We arrived in Pisa in the pouring rain, yet again. The skies were gray when we got our first glimpse of the famous leaning tower.

Eric insisted that I take at least one of the goofy, touristy pictures of him “holding up” the tower.

But the weather gods were kind to us in that the rain lightened up a bit while we familiarized ourselves with the town, walked around, and found a restaurant for a late lunch. Gone were the Ligurian cuisine items now replaced with pappardelle with wild boar ragú and roasted meats and steaks and lots of grilled fresh vegetables on the menu.

In the morning we were blessed with plenty of sunshine for our deep dive into the Piazza dei Miracoli (Square of Miracles) aka Piazza del Duomo (Cathedral Square). Pisa means mouth, which is fitting as the city sits on the mouth of the Arno River as it spills into the Ligurian Sea – although with centuries of silt flowing down the river and depositing sediment at the mouth, the city is several miles inland currently. There is archaeological evidence that the city dates back to the Etruscans in the 5th century BC. The city was a prominent maritime center as early as ancient Roman times, as described by Virgil in the Aeneid, and due to its position near both the coast and the river, maintained that status throughout the middle ages. It was at the height of Pisa’s power and wealth that the cathedral and its accompanying structures were started in 1064.

Due to timed tickets, our tour started in Palazzo dell’Opera (Opera here means “works of art”), built in several stages from the 14th century through the 19th. Originally these houses belonged to the workmen of the cathedral complex: the tailor, the gardener, the bell ringers, etc., until the 19th century when the administration offices of the Opera della Primaziale were moved in. Today it houses a lot of the original statues and artworks from the cathedral which have been replaced with replicas in their original positions to preserve their integrity. One of the first exhibited items are the bronze doors: the San Ranieri door, built in 1186 by Bonanno Pisano depicting the main episodes of the Life of Christ and originally on the entrance of the right transept of the cathedral.

Also exhibited is the Pisa Griffin, a large bronze sculpture of a a mythical beast with head and wings of an eagle but body of a horse. It has been in Pisa since the Middle Ages despite its Islamic origin of late 11th or early twelfth century.  The Pisa Griffin is the largest medieval Islamic metal sculpture known, standing over 42 inches tall. Its original Islamic purpose is unknown, but in Pisa the griffin was placed on a platform atop a column rising from the gable above the  apse at the east end of the cathedral, probably as part of the original construction that started in 1064.

Also exhibited in the Opera are works by Giovanni Pisano (1230-1315), and Italian sculptor who trained under his father Nicola Pisano. Giovanni Pisano built the pulpit for the cathedral as well as created many of the statues for the baptistry.

In addition to the many statues, the Opera also contained examples of the inlaid wood for the choir benches

and robes for the bishops

and the various pieces required for services.

After thoroughly familiarizing ourselves with the works and artists who created them, it was time to see the cathedral. Due to ongoing renovations work, the door usually used by the public, the San Ranieri door, was closed to the public.

We entered from the other side. Construction of the cathedral began in 1064 to the designs of the architect Bushceto. It set the model for the distinctive Pisan Romanesque style  of architecture.

The mosaics of the interior, as well as the pointed arches, show a strong Byzantine influence. The façade, of grey marble and white stone set with discs of colored marble, was built by a master named Rainaldo.

I just love the details, especially the gargoyles.

The interior is faced with black and white marble and has a gilded ceiling. It was largely redecorated after a fire in 1595, which destroyed most of the Renaissance artworks.

The coffered ceiling of the nave was replaced after the fire of 1595. The present gold-decorated ceiling carries the coat of arms of the Medici. 

The dome has an impressive fresco.

The impressive mosaic of Christ in Majesty, in the apse,  flanked by the Virgin and Saint John the Evangelist, survived the fire.

The elaborately carved pulpit, which also survived the fire, was executed by Giovanni Pisano, and is a masterpiece of medieval sculpture. Having been packed away during the redecoration, it was not rediscovered and restored until 1926. The pulpit is supported by plain columns (two of which are mounted on lion’s sculptures).

The upper part has nine narrative panels showing scenes from the New Testament, carved in white marble with a chiaroscuro effect.

There are numerous artworks found inside the cathedral mostly from the renaissance, following the fire.

and, of course, the choir stalls

Madonna di sotto gli organi, The Madonna under the Organs is a tempera and gold painting on wood attributed to Berlinghiero Berlinghieri around 1220. The traditional name of the Madonna derives from its ancient location in the Cathedral, under the organs. When in 1494 Charles VIII of France freed Pisa from Florentine occupation, the Madonna, to whom a vow had been made, became a symbol of the newfound autonomy and from then on was invoked during all particularly dramatic events in the city.

At last it was time for us to climb the tower.

The campanile (bell tower), aka the Leaning Tower of Pisa, was the last of the three major buildings on the piazza to be built. Construction of the bell tower began in 1173 and took place in three stages over the course of 177 years, with the bell-chamber only added in 1372. Five years after construction began, when the building had reached the third floor level, the weak subsoil and poor foundation led to the building sinking on its south side.

The building was left for a century, which allowed the subsoil to stabilize itself and prevented the building from collapsing. In 1272, to adjust the lean of the building, when construction resumed, the upper floors were built with one side taller than the other. The seventh and final floor was added in 1319. By the time the building was completed, the lean was approximately 1 degree, about 2.5 feet from vertical. At its greatest, measured prior to 1990, the lean measured approximately 5.5 degrees. In 2010, the lean was reduced to approximately 4 degrees using steel beams interiorly.

This is the info provided at the base.

Oh, and there are 296 steps to the top! Once there, I was mostly paralyzed with fear.

The following views from the top are all courtesy of my brave spouse.

The tower was built to accommodate a total of seven main bells.

I was ok on the inside of the tower by the bells.

Next it was time for the baptistry, dedicated to St. John the Baptist, it stands opposite the west end of the Duomo. The round Romanesque building was begun in the mid 12th century.

Here we saw the busts and statues of Giovanni Pisano of which we had seen the originals in the Opera earlier in the day.

What was most impressive about the Baptistry were the acoustics. The was some renovation work ongoing, and one of the men had stopped for a bit and went to the central raised area and began a Gregorian chant; what an amazing sound created.

We climbed up to the balcony for a better view of the interior.

The floors were both impressive

and intriguing.

As we strode to our next stop, we noted the remnants of the medieval walls that surround the piazza.

The Camposanto Monumentale (Monumental Cemetery) aka Camposanto Vecchio (Old Cemetery), is located at the northern edge of the square. This walled cemetery  is said to have been built around a shipload of sacred soil from Calvary, brought back to Pisa from the 3rd Crusade  by the archbishop of Pisa  in the 12th century. This is where the name Campo Santo (Holy Field) originates. The building of this huge, oblong Gothic cloister began in 1278 but was not completed until 1464.

The walls were once covered in frescoes. The first were applied in 1360, the last about three centuries later.

The Stories of the OldTestament by Benozzo Gozzoli (c. 15th century) were situated in the north gallery, while the south arcade was famous for the Stories of the Genesis by Piero di Puccio  (c. late 15th century). The upper right fresco below depicts Adam and Eve in the garden.

And, of course, there are tombs

and sarcophagi

We found a grave as recent as 2009.

The frescoes are currently undergoing extensive restoration work. They survived a fire in 1944 after allied bombs dropped onto the roof. It is hard to see in the picture, but there are women sitting on the scaffolding painting and cleaning the frescoes.

Finally, we visited The Ospedale Nuovo di Santo Spirito (New Hospital of Holy Spirit) located on the south area of the square. Built in 1257 by Giovanni di Simone over a preexisting smaller hospital, the function of this hospital was to help pilgrims, poor, sick people, and abandoned children by providing a shelter. 

Today, the building is no longer a hospital. Since 1976, the middle part of the building contains the Sinopias Museum, where original drawings of the Campo Santo frescoes are kept.

Alas, we had seen little of the town of Pisa, only the small area confined to the Piazza dei Miracoli, but we had seen enough.

Our next destination was the first that was a repeat visit for us. We had fallen in love with Florence when we came celebrating our 25th year of marriage. We thought the hotel we had stayed in so romantic it necessitated a repeat visit. Plus I was on a mission to find the perfect leather jacket I had pictured in my mind. We drove there in more rain, of course. But after checking into the Hotel Degli Orafi, determined not to be disuaded by the weather, we set out toward the four leather shops I had decided after much internet research were the most likely to have my coveted jacket. Along the path we passed a few sights familiar to us like the Fontana Del Nettuno in the Piazza della Signoria (more on the fountain later)

and some not so familiar

Within two hours I had found the jacket of my dreams in Casini Florence by designer Jennifer Tattanelli, and we were able to return to our hotel to freshen up before dinner. Once reinvigorated, we headed out again. Our hotel was almost directly across from the famous Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge).

We crossed the bridge and took in the views downriver, noting how muddy the river appeared after so much rain.

After a truly delicious dinner at Ristorante dei Rossi, we strolled around this romantic city.

We got peaks into some of the private apartments and were once again awed by the beauty of the architectural details.

In the morning we were scheduled for a walking tour despite the still inclement weather. But first breakfast. The breakfast room at Hotel Degli Orafi is one of the many reasons we returned to this venue.

Our tour guide for the morning, Giacomo, was a student of history and architecture. Our tour was filled with fun facts starting with the Medicis, one of the most influential families in Florence’s history. The Medici Palace is closed to the public for restoration work.

But while we stood outside the palace, Giacomo regaled us with stories of how the family fortune started in the 1100s with the wool trade, but as their wealth grew, they soon became money lenders. In 1397 they became the first bankers in Florence. In the early 1400s they wanted to be the bankers for the Vatican, but two popes said no. Finally a third pope said yes, and eventually, several popes even came from the family. The Medici family’s wealth and influence grew through their connections to the papacy and the city’s elite.  The Medici family held important positions in Florence’s government and used their wealth to keep their political power. They ruled Florence from 1434 to 1737, except for two brief intervals. During this time the Medici family began sponsoring artists: Donatello, Michaelangelo, Boticelli, and more.

Next stop on our tour was Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore (Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Flower). The name Florence comes from the Latin word floreo, which means “flower”. Building commenced in 1296 and was not completed until 1436. The cathedral complex, in Piazza del Duomo, includes the Baptistry and Giotto’s Campanille (Bell Tower). The basilica is one of Italy’s largest churches and its dome, when first built back in the 15th century, was the largest ever built in western Europe. Although it was later overtaken by St. Peter’s Basilica, it still remains the largest dome ever constructed of bricks.

The white marble is from Carrera, same as the statues. The green marble is from Prato, near Florence, and the pink marble is from Siena in southern Tuscany. These marble bands had to repeat the already existing bands on the walls of the earlier adjacent  baptistry.

In the middle of the 13th century building efforts were stopped as the black plague swept through Italy. Half of the population in Florence perished during that time. When work resumed almost 50 years later, one of the first projects finished was the bell tower.

During the quarantines of the plague the rich got richer, the building grew, and the hole for the dome became so immense, no one knew how to cover it. On 19 August 1418, the Arte della Lana announced an architectural design competition for erecting the dome. The two main competitors were two master goldsmiths, Lorenzo Ghiberti and Filippo Brunelleschi, the latter of whom was supported by Cosmo de Medici. Ghiberti had been the winner of a competition for a pair of bronze doors for the Baptistery in 1401 and lifelong competition between the two remained sharp. Brunelleschi won and received the commission for the dome.

It took Ghiberti over twenty years to complete the two doors which depict the life of Christ in 24 panels.

Ghiberti then went on to make a second pair of doors for the other side of the Baptistry. Those took him 27 years to complete the 10 panels. At the time the Battistero di San Giovanni (Baptistry of St. John) was finished near 1500, it was one of the most important buildings in Italy.

Filippo was originally a clock maker and goldsmith. But when he lost the door competition to Ghiberti, he went with his friend Donatello to Rome and studied architecture while Donatello studied Roman statues. When Filippo came back to Florence he proposed the design for the dome to be the first self supported dome in the world almost 300 feet high. The wool guild, ie the Medicis, were in control of the erection of the dome.

So despite Fillipo’s win of the competition, Ghiberti was appointed coadjutor of the dome and drew a salary equal to Brunelleschi’s and, though neither was awarded the announced prize of 200 florins, was promised equal credit, although he spent most of his time on his other projects ie the doors. When Brunelleschi became ill, (or feigned illness in a fit of anger over the situation), the project was briefly in the hands of Ghiberti. But Ghiberti soon had to admit that the whole project was beyond him. In 1423, Brunelleschi was back in charge and took over sole responsibility. Erection of the dome had begun in 1420 and was finished in 1436.

The ceiling of the dome, decorated with a representation of The Last Judgement by Giorgio Vasari, is one of the largest frescoes ever painted, and was not completed until 1579. The building and decorating of the dome is said to have inspired Donatello, who worked on several of the statues in the cathedral, Michaelangelo, and DaVinci.

Next stop on our tour was Piazza della Signoria, named after the Palazzo della Signoria, also called The Palazzo Vecchio (“Old Palace”) is the town hall of the city. (Old Palace v the “new” palace, ie the Pitti Pace, more on that later). It is the main point of the origin and history of the Florentine Republic and still maintains its reputation as the political focus of the city. Built in the early 1300s, the Palazzo Vecchio was the second Medici palace and immediately became the seat of the government. This massive, Romanesque, crenellated fortress-palace is among the most impressive town halls of Tuscany. Overlooking the square with its copy of Michelangelo’s David statue, it is one of the most significant private palaces in Italy, and it hosts cultural points and museums.

Also in the piazza is an open air statue gallery, the Loggia del Lanzi, which has both antique and Renaissance statues as well as the Medici lions.

At this point our guide Giacamo pointed out the difference in the anatomical accuracy of Michelangelo’s David, a copy of which is outside the palace (more on David later) and the inaccuracy of the anatomy of the Grand Duke Cosimo I de Medici depicted as Hercules defeating Cacus by sculptor Baccio Bandinelli (1493-1560).

Grand Duke Cosimo I de Medici, Duke of Florence from 1537-1569, commissioned the Fountain of Neptune in 1559 to celebrate the marriage of Francesco de Medici I to Grand Duchess Joanna of Austria. Cosimo was responsible for a vast number of architectural and artistic elements in Florence that still exist today. The fountain incorporates a series of mythological figures and iconographies that symbolize both Cosimo I de’ Medici’s power as well as the union of Francesco and Joanna. Giacamo explained how in its time, the fountain and statue were a form of propaganda, depicting Cosimo shown naked like a Greek god on earth.

Next Giacomo took us to the house of Dante (1265-1321). Giacomo explained that although the tower was built in 1086, the house was built 1865, clearly not a place he actually lived.

But when, in 1865, Italy came together as a country, it adopted the dialect of Dante, ie the dialect of Tuscany, his birth place, as the language of the now united country. Dante had written the Divine Comedy in the Tuscan dialect so the average citizen who could not read the bible, which still appeared only in Latin, could learn about the afterlife. This house was built in 1865 in his honor.

Our final stop was in the courtyard of the Uffizi Gallery, a prominent art museum. The Ufizzi Gallery is one of the most important Italian museums and holds a collection of priceless works, particularly from the period of the Italian Renaissance. The building of the Uffizi complex was begun  in 1560 for Cosimo I de’ Medici as a means to consolidate his administrative control of the various committees, agencies, and guilds established in Florence’s Republican past so as to accommodate them all in one place, hence the name uffizi, “offices”. 
.

He showed us some of the many statues around the courtyard which include Gallileo

and Amerigo Vespucci.

He also pointed out Cosimo I de Medici high above the arch. After the ruling  House of Medici died out, many of them from syphilis, their art collections were given to the city of Florence under the famous Patto di famiglia negotiated by Anna Maria Luisa, the last Medici heiress. The Uffizi is one of the first modern museums. The gallery had been open to visitors by request since the sixteenth century, and in 1769 it was officially opened to the public, formally becoming a museum in 1865

After the tour we chose not to go into the Uffizi, having done so on our first trip to Florence. But we did want to go back and revisit the David. So after lunch, we headed to the Galleria dell’ Accademia di Firenze. First we made our way through a large collection of paintings by Florentine artists. Next we saw Giambolgna’s full size plaster model for his statue Rape of the Sabine women.

The 16th-century Italo-Flemish sculptor sculpted a representation of this theme with three figures (a man lifting a woman into the air while a second man crouches), carved from a single block of marble. This sculpture is considered Giambologna’s masterpiece. The original is in the Loggia del Lanzi.

