OUR LAST ADVENTURE ABROAD

This is it. The sun sets over the Sahara and our last overseas adventure. 

It started with an ad in the paper six months earlier offering an eighteen day visit to Spain, Morocco and Portugal It offered opportunities to visit Barcelona, Valencia, Seville, Tangier, Marrakesh, Casablanca, Lisbon and a dozen more places which sounded just as exotic. We were hooked.

When we told the kids we got mixed responses from, "Are you sure you're up for this. It could be quite strenuous at your age" to "You are kidding. You can't possibly manage a trip like that on your own". 

That did it. We put down a deposit and signed up for the duration.

Our plan was to fly to London in two legs, stopping overnight in Bangkok. That meant one flight of eight and a half hours and the second leg of ten and a half hours Bangkok to London.

So we flew into Heathrow feeling relatively rested and checked into a hotel near St Pancras/Kings Cross Stations. We had a hotel booking nearby as we knew we'd be using the station later.

Our hotel was typically middle range London, an old Victorian building with narrow passages and lots of staircases. All very familiar.

The manager recommended a restaurant called The Magenta just up the road. It was run by her brother as it turned out. A bit pricy but the food was really excellent.

We had no particular plans for London. We had arranged to visit our friends John and Ros in Scotland so we would just explore streets and lanes as our fancy took us. There was Soho and Carnaby Street, not as trendy as it was when we lived here in the seventies. Eventually we wound up outside Buckingham Palace where crowds of people were paying tribute to the late Queen. Barb went off to photograph all the flowers and I waited by the railings, Barb having said she would be back in twenty minutes.

An hour and a half later she reappeared having to join a very long queue to get back.

Not happy Damien!!!!

    They'll have to replace these?

On the following morning after breakfast we packed for Scotland. Our train left from Kings Cross Station. We found our seats easily and headed north, arriving at Berwick on Tweed in the early afternoon.

John was there to meet us and we drove through Berwick and green countryside along the River Tweed to John and Ros' farm. We had been here so many times in the past it all seemed so familiar. The only difference was that Ros now has dementia and no longer lives at the farm. She's in a care place a few miles away. This made this visit so very special. This would be our last chance to visit John and Ros as we will probably not be able to get here again and for Barbara especially it was a last opportunity to see her nursing friend of sixty years.

It was with some trepidation that we drove the next day to the place where Ros lives. We didn't know if she would know who we were and how she might respond. As it turned out she actually seemed to be happy to see the three of us, She knew John of course and we think she showed a little recognition of Barbara and me. Barb and Ros held hands as Barb hugged her and brought love from all the nursing crew. When Barbara mentioned Shepparton her eyes lit up..."Shepparton" she said, so that definitely struck a chord.

She also kept patting John with lots of affection. It was touching to see and one could hardly blame John for getting a bit teary. It must be so very hard for him.

We could only stay with Ros for half an hour or so before we had to leave. That was also very hard.

We caught up with Ros and John's son Ian and his wife Jeanette back at the farm.

We had to leave with lots of regrets in the morning. John drove us to the station and we departed for London again.

We stayed at the same hotel again. Chinese for dinner and an early night.

We had one day left in London so we did some shopping. Barb bought a very nice jacket in a shop called Zara. Then we decided to take a bus to Putney. On another visit, we had had a great afternoon in Putney at a pub called the Telegraph. We sat outside in the sunshine. There was Daniel and Kate and young William, Fritha and Anthony who were all living in London at that time. There was even a local cricket match going on across the road. It was all so very English as was the beer.

So we took a bus to Putney which was an interesting drive through Fulham and Parsons Green and Chelsea and a place called World's End.

We couldn't find the Telegraph Pub so we settled for a couple of drinks at another local, then hopped the bus back to the city.

On Sunday morning we took the train from Kings Cross to Tunbridge Wells to visit our daughter in law, Michelle's Mum and Dad. Shirley and Lionel. We enjoyed a lovely Sunday roast with them. This was also our fifty-ninth wedding anniversary! What else could we do that evening but have another wonderful dinner at the "Magenta" The food and the wine were superb They even gave us a free glass of champagne for the occasion.

Our flight to Barcelona was booked for Monday so we checked out of our hotel and walked over to St Pancras. Enjoyed a cafe lunch and hopped the train to Gatwick Airport.

