Morocco

I figured my parents may get a bit bored staying in Spain for the two weeks they were here so I planned a trip to not only a different country but a different continent.  We spent 3 days in Marrakech and what an experience it was.  Marrakech is situated at the base of the Atlas mountains, where sub-Saharan Africa meets Arab North Africa.  I can't really put into words what the city is like and pictures just don't do it justice; it really is a place you must see to believe.  The sounds, the smells, the sights... snake charmers, monkey men, storytellers, snail stalls, orange juice stands, call to prayer, mosques, souks, tombs, gardens... it's sensory overload!  From the incredibly beautiful riad that we stayed in, to the bustle of the night market and the dusty alleyways we navigated through, it was an experience none of us will soon forget.  I'd highly recommend a trip to Morocco to anyone seeking an extraordinary vacation unlike anywhere else.

(click the photo below to be redirected to the photo album from our trip)

 

Marrakech

 

 

M'a ssalama,

Linds

Southern Spain

My parents made the long journey to Spain for two weeks over Christmas.  We spent a few days in Madrid, seeing all the sights and attempting to keep warm (hard to do when Dad forgot his winter coat and my electricity got shut off!).  Then, we were off to Southern Spain to visit the "Costa del Sol."  If ever there was a slogan that did not accurately describe a place, this was the one.  It was freezing, raining, cloudy and windy the entire time!  But that didn't stop us from seeing all the sights and in retrospect we probably saw more since we didn't spend any time laying on the beach.  It was quite the experience to navagate the roads of Spain but we got by quite well. 

We based ourselves in Malaga and made day trips from there.  Our first full day was spent visiting a few small mountain towns, most notably Ojen and Ronda.  The second day was spent in Sevilla (Seville in English).  The third day we traveled along the coast to Cadiz and the small country of Gibralter.  The fourth day we ventured east to Granada.  And the last day was spent in and around Malaga.  Then, we returned to Madrid to celebrate New Years with the millions of other people before Mom and Dad headed home.  It was a wonderful vacation full of lots of laughs, wine, frustrations (not with each other but mostly just with Spain!) and memories.  I'm so lucky they were able to make the trip and I look forward to many more vacations around the world together!

(click on the album below to view the pictures from our trip!)

Southern Spain

 

Besos a todos,

Lindsay