Friday, October 28, 2016

The New Normal - Marine's 241st birthday party at Villa Mirador, Casablanca

Richard and I were kindly invited to a party this evening by our friends, the MacArthurs.  The get together was the 241st birthday party of the U.S. Marine Corps.  The celebration was held at Villa Mirador, the American Consulate General's residence in Casablanca.  We had been to one other get together at this impressive home.  

US and Marine flags, and the cute couple
Photo credit V.J.A.
Each year around this time Marines gather in both small and large groups all over the world to celebrate the birthday of the corps. They also honor those departed, and cement the bond of all Marines.  There is a small contingency of U.S. Marines in Casablanca that were present this evening.

Reading of the history of the Marines



The cake cutting ceremony started with a reading of the history of the celebration.  It also included a showing of a special birthday video from the commandant of the Marine Corps.

The oldest Marine present shaking the hand of the youngest



The first slice of cake was cut by one of the Marines with a long sword.  Then the oldest Marine present had the first bite, followed by the youngest getting the second morsel.
Table set to honor those who did not return 
This special table was set to honor those Marines who did not return.  An upside down plate, blank dog tags, a photo of an America flag and medal, and a burning candle, were all placed on a black table cloth.  

We enjoyed this American patriotic celebration here in Casa, especially the grilled hotdogs and hamburgers; yum!


Richard and the boys
Tickets courtesy of the MacArthur Family

The Invitation


More about the celebrations and a video of the message:  
https://www.mca-marines.org/video/241st-marine-corps-birthday-message#


Tuesday, October 25, 2016

The New Normal - Fall Break Part 3, Ceuta, Spain

After our awesome stay in Tangier and Tarifa, we took a 45-minute taxi ride to Ceuta.  Our taxi driver, Said, spoke great English and talked about the sites as we drove.  The scenery en route was beautiful, with stunning ocean and mountain views.  Said brought us right to the border, aka "The Frontier."







Said our driver; let me know if you need his number!
Ceuta is a Spanish territory located in Africa.  Since it is a part of Spain, immigration laws apply, so we had to show our passports in order to get in.  It took a while to cross the frontier, as many Moroccans were trying to get in, some legally and some not (they would try to press through, but were rejected).  It was interesting to see long lines of Moroccans leaving Ceuta, hauling purchases into the country.  These items were bought in Spain (in Ceuta), which is a duty-free zone, to be resold in Morocco.  It seems like such a lot of work for little profit.  These people do this day after day reminding me of mules.

After getting through customs, we headed for the Parador de Ceuta, which would be our home for two nights.  This hotel is modern looking, but is unique in that it is attached to Ceuta's old Royal Walls, formerly a fort used by the Royal artillery.  The walls date back to 962, with the most modern parts being added in the 18th century.  They are protected by a moat filled with seawater.  We got to walk all around the outside and toured the interior as well.







Spanish Flag at the top

It is interesting that rather than tearing down old forts, Spanish builders simply added to old structures.  For example, as smaller entrances became fashionable, blocks were simply added to make smaller doors.

Interior Dome

Here are some photos from around town. . .
Beautiful, clean city






Pretty courtyard
Statue in the square





      Statue imitations by      Richard



  
Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption, 15th Century


Hercules Sclupture




The city contains many statues including a bronze sculpture of Hercules. 

This work of art symbolizes the separation and the union of Europe and Africa.  It is placed in the original setting of the Hercules myth, at the Strait of Gibraltar.













Richard and I thoroughly enjoyed walking the seaside.  The shoreline was beautiful, with white sand and turquoise water.  The bay was also lovely, with boats, ships, and ruins.





La Ribera Beach





Beautiful Ceuta in the rearview
We taxied with Said back to Tangier and boarded the train home to Casa (another whole story!).  Fantastic memories for Richard and me.  Tangier, Tarifa and Ceuta are highly recommended.  And the adventure continues . . . 

Monday, October 24, 2016

The New Normal - Fall Break Part 2, Tarifa, Spain


View of Tangier from Ferry

Our day trip to Tarifa, Spain, was so pleasant.  We left Tangier and took the one-hour ferry boat ride to the southern-most tip of Spain. Tarifa is located on the "Coast of Light"; the Strait of Gibraltar, where the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean meet.  We loved being on the water and seeing the beautiful scenery on the way.  The ferry was fast, with a top speed of 32-miles per hour. Unfortunately, this stretch of sea has claimed the lives of many African immigrants trying to sail across to Spain on makeshift rafts which are overloaded.


Ferry from Tangier, Morocco to Tarifa, Spain
View of Tangier from the ferry
View of Tarifa from ferry 

Jesus Christus statue at the port entrance to Tarifa

The beaches are white sand with blue water shores, with stunning views of the mountains.  Since our trip was during the off-season, there were very few people around and we enjoyed a quiet day. There were a few people enjoying the sun, flying kites and wind and kite surfing.  The town has unique wind conditions and is known for wind sports.  The area is also dotted with wind turbines which produce electricity.


Tarifa Beach with mountain view
Tarifa Beach with mountain view
Judy walking the beach
The old town of Tarifa is steeped in Moorish history.  It is small and clean, with white houses on short streets and pretty squares.  It did my heart good to see many dogs on leashes being doted on by their owners.  (This is not a part of the culture in Morocco, and I miss it.)


Pretty white buildings










Iglesia de San Francisco De Asis Church
One of the main sites is the Castillo de Guzman el Bueno, or Castle of Tarifa, built in 960.  The outside was plainly visible as we ferried into port.  Walking up to the top allowed us a beautiful view of the harbor and mountains.  We also got a real feel for the history of the city as we walked around the refurbished interior which was museum-like.  


Up at the top
Judy taking a break on some cannon balls
Knight Richard
Castle exterior
Other ruins near the bay, are surrounded by water on three sides, and not accessible to visitors.  





We had a beautiful day in Tarifa, and so ended part 2 of our Fall break trip.  Part 3 would be a visit to Ceuta, post coming soon.

Fish sculpture at the beach