An uneventful flight of three hours and we were in Spain. We arrived at our hotel just in time to meet our fellow travelers and our guide Sergi.

It was dinner time and Barb and I found a small tapas bar called Casa Manolo. We enjoyed our first Spanish meal of tapas and wine or beer. It was a warm night and we sat outside enjoying the food and watching and listening to the passers by. Very pleasant!

Our first full day in Barcelona began with a visit to the Gothic part of the city, and in particular one of the  markets, called Mercado de La Boqueria. The place was not too busy and we were able to wander freely amongst the stalls selling all sorts of spices and sweets, meat and fish, fruits of all kinds. And hams! All very colorful with the air filled with exotic perfumes.

Hams(Jamon)  on the hook

Over the next few hours we were guided along the avenues and alleyways of this beautiful city. We visited cathedrals and palaces and mosques harking back to the time when Spain was ruled by the Moors. You could see the evidence of their times in so much of the architecture. We wandered the pedestrian-friendly boulevard of Las Ramblas, ideal for people watching. It’s home to souvenir shops, street artists, cafes and folk dancers. Starting at the Plaça de Catalunya and running for 1.2km down to Mirador de Colom, this famous stretch is dotted with cafes and kiosks, and jam-packed with people from morning to night.

This is the Cathedral of Barcelona, a fine 

example of Gothic architecture. It was 

built over two centuries and was finally consecrated in 1339.                               

                                                                                                 

We wandered through a series of narrow streets eventually coming out on Sant Felip Neri Square near the cathedral.

Here's an example of Moorish influence .

The Bishop's Bridge connecting the Cathedral to the Bishop's residence.

Spain -Land of contrasts

The bus took us next, to a more modern part of the city to see the site of the Barcelona Olympics. Not particularly exciting but there was more. There was a church that was built especially for a world fair back in the twenties. They liked it so much they decided to keep it, which meant redoing the foundations and reinforcing the walls so it didn't collapse.

We also took photos of some great views of the city. One in particular centred on La Sagrada de Familia, the famous modern cathedral designed by the Spanish architect Antoni Gaudi. It is still being completed though Gaudi is long dead.

Built to last for six months, but still there.

View of Barcelona

And another view

That's La Sagrada De Familia in the distance.

And one more.

Visiting La Sagrada is just one of the things you must do when visiting Barcelona. So that's what we did. This radically designed building (as I said, still a work in progress) is a huge tourist drawcard so any possibility of going inside is pretty well zero. Barb and I settled for an ice cream and a walk around the outside to look at all the architectural embellishments of this truly amazing building. See what you think

                      LA SAGRADA DE FAMILIA

That evening we dined at another tapas restaurant on one of the main boulevards. The choice of bistros was seemingly unending. From one end of the tree lined boulevard which ran down the centre of the wide road, there were all sorts of places to dine. We chose one called Taller de Tapas and we weren't disappointed. It was so pleasant to enjoy food and wine in the open and watch people strolling along, walking their dogs and chatting. We could have stayed for hours.

But there's more....

On the following morning we left Barcelona, heading down the east coast to Valencia. En route we spent a couple of hours in the seaside town of Peniscola. This is a popular tourist spot with beautiful views of the Mediterranean. There is a castle and fortress on a ridge above the town with narrow stepped streets leading up to them. This place dates back to the 13th century. The actual castle is called Castell del Papa Luna, after Pope Benedict the 13th who split from the main church and set up in Peniscola..He was then known as the anti-pope.

The great fortress entrance

The fortress/castle

Pope Benedict XIIIth--kmown as Papa Luna

We continued on down the coast and checked into a hotel in Valencia. This place is known as the City of  Arts and Sciences and it's also known as the birthplace of the paella.

We enjoyed a seafood paella that evening.

    In the morning we visited an extraordinary art precinct exhibiting the work of a Spanish sculptor named Igor Mitoraj, not very Spanish. (He was Polish born in Germany) He's noted for sculpting fragments of the human form as you can see. 

Palau de les Artes

Over a long day's driving we travelled down the coast through quite rugged country  but with many olive groves and orange trees. There was a stopover at the beachside resort of Alicante. Plenty of cafes to choose from and as the day was quite warm, plenty of cold drinks too. This place is at the foot of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. It has a history of occupation by the Romans, the Moors and finally the Christians. Lots of Moorish architecture and plenty of mosques too.

