As per usual, I arrived way too early at the airport. One of these days, this trait will pay off.

The immigration line at the Casablanca airport was ridiculous. Some folks were kept with the officer for 20 minutes. As an American, or just bc I’m me, I was basically waved in. Hmmm. Go USA?

So, Casablanca is rather bleak….so far. I walked around for a hour looking for dinner until I remembered that the sun was up,  I was in Morocco, and it’s Ramadan. Cereal it Is!

I’ll enjoy one day here on my own and then meet with the group for the tour.

Good night!

I almost felt like I was back in the hill towns of Tuscany today. City walls, sleepy streets, so many restaurants. 

The monastery couldn’t be visited by me, but I spent a lovely 6 hours wandering into churches, taking water breaks, and seeing lots of St Teresa related material. There’s a cathedral and several museums too.

Nice place, nice people. Great day trip, and easy, once I figured out how to catch the right train!

Tomorrow I go to Morocco to await my last adventure, a bus tour of the northern part of the country.

Bye for now!

Well….I was supposed to go to Avila. Lots of st Teresa stuff there, of course.

I got on the wrong train, and ended up merely taking a tour of the Spanish countryside. Short story, it’s dry but somehow lovely.

I gave up and went on a walking tour of the “new ” part of town. It was great  as always to hear bits about how real people lived in the old days. The guide had a lot to say about Franco, too. Probs it’s not ok for the guides to get so politics but it was fascinating.

I spent the rest of the day wandering around random neighborhoods. So many neat little shops.

Today I actually did make it to Avila. More on that later.

❤

It.is.hot.

Now that’s out of the way, Madrid is everything I’ve remembered. It’s great here. 

This time around, I’ll see what I missed last time. Mostly museums, that also happen to be air conditioned😓

Today I went on a great walking tour of the old town, and to a modern art museum.  At the museum they have a massive exhibit of Picasso’s Guernica. Picasso isn’t my favorite but that was a so well curated his stock is rising.

Tomorrow more city,  then Tuesday a day trip to Avila or Seville.

Have a great week!