Cooking Like a Local

On June 15, 2017 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn morocco, Photo Challenge2 Comments

Not only are there a lot of different styles and tastes of food around the world, but there are also a wide variety of cooking styles. It isn’t always easy to find the proper cooking utensils or replicate the cooking techniques, but we try our best. We also look for opportunities to buy local cookware while we are traveling, if possible. When we were in Morocco, we looked for and found a tajine in the markets. There were definitely plenty to choose from and it is as decorative as it is functional. We would have loved to have purchased a set of dishes while we were there as well, but it is hard to bring that much home with you on such a long trip. On that same trip, we had a day layover in Zurich, Switzerland, and went out for an authentic fondue meal and came close to buying a fondue pot from the restaurant since they sold them, but decided that we could get that at home. This week’s Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge is Dishes, Pots, Pans, Silverware, so here are a couple of photos from the market in Morocco.

Finally, here is a photo from our dinner in Zurich.

You are a Sum of Your Experiences

On December 15, 2016December 16, 2016 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Germany, India, morocco, Photo Challenge, South America6 Comments

There are many factors that ultimately shape who you are as a human being. Whether you believe in nature or believe in nurture as the fundamental building blocks to us as human beings, there can be no escaping the fact that your experiences add to who you are as a human being. The people that you meet, the places that you see, the customs and cultures that you learn to understand, all have an indelible impact upon how you view the world around you. There might be some factors that are bestowed upon you at birth, but we believe that your experiences do influence the way that you interact with the world. The Daily Post Discover Challenge this week is Finding Your Place, talking about the places that have shaped who we are. For us, it is a simple and yet complex answer. The places that have influenced us the most are those that have pushed our cultural limits. With that in mind, here are a few photos from the places that have stretched our limits the most, India, Morocco, Bolivia, and even Germany due to the length of time that we have been here. Each of these locations have left a distinct imprint on our souls and we will never be the same without these unique opportunities to view the world through different eyes.

The Coast of Morocco on the Atlantic Ocean

Tangiers Morocco- A World of its Own

On July 26, 2016 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn morocco5 Comments

One of our favorite travel memories was when we went to Tangiers for a day while staying in southern Spain. We remember being a little nervous about going because we weren’t sure about the cultural differences. Having spent time in India helped calm some of the nerves and the more that we read about it, the more we knew it would be a highlight of our trip. Tangiers is truly a melting pot as it is the crossroad between Europe and Africa. Centuries of people travelling through Tangiers to bring goods for sale has made it one of the most tolerant cities in all of northern Africa.

Walking through the streets of the medina (old city) is definitely an amazing experience. The varied architecture was extremely interesting to see and at the highest point was the Kasbah (fortress) with beautiful views of the Atlantic Ocean. Unlike some of the other medina that we’ve read about, we were not accosted by beggars or people trying to sell us trinkets. We definitely enjoyed the markets and came home with some wonderful saffron. We came close to buying a hand-made rug from one of the shopkeepers, but ended up deciding not to. After eating an incredible meal in a tiny family owned restaurant, we purchased a tagine from one of the nearby shops.

We did stop to watch a snake charmer at one point, which a little touristy, but still created a wonderful memory. Tangiers is more than just the old city, the heart of the city is quite modern and is home to a lot of ex-pats. There are also plenty of hotels to choose from if you want to spend several days there, but we were there for just one day. Hopefully we’ll return one day to see more of Morocco as the people were extremely friendly and we thoroughly enjoyed what time we did have there.