05/10/23- Today marks the end of the road for Sharece as we part ways at LHR airport in London (her to Terminal 3 to go back home and me to Terminal 2 for my flight to Oslo, Norway. As I enter the departures area, I see Kelvin waiting for me. Poor guy got in only two hours prior due to the emergency landing situation that forced him to find a new flight. I can already see his tired eyes.
We check into our flight, board on time and are waiting to take off when I get a message from Sharece that her flight home is delayed until 9pm. Geez! It doesn’t take long for her to actually get that switched to 3:30pm so there’s that.
The two hour flight to Norway lands around 1:20pm and the weather couldn’t be more perfect; 65 degrees and sunny. We tap our credit cards for the train to Oslo Central (which takes about 20 minutes) and walk the rest of the way to our hotel (Bob W Sentralen).
This is a unique hotel using a virtual key to unlock the doors and no front desk, but check-in is very easy. Since we’re both tired from our travels, we rest at the hotel for about 2 hours before walking the town.
I set the GPS to Akeshus Fortress, only 10 minutes away, as our first stop. It’s free to enter and interesting to see, but there’s not much other than a few buildings and an okay museum. Continuing on, we walk the waterfront, which Kelvin loves, and check out the Vippa food market which specializes in international foods from several areas. The prices seem quite high and we aren’t ready for a full meal, so we bypass for now.
Then we see the Opera House across the water with its slanted roof that you can walk up from the ground level. Kelvin parks himself near the water and rests while I tread my tired legs to the top for some interesting views of the city.
One of the most interesting things I see is the Urban Sauna. It’s basically an outdoor cabin where people sit in a sauna before taking a dip into the very cold bay waters. A concept I find intriguing but can’t see doing.
Our day ends with a trip to the market for some food and pastries and resting at the hotel. It was a great trip with Sharece and I already miss her so much, but I’m very exciting to spend the next few weeks with my son and see what added adventures we find.
Side note- Oslo has some very artistic statues throughout the city. Something I'm going to have to find more information on.
05/11/23- We get some much needed sleep and leave our hotel around 12:30pm. The weather is cloudy, so we mainly look for things to do indoors, but the Royal Palace intrigues me enough to start our day there.
There’s a long street leading up to the palace with barricades on both sides. We’re not sure what that’s about until we see a motorcade of black vehicles coming toward us and realize someone important is definitely part of this. Thinking nothing of it, we continue to the palace. There are a few guards standing in front of the building but we can literally walk right up to it without a gate keeping us out. Maybe I can ring the doorbell.
Shortly after, Kelvin and I part ways to each hit up a different museum (he chose the Viking Planet which is more of a virtual experience while I go to the Norwegian National Museum). As I present my ticket for entry, I’m told that the Italian President will soon be here and parts may be closed off during that time. Ah, now that explains the motorcade.
I go straight to the second floor to the Edvard Munch wing to see his original paintings “The Scream” (1893) and “Madonna” (1895) on display. What an awesome feeling to be able to see this in person.
I continue around the museum seeing other paintings (including Piacaso), sculptures and exhibits from Norwegian artists (as well as a weird dungeon like torture room) before heading to the lower floor and running into the Italian President, Sergio Mattarella, walking up the stairs with his entourage.
I check on Kelvin before going over Radhuset (City Hall). The building is open to the public with a very large and decorated main hall. I rummage around a bit, even go past a security barrier at one point to see what lies on the other side and see a city council meeting going on. I quickly back away, not wanting to get thrown out.
Kelvin text me that he’s done and we find a Norwegian restaurant nearby that he picks out. Not long after sitting down I’m astounded at the prices (equivalent of $30 for a hamburger and the prices keep going up). Kelvin thinks about ordering the Steak tar tar, but when we look it up to see it’s raw meat, we leave to go to another place.
It takes 10 minutes but we find a restaurant that we like (although the prices are still fairly high but it’s more to our liking of choices). We order the smoked whale, which is not a lot to eat but we couldn’t pass up this opportunity, and a plate of pulled pork with potatoes. The food was excellent and filling and the glass of water they provide is free as well. Good thing too because their drinks are also crazy ($10 US for a beer and $20 for a glass of wine). No thank you, water is perfect.
It’s now pushing 5:30pm and the rain is starting. We’re good for the day anyhow so we make our way back to our place (not before walking through an anti-war protest). I’m quite impressed with our hotel as it’s very comfortable with complimentary snacks and such. I’m also impressed with Oslo as a whole. Yeah it can be pricey but the presentation is excellent.
05/12/23- Our morning starts around 11:30am as we leave the hotel for the boat docks. We have a 1pm start time to cruise Oslo Fjord but we purposely arrive over an hour early to check out more of the surrounding area.
There’s a hill overlooking the waterfront that we climb to get a view of the area and see a couple having their wedding photos done, which is always a cool thing for me to see. We hit up a souvenir shop before getting in line for the cruise (which has already started to form).
The sun is beaming down as we wait to board, but overall the weather couldn’t be any more pleasant as it approaches 68 degrees. When they do let us on, we’re able to pick seats toward the front of the boat (which looks like an old Viking ship), and at 1pm we begin the cruise.
It’s very slow moving, passing by the fortress and Opera house, but soon sets out into the fjord to see the areas around Oslo. It’s not a super-exciting cruise but it’s informative and gives us a great look at older Norwegian houses.
Kelvin enjoys the quiet and calm ride as I take photos on almost every turn. The two hour trip is just enough time, and I didn’t even have to use my jacket once despite the wind breezing by.
