Posted on by Rich Cerick

Rockin’ in Spain

It is really great to be back en España. I’ve often thought of spending a month or two a year in Italy because there’s so much to love there, but Spain has made it right to the top of my list over time and during this visit.

Parting shots of Ronda, a true jewel that has stolen my heart over many decades:

Art in my hotel:

Progressively more suggestive….

After Ronda, I moseyed northward to Córdoba, a small medieval city filled with amazing architecture and buildings, including El Alcazar.

Córdoba’s 2,000 year old Roman Bridge. Still looks fantastic…

After Córdobō, I continued north to Caceres. Parking was impossible in the old city when I arrived after 8 pm, so of course I seized the opportunity to move construction barriers to create a space…. Worked like a charm, and my car was there, resting comfortably the next morning. Caceras was pretty much a pit stop for me, and I left the next morning for A Coruña, at the far northwest corner of Spanish Galicia. The coast is incredibly rugged and beautiful in Galicia, and the city pulses with life and excitement – and tapas bars.

Cleared for takeoff approaching La Plaza de Toros…..

This bull was over thirty feet high – as tall as the power lines right next to it. Viva los torros. Those are trees beneath it. Looks like its horns are tangled in the current….

Winter lingering up high:

After Caceres, Salamanca loomed large. There are few cities I have ever visited that are as beautiful as Salamanca. Founded by the Romans (is there anywhere in Europe and elsewhere that wasn’t?), it exploded in population and grandeur in the 11th century. Salamanca is known as the Golden City for its stunning construction material and Romanesque architecture. Most of its buildings are constructed of sandstone, mined from the nearby village of Villamayor, which has a high iron content, making it appear golden and glowing. It’s truly amazing to walk around and see it everywhere. It’s also amazing because it is in perfect structural and cosmetic condition now, over a thousand years after being built. That is just incredible. Photos can’t really capture the magic, but here are some shots of Salamanca’s grandeur:

Salamanca’s beyond stunning Catédral. It took two hundred years to build. Talk about the long game and patience….

Walking around Salamanca, I felt that if I closed my eyes, when I opened them I would be transported back to the 11th century. A super cool feeling. Muchas gracias, Salamanca.

After Salamanca, I drove northwest again until the road ended in A Coruña on the rugged and impossibly beautiful Galician coast. Some quick photos that night:

I celebrated my birthday at a great tapas bar in town Very fun and enjoyable evening with the staff followed (I love practicing my Spanish – and Galician – here). After dinner ,they kindly brought out a birthday cake complete with candles. What a surprising and fun evening.

Well, I planned on driving towards Bilbao and San Sebastián yesterday along the northern coast, as I love both special places, but the weather had other plans. Heavy rain was concentrated right there along the coast, so I put Plan B into effect and headed southeast towards the Pyrenees, another favorite of mine. I’m in the high mountain town of Ainsa right now, at a wonderful century old hotel. Ainsa is often said to be the most beautiful town in the Pyrenees, Spanish or French. Today will be a big hiking day followed by a drive to Andorra and then the Mediterranean coast near Barcelona. Should be fun….

Posted on by Rich Cerick · 3 Comments

Espana…

I bade farewell to Morocco yesterday after a terrific three plus week stay. Everything about Morocco enchanted me and I’m so glad I made the trip.

After leaving Marrakech, I hopped over to Malaga, an old favorite. I must say that I’ve missed Spain. I’ve spent a fair amount of time here since I was twenty, and I love the culture, the people, the landscape, the food and the language. It really is great to be back.

After landing in Malaga, I grabbed a car and headed for the hills, traveling northwest towards A Coruna from the Mediterranean. No ressies, just a list of places I’d like to stop in during the next eight days. The landscape from Malaga to Ronda, where I am now, is stunningly beautiful. A little bit of everything. Here are some shots of the day, inluding a hike in Caminito del Rey, thanks to Whip’s recommendation. Stunning.

Lots of wind power here. That tower is over 300′ tall – it’s massive. Very smart.

