Nadando Entre Dos Mundos: Help Support a Charity Project in Favor of the Vicente Ferrer Foundation

Holy Cows in India

My trip in 2014 to India was one of those moments in my life where I felt the axis tip, when I saw true poverty with my own eyes yet experienced the warmth of a community and a people. India lodged itself under my skin in a way that only Spain has done.

When I found out my friend Natasha, an accomplished swimmer and all-around go-getter, told me she wanted to swim across the Straight of Gibraltar to raise awareness of impoverished communities in India, I wasn’t surprised. I’d seen the glimmering Taj Mahal and eaten curries at rooftop hotels that overlooked Jaipur, but I’d also seen amputees on the street scrounging for scraps of food. It was a bridge between two worlds – those who have and those who do not.

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Nadando Entre Dos Mundos, Natasha and her swimming partners’ group, is raising funds to help build schools through the Vicente Ferrer Foundation. This Spain-based NGO works in Anhdra Pradesh – one of India’s poorest areas – to build schools, teach technical and conventional skills and to protect womens’ rights. You had me at ‘helping others.’

Further, the Straight of Gibraltar is one of the more dangerous stretches of oceans in the Western world, and even at mere miles from the tip of Tarifa – the southernmost tip of continental Europe – and the shores of Morocco and Africa, it claims victims each year thanks to high winds and frequent changes in the weather. This symbolic choice of the Sraight has to do with those haves and have-nots, with bridging cultures and with helping those who need it most.

Says Natasha:

The Strait of Gibraltar separates two continents, two worlds. It separates opportunities from dreams, the power of wanting. With a little bit of help we would like to make these dreams of development come true. Crossing the poverty line is difficult and on many occasions you have to swim against the current to do so. We understand that education is the best path towards development.

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We would like to exemplify this by crossing the gap that separates two worlds. The goal, more than just a mere athletic feat, is an act of solidarity to obtain funds and construct a school in one of the poorest zones in India in collaboration with the Vicente Ferrer Foundation. 

We also need you to swim with us. Please consider purchasing a T-shirt via Fabrily (they’re fun gifts for both kids and adults, and also come in hoodies!) to help fund schools in 

The team, made up six Spaniards and Natasha, a Canadian who has lived in Seville for seven years, will be swimming the Straight sometime between October 30th and November 6th, depending on how the weather shapes up. 

Please check out Nadando Entre Dos Mundos on Facebook for updates and pictures as the big date draws near, and their Goal Funds page, where you can make a donation to make a community school happen in India. Additionally, you can make a direct deposit into their bank, Banco Sabadell ES30 2100 3331 9622 0009 6273, concept Nadando Entre Dos Mundos.

You can learn more about the Fundación Vicente Ferrer here.

all NEDM photos belong to Natasha Feith

Photo Post: Moroccan Art and Architecture at the Fundación de las Tres Culturas

The legacy of the 1992 World Expo has certainly left its mark on Seville – the high speed AVE train was inaugurated to bring visitors to the Andalusian capital and, along with it, loads of tourist dollars. For six months, millions of patrons streamed through Isla de la Cartuja, a sliver of land between the Guadalquivir and the canal and into over 100 country-represented pavilions and themes.

The Legacy of the 1992 Expo Seville

I could see the remnants of many of those buildings 25 years after the doors shut when I moved to Seville, and most had since fallen into disrepair or repurposed as government buildings. I’d often use the empty space to run, dodging weeds and broken glass on uneven pavement.

Once of the few permanent structures is the Pabellón de Marruecos, a gleaming gem of architecture and Moroccan handiwork that site between the Cartuja Monastery, Science and Discovery pavilions. Funded by the Moroccan king and gifted to Rey Juan Carlos I as a sign of cooperation, the structure is extravagent

I’d been past the Pabellón countless times, intrigued by a seemingly new building free of overgrown weeds and graffiti. Thanks to a tweet, the occupants of the building, Fundación Tres Culturas del Mediterráneo, invited me to a free guided tour. 

