Sunderland's National Glass Centre

Several weeks ago, Gina and I boarded a train to Newcastle for a travel bloggers conference.

We always manage to have a blast when we go off on an adventure together.

The conference was terrific and offered some great information and networking.

Newcastle was really fun and interesting.  I'd love to go back and explore more in depth.

The highlight of the weekend was a post-conference visit to the National Glass Centre in Sunderdland.

Located on the North Shore of River Wear, the Centre is a part of the University of Sunderland.  This is a place where artists, teachers, students and the community come together to share the beauty of contemporary glass.  A combination of studio, exhibit, museum and event space, there is plenty to do and see.

There's an really interesting exhibit that covers the history of glass blowing and in particular, the history of glass works in Sunderland.  There are also plenty of beautiful examples of contemporary glass.

The space is beautiful and open with lots of windows to let in the river views.

When you visit, you should plan to stay for a meal in their Brasserie.

This was one of the best Sunday Roasts I've had in England!  That Yorkshire Pudding is the size of my head.

Add in an old-fashioned Lemonade and you have the perfect meal.

The Centre has an exhibition program that offers first class glass and ceramic presentations.

The Oliver Goldsmith Collection is running through May 4th.

Here is the description from the National Glass Centre website...

"Think 20th Century icons. Grace Kelly. Colin Firth. Michael Caine in his signature black  spectacles. Audrey Hepburn in the big white glasses that framed her elfin face. Iconic style makers – Givenchy, Dior and Vidal Sassoon. Think cult films of the fifties & sixties. In the second half of last century, when it came to eyewear, Oliver Goldsmith was synonymous with stars and style."

"Featuring spectacle designs which enthralled a generation and photographs of the famous faces that wore them, this exhibition charts the progression of one of the most successful British spectacle design companies of the mid-twentieth century."

Princess Diana was one of their most famous clients.

The exhibition includes a line that was designed exclusively for the iconic figure.

Oliver Goldsmith is a family business that was founded in London in 1926.
They are responsible for taking glasses from a medical accessory to a fashion accessory.
Those fabulous sunglasses worn by Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's?
An Oliver Goldsmith creation.

Gina was channeling her inner diva in this whimsical pair.
 Be sure to visit the gift shop.  It's full of fun stuff and beautiful collectibles.

If you live close by, check out their Have a Go! page. 

Wouldn't you love to make one of these pretty flower paperweights?

If I lived in Sunderland, I'd be there every chance I got.

The building even have a glass ceiling that you can walk on.
It's made of glass panes that are over two inches thick.

Speaking of "having a go", I can't wait to show you what else we did while we were at the

National Glass Centre.

How would you spend your day at the great place?

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  *As a participant in Traverse 14 and in partnership with NewcastleGateshead Initiative,
I was a guest of National Glass Centre.   All photos, writing and opinions are my own.
As always, I promise to be open, honest and transparent with my readers.
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

Jamaa el Fna by day - Marrakesh

Yesterday's post about our experience of Marrakesh was really hard to publish.

But this blog is my travel scrapbook and my experiences so I just have to be honest.

Today, I'll tell you a little more about why I felt we had a negative experience of the city.

First, I don't think we saw enough of it.  It's probably not that we didn't enjoy the city,

but that we didn't like the main square of Marrakesh where we spent a majority of our time.

Second, while our hotel was nice, I think our experience would have been much different

had we stayed in a Riad, a traditional Moroccan house.

The fact that it was the end of an 11 day tour and we were pretty exhausted also likely played a part.

The main square Jamaa el Fna by day is certainly fascinating with a lot to see and photograph.

But, it didn't feel like a very friendly place.  I knew that I had to be careful with the photos.

I tried to be very respectful and discreet.  I intended to pay any of the performers that I photographed.

It's overwhelming but a great place to people watch.  It's surrounded by restaurants.

So we spent a bit of time up on a balcony just watching everything that was happening below.

I wanted to take some photos so walked up to these men.  I made eye contact with one and tapped my camera to let them know that I'd be taking photographs. I took this one photo before the man rushed right up to me demanding payment.  I gave him a few coins and he immediately started yelling for more. I just walked away with him still yelling.   After being fussed at several times even when I did pay, I just changed to the zoom lens and gave the camera to Matt.  This was way too stressful. I told him to get some shots if he could.

