks for your support this past year. Please share our blog. Happy New Year!
Namibia quickly became one of my favorite countries for its varied landscape, colorful cultures and interesting history. So although I did not see the entire country, Namibia Part II is an opportunity for me to share a bit about what I saw and learned during my fascinating ten days touring with Wild Wind Safaris. Namibia Part II – Oh the Places You’ll Go.
Only a few years ago Namibia never showed up in articles or blogs about travel destinations. But then all of the sudden there it was – stunning photos of dunes and mountains, animals and oceans. Article after article listing it as a must see destination of 2017 or an out of the way place to see before the crowds of tourists discover it.
The furthest south latitude at which the sun is directly overhead at the solstice.
And so, I wanted to be there. I wanted to see what few people had yet seen. Namibia was high on my list.
Don’t get me wrong – there are plenty of tourists, and plenty of tour operators and companies to help you find your way (check out the company we used and were so happy with: Wild Wind Safaris). But we didn’t meet any other Americans, and 99% of the tourists we met were German. Germans know about this place and flock here, partly because German is spoken here as is English, Afrikaans and tribal languages.
Most visitors come to go on safari in Etosha
Magnificent
National Park and it is a must of any visit to Namibia (see blog here). Etosha is not even remotely as crowded as the safari I did seven years ago in the Serengeti with about a million other people. Etosha was quiet and beautiful and amazing.
Sociable Weaver nest can House up to 200 birds
But a trip to Namibia really needs to include time to see and experience more than Etosha. I’ve come away from the country with an even greater appreciation of the remarkable geology of our earth, and an incredible insight to the importance of preserving cultures and not just objects and nature.
Our guide explains to Arne
Until 1990 Namibia was part of South Africa (and from 1884 until after WWI it was a German colony). Gaining its independence the country has embraced tourism but being such a new country it still has its share of problems. Like many places we have been, government corruption takes much away from the average person and tribal cultures suffer. But the roads were remarkably good (even though Namibia has the highest car accident death rate in the world) and the people we met (mostly in the service industry) were incredibly friendly both with each other and us. In fact some of the friendliest and most genuine people we have met anywhere in our travels are the Namibians. That really hit home. We never felt like we were unsafe or being cheated in anyway – although warnings of pick pockets we took seriously.
Himba women with mud hut
Namibia has 13 ethnic groups scattered about the country and the native people identify with an ancestral tribe even if they no longer live in the region where that group is. Our amazing tour guide “Seven” explained to us some of the differences and he could look at nearly every person and know immediately what ethnic group they were from. Since we didn’t see the entire country we missed learning about most tribes, including the Owambo of the north, the tribe Seven is from.
We did get to learn about two distinctive tribes – the Himba and the Damara as well as a little bit about the Herero, an offshoot of the Himba.
Little Himba girl
Using smoke to “wash” hair
One of my favorite experiences of the entire ten days was our short visit to a special Himba village where we were able to meet Himba women and children. Note the photos of these remarkable people. These are not costumes. This is the way they dress everyday. The hair style is really remarkable, and a female Himba begins wearing this hairstyle at puberty. The adornments are made partially of their real hair and animal hair and are updated every three months. Because of the shortage of water in the north of Namibia where the Himba people are found, they do not bath with water. Instead they daily “wash” their hair with smoke – literally holding their head as well as their underarms over a special perfumed smoke (similar to incense) that keeps bugs and (most) odor away. They also cover their bodies daily with a mixture of butter and ochre as a cleanser and repellant, this is what lends the red tone to their skin.
Me with ten-year old girl
The village we visited was a special place because all the children here are orphans. This is a place where Himba orphans are brought to be raised in the culture of their parents rather than being adopted out of the culture. The women here care for these children as if they are their own and there is a school here too. The people are sustained by raising goats and cattle and they have access to a well so water is available but their bathing customs remain the same.
Damara village
As we visited the women let us take photos and then they wanted to look at the photos on our phones. They seem to very much like to see themselves in a photo. The women’s first question to us was if we had children. When we said we had grown sons they wanted to know if we had grandchildren. When I said not yet they wanted to know why not? Why had we not yet chosen wives for our sons? My answer that our sons would hopefully marry someday and have kids didn’t seem to satisfy them. Their entire existence and culture is wrapped around family, child-bearing and daily survival.