Honeycomb

I arrived by bike as Toñi was beginning the tour at the building’s exterior. Based on an eight-point star, and shaped as thus I was amazed at the inclusion of so many hallmarks of Arabic, Mudéjar and Islamaic architecture, from the arches that led into the atrium to the outdoor fountain that once pumped gallons of water through the space. 

The striking glass wall is meant to represent Morocco’s entrance into the 21st Century.

Sunshine on the Pabellon de Marruecos

All of the work on the pavilion was designed and overseen by Hassan II, and the extensive artwork inside mirrors traditional procedures – including the eggshell plaster in the basement! While the nearby Alcázar palace is a lesson in grandeur, the Morocco Pavilion feels refreshingly modern while tipping its hat to an extensive cultural heritage (plus, patrons are encouraged to touch everything!). From wood to plaster to tile, I wandered from room to room flabbergasted at the symbolism and beauty of every room.

This is one of those places you’ve got to see to believe, so I’ll show you:

detail of Moroccan Pavilion of 92 Expo

Moroccan Lute

Moroccan Art on Display in Seville

Sumptuous Basement of the Fundacion Tres Culturas Sevillla

A visit to Fundacion Tres Culturas Sevilla

Eight pointed Star of Islam

The visit begins in the lower level, “an oasis” as Tonñi explains, going as far as pointing out that there are palm trees carved into the support pillars, just like in a desert oasis. With soft colors and devoid of mentions of idols or gods, the central fountain is surrounded by wood and plaster reliefs.

The sumptuous main hall gets all of the glory – this is where conferences, concerts and even fashion shows are held – but the underground room is calming and striking.

Fundacion Tres Culturas Cupula

Grand Hall and Fountain Fundacion Tres Culturas Sevilla

Great Hall Moroccan Pavilion Expo 92

arches and sunlight

Moroccan woodworking

Moroccan Tile Work

I asked my boss that afternoon if she’d gone to the Expo when she was younger. “Why yes!” she said, eyes lit as she slammed an open palm on my desk. “I was a tour guide – microphone and all! – and got to go to all of the pavillions!” When I mentioned I’d been in Morocco’s earlier than day, she through her head back and waxed poetic about the fluffy couscous that was served on the third floor’s exclusive restaurant.

Moroccan Restaurant Expo 92 Sevilla

Remaining Pavilions from the 92 Expo

Old and New in La Cartuja

To me, the Fundación Tres Culturas bridged more than the past and the future – it bridges cultures and understanding. The Alcázar, the Mezquita and the Alhambra appear dormant compared with a breathing organism dedicated to preserving Spain’s three historic cultures.

The Fundación de las Tres Culturas del Mediterráneo is open daily to members, with free guided tours being given on Tuesday mornings at 11am through their online booking system. Concerts, Arabic and Hebrew classes and conferences are among their other cultural offerings, and they boast an extensive library with free membership.

This coming Wednesday and Thursday, the Fundación Tres Culturas will be hosting a benefit event for Syrian refugees. Listen to Syrian music and watch whirling dervishes in the main hall of the Fundación. Tickets are 10€ and 100% of the proceeds go to the Centro Española de Atención al Refugiado in their effort to aid refugees. For more information and tickets, check their page. They’ll also be participating in Friday’s Noche en Blanco Sevilla, providing free evening tours until the wee hours.

Four Mini-breaks from Seville

Part of the attraction of residing in Seville; apart from the sunshine, siestas and delicious oranges is its proximity to so many weekend break destinations. Whether you’re after a quick city fix or an island beach break, you can take your pick of cheap flights from Seville.

The local government recently expanded the bus line to Aeropuerto San Pablo, the airport that services Seville and western Andalusia. The EA bus will now travel all the way to the Plaza de Armas bus station for 4€ one-way.

Lisbon, Portugal

In just six hours you can be in the beautiful Portuguese capital, Lisbon. The enchanting whitewashed houses climb high into the hills of this easy going city on the edge of the wild Atlantic Ocean. Quirky canary yellow trams navigate the windy streets of Lisbon passing the elegant architecture of the Castelo de São Jorge and the beautiful Museu do Teatro Romano.

