We’re not exactly thrill seekers, but we do like to push our limits at times and do things that take us out of our comfort zone. One of the nice things about resort destinations these days is that they provide all sorts of opportunities for those that would like to do something a little more adventurous. Whether you are into diving, snorkeling, paddle-boarding, swimming with dolphins, sharks, turtles, there is something for everyone. When we were in Puerto Vallarta, we decided to give zip lining a try and we weren’t disappointed.
The stairs leading up to the first platformOur Youngest Daughter About to Take the Plunge
At the time that we travelled to Puerto Vallarta, the swine flu was at its peak in Mexico City and there was a lot of concern about travelling to Mexico. Despite the fact that there were no cases of the swine flu in Jalisco, the state where Puerto Vallarta resides, the airline that we had originally booked our flight on had cancelled. Fortunately we were able to get onto a different airline, but the net result was that while we were in Puerto Vallarta, we practically had everything to ourselves. So, when we booked our zip line tour with Canopy Tours, we ended up with pretty much a private tour.
The View as We Flew Across the CanyonPutting on a Brave FaceA View of the Canyon Floor
It was quite an amazing time flying through the jungle over huge canyons. It is also the setting of the Predator movie starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. We all have a bit of a fear of heights, so this wasn’t an easy task for us to leap off the platform and soar through the air with rocks and boulders hundreds of feet below us. The guides continued to encourage us to be more bold with every attempt, at first going with us and then convincing us to let our hands go from the trolley and hang upside down as we flew backwards with only the harness to keep us from falling. They offered to adjust our harnesses so that we could go face down, “Superman” style, but we chose not to take our chances with not being able to hold onto anything at all.
Flying Through the AirGetting Ready for the First RunAbout to Hang Upside Down
At the end of the tour, feet a little shaky as we got back onto terra firma, we had a shot of tequila and waited for them to give us the DVD with the film that they had taken of us (don’t worry, we didn’t include that in the post). From there we went to feed the monkeys that were in a large caged preserve. Clearly the monkeys were quite used to the tourists as they climbed all over us, even sitting in our hands and taking the food. Although it isn’t like seeing them in the wild, it was still a lot of fun to interact with the monkeys and have them be so friendly.
Feeding the MonkeysCute MonkeyRelieved to be Done
Even though our experience was a little unique since it was just the three of us, our guides, and a couple of their girlfriends, it is definitely something that you should consider doing if you get the opportunity. Perhaps it was partially because the guides had their girlfriends with them and they wanted to show off that they pushed our boundaries as much as they did, but at the end of the day, we were grateful for the experience. We would have never imagined ourselves flying upside through the jungle canopy, but now we couldn’t imagine ourselves having not being so daring.
There is nothing better than doing a wine tasting, especially when travelling to foreign countries. Two years ago, we spent two weeks in Estaponia, Spain in the Costa Del Sol. It was an amazing time travelling throughout the region and exploring the many sites that the area has to offer. We rented a car while we were there, but when we visited Ronda, we hired a guide to drive us and take us to an organic wine vineyard as well as one of the many olive vineyards that dominate the hillsides. It was probably a wise decision not to drive that day as the wine tasting was rather generous.
Wine TastingVineyards
We traveled to Spain in November, so it was the off-season as far as tourists goes, so we ended up with a private tour and tasting at the Joaquin Fernandez Vineyard. The wine was amazing and the views from the vineyard were spectacular. The vineyard was completely organic and at the ends of each row of vines were a variety of plants that attracted bees and insects that were natural predators to insects that could harm the grapes. After the tour was the tasting. For each wine, we were poured a full glass and the owner explained which grapes were used and why. In addition to the wine, we had a meat and cheese tray as well as bread sticks to help cleanse our palate. The owner would not continue on to the next wine until we finished our glass, so we were feeling quite good by the time we finished several glasses of wine.
Wine TourJoaquin Fernandez Vineyard
From there we were off to visit an olive vineyard where they still hand press the olive oil. It is a slow process where they continuously add pads to the press as they slowly crush all of the oil out of the olives. Tasting freshly pressed olive oil was amazing, there is truly nothing like it. It is truly a labor of love, but at the same time, it is definitely labor intensive. In addition to pressing their own olives, the surrounding vineyards would sell their olives to them to be pressed and sold by them. Everywhere you go in southern Spain, you are surrounded by olive trees and we were tempted several times to just pull our car over and grab some fresh from the branches. After being spoiled by having such fresh olives, we have found ourselves to be very picky about the olives that we eat here in the States.
Olive PressesDona at Olive Vineyard
Ronda, itself, is a beautiful town with an incredible bridge that connects the old and new parts of the city. It is home to the oldest bull fighting ring in Spain, although it is much smaller than ones that you can find in Seville or Madrid. Sitting high upon the cliffs, the views from Ronda of the surrounding area is unbeatable. It is certainly worth making Ronda a destination to visit if you’re in southern Spain. It has all of the charm one would expect of a village, but has the amenities of a small city. We sat and had coffee in one of the hotels and simply soaked in the atmosphere.
