Jerez Horse Fair (Feria de Caballo)

Jerez May Horse Fair 

My Photo album 



My video of   Horse  fair and my taking pictures 

Feria de Caballo Jerez; 13th to 20th May 2017

Jerez Horse Fair (Feria de Caballo) This  was a festival and event sightseeing  similar to La Tomatina held in the Valencian town of Buñol ( seen in Bollywood film Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara.   Very festive with colorful consumes, dance , somewhat  reminiscent of Navaratri in Guajrat, Sacred Relic of the tooth of Buddha in Srilanaka or  carnival inn Rio de Janeiero 

The Jerez Horse Fair (Feria de Caballo) which is traditionally the first week in May is an exciting and lively event that brings the entire city to the   Fairgrounds, which cover 52,000 square metres, giving ample space for the finest horses of Jerez as synonymous with the city as sherry and flamenco, to show off their moves to the crowds who flock to the two hundred or so Casetas (private tents)  which, unlike Seville's, are mainly open to the public, and other attractions.

The history of the Jerez Horse Fair goes back over 500 years, to the commercial livestock fairs that were established in April and September, in the time when Jerez was just a small town back during the reign of Alfonso X El Sabio (the Wise).
An official agreement was signed by various participating merchants in 1491. The event slowly gained momentum as a form of entertainment with the local wine producers setting up stands and then a children’s amusement park added and so on until the fair took on its present day form.The recinto was opened in 1903, and in the same year it was agreed that individuals and societies could build their own casetas.

Look at the costumes of the  ladies and festivities  and the spirit in the air ( as well at Casetas :-))

Seville

 Seville,  Highlights

Here  are links to my  four photo albums of the city and  few tidbits

1)  City  Highlights  (34 pictures) 

2) Seville city    (134 pictures) 

3) Alcazar ( the Moorish palace , 106 pictures  ) 

4)  Cathedral and  Giralda tower   (82 pictures)

( Fleminco dance, street events, Triana, people and us   as well  as the videos to be  added later) 

Seville , the  capitol of Andalusia, was  founded  by  Romans, did not really  flower  until the Moorish Almoravid   period   which began in 1085. Calif  Yacub Yusuf built the great mosque where Seville Cathedral stands now. That is the largest cathedral in world with the Gothic architecture.   Alcazar the palace(above) is another  grand  structure of the Moorish period.  We  parked the car outside the city  and lived in  B&B  based apartment next to the Cathedral for three days.  Being at the epicenter of  major tourist  attraction and life of the city did add a lot the travel experience. All  walking  made fitbit cross 20,000+  steps  

In 1492, when Columbus  discovered  America, the city bloomed to its golden age. The city had  exclusive monopoly on the trade  and soon became world's one of the richest and  fastest growing cosmopolitan city. In 1649  city got the setback when half the population of the city was  wiped out in plague. inn 17th century  river Guadalquivir became more silted and less navigable and commerce was  officially transferred to the port city of Cadiz  That ended the golden era of the city. 

 Plaza de Espana – Plaza de Espana (below)  is filled with government offices, statues, and opportunities to learn about some of Seville’s history.  There are murals and paintings here that depict the various regions of Spain. This is next to  Parque de Maria Luisa – This park offers the opportunity for a wonderful day filled with gardens, patios and sculptures. 

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• Visiting the Cathedral of Sevilla  , Alcazar, Plaza de Espana, walking  tours of the city,  Triana (Gypsy neighborhood), Fleminco dance were  highlights.   Walked inside the cathedral to view its impressive architecture and intricate design. It is also where Christopher Columbus is buried. The bell tower also offers a panoramic view of the city.
• Walk through the historic Jewish Quarter – This area of town is located around the old Cathedral. (Ironic!) It is filled with small winding streets and is generally regarded as the most charming part of the city, but it is also fairly touristy. You’ll find a lot of crowds here but you can still escape them by trying to get lost in this maze of streets.  This is next to  Metropol Parasol,  futurist, modern  structure built in 2012
• Visited  Europe’s oldest residential palace – The Alcázar is the oldest residential palace in Europe that is still in use. It serves as a royal residence when the monarchs of Spain come to visit Seville. The palace is a beautiful example of Moorish architecture, and is a recognized UNESCO site. Long lines  made  it mandatory  to pay premium to take  help from the tour operator.
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• Learn about Spain’s colonial history – The General Archives of the Indies is a 16th century building that contains an incredibly valuable collection of documents and artifacts related to Spain’s colonization of the New World. It has  80 million pages of  documnets  Highlights include the personal diary of Columbus and the Treaty of Tordesillas, which divided the New World between Spain and Portugal. Could not find time to see this and many other  art museums  