Take a leisurely stroll along the Ponte Vasco da Gama, Europe’s longest bridge on the way to a Pastelaria where you’ll find heavenly sweet treats fresh from the oven. You can shop in the Centro Comercial Colombo or enjoy the peace and tranquillity of the lush Lisbon Botanical Gardens.

Museums and galleries mingle with local markets and cosy cafes. At night the famous Barrio Alto glistens as the clubs and ritzy wine bars throng with people, while the sound of Fado drifts on the air.

Marrakech, Morocco

‘Souk’ up the sun in this magical, dirty, spice scented city. Head for the bustling medinas to try out your haggling skills for that special carpet, teapot or Moroccan lamp; escape to the solitude of a glorious hammam where you can luxuriate in warm thermal waters while being pummelled and pampered to your heart’s content.

For something more energetic, take a hike into the breath-taking Atlas Mountains before discovering the city at night. Wind you way through snake charmers and story-tellers until you find a cosy little restaurant where you can feast on tangine and couscous to the sound of swaying palms.

Barcelona, Spain

For a chic city break brimming with bright colours and a vibrant art scene, grab a cheap flight to Barcelona.  Stroll around the local markets and marvel at the magical architecture of Anton Gaudí s dreamlike Sagrada Família.

Get lost in museums dedicated to Picasso and Miró, or the jewellery boutiques and artisan workshops in the maze of streets around Mercat del Born. Explore the beautiful winding lanes of the Barri Gòtic, the city’s most historic quarter as you stumble upon mouth-watering dishes of tapas.

Don’t miss the lovely sight of Sunday’s at the Cathedral La Seu, where local elderly couples come to dance a Catalan folk dance called the Sardana. In winter, the Festival Internacional de Jazz de Barcelona comes to town. Cool bars and all night clubs make Barcelona the place to be if you’re after some non-stop nightlife, so consider staying in a swanky apartment.

 Palma de Mallorca, Mallorca

If you’re after a getaway that offers culture, history and city life but with a side order of white sandy beach, you can’t do better than a weekend in Palma de Mallorca, which is actually a destination I’m hoping to get to in 2013.

Castles and classical Spanish architecture combine to give Palma elegance, with just a hint of ‘the Riviera’ as yachts glisten and bob in the blue harbour waters. The ancient historic centre boasts Arab baths and the Museum of Contemporary Art, showing Miro, Dali and Picasso. Palma is a fantastic place to bring the whole family. Kids will love a day at Aqualand Water Park or Marineland zoo, while adults can try a spot of sailing or windsurfing.

Alternatively, spend your days languishing on the beautiful Ciudad Jardin beach with its soft white sand, or on Cala Major beach whose waters are clear as crystal.  At night, as the city lights twinkle, visit the famous Abaco cocktail bar in a former coaching house in the old town. There, every Friday at 11.30pm, fresh rose petals fall from a hidden balcony above a magnificent stone fireplace to the sound of classical Spanish music.

This post was made possible by Skyscanner, but all opinions are my own.

Morocco Offers Something Extraordinary

With beautiful scenery, a rich culture, and a wealth of things to see and do, Morocco offers something extraordinary to visitors to its lands. Located in the North of Africa with a coastline that touches both the North Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, Morocco is an ideal holiday location for expats living in Spain that wish to experience the lands of North Africa.

Reaching Morocco


Morocco’s North African location means that it is easy to reach with flights from Spain taking as little as 2-3 hours. Marrakech Manara, Morocco’s large international airport, is located close to Morocco’s most famous city, with easy access to other tourist destinations throughout the country. Holiday Hypermarket is one of the best places to arrange a trip to Morocco, with excellent rates available for short-haul flights, flight+hotel package deals and all-inclusive package holidays.

Marrakech

Morocco is different to the typical African holiday destination.


Its famous city, Marrakech, is an old, ancient city steeped with culture and sights to see and explore. The Medina, the old and historic part of the city, is filled with temples and exquisite architecture, while the modern districts known as Gueliz and Ville Nouvelle offer all the amenities and comforts of a modern European city.

Marrakech is a living, breathing city, with its residents found wandering the streets offering home-made wares such as jewellery, clothes and other trinkets. Marrakech also springs to life during the twilight hours, with the city’s residents coming out to enjoy food and drink while watching dancers, musicians, story tellers and other entertainers on the city’s busy streets.

