4 April 2025
Here, within a Mediterranean country, I consider myself a breakfast person. My breakfast usually includes olives, cheese, amlou (a delicious spread of honey, almonds and argan oil), croissants, maybe a baghrir (a pancake like bite drizzled with honey and butter) and coffee.
Our morning destination lies about 58 miles northwest of Fès. We explore the fascinating archeological site of Volubilis, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
(more…)2-3 April 2025
Fez/Fès, the oldest of Morocco’s imperial cities, becomes the most impressive. The medieval city was founded in 789 BCE by Idris I, the first ruler of the Idrisid dynasty. His son, Idris II, expanded the city in 808 BCE, turning it into a major political, religious, and cultural center of Morocco.
Over the centuries, Fès flourished with waves of Arab, Andalusian, and Berber influences, making it the rich and diverse city it is today. Locals regard Fès as the religious capital of Morocco. Serving as the spiritual and intellectual heart of the country, the city has earned designation as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
(more…)2 April 2025
We depart Casablanca for the 54-mile drive northeast to the city of Rabat. It is sunny and warm; the ocean is a brilliant blue and I relax. We are a group of 16 in a comfortable 32-person bus. Our Moroccan driver is Hassan. I go along for the ride.
Rabat, Morocco’s capital and seventh-largest city, has a metropolitan population of over 1.2 million. Strategically located on the Ocean at the Bou Regreg River, the Almohads founded the city in the 12th century. These people represented a Berber Muslim dynasty who ruled over North Africa and Al-Andalus (Andalusia) from the 12th to the 13th century. In 1170, the Almohads established a naval base in Rabat, meaning “stronghold of victory.”
(more…)1-2 April 2025
Let’s first clarify the facts. No one filmed the iconic film Casablanca in Casablanca. Rick’s Café never existed. Whispered rumors were that Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart didn’t even like each other much. The only thing not fictional about the film was that in 1942, World War 2 was raging across Europe and North Africa.
31 March 2025 When March came, my weather at home was stormy, cold and wet. I suppose I could say the month entered like a California Mountain Lion. Today, here in Tanger, March is exiting like a lamb. Many theories attempt to explain the proverb “In like a lion, out Read more
28-30 March 2025 Whether spelled Tangier or Tanger, this vibrant Moroccan port on the Strait of Gibraltar thrives where the Mediterranean and Atlantic Oceans meet. Since Phoenician times (around the 3rd to 4th century BCE), the city has connected Africa and Europe as a strategic cultural crossroads. Its picturesque, whitewashed Read more
30 March 2025
Before visiting, I research two items: free walking tours and if Hop on Hop Off buses operate within the city. Tanger offers both. Because of time constraints, we chose to avail ourselves of the Hop On bus tours.
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