After lunch we hit the road again heading for Granada. We got there quite late in the afternoon and feeling pretty tired. Dinner then bed!

Well rested by morning we breakfasted and set off to take a tour of Granada's most famous spot, the Alhambra. This is what our itinerary promised us and it delivered. 

"The Alhambra is contemporary history of Granada’s Arab past. Its buildings, towers, palaces, patios and gardens make this palace and fortress complex one of the most visited monuments in Spain. It towers over Granada’s historic Arabic quarter. Within the fortress you’ll find exquisite palaces and serene pathways weaving through amazing gardens and courtyards. The detail is next level – sumptuous interiors, beautiful Islamic geometric patterns, exquisitely carved wood, incredible ornamental features. First built by the Moors as a fortress in 1248 during the Muslim rule of Spain, the complex is testament to their somewhat decadent lifestyle in that period."

So for the next few hours we visited Royal palaces (Christian), mosques and Muslim palaces. The buildings were amazing and the decor inside including wonderful ceramics, were mind blowing. I'm going to let the pictures tell the story.

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That evening we went up to a high spot in Granada, a town which looked down over the houses. People come here to watch the sunset and of course there are peddlers everywhere, and, as you'll see, some gypsies.

                              Granada is the birthplace of Flamenco                   

We had an early start on the next morning, driving further down the coast to Algeciras. From there we boarded a ferry for Morocco, sailing past Gibraltar en route. On board we were supposed to go through customs and immigration but the queue was so long we actually docked in Morocco before they had finished.

Eventually we disembarked and joined another bus to meet our Moroccan guide, Khalid. We were headed for Rabat, the Moroccan capital. On the way we stopped in a town called Asilah. They have an annual art festival here but not today. There was however lots of art displayed for sale. There were also lots of cats, so I guess no rats.

This particular quarter of the city is referred to as a medina and is surrounded by 15th century ramparts and a gate built by the Portuguese.

GIBRALTAR

PORTUGUESE WALL AND GATE TO THE MEDINA

A water seller & Barbara

FRENCH INFLUENCE STILL

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And then on to the capital, Rabat. We had a lot to see on the following day.

First stop Casablanca! No we didn't find "Rick's Cafe". There is one but that was owned by an American lady with an eye for the tourist dollar. What we did find was the King Hassan the 2nd Mosque.. a royal palace and some ancient ruins. 

                    How beautiful is this?

King Hassan Mosque...Casablanca

                                    CERAMICS EVERYWHERE

Inside the Mosque

And then outside again where we saw the exterior of the royal palace. Not allowed inside. It's well guarded.

Talk about history...the following are the remains of different cultures.

Roman Columns

Palace Entrance

Phoenician Wall

Mausoleum of Mohammed V - Rabat

After spending the night in Rabat we bussed on after breakfast - destination Marrakesh. We checked out a souk which featured all sorts of exotic herbs and spices. 

 

Then Barb and I looked for somewhere to have lunch. A friendly local, who was probably on the payroll told us to follow him up seemingly endless flights of stairs to a local restaurant. It was on the rooftop and looked down over the Jemaa-el-Fria The main square of Marrakesh. 

Lunch of course was a traditional tagine, in this case chicken tagine...spicy and delicious. And down below, the market was buzzing. There were lots of things to entice the infidel tourists.

Snake charmers for instance! 

Another day, another exotic piece of this amazing country. We were on the road, firstly to a town called Dades. On the way we stopped for coffees and the inevitable Moroccan traders plying their wares. We were now well into the Atlas Mountains. The road was good but very winding. Once again many orange groves .

 Then another long drive through rugged red country, cliffs rearing up on either side. We arrived at Dades just after 6pm and were greeted with a traditional welcome...men with tambourines and women singing in that strange ululating sound sort of like a yodel but much higher pitched.

In the morning we drove through more rugged countryside to Todra Gorge, a huge canyon leading 14 kilometers into the mountains. It is a big drawcard for hikers but we spent only an hour there. Nevertheless we were able to marvel at the magnificent limestone cliffs towering up to 400 metres above us. On one side was a stream, the Todra River with quite fast flowing crystal clear water.