Marrakech is also home to some of the finest restaurants Morocco has to offer. Food stalls can be found dotted around the streets with French and Arabic cuisine available to sample, while fine restaurants can also be found in locations throughout the city. Tourists wanting a taste of home will also be able to find a range of European restaurants in the more westernised Gueliz district.

Beaches

Morocco is blessed with warm weather all year round, with temperatures hitting highs of 40 degrees Celsius in the warm summer month of July. Arguably the best time to visit Morocco is during the cooler spring months between March to May. During this time, day time temperatures average a comfortable 28 degrees with temperatures dropping slightly at night.

Morocco’s warm climate is perfect for beach holidays, and the country’s coastline is full of stunning beaches begging to be explored. Water based activities such as diving, snorkelling, jet skiing, and more are also on offer throughout Morocco, making it the perfect playground for tourists looking to enjoy some adventure sports on their holiday.

Conclusion

Morocco has a little bit of something for every type of traveller. Fans of history will quickly fall in love with the country’s culture and architecture, while food lovers will squeal with delight after sampling Morocco’s exotic cuisine. A warm climate and a number of world-class beaches also ensure that beach fans will also be well catered for during a trip to Morocco.

My Seven Super Shots

Maybe it’s just my love of Camarón or my quest to see Seville in new ways, but I was crossing my fingers I’d get to do the Seven Super Shots run by hostelbookers.com . Similar to the ABCs of Travel, this virtual game of tag centers around photography, which I am all to willing to admit to loving.

The gimmick is to examine the snaps you’ve taken and choose the best out of several categories. When reading a few others on my Google Reader, I already had mine mentally picked out.

[Read more…]

Marrakesh: A Character Study

NOURRDEM
“Do you know why you are so sexy?” Nourrdem asked as he twisted a two-toned scarf around my head. I quivered a little bit, but couldn’t hold in my giggles when he said, “Is the hair on your arms. It makes you to be seeeeexy!”
 
We were in his shop (or his cousin’s, or someone’s) at the edge of the souk by way of an invitation to mint tea. At first hesitant, I remembered a high school’s friend’s insistence that Moroccan people are friendly by nature, and that we probably weren’t risking kidnapping, robbery or the like.
 
We sat on pillows on the floor, next to a spread of metal and silver jewelry. Nourrdem´s cousin or friend or slave brought over an ornate silver tea kettle and six glasses and got to work preparing mint tea as Nourrdem shared his origins: Berber and Tourag, which you could tell from his ever-present blue scarf, which he changed from head to neck and back as much as he opened his mouth to talk. While we enjoyed tea, he painted my face with kol and gave us flower nicknames.

Nourrdem got us into his shop by the way that most shopkeepers in the souks of Marrakesh do: calling out ridiculous words that will entice you in. Lauren, with her dark complexion and jet-black hair, was called beautiful in Portuguese, fish and chips was common, an invitation in French for Bri and “Cuantos Camellos, María José?” for me. I don’t look Spanish in the least, but it made me laugh. There were also choruses of “Goodbye, fat girl! You’re ugly!” when we passed yet another lantern or mirror shop.

But his invitation was not denied, and the four of us enjoyed tea for an hour before dinner. Before leaving, Nourrdem invited us for lunch on the rooftop of the store the following day. “Come between 12 p.m. and 2:30. I will wait, then we eat, then we all pay the cost.”

We obliged his invitation after visiting the gardens of a mosque and, after picking up a sick Lauren, ascended the rooftop, where the blankets were spread on a stark terrace. The view of the souks were a bit alarming: what we though were indoor malls were actually streets covered with wood planks and bamboo that looked ready to cave in with any sign out precipitation or heavy wind.
 
The slave, whose name was also Nourrdem, ran up and down the stairs bringing us bottles of water, two salads, vegetable couscous and a tanjine of rabbit meat, potatoes, lemon rinds, onions and olives. We ate using round, flat pieces of bread for silverware and using our scarves to heal ourselves from the sun.
 
