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  • Seville and Cordoba

    Joseph

    Penny, my father and I went for a quick tour of the south of Spain to visit cousins and friends in the cArab_baths_in_sevillaities of Seville and Cordoba.  We caught the AVE, the high speed train which reaches speeds of 300 KM/h, and a couple of hours later we were in Seville.  My cousin Almudena met us at the train station and drove us to her wonderful home in an old neighborhood.

    My cousin’s husband, Carlos, has taken an early retirement deal from the bank he worked at so he was free to be our tour guide for the next couple of days.  He led us to see the Santa Cruz neighborhood,Street_cafes_in_sevilla an old area of streets built very narrow to minimize the effects of the burning hot sun.  Now the pedestrian streets are lined with tourists shops and tapas bars but the facad
    es of the buildings retain their original look.  The wooden balcony door/windows open onto cobblestone streets of small plazas with fountains to cool the hot and dry air.

    One of the main tourist attractions of Seville is the huge cathedral with its tall tower, La Giralda.  Like many of the impressive old bTaking_a_jamon_y_queso_breakuildings in the south of Spain the tower was built by the Moors who ruled the area for hundreds of years.  We enjoyed the interior with its massive columns and high vaulted roof before climbing to the top of the Giralda tower for views over the entire city.

    Seville is hot at this time of the year.  Temperatures peaked at 41 C on the days we were there.  The high temperature has shifted the schedule that most people here keep.  My cousin wakes up at around 7
    AM and then goes to work at a government ministry.  She has aFamily_dinner_in_sevilla coffee and snack break at around 10 AM and then works through to 2.30 PM which is the end of her work day in the summer.  She returns home for a large home cooked lunch and then settles in for a nap.  She’ll sleep until about 6 PM to avoid the worst heat of the day.  By 7 PM the heat is starting to decrease but it really only gets comfortable by around 10 PM.  She and her husband go for a walk in the town and will stop to eat a light dinner of small tapas dishes after 10 PM.  After eating and walking some more they’ll return home and get to sleepPlaza_espana_4
    by 1 AM or 2 AM.

    We were lucky that other cousins of ours were vacationing in nearby
    Cadiz while we were in Seville.  All 6 of them made the one hour drive down to eat dinner with us in what turned out to be a highlight of our trip here. 

    In Cordoba we stayed with my father’s friend Jose and his daughter.  They welcomed us into their home and took us to see their city.  It’s smaller than Seville and has fewer sites but we did really enjoy visiting the Mosque Cathedral – a massive Moor built mosque that was converted into a cathedral.  We also saw the royal city ruins of Medinat al-Zarha in the hills outside Cordoba. 

  • Visting Family and Eating in Madrid

    JosephPlaza_mayor_madrid

    I have a lot of family in Madrid, many of whom I’d never met, so this was our first stop in Spain. My father flew in from Montreal and met us there. He grew up in Madrid and most of his family is still here.
    We spent the next few days exploring the city with my father as tour Museo_del_jamon_2_walls_of_hams_2guide during the day and having family dinners at night.

    The city center is a large area surrounding the Plaza Mayor – the central square of Madrid. I haven’t been to Madrid since childhood and I was surprised at how large the old city area is. It’s a beautiful area of colourful old buildings with small ironwork balconies on each window. The streets are narrow and many are closed to vehicles. AtCousin_alvaro_at_tapas_bar almost every corner there is a plaza with bars and tapas restaurants.

    Speaking of restaurants, Spain now ranks as my top country visited on this trip so far in terms of the food. It’s not just the delicious dishes like cured ham (jamon), aged cheeses (queso), garlic shrimp (gambas al ahillio), potato pie (tortilla) or even Spanish sausage (chorizo). It’s the whole experience of going out to a neighborhood bar, sitting down for a drink and a couple of small tapas dishes to share with friends. My
    dad, cousin Alvaro and girlfriend Julia, Penny and I happily spent the Tapas_bar_selectionwhole night hopping from one bar to another eating tapas and drinking sangria. To end the night in true Spanish fashion you can enjoy a plate of chocolate con churros (deep fried sweet dough with a cup of melted chocolate). And surprisingly for
    the quality of the food and the fact that we’re in Europe the prices are very reasonable. Well, enoughDel_moral_family_photo_2
    about the food, I’m getting hungry just thinking of it.

