Well we’re back in Cambodia and back in Siem Reap again.
This time it was to play host and hostess for long time friends Boof and Bec and family. Having spent heaps of time together over the years the subject of holidays arose and their experiences had been a little more flash (and therefore more expensive) meaning that they were less frequent.
So in a chat (before we even left) we suggested trying Cambodia and Vietnam which would be more budget-friendly than their previous attempts (in France etc).
A plan was hatched and the timing was set to coordinate with the Easter school holidays to minimise disruption for the children. So the first port of call was to be Siem Reap in Cambodia to let the kids run up and down all over the temples for a few days.
But first we had to eat and drink and sample the night markets, just to get into a taste of Asia. So we hit the street stalls, pub street, night markets. We shopped, grazed on weird and unusual (for the kids) foods and just generally soaked up what was on offer.
The next morning it was up and into a couple of tuk tuks and off to visit the temples. Given the time of day that we set off, we boycotted Angkor Wat as it was peak hour and did that later in the day. I did a full temple breakdown last time around so will ignore that and just show some of the highlights of the day’s exploration.
The heat and walking saw us all drinking our body weights in water and everyone was struggling by the time the day was over. So after a pretty amazing lunch, we made our way to the main attraction, Angkor Wat. This had Bec and Boof excited but some hot and bothered kids were less enthused. So after some cursory exploration (by the kids) Jill and I took the kids to the nearby market to sit and have cold drinks while the parents got to explore in peace.
We had a plan to visit something new for us (the hero rats) but due to the heat overload, we pushed it off to day two. What are hero rats you ask, well we didn’t know either. but Bec had found them so the first thing that we did on day two was head to Apopo. This is a non-profit organisation that started in Belgium 25 years ago that uses animals (primarily dogs and rats) to detect landmines around the world. There is another arm that uses the animals to detect tuberculosis.
The sensitive whiskers and noses allow the animals to detect the explosives without the false positive results that metal detectors give (from bottle tops and the like). This means that the detection and removal can happen much faster than using metal detectors. A trained rat is tethered between two operators along with a tape measure and they detect and mark the location of landmines for explosive technicians to come back to and disarm or detonate.
This was new to us. We had done the land mine museum before but did not know about the rat detection squad. Speaking of which, the land mine museum was next, closely followed by a few more temples and lunch. The boys had seen the whole roasting pigs on the side of the road and the lunch option was chosen.
A few more temples and it was back for a swim and a much-needed foot massage (for most). Jill tried to have a sexiest feet poll on Instagram (after my claiming that clearly, I would be the winner) but it was pulled under community guidelines as they thought that she was trying to upload some foot fetish porn.
Anyway, that was our (very) rapid exploration of Siem Reap and the temples with the Ballinger’s. Next stop, Vietnam.
Turkey has long been a place that both Jill and I have wanted to visit, and it has taken us a long time to get here (life getting in the way and everything). And it is a shame that it has taken us this long as Turkey (along with a number of other European destinations) has had about enough of tourists.
So once upon a time it was cheap to visit Turkey (more specifically Istanbul) the Turkish government used to offer discounts and incentives to attract international tourists and many of the attractions were free. But those days are gone now. In January this year a €25 per person entrance fee was tacked onto the (formerly free) Hagia Sophia which rises to €47 if you want to add the Museum. By way of context, it was about 40% cheaper for us to see the sights and spend the week in the heart of Paris than it was in the heart of Istanbul.
There is an e-pass available that will include a lot of the sights and provide discounts on others. But without the e-pass the current (per person) pricing of main tourist attractions in Istanbul (March 2024) look a bit like this.
Visa to come to Turkey in the first place $USD60 ($92 AUD)
Hagia Sophia €25 ($42 AUD)
Hop On Hop Off (HOHO) bus €45 ($75 AUD)
Topkapi Palace and Museum €47 ($78 AUD)
Basilica Cistern €26 ($43 AUD)
Bosphorus Cruise with Dinner and Turkish Show €35 ($58 AUD)
Dolmabahce Palace €38 ($63 AUD)
Maiden´s Tower €20 ($33 AUD)
Istanbul Aquarium Florya €21 ($35 AUD)
Sultan Suleyman Hammam (Turkish BathHouse) €50 ($83 AUD)
Blue Mosque free (free AUD)
Needless to say, this adds up pretty quick and becomes a very expensive city to visit, and that is before the touts and gouging even starts.
Most of the historic places in Istanbul are located in Fatih (Old City). The Fatih district has a history dating back to 2700 BC and is the place where Istanbul was first founded in ancient times. There are countless monuments and sights to visit on the Historic Peninsula. The most famous of these include the Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Topkapı Palace and Grand Bazaar. These historical sights attract millions of visitors each year and form the showcase of Istanbul.
We arrived in Istanbul and were almost immediately disappointed with what was on offer. Jill had arranged (3 weeks earlier) for a hotel pickup from the airport which was not there. So after hanging around looking for our ride in the wet and cold for 30 minutes, we gave up an got a taxi to the hotel.
Some lame excuses later and we gave up and settled in. It was cold, wet and windy when we arrived (late afternoon) so we decided to keep the movements tight with an early start the next day. Jill had us set up in the heart of Touristville (as almost everything you want to see in the city is in the heart of old town). This was super convenient for seeing the sights but was obscene when it came to touts and pricing of any sort of items.
A kebab dinner (for one) was running well over $20, an Aperol spritz to wash it down with was $27 and my beer was around $12. So we started with some bread and dips and finished with a Turkish Pizza (a bill that ran over $70) all while choking back the smoke fumes from a group of squealing German backpackers. And I was up all night with indigestion after the overpriced and ordinary meal.
Hagia Sophia
The Hagia Sophia was built by the Byzantine emperor Justinian I as the Christian cathedral of Constantinople for the Byzantine Empire between 532 and 537. Sadly this once impressive building has, in many ways, been left to neglect and is a shadow of its former glory. The only saviour to the newly introduced entrance fees is that some of it may go towards building upkeep and restoration works. Don’t get me wrong, it is still seriously impressive, but outside of the (wide) tourism shots (above), the neglect is obvious, especially in the internal mosaics.
Originally built in 532 as the world’s largest place of worship, the Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya) has shifted its identity depending on who was in charge. According to Wikipedia, it was the last of three church buildings to be erected on the site by the Eastern Roman Empire. It was an Eastern Orthodox church from 360 AD to 1204 when it was converted to a Catholic church following the Fourth Crusade. It was reclaimed in 1261 and remained Eastern Orthodox until the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople in 1453. It served as a mosque until 1935, when it became a museum. In 2020, the site once again became a mosque.It has converted from a church to a mosque, and then to a museum.
Let’s just hope that our newly introduced entrance fee does actually get diverted into restoration and upkeep because it would be a shame to watch this deteriorate further.
Grand Bazaar
From the Hagia Sofia, we dodged the rain that kept coming and going and fought our way through the carpet sellers that accost you on the street to ‘come and see my store‘ and made our way to where we thought the real touts would be, the Grand Bazaar. Well we were wrong again, no touts, no yelling no screaming, just a modern shopping mall in an old building. A really nice old building, it was nice, overpriced but it was a bit staid.
I think our time in northern Africa may have spoilt us a bit. Casablanca, Marrakesh and Tunisia had far more character to them (I think Marrakesh is my gold standard for Bazaar’s). They had all grown up in the shadow of the Ottoman Empire and were probably once identical. But the version in Turkey today reflects more of a shopping mall in the US than one in Eastern Europe or Western Asia.
Getting around
Istanbul is a city of 16 million people and is huge. While most of the main sights are concentrated in a small and easily walkable area, if you want to travel a bit further afield then a rechargeable transport card is an essential purchase. It gives you access to cheaper fares than buying single or multi-journey electronic tickets and can be used on the metro, buses, trams and most importantly, the local ferries. You purchase a card for 50 TRY (non-refundable) from marked kiosks, newsstands, or ticket desks inside the metro and top up by machine). Up to five people can share the one card.
Day one had left us tired, wet and a bit jaded about the Istanbul experience. We were note enjoying our time and were desperately seeking some redemption. Thankfully it came, through a lovely little cafe in the opposite direction of the sights.
It still wasn’t cheap, but it wasn’t exorbitant (our beers had come down from 240 to 140 each – $12-$7). And the man who ran it was super friendly (which to be fair they all are) and the food was authentic.
But because it was off the main strip it was a bit more reasonably priced, and we did not feel as besieged.
And the clay pot display made it all worthwhile. So having had our meal we looked forward to the next day a little more.
Blue Mosque
We had seen the outside of the Blue Mosque the previous day (as it is basically opposite the Hagia Sophia) but being a Friday it was closed. So we headed back over the path of the day before and started it all over again. But today the sun was out, the rain had gone away, and the touts knew we weren’t interested in their carpets.
We had gotten the outside photos the day before so raced to beat a tour bus full of French people through the doors of the Mosque. Firstly, I was seriously surprised to find that it was free. It was a really nice spot to visit and we got to enter and take pictures and then move on. A great little way to spend around 20 minutes.
Along the side of the Blue Mosque is a public square on the site of the old hippodrome where the chariots once raced. Today it has the Örme Dikilitaş or Walled Obelisk along with the Obelisk of Theodosius (first erected in the 4th century AD) and the Serpentine Column (an ancient bronze column and former Greek sacrificial tripod). According to wiki the Serpentine Column has one of the longest literary histories of any object surviving from Greek and Roman antiquity. Together with its original golden tripod and cauldron (both long missing), it constituted a trophy, or offering reminding of a military victory, dedicated to Apollo at Delphi.
Basilica Cistern
From the Blue Mosque, we had all the time in the world as we were not running from the rain so we ambled down the hill to the Basilica Cistern which is the largest of several hundred ancient cisterns underneath the city of Istanbul. It was built in the 6th century during the reign of Byzantine emperor Justinian I. The cistern provided a water filtration system for the Great Palace of Constantinople and continued to provide water to the Topkapi Palace into modern times.
The challenge is to find the Medusa’s head once in the cistern. For us it was pretty easy, it was where all the people who had found it before us were milling about. WARNING there is ambient light down here and the area is too large to light with a flash, my phone camera was rubbish. Having a half decent camera would be seriously beneficial.
Having gone past the Tokapi Palace and through the gardens, we hit the shoreline where we hopped a ferry away from the European side of Turkey and over to the Asian side.
As we traversed we passed the Maiden’s Tower or Leander’s Tower (Tower of Leandros). With a name like that, there is obviously a story and it goes…
According to legend, an oracle prophesied that the emperor’s much-beloved daughter would be killed by a venomous snake on her eighteenth birthday. To protect her, the emperor had the tower built in the Bosphorus and had her locked up there to keep her away from snakes. Her only regular visitor was the father, who, on her eighteenth birthday, brought her a basket of exotic fruits as a gift. He was delighted that he had been able to thwart the prophecy. However, an asp had been hiding among the fruit, bit the princess who died in her father’s arms.
