Masato's Southern Europe/Morocco Africa Adventure

[Megaterio Llamas]

Big hippie destination back in the sixties

[Masato]

The next night we went to this dinner and 'fantasy' Moroccan night show/whatever-you-call-it.

I had no idea what it would be and again went with zero preconceptions (the theme of the trip, was really great - I did NONE of the planning lol)

TRIPPY

There is this gate with horses all around, everyone is dressed in traditional costume. The idea I guess is to create an illusion of being at a fine palace hundreds of years ago.





Inside is a huge arena filled with dirt/sand for riding horses, and all kinds of tents and a palace where people are eating and playing music


We go into one of the tents and are served a multi-course dinner. I had LAMB that was boasted to to have been cooked slowly for 24 full hours. It was glorious, lol



After dinner everyone finds a seat by the arena in the middle and they put on a wicked display of traditional Moroccan horsemanship. They would race FAST across the sand and then fire their guns in the air.

was badass, I was imagining the real fighters back in the day





Another little secret restaurant we found hidden among a dusty town. That is an ORANGE tree growing.


Typical Moroccan food:
Appetizers of olives, vegetables or beans... then some nicely cooked meat or fish, and whole fruit for dessert. Nothing spicy or hot, its all actually kind of bland, just everything nicely cooked and fresh.
This was some kind of meatball dish:

[Megaterio Llamas]

Amazing pics Masato. It's great to see countries are still intact in the region. Let's hope the king never gets uppity like, say, Gaddafi, Hussein or Assad. Such a beautiful country, such wonderful people and buildings.

[Masato]

Oh;

I was eating BREAD the whole time! Many here know that I haven't been eating any wheat for several years... my stomach got all fucked up and cutting wheat cured it. I also feel healthier/lost weight etc

But here I couldn't be so choosy so I started to enjoy some bread with some meals. And I had no problems at all. I got sick later in Madrid but I think that was something else. So did my allergy go away? Or is the bread outside north america different? Or was it all psychosomatic? lol

Was interesting. And thank god because it sure was yummy to enjoy all the fresh bread everywhere after years of abstinence. If anything I think it helped settle my stomach most of the time rather then hinder it

[Vutulaki-san]

Weed?

[Edge Guerrero]

In the morning we went exploring around Casablanca. Again, weren't worried about getting lost as there were taxis everywhere (which are super cheap), so we could always just get back to the hotel whenever.

The city is quite filthy, old and almost entirely lower-class people and small shops/markets everywhere. Yet after just a few blocks of walking there was this car parked. (what kind of car is this?) They let my son take a photo:


- You shold've put a Batman mask on Masato Jr!



Theater still boasting the 'Casablanca' Hollywood movie. Don't let that film fool you, there is little romantic or elegant about this city. Its absolutely fascinating to visit as a westerner, but it really is perhaps the grimiest city I've ever seen.

- It's a annoying movie aniway! :D But the citu look's very cool on the pictures, remeber one of those Golan-globus productions!


However, a very modern street-rail system somehow runs its way through the midst of it all. Strange juxtaposition:


The 'beach' @ Casablanca. Its not even really sand, its just sort of dirt, lol:


We followed some kids riding horses from the streets down to the water:

[Masato]

Next Stop: MADRID, Spain

Everyone was telling us that Madrid was the jewel of Spain, some even said of Europe.

It does not take long to find why people say this.
























The 1 time that I wished I had brought my Saku Mask, lol:

[Masato]

We had a small hotel RIGHT Downtown.

This was the view from my window, lol:









More abundant Masonic architecture everywhere. Not as bad as Lisbon tho

[Masato]

'Central Park' of Madrid:










What is this? The woman is holding a MASK of some sorts. Global 'wreath' image below.

Symboligists have at it! :D

[Masato]

This was the Museum, which hosts a spectacular collection of PAINTINGS.

No photography is allowed, but I tripped HARD on many great works. There was a Rembrandt there that was simply baffling how it could exist with mere oils...

There was one painting I LOVED but I forgot the artist :shock:

Also had a Picasso Exhibit, and the original of this one by Goya of Kronos eating his Son, which I got a kick out of seeing with my own eyes:


My son's name is Murilo, and outside the museum there were several statues and monuments to a spanish artist named Murillo (2 l's) which he got a kick out of. I also showed him Murilo Bustamante vs Rampage Jackson in the hotel that night :) I am telling him now he's not ready to see a Murilo Ninja fight lol