We reached our hotel a couple of hours further on. This was the town of Erfoud, where the Sahara, which is mostly rock and pebble stone landscape, turns to the red and seemingly endless dunes we all expected to see. This is generally known as the gateway to the desert.
There we transferred to four wheel drive vehicles for the hour long drive to the edge of the dunes. This was in my view, the high point of our trip. Before us there were what seemed to be endless desert. There were camels waiting to transport visitors over the dunes. We declined, quite happy to watch the sun go down spectacularly and the lengthening shadows as it sank lower on the horizon. If Rudolph Valentino had come riding out of the dusk, no one would have been the least bit surprised. The scene was absolutely unforgettable.

Of course we took lots of photos. We were climbing to the top of a dune when two local guys took us each by the hand and helped to haul us to the top."Shukran Shukran" (Thank you) we said. And then one bloke took Barb's camera and took some good pictures of the two of us and the setting sun.
We headed down again and that's when the payoff occurred. Both fellows produced bags with lots of souvenirs they wished to sell us. They wanted 300 Dirham for what were pretty ordinary things. We didn't have 300  but if we had I would have paid them the money just for taking the photos. We gave them what we had in exchange for a little ceramic camel which barely looked like a camel.
Back to the hotel and dinner. Next day we set off for the city of Fes. Along the way we passed a gypsy settlement. Morocco allows nomadic people to live rent free in places like this.

NOMADIC PEOPLE....

We also met another group of local residents...Barbary Monkeys. 










Then  on to the beautiful imperial city of Fez. We saw the seven golden gates of the impressive royal palace and the walled old Jewish Quarter. 

Bab Bou Jeloud Gate

Then there was the distinctive, ornate city gate, Bab Bou Jeloud.(Top photo) which is the entrance to the old medina, We walked in the narrow maze-like streets of the city passing artisans at work, vendors selling leather and oils, and locals gathering to eat, shop and pray. The winding paths – no cars allowed, instead we saw donkeys. And there was the Great Mosque

The Great Mosque of Fes El-Djid. Built circa 1275











Later in the afternoon we set off for the coastal town of Tangier, Europe’s gateway to Africa. Being just a short boat ride from Spain, it boasts an interesting mix of African and European influences. Its medina, a star attraction, is everything you’d expect – lively, with the typical narrow, labyrinth-like alleyways of shops, teahouses and homes. 
We also visited a tannery. Leather is a big industry here. They make leather from lamb, sheep, cows, goats and camels. It is an interesting place, and also very smelly.
And of course, at the end of the tour there was a shop selling beautiful leather goods from suitcases to book binding, gloves, and jackets in many colors. Also very expensive so we were not tempted. Others were.

                                        BARB GOES NATIVE

In the tannery they gave everyone a sprig of  rosemary to apply to our noses. It was very welcome.
Tangier was our last port of call in Morocco and we were quite sad to leave. This country has so much to see and so much to experience. We said goodbye to Khalid, our wonderful guide and boarded the ferry.was much less hassled than the one going the other way. We passed through Spanish customs with ease and met Sergi again. A bus ride into Algeciras  From there we drove to Seville of "Barber " fame. A lovely old city 

And a nice place to enjoy a cold beer.

This is Seville's great cathedral of Our Lady of the See.




















There was originally a 12th Century mosque here. That was adapted into a Christian church.

                                                                                                         Finally in the Middle Ages the city fathers decided to start all over again. They replaced the old building with a huge Gothic Cathedral. It is the largest of its kind in the world.  It's UNESCO listed and is the final resting place of Christopher Columbus                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Outdoor cafe   Seville 

We had a second day of exploring in Seville. The most impressive landmark was the Parque de Maria Luisa. This wide piazza was skirted by a long colonnaded walkway. In the movie Lawrence of Arabia doubled as the exterior of the British Officers' Club in Cairo. 

But that wasn't the main interest. The whole area was decorated with beautiful ceramic tiles depicting historical scenes.

After Seville...Portugal. Our destination was the capital, Lisbon but there were plenty of stops along the way. There were no formalities at the border and our first stop was an ancient castle in the town of Beja.

The Castello de Beja was originally a fort built in part by the Romans. It was also occupied at different times by the Visigoths and the Moors.

It was reconstructed in the 13th Century and what's called a Keep Tower added.

                                                       

i

The town of Beja itself was very pretty and very hilly. Brightly painted houses, cobblestone roads and a beautiful river view.

                                       

                             It It  Cold drinks were welcome after all that climbing.