Once again I am reminded of how many people live every day hand to mouth.
Dancers at Damara village
We did not visit a Herero village but these people endured near genocide by the Germans who wanted their land and intended to eliminate the Herero race to have it and the 1904 Battle of Waterberg ensued. Half of the total Herero population was
Herero Women
killed. Luckily not all were massacred and today the women have developed a very unique dress that is a unique mix of Victorian gown and petticoat and a unique cloth headpiece that is designed to resemble the horns of a cow. Today the Herero people continue a battle in court with the German government for retribution for all they lost during the genocide period.
Damara man building fire
Swakopmund pier
The Damara people, the other tribe we learned about, are the oldest tribe in Namibia. They came from the East and settled in the middle region of the country. This tribe was primarily hunter gatherers and pastoral, raising cattle and sheep and living off the land. The Damara have an incredibly unique language known as “click” language. The language uses a complicated system of mouth and tongue clicks and is very musical and fun to hear. The village we visited was a reproduction of how a village would have looked hundreds of years ago. Where the Himba live in huts made from wood, mud and cow dung, the Damara live in huts made of wood and thatch. The Damara dress was tied to the animals they raised creating clothing from
Damara Medicine Woman
sheepskins. The women use ochre on their cheeks much like we use blush today. Music and dance and making ornamental jewelry and carvings were a big part of their culture, where the women did domestic chores and the men tended the livestock.
Cape Cross Fur Seal colony
Pink Flamingoes in Walvis Bay
The geology and scenery of Namibia is as diverse as its ancient people. The incredibly beautiful red sand dunes of the Sossusvlei region are the oldest dunes in the world and the stark beauty of these dunes is remarkable. The turquoise blue water of the Atlantic Ocean at Swakopmund in contrast provides visitors and locals a cool get-away from the heat of the interior. Here on the Atlantic the fog settles every day and so do thousands and thousands of fur seals, flamingoes and other shore birds. Local seafood is a treat including the KingKlip and Kabaljou two of the most popular and most delicious fish caught locally and served everywhere.
Welwitschia plant
Dolerite Dike
From the ocean heading east within minutes you are back in the arid desert where the welwitschia plant grows – the only region in the world this unusual plant is found and growing as big as ten feet across and living as much as 2000 years I was reminded of Audrey Two in Little Shop of Horrors. The inhospitable environment has little greenery and almost no animals except birds. The valley of the moon and eroding mountain range are desolate yet beautiful in their own way – especially the interesting dolerite dike a natural phenomenon of black sunburnt rock that runs along the ridge of the mountains like the spine of a dragon. This area is home to the largest Uranium mine in the world.
Ancient rock etchings
ANcient rock etchings
Namibia’s storage hunter-gatherers and Bushman (San) people were nomadic and traveled the country wherever the animals were. Their history is written on stones in several regions and we visited two fascinating sights to learn more. The Twyfelfontein site is today a UNESCO Heritage site in the Kuene region. Guides take visitors on a walking tour of the hundreds of rock etchings estimated to be several thousands of years old. The etchings depict animals as well as human footprints and tell a story of the nomad life and the animals they followed for substenance. It is thought this place was both a message board and a spiritual gathering place for thousands of years.
“The White Lady” is the pale figure on the left
More paintings
Even more amazing though was the preserved painting of “The White Lady” estimated to be 6000 years old. This painting is located in a very remote region of the Brandberg Mountain, Namibia’s highest mountain. It is a two mile hike to visit it. Not as many people see The White Lady because the trek and the heat make it difficult. I’m glad we endured it however in 100 degree temperatures. Very different than the rock etchings, these paintings are preserved because they are inside a cave and out of direct sunlight. Discovered in 1918 and now a protected heritage site, the White Lady is actually not a lady at all. Early anthropologists believed it to be an Egyptian women, but today archeologist know it is a local tribal shaman, painted with the traditional white a shaman would have on his legs and body from dust and mud. The painting includes other human figures and many animals all painted with ochre (red), egg, animals oils, charcoal and blood. The painting has luckily withstood the test of time, although since its discovery humans have touched it and thrown liquid on it to try and see it better and this has deteriorated it. Today though it is protected and can only be reached with a guide who makes sure no one does any damage to it. It was a beautiful and remarkable world heritage site to enjoy.
