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Andalucía 6/21
  • Laurie Reynolds
  • Laurie Reynolds

Andalucía 6/21

A slow travel trip to three favorite Spanish cities. Read more
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  • Trip start
    June 16, 2021
    Laurie ReynoldsAndalucía 6/21Laurie Reynolds

    Travel Day

    June 15, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C

    We decided to take the plunge and go to Spain soon after the government welcomed vaccinated American tourists back on June 7. Today is travel day, from Champaign to Chicago to Dallas to Madrid. I got up at 3:30 so I could do my elliptical routine. I don’t think I am a superstitious person, but the one time I did not get up early to exercise, our flight was delayed and we had a horrendous travel day. Since then, I have done it no matter what — now that I have an elliptical in the downstairs bedroom, it is much easier. No more 2 am trips to Anytime Fitness!

    Somehow I booked our flights with a 5 hour layover in Chicago and a 50 minute connection time in Dallas. I tried to change the flight to an earlier one out of Chicago, but was told it would cost $1000 per person. So yesterday, the day before the flight, I tried one more time to plead my case. The agent was very nice, but said she couldn’t do anything. She suggested I talk to her supervisor, and that was the charm!

    So here we are in Dallas, with our short and medium flights done. No hiccups so far, knock on wood. Now comes the long flight in a few hours. There are lots and lots of delays here in Dallas. Not exactly sure why, because the weather is fine. We’ll get there when we get there!

    I have printed out the opening times of Córdoba’s main monuments. Hoping to get to the Mezquita more than once, it is one of the world’s most stunning buildings,. Even though the conquering Spaniards in the 11th century did insert a cathedral in the middle of the mosque, at least they left much intact. I can’t wait!    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsAndalucía 6/21Laurie Reynolds
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    Travel Day number 2!

    June 17, 2021 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    We landed in Madrid at about 9 am Madrid time. It took us no time at all to get through immigration, get the train to the main T4, and then walk through the line where they checked to make sure we had a QR code issued by the Spanish government. This code is given to you online two days before your flight, after you provide the information on your vaccines. No one actually ever checked the vaccination card, so the trust quotient is pretty high. The booth had one of those long snaky lines like they have at airport security, but there were no people there!

    I had thought the train tickets to Córdoba were all sold out, but when I checked in the Renfe office at the airport, they found me two seats not together on a train at 2:30. That gave us another 3 hour wait, but we’re getting used to those. If the weather had been nice, we would have walked through the Retiro for an hour or so, but it was raining. And I just didn’t feel like the Reina Sofia, which we had visited on our last Madrid trip. So we took the Cercanías to Atocha and sat outside under a cover and drank café con leche!

    By 5 we were in our hotel, which is a nice, small place in an old building, Eurostars Azahar. Joe took a nap and I went to the elliptical, and then took a stroll around town to get my bearings. I went past the Hotel Seneca, where I stayed when walking the Mozárabe in 2019, and made my way down to the mezquita. What a beautiful little city.

    We had dinner in Taberna Góngora close to the hotel. Salmorejo was YUMMY (Córdoba’s version of gazpacho, a little creamier and with jamón serrano). Green asparague grilled and eggplant with honey for the finale. Now after 26 hours of travel I am ready to go to bed!    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsAndalucía 6/21Laurie Reynolds
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    Gobsmacked once again

    June 18, 2021 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    When you start your day with an early morning walk through the ancient Judería, then walk along the river and across the Roman bridge, and then saunter around the mosque while your better half sleeps, it is a pretty good omen. We had a late breakfast in the hotel and then just waltzed into the Mezquita/Mosque and punched three buttons on a machine and out popped our tickets. No lines, no hoards, no big groups, it was wonderful.