Upon leaving the ship, we walk around the corner to Aker Brygge (which has several restaurants off the water). The first few we pass are packed and we aren’t feeling the atmosphere much, but down the way we find a more quiet section and a menu to our liking. Kelvin orders the muscles with white wine and chili sauce and I get the Shrimp sandwich. We figure this would be small portions again like yesterday but when we get our food we’re surprised to see how much of it there is. Kelvin literally gets a full pot and my plate is loaded with so much shrimp (with side bread). It’s all very good and filling to say the least.
We get the bill and taken aback by a gin and tonic drink added to the order when we only had tap water. They quickly take it off but I’m wondering if our original waiter (who disappeared shortly after taking our order) drank it himself and went home.
With not much more planned for today, we walk a few minutes more down the waterfront to Tjuvholmen Sculpture Park, which turns out to mostly be a sunbathing place. We feel like we entered a frat party as guys jump into the water and women lay out in bikinis, so we don’t stay very long.
On our way back to the hotel, Kelvin mentions Oslo Cathedral and we go inside to check it out. It’s free to enter and there’s a rose memorial outside for the victims of the 2011 terrorist attack. Very moving and glad we came by as that was one of the worst attacks since World War II in Norway.
What a great few days with Kelvin and we still have one more before our flight out. I really enjoy sampling food (as that’s his motivation for this trip to begin with) and seeing him grow up before my eyes.
Side note- The first prank has been established with Kelvin turning off the bathroom light on me while I was in the shower (as the light switch is outside of the door). I went along with it, but mistakenly used bodywash in my hair. The jokes on him because my hair is on point this morning.
05/13/23- Last day in Oslo before we fly out. Kelvin finds an interesting Norwegian Armed Forces Museum that we set out to see around noon. It’s located within a military area, so a bit weird walking through a gate of guards wondering if this is actually the right way, but they pay us no mind.
The museum costs 100 NOK (almost $10 US) and is larger than we thought. It starts out with more of a modern military feel, but once we go up a floor we begin to see artifacts from the Viking era, which intrigues us a good deal.
Each section goes over a specific point in time, whether from the war of 1812 and Napoleon through the World Wars. It’s an interesting take on history from a mostly neutral country during those times, although several parts are not in English.
We spend perhaps around 2 hours diving into history before contemplating what to do next. I noticed in the museum the fortress we went to on our first day and realize we never actually went up into the fortress, only around it. Thankfully it’s only a 5 minute walk for us to do so.
The steep incline has my legs reeling, but the views at the top make it worth the while. I ask about tickets to the tower and am told that the $10 US entry fee is only for inside the fortress. With Kelvin not feeling it we decide to move on.
At this point my stomach is rumbling for food. I search along the 21 minute route to our next destination of Damstredet, but nothing is appealing for just a quick bite. Damstredet is a small area of town that has old time Norwegian houses still in use. It’s a cute area to explore but doesn’t take long to go through it.
On the other side is Mathallen Oslo, which is a food hall of some 30 or so restaurants inside a building that resembles a warehouse. We search through the menus looking for something interesting when we find one that fits our appetite. We both order burgers (Moose and Boar for $20 US each) and they’re filling and good at first but the taste wears me down after a bit. The Moose has lingonberry sauce which makes it sweet but I don’t know, I guess when I crave a burger I want that cow meat taste. It is cool to say we did it though.
As the day winds down, we’re ready to call it for Oslo. It’s been an interesting few days, and somewhat relaxing as well. The prices are way too high, unfortunately, but overall I’m happy with the results. Tomorrow we have a very early morning flight to catch so don’t plan to stay up too late.
05/14/23- We wake up at 4am for our 7:55am flight to London. This will be the first of two flights as our second is scheduled for the afternoon. It was cheaper to book a round trip ticket to Oslo to go this route with “don’t-give-me-no” SAS airlines, but we will have to pick up our bags in London and recheck them in.
Kelvin is ready earlier than expected so we walk the 6 minutes to Oslo Central Train Station and board the Flytoget (airport train) to the airport. The cost is quite high (around $21 per person) but it gets us there in 20 minutes.
Checking in is simple as we use the electronic terminal to get our bag tags and self-bag drop-off. From there, we continue to our gate (which happens to be the furthest gate there is – F34), and take a seat. It’s still 2 hours before our flight so we have time to relax and chill.
Around 7:15am, the flight crew comes in like a scene from “Catch Me If You Can” with the pilot strutting along and the flight attendants laughing and giggling behind him. Soon after, the gate attendant rushes in and informs everyone that they need to leave the gate to be checked in properly. Seems odd but we all comply, and wait about 10 minutes in the lobby before she confirms our ticket and passports. Another 10 minutes goes by and when they open for boarding, we all just go right in. A bit disorganized but it works.
The plane ride is smooth as I slept most of the 2 hours, and once at London Heathrow, we go through passport control (which is the 3rd time this trip here so I’m very familiar now). Our bags are already waiting for us at baggage claim, and soon after exiting we find the lift back to departures to check into our next flight.
Security is a breeze and of course our gate is not available yet due to it being 4 ½ hours early, but we have lounge access with Aer Lingus so we go straight there. Wow, behind closed doors opens up a quiet room perfect for relaxing and taking a much needed load off. They have complimentary WiFi, breakfast, coffee, snacks and a bar with soft drinks, juices, wine, rum and even cognac. I bring Kelvin a Guinness Beer and his eyes light up like, “These next few hours just got more interesting”.
We take full advantage of the lounge with soup for lunch and taking some extra snacks for the plane before we get our gate number for our next flight. As we wait for boarding I notice our group is Aerspace, which is their first class section, and are delighted when we get the front seats on the plane. I’m so happy I’m able to give this experience to Kelvin as he literally can’t believe it all.
The flight is a short hour as we’re treated with a meal and more drinks, and touch down at Shannon airport in Ireland around 4:15pm. After getting our bags, we find National rental car right outside the baggage claim exit and pick up our car. I originally reserved a manual transmission, but after thinking about having to drive on the opposite side of the road I pay the difference for an automatic (which turns out to be a brand new SUV). I can live with that.