Moon landscape
The Namibian people have a great deal to be proud of and I hope this beautiful country overcomes its problems and finds its strength in the world. It has so much to offer, charm and beauty, history and culture. I will never forget my time here and I can say with all seriousness it is by far my favorite African country of the seven I have been to.
Thank you Namibia. Thank you Wild Wind Safaris. Thank you Seven for showing us your remarkable home.
Once again I am astounded. Astounded by a place I knew so little about. I am so thankful we came to Namibia. Incredible
Good morning
Namibia.
I know only three people who have been to this country. I wasn’t sure what to expect but I was open to the adventure I thought it would provide. And I was not disappointed. Only lightly touched by tourism, Namibia is an astonishingly beautiful place and if you have the means you should see it now – because it will change. It always does.
This is an Oryx
There is so much to share about our ten days here, so I’ve decided two blogs are in order and I am starting with the most obvious and most well-known topic of Namibia – the Etosha National Park and the safari we did there.
Why did the giraffe cross the road?
I did a safari seven years ago in Tanzania with my son and sister, but this was a first for Arne and I really worried he might not get to see all the “big game” safaris are known for; elephants, zebras, lions, giraffes, rhinoceros. I needn’t have worried. Yes, we saw all of those and much, much more.
I booked our tour of Namibia with Wild Wind Safaris about six months ago. The tour was $4500 for the two of us for ten days. We could have seen Namibia on our own without a tour guide, the roads (although often gravel) are very good and easy to get around. But our guide “Seven” (a childhood nickname from his football number) provided us with what we learned to call “African eyes”, and the value of that can not be understated. He knew the answer to all of my endless questions and if he didn’t, he found the answer and got back to me within in minutes. He described
With our guide Seven
plants and geology, politics and population, and of course knew facts about animals and wildlife I would never possibly have known. I highly recommend both Seven and Wild Wind Safaris if you want a great experience in Namibia.
So this tour was an anniversary gift to ourselves and although definitely more than our usual $200 a day budget, it was worth every penny.
At the watering hole
The animals in Etosha National Park are varied and abundant. The park has supplemented the natural watering holes around Etosha with some manmade ones, providing constant water in this arid and hot environment. This way the animals stay within the park boundaries and are protected and visible to the guests.
There are still problems with poachers, who specifically target both the black and white rhinoceros in the park. They kill the animals and then cut off their
The beautiful and endangered black Rhinoceros
horns which are then smuggled and sold in the Chinese market. Although this is entirely illegal it is still a problem Namibia struggles with. In fact park officials regularly sedate and cut off the horns of the animals to keep the poachers from killing them. The horns grow back and are made of a material similar to fingernails so it doesn’t cause the animal pain.
Hunting is against the law throughout Namibia (except on some private game hunting reserves), which has changed the culture of many hunter-gatherer tribes and some of the people are extremely poor. But game is also farmed in Namibia and you will often find farmed
Springbok are abundant
game on the menu. Oryx is very popular and tastes just like beef.
With Seven’s guidance we spent our early morning searching for animals – a great time of day for successful sightings. We then would return to the lodge and relax, maybe take a nap or lay around the pool, before heading out again for a late afternoon game drive. You are not allowed to get out of the vehicle for any reason within the park, so having just Arne and I in the vehicle with Seven gave us lots of ability to view the wildlife and go everywhere in the park.
Zebra is the favorite meal for the lions
My photos tell the story of all the incredible creatures we encountered – but only to a point. It’s hard to describe the thrill of moment and how sudden and spontaneous and unplanned it all can be. So often it would just take your breath away. Let me tell you about a few of my favorite moments;
Our first early morning drive we set out with Seven feeling confident we would find lions. We had been out for about two hours and with his “African Eyes” he spotted the three “boys” he knew were often in the area. These lions cubs were about five months old, still young and cub-like but looking full-grown. We watched them from a distance of about 200 yards trot and gallop purposefully across a field,
Lion reunion
ignoring all the animals they usually hunt in the area. They were intent on one thing. Mom. She lay about 30 yards ahead of us on the road. We positioned ourselves and watched in anticipation as the playful and loving reunion took place. The boys happy to be back from whatever adventure they had been on – back with mommy.
This same family we saw several times after that with the magnificent full-maned father (shown in the title photo) proudly watching over his pride. We watched the mating process (in fact got it on video) and these animals truly seemed like a family.
