Joe and I spent much of the day Thursday walking around Seville, enjoying more familiar sights and places. We did visit a site I' never visited before. It's the Antiquarium. The remains date from the First Century, BC to Sixth Century, AD. It was discovered in the 90s when they were building an enormous architectural structure referred to as the mushroom, because that's what it looks like.

The Antiquarium is deep under the streets of Seville and they've restored it over the years. It was spectacular to visit.

As one of Joe's friends said when I visited Joe in Cairo, “More ancient shit.”

 Joe and I arrived in Seville yesterday, a city I've visited several times in the past but haven't been here for a number of years. We walked around, and it was fun to recognize places I've visited before. We stopped for supper at a favorite tapas place and I ordered my fav, spinach tapas, only available in Seville.

Plus, very sweet red sherry. Since I like it with ice, the server very nicely brought me a brandy glass to accommodate the gigantic ice cube.

Salude!

Greetings from Spain

 I arrived in Spain Saturday afternoon, to spend three weeks with family. We had dinner on the porch of my son's house in Torreblanca and this is the view. Beyond the trees is the Mediterranean Sea.

Yesterday we drove to Fuengirola (please don't ask me how to pronounce it – the “g” it gargled in the back of your throat). We did a bit of shopping, then had dinner at a cafe in the Plaza Chinorros. We had a delicious meal and great fun.

A great start to my visit.

I write this under a thatched roof on the Atlantic coast of west Africa.

And my view is wild Atlantic rollers.

Yesterday, we arrived at a resort in Assinie, Côte d'Ivoire, Bahia, which is on the ocean front, maybe 50 feet from the sand and water. The scenery here is truly tropical.

It's a full moon, so the tide was high as we walked along the beach yesterday, and I managed to drench 2 of the 3 outfits I brought. Growing up in Maine, I have lots of experience with the Atlantic, but when you dip in a toe, say nothing about feet and legs, they immediately go numb. Not here. The water is warm and pleasant to walk in.

On the drive here, I noticed a large number of mature palm trees planted in rows. Looking more closely, I saw coconuts on them. It was a coconut orchard, or whatever the equivalent word is for that here.

And the beach sand in like nothing I've eve seen. The golden sand streaked with black has a marbled look.

Spent the rest of the day lounging by the water under an umbrella.  This is the life!

It's been a long time since I posted here. Thnks (not really) to COVID, I haven't been traveling. However, I'm now off on a new adventure.

After a VERY stressful hour and a half, going round and round with the ticket agent about whether my COVID PCR test was taken on the correct day (3 days before the start of the trip) or one day too early (3 days before arrival, which would be 1 day too late), it was finally resolved in my favor and I was allowed to start my trip to Côte d'Ivoire, Ivory Coast for none French speakers).

The trip was fairly uneventful after that. I was able to sleep on much of the transatlantic flight, alternating with reading cozy mysteries. Until I glanced up from my iPad and saw this, an arm hanging over the seatback in front of me.

Really startling if you've been reading murder mysteries.

Arrived in Abidjan, had my e-Visa processed and entered in my passport, successfully made it through passport control and was able to hug my son and granddaughters, grown to young women from when I saw them 2 years ago. They have an awesome yard with a pool to cool down in. Just a note, Côte d'Ivoire in on the Equator, so the temperature hovers around 80-85 degrees and the humidity is high, pretty much in the mid 70's percent. Year round!

Nice to have a pool to cool down in

Yesterday we went to an amazing restaurant, Le 8 Clos des Bateaux, on the edge of one of the several lagoons. Delicous food. I had grilled sole and fried plantains.

Then we returned home to watch the movie, Star Trek Beyond, which I had never seen.

We're leaving for the beach on Wednesday for a couple of days. More later.

Back in Morocco

It's been a while since I've posted.  But I'm back in Morocco and plan to keep everyone updated on my goings on.

As I always do when I first arrive, I explore the garden, looking for the tortoise.  Found her sunning herself next to a few leaves.

A few minutes later, I strolled down the garden to take a picture of the plants so different from my garden in Albuquerque.

And wanted to show off Zorro.  Nice to have a dog so I don't miss Mishka and Gizmo.

Sunday the girls have horseback riding classes.

Selma is the one in red in the back 

who ends up in the foreground.

And Kenza is galloping on the 

feisty brown and white pony.

Sunday afternoon we planted the seeds I brought from the States.

The garden, which was all grass that morning, was cleared by hand by the gardener.  Better him than me.  That was hard work.  Now we wait and see if the seeds sprout.

Last Days in Rabat

My time in Morocco is winding down.  Tomorrow I leave for the States.

Here’s what I’ve been doing the last few days

Spending time with my dentist extraordionaire

Dr. Soumaya Benothmane and her assistant

to get a new smile.

Sorry, it's a selfie

Walked up and down this street 

eight different times to the dentist’s office

Enjoyed listening to sound checks for Marwazine

a local musical festival.

One of the sound stages is 3 or 4 blocks from the house so we can hear the concerts in the evening.  Last night we planned on going to dinner along the river near the medina and listened to Bonga, a folk and semba singer and songwriter from Angola.  Until we found out the show didn’t start until 10:00 P.M.  Too late for kids on a school night.  Instead, we listened to Lauryn Hill from the garden.

You can read a bit about Mawazine here: https://www.morocco-guide.com/events/mawazine-festival/ 

And here’s the full lineup of performers: http://www.festivalmawazine.ma/en/programme/

My suitcases are packed (picture a sad smile) and I fly out tomorrow morning around 7:00.  Sad (picture a sad new smile) to be leaving, but looking forward to seeing family and doggies in Albuquerque.