Another day, another bus trip, this time heading for Lisbon. This was a long drive but we did get coffee breaks.

It was quite late when we finally pulled in to our hotel in Lisbon. We found a very basic cafe for dinner. Food was simple and traditional and the wine was good. Hence to bed.

In the morning we had more time to explore this elegant city. Part of the time we spent on a guided tour and in the afternoon we took a boat trip on the Tagus River. All very interesting and pleasant. We were here in the seventies and the suspension bridge across the Tagus was known as the Salazar Bridge after the Portuguese dictator.

Today, the dictator is gone and the bridge is 25 de Abril Bridge, marking the day of the revolution.

Lisbon is also known as the sailing point for many of the great Portuguese navigators and there are monument to them along the river and of course a statue of Christ the King looking out over all. Lisbon has trams, and wide boulevards with shady outdoor cafes. The guy on the horse by the way, is King Jose the First of Portugal.                           The one below is the navigators' memorial.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        At the end of the guided tour we were treated to a traditional sweet known as pastel de nata.

These are a palm of your hand sized custard tart. The come with a little bag of cinnamon which you pour on top. They were scrumptious. I would have posted a photo but we ate them.

Still had room for lunch though, in a lovely bistro.

                                                        

We were nearing the end of our tour and facing a long drive across Portugal and up to the Spanish border and Madrid.

En route was a stopover for a couple of hours in Fatima. Now Fatima for those not familiar with it, is a Catholic pilgrim site, In 1917 the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared to three peasant children. The tree in which she is said to have appeared is still there and up the hill is a basilica dedicated to Our Lady of Fatima.  Thousands of pilgrims visit this place, and some even take the path to the basilica on their knees.

Make of it what you will. As our guide put it.. "You've got to admire their faith."

Pilgrims

The basilica

The tree

Pilgrims
                                     

One thing I didn't like about this place is the way it has become so commercialized. There were souvenir shops all over the place selling every kind of religious artifact imaginable.  

You could even buy candles two metres long to burn in your home. UGH!

        

After this "spiritual" experience we returned to the bus and headed toward the city of Salamanca in northwestern Spain. With a history dating back to the Celtic era, it is noted for its sandstone architecture.

The university of Salamanca was founded in the 1100's. 

      

                           SALAMANCA

From Salamanca to Madrid took about two and a half hours. After checking in we decided we would dine at our hotel as it was our last night in Madrid.

There was a smorgasbord with lots of Spanish food from which to choose.

In the morning there was a little farewell ceremony. We all chipped in some cash as a gift to Sergi and our driver, Pepe. They were both great at their jobs and this was by way of a joint tip.

All our fellow travelers were leaving for varying destinations. Our plan was not to fly back to the UK. We were going to take the train across to France and the Eurostar to London.

So we returned to our room to pack. And that's where I realized I had made a big mistake. On checking our train tickets to San Sebastian, I saw to my dismay that we had missed our train by a couple of hours. If we couldn't get to San Sebasstian by that evening we would miss our Paris connections and our Eurostar booking.

What to do? We found out that there were buses to San Sebastian and we could get on one at 4pm. It would mean a late arrival but at least the other arrangements remained intact.

A taxi took us to the bus station. An attendant helped us with the ticket machine, and at 4pm we were on the road again.

We finally pulled into San Sebastian at around 9pm. So we had no chance of doing any sightseeing of the old town.

We did however find a bistro still open and enjoyed hot pizza, beer and wine. It took a little longer to find our accommodation which was on the main town square. Our room was small but comfortable. We were zonked by this time, so sleep was not a problem

                            SAN SEBASTIAN

In the morning we had a little time to look around. the town. This is Basque country. It's a seaside resort and it has quite a reputation with foodies around the world. Along the cobbled streets of the old town there are lots of bars and restaurants. We only got to sample one, but it was a lovely breakfast. Fresh croissants, custard tart, and lots of good coffee. The place was quite busy with lots of animated chatter (in Spanish) which made us feel we'd picked the right place.

Outside on the square, Plaza de Constitution, the place was abuzz with tradespeople delivering foodstuffs to all the shops and cafes. One place had the biggest tomatoes I've ever seen.

                                

After breakfast we grabbed our cases and headed for the train station. We took a taxi. Great except we got off at the wrong station. A lady passing by gave us directions to the right one and on we walked. There were some interesting streets and building and the odd statue to make the walk more pleasant. We managed to make it in time for our train and climbed aboard. We were back on schedule.

