Moroccan Snickers Bar Tour

#MoroccanSnickersBarTour

Here i am visiting Morocco for the third time as its an area with a rich but complex mixture of history
 It was formed by many diverse cultures and dynasties from the ancient Berber kingdoms to all the European powers that have left their influences in the area

 

Acculturate Your Surroundings
To understand any country you visit, you need to first embrace the people with their
culture plus all the chaos that the area brings, as that is part of you growing

 Mark Twain
 His quote; Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry
and narrow-mindedness

Bazaar
Off to the souk (market) with the understanding that you need to be prepared to negotiate for items
 like bags, spices, leather goods and pottery

KeyTip;
 What i have learned from many visits is to reduce the asking
price by 70%

Travel Advisor
So again i have been to this area of Western Africa multiple times, so the front desk at my hotel mentioned that they had some guests from North America and was wondering if i would mind meeting with them in the lobby (later on) to discuss what to expect

Snickers Bars
At our get together i agreed to join them as they were heading to the souk, so i mentioned that i always bring some confectionery bars in my backpack for that, just in case moment
 They kind of looked at me with a puzzled look so

Avoid List 
I explained that our systems will need time to adapt to the local foods and liquids
plus not to buy any fruit/salads or anything not packaged as it could of been washed in water, no drinks with ice cubes and so on

Sales Pitch
Well we get to the market and the guide eventually takes us inside one of the vendors buildings
that was selling rugs, brass vases and clothing
Then the host brings out a bowl of soup for everyone that was basically black water (i am thinking of the Indiana Jones Movie at this point 😅) so then grabbed my Snickers Bar and offered by extras
to my new friends

Stomach Issues
Not sure if they were not paying attention to my lecture earlier but they all declined
We finished up and headed back to the resort, i find out later (as i waited at the restaurant for them) 
 none were coming as they all had diarrhea

My Artificial Holiday
After eating i went outside and pulled out a roadside shrub, then took the six pack plastic rings plus some cloth to decorate into a believable Christmas Tree ( it was December 24th)
Finally for gifts; i added some alcohol plus of course a Snickers Bar for all my North American friends who did not listen 

 Merry Christmas

Be Cautious
Being a photographer i know there will be some great color shots for my camera, but i just bring the basic gear as petty theft is common here especially in the crowded areas

KeyTip; 
 The so called Faux Guides may approach you offering a tour but generally they are trying to lead you to places not so nice or pressure you into buying things, so kindly say no thank you

Old City
On my way to the Medina in Fez, which is the largest living medieval city in the world and because
of such is an UNESCO World Heritage Site 

It also has the oldest University in the world Al-Qarawiyyin (859 AD)
 Then look for Dar al-Magana (which is a house built in the 14th century) that has a water clock which is one of the most ancient forms of timekeeping

Planned Grid
As i learned the souks are not random collections of stalls but are carefully organized by
 the type of goods sold
So its up to you to decide what you are looking for, then head to that area

Absorb The Culture
 When walking in that direction, take in the aromatic spices, vibrant colors (like above)
 and all the sounds of craftmanship

Structured Disorder
You will need your sense of adventure to walk into this controlled chaos, but its like a journey through a living piece of history
Much like a labyrinthine into the traditional way of life that has persisted through centuries

Past History
Morocco has been ruled by many dynasties including the Idrisid, Almoravid, Saadi, Almohad and Alawi which still resigns today (from the 17th century)
This makes it the second oldest ruling house in the world 

Independence
It finally got free from France and Spain in 1956

Showbiz 
Being a part-time actor i am always on the lookout for some of the largest film sets outside
 of Hollywood that are located here

The industry utilizes the diverse landscapes and historical architecture found here
1) Gladiator
2) Lawrence of Arabia
3) Mission Impossible
4) Game of Thrones
5) Rogue Nation
6) American Sniper
7) Prison Break

 Marrakech
 Also known as Red City because of the color of most of the building which
 are made of that hue of clay

Some Interesting Facts
1) Yves Saint Laurent played a role in restoring the Majorelle
Gardens located here
2) Its the home for traditional  Moroccan crafts of textiles, pottery
 and leather goods
3) The main square of Jemaa el-Fnaa is famous for its musicians, storytellers
and food vendors
4) Founded in 1062 it is one of the four Imperial Cities of the country and one of
its historic capitals

