Tuesday, July 1 (Valencia, Spain) – Valencia is a very interesting city in Spain.  There is the cobblestoned old city, the more modern area, plentiful beaches, a river-turned-park, and an architectural haven.  There is a lot to do in this city - known for originating paella - but here are some highlights, especially if you're short on time.

EAT:  

• Paella Valenciana - the original paella, as it was originated in Valencia.  This specific type of paella has a meat such as chicken and sometimes rabbit, as well as beans and green vegetables.
• Fartones - log-shaped donuts with a funny name that are often eaten with horchata
  

DRINK:  

• Horchata - a cold, refreshing beverage made from tigernuts, water and sugar.  It tastes like a sweet milk (but there's no dairy at all).  Note:  the horchata you may have seen in Mexico is different - it is made with rice instead of tigernuts.
  

Tuesday, May 20 (Fes) – Morocco is known for its souks or open-air markets where haggling is part of the fun.  Each city we visited had their own maze of endless souks, but Fes in particular is known for its crafts.  We were taken to different artisans' shops to learn about what, how and why they were making different crafts.  While many of these demonstrations ended up in a sales pitch, it was still great to see first-hand how they make the goods (and also to reassure me that the souvenirs I buy are actually from Morocco!).

Carpets

Carpets and rugs are not just for show in Morocco.  The patterns and designs are filled with metaphors and special meanings.  These particular Berber rugs are generally created by one woman and can easily take five years to complete.  The different patterns represent legends, folklore and tales of different tribes or villages.  They are made out of different materials - often camel hair, cotton and/or silk - and they are beautiful (not very soft though).  

You can certainly haggle on a carpet purchase, but note that these will run you anywhere $150+, and rightly so.  Also keep in mind the costs of shipping the rug back home!  But most carpet purchases begin with a cup of Moroccan mint tea to signify there is no rush, and we're all friends!

Scarves & traditional clothing

The secret ingredient in weaving scarves and traditional dress in Morocco is cactus!  They take the silk from cactus leaves, turn it into thread and dye it in vibrant colors.  Then the artisans use a loom with a minimum of two foot pedals to create beautiful pieces.  

When the design includes an intricate pattern, it requires many more foot pedals and we didn't get to see that in action, but when the pattern is single or multiple colors in lines or stripes, they can use just two pedals like the man in the photo to the left.  The finished products are scarves and outfits like the photos below.

Ceramics & tile

Every time you sit down to eat in Morocco, your plate will be colorful, intricately designed and made of ceramic.  Additionally, there's a pretty high chance that when you sit down to eat you will be having tajine, the local Berber specialty cooked in triangular pots (like the man is making in the photo on the left).

We visited a place where ceramic bowls, plates and crafts were made, as well as given a demonstration on how individual pieces of tile are chipped into designs.  Some really beautiful pieces!

Leather

Visiting the leather tannery was the biggest shock of my entire trip to Morocco.  Fes is home to the oldest tannery in the world, dating back to the 11th century.  Tourists are brought into leather shops that have balconies overlooking the tannery where workers seem to be jumping in and out of circular stone tubs of dyes and miscellaneous liquid.  The smell that wafts to the balconies is absolutely horrible, and is barely diffused by the mint leaves given to tourists as they walk in.  

Workers take animal hides such as camel, goat, sheep, and cow and first dip them into a mixture that strips the hyde down to just the skin (I have heard different foul ingredients that can be used in this mixture such as pigeon excrement and cow urine.. not sure what it really is made of).  Then there is a process of dying the hide and kneading it for softness.  Afterwards, the hides are dried out, cut and made into bags, shoes, wallets, and other products to be sold in the souks.

I felt like I was watching a sweat shop as I couldn't imagine who would willingly partake in this type of work.  If the smell was so terrible from all the way up on the balcony, it must be 10x worse for the workers.  But it is a job, and supposedly a well-paying job.

(Saturday, May 3) – I am loving Malaga, in part because of my wonderful hosts, but in part because of the character of the city.  After a day of exploration – of both the must-see sites and the local streets, beaches and shops – I can say I am a fan of this region.  You can certainly see all the key sites in one day (but I recommend spending two nights to fully capture the atmosphere).  TIP:  For my suggested itinerary below, I highly recommend sneakers since there is a lot of climbing up slippery rocks involved.

Pan con tomate for breakfast – a Spanish specialty where you rub a raw garlic clove on a piece of toast, followed by rubbing a tomato on top, drizzling a bit of olive oil, and then sprinkling on some salt.  Have some fruit and yogurt on the side and you are ready for the day.  Delicious! 

Head into the city center and pay 5 Euro to enter the cathedral.  It is absolutely stunning in its intricacy, detail and sheer size.


Looking at the cathedral from outside, you will notice that one of the towers (the south tower) is unfinished and doesn't match its counterpart.  This is because during construction, the funds were reallocated to the war to help the (now) US gain its independence from British rule, and the tower was never completed.  So locals now refer to the uneven cathedral as "La Manquita" or the one-armed woman!