My   customized  walking &  Driving map 

36 hours in Seville ( Ny Times,  Restaurants)  

Restaurants, Flemingo shows 

36 hours in Seville ( Ny Times,  Restaurants)  

THE DETAILS
1. Metropol Parasol.
2. Red House Art & Food, Amor de Dios 7; redhousespace.com. Wabi Sabi, Viriato 9; wabisabigallery.com.
3. Casa Morales, Garcia de Vinuesa 11; 34- 954-22-12-42.  Bodeguita Romero, Harinas 10;  bodeguita-romero.com. Las Columnas, Alameda de Hércules 19; 34-954-388-106.
4. El Garlochi, Calle Boteros 26.
5. Palace of the Marquis of la Algaba.
6. Feria Market.
7. La Despensa Ecológica, Regina 24; 34-954-221-593. Verde Moscú, Regina 17; verdemoscu.eu. Un Gato en Bicicleta, Regina 8; ungatoenbicicleta.com.
8. La Azotea, Mateos Gago 8; laazoteasevilla.es.
9. Casa Anselma, Calle Pagés del Corro 49; 34-606-162-502.
10. Convento de San Leandro, Plaza de San Leandro; 34-954-224-195. Convento de Santa Ana, Calle Santa Ana 34; 34-954-380-603. Convento de Santa Paula, Calle Santa Paula 11; 34-954-536-330.
11. Past View, Metropol Parasol; pastview.es.

 

Bollywood in Morocco

Romantic landscapes. Enchanting souks. Affable people. Bollywood. This blog takes a magical, mystery tour of Morocco. That is the fascination of Bollywood  films  and music.

In other past trips  to other countries  found  occasional bar or restaurant playing Bollywood music.  However none can  match the penetration of  Bollywood  as it is seen  in  Morocco.  In Morocco, we did not see even one Indian origin tourist,  not even one form UK or USA based Indian . However irony and surprise  is  that Bollywood films and music is very popular in Morocco.

Street vendors, shopkeepers and  strangers often greet us with “namaste” call  me Shah Rukh khan,. At  Essaouria, the beach town, at fisherman’s whorf, several vendors started inviting us for lunch and competing among themselves. Finally we decide to pick one based who sings the best Bollywood song.


Most Moroccans speak Berber, though Arabic is the official langauge. So they have no big natural  linguistic advantage in singing  Hindi songs.   But they do have  special attraction of  Bollywood. 

They just knew we were from India. Moroccans, who devour Bollywood films with a bigger appetite than the Russians, want you to be an Indian even if you are a Pakistani. Hey lady, this is special for you because of Shah Rukh," a salesman says to sale his merchandise. When Aamir khan, Amitabh Bachhan visited Morocco, they were treated like king

Here is  a  2.5min video clip of that.  You may see the faces of the "artist" at the photo-album pf  Essouria 
 

 

 Recent Bollywood film  Raees  was  supposed to be shot in Gujarat. The Right wing  in India did  not allow Pakistani actress  Mahira to come to India.  Shah Rukh Khan and Mahira visited Morocco to shoot two Raees songs. Per our guide  Kamaal in Marrkech , Shah Rukh Khan is  personal friend of the king and  stays in palace.

When I see  Netfilx or even Amazon Prime , they have  very  limited stock of the Bollywood films. When  Vinod Khanna passed away ,I wanted to see some of  his old classic  film. Netflex, Amazon prime had no choice.  If the see the  global popularity of Bollywood , they will fix their act. 


