Not all souvenirs fit in a suitcase.

Some years ago I spent time teaching sailing around Gibraltar. On more than one occasion I crossed the Strait aboard a 40-foot Beneteau and sailed into Ceuta, on the North African coast.

Crossing the Strait feels peculiar.

Europe behind you. Africa ahead. Wind, currents and traffic all trying to argue with your plans.

You leave one world and arrive in another.

During those trips I acquired a handful of unusual objects.

A coin.

A pocket watch.

A knife.

And a small collection of strange cards connected to a place called the Cercle de Marrakech.

Now before you ask:

Was it a real place?

A private gaming club?

A late-night gathering of charming people making questionable decisions?

Possibly.

I still carry the cards.

Some seem to have stories attached to them.

Some seem to have lessons.

And some have a habit of creating trouble.

If you ever see me performing and spot one, ask.

You may receive temporary membership.

You may be invited to Salon XVI.

Or you may discover that luck and choice have rather more in common than people think.

Le Hasard Récompense L’Instinct
Chance rewards instinct.