Travel --- 10/23/2013 - 12/11/2013 --- France, Switzerland, Italy, Morocco, Spain

Highlights from two months in Europe and Northern Africa. All 700+ photos and a detailed trip report can be found in this album.

10/23-10/31
Hanging out in Lyon, France with Emily and her roommate Lindsay. Explored the Croix Rousse area, old town, the cathedrals and palaces and roman ruins. Went to a wine tasting and ate ice cream and made french onion soup. Saw the zoo and botanical gardens and Interpol HQ (from the outside).

11/1-11/3
Jess arrives in Lyon. She joins Emily and I on a quick trip to Verdon Gorge a few hours south of Lyon. We rappel into the gorge and climb out. We try some single pitch sport lines in crags set above a picturesque lake. We visit the charming city of Mousetiers and see its ceramic shops.

11/4-11/9
Jess and I head to the Switzerland/Italy border to stay with Nicola for a few days. We hike, climb, and eat a ton of food. Lake Lugano in Switzerland. Italian pizza in Luino, Italy. Driving back to Lyon, we stop in Chamonix and climb for a bit. Then spend an afternoon touring Annecy.

Those tunnels under the Alps are quite impressive, but wow the tolls are high!

11/10-11/18
Emily is with us again and we are off to Morocco! We see the Majorelle Botanical Gardens in Marrakesh, and are harangued by touts everywhere else in the city. We take the train to Rabat where we meet Dan and take a quick tour of the city. Then off to Meknes where Morgan and Hannah give us an insider's view of the gorgeous city. My favorite place in Morocco! We see the Mausoleum, Medina and Madrasa which are all very interesting and very accessible without being too touristy. And the avocado milkshakes are bliss inducing. Trust me.

From Meknes we go to Fes where we meet up with Dan again. He knows the old town like the back of his hand and shows us everything from where the camel caravans unloaded 600 years ago, to where the leather artisans have been plying their craft for 600 years. Dan runs Anou and knows all about the local artisans. We head to Imouzzer where we meet Drew and Lindsay, Dan's housemates. We hike around the town and visit a Hammam. I enjoy it, even though I am blind and mute and stealing people's stuff. No, really.

Finishing our whirlwind tour of Morocco, we take the bus to Chefchaouen a beautiful opium den city in the heart of the hashish region. From there we bus to Tangier where we catch a ferry across the Straights of Gibraltar to Spain and a quick ride to Malaga. Emily and I enjoy a relaxing two days in Malaga where we eat chocolate con churros and tapas while touring the city, strolling on the beach, and visiting the Picasso museum.

11/19-11/27
Jess and I head to Sevilla where we meet up with Yamin and Chris. We see the largest cathedral in the world and a bunch of other sights before departing to El Chorro. There -- with our Spanish villa as a home base -- we climb a bunch of limestone, traverse the Camino del Rey four times, and take a day trip to Ronda, Spain to see its famous New Bridge (which was built from 1751 to 1793... and yes, it really is the newest bridge in the city). And did I mention the climbing? Oh, there it is just two sentences back. My writing style confuses even me. Anyhow, there was lots of climbing.

11/28-12/5
We head to Granada to meet up with Mikey and see Alhambra. From there the five of us go to Alicante which we use as a base to climb all over the Costa Blanca region. We conclude the climbing portion of our trip with a romp up Penon de Ifach, a 330m tower which comes straight up out of the Mediterranean Sea. We tour Valencia and Barcelona. The Sagrada Familia Basilica and other architectural feats of Antoni Gaudi are marvelous to behold.

12/6-12/11
Back to Lyon for a quick visit. Flights are cheap in Europe! One last bit of climbing in a cold quarry on the Rhone. Seeing the old masters and the surrealists at the Musee des Beaux Arts. And being one of the million people lucky enough to be in Lyon for the Fete des Lumieres! The photos don't do it justice. Saying goodbye one last time, heading to Madrid for an evening of touring the city, then back to the United States.

Phew!

1: Lyon, France<br> (Category:  Travel)

Itinerary

1: Lyon, France
2: Verdon Gorge, France
3: Lugano, Switzerland and Luino, Italy
4: Chamonix, France
5: Annecy, France
6: Marrakesh, Morocco
7: Rabat, Morocco
8: Meknes, Morocco
9: Fes and Imouzzer, Morocco
10: Chefchaouen, Morocco
11: Malaga, Spain
12: Seville, Spain
13: El Chorro and Ronda, Spain
14: Granada, Spain
15: Alicante, Spain
16: Valencia, Spain
17: Barcelona, Spain
18: Lyon, France
19: Madrid, Spain
   Europe and Africa -- 10/23/2013 - 12/11/2013

Place des Terreaux (Category:  Travel)

Do you hear the people sing?

