Time is ticking away...19 days and counting until departure...
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| Orange trees are often seen growing in the center courtyards of restaurant including where we dined last night, Arabe. |
Reducing our load over the past year, packing is no longer a dreaded task, requiring only three hours or less in order to place everything into the Space Bags from which we'll suck the air using our little handheld vacuum.
Once we're down to one week, I'll begin sorting and folding, With all of our clothing inside cupboards as opposed to drawers. In a cupboard the clothing seem to get messy.
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| A quiet area in a souk while on our way to dinner. Although there were no crowds in this area last night, we have to be careful where we walk with many grates, manhole covers and tripping hazards. |
Yesterday, I placed a shipping order with our mailing service located in our home state of Nevada, Maillinkplus.com, to ship all the supplies we've ordered for a shipment to be sent to Madeira. When we need items, we take advantage of free shipping when available by various websites having it all shipped to the mailing service.
Many US websites don't ship outside the US. Nor, do we want packages arriving piecemeal when the risk of loss many be high when shipping oversees. As a result, with our large mailbox at the mailing service each year, we can accumulate all of our orders waiting for an upcoming shipping to wherever we may be at the time. The staff at Maillinkplus.com removes all the boxes and shipping materials, placing the individual items in one large box to be shipped to us.
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| The view from our table at Arabe Restaurant, where we dine each week. The waiters have come to know us always offering excellent service. |
Madeira is an island 604 miles from the coast of Portugal. As is the case with any island, the cost of shipping is higher than one might expect. For us, its a cost we've budgeted. When our order arrives, we'll post photos of its contents.
Gina, the lovely property owner of the house in Ribeira Brava lives across the street from the house we're renting. The package will be sent to her house to hold until our arrival.
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| Another view from our table. Deep colors are commonly seen on walls in various establishments. |
Although enriched by the experience of the cultural differences in Morocco, we anticipate the slower pace of Madeira with enthusiasm. With a rental car for the entire period we'll have the freedom to explore its many treasures on our own time. With summer approaching, Madeira has much to offer as well as a quiet respite we'll surely relish in our new surroundings.
Last night we headed out for dinner, once again making our way through the busy souks. By late Friday afternoons the weekend tourists fill the souks anxious to shop, negotiate and buy what they may perceive as the "deals of the century."
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| My dinner, referred to a Kefta, includes meatballs, tomato sauce and eggs dropped into the hot mixture, all befitting my way of eating. I always order a side of grilled vegetables. |
Last night, after dinner we stopped in a shop to see if we could find a leather computer backpack. With this Tom could carry both of our laptops leaving his hands free. In the past we were opposed to backpacks due to the risk of someone putting something illegal into them or taking something out. But, as time marched on, we've come to realize that a lock would be ideal solution if in fact we found the correct style.
Luckily, the shop owner spoke some English seeming to understand what we were looking for. When he didn't have what we wanted, he asked us to wait while he left the shop, returning five minutes later with a leather laptop bag to which he'd attached backpack straps.
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| Tom's pasta dinner, sprinkled with Parmesan cheese includes a side of bread with no vegetables. He doesn't care for vegetables except green beans and carrots which he'll eat when Madame Zahra cooks. |
Out of curiosity, I asked him the price of the backpack considering the adjustments he'd make overnight. He quickly quoted 700 dirhams, US $86.18. Without giving it a thought, not interested in the bag, Tom said, "Too much," as he grabbed my hand and walked away.
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| Colorful flip flops and shoes taken while on the move. Most vendors won't allow photos of their wares. |
In a way, I felt sorry for him. For him to willingly drop the price to what would surely give him little to no profit was evidence of a desperate need to make a sale. With many of the shops frequently empty with numerous "lookie loo's" drifting by, we can see how difficult it would be for a vendor to make a living.
Most of the vendors spent 12 hour days sitting on little stools outside their shops hoping to make a sale. The vendors are usually men. Women are rarely seen selling in the shops although they may be found in the Big Square offering baked goods or non-permanent tattoos while they sit on little stools under umbrellas.
Tomorrow, we'll be discuss our observations on the obvious distinct roles of men and women in Morocco, a real eye opener for us.
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Photo from one year ago today, April 26, 2013:
Due to the storm, taking photos was not a priority on this particular date. As an alternative, here is a photo taken the prior day. For detail of the post on April 26, 2013, please click here.
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| Every night, while we were at dinner, the cabin steward would place an animal made of towels on the bed. This was a monkey. Also, there would be chocolates on our pillows and an agenda for the next day's activities. |