Edinburgh, Scotland

     In general, Scotland is an amazing country. Only here have we experienced a warm sunny morning, a blizzard in the afternoon, followed by a cool breezy evening. The capital of Scotland is Edinburgh, a beautiful old city. The architecture itself is a spectacle, the perfect balance between Gothic and Medieval styles. The city is not afraid to show off its gorgeous castle either. It sits high and proud at the top of a large rock, looking over the city. To best enjoy Edinburgh, you must take your time and walk through the city. Sit in a nice cafe somewhere with a view, which is extremely easy to find.

Coming to Scotland you must have an appreciation for art. All national galleries are free, so you can spend all day browsing the multitude of museums throughout the city. Visiting Edinburgh Castle is not free. In fact, it costs 16 Pounds, which is more than I have ever payed to see a castle. However, it is by far the largest I have seen, containing several war museums within its' walls. The history of the castle dates back to over 3000 years and has only recently stopped being used for military purposes, though not necessarily as a defensive structure. I would give the castle a 100% recommendation regardless of the outrageous price, because most other things in the city are free. 

Edinburgh is well worth a visit, especially if you want to feel like you are in the Middle Ages, with the exception of the constant bagpipes you hear throughout the city. That was not a joke either. You can travel between Edinburgh and Glasgow for only 1 Pound, and I highly recommend both cities when you come to the UK. 

Warnings to the Americans...

 

 I thought it would be worth it to write a little bit about the impression the international community has left on me regarding the overall stereotypes about Americans. Note, I am generalizing which I know is not very fair. Just want my American friends to have a slight understanding as to what they should expect.

1. Guns

I have been asked about guns on several occasions. Before travelling, I had no clue that most people of the world are not allowed to own a gun. However, to assume that every American owns a gun is absurd. Here is a dialogue that I have experienced more than once.

Random Person: "Hi, where are you from?"
Me: "America!"
Random Person: "Oh really? Do you own a gun?!"
Me: "Uh... no." What kind of question is that?

That is not even an exaggeration.

2. Portion Size

It is no secret to the international community that portion sizes in America are well beyond that which a normal human can consume, except for us. I must say, I often find myself a bit hungry after a full meal in many places. In addition to that, apparently the only "American food" known to exist is the hamburger. True story.

3. Bad English

English speakers all over the world always claim that they cannot understand American English. To be fair, we do not pronounce words as clearly as other members of the English speaking community. Think of how we pronounce "ninety" or "quarter." Say it out loud. Do you hear a "t" sound? Neither do I. Non-native English speakers don't do too well with this.

4. Passports

It happens to be a fact that most Americans do not have a passport. Those of you who do not will not be able to find out that the world is well aware of this problem. Americans do not travel, it's not a part of our culture. Which is why many of my relatives are baffled by my decision to travel the globe. To many people, this makes Americans uneducated and ignorant about everything beyond the borders of the USA I urge you to prove them wrong. Get a passport and see the world!

Sahara Desert Voyage, Morocco

      Morocco is so rich in culture and natural beauty. One of its many jewels is the Sahara Desert. The desert lies in the deep south of Morocco, through the High Atlas Mountains. The voyage to the desert is long, but beautiful. Since the Sahara is so big, there are several options as to where you can do your desert trek. The two most popular would be Zagora and Merzouga. We went to Merzouga due to the fact that these are the highest sand dunes in Morocco. Getting there is easy. Tour buses leave Marrakesh every  morning, without fail. From Marrakesh you will undoubtedly stop at the incredible Ait Benhaddou, an old Berber town with an immaculate Kasbah, or Moroccan castle. Many movies and television shows were filmed at this location form the studio in Ouarzazate.