Place des Terreaux    Lyon, France -- 10/25/2013

Food picture (Category:  Travel)

Food picture    Lyon, France -- 10/26/2013

Best ice cream I've ever had in my life.  From Terre Adelice in Old Town Lyon. (Category:  Travel)

Best ice cream I've ever had in my life. From Terre Adelice in Old Town Lyon.    Lyon, France -- 10/26/2013

Ancient Roman statues. (Category:  Travel)

Ancient Roman statues.    Lyon, France -- 10/31/2013

Ancient Roman climbers. (Category:  Travel)

Ancient Roman climbers.    Lyon, France -- 10/31/2013

Fourviere (Category:  Travel)

Fourviere    Lyon, France -- 10/31/2013

What up Verdon! (Category:  Travel)

Europe is Gangsta, 1 of 4

What up Verdon!    Verdon Gorge, France -- 11/1/2013

Climbing Fini au Pipi. (Category:  Travel)

Climbing Fini au Pipi. That is me in red in the lower right corner of the picture.    Verdon Gorge, France -- 11/2/2013

Jess climbing Fini au Pipi (Category:  Travel)

Jess climbing Fini au Pipi    Verdon Gorge, France -- 11/2/2013

Emily climbing Fini au Pipi (Category:  Travel)

Emily climbing Fini au Pipi    Verdon Gorge, France -- 11/2/2013

Emily climbing Fini au Pipi (Category:  Travel)

Emily climbing Fini au Pipi    Verdon Gorge, France -- 11/2/2013

Emily and Jess at the top of Fini au Pipi (Category:  Travel)

Emily and Jess at the top of Fini au Pipi    Verdon Gorge, France -- 11/2/2013

Jess and Emily with the sunset over Lac de Sainte-Croix in the background. (Category:  Travel)

Jess and Emily with the sunset over Lac de Sainte-Croix in the background. Not photoshopped. This is the photo exactly as it came off my camera.    Verdon Gorge, France -- 11/2/2013

Emily leading at Les Hauts Vernis (Category:  Travel)

Emily leading at Les Hauts Vernis    Verdon Gorge, France -- 11/3/2013

Panorama of Jess and Emily above Lac de Sainte-Croix. (Category:  Travel)

Panorama of Jess and Emily above Lac de Sainte-Croix.    Verdon Gorge, France -- 11/3/2013

Hiking (Category:  Travel)

Hiking    Astano, Switzerland -- 11/5/2013

Jess and Arne (Category:  Travel)

Europe is Gangsta, 2 of 4

Jess and Arne    Astano, Switzerland -- 11/5/2013

Crepes with banana whipped cream (Category:  Travel)

Crepes with banana whipped cream    Astano, Switzerland -- 11/6/2013

Waterfall (Category:  Travel)

Waterfall    Astano, Switzerland -- 11/6/2013

Lake Lugano (Category:  Travel)

Lake Lugano    Lugano, Switzerland -- 11/6/2013

Nicola (Category:  Travel)

Nicola    Vezia, Switzerland -- 11/7/2013

Had to stay in the right lane and go to Turin.  I was just too sexy... (Category:  Travel)

For similar reasons I am unable to go to New York and Japan.

Had to stay in the right lane and go to Turin. I was just too sexy...    Italy -- 11/8/2013

The Alps! (Category:  Travel)

The Alps!    Chamonix, France -- 11/8/2013

Climbing at Coupeau (Category:  Travel)

Climbing at Coupeau    Chamonix, France -- 11/8/2013

Cascade de l'Arpenaz (Category:  Travel)

Cascade de l'Arpenaz    Sallanches, France -- 11/9/2013

Canals of Annecy (Category:  Travel)

Canals of Annecy    Annecy, France -- 11/9/2013

Food.  It was as good as it looks. (Category:  Travel)

Food. It was as good as it looks.    Lyon, France -- 11/10/2013

Bumper cars! (Category:  Travel)

Bumper cars!    Lyon, France -- 11/10/2013

Lyon is Gourd-ous! (Category:  Travel)

Lyon is Gourd-ous!    Lyon, France -- 11/10/2013

Happy to be in Morocco! (Category:  Travel)

Happy to be in Morocco!    Marrakesh, Morocco -- 11/11/2013

Lunch in Marrakesh (Category:  Travel)

Lunch in Marrakesh    Marrakesh, Morocco -- 11/11/2013

See, there really is lunch involved. (Category:  Travel)

See, there really is lunch involved.    Marrakesh, Morocco -- 11/11/2013

11:11:11 11/11/2013 (Category:  Travel)

11:11:11 11/11/2013    Marrakesh, Morocco -- 11/11/2013

Spice seller (Category:  Travel)

Spice seller    Marrakesh, Morocco -- 11/11/2013

How did we ever get to be so awesome???? (Category:  Travel)

How did we ever get to be so awesome????    Marrakesh, Morocco -- 11/11/2013

Sunset  (Category:  Travel)

Sunset    Marrakesh, Morocco -- 11/11/2013

The touts and hucksters are VERY aggressive in Marrakesh. (Category:  Travel)

Insoportable!

