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Spain

A few days in Ávila Spain

We went to explore the historic city of Ávila Spain. It is located in the autonomous community of Castile and León and is the capital of the province of Avila.  

We explored the narrow streets and historic centre of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Winding  our way along some of the unique streets inside the walled section of the city.

Main plaza in Ávila

We walked along the streets and came across many interesting architecture buildings and churches.

The 12th century Cathedral of Ávila
The 17th century Convento de Santa Teresa

The city is located more than 1,130 m above sea level and ther enclosed old town is located within  11th -14th century medieval walls.  The walls are very impressive and one of the main landmarks in the city.  We walked along the perimeter of the wall  which is approximately 2,5 Kilometers  (2,734 yd). The imposing walls with its semicircular towers and 12 m (39 ft), high walls is quite impressive. 

Walls of Ávila Spain

One of the nine gates into the walled section of the city.
Main gate of the wall

There are  9 gates in the fortified walls with some providing access to the top walkway of the walls. We went up to the top of the wall and were greeted with stunning views of the city and area. 

Ray and Shelley on the walls of Ávila Spain

We walked along the top of the wall exploring the views and fortified sections of the wall.

Ray on the wall of Ávila Spain

View of the 12th century Basilica of San Vincente

It truly was amazing to think of the history and time that has passed on these walls. 

View of the walls of Ávila from the top walkway.

Ray climbing to the top tower section on the wall
View from one of the towers along the wall

The sun was setting and we were able to see a spectacular sunset on the wall of Ávila.

We walked the wall partway then headed down for a well deserved break and something to eat. Back in the main plaza we found ourselves a nice spot to enjoy a meal and drink.

A great way to end the day of exploring and adventure.

“Todos los días puedes emprender una aventura grande o pequeña si quieres”

Morocco

Fez, Royal Palace and the Medina

We spent the day exploring Fez which is the second largest city in Morocco and considered as the the “Mecca of the West” and the “Athens of Africa”. The city was first founded in 789 and has a rich and interesting history. Our first stop was at a lookout that provided us with amazing views of Fez. We walked along the wall and looked at the different views of the city. It truly is a large and unique city.

After admiring the beautiful vistas, we headed to the Royal Palace in Fez. The 80-hectare Dar al-Makhzen known as the Royal Palace has some ornate gates which were built in 1969.

Front of the Royal Palace in Fez
Ray and Shelley in front of the Royal Palace doors

They are the main feature visible to the public, the grounds are not open to the public. The Palace and grounds are still used by the King of Morocco when he is visiting the city.

After visiting the Royal Palace we went to the UNESCO world site, the Medina of Fez. It has 9400 narrow alleyways and streets which would make it very easy to get lost. We were fortunate to have a local guide who lived in the Medina most of his life. 

Our guide explaining the Medina

It was very interesting walking though the Medina, there are no motorcycles or vehicles of any kind permitted in the Medina. In fact the Medina is the largest vehicle free zone in the world. The only way to move merchandise or supplies is by donkey or pushcart. We began our walk in a larger area of the Medina where the alleyway was wider than most.

Ray and Shelley in the Medina of Fez

As we walked along it wasn’t long before we found ourselves in narrow alleyways.

We followed our guide through these very narrow alleyways and explored unique areas of the Medina.

Our guide leading us through one of the narrow alleyways in the Medina

Some of the alleyways were completely covered and it felt like walking through a narrow tunnel.

The Medina has over eight kilometers of city walls and has an estimated population of 200,000 living within the Medina. Each area has a mosque, school and other traditional services. It felt like we were walking back in time to centuries earlier.

Each alleyway had a marker which indicated the name of the alley.

The doors of homes were unique and had two door knockers. One was set higher and made a different sound, which was for non family visitors. This provided a unique sound letting the homeowner know it was not family. The second knocker lower into the door was for family who were familiar members of the home.

Traditional door of a home within the Medina of Fez

The Medina of Fez is considered as one of the most extensive and best conserved historic cities of the Arab-Muslim world. We walked along the unpaved alleys and spaces which seemed to have frozen in time and not been destroyed by modern times. This was an amazing feeling to wander the alleys and see people still making products by hand and selling products made right in the Medina.

Metal pots and copper pots being made on site and sold in the Medina

The people living inside the Medina walls also buy food and merchandise within the Medina. We came across many vendors of different foods.

Olives and other pickled items for sale at one vendor in the Medina

There was even camel meat for sale at one or two specialty shops. The shops would displayed the heads of the dead camels to advertise the fresh camel meat.

We eventually walked to the area of the dye-pits and to the tannery inside the Medina.

Material and wool being dyed by hand in the dye pits of the Medina

Wool being dried above us as we walk through an area of the Medina

We then went to the largest and oldest tannery in the city called the Chouara Tannery, which is located in the Medina. It is believed that this tannery has been operational since before the 12th century. The tanning industry in the Medina has been operating basically the same since the early centuries. There are round stones that are hollowed out and filled with dye or other white liquids for softening the leather hides.

