"In shāʾ Allāh " roughly translates to "God willing", and was a frequent utterance from our Muslim hosts in Fez. With their (and God's) help and some practice, we avoided getting too lost and enjoyed the culturally immersive experience. Our excitement to visit Morocco was followed by a degree of hesitation. It was still technically … Continue reading Lost then Found (In shāʾ Allāh!) in the Streets of Fez, Morocco
Seville was a very walkable city. The best way to see it was to get slightly lost in the annals of its streets and sights. In the Santa Maria Luisa park, heavy foliage was draped with birds of varying types, colors, and chirps. The Plaza de Espana wrapped around in a semi-circle with beautiful arches … Continue reading Seville, Spain: Bulls, Christopher Columbus, and a Birthday
The pim-pam sounds of a man playing a hand-pan instrument warp me back to when I was 11. I was sitting at my family’s old Window’s XP desktop computer playing a game: Age of Empires. It was a real-time strategy game where the player takes on the conquests of history as the commander of a … Continue reading Granada, Spain and the Moorish Marvels of Andalusia
A day trip to Toledo was a wonderful decision and introduction into southern Spanish architecture. A short train ride out of Madrid, it made for an easy day trip. Our introduction to the splendor of Moorish influence began as we stepped foot off the train. The train station itself showcased the influence of North African … Continue reading Holy Toledo! A Medieval Adventure in Spain
Throughout our trip, I felt a bit jaded by large capital cities. The glass skyscrapers and massive deluge of people often led me feeling somewhat cheated of the culture we had hoped to witness. I was skeptical of Madrid, but wonderfully proven wrong. Plazas dot the neighborhoods of Madrid. Visitors filled their arms with shopping … Continue reading Madrid, Spain: Festive and Flavorful
Our day trip into Switzerland presented a neat surprise. At the end of October, Basel puts on a 2 week Fall market. Its plazas and parks buzzed with small dark, wooden stalls filled with Swiss chocolates, baked goods, handcrafted bowls, and various other festival vendors and foods. We had no idea that this festival was … Continue reading Basel, Switzerland: Better Bring That Money, Honey!
The city of Lyon is adorned by the remnants of Gaulic history. Gaul was a historic region to the west of Italy that frequently clashed with the ancient Romans. This area is modern day France. Numerous Roman amphitheaters are dug into the gradient of the city. Locals walked their dogs by the aged, stone ruins … Continue reading Lyon, France: Gaul and Gastronomy
Colmar “There goes the baker with his tray, like always. The same old bread and rolls to sell. Every morning just the same. Since the morning that we came. To this poor provincial town” The view from our Airbnb window. Yes, those are some of the opening lines to Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast”. The … Continue reading Colmar and Strasbourg France: The “Small Provincial Towns” of Alsace
My first impression of Paris was rough. A massive line at the metro (subway) ticket machine greeted us as we exited the bus station. We opted to ride Lime scooters, fully encumbered by our combined 70+ pounds of bags, to our Airbnb. The route took us through some gritty areas where I was not inclined … Continue reading The Decadence of Paris, France: Escargot, Friends, and Catacombs
Every street of the town oozed charm. It was a city where we immediately regretted not spending more time. The sharp “click-clack” of horses’ hooves emanated from the black cobbled rows of streets as buggies passed with tourists. While it was a popular place for tourism, it did not feel like “too much” as other … Continue reading Bruges, Belgium: Marvelously Medieval
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