Morocco is the home of amazing lanterns and light fittings in all sizes and shapes. Every riad and restaurant is beautifully lit with lamps and candles that cast intricate shadows, so very romantic and alluring and quite stunning. The only downside is that it does sometimes make it hard to read a menu or see what is on your fork. But such ambience just contributes to your Arabian nights experience making it all the more unforgettable.
Lining both sides of the River Onyar are pastel and ochre coloured houses. Their wonderful watercolouresque reflections can be seen in the the still and shallow river waters from the many bridges and offer endless postcard moments. This well known stretch of houses was built in the 19th century and was inspired by the palette of artist Enric Ansesa. In the early morning and at dusk, it is quite an amazing sight, breathtaking even, as the coloured images have such clarity and lie shimmering just beneath the water's surface with only the occasional passing duck causing a ripple.
Tagine has two meanings. Firstly it is the name of this earthenware cooking dish with its conical lid and secondly the North African 'stew' cooked in it also takes the same name. The meat, fish and/or vegetables is slow cooked in the shallow base and then served in same dish. The dime lid catches the steam during the cooking process, then the condensation drips back onto the stew preventing it from drying out. The Tagine is traditionally placed over hot coals but is just as happy when put directly onto stove top element. They come in many sizes and can be glazed or unglazed or intricately patterned
This very, very old church was my next door neighbour when I had two days in Girona last week. It was built on top of the tomb of St Felix, hence the name. Construction started in the 13th Century but took many centuries to complete and this is reflected in the three architectural styles it features - Gothic, Baroque and Romanesque. It once had a spire but in 1581 it was struck by lightening and never replaced.
Girona, on the Costa Brava Coast, is also known as the city of 4 rivers. It makes total sense then that it has 11 bridges that cross the Onya River. Five of these are the main pedestrian only links between the very old part of the city and the newer commercial area. The most well known of these five, and the most photographed, is the Pont Eiffel. It was designed by Gustave Eiffel and constructed in 1877 before he tackled the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
A lot of expats here in Morocco talk at length about what they miss from their home countries. And at the top of their lists are of course food items. Ham and bacon seem to feature largely. I am not a huge meat eater so lack of porcine products is neither here nor there for me. I am happy to eat it if it is on offer but certainly do not miss it. On each visit to Spain I have been open mouthed with surprise by the incredible abundance of hams in shops and markets. I know they are specialists in this department and the stunning array I have seen in both Madrid and Girona is clear testimony to this. Bread and mustard are usually not far away in the market so a picnic can be put together on the spot.
It is always fun to watch the world go by from a window. You get a little birds eye view from your hidden perch. I took a small studio apartment in Girona for two nights and I was very happy as it had two windows which opened right up and I could breathe fresh cool air and also lean right out with my camera. The area was very quiet as the cobbled, narrow lanes are car free. Lots of pedestrian foot traffic though, mainly locals, and nearly every one of them had a dog on a lead.
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When out and about in Girona recently I was enjoying my stroll with camera in hand. I spotted this piece of artwork being created and happily the painters let me take some pictures. They did not speak English and tapas is my one and only Spanish word so we communicated by sign language. I have perfected this over my year in Morocco when my French fails me which is almost a daily occurrence I might add. Although I will never see the finished mural I loved what I saw.
Here are my first impressions of Girona. I took the 2/12 hour flight from Marrakech.
Girona airport services the Spanish Costa Brava coast. I am staying in a small but comfy apartment in the Old Town. The Cathedral is my next door neighbour. The bells toll at very regular intervals. Little cobbled and car free lanes lined with bakeries, gelaterias and tapas cafes await my investigation (and camera).
Cafe Clock was my lunch spot yesterday. It is contemporary, light and bright with a menu offering both western and traditional dishes. My Moroccan tasting platter was delicious. The banana smoothie belonged to my luncheon companion. I did not taste it for fear I would have finished it in one fell swoop. The cafe is an off shoot of the firmly established Cafe Clock in Fes and opened in the Medina here in Marrakech a bit over a year ago. Other activities besides eating take place here as the space is big. Yoga, storytelling and cooking classes occur at various times of the week. It is a popular tourist spot but well out of my stamping ground and as we are so spoilt for choice here it may well be another year before I am back deep in the Kasbah .
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