We finally reach our hotel around 5:30pm or so (Kelvin is amazed and freaked trying to get used to me driving on the left side) and settle in for the night. We think about going out but the lounge gave us so much food and drinks that we are just spent. Besides, we were able to plunder quite a bit to last us a few days.
05/15/23- We leave the hotel around noon and drive an hour to the Cliffs of Moher. This has been something on my list of places to see for some time now and it just so happens that the sky is blue and the sun is out. It does rain a bit on the way there, but only in spurts and clears up very fast. The hardest areas are actually the narrow roads as I maneuver from on-coming traffic and the occasional bus.
Arriving around 1:15pm, we pay the fee to park (12 Euros per person) and walk across the road to the Visitor Center. There are some local craft huts along the way and a much larger souvenir store inside that we visit, but our focus is on the cliffs so we don’t doddle too long.
Once at the viewpoint, I’m already very happy. The sky couldn’t be any clearer, and the cliffs are simply breathtaking. The wind is pretty strong, which causes us to wear our jackets though, and there are quite a few tourists around.
We dart off South to walk along the cliffs, unsure of how far we plan to go. The hike is modest, with some uphill and stairs, but overall not too bad for us as we walk over barriers meant to shy away the less advantaged. The farther we go, the less people we see and soon we feel like we’re the only ones around. I follow Kelvin’s lead, unsure how far he’s willing to go, which turns into a 5 kilometer (2.5 hour) hike to the far reaches of the cliffs around Moher Tower at Hag’s Head.
Taking a small break, we now have to trek back to the Visitor Center. Our stomachs are rumbling but surprisingly our legs feel great, and the wind is cooling us off from the sun. I also see a wedding about to start on our walk back as the groom shows up in a decked out car. I did contemplate staying and taking some photos, but didn’t want to take up the entire afternoon.
Finally, we reach our starting point and even though our legs can feel the brunt, we march up a path of stairs to the lookout point at the top of O’Brien’s Tower. The view is quite nice but it doesn’t take long before we head to our car.
With some time to kill before sunset, we drive 10 kilometers to the small town of Doolin. Here we find a place to eat (Riverside Bistro), which I order the Seafood pasta and let me say it’s absolutely fantastic. It’s full of cod, muscles and tiny shrimp with each bite having a mouth-watering buttery taste to it. Quite possibly the best food I’ve had on this long trip so far.
Not far up the road is a small strip of colored houses that we briefly stop at, and then drive back to the cliffs. It’s now around 8pm and sunset is not until 9:30pm, so we hit up the interactive displays at the Visitor Center (which is quite informative), warm up in our car for about half an hour before finally seeing the sun fall below the horizon.
It takes another hour to get to our hotel where we practically dive into our beds, relieved to finally be able to rest.
05/16/23- While checking out of our hotel, I’m approached by the person who checked us in a few days prior. He mentions he’s read my book and if he can have a picture taken with me, so of course I oblige. Wow, how awesome is that. Aaaand, that’s how today starts.
We drive the rental car 2.5 hours and arrive in Dingle around 3pm. The road is very easy to navigate and absolutely beautiful with rolling, green hills everywhere. We have to stop several times as we reach the peninsula for photos, trying hard not to cause a traffic jam along the way.
On arrival, we check-in to our hotel (Quayside B&B) throw our things in the room, ask for a tourist map, and off we go. We have no time to waste as we’re anxious to head down the coastline. About 10 minutes into the drive, we come across a vast open water area and quickly pull over and jog down the stairs for a better view. This is why I love having a rental as we can simply stop our car anytime, anywhere.
We continue our drive to Dunmore Head, which we hike up a tall hill to the top for some excellent views of the Atlantic Ocean and small islands. Apparently Star Wars – The Last Jedi was filmed here as well. It’s a bit hard on the legs, and we have to dodge sheep manure, but it’s well worth the journey. Surprisingly, the wind isn’t blowing as much as I would’ve thought.
Another thing we explore is the Beehive huts. These are preserved prehistoric, old rock dwellings from around 2000 BC located on the hillside. It amazes me how these are still standing without anything to hold the stones together. While here, a bird jumps on the hood of our car and stares at us through the windshield. Great, another pushy bird looking for a handout.
Next up is the ruined church of Kilmalkedar. Built around the year 1200, its roof is completely gone with only the exterior walls still standing. Gravestones new and old surround the once prominent church giving it a unique appearance.
Last up is Rahinnane Castle. It cost only 2 Euros for entry, and we have to go through the backyard of a house (and through an actual field of sheep making sure to watch our step once again), which is all weird. At one point I hear the sheep as if they’re laughing at us, which doesn’t help my nerves. I mean, I’ve seen horror movies start out this way. In the end, we make it to the castle, take our photos and move on.
After about 3.5 hours of driving and hiking, we make it back to Dingle. With the time pushing almost 7pm, we search for a restaurant and find several places closed already. Kelvin wants pizza, so we continue to search and finally come across a place. Of course he orders a large, spicy one for himself (which I was kinda hoping we’d share) so I order a whole Margarita pizza and about bust my stomach eating 7 of the 8 slices.
We finally get back to our small hotel room and stay in for the night. Another successful day accomplished with good weather.
Side note- Everyone we’ve met is extremely nice and friendly in Ireland. A simple hello turns into a conversation of where we’re from and what we plan to do, or even more in depth questions about our heritage. They’re also super helpful and sometimes open with the cursing. It’s definitely a different world here, one I’m beginning to enjoy.
05/17/23- Driving around Ireland is an awesome experience and being on the other side of the road gets easier every day. Which is good because after checking out, I drive another 2+ hours to get to Cork, Ireland.