There are also few  fascinating circles of the history at Morocco. 
Tangier, like Mumbai, was a Portuguese colony. And both were given to the British as dowry for Portuguese queen Catherine Braganza who married British king Charles II.
 Morocco was first to recognize  USA when it got independence from UK.
Raees  to be shot in  Gujarat ended  up  being shot in Morocco.  
 

Ouarzazate and southern Oasis

Strategically located Ouarzazate (war-zazat) is   nicknamed The door of the desert. the word ‘Ouarzazate’ means “noiseless” in Tamazigh, capturing its remote and serene setting.

ts most famous attraction is Ait Ben Haddou, a beautiful ancient ksar which has been used as a backdrop in many movies and tv programs.  But besides all the glitz and glamour, the city has managed to live up to its name and has remained one of Morocco’s most laid-back towns. One of the main reasons to camp down in Ouarzazate for a night is its prime location, with day trips and overnight excursions to oasis valleys, the Sahara sand dunes, UNESCO world heritage sites and ancient kasbahs all within easy reach

Ouarzazate has a long established relationship with cinema; so much so, it’s been nicknamed “Ouallywood.” Many directors have held an obsession with the beautiful range of landscapes and locations which are in easy reach, 

Its most famously been the setting for Lawrence of Arabia (1962) & Gladiator (2000) and

The Sheltering Sky (1990) and has even entered the world of television, with Ait Ben Haddou featuring regularly as a backdrop in the third season of Game of Thrones (2013). One of the best things to do while in town is put on your directors cap and head to a movie studio to revisit some of your favorite cinema moments.

Lisbon- Sintra

May   5 2017

My map  ( Our Travel  road map and  Places  visited in  Sintra, Cascais,  Esotoril , Lisbon)

Top  20  (places  visited in   Lisbon)


Sintra_lisbon_selected   ( selected  100   pictures of places )

Madhu   & Tushar  in  Sintra  Lisbon   (40  pictures)

Rest  of the  Sintra Lisbon Pictures    (212  Pictures)


The Video of  Wild Ocean , Cape St. Vincent 

Moroccan Caravan Plan

Our  Trip Map

Moroccan Caravan (8 days)   May 5-13 2017

My Travel  reference books 

Day 1:Lisbon, Sinttra : 5:50AM to 10:10 PM

Day 1: Arrival to Casablanca (May 5)

Welcome to Casablanca! Upon arrival your driver meets you at the airport and transfers you to your centrally located hotel for your overnight. ( Hotel Atlas  Sky airport)

Day 2: Tour to Rabat and Meknes (May 6) Meet our driver Hassan  Aghdaoui  (06 61 39 35 60).  Hassan Mosque at  Casablanca.    Stops  by Rabat's main attractions, so you have time to take pictures and see the sights. You get to enjoy its Imperial heritage and view the La Tour Hassan Tower. Moreover you enter the medieval fortified necropolis called Chellah Necropois and the Mausoleum of Mohammed V 

1. Top Ten things to in  CasaBlanca :   Hassan II Mosque, Parc de la Ligue Arabe, Place Mohammed V, Sacre -Coeur Cathedral . media :  All  with in 500 Yards. 
2. 12 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions: Oudaias Kasbah, Hassan Tower, Mausoleum of Mohamed V

Pictures 
 Casablanca and Rabat  Places 
Day 3: Exploring Volubilis & Meknes (May 7) Part  1

After breakfast in your hotel you meet your driver and set out to the ancient Roman ruins of Volubilis. Upon arrival you meet your guide who shows you the 2000-year-old ruins, adorned with beautiful mosaics and colorful tiles depicting Roman mythology. You also enjoy tea in a small café.

You driver then takes you to the imperial city called Meknes, where together with your local guide you explore its major highlights. You start at Bab Mansour, pass the triumphal arch, enter Place El-Hedime - Square of Ruins. You then visit the Musée Dar Jamaï - Moroccan art museum, enter the Moulay Ismail Mausoleum and the former gardens of the Royal Palace. You also see the El-Mansour gate, decorated with mosaics, and visit the Olive market.
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Day 3 : Highlights of Fes (May 7 ) Part  II

After breakfast you meet your guide and driver and begin your exploration of Fes - the Moroccan medina and one of the largest walled cities in the world.