Finally we came to the works of Michelangelo including his set of 4 prisoners “escaping” from the marble.

and the Palestrina Pieta, which recently has come into question whether it is by Michelangelo.

And finally the David. The statue was originally meant for the cathedral, but it was too heavy to be lifted once finished. It was then placed in front of the Palazzo Vecchio (where the copy now stands). The Academia was built to house the David for conservation purposes, and it has been housed there since 1873.

After leaving the Academia, we wandered back to the Loggia dei Lanzi in the Piazza della Signoria to take a closer look at some of the statues there, realizing now that except for the David, they are the originals. We were particularly drawn to Giambologna’s Hercules and Centaur

and Perseus by Benvenuto Cellini (1513-1571).

We also entered the courtyard of the Palazzo Vecchio.

There we found a statue of Anna Marie Luisa de Medici, the last heiress and benefactress of the Florentine art world.

After a long day of touring, we treated ourselves to drinks on our rooftop terrace, its view another reason for our return to Hotel Degli Orafi.

For dinner we again crossed the Ponte Vecchio to the other side. Its many shops, most of them jewelry, were closed for the night.

Our first stop, after another amazing breakfast, was the Sunday Santo Spirito Market, as recommended by Giacomo. Established in Florence in June 1986, the market has been a recurring event held on the second Sunday of every month.

With over 100 vendors, the market specializes in small antiques, features a dedicated section for organic food, plants, and flowers, and offers everything from candies

ceramics

books

and vinyl

After rummaging around in the market for a while, it was time for our deep dive of the day: the Pitti Palace. Situated on the south side of the River Arno, not far from the Ponte Vecchio the Pitti Palace was the third palace of the Medicis. The palace was originally built in 1458 as the home of Italian baker Lucca Pitti. It was bought by the Medicis in 1549. It grew to be a great treasure house as later generations amassed paintings, plates, jewelry and luxurious possessions. The Medici also added the Boboli Gardens to the estate. In the late 18th century, the palazzo was used as a power base by Napolean. Amazingly, we somehow did not take a single picture of the outside of the front of the palace itself. Our first picture is of the main entrance.

What I love about visiting palaces is that in addition to the unbelievable works of art that are frescoes on the ceilings and walls, and the numerous paintings throughout, there are the household furnishings like these inlaid tables, which are just of a few of the many that caught my eye.

Just look at this urn

Oh, and the furniture is so exquisite.

We were intrigued by this “modern” bathroom installed for Napoleon.

We had headsets for audio tours and diligently listened to the descriptions of the meanings of all the allegories on all the ceilings, but honestly, who can remember much of it. Suffice it to say the frescoes are mind-boggling.

as are the many moldings and architectural details throughout.

But lost in all the glitz of the frescoes and moldings are the many, many paintings hanging throughout by Italian artists: Raphael

and Caravaggio

and Del Sarto, just to name a few.

Also included are some Flemish artists like this Rubens.

As can be seen in the picture of the urn, there ultimately was way too many paintings, way too much to look at. But before leaving the palace (after hours there) we did have to stop by the temporary exhibit which featured gowns from the 18th,

19th centuries

to the early 20th

and beyond.

After exhausting ourselves for hours in the palace, it was time for the Boboli Gardens. The Boboli Gardens were laid out for Eleanor di Toledo, wife of Cosimo I de’ Medici. One enters from the back of the palace. At the base of the gardens is a view of Florence across the River Arno.

We failed to get a picture of the front of the palace, but this is the back entrance.

The lower part of the garden has an amphitheater-like shape at the center of which is an ancient Egyptian obelisk. The garden from there climbs a long relatively narrow path with hedges and statues on both sides.

More than halfway to the top is a statue of Neptune, a contemporary to its counterpart in the Piazza della Signoria.

At the peak of the hill, the forceful Statue of Abundance stands out; Giambologna used Joanna of Austria, wife of Francesco I, as inspiration for its face.

From there this is the view of the palace and Florence beyond.

And we had not yet appreciated the extent of these gardens. We started down one side and encountered the Tindaro Screpolato, a sculpture by Igor Mitoraj (1944-2014), the only modern sculpture in the gardens. Tyndareus was the king of Sparta, father of Clytemnestra and Helen who caused the epic Trojan War in the Iliad. This sculpture is an interesting modern interpretation of an ancient story.

The path of the garden then turned parallel to the palace but moving away from it as we passed rows of trees lined with statues

both of Roman antiquity

and 17 and 18th century subjects

After much walking (the gardens cover 111 acres of land) we came to the the Isolotto, an oval-shaped island in a tree-enclosed pond.

In the centre of the island is the Fountain of the Ocean.

By the time we left the garden we were thoroughly exhausted. For dinner we treated ourselves (don’t we always) to another delicious Tuscan meal including another Tuscan speciality: grilled artichokes. It was a delicious end to the Tuscan section of our journey.

We left Como in the still pouring rain. We checked into the Grand Hotel Savoia in Genoa, which was a relic of yesteryear. According to its website …”established in 1897, in a palace whose atmospheres still evoke the joyful splendour of the Belle Époque. The refined charm of our rooms and the spacious halls in the hotel was perfectly to the taste of the Italian and European royal families who chose the Grand Hotel Savoia during their travels. Their precious Guest Book not only preserves the signatures of Italian royals, but also the most illustrious artists, actors and musicians of the last century. A meticulous salvaging and restoration has reinstated the former splendour, the majestic opulence of a late-19th century palace, the ancient charm of the building, the symbols and signs of its history.” We waited out the rain, and in the late afternoon we were able to get out and explore the city a bit. We found that actually we were on the outskirts of the Old City and had to walk a bit to get to the sites. First we visited Basilica of the Santissima Annunziata del Vastato. Vastato means “built outside the city walls,” which this basilica originally was when construction began in 1520.

The interior is like a 17th-century gallery of art. It is lavishly decorated with inlaid marble, gilded stucco, and frescoes by 23 local artists and 13 sculptors. There was so much to see, we barely knew where to look first.

We were able to download an audio guide which explained a lot of the artwork like this fresco of Mary looking up at a ceiling full of frescos, ie frescos within the fresco.

There was a chapel dedicated to Mary.

Several of the chapels had sculptures that were built like dioramas.

which may be hard to discern from the above, but a closer look may help.

The pulpit was particularly beautiful.

We had spent a fair amount of time in the basilica, and by the time we emerged, the weather had cleared further. We felt comfortable at this point heading toward the port. Also on the way we passed Palazzo San Giorgio (Palace of St. George). The Byzantine Emperor Michael VIII felt indebted to Genoa. Genoa had been his ally in a war against the Latin Empire. To show his appreciation, Emperor Michael donated material stripped from the Venetian embassy in Constantinople to Guglielmo Boccanegra. In 1260 Boccanegra used the material to build his waterfront dream palace. The palace has had many uses through the centuries. In the early 1300s it was a prison, one of its most famous inmates was Marco Polo. Then it was used as headquarters for port authorities. In 1400 the building became the home of the Bank of San Giorgio, one of Italy’s first banks.

Directly across from Palazzo San Giorgio is the Porto Antico di Genova (Genoa Old Port). Genoa Old Port brings back Genoa’s golden age as a principal sea-faring city and maritime power. It was inaugurated in 1992 as part of Genoa’s 500 year celebration of the voyages of Christopher Columbus, a Genoa native.

Something we had not seen before was a round “room” that these cranes lift for a panoramic view of the port and the city. (The little square building to its right is a ticket booth).

We were also intrigued by this statue of a traveller, more on him later.

Lest one looking at these pictures and seeing blue skies and doubts my claims of awful rainy weather, I include a youtube link below, which was taken nearby on the same day. We just happened to get to the port in the 15 minutes that the sun shown through the whole day.

As dusk started to fall, we made our way through the winding, narrow streets

with a church around every corner

to the Cattedrale di San Lorenzo ( Cathedral of St. Lawrence) which, built around 1098, is the most dominant church in Genoa. During medieval times, the church was the center stage of social and political life for the residents of Genoa. After a disastrous fire in 1296, the church was rebuilt. The facade was completed in 1312.

I was drawn to the sorrowful looking lions that flank the entrance.

Another intriguing feature is the diversity of materials and styles of the columns.

The interior has a basilica plan with a transept and choir. Three naves are divided by marble columns topped by arches with light and dark bands. Above these are smaller Romanesque arches of grey stone.

It also has a beautifully decorated pulpit.

Outside, in the vein of a church around every corner, one can be seen right behind the cathedral.

Refreshed in the morning, and with a sunny day, we set out again for the port. At the entrance we found this mosaic featuring travelers of yesteryear.

From the 11th century until the late 18th century, the city became a leading economic and military power in Europe through its maritime trade and commerce. Today one of the best reasons to visit Genoa is for the history of maritime, which to be honest, neither of us really is all that interested. We visited the Galata Outdoor Maritime Museum, but did not go into the Galata Museum itself which boasts everything from a full-scale model of a 17th-century galley to all things sailing and shipyards including the big transatlantic ocean-liners. Galata refers to the historic Genoese community of Istanbul, Turkey. It was one of the most vital Genoese colonies in the Mediterranean. In the 15th century, their presence in that community ended. In the 19th century, the Genoa municipality built a system of commercial docks, the oldest of which was named for the lost colony.

As we walked along the seaside we passed lots of buildings both residential and industrial. What is always striking when visiting Italy is how many random-seeming buildings have statues

and sometimes frescos

We came to the Porto Antico from a different direction than when we had visited last night and realized we had missed this big reproduction of a 15th century ship similar to those on which Christopher Columbus sailed.

Also to be found at the Porto Antico is an aquarium, which we chose to skip today. But I really liked the human statue outside. People jumped every time he moved, which was rarely.

We continued our meandering of Genoa’s Old City’s narrow streets

and came upon the Church of Jesus and Saints Ambrose and Andrew. In the 6th century, Bishop Onorato of Milan was on the run. He was escaping from Longobard persecutions to Genoa. There he founded his Church of Saint Ambrose. Ambrose is Milan’s patron Saint. Abandoned in the 7th century by the Milanese community, the church was taken over in the 16th century by the Jesuits.

Next we went by the Palazzo Ducale (Doge’s Palace), once the home of the Doges (heads of state or captain of the people) of Genoa. It was constructed in the 13th century when Genoa was coming into its own as a maritime power. The Doge’s Palace was reconstructed in the 18th century after a devastating fire.  Today the palace is used for exhibitions, meetings, special events, and as a library and museum. It is the result of the largest restoration in Europe, covering a building of 300,000 square meters.

By now we were a bit hungry for some lunch, and who could resist the call of Elvis?

Honestly though, we chose this cafe for the view of these towers. The Mura (Wall ) in Genoa was started in the 9th century. This portion, known as the Barbarossa Towers, was built in the 12th century. Genoa has more and longer walls than any other city in Italy.

Just beyond these towers is a house that Christopher Columbus lived in as a child.

Our destination after lunch was the Piazza De Ferrari (Ferrari Square). Raffaele Luigi De Ferrari (1803-1876), Prince of Lucedio, Duke of Galliera, and senator of the Kingdom of Sardina, in 1837, acquired all possessions that Napoleon had granted in 1812. The square was christened Ferrari Square in 1877, one year after his passing. At the centre of the square, in 1936, a bronze fountain was built and it soon became one of the main symbols of the city.

In the square we came upon our second traveller statue.

The prose on the signage explains it best.

On the side of Piazza De Ferrari is the The Teatro Carlo Felice, the principal opera house of Genoa used for performances of opera, ballet, and recitals. The hall is named for King Carlo Felice, King of Sardinia  and ruler of the Savoyard States from 1821 until his death in 1831. He was the last male-line member of the House of Savoy. In front of the Teatro Giuseppe Garibaldi (1807-1882), a hero of the Italian revolution, appeared astride his bronze horse.

Branching off from Piazza De Ferrari is Via XX Settembre (20th September Street), named for the 20th of September 1870, the day revolutionaries stormed the Pia Gate (Porta Pia) of the Vatican. It marked the end of the temporal power of the Church, the “Risorgimento,” which ushered in the unification of Italy. It was redesigned and modernized from 1892 to 1912.

The street has a lot of Art Nouveau decorations, decorated pavements,

and ceilings

beneath fabulous architecture and colonnades offering protection from the weather.

There are about three miles of shops, usually high-end chain stores.

and some not so high end.

After exploring Via XX Settembre we turned our attention to the palaces. In the late 16th century, the Genoese aristocracy implemented a plan to transform the medieval city. A “New Streets” system was created to provide space for their sumptuous private palaces and mansions. In 1576 the Genoese Senate established a list of forty-two palaces that could be used as hospitality residences for notable guests from abroad, such as kings, princes, diplomats, or religious authorities. The list was updated over the years. These lists were called “rolli,” literally, “rolls.” All told, 162 palaces made the lists at least once. These palaces became a World Heritage Site in 2006. Today, the Rolli Palaces are a collective term referring to 42 of the most prominent palaces in the historic center of Genoa, situated predominantly along Via Garibaldi (formerly, Strada Nuova).

Our first stop was the Spinola Palace (Palazzo Giacomo Spinola “dei Marmi”). It was built for Giacomo Spinola between 1445 and 1450. Currently it is home to the Bank of Sardegna.

Next was Palazzo Ayrolo Negrone (Ayrolo Negrone Palace), one of the foremost Rolli Palaces of Genoa. The palace includes a building erected between 1560 and 1562 for Francesco De Ugarte, Spanish ambassador to the Republic of Genoa.

The most striking feature of the palace is a 17th-century gallery with vaults decorated with the images of Aeneas, a Trojan hero, by Giovanni Battista Carlone, commissioned by Aghostino Ayrolo. The brilliantly colored frescoes are lighted by large windows, and the balustrades bring out the effects of perspective. The story of the Trojan War is depicted here in three scenes.

Palazzo Angelo Giovanni Spinola (Angelo Giovanni Spinola Palace)  was one of the original 163 Palazzi dei Rolli of Genoa established in 1576. Today it belongs to Deutsche Bank, with limited access to the public

Palazzo Lomellino (Lomellino Palace) was built between 1559 and 1565,

The façade, designed by il Bergamasco, is enlivened by a rich stucco decoration, with winged female herms supporting the string course on the ground floor;

and ribbons and drapes holding trophies of arms on the second floor.

Over the door and on the ceiling of the entryway are medallions with classical figures.

The oldest pictorial work in the building is the cycle of frescoes created in 1623-1624

Palazzo Bianco (White Palace) got its name for the plain color of its facade. It was built between 1530 and 1540 for diplomat Luca Grimaldi, who was from a prominent Genoese family. 

And finally, the Palazzo Doria-Tursi is by far the most impressive and important building on Via Garibaldi. Since 1848 it has been the seat of the Genoa City Hall. The palace was built starting in 1565 by  Domenico and Giovanni Ponsello for Niccolò Grimaldi (1524-1593).

As a culmination of the residential splendor of the Genoese aristocracy, the palace boasts an unprecedented and ingenious architectural solution – the succession of interior spaces: atrium, staircase, rectangular courtyard raised above the portico and double ramp staircase, creating a wonderful play of lights and perspectives.

There were more castles to see, but we had grown weary and decided to head back for a break. Along the way we made several observations. In areas of high tourism and/or UNESCO protection, some of the architectural features are painted on to give visual uniformity to the street.

while the neighboring window may have actual wood frames.

Also, we had wondered if this very catholic country celebrated Halloween at all; the indication of this bookstore is a resounding Yes.

On the way back we passed a bakery and bought two Ligurian treats to try at a later time: baci (kiss) cookies, so called because the chocolate ganache sandwiched between the two layers of hazelnut cookies look like lips.

and pandolce, a sweet Italian Christmas bread from Genoa consisting of flour, sugar, butter, milk, raisins, candied orange rind, eggs, lemon juice, and pine nuts. It is sold wrapped as a gift. It tasted mostly like Irish soda bread but a little sweeter.

As one may be able to discern from this reading, Genoa was not our favorite city. We are not maritime buffs, and overall except for the areas with the shopping and the palaces, it is a bit of a dirty, run-down city. But the main reason to visit Genoa is for the food. Ligurian culture has produced many food favorites, the most well known is probably foccacia, but also pesto. So when in Genoa… that night for dinner we ordered two of the most famous Ligurian dishes: trofie pesto and minestrone soup.