I completely agree with what Matt said yesterday about not supporting the animal handlers.

We gave them all a very wide berth as we walked around the square.   We often saw then walk up behind unsuspecting people to perch an animal on a shoulder.   If you're planning a trip to Morocco please take a moment to read more about this topic at IPPL's Advice for Travelers to Marrakech.  

 At one point, we were on a guided tour by a local who stopped at this table of teeth.

The gentleman at the table was smiling at the group and several took photographs with no problem.

As the group was walking away, I took a photo and he started right up with the screaming.

I apologized and put the camera away.  But,check it out... teeth!  I have no idea what they're for.

I was dying to get a henna tattoo while we were in Morocco.  I had been holding out the entire trip for Marrakesh.  That was where I wanted to get my tattoo. I had pulled my hand away from many eager henna ladies throughout my trip.  From a bit of research I knew about how much to expect to pay and to avoid the "black" henna tattoos.

There are dozens of women in the square offering tattoos, so I selected one and sat down to negotiate.  She grabbed my hand started doing the tattoo and said 350 (£26).  I pulled my hand away and said "100" (£8).  She started fussing, grabbed my hand and wiped it off.  The lady sitting next to her started fussing back at her and said to me "150" (£11) so I agreed.  She did a lovely job and even sprinkled on some glitter.  It took her all of 8 minutes and I paid her 200 Dirham (£15).

The paste starts to dry out and eventually crumbles off to leave the tattoo.

My hand started to itch so I brushed most of it off early which is why the tattoo is more orange than brown.

It lasted for a week or two and was a nice reminder our our time in Morocco. Both the good and the bad.

I didn't much enjoy our time at Jamaa el Fna.  It was big and crowded.

Intense and loud.  We repeatedly  got the very aggressive sell.  We got some really harsh looks.

I got yelled at more than once.  Even if they weren't yelling in anger they were yelling at us to buy something.

There also seemed to be an an underlying dislike for us as tourists.

Often, that dislike wasn't masked at all but very blatant.  I got the distinct impression that

they weren't happy that we were there but as long as we were they were going to get

as much of our money as possible.

I understand that people need to make a living.  I understand that tourists often exhibit some pretty boorish behaviour. But, this just felt different and uncomfortable.  I didn't feel this way at all in any of the other places we visited in Morocco.

Obviously, not every encounter in Marrakesh left me feeling that way.

I know plenty of people that absolutely love Marrakesh and Jamaa el Fna.

So I promise that any future post of Marrakesh will only include those positive experiences.

What are your feelings about Jamaa el Fna?
If you had a better experience than us, feel free to leave your thoughts and links. 

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I've been to... with Matthew - Morocco

When I have something difficult to say, I often turn to Matt for guidance.

He's great at helping me turn my thoughts into words.

So, when it was time to write about Marrakesh I asked Matthew.

"How do I say this?"  "How do I say that I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would?"

Everyone raves about Marrakesh.  It was the last stop of our tour and the one I was most excited about.

I'm not sure if it's because it was last, or maybe how and where we spent our time,
but it was my least favorite.  I'm going to let Matt help me out a bit.

I've been to... Morocco.

I went in 2013 as part of an Explore Worldwide trip with Selena.  I'm sure you've been reading about our travels here on Oh, the places we will go!  We started in Malaga in Spain, travelling through Moorish hill towns to Algeciras where we boarded a ferry to Morocco.

I’ve always loved borders.  I’ve often been perplexed by how much significance is placed on a line on a map.  A line that was drawn many years ago in a place many miles away by someone who may never have even visited the region they were bifurcating.  When I lived in San Diego I used to enjoy visiting Border Field State park, which sat right at the South-Westernmost corner of the USA.  Through a slender chain link fence was Tijuana in Mexico, physically only feet away, but economically another planet.

In Europe these days, it’s often difficult to even see its borders.  We recently travelled from Austria into Slovakia, and as it was a new country for Selena we wanted to celebrate the achievement, especially as we were crossing the “Iron curtain”.  I think we noticed a crease in the landscape that might have been the border, and there were some abandoned buildings that might have formerly been a customs point, but Europe’s economic integration is now so advanced that we couldn’t be sure.

