“Our day in Fés, Morocco, barely scratched the surface of this ancient place… Located in hilly terrain northwest of the Atlas Mountain range, Fés was a natural stopover early in our circumnavigation of those beautiful mountains.”
All tagged Cities
Morocco III: Volubilis
“Oh, those Romans! They really got around the Mediterranean in ancient times. That included northern Morocco’s city of Volubilis (population 20,000)… Even before the Romans arrived, Volubilis was a thriving Berber (Amazigh) settlement… At one point, Volubilis served as the capital city of the Kingdom of Mauritania under King Juba II…”
Morocco II: Casablanca
“The name “Casablanca” is familiar nowadays, but the place actually started out as the ancient city of Anfa. When the Portuguese arrived in 1468 and blew Anfa to ruins and later built a military fortress there in 1515, they called the village that grew up around it "Casa Branca" (Portuguese for "white house)…”
Morocco I: Chefchaouen
“Seventeen days is too little time to make a person expert about a place, but it’s more than enough to have made me fall in love with this northwestern corner of continental Africa. That lyrical name — Morocco! — piqued my curiosity for decades… Our initial plans took several of us north from Casablanca for three days to the “blue city” of Chefchaouen”
The Cobblestones of Prague
“During two month-long visits to Prague, I always enjoyed encountering new and various designs in the ubiquitous cobblestone sidewalks of that beautiful city. I found myself enchanted by them on my first visit to the Czech Republic in 2008, and added to my photo collection on the second trip in 2010.”
Walking in Prague
“My first arrival in Prague in July 2008 was by train, a lucky happenstance. In that way, this exquisite bowl of a city was delivered to me from the rim of the flat plains surrounding it like Brigadoon appearing from the mists.” Thus began an essay written and posted in May 2011 at Design Destinations about a place which remains compelling to me still.
Bergen (Norway) On My Mind
“For two years (thank you, Covid), reservations for a three-night stay in Norway’s second-largest city lingered, awaiting my eventual arrival. At last! The opportunity came and I grabbed it. I’ll just put it out there: I fell in love with Bergen.”
The Sweet Surprise of Lisboa
“With my attention on the long walk we had ahead, I entered Lisboa, as the locals call it, a bit haphazardly… My delightful but too-brief introduction to this captivating city will surely draw me back someday. Situated on seven hills (as so many famous cities are), Lisboa is chock full of interesting history, beautiful sights, and welcoming people.”
Nighttime in Budapest
“I’ve often seen people pack in too much when planning an overseas trip… Eventually, though, we realized our trip would be a lot more fun if we just slowed down.”
Kyoto
“It was the kind of splendid, magical time that makes solo discovery worth every moment of uncertainty.”