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Alternative Spain
Most tourists think of beaches and cheap alcohol when Spain is
mentioned, but this holiday Mecca has another very different
side and it is to be found in the north of the country.
Beyond the stifling heat, endless bars and towering hotels...
Dude Ranch Tourism
Dude Ranches have since become a fixture in the U.S., as American as apple pie and baseball. Many tourists are drawn to Dude Ranches for the same reasons they were at the beginning of the 20th century: a sense of adventure, a desire to experience...
Noches en El Convento Hotel – San Juan’s Convent Hotel
Noches en El Convento Hotel – San Juan’s Convent Hotel Read Jetsetters Magazine at www.jetsettersmagazine.com To read this entire feature FREE with photos cut and paste this link:...
The Flying Fish of Rainie Falls.
It is early fall here in Southern Oregon.
The trees are full of color, and so are the rivers and streams.
If you have ever wanted to witness firsthand the majesty, power and persistence of Salmon and Steelhead, then you owe it to yourself to...
The Rias Altas in Spain
The Rias Altas located in Spain are part of a group of larger formations spread within the coast of Galicia, conformed by the Rias Altas and the Rias Bajas. The Rias are estuaries origin when sea levels rise as well as they can be created by other...
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Castles in the Sand
Jimi Hendrix wrote his song, "Castles in the Sand" in 1967,and
that was two years before he actually visited Morocco. The site
of "Castles in the Sand" was the then small town and fishing
village of Essaouira on Morocco's Atlantic Coast. The town has
grown a lot in the intervening 35 years. It is relatively close
to the capital Casablanca, built around a busy fishing port.
Ironically Essaouira was one of only two ports in Morocco that
were entitled to trade with Europe, and so in the past it had
held a much more important role in Moroccan affairs than it does
today. As a trading port founded by the Portuguese in the
eighteenth century it lured business and business people to come
and work within its confines. In fact the British held an
important foothold there. However, with the growth of the French
protectorate, Casablanca was favored and in the early twentieth
century, and Essaouira fell into disrepair.
Today the fishing port is surrounded by whitewashed two storied
buildings with traditional blue shutters. Its sandy beaches are
uncluttered and for the most part empty of high-density
tourist traffic. Beyond the beaches are row upon row of rolling
dunes. These dunes provide ideal shelter because Essaouira is a
windy place and that is part of its charm! Because this town,
which the Portuguese named Mogador is a wind surfer's
paradise,
so much so that I plays host to several international
windsurfing competitions. But there's more, if there's wind
there is generally surf as well. Yes, Essaouira is also a
surfer's heaven, and they come from all around and even further
afield to catch rides on some big breakers. Another feature of
this remarkable Moroccan town is the Gnawas Festival, which is
probably the event that attracted Jimi Hendrix to the region.
The Gnawas comprise a traditional group of singers and
musicians. They are black because they come from a slave
heritage and this has greatly influenced their music that has a
heavy trance-inducing beat. The Gnawas Festival takes place in
June each year and draws people from all over the world.
Essaouira offers a grand selection of hotels and guest houses to
cater for all pockets and tastes. For example for something
rather different, "Dar Liouba" is a gem of a place. This small
guest house is a former Imam's residence which has been
re-designed by a Russian Furnisher and a French Chinese Jewelry
designer to be come a sophisticated hostelry filled with lush
green plants and traditional carved cedar wood, but if that's
not to your taste there is a lot more accommodation to choose
from.
Interested in this subject? Try this link for more of the same
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