We arrive at our hotel (Oriel House Hotel) around 1pm to find our room isn’t ready, but we want to explore the area anyway so not a big deal. The front desk lady helps us with a plan of action and advises us to take the bus to the center of Cork as parking is expensive and hard to find. We take her up on that, but unfortunately the 220 bus isn’t running every 15 minutes but every 30 minutes (which we have to wait for). Then it takes us 30 minutes through 22 stops to finally get to Cork, and another 10 minute walk to our first destination of Shandon Bells and Tower.
The area looks pretty rundown, and nothing like the open, green spots we’ve seen the past few days, but soon get to the old part of town that looks much better with colored houses lining the river.
Once we get to the tower, it cost us 6 Euros each to climb the stairs to the top and we see a 360 view of the entire city. Built around 1722, Shandon Bells and Tower is the symbol of the city and was the largest 4-sided clock tower in the world before Big Ben was built.
Next up, we walk 16 minutes to Elizabeth Fort, which was originally built for defense in the 17th century before being converted to a woman’s prison. The entrance is free, and we’re able to walk the wall around, but not much to it besides this.
Ready to go back, we wait at the bus stop for another 30 minutes before it finally arrives and are met with a hoard of people to get on. At first I wonder if there’s even room for us, but the double-decker top somehow accommodates.
At the hotel, we get our room and immediately are impressed with the space. This hotel is absolutely amazing (especially after the last one which was very small), and to top it off they have a hot tub. We waste no time in changing into our suits and enjoy the soothing jets on our weary legs.
We only have one full day left in Ireland before we fly out. We’ve been blessed with great weather so far, but tomorrow shows rain in the afternoon so we’ll see what happens.
05/18/23- Waking up in a nice hotel is exactly what I needed. The bed is comfortable, there’s room to move around and breakfast is an open buffet. Too bad this was only for one night.
We start our drive around 11am and head for Blarney Castle (about 20 minutes away). It’s nice to not have to drive an hour or two to begin the day this time. We easily find street parking, get our tickets (20 Euros each which is a bit steep) and walk the grounds until we get to the castle entrance.
There’s a line formed that stretches outside that entrance, but it’s expected as kissing the Blarney Stone at the top is the main attraction. Legend says that kissing the stone will provide the gift of persuasion, so there’s that.
It takes about 40 minutes to reach the top and when it’s my turn, I hand over my phone to Kelvin to take a photo, put my other things on the ground, lean back into the helper’s arms and proceed to kiss the stone while bending backwards. Unfortunately, my beanie didn’t make the cut and falls right off my head during the ordeal. I was certain it fell to a dismal grave, but somehow it lands on a single beam within reach. Unbelievable and very fortunate!
At the bottom, we walk the gardens for a spell before getting in the car and drive to Cork City Gaol. We wanted to do this yesterday but it wasn’t within walking distance. Today actually works out best because they have free parking.
The entrance fee is 10 Euros each and this place is massive (larger than the castle that we just came from). It was built primarily of stone in 1824 and used as a prison for over 100 years. It was said to be the finest in the three kingdoms, which is quite funny to think about.
Inside, it’s laid out very nicely as a museum, allowing us to imagine how the conditions were so many years ago. The three floors had quite a bit of information and even had a radio museum section (after the prison was closed due to the Irish revolution).
With Cork now complete, we hop in the car and drive over three hours to Dublin. The road is mostly highway, although getting out of Cork is a pain. Another car and ours get stuck on a narrow street facing each other as we maneuver around (which is a bit nerve racking).
In Dublin, I find the AirBnb location but the parking area is tricky. I have to turn down a very narrow alley (barely big enough for our car) and maneuver around the corner for the space. Then we walk around the building, across the street and up three flights of steps for our room. Needless to say, we left our suitcases in the car and brought only what we need for tonight.
After a few hours sleep, we take an Uber to Temple Bar. I promised Kelvin I’d drink a beer with him on this trip (which is not my favorite drink by any means) and shortly after finding the right bar I do just that. We enjoy a few shots before hopping over to the next one where they’re playing live Irish folk music. I love Ireland.
With midnight approaching, we opt to go back to the hotel, but Kelvin prefers to walk the 35 minutes. And so we do. The last four days have been awesome and have loved every moment of it, unfortunately tomorrow we’ll say goodbye to Ireland, but only for now… not forever, as I’m sure we’ll be back again one day.
05/19/23- Our flight doesn’t leave until 1pm, but we check-out of our AirBnb early to take advantage of the lounge again. Somehow I manage to maneuver the rental car from the parking space and it takes 40 minutes to get to National Rental Car by the airport. Only issue is the return gate is closed.
I jump out of the car and over the barricade to ask and find that they only accept returns at the terminal. There’s another customer going there as well so I follow him to Terminal 2 and drop the rental off without any issues.
Check-in for our flight is easy, but the security line is the longest we’ve seen yet. Good thing we aren’t in a hurry this morning otherwise this may have been a different blog.
It’s now around 10:30am and we’re finally able to hit the lounge. I mean, that was the plan until we’re told that our lounge access was only for London Heathrow and not Dublin. Well, no free alcoholic drinks and breakfast this morning.
Surprisingly, I’m not fazed, and actually just happy to be at the airport waiting for our flight to Spain. I did pick up some chicken nuggets along the way so at least I have something to eat. I know the airline will sell on the plane, but I refuse to pay anything that shouldn’t be a charge.
The flight was supposed to take 2 hours but we arrive 30 minutes quicker than expected (with everyone on the plane chatting away like it’s one big tour group. We go through passport control, pick up our suitcases and exit the terminal to find the bus to the city center. Wouldn’t you know it, it pulls up within seconds and we have just enough time to hop on, pay the 3 Euro fare each (I had exactly 6 Euros in change), and 2 stops later, BAM, we’re here.