An iconic dish of the Ligurian tradition is trofie pasta with Genoese pesto sauce. It is thought that this specific type of pasta (short and twisted) comes from Sori in the province of Genoa. The Pesto is made with P.D.O. Genoveses basil (from here, and the least minty of all the basils), local Extra Virgin Olive Oil (preferably using local Taggiasca olives), pine nuts, garlic, pecorino and parmesan cheese. The typical  version of the dish includes green beans and potatoes. 

Minestrone was born as a home dish, a dish for daily dinners sitting with family at the kitchen table. And in fact there is no precise recipe , because in minestrone they put seasonal vegetables, those that were available, and because each family had its own habits and tastes. In general, in spring minestrone was more varied and was enriched with basil pesto. In winter, when basil was not available, the few seasonal vegetables were seasoned, at the end of cooking, with a soffritto of onion and parsley. Overall, it is very different than what we call minestrone in the states.

I will add here that my favorite component of every Italian menu is at the back where there is a code for every ingredient for people with food allergies or aversions. Each item on the menu has any corresponding numbers added. Some restaurants also include whether any of the ingredients had been previously frozen.

We were then on to Cinque Terre, also in the Ligurian region, so more opportunity to try new intriguing dishes. Again our travel day was one of rain. We arrived in Monterosso al Mare too early for our AirBnB check in, so we had lunch then a stroll to the beach on a very gray day.

We explored the town a bit which is separated into 2 parts via a tunnel. We were to stay in the “old town,” at the center of which is a church, of course. San Giovanni Batista dates from the 13th century. The façade is of both white marble and serpentine which is typical of churches built in the Ligurian Gothic style. The rose window is composed of 18 small columns as its radii.

The church required significant renovations after the 2011 flood.

In the same square is a second religious edifice: the oratory of the Neri Brotherhood built in the 17th century.

On the façade is the Latin inscription: mortis et orationis which means death and prayer. The brotherhood was devoted to prayer and to helping the needy that could not afford a burial.

We were met by our host who showed us up the many, many flights of stairs to our apartment. But the climb was worth it. We not only had a really lovely apartment, but we had a rooftop terrace with an amazing view!

After a grocery shop we settled in for the night hoping the morning would bring sunshine, which to our relief it did. Based on the advise of our host, we bought the 5 towns unlimited train pass to explore all of Cinque Terre over the next few days. First we ventured past the tunnel and wandered into Monterosso al Mare’s “new town.”

First we climbed the hill and were treated to views.

and a statue of St. Frances.

and this little pieta tucked into an alcove.

We then headed down toward the beach and stopped for a typical Ligurian lunch: a focaccia sandwhich.

Then we strolled the promenade to the Gigante (the Giant), a 46 foot high statue of Neptune. The giant was sculpted of both rock and reinforced concrete in 1910.

It originally held upon its head a humongous seashell that was the terrace for the luxurious Villa Pastine, but it was destroyed by allied bombs during WWII.

Looking back at Monterosso al Mare, we noticed the terraces for which it is famous. The terracing system has been in place since around 1000 AD to stabilize the land for farming. .  The stones are local sandstone. Over the years over 4,000 miles of mureti (walls) have been built. The most common current crops are grapes for the local wines and lemons for the local limoncini, and, of course, olives.

Next we hopped on a train and decided to get off in the very next town: Vernazza. With Monterossa, Vernazza is the oldest of the Cinque Terre towns, first mentioned in 1080.

The town was packed with tourists and had restaurants literally everywhere.

We headed over to the marina

On the way back through town we stopped by the local church: the church of Santa Margherita d’Antiochia. It was built in the 13th century in the Gothic-Ligurian style on a pre-existing Romanesque building using serpentinite, a local green stone. Mentioned for the first time in 1318, it stands on a rock overlooking the sea.

The interior is a bit dark.

The walls are decorated with wooden plaques denoting the stages of the cross.

And the view out the window is magnificent.

Next we hopped back on the train and we headed to Manarola. The ancient townspeople of Manarola descended the hills from the hamlet of Volastra, which they abandoned for the seaside during the 14th century plague. Upon arriving to Manarola by train, we were greeted by a plaque of the Cinque Terre National Park.

and a little statue.

Here we also saw our first hint of Christmas decor.

Again the streets were packed with tourists.

There was not much of a beach, but that did not stop some brave bathers.

We hiked out along the coastal promenade for a view back towards Manarola.

Also from that vantage point we could see the town of Corniglia up on the top of the hill.

Also from this vantage point we could see the ferry that carries passengers from one Cinque Terre town to another.

There was a market set up in one of the main squares.

We rode the train back to Monterrosa for a stroll on the beach.

We enjoyed one of our many delicious seafood dinners that evening which included a new one for us: deep fried stuffed sardines.

Next morning we ventured back through the tunnel to the train station, this time first to Corniglia, which is the only of the five Cinque Terre towns that is not by the sea.

After arriving by train, we waited for the bus to transport us up the long and winding roads. Despite it being October, the wait was a bit long and hot in the sun, and the town a bit underwhelming, basically one cramped street.

Although I do love this little Ligurian motto:

The church at the top was tiny.

From above the church is a view of Manorola.

We chose a restaurant with a view for our lunch

and enjoyed fried calamari and zucchini, another typical Ligurian dish.

Rather than wait in the hot sun for the bus back down the hill, we braved the steps, of which there were a lot.

Next we rode the train to Riomaggiore, named for the “big river” that flows beneath the town. Upon arrival by train, one must pass through a tunnel which has been decorated with mosaics by artist Sylvio Benedetto.

From there we entered the town of Riomaggiore.

We climbed up the hill on the side of town to the church above: Oratorio di Santa Maria Assunta, a place now used for the town’s elderly to gather.

Further up the hill was the Church of San Giovanni Battista of Riomaggiore built in 1340, but the façade was restored in the 19th century.

Inside are many chapels like this one devoted to Madonna.

And still further up the hill overlooking the town is a castle built for its defense in 1260. Today the castle is part of the parks department and is used for meetings and ceremonies.

All along the path up to the castle were large plantings of succulents.

From the top we had a view looking down on the town of Riomaggiore, a little less colorful than some of the other Cinque Terre towns..

From here there was also a view of the train which runs through many tunnels connecting the towns of Cinque Terre.

We took a different route back down and found ourselves on Lover’s Lane, which is a path that connects Riomagiorre and Manarola. Its name was coined by journalist Paolo Monelli inspired by the fact that the path was used by lovers from the two towns to meet during WWII before the rail line was built.

And finally we made our way down and out to the marina.

Then it was back to Monterosso al Mare and another walk along the promenade.

and another gorgeous sunset from our rooftop terrace.

We arrived in Zurich on an absolutely gorgeous warm sunny day. We were immediately struck by the size of the train station with 44 tracks on two levels and one of the largest shopping malls we have yet encountered. It is the largest railway station in Switzerland. The city’s central location in the continent has historically made it a railway hub. It currently serves over 2,000 trains per day, making it one of the busiest in the entire world. In front is a monument to railway pioneer Alfred Escher.

Walking from the station we crossed the Limmat River and got our first view of the Old City.

We easily found our hotel St. Josef, which was just below the university and right on the edge of the Old City. We dropped our luggage and headed out. Nearby we found the large city library which is attached to The Preacher’s Church (Predigerkirche), which dates back to 1213 when it was run by the Dominican monks. The building features Gothic forms, with one side visible from the street and the other side integrated into the city’s central library. Today it is a Protestant church.

We headed further down the narrow winding medieval side street and came out on Niederdorfstrasse, a pedestrian-only cobblestone street that parallels the eastern shore of the Limmat River. It is full of pubs and cafes. There we found Schwarzenbach Kolonialwaren, an historic gourmet grocery store and coffee roastery that has its origins in the family business that was established by Heini Schwarzenbach in 1864 and by now has become one of the most recognizable and popular destinations for local foodies and tourists alike.

The store is known for its impressive variety of products of high-quality and superb flavor such as dried fruits, natural honey, jams, syrups, rice, wine, chocolate and sweets, as well as other gourmet items, not to mention a great choice of coffee beans and teas sourced from all over the world.

We continued down toward the river and there found the Rathaus: Town Hall, which dates to the 1690s. It was the seat of the Republic of Zurich until 1798.

Connecting the Rathaus to the other side of the river is a large pedestrian bridge known locally as Rathausbrücke. The bridge is a public square, known as “vegetable bridge” since medieval vegetable markets were held here. This is the historic center of the city, back to when the Romans called the town Turicum. The bridge is so large there are buildings on it.

We continued our exploration of the Old City (Altstadt in German) and found Saint Peterskirche (Saint Peter’s Church). Built in the 9th century, it is the oldest church in Zurich. Up until 1911, a firewatcher manned the steeple. It was his job to look out the windows four times an hour to look for fires. If he spotted a fire, he was to sound an alarm and point to the direction of the fire with a flag. Apparently, this ended up being an effective strategy because, unlike many other European cities, Zurich never suffered any devastating fires.

It also boasts the fame of having the largest clock face in all of Europe, measuring 28.3 feet in diameter. This translates to a minute hand that is 18.8 feet long.

We continued winding our way through the narrow streets full of interesting houses and shops.

We stopped for a drink at a cafe in Münsterhof, historically the main square and marketplace of the medieval city, and noticed we were right next to Fraumünster, one of the oldest and largest church in Zurich. In 853 Emperor Ludwig founded a Benedictine convent on this site and his two daughters (Hildegard and Bertha) became the first abbesses of the convent. In 874 a basilica with a crypt was added. The crypt, which is still in the basement of the church, holds the relics of the martyred two Patron Saints of Zurich, Felix and Regula. The present church on the site dates from the mid 13th century. Reformation closed the convent and in 1524, the last abbess donated the church and abbey to the City of Zurich. All icons and religious imagery were destroyed.

The church underwent a remodel in the 1970, with the installation of beautiful stained glass windows by Marc Chagall. We had to go in and see.

Fraumünster reflects a hybridization of Romanesque and Gothic styles due to constant construction and remodeling over the centuries. 

We chose an audio self-guided tour which explained the history of the church, which included the tale of the two sisters Hildegard and Bertha who were said to have been directed by God to choose the location of the church (and then became its first abbesses), as depicted in this fresco by Swiss artist Paul Bodmer (1886-1983 CE).

There is  an 18 foot high stained glass window by artist August Giacometti on the north transept from 1945 depicting saints and angels

There is a beautiful rosette  located in the church’s south transept.

But what we were really there to see were the Chagall windows.

The choir of the abbey includes 5 large stained glass windows installed in 1970. Each of the 5 has a dominant color and depicts a Biblical story. 

From left (northern wall) to right, the 5 works are:

Prophets: depicting Elijah’s ascent to heaven

Jacob: displaying his combat, and dreams of heaven(blue below)

Christ: Stages of his Life

Zion: showing an angel trumpeting the end of the world

Law: with Moses looking down upon the suffering of his people

Back outside in the sunshine in front of Fraumünster on the bank of the river we found a statue of Hans Waldmann who was an ambitious military leader.  He achieved great fame when he and the Swiss Confederates decisively defeated Charles the Bold in the Burgundian Wars in 1476. In 1483, Hans Waldmann was elected to the leading position of mayor of Zurich.

As we crossed the river, we were able to look back and see the Fraumünster more completely.

Also as we crossed the bridge, we got our first view of the Alps as seen over the Zimmat River.

What awaited us on the other side of the bridge was another iconic landmark of Zurich: The Grossmunster Church with its Romanesque architectural style. 

The Grossmunster Church holds significance as the birthplace of the Swiss-German Reformation. In 1520, Huldrych Zwingli, a key figure in the Swiss Reformation movement, initiated reforms from his pastoral office within this church. Zwingli’s debates, which he triumphed in before local authorities in 1523, led to the church’s separation from papal authority. Today its twin towers stand tall and dominate the cityscape.

A statue of Emperor Charles the Great (Charlemagne) adorns the southern tower of the Grossmunster Church, commemorating his reign as Holy Roman Emperor from 771 to 814. Known for uniting much of Western and Central Europe, his legacy extends to language, with many European terms for “king” deriving from his name. The statue portrays Charles holding his sword, with his crown seemingly slipping from his head.

The reforms spearheaded by Zwingli and later continued by Heinrich Bullinger left their mark on the church’s interior. In 1524, iconoclastic actions saw the removal of religious imagery and the organ.

The interior including the stained glass windows are somewhat modern in appearance.

In the basement is the original statue of Charlemagne; the exterior one is a replica.

Outside the church we had a decent view of the city below.

Also outside the church we found a statue of Huldrych Zwingli.

For dinner we headed back to Niederdorfstrasse to a cute place called La Pasta.

To be honest, Zurich was not our favorite city in Switzerland. The fountains do not have the beauty nor historical and cultural significance as those in Bern.

although some are indeed pretty old

and they do provide fresh potable water

The frescos are neither as plentiful nor as spectacular as those in Lucerne

and the architecture also not as amazing as Lucerne

But what Zurich has best is shopping. We thought we had seen tons of high end shops everywhere, especially in Geneva. But nothing compares to Bahnhofstrasse, Zurich’s main shopping avenue. It is mostly pedestrian-only, with tram access to the city’s transportation network. Bahnhofstrasse begins at the Zurich HB central railway station, which fronts Bahnhofplatz (Station Square). From there, it continues southwards until the shore of Lake Zurich at Bürkliplatz. Along its route, the street passes through several famous Zurich town squares, including Paradeplatz. This is a notoriously expensive real estate zone, where you will find the Swiss banks headquartered, which is where we decided to start our explorations the next day.

On the southwest corner of Paradeplatz sits the flagship store of Sprüngli Confectionery, synonymous with Swiss chocolate and confectionery excellence since 1836. They sell luxurious chocolates, exquisite pastries, and their famous macarons. Their shops are everywhere including the train stations.

We headed north on Bahnhofstrasse and saw every high end retailer we have ever heard of and so many more.

and more banks.

and more chocolate. We stopped at the flagship store of Teuscher Chocolates. Their handmade truffles and pralines are crafted with the utmost care and love of the trade. 

What they are most known for is their champagne truffles in either milk or dark chocolate sprinkled with confectioners’ sugar or cocoa powder respectively.

We deviated off Bahnhofstrasse to see this cute shop: Steiff Gallerie. Established by artist Margarete Steiff, who pioneered the creation of the stuffed elephant in 1880, this innovation eventually led to the birth of the iconic Teddy Bears in 1906. The Zurich outlet embodies a delightful assortment of plush wonders, featuring classic teddy bears, arctic and marine creatures, exotic animals, delightful keychains, as well as beloved rocking horses, elephants, and bears, all synonymous with superior quality. Unfortunately for us, it was closed as they prepare their Christmas displays.

We also had to go by Prétôt Delikatessen which offers a curated selection of gourmet products, including fine wines, cheeses, and prepared meat items (charcuterie).

We made our way back to Bahnhofstrasse, passing so many stores along the way, so many interesting buildings.

and yet another flagship chocolatier: Läderach, whose treats we had sampled first in Bern and had been enjoying in every city since. Läderach was founded in Ennenda, Switzerland in 1962 by Rudolph Läderach. Since 2018, this family-owned business has been run by the third generation of Läderach chocolatiers. In 1970, Rudolf Läderach Jr. invented a revolutionary process of manufacturing thin-walled hollow balls for truffles, rendering the professional manufacture of chocolate truffles easier and significantly improving their quality, taste and texture. In 2008 the company launched a new brand: Läderach Chocolatier Suisse, timed with the opening of confectioneries in their spacious boutiques on Bahnhofstrasse, Zurich and Spitalgasse in Bern. In 2018, Elias Läderach beat 19 international competitors to win the title of World Chocolate Masters in Paris. Today Läderach stands not only for finest premium products, but also for a family-minded social responsibility, fostering ecological thinking. Of course we bought more.

We reached the train station then headed, passed the National Museum of Switzerland

then headed back across the river toward our hotel. But we decided before heading in to take the Polybahn, a funicular railway, up to ETH Zurich, a public research university founded in 1854 with the stated mission to educate engineers and scientists, the university focuses primarily on STEM programs.

The university sits high above the city.

Across from the main university building is the Museum of Natural Histroy. I took this picture because it shows the first hints of autumn.

