Mallory On Travel

All Monks are not Equal – Mount Athos, Greece

Iain — Fri, 04 May 2012 00:53:52 +0000

Meeting a person or visiting a destination that has a profound effect upon you is not a common occurrence. I was recently fortunate enough to experience both a place and individual that qualify. Mount Athos is considered a life changing experience for many, pilgrims from all over Greece and even further afield make the spiritual [...]

Postcard from monastic transportation in Greece

Iain — Thu, 03 May 2012 14:23:17 +0000

Those of you that follow my site will by now be aware that I have a love of boats and fishing boats in particular as they often feature in my images. I find them so photogenic, interesting and promising of potential adventures, just hopping in a boat and setting off towards the horizon. I can [...]

Postcard from a Gnawa jam in Essaouira medina

Iain — Wed, 02 May 2012 12:32:36 +0000

Gnawa (Gnaoua) is a traditional form of music popular in sub-saharan Africa particularly amongst the Berber people of Morocco. It is still performed today and the instruments are sold on stalls in the medina. It is believed to have originally been spread by black slaves within the region and was often performed as part of [...]

Postcard from a Moroccan winery

Iain — Tue, 01 May 2012 23:40:34 +0000

I never tire of visiting vineyards, I have had so many explanations about the process I should really be able to produce my own vintage sometime soon! This little vineyard near Essaouira produces quite a number of Moroccan wines from traditional grapes providing white, rosé, red and even a ‘grey’ wine. This unusual wine appeared [...]

Essaouira, Morocco – Making a good first impression

Iain — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:51:55 +0000

Last year when I visited Morocco a number of people informed me they were taking an excursion to Essaouira. This included two pretty young Norwegian girls in my Riad; they were gushing compliments when they returned, leaving me with a burning desire to visit. On that occasion unfortunately there was not sufficient time to squeeze [...]

Postcard from the Powerful Atlantic, Essaouira

Iain — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 16:35:26 +0000

Essaouira is known as the ‘windy city’ and is certainly living up to it’s nickname here, with huge Atlantic rollers crashing against the rocks seemingly acting as sentinels at the harbour entrance. I am uncertain what this particular local gentleman had been doing, maybe ’harvesting’ the rock pools or mussel beds to feed his family or [...]

Postcard from an Argan oil co-operative, Morocco

Iain — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 04:24:33 +0000

Argan oil is a fabulously expensive oil produced from the nuts found in the droppings of goats which eat the fruit, even climbing the trees to ‘graze’. It is highly valued for nutritional, medicinal and cosmetic purposes. The Argan tree is only found naturally in the area of Morocco between Essaouira and Agadir in an [...]

Postcard from the ‘Blue City’ Essaouira, Morocco

Iain — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 02:03:48 +0000

Just a few minutes spent wandering around the medina or port area of Essaouira and it maybe considered another unofficial ‘Blue City’. Doors, shutters, the fishing fleet in the harbour and even the base of trees are painted in a vibrant blue which appears a little quaint but also very striking. The small boats in [...]

Postcard from twilight in Port Essaouira

Iain — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 02:39:52 +0000

It always seems a little exciting arriving somewhere in darkness, unable to really get a good look or feel for a destination means waiting until the morning which adds to the anticipation. Driving along the coastal road towards the hotel in Essaouira it was possible to make out the waves breaking in the distance and [...]

Mount Athos, Greece – Holy weekend, abstinence and hospitality

Iain — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 01:51:04 +0000

I do not claim to be a spiritual person and probably the most profound thing discovered by my friend Ed and I during our visit to Agion Oros, the ‘Holy Mountain’ was that it is easier to give up women for a weekend than pockets! There is however something very special about the Greek monastic [...]