View of the Tannery with the hollowed out stone vats used for the tanning process.
Leather hung to dry naturally

It was interesting to see the process and to walk through the store looking at the amazing hand crafted leather goods. After a few hours in the alleyways of the Medina we stopped for lunch. We enjoyed the time to sit and relax while taking in the aromas and sounds of the Medina.

The local food was delicious and overall it was surreal experience. After lunch we continued our exploration of the Medina for a while before heading out to start our next adventure. We really enjoyed our time exploring and walking through the Medina of Fez.

“لا تدع الخوف يمنعك من تجربة أشياء جديدة واستكشاف العالم”

 

Morocco

Medina in Marrakech

We went to explore the UNESCO world Heritage site – the Medina of Marrakech. We began our day by meeting with our local guide Youssef. He was a very enjoyable guide with a great sense of humour and very attentive to us.

Shelley with Youssef in the background

The Medina which is located in the center area of Marrakech and is surrounded by around 19 kilometers of walls. The narrow streets and walkways are full of vendors, riads and souks.

It was amazing to walk the narrow streets and think about the long rich history of the Medina which was founded in the 11th century. We walked along the narrow streets and soon found ourselves in different sections of the Medina.

Pottery, baskets and other items for sale in the Medina

Metal lamps and other pieces of artwork for sale that were handmade on site.

We came to an area that was selling different spices. We could smell spices and there was an array of colours and spices on display. 

There was so many different spices to choose from including Morocco spices like Ras El Hanout used in Tagine meals. 

Ray and Shelley in front of a spice shop in the Medina of Marrakech

As we were walking along the narrow streets we could hear scooters and motorbikes behind us and at times we would need to be close to the wall as they drove by. 

There were also feral cats in the Medina and blended in without much problem. 

Feral cats within the Medina

Scooter in the Medina with Feral cat laying on the back

The streets sizes in the Medina vary from small to almost an impassive alleyways.

One of the many narrow alleyways in the Medina

We walked along the alleys were you could smell the food and sweets that were being made right there. 

There was even a vender selling pickled lemons, olives and other unique items.

Vendor selling pickles, olives and preserved lemons
One of the wider alleys in the Medina of Marrakech
Narrow alleyway in the Medina

It was easy to get lost walking through the Medina, there were small alleyways and turns which made it feel like a maze. We were fortunate to have a guide and able to find our way without much trouble. Each alleyway had a name and a sign posted above.

There was a 6.8-magnitude earthquake that struck in Morocco’s High Atlas mountain range at 11:11 p.m. local time on Friday, Sept. 8, 2023. The earthquake cause some major damage inside the Medina in Marrakech. We could see where some of the ancient structures had been reinforced as a result of the earthquake.

We walked around the Medina taking in the sites and sounds. We arrived at Jemaa el Fna which is a huge open square in the center of the Medina. In the square there were snake charmers, monkey handlers, and different types of vendors. 

Snake Charmer with cobras and other snakes

Berbers dressed in the traditional Berber attire in the Medina Square
Ray in front of the Koutubia mosque in the Medina of Marrakech which was damaged from the Earthquake.

After walking through the narrow streets and alley ways of the Medina for a few hours we stopped for lunch in the Jemaa el Fna square.

Our sitting area in the restaurant overlooking the Medina

We went to the roof top of a local restaurant and enjoyed some traditional Morocco food while observing the hustle and bustle of the Medina below. 

View of the Jemaa el Fna square below
A Morocco traditional food called a Chicken Bastilla. It is a pastry filled with chicken and has a sweet taste of sugar and cinnamon along with a chicken centre.

It was an amazing day walking and exploring the narrow streets and alleys in the Medina. The hustle and bustle made for an adventure beyond the normal shopping experience. Prices of items were negotiated and involved a long drawn out negotiation that  eventually resulted in an agreement on a price. 

Truly an enjoyable day.

“عش كل يوم كما لو كان يومك الأخير، يومًا ما سيكون هذا صحيحًا.”

Italy

Highlights of Palermo Sicily

We went to the island of Sicily to explore some of the sites. We began in the capital city of Palermo. The city has many street markets and some of them are quite busy and large. Over the span of four days we explored several of the markets along with other sites of interest.  There were street food and it was easy to enjoy local products.

We tried some hand made arancini which is a specialty here. They are small deep-fried rice balls filled with meat sauce or mozzarella and prosciutto. They are very tasty and over the time in Sicily we had several different types. 

Shelley with an arancini rice ball
Display in one of the food markets selling different arancini and other delicacies of Sicily

We explored the streets and walked through the markets looking at the variety of products. The atmosphere was full of life and unique smells of street foods. 

View of one of the street markets in Palermo
Shelley and Ray in the historic Vucciria Market  in Palermo

La Vucciria is a well-known historical market in Palermo.  You could buy practically anything in the market from fresh fish, seafood and vegetables to assorted clothes. 