After arriving in Ronda, a truly magical town. I was last here twenty years ago with Matt and Mark when Matt was studying in Barcelona. It’s even more beautiful now.

The Puento Nueveo Bridge in Ronda, 320′ tall, strutting over the El Tajo gorge and river. It was built in the 18th century to connect the old and (then) new parts of town. It is incredible, and photos simply cannot do it justice. Nonetheless, here goes….

I got tricked into this shot after asking whether a really nice couple from Taiwan I talked with wanted me to take their photo.

Yes – they have bull fights here. Not many, but the tradition proudly lives on…

La Plaza de Torros – beautiful in its simplicity and elegance.

From the rooftop bar of the Hotel Catalonia. Commanding views of the town and landscape beyond.

Well, that’s it for now. I’m off to hike the Tajo de Ronda trail in the Tajo Gorge. Perfect day – should be fun.

Posted on by Rich Cerick

Wow….

After three weeks of traversing Morocco, it was finally time to explore and dig into Marrakech, which many consider its crown jewel. In a word, the city is amazing. Marrakech is both elegant and chaotic, beautiful and endlessly rustic. It’s fascinating to see people (mostly men) riding a donkey, with a full cart of something in tow, down an avenue, smart phone in hand, with grand hotels and parks all around. The juxtaposition illustrates that Moroccans today live in and straddle two worlds – that of ancient history and customs fused with today’s frenetic, modern pace and conveniences.

Everyone in Morocco is a merchant. If you want to buy something, you are expected to bargain, no exceptions. Berbers are the most tenacious that I’ve met; once you start down the path of inquiry about one of their goods, it is the equivalent of entering the event horizon of a black hole – there is no escape unless and until the sale is closed. In a way it’s engaging and fun, and it is all completely good natured, as Moroccans are incredibly polite and well mannered. You just need to make sure that the item you inquire about is something that you’ll be happy to buy, because walking away from a potential sale in virtually impossible.

The goods available here are mind blowing. Artisinal craftsmanship abounds and jewelry, fabrics, shoes and clothes that you just don’t see elsewhere (at least on my travels) are everywhere. Quality varies, depending on location, as each region and city specializes in goods that are related to their own natural resources, but overall, the quality of things offered is high, and the goods impressive.

So, enough chatter… Here are some photos of interesing sights taken in during the past two days in Marakkech:

Moroccan doors are intriguing and beautiful. No matter where I’ve visited, people take great pride and creativity in showing theirs to the world.

The largest mosque in Marrakech. The minaret stands over 430 feet tall. Calls to prayer occur five times a day here – at approximately 5:30 am (good luck sleeping through those); at noon, before and after sunset and around 9:30 pm. You can’t avoid them, and if your riad or hotel is close to a minaret, you’re toast – you’ll be very well aware of the plaintive wailing and song emanating from within.

La Mamounia, the first hotel in Morocco, which has repeatedly been voted best hotel in the world. It is truly a trip.

Its gardens. Stunning trees and plants from near and far mesmerize you as you stroll its grounds.

Salam, brother. Wassup?

Our riad, deep within the medina. Family owned and a very special experience.

Head on a pike. Not – just a way to market a beautiful headdress.

The fascinating dichotomy of urban life – these guys are everywhere, trotting alongside cars, buses, motor scooters and trucks. A true throwback.

After leaving Marrakech, we headed to Essaouira (pronounded Ess-wara). En route, we stopped for a bite. Amazingly delicious food, with multiple tangine pots firing up all kinds of scrumptious fare.

In the medina of Essaouira. I was here with Scott last week, and it really enchanted us. So nice to be back, as it is provides a beautiful beach town vibe that charms in so many ways.

Essaouira’s doors are perhaps the coolest I’ve seen in Morocco, each so different and interesting.

This gent was making lotar and guembri. It was fascinating to watch him.

Rugs and endless beautiful fabrics are everywhere. You almost have to take a rug or two home.

Inside a typical riad.