One of the five month old boys
We saw many lions during the rest of our visit but other “cats” were elusive, until one afternoon.
We were exploring several of the water holes in the car but hadn’t seen very many animals. But we noticed that at one water hole the giraffes seemed a bit on alert, staring off into the brush. We watched for a long time but nothing happened so just as we were rolling forward to turn around and leave I spotted a rhino coming out of the trees. So Seven parked the car at an angle where I could get some good photos and we watched. The rhino walked down to the water hole, but never drank – he turned and walked back to the woods. This seemed curious and just then I noticed a lion alone on the other side of the waterhole. “Seven there is a lion” I said. He looked and nearly jumped for
Hard to see from a distance but this is our leopard
joy! “That’s a leopard!” he nearly yelled. “Oh my god a leopard and we are the only ones here at the watering hole!” What a great moment that was. The leopard, though too far to get a really good photo of, was so well camouflaged I couldn’t believe it. He took his time drinking his fill and then quietly disappeared back into the brush. Only then did the rhino return to enjoy his own cool drink. A very rare sighting indeed.
Spotting the endangered Black Rhino was one of my goals as this animal had eluded me when I was in Tanzania. We actually saw many rhinos during our time in Etosha and they are huge, magnificent and very pre-historic looking creatures. But two special moments stand out.
As we were leaving the watering hole and chatting excitedly about our leopard encounter we came around a corner on the dusty gravel road and startled a lone
The beautiful black Rhino at the watering hole after dark
rhino very close to the road. He didn’t like being surprised and he charged our car. I’ll never forget the look on that gigantic creatures face as he lowered his head and charged, while Seven put the car in reverse and I fumbled to get my seatbelt on. He snorted and stared us down but never actually hit the car. Not an animal you want to mess with. Seven told us because he had his head down and was feeding as we came around the corner we had frightened him. Also, because of the poachers these intelligent animals have learned to be wary of vehicles and being snuck up on.
Later that night Arne and I went to the watering hole near our lodge. This hole is designed with night vision lighting that does not bother the animals, but allows people to view the animals from seats at a distance. Every night we went to see what was happening at the watering hole, and on this special night a mama rhino arrived with a teeny little baby.
Giraffe taking a sip
Watching the two of them, never more than a few inches from each other, was a special sight.
For as important as water is to all these animals, watching the effort it takes a giraffe to have a long cool drink is astonishing. Giraffes cannot hold their head down for very long because it cuts off their blood flow. It also puts them in a very vulnerable position to predators, so a giraffe takes a long time to consider its surrounding before finally spreading its long and skinny legs wide and dipping its camel-like face into the water. What a strange and beautiful beast.
Speaking of strange and beautiful, I have saved my favorite animal for last. We saw every animal from Impala to Zebra, Ostrich to Wildebeast, Jackal to Hyena, Warthog to
Ostrich
Tortoise and hundreds of birds. But my favorite always is the intelligent, magnificent, domestic and loving elephant. And we saw so many and have many memorable moments:
The elephant throws mud on itself in an effort to keep cool and keep off the insects. This creates what is known either as a white elephant or a black elephant depending on the mud. We watched as elephants sprayed the mud and played in the water. We saw elephants nearly pure white amongst the green leaves, we saw
My favorite photo of this bull at sunset
white elephants as the sun set looking just like a white concrete statue.
The younger male elephants (bachelors) roam together while the older males usually are associated with a matriarchal group, but don’t spend time together. The matriarchal group is made up of females and babies and “teenagers”. The male teens leave the group at about 15 years. The female elephants spend all their life together. Once again the watering hole provided us a spectacular venue to witness
Elephant parade
these family ties.
One evening we arrived at the watering hole to find two males – one much older than the other. We watched as the younger male began vocalizing as the matriarchal group made its way out of the trees. The older male took this as his cue to exit right, while the younger male greeted both vocally and physically each female as she came near the water hole. The younger male, clearly part of this family, then left the females and youngsters to enjoy the water as he went on his way.
Magnificent
On another evening at the watering hole we watched a small fox running across the sand directly towards a giant elephant drinking. As the fox neared the feet of the elephant he reared up and sprayed water all over the fox – clearly showing who is the boss. The poor little fox scampered away.
