Author Archives: cindybrownmiller
Dublin, Ireland 11.15.2013
The weather today wasn’t quite as cold and windy, but I can see why they say to pack clothes for every season. Dublin’s public transportation isn’t the best and some sites are spread out around the city, so we took the Hop on/Hop off Bus. The bus was a great way to get around and … Continue reading
Dublin, Ireland 11.14.2013
Landing in Dublin was a bit of a shock – Spain and Morocco were sunny and dry but it’s very windy, rainy, and cold here. It’s snowing in Des Moines, so I won’t complain. We walked along the Liffey River and crossed the Ha’Penny Bridge, a famous pedestrian bridge over the river. We shopped and … Continue reading
Valencia, Spain 11.7.2013
We flew from Marrakech to Madrid today and then took the AVE high speed train from Madrid to Valencia. The train is definitely cheaper with more advance purchase. I had checked prices before we left the US, but the price at the counter was much higher. We’re in Valencia to watch the MotoGP race this … Continue reading
Marrakech, Morocco 11.6.2013
Today was our last day with Rachid and Sayid. This morning we went to the Musee du Cinema in Ouarzazate, a museum dedicated to the films made in the area. Rachid said he had a fun surprise for lunch and asked if we liked BBQ. We were up for anything on a grill, so we … Continue reading
Ouarzazate, Morocco 11.5.2013
We woke up before dawn and watched the sun rise over the Sahara. After a nice breakfast, we jumped on the camels and rode 1.5 hours back to the hotel. We took showers and grabbed our big bags and headed out with Rachid and Sayid. We stopped at Khamlia village, a settlement of about 150 black … Continue reading
Erg Chebbi Dunes, Morocco 11.4.2013
Our day was fabulous! After breakfast, we headed to Todra Gorge. Our first stop was Tineghir, a beautiful village in the palm-lined valley. Todra Gorge was about 30 minutes down the road, where we saw Berbers doing their laundry in the river on the canyon floor. Our guide Rachid mentioned that we would pass through his … Continue reading
Boumalne Dades, Morocco 11.3.2013
We normally rent a car or use public transportation when we explore a new country. However I had many activities planned and a lot of ground to cover during our week in Morocco, so I arranged a private 4 day, 3 night tour with Tenere Tours. Our driver Sayid and guide Rachid picked us up bright and early from … Continue reading
Marrakech, Morocco 11.2.2013
We hired a local guide to take us on a walking tour of the medina. Our first stop was El Bahia Palace, a beautiful royal home with 160 rooms. The rumors were that the palace was built as a home for the sultan’s wives and official concubines. The size of the rooms and apartments were based … Continue reading
Marrakech, Morocco 11.1.2013
We’re in Africa! We arrived in Morocco this afternoon. We’re staying at Riad Dar Eliane. A riad is a guesthouse with rooms that surround a courtyard that opens to the sky. Our riad is located in medina of Marrakech – the ancient walled city. I arranged for transportation to deliver us to the riad. A … Continue reading
Vancouver, British Columbia 7.1.2013
It’s Canada Day today, which is just like our Fourth of July. We biked around the sea wall of Stanley Park, crossed the Capillano Suspension Bridge, and watched the Canada Day parade and fireworks over the harbor.