Precious Resource
Morocco is experiencing a decline in rainfall and has rising temperatures leading to increasing water stress, hence when i took these pictures it sums it up well
Aqua is more important than gold

 National Water Management Plan 
The country is actively working to improve the situation through investments in dams,
desalination and wastewater reuse

Official Language
While its Arabic, many Moroccans speak Darija (a dialect influenced by Berber and Arabic)
 plus French is also widely spoken

My Canadian French
It is very different but was able to communicate somewhat, especially when haggling over prices
 (which the locals are offended if you do not engage)

The Adhan
From the mosques the call for prayer is five times per day
It is a significant part of the daily rhythm with a rich Islamic history

Plan Accordingly
Depending on the time of year, Morocco does not get as much sunlight as you would think
In December only around five hours up to eleven in July

Many Directions
Just keep traveling to experience the world, as indeed its great

Pirate History of Bahamas & Eastern Canada

#PirateHistoryBahamasNSCanada

I am venturing to the Caribbean Island of New Providence in the Bahamas and in particular the
Capital City of Nassau
 To study the connection of the Golden Age of Piracy (1690-1730) with my Province of Nova Scotia located in Eastern Canada
So even though i am greeted with bright, vibrate colors the area had a dark past, so lets investigate

Nassau as a Pirate Haven;
1) It became an important pirate republic during the early 18th century attracting the likes of the famous Blackbeard and Bartholomew Roberts

2) Pirates found refuge here on the island taking advantage of its remote location
 plus weak governance

3) The Republic of Pirates in Nassau was so strong it had a degree of impunity which created that culture for themselves and their followers

4) The history says there should be buried treasure here because of this lawless industry
A) But most was lost at sea through wrecks
 B) Taken to other locations then buried, but then the pirate was killed before he could reclaim it 
 C) Or simply the loot was in the form of trade goods which would have been either sold
or deteriorated over time

Sorry all you Treasure Hunters out there 

 Province of Nova Scotia Canada
1) Some of the pirates who sailed through Nassau also visited the waters of Nova Scotia as no ocean is big enough (3000 kms or 1850 miles in distance) when looking for a treasure loot 

2) In Nova Scotia the government would grant the pirates a license to attack the countries enemy ships during wartime, hence the name Privateers
(remember it was a new area with limited tax money to built a navy)
But it was a grey area as you can imagine, so these Privateers ventured into the Caribbean raiding all ships taking the valuables
but also food, water and clothing for survival on the sea

3) With some of these captured ships, the Privateers would bring back the Pirates to Nova Scotia for trail and execution by hanging
  then to collect a bounty that was placed on the heads of some of the pirates from the Caribbean
 

The Beginning of the End
The British and other European powers engaged in an extensive naval campaigns to end the
 piracy on the open seas
It involved patrolling the waters, naval battles plus establishing fortified positions like this in
 Fort Charlotte Nassau or Georges Island in Halifax

Time To Explore
Okay this case is closed jajaja, lets see the rest of the island

Legal Oddities
Well since a found a (colorful) Police Station here are some strange laws
in the Bahamas

1) Its illegal to wear camouflage clothing as its deemed disrespectful to the folks in the military
 plus its police forces

2) Its legal to enter the Bahamas by sea without a Passport, but i would
 not recommend this 

3) You are not allowed to import motorcycles or vehicles that are
ten years or older

4) To protect the coral reefs there are no spearfishing or underwater
 guns allowed

5) Feeding pigeons near a church or monuments is a no no

6) Taking photos of alcoholic beverages in public spaces or near religious sites,
 again not allowed

7) Wearing stilettos in certain areas because of the damage it may cause to
 the surfaces of public spaces

KeyTips;
1) Do not depend to use your credit cards especially in the smaller businesses
(because of costs associated)
 or some will have a minimum purchase amount to use plastic, but many prefer cash only

2) Tipping the restaurant servers, housekeeping, taxi drivers, the packing boys at grocery stores etc
is very welcomed, as they are paid a low wage

3) Follow the traffic rules on your rental scooters and do not be a
jerk tourist

4) Do not touch the coral as there are very fragile animals and are critical
to the ecosystem

 The Green Message
By 2030 the Bahama National Energy Policy will have 30% renewables, mostly from solar power
 The end result; it will lower costs, improve the grid reliability and achieve energy independence