Once the ferry stopped we were, in the Turkey that I had always imagined, it was real, it was authentic, it was not obscenely priced and it felt really warm and welcoming. Our beer price had dropped from 280 lire down to 60 ($14 to $3), our food prices were divided by three, and the range and variety of what was available to us was so much better. So we settled in and ate and drank and just soaked up the Turkey that we had been hoping for.
In case you were wondering, if we ever come back we would stay on this side and ride the ferry over to see all the cool stuff but avoid the drama and expense entirely. But sadly, we had to hop on the ferry and return to the tourist hell where we were staying.
Our ferry ride back saw us delivered at the bottom of the hill near the spice market and the Süleymaniye Mosque. The joint was built in the 16th-century under the direction of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent.
Being a bit away and a bit less ornate, the Süleymaniye Mosque gets a lot less foot traffic but is an impressive sight in its own right.
The next day we were back in the tourist hell part of Istanbul and I instantly hated it again. We tried to go into a restaurant for lunch and were set upon by the guy next door to go to his instead. So I looked at his menu decided it was too expensive ($100 for a meat plate for two) and went next door. We looked at their menu and it was also too expensive so we left there too. At this point the first guy started abusing us yelling that we wanted to eat for free.
We went up the road and got our meat platter for $60 and enjoyed our meal with a minimum amount of fuss or drama.
And it was good.
Topkapi Palace
The Topkapi Palace (and Harem) is one of the best preserved and most beautiful examples of Ottoman architecture. The palace is a maze of courtyards, gardens, and buildings, all surrounded by high walls and topped with ornate roofs. The architecture of the palace is a blend of Islamic, Turkish, and European influences.
Mehmet the Conqueror built the first stage of the palace shortly after the Ottoman Conquest in 1453 and lived here until his death in 1481. Subsequent sultans (22 of them) lived here until the 19th century, when they moved to the flashier European-style palaces they built on the shores of the Bosphorus River. It was converted into a museum after the fall of the Ottoman Empire and the creation of the Turkish Republic in 1924.
Beside the Palace is a public garden that heads away from Sultanahmet Square (the main tourist bit) that is a refreshing escape from all that is behind it. Mass plantings of tulips, stunning hedges, quiet places all behind large stone palace walls.
Topkapı’s Treasury features an incredible collection of objects made from or decorated with gold, silver, rubies, emeralds, jade, pearls and diamonds. Notable items include the jewel-encrusted Sword of Süleyman the Magnificent and the Throne of Ahmed I (aka Arife Throne), which is inlaid with mother-of-pearl and was designed by the same architect that did the Blue Mosque. And the Treasury’s famous Topkapı Dagger, which features three enormous emeralds on the hilt and a watch set into the pommel. Also worth seeking out is the Kasıkçı (Spoonmaker’s) Diamond, a teardrop-shaped 86-carat rock surrounded by dozens of smaller stones that was first worn by Mehmet IV at his accession to the throne in 1648.
Long story short, there was so much to see and do in Istanbul that it was absolutely worth visiting. But I hated it, at least the European side anyway. Everything was grossly overpriced and unnecessarily aggressive. If we came back we would definitely stay away from the tourist mess and catch a ferry across to see it rather than be in the midst of it. This is a turn-up for us as we usually love being in the midst of things, but just not here.
Our schedule has us returning to Turkey (around August) to see some of the rest of the place (Gallipoli, etc). As airlines go, there is probably little option than to return to Istanbul, but the next version will be very different and will see us far from where we stayed this time.
My recommendation is that if you come, and you should, then stay away from the tourist mess (Fatih district) and commute to it. This will be a bit more painful (as you want to be at the main sights right on opening time) but your peace of mind, stomach (and wallet) will thank me greatly. Looking at the map I suggest the Uskudar, Kadikoy or even Beyoglu districts.
Malta is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea consisting of 3 islands (Gozo, Comino and Malta). It lies 80 km south of Sicily, 284 km east of Tunisia, and 333 km north of Libya.
Malta has been inhabited since around 5900 BC and its prime location in the centre of the Mediterranean and deep harbour has made it a vital area of strategic importance, particularly as a naval base. As such, every man and his dog has had a crack at owning and ruling the islands. The list includes the Phoenicians and Carthaginians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Normans, Aragonese, Knights of St. John, French, and British. In 1964 it finally got independence from the UK and became a republic in 1974.
Ok lets get this in perspective right up front, the place is tiny. It has an area of around 320 square kilometers and a population of a bit over half a million. The main island is 27 km long and 14.5 km wide. For perspective the entire nation is a quarter the size of Hobart with double the population.
Getting Around
Getting around Malta is pretty easy, cheap and efficient. The taxis are metered and there are fixed-price options available if you are coming from the airport. Uber and Bolt are competing fiercely to get control over the ride share options and the bus system is extensive, regular, cheap and and efficient.
Our option was the HOHO. The Hop On Hop Off bus. We have used these in some locations and they have been magnificent and have inquired in other places and they have been highway robbery. Here in Malta they are magnificent.
The Malta HOHO has a northern and a southern route and there is so much to see that a full day on each is more than warranted. There is also a package that you can do that on day 3 you can include a harbour cruise. We didn’t take the package but did end up doing a harbour cruise because the forts are really best seen from the water.
Yes, you could do it cheaper by local bus, but 20 euros for a full lap of the island, stopping at all the main sights, with an audio guide in about 12 languages is pretty tough to beat. By comparison, the one in Paris is more than double this price and travels a shorter distance and the one in Sydney starts at $50 for a single day.
Day One
After getting in, settling in and finding a (magnificent) feed (our flight had been delayed several hours) after we had missed breakfast and lunch, our first day was pretty much over.
But we did manage to have a lovely walk along the waterfront of Sliema (the Jutty Outy bit above Valetta).
Which has some pretty amazing views over the old city.
So we ate, did our research and crashed for the day ahead.
Almost right outside our hotel we came across the Sea Water Distilling Plant. As Malta is an island, access to potable water has always been a problem. This plant was constructed in Sliema in 1881 to provide drinking water for Tigné Barracks.
Today, the building houses a printing press.
Day two saw us getting up early and hopping on the HOHO for the northern route. It took us past the harbour and marina, delivering views of Manaoel Island (one of the many fortifications) on the way until we got to the gates of Valetta. This was the identical route that we would take the next day but tomorrow we got off in Valletta.
Instead we stayed on and made our way through some very funky suburbs and on to the San Anton Palace and Gardens. From 1802 until 1964, San Anton Palace was the official residence of the British Governor and is now the residence of the Maltese President. From here it was on to see the Mosta Dome which is the third largest unsupported dome in the world. It has an outside diameter of 56.2 metres, an inside diameter of 39.6 metres and an internal height of 54.7metres. It became famous during WWII when a bomb pierced the dome, landed and slid across the church floor without exploding! The church was crowded when the bomb hit and all were spared.
The next was the aviation museum and then a few stops were arts and crafts stops (glass factory, craft village etc.) But then the main attraction of the Northern Route, the town of Mdina. The city was founded as Maleth around the 8th century BC by Phoenician settlers. The history of Mdina traces back more than 4000 years. According to tradition it was here that in 60 A.D. that the Apostle St. Paul is said to have lived after being shipwrecked on the Islands.
The city was the capital of Malta throughout the Middle Ages, until the arrival of the 1530.
Directly outside the gates of Mdina is the town of Rabat, although it was once thought to be within the confines of the city. It is home to some impressive catacombs and archaeological remains not to mention some pretty incredible religious bling.
From here there are a few beach and ruin stops and we hopped off for lunch in Bugibba which is a lively seaside town with bars, restaurants, and hotels. Nothing particularly historic here but a lovely little spot. The next stop was the National Aquarium then another beachside town and it follows up with a scenic drive through a series of very pretty seaside bays on the way back.
Day three saw us hopping on the HOHO for the southern route. The first stop was of course, the nation’s capital (Valetta), which is less than a square kilometre in size. It occupies the peninsula between Marsamxett Harbour (west) and the Grand Harbour (east) in a suburb known as Floriana. .
It is essentially just an old town CBD, perched on an isthmus. But there is so much in there. UNESCO has described Valetta as ‘one of the most concentrated historic areas in the world‘
When you hop off the bus you find yourself at the Independence monument opposite the Saint Publius Parish Church. The first stone was laid down in 1733 and construction was complete in 1768, when the relic of Saint Publius was brought to the church.
from here a very scenic walk begins towards and through the area that is Valetta. The first thing to signal your arrival is the Triton Fountain.
Triton Fountain consists of three bronze Tritons holding up a large basin. It was built out of concrete and was clad in travertine slabs.
The City Gate was originally built by the Knights of Malta but was destroyed in WWII. It was replaced in the ’60s with a lavish version but people didn’t like it. So there is now a minimalistic bridge.
On either side of the gate is a pole symbolising swords, saluting everyone entering the city.
Through the gate on the right you will see the Parliament House of Malta. It was built between 2011 and 2015 on the site of the old railway station .
A bit further down and you run into the Opera House. The theatre received a direct hit from aerial bombing in 1942 during WWII.
Down one more block and you are at the National Museum of Archaeology.
One more block and you hit the Saint-John’s Cathedral Museum.
And now you find yourself in St Georges Square which is the central square that is surrounded by a whole heap of stuff. All of this up until this point and all you have had to do was walk in a straight line for 700 meters.
Not least of those to be found in the square is the Grandmaster’s Palace which was Parliament House until the opening of the new one.
St Pauls Cathedral (Anglican) is the huge spire next to the dome that dominate the skyline of Valetta. Built in the 18th century it occupies prime location in Independence Square.
The dome is the Basilica of Our Lady of Mount Carmel (Roman Catholic). It was originally built in the 16th century but was destroyed in WWII.
Keep walking in a straight line and you hit the end of the isthmus and find yourself at St Elmo Fort. This area also includes a war memorial. A bit further along (coming back to the right) you find another war memorial with the Siege Bell. Then you end up hitting the Upper and Lower Barakka Gardens, these are in essence both more war memorials with plaques and statues celebrating those who paid great service to Malta over the centuries.
The Upper Barrakka Gardens are located on the top of the Valletta bastions, they offer stunning views of the Three Cities. They were built in the 16th century by the Knights of St John as a private gardens for the Grand Master and the Knights of St John.
Across the Grand Harbour from Valetta sits the Three Cities. Each of the cities have two names that are used interchangeably, the original Maltese name and the newer name given to them by the Knights of Malta.
Birgu – Vittoriosa
Isla – Senglea
Bormla – Conspicua
The first two occupy peninsulas jutting into the Grand Harbour while the third sits behind them (but also has a port area). There is another peninsula that doesn’t seem to make the grade in the cities debate (Kalkara) but it has two major defensive forts in place (Fort Ricasoli and Fort Rinella). In total there have been nine separate forts established just to defend the Grand Harbour.