The touts and hucksters are VERY aggressive in Marrakesh.    Marrakesh, Morocco -- 11/11/2013

There we go. Emily, Morgan and Jess. (Category:  Travel)

There we go. Emily, Morgan and Jess.    Meknes, Morocco -- 11/13/2013

Tea with Hannah (Category:  Travel)

Tea with Hannah    Meknes, Morocco -- 11/13/2013

Gate to the medina (Category:  Travel)

Gate to the medina    Fes, Morocco -- 11/13/2013

Heading out for a hike. Emily, Jess, Lindsay, Dan, Daisy and Drew. (Category:  Travel)

Heading out for a hike. Emily, Jess, Lindsay, Dan, Daisy and Drew.    Imouzzer, Morocco -- 11/14/2013

Hiking in the hills high above Imouzzer. (Category:  Travel)

Hiking in the hills high above Imouzzer.    Imouzzer, Morocco -- 11/14/2013

How do you get that effect, Emily? (Category:  Travel)

You pick a long exposure and you rotate the camera.

How do you get that effect, Emily?    Imouzzer, Morocco -- 11/14/2013

Sunset over Chefchaouen (Category:  Travel)

Sunset over Chefchaouen    Chefchaouen, Morocco -- 11/15/2013

Ferry leaving Morocco (Category:  Travel)

Ferry leaving Morocco    Tangier Med, Morocco -- 11/16/2013

The beach (Category:  Travel)

The beach    Malaga, Spain -- 11/17/2013

Chocolate con Churros (Category:  Travel)

Chocolate con Churros    Malaga, Spain -- 11/17/2013

Slacklining at Alcazar (Category:  Travel)

Slacklining at Alcazar    Seville, Spain -- 11/18/2013

Seville Cathedral (Category:  Travel)

Seville Cathedral    Seville, Spain -- 11/19/2013

The university (Category:  Travel)

The university    Seville, Spain -- 11/19/2013

Playground (Category:  Travel)

Playground    Seville, Spain -- 11/19/2013

Panorama of Plaza de Espana. (Category:  Travel)

Panorama of Plaza de Espana.    Seville, Spain -- 11/19/2013

Pun credit: Chris Chang (Category:  Travel)

Schindler's Lift

Pun credit: Chris Chang    Seville, Spain -- 11/20/2013

Jess climbing at Buena Sombra. (Category:  Travel)

Jess climbing at Buena Sombra.    El Chorro, Spain -- 11/21/2013

Chris leading Yogur de Coco at Buena Sombra. (Category:  Travel)

Chris leading Yogur de Coco at Buena Sombra.    El Chorro, Spain -- 11/21/2013

Camino del Rey (Category:  Travel)

Camino del Rey    El Chorro, Spain -- 11/22/2013

Camino del Rey (Category:  Travel)

Camino del Rey    El Chorro, Spain -- 11/22/2013

Camino del Rey (Category:  Travel)

Camino del Rey    El Chorro, Spain -- 11/22/2013

Camino del Rey (Category:  Travel)

Camino del Rey    El Chorro, Spain -- 11/22/2013

At the end of the Camino del Rey (Category:  Travel)

At the end of the Camino del Rey    El Chorro, Spain -- 11/22/2013

Me climbing Gracias Aguas (Category:  Travel)

Me climbing Gracias Aguas    El Chorro, Spain -- 11/23/2013

Jess climbing Poema de Roca (Category:  Travel)

Jess climbing Poema de Roca    El Chorro, Spain -- 11/23/2013

Yamin climbing Poema de Roca (Category:  Travel)

Yamin climbing Poema de Roca    El Chorro, Spain -- 11/23/2013

Yamin on Poema de Roca. (Category:  Travel)

Yamin on Poema de Roca.    El Chorro, Spain -- 11/23/2013

Chris with a hands-free rest on Poema de Roca (Category:  Travel)

Nice double knee bar!

Chris with a hands-free rest on Poema de Roca    El Chorro, Spain -- 11/23/2013

How am I doing that? (Category:  Travel)

What the heck???

How am I doing that?    El Chorro, Spain -- 11/23/2013

This is a level photo.  The ground is tilted and all the trees are growing at an angle. (Category:  Travel)

Oh. Ok.

