Published Photographs: Essaouira Edition

There are certain places on earth that I could return to repeatedly. Essaouira, Morocco is one of them. The ancient port city located on the Atlantic coast has a laid back atmosphere. Its signature colors are white and Moroccan blue.

These photographs have appeared in travel guidebooks and magazines. What places could you return to again and again?

Passports with Purpose – Building Libraries in Zambia

Passports with Purpose, the travel blogger’s annual fundraiser, is now underway. Now in its fourth year PwP has partnered with Room to Read in 2011 and the goal is to be to raise $80,000 to build two libraries in southern and eastern Zambia through Room to Read’s Reading Room program.

Funds raised will cover the costs of construction, library resources such as books and educational materials, teacher training and three years of support. After that, the library is handed over to the government school system.

Here is how you can participate: Each blogger has secured a prize for a raffle. I’m donating a $100 gift certificate to B&H Photo, which I will send anywhere in the U.S. Check out Passports with Purpose to participate, for more details and a full list of prizes. 

 Last year PwP raised nearly $65,000 through Friends of LAFTI. The funds are helping build 25 homes in a small village, Karunganni, in South India.

Travel bloggers Debbie Dubrow, Pam Mandel, Beth Whitman and Michelle Duffy founded Passports With Purpose in 2008 as a way to build community among travel bloggers and to give back to the places we, as travelers, visit.

Harbors From Around The World

Many of the world’s cities were built around harbors. Although functional the waterways are also often scenic.

Shanghai’s harbor remains active long after the lights in Pudong and the historic Bund have been turned off for the night, which in my experience happens just before midnight. It is one of the world’s busiest.

Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbor keeps shrinking due to land reclamation in the space starved special administrative region. I predict one day you’ll be able to cross it by footbridge.

Essaouira, Morocco’s harbor is color coordinated. Its signature blue fishing boats are the perfect Moroccan blue.

The harbor in the ancient city of Byblos, Lebanon is peaceful and houses small fishing and leisure boats.

What harbors of the world do you find most scenic and which would you like to see? I’d love to see Sydney Harbor.

Japan’s Don Quijote

If you need anything while in Japan you’ll find it at one of the country’s Don Quijote stores.

The discount chain offers a jumble of merchandise in its crowded, overflowing aisles. But make no mistake this is not Japan’s answer to K-Mart or the now defunct Woolworths.

There seems to be no method to the madness in terms of how things are laid out. A jumble of electronics, costumes and adult accoutrements are displayed next to socks in the same aisle.

And if you need an extra bag to pack the loot you’ve purchased this is a good place to go for inexpensive luggage. It’s also a good place to pick up novelty souvenirs and gifts. Some are open 24 hours.

Signs are in Japanese so they can be hard to spot. Look out for a blue cartoon bird which looks like the offspring of a penguin and duck.

I like to peruse the shelves of the Don Quijote located on a busy corner in Shinjuku, Tokyo. Several stories high the loot it peddles starts outside on the pavement. The top floor is dedicated to designer goods. Random one off Channel, Gucci and Fendi bags, wallets and belts are locked behind glass cases giving it a pawnshop atmosphere.

Do you have a shop where you live featuring just about everything under the sky?

Doors From Around The World

How many times have you wondered what is behind some of the more intriguing doors you come across when traveling?

This large wooden door of the Capilla de la Expiacion in the Plaza de Santo Domingo in Mexico City dwarfs the woman walking by.

This door with the American flag and handprints can be found in Taos Pueblo, New Mexico.

Certain countries consistently have the most beautiful doors. Morocco is one. The one pictured here is in the medina of Essaouira and features the perfect Moroccan blue.

India is another country that does not disappoint in the door department. Fit for royalty it resides in the City Palace in Jaipur, Rajasthan.

Which of the above doors would you like to open?

Published Photographs: Tokyo Edition

Long after the sun goes down in Tokyo there is much to photograph. The city’s neon forests are amongst my favorite in the world. These photographs have appeared in magazines, advertisements, brochures and books.