I

An antique shop we popped into (no photos allowed…) that felt like a museum. They sold antiquities and truly remarkable furnishings.

My favorite door of the trip so far:

Well, we’re off for hamman and massage. Scott and I partook last week and the spa we went to was really great. Can’t wait to get back into the zen state and feel like a newborn again….

We shove off for Casablanca tomorrow. The last hurrah…. Deborah will return to the States and I’ll move onto Spain for eight days. It’s been really fun traveling weith her, as we’re super close, old friends and she’s been to Morocco numerous times, so she was a great tour guide in several places, including Marrakech.

I’m very excited to speak Spanish 24/7 and immerse myself in all that is so wonderful in Spain. Next blog entry will be from España…

Posted on by Rich Cerick · 2 Comments

Meandering towards Marrakech

The last several days have been spent revisiting Chefchaouen and then seeing Meknes, which was designated Morocco’s capital in the eleventh century. Chefchaouen is truly magical, and was a delight to experience again. The colors, the people and the mountain vibe all coalesce to form an unforgettable collage of quiet and contentment. Here are some shots from our rambling around the town:

Meknes astounded. It is a smaller city relative to Morocco’s others, and it exudes grace and beauty. It is an African Heritage and UNESCO World Heritage site founded in the 11th century as a military settlement, and is most closely associated with Sultan Moulay Ismail, who transformed it into a spectacular capital with 45 kilometers of exterior walls, 20 gates and over 50 palaces. Sultan Ismail’s main contribution was the creation of a new imperial city enclosed by high walls pierced by monumental gates, with enormous stables, a military academy, vast granaries and an elaborate water storage cistern. Truly amazing to take in.

Inside Sultan Moulay Ismail’s tomb:


Yes – this sundial still works perfectly, as we confirmed….

The Sultan and his wife’s tombs, perfectly preserved and impeccably maintained:

Now, finally, Marakkech beckons. It’s interesting, because I started my journey here three weeks ago and have traversed it twice, but not yet entered to explore it, knowing I’d be back later in the trip. We’re staying deep within the medina, and it is an incredible maze to navigate. We parked our car over a mile from our hotel after the streets became imposssibly narrow and unnavigable, and had a local guide help us find it (even he was confused for a while, stopping to ask directions numerous times).

We had dinner at a terrific French restaurant then hit a jazz club last night. The music was excellent. The mix of Moroccan and French here is really interesting, and they both work really well together.

Today should be really interesting – so much to see and experience here with the local and French influences everywhere.

Posted on by Rich Cerick

Deep in the Flow

Today marks eighteen days since the journey began and it has exceeded my fairly lofty expectations in so many ways. The Moroccan people, most importantly, are absolutely wonderful. Super friendly, kind, open and chill. The environment is also beyond totally safe. I’ve not felt for a moment that I needed to watch my back anywhere I’ve been. In fact, I’ve been totally comfortable going in and out of my trunk after parking, knowing that others could see that there are bags and valuables inside, to get gear without even thinking whether someone was watching / ready to pounce once I left. Try that in New York, Los Angeles or other large cities….

The view from our AirBnB in Tangier. Weather throughout the trip has been spectacular. The spring rains greened everywhere up and blue skies have prevailed. I think I’ve had ten minutes of rain the entire trip.

The drive east from Tangier, along the Meditteranean coast, is sublimely beautiful, Mountains on one side, the sea on the other and Spain and Gibraltar beckoning across the Med. Just a delight.

We stopped in the middle of nowhere for a picnic and amazing views. Small towns with huge uninterrupted stretches of beach predominate here. It’s really interesting, because the guide books I read don’t talk up this part of Morocco. I was really curious, as I love mountains and water, and I’m so happy that I’ve come to explore it. It definitely blows away the Atlantic coast, not to deride that stretch at all.

We holed up at the St. Regis in Tamuda Bay for R & R and a deep chill. Amazing brand new resort with the perfect location.

Sea shells were everywhere on the beach here. I’ve not seen this abundance and number of gorgeous shells anywhere other than on stretches along the gulf coast of Florida.