Birgu (Vittoriosa) is the oldest and was built up by the Knights of Malta as their headquarters when they arrived on Malta in 1530. Senglea (Isla) gives more of a local experience with few formal sights, while Bormla (Conspicua) is set back behind these peninsulas. Also jutting into the harbour is the peninsula of Kalkara, which can be seen from across the marina.
Back on the bus and there was a stop at the Marsaxlokk fishing village which would have been an awesome stop for lunch but we had spent too long exploring Valetta and were pushed for time now.
Next (major) stop was to the Blue Grotto which are a series of sea caverns on the south east coast of Malta. Set against a cliffy terrain near a local fishing harbour the blue grotto and neighboring caves offers spectacular views of rugged coastlines, sea caves opposite a small uninhabited islet (Filfla) which is a bird sanctuary.
Malta has often been called the ‘Fortress Island’ due to the great mass of military architecture that can be seen everywhere. This is a legacy of the islands’ history which saw them being fought over, time and again, due to their strategic location and deep, safe harbours.
So the best way to see these forts built to defend from attacks from the sea, is by boat. Which is exactly what we did. The fortifications that can be seen today come from two distinct periods: those of the Knights and those of the British era. Hopping on at Sliema (our home for the week) we took a 2 hour ride around the harbour takin in most of the 9 forts that were built to defend the harbours.
First on the list was Fort Manoel which sits on its own island between Valetta and Sliema and commands Marsamxett Harbour. The fort is built in the shape of a square, with a pentagonal bastion on each corner, giving it the shape of a star fort. It was built in the 18th century by the Order of Saint John and was named after their Grandmaster of that time. It sits between
The next in line is Valetta itself with Fort St Elmo guarding the approaches to both Grand and Marsamxett Harbours. We had seen it from the ground the previous day and now we got to see just how imposing it would have been to try and attack this place from the water. It was the scene of a heroic defence during the Great Siege of 1565.
Fort Ricasoli is over 300 years old, being built by the Knights Hospitaller between 1670 and 1698. It is the largest fort in Europe . It was built to protect the Grand Harbour.
But today most of the fort is leased to the Malta Film Commission. As such it has been used extensively as a location for various films and serials.
In recent years, it has been used for the films Gladiator (2000) and Troy (2004) standing in for Rome and Troy respectively. The fort was also used in the filming of Assassin’s Creed (2016). In addition the TV miniseries Julius Caesar (2002) and Helen of Troy (2003) were partially filmed at the fort and in the first season Game of Thrones it was used as the Red Keep.
Fort St. Angelo is located at the centre of the Grand Harbour. It was originally built in the medieval period as a castle called the Castrum Maris.
It was rebuilt by the Order of Saint John as a fort and named Fort Saint Angelo between the 1530s and the 1560s.
Many believe it to be the jewel in the crown of The Maltese Islands’ military heritage.
The Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum is an underground complex of halls and burial chambers dating to around 4000 B.C. It was in use between 4000 BC and 1500 BC and covers an area of around 500 square metres. This one we didn’t get to as time just evaporated on us here in Malta with so much to see and do. Next time I guess.
Maltese food
I am sure that there is a bunch of traditional Maltese dishes that are floating around out there just waiting to be absorbed, but suffice to say that you are on an island close to Italy, Greece, Turkey and northern Africa. There is so much good food to be had here that you literally can not go wrong. We had plates and platters and pizza’s, soups and rolls. We had rabbit, pork, seafood and we had sweets and savouries.
And it was all fantastic, and reasonably priced.
When we were coming here we had little knowledge of what to expect and therefore our expectations were low. But this place has absolutely blown us away. An abundance of things to see and do, coupled with our ignorance of what we would find meant that we have seriously undercooked how much time we needed. We were here for 5 days, thinking that we could just kick back and relax (given that it was so small) but found ourselves at a full sprint almost the whole time and still missed out on seeing things.
I guess that is the beauty of travel, we will just have to come again and spend more time next time around.
Tunisia is the northernmost country in Africa with a population of a little over 12 million. It is bordered by Algeria (west), Libya (southeast) and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. It also shares maritime borders with Italy and Malta.
Like most of the nations around the Mediterranean it has a long and potted history about who controlled the area that is now Tunisia. And this recorded history starts with the Berbers before the 12th century BC. In 146 BC the Romans defeated the city of Carthage and had control of the place for the next 800 odd years. In the 7th century AD, Arab Muslims had their turn and conquered Tunisia, moving in in huge numbers over the next few hundred years. In 1546, the Ottoman Empire took control for the next 300 years, until 1881, when the French conquered Tunisia. In 1956, Tunisia finally gained independence as the Tunisian Republic.
Tunisia has odd currency laws and will confiscate cash if you get them wrong.
Most countries allow you in and out of the country with the equivalent of USD $10,000 and more so long as you declare it.
But not here.
Here you are allowed to bring in 10,000 dinar (about $3300 USD) and
must declare amounts over 5000 dinar.
It is a criminal offence to export Tunisian dinar
so make sure you change everything back before you leave
any unchanged dinar will be confiscated
Anything over the 5000 dinar (equivalent) will be confiscated
about USD $1500 or 1300 euros
We found this out the hard way when I got my bag deconstructed by the agent (on the way out of the country) looking for cash. In essence, if I had any Dinar left over or more than about USD 1500 or 1300 euros in cash on me, they were within their rights to confiscate it from me. There are grounds to get it back if you get a receipt and return to the country within 3 months. However, nobody who had tried this (based on online commentary) could locate where the money could be collected from due to Bureaucratic runaround.
Tunis
Tunis is the largest and capital city of Tunisia with about 2.7 million residents in the greater Tunis area.
And is a great place to kick back and chill.
The biggest surprise for me was the cab drivers. As any regular traveller knows, cab drivers in almost every nation are as sketchy as hell and are always trying to rip you off. Yes, there are some exceptions, but for the most part, we have stopped using taxis (even in Australia) in favour of ride-share apps.
But that was not the case here. The cabs all used meters, without being asked, were reasonably priced and did not try and tout and prey upon unsuspecting tourists. A refreshing and pleasant change.
The TunisMedina is (apparently) the best preserved in all of North Africa. It is the historical and cultural heart of the city, with buildings dating from the 18th and 19th centuries. It is home to the souks, the markets, workshops and ateliers. Allegedly there is a pecking order to such things and therefore they are arranged hierarchically around the Great Mosque.
The souk is nowhere near the bedlam that was Marrakesh, but there is still plenty going on. And the available artisan work is of the highest quality. It is cleaner, quieter, has less touts and is generally much more manageable for the shy tourists.
The Jamaa ez-Zitouna mosque, or ‘olive mosque’, is the oldest in the city. It was founded at the end of the 7th century or in the early 8th century, but its current architectural form dates from a reconstruction in the 9th century. The mosque is said to be one of the most important in all of Islam and covers 5,000 square metres, with nine entrances. The building includes many antique columns reused after the destruction of Carthage. Due to the nearness of the souk in the Medina, you only really get to see some columns and arches.
Being non-Muslims, we typically just admire the outside of mosques and rarely enter. In many cases, we are not allowed in anyway, but even when we are we tend not to. Some of the rooftops around the Medina offer amazing panorama views over the Medina, and some even stay open for after dark shots.
The Sea Gate (also known as the Bab el Bhar and the Porte de France) is the entrance to the Medina from the new part of town.
New Tunis
East of the Medina, is the modern part of the city called “Ville Nouvelle”. This area is often referred to by media and travel guides as “the Tunisian Champs-Élysées. It is a grand avenue lined with colonial-era buildings.
While Tunisia has had its share of security issues over the decades, at no point did we feel unsafe or uneasy. There was an off-putting security presence in the new town area that seemed extremely over the top for what was going on. Armoured vehicles, heavily armed military and blockades were everywhere and there was nothing going on.
A more timid day I had never seen, clear blue skies and almost nobody on the streets, but the grand avenue had a visibly present and unnecessarily confrontational security presence.
Doors
For some strange reason I found myself taking photos of the doors (especially in the Media) of Tunis. They were truly stunning. Some huge and ornate, while others simple but there was something about the doors in this place that just grabbed me.
Carthage was a city I had heard mentioned in documentaries and the like, but never really knew where it was or much about is. As it turns out it is here on hte outskirts of Tunis and was one of the most important trading hubs of the Ancient Mediterranean and one of the richest cities of the classical world.
It has a history dating back to the 12th century BC. and between 650 BC to 146 BC, it was the most powerful trading and commercial city in the Mediterranean.
It had a sophisticated 200-dock circular harbor and the funds earned prompted investment in a sprawling metropolis of temples, markets, and estates.
And all of this is just a 20-minute drive outside modern day Tunis. It was quite the sight until 146 BC when the Romans came an lay siege to the place for 3 years.
Today there are 7 main sites that are left to see in Carthage and one ticket ($6 each) will get you into all the sites. The place is about 15-20 km out of town (a $7-8 cab ride) and our (flash) hotel was charging exorbitant rates for their tour (over $150 a head). So we hopped a cab and headed to the ruins.
But be warned the 7 places are a fair distance between each other. We made the mistake of thinking it was like the Roman Forum and was within an easy strolling distance. We got dropped off at the archaeological site and found ourselves stranded.
So we hiked about 1.5km to the Cathedral remains (Saint Cyprien) that were both shut and quite unimpressive. And then another 1.7km walk up to the roman houses and villas. The lady at the gate at the villas entry was busy talking on her phone. So Jill stood in front of her and waited, and waited and put her money on the counter and waited. After quite literally 12 minutes of this, she picked up her money, turned around and walked away. With some choice words.
Unsurprisingly, as soon as she took her money and turned away the girl got off the phone and was ready to serve Jill. Some more choice words and we continued to walk away from her, with some more choice words. About 500m further on we found ourselves at the Roman Amphitheatre where we paid our entry and entered with no issues whatsoever. And across the road was some more ruins.
Another 1.5km walk and we found ourselves atop Byrsa hill at the Saint Louis Cathedral and the acropolis of Byrsa. This is the site of the Carthage Museum and an impressive number of pieces of Roman Columns and the odd statue.
About 2km down the hill was the last of the sights (given that we boycotted the Roman Villas due to the attitude of the girl on the counter) the aqueducts. Built in the 2nd century BC by the emperor Hadrian, they brought water more than 100kms from Zaghouan to Carthage.
Ramadan
For some reason, Jill has taken to booking us into Muslim countries during Ramadan. Last year it was the Maldives and this year it was Morocco and Tunisia and later in Istanbul. This is a forced alcohol detox as the nations typically do not serve alcohol anyway and during the holy month there is no chance.