Our hotel (Ibis Bilbao Centro) is still a 10 minute walk away, so we lug our suitcases on the cobble stone without stopping. Luckily the weather is a very pleasant 60 degrees. After check-in, we rest for only about 15 minutes before going back out to get started.
I’m in love with the buildings here. It reminds me of Madrid but on a smaller scale and has that unique European feel on every street. I’m stopping every minute to take photos much to the chagrin of Kelvin who’s a bit wore out. Once we get to the waterfront I see the Guggenheim Building with its quirky structure.
Around the corner is more wacky stuff (a giant spider and interesting statues) that make this entire area feel like an art gallery.
Realizing we still haven’t had a decent meal in two days, we find a tapas bar nearby. I ask for a menu but the kitchen is closed. What they do have are the tapas lined up at the bar where you can pick what you want individually (much like a bakery). I try the slider hamburger and the octopus breaded thingy and Kelvin tries the octopus and shrimp. They’re all pretty good.
We close the day with a trip to the supermarket and getting some much needed rest. Three days in the same hotel is going to feel nice after all the hopping around we just did in Ireland.
05/20/23- Today marks the halfway point of my trip with Kelvin, and the beginning of my 8th week overall. I’m not going to lie, it’s been challenging to get going every day, but the finish line is fast approaching so making the most of it.
I have a rental car reserved by the bus station to drive to the Rioja region for wine tasting. It takes us 15 minutes to walk from our hotel and another 10 minutes to find Budget Rental Car before realizing it’s underground in the bus terminal (which is another unique looking building).
Shortly after 10am, we begin our drive of an hour to get to the first winery of R. Lopez de Heredia. The road is fairly easy to navigate, although I have to get used to driving on the correct side again. Once here, we park our car and look for the entrance only to find that they do not do tastings. We think about coming in for a glass (as they have an interesting coat hanger design), but decide to continue to the next winery.
Another 25 minutes pass before we get to Bodegas Ysios, and already I’m in love with the pixilated looking building. Inside, we enjoy a tasting for 45 Euros (seems expensive but they include 6 half glasses of wine, crackers and cheese). Their tasting room is also full of barrels and quiet at first, before a big group comes in. We’re not a big fan of their mostly dry, red wines (especially the last one with a price tag of 170 Euros for the bottle).
The next place on our list is Bodegas Marques de Riscal. Their wines (which include a flight of 3 reds and 3 whites) are very smooth and much to our liking. They even have tapas for cheap as I get the ham and cheese croquette and Kelvin the Spanish omelet. Afterwards, we try to mosey around to find a good spot to take a picture of their building, but apparently they’re having a wedding today and no one is allowed any closer than the tasting room. I’m still able to get a decent shot from the road on the way out.
We decide to hit up one more place called Bodegas Campo Viejo, which is on a hilltop allowing for some nice views of their vineyards. We enjoy the tasting and they even throw in a simi-sweet one at the end (which Kelvin loves). He asks how much and we’re floored when they say only 5 Euros for the full bottle. He jumps on it like he stole something and left before they could change their mind.
It’s now after 4pm and time to drive back to Bilbao. I opt to skip the toll road (which was 12.5 Euros on the way down) so it takes 2 hours to return, unfortunately we can’t locate a gas station anywhere near the bus station. Driving through the city is not fun by any means but we manage to find one, fill up the tank and return the rental before walking back to our hotel.
05/21/23- It was supposed to rain today so we sleep in, but wake up to it being partially cloudy. The weather here still baffles me, but not complaining. I do ask the front desk to print off some health forms that I apparently need to end Morocco tomorrow and order a taxi to take us to the airport around 7am. I’ll have to check back with them to confirm that one.
Shortly after noon, we walk to the Historic district (which is past the train station and the dirty side of town) and this place is very lively. The buildings are colorful and the shops are open (even on a Sunday) and I’m here soaking up the atmosphere.
With no real direction today, we walk a few blocks to Bilbao Santiago Cathedral, which is just letting out for mass. A crowd forms outside of the doorway allowing me to walk right in and take some pictures, but after a few minutes I’m told they are closing. I definitely got here at the right time to get what I did.
Further around the area, we stop over at Plaza Nueva, which is a huge open area full of restaurants and loud patrons. It’s too crowded for us to stay and eat so we walk back towards our hotel to find something small and quick. After hitting up a souvenir shop, we find a kabob place where I use the last of my Euros. It’s all credit card or nothing now.
It's a short day as we use this time to rest. Our flight leaves early and can't wait for the last phase of this trip to start in Africa.
Side note- My tour excursion in Tangier got cancelled today because they had an issue charging my card (which I set this up 2 months prior). The 3rd party booking company wants to charge me $40 more to rebook, but I contact the actually tour company and get it for cheaper than the original price.
05/22/23- We start our morning by waking up at 5:30am. Even though we have a 7am taxi pick-up time (which appears to cost around 35 Euros), I decide to look at Uber and find a ride for only 20 Euros. I quickly cancel the taxi with the hotel and use that option. Upon arrival, I hear Spanish rap music blasting from the Uber and start to rethink this idea, but I go along. I mean what’s the worst that can happen in a foreign country… kidnapped? Oh yeah, that does happen. Hmmm.
Flight #1- It takes 20 minutes and we get to departures 2 ½ hours before our flight. We drop off our bags at the counter, go through security (which was very fast), then wait in the lobby area over an hour before our gate number is called, stand in line at the gate with still half an hour before boarding (which is weird), and finally board the plane. It leaves on time and is only in the air for 40 minutes before touching down in Madrid (very hard landing by the way).