Then walk down the street to the Alcazaba, a well-preserved Moorish fortress built in the early 11th century, and the most popular attraction in Malaga. TIP:  At the entrance to the Alcazaba, I suggest you buy the double ticket that includes admission for the Castillo de Gibralfaro as well, to save time.  Enjoy exploring and take your time.  Be sure to go off in different directions, climb all the different staircases, and see as many different views of the city of Malaga that you can (they all deserve photos).

After the Alcazaba, make a sharp left turn and start your ascent to El Castillo de Gibralfaro, or the Gibralfaro Castle.  Depending on if you stop to rest up the steep climb, expect the journey to take 15-25 minutes – and if nothing else, be sure to stop on the main landing close to the top for photographs.  When I got to the castle, I was able to cut the line of people who had just gotten off a tour bus because I had pre-purchased my ticket along with my ticket to the Alcazaba.  I went to the café to relax and have an ice cream, and then I strolled around the castle to take pictures and soak in the sun (and shade).

After the castle, walk down the hill to return to the city center and explore the small cobblestone roads, bustling shops and cafes.  Visit the Picasso Museum, a small exhibition showcasing pieces of his work from different decades and styles.  (Picasso is from Malaga!).  The museum doesn’t have his famous works because those are in larger museums and galleries worldwide, but it is a good representation of his evolution.  


TIP:  take a look at the ancient ruins in the basement level of the museum!

You’ve probably worked up quite an appetite so time to enjoy some tapas!  You can tell which restaurants are popular by the crowds so pick one and munch on some tapas and beer or sangria (often cheaper than water).  

Note: El Pimpi is a very popular/famous restaurant so swing by for a drink or bite, or just to take a look.  

For my lunch, I enjoyed a tapas-sized paella and patatas bravas, along with a sparkling water for about 5 Euros.

Since the sun doesn’t seem to go down until around 10PM, it is easy to fit a lot into a single day, especially if you have limited time in Malaga.  Walk around Calle Lario to do a little shopping and/or make your way to the beach to soak in the sun.  I walked past a few massive cruise ships and docked myself on Malagueta beach for a little while to rest my feet.

It is customary to start dinner around 9 or 10PM but there will generally be people out enjoying something to eat or drink at all hours.  I was taken to what my Airbnb host family says is the restaurant with the best tapas in Malaga, which was delicious!  We sat at the bar when you first walk in where there are different types of meats and foods waiting to be ordered and thrown on the grill.  Interesting fact:  when you order a beer at this restaurant (or many others), you will get a tiny glass (by American standards) and you won’t have a choice of a type of beer.  Many restaurants only have one beer on tap, and the small glass is because it can get so hot in Andalucia that the beer would get warm before you could finish it, so this way you can drink a cold beer and then order another fresh one afterwards.

In Malaga, there are some nightclubs but the main form of nightlife is bar-hopping.  My hosts took me to a bunch of different bars to get a feel for the city – including one that was tucked away and known for its natural apple cider (I was not a fan of the sour flavor, but watching the bartender do his special pour was worth it!).  

The bartender holds the glass by his leg in one hand, and without looking pours the cider into the glass from above his head with the other hand!

(April 26, 2014) I’ve been to London twice before, but it has been a good 12+ years since then.  So while I wanted to see some of the key sites, I also wanted to experience the ‘real’ London as an adult.  One of my closest friends for the past 20+ years got an awesome new job in London just under two months ago.  So the timing seemed perfect to go for a visit and explore some neighborhoods together. 

Upon arriving in London from the Luton airport (1 hour bus to Baker Street in the city), Marta was coming to meet me so I stopped for a coffee… at Pret a Manger, where I used to eat breakfast, lunch and/or a coffee every day during the work week.  Normally I don’t like to go to chains I can go to in New York, but I was waiting for Marta and really wanted a coffee!  The second she walked in, we were chatting like high school girls again, with so much to catch up on – sooo great to see her!

We dropped my stuff off at her flat (an adorable one bedroom in Notting Hil) – after nearly falling flat on my face on the Tube while trying to navigate my luggage and myself... Then the exploring began!  We had a delicious brunch at a new restaurant in her neighborhood called Tom's and strolled down Portobello Road where there are many tourists but a few nice restaurants and bars. 

The next few hours are a bit of a whirlwind as we must have walked half of the city!  My favorite highlights were Borough Market where we shopped for the freshest food to cook dinner, going out and trying local beers, and strolling through Spitalfields Market for unique gifts and finds (we both ended up with new tops).  

Borough Market is one of the most amazing fresh food markets I've ever seen. It is easy to get lost there with so many people running around and so many booths distracting you with their specialties.  TIP:  The market closes around 5:15PM at which time many booths start heavily discounting their remaining goods.  We got half price fresh mozzarella that was delicious!

Spitalfields Market is a different kind of open-air market where the focus is on clothes, accessories and other miscellaneous gifts.  There were some really cool handbags with unique zipper patterns, and a bunch of cute clothing booths, but half the fun was exploring and finding out what was in booth after booth.

The George Inn was our secret goldmine - a beer garden tucked behind a busy city street.  The George Inn is an actual inn, but the inner courtyard is lined with bars and outdoor seating.