In the morning we had enough sunshine for another lake excursion. We headed to Bürkliplatz to buy our boat tickets. Bürkliplatz, where the river empties into Lake Zurich, is one of the main squares in Zurich. Not only is it a fabulous destination, but it is also a central node in the city’s transportation scheme including trams and boat excursions. At the end of the plaza is a lake overlook, featuring a prominent statue of Ganymede.

We were so happy to be out on the water again.

Although this boat is not as old nor as unique as those on Lake Geneva.

One of our first observations about Lake Zurich was how much more crowded its shores are than the other lakes we have visited.

It was not until we had been on the lake a while before we got our first glimpse of the distant alps.

I want to take a minute here for an aside. This was our third lake trip, and I have not yet mentioned the vineyards visible on the shores of all of them.

We have been ordering Swiss wines with dinner. We have been told by the wait staff that Swiss wines are pretty much never exported both because of the low supply and also because they cannot compete on the international markets with neighbors France and Italy. We have not much loved any of the whites we have tried, but we find the Pinot Noirs quite good.

The boat made several stops along our way, one in the winery town of Stäfa.

Our destination was Rapperswil-Jonah.

Upon arrival we stopped for lunch before exploring the city. Once seated, we headed into the main square

on which is the cutest art gallery full of nothing but elephants in every size and material imaginable.

We embarked on the climb

toward the Rapperswil Castle, which was built between 1220 and 1230 on a rocky spur that extends far into Lake Zurich. It is surrounded by water on three sides and was thus well protected for centuries. Visible from afar with its high towers, it dominates the cityscape of the old town of Rapperswil below.

We took a moment to congratulate ourselves on the climb and check the view.

Next to the castle is Stadtpfarrkirche St. Johann (St. John’s Parish Church), a Roman catholic parish church built in the 1220s.

In 1489 the adjacent Liebfrauenkapelle (St. Mary’s chapel) was built, the cemetery chapel that still exists.

The cemetery lies between Liebfrauenkapelle and the castle.

Walking around the castle back toward the lake, there was a large park in front of the castle with a deer park. The origins of today’s town are described in the following legend: One morning, the Lord of Rapperswil , together with his wife and some servants, drove across the lake to hunt. They had barely reached the shore when his dogs tracked down a doe and pursued her to the top of the rocky ridge. Here the animal was hiding in a cave. When the hunters reached the cave, they saw that there were two calves in addition to the doe. The woman took pity on the animals and persuaded her husband to withdraw the dogs and spare the doe’s life. At midday, the count and his wife were resting in the shade when the doe appeared and laid her head in the woman’s lap to thank her for saving her life. The count was touched and ordered the three animals to be brought to Altendorf and raised in an enclosure. He saw in this event a sign from heaven and decided the very next day to build a new castle on the rock and a small town on the southern slope. Today, the deer park near the castle commemorates this 800-year-old tradition.

The park extends all the way down to the port.

The view from the park includes the distant alps.

Time for another aside. One observation we have made that I have not yet commented on is this: in every city we have visited in Switzerland there has been at least one park with one large chess board.

We walked back past the castle, past the church, and took a picture looking back.

then we continued on past the State Museum (Stadtmuseum).

Rapperswil is often referred to as the “town of roses” (Rosenstadt) because of its extensive displays of roses in three designated parks. No less than 15,000 plants of 600 different kinds may be viewed between June and October. Alas, we were a bit late for the blooms.

Heading toward the train station we passed the Town Hall (Rathaus).

Finally we hopped on a train back to Zurich.

We decided while we were in a university area, we should try a beer hall for dinner. We headed to Rheinfelder Bierhalle, a no-frills brasserie for schnitzel, sausages, fries, and beer. The vibe was invigorating.

The next morning we were on our way once again, this time to Lugano, our first and only stop in an Italian Canton in Switzerland, the Ticino. As soon as we passed into the Ticino region the announcements on the train switched from German to Italian. And as soon as we stepped out off the bus from the train station into the Old City of Lugano, we could feel the cultural changes. The bus left us at the plaza right in front of our hotel: Hotel International au Lac.

with a church on one side of the square

and shops on the other.

the cultural clincher was our room

and our view

We explored the hotel a bit to see the pool and play area

The lounge has a 24 hour “honesty bar.”

The quote from their website: “We are proudly managing our hotel in the fourth generation, opened in 1906 by our great-grandfather. Renovating our hotel and preserving its historic charm is a rare blend that we constantly seek. Roberto Schmid There is so much history throughout the hotel including this ode to eras of telecommunications and the hotel business.

After exploring the hotel, we decided to explore the Old City a bit. We passed a salumeria whose picture needed inclusion due to the size of the salamis.

We strolled past statues

and so many interesting buildings

and shops

and street art

and by fountains.

Several private residents offered a glimpse into their inner courtyard. This prior palace was particularly welcoming.

We passed the local church

and peeked in

A little train rides through the streets escorting tourists.

And of course we strolled along the lake.

At some point we stopped for a pleasant outdoor dinner. In the morning we were out early. Our plans were for a boat tour of the lake, but we had enough time for a stroll through the park first. Parco Ciani is the largest park in Lugano. A historic residence built in the early 1830s by the Ciani brothers, members of a Blenio family based in Milan since the eighteenth century. It had several subsequent private owners until in 1912 it was acquired by the Municipality of Lugano which converted the park into a public promenade and the villa into a museum.

Composed of a very rich subtropical flora and Mediterranean vegetation, it has the privilege of a prime location on the lake shore.

In addition to wide pedestrian path, the park boasts several statues

a large playground for children

and a special olive tree garden within the park: The Garden of the Righteous.

It was time to head back and climb aboard

We stopped in several ports of small towns on our tour of the lake.

There were so many seemingly isolated tiny towns or even individual homes, we were wondering how they had access. But then we were able to make out the road winding around the mountains.

Finally we approached our hop-off town: Gandria.

Once on land we immediately started the climb into the narrow passages of this medieval town.

We wound back and forth, up and down through the town

until we decided we had earned a drink and a snack.

Alas we reembarked our boat for the journey back. But we got off at the stop on the other side of the lakeshore from our hotel so we could stroll through the tree lined portion of the lake promenade.

We waived to the ship as it sailed back to Lugano Center.

To our delight we discovered the lake promenade is actually a statue park right in front of the Museum of Culture..

Belvedere Garden is an 11,000 square meter garden filled with 14 modern and abstract sculptures by local Ticino artists.

a bust of George Washington sits where the Villa Tanzina used to stand, though I have no idea why he is there.

After a rest, we headed back to the lake for dinner and a goodbye to Switzerland.

We hopped a train from Lausanne to Bern, arriving in the rain. The rail system here is just so easy to navigate. We checked into our VRBO, which was well placed int the heart of the Old City, steps away from the cathedral. After dropping our luggage and throwing a load of laundry in, we were ready to explore this charming city.

Bern is the de facto capitol of Switzerland, referred to as the federal city. With a population of about 133,000 (as of 2022), Bern is the 5th most populous in Switzerland. Although fortified settlements were established since antiquity, the medieval city proper was founded by the Duke of Zähringer in about 1191. According to the local legend Zähringer vowed to name the city after the first animal he met on the hunt, and this turned out to be a bear, “bern” in German. Bern joined the Swiss Confederacy as early as 1353. Since then Bern became a large city-state and a prominent actor of Swiss history by pursuing a policy of sovereign territorial expansion. Since the 15th century, the city was progressively rebuilt and acquired its current characteristics.

Our first stop, due to both the proximity and the rain, was the cathedral, now Bern Minster, a Swiss reformed cathedral. It was founded originally in 1421 as the Cathedral of St. Vincent. A Romanesque church had been on this site since the 12th century, but was destroyed in the 1356 Basel earthquake. It converted from Catholicism during the 15th century reformation.

We walked around a bit familiarizing ourselves with the locale. Bern is built on what looks like a peninsula in a bend of the Aare River. The Old City, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, lies all within this peninsula. The central street is aptly called Market Street (Marktgasse) and continues on to Kramgasse. Both are home to many 15th and 16th century buildings, now containing shops of all kinds. The is no traffic other than the trams and a few taxis. In the center are numerous fountains; more on them later.

Before heading back, we stopped at the local grocery store to pick up a few items. We were amused to see that the Swiss sell hard boiled eggs and distinguish them from raw by color.

We had a most delicious dinner at Falken Restaurant only steps from our place.

In the morning we embarked on a walking tour of the Old City. We started at the Federal Palace: Bundeshaus, which serves as the seat of the Swiss Government and Parliament. The Federal Palace is situated on a square of land originally settled in the 12th century. The square today is a meeting point.

The views of the newer portions of the city from the back of the building are stunning.

Walking through the square our next stop was the Käfigturm (Prison Tower). The original tower was built as a gate house during the second expansion of Bern in 1256. It has served the city as a guard tower, prison, clock tower, and the centre of urban life and a civic memorial.

The bell dates to 1643 and still functions today. Originally it was struck by hand until a mechanism was added in the 19th century.

Our next stop was the Kindlifresserbrunnen, Child Eater Fountain. It was built in the mid 16th century to replace a wooden one. The fountain sculpture depicts a seated ogre devouring a naked child. Placed at his side is a bag containing more children. Because the ogre is wearing a pointed hat resembling a Jewish one, it has been speculated about the possibility of the ogre being the depiction of a Jew as an expression of blood libel against Jews.

Another theory is that the statue is the likeness of Krampus, the beast-like creature from the folklore of Alpine countries thought to punish children during the Christmas season who had misbehaved. Another theory is the eight children depict the eight cantons of the Old Swiss Confederacy and the Ogre is an enemy trying to gobble the cantons up. This would match with the fountain’s base which shows a frieze of armed bears going to war, including a piper and a drummer.

We now strolled down Marktgasse (Market Street). Stretching from Käfigturm at one end and Zytglogge (Clock Tower) at the other, it has since 1286 been the vibrant center of the Old City.

Note the open doors coming out of the street on both sides of the shop above. At fist we thought it was like in NYC opening into cellar spaces of the shops above. It turns out these open to separate shops and even museums. There is a whole layer of shopping a level below.

During his years at the patent office in Bern, Einstein lived in an apartment on this street. We opted to skip this (opted for the Einstein Museum instead), but were amused by the souvenir shop outside his residence full of Einstein replicas.

Along Market Street are numerous fountains like this one: The Zähringerbrunnen, which was built in 1535 as a memorial to the founder of Bern. The statue is a bear in full armor, with another bear cub at his feet (also holding a rifle). The bear represents the bear that, according to legend, Zähringer shot on the Aare peninsula as he was searching for a site to build a city. The armored bear carries a shield and a banner, both emblazoned with the Zähringer lion.

The east end of Market Street is dominated by the Zytglogge (Clock Tower). Despite the many redecorations and renovations it has undergone in its 800 years of existence, the Zytglogge is one of Bern’s most recognizable symbols and the oldest monument of the city with its 15th-century astrologic clock (on the other side).

At the hour tourists gather to watch the mechanisms strike the bell.

Continuing east past Marktgasse we strolled down Kramgasse. Next stop was the 16th century Gerechtigkeitsbrunnen (Fountain of Justice). In a city of over 100 fountains this one stands out because it is the only one that has maintained all of the original design features. The iconic figure of Lady Justice was copied throughout Switzerland up until the middle of the 17th century. She is portrayed standing in gracious counterpoise holding her traditional attributes: a sword of justice in her right hand, a balance in her left hand and a blindfold over her eyes. Her costume is fashioned in an antique manner, with sandaled feet, one knee bared, wearing a decorative golden suit of armor.

This is the first time in history that she is portrayed blindfolded, which later became a symbol for the principle of equality before the law. The blindfold implies that justice ought to be done without respect to rank or standing; that a just verdict is arrived at through introspection rather than with a view to outward looks. At the feet of Justice, four smaller busts crowd the pedestal: a Pope, an Emperor, a Sultan and a Schultheiss.  All figures have closed their eyes as in submission. They represent the Four Earthly Powers: the four forms of government according to Renaissance Humanism theocracy: (the Pope), monarchy (the Emperor), autocracy (the Sultan) and the republic (the Schultheiss).

As we continued on Kramgasse we saw such diverse shops as a custom mens’ shoes store and this handmade string instruments shop.

At the tip of the peninsula at the bend in the Aare River stands the Nydegg Church first built in 1341. Today it is part of the Reformed Churches of the Canton of Bern, and was one of the first in the European Union to perform same-sex marriages.

And finally, at the tip of the peninsula, connecting the Old City of Bern across the water, stands the Untertorbrucke (The Lower Gate Bridge). Originally constructed in 1256, it is the oldest of Bern’s bridges and for years was the only river crossing. It has undergone many modifications through the centuries, but today stands primarily as a vestige to its medieval core.

From here we could also see several typical Swiss homes.

Also here at the eastern end of the peninsula is the bear park

where for centuries the city of Bern has maintained a home for bears.

Due to rain, we took a break from exploring the city. But once the rain let up for a bit, we headed back out to see more fountains. Those who have read my Moroccan blogs may remember how door obsessed I became there. Well so far in Switzerland it has been the fountains that have been the source of my obsession.

Be it fountains or the Aare river, in Bern water is omnipresent. There are 217 public fountains in Bern’s Old City. Apart from their decorative character and interesting history, Bern’s fountains obviously also have a functional aspect. The cool water flowing from their spouts is drinkable and free for everyone. And the pragmatic locals have combined the useful with the beautiful, placing some of the fountains on busy streets and therefore making them the world’s most charming traffic blocks.

The history of Bern’s public water supply dates all the way back to the Middle Ages: in the 13th century, there were already several standpipes in the city of the Zähringen people. The water came from the city’s underground stream, wells and probably cisterns. The main supply was the city’s creek. It was used as sewage, transported water to fight fires and connected – and still connects – Bern’s fountains. Around 1550, the city replaced the then wooden fountains with elaborate stone ones.

Steps from our apartment, in the plaza in front of the cathedral, stands Moses first constructed in 1544 and rebuilt after storm damage in 1790. The statue represents Moses bringing the Ten Commandments to the Tribes of Israel.  Moses is portrayed with two rays of light projecting from his head, which represent Exodus 34:29-35 which tells that after meeting with God the skin of Moses’ face became radiant. 

Another Old Testament figure is that of Samson also built in 1544. Biblical hero Samson is seen here killing the lion, a feat he is able to perform due to the great strength gifted to him by God on the condition that he abstain from alcohol and not cut his hair. A noteworthy detail on the statue is the butcher’s tools on Samson’s belt, hinting that the fountain’s likely patronage was the Butchers’ Guild.

Today the fountain stands in front of the Music Conservatory.

We detoured from Kramgasse and headed over to Town Hall, built in 1406.

In front of which stands Vennerbrunnen (the Banner Carrier Fountain), built in 1542. The Venner was a military-political title in medieval Switzerland. He was responsible for peace and protection in a section of a city and then to lead troops from that section in battle.

Next to Town Hall is the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul. During the Protestant Reformation in the early 16th century, the city of Bern adopted the new Protestant faith and the city’s churches converted, leaving the remaining Catholics in Bern without a church. Over the following centuries, they remained without a church in the city. The Church of St. Peter and Paul was begun in 1858 as the first Catholic church built in Bern since the Reformation.

The church was renovated in the mid-twentieth century.

We headed back to Marktgasse and the Schützenbrunnen (Marksman Fountain) dating to 1543. The statue depicts an armed rifleman, a standard bearer for the Society of Musketry, with a banner in his right hand and a sword in his left. Notably, a bear cub, symbolically positioned between the rifleman’s legs, aims a rifle, adding a playful yet significant element to the composition.

Further west on Marktgasse is one of our favorite fountains thematically. The Anna-Seiler-Brunnen (Anna Seiler Fountain) commemorates Anna Seiler, the founder of Bern’s first hospital. Constructed in 1545, the fountain features a statue of Anna Seiler dressed in a blue gown, pouring water into a small dish, symbolizing her nurturing spirit and commitment to healthcare. Anna Seiler bequeathed her house to the city in her will on November 29, 1354, specifying that it be transformed into a hospital with 13 beds and two attendants. Known initially as the Seilerin Spital, it later moved to the Dominican Order’s Saint Michael’s Island monastery in 1531 and was renamed the Inselspital. The modern Inselspital remains a thriving healthcare institution with about 6,000 employees, treating approximately 220,000 patients annually. Anna Seiler Fountain serves as a testament to Seiler’s legacy and her lasting impact on healthcare in Bern.

