Can't sleep so might as well give the blog another go! Think the last one got as far as Marrakech. While were in Marrakech we did a day tour to a lovely place called Essaouira - on the Atlantic coast - quite beautiful. First stop was the fish market where we purchased our freshly caught fish which we took to a local restaurant ( barbecue house) where they were later cooked for us. One of the best meals we've had - and very cheap. Caught the train back to Rab...

Okay - back to the blog! It's been pretty busy, but I thought I'd better get writing because all the days are starting to blur together! One of the things I love about holidays like this is that you never quite know what day it is.....but that can also make blog writing a bit tricky if you leave it for a few days. Anyway, hopefully I'll get everything in the right order! ........not that you'll know!

Welcome to Casablanca! The cover picture is a screen shot of the walk from our hotel to Rick's Cafe (as in the movie, Casablanca). Had dinner there last night after finding it yesterday afternoon and enjoying a couple of gin and tonics. Really nice dinner- Moroccan lamb for me and steak for Lionel. Sunday night is jazz night there so we were treated to some great jazz standards following dinner.

Christmas Day in Rabat started at the very civilized time of 8:00am- surprising, particularly as Alicia was very keen to see what Santa might deliver. Two very happy children proceeded to open their many gifts - Alicia was very helpful as she helped hand out the gifts from under the tree. Watching Benjamin and Alicia enjoy the morning reminded us that Christmas really is about children. Lots of lovely memories of Christmases past with our baby Hannah come to ...

Yesterday and today have been spent sightseeing. Hop on Hop off bus got us around. Visited the Royal Palace today - as all these European palaces it was obscenely exotic. It's always hard to understand how the people who built these places reconciled their consciences when there must have been the most awful poverty around them. Actually haven't seen much evidence of poverty in Central Madrid - very few beggars. The city is simply overflowing with people doi...