The other thing it means is that almost every restaurant is closed and by the time the sun goes down, you tend to be a bit peckish. Thankfully we found a little joint that served brilliant local dishes for a song. Our (flash) hotel was offering a set (abridged) menu for 100 dinar ($50) a head, so we hit the streets hunting for better. And did we find it.
A little hole-in-the-wall joint, with a huge upstairs terrace, great food and entertainment for 45 dinars ($22.50) a head. Dinner was salad (more dips really) and bread, traditional soup, and the main (that came cooked and served in a weird shaped pot) was a hearty stew type thing. We went looking the next night for something different but ended up at the same joint and had a seafood main and some form of crispy egg crepe in place of the soup.
We had planned a trip to Dougga, which is lauded as “the best-preserved Roman small town in North Africa”. But I guess this will sit high on the list of things to do next time we come.
The Amphitheatre of El Jem is an amphitheatre in original town of Thysdrus although now known as El Djem. It was built for the usual roman spectator sports (gladiators etc) around 238 AD and is one of the best preserved stone in the world. It was one of the biggest amphitheatres in the world with an estimated capacity of around 35,000.
And sadly, this is one of the many things that we did not get to. So this (along with a bunch of other reasons) rates as a pretty good reason to come back.
Tunisia was great and there was so much more for us to see and do. It was a great pity that the currency issue as you leave puts a bad taste in your mouth. Other than this we really enjoyed our time here and will be back.
Morocco lies in the Maghreb region of North Africa overlooking the Mediterranean (north) and Atlantic Ocean (west) with land borders with Algeria (east), and the disputed territory of Western Sahara (south). It also claims a few Spanish exclaves and islands off its coast.
Obviously my only real knowledge of the place comes from the movie Casablanca.
And in reality it was the driving force of us coming to the city. Can’t really come all this way and not visit Casablanca now could we.
But the region that is now Morocco has been inhabited since the Paleolithic Era (over 300,000 years ago) so there may be a bit more to it than a mere movie.
Rabat
Rabat is the Capital city of Morocco, but we didn’t get there. It is located in the northwest of the country on the Atlantic coast. It was founded in the 12th century when a citadel, mosque and a residence was built. Over the centuries, Morocco’s capital has alternated between the four Imperial Cities being: Fez, Marrakesh, Meknes and Rabat.
The French (when they had control) installed Rabat as capital and it has stayed that way. The pictures look nice, we might have to come back.
Marrakesh
Marrakesh was our real entry into Morocco, it is the fourth-largest city and was founded in 1071 when it became the capital for the two following centuries. The walls of the city were built in 1122–1123 with other buildings being made with red sandstone earning the city the nickname the “Red or Ochre City”
Marrakesh comprises the original old fortified city (the Medina) and has now outgrown the walls and has a modern city surrounding it. But all of the real action takes place in the walls of the old city, now known as the medina quarter.
Medina Walls
The Medina is an old city and it is surrounded by about 19 kilometres of walls that are made of an orange-red clay and chalk. They stand up to 19 feet (5.8 m) high and have 200 defensive towers along them. Being a thin veneer of bricks and clay, they are constantly under renovation and renewal.
Medina Gates
There are 20 gates in the walls of the Medina with eight main ones holding historical significance. Some of these include: Bab Doukkala, Bab el-Khemis, Bab ad-Debbagh, Bab Aylan, Bab Aghmat, Bab er-Robb, Bab el-Makhzen and Bab el-‘Arissa. These date back to the 12th century during the Almoravid period and many have them have been modified since.
Bab Agnaou, was built in the late 12th century as the main public entrance to the new Kasbah.
Bab Doukkala (unlike many of the other gates) has not undergone major modifications. The main bus terminal can be found outside this gate.
And all of this we got to experience and take in, before we even got to our accommodation. Arriving at around noon we dropped our bags and immediately set off to take in the Medina and more correctly, the Souk.
Our first stop saw us run into our first attempted scam (a common theme). We pulled in and ordered some fresh pomegranate juice (20 dirham each) and paid with a 100.
I have no change.
All the books tell you about this, I shrugged my shoulders, drank my drink and took my 100 dirham note back.
He found change.
Oh my word, the souk in Marrakesh is a must do experience for everyone. A 100% assault on the senses in every possible manner. There is everything happening and everyone is here. Yelling, screaming, touting, running you over on motorcycles, waving raw meat at you, selling anything that you can think of. And all of this in a maze of tiny backstreets that is all but impossible to navigate.
The best thing to do is embrace it, get lost, explore what is in front of you and just enjoy the experience. Which is exactly what we did. We followed our noses through the mess that was the souk until we (eventually) popped out onto the main square of town.
The Jemaa el-Fnaa is the central square in the middle of the old city and is the busiest square in all of Africa. It is both the economic and tourist centre of modern day Marrakesh. Having just made it through the souk we decided to stop at one of the rooftop restaurants around the square to have a cold drink and take in the goings on.
Being busy we got guilted into buying more than just a cold drink and ended up with a full lunch as well. But our table overlooked (part of) the square and we got to soak it in (in relative peace) before jumping back into the fray. A terrine and a clay pot (of camel) was our lunch of choice, washed down with some fresh juices. If you are ever wondering what to do with a camel, eat it before you ride it.
Lunch over we headed into the square proper for the last of the daytime trade (at around 6 pm the day traders make way for the food stalls and restaurants that take over the square until around midnight). Almost every form of animal exploitation was there just waiting for the tourists to pay money to photograph them. I am sure we missed some but we saw monkeys, snakes, cobras, falcons, turtles and many more.
Having walked through the square we turned the corner and headed down through the park, past the line of horses and carriages ready to take you on a ride around the Medina. But we were aiming for the tallest building in old town.
Standing high above everything in the Medina is Koutoubia Mosque. It is one of the largest and most famous mosques in the city having been built in 1158 with construction finishing around 1195. Its minaret tower is the tallest in the city at 77 metres (253 ft).
A short walk from our accommodation was the Royal Palace which is still in use as one of the official residences of the King of Morocco. Obviously you cannot go in there but it is distinctive for different types of guards hanging out the front of the gate.
The Souks
The word “souk” is the Arabic and North African name for traditional markets, the Persians prefer the term Bazaar but in this part of the world, souk it is. We hit the main souk in the heart of the Medina and you can literally wander and explore the markets for days. They are filled with food, drink, jewellery, silver, gold, rugs, leather, art, clothing, souvenirs and everything in between.
To say that the main souk at Marrakesh is an experience is seriously underselling the event. It is massive, if you make your way to the Jemaa el Fna Square, you will find the souks branching out from the square, mostly in a winding labyrinth of narrow alleyways. You will get lost. The main souk is called Souk Semmarine, and from here you can just wander and come across all the other souks. Spice Square is easily recognisable with the colors and aromas, Souk el Attarine will be recognisable by the antiques, silver teapots and (genie) lamps. When you start seeing shoes, you’re at Souk Smata and when everything smells of leather, you’ll be in the heart of Souk el Kebir.
As well as the main souk in the heart of the Medina, many smaller ones have sprung up and you can now visit the carpet souk, the leather souk, the shoe souk, the gold souk and the spice souk. Souk Nejjarine specialises in artisanal crafts, particularly woodworking items and offers an array of handcrafted items like lamps, furniture, jewellery boxes, and musical instruments.
Souk El-K, is still in the Medina but is nestled in the Mellah district near the El Badi Palace it is the smallest of the souks, but it is cherished for its brassware.
El Badi Palace is the remains (ruins) of a 15th century palace. It was built to show off the Sultan’s wealth with materials imported from Italy to Mali. The materials were reused in other buildings.
The next day was more exploring through the souk (starting to get a hang of the maze) back into the square and right out to the fringes to get the gate and wall pictures.
The Ben Youssef Mosque is the oldest and most important mosque in the city and sits in the Medina quarter of Marrakesh.
While walking we found coffees and pastries, with a comfortable seat (all this walking, you will need a rest) which was followed a while later (and after more walking) by a local Shawarma plate, and I even managed to get a locally brewed beer.
That night it was back to the square to see exactly what all of these food stalls turned into once the daytime crowd disappeared. And we were not disappointed. Bread and olives, singing chefs, meat on a stick, prawns and calamari, vegetable terrine, more meat on a stick and chilli sauce to make it all a bit interesting.
Jill’s Hat
Who knew but this has taken on a life of its own. When we left Australia the first time around, we both purchased some pretty nondescript but typically Aussie hats to take on our travels. My first effort was a kangaroo skin one that didn’t breathe and made me overheat, so I gave that away to someone that we met on our travels. But Jill’s one was spot on and has continued on throughout, albeit it is now pretty well-weathered.
Over the years she has been placing the souvenirs that we gather (typically lapel pins or tiny trinkets) that are pinned to or sewn onto her hat.
Over time the hat gets full, or heavy, so whenever we go home she tends to drop them off in a souvenir tub and she starts again.
At present there are about 35 different pins from various nations adorning the hat.
Well we have been out of Australia for 460+ days now and the last drop off was back in September so it is pretty full. Jill did take some off so that it only has 2024 pins on it, but we have done a heap this year already.
Well the notoriety of this hat has been growing and as our journey lengthens and the places we have been to broadens. The hat is becoming increasingly impressive. Today at the Souk a merchant was so taken with her hat that he offered her a choice of anything that was in his (Moroccan Rug) store in exchange for her hat. Now top quality rugs of this ilk run to up to $10,000 and her hat can be replaced for $100 and about $2-5 per pin.
Anyway, that is the hat story, she still has the hat, much to the sadness of a man who pleaded with her to consider the trade.
Essaouira – Getting out of town
Having been souked out after our first two days we decided to organise a day trip out of Marrakesh to the seaside town of Essaouira and we were glad we did. Within minutes of leaving the Medina we were in the main town of Marrakech and a few minutes later we were hurtling along the northern stretches of the Sahara desert.
We had been to Egypt and into the Sahara previously, but it was still a fun experience. It is quite astonishing how quickly the city gives way to sand and urban becomes rural. Goats, sheep, horses and donkeys quickly replaced cars and the pace of the world drops considerably.
Argan oil
OK so this was all new to me. Argan oil is a local product made in Morocco that is obscenely expensive and is used in hair and skin care products.
Beyond cosmetics, it has been claimed to offer health benefits such as immune system support, cholesterol control, potential cancer-fighting properties, anti-aging effects, and wound healing. Argan Oil…more like snake oil.
Anyway, several of the stops that we did along the way were to teach us about this oil, its products and its importance. This included showing us the tree it came from (including the goats sitting in the tree) and then seeing the ‘Women’s Cooperative’ that worked together to extract and produce the Argan Oil and its various products. My scepticism kicked in in full force as a girl with terrible acne was our guide while espousing the virtues of the skin care properties of the product.
As a side note, the goats like to eat the flesh of the olive like fruit, which explains the images of the arboreal goats. Harvesting of (at least some of the nuts) involves collecting the bits that the goats shit out. The oil comes from the kernel within the pip and not from the fruit itself (unlike the olive).