A visual of the drive from Tangier. It was approximately two hours at a mellow pace. I highly recommend it if you’re in this neck of the woods.

Back in Chefchaouen, one of my absolute favorite places in Morocco. It’s so beautiful and unique. Good to be back.

Guembris at rest in a cafe. The sound they make is really cool. Hey Adam – grab one for your upcoming jams….

Well, we’re off to shop and and then drive to Meknes, which Scott and I passed over in favor of Fes last week. Meknes is a UNESCO World Heritage site and the former capital of Morocco. Ancient casbahs (forts) and encampments abound. Should be really fun. Cio for now. More to come after Meknes and Marrakech.

Posted on by Rich Cerick · 1 Comment

North Coast – So Cool

Back in Tangier. I was last here (before this trip) with Matt and Mark years ago, and only for a day, from Spain. My memories were of a chaotic, vibrant port town and a teeming market with more fresh fish and produce than I’d ever seen in one place.

This time I’ve focused more on the old town and Medina, which are just beautiful to explore. Here are some shots of both:

The idea of beauty – and marketing – always seems to involve exotic images and faces from somewhere else:

Rugs, rugs and more rugs….

Seriously?

Doorways into riads are exceptional when opened to viewing:

On the road to Ceuta, a Spanish enclave two hours east of Tangier. The Meditteranean coastline here is spectacular.

Gibraltar in the distance, approximately fifteen miles away:

Tranquility back in Asilah, a fortified town a half hour south of Tangier, after lunch and a medina stroll. This town is truly a hidden gem and pretty much off the radar.

Well, we’re off to explore the natural wonderland, sea and mountains along the coast. I’ll check back in soon.

Posted on by Rich Cerick

Whoosh….

Well, then…. I’m sitting in a cafe in Tangier, nous nous (great Moroccan coffee) in hand, after arriving here last night. Yesterday was a big day for me on the trip – I said adios to Scott after his ten day hang and headed northward up the coast. Deborah arrives in Casablanca tomorrow for another ten day jaunt, so Chapter One of the trip has wrapped and Chapter Two is soon to begin. Fantastic all the way around…

Being with Scott was really awesome. Any time I get to spend solo with the kids is really special, and doing it with my caboose made it particularly enjoyable. Scott is so smart, and I felt like we were on a private guided tour. We saw really fascinating places and had a blast together. Thank you, Scott – you made the start of the trip and the journey absolutely terrific.

Reflections one third of the way through this voyage – first of all, I love the country, the people, the culture, the architecture and the overall vibe. Surprisingly, we’ve found much of the local food to be quite mediocre and bland, but we’ve navigated around it, especially when on the water. with excellent seafood

It is incredibly safe here, and people could not be nicer. Super chill all around, except for the police on the roads. They play a nasty two man speed trap game everywhere here that you simply can’t win. Although I’ve talked my way out of three speeding tickets so far, I’ve gotten six plus an improper lane change one.

Here’s how the drill operates – you’re pulled over entering or leaving a town or in the middle of nowhere, and one of the tag team cops walks up to you with a radar gun showing your license plate and the speed you were supposedly going on a very small hand screen. Total bullshit. Every time I was stopped, I was told I was doing 67 in a 60 Km/hr zone. All of the cops were extremely nice, but you have to pay the tickets on the spot – approximately $15 a pop. Rough justice indeed, and I complained bitterly to all of them that the whole drill was a total scam and that they were completely turning tourists off to visiting their country. They smiled and took my Dirham….

Anyway, that truly sucks, and it formed a good part of my decision to hit Spain for nine days after Deborah’s stay here. That and the fact that three weeks in Morocco will be enought time to see pretty much everything I came to check out. Spain will be lots of fun, as I always love visiting it.