Which cities of the world do you enjoy seeing at night as much as day?

Photographs: Top two (from left) Sukiyabashi crossing in Ginza and Shibuya. Bottom two: Shinjuku.

Street Scenes: Djemma el Fna at Night

At dusk hundreds of food stall vendors start setting up in Marrakesh’s Djemma el Fna. By the time the sun goes down a full on feast is in full swing well into the night.

Do you sample street food when traveling?

Boats From Around The World

Boats are not only a convenient way to get around when traveling but can also provide a great way to take in the surrounding scenery.

Sometimes the vessels are floating art like these Moroccan blue fishing boats in Essaouira’s Harbor.

In Dubai abras or water taxis are used by commuters to cross Dubai Creek and are an inexpensive and scenic way for travelers to get around as well.

Nothing punctuates Hong Kong’s skyline like a Chinese junk floating in Victoria Harbour.

In New York City the free of charge Staten Island Ferry provides some of the best views of lower Manhattan.

Where do you prefer to take a boat ride?

Forts From Around The World

Strategically perched on hillsides or along oceans and rivers the ancient forts of the world provide excellent vistas.

Jaigarh or Victory Fort in Jaipur, India presents many excellent views especially from the walkway of its Mughal Gardens.

Fort Skala de la Ville in Essaouira, Morocco sits besides the Atlantic Ocean of this coastal city.

The watchtowers of El Morro Fort in San Juan, Puerto Rico offered protection from would be enemies and the strong sun.

Now a museum, Castel Sant Angelo in Rome was once a fort and castle. To reach it you must cross the bridge of the same name, which is lined with statues of angels, and vendors selling knock off designer bags.

Street Scenes: Essaouira Morocco

Moroccan blue is probably the most perfect blue. In Essaouira, an ancient port city located on the Atlantic coast, you’ll see it incorporated into the architecture. The medina is known for its whitewashed buildings and is the perfect backdrop for the warm hue.

Essaouira is a laid back place and has some of the coolest looking hippies I have ever seen. They don’t try, they just are.

Iconic Squares From Around The World

Most travelers typically make their way to the major square of a big city when exploring. Here are a few of the world’s most iconic squares.

It is impossible to just walk through Marrakesh’s Djemma el-Fna. You’ll be sidetracked by performers of all sorts, colorful water sellers and at night endless rows of outdoor food stalls.

Museums, government buildings and the entrance to the Forbidden City flank Beijing’s massive Tiananmen Square.

Mexico City’s Zocalo sits on the site of the ancient Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan, which was conquered by Spain centuries ago. You can still see Aztec dancers and shaman perform their ancient rituals.

St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City is where many come to see the Pope give his blessing and to take in the beauty of the Basilica of the same name.

What iconic squares of the world have you explored or would like to?

Previous Posts in this Series:
Alleys
Markets
Hats

Portraits: Water Seller Marrakesh

This man is part of a large ensemble of characters that spend their days in Marrakesh’s Djemma el-Fna. The water sellers in the famed square no longer dispense refreshment for a living. Instead they pose for those willing to shell out a few dirhams to photograph them.

I couldn’t resist but smiled and quickly retreated when two of his buddies came running up.

Previous Posts in this Series:
Healer Marrakesh
Young Boy Varanasi
Maya Woman

Alleys From Around The World

When wandering the cities of the world the best voluntary detours are often alleys that beckon. You’ll regret walking by instead of wandering down one of them.

The medina of Essaouira will spoil you for choice with its Moroccan blue and whitewashed architecture, just as colorful people and treasure for sale.

In the Old City of Shanghai life spills onto the streets in its Longtang neighborhoods.

It is easy to get lost in the Old City of Varanasi. But eventually if you head downhill you’ll end up on one of the ghats along the holy Ganges River.

In Mexico, Guanajuato’s hilly cobblestone alleys are lined by colorful colonial architecture. It even has the Alley of the Kiss.