So as we boarded the ferry in Algeciras, I was really excited to be crossing a border, especially as I was crossing a new one (I’d not been to Morocco before), was crossing by an unusual means (a ferry) and we were also crossing a continental border, which is quite tricky to do.  Unless you live in Istanbul of course, where some people do it every day.

Whilst I love borders, I don’t usually care much for border towns.  Tijuana was a bit of a dump, not to mention being a very dangerous place to visit these days.  When I lived in Singapore, the excitement of crossing the border to Malaysia marginally outweighed the disappointment of then having to spend time in Johor Bahru.  Tangier in Morocco has some charming corners, but can’t be described as Morocco at its best.

Fez however, was a revelation.  Founded in 789, if you dive into the Medina and tune out the TVs and Coca Cola refrigerators, you could easily be in the middle ages.  Traditional crafts are still pursued using medieval technologies.  Mules remain the primary form of transport through the narrow, winding alleys.  Butchers ply their trade (and offer their wares) in an authentic, but disconcertingly public way. 

The sights, sounds and smells are truly alien, but are fascinating to experience.  I can think of very few places where such an authentic and ancient experience can be found.  Damascus is close, but it’s not as ancient and it’s not a particularly attractive tourist destination right now.

Explore tours are usually structured to give you a big finish.  Our tour ended in Marrakech, so we were excited to reach the desert city to see what Explore had saved for the finale.  Gwyneth Paltrow, Sienna Miller and the Beckhams love it there.  Yves-Saint Laurent and Jean-Paul Gaultier own property there.  EasyJet and Ryanair fly there.  It must be great, right?  Oh, dear.

It’s rare for me to actively dislike a place.  I disliked Caracas, but visited in 1995 during widespread rioting during Venezuela’s economic crisis, so was too scared to leave the hotel.  Central Ghana was picturesque, but my time there turned into a tour of every available toilet as I got very, very ill.  But I’d rush back to either of these places before going back to Marrakech.

Marrakech was founded in 1062, and has a medieval souk and the same blend of mosque and mystery as Fez.  But Marrakech feels fake in comparison.  First of all, everyone speaks English.  In Fez, you need Arabic, French or a range of enthusiastic hand signals to communicate (in that order).  When you find a dense concentration of English speakers in a non-English speaking country, it tells me that their primary purpose in life is not to pursue ancient crafts and traditions, but to extract money from American tourists.

The central medina is a large, open space at the centre of the city, which fills up with tourist tat during the day.  Stalls will sell you low-quality, high-priced souvenirs.  Berber women will overcharge you for “traditional” henna tattoos.  Snake charmers and monkey wranglers will pose with you, then extort cash from you for the “pleasure”.

Let me linger on this for a moment.  Don't give money to a snake charmer or a monkey wrangler, in Marrakech or elsewhere.  The snakes and monkeys are taken from the wild, kept in appalling conditions and are tortured for your entertainment.  There is nothing authentic  about the experience and as long as people continue to pay for photos, the practise will continue.  I saw a monkey attack his handler with teeth and claws bared.  I was cheering for the monkey.

At night, the Medina turns into what must be the world’s largest street-food market. Whilst this is quite an experience, and some of the food is excellent, it’s a rather intimidating experience with every pickpocket in North Africa putting in a long and lucrative shift.

There are good, ethical operators in Marrakech, such as an independent hotel and hammam that we visited a few alleys down from the central Medina (post to come).  Some of the city’s accommodation is excellent and we enjoyed some great food while we were there.  But overall, Marrakech was a disappointment.

If Marrakech was your only experience of Morocco, I can see how the exoticism and mystery of the place (not to mention the climate) would make it an attractive destination.  If your only opportunity to visit Morocco was to go to Marrakech, then go, as the country has so much to offer . 

But let me say that Fez is so much more authentic and would make for a much more enjoyable experience.  As would Rabat.  Even Casablanca felt like it would be more interesting to explore.  Easyjet and Ryanair do fly to Fez, too.  