Essaouria (pronounced Esswara) was an absolute jewel. Scott said we had to go. Known as a chill surf town, it has a low key but upscale vibe, with great food, views and activities (including Hammam, which is an incredible body treatment dating to the Persians). I’m gonna hit the Hammam regularly going forward. We stayed in a riad (an apartment behind a completely nondescript door, with a beautiful courtyard and total privacy inside) right in the Medina (the walled villages / towns where merchants and restauranteurs have plied their trades and lived safe form invasion for over a thousand years). Superb place and experience.

The town of Mouley Bousselham was next on the northward journey towards Tangier. I stopped there for lunch and a hike and found it very pretty, but poor and dirty. Nice people, though.

Girls just wanna have fun. Too windy for the bikini…

The town of Asila, further north, was a very cool and unexpected find. Beautiful Medina, restaurants and sea breezes abounded.

The cute young girl on the right flashed me the peace sign when she saw that I was photographing her. Very cool….

Mr. Chill. Definitely not a Klan hat….

Well, that’s it for today. Headed to Ceuta, a Spanish holding, on the north / Meditteranean coast opposite Gibraltar, then back to Casablanca to pick up Deborah. After that, we’ll be off on another adventure to places she’d like to see after having visited and fallen in love with Morocco years ago. Ciao for now.

Posted on by Rich Cerick

Picking up Speed

Scott chose our itinerary for his stay, so we left Chefchouen and headed south towards the desert. En route, we visited Volubilis, a UNESCO third century Roman administrative center that is marvelously preserved. It was enormous compared to other Roman towns I’ve seen, and it really impressed. They really did build to last…

We could almost hear the voices of ancient Romans mulling about and planning their next conquest. It was truly amazing to contemplate the Empire’s expanse back then.

After Volubilis, we headed to Fez, Morocco’s spiritual capital and home to the world’s largest medina. Nowhere else on Eatrth can you wander so far in a pedestrian only mall. Fez is the leather tanning and manufacturing center of Morocco, and its craftsmen and women are everywhere. A really unique visit.

After Fez, we were off to Merzouga, where the Sahara Desert overtakes the continent and which sits four miles from the Algerian border. Merzouga was surreal – forlorn and incredibly stark, yet inviting and warm at the same time. The heat somewhat overwhelmed, yet we headed out into the vastness to explore and learn.

This was a desert oasis miles from Mezouga. Underground water provides life where you’d never believe it could exist. Truly amazing.

Off for a camel rise at sunset. These are really cool creatures. Almost exclusively males, after castration chills them out, (bummer, doods), they appear and feel totally prehistoric in their movements and disposition. Pretty wild buckin’ along on them.

This is the tallest sand dune in the entire Sahara. I jumped it on the quad….

Scott has been an awesome companion and navigator, taking us to great places all week.

After the desert, we headed towards the High Atlas Mountains again and Ait Ben Haddou, another ancient UNESCO town that is incredibly preserved. Game of Thrones and Gladiator were filmed here (I know, big whup), and it has a completely otherworldly feeling.

We’re off to Essaouria today, on the coast, as we wend our way back to Casablanca for Scott to head home. Here’s the trip so far. After landing in Morocco, I headed south to imlil in the HIgh Atlas, then west to the coast. We’ve traveled a lot, with more to come as Deborah arrives in five days. More fun to come. Stay tuned….

Posted on by Rich Cerick · 1 Comment

Gettin’ into the Groove

Wow. We arrived in Rabat yesterday and the vibe change from Casablanca was tremendous. Where Casablanca was noisy, crowded and cacophonous, Rabat is immaculate, uncrowded, quiet and sublime.

Morocco’s capital city is a showcase for the world – and Morocco – to see. The King lives here, and everything appears focused on beauty and nature. Rabat reminds me of Washington, DC – our nation’s showplace.

We meandered around the city yesterday, taking in the old casbah, the Medina and the Challah, a Medieval fort and necropolis dating back to ancient Roman days. It forms one of four UNESCO heritage sites in Rabat. Amazing site that is perfectly preserved and protected. Here are some shots of the Casbah, the Medina and the Challah:

After Rabat, we drove to Chefchaouen, high up in the Atlas Mountains. It is truly another world, with many of its buildings painted blue back in the 1930’s to welcome Jews fleeing Europe. The color is said to represent sea, sky and freedom, and it elevates your mood while walking around and exploring.