The Bahamas
 Its from the Spanish phrase baja mar, meaning shallow sea and is an archipelago that has more than
700 islands, but only 30 are inhabited

New Providence Island
It is the most populated with 70% of the total (400,000)
that includes the largest city and capital Nassau

Time For Some Samples
Hey, finding pirates is hard work 😀

The Bacardi Family
 It relocated one of their operations to Nassau from Cuba after Fidel Castro and his rise to
power in the 1960s
The location was closed in 2009 but now is home to John Watlings Distillery which is run by
sixth generation members of the Barcardi family

Having a Bahama Mama Cocktail

The Starving Artist
It is not just a saying, but someone who prioritizes their creative work
 above financial stability
So i like to buy some local pieces when i am able to support their dreams

Back in my Home Port of Halifax
What better way to celebrate me conquering The Seven Seas like a pirate😀
 by having a Ghost Ship Beer drinkpropeller.ca

Reykjavik & Golden Circle in Iceland

#ReykjavikGoldenCircleIceland

Solfario
As we get to leave on our Golden Circle Tour, i first visited the seaside boardwalk in Reykjavik to view The Sun Voyager which the artist Jon Gunnar Arnason created as a dream boat to represent
 hope, progress and freedom

 

The Golden Circle
It takes about one full day to complete taking in Thingvellir National Park,
Geysir Geothermal area and Gullfoss Waterfalls

The Best Selection
On the road for a 300km (190 mile) journey
Rental vehicles are an option, but i took a Tour Bus with professionals who know the road conditions (depending on what time of year) plus are familiar with the route and all admissions paid up front
 (for parking your rental) so saving time to actual see this amazing geography 

Thingvellir National Park 
Its that part of the world where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates meet
(it moves 2.5 centimeters or 1 inch apart per year) thus creating
 a dramatic landscape

Daily Quakes
In this area earthquakes happen everyday but are too minor to be felt plus there has been no volcano eruption for over 2000 years, but still are not considered extinct

Underwater Site
Another fact i did not know many people come here for the diving and snorkeling because of the tectonic movements which has formed ravines
So from that they fill up with the meltwater from Langjokull Glacier, which has travelled underground through a very porous lava rock that acts like a filtration system which creates the clear
blue waters to explore

Silfa
It is the most famous of these ravines and is considered one of the worlds top dive sites
But it requires a drysuit certification ( because the temperature is only 2C of 35F ) at least ten logged dives and then verified by a qualified guide on site

 Park Rangers on Patrol

Why you ask the strict rules;
1) The moss that covers the lava rock throughout the area is incredibly delicate, so those who decide to veer on the marked routes have damaged much of it which will take years to recover

2) When people throw coins into (i guess they think its a wishing well 😕) the heavy metals have seeped into the lake which has raised it to unsafe levels

3) People staying at the campsites here have been known to leave behind their waste, hard to believe that humans are this stupid or ignorant 

 Gullfoss Falls 
The early history of this area; some foreign investors wanted to harness the falls for electricity which would have destroyed this marvel of nature

Sigriour Tomasdottir
She was the daughter of one of the owners and was strongly against this idea and through fierce determination plus eventually through her lawyer Sveinn Bjornsson
(who would become later the first President of Iceland) they got the contract annulled

Property of Iceland
Then Gullfoss became the property for the people 

KeyTip;
 There is a sculpture memorial for Sigriour that sits by the falls, so look for
 that on your visit

 Gullfoss Falls Facts
1) In Icelandic Gullfoss means Golden Waterfall as it has a yellow-brown color due to the fact that the glacial water carries a lot of sediment carved from the earth

2) It has the largest volume for a waterfall in Europe, plus was named in the top ten of the world for
just its awesomeness

3) It was protected as Nature Reserve in 1979 for all of us to enjoy

Ring Road
We were traveling on the Route 1 that circles the entire island
The 1300 kilometers (821 miles) connects most of the inhabited areas  this country

The Thaw
Iceland has hundreds of rivers with many originating from glaciers, spring meltdown fed
streams or runoff type waterways

Earth Heat
Because of its unique geological setting, Iceland gets to leverage its geothermal energy which provides heating plus hot water to 90% of homes and businesses here

White Water Rafting
There are rules to follow if your considering doing this sport here in Iceland
Depending on the river there are age restrictions, safety procedures and of course
 environmental responsibility

