Greencaviar Travel

Yosemite had always been on my list of “10,000 Places to See Before I Die”, but I always thought that I would save visiting it for last. One would think that as a member of the Yosemite Park Conservancy, who receives newsletters and invitations to Yosemite events, I should already have visited Yosemite on many occasions. Perhaps it was that kind of familiarity and the proximity to home (3 ½ - 4 hours’ drive away) that kept me from visiting sooner.     This past week, however, I found myself marveling at the grandeur of Yosemite. The Drive to Yosemite National Park A visiting relative from Alaska wanted to experience driving in California, so I left the driving to him. We drove through the undulating hills of California’s central valley, the ugly landscape, due to the harsh effect of drought, and the beautiful landscape *(pictured below). The drive to Yosemite was definitely a challenge, especially the drive through the narrow Highway 120 Priest Grade. The steep and...

We arrived in Fez late in the afternoon, just as the sun was about to set. “This is the oldest of the imperial cities, founded in the 9th century, once the capital of the kingdom of Morocco,” said our guide. “This is the home of the oldest university in the world,” he went on as we passed a broad street lined with high walls – the walls of a University – but not the oldest university he was referring to. I got somewhat disoriented when I saw plenty of students seeping out of the huge university gate late in the day, walking and drifting through the sidewalks in silence. Perhaps it was the red Moroccan flag and the palm trees waving in the breeze, their shadow reflected on the university walls that gave it the true spirit of the place. We then proceeded to the hills overlooking the ‘El Bali Medina’ where a flock of sheep (sheep in a metropolitan city?) greeted us. I was struck with curiosity when our guide, pointing to the place, announced that in order to explore the medieval...

Morocco is one of the most colorful countries I have visited. My visit in the spring gave me a full sensory experience, some of which I shared in my blog. However, I realized that only photos of the multi-colored valleys, the Sahara Desert, the Atlas Mountain and multi-colored landscape made it to my Instagram and blog. Thank God, I took plenty of photos to help me reflect upon the visits to the museums and the city. I would like to share some of the pictures from Marrakech that I did not get around to posting. The Bahia Palace is an example of Eastern Architecture from the 19th century. Information posted tells us that the palace has 160 rooms, but we only saw a few. I especially like this picture because it captures the essence of Islamic and Moroccan style architecture through the beautifully carved archways, tiled panels, the intricate carvings above the windows, and the painted ceiling. I especially admire the intricate carvings and the painted cedar ceiling. An...

I’m not really a history buff or interested in visiting a military architecture, but our travel guide mentioning the fact that the fortified town of Essaouira was once called Mogador and known for a long time as the Port of Timbuktu piqued my curiosity.  I imagined a remote place, untouched by time. Indeed, Essaouira has retained its old world charm, but as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is also widely visited by tourists.  The Fortified Town We first visited the port, which became one of the major Atlantic commercial centers between Africa and Europe in the 18th century. Although it is still a busy fishing and trade center today, it has retained its small village charm with small old boats all painted in blue and a few big fishing boats made of wood.  We then visited inside the well-preserved mid-18th-century fortified seaport. The streets were so narrow, so we walked alongside the fortified walls on one side and the medina on the other side until we reach...

I have come to India mainly because I wanted to see the Taj Mahal, the most photogenic architecture in the world.  However, it’s not easy visiting Agra where the Taj Mahal is situated. Never mind the long flight to India, but the trip to Agra had been one of the most uncomfortable trips I had ever experienced.  The city simply lacked the infrastructure to receive tourists or visitors. But the beauty of the Taj Mahal was worth all that discomfort from the trip. Our guide warned us about the do's and dont's inside the complex. For example, video cameras are not allowed, but phone and still cameras are okay. He also told us that the Taj Mahal is the most protected monument in India. No polluting vehicles are allowed within the 500-meter radius of the Taj Mahal. So it was a long walk from the main gate to reach the security check and ticket entrance.  Then from the ticket entrance, it was a short walk to a very large courtyard, bounded by four gates (yes, it sounds r...