Mike Bennett

~ Travel. Food.

Mike Bennett

Tag Archives: Culture

North African awakening

12 Wednesday Oct 2016

Posted by Mike in Africa, Blog, Morocco, Travel

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Africa, Culture, Morocco, Tangier, Thoughts, Travel

Tangier, Morocco - 11th October 2016 - 12“Do you remember your first kiss?”

This has been Tangier for me. In the short two-and-a-half days of being here, I feel like a lost child at the start of a grand adventure, full of bewilderment and awe, distracted by the sounds, the smells, the living. To some it’s a dirty, downtrodden port, a necessary evil on your way to the true Morocco, or while you await escape across the strait to the safety, familiarity and comfort of Europe.

I’ve quickly come to recognize it as the crossing point of cultures and worlds, which never truly fit the ethnocentrism of the West or Middle East but which instead just seek to survive as some conceptual hybrid with a subtle hint of obliquity. The blackened streets are colored with the oil of life and every single layer contains a narrative and some you feel, a parable. Dark alleyways exhaling seductively deep whispers of ‘hey my friend, I have good hashish’ and the oh-so-sweet aroma of mint tea, seek to serve as icing on an already decadent, yet slightly deviant cake.

Tangier, Morocco - 11th October 2016 - 23I commented to someone that the difference between crowds here and in Madrid is that instead of the insanity and aimlessness of tourism, every person here appears to walk with purpose or doing *something*. Selling, buying, drinking, eating, fixing things which look completely beyond repair, dodging the petite taxis careering down cobbled streets or just simply engaged in conversation. Maybe it’s been the overly emotional Camino I just finished but this reminds me of why travel is so important. Not for the Sun or beaches but to experience all walks of life; to appreciate what you have back home but not equate it to happiness and to continually show how absolutely bloody wonderful it is, to be alive.

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Transport (hopefully) acquired.

22 Tuesday Sep 2009

Posted by Mike in Peru, Travel

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Culture, Hotel, Lambayeque, Music, Peru, Transport, Travel

The reception guy must be bored, as well as a star. Picking up the change and receipt for hotel payment, he was in the middle of arranging a bus for us to Trujillo in the morning. Turns out that Emtrafesa aren’t answering the phone, so we’re booked on Transporte Linea at 6am. Apparently all I have to do is turn up at the bus station and say I have seats 7 and 8 under Mr Mike for Trujillo. Sounds simple enough.

We were about to head out to get some snacks for the evening when the guy pulled up Google translate and proceeded to spend the next hour, asking what bands we liked and showing some old rock vids like Journey, on youtube. It’s great to share some culture, even if it is a little abstract. Heading to bed early, to ensure the 5:30am taxi is caught.

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Taquile Island and back to Puno.

10 Thursday Sep 2009

Posted by Mike in Peru, Travel

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Alpaca, Culture, Fish, Food, Peru, Puno, Taquile, Titicaca, Travel

Taquile Island, Lake Titicaca, Peru - 10th September 2009 - 34After a great filling breakfast, it was time to say some farewells and head back to the boat for the next island. It took just over an hour to get to Taquile, at which point, there was more uphill hiking and beautiful views, before arriving at the main square.

The group guide, Walter, explained the local dress and courting activities of the local people. Life appears to be very simple with the constant use of the phrases ‘at 16 to 18, they fall in love. They fall in love and they get married’. Falling in love is initiated by the boy throwing small stones at the girl to show interest, at which point if she likes him, they’ll get married; what a concept for me, coming from the western world. It’s expensive to buy anything on the island, with prices being three or four times more expensive than anywhere else. Walter explained that it’s the best quality and that the money goes directly to the people on the island. I’m not one for trinkets, especially grossly expensive ones.

A short walk from the main square was the luchtime restaurant. A great dinner of fried fish was devoured and a cold coke purchased. Good timing to chat to some of the other travellers and check out where people are from and/or going to. All downhill after lunch, to the other side of island and a re-uniting with the tour boat.  It was a long 2.5 hour boat ride back to Puno, with the Uros islands faint in the distance. You can’t get away from the Sun here and any travel seems to roll really slowly.

After a brief transfer back at shore, we were in the familiar walls of the Qelqatani hotel, and our backpacks, awaiting collection. Knowing the disaster that the dining experience in the hotel was, it was time to hit up a local restaurant after freshening up, where I finally got to try the Alpaca. Not sure what the fuss is all about, as it’s similar to sirloin steak and doesn’t hold a very strong flavour.

Time to crash now, as it’s an early start for the tour bus to Cusco tomorrow.

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A really pleasant 14.3M/23Km hike today, to check in on my Camino legs (still powering me through with no problems 😁) A little noisier than I prefer as it parallels the 98, but still a lovely meditative walk. #FortFraserTrail

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