    We also spent a very pleasant day on the weekend up in the hills north of Madrid at the summer home of my cousin. My aunts, cousins and second cousins made it up there where we enjoyed a nice lunch and a leisurely walk in the hills. The best part though was meeting family for the first time and seeing family resemblances I had no idea existed.

  • It’s cold in London!

    Penny

    Our first stop once we were back on the road was London. We had little trouble to get through the On_double_decker_tour_busheightened security following the Glasgow incidents. Unfortunately, other travelers were not as lucky. When we got to our hostel, we Big_ben_and_london_eyewatched the news while waiting for our beds to be ready and heard of a threat at the Heathrow airport that forced authorities to close Terminal 4 causing canceled flights and delays.

    Completely jet-lagged, our first few hours in London were spent sleeping. Once we were rested, we put on our warmest clothes and headed out. Being in London for only 1 and ½ days and coping with the time difference, we had little time to waste. To take in as much as possible in so little time, we hopped onto a double decker tour bus that took us around the city to see all the major sights. It was a great way to see the city but was Tower_bridgealso a very ‘cold’ way to do it. We weren’t prepared for the London rain and temperatures. It was between 10 and 15 degrees Celsius. But we did not let it stop us! London_phonebooth_cliche_photoThe architecture and lively vibe of the city is what kept us going. There are tons of people in the pubs and streets coming and going. It feels like there is always something going on in London.

    We also visited the theater district of Piccadilly Circus and Camden the artsy and hippie area of London. We went to these areas to get a bite to eat. We tried to have a true London experience by having local specialties. But after one artery-clogging dinner of fish and chips and Guinness pie, we decided to have Thai food the second night.

    Only a couple of days in London is not enough time to take in all that the city has to offer. We will be back!

  • Great to be back…even if only for a short time!

    PennyVincy

    As Joe mentioned in the earlier post, we returned to Canada for a total of 12 days to attend two of our friends weddings. We also took the opportunity to see our families (including Vincent, the newest Having_fun_2edition to the del Moral clan) and our friends who we missed so much.

    The break from our regular travel schedule was great.  Although we did travel over 2,500 KM within Canada to get to the different wedding locations, it was relaxing to be in a place where you know where  to find your nearest Starbucks and the nearest pharmacy! I took the opportunity being back in Montreal to enjoy simple things including having coffee with my mom on our back patio… It was things like that that I missed  the most!At_the_reception

    Just_marriedAfter returning to Montreal from Toronto, we had a few days to spend time with our families.  We had a dinner at Joe’s place where his brother Michael cooked an amazing paella (a typical Spanish rice dish).  That was also the first time that we met his 3 month old son Vincent.  He is as cute as a button and his nickname “gummy bear” (given by his grandmother) is very appropriate.  Alex_and_joe_after_the_reception

    On Friday, we were back on the road and off to Chicoutimi for Alex and Marie’s wedding.  All of the “gang” from Montreal was there.  We went out on Friday for a bite to eat and then most of us went back to the hotel to get a good night sleep to be ready for the wedding reception the following day.  On Saturday morning, like true Canadians, we all headed to Tim Horton’s for breakfast.  Then it was off to Alex_and_marie_at_the_altar get ready for the wedding.

    The wedding was at 2PM in a beautiful church on a hill in the center of town.  The  ceremony was lovely and of course the bride The_boyslooked stunning.  As the newly-weds hopped into their antique car, we hopped into our Civic and headed to an old theater where the reception was held.  The dinner was set up as though all the guests were actors taking part in Alex and Marie’s theater production.  After an excellent meal of Asian fusion cuisine, the party and music started with a great selection of 80’s music.  We all danced the night away until 2PM.

    The_girls The following day, we were on the road again.  We returned to Montreal and once again packed our trusty backpacks for 6 weeks in Europe, the final leg of our trip.  We took advantage of the return home to replace most of our well-worn clothes with newer more stylish ones better suited for Europe.  By late Monday afternoon, we were on a plane again!

  • Surprise! We’re back home

    Joseph

    You may be wondering why we stopped posting for a while.  Well, on June 19th we left the spice island of Zanzibar and started the long journey home.  We decided to take a 12 day interlude in our trip to attend weddings for two of our friends in Canada.

