Chellah, Morocco

I often wonder what it is that makes sultan after emperor after king build their towns on the very same spot. I pondered this thought while walking through the remnant layers of Chellah, once a Phonecian village, a Roman town, an Almohad necropolis, Merinid complex and now... tourist garden. This is one of those magical sites that keep drawing people back. It's location (once upon a time) on the banks of the Bou Regreg river would certainly have been a plus, but there is no view to write home about and the slope couldn't have been easy to build on. And yet, as you walk among the ruins, topped by the nests of the new rulers of Chellah (the storks), there is some powerful energy that captivates the soul.

Otranto, Italy

Otranto marks the very tip of the heel of the Italian boot. The Adriatic and Ionian seas meet against the salty walls of the town giving it the feel of one of those places where the natural elements (location included) have given it more of a history than the residents past. We followed the procession of Christ through the dark streets (it was Easter weekend) as eerie shadows of saints and sinners morphed along the ancient castle walls. My favourite part of the town was the impressive and unconventional mosaiced floor of the church depicting the tree of life and all its weird and wonderful life forms.