    The information I’ve read describes this as the greatest mosque in the world, and if that’s hyperbolic it’s not by much. Not that I’ve seen many, but I can’t imagine it could get much better. It was built in the 8th century on top of a visigothic cathedral, which was probably on top of a Roman temple. Now the mosque has a Catholic Cathedral plopped into the middle of it. What’s surprising, I guess, is not that the Christians added on a cathedral, but that they left the mosque untouched for three centuries. Apparently, they could resist no more, and hence the appearance of a 16th C Baroque altar, choirstalls, and cupolas. I was surprised to read that the local people and the municipal government begged the religious authorities to leave it untouched, but to no avail. But all of humanity is extremely lucky that the conquering Christians did not destroy this site.

    Next stop, the Royal Alcázar, the home of Ferdinand and Isabelle when they were in residence, and apparently where Columbus’ trip was organized and agreed upon. Also where a lot of the Inquisition was put into place. The main attraction is the huge and beautiful garden, with many fountains and pools.

    We had lunch in a Sephardic restaurant recommended by a dear camino friend. Several small plates were all we needed, it was great.

    On the way back to the hotel, we stopped in the small but very nice Arqueological Museum, built on top of the excavations ongoing on the Roman theater below. The mix of cultures and regimes is just there out in the open for you to enjoy every time you turn around. It is a really beautiful city.

    The temperature hit a high of 77 today, much cooler than we ever expected. Warming a bit in the next few days, but nothing really hot till we get to Granada next week.

    We’ve fallen into the routine from earlier trips. Late breakfast, mid afternoon nap/exercise and then dinner later. We are eating outside, in small plazas, in various recommended places. The Spanish meal times work very well for us, because dinner starts no earlier than 8 or 8:30. It is working well so far, knock on wood!

    PS, and for my Camino friends, there is a Santiago Matamoros!    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsAndalucía 6/21Laurie Reynolds

    To Medina Azahara

    June 19, 2021 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    Late breakfast, as usual, with a taxi ride out to Medina Azahara soon after. Yes, I am getting soft. We could have taken a bus to about a half kilometer from the site, but we splurged. This 10th century town in ruins was the residence of the caliph for about 70 years, until warring factions disputing his succession destroyed the entire place. It seems that moving the royal headquarters 6 km out of the capital city was not such a smart idea after all, because all the intrigue and skullduggery was easier to implement with the boss out of sight. It must have been an impressive place, though, with a lot of multi-arched buildings all interconnected through a maze of halls and tunnels— all to impress and overwhelm the emissaries from other kingdoms. I guess it worked with the foreigners, but the take-down came from within the caliphate in the 11th C. At least that’s my understanding. And then Fernando el Santo completed the final conquest in 1236. Great museum and video to get you acclimated before heading into the site. We very much enjoyed wandering all over, though Joe was usually holding onto my arm for extra balance. But no mishaps!

    A huge part of the fun in a city like this is walking through ancient narrow twisty streets, seeing the beautiful flowers and patios, and coming unexpectedly on a plaza with cafés and fountains. We have done our share of that these first two days — Spain really knows how to do life.

    We have been so lucky with the weather — I couldn’t believe we had to put on our fleeces both last night and this morning. Highs in the 70s or low 80s, when it is usually about 20 degrees hotter. It would not have been fun to walk all over the excavations in that kind of weather.

    We are eating all our meals outside and wearing our N95 masks. This part of Spain has had a big covid burst, but the vaccination rates are extremely high and they are vaccinating people in their 20s and 30s now. Hospitals are not full and death rates are low, so that’s all good.

    Tomorrow is our last day in Córdoba and we have a couple of good meals planned, so I’d better find some destinations for us to walk to and skip the taxis.    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsAndalucía 6/21Laurie Reynolds
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    4Ps - Palace, Patios, Plazas and Parks

    June 20, 2021 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    This was not a day of 5***** attractions, but in slow travel mode, you always need an extra day in case you would otherwise miss something you wanted to see. And that uaually leaves lots of time for wandering and watching the world go by.

