Morocco: Fes
“A little imagination goes a long way in Fes.” -Tahir Shah
Morocco: Sahara Desert
“The Sahara is not visited like a medina: it is lived, not indulged, you have to let yourself be taken by its mystery, its secrets, and imagine the dream behind the sand dunes, which sometimes move and sometimes remain still. The desert is an idea, a way to strip yourself of everything and dare to look yourself in the face; it is a mirror that must be taken seriously. Morocco has a lively, splendid desert, not far from cities or roads.” — Tahar Ben Jelloun
Morocco: Marrakech
“Before Marrakech, everything was black. This city taught me what colors are and I embraced its light, its bold contrasts, and its intense inventions.” -Yves Saint Laurent
Evora, Portugal
“Life is what we make of it. Travel is the traveler. What we see isn’t what we see but what we are.”
-Fernando Pessoa
Lisbon, Portugal (and Sintra)
On Thursday, October 26th, I drove straight from work to Washington-Dulles International Airport and boarded an overnight flight to Lisbon. I packed light and didn’t need to check any luggage, which cut down on the time it took to get to my gate. I lucked out by having an empty seat between me and the next passenger, something that’s never happened to me on a plane before.
Switzerland: Appenzell
At long last, we are coming to the end of my Switzerland story. After two weeks wandering all over Switzerland, I had crossed the border to Liechtenstein and explored that tiny country. Now I was returning to Switzerland for one last adventure before flying home. On July 5th, I left my hotel in Liechtenstein and took the bus back across the border to the Swiss town of Sargans. From there, I took a train west, changed trains in a town whose name I’ve forgotten, and arrived in one of the most quintessentially Swiss towns that exist: Appenzell.
Liechtenstein: Marvelous Micronation
“Anyone who keeps the ability to see beauty never grows old.” -Liechtensteiner proverb
Switzerland: Zermatt to Chur
“I remember the dazzling whiteness of the tumbled snow-desert between us and the black horn of the Matterhorn some miles away.” -J.R.R. Tolkien
Switzerland: Spiez and Thun to Montreux
“If you want peace of mind, come to Montreux.” -Freddie Mercury
Switzerland: Jungfrau Region
“I left the view of Jungfrau with deep regret: eternal snow, etched as it seemed against eternal sunshine, and the Silberhorn sharp against dark blue: the Silvertine (Celebdil) of my dreams.” -J.R.R. Tolkien