Our final fountain of the day was Pfeiferbrunnen (Bagpiper Fountain). This 16th century fountain, characterized by its colorful figures, depicts a cheerful scene where a bagpiper, accompanied by a golden goose and a small monkey playing the flageolet, jovially performs. This assembly is symbolic, celebrating themes of cheerfulness, life, music, dance, and culinary delights. Such themes were typical of the era and resonated with the social activities around fountains, which were vital communal spots in medieval Bern.

We could not resist one more pic of a fountain, though not such a historically significant one.

The next day brought lots more rain, so we headed across the Aare River toward the museum.

On the way we had an amazing view of the river.

Once on the other side we had a great view of the Bern Minster to the east

and the Parliament building to the west.

and the hotel Bellevue right nextdoor.

We approached the museum past the elaborate statue in front.

The Bern History Museum also houses the Einstein Museum

It not only has the requisite bear statues out front, seen above, but also has a bronze one of Einstein at the entrance.

We spent several hours in the museum learning about Einstein’s life, his contributions to science, and his politics. We also learned a lot about Switzerland in the 20th century and how their neutrality during the world wars negatively affected their economy. Exhibitions included everything from explanations of relativity to this display of a typical grocery store in Bern in the early 20th century

On the way back we passed the casino, which is really an events venue. We glimpsed a bride scurrying inside to get out of the rain.

This final picture in Bern requires no explanation.

The morning brought sunshine once again. We decided to take the railcar

down to the park and neighborhood below the Parliament Building before heading out of town.

Our next stop was Interlaken. Along the way we were treated to beautiful scenery including this sneak peak preview of Lake Thun.

Upon arrival in town, the first striking scene was the numerous paragliders overhead, hard to see in the following picture, but dozens of them floating down out of the sky.

We checked into our Hotel: Rössli, an adorable family run boutique hotel on the west side of town.

They pleasantly accommodated our early arrival. We settled into our new home and were struck by the amazing view from our balcony.

The little double peak is Jungfrau (young woman), which at 13,642 ft is the westernmost and highest point of a gigantic (6.2 mi) wall dominating the valleys of Lauterbrunnen and Grinwald. The wall is formed by the alignment of some of the biggest north faces in the Alps and looms over Interlaken.

We set out to explore the town, which is one of the most spectacular places in the world we have ever visited. It has all the beauty of the surrounding Alps, two gorgeous lakes on either side, and an old world charm to the hotels, shops, homes, and apartments.

We strolled along the main street toward Höhematte Park.

Here in this wide open space is where the paragliders come to land.

One can be seen coming in for a landing every minute.

The west side of the park is dominated by the majestic Victoria Hotel.

In front of which the paragliders can be seen packing their equipment for the next flight.

The park is boarded by flower boxes.

all still gorgeously full of color despite the late season.

At one point, as we started to walk away, there were so many gliders landing, it seemed overwhelming.

We wandered further west to the Hotel Interlaken.

in front of which is a Japanese Garden. Created in 1995, the Japanese Garden of Interlaken was a gift from Interlaken’s Japanese twin town of Ōtsu. With its pond and pavilion, the Japanese Garden of Interlaken reflects the landscape in which it stands. Located next to the Hotel Interlaken, the garden symbolizes the roaring waterfalls and deep ravines of the Bernese Oberland; the Shinji pond represents lakes Brienz and Thun.

And behind the garden stands the Schlosskirche (Castle Church). Schlosskirche, sometimes called “the reformed church,” is one of the oldest building in Interlaken. Originally an Augustinian monastery, the castle church was built in 1133. Today, Schlosskirche is used as a convent and is one of the city’s most visited places. The church was used as a monastery for many years but it wasn’t always as revered as it is now. During the 16th century, the church was used as a storage for carriages, barrels and wine. The nave was even used as a granary. It wasn’t until the 19th century that Schlosskirke was used as a church again. The church was re-dedicated in 1911.

The interior is modest.

Everything about this town is charming from the hotels

the cafes

the shops

even the casino

and apartment buildings

One thing we saw that I was not quick enough to catch on camera was a herd of cows being driven right up our street with their bells tinkling away. Another common sight in town are horse-drawn carriages for tourists.

The morning brought sunshine so we embarked on an adventure. We headed to the Harderbahn (train station).

As we approached we could see the funicular track seemingly vertically rising to the top.

There we caught the funicular to the top. The funicular takes 10 minutes from the base station at 1,804 feet above sea level to the Harder Kulm station 4,344 ft elevation, a gain of 2,477 feet.

The track incline is about 64 degrees!

From there we got our first views.

five-minute walk leads to the viewpoint. Along the way are several cute wood carvings, typically Swiss.

Looking down, one appreciates the two lakes between which the town nestles. The Thun to the west

and the Brienz to the east.

and the western half of the town with the channels connecting the two lakes

and the eastern side of town

To get to the viewing platform, one must pass through the pagpda like structure that houses the restaurant.

Once we reached the viewpoint platform, we were able to get a larger view

I was able to go out onto the platform by walking backwards with Eric holding my hand the hole time. (thinking of you, Carol) A kind couple took the picture for us.

I scooted off the platform immediately, but Eric managed to stay long enough for a panoramic shot.

The views from the other side of the restaurant are also beautiful.

Striking are the numerous houses dotting the mountainside.

and this happy fellow

We hiked a bit further up the mountain. Looking down on Harder Kulm, we noticed that solar panels were being installed on the roof.

We passed through a playground for children.

which had some more of these cuties carved right from the trees felled to create the playground..

We climbed higher still and took a hike into the surrounding forrest.

Coming back down out of the woods, we were again struck by the beauty of the view.

We were not quite ready to leave this glorious place yet, so we had lunch on the terrace.

We just could not get enough of these views!

Finally we rode the funicular back down the mountain.

through the tunnel

Once on the ground and looking back up, we were able to appreciate the platform from which we took our pictures. I was very happy to have not seen this prior to going onto it, which I had enough trouble doing anyway.

We headed back through town and crossed the River Aare in a different spot this time to see the covered bridges.

The main one has sluice gates to control the level of the lake. As early as 1433 the monastery built and controlled weirs here to optimize fishing. Later in 1854 sluice gates were installed to control water levels in Bern. Prior to their installation, salmon were able to make their way all the way to remote breeding grounds of eastern Bernese Oberland then the young fry would swim back via Lake Thun, much to the delight of the citizens of Bern. After the sluices were built, fish ladders had been installed to allow movement of fish between lakes Thun and Brienz. Unfortunately flooding in 2005 has damaged the ladders, but most of the species have figured out a way to negotiate the journey, but not yet the salmon.

We headed back through the now familiar neighborhood of Interlaken West.

The next day it rained all day. We got out a bit in the morning and souvenir shopped, but while it poured in the afternoon, we took the day off and watched a movie.

Refreshed in the morning, we said goodby to Seyðisfjörður and headed back up the mountain toward the ring road. We were struck with how many (a couple of dozen) waterfalls we had missed seeing on the way into town the previous evening due to directionality and tiredness. We stopped at this particular beauty for some pictures.

Also on the way back through Egilsstaðir we had to grab a snapshot of this. As we passed Egilsstaðir we had reached our most eastern portion of the ring road and were now headed north and west.

This northeastern area of Iceland was again mostly rocky and barren, not the lush beauty of the southwestern areas. But we did see endless fields of purple lupines. As we admired their beauty, we looked them up and found that they are actually an invasive species here in Iceland and causing significant problems for many farmers. Also, as thinly populated as the south was: one can drive for significant periods of time and see no dwellings, the north is even more sparsely populated. But no drive is far before there is another waterfall to capture.

We also stopped along the way at Hverir which is one of the most active geothermal areas in all of Iceland. This region stands out for its multicolored landscapes

and bubbling mud pools

and boiling pools of water

and the numerous fumaroles

speckled across its moon-like terrain.

Finally it was time for our first dip in a hot spring. We checked in at Jarðböðin Nature Baths in Mývatn.

After a nice long soak and a quick shower, we drove to and around Mývatn Lake. We enjoyed an early dinner at the Skútustaðir Farmers’ Guesthouse. Afterward we strolled around the southern end of the lake enjoying the views.

We found our AirBnb for the night in the middle of a farm 10-15 minutes from town in the middle of nowhere. We were in for the night, and it was peaceful.

Our next stop in the morning was in the town of Akureyri. Dubbed the “capital of the north,” Akureyri has always been an important fishing port town. The way it is nestled between the mountains, it has a relatively mild winter; the port never freezes.

We easily found the main street

and stopped for pastries at the french bakery.

It is an international city with, in addition to the French eatery, German, American, and even Middle-eastern.

According to Feeding Phil hot dogs are quite popular and delicious, and we had yet to try one. So it was time, and yes, very delicious, as hot dogs go.

Akureyri has its share of beauty including this mural

and these flowers

With the long daylight hours, the annuals are all huge. But what is most striking in Akureyri are the hearts: from the one in the main square above, to the streetlights

and even just random decorations in the trees.

After spending the morning in Akureyri it was time to travel on further north and west. Along the way, mostly on the southern ring road, we had been seeing buildings that appeared to be built right into and under the ground. Very curious, I had looked them up and found that they are called turf houses. Historically, Iceland has very scarce home building materials. The rock is mostly volcanic, which is not sturdy for large structures. There are few trees native to the island, mostly just Aspens and Birch, neither of which are home sturdy. Icelanders developed a technique of building homes from turf. Turf homes are not stable over long periods of time; they need to be mostly replaced every decade or so. This explains why despite being continuously inhabited since the 10th century, Iceland lacks the majestic old buildings of Europe. With newer building materials, and the ability to ship them in, turf homes have fallen out of vogue. The few that remain are used mostly for farm animals or storage of feed or equipment for farm use. But a few turf homes are now maintained as museums. I was itching to visit one, and we were about to make that happen.

Glaumbær House Museum is actually a total of 13 buildings all joined through passageways. The farm site dates back to the 10th century, but the buildings only to the mid-17th century. The newest addition was added in the mid-18th century, and it has been maintained as a museum since the mid-19th century.

The walls of a turf home are built up in layers, usually at angles for stability.

The side buildings of the complex include stables, storage, and a smithy’s workspace.

The central buildings include a kitchen

a couple of pantries,

and bedrooms,

It is interesting the amount of comforts these early Icelanders had including musical instruments.

and some fine porcelains

But at their core, they are a hardworking group of people from spinning wool

to farming. Despite their isolation, travel was sometimes necessary in the winter.

Even the horse’s shoes have spikes for winter work and travel.

Having exhausted our curiosity about the turf houses, it was time to move on. We were headed to Blönduós but decided to take the long way and stopped in the cute port town of Sauðárkrókur for some fish and chips. We stayed the night at the Blönduós Hotel, which was charming and had some gorgeous views.

It was situated right next to a photogenic church.

And we finally managed to stay up late enough for the beginnings of a sunset, which were now more than an hour earlier (about 11:30 pm) than they had been when we first arrived in Iceland over a week prior.

It was time to venture into the West Fjords, destination: Ísafjörður, a 5-6 hour drive. Today was to be all about the journey. After our wheel-gripping drive on 95 in the east, we asked route advice from the hotel receptionist. Google maps was taking us on route 60, which is the route we would need to take in a few days to head south. We wanted to consider route 61, which weaves in and out of the fjords, but were afraid of the risk. She kind of reassured us that although route 60 is the way most Icelanders would choose (more on this later), route 61 is indeed the much more scenic route, would avoid redundancy, and is perfectly safe with roads in decent shape. So off we went. Indeed the journey was spectacular.

It was a long beautiful day. In retrospect, we were very lucky to have sunshine for our drive through the fjords. We awoke, the next morning, in Ísafjörður to pouring rain. After a hearty breakfast at the Torg Hotel, we strolled around town. It is a popular tourist destination; there were 4 cruise ships docked for the day. Additionally, there are many sailboats in the harbor.

The town has the now familiar rainbow street with planted containers.

and this new-to-us variety of lily

As the rain worsened, we headed to the Arctic Fox Museum. There we learned that the arctic fox was the first land mammal to inhabit Iceland, arriving on ice floats about 1,000 years before the Vikings. In addition to exhibits about their history, adaptability, food, and habitat, there are some rescue foxes, so cute, in pens in the back.

The rain was even steadier and colder than ever, so we called the sightseeing quits for the day, went back to the hotel restaurant, ate, drank, and played cards the rest of the day.

The morning brought less rain but still heavy fog. Alas, we had a ferry to catch, so off we went. We left Ísafjörður on route 60 through the tunnel which is about 6 km long, carved out of the mountain, very dark, and for most of its length only one lane wide with pullovers to allow for oncoming cars. Talk about a white knuckle drive! We were all happy Eric was doing the driving. So glad at this point that our trip into town was via the fjords!

We had time before our ferry to stop at the Dynjandi bílastæði, a group of 6 successive waterfalls. As a group, they make up the largest waterfall in the West Fjords. Dynjandi means thunderous, which is evident from the second one is out of the car.

All 6 cannot be seen at once, so we hiked up along the falls for a better look.

to just below the top 2 falls.

But time would not allow us to go further.

So back into the car we clambered in the fog and made our way on route 60 up over a mostly single lane, still under construction, barely drivable road in the dense fog, hard to see the car in front of you! And this was the route most Icelanders would have chosen from Blönduós!? We were so glad we had chosen the sunny fjord-hugging scenic route 61. We made it to Breidafjörður Bay in time for the ferry, phew, and had a relaxing if foggy journey across to Stykkishólmur on the Snæfellsnes peninsula.

Our AirBnb host had warned us there would be no grocery store nearby, so we stopped in Breidafjörður for groceries. Throughout Iceland is a chain of supermarkets called Bonus.

Then, because one can never see too many waterfalls, we stopped for pictures at Kirkjufellsfoss.

Kirkjufellsfoss is one of the most photographed waterfalls in Iceland. The river Kirkjufellsá runs down from the volcano Helgrindur and has three waterfalls in it, all called Kirkjufellsfoss. Its name translates to “Church Mountain Falls,” and this small, enchanting waterfall is only 16 feet high. The waterfall’s beauty forms a stunning visual as it captures Mt. Kirkjufell from an angle that makes it seem triangular shaped. This is part of why it was used as “arrowhead mountain” in the television series Game of Thrones. We hiked to the bottom despite the pretty steady rain.

We found our AirBnb in Hellnar but quickly ventured out to the nearby Fosshotel for a warm and yummy dinner. Much later the rain and fog lifted enough for some pictures of the amazing views from our home.

In the morning we ventured out despite the heavy winds and steady rain. Our afternoon whale watching trip had been cancelled due to the storms, so we set out to explore the Snæfellsnes Peninsula.

Our first stop was Laugarbrekka. Here, in her birthplace in 980, is a statue of Guðríður Þorbjarnardóttir, wife of Þorfinnur Karlsefni Þórdarson, who gave birth to a son in about 1004, during their stay in Vinland during one of Guðríður’s 8 voyages to North America! This son, Snorri Þorfinnsson was the first child of European descent to be born in North America. The statute shows Snorri is on Guðríður’s shoulders.

The following photo shows the actual small size of the statue, which can be seen in the background. But it also shows how we dressed from head to toe for the weather!

We traveled along the south of the Snæfellsnes peninsula until we reached the Þúfubjarg cliffs with their view of Lóndrangar: 2 volcanic plugs.

The Þúfubjarg cliffs are themselves beautiful and full of nesting birds.

We drove around to and hiked up to the Saxhóll Crater. Compared to the Kerið Crater we had seen in the Golden Circle, the many steps in the heavy wind made this one not worth the effort.

We drove around the peninsula a bit more, but ultimately decided to give up on the day. In the evening we ventured out to Arnarstapi to a cute place for dinner of fish and chips and beer.

In the morning, the sun was trying to peak through the fog. We headed back to Arnarstapi to take pictures of the big stone structure of Bárður Snæfellsás. It was made by the Icelandic sculptor, Ragnar Kjartansson and was unveiled in 1985.

Bárður Snæfellsás was the settler of this area, half a troll, and half a man, but his mother was human. He came to Iceland in the 9th century and gave the peninsula its name, Snjófellsnes peninsula, but both words “snær” and “snjór” mean snow in Icelandic.