    Today we started at the Palace of the Marqués de Viana, a mumble jumble palace inhabited from the 15-19 century, with a beautiful ring of adjacent patios around it. After that, we just meandered, sitting occasionally in a little café in a neighborhood, or in a park (Córdoba has a lot of parks). And one big ice cream in the beautiful Plaza Tendillas. But we weren’t always sitting — my phone tells me we walked 5 miles. I found a few churches that could claim some romanesque-like features, but since the Moors were in charge till 1326, most of the post-Reconquest construction is gothic forward.

    Tonight one last good meal in a spot that had no reservations till Sunday when the hotel called on Thursday. So it sounds like a good last night spot. Tomorrow we have a 10 am train to Granada,    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsAndalucía 6/21Laurie Reynolds
    712

    Travel Day to Granada

    June 21, 2021 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    A short two hour train ride through olive groves. Oh, the nostalgia, I always love walking through olive groves when on camino. Some people find them boring, but I just love them. Riding on a train through olive groves just isn’t the same. I couldn’t even do my normal loud camino rendition of Andaluces de Jaén, a song by Paco Ibañez of a slightly subversive poem by Miguel Hernández. I love it and sing it every time I walk in an olive grove!

    It was a nice walk down promenades from the train station to our hotel, which is on the Gran Vía. It’s in the Renaissance monastery of Santa Paula. Great location, very comfortable. Good fitness center. :-) The reception guy was very nice and put us in a room in the old part overlooking the courtyard. When I told him it was great except for the step up to the bathroom (night-time fall alert went off), he put us in an even nicer little suite with a similar view. No complaints.

    Joe decided to nap on arrival, since he hadn’t been able to sleep in till his normal decadent wake-up time. And his stomach was a bit off. So I went to exercise and walk around a bit. I thought that Fanta de Limón would be just the thing for an upset stomach, and once again I was transported back to the camino. It’s my favorite post-walking refreshment, nowhere near as sweet as US soft drinks.

    After a quick lunch, we walked up to the Mirador San Nicolás, the iconic viewing spot in the Albaicin (moorish quarter) back over the Alhambra. Dinner in the hotel, nothing great, but it’s convenient. Temps are still ridiculously low, and the sun is brilliant. So lucky.    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsAndalucía 6/21Laurie Reynolds

    Museum Day

    June 22, 2021 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    We spent most of the day in two different parts of town. First, the Albaicin, where we visited the Inquisition Museum (let’s just say the guillotine was the most humane thing I saw-truly shocking). Much more enjoyable were the Moorish baths, a morisco house ( 13 th century house of a convert to Christianity) and the Archaeological Museum. Even after reading a detailed explanation, I still don’t understand how a 13th century Muslim astrolabe could have announced the times of prayer, the start of Ramadan, as well as indicate the direction for the faithful to pray.

    Lunch in an outdoor cafe with views over to the Alhambra. It never gets old.

    Post-nap time was spent in the area near the Cathedral. It’s not one of my favorite cathedrals in Spain by a long shot, and the ticket office was closed when we got there anyway. It was much more fun to watch the several demonstrations going on near the Town hall. One had to do with domestic violence, and the other was some very confusing protest against the church. Very loud but very peaceful.

    Alhambra tomorrow!!!!    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsAndalucía 6/21Laurie Reynolds
    3
    11

    La Etapa Reina

    June 23, 2021 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    On every camino, there is the Etapa Reina, the jewel stage of the route. Though I’m not walking, there’s no doubt that the Alhambra is just that.

    We took a little bus up at about 9, and got right in. Six and a half hours later we were on our way out, walking back to town on the shady pedestrian path with babbling water never far away. I had brought some fruit and yoghurt in my bag, but as we were eating breakfast in a cafe, the grandma brought out some freshly made empanadas. Tuna with sun-dried tomatoes. I brought two along and we found a beautiful (if not totally legal) picnic spot in the gardens.