During your 5-hour guided tour you see the 14th century gates of the Royal Palace, the Mellah Jewish quarter and the old Fes Medina with traditional markets, including the renown dyers market and tanneries where leather is tainted in array of colored dyes.

Enter the ancient Bou Inania Medersa founded in 1351 AD, pass the Pottery & Zellij Tile Cooperative, the Zaouia Sidi Ahmed Tijani mausoleum. Then the 859 University of Kairouine - a leading spiritual and educational center, and the mausoleum of the founder of Fes - Zaouia Moulay Idriss.

Also you get to enter the Madrassa El attarine, Dar Batha Museum, Madrasa Es Sahrij. Your final stop is the Nejjarine Square where you enter the Fondouk El Nejjarine.

After the tour you return to your riad. The rest of the day is at your leisure, you are welcome to join our optional tour.

Optional tour: Moroccan cooking class
Today you are taken out to shop for spices and have a unique chance to learn about the art of using them. After all ingredients are carefully picked out and purchased you return to the kitchen riad and prepare a perfect dish according to a traditional Moroccan recipe.

Day 4  Transfer to Merzouga (May 8 )

Early in the morning after breakfast you check out from your hotel and meet your driver. Today you are leaving Fes and heading to the Middle Atlas Mountains. During your 7,5-hour trip you pass incredible wilderness scenery: rocky sun baked plains, clad mountains, deep canyons and the scenic Ziz valley. If you are lucky you may even spot Barbary Apes in the Azrou hills. You will be see beautiful Erfoud on the way as well.

Approaching the great "sand sea" of Merzouga, you see a beautiful area of fine apricot - colored sand as you pass a unique petite desert town called Erfoud known as the "Gate of Sahara Desert". Upon arrival in Merzouga you check in your hotel and have dinner.
Nassar Palace Hotel, Merzouga 

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Day 5: Exploring Todra Gorge (May 09)

After breakfast you meet your driver who transfers you to the spectacular gorge of Todra - one of the most breathtaking sights in Morocco. The gorge was carved by the Todra river that formed cliff-sided canyons in the mountains. The final 2000 ft of the gorge are stunning as the canyon narrows to a flat stony track, which is as little as 30 ft wide in areas with sheer and smooth rock walls.

After taking a break and enjoying the Todra, your journey continues in the afternoon. Upon arrival in Skoura Oasis you check-in your centrally located hotel for overnight. Hotel Restmt Al Mander

Day 6-8: Driving to Marrakech (May 10, 11,12)

Following breakfast in the hotel you continue your trip. During the exciting 4,5 hour trip you pass a charming city called Ouarzazate.

Then on to the 15th century Ait Ben Haddou that is probably the best-preserved fortified Kasbah in Morocco. You get to visit this former trading post set on the banks of a river. It is recognized by its walls of red earth, slit windows and crumbling towers. The location was even used in Hollywood movies such as the Gladiator.

Your dramatic drive of Tizi and Tichka, opening magnificent views of numerous Berber villages, snow capped mountains and green valleys, finally brings you to Marrakech in the late afternoon. Upon arrival you check-in your downtown hotel and have the rest of the day free.

  Sightseeing in Marrakesh ( May 11-12

After breakfast in the hotel you set off on an exhilarating sightseeing tour of Marrakesh with your guide and driver. During your 5-hour tour you see the highlights of the old city.

You begin your walking tour in the old quarter of Marrakech where you visit the19th century Bahia Palace, covered with colorful tile work, marble and see its eight-hectare gardens with fountains.

Your next stop is the Sadiaan Tombs - marble tombs for the Saadian dynasty, which you get to enter. You then explore the souks, abundant in Berber carpets, silver jewelry, artisan workshops, handmade shoes and tanneries. Then on to the labyrinth of streets and alleys of the Djemma.

