Back in the day (1920s to 1940s), the port city of Tangier had a reputation for depravity, where everything and anything was available ... as long as you paid the price. Tangier is located in the Straits of Gibraltar, at the very tip of the African continent between...
Africa
Photo Essay: The Sahara Desert
Tea in the Sahara? Well, I didn't have tea, but I did enjoy myself in the remarkable desert of Morocco. It was a landscape out of the movies, and the bright colors worn by the guys leading the camels just made it all the more beautiful. A camel caravan in Morocco's...
Photo Essay: Morocco’s Stunning Atlas Mountains
I've seen the Rockies, the Andes, and the Himalayas, but honestly, Morocco's Atlas Mountains may be the most beautiful range of them all. Judge for yourself! Morocco's Atlas Mountains. Photo by Melanie Votaw. Morocco's Atlas Mountains. Photo by Melanie Votaw....
The Berbers of Morocco
Most Saharan Berbers are still living the same way they did 10 centuries ago in the Western Sahara and the Atlas Mountains. They are both a tourist attraction and an international lesson on “how to live in harmony with the land and the neighbors Allah gave you.” The...
Choosing a Private Lodge In Kruger National Park
Kruger National Park in South Africa - a name that resonates with the stampede of blue wildebeest, the trumpet of elephants nearby, or the call of the African fish eagle – offers an array of private lodges that promise experiences as diverse as the park's wildlife....
Hotel Review: Noordhoek Village Hotel, Cape Town, South Africa
I grew up in Cape Town, South Africa and moved to the United Kingdom in 2009. After the pandemic, I could finally see my retired parents again. But on arriving in Cape Town, I discovered that I had caught COVID-19 and needed to isolate away from my parents and their...
Art and Artistry of Calligraphy in Morocco
How did we get here? How did the tools necessary for primitive humans to communicate with each other to survive, turn into one of the most beautiful art forms practiced by almost every culture known to man? Photo by Barbara Angelakis Initially communication consisted...
Mysterious Egypt: Should You Go?
In Egypt, the ancient meets the modern more intensely than anywhere I’ve been on the planet. Besides the temples and hieroglyphs, you’ll see cars parked next to carriages drawn by horses or donkeys. You’ll see women in jeans walking next to women in full burkas with...
Chefchaouen, Morocco: The Blue City on the Hill
Chefchaouen, Morocco is one of the most picturesque hill towns in a country overflowing with picturesque cities and villages! We stopped to take photographs of the sparkling blue city from a distance, but the impact doesn't truly hit until you enter the city gates and...
Luxury at Somalisa Camp, Zimbawe
While visiting Zimbabwe, we were lucky enough to be invited to spend one night at Somalisa Camp, located in the heart of the Hwange National Park that hosts more than 100 types of mammals and more than 400 bird species. Somalisa is called a bush camp, but it was much...