It was a nice stop, interesting to see a centuries old manual process in place (in 2024) and some nice pictures along the way. But it was not for me, Jill did get some of the anti-hair frizz stuff though.
Anyway back to Essaouira, its medina (old town) is a UNESCO listed site. Since the 7th century B.C., the city of Essaouira has been an important regional centre for creativity. The UNESCO World Heritage listed Old Medina of Essaouira because it boasts exceptional spaces for cultural expression, where music takes on its full meaning. What this means to you and me is that you are besieged by random acts of singing at every turn.
It starts on the shoreline with buskers with karaoke speakers belting out tunes at extreme volumes. It then continues to kids making discordant sounds hoping for some change and escalates to roving bands of traditional minstrel’s squawking at you while his mates strangle cats with whatever instruments are on hand, all while you try and enjoy a tagine at the local cafe.
It is surrounded by a 18th-century seafront ramparts called the Skala de la Kasbah, which were designed by European engineers. Old brass cannons line the top of the walls, while vendors line the bottom.
The Medina is very civilised in comparison to Marrakesh, it is calm, very little yelling and plenty of time. There is no pressure. For those looking to get souvenirs but found the souk in Marrakesh overwhelming, then this is for you. Sure you will pay a bit more, but you can think and don’t have every one of your senses under assault. We found it a bit boring after the cut and thrust of Marrakesh.
The place is absolutely buffeted by strong winds (Alizée) that make the city’s crescent shaped beach popular for surfing, windsurfing and kitesurfing. But the winds blow almost all year round, so sadly the beach is useless for almost everything else. The strong winds and dangerous current pretty much rules out sunbathing and swimming. Although we did see on entrepreneur offering horse and camel riding on the wide sandy expanse.
Casablanca
Casablanca is the largest city in Morocco and the country’s economic and business centre. With a population of about 3.71 million, it is one of the most populous cities in the Arab world. The area has been operating as a city and port since the Berbers settled it (called Anfa back then) in the seventh century BC.
In the early 15th century, the town became known as a safe harbour for pirates and privateers until the Portuguese bombarded it to ruins in 1468. It was finally rebuilt between 1756 and 1790, with the help of Spain and the town was renamed ad-Dār al-Bayḍāʼ, the Arabic translation of the Portuguese Casa Branca (White House). French colonialists had their turn in the early 1900’s, once again bombing the city, (killing up to 15,000 Moroccans) burning down the Jewish quarter and ransacking houses. Morocco finally gained independence from France in 1956.
Coming here was a symptom of how good the movie was. Jill did the research and said there wasn’t too much here to see, but I said that we cant come to Morocco and not go to Casablanca. So here we are.
And as it happens, she was right. Very little of the olden area of Casablanca remains, the rest has been swallowed up by the modern city that it is today. We stayed in the Medina (such as it was) with the (very tame) souk directly outside our front entrance. The reality is it is probably a bit over a block in size with normal shops tucked away to look like an olden day market. There are no spices, no jostle or touting, it is just a shopping mall of small shops. Most of what is on offer is European soccer (football) shirts, clothing, luggage and trinkets.
Ricks Cafe
Well we had to hunt it down and find it now didn’t we. The cafe is in a renovated Moroccan mansion with a courtyard built in 1930. Two palm trees stand on either side of the front door. The place opened in 2004, by an American, and is obscenely overpriced, but it does cash in heavily on the tourist saps. And really, you are coming for the experience, so is paying $70 for a steak (when you can have a whole mixed grill somewhere else for $20) unreasonable.
The old mansion was converted to resemble the movie by an American architect who brought back the architectural details of the film. He developed the curved arches, the sculpted bar, the balconies, balustrades, the lighting, the plants and the shadowy white walls. The fireplaces are made from carved marble and painted tiles while the floors are terra cotta.
And of course there is a (Pleyel) piano and music every night Tuesday through Sunday. By the way, in the interests of keeping the experience authentic to the movie, be warned… There is a dress code.
Yes, the place is expensive (especially compared to everything else in Morocco) but it is a theme restaurant and by back home prices it is manageable. It is a destination and an experience and in a Muslim country one of the few places you can get a drink (admittedly at $15 a beer).
Hassan II Mosque
The main mosque in Casablanca can be found down by the water, and it is as huge as it is impressive. It is the largest functioning mosque in Africa and its minaret is the world’s second tallest minaret at 210 metres (behind Algiers). It is one of the few mosques that are open to non-Muslims (for guided tours, at set times).
Casablanca Cathedral
Casablanca Cathedral or Church of the Sacred Heart (although it is not technically a Cathedral as it was never the seat of a bishop) is a former Roman Catholic church located in Casablanca, Morocco. It was constructed in 1930 but ceased its religious function in 1956, after the independence of Morocco.
It subsequently became a cultural centre that is open to visitors.
For the most part, Casablanca is a major city of concrete and steel. But every now and then you come across an area of greenspace that is quite frankly stunning. The gardeners within the parks (these boys know how to use a hedge clipper) do an amazing job of turning this harsh landscape into something truly enjoyable.
Fez
Fez is another reason why we must come back to Morocco. The 1200 year old walled medina of Fez, has 9454 cobbled alleyways, 300 mosques and is both the world’s largest living medieval Islamic city and its largest pedestrian zone.
Moroccan Food
The food we have had the whole time we have been here has been magnificent. Almost without exception it is super yummy, and playing lucky dip on the menu (as we tend to do quite often) will not steer you wrong as it is excellent.
Lets start with the most important thing, the Moroccans have a healthy view of the importance of introducing meat to flame. Now any culture that allows meat and flame to come together in such a manner is already highly civilised and should be lauded.
Add to this the proximity to the ocean, and these people do fish and seafood well too.
Couscous is a staple and the one thing that I avoided. I have had them so often and I just don’t see the attraction of these tiny balls of semolina. Here they are traditionally cooked in a steamer over a large metal pot filled with stew until it softens. I have eaten a ton of it, but it is just too bland for my tastes.
Pastilla is a savoury pie type thing that features layered sheets of thin dough stuffed with a mixture of meat, parsley, onions, spices, and egg.
The chicken version was magnificent, although Jill also managed to find a seafood version.
Tagine is something that we had almost literally every day. Some merely contained Stewed meat, others vegetables, while others had full meals.
It is a staple and it is a good one. I had a particularly good version with meatballs and egg in a rich tomato broth thing.
Zaalouk is the side dish of choice. It is made off eggplant and tomatoes and has a smoky flavor. The spice mix includes garlic, coriander, cumin, and paprika, with a healthy splash of olive oil.
Harira is the usual sundown fast breaker for Moroccans during Ramadan. It is a hot bowl of soup filled with rich ingredients of lamb, chickpeas, tomatoes, lentils, chopped coriander and a squeeze of lemon juice. It typically comes with a sticky sweet pretzel known as chebakkiya.
We enjoyed Morocco, and have every intention of coming back. Admittedly, Casablanca was a bit disappointing, but Marrakesh was amazing and Essaouira was highly enjoyable. The trip through the countryside was eye-opening and the people were friendly, the food is the standout and the whole thing (apart from Rick’s Cafe in Casablanca) is cheap.
Portugal is the westernmost country of continental Europe and includes the island groups of the Azores and Madeira (both autonomous regions in the north Atlantic Ocean.
It has existed as a country since the 12th century (originally as a monarchy) but has evidence of civilisation dating back beyond 10,000BC. The nation was integral in the discovery and exploration of Africa and South America.
The Portuguese empire differed from the Spanish empire because the Spanish conquered large areas of land while the Portuguese preferred to control only major trading ports. Throughout the 15th century, Portuguese explorers sailed the coast of Africa, establishing trading posts for commodities, ranging from gold to slavery.
The Portuguese empire created colonies in Africa including Angola, Mozambique, Guinea. Added to this was the islands of the Azores, Madeira, Cape Verde Islands (off the coast of Mauritania-Senegal), and Sao Tome and Principe (islands in the Gulf of Guinea). Then there were the major ports of Cochin, Goa (in India), Colombo (Sri Lanka), Macao (China) and Nagasaki (Japan) in East Asia and of course Brazil.
Lisbon
OK, so we have been to Europe about 6+ times now and this was our first foray into Portugal. How stupid are we? This place is fantastic. We got off the plane and grabbed (a really cheap) Uber to our hotel. The driver was the nicest and most helpful person we had ever met, to the point where we both commented on it. Until the next day when we got our next Uber to the Monastery when the same thing happened, and then again on the way back.
These people are just super friendly and want to ensure that everyone who visits enjoys their time. Add to this that the pricing is more than reasonable for everything and the sights have a nice mix of natural beauty and old world charm how can you go wrong here.
We were not really blessed with the weather here, it rained for two and a half of our three days here. We got the odd glimpses of sunshine (particularly on day one) and in between there were some some pretty soggy days. Our day two was on and off sunny with the skies changing every 10 minutes or so until it finally settled in.
Our hotel was perched high on the hilltop in oldtown, which sadly had been built on the side of a damn mountain. As beautiful as the views were, it meant that everywhere we went was either up, or down, a ridiculously steep hill.
Finding your way around the old town could not be simpler, just follow the tram tracks. Be sure not to be run over by cars, trams, tuk tuks, bicycles, vans etc, that are all competing for the narrow road, but just follow along and you will pass pretty much everything that there is to see.
The tram goes past almost all of the tourist spots in the old town and centres around the main square, Praca do Comercio. This will include the churches, palace, castle, bars, cafes and restaurants. As long as you can see the tracks, you will see the bits.
Jammed in the middle of the tracks you will find Sé de Lisbon. This cathedral started being built in 1147 and ended in the first decades of the 13th century.
The tram tracks quite literally split and run either side of the triangular street entrance.
Castelo de S. Jorge Stands on Lisbon’s highest hill and offers panoramic views of the city. The fort dates back to Moorish times (11th century), and has served as military barracks and royal chambers. Currently, it functions as a national monument, museum and archaeological site, with fantastic views and great gardens. And if this is off season, I hate to see the lines in peak times.
Lisbon’s central park is named Edward VII Park taking up 26 hectares in the middle of town. It was named as a tribute to the British Monarch.
Mosteiro dos Jeronimos (Jerónimos or Hieronymites Monastery) was originally donated to the Order of the Friars of St. Jerome. Construction began in near the launch point of Vasco da Gama’s first journey. Its construction lasted for a hundred years and was funded by a tax on the profits of the yearly Portuguese India Armadas. The day of our visit the weather kept coming and going, alternating between blue skies and torrential downpours.
To say this place is impressive is a massive understatement. Everywhere you look is a different aspect of the place and the intricately carved windows and openings act to frame the next amazing sight.