Nourrdem was more than willing to answer the questions we had about Morocco and Islam. Among the most interesting answer was, “I have been engaged three times to four different women, and if you’re wondering, I can have as many as four wives by law.” I think each one of us girls took a scoot back from the spread.

I also asked him about taking pictures of people and why every time I reached for my camera, the people in souks or in the markets started to shake their fingers at me. He told us about the time a man was sneakily taking pictures of him. “I don’t mind,” he said, “but just ask! I work with tourists everyday, is ok!

Man, Lucia told me that it was because they believe you’re stealing their soul through some voodoo-Lecia lens magic. That actually became a running joke on the trip.

Following lunch, we had more tea, the glasses loaded with mint leaves. The next time we encountered them would be at the tanneries a short time later, when they were stuffed up our noses to protect us from the rank smell of animals skins being defluffed and dyed.
 
King Muss
In almost everyone’s pictures of Morocco, food is more prominently immortalized than Mudejar arches or street souks. I take tons of pictures of food, even in my base of Sevilla, just because the presentation, texture and even the taste can be felt through the photo.
 
I took pictures of honey sweets, fluffy couscous and the 20 dirham snail stalls in the main square, Djeema al-F’na, or Assembly of the dead. By day, the large expanse is interspersed with carts peddling fresh orange juice, squat, leathery fortune tellers in headscarves, snake charmers and eve monkeys on leashes wearing what resembled track suits. But by night, it becomes a large, open-air market, with foldable stands and endless options.
 
The man who sold Lauren her spice rack thingy to contain the 15 euros she bought in spices suggested we look for stand 120-something. The numbers start at the lower right hand corner when you face the souk. Easy to find the 120-something stall, right? Wrong. Not only were the numbers out of order, but eager, seven-languages-speaking young dudes, menu in hand, grab at you to try and lure you into the eatery with a surprisingly varied vocabulary. “Wassup, homie, you like some food? Couscous? Kebab? It’s finger-lickin’ good!” Yes, the city’s KFC is right across from the square.
 
The food options were more of less the same – salads, rices, round wheels of bread, tanjines of whatever you could think of and skewers of meat. Some stalls were packed to the brim, with patrons dining on white plastic sheets draped over the picnic tables, while others lifeless. Sam pointed out where he and Brad had eaten – no one in sight. So onward we pressed.
 
And stall 120-something? With salivating mouths, we came upon…a large jumble of motorbikes and hand carts in the middle of two lit ones. One peddled lentils, a garbanzo-based stew and something that looked and smelled like a dead goat.
 
Faced with no other options, we found the most crowded stall in the vicinity to eat at (they say the uninhabited ones have bad food and exorbitant prices). Number 75. We were welcomed by a young boy who was quite confused by his age. 24? 19? It wasn’t until we inspected his ID card, which looked like a library card that had gone through the wash, that we discovered his birthday was the same week as mine, one year later, making him 23.

The six of us straddled a thin table right in front of the display of food. A piece of bread was delivered to each, along with two saucers of spicy tomato sauces. Next came beef skewers, lamb couscous so tender it hung off the bones, a sweet cinnamon and chicken pastry, tomatoes, a tomato-y soup made with beans and long grain rice that cost 50 cents, vegetable couscous and a liter of water. We paid 200 dirhams, less than five euros between the four of us girls. And we ate to the gills.
 
While the waiters hovered over us, trying to sell more food, and beggar children tried selling us tissues and puffy almond cookies, we enjoyed our new friend, whose slacked curls glowed from the spit next to the table and the harsh bulb light, told us how he learned English in the plaza and shocked us with his recounting of English phrases. He became my brother from another mother. We called him King Muss, from his given name of Mustafa.
 
The following night, following pancakes from the street doused in honey, lunch with Nourrdem and a lot of walking around, I tried sautéed snails while the other sought a place for dinner. Stall number 1, at the very edge, got us. Not only was it more expensive, the food was shit. I mean, it could have literally been shit. The benches were lopsided, the waiters rude (and sneaky! We were over charged about 50 dirham, not including the  bread they charged us for!) and the whole experience negative.
 
