Postcards
from:
Las Vegas Nevada
Algeciras Spain
Rabat Morocco
Madrid Spain
Yaounde Cameroon
Douala Cameroon
Addis
Ababa Ethiopia
Lalibela Ethiopia
Axum Ethiopia
Gondar Ethiopia
Bangkok Thailand
Las Vegas Nevada
Madrid 2011: This is the main restaurant in the
bus terminal with connections to Algeciras where the Tangiers ferries are
located. Prices on everything including drinking water are inflated 2-300%
... disgusting. As I had four hours to kill before the scheduled departure
of my bus, I went exploring and found a super market a half block from the
terminal where I stocked up on all the essentials.
Madrid 2011: This is the main bus terminal with connections to Algeciras
where the Tangiers ferries are located. The volume of passengers ebbed and
flowed as buses came and went. Terminals are a great place to people watch.
Madrid 2011: One example of the inflated prices for snacks in vending
machines in the main bus terminal . With time to kill I walked a short
distance from the terminal and found a super market with normal prices for
essentials like water and candy bars.
Madrid 2011: Smoking is prohibited in the main bus terminal.
Madrid 2011: Display showing scheduled bus departures in the main bus
terminal.
Madrid 2011: We passed several wind farms along the way to Algeciras.
Madrid 2011: We passed several wind farms along the way to Algeciras.
Madrid 2011: Unusual geology along the road to Algeciras.
Madrid 2011: We passed many olive groves along the way to Algeciras and I
noticed how clusters of trees are planted at each location to make a fuller
growth.
Madrid 2011: This is the over priced bus rest stop on our way to Algeciras.
Algeciras 2011: Reaching Algeciras late in the afternoon I started my usual
look-around. Tired from several hours of searching for the city center and
hotels I paused to notice the price of gasoline: about $2 per liter; that's
about $8 per gallon, folks. So, stop your complaining about $4/gallon!
Algeciras 2011: On the ferry this group of Arab men became too friendly and
my danger sensor went into high alert. The overly friendly guy who had
approached me just wanted to borrow my pen to fill out the immigrations
form... or so I thought. Actually, he turned out to be the only English
speaker in a group of about ten North Africans and spent the next half hour
serving as scribe for the group.
Algeciras 2011: On the ferry I walked the deck to get a little exercise and
to see what other passengers were doing.
Madrid 2011: Well dressed lady doesn't mind the chilly weather as she walks
through the center of the city near my hotel.
Madrid 2011: Parade through the center of the city near my hotel.
Algeciras 2011: On the ferry I walked the deck to
get a little exercise and to see what other
passengers were doing.
Algeciras 2011: Super structure of the ferry.
Dallas Texas 2011: Interesting
sculpture I found in the terminal at the Dallas Fort
Worth airport. Out of place, but too good to ignore.
It is more than six feet high. |
 
 9
November 2011
Greetings from Algeciras Spain
MADRID 9 November: Arrived in Madrid and discovered
prices on everything have reached the stars. One night in the overpriced
two star Hotel Mario RoomMate at 62 Euros ($87) convinced me to abandon
my initial plans to complete visa and transport arrangements while in
Madrid and dash on down to the ferry port on the southern coast at the
Straight of Gibraltar. The 11AM Daibus cost 30 Euros, but was truly deluxe and comfortable for the
nine hour ride.
ALGECIRAS 10 November: Algeciras is a one purpose city. People come here
to leave Spain for Morocco on the ferries. The 25 Euro ($37) no stars
Hotel Marina Victoria proved to be one where I felt obligated to sleep
in my cloths and get up at first light. After an hour wait in the
cavernous ferry terminal I paid my 30 Euro ($42) fare and jumped on one
of the several 8AM boats crossing
the Strait of Gibraltar to Tangiers.
Peace
Fred L Bellomy
Madrid 2011: Parade through the
center of the city near my hotel.
Madrid 2011: This is the two
star, $87 hotel I used during my one night stay in
the city before rushing on down to the ferry in
Algeciras.
Madrid 2011: Display in the window of a restaurant
in the center of the city near my hotel.
Madrid 2011: Display showing
scheduled bus departures in the main bus terminal.