The morning we were leaving the park, we had already checked out of our room and only gone about 100 yards down the road and Seven spotted elephants in the distance – with a brand
Our final sighting. Perfect.
new baby in tow. We turned immediately around and headed back to the lodge and the watering hole where we watched for twenty minutes as this new mother, another small male and this itsy bitsy newborn, no more that two or three days old, drank. The baby wanted to wallow around and the mama kept him near to her and out of the mud. Seven told us this was a young female, younger than usually reproduce, probably about ten years old. But she seemed to have a good maternal instinct and watching this
A front row seat
little group was a joyful and satisfying way to end our time in Etosha.
This blog was long, but we had such a great experience in Etosha and in Namibia. I hope you enjoyed reading about it. I’ll be writing more soon, about the people and places of this unique country, but in the meantime, the lion sleeps tonight.
It was a tough travel day. Maybe as I’m getting older those days are getting harder? Long travel days can take a toll, and some days on the Grand Adventure just aren’t Grand.
No flights direct to Namibia from Morocco. We flew from Casablanca to Doha Qatar. The nine-hour flight was fine. Full plane but 787 is a nice plane so comfortable. Three hour layover in Doha was fine. Eleven hour flight from Doha to Windhoek Namibia, also a 787, was strangely empty. So we
Welcome to Namibia
could stretch out and sleep. But then Arne started to feel poorly, and then really sick.
My husband never gets sick – it’s always me.
Landed in very hot Windhoek and began the six-hour drive on gravel road to our desert lodge. When we arrived at the beautiful lodge Arne immediately went to bed. Where he stayed for the next 24 hours.
Meanwhile I go to dinner with our guide (whose name is Seven)and the two other guests who are with us for only the first three days. We enjoyed
Our cabin at the beautiful Agama River lodge
dinner and a lovely native song and dance by the staff.
Woke up at 5:00am for our tour to the UNESCO site of the Namib Desert dunes but Arne was still sick. So I head off on the tour. About an hour down the road I am hit with a wave of nausea, cold sweat and shakes. We pull over and I dash behind a bush. Ugh.
Seven decides to take me a half an hour back to a clinic so I can rest there while they continue with
At the clinic
the tour. I felt bad and didn’t want the other guests to miss the tour so this seemed like a good solution. We were lucky to be near this clinic as the next one was hundreds of miles away.
I was the only person at the clinic where I was given some drugs for stomach virus and tucked into bed where I slept for nearly six hours before being retrieved by Seven and returned to the lodge. I found Arne still in bed but awake.
Now that we are feeling better, looking forward to seeing lots of wildlife
So we did not get to see the famous dunes, the world’s oldest. And we did not get to celebrate our wedding anniversary. But sometimes shit happens. We are still both not 100% but are eating again and back on the tour. Lots more to see in the next week so happy to be on the mend.
Mama said there would be days like this. Welcome to Namibia!
One month in Morocco has been marvelous. We have seen so very much, and still there is much to see – so we will return one day. But for now, I am so happy to have experienced this magical and friendly country – especially the past five days as we have traversed the diverse geography from Fes to Marrakesh.
We hired a guide to show us parts of Morocco we
With our guide Abdul
would find difficult to reach on our own – and I am so glad we did. Our fantastic guide Abdul from Your Morocco Tours was amazing(5 days only $250 per person). He safely drove us for five days and was funny, interesting and proud of his country and his heritage.
Have I mentioned how friendly everyone is?
Ziz Valley
With our friends Steve and Sarah we left Fes on a Saturday morning for the long but beautiful drive. We began to climb into the mountains only a few hours out of Fes. Eventually we made it to the beautiful Ziz Valley. Here we began to see the red rocks and reddish pink buildings I had always imagined when I thought of Morocco. Although the white and blue and green and grey we had seen up to this time was beautiful in its own way – this red color of the desert against the green of
Desert sunset
the date palm trees made me feel I was part of a movie set.
Have I mentioned how great all the roads are?
After a long day of driving we arrived in the desert, just in time for a spectacular sunset over the Sahara. It was breathtaking. I didn’t want it to end. Awash in orange from sand to sky it was spectacular.
