[KASBAH TAMADOT, MOROCCO] — Pulling out of the crazy busy dark corners of Medina of Marrakesh, the sky suddenly opens up. Endless palm trees paint the sky like clouds. Vast estates with long pink mud walls line the highway for miles. And that’s when you first see them, the Atlas Mountains, snow capped even in the 80 degree spring heat. Beckoning from a distance to come up to the cool crisp air. Soon the road thins out, the estates give way to small hamlets, dirt orange mud-walled buildings stacked like books up the hills. Traveling fast in the air-conditioned wifi-enabled van, I spy an old man on a donkey pulling livestock like it was a Christmas Card, which is kinda jarring when you’re in a
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[LISBON] — Coming back through Lisbon on the flipflop back to the airport, got to spend a night at the Lapa Palace, a fancy Old School hotel in the Lapa District, the Embassy quarter high above Lisbon. Best part about the hotel is the expansive grounds and pool stepped below the rooms overlooking the city. It is movie-quality, like a CIA meet up place or where they’d film an Embassy party in a spy film. Very cool. And great to come back for a dip after traipsing all over the hills of Lisbon. They were very friendly, even though I had to jostle rooms so I could stay an extra night on the cool coast. But still, they upgraded me to a suite for some
(Costa Careyes, Mexico) — High above a nearly deserted coastline, Costa Careyes is a remarkable compound of a couple dozen villas (each with their own architectural theme), casitas and small hotel. Owned by a one-eyed Italian count and designed by an Italian architect, this place looks like a bizarre movie set — think Planet of the Apes (in a good way) combined five star luxury and you get it. Really cool designs tucked into every square inch. Most of the living areas are outdoors, under thatched roofs and no windows. An incredible attentive staff looks after your every need. We stayed in Altiplano, but took a tour of several other of their properties, including a stunning rooftop house with a 180 degree pool that surrounds