Flight #2- We exit into Terminal 4 and see that our next flight is at Terminal S. We take the elevator down, wait on the underground train to take us to the terminal, wait in line for passport control and get to our gate just as they start to board. However, this boards a bus that takes us to our plane and once we settle into our seats the captain says there’s congestion at the airport and our flight will be delayed. It takes 1 ½ hours before we actually take off and arrive in Tangier, Morocco around 12:45pm.
We exit and people are being handed their small luggage that was stored under the plane like it’s a bus stop. Then we walk inside the airport, go through passport control again and pick up our checked bags from baggage claim.
Before leaving, I make sure to get Moroccan cash from the ATM (as this is primarily a cash based country) and find a taxi that takes us to our hotel area for 150 MAD ($15 US). I say hotel area because we’re in old town and closed for cars, so we’re let off about a 5 minute walk away (all incline and stairs).
Finally, we check into our hotel and are offered a welcome tea and cookie while we wait. The concierge brings our bags to our room and already I’m impressed with the décor of this hotel (Palais Zahia). It really does look like a palace.
We sit down for only a few minutes before running outside to walk around. Not even a block down the road do we suddenly hear thunder, and we retreat back to get our jackets and umbrella. My mind is set on at least going to the Kasbar Mosque nearby so that’s where we go first, but just as we arrive it pours down rain.
We search for the mosque but can’t see where to enter, and instead opt to check out the Kasbar Museum for only $3 US each to get out from the downpour. It’s unique and small, but by the time we’re done the rain slows.
Feeling hungry, we find a nearby place and order the Moroccan soup (which comes with bread and cheese). Somehow the bill only comes to $1.50 US each. So let me get this straight. I spend a total of $19.50 US and get a ride from the airport, a museum visit and food? I’m loving these prices.
We go back to the hotel thinking we’re done for the day until I see the sky clearing, and immediately am ready to explore. I run out like a kid on Christmas morning trying to get whatever shots I can with the blue sky, and even enjoy a rainbow to boot.
Before we call it a day, I try again to find the mosque from earlier and told it’s not accessible and only can be seen from the outside (which is also hard to take a proper picture of). At least this explains it from before.
With another early start looming tomorrow, we head back around 8pm. Our hotel is hosting a large party for dinner tonight and the performers are very loud. Feels like I stepped into an Indian Jones movie.
Side note- I didn’t know what to expect for Tangier but have to say it’s better than I thought. There are some pushy locals around, but not necessarily inside old town, which is where we’re staying.
05/23/23- A van is set to pick us up for our daytrip to Chefchaouen this morning at 8am. I ask the hotel about our included breakfast and find it’s also not ready until 8am. Thinking we may be out of luck on eating first, I get a message that the van is running late, which gives us plenty of time to have a few bites and take some with us.
The drive is a long 2 hours and we get some sleep on the way. It’s also raining so we’re hoping it clears a bit to get some clean photos and to not get drenched. Miraculously, almost the moment we arrive, the rain stops. We meet our local guide who takes us to the top of the old medina part of town so we can work our way down.
Chefchaouen is known as the Blue City due to its blue colored buildings and streets. It’s used to ward of mosquitos and became a theme throughout which solidifies it’s culture.
Our guide (who was born and raised here) goes over the history thoroughly while taking us to the best photo spots. We could have walked the city on our own but the extra $20 is well worth the cost.
Cats are also the main theme as they are literally on every street. Kelvin leans down to take a photo of one while another jumps into his lap, and his eyes light up. He’s missed his own for the past few weeks so I’m glad he’s able to enjoy other cats along the way.
After about an hour and a half of walking through town, the rain begins to hit, which gives us time to look at a few local shops and their handcrafted work. Even though we don’t buy anything, they still welcome us with tea and aren’t pushy at all.
Getting close to 1pm, we sit down to eat lunch ordering pasta, beef skewers and a cappuccino. Like before, they freely give us bread and olives that fill us up quite nicely and all for $10 per person. We were told by our guide they take credit card, but cash is the only option. Luckily we came prepared.
It’s now 2pm and time to go back to Tangier. We outlast the 2+ hour trip back and it’s still pouring. Can’t believe that window of no rain worked out perfectly, even our guide made mention of how lucky we are. Once at the hotel, we stay in for the rest of the day enjoying the rooftop and planning out tomorrow. Less than a week remains on this long journey and honestly I’m looking forward to home.
05/24/23- Another lazy day is upon us as Tangier is all but done. Wake up after 10am and eat breakfast (which consist of breads, meats, jelly) and chill in the room until 2pm for check-out. My gold member status gives us 2 hours extra so we take full advantage.
We order lunch at the attached restaurant (I get caramelized cream which I didn’t realize was just flan) and wait at the rooftop before grabbing our luggage and heading out. At the door we see a street performer juggling flaming batons, which catches out attention for a moment, before continuing to the lower street level to find a taxi. I was told to look for the small blue/green one but only see tan (which takes us to the train station for only $4 US so no big deal).
This station is quite nice for the area and impressive. The strange part is no one seems to speak English. Weird that the taxi drivers speak English but not the public train stations. We wait for our track to be called and board 15 minutes before it departs at 5pm. This is a bullet train taking only 2 hours, which normally would take 7 hours to drive to Casablanca, and the seats are pretty comfortable.
We arrive shortly after 7:10pm, grab some burgers (because it’s time for an actual meal) and realize that our hotel is further out than expected. I thought we could walk 8 minutes but turns out it’s a 10 minute drive. I locate a taxi rank outside and immediately am hounded by drivers, which I walk past because you never take offers from people standing around. Finally find one and quoted 100 MAD ($10 US) which seems a bit high for the area but we’re ready to get to the hotel so we take it.