We then continued a short distance into the dunes to our spectacular hotel called Kasbah Azalay. Stunning. How can this be our hotel when we paid so little for this tour? Not only was it pretty in a very Moroccan way but the service and hospitality was perfect. We enjoyed a lovely tagine for dinner
On the camels
and a good nights sleep.
A more leisurely day was on hand for Sunday and after breakfast we climbed the dunes and shopped for scarfs in the town of Merzouga. We then enjoyed a visit to the village of Kamila where we sipped mint tea and listened to the authentic Gnaoua music of the region performed by the ancestors of the original Sudanese slaves who were brought here five hundred years ago. Their efforts to preserve their culture and music are commendable and we danced and had a great time with them.
Have I mentioned that this country, more than any other, is where I want to buy things – pottery, rugs, leather? I am restraining myself.
Late in the afternoon we arrived at the staging area for our camel trek into the desert. To be completely accurate it’s actually a dromedary trek. Camels are the beasts with two humps. The animals with one hump are technically dromedaries, but everyone calls them camels so, hey, whatever!
On the camel trek with arne
I wasn’t really sure how this was going to go – was it scary? Painful? Smelly? Actually, it was a teeny bit painful – but mostly just fun. The dromedaries were not smelly, they didn’t spit or bite, but once you are sitting up on one, you realize this ain’t no horse. Wow. They lumber along and your leg muscles feel the movement, but honestly the next day it was my arms that were sore, from trying to hold on when the camel goes down a hill, or sits down.
There were ten of us riding and after an hour and half on the camel, including a stop to watch another spectacular Sahara sunset, we arrived at the nomad camp. We were assigned tents with beds and served tea while we waited for another group of 18 to arrive. When they did we all had dinner together (tagine) and then a bonfire and music around the fire. By this time the temperature had plummeted and we put all our clothes on including wool socks and hats and snuggled under the covers for the night.
Have I mentioned there are more stars in the sky in Morocco? Billions.
Wake up at 6am and you immediately feel the pain in your legs (and crotch) and arms. Yikes. But back on the camel we go, even before I get a cup of coffee. Ugh. I was hoping my camel knew the way to the nearest Starbucks, but instead he took us out of camp into the dunes to watch the sunrise. Surreal. And way better than Starbucks.
Dunes
After the sunrise and a thousand more photos we were back in the saddle and headed back to town, where we were served a nice breakfast (with plenty of coffee) and had a hot shower before we reconnected with our guide Abdul and began day three of our tour.
We drove away from the dunes and into the amazing Moroccan red rock canyons and gorges. A
Todgha Gorge
truly surprising area of Morocco I had never even heard of. The Todgha Gorge was stunning and we enjoyed it late in the afternoon where the 1000 foot walls had sunlight on the tops, but the river was in the shadow of the mountains. We also visited a remarkable fossil museum where we learned about
Fossils
the 500 million year old ocean fossils found in this area and another place where we learned about the ingenious well and aqueduct system the Berber people built to access and save water from the
Ancient wells
Atlas mountains 300 years ago.
Have I mentioned how diverse the geography is? From ocean to desert to mountains to rivers to lakes.
Finally we arrived in the Dades Gorge, another amazing marvel of Mother Nature, where our hotel for the night was perched on a cliff overlooking the valley below. We enjoyed an authentic Moroccan couscous meal and met a nice couple from Seattle and swapped stories before a good nights sleep.
Up and on our way in the morning we drove to see
Monkey Feet
more ancient Kasbahs perched in the Dades Gorge and throughout the red rock region and stopped to view the geological wonder called Monkey’s Feet. A geology uplift of rock that is unique to this area and impossible to describe. And yes, it did look a bit like the bottom of a monkey’s foot.
Midday we visited one of the best preserved Kasbahs in Morocco, the Amerhidil – built-in the 17th century and in remarkable condition. Given that most of this construction is made from mud and straw bricks, finding well-preserved ones of this age is unusual. We toured the building, ate a delicious lunch of grilled turkey kebab and then headed on our way to our hotel.
This night we stayed in another very beautiful boutique hotel with exceptional customer service. Everywhere we go the people are so kind and helpful and that is the case at Riad Tama. Big rooms, and a beautiful garden and a lovely restaurant where we enjoyed a a French inspired dinner.
Have I mentioned a Dar is a house, a Riad means garden but is often used to refer to a hotel or house with a garden?