Portuguese Custard Tarts (Pasteis de nata)
Lets not be silly we have all eaten these. Whether it is the cheap boxed up ones in Costco, or the ones after a Chinese Yum Cha (bearing in mind that Shanghai was one of the Portuguese territories), or just from some dodgy bakery that does them. And they are always good, even the shitty ones are great, with their signature flaky crust and sweet custard filling they are world-famous, and incredibly delicious.
But now we are at their point of origin, and sadly, all others pale by comparison to the original version. It was created by monks at the Jerónimos Monastery and has certified origin. The original recipe is called Pastel de Belém and we found our way to Pasteis de Belem which is right next to the monastery and is recognised as their true home. And in case you were wondering, they were good.
Literally across the road from the Monastery is a park and the Discoveries Monument which serves as a monument to Portugal’s Age of Discovery on both land and sea.
The monument was reconstructed in 1960 to mark 500 years since the death of the Infante Dom Henrique (Henry the Navigator).
A few hundred meters down the bank of the Tagus River you find yourself at Torre de Belém. This is a 16th-century tower that is a mix between a medieval keep tower and a modern bastion. It was built to guard the river entrance into Lisbon’s harbour.
That evening we found our way down to Praca do Comercio which is one of the biggest squares in Europe, this stylish area in downtown Lisbon often displays beautiful works of art and sculpture and is a great place for a leisurely stroll.
The Aqueduto das Águas was built in the 18th century to supply water to the town. Its construction was funded by special levies on meat, olive oil and wine. It stretches 14 kilometres and can now be visited as a tourist attraction.
The blurb for the Museu Nacional do Azulejo said that it was a must-see for people interested in the history and design of ceramic tiles. Now lets be serious here, that is not a title that I have particularly aspired to. But being in Lisbon, you do get a fair old appreciation of the ceramic tile as almost every building is finished (on the outside) with them. Looking at the photos of the museum, if it is your thing, then this specialty museum does house an impressive collection of decorative tiles dating from the 15th century to now.
The Coaches Museum is one of Lisbon’s most visited attractions, and is a collection of fairytale type carriages that have been used by the royalty and nobility of Europe over the centuries. While most European royal carriages were destroyed over time (especially in Paris after the French Revolution), in Portugal they were preserved. Most of them date to the 17th to 19th centuries, but the oldest example dates back to the late 1500s.
Brazilian BBQ – Portuguese Style
On our third Uber ride, our driver asked us if we liked seafood, which of course we do. He then went on to tell us that in Portugal, they do a similar thing to the Brazilian BBQ but instead of using meat, they do it with seafood. He told us the best place in town and the price came out to about 450 Aussie per head. Well if that is not a done deal then I don’t know what is.
So we headed down to the main square, took our happy snaps of the square and then headed to a little wine bar (as we were early for our reservation. A funky little place called shoes and booze. We had a drink and watched the waitress just dancing around having a great time enjoying her work. When we ordered the second round she asked Jill if she just wanted the bottle as it was 4.50 for a glass or 12 Euros for the whole bottle. The chat continued and we got invited to a private party back at the bar (with live music) the next evening.
Anyway back to the seafood, we made it to the restaurant and ordered the all-you-can-eat thing and it arrived with some interesting fare. The prawns, mussels, crabs and clams were all good and even the crab head mousse was good, but it was the whelks and barnacles that threw us a little. We had to seek guidance on just what part and how to eat the barnacles.
The construction of the Christ the King monument was approved on 20 April 1940, as a plea to God to release Portugal from entering WWII.
The monument consists of a 82 meter pedestal with a 28 meter image of Christ.
Perched on the opposite side of the river the figure of Christ has its arms extended out facing the city of Lisbon, as if to embrace the city.
Long story short, apart from the weather, Lisbon was fantastic and we will need to come back as there is so much more to explore and do. It became very clear that the time that we had allotted was insufficient for the amount to see and do. This was further hampered by the rain that kept us hiding more than exploring.
The prices are more than reasonable and the friendliness of the people was just amazing. And I think that both Jill and I can fit another egg tart or two in, and for the record, even the shitty ones remain good. And there is so much more that missed out on seeing.
As mentioned on the main page, we have been to Paris on several occasions, prior to the existence of the website. And we did it in a serious manner, blitzing every conceivable tourist attraction FULLY. But we did it a long time ago.
So leaving the Caribbean and heading towards Portugal and Northern Africa we were to transit through Paris. If you’re coming here, there really is no reason not to stop for a few days and take it all in. Which is exactly what we did.
Having seen it all we really were under no pressure to race around, but rather we were able to just relax and soak in a truly enjoyable city (albeit in the cold of early Spring). Our arrival was at Orly airport which was so much more pleasant than at Charles Ge Galle Airport.
While less stressful, it was no more organised than the main airport and getting out via Uber proved far more challenging than it needed to be.
We stood by the side of the road (in 5-degree temperatures – not in the Caribbean anymore) for over an hour (in the designated Uber pickup zone) for several cars to pick up and drop our fare. They got within 200m of us and gave up, on multiple occasions. After several such attempts, we got a driver who texted us looking for us. We ended up walking the 200-odd meters to the delivery point for departing flights and finally got our ride.
A Sunday afternoon traffic nightmare saw us sitting in bumper to bumper traffic for the next hour (plus) before finally getting to our hotel. At this point the 9 hour overnight flight coupled with the 6 hour time difference and saw us crashing for an afternoon nap.
A quick pop up the road for dinner and our Paris experience began in earnest. After some false starts on ordering (the beef cheeks and the Foie gras) due to being sold out, we started with a magnificent Carbonara pasta and a rump steak. Not very French but really good nonetheless. The next morning we got a bit more authentic with coffees and pastries from one of the ubiquitous roadside bistros.
The 1 degree temperature saw us huddled inside rather than perched on the outdoor seating (even though they did have blankets for your knees). I also learned that my usual macchiato in Paris had changed names and my order was now a noisette. Jill’s latte remained standard, but the quality immediately blew away the recent caffeine attempts that we had experienced in America, the Caribbean and in America.
After being suitably caffeinated, we headed to the metro and paid the 12 euros (each) for the one day tourist pass, which bought 24 hours of unlimited travel. So on the train we hopped and headed towards Charles De Gaulle Etoile. This is the metro station directly below the Arc De Triomphe.
From here a quick wander (about 1.6km) south to the Trocadero where the Eiffel Tower opens up for the throngs of tourists to get their much needed selfies (ourselves included). Now neither Jill nor I have mastered the selfie with both of us delivering atrocious attempts. It was about 3 degrees in the non-tourist season and there were thousands of people here. Clearly there is no down time for Paris and its tourist trade.
Now the short walk to the tower really put Paris’ best foot forward. It is such a beautiful, clean (apart from maybe the dog poop and cigarette buts) city that is architecturally stunning and beautifully maintained. The parks and green spaces integrate beautifully with the historic buildings and the whole place feels nice.
Admittedly it has recently held the Rugby World Cup and is about to host the Olympics, so it really should be looking its best. With the Olympics in mind there is a fair bit of sprucing up going on in preparation. Many of the magnificent fountains had been drained and were undergoing maintenance in the lead up to the summer season and Olympic games.
From the tower we hopped the Metro to see the current state of the Notre Dame after the devastating fire in 2019 that gutted the building. Even now, to see such an iconic building in this state was highly upsetting. On the positive side, while taking our happy snaps, we overheard a tour guide telling a group that the international donations provided more than enough money for its complete renovation. But for now it remains a facade and a bunch of scaffolding.
Another (relatively) short walk along the canals and we found ourselves wandering past the Musee d’Orsay and on to the Louvre. Now even in 5 degree temperatures, in non tourist season, the line to get in stretched for hours. Thankfully we had done this all last time, so had no intention of going in, so the length of the line was irrelevant to us.
A quick wander along through the gardens (Tuileries) where my favourite statue of all time lives.
And we found ourselves at the end of the Champs Elysees on our way back to the Arc De Triomphe.
As this stretch is full of high end shopping we boycotted and headed home. We got to stare at the Pantheon, the Bastille and Sacre Coeur as we transited past them but for us that was our tourism ticks for this trip.
The rest of our time was spent soaking up the lifestyle of Paris and (of course) sampling some of the Epicurean offers. This started that afternoon with Fois Gras and a croque madame (with wine) and continued that evening with Charcuterie and Pommes frites.
The next morning was more amazing coffee, and some more croque madame’s (from a different place) followed by some french pastries from one of the many Boulangeries.
The range of what is available is incredible and the offerings are all spectacular.
And I really think that that the French name of Mille-feuille
And I really think that the French name of Mille-feuille is a little more elegant than the Australian version, the snot block.
So our last foray before we left was a magnificent Duck Confit and a rack of lamb, washed down with a local Chardy and a beer. Our time here was short, but was highly enjoyable and the food options were so good that you were glad you were only here for a short time.
Any longer and you would be grabbing your chest and falling to the ground. The richness is fantastic, but cannot be sustainable in the long term.
Well, a cruise of the Caribbean is a hell of a thing to contemplate. There are tons of companies going to any number of destinations. Some of these are countries, some are independent nations, some are foreign territories of other countries and some are private islands owned and operated by one or other of the cruise companies.
The sheer range of itineraries available is staggering.
Let’s start with what is meant by the Caribbean and what areas are included. The Caribbean is a catchall phrase that includes the more than 700 islands, islets, reefs, and cays within the Caribbean Sea. But it also includes some mainland countries that border the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean add to this the nearby coastal areas on the mainland (including the Gulf of Mexico, North American mainland, eastern parts of Central America, and the northern sections of South America).
In total there are 31 individual countries or territories that make up the Caribbean (excluding the mainland nations that border it). So far, we have had the opportunity to visit 17 of the 31 countries or territories, with plans already in place to get to Haiti.
Getting About
To start with, there is no real ferry system in operation to allow you to bounce from island to island and airfares between islands can be quite expensive. So if you want to see a fair bit of the area, a cruise ship is your only real option (unless you have an amazing budget).
Cruise ship itineraries go to most of the islands (although due to some suspect security situations, crime and variable political stabilities some of the islands get missed). Add to this that some of the islands do not have deep enough seas/ports to allow access for the big cruise ships. That said, the majority do and accept the passengers and you just need to hunt the websites for the itinerary and line that suits you.
The Beaches
Almost all of the Caribbean islands offer excellent beaches, some are close (within walking distance) to towns and cities while others involve a (relatively cheap) taxi ride. Some of them have been flogged by tourists and are basically just sand and water (still pretty nice) while with a (very little) bit of effort, you can find snorkelling and wildlife amongst the many shallow reefs.
Many of the beaches will be private. This will mean a resort fee to access that area of the beach. This will typically buy you a lounger and that’s about it. Umbrellas and cabanas will be there, but they will (typically) be extra. Drinks (watery cocktails) and food (junky burgers and chips) will be available at highly inflated prices. When I say the beach will be private, I mean privately owned. You will still share it with 2-500 of your favourite strangers.