Fresh swordfish and seafood in the market
Pastries in one of the market stalls
Pastries and sweets

We went to the Quattro Canti, which is officially known as Piazza Vigliena. It is a Baroque square and considered the center of the historic quarters of the city. The four corners lead to the four ancient quarters  of Palermo. Known as the cantons or canti of Palermo: the Kalsa (SE); Seralcadi (SW); Albergaria (wW); and Castellammare (NE).  Each building facade was ornate and had a different fountain at the base. 

View of the ornate facade of one of the Canti corners in Palermo

It was interesting to see and explore the four unique corners of the ancient intersection. There were street musicians playing music and the area was quite lively and full of people.

One of the four corners of the Canti in Palermo
Another of the  unique corners of the Canti in Palermo

We explored the city and came across the Pretoria fountain with beautiful statues and fountain located near the church of San Cataldo. 

Pretoria fountain and statues in front of the Chruch of San Cataldo in Palermo
Ray in front of the Pretoria fountain.
Pretoria fountain and statues outside of the Church of San Cataldo

An other impressive statue was located in the Piazza San Domenico.

Statue and monument in Piazza San Domenico.

We saw the Teatro Massimo Vittorio Emanuele which is an opera house located on the Piazza Verdi.

Teatro Massimo Vittorio Emanuele in Palermo

This was an interesting and historic building and so we decided to take tour of the opera house.  Link for Opera House

Another unique and interesting thing in Palermo and Sicily as a whole was the Sicilian Moor’s Heads.  There are two stories about the origin of these elegant hand-painted ceramic decorative vases.  

One of the many ceramic Moor vases for sale in Sicily.

The legend says that during the time of the Moor domination in Sicily, there lived a beautiful girl in the Arab quarter Kalsa  which is in the heart of Palermo. She loved to take care of plants on her balcony. One day she was noticed by a Moor who fell in love with her. The man told her of his feelings and the two were overwhelmed by desire and love. When the girl found out that her lover would soon travel back to the East, where his wife and children were waiting for him, she became enraged. 

Mad with jealousy, feeling humiliated by the betrayal, the girl killed the Moor while he was asleep. In a fit of incredible violence, she cut off his head and used it as a vase in which she planted a bud of basil. The girl watered the plant with her tears and, as time went by, the basil grew into the most luxuriant ever seen. This caused the envy of the girl’s neighbours, who immediately ordered ceramic vases with the same features as the Moor’s Head. That’s how the tradition is said to have started.

According to another story, the Moor’s Heads represent the impossible love of a young couple. The girl was Sicilian and had noble origins, while her lover was a young Arab. When their love affair was discovered, her family cruelly punished them both by beheading them.

Their heads were then turned into vases and hung as warnings on a balcony. This is why the ceramic heads are always made in pairs, in memory of the two young lovers who were murdered together.

There were some interesting and beautiful spots in Palermo but also some areas that were quite dirty and the infrastructure was neglected. 

“”Prendi solo ricordi, lascia solo impronte.” — Chief Seattle

 

Camino de Santiago, Spain

Camino redo from Lugo

In September of 2021 we started the Camino de Santiago known as the Primitivo route. It begins in Oviedo and is 321 kilometers to Santiago. We left from Oviedo and after incuring an injury we had to stop in Lugo. See this entry for the details  https://chaputfootprints.com/?p=18542

After two years we returned to Lugo to complete what we had started two years earlier..

Shelley and Ray on their way to start Camino de Santiago

Our trip began with an 8 hour train from Alicante to town of Ourense in Galicia then we took a bus to Lugo. 

Ray and Shelley on the bus heading to Lugo

We arrived in the early evening in Lugo and checked into our Hotel.  Excited and anxious to start our camino the next day. Our day began early and we started out at sunrise.

Shelley on our first early morning trek on the Camino de Santiago from Lugo

We reached the camino marker that also marked the end of the camino for Shelley two years earlier.

Shelley at the camino marker outside of Lugo

She stopped and put a new rock on the marker and then we continued along the camino. There were many beautiful spots along the camino and over the next five days we would wake up early and walked long hours.  Below are some of the spots along the way. 

Although the journey was hard, it was very rewarding with special spots and memories along the way.  The experience was enhanced when we finally reached Santiago de Compostela. To stand at the Cathedral of Santiago and look at it gave us a sense of accomplishment. It was a happy and emotional time even though our bodies were sore and tired. 

Shelley and Ray at the Cathedral of Santiago

We managed to find a nice table near the cathedral and sat down to relax and take in the moment.

Shelley and Ray near the Cathedral of Santiago

After checking into our hotel and settling in we headed to get our compostela. We arrived at the compostela office and within 10 minutes had our certificates.

Ray and Shelley’s certificates of completion -Compostela de Santiago and camino stamp passport

We spent the day relaxing and had a nice meal to celebrate the adventure and achievement.

Shelley and Ray toasting the finish of the Camino de Santiago

The following day we headed home to prepare for our next adventure.

Shelley and Ray heading home from the Camino de Santiago

“Hasta la próxima, buen Camino y disfruta de cada paso de la vida.”