Day five- our final day began early at 8:30 with our fabulous guide Abdul as we headed off to the
Kasar Air Ben Haddou
famous and well-preserved Kasar of Air Ben Haddou where we spent a couple of hours walking with an incredible guide who had been raised in this village. Morocco has a big film industry and this place is one that is often featured in many films including Lawrence of Arabia, Gladiator, and Jewel of the Nile.
Have I mentioned a kasbah is a house of a rich family usually with four towers while a kasar is a fortified village with more than one kasbah?
Our final day continued with another spectacular
All together and a wonderful time.
drive with surprising scenery and geography over the Tizi Tichka Pass to the famous city of Marrakesh – our final stop of our Morocco adventure. We will be in Marrakesh for three days.
We loved our tour! An inspiring experience in a magical place.
In the future when I think of Morocco I will certainly remember the cities we have visited (Casablanca, Chefchaouen, Tangier, Asilah, Fes and Marrakesh) but I think it will be the rural areas I will remember most fondly. The desert is such a special place to be, and to be able to sleep there and see the stars at night and ride the camels – unforgettable. The gorges and red rocks and Kasbahs of old are like something out of a movie set (and some are) but they are real. And beautiful. And cherished by the wonderful Moroccan people.
Five Days from Fes to Marrakesh. What an experience. What a lucky girl. What a life.
Cumin, paprika, garlic and saffron. You can smell it in the air. Onions, harissa, citrus and dates. Wherever you are, Morocco’s flavors and smells will make your mouth water and your tummy growl. This colorful country is a feast of flavors and colors and tastes unlike anywhere I have been. You just can’t get enough.
Lemon and olive Chicken Tajine
We’ve been in Morocco for three weeks now, and we still have more than a week to go. We have learned some of tips for the cuisine of this North African nation that has
Grilled lamb chops
been a crossroads for thousands of years. From cultures near and far the Moroccan cuisine developed into the flavor-filled mix of vegetables, meat and spices we know today. The Berber’s long history in this region, combined
Spices
with the Romans, the Vandals, the Phoenicians, and later the Jews, the Spanish, the Brits and French, certainly makes for a unique combination of cultures and flavors.
Farm to market produce
Today Morocco stands independent under King Mohammed VI, and the delicious food is a proud tradition as seen in the medinas and restaurants, street food and homes through out the cities and rural regions of Morocco. Seafood on the coast; beef, sheep, goat, chicken and even camel makes an appearance in the interior; and the ever-present olive can be found at breakfast,
Grilled fish
lunch and dinner.
We had a very special experience during our ten days in Asilah on the Atlantic Coast. Our airbnb in Asilah came with a full-time cook, a sweet and talented Moroccan woman named Latifah. She fed us the
Latifah making couscous
most remarkable meals during our time there and we were spoiled beyond reason. We learned a lot about the cuisine, watched her cook and asked her so many questions. She took us to the market with her and helped us understand the foods she was
Latifah serving pastilla
making for us. What a remarkable opportunity this presented and we were so grateful. We wanted to stuff her in the suitcase and keep her forever! So through Latifah we learned the cuisine.
There are some surprises too – like the flavorful fava bean and garlic
B’sara soup
soup called B’sara served for breakfast. Not a dish found on restaurant menus but if you ask it can be made for you. We did just that, wanting to try it and the proprietor gladly made it for us even though it was lunch time and well past the normal morning hour it is usually eaten. It tasted much like a split pea soup but spicier and very satisfying.
Another surprise is the pastilla – a completely
Women making the filo on round griddle
unexpected sweet and savory “pie” resembling spanakopita but filled with nuts and dates, chicken or pigeon, sweet and savory spices and baked then sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon. It can’t decide if it’s dinner or a dessert, but it is delicious and unusual all at once. The dish is created with a super thin filo type pastry made by hand by artisans in the
Latifah unveiling the tajine
markets using a very surprising shaped cooking shaft that the thin dough is placed on for just a few seconds to let it cook. Pastilla is usually reserved for special occasion meals, but can be found in most restaurants serving tourists. We were very lucky to have a special one made for us by Latifah.
More well-known are the bubbling tajine dishes cooked and served in their unique crockery. Tajine can be made from many things including lamb,
Lamb and dried fruit tajine
beef, chicken and vegetables and the best part is usually the wonderful rich broth at the bottom of the pot. My favorite ones were the chicken olive and lemon and the lamb, dried fruit and nut. These two are also favorites among locals and its easy to see why. I had them multiple times and each time it was delicious.