Ait Benhaddou

     Most desert trips are very similar You start your journey form the city of your choice, Merzouga or Zagora, departing by camel. These animals are not comfortable at all. They hurt your rump and they are fond of crop-dusting since they are tied to each other. You get to experience a sunset like no other in the dunes of the Sahara. After an extremely painful hour, you arrive at a campsite where you are treated to a nice tagine and some Berber Whiskey(tea). The desert is absolutely freezing at night so the locals light a fire and treat you to some Berber tunes. The experience is amazing and well worth it, disregarding the camels, which are the only possible way across the dunes besides a jeep, but where is the fun in that? 

Fuengirola, Spain

     I have formed a poor opinion of Fuengirola. Located in Southern Spain, just south of Malaga, the city is situated on a beautiful beachfront, lined with large hotels and resorts. Sounds great right? Afraid not. The city is an awful tourist destination, filled not with your average charming Spaniards, but with the awful bitchy entitled-to-everything type from the English speaking community. Sorry to offend if you are one of those. Those who are not bitchy are either drunk or trying to sell you drugs. How could I forget the prostitutes? A huge drug-bust closed down our hostel halfway through our stay, forcing us to pay a substantial amount for accommodation and we lost the money we put into the hostel. Not to mention, unlike the wonderful northern part of the country, the food spots around Fuengirola were sub-par, if that.

     The city does have a beautiful castle though. Guess what? You can't go in! There is no fun to be had in this city. I wouldn't ever say that every city has its gems. Fuengirola is best avoided. 

"The Road Goes Ever On"

"The Road Goes Ever On" is a poem written by  J.R.R Tolkien and first recited by Bilbo Baggins in "The Hobbit." This is one of my favorite pieces of poetry and I think it is very relevant and inspiring for this type of journey.

 Roads go ever ever on,

 Over rock and under tree,

 By caves where never sun has shone,

 By streams that never find the sea;

 Over snow by winter sown,

 And through the merry flowers of June,

 Over grass and over stone,

 And under mountains in the moon.

 Roads go ever ever on

 Under cloud and under star,

 Yet feet that wandering have gone

 Turn at last to home afar.

 Eyes that fire and sword have seen

 And horror in the halls of stone                      Look at last on meadows green

                                                      And trees and hills they long have known.

The poem is altered by Bilbo in "The Lord of the Rings," and is a bit more to my liking:

                                                     The Road goes ever on and on

                                                     Out from the door where it began.

Now far ahead the Road has gone,

Let others follow it who can!

Let them a journey new begin,

But I at last with weary feet

Will turn towards the lighted inn,

My evening-rest and sleep to meet.

Montreux and Chateau de Chillon

     
      Situated on the northern coast of Lake Geneva sits the small city of Montreux, Switzerland. This beautiful city rests at the base of the snowy Swiss Alps and is only a one hour ride to the top of the mountains. Although the ride can be expensive, it is most certainly worth the time and money. Also in Montreux is the stunning Chateau de Chillon. Chillon is an enormous fortress built on a rocky out-crop of Lake Geneva. Within the castle is its' small cellar where you can buy their unique wine, tour the battlements and prisons, and feel as if you are in the Middle Ages.
      The unfortunate thing about Switzerland is that it is one of the most expensive countries that we have been to in Europe. When you are traveling on a budget, the country is best avoided. If you are like me and you had to see the castle and the mountains, your best bet is to make it quick. We only spent 2 nights there. The country is beautiful and the people and food are great. It is just too expensive. Just be prepared to adjust your budget for the country or save a little extra before you travel.

The Swiss Alps

   
     Our world is filled with so much natural beauty. Jerry and I had the pleasure to witness the magnificence of the Swiss Alps. When you are above the clouds there is nothing but peace, quiet and a few birds. Snow capped peaks surround you as you breathe in the fresh mountain air. Nothing is more relaxing or more satisfying to behold.

  

   When you are on top of the world there is very little that goes through your mind, with the exception of a  frequent "wow." We stayed in the stunning area of Switzerland known as Rochers de Naye. All that existed in our little mountain escape was our hotel and the Alps. 

     I highly advise anyone to enhance their perspective of the world with a journey like this. It is one you will not likely forget.