Bridge at RondaBullfighting Ring in Ronda
There were many things about our trip to Spain that were remarkable, but visiting Ronda and doing the wine tasting was definitely one of the best experiences of the trip. Living in Colorado with all our mountains, it was surprising to us how similar the terrain of Spain was to much of the southwest. The drive to Ronda, through the rugged mountains, was an adventure itself, but well worth the effort. We look forward to our next opportunity to sample wine and tour a vineyard in another exotic location, it is an experience that can’t be beaten.
Generally speaking, we prefer to visit places on our own as opposed to using a tour guide or being part of a tour group. We don’t like having to be on someone else’s schedule, so we’ve never gone on a packaged group tour, but on occasion we will use a tour guide or go on a guided tour for a specific location. Whenever we do use a tour guide, there are specific things that we look for when choosing a guide. Whenever possible, we go on a private tour or, at a minimum, a tour with limited numbers of participants. We also look for a guide that has been in business for at least several years and preferably one who is from the location that we’re visiting. The best example of our using a tour guide when was we visited Morocco during our trip to Spain in fall of 2013.
Dona and Pete at the KasbahDona with a Snake Charmer
We are pretty comfortable travelling abroad, but there a few places that can be a little overwhelming if you haven’t been there before and that is how we felt about going to Tangiers. We did some research based upon advice from the concierge at the resort where we were staying and contacted Said Private Tours to see if they had availability. Partially because we were travelling off-season, something we prefer to do, but we were in luck and we were able to schedule a private tour in Tangiers, Morocco. And if that wasn’t enough, Said even personally guided us through parts of his own neighborhood.
Fish Monger with SaidMarket Square
After taking the high speed ferry from Tarifa (near Gibraltar) to the port of Tangiers, we were met by Said and one of his assistant guides to start what would be a truly memorable day and highlight of our entire trip. Tangiers is a unique African city as it has been the doorway to Europe for centuries and therefore has a varied population, although it is still mostly Muslim. Knowing that, we dressed appropriately, long pants and nothing that might be offensive to the locals. The tour started with Said taking us to the market in his own neighborhood, where he was hugged by friends as we walked the narrow streets lined with merchants. Unlike America, hugs and kisses are quite common place, even among male friends, it is a genuine expression of endearment.
Moroccan PotteryCathedral on the Atlantic Ocean
It is hard to describe the market in Tangiers other than to say that the colors and aromas overtake you at every turn. There are merchants with spices piled to the ceiling, olives of every possible variety, exotic fruit, butchers with meat on display, and every variety of fish imaginable caught fresh from the Mediterranean Ocean. As Said took us to some of his favorite merchants, we were given samples of olives, dates, candy, and more. It was truly a magical experience. After leaving the market, we were off to the Kasbah or Medina, the fortress and oldest part of the city.
Olive VendorFruit and Vegetable Vendor
Walking the streets of the Kasbah was like walking back in time. The cobblestone streets and grand arches led to a spectacular view of the Atlantic Ocean. It is off the coast of Tangiers where the Mediterranean Ocean and Atlantic Ocean meet. Said was proud to point out the homes of celebrities that live in the area, but he is most proud of haven taken Sting and Bruce Springsteen on a tour. Before we left the Medina, we were treated to our own private performance by a snake charmer. Having seen snake charmers on TV and movies, we weren’t quite sure what to expect, but it turned out to be fascinating as the charmer played his flute and waived his hand in the face of the King Cobra. We weren’t, however, prepared for what came next as they wrapped a live snake, not a King Cobra fortunately, across our shoulders so that we could take some pictures.
Snake CharmerStreets of the Kasbah
From there, we said goodbye to Said as he left to make our lunch arrangements, and his assistant drove us south of the city for some more adventures. On our way, we stopped at little restaurant and shop to get some water and rest for a few minutes. We enjoyed the brief break as the morning had been a whirlwind already and we took in the gorgeous views of the Atlantic Ocean and a nearby cathedral. Next we were off to ride camels on the shore of the Atlantic. It was a little touristy, but at the same time, how many people get to say that they’ve ridden camels on the beach. From there we visited the pre-historic Caves of Hercules, which is a beautiful geological attraction.
Riding Camels on the BeachCave of Hercules
Once we got back to Tangiers, it was time for a late lunch, which was good because we had definitely worked up an appetite. We had quite the meal in a tiny, family owned, restaurant, that was authentic Moroccan chicken served in a tagine with hot tea. The food was incredible and the family that served us couldn’t have been any nicer. After lunch, we were taken to the shops of some local artisans with the hope that we’d buy some authentic Moroccan products. We visited a spice shop where we did purchase some saffron, cumin, and marjoram at prices you could never find in the States. At the carpet weaver’s shop, carpets of every description were laid at our feet as we enjoyed some more tea, but as tempted as we were, we decided not to buy one. In hind sight, we wish we’d have taken them up on their offer to ship one home to us, so perhaps another trip to Morocco is in our future.
Lunch at a Moroccan RestaurantSpice Vendor
Before taking the ferry back to Spain, we said our goodbyes to Said and his assistant and thanked them profusely for what had been a remarkable adventure. Could we have visited without a guide? Sure, we would have figured it out and it would have been fine, but we would have been nervous and unsure of what to expect. Having a private guide made all the difference as we were immediately put at ease from the moment that we arrived and we could tell that every one we met knew our guides and looked forward to the guests that they brought with them. Perhaps our next visit to Morocco will be on our own, but this trip was definitely a better experience due to our choice to hire a guide.