Beyond the statue are gorgeous cliffs filled with birds. This pathway connects the two tiny towns of Arnarstapi and Hellnar, and in good weather is probably a beautiful hike.

We ventured down to the beautiful natural harbor of Arnarstapi with its extraordinary columnar basalt and cliff formations.

The grounds are covered with cranebills

and succulents

As we left the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, the sun finally made a showing. So we decided to stop, where else, but at some more falls. First stop: Glannifoss. Glanni is a stunning waterfall in Nordura river. The locals believe it to be the dwelling place for elves and trolls. It was a short hike in from the parking lot, which is shared with the local golf course.

Next stop: Hraunfossar and Barnafoss. Just when we thought we had seen enough waterfalls, we found these to be so very unique, it was more than worth the stop. Hraunfossar means Lava Falls. Water seems to magically appear from the lava.

However, it is actually a clear spring surging through lava. The lava field that Hraunfossar trickles through flowed from an eruption of one of the volcanoes lying under the nearby glacier of Langjökull, the second largest ice-cap in Iceland. The waterfalls pour into the Hvítá river from ledges of less porous rock in the lava.

Looking back at it from upstream, the water seems to appear from the middle of the lava with no river above.

Upstream on the river is Barnafoss, “Child Falls,” and legend has it that one day two boys were left home while their parents went to church, but they got bored and decide to follow. When taking a shortcut, the two boys tried crossing the falls over a natural stone bridge but fell in and drowned. The mother of the boys cursed the bridge and shortly after it was destroyed by an earthquake.

As we headed back to the parking lot, we could not resist a last group selfie.

It was time to check into our last AirBnb (and accommodation) of the trip. To our delight we were booked on a horse farm with its own natural hot springs!

A hot spring can be seen in the distant bend in the river.

The host happened to be there and explained she runs the farm, and she breeds and trains her horses for show. In addition to our home, she has turned the old silo into a unique 1 BR AirBnb.

But the most fun part: she took us into the paddock and introduced us to a 2 day-old foal!

I could barely drag Carol from the horses.

The final morning we headed out early. We had booked a final hot springs stop on the way to the airport.

The eight geothermal pools are surrounded by rocks and nestled in the hills over 1200 acres of beautiful nature (but picture taking is discouraged).

This pool is right on the ocean’s edge.

After a luxurious soak and a hot shower, we were off to the airport for the journey home.

We flew to Reykjavik with friends Jeff and Carol and reached our AirBnb around midnight. Our host graciously met us at that late hour and aided us in finding our parking garage. We woke up surprisingly early considering the jetlag, and headed to the BRAUÐ & CO. BAKERY, featured on Feeding Phil. As he suggested, we bought cinnamon buns and happy marriage cake, and we were not disappointed.

Despite the rain, we headed out to the Blue Lagoon. Due to the cost and crowds, we had decided not to book a reservation for the hot springs, but wanted to see the site. The recent volcanic activity in the area caused some road closures and detours, but we arrived nonetheless.

Of note, we took a group selfie at every site for the 2 weeks we were together. I will include only a few here.

After walking around outside, we peeked in.

We then drove back into Reykjavik, had our first expensive lunch of Icelandic street food: fish & chips, fish stew with rye bread, and bisque, totaling for the 4 of us over $100, wow for street food. We then strolled up the Rainbow Street toward the church.

The statue in front is of Leif Ericson (ca. 970 – ca. 1020) who is regarded as the first European to land in North America nearly 500 years before Christopher Columbus. According to the Sagas of Icelanders, he established a Norse settlement at Vinland, tentatively identified with the Norse L’Anse aux Meadows on the northern tip of Newfoundland in modern-day Canada.

Inside the church we found austere surroundings with a huge organ.

We then rode the elevator to the top of the bell tower to take in the views of Reykjavik, which were striking despite the rain and fog.

After leaving the church, we strolled around in the drizzle and enjoyed the colorful homes and businesses that enhance the city’s decor.

We continued down to the waterfront and visited the arts center: Harpa, which opened in 2011.  The building features a distinctive colored glass facade inspired by the basalt landscape of Iceland.

Before heading back to our AirBnb, we could not resist stopping by the Phallological Museum.

We did not go inside, however, deciding that all we needed to see was at the entrance.

The next morning we set out to tour the Golden Circle. First stop was Þingvellir National Park (pronounced Thingviller). Þingvellir National Park is a unique site in Iceland as it’s both historically significant as well as being a geological wonder. It has the honor of being the first established national park in Iceland and the only one receiving UNESCO status. It is a place where dramatic geology meets a millennium of fascinating history. Here, visitors to Þingvellir can discover the roots of this island’s formation and how the Icelandic settlers formed their leaderless society. The park’s unique geology comes from its location between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates, which create the rift valley that runs through Iceland. Iceland is the only country where this valley, the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, can be seen above sea level. Nowhere is it more visible than in the park’s unique geology, which comes from its location between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates, which create the rift valley that runs through Iceland. Iceland is the only country where this valley, the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, can be seen above sea level. Nowhere is it more visible than in Þingvellir National Park.

No single place epitomizes the history of Iceland and the Icelandic nation better than Þingvellir by the river Öxará. At Þingvellir – literally “Assembly Plains” – the Alþing general assembly was established around 930 and continued to convene there until 1798. Major events in the history of Iceland have taken place at Þingvellir and therefore the place is held in high esteem by all Icelanders. Today Þingvellir is a protected national shrine. According to the law, passed in 1928, the protected area shall always be the property of the Icelandic nation, under the preservation of the Alþing.

On our way to the next site, we stopped at a working farm for lunch and had, of course, burgers.

Then we were off to our first geysers of the trip. They are to be found in the town of Geysir, for which they were named, derived from the Icelandic word geysa, which means “to go quickly forward.” The most famous there is the Strokkur Geyser, which spurts steam about 50-60 feet into the air about every 10 minutes but lasts only a few seconds, requiring one to be fast with the camera click.

In this geothermal area, there are several hot pools and smaller geysers too.

Our Golden Circle tour continued onward to the Gullfoss (foss is Icelandic for waterfalls).

On average 100,000 liters of glacial water from the river Hvítá plunge 31 meters into the Gullfossgljúfur canyon every second.

We walked all around this magnificent waterfall, taking it in from every angle.

Next we headed to our accommodations for the night: the Varmi Guest House, where our host was most amiable and upgraded Jeff and Carol’s rooms for the night. We were quite comfortable after our exhausting day.

In the morning, we headed slightly back to see the Kerið Crater, which we had passed the prior evening, but were too tired to climb. We were so happy we made the trip back; the crater was truly spectacular to see.

Kerið is approximately three thousand years old, making it roughly half the age of most volcanic calderas found in Iceland. This is the major reason as to why Kerið’s slopes are red in colour, rather than a volcanic black; the iron deposits are, geologically speaking, fresh. Kerið is approximately 55 metres (180 feet) deep, 170 metres (558 feet) wide and 270 meters (886 feet) in circumference. It is possible to take a path right to the crater’s edge, to fully encircle it, and to descend down to the pristine waters of the crater lake. We walked all the way around.

Then it was back into the car, grateful for our fist day of mostly sunshine, and drove along the southern portion of the ring road. We spotted some spectacular falls off to the left, and decided to make a stop.

Seljalandsfoss originates at the Eyjafjallajökull (jökull is Icelandic for glacier), which is relatively small glacier as they go in Iceland.

Eyjafjallajökull is currently famous for being the volcano which erupted in 2010 spewing huge amounts of ash into the air and disrupting air traffic

There we also noticed for the first time the flies swarming an Angelica plant, which is both a pollinator in Iceland and also historically used by Icelanders for medicinal purposes.

After hiking around the falls for a bit, we hopped back into the car and continued easterly along the southern ring road. We headed for Skógafoss. The drive was spectacular, and the fields are so lush and green we could not stop admiring all the breathtaking views out the car windows. We fist stopped for lunch at the hotel of the same name right by the falls. After lunch we hiked down to the falls for a look.

The Skógafoss is one of the biggest waterfalls in the country, with a width of 82 feet and a drop of 200 ft.

Next stop along our southern route was Sólheimajökull, no thanks to Google maps, which tried to lead us astray. Luckily with our better instincts (that road looked too rough for our rental car) and with the help of Rick Steves’ downloaded Iceland Guide, we found the parking lot. Sólheimajökull is popular with tourists due to it’s relative proximity to the road and thereby ease of access. It was to be our first somewhat upclose glacier.

Sólheimajökull is an outlier glacier of the larger Mýrdalsjökull which lies atop the Katla caldera.

The “dirty” appearance is from decades of movement down along the volcanic mountains while picking up rocks and debris.

Then we went on to our final site of the day: Dyrhólaey Lighthouse, which was built in 1910.

From the peninsula atop which sits the lighthouse, we were able to look down onto the black sand beach.

Dyrhólaey literally means “the hill island with the door hole.” Looking out, we could appreciate its name.

We saw our first puffin.

And finally we headed into Vik for the night. There we checked into the Vik Apartments and had a delicious dinner at Suður near the church on the hill.

The next morning we set out super early on our sunniest and warmest day so far, which was fortunate because we were scheduled for a ferry ride. to the home of one of the largest puffin colonies in the world. We left the car behind in Landeyjahöfn and boarded Herjólfur (The Ferry) to Heimaey, the only inhabited island in the cluster of otherwise uninhabited Westman Islands (Vestmannaeyjar in Icelandic), which takes around 35-40 minutes one way. As we journeyed across, we were treated to views of Eyjafjallajökull (the ice capped volcano).

As we entered the Heimaey Harbor, we noted that even the ferries here in Iceland are electric. An aside note: 85% of energy consumed in Iceland is renewable (100% of electricity, the remaining to run the non electric vehicles), a remarkable and laudable number. Over 70% of the renewable energy comes from hydropower, most of the remaining from geothermal.

We strolled into town for a self guided walking tour. We were treated to several murals,

and some cute fun street art.

and, of course, a puffin bar.

We learned that there was a huge volcanic eruption in 1973 that started on January 23rd and lasted until July 3rd. Most of the residents evacuated to the mainland. The lava nearly buried the town. There was only one death reported, but several homes were lost. The pole below marks the height of the ash when Heimaey Island was deemed safe enough for the residents to return.

The advancing lava had consumed many homes. Blátindur, shown below, was a home originally built around 1910 and was destroyed except for the one wall, which could be seen sticking out of the mass of lava and rock. The locals have preserved it a a remembrance of how scary was that cold night in January.

We climbed up the mountain behind Blátindur to see the memorials to the homes consumed during the eruption, many of them 40-50 feet below.

From the top of the ’73 lava mountain we had a beautiful view of the harbor.

We visited the local historical museum and learned more about the ’73 eruption and also about the pirate raid of Heimaey in 1627. We also learned a lot about the local history and culture of fishing, preserving, and marketing the catch. The fishing industry, very hard work, was an entire family affair including women and small children. We also learned about the music, art and culture of Heimaey. Then it was time for lunch and our afternoon boat tour.

Again, we were so happy for the warm, sunny day we had for this excursion. Our guide on the boat told us lots of local stories including ones of the ’73 volcanic eruption and also expanded on stories we had learned about the 1627 pirate raid. She also told us about puffin rescue. Apparently puffins mate for life. After nesting during the summer months, burrowing into the grounds around the cliffs and laying a single egg, the adults migrate to a warmer climate for the winter and leave the pufflings (baby puffins) to fend for themselves. When they emerge from their burrows in the autumn months, the pufflings are confused by the lights in Vestmannaeyjar and wander into town. Their dense bones, which make for good diving, are too heavy for their tiny wings, making flight at this young age impossible. Normally they would leap off cliffs into the water below. They would die of starvation if left on their own. The locals collect the puffins, nurse and feed them until they are deemed by a local vet to be able to survive on their own. The pufflings are then tossed off cliffs to sail to the waters below. As we toured around on the boat hundreds of puffins were swarming the skies above and around us. Unfortunately, they are so tiny, they are tough to catch in a picture. In the picture below, all the little white dots and most in the air are puffins.

Other birds in the area include razorbills, common murres, petrels, and fulmars. The pictures do not even come close to capturing the magnificence of these bird colonies.

Sheep also dot the top of the islands. They are hauled up there by cranes on boats inside of a body wrap. Their purpose is to keep the grass short enough for the pufflings to be able to emerge from their burrows in the fall. A few houses can be seen dotting the islands. Historically they were hunting cabins (bird hunting is now no longer legal). They are now used as “man caves.” The one below (on the left) is called “the loneliest house in the world.”

Our boat entered a little cave, which was beautiful and had amazing acoustics.

Once back in the harbor, it was time to jump back onto our ferry and head back to the mainland.

On the way we were treated to a rainbow over Eyjafjallajökull.

In the morning we headed toward Skaftafell National Park, which since 2008 has been part of Vatnajökull National Park. We were still on the southern part of the ring road, but the landscapes changed significantly from the lush greens we had been seeing to the browns of rocks.

Along the way we stopped to take photos of more glaciers. Hvannadalshnjúkur is a peak on the northwestern rim of the summit crater of the Öræfajökull (glacier covered volcano) in Vatnajökull National Park. Its summit is the highest point in the country. Unfortunately, due to the fog, we could not see the peak, but we did see the edges of the glacier.

We entered Skaftafell and parked just as the rain was stopping. We hiked up to Svartifoss, making photo stops along the way.

And viewing the smaller falls on the trail. Time to comment: there are approximately 10,000 waterfalls in Iceland!

After about an hour’s hike, we made it to Svartifoss.

Ice-cold meltwater from Svínafellsjökull feeds the famous Svartifoss. The waterfall tumbles down 80 ft over a cliff, which is bordered on both sides by tall black basalt columns, (which refers back to the image of Harpa in Reykjavik). It resembles pipes of a giant organ, which is where the waterfall gets its name.

Basalt is a volcanic rock formed from the superheated magma that emerges as lava during an eruption. Hexagonal basalt rocks form as lava cools and contracts, creating shapes that minimize stress and surface area, with hexagons being the most efficient pattern. Basalt volcanic rock has a special geometrical shape due to this change in composition. In volcanic rocks, straight and regular columnar fractures are known as a colonnade.

These basalt pillars and hexagonal rock formations you see have a special feature called columnar jointing. This is what gives each basalt column their unmistakable hexagonal shape and makes them so neat to look at. Columnar jointing has also been found in planets like Mars. With time and the elements, the columns crack and fall.

As we climbed back into the car, the rain started back up. We were so lucky to have had the reprieve during our hike! We drove to the nearby Fosshotel, our most luxurious digs of the trip. There we relaxed in the outdoor hot tub with glacier views before enjoying a gourmet meal.

Vatnajökull (2110 m) is the largest glacier in Iceland and it’s also the largest glacier mass in Europe. It covers an area of roughly between 8100 sq. km and 8300 sq. km, and it’s about 1000 m thick at its thickest point. Its average thickness is 400 – 500 m, and the total ice volume of Vatnajokull is probably in the vicinity of 3300 cubic km.

The next morning the weather had again turned cloudy and windy!! It was to be our longest day of driving thus far. Our first stop, still along the southern ring road, was Jökulsárlón, a large glacial lake in southern part of Vatnajökull National Park. Situated at the head of the Breiðamerkurjökull glacier, it developed into a lake after the glacier started receding from the edge of the Atlantic ocean. The lake has grown since then at varying rates because of melting of the glaciers. The glacial front is now about 5.0 mi away from the ocean’s edge and the lake covers an area of about 6.9 sq mi. In 2009 it was reported to be the deepest lake in Iceland, at over 932 ft. The size of the lake has increased fourfold since the 1970s.

As the glacier breaks into the lake, icebergs are formed, flow, and break apart. Wish I could upload the videos.

Words cannot describe, nor pictures capture, neither the intensity and variety of blues…

…nor nature’s sculpted beauty.

Did I mention the wind? In the picture below, Carol and I are laughing hysterically as we try to hold each other from blowing off the overlook.

We did not need to be told the safety warnings below.

Ultimately the icebergs float under the bridge and out into the open ocean.

All that excitement, and we were less than a half hour into our 4-5 hour drive! Once again Google maps led us in a direction I would avoid if doing this trip again. We were headed for Seyðisfjörður, and were routed via route 95, which appeared to be a shortcut from the ring road. But alas, it was a dirt road over some desolate driving terrain, and we ultimately intersected back to the ring road anyway, not worth the 20-30 minutes saved. We crossed the ring road in Egilsstaðir, drove up over a mountain, and arrived in Seyðisfjörður in the late afternoon hungry and tired. We were treated to a cute little town nestled at the mouth of the Fjarðará River and at the innermost point of the fjord of the same name as the town.