To be honest, when I first read Matt's draft I told him I wouldn't post it.  Way too blunt.
Even though I agree with most of it, I want to talk about the positives of the places that we visit.
I want to fall in love with every place we visit.  It's easy to write the good stuff.

But, what do you say when a place disappoints.  It's not an amusement park designed for our pleasure.

It's someone's Home, Sweet Home.  How do I say that I didn't enjoy it without being offensive?  

I guess honestly.   And with the disclaimer that this is simply our experience.

We were there for a very short amount of time and saw a limited part of the city.

We had a tourist experience that left us feeling disappointed rather than the
authentic experience that we were craving.

We did have some really great moments there that I'll definitely share with you.

But, I'll steer future travelers to Fes or Rabat over Marrakesh every time.

Tomorrow, I'll tell you a bit more about my experience and why I came away with a negative perception. 

Where were you excited to visit that left you feeling a bit deflated?

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Ben Fogle's Great Adventures Launch

"Darling, I'm going out tonight.

The dashing and famous action-adventure explorer, Ben Fogle,

has invited me over for an authentic Italian Dinner.
I believe there will be candlelight and wine, too.  You don't mind, do you?"

 I was recently invited by Celebrity Cruises to an authentic Italian cooking experience

hosted by Ben Fogle to launch his new Great Adventures series of shore excursions.

Let's see... Ben Fogle, Italian dinner, Wine and Cruising Talk?

Not a chance I'm turning this down.

The venue was London's Food at 52 Cookery School.  It's wonderful.

I felt like I was going over to a friend's house for a fashionable dinner party.

We were warmly welcomed by the Celebrity Cruises team and introduced to Ben.

Over a glass of wine, he told us about his new series of shore excursions.

Ben is famous for his adventurous and immersive travel style.

Celebrity Cruises has partnered with him to develop a series of unique and exclusive excursions.

 Ben Fogle's Great Adventures include a Norwegian Salmon Snorkeling Safari,

a Croatian Adventure and a Sicilian Gastronomic Tour.

Snorkeling with Salmon?  That sounds pretty interesting.  
Soon it was time to head downstairs to the kitchen for our Italian Cooking lesson.

We all gathered around a massive wooden table with ingredients and cooking utensils set out before us.

Don't mind the camera crew.  It's time to cook!

I'm wondering about the prudence of giving me a sharp knife AND a glass of wine.

Our instructor guided Ben and the rest of us step-by-step through three recipes.
Food at 52 was nice enough to share their recipes.  Just click on the link if you want to try them.
They are all yummy!

Cattucini (Italian biscuits)

Pollastri Pini e Prosciutto (Roast Chicken with Marcarpone and Parma Ham)

Amaretti Semi Freddo  

I've never done a cooking class like this before, but I'm completely hooked.

It was so much fun!  Everyone was relaxed and chatting over wine.

There was some fresh bread on the table.  We each got to chop and get our hands on the food.

The kitchen is adorable.  I want it in my house.  I don't really like to cook,

but if I had this kitchen, I would want to be creating in it all of the time.

Not to mention I got to wear a snazzy denim apron and tuck a white towel at my waist like a pro.

We went back upstairs to chat over more wine while everything cooked.

I had a great chat with Ben about cruising and traveling.  He's very friendly and down to earth.

Soon the dinner bell rang and it was time to enjoy the fruits of our labor.

We gathered once again around that fabulous big table and dined by candlelight.

Of course, everything was delicious!  It was made by our very own hands.

It was such a great night!  I'm so glad I said yes to this invite.

I still can't believe my little blog gives me these amazing opportunities.

You know that we love to cruise!  And shore excursions are a big part of this.

Do you book with the ship?  Do you book with an outside tour group? Or do you just go off on your own?

 I love that Celebrity Cruises is offering something new and different.

Here's a little more about Ben Fogle's Great Adventures.

Your time on shore can make or break your cruise experience.  There's a lot to consider.
Shore excursions will be the topic of my next Cruising 101 with Selena Series so stay tuned.


Have you ever taken an Italian cooking class?  Ever snorkeled with salmon?

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  *This was a press event hosted by Celebrity Cruises.
 All photos, writing and opinions are my own.
As always, I promise to be open, honest and transparent with my readers.
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.