    Our friends Dan and Jo got married in Toronto last weekend and next weekend Alex and Marie-Claude will be married in Chicoutimi, a town in north Quebec. 

    So, after taking a ferry from Zanzibar to Dar-es-Salaam, a flight to London via Dubai and then another flight to Montreal we were met at the airport by our parents on Thursday, June 21st.  Penny’s parents prepared a delicious lunch and BBQ to welcome us home and it felt great to be home and with our families.   

    Never ones to sit still for long, Penny and I took the train to Toronto on Friday.  There we were happy to meet Penny’s brother and sister-in-law and a few of our friends who we haven’t seen in a long time.  Saturday was the wedding and it really blew us away.  Dan and Jo’s fairy tale wedding managed to be lavishly stunning while still feeling welcoming and fun.  From the valet parking to the 3 bands to the incredible after-party nightclub tent the wedding was like nothing I’ve ever seen before.  And through it all the couple looked relaxed, happy and were enjoying themselves.

    After the wedding I managed to sleep for 2 hours before having to wake up Penny to drive me to the airport.  (Thanks Penny!) I had Alex’s bachelor party to attend in New York City.  Alex thought I was still in Africa and thought that I would be missing his bachelor party and wedding.  So I secretly arranged to meet my friends in a dim sum restaurant where you choose food off a cart pushed by servers.  They sat so that Alex had his back to the entrance and I came up from behind pushing a cart.  I said, "Har Gau, Shaomai", (the names of my favorite dumplings), loudly as I walked behind him.  The blank, stunned look on his face as he turned around said it all.  My friends had done an excellent job of covering up the fact that I was coming to Canada and Alex had no clue at all.

  • A Safari Story

    Joseph

    The highlight of the safari for me was at the Grumeti river in the Serengeti.  That is Wildebeest the famous river that the migrating wildebeest herd has to cross.  We were in the park right at the time of the migration but it seemed that some late rains were keeping the herd in the park.  However, on the way back from the shores of  Lake Victoria we heard the hoof beats of thousands of animals running.   

    Moses pulled the truck up onto the bank of the river and the wildebeest suddenly burst past us in a mass of hoofs and horns.  They Lioness_2 were running quickly, jumping into the water, crossing the river then continuing on the other side.  The herd was huge and we could see no end to it.  Suddenly, the stream of wildebeest split into two and our truck was in the center of the migrating herd, an island of astounded tourists with cameras on video mode, in a river of wildebeest.  Then Penny yelled, "Lion! Lion!" and we all turned to see a lioness make an attacking run at the wildebeest.  She failed in her attack and crouched down in the grass about 10 meter from our truck, her eyes intently following the panicked herd.  Slowly she got up took a few paces and then made another run at the herd.  This time she disappeared around a bend in the river and we lost sight of her.  Our hearts were pounding and we all had foolish grins on our faces as we finally crossed the river after the herd.

  • New Photos

    We’ve posted photos of our safari in the Tanzania album.  Enjoy!

  • African Safari

    Joseph

    After leaving the foster home in Uganda we figured we should get back to being tourists so we got ourselves to Arusha, Tanzania – the base for safaris to the Serengeti.

    The touts, or flycatchers as they are known locally, surrounded us as soon as we Our_safari_group stepped off the bus. They all want you to get into their taxi, go to their hotel or sign up for their safari.  They are the most persistent touts we’ve had to deal with on our travels so far – even worse than India!  I told the pack of 6 or 7 that was following us down the street exactly that and they seemed shocked that someone would not appreciate their company. 

    After a frustrating afternoon of dealing with touts and visiting different safari companies we met up with a friendly Spanish couple, Mikel and Olaia, who were doing the same as us.  Since the safari vehicles carry 4 people it is about 1/2 price if you travel in a group of 4.  We quickly agreed on the company and signed up.

    Cheetah_and_wildebeestWe were picked up by our guide, Moses, and cook, Alex, in a rugged Land Cruiser outfitted with extra gas tanks, heavy duty suspension and a large sunroof for game viewing. After a short drive, we arrived in Arusha National Park where we did a walking safari.  We went on foot through some beautiful African landscapes and got very close to giraffes, buffalo and warthogs.  The buffalo are dangerous and so the ranger who escorted us carried a rifle.  When we passed a herd of buffalo our Spanish friend Mikel got close to them to take a photo and some large males got up and started making huffing noises.  Our ranger loudly cocked his rifle and Mikel retreated a few steps and we were able to continue on our way.