    There are four separate sections and to enter each one you have to show your passport. At the entrance to the Generalife (summer palace), I witnessed Spanish bureaucracy at its finest. Two young people, from Hungary I think, got up to the gate. Each one has a passport and a ticket in hand. But oh no, the bureaucrat says— both tickets say “Ella Blabla” but only one of the passports has that name. Ella spoke up —I guess I put my name on both tickets when I bought them online, but you can see that the passport numbers correspond to the two of us. Oh but I’m sorry, says the guard, this is impossible. So after a few minutes back and forth, finally the guard calls his superior and explains the whole thing two or three times with much emotion and consternation. The line gets longer and longer. Finally, just as we always knew would happen, the guard waves his arm in a huge arc and says—pasen Uds. I love Spain!

    Rather than describe the many incredibly beautiful rooms, patios, and gardens, I’ll just add some pictures. And a popular refrain — Give alms to the beggar, sir, for there is no pain worse than being blind in Granada.    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsAndalucía 6/21Laurie Reynolds
    222

    Last Day in Granada

    June 24, 2021 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    We took a local bus up to the Cartuja Monastery, with its overabundant, over-the-top roccoco church and chapel. One Spanish architecture professor is reputed to have described it as a “motionless architectural earthquake.” Pretty good. The information I read suggests that perhaps the order wanted to outdo the Alhambra. I don’t know anything about the Carthusian order, but I do know that the Camino Francés also has a Monasterio Cartujo - de Miraflores in Burgos.

    The monastery used to be on the outskirts of town, but now the University of Granada has a whole modern campus up there. It was fun to walk around. Back downtown in early afternoon, we decided to go to the Capilla Real to see where Fernando and Isabel are buried. I hadn’t remembered the anecdote about the very elaborate statuary showing them lying in state up on the floor above the alleged tombs. Her head sinks more deeply into the pillow than his, perhaps a nod to her superior intellect and “heavier brain.” Who knows.

    We won’t leave Granada without one more trip up to the Albaicín (moorish quarter) to see the Alhambra from afar in the late afternoon sun. And one more dinner in one more lovely little plaza somewhere. The food has not been great, but totally fine. I would take mediocre food in such a gorgeous setting anyday!

    Bus to Málaga tomorrow!

    Note to self: Make sure husband’s cap is affixed to his head. But hey, he walked 7 miles today!    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsAndalucía 6/21Laurie Reynolds
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    1

    Took the bus to Malaga

    June 25, 2021 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    It is only a two hour bus ride to Malaga from Granada, and our bus was at noon, so we had time to go back to our favorite breakfast place. Half a short baguette each with crushed tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, and avocado. Avocado toast meets pan con tomate. Delicious.

    The bus ride was not very scenic, but it was quick. Our hotel is on a pedestrian street exactly across from the Santiago church. It must be an omen. One of these years I will walk from Malaga—it’s a branch of the Camino Mozárabe, which is a great camino— in spring only, though!

    We had lunch at a very popular place —Pimpi— with a view over the Roman theater, with the moorish fortress above it.

    The weather continues to be perfect.    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsAndalucía 6/21Laurie Reynolds
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    Good day in Malaga

    June 26, 2021 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 21 °C

    While Joe slept in, I had time to buy some of the required stuff — olive oil, smoked paprika, and Manchego cheese. The huge municipal market is thrivng, in spite of the chain supermarkets not far away. It has a pretty impressive 14th century door that used to be part of a Moorish home. The old part of Málaga is really charming!

    After another café breakfast (this will be a part of the day I will dearly miss), we headed out to the airport for our pre-return Covid test. Everyone entering the US must have a negative test result from within three days of departure. We probably could have gotten a test in town, but I made the reservation for this test soon after Spain opened up for us, and I thought it would probably be less risky than finding some random lab somewhere in town. At the airport, the line for the test snaked around the airport, but a second window for those with reservations had no line, and that was our window! They did one of those painful nose swabs, which I have never had. Though I’ve probably had more than 200 covid tests, they have all been saliva, and I am now very thankful of that! We will get our results tomorrow, fingers crossed!

    Walking around town we saw the beautiful old customs building with a museum inside, so in we went. After lunch, Joe went to nap, and I headed up to the castle, which overlooks the Moorish fortress, which overlooks the Roman theater. The views from way up there were very nice.

