Bordeaux

I don’t feel there’s anything you need to particularly go to Bordeaux to see but simply walking around for a couple days and enjoying the atmosphere here is a good enough reason to visit in my opinion.

Its architecture is similar to that of the streets of Paris but with a fraction of the people living here Bordeaux makes for a pleasant stay where you’re able to wander the quaint city streets (many free of automobiles) in relative peace.

Pont de Pierre

Plus, for all the wine lovers out there the proximity to vineyards such as St. Emilion is certainly a temptation.

The Place de la Bourse (above picture) is home to a beautiful 18th century building which is often reflected day or night by the Miroir d’Eau de Bordeaux, a water feature directly facing it and next to the river.

This area of town is perfect to hang around at twilight with locals and tourists alike, it’s then a quick walk to some fantastic restaurants for dinner.

The National Opera building is also worth a wander into and is free to do so – you may want to see if you can catch a show while you’re in town.

Inside the Opera 

Otherwise, the National Opera is also really close to the main shopping area and with hundreds of them to choose from if you’re in the mood to buy you certainly won’t be bored.

Outside the Opera

Keep an eye out for street art works hidden around the place too in this city and having a picnic lunch in one of the lovely parks around here is recommended too.

There is a great tram system which will get you around quickly and easily otherwise walking around was my preferred method of transport!

More snapshots of Bordeaux..

Cognac

En route to Bordeaux, my tour included a stop into Cognac for an afternoon’s tour of the Hennessy factory – with tasting included.

Having never tried the drink before I thought if there’s anywhere to give it a go it might as well be at the source!

This area of France is famous for the product it exports of the same name- particularly with the Chinese market.

It was interesting to learn that more than 80% of the cognac produced is actually sold to China since its apparently not that popular with the French themselves.

Situated alongside a lovely river, the Hennessy factory tour is seriously impressive.

We literally got into a ferry outside the front door which took us 5 meters across the water to the other side where the cognac is stored – I think we were on board for maybe a minute!

No expense is spared and we had a fantastically detailed guide who took us through the high tech and visually interesting presentations they have set up for the groups who visit here.

We learned the difference between types of cognac (starting with VS or Very Special, VSOP or Very Superior Old Pale and XO or extra old) and that for a cognac to earn its name it must’ve been produced in this area of France, similar to how true champagne must be made in the Champagne region also.

The cellar part of the tour was probably most interesting since there were some barrels in there dating back to the late 1800s!

At the conclusion we of course were able to try a couple cognacs but I have to say the majority of us were not fans – it was far too strong for me!

Even with some water to dilute it (which is apparently OK for cheaper cognacs, never for the XO variety).

Since cognac is an alcohol which at its top quality can fetch thousands upon thousands of dollars it was definitely a cool experience to see the production of it firsthand and learn more about how it’s made.

Staying in a Moroccan kasbah

If your only knowledge of a kasbah thus far in life comes from The Clash song, Rock the Casbah then don’t worry you’re not alone.

My entire tour group couldn’t help but sing the song in anticipation of our overnight stay at Kasbah Asmaa in Midelt but we really didn’t know exactly what to expect from the accommodation we would soon be settling into.

What we found was overwhelmingly amazing and my roommate and I were overjoyed at our awesome space. The bathroom was modern and clean, the room spacious and we even had a view out into the desert!

It turns out a kasbah is a traditional fortress or citadel (they range in size from small like ours to large ones in bigger cities) and used to be inhabited by the local leaders of an area.

Our entire kasbah was decorated in typical Moroccan decor – think a multitude of colours and tiles in so many wonderful designs your eyes don’t really know where to look first.

I never can get over the sheer amount of detailing that goes into every piece of places like this (almost a bigger version of a riad, a traditional Moroccan home and a popular choice especially in Marrakech) from the lights to the cushioning and couches which are often impeccably stitched.

Dinner was at the kasbah itself since there was pretty much nothing around as an alternative and the food is quite standard – I believe I had a chicken tagine here as I often did the entire time I was in the country since its usually a safe and tasty bet.

We were here for a day in between leaving Fes and embarking upon our journey to the Sahara Desert.

If you venture to this area/the High Atlas mountains try and spent an evening in a kasbah for a really unique experience!

If you’re coming to/from Marrakech you’ll see sites like these on the way!