Originally a fishing village, it is known for its cute historic buildings.

Seyðisfjörður was the recipient of the first telegraph cable in 1906, was the site of the country’s first hydroelectric plant built via a dam in 1913, and was a base for British and American soldiers in WWII. Today the town’s major economy is tourism.

We strolled around the local shops.

Then we headed into the local bar for an early dinner.

Then we headed to our AirBnb, which was just outside of town in the most beautiful setting.

With a gorgeous view of the fjord.

And another view of the harbor. We awoke in the morning to a cruise ship at dock.

We left Essaouira on a warm day. We passed argan trees and headed to wine country. We stopped at Domaine du Val d’Argan for a tasting. First we were introduced to their entire line of wines. It is today the only vineyard in Morocco to have obtained certification of conformity to European regulation CE 834/2007 which governs organic farming in Europe.

Then we were taken on a tour of the facility, which was like none that we had ever seen. The fermentation takes place in cement vats.

The aging then takes place in metal barrels.

They bottle and sell about 300,000 bottles a year, 90% within Morocco.

The owner of the place Charles Melia bought the original 12 acres in 1994 but now owns 129.

We passed the scraggly looking vineyards.

In addition to a tasting room and restaurant, they have accommodations of 5 overnight guest rooms.

We tasted 2 whites and 2 reds, which were not bad.

After the tasting we got back in the car for our long drive to the Ourika Valley. The final drive up to the hotel was on a narrow dirt road that winds up out of the valley into the High Atlas Mountains. We arrived in the late afternoon to Kasbah Bab Ourika.

As usual, the courtyard is lovely.

After a welcome drink we were shown to our room.

And once again, the bathroom is the best part.

As is the roomy private terrace with a view of the High Atlas Mountains.

We watched the sun set over the mountains then enjoyed dinner in the restaurant.

In the morning we were again struck with the beauty of the view from our terrace with the morning light on the mountains.

On our way to breakfast we noted how much later the olives ripen in the mountains than in the southern valleys. In Skoura they were already harvesting black olives. Here they are still not even yet ripe green ones.

After breakfast we met with our mountain guide Hassan. The dog from our hotel decided to join us on the hike.

Behind Eric and Hassan can be seen Jebel Toubkal  Mountain. At 4,167 m (13,671 ft), it is the highest peak in Morocco, the Atlas Mountains, in fact in the Arab world. It is usually great for skiing, although no snow yet this year, which we are told is unusual..

After leaving the hotel property, we hiked around and almost immediately entered the Toubkal National Park. Hassan pointed out all the interesting flora along the way and explained each ones usefulness to the locals. Agave not only makes tequila, but the fibers are silk-like and are woven into fine cloths.

Juniper leaves are dried and smoked to help one stop smoking cigarettes. The wood from the juniper bush is burned and the ashes are dissolved into water and the dark liquid spread around the rims of food and beverage bowls to repel insects. The ashes can also be used in hair dyes.

The juniper berries make gin.

We passed honey bee hives.

At this point in the park we were able to look back and see or hotel in the distance.

We also passed a football (soccer) field built by the government for the children. It is here in the park due to the lack of ground in the villages, where all available space is used for homes or gardens..

We took a minute to stop and enjoy the beauty of our surroundings.

Hassan explained the danger of erosion of the hills due to storms. The government has been planting pine trees along the rims to help bind the ground.

We passed a wild oleander and Hassan reiterated its poisonous properties, especially if boiled.

Wild mint grows along the irrigation channels.

We hiked out of the park and passed along the top of a family farm on the border. The vegetables are sold at the Monday market.

As we came around to the front of the farm,

we saw a prickly pear cactus, a rarity here because they are all dying of a fungal infection. Hassan explained that the family can keep this single one alive by regularly cleaning it and covering it with the black soap we have seen in all the souks, which will prevent the fungus from sticking. The cactus berry is not only a delicious fruit, but the oil from its seed is used in anti wrinkle facial products.

On the edge of the farm was a carob tree. There was a time when the carob seeds were used to weigh the carats of gold, carat from the arabic word qurat which means unit of weight with reference to the elongated seed bod of the carob, hence the nomenclature.

This tree is just starting to bud.

Along the border of the farm are a line of agave plants. They are often used as natural fences to keep sheep and goats from wandering onto the fields.

He also pointed out that the agave will shoot up a flower after about 10 years or so, but then the plant dies.

There are chickens roaming near most homes. This one was just strutting, begging for her picture to be taken.

Hassan explained all the new construction seen everywhere. Most families all live together. As the sons grow and marry, they just add new homes onto the existing ones.

Some of the new homes use the old method of dirt, straw, etc. But most now use concrete bricks for immediacy.

Unlike in the city, which has community hammams, here almost every home has its own hammam often with an external access for the firewood.

The hammams account for the smoke we see from our terrace rising to the sky from many areas.

We passed the school with the children outside playing. They are off this week. About every 6 weeks they get a 1 week break.

At this point Hassan, a previous science teacher, took a moment to lament the lack of funding for education and healthcare in the country. Since the 60s the population in Morocco has grown from 8 million to over 40 million. In that time, very few new schools have been built, yet many new soccer fields have been built. The students in the villages go to school in shifts, each child for only 3 hours a day. There can be as many as 50 students to a classroom. Where the teachers used to get a 2 hour lunch break, now they have a quick lunch break and work all day for no increase in pay. There is currently a teachers’ strike in Morocco. Across from the school is the kresh: preschool.

We asked about birthing babies. Most women have their first in a hospital because of the risk. But if no problems with the first, subsequent babies are born at home assisted by the village midwife.

Beside the school is the mosque.

As the government has brought running water to the homes, each home is charged for the use. In order to charge, the homes are numbered.

Before there were elected officials in each village, the villages were run by the wealthy chiefs who lived in kasbahs. This town’s abandoned kasbah was severely damaged by the Sept. 8 earthquake.

Walking through the village, we passed the local store.

This village also has an irrigation system, more sophisticated than the one we saw in the Skoura Valley.

There is a lever for changing the water’s direction, not stones and mud.

Hassan pointed out that the more luxurious looking homes we passed are all vacation homes for the more wealthy city dwellers from Marrakech.

One such fine home we passed was that of the owner of our hotel.

Very much like in the Skoura Valley, each family here has its own plots for farming. And similar to there, the plots are getting smaller with each new generation.

Hassan pointed out the many squash and pumpkin vines growing all around us. The large elongated squash, after taking out the marrow, used to be used as gourds for drinking and storing, but no more. Now it is simply cooked with Friday couscous.

The pumpkin vine is growing on the tree for support. The pumpkin is wrapped to prevent birds from poking holes into it.

Bitter oranges are grown for marmalade. Their skins can be used for orange dye. The blossoms are used for essences, scented products.

Sweet lemons are for juice but the bitter lemons are preserved for cooking in the tagines with olives.

He pointed out a quince tree.

A plum orchard

And an avocado tree.

The majority of the electricity is from solar panels.

We passed an abandoned wheat mill where the running water from the irrigation stream powered the wheel.

Alfalfa, feed for the animals, is grown in large fields.

There is a dog tied in the middle of the alfalfa field because his barking will scare away any wild boars that wander in from the park.

Sheep and a donkey graze nearby.

A Washington Palm is just for beauty; it bears no fruit. Have to wonder as to the significance in the naming of it…

Again, the irigation system is vast and impressive.

We passed fields of potatoes

and onions

The tomatoes are just about done for the season as the weather cools.

Finally we have arrived in the Amazigh family home. Amazigh is another name for Berber, which is what the tribes prefer. Berber was the name given to them by the Romans for “those who do not speak Latin.” Amazigh is the original for themselves in their native Berber language.

Stepping over the threshold, we are in the foyer of the home which contains the oven for baking the bread for guests.

There is a stable for the animals, which were out grazing during the day.

And a pen for the donkey, taking a mid day break.

This home, like most others in the village, has it’s own hammam, which I have come to understand is very much like a sauna.

The water is boiled over the fire, which is lit from the outside wall, then a little water is placed on the inside floor for steam. Inside the hammam one sits, relaxes, and scrubs oneself with the black soap.

Also in this foyer to the home is a room for the storage of food for the animals, mostly alflalfa both fresh and dried.

We then stepped through the door, past the bathroom facilities (all the homes in the village have running water and sewage lines), and into the inner courtyard.

Our lunch was cooking in the tagine atop the majamar.

Hassan showed us the kitchen with the everyday bread ovens that can also double to cook the large family Friday couscous.

He showed us the vessel into which they pour the milk, then swing it for about 30 minutes to separate the butter from the milk.

It is then simply hung on a peg for storage.

In addition to wood, butane is used for cooking. It is more expensive but more expedient to use.

The next room has the kitchen wares. We commented on the number of teapots!

And more cookware.

The rest of the rooms around the courtyard are for sleeping. We went up the steps to the level above. In the valley homes like this one have an open courtyard in the center. Hassan explained that up in the mountains, the courtyard would be closed and would be the stable for the animals, thus keeping the house warmer for the upstairs occupants.

And were invited into the guest room. Hassan explained that most Amazigh homes have a room used exclusively for entertaining guests.  Here the extended family gathers to celebrate the end of Ramadan.

Hassan the proceeded to explain the ritual of making and serving tea. We realized that despite having been in the country for over a month, and having been served tea countless times, no-one had yet explained all the steps involved in the process.

He showed us the ingredients: loose green tea from China, lumps of sugar, and herbs, whatever you like, most often mint in Morocco.

First one must wash hands before the ingredients are handled, as well as before eating meals.

Then a handful of tea is poured into the teapot which is next filled with about a cup of boiling water. The water is swished to open the tea leaves, then poured out and saved. Meanwhile, choose what herbs, today he chose lemon verbena, sage, and absinthe, place them in a glass, and pour hot water over to cleanse; let sit a few minutes. A second cup of water is poured into the teapot and swirled vigorously to clean the now opened tea leaves. This dirty water is poured out and thrown away. Now the teapot is filled with water, the first rinse put back in the pot, and the rinsed herbs, their rinse water having been thrown away, are all added back to the pot, which is placed on charcoals and boiled a few minutes. If sugar is to be added, which it always is for Moroccans; (they physically work hard and burn the calories), the sugar is placed in a glass and the boiling water added to it to dissolve the sugar in the glass. The dissolved sugar is then added to the pot. A glass is poured out, then replaced into the pot a few times to ensure that the ingredients in the pot are all mixed well. Finally, a small amount is poured into a glass and tasted. If deemed ready, a half glass is poured for each guest. The first round is always a half glass for 2 reasons: if the guest does not like the herbs used, only a half glass is wasted and, the first round of tea is too hot to hold the glass. The half glass allows for room in the upper half of the glass for fingers to pick up the glass.

After tea, lunch was served. This is another Moroccan custom we have noted: tea is served first with nuts and cookies then lunch is served followed by fruits. The dessert seems to come before the meal.

After lunch we headed to the upper terrace for the views. In the distance another village can be seen on the hill. There are 49 villages in the Ourika Valley.

Also from above we can see the building going on next door. The family is adding a home for the eldest married brother.

There are more homes being built in the village also.

Also from up high we can see a row of poplar trees. Poplar trees are used for making furniture because of their flexibility. Their foliage is beautiful this time of year.

Down in the village we passed a home with a couple of large tents set up adjacent to the home. Hassan explained that means they are about to have a celebration. All celebrations are community wide events. Celebrations include weddings and circumcisions, the latter taking place after the baby is 40 days old but generally before 90.

As we left the village we passed several nurseries. One was for more poplars, another for cedar trees, also used for furniture and cabinetry. The trees will be transplanted around the area.

We then made the long hike up the hill back to our hotel. We had not noted prior but realized now, here also pines have been planted to stabilize the road from erosion.

We watched another sun set over the mountains, then another delicious dinner in the restaurant. The next day was one for more R&R. We took some time to enjoy the beautiful resort. While I shot photos on the ground including the lunch terrace

the pool

And the lending library/reading room

And the extensive gardens. They use rosemary as a border.

In addition to many olive, orange, and decorative trees, there are several rose gardens.

and many veggie and herb gardens.

Eric meanwhile sent up the drone to get views of the property from above. In this one the extense of the gardens can be appreciated.

This one particularly shows the gorges leading into the national park.

We spent a large portion of the day relaxing by the pool.

The next day we headed for our last stop: Marrakech. On the way we stopped at Le Paradis du Safran, an organic garden specializing in saffron. We had just missed the saffron harvest by a couple of weeks, but they had a couple of the flowers left to show us. The spice is derived from the stigma of the flower gently pulled off then dried. It takes a person 3 hours to collect the 200 flowers and remove theirs stigma to produce 1 gm of saffron, which is why it is the world’s most expensive spice.

The saffron field no longer had flowers, but the fields are expansive.

We wandered around the extensive gardens that had almost every fruit tree and herb imaginable.

One herb we did not know previously was this scented geranium, which has been included in teas and flavored waters we have been served while here.

The fruit trees also included ones we had not seen before like this kumquat tree.

And one we had never even heard of before called a pomelo.

When we had tea and snacks after touring the garden, we were actually served a pomelo which turned out to be much like a smaller, slightly sweeter grapefruit.

The grounds had pretty nice views of the High Atlas Mountains.

And some cute decor. These guys actually were triggered to play as we walked by.

They are also known for the “sensory garden.” We were encouraged to remove our shoes and walk through the different sensory stimuli. The peacocks and peahens took off before we walked through.

After the feet were stimulated, there was a series of baths, salts, rinses, and finally scented herbs to rub onto the feet before snacks were served.

We then drove up to the red city: Marrakech. As per the usual mo, we were met just outside the medina by a porter from the hotel. I realize, I have never included a pic of the little hand trucks the porters use to transport luggage through the streets of the medinas. Not all are a decorated as this one.

We were greeted at L’Hotel Marrakech, which is really a riad with its innocuous door.

The turn into the narrow entryway.

And the beautiful central garden.

We were shown up to our private terrace overlooking this courtyard.

And into our room styled in the 1930s French motif.

After we settled in, we wandered back out into the medina for Eric’s badly overdue haircut.

We had a lovely dinner by the fire in private in the dining room. I have probably not mentioned before, but this is the best time to be in Morocco. The weather is still gorgeous, and the tourism is at a low. In several of our accommodations, this one included, we have been the only guest for 1 or more days of our stay, such personal attention and privacy, luxurious.

After breakfast (included in every place we have stayed) Mohammed, our guide for the day, met us at the riad. Having been in the country at this point for over a month, we challenged him to find information and food we had not yet experienced. He rose to the challenge and succeeded on both counts!

First he took us out into the street of our neighborhood and explained that the larger medinas, like in this city, are divided into neighborhoods called derbs. The derbs are mostly residential, although now a lot of homes are being converted into riads and spas. Each derb has its own prayer hall for the daily prayers, but is not a mosque and does not have Friday prayers.

We are in derb Sidi Lhassen ou Ali. Sidi is a special title for a male, like “lord,” Lala for a female. Lhassen ou means “son of” like ben in Hebrew.

Many derbs also have shrines to saints that previously lived there.

Mohammed also explained that as plumbing was introduced into the medina, the pipes were laid, then the road built up over, which is why many doors and homes are now significantly lower than the street.

The houses are numbered from right to left, as Arabic is written. Shrines, prayer halls, and mosques are not numbered. He also explained why so many of the doors seem to have a smaller door within a larger frame. The smaller door is for people, the larger was to allow for the animals to enter. Nowadays most people in the medina do not keep large animals in their homes, (they have motorbikes) but keep the old doors because the smaller doors are cooler.

As families grew, if extra space was needed, the house could be built right over the alley.

Several derbs open into a larger space that is the center of the neighborhood of the medina. As explained previously, each neighborhood had its own mosque, hammam, bakery, water supply, and madrassa. Our neighborhood mosque with the accompanying water fountain have been converted into a museum.

The central area onto which all the derbs open is the area for shops and services like mechanics, tailors, electronics, food

and barbers

And nowadays, a laundromat

Our neighborhood 16th century madrassa now is also the local public school.

The neighborhood bakeries were once public. They are all now private businesses that charge a nominal fee if used by a private person. But mostly they bake enormous quantities of bread for the hotels.

