Gidday all,

Anyone who visits Marrakech must go to the Medina, if you think you’re up to it. An almost overwhelming kaleidoscope of sights, sounds, smells. Truly glad we did.

Marrakech is the end of the train line, so have had to backtrack to Casablanca to go forward, will head up to Fez and make our way back to Casablanca as I booked a flight out of here on the 3^rd back to Zürich.

                                                     artworks on the hotel room walls

                                                  some of the landscape of Morocco

                                                                     in the Riad

                                                        one of the less busy marina lanes

                                                                   and another

domed houses in the distance

Gidday all,

Casablanca, not quite as exotic as expected, though very Moroccan. Had a look around the city, mainly by cab, then headed for the railway station and got a ticket for Marrakech. Couldn’t find the Marrakech express so opted for the milk run, first class, we were advised.

Stayed at the closest hotel around the station, found another in the madina using hotel wifi, booked a room for the following night, hoping it would work. Next morning got a cab to the address, wow, had to be dropped off some distance short of the Riad (Moroccan house hotel) with a man and trolley for our bags we made our way through the winding narrow lanes. Made it eventually, and they seemed to know of our reservation, faith was restored in the internet.

This I can say so far has been a true Moroccan experience. Explored the madina (old town) today. Took special care to be able to find our way back, could get lost very easily, amazing atmosphere, spices, fruit stalls, nick nacks of all sorts, clothes, food stalls, people, motorbikes, donkeys and carts, all on eight foot wide lanes. Back in room now Contemplating our next move.

                                                                        the hotel room in Casablanca
 
 

                                                                   breakfast room in Casablanca
 
 

                                                                             Casablanca hotel entrance
 
 

                                                                  date palms in Marrakech first hotel
 
 

                                                                           courtyard of marina hotel
 
 

                                                                           view from the roof
 
 

                                                                          on the way to the entrance
 
 

                                                                                 hotel entrance
 
 

Restaurant in madina

Gidday all,

Well, had a wonderfull weekend, attended a beautiful wedding and made new friends, some Polish, some German, some Swiss, some American, Austrian, and even a couple of Australians. Wow what a multi cultural wedding, and not much of a language barrier, everyone mingled with everyone. Those Poles know how to party.

Left the car back where it belongs and headed for Paris on the train. Spent the night there and decided to fly to Morocco from there. Found our way to Charles Degaul airport on the metro, quite a feat, then bought the tickets to Casablanca. Had a couple of hours to wait so used the time to look for and book a hotel, hotel morocco house. The taxi ride from the airport to the hotel is a whole new story. Anyway arrived at hotel and they didn’t have our booking, but gave us a room and here we sit.

Will explore Morocco by train and fly back to Zürich on about the 4^th Sept ready to fly home.

The map of the final legs back to Switzerland

                                                Din the bride and our new auzzie friend

                                                                  Sandy and Din

                                                       at the wedding venue

                                                                   the ceremony

                                                       outside the wedding office

                                                               our view of gare de Leon

 

 

 

                  

 

   

 

 

 

    

 

Gidday all,

Back in Lauerz, the wedding is on Saturday. Will hand back the car in the next few days and plan our final couple of weeks here. Looking into flights to Morocco, we may get there yet.

                                                     restored motorcycle in Bulgaria

                                                  complete with grenade and machine gun

                                                          building in St. Moritz

                                                        just outside St. Moritz

                                          some of the trucks waiting restoration in Bulgaria

                                                    there are sheds full of them

                                                     a missile carrying truck with missiles

                                                     Buuxie the watch dog in training

In northern Italy

Well, have travelled from Greece over to Italy by ferry. Good crossing, older ship but it got us there. Now up the leg of Italy, went all up the east coast, stark white houses on the white sandy coastline, seaside villages packed to bursting with Italian and other holidaymakers, didn't linger.
Took the Motorways for a bit, then towards the north got off onto smaller roads.
Very limited internet access, so will post picks soon, only just found this wife connection so will check emails etc while we can. Back in Switzerland soon.

Gidday all,

Greece, togas, mount Olympus, lamb in lemon sauce. We headed south from Bulgaria into Greece, Todor the owner of Bouxie the to be guard dog, told us of a place not to far off our route that we might find interesting, so we detoured. So glad we did. Monasteries perched high on mountain tops, amazing how they built them so long ago. Northern Greece is beautiful, mountains, olive groves clinging to hillsides, tiny villages.

Got to Igiomenseia, excuse the spelling, and booked a ferry to Italy, and here I sit writing, get to Italy about 8:00am. Then up the leg and into Switzerland.

                                                      Hwy to Greece, under construction

                                                   

                                       small church along the Hwy, looked like a good camp

                                                        inside the church / Chappell

                                                    one of the mountain top monasteries

                                                                    there's more

                                                      amazing how they built them

 

 

                  

 

   

 

 

 

    

 

Giddy all,

Well have had a great time in Grabovo, spent last couple of days out where Allen creeps his truck. Tomorrow we head for Greece, going to the west coast and float over to Italy. Better than going back to where we came to get back to Switzerland.
Met a pup at the truck yard and Din fell in love, he's going to be the guard dog for the yard. While we were there he ate about half a watermelon.
Have to post picks next time. Bulgaria, a very cheap and friendly country, we have interacted with a lot of nice people. The smaller roads are a bit rough but not as bad as Romania, glad we ventured this way. So Greece here we come.

Gidday all,

Still in Grabovo, Allen turns up tomorrow the 8^th , have had a good look around the city centre and bought some shoes and clothes and had many good local meals and sweets. Went today and both had a manicure and pedicure, I had a haircut and Din got a colour put in her hair, all for $45, feeling like brand new. Oh did I mention the beer for 80 cents a bottle, 500ml.

Looking into floating over to Italy from Greece for the trip back to Switzerland.

 

 

                                                              our first look at Bulgaria

                                                             across from the hotel

                                                              statues all over town

                                             thought we had made a wrong turn somewhere

                                                  one of the major hiways in Bulgaria

                                                                      Bulgarian village

                                                                entrance to the city

                                                      old domes and spires in Grabovo

                                                               night shot from our hotel

                                                                             another map