In the afternoon you venture into the new city and visit the Majorelle Gardens - a magical petite garden estate designed by Jacque Majorelle and maintained by Yves Saint Laurent.

After the tour you return to your hotel and have the rest of the day free.

Day 9: Departure from Marrakech (May 13)

This is the last day of your Morocco tour. After breakfast you check out from the hotel and meet your driver who transfers you to the airport for your flight back home.

Fes Medina was founded between 789 and 808 AD and is among the biggest walled cities not only in Morocco but in the whole world

The old quarter medina houses unique and colorful tanning pools of a traditional leather tannery, located amid residential houses

The sturdy camel has been a mainstay of desert life over the centuries, being used to ship the precious cargoes from Sub Saharan Africa

The sintir is the most well-recognized traditional Moroccan musical instrument often played by street performers

Marrakech is a real melting-pot of Morocco that combines two different worlds of Africa and Europe into one unique culture

A visit to a traditional souk is a mesmerizing cultural experience that shouldn't be missed on a trip to Marrakech

Travel to the Atlas Mountains to experience rural Moroccan culture and everyday lifestyle of local Berber families

With its street traders, snake charmers and fortune-tellers, Jemaa El Fna Square is the best place to experience the unique local color

The largest theological college in Morocco, Medersa Ben Youssef, is home to some of the most beautiful art and architecture in Marrakesh

One of the most popular resorts in Morocco, Essaouira is famous for its ocean climate, marvellous beaches and authentic old town atmosphere

The most visited attraction of Essaouira, Skala du Port, provides the most picturesque views over the city and fishing port

Take a walk at the colorful Medina to get a deep insight into the everyday life of this 18th-century fortified seaport

Hotel  Bookings 

Date    location    hotel in    Reservation #    cost    comments    restaurants    Things to see and do    notes                                                               
5/5/17    Casablanca    Casablanca            $425/couple,4 wheel car /driver pickup            booked by madhu Wanderlust Voyages                                                                
5/6    Rabat, Meknes    Riad Mazar Fes    7255132567391    $199.0/couple                Booked by Rashmi    https://www.expedia.com/trips/49e361c3-349f-487e-bd65-0eb442b3a8db                                                           
5/7    fes highlights    Riad Mazar Fes    7255132567391                                                                                   
5/8    atlas mountain    Nasser Palace Hotel, Merzouga    7255134888002    $62.30/couple    visit Merzouga            Booked by Rashmi    https://www.expedia.com/trips/5950db41-7da2-418d-849c-359c1031217e                                                           
5/9    Todra gorge    Hotel Restrnt Al Manader    7255136852269    $49.00/couple                Booked by Rashmi    https://www.expedia.com/trips/795f1f2d-442f-4f12-865c-198974e4c632                                                           
5/10    Visit Ouarzazate    Riad Nasreen, Marrakech    7254918972830    $280.00/couple                Booked by Rashmi    https://www.expedia.com/trips/7254918972830?&rfrr=HOT.ITIN.RE.SEEITIN&emlcid=PT-ETM-ENSPC-teid1.0-issu2-testX-lang1033-verX-mcidX-segaX-segbX-segmX-key-paid-date20170327000000-link-wave0                                                           
5/11    Marrakesh    Riad Nasreen, Marrakech    7254918972830                                                                                   
5/12    Marrakesh    Riad Nasreen, Marrakech    7254918972830                                                                                   
5/13    fly seville    Junto a la Giralda, con terraza    HMTFFMF9RX    $285.00/couple?    CAR RES DOLLAR BOOKED BY MADHU            Booked by Rashmi    https://www.airbnb.com/reservation/itinerary?code=HMTFFMF9RX&eal_exp=1493926531&eal_sig=c62844949bcaea53bab882c2db8d58ffbb471bf8469ac30b391fa9b1be95af23&eal_uid=4416353&eluid=1&euid=54f1d736-0258-06a0-af2e-5e78ff590749&server_side_login=true&trip_token=EFMMZWTS&view_only=true