Previous Posts in this Series:
Markets
Hats
Shoes
Graffiti

Street Scenes: Sweet Sellers In Marrakesh’s Souk

The confectionery sellers were perfectly framed in their stalls in Marrakesh’s souk.

If you look closely at the vendor on the left you can see the only way to enter is through a small door in the front at the bottom. I wonder if the woman making a purchase was carefully choosing treats to bring home for a meal prepared for family and friends. Or perhaps she just had a sweet tooth after a long day of shopping.

Markets From Around The World

Wandering the world’s markets can give you insight into local culture past and present. Some of the markets below have been in existence for centuries.

Maya traders travel from all around the Guatemalan highlands to sell their goods at the market in Chichicastenango twice a week.

You have to bargain hard in the labyrinth of Marrakesh’s souks.

There are probably more fakes than originals at the Dongtai Road market in Shanghai, China but you can still find an abundance of communist kitsch.

Shopping like a Roman is not expensive at Rome’s Camp De Fiori market.

I’ll just cut to the chase and zero in on the bling in Dubai’s Gold Market.

Street Scenes: Carpet Sellers Essaouira Morocco

The ancient port city of Essaouira located on the Atlantic coast of Morocco is an ideal place to purchase Moroccan handicrafts. The variety and quality of goods is excellent and the shopping experience is much more laid back than in Morocco’s large cities.

It would take tremendous willpower to walk by this display of carpets without stopping to take a look. Which one would you pick?

This photo has been published on the back cover of the latest edition of DK Eyewitness Travel Morocco.

Related Posts:
How To Buy a Carpet In Morocco

Vestine Of Rwanda

Maryam of My Marrakesh has just returned from Rwanda and has posted on her blog an account of a woman named Vestine who survived the unimaginable horrors of genocide.

It needs to be shared. It needs to be read.

How you can help.

"The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it." --Albert Einstein

Photograph: Courtesy and Copyright of Maryam of My Marrakesh

Hats From Around The World

They are worn to make a fashion statement, to protect the head from the elements, to honor one’s faith or to hide bed head. Just about everyone owns a hat.

Calling the above hats is an understatement. These magnificent turbans were on display in the Pink City of Jaipur, India.

These woven caps were abundant and so were the colors that made them stand out in Marrakesh, Morocco’s souk.

Cowboy hats are worn throughout Mexico. They were on sale at an artisans market in Mexico City. Check out the scorpion logo.

Previous Posts In This Series:
Shoes
Mailboxes
Laundry

Portraits: Healer Djemma el Fna Marrakesh

He was set up in a relatively quiet section of Djemma el Fna in Marrakesh. In front of him herbs, antlers, ostrich eggs and items I could not identify in glass jars were spread out on a blanket. They were the potions of this traditional healer.

Based on his dress he appears to be Tuareg, a nomadic people of the Sahara. He noticed my curiosity and motioned for me to take a look. He did not ask for money after I took his portrait, which is typically the custom for those photographed in Marrakesh’s famed square.

When I showed him this image he smiled and seemed pleased with the results.

Shoes From Around The World

Observing what people wear on their feet can tell you a lot about a culture. A combination of custom and necessity footwear can also reveal a person’s status, profession and sense of style.

Wooden shoes are the footwear of choice when wearing a kimono in Japan. Even trendy Tokyo stays true to its roots where you find pairs of these for sale everywhere.

Morocco’s leather slippers are handmade, comfortable and work as well with a kaftan as they do with a pair of jeans. These were spotted in Marrakesh’s souk, where you will be spoiled for choice.

The ultimate example of the pain endured by women for the sake of shoes are small silk slippers worn for centuries by China’s elite bound footed women. They are now sold as souvenirs, in this instance at Hong Kong’s Cat Street Market.

Nothing says American Southwest like a pair of cowboy boots. These were on display in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Previous Posts In This Series:
Grafitti
Laundry
Mailboxes
Mosques