We check in, get to our room and to my relief it’s very modern. Tomorrow will be our only day to explore before moving on, so we spend the rest of the night mapping out a plan. Also, the daily prayers over the loud speaker are going off every few hours already so I'm fully expecting a wake-up call around the 6am range.
Side note- Appears to be a tram that can take us back to the train station so may explore that route in a few days.
05/25/23- It was a good night’s sleep (although the morning prayer is heard around 4:30am). We leave around 11am and walk toward the medina markets. I’m skeptical about this area as I read that it’s not nearly as good as other cities in Morocco and can seem very invasive regarding the type of locals there.
Once we get there, the reviews were right as the smell is just horrid and food stands look anything but tempting. I also don’t dare to stop and look around for too long as people are ready to hound us every time we do. It’s definitely not a place to enjoy (I mean who sells a used toilet on the street), but it’s a means to an end to get to our next destination of the mosque.
The walk takes around 35 minutes from the hotel to get to Hassan II Mosque and it doesn’t disappoint. It’s located right off the Atlantic Ocean shore and very quiet compared to where we just came from. The subtle breeze also helps cool us off from the 75 degree sunny day beating down on us.
We get our tickets ($13 US each) and are amazed with the size of the complex as we approach. I know it’s not even noon but it baffles me there’s hardly anyone around (our pictures are so clean of people it makes me wonder).
I see stairs leading into the mosque that lead to underground baths of a sort (not sure exactly what it’s used for) and soon find another set of stairs leading into the worship area itself. At first I’m just taking photos and enjoying the large, open space before realizing other people inside have their shoes off. Immediately, I take mine off and hold onto them, but not long afterI’m approached by security escorting me to an English-speaking guide for interpretation (all while pointing at my shoes).
Turns out, we entered through the back of the mosque and he needs to check our tickets to confirm everything. Once he does, he hands me a bag to place my shoes in and allows me to carry on. Kelvin isn’t so lucky as they make him exit and go in the correct way.
I’m in awe over the high ceilings and grand detail as it’s definitely a marvel in itself. Ready to move on, we check out the small museum before walking around the complex to the shoreline.
There are locals swimming next to the mosque but not much else, so we continue walking the shore while enjoying the peace and quiet. That is until realizing we’re walking toward a dead end, and to backtrack would be a 25 minute walk around. Being presumptive, we keep on hoping there’s a path not on our GPS and we find one that ends with a barricade just short enough for us to climb over, thankfully.
This takes us to the marina, which has a large, clean modern mall. We grab some food, rest our legs for a bit and then walk the remaining 20 minutes back to our hotel. We try to find souvenirs along the way but only see some magnets which we’re not too interested in.
We end the day ordering pasta and a sandwich from our hotel, “Here’s looking at you, kid”. Casablanca is an industrial city and I’m glad for the short stay as one day is plenty. I can’t wait for our train out tomorrow to our next destination as our trip is winding down and I can see the finish line.
05/26/23- Casablanca is not a place I’d consider going to again as it didn’t have much to offer outside of being a business city. With that said, I’m definitely happy to be leaving this morning to Marrakesh.
Our hotel flags down a taxi for us but as soon as the driver sees us he keeps going. I guess he doesn’t like Americans. A moment later, another taxi arrives with a female passenger already inside. They ask her to move to the front seat to make room for us (which she does) then puts Kelvin’s luggage on top of the car without straps. Somehow, it stays on even through the erratic driving.
We’re an hour early, and as we wait another passenger starts smoking inside the terminal causing others to yell at him to go outside. When the train arrives almost 10 minutes late, we find there’s no place to store our luggage except for overhead (which is too small for mine). I find an empty row to put it in, which lasts about an hour before a person claims the seat. It’s here that I have to practically straddle it. Also, the old man behind us kept playing Candy Crush on his phone as an insanely high volume.
The train arrives around 12:15pm and our hotel pickup is not there to greet us (which I figure because they never confirmed they received my message that I requested a ride). Instead, we locate a taxi at the station for half the cost ($10 US).
Our first impression of our hotel (Riad Lena & Spa) is not the best as it appears to be run by a single person frantically moving through paperwork to find our reservation. He does provide us “welcome tea” on the rooftop while we wait. Once in the room, I’m surprised to find the shower not behind a closed door. Glad I took one yesterday. The internet also barely works from our floor, which is a bummer.
Finally, we’re ready to explore Marrakesh’s souk market (not before locking our room door with a pad lock). As soon as we step out into the market streets, several motor bikes zip past us. We can’t even go a few steps without having to get out of the way of more bikes going in both directions. This is definitely a different world here. At least the shop owners are more relaxed, allowing us to browse without being pushy.
We make it out of the market area, buy some bread from a vendor for literally 10 cents and continue toward Badi Palace. On our way, I’m stopped by a local trying to tell me Badi is closed as he shows me his stash of stuff. Knowing this scam, we circle around and see it’s actually open. I mean come on, it’s a ruined palace, it’s not closed.
Badi Palace is from 1578, commissioned by sultan Ahmad al-Mansur of the Saadian dynasty. How do I know this? Because I looked it up for you. It’s a large complex and quite interesting to roam around in (with tunnels, caves and artwork, all for only $7 US). They even have stork nests around.
It’s now close to 4:30pm and we’re ready to head back (and of course we see a long hauling truck trying to make its way into the medina walls, blocking our way back in). The walk has taken a toll on us, along with the 85 degree weather, so we find a KFC to get some safe food for today and rest. We still have two more full days to explore so should be interesting what we find.
05/27/23- I actually get over 12 hours sleep. Partially due to the internet here sucks so was a bit bored, but also there isn’t a reason to wake up early. I almost missed the hotel breakfast on the roof (which doesn’t have much of a view) and get there just in time for pancakes, crepes and jelly. They also serve goats milk but that’s not something I wish to temp my stomach with right now.