This is the current neighborhood mosque.

The latrines were also once all public and centrally located.

This one is now in disrepair, but has the original area for washing clothes.

The toilets can be used for about 1 dirham (10 cents).

a close-up of the squat toilet. I only had to use one once in the month we’ve been here. No toilet paper but fortunately I had my own.

Then water is provided for washing after using the toilet.

The medinas are all undergoing restoration, which involves sealing and painting over the new cement bricks of the new buildings while keeping the original color for which the city is known..

Originally the groves and gardens that fed the city were immediately outside the medina walls. Today there are only token gardens in the urban sprawl that is Marrakech.

The hammam, still in use, can often be recognized because it has a large central dome under which people sit while in the sauna, for purification.

Recycling is huge here. Almost everything is recycled. While walking through our derb, we heard a man calling (in Arabic) for bread. He buys partially used or stale loaves and sells them to farmers as feed for animals. This donkey is pulling a recycling cart through the medina.

The next neighborhood we passed through was Laksour (palaces).

which is one of the oldest near the famous mosque: Koutoubia, which means book sellers. We got our first glimpse of the famous mosque.

As we neared, we could see the 12th century mosque and the nearby shrine.

Because of the Sept. 8 earthquake, the mosque is considered unstable and cannot be entered, which is why it is surrounded by barriers and the side and top are supported.

Originally in the space was an 11th century mosque, which was mostly destroyed but not removed; the ruins remain.

The Koutoubia Mosque was built in the Moorish/Andalusian style about the same time, by the same dynasty, as those in Sevilla and Rabat. They were based on the one in Cordoba (and the 11th century one which they destroyed). The columns are aligned to face the mihrab (prayer niche), which is facing mecca.

Beneath the old mosque is a large water cistern.

It is filled by water from the High Atlas mountains that comes through a system of channels.

The new mosque reservoirs are considered so special, they are considered a spiritual place and are named for special people.

Mohammed explained that the typical Muslim door style, the keyhole, with the upper horseshoe shape, dates back to the Romans who considered horseshoes to be good luck.

Like all mosques, there is a large public space adjacent, in this case a park.

The central round fountain, however, is more of a European, ie French, influence. The typical muslim garden is square, in 4 symmetrical quadrants.

Stork nests can be seen in the nearby cellphone towers.

Heading back toward the mosque

Mohammed pointed out the woman dressed all in white. He explained that she is in mourning. In a very strict family, she would not come out, unless in an emergency, for the duration of the mourning period, which is 4 months and 10 days. (If the death is a husband, in that time a pregnancy would be known.)

As we walked around the mosque, Mohammed explained that the minaret internally has ramps so a donkey could carry a man to the top to call for prayers. The external niches provided amplification of the sound in the days before electronic loudspeakers.

The braces around the minaret are to hold it together due to earthquake damage.

The post earthquake damage was dealt with quickly in Marrakech. The buildings across from the mosque have supports due to fears of crumbling, especially in the immediate post quake aftershocks. Marrakech is considered the “Image of Morocco,” so it was important that businesses reopen rapidly.

We left the mosque and crossed a huge busy intersection.

In the middle island is an old French canon.

Across the intersection is the road that leads to the Jemaa el-Fnaa, the largest, most important square in the Marrakech medina. At the entrance to the road is the horse carriage parking spot.

The horses are Bard horses, which are a cross between the Arabian and Andalusian breeds.

As we entered Jemaa el-Fnaa, we took a look back at the Koutoubia Mosque.

At the front of Jemaa el-Fnaa is the post office, still in use, and what was a bank, now a museum.

Mohammed had shown us a picture taken in the 1910s of this same location.

Jemaa el-Fnaa has been declared by UNESCO as a world heritage site due to the unique culture found here.

A lot of which can be explained in the museum. So before exploring the square, we decided to go into the museum inside the bank, already completely restored from the earthquake damage.

The inside space has the feel of an old bank.

Because Marrakech is well protected by the surrounding High Atlas Mountains, it was the central location for trade on the caravan trails between the ports, and their salt and goods from Europe, and from the East: gold, silver, rugs, produce. Jemaa el-Fnaa was the social center of Marrakech. In it could be found storytellers: Halqa.

Storytelling has always been an important tradition in Jemaa el-Fnaa, so much so that it has become a focus in theater and subsequently movies. There is an entire room in the museum featuring movies with scenes either made in or based on Jemaa el-Fnaa.

Other performers who frequented Jemaa el-Fnaa included the snake charmer.

And many musicians playing gnoua on the drum, the qaraba (castanets) and the guembri, the 3 string guitar.

The display below shows peoples who would have frequented Jemaa el-Fnaa including the seated scribe and the typically dressed tribal folks.

We then went back to the square.

Outside in the square we immediately found a snake charmer.

There were also several men with monkeys on chain leashes. Animal rights activists are vocal against both of these animal abuses, but UNESCO protects them because they are part of the heritage. I did not want to give a monkey trainer money for a picture, so none included. We made our way through more streets filled with shops in the medina. A favorite shop was this one full of instruments.

Then Mohammed made good on his second challenge. He found us food we had not yet tried: mechoui. any vegetarians, be warned. The following is for serious carnivores only. Mechoui is is an entire young lamb roasted is an oven in the ground.

We ordered up 2 kg of lamb, bread, mixed spiced olives, french fries, and a couple of cokes, and lunch was served. We figured we had been in the country over a month and neither of us had gotten travelers’ sickness, so time to live daringly. Once our portion was chopped up, it was placed in a bucket and lowered back into the hole to be warmed.

While we were eating, he pulled out a whole lamb, and we were able to see how it is roasted tied to a stick. It is eaten with salt mixed with cumin, as seen on the table, so juicy and delicious. After lunch Mohammed walked us down an entire lane of street food representing choices from all over Africa and the Middle East.

One note, a very annoying aspect of walking around the medina in Marrakech is the large number of motorcycles that come racing by often dangerously.

We then headed to the section with the souks and souikas, which is the diminutive meaning small souk. Traditionally, the souk is where the artisans are actually making the products. Usually the artisans do not sell their own products, but sell them to merchants who then sell them in kissarias, which are galleries that display the objects made by the artisans. Today they are a bit mixed up. But there are still some souks for specific crafts like straw weaving

and dying wool and silk

all the possible wool colors

all the silk colors

scarves come in all the colors of the sahara

today’s color is red. The dyed wool is hanging outside drying.

The pigments for the dyes can be bought, as well as the dyed wool, usually from the same stall as spices.

And near the souks can be found shops that hold the tools necessitated by those artisans like this one for tailors’ supplies

In places, several souks will open into a square like this very colorful one.

This rug marketplace has stalls with all new rugs, some specializing in rugs from certain regions, and some stalls buy and sell used rugs.

There is an entire metal souk

The souk haddadine is all metal works with sparks flying. Some items being made are utilitarian, but this man is an artist.

This man is soldering pieces together.

And this one is a locksmith for locks large and small.

In the leather souk we saw artisans doing everything with leather imaginable: dying, cutting, gluing, and sewing.

This man is cutting soles for making shoes.

We were introduced to man bags. Because most men wear djellabas, they do not have pockets. So they carry a bag over their shoulder.

This artisan specializes in saddles.

For the leather souk there is not only a parts supply store,

there is also a nearby knife sharpener. The wheel he uses is made of sandstone and will be used until it is mud, then he will get a new wheel.

This is the leather kisseria, with the typical high wood ceiling to protect the goods.

As we walked around we went down a street that has been braced since the earthquake.

And also this minaret, tied around because of the large crack right up the middle.

In this neighborhood, there is also a mosque and school with accompanied madrassa. It also had a museum, but we were not in the mood for another museum. We felt like the souks and kisserias are enough like living museums.

As described in Essaouira, fondouks were historically where camels were brought with their wares and were mini self contained markets. Because Marrakech was the largest trading sight, there were many such fondouks. Mohammed showed us a picture of one from 1910.

Today they are being renovated and are boutique shops or coops. We saw several.

They are often named for people or places if not the types of wares they sell. The one below still has the original scales.

As we got closer to the big hotels, the shops and boutiques became more upscale and more expensive, as seen in the fondouks above. Mohammed explained that this area with the nicer, bigger hotels was called the hivernage district which means wintering in French. During the French protectorate period, they would come to Marrakech during the winter months but spend the hot summer ones either in the mountains or near the seaside. While walking, Mohammed gave us a brief recap of the French/Moroccan history. As stated previously, in the early part of the 20th century, the French decided that Morocco needed protection not only from warring European nations, but also internally from the warring tribes. But really they were using Morocco for its resources. They built the railway systems and roadways to enhance the trade routes. They put no money into the medinas or infrastructure for the small villages. When they left in the 1950s, Morocco was left a bit destitute. Marrakech was a very poor city for a couple of decades. It was the hippies and the “discovery” of the “Marrakech Express” that put the city back on the map with an influx of tourists and with them money.

We left this neighborhood to head back to ours. Along the way we passed a palace, not of the king but of his family, called Darel Basha.

We asked Mohammed about the uniforms of the different military posted out front. At every entrance of every palace there are guards, usually several. He said each represents a different branch: the red is the army, the camo the equivalent to the marines, the grey are non weapon carrying somewhat like the national guard, etc. He says at least one from each of the branches are required to protect the palace for national security because each has a different chain of command. There is also a navy and an airforce, neither of which are represented here.

That evening, having already dared the street food, we went back out and dared it again, but this time with Middle Eastern fare: falafels, shawarma, and hummus.

The next day we spent the morning and early afternoon back in the medina, wandering and shopping for presents to take home. Later in the afternoon we headed to a hammam/spa. We had been in the country for over a month and had yet to try a hammam. Kamal had insisted that we go at least once. For obvious reason, I have no pictures. But I will describe the experience in detail because it was like no other. Public hammams have men and women separated. But in this tourist hammam, since we booked together, we had a couples’ experience. After tea and flavored water to prehydrate us, we were taken to the changing robes. They discouraged bathing suits because they are too difficult to work around. Eric’s was paper briefs. I was given a paper thong that covered very little, nothing for the top. We had robes and slippers until we got into the hammam. Then we lay first face down on a wet heated mat. The washers are all women. We were each scrubbed thoroughly top to bottom, front and back, (every inch for me, Eric briefs area excluded), with the black soap which is made from olive oil base. The washers left for a time, and we then lay there quietly for a bit. Then they returned and using a loofah-like mit, they scrubbed us hard going over every area several times, exfoliating every cell of dead skin and then another layer, or so it seemed. It bordered on painful in spots. Then, using warm water, we were hosed down in a standing position. We were then told to lay down again and were covered in a red clay. Again we rested supine for a bit. When they returned this time, after hosing us down, they scrubbed us with a more foamy soap, shampooed our hair, then hosed us down completely. The whole process took about 45 minutes. We were then wrapped back into our robes with towels around our heads and led into a room with cushions on the floor and again served tea and flavored water, this time plus some cookies. After resting here for a bit, it was time for massages, which Eric had opted out of. My massage was pleasant with just the right amount of pressure for me. It was also the most complete massage I have ever experienced (I have never had my breasts included before). I particularly enjoyed the scalp massage.

After, Eric met me we walked back to Jemaa el-Fnaa. We had been told by both Kamal and Mohammed that the best time to go is early evening when it is packed with street performers. This being a Monday night off season, it was not as busy as we expected. But there were dancers, musicians, and acrobats in addition to the snake charmers and monkey trainers. The street leading into the square from the big hotel area was teeming with people.

And we were able to watch the sun setting behind the Koutoubia Mosque.

We then crossed the square and climbed the stairs for a rooftop dinner at Le Grand Bazar.

In the morning Kamal drove us to the Majorelle Garden and the attached Yves Saint-Laurent Museum. From their website:

The Jardin Majorelle, which extends over 9,000 m², is one of the most enchanting and mysterious gardens in Morocco. Created over the course of forty years, it is enclosed by outer walls, and consists of a labyrinth of crisscrossing alleyways on different levels and boldly-coloured buildings that blend both Art Deco and Moorish influences. The French painter Jacques Majorelle conceived of this large and luxuriant garden as a sanctuary and botanical ‘laboratory’. In 1922, he began planting it with exotic botanical specimens from the far corners of the world.

In 1980, Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé, who first arrived in Morocco in 1966, purchased the Jardin Majorelle to save it from destruction at the hands of hotel developers. The new owners decided to live in Jacques Majorelle’s villa, which they renamed the Villa Oasis. 

Upon entering the gardens we were immediately struck with the beauty of the many varieties of cactus, most of which were imported from Mexico and South America.

But what also stands out are the colors, specifically the Majorelle Blue, so named because of its use in this garden. Majorelle had noticed the colour in Moroccan tiles, in Berber burnhouses, and around the windows of buildings such as kasbahs, and native adobe homes. In Morocco it is known as the color of the sahara.

There is a koi pond.

and a memorial to the man YSL who passed away from brain cancer in 2008.

The garden has the tallest bamboo we have ever seen, and we saw a lot in SE Asia.

There are fountains throughout.

There were also a couple of cactus species that were unusual; neither of us had seen before.

There is a little building in which there is a shop supporting local artisans. It also has a room dedicated to all the “love” postcards that YSL designed yearly and sent to friends and family.

There is also a Berber Museum. From their website:

The Berber Museum, inaugurated in 2011 under the High Patronage of His Majesty Mohammed VI, King of Morocco, is housed in the former painting studio of the artist Jacques Majorelle.  It presents a panorama of the extraordinary creativity of the Berbers (Imazghen), the most ancient people of North Africa. More than 600 objects, collected from the Rif Mountains to the Sahara by Pierre Bergé and Yves Saint Laurent, attest to the richness and diversity of this vibrant culture, which is still very much alive today.

Pictures were not allowed inside the museum. There were artifacts, jewelry, and clothing of Berber tribes from throughout Morocco. We did not learn a whole lot more than we had visiting the villages throughout our trip. But it did make us feel grateful that we had truly visited all of the different cultures and learned so much during our journey.

The 2 pieces of trivia we did pick up, somehow missed prior, is that the Berber language is called tifinagh. I had previously taken a picture of the alphabet and will include it here

The other piece of information we picked up in the museum is about one of the symbols we had been seeing everywhere which looks like this

The specifics vary from tribe to tribe, but it is a triangle with the circle with a pin through it above. It classically was worn by a woman in a Southern tribe as a brooch to clasp her melhfa. If she wears one, she is single, two for married. The symbol itself is derived from a pagan one and is symbol of protection a little like the hand of God symbol used by all 3 Western religions.

We finished the Majorelle garden tour.

And headed to the YSL Museum. There pictures were forbidden again. The museum had a lot of line sketches made by YSL through the years and lots of his haute couture prototypes made through his decades of designing. The garments are each like a true work of art. There was also a little theater with a short documentary about his life and career and showed a video of his retrospective show at the time of his retirement in 2002. The only picture allowed was that of the central courtyard. The turtle is a suspended statue.

After the museum we took Kamal out for a thank you lunch. As we drove there we passed the large hospital/university complex of Marrakech where he has been taking his mother every 4 months for chemo for her breast cancer. We asked him about the health system in Morocco. A toubib is a healer. His explanation sounds very similar to ours in the US: the very poor have a public system that is free but overcrowded, understaffed, long wait times, and often inaccessible. Those that can afford can buy private insurance. But he has to drive 8 hours for the nearest cancer center. He has to pay for rooms for him and his mother for the several days they need to be in town for her treatments. And the out-of-pockets costs for the medical care are still significant. Dental is never covered and is very expensive.

For our lunch Kamal chose the Amal Women’s Training Center Restaurant with the mission ”to provide a safe and loving space where strong, resilient women can rewrite their narratives and step into their power.” It trains underprivileged women to be chefs. The restaurant food is cooked by the students.

I particularly loved the quote on the wall.

Kamal is a beautiful person who made our trip through Morocco a beautiful experience.

After lunch he took us on a driving tour through the new sections of Marrakech with the golf courses, large hotels and resorts. Businesses included everything from McDonalds and Starbucks to Saint Laurent and other boutique shops, Moroccan as well as international. The avenues are wide and palm lined looking a little like Miami but with the High Atlas Mountains as the backdrop. He then took us back to the riad for the last time. In the morning we were to leave Morocco and start our journey back to NY. Our 15+ weeks of travel was nearing the end.