Madrid 2011: People occupy themselves with all
manner of tasks while awaiting bus departures in the
main bus terminal. This lady worked on cross
stitching for a couple hours, completely oblivious
to her surroundings... including a nosy foreign
photographer sitting across from her.
Madrid 2011: We passed several of these huge bull
silhouettes along the way to Algeciras... presumably
advertising something well known in Spain.
Algeciras 2011: Reaching Algeciras late in the
afternoon I discovered this church during my walk of
exploration and peeked in. Tired from several hours
of searching for the city center and hotels I paused
to appreciate just being alive before trudging out
to continue what seemed to be a hopeless quest.
Algeciras 2011: After snatching a few restless hours
of sleep in the cheap hotel I'd found in Algeciras I
awoke at the crack of dawn to find the near by ferry
terminal. Here we all wait for the first 8AM ferry
for Tangiers.
Algeciras 2011: On the ferry this group of Arab men
became too friendly and my danger alert went into
high speed. The overly friendly guy who had
approached me just wanted to borrow my pen to fill
out the immigrations form... or so I thought.
Actually, he turned out to be the only English
speaker in a group of about ten North Africans and
spent the next half hour serving as scribe for the
group.
Madrid 2011: Parade through the center of the city
near my hotel.
Madrid 2011: People occupy themselves with all
manner of tasks while awaiting bus departures in the
main bus terminal. This lady worked on cross
stitching for a couple hours, completely oblivious
to her surroundings... including a nosy foreign
photographer sitting across from her.
|
Central West Africa map.
Madrid 2011: People waiting for the ticket window to open for one of the
buses in the main bus terminal.
Madrid 2011: Some of the many bus company ticket windows in the main bus
terminal. Most remained closed most of the time, except around the time of a
scheduled departure.
Madrid 2011: This is the main company with connections to Algeciras. I
waited along with other for this bus company ticket window to open in the
main bus terminal. Most remained closed most of the time, except around the
time of a scheduled departure.
Madrid 2011: This is the main company with connections to Algeciras. I
waited along with other for this bus company ticket window to open in the
main bus terminal. Most remained closed most of the time, except around the
time of a scheduled departure.
Madrid 2011: Some of the many bus company ticket windows in the main bus
terminal. Most remained closed most of the time, except around the time of a
scheduled departure.
Madrid 2011: This is our truly deluxe bus waiting to depart for Algeciras. I
only bought a single ticket as the ticket seller assured me there would be
plenty of space for my bag: "the bus is not full."
Madrid 2011: This is our truly deluxe bus waiting to depart for Algeciras. I
only bought a single ticket as the ticket seller assured me there would be
plenty of space for my bag: "the bus is not full."
Madrid 2011: This is our truly deluxe bus waiting to depart for Algeciras. I
only bought a single ticket as the ticket seller assured me there would be
plenty of space for my bag: "the bus is not full." I took this photo for the
list of stops along the way.
Madrid 2011: Prominent geological feature along the way to Algeciras. Notice
the isolated ranch house in the middle of the olive groves.
Madrid 2011: Prominent geological feature along the way to Algeciras. Notice
the isolated ranch house at the edge of the olive groves.
Algeciras 2011: After snatching a few restless hours of sleep in the cheap
hotel I'd found in Algeciras I awoke at the crack of dawn to find the near
by ferry terminal. Here we all wait for the first 8AM ferry for Tangiers.
Algeciras 2011: On the ferry I walked the deck to get a little exercise and
to see what other passengers were doing.
Algeciras 2011: On the ferry I walked the deck to get a little exercise and
to see what other passengers were doing.
Algeciras 2011: One of the walkways around the main deck of the ferry.
Algeciras 2011: As the ferry approaches its
destination many passengers hang over the railing to
see what is coming.
Algeciras 2011: On the ferry I walked the deck to get a little exercise and
to see what other passengers were doing.
Madrid 2011: Parade through the center of the city near my hotel.
Madrid 2011: Parade through the center of the city near my hotel.
Madrid 2011: A couple beggars at work in the center of the city near my
hotel. Actually, I saw quite a few beggars this time around... no doubt a
reflection of the hard times being experienced throughout Europe right now. |
Reference photo:
author