 Reykjavik
 It translates to smoky bay and with some interesting facts

1) Its the most northern capital city of a sovereign nation

2) First settlement here was in 874 AD

3) The language comes from a North Germanic history which is related to Norwegian, Swedish and Danish, so from Old Norse that was spoken by the Viking settlers

4) The country does not have a military (but is part of NATO) plus the police here do not carry guns thus why the city and country was named the safest in the world

5) Beer was banned until 1989 because of prohibition era.
But the fishermen returning from overseas would return with some gifts 😅 while others would come up with their own mixture of using non-alcoholic beer and a shot of
Icelandic Brennivin (schnapps)

 The Harpa Concert Hall
 It uses a glass facade in geometric shapes that changes color during the
day with the sunlight 
It opened in 2011 and is home of the Iceland Symphony Orchestra plus Icelandic Opera

 Brokey Yacht Club
 It is the oldest and largest in Iceland

On The Road 😀
Thanks Iceland for many amazing adventures and memories

Churchill War Rooms London

 

#ChurchillWarRoomsLondon
Winston Churchill (1874-1965) rallied the British people during World War 11 from the
 brink of defeat to victory

Defeated Nazism
With Franklin D Roosevelt and Joseph Stalin  he shaped the the Allied strategy to defeat
 Adolf Hitler  during those times
He remained Prime Minister until 1955 when ill health forced his resignation

The Cabinet War Rooms
 It was built in 1938 as underground complex beneath the Whitehall Building in London
It served as the nerve center for the British Government and its military during World War 11

Served Many Purposes
During the Blitz and the German V weapon attacks the Churchill War Cabinet met 115
 times here in safety
The Prime Minister would also end up making four speeches to the citizens of England from this bunker under the streets of the city

SIGSALY
The War Rooms had a secure transatlantic phone line for top secret calls over a voice scrambling
 system that would encrypt the calls
The lines went to the United States and also with other Allied Countries which demonstrated the global  cooperation of this war effort

The Map Room
It was constantly staffed by officers from the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force
 It would chart in detail the advances of the German Forces into Russia and other battlefronts, then their gradual retreat as the Allied Forces started to reverse the fortunes of war

Patriotic Duty
At its peak during the conflict the War Rooms housed over 500 staff members who would work around the clock, have a nap and then continue their duties

Trying to be a Typical Day
But despite the demanding schedule folks would sometimes leave the bunker and try to be normal, by visiting the local cafe or go to a movie theatre just to get their minds into a happier place

Artificial Sunlight
The switchboard operators plus typists would have to spend days and nights underground so 
to alleviate the health problems (associated with all the time being without daylight)
the staff would stand (with just minimal clothes) in front of a sunlamp for some therapeutic relief

Silence is Golden
All the phones on Churchills desk would light up (known as a Beauty Chorus) but not ring as he
did not like excessive noise
 Also the Remington typewriters were imported because of its low sound capabilities

Chef Georgina Landemare 
She managed to create meals using rationed ingredients, local produce or even utilizing any gifts sent for the war effort by other countries 
Churchill so valued the dedication and skill in the kitchen he thanked Ms. Landemare on his VE Day speech for her service during the war

Espionage Activity
 In England it was rampant with both British and German intelligence agencies engaging
 in covert operations against each other

The Cambridge Five
This was the most notable, they were recruited Soviet Agents embedded within the government while studying at the forementioned university
They were passing on sensitive information to USSR for decades about British
and American operations

Code Name Operation Lena
 The Germans would send English speaking spies to gather information and to sabotage infrastructures within the United Kingdom

Austerity Regulations
During these times clothing was heavily rationed which aimed at conserving resources
for the war effort 

1) Clothing Coupons; civilians were issued coupons and to be used when buying
any clothing items
2) Rationing Restrictions; hems and belts were limited to two inches in width plus garments were restricted in having only one pocket
3) Extras; any cuffs, ruffles, pleats were not allowed
4) Materials; people were asked to buy or make with
only cotton or rayon 
5) Repurposing; to mend and patch existing clothes you owned

The Churchill Rooms
They were no longer needed after the war ended in 1945
Then in the 1970s the Imperial War Museums took over the site and in 1984 they opened
it to the general public

Today
 Thus now you can explore the original rooms where many of of historical decisions were made
 and to understand the conditions plus sacrifices people endured of those who worked
 underground during those times