Our journey through the Pyrenees was quite uneventful so we could sit back and relax as the countryside flashed by.
We crossed the border and reached the French town of Hendaye a little after lunchtime. Then we had a bit of a wait for our Paris connection, a TGV (fast train) Then it was all aboard, next stop Montparnasse, Paris.
Another uneventful trip, The next 48 hours were not so uneventful. Arriving at Montparnasse we grabbed a taxi. We'd been warned to take only official taxis. The unofficial ones would rip us off.
Our hotel was the New Gare du Nord so we asked how much. The driver said 17 Euros. It was quite a drive through the busy early evening traffic but when we finally arrived, this guy demanded 70 Euros NOT 17. That's about 109 A$. We proffered fifty euros and demanded change.
We haggled for some time and then he wanted to go across to a nearby cafe so he could get an English speaking waiter to explain. We stepped over the kerb with our cases and in a flash he was off down the road.
So he got away with 77 bucks.
Time for a drink!!! Our hotel was just across the road so we checked in. It may have been the NEW Gare du Nord but it was pretty poky. The room however was clean and comfy so we stashed the cases and went downstairs to the nearest restaurant
. A pleasant dinner  and a couple of glasses of wine cheered us up. Lots of French folk dining but some of them smoking as well.
            ````DINNER IN PARIS

In the morning it was only a short walk to the station where we had breakfast, and boarded the Eurostar.
Two hours or so later we stepped off at St Pancras Station, London.
Now, as I've explained, I had booked our London hotels on the basis that they were close to St Pancras/Kings Cross because we would be using trains from there.
But our hotel this time was a big disappointment. It was old and dirty with scratched and stained furniture and a window looking out on a junk filled yard. The bathrooms were down the hall along with the toilets, so the concrete floors were very wet. We decided to find another hotel. But after half a dozen places we gave up. It was a Saturday and we appeared without our cases, so I don't think they trusted us.
So we found a nice Italian restaurant and enjoyed a good dinner and some wine (of course).
Despite the disadvantages of this hotel. (It's called the County Hotel by the way. DO NOT GO THERE.)  We checked out and found somewhere for breakfast. Our last night in the UK would be at the Radisson Blue hotel at Heathrow and we had arranged to have lunch with our friends Carol and Roy before we flew out.
We first met them years ago when we lived for six month in Oxfordshire and had kept in touch over the years.
Our hotel was extremely comfortable and boasted an excellent dining room. There was much hugging and kissing when Roy and Carol arrived and the next few hours were filled with reminiscences, jokes and lots of laughter. We were sorry to see them leave as we will probably not see them again.

  
                    Barb and Roy, Me and Carol

Next morning we boarded a plane for Bangkok. We had booked three nights at a hotel in Pattaya Beach about two hours away from the city.
A car met us at the airport and by the time we arrived at the hotel we were exhausted.
The rest of our time there was just marvelous. All we did was lie by the pool, enjoy drinks at the poolside bar and lovely food in the dining room.
Barbara had a massage which did her a lot of good.  I needed to get another shirt because one of our cases which we thought would follow us to London, didn't. Similarly underwear.
I traipsed along the main thoroughfare in boiling heat. Plenty of places sold surfgear and tropical stuff but no proper shirts or underwear. Then I spotted a rack of clothing set up in a side street. Underwear!!! I took a pair from the rack just as a lady appeared from a house nearby. It turned out it was her family laundry hung out to dry. Embarrassing!
Eventually somebody gave me directions to a big shopping centre and I bought everything I needed at H & M.


                    PATTAYA BEACH                                                                   

Our hotel atrium

Barb in the pool, me poolside

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     


























 After a relaxing couple of days we had to leave this wonderful spot. And we had to leave at 3AM when the car was booked.
When we reached the airport I spent an hour trying to find the left luggage department. In the end a guy from an information desk guided to it, and I recovered our missing case.
But apart from the very few hiccups we experienced, I think this was one of the most unforgettable trips we have ever done. I, for one, will never forget  the tapas bars and the Spanish boulevards, paella, the kasbahs of Morocco, the tagines, the endless sand dunes of the Sahara, the magnificent palaces and mosques and the people of such exotic places. What a world!