    Serengeti_sunsetThe next day we made the long drive to the Serengeti.  The Serengeti is 15,000 sq km of vast open plains with a few hills and small forests.  As soon as we entered we saw huge numbers of Thompson’s gazelles, wildebeest and other antelopes.  The sheer number of animals shocked us – they stretched out as far as the eye could see in every direction.  It was getting late though so we setup our tents in the public camping grounds and ate a nice meal prepared by our cook, Alex. 

    The next morning we left at 6 AM for an early game drive.  We were immediately rewarded.  A lioness and her cubs were playing in the tall grasses about 20 meters from the dirt road we were on.  A wildebeest carcass was leftover from last night’s dinner.  Just a few meters down the road on the other side was another dead Lion_breakfastwildebeest.  This time a very cautious hyena came slinking toward it, his belly was already bulging, probably from having recently gorged himself.  He sniffed it, took a loud chomp on its hoof and then wandered off.

    For the next 4 days we took game drives around the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater.  The crater is the remnants of an extinct volcano that has a diameter of about 20 km and is about 600 meters below the level of its rim.  Inside it is packed with wildlife.  We saw elephants, cheetahs, crested cranes, lions, and many others including the very endangered black rhino of which there are only 20 in the park.

    The experience was a once in a lifetime thing that has been a highlight of our trip.  We didn’t expect to see so many animals at such a close distance in such as beautiful setting.  There was one of the "big five" that we didn’t see though – the leopard…so maybe it’ll have to be a twice in a lifetime experience.

  • Women Entrepreneurs in Uganda

    Joseph

    I never thought thInterviewing_potato_sellerat I would be analyzing the business merits of a vegetable stall or road-side tailor; but  that’s exactly what I found myself doing in Uganda.  I spent a lot of time talking to women about their businesses, all with less than $5 a day in revenue.  The foster home where we volunteered in Uganda is part of Rejoice Outreach International, a community based organization that also has other activities including the Women Empowerment Program (WEP).  It tries to help village women become “empowered” by giving them courses, business training and access to small loans.

    These women are very poor and are supporting large families which usually include a few children of  relatives who have died of AIDS.   Uganda has the youngest population of any country on Earth – the median age is 15 years old and 20% of children in Uganda are orphans. 

    Definition_of_grassroots The women use the small loans to start businesses that will help them to support their large families.  The loans are small for us in the West, $30 to $100, but represent capital that the women would never be able to accumulate or borrow on their own.  The loans must be repaid in full within 6 months to a year.  I worked on writing profiles of the women and their businesses to be put on a future WEP website.  I spent several days zipping around the villages near Jinja interviewing and photographing women entrepreneurs, with one of the older children from the foster home acting as interpreter.

    While I was doing the research into the businesses I became interested in poultry farming.  It seemed that it was relatively easy to start, inexpensive and the returns were high – so Penny and I went to interview a poultry farmer who lived next door to the foster home.  The farmer told us that the two secrets to success were getting proper training in poultry raising and avoiding chicken theft.  When we got back I ran some numbers and was impressed with the returns you could get.  We spoke to Stephen, the director of WEP, who said that a couple of the women in the program were good candidates for a poultry operation.

    So as a parting gift when we left Uganda, Penny and I gave enough money to fund two loans to start Poultry_farmerpoultry farming operations and also to hire a poultry trainer to teach them the intricacies of raising chickens.  The loans will be repaid to WEP in less than a year and will then be loaned out to another two women, and the cycle will continue.  In a break with tradition, I asked that interest be charged and paid to WEP so that a reserve could be built up in case one of the loans defaults or to cover administrative costs.   Because there’s no expensive overhead, the interest rate will only be half of the going micro-loan rate in Africa and should be easily covered by the profits.

    Micro-lending is becoming a powerful tool to help poor people around the world lift themselves from poverty.  It’s also much more in-line with my capitalist tendencies than one-time handouts.  If you’re interested in finding out more or making a donation to fund some loans for women entrepreneurs in Uganda please email me and I’ll put you in touch with the director of WEP. 

  • Out of touch for 5 days!

    We will be on a 5 day safari in Tanzania for the next few days!  We will make sure to take lots of pictures of all the wildlife and post them as soon as we can…