This is a level photo. The ground is tilted and all the trees are growing at an angle.    El Chorro, Spain -- 11/23/2013

Amptrax (Category:  Travel)

Amptrax    El Chorro, Spain -- 11/24/2013

The new bridge. (Category:  Travel)

The new bridge.    Ronda, Spain -- 11/25/2013

I was working on my cat impressions.  Got good at it by the end of the day. (Category:  Travel)

Selfie

I was working on my cat impressions. Got good at it by the end of the day.    Ronda, Spain -- 11/25/2013

Yamin, Chris and I in Ronda (Category:  Travel)

Yamin, Chris and I in Ronda    Ronda, Spain -- 11/25/2013

Yamin slab climbing at Los Cotos (Category:  Travel)

Yamin slab climbing at Los Cotos    El Chorro, Spain -- 11/26/2013

Me climbing at Los Cotos. (Category:  Travel)

Me climbing at Los Cotos.    El Chorro, Spain -- 11/26/2013

Sangria and tapas (Category:  Travel)

Sangria and tapas    Granada, Spain -- 11/27/2013

The Alhambra (Category:  Travel)

The Alhambra    Granada, Spain -- 11/28/2013

The Alhambra is over 1100 years old.  It contains a mix of styles from the various cultures that inhabited it over the years. (Category:  Travel)

The Alhambra is over 1100 years old. It contains a mix of styles from the various cultures that inhabited it over the years. This horseshoe arch is Islamic architecture and was built in the 1300s. The Nestle ice cream and Coca-Cola are Byzantine and date from the early 1500s.    Granada, Spain -- 11/28/2013

Apple cobbler for dessert after a fantastic Thanksgiving dinner. (Category:  Travel)

Apple cobbler for dessert after a fantastic Thanksgiving dinner.    Granada, Spain -- 11/28/2013

The Mediterranean (Category:  Travel)

The Mediterranean    Alicante, Spain -- 11/29/2013

Yamin climbing (Category:  Travel)

Yamin climbing    Gandia, Spain -- 11/30/2013

Chris and I recreating the Sistine Chapel Ceiling. (Category:  Travel)

Chris and I recreating the Sistine Chapel Ceiling.    Callosa, Spain -- 12/1/2013

Me climbing at Callosa. (Category:  Travel)

Me climbing at Callosa.    Callosa, Spain -- 12/1/2013

Mikey at the top of Espolon Limaban. (Category:  Travel)

Mikey at the top of Espolon Limaban.    Toix, Spain -- 12/2/2013

Penon de Ifach (Category:  Travel)

Penon de Ifach    Calpe, Spain -- 12/2/2013

Chris on Penon de Ifach (Category:  Travel)

Chris on Penon de Ifach    Calpe, Spain -- 12/3/2013

Put ice cubes in your giant drink. (Category:  Travel)

Spain has weird signs, part 1 of 2

Put ice cubes in your giant drink.    Calpe, Spain -- 12/3/2013

Stand on top of your bike now. (Category:  Travel)

Spain has weird signs, part 2 of 2

Stand on top of your bike now.    Valencia, Spain -- 12/4/2013

Science City at sunset. (Category:  Travel)

Science City at sunset.    Valencia, Spain -- 12/4/2013

Arc d Triumph (Category:  Travel)

Arc d Triumph (the Barcelona version)    Barcelona, Spain -- 12/5/2013

Sagrada Familia Basilica (Category:  Travel)

Sagrada Familia Basilica    Barcelona, Spain -- 12/5/2013

Gaudi Architecture (Category:  Travel)

Gaudi Architecture    Barcelona, Spain -- 12/5/2013

Hiphop-jeffapotamus (Category:  Travel)

Europe is Gangsta, 3 of 4

Hiphop-jeffapotamus    Barcelona, Spain -- 12/6/2013

Beaches and hose (Category:  Travel)

Europe is Gangsta, 4 of 4

Beaches and hose    Barcelona, Spain -- 12/6/2013

It is a merman archer riding a merhorse vs. a woman riding a mercentaur with a shell shield and giant crab claw sword.  Obviously. (Category:  Travel)

Shit Janice! Don't you talk to my girlfriend!

It is a merman archer riding a merhorse vs. a woman riding a mercentaur with a shell shield and giant crab claw sword. Obviously.    Museum de Beaux Artes, Lyon, France -- 12/7/2013

Uri (Category:  Travel)

Uri    Lyon, France -- 12/8/2013

Lindsay (Category:  Travel)

Lindsay    Lyon, France -- 12/8/2013

Emily leading a route. (Category:  Travel)

Emily leading a route.    Lyon, France -- 12/8/2013

Fete des Lumieres! (Category:  Travel)

Fete des Lumieres!    Lyon, France -- 12/9/2013

Palacio de Cibeles (Category:  Travel)

Palacio de Cibeles    Madrid, Spain -- 12/10/2013

Inside the lights in Plaza Mayor. (Category:  Travel)

Inside the lights in Plaza Mayor.    Madrid, Spain -- 12/10/2013