Couscous
Another well-known dish is Couscous. But the couscous we know back in America is very different from what we have enjoyed here in Morocco. In fact, making couscous is a major undertaking and is reserved for Fridays, the holy day in Morocco. We spent much of one day watching Latifah make us a remarkable (and gigantic) couscous feast that included chicken, carrots, zucchini, potato and turnips and of course the couscous itself. A special steamer is used to steam the couscous over boiling water – a most unusual and time-consuming preparation.
Harira soup
Dried figs and dates
When all is said and done this lovely and colorful pile of deliciousness is topped with a flavorful broth that has been simmering and reducing for hours. It just really is a special meal and poor sweet Latifah had a real workout in the kitchen on this day.
Grilled meats on a stick, similar to such things in other countries, can be found at restaurants and street vendors. Known as Brochette’s, popular varieties are lamb, chicken and beef, as well as ground lamb, but my favorite was a lime-marinated fish brochette I had in a restaurant.
Brochettes
While in Asilah by the sea we had a great opportunity to sample the local seafood. Latifah made us the most amazing selection of grilled and fried fish including sardines and dorado served with a delicious green chili sauce and lemon. Simple and sublime. We also had anchovies in lemon, octopus salad, rich and delicious fish soup and tiny deep-fried sardines.
The country is teeming with the freshest and most colorful produce that makes its way into every meal. All of these goodies are locally grown and pesticide free, usually harvested with hours or days of your purchase. Unlike the United States, rarely are things in the market being shipped in from other countries. My favorite was the persimmon, pomegranate and tangerines – hands down the best of those I have ever had. A walk through the market is a kaleidoscope of tomatoes, radish, squash, plums, grapes, pears, oranges and lychee, as well as a never-ending variety of nuts and beans and grains.
But there is one thing I have not yet elaborated on – the key to all of the distinctive Moroccan foods we have savored over the past three weeks. The spices. Moroccan cuisine has developed through a magical mix of spices, in a region abundant with the finest. In the markets you find the colorful choices piled beautifully on display while Moroccan grandmothers sniff and purchase
Fresh mezze salads
the savory wonders. Most common in dishes are salt, pepper, ginger, turmeric (often referred to curcumin), saffron, paprika, cumin, cinnamon and white pepper. A special spice blend known as Ras El Hanout is a blend of dozens of spices and is unique to individual shops and regions. Ras El Hanout means “best of the shop” and will include cardamom, nutmeg, anise, mace, cinnamon, ginger, pepper, turmeric and often other “secret” spices.
I’m taking away from Morocco a real gift in this cuisine, an excitement to try new flavors and techniques I’ve learned here. I wonder why there aren’t more Moroccan restaurants back home and encourage you to get out and find the flavors of Morocco wherever you can. Because there are so many amazing things about this country – but if you can’t visit – at least eat Morocco. You won’t be disappointed.
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death rate in the world) and the people we met (mostly in the service industry) were incredibly friendly both with each other and us. In fact some of the friendliest and most genuine people we have met anywhere in our travels are the Namibians. That really hit home. We never felt like we were unsafe or being cheated in anyway – although warnings of pick pockets we took seriously.
down.
plummeted and we put all our clothes on including wool socks and hats and snuggled under the covers for the night.
Kasbahs in Morocco, the Amerhidil – built-in the 17th century and in remarkable condition. Given that most of this construction is made from mud and straw bricks, finding well-preserved ones of this age is unusual. We toured the building, ate a delicious lunch of grilled turkey kebab and then headed on our way to our hotel.
Kasbahs of old are like something out of a movie set (and some are) but they are real. And beautiful. And cherished by the wonderful Moroccan people.
The country is teeming with the freshest and most colorful produce that makes its way into every meal. All of these goodies are locally grown and pesticide free, usually harvested with hours or days of your purchase. Unlike the United States, rarely are things in the market being shipped in from other countries. My favorite was the persimmon, pomegranate and tangerines – hands down the best of those I have ever had. A walk through the market is a kaleidoscope of tomatoes, radish, squash, plums, grapes, pears, oranges and lychee, as well as a never-ending variety of nuts and beans and grains.
