I made it back home. It was quite an adventure and I had a really great time.

Thanks for following my travels I hope you enjoyed it.

I thought I would leave you with a joke:

Heaven is where the police are British, the chefs Italian, the mechanics German, the lovers French and it is all organized by the Swiss.

Hell is where the police are German, the chefs British, the mechanics French, the lovers Swiss, and it is all organized by the Italians.

Posted via web from funkysheets

Spent the day in Barcelona. Beautiful city with some crazy architecture.

Really getting some mileage out of my outfit too.

Posted via web from funkysheets

Arrived in Seville, Spain today unfortunately my luggage didn’t. I have all the important stuff but no clothes. Tshirt, shorts and sandals until they find my bag. Hopefully soon because I fly home in a couple days.

One observation is the Spanish pronounce c as th. For example Barthelona instead of Barcelona. Sounds like a lisp and so the men sound kind of…well…you decide.

Also a tortilla is an omelette.

Off to Barthelona when I sort out the luggage.

Posted via web from funkysheets

Checked into the hostel met a canadian who was going on a three day two night Sahara adventure. Since it was cheap and I wanted to do it anyways I signed up.

Camels and Couscous and a fun group of people. It was mainly driving and scenery with a camel ride and a night in a Berber tent. We all had a great time but the twelve hour ride back to Marakech and a moody taxi driver was not a good combo.

Overall we had a great time. Enjoy the pics.

Posted via web from funkysheets

Arrived in Marakech this morning to a very nice train station and the first free Internet at a station I have encountered yet.

So I thought I would upload some photos.

Posted via web from funkysheets

Arrived in Fes last night to a small but surprisingly clean airport, then took a bus to old town and found a hotel.

Then I went to see the sights. George who apparently owned the restaurant next to the hotel offered to be my tour guide. Just like in India it involves seeing some sites as well as stopping into his friends shops to sell some carpets/blankets/spices/clothes. He also had some pictures of him with Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner when they filmed Romancing the Stone 2 here.

George spoke perfect english. He said he lived in Chicago for 7 years working in restaurants and made enough money to retire here.

He took me to all the main spots in Fes. Alot of mosques and old architecture. They are known here also for thier tanneries where they die leather. I walked through that area and the sickly sweet smell made my eyes water and I almost threw up. I was later told that I came on a good day because it wasn’t very hot so the smell wasn’t so bad.

Overall seems very much like India.

On my way to Marrakesh.

Posted via web from funkysheets

Unfortunately on the way down to Sicily I caught my little toe on the corner of a concrete planter and I believe I broke it. I also developed a cold. I was also sufferring from a waning sense of adventure.

When I got back to Rome it was cold all of the sudden and since I couldn’t wear shoes I was really feeling it. So I thought I would head back to France with my gracious hosts and nurse my foot, cold, and regain my travel enthusiasm basically to prevent this from happening:

After resting up I am taking a flight to Morocco from Spain then making my way up to Barcelona to fly home on Nov. 2.

For now off to Fes in a couple days.

By the way that picture is of Marc and Yoshiko’s new addition to the family, Cookie Torregrossa.

Peace

Posted via web from funkysheets

Took a ferry to Sicily and down the coast to a posh Sicilian resort town of Taormina.

Unfortunately it was too cloudy to get a view of the tallest active volcano in the world Mount Edna.

We drove through the center of Sicily and were greeted with some beautiful country and then we hit Palermo.

Palermo is the 5th largest city in Italy. The roads were crazy with trash everywhere. We asked the lady at the hostel how safe it was, she then looked up from her desk as if to size us up and then said we should be fine.

After walking around and getting dinner it wasn’t a problem at all I think we just drove through the bad part of town.

Posted via web from funkysheets

Driving in Italy has been an experience.

They seem to have rules but they are only really suggestions. As one lady at our hostel told us in Sicily, it’s one a one way street but you can go both ways.

Signage could also use some work.

Having fun though!

Posted via web from funkysheets

Our next stop was the ancient Greek village of Paestum. They believe it was founded around 650BC.

Off the beaten track and in a rather dumpy area we explored the ruins.

Posted via web from funkysheets