We went to an old favorite. Some soup, pastilles and even more bread later, we found ourselves once again with King Muss. He had found a funny Dutch girl to help him sell to tourists, who donned his white cap and white apron. We told him about our nasty food and he offered us free tea. He even offered to get me the garbazo soup from another stand, telling me that they all share profits, and he was just working for fun anyway. We promised to come back for our last meal together in Morocco, and we did.
 
We were all King Muss that last night – touting their low prices and tasty offerings to the other guests in the hostel, people on the street, and even the beggar kids who we snuck small samples of leftover food to. We lingered after finishing our meal, even though we were all exhausted from the day’s excursion.
 
“You are my sister from another mister, honey,” Muss told me. “Gimme five, homie!”
 
Assergut
Nourrdem, you remember, with all the cousins and slaves and friends from everywhere in the world, called up his taxi-driving friend. “Yes, tomorrow at nine, meet me at the shop. We will take you to meet the Berbers.”
 
So, we showed up, Spanish-style, at a few minutes past the appointed hour. Out in the main square, we hugged close to the newspaper stand while Nourrdem, who has replaced the celestial blue scarf that Brad bought off of him the day before, nervously smoked cigarettes and gabbed on his cell phone.
 
Finally, a taxi came for us. The driver, Nourrdem and Sam sat up front with the four of us squished in back. Outside of the city limits, the towns are sparse, the vegetation even more sparse, and the people out working. The men, that is.
 
At the foothills, next to a stream, we stopped for a tea, which Nourrdem poured in and out of the tea kettle before serving it. The place had no doors or windows, just a roof and an army of tanjines cooking next to the bar. A group of Moroccans from the north played tambourines and Sam went to go ride one of the half-dozen camels near the stream. We were soon on the road again, passing into the hills and valleys, breezing past small towns and Richard Branson’s Moroccan retreat.
 
When we pulled into the small town of Imlil, I thought we’d reached our destination. It looked like a base camp in the Himalayas – ruddy-cheeked inhabitants, bright colored flags in different covers. After enjoying the view from the terrace of Nourrdem’s OTHER cousin’s restaurant, we were informed that we still had a 10-minute uphill trek to make with Sam’s blisters and Lauren’s bum foot.
 
Bri and I followed Nourrdem closely, taking pictures of the towns nestled into the mountains and the searing snow-covered peaks of the Atlas. Midway up, Nourrdem stopped a group of four men with mules and negotiated a deal with them. “70 dirhmas (7E, $5) for one hour!” Sold.
 
One of the men shouted across the valley to the closest town, and within a few minutes, a brand new mule was pulling up in front of us. I got ontop of Assergut, an older, dirty white one with kind eyes. Kinda like an old dog. She treated me well, though, minus the one incident where she nearly took me down the cliff while my feet were securely fastened into her stirrups, which was a blanket with some interesting pockets anyway.
 
The man leading Assergut was missing a few teeth, but therefore had a perfect Andalu accent when he spoke. He told me that the cluster of towns across the valley had a cumulative sum of 500 people. Assergut shook her head and twitched. Yeah, small towns do that to you.
 
After an hour zig-zagging up the cumin-colored hill surround on both sides by white-capped peaks, the five men leading the mules took us into the first town. The mules waded through a small stream, goats scurrying out of their paths as they ascended the vertical path. There were ruddy-looking children playing with sticks in the narrow streets next to mud houses. The mosque rang out for midday prayer as we dismounted the mules and went to the home of my mule-handler.
 
“Now to eat!” said Nourrdem. “What do you want? He make everything!” We settled on a goat meat omelette with onions and peppers with salad, wine and a lot of bread. Following tea, we sat on the balcony overlooking the valley. I could see Assergut and her friends grazing below.
 
We took the scenic route down – through other poor Berber villages where the blue-eyed children saluted us in French. Il-y-a des bonbons? They all asked. Jenna’s half pack of gum resulted in chaos for the dozen or so children who crowded around her and nearly pushed her off the edge of the cliff. The climb down took about an hour, winding through three or four more villages on often slippery terrain.
 
At the bottom we all agreed, the mules were a better option.
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