travel | R. Doug Wicker — Author

Nine Days out of Barcelona—Rabat, Taroudant Palace, and Playa las Palmas

Monday we took a look at Barcelona, Spain, and Casablanca and Rabat in Morocco. Today we continue with some more photographs of Rabat before moving onto the Hassan II Tower and the Mausoleum of Mohammed V, the Taroudant Palace, a spice shop in Taroudant, and finally Playa las Palmas de Gran Canaria (Grand Canary Island).

Nine Days out of Barcelona—Barcelona, Casablanca, and Rabat

Cruising. One of the best travel values for the money out there. Where else can you partake of higher end dining this reasonably, sleep in a private room this cheaply, all the while only having to unpack one time and still get to see different exotic locales almost daily? Then, included with that already low price, comes the nightly live entertainment, movies (on some ships), a library, a card room for bridge, and classes ranging from cooking to photography to lectures on history and everything in between.

And if that weren’t enough, break out your wallet (actually, your room keycard for charges to your shipboard account) and go shopping for everything from jewelry and watches to digital cameras and liquor. Keep that wallet out and you can purchase alcoholic beverages, partake of wine samplings and pairings, or even hit the onboard casino.

Last year, Ursula and I spent eighty-eight days at sea, fifty-four of which were on one cruise alone. On another cruise, nine days out of Barcelona back to Barcelona, we went to Casablanca, Rabat, and Taroudant in Morocco; Las Palmas in the Canary Islands; and Funchal, Madeira. Along the way we visited the Hassan II Mosque, a 12^th Century Kasbah (fort), and went sliding down a steep city street in a wicker toboggan.

Over the course of the this week’s blogs, I’ll be showing you pictures of this grand adventure. Today we’ll view photographs of Barcelona, Casablanca and the Hassan II Mosque, and that 12^th Century Kasbah near Rabat:

Thawing in Vegas—Joe’s Stone Crab & Carnegie Deli

Let’s face it, it’s cold in Alaska. And wet.

Must be time to thaw out on the way home. If you’ve been following my blog these past two weeks, then you know just how less than stellar the weather was during the bulk of this Alaska trip. Fortunately, the airlines wanted first dibs on our internal organs to fly us back on the day we disembarked and headed by bus to Seattle from Vancouver. I say, “fortunately,” because that required us to get a bit inventive. It was actually cheaper for us to fly to Las Vegas and spend two nights before continuing on to El Paso.

Hooters Casino Hotel ran us only $19 a night, plus an $8 resort fee. In return, we got free tickets to a comedy show, two free drinks by the pool (which we couldn’t redeem because they closed the pool bar before the advertised 9:00 P.M.), and ten free Buffalo chicken wings each. Who says recessions are all bad?

But don’t go to Hooters if service is of major concern. Service ran from poor (check-in) to worse (the restaurant) to nonexistent (the aforementioned pool bar fiasco). But if you can’t say anything good about someone, then you shouldn’t say anything at all, right? The sheets were clean, the room was habitable, and most of the good stuff on the strip are within walking distance.

And within walking distance are two of our favorite eating establishments: Carnegie Deli for lunch and Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak, & Stone Crab for dinner.

Carnegie Deli has the same great pastrami as you’ve come to expect from their original New York location, but there are some important difference. First, this Carnegie Deli isn’t restricted to cash—you can use your credit card. Second, there are free refills on ice tea and sodas. Third, the portions are larger. Indeed, they are huge. Spring for the extra $3 sharing charge and plan on sharing. But, come on, Carnegie Las Vegas . . . $3 to share? Why is that? It doesn’t cost you that much to wash an extra dish, and it saves you having to supply the requisite doggy bag for the unwary and uninitiated who ordered individual sandwiches. Consider dropping that charge, but at least you’re not demanding cash and charging for refills, so that’s a plus over the original.

One other little quibble, but this time directed at the clientele. Come on, people . . . breakfast? Really? At one of New York’s premiere deli’s? You’re kidding, right? I couldn’t believe the number of people taking up perfectly good (and very hard to get) table space, and then wasting it on an order of eggs and bacon, or French toast, or even toast with butter and jelly. Puh-LEEZE, people. That’s why there’s a Binion’s Horseshoe Breakfast Buffet, for cryin’ out loud. Give up that table to somebody who knows what the heck they’re doing when they go to a New York-style deli. Second worst offense? Ordering a turkey sandwich. Go with the Pastrami or the Corned Beef.

As for Joe’s, need I really say more? Is there really a better dish than a plate of chilled, perfectly cooked and pre-cracked stone crab claws accompanied by that great mustard-infused rémoulade sauce? I’d be hard pressed to come up with one. Ursula accompanied her plate of claws with a great bowl of savory crab bisque, while I opted for a very tasty and satisfying wedge BLT salad (iceberg lettuce wedge with grape tomatoes, bacon, and bleu cheese crumbles). The only real change I made to their recipe was that I substituted bleu cheese dressing for the usual Joe’s vinaigrette.

If you decide to try Joe’s do yourself a favor and call ahead for reservations. And here’s a little tip for the socially conscious who don’t mind spending $25 for a cute little souvenir broach—those little silver- or gold-colored stone crab broaches you see the wait staff wearing? Buy one. Half the cost goes to an employee emergency fund. I love an employer who goes out of his way to help his employees, and apparently Joe’s is one of those type establishments. The anti-Walmart, if you will.

Below are some night shots of Las Vegas, as well as a quick snap I took of the Seattle Space Needle from the comfort of our bus.