    Our best meal so far in Malaga —La Barra de Zapata.    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsAndalucía 6/21Laurie Reynolds
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    2

    Moors, Romans, and almost Picasso

    June 27, 2021 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    I did a quick walk up to the top of the hill again, to see things in the morning light. Then back to the hotel to pick up Joe. We had the best coffee of our trip so far. Then we headed up to the 13C Moorish Alcazaba. Not as spectacular as the Alhambra, but we enjoyed it a lot. Lots of those beautiful horseshoe arches and patios full of water and flowers, all hidden behind austere walls.

    The Roman theater was next and even though you can see most of it from the adjacent plaza, how can you pass up a chance to climb around a Roman theater?

    Lunch was a repeat visit to the really refreshing Avo. It’s a restaurant run by two young Germans (?) and their food is fresh and good.

    We had planned to go to the Picasso museum after lunch, but saw a huge line and learned that it’s free admission on Sunday afternoons. Luckily it’s open on Monday, so that will give us something to do on our last day.

    So plan B was a long walk along the quay and then along the beach. Late (for us) dinner at Gusto for good pizza. And jump for joy — our Covid tests came back negative so we can return home as planned.    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsAndalucía 6/21Laurie Reynolds
    4

    Last Day in Spain

    June 28, 2021 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    Another early morning walk. The city was still sleeping on Monday morning. As was Joe. But I made it back up the hill to the castle for my last views down on the city and the Alcazaba.

    There were only two things on the agenda. Picasso museum snd grandkids t-shirts. Why didn’t I get them earlier? Many of the touristy souvenir shops seem to be closed.

    Today is really the first hot day we’ve had. High in lower 90s. Till now, nights and early mornings have been sweater weather, so we are very grateful. I think our laziness today is a combination of heat and tourism saturation. Between 11 and 5 we spent a total of about three and a half hours sitting in different cafes!

    The Picasso museum is in a beautiful old residence and everything is very nicely displayed. Our guidebook says it houses all of Picasso’s “unsaleable stuff.” I thought anything by Picasso would be sale-able. I especially liked his sculpture of a warrior’s head —it reminded me of a 700 BC Phoenician helmet I had seen in the Malaga Museum.

    I am tired of restaurants. Home tomorrow. Usually I don’t write anything about our travel day home, but I know some of my friends are very interested to see how re-entry to the US goes. Going through immigration in Chicago is usually unpleasant even without Covid. So I don’t have much hope for a painless process.    Read more

  • Laurie ReynoldsAndalucía 6/21Laurie Reynolds

    Made it to O’Hare

    June 29, 2021 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    I am not really sure how the airlines allow people to buy a ticket with a 50 minute connection between our arrival into Madrid from Málaga and our flight out of Madrid to Chicago. Get off the plane, get to the train to get out to the international terminal, get off the train, go through Immigration, get to your gate. It was a bit much. I am definitely going to pay attention to my connection times more in the future, especially now that I sit here in O’Hare with a four hour layover!

    I think part of the problem with my bad connections is the reduced flight schedule, though things are definitely picking up. O’Hare is mobbed, seems like it is back to normal. But the Iberia flight was only about 20% full, I would guess.

    At several points along the way today, we were asked to show our covid test results or sign an affirmation that we had been vaccinated and/or had taken a covid test. Because the numbers of international travelers are so low, there wasn’t much of a wait at O’Hare — in fact, it was the quickest trip through immigration I can remember. They have removed all of the many touch screen automated immigration machines, though, maybe because of covid. So if numbers pick up, the waits could get much longer.

    So ends our trip to Spain. If you are vaccinated and want to go to Spain, my advice is to GO if you are vaccinated. No hassles getting in, just fill out a form with your vaccination data. Coming back home, you need a covid test, but there are many places to do it and it is quite easily arranged, There were a few things closed because of covid, but the absence of the group tour buses really makes being a tourist much more fun.

    I’m glad to be going home, but I have to admit I am starting to dream about the next trip!    Read more

    Trip end
    June 30, 2021
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