Doing a bit of research, we head out to Bahia Palace. We brave the souk market again, which is even worse this time around with the Saturday tour groups packing the tight quarters.
We make it to the palace (built in the mid 1850s and eventually turned into one of the most visited tourist spots in Morocco), pay the 70 MAD ($7 US) in cash and immediately are overwhelmed with the amount of people inside. Every spot is taken up with instagrammers trying to find their perfect pose, and getting shots in between the waves of tour groups is almost a non-existent. I say almost because it does level off at times.
We spend almost an hour touring the rooms, open courtyard and art before exiting. We then decide to aimlessly walk outside the walls of the medina (getting away from the shops) and see where it leads. The first interesting spot is the Koutoubia mosque (which we can’t go inside due to being non-Muslim) and walk around the building. Then we continue another 10 minutes to the old city walls before making our way back toward our hotel.
As we get close, we spot a restaurant and get a chicken and tuna sandwich for only $2 US each (comes with fried but mine taste fishy), and barricade ourselves into the hotel for the night. There are a few things left to do in Marrakesh but saving some of that until tomorrow as I only have around 100 MAD left in cash ($10 US) and prefer to use it wisely.
05/28/23- It’s been a long road, one I’ll never forget but soon may put out of my mind. In the eve of my journey home I’m much reminded of what I’m fortunate to have and grateful to be able to go back to it. These past nine weeks have been insane on what I’ve put my body through, but I’d do it all over again if asked.
We have breakfast on the rooftop around 9:30am (same selection as yesterday) and plan out our day. We almost booked a hot-air balloon ride for this morning, but the cloudy weather is not in our favor, so we opt to stay close.
Kelvin wants to look at souvenirs, so we work our way to the other side of the medina (26 minute walk) to find a container, but he still wants it filled with a colored spice. Continuing through the markets, we find a place, load his container up with blue pigment for 170 MAD ($17 US) and walk out just before realizing they overcharged him by an extra $20 US. I quickly return and of course they act as if it’s a complete accident and offer us 200 MAD back in cash as they don’t know how to refund on the machine.
With that sorted out, we walk through the narrow markets (which isn’t as bad this morning and but endure the occasional catcall from shop owners trying to get our attention) to Ben Youssef Madrasa. This is an old Islamic college built around the year 1550 that now functions as a historical site. The entire place is laid out in tile, including the rooms and hallways, and easy to get turned around in.
The main square has a fountain, which attracts many tourists, but at least it’s not as bad as the palace from yesterday. It’s a very interesting place, takes us perhaps around 45 minutes to look through and all for about $5 US.
With the weight of our flight tomorrow upon us, we’re feeling the brunt of the trip hit us all at once. As there’s nothing else to explore, we go back to our hotel and enjoy the rest and relaxation. Unfortunately, it’s in the reception area as the Wi-Fi still doesn’t work well in our room.
Venturing out one more time, we eat some Moroccan tacos (which is more like a fajita) and crash for the night, but not before realizing they have a hot tub on the rooftop. The temperature is only around 5 degrees but the jets are perfect. While there, the hotel manager confirms our taxi ride for tomorrow and the city tax (which wasn’t discussed at check-in). The total is to be 400 MAD ($40 US) and cash only. It’s a great thing that the shop earlier made that “mistake” and gave us 200 MAD back because we literally have just enough to pay the amount due. Wow!
Overall, I’m happy with our stay here, but so very glad to be going home tomorrow. It literally can’t get here soon enough.
05/29/23- Going home day is finally here. Our ride shows up at 7:45am and takes us to the airport in 15 minutes. We check in, drop off our luggage, grab our tickets and proceed to passport control (which is weird as this first flight is domestic to Casablanca).
There’s a stir from the guard when looking at our tickets and we’re held up for about 10 minutes while they sort it out. They let us through, but I realize the airline put both of our flights on the same paper ticket (including the next one to New York) so I’m sure that was the issue. It’s here that I notice our next flight tickets are both middle seats and will need to ask someone at the next airport for a change.
Our flight leaves on time at 10:40am and literally takes only 20 minutes in the air before we touch down. I’ve never been on a flight that short but we get there none-the-less. We then have to go back through security as soon as we enter the airport (I mean seriously, what could’ve we brought on the last plane that’s suddenly not allowed on the next). Needless to say, my soda purchased before the flight is now dumped.
We get through fine and I have to hunt down someone from Royal Air to assist on the tickets but told to go back through transit (which makes me go back through security again). The lady barely looks at my ticket after I explain the situation and says “Impossible, flights full” then ignores me until I leave. Um, it’s four hours before the flight, there’s no way it’s full already. Either case, there’s nothing I can do at this point so it’s the middle of the plane it is.
Upon returning to our gate, where Kelvin is waiting for me, a group of people sit around us smelling as if they just got off the bus from Cameroon. I’m really hoping our seats are not around this body odor.
I then call customer service to see what they can do and am told since I booked with American Airlines that they can’t do anything. I contact American Airlines and they say since it’s not their plane they can’t do anything. LOL. The saga continues.
The layover is a long 4 hours but we manage by eating the breakfast our hotel gave us. As we board, I talk with one of the flight crew who does change my seat to a window. I give it to Kelvin because I’m a nice guy and honestly the middle seat I have isn’t that bad as I’m able to watch several movies to waste time.
The flight is smooth until the landing, which felt like we were about to tumble over. Passport control is easy to go through; we pick up our bags, walk out of the terminal and call an Uber, taking us 10 minutes to our hotel (Fairfield Inn by Marriott). We have an actual microwave in our room (which none of the hotels in Europe did), extra towels, tv works with English channels and the room is large. I missed America.
END OF BLOG