But it is not all bad, the beaches are nice, the scenery stunning and the views and sunsets will be amazing. And if you are ok with a weak cocktail in the sun then a good time will be had.
The food
The Caribbean is an exotic holiday destination known for its beaches, nature and the friendliness of (most) of its people. It is not by any means a food lover’s destination, and is unlikely to be so anytime soon. Traditional Caribbean food emerged several hundred years ago and has influences from African, Indian, Asian, Cajun, and European cultures.
Jerk chicken is the staple. It’s is basically just chicken doused in spices and hot chillies, slow-cooked over pimento wood branches. But as you would expect, everyone has their own ‘unique’ recipe for the exact spice blend that goes into the mix.
It is nice enough, but good luck avoiding it if you felt like anything else.
If you get really lucky, you may find a pork chop (with the same sort of Jerk spice mix) but at least it’s something different. Unsurprisingly the burger patties come with BBQ Jerk sauce but every now and then if you are lucky, you may find one with a mango salsa.
Ackee and saltfish (salted cod) is Jamaica’s national dish and is eaten morning, noon, and night. Ackee is a fruit with a savory, almost nutty flavor.
The ubiquitous side is rice and beans although is referred to widely as ‘rice ‘n’ pigeon peas’.
It is made by simmering the rice and beans in a coconut broth seasoned with spice, garlic, onion, and sweet capsicum.
It is also ok. But it is on every plate.
Plantain (a really starchy banana) is the next thing that will be tough to avoid. It is prepared in a variety of ways and can be quite tasty.
Sweet and savoury options abound and it will almost always be one of your sides (along with the rice).
Being island nations, obviously seafood plays a fair role in Caribbean cooking. The first one that you will likely run across is the conch fritters. These are basically just deep fried critters from the conch shell. The next is peppered shrimp which is the spicy go to snack option for the masses. After this the usual mix of stews, soups and curries arrive.
It is not that any of this food in the Caribbean is bad, it is just the same everywhere, on every menu, with little else on offer. Every meal you order will be some variation on the things above. After a period of time, you will be craving something (anything) else.
Cruise Companies
There are currently 37 (of the 51 ocean going) cruise companies that operate in and around the Caribbean. They all offer similar types of cruises (and ports) but the price can vary greatly between them however, usually the higher the price the more inclusions there are (eg. drinks, better wines, wifi etc).
The normal type companies include Carnival, Royal Caribbean, NCL and MSC. Some catering to the premium services include Holland America, Celebrity and Princess. From here you get into the Ultra-Premium (Oceania, Azamara), Luxury (Cunard), Ultra-Luxury (Regent Seven Seas, Crystal, Silversea. And then there are the specialty type cruises (Disney, Windstar, Star Clippers and Virgin).
Some companies specifically target their cruises at families and children.
While others (like Viking and Virgin) do not accept people under 18 on board.
Cruise durations
The duration of your cruise (along with the company) is quite indicative of the type of cruise that you can expect. Cruises typically range from 2-15 nights taking in as many ports as is manageable within the allocated time frame. Cruises between 2 and 5 days tend to be booze cruises or full of little children with short attention spans. These usually never take in more than 2 ports.
Seven to 10 days is by far the most common cruise taken as it fits nicely with the usual US 2 week vacation period and allows for travel days for those outside a port town. This will typically take in 4-7 ports and will provide a nice mix of sailing days and port activities. The crowds tend to be a bit older than the party boat crowd and the ports tend to be a bit more interesting too.
Cruises over 10 days tend to cut out many of the kids and the younger adults that need to return to work (bearing in mind that US generally does not get the 4 weeks that we Aussies are used to). This means it is (generally) an older, more established cruise ship clientele.
The really long ones (trans-Atlantic and trans-Pacific etc.) tend to be for the seasoned cruisers, typically retired and under no time pressures to return to something.
Eastern vs Western Caribbean
Northern vs Southern Caribbean
Because the Bahamas (along with the Turks & Caicos) are close to Florida they are particularly desirable northern route locations for the short (booze cruise style) cruises originating in Florida.
Some cruise lines have created a southern route, moving Aruba, Barbados, Bonaire, Curacao, Grenada, and Trinidad & Tobago into this category as most of the route lies outside of the usual hurricane belt.
Cruise Ships
Modern cruse ships have been (and continue) getting bigger and bigger with every iteration.
The image on the left is a comparison of the Titanic (front) as compared with a modern day cruise ship.
I will focus on Royal Caribbean here as it has just launched the World’s largest ship (the Icon of the Seas).
The oldest in the fleet is the Grandeur of the Seas it is a 279 meter long, 32 meter wide ship that was built to house around 2000 passengers and an additional 750 crew.
It has two floors of dining rooms, three specialty restaurants, a theatre delivering Broadway-style shows, a gym, a spa, sports court, multiple bars, a sprawling casino, rock climbing wall two pools and more hot-tubs.
And with all of this, is by far the runt of the fleet offering the least amount of options and activities of the entire company. We have sailed on it three times and it is lovely.
The largest is more than 4 times the size and holds nearly 10,000 people at 365 meters in length.
In 2009 when the Oasis of the Seas was introduced as the biggest ship in the world it had a capacity (at double occupancy) of 5,400 guests. The newest offering (the Icon of the Seas) was launched in January this year and is quite frankly ridiculous. The ship will feature 20 decks, 18 of which are for guest use. These decks have been split into “neighborhoods,” that include a Central Park packed with live plants.
Other features include:
the world’s largest water park at sea (six slides including an open free-fall slide, a 46-foot drop slide, family raft slides and a pair of mat-racing slides.
a three-deck cluster of pools,
a waterfall,
seven pools – including a swim-up bar, suspended infinity pool and the “largest pool at sea.”
Cruise ships have gone beyond the usual buffet, main dining room and pool bar dining options. The new ship offers more than 40 options including 15 bars and more than 20 dining options.
Lets be honest here, this is not for me in fact it seems (having not been on it) terrible.
It is too big, has too much going on and will permanently be filled with screaming kids and their entitled parents.
Typically it is more the parents that I have an issue with rather than the kids, that just wanna have some fun.
But that is the joy of cruising, the RC fleet offers me another 27 ships that will be less confrontational than its latest offerings.
Our Cruises
We have now done 14 cruises in multiple destinations (Australia, Asia, Alaska and Iceland). These 14 cruises have put us to a loyalty level (kinda like frequent fliers) that gives us enough perks (free coffee and drinks etc) to make it beneficial to stay with the same company. Not that we dislike any of the others or particularly recommend this one but our perk level has bred loyalty.
Within the Caribbean, we have done a few different itineraries throughout the region that have seen us going to many of the ports (some of them on multiple occasions). Most of the ports left positive (or at least neutral) impressions, with only really Colon in Panama and Falmouth in Jamaica leaving negative impressions.
Aruba and Curacao are on the top of the list of frequency of our visits (more due to the itineraries that a conscious choice).
They are both Dutch colonies and are lovely. The streets are clean and the building and housing is typically European and is brightly painted. The beaches are clean and swimming and snorkelling abounds.
Barbados, Bahamas, Jamaica and St Maarten are next on the list of our multiple visitations and these four could not be more different if they tried. Barbados is alive and thriving during the week with turtle sightings straight off the beach. But it is tumbleweeds in town on the weekends (Sunday especially).
Jamaica was one of my least favourite of everywhere we have visited so far. It gave a feeling that you were not safe, even in the touristy bits it saw me having cannabis, cocaine and sex offered within 10 minutes of landing. Beyond the offers, there was a very uneasy feeling that purveyed. The first three blocks from port was neat and calm, but if you kept walking there was an overwhelming sense that you were about to be mugged.
We came here the next time and skipped town and headed to a resort fee-paying beach, it felt better but was a full on party beach. We paid for the transport and a beach chair and settled in for some sun, food and drinks. The enclosed resort option is beautiful and feels much safer, so if you are happy holidaying in a compound then it can be lovely.
Bahamas is an absolute tourism machine that had built its entire economy around its pirating history and the modern cruise port. The main centre is Nassau where there are a few natural attractions (old fort and some historical aspects) but the place has developed to exploit and profit from the cruise ships.
Coco Cay is part of the Bahamas tourist machine but this part of it is owned (or at least leased) by the cruise company.
It is a destination of its own, upon arrival you immediately enter into a world of waterparks, theme parks, shopping and beach walks where the tourist is king.
Everything on the island has been put there to amuse, entertain or fleece the clientele from a cruise ship..
St Maarten is the dual island with a Dutch and French side. It is well placed to cater to the cruise ship crowds, but maybe a little more subtly than is the case in the Bahamas. We have been here twice now (one at each side of the island) and enjoyed both of them immensely.
The rest of the places we have been to have (so far) only been single stop-ins but they have all left an impression. So here is our summary of our visitations to date.
Bonaire (Kralendijk), was the pick of the stunning water so far. Great snorkelling coupled with a cute little town centre with all of the tourist appeal.
Cayman Islands (George Town) is a tax haven and tourist mecca for the European style tourists. Resorts aplenty, nice water and with a bit of effort some nice snorkelling and diving (once you get away from the resorts). The clarity of the water and the various shades of blue deliver exactly what I imagine when I get to a tropical island. And this place delivers that at almost every glance.
Costa Rica (Puerto Limon) I did love but it was mainly because I got to see and play with sloths (and with more time would have played with turtles). The wildlife is the main attraction and we really enjoyed it.
But the town centre was pretty sketchy and all the razor wire did ring a few alarm bells in our heads.
Dominican Republic (Puerto Planta) was amazing. The initial bit was tourist heaven (or hell if you prefer) with all of the water parks, pool and bars as soon as you land. If you never went any further, you could have several great days just in the manufactured bit.
But if you keep walking, you get into an authentic town centre and with a little more you land on the historic fort. There is a thriving local street art scene and the people are amazingly friendly. Based on our dip of the toe into the water I have already decided that the Dominican Republic needs at least a fortnight (if not more) to explore and enjoy.
Grenada (St Georges), was nice but our arrival saw us in a town with super steep hills. The result was a nice waterfront promenade and burning calves for anything else.
Martinique (Fort De France) was nice without being amazing and nothing about it made me want to rush back.
The town centre was ok as was the fort. It was good to come and spend a day exploring but that was about it.
Puerto Rico (San Juan), was amazing and much like the Dominican Republic this place needs more time devoted to exploring. The Island has almost 300 miles of coastline and nearly the same number of beaches. A predominately walled city there is a huge level of fortification (especially to the sea) with all of the gates and things that you would expect from such a town.
Two huge 16th century Spanish forts and stunning views make it an incredible place to visit. The smiles and happiness that you are greeted with here is something to behold. I am very happy to come back here again and explore more of the island.
We popped into St Kitts & Nevis (Basseterre), and loved it. It was clean and easy to navigate with a really great feel to it.
