Where in the World is Andorra?

Answer? A tiny mountainous country nestled in the Pyrennes between
Spain and France.

Last Memorial Day weekend, we flew to Barcelona and drove
two hours north into the Pyrenees.

It just so happened that the weather was spectacular.
Wildflowers were in bloom...

and the mountains were still covered with snow.

The snow was deep in parts, making hiking difficult, so we
did a lot of driving and photo-taking. Blue skies, green expanses, snow-topped
mountains----Andorra was a beautiful palette of color.

Ski resorts were closed in May, but that didn't stop people from
hitting the slopes. We saw families strolling up the mountains
 (literally, with a stroller)

while others were biking down.
Andorrans never seem to tire of the white stuff!

For centuries, Andorra was ruled jointly by France and Spain. In
1993, the country created its first written constitution and now has its
own Parliament. The President of France and the Spanish bishop remain
as figureheads.

Because there is no personal income tax for individuals, Andorra has become
known as a tax haven. Banking secrecy, tourism and duty-free trade have
made this little country prosperous. 

Andorra is tiny--about twice the size of Washington, DC.
We covered a lot of the country
in our rental car, and  also drove across the border
 into France for an afternoon. The official language
in Andorra is Catalan, followed by Spanish, Portuguese and French.
 Nearly every person we met could speak at least four
 languages, including English. When I ordered "dos bieres" and then
immediately apologized for mixing my Spanish and French,
the waiter dismissed it with a wave of his hand.
 "Everything works here,"
he said. 

Happy travelers...

A beautiful place to spend our third anniversary!
Hasta luego...

Shopping in Tangier

Hello, my name is Deb and I'm a Moroccan pottery addict.

I've now been to Morocco five times. It's not only about the pottery.
I am simply taken with the color, people, sights, and sounds of the Medina.
 It's sensory overload, and I can't seem to get enough of it. 

Every good shopping tour of Tangier starts at the Continental Hotel.
Tip #1: I don't recommend staying here, but do pay a visit. The tile work
in the upstairs common rooms (like this breakfast room) is stunning.

Once you've meandered around the rooms, taking 

"just one more [photo],"

head downstairs to the shop owned by "Jimmy." 

You can score some good finds in this dusty old shop.

I picked up two of these doors, originally from the Jewish quarter.

They are wooden shutters with camel bone inlay 

and not available at Walmart!

Will they "translate" well in our Florida condo?  ...TBD.

But good news and Tip #2: No purchase is too big to take

 back to Spain. Jimmy sent the doors to my hotel, free of charge.

The next day, they were loaded into a cab to the port and someone 

carried them on to the ferry for a small fee.  

Getting them off the ferry and into the car wasn't too difficult.

Hurray for big suitcases with rollers!

We perched a door on top of the case and rolled it off the boat to the car.

A big thanks goes to friends who managed the other one.

So, back to the pottery. Each region of Morocco produces its own
signature pottery. We like the design and colors of Fez.

Tip #3: Tuck a pen light in your pocket on your shopping trip.Why? Because
many of the shops are dimly lit. I've turned a bowl over and over and
declared it knick-free only to get it out in the sunlight and see a chip.
Lucky for us, we like the rustic look!

But, remember, it's not all about the pottery.

Everyday scenes in the Medina catch your eye,

 like this shop owner chanting in Arabic. 

or a housewife returning from her Safeway.

Tangier's Medina is not so big that you can't find your way.

I confess to having had guides on earlier trips, but this last 

time I had my bearings, and a friend and I explored on our own 

without worry. A couple of merchants recognized me, 

making me an official "regular."

Tip #4: We were told by a merchant that

if you come into a store with a guide, the price is automatically 

20 percent more.

On Sunday mornings, the Berber women come to market. 

Have you ever seen so much cauliflower? Tip #5: You can 

buy fresh vegetables like these and take them back on the

 ferry to Spain. Customs did not object.

No one does color like Morocco.

We happened upon this fish market. Oh, I should add "smells" to the

 list of sensations one experiences in Tangier.

Next door in the food market, we found preserved lemons, a Moroccan delicacy

commonly used in tagines. (Note to self: We have a lemon tree. Make these.)

Shopping Tips #6-8

No need to change your dollars into Dirhams. Nearly every vendor accepts 

American cash. So save yourself the exchange fees.

Cheat sheets made ahead of time are very handy. I wrote down the

conversion of Dirhams (DH) to USD, $1 to $100.

 In the heat of haggling, I whipped it out of my hip pocket and

 became a better bargainer.

(How much are the olives? 16 DH/kilo =about $1/pound.)

Back to the pottery...

And one last one. Shopping, anyone?

Party in Paris

What better way to celebrate Jim's Big Birthday than to have a surprise
party in Paris? Jim knew we were going to Paris but had no idea about
anyone joining us...

Driving to the airport, Deb pulled the car over when she saw these hitchhikers.
SURPRISE! Friends Jill and Richard were the first to join us. They threw their
luggage in the car and to Jim's surprise headed to the airport with us.

Russ and Jenny showed up at the Seville Airport.

 It's starting to look like a party....All aboard Ryan Air for Paris...

Once in Paris, Terry (he's baaaack...) showed up as we were
checking into the apartment. He came all the way from Virginia
to celebrate Jim's big day. What a friend!

Pete persevered. He and Pat (see below) fought their way through a major
East Coast snow storm so they could make it to Jim's party. What good friends...

With their flight from Richmond cancelled, they stayed on the phone for hours trying to be
rerouted. Their persistence paid off, and they made it to Paris!

Two hour line to go up the Eiffel Tower. But it was worth it.

Cheers on top of the Eiffel Tower.

A perfect day with a fabulous view. Russ, you're better looking sans mask!

Notre Dame at the perfect time of day.

On our way to Montmartre. Where's the funicular??

Terry, holding up the wall.

We hit the hot spots....

Back at the apartment. Joyeux anniversaire!

Feliz cumpleanos!

Thanks to everyone who celebrated with us!
Where to next year??