A side note – I love street photography and taking photos of individuals, but here in Morocco, people are extremely uncomfortable having their photos taken. That’s something I’ve experienced elsewhere, and you have to respect it, but the result is that unfortunately I’m not able to share some of the amazing faces, outfits and expressions we’re seeing. C’est la vie….

We’re off to the ancient Roman city of Volubilus, then Meknes and Fes. They’re all close to each other, about three hours south of Chefchaouen, and the drive should be beautiful. Looking forward to more great scenery and people.

Posted on by Rich Cerick · 1 Comment

In Country

After an early morning flight from Lisbon, I landed in Marrakech Sunday morning. Smooth sailing through the airport and car pick up and I was off to the races.

Since Scott wasn’t arriving until Tuesday, I decided to head for the mountains to do a little recon and spend time up high. The Atlas Mountains in Morocco are the highest in northern Africa. The biggest peak, Jbel Toubkal, stands at 13,671′ and is snow capped year round. The drive up from Marrakech, although only fifty or so miles, is very windy and slow going. Here was my introduction to the landscape, driving through small mountain towns along the way:

My bro Mohammed, a geologist who I met on the way up to Toubkal. Incredibly nice fellow, and he spoke very good English. He showed me the gorgeous geodes, fossilized stones and polished pieces he had excavated and sculpted himself, and we engaged in haggling (de rigueur in these parts) for an hour on and off. He was quite tenacious, but in a really charming way. He wanted me to buy everything he had on his motorbike and in his djellaba. Miraculously, I got away with buying only one super cool polished stone that contained a large fossilized anthropod (in my hand below). I will treasure it and remember him by it.

I stayed in the town of Imlil Sunday night, which is the gateway to Jbel Toubkal and the highest peaks in Morocco. Pretty amazing place, and finding my hotel took over an hour because I had to walk a half mile to it after parking my car, which confused the hell out of GPS. The crew there were incredible – warm, kind and very inquisitive about California and the States. We had a lot of fun together.

The next morning, yesterday (I’m still a bit jet lagged from the journey and time zone change), I set off for the coast, as I was picking up Scott this morning in Casablanca. Beautiul drive through lush countryside with many goat and olive farms along the way. Here are shots from El Jadida, a pretty beach and fishing town south of Casablanca. Outdoor tagine cooking up in mini pots:

The Portugese Cistern in El Jadida. It was built as an enormous fort in 1541 and lies beneath the Citadel. Very neat.

Chillin’ –

Bummer, dood…. I met the local constabulary en route to Casablanca. Came into a roundabout too hot and got busted for 68 (Km/hr) in a 60. That was the bad news. The good news was that the fine, payable on the spot, was only 150 Moroccan Dirham (~$15.00 US). Very nice guys, notwithstanding the circumstances. A not so quick getaway then ensued…

Heading north:

Casablanca is home to The Hassan II Mosque. Its minaret, at 689′, is the world’s second tallest. It’s just immense and a bit disorienting in size, and it definitely makes you feel small, which I love.

Inside:

After the Mosque, we had a great Moroccan fusion lunch. Here’s Scott on one hour of sleep after arriving early this morning.

Abdul, our host:

Yes, that Rick’s Cafe:

Scott goofing around at our AirBnB:

So, I’m three days into my month long stay and have a few preliminary observations about the country and people. Moroccans are incredibly warm, kind and helpful. It’s really a pleasure being here so far. They’re just generally super nice people. The countryside is beautiful. It’s a great time of year to be here – after the winter rains, with the snow melt greening things up, and it’s delightfully cool now. Casablanca is a big, boisterous city with all that connotes, but it has a great vibe and its fun being here. History is everywhere you look.

We’re off to Rabat, then Chefchaouen in the next several days. Should be really fun. Heading out to dinner. More to come soon.