The Beers
I really need to finish on the usual subject (for me anyway) the beers. Beer was introduced to the Caribbean by the British in 1880, and now each of the islands tend to brew their own with a few mass produced ones that service the region.
The first one you will likely find is the iconic Red Stripe from Jamaica. This will be closely followed by Carib which originated in Trinidad and Tobago and has since started brewing in St Kitts and Nevis and Grenada. Presidente (from the Dominican Republic) is sold widely through the region and Kalik (in multiple options) dominates the Bahamas.
For the most part, the beers are all pretty good. They are typically light lagers that lend themselves to sipping on a beach in the sun.
Panama is a small nation (about 3.8 million people) that occupies the narrow stretch of land that connects North and South America. It also embraces around 1,600 islands off its Atlantic and Pacific coasts.
The nation runs about 770km long and between 60 and 180km wide. The famous canal cuts the nation in two at a width of 82km, with an average depth of 13m.
The Panama Railway
Fifty years prior to the building of the Panama Canal, the Panama railway operated, between the cities of Colon and Panama. The Spanish created the Camino Real (royal road), and later the Las Cruces trail to transport cargo and passengers across Panama. This provided a vital link between the coasts. These remained the main routes across for more than three centuries. By the 19th century rail travel had developed and it was time to design a cheaper, safer, and faster alternative. The Panama railway became the main shortcut for people making their way to California for the gold rush.
The Panama Canal
In 1881, the French started building the canal, but progress halted due to engineering problems and high worker mortality (Over 20,000 workers died during French building efforts). The US took it over in 1904 and completed the project with newly available technology ten years later (at least another 5000 died).
The canal is 82 kilometers (51 miles) long and has been providing a shipping shortcut for over a century. It takes about 8 hours to cross which saves days if a ship had to navigate down and around South America and back up the other side. This saves nearly 20,000 km.
In 1999, control passed back to Panama.
In the year it opened (1914), about 1000 ships used the canal.
Today, nearly 15,000 ships pass through it annually. The ships currently use both lanes of the lock only to move in one direction at a time.
The one-millionth ship crossed the canal in 2010, 96 years after it opened.
The original canal locks are 33 meters wide 300 meters long and 12 meters deep. The locks, located on the Atlantic and the Pacific sides, lift and lower the vessels to/ from the Panama Canal which is situated 26 metres from sea level.
The term ‘Panamax‘ was invented to describe ships built to fit through the canal. This existed for a century until in 2016, a third, wider lane opened for larger commercial shipping, capable of handling ships nearly 3 times bigger.
Every ship that passes through the canal pays a toll based on its size, type and volume of cargo. Tolls are set by the Panama Canal Authority. Tolls for the largest cargo ships can run about $450,000. Cruise ships pay by berths (number of passengers in beds). The per-berth fee set in 2016 was $138; a large cruise ship can pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to sail through the Canal.
Colon
Oh my, initial impressions are not good. I have immediately gone to the Richard Pieper scale of civilisation as this place is the lowest that we have been on this scale since leaving India over a decade ago. The scale (of my invention) measures the nature of a city or region against a range of categories that include:
Smell (typically sewage but often just rotting trash on the sides of the road and the sulphur smell that comes from rotting biological matter in waterways.
Open drains (usually only becomes an issue when the place is filthy)
Rubbish – this was everywhere and we watched people throwing trash straight on the ground in front of us
Footpaths
Stray dogs
Well quite frankly, Colon only passed one level of this test, it did have reasonably functional footpaths. As for everything else that we saw, this place was a filthy disgusting, smelly, living slum. It was so bad in fact that the local bin chickens were actually vultures.
Colón is a city of around a quarter of a million people that is the seaport on the Atlantic entrance to the Panama Canal. It is the capital of the province and was founded in the 1850 as the Atlantic terminal of the Panama Railroad (then under construction to meet the demand during the California Gold Rush).
Much of the city was destroyed in the Colombian Civil War of 1885 and again during a massive fire in 1915. As town was such a fizzer the only really interesting thing to do is to take a cab (30 mins) over to the entry to the Panama Canal.
The Gatun Locks are the old of locks taking you into the Gatun Lake. The older lock and narrower canal has a bit more character than the newer Agua Clara Locks.
If you are particularly keen you can keep going out to Fort San Lorenzo, the ruins of a 15th to 17th century fort. We did not as our time in port was tight and we had wasted it walking through the slums.
Traditional Tribes
The three largest indigenous groups in Panama are the Kunas, Emberás, and Ngöbe-Buglés all of which still live in the remote areas of the country. They have their own dialects, languages, and customs and most of them also speak Spanish. The national traditional dress for women is a long, full white cotton dress decorated with colourful embroidery called a pollera. Men wear a traditional montuno, which is a white cotton shirt with embroidery and short pants.
Fun Facts
The inventor of “MURPHY’S LAW“, – anything that can go wrong will go wrong – was Edward Murphy Jr. who was born in Panama.
The lowest toll ever paid was 36 cents, by American Richard Halliburton who swam across the canal in 1928.
Panama has more bird species that the entire continental USA.
The Panama hat (toquilla straw hat) is actually from Ecuador.
Ok, I will go back to the adage of the difference between the Atlantic and Pacific Coasts here in Central America. The Costa Rican example was a bit similar but this place was very poor. Perhaps the Pacific coast and Panama City would have offered more. It may be worth going through the canal on a ship, and Panama City may have more on offer, but Colon lives up to its name and may well be the arsehole of the world.
Costa Rica is a central American country of around five million people
It is bordered by Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the south. It shares a maritime border with Ecuador.
Costa Rica is a democratic and peaceful country that has not had an army since 1948. The government invests funds that it would have spent on an army into education, healthcare and pensions. Making it consistently one of the happiest places in the world. It also boasts an average life expectancy of 80 years.
Coffee was first planted in Costa Rica in 1808, and by the 1820s, it surpassed all else as the (tobacco, sugar, and cacao) as the primary export. Coffee remained the main export well into the 20th century, creating a wealthy class of growers, known as the Coffee Barons.
The Central Valley has the ideal conditions for producing coffee: altitude above 1,200 meters (4,000ft); temperatures averaging between 15°C and 28°C (59°F and 82°F); and the right soil conditions. By the mid-1800s an oligarchy of coffee barons had risen to positions of power and wealth, for the most part through processing and exporting the bean, rather than by actually growing it.
Education
Costa Rica has no military. In place of this, it has (until fairly recently) been investing all of the money it would have spent on education. Children spend 205 days in school every year and it is 100% free and mandated. For those of lesser means, lunches are provided by the government and corporate sponsorships cover backpacks, bags and equipment.
This spending resulted in Costa Rica having the highest literacy rates in most of the Americas, even surpassing the USA.
The previous government reduced this expenditure (from 8% to 3%) and the literacy rate visibly dropped.
So they were voted out at the first opportunity and the funding reinstated.
Green Credentials
Costa Rica’s real story is about how it managed to successfully grow its population and economy without destroying its natural resources. In the 1960s Costa Rica’s government realised that it their land use practices were not sustainable. In the late 1980s, they employed and implemented a National Conservation Strategy for Sustainable Development. This strategy made decisions based on input about the economy, demography, industrialisation, agriculture and energy. It had 5 main pillars:
a system of national parks,
debt reduction through land conservation,
development of ecotourism,
sustainable forestry practices, and
collaborations between government and industry to develop valuable natural pharmaceutical products.
Biodiversity – Once upon a time up to 90% of the country was covered by forests. Today only about 28% of the forest remains, but this is now in protected areas. There are 12 ecological zones and over 100 national parks, reserves or refuges. Costa Rica is the most biodiverse country in the world, with a whopping 500,000 species of wildlife (900 of which are birds) many of which are classified as rare or endangered.
Volcanos – Costa Rica is part of the Pacific Ring Fire Circle and has over 200 volcanos tracing back over 65 million years. Around 100 show any signs of activity and only five are classified as active. the five active ones are Arenal, Poas, Rincón de la Vieja, Irazu and the Turrialba. The last one is currently active and should not be visited.
Interesting Eco Facts
Costa Rica is 98% deforestation-free.
They generate 99% of their electricity from renewable sources, such as hydro, wind, and solar power.
80% of their renewable energy generation comes from hydroelectricity.
Costa Rica recycles 60% of its waste. T
All students in Costa Rica take sustainability courses from elementary school through university.
Sloths
We saw virtually none of the town (to be fair there was not really that much to take in) as Jill had booked us on a tour. The tour was to take in the local sloth rescue facility, a banana plantation and a boat ride through the jungle canals.
To say that sloths are a long term favourite of mine is an understatement and the opportunity to see them up close was awesome and, as our day panned out, we even got to see some in the wild.
The sanctuary specialised in rescuing sick, orphaned, abandoned or injured sloths. Particularly like my 3 armed little buddy in this video.
The sloth sanctuary got us up close and personal with about a dozen sloths (both 2 and 3 toed) while giving us the threatened habitat speech.
The talk even took us into the evolution of the sloth-type spiel which linked them to 4-5 meter tall prehistoric ancestors.
After the sloths came a local banana plantation (the second biggest earner of Costa Rica). To say this was interesting would have been a stretch. It was a small plantation, with some leaf cutter ants, and some bananas and that was about it. Jill did get to see some hummingbirds, but those little suckers are quick and were long gone before cameras could come out. But it was an ok way to kill an hour while staring at overpriced tourist trinkets.
From the banana plantation, we were off to a jungle cruise through the canals that act as the main transportation system of the country. As the roads are so poor and the ground is pretty wet, the inland canals provide the main means of transportation of both people and goods.
Our first sight getting on the boat was a small (maybe a metre) Caiman that was right near the launching site. From here we putted slowly along the canals looking for wildlife, which we found. There was a nice array of birds and lizards about with the odd sloth or two and some shagging monkeys in the trees.
We topped off our boat trip with some fresh fruit (pineapples, banana and watermelon), there was a table with some unidentifiable local fruits, but they were not on offer and then off to the ship for a speedy departure.
Turtles
As you would have worked out by now, turtles have become one of my favourite animals, having had the opportunity to swim with them. Well Costa Rica is home to some of the most important turtle nesting beaches in the world. Both the Pacific and Atlantic coasts have nesting sites, representing five of the world´s seven species of turtles. These are the: olive ridley turtle, giant leatherback, green, hawksbill and loggerhead.
Costa Rica is incredibly progressive in many ways, but as a random visitor, it seems pretty primitive. The houses are mostly run-down huts, and the sheer volume of razor wire in place is always troubling (although Jill did raise the option that it may be keeping the monkeys out). It does however seem like there is a distinct difference (in this region at least) between the Pacific and Atlantic (or Caribbean) coasts. The Atlantic coast settlements around the Caribbean are pretty basic and infrastructure is sparse.
Travelling the world in a pre and post COVID state
