The Schengen Zone

 

I am returning to Morocco.  I left my bicycle in England with friends.  I'll be headed there at the end of December to pick it up.  I'll pack it up and fly to Marrakech.  Then make my way north towards Tangier and a ferry back to Europe.  Louise found a person renting their home in a town called Céret in the south of France near the Pyrenees and the Spanish border.  We'll be there for three months.

The Schengen Zone is something that just cropped up.  I was unaware of it up to now.  It is an area of several European Union countries that allow 90 day visas.  The rule is that a person can stay in this zone for a maximum of 90 days in 180.  After a full 90 days ne has to leave the zone for 90 days.

I discovered the Schengen Zone while exploring an extended visa and how to immigrate to France.  I realized that I needed to address this if I wanted to stay out of the US for he winter. I was looking for a place to go for the month of January allowing me another 3 months in France.  I looked at Albania but figured it would be pretty cold and Trump is eyeing it.  In my research I found a flight from Stansted Airport direct to Marrakech.  Stansted is very close to where my bike is and the airline takes bikes as long as they are disassembled and in a bag or box.  Stansted is also near Cambridge which has several bike shops and a train going directly to the airport.  So the plan is to repeat what I did before and ferry from Tangier to France or simply cross over to Spain, pack up the bike and go by train.

Other plans are to sell my house in Maine and move to France.  I have had nothing but problems renting the house out in the winter.  Students ruined my driveway and left the heat off freezing my plumbing.  I was furious and did not return their security deposit and one of them has told his father who is some kind of "karen" and says he's taking me to small claims court.  This is the final time I rent to students from the MMA.  Even Airbnb has been difficult this year. Really just one person who panicked when she saw a  few bugs.  I implored her to leave and refunded her her money.  There have been several cancellations from people from Canada and Europe.

On another note I exhibited some of my photos at the Library in Bluehill.  There have been some very nice comments and I have actually sold two of my photos.  I am inspired to get back to Morocco and France where there is no shortage of photo opportunities.

It's good to be writing in the blog again.  It has been way to long.