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Andalucia, Spain
  • Ladyandtramp
jan. – mar. 2024

Andalucia, Spain

The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.
— Saint Augustine Les mer
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  • LadyandtrampAndalucia, SpainLadyandtramp
    3One of the many courtyards.
    The front of the palaceColourful gardensLook at the detail!The grand stairway with tapestries, paintings, tiles, and an incredible ceiling1A room full of posters, many of them bullfighting posters.The tackroomA room full of her fun activites, including flamenca on a small stage

    A Visit to a Palace in Seville

    23. februar 2024, Spania ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C

    During Spain’s “Golden Age” in the 15th Century, when Seville was the richest city in the Kingdom, several beautiful palaces were built including the place that we visited today - the Palacio de las Dueñas. It was the favourite home of Cayetana, the late Duchess of Alba.

    Cayetana was a flamboyant bohemian, a glamorous member of Spain’s aristocracy, and said to have been one of the wealthiest and most titled people in Europe. She was loved by Spaniards. She would walk barefoot, dance in the street and she enjoyed the good life.

    In 2014, following her death, her son Carlos Fitz-James Stuart, 19th Duke of Alba, opened the palace to the public. Visitors can see the ground floor and go up part of the grand staircase but the upstairs part is still a private family residence.

    Last night, we booked seniors’ tickets to visit the palace with an audio guide (through the Get Your Guide website) with hopes that at 10 a.m., it wasn’t going to be full of big groups of tourists on tours. The palace is a short walk away from our hotel.

    We entered the city-centre estate through a garden, with paths made of the typical ochre-coloured sand (quarried locally) called albero. That was also the sand used in Jerez’ horse ring and it’s the traditional colour of bullrings too.

    The first part of the tour, took us through several beautiful gardens and patios. Apparently in the Spring, the gardens are full of colour. Right now, we could see tiny blossoms just starting to come out on many of the trees.

    We could hardly wait to go inside this beautiful building. Home to a large collection of artwork, the palace houses over 1425 pieces of art, including paintings, tapestries, sculptures, and more. This artwork is protected under the Andalusian Law which strictly prohibits its sale. Our audioguide did a very good job of explaining what we were seeing.

    The palace also has a great collection of antique furniture, artifacts, and ceramics. These items on display and add to the luxurious feeling of the palace. In several rooms, there are framed photos of the family with some of the famous visitors that visited the Duchess, like Jacqueline Kennedy, Grace Kelly, Cole Porter, Edward VIII, Salvador Dalí and Picasso, etc.

    It is a definitely a romantic place, a palace that is very ‘Sevillian’ with its many gardens, the paintings and its warm colors.

    A tour of this palace gave us a major insight into the lives of the people who lived here and how they lived.

    We finished walking around just as the big tour groups entered with their group leaders trying to keep order while trying to keep people moving. We are happy that we were on our own.    Les mer

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  • LadyandtrampAndalucia, SpainLadyandtramp
    1Captain Rob's Spanish brother!
    Remains of San Jorge's castleTrianaThe catamaranTriana bridgeTrianaBullringThe accurate replica of one of Magellan's boatsThe Torre de Oro, Gold Tower1

    Along Seville's River

    24. februar 2024, Spania ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    We were tired of the busyness in the city so we thought it would be nice to walk along the banks of a branch of the Guadalquivir river that flows through Seville. We read that there may be an arts and crafts market along the walkway so we thought that we would look for it.

    The Guadalquivir is the second-longest (650 km) river in Spain and is the only major navigable river in Spain. Currently it is navigable from Seville to the Gulf of Cádiz, but in Roman times it was navigable from Córdoba.

    We crossed the river on a famous landmark, the Triana Bridge, also known as Puente de Isabel II. It’s the oldest bridge in Seville and was constructed in 1852. This bridge is seen in many photographs and postcards of Seville with its famous circle design along the bottom. There are 180 circles in total. Before this bridge was built, people got to the other side of the river by crossing a bridge created by a series of boats tied together.

    The colourful neighbourhood on the other side of the river is called Tirana. There is an old fort there and a market with seafood, vegetables and fruit.

    We enjoyed looking across the river and watching the different kinds of boats that went by. Rowing teams were practicing their skulling skills on the river. Standup boarders and kayakers passed by. But there were also tour boats that transported tourists up and down the river while pointing out different landmarks. Earlier, we had wanted to book a spot on one of these boats but then decided against it.

    We walked up the river and noticed a sign for an inexpensive one hour boat ride on a catamaran. We talked to Captain Miguel and he had room for two more and was leaving in 15 minutes. So we boarded. It was a cool but a lovely sunny day. Just right for a relaxing boat ride away from the crowds.

    The river has an interesting history. The first around the world trip started from Seville!

    In 1519, Fernando de Magellan set sail with five ships and 265 men, down the river and from there to the open sea to circumnavigate the Earth. The adventure lasted 3 years, from 1519 until the return of the only surviving vessel, the Victoria. It entered the harbour of Sanlúcar the 6th of September of 1522, with only 18 crew members that were in terrible shape after such a long voyage. Close to the San Telmo bridge, you can see the armillary sphere that commemorates the zero mile of this journey.

    The Torre del Oro, tower of gold, one of the emblematic monuments of Seville, also has a history linked to the river. It is a defensive tower located on the left bank of the Guadalquivir of Arab origin. Tradition has it that a thick chain over the river linked it to another tower located on the other side of the river, thus preventing the passage of enemy ships.

    Next to the tower is a museum where you can learn about what was involved in preparing for Magellan’s trip. A life-sized replica of the Nao Victoria 500 ship that made it back to Spain can be visited. This replica was started in 2004 and it took another trip around the globe starting from Seville. Up to 26,894 miles were covered during 2004 to 2006 visiting 17 countries. Maybe we will have a chance to see it…

    Vespucci and Columbus also started their trips started from Seville.

    Anyways, we enjoyed our boat trip and then walked along the opposite shore back to our hotel. We enjoyed seeing runners, walkers, bikers and skateboarders doing their thing as well as picnickers, readers and sunbathers on the side of the river. There was a lot of space to play so we never felt crowded.

    Stopping in at our favourite tapas bar, Las Columba’s, was a perfect way to end our outing. The food is so good and reasonably priced. Muy rico!

    P.S. When we had our first breakfast at the hotel, we met a retired German couple who have been travelling in Spain for two months also. They only speak a tiny bit of English but Google translate has helped with our conversations. Since we first met, we have had breakfasts together. They gave us a great breakfast suggestionand shared some of it with us.

    They always carry a bag of fine oatmeal with them, add some cold water to mix it, then a container of natural yogurt, some dried fruit and nuts and a small amount of honey. A very healthy and filling breakfast while travelling. It was good. We immediately went to the local supermarket and picked up some of that oatmeal.    Les mer

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  • LadyandtrampAndalucia, SpainLadyandtramp
    The last phot we took of our meal since the lights went out for the show! The courses weren't skimpy

    Flamenco Show

    25. februar 2024, Spania ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    7 p.m. is too early for Spaniards to eat, but perfect for us to go to a Flamenco Dinner Theatre at the Andaluz Palace.

    Flamenco is a complex art form made up of singing, guitar playing, dance, poetry, hand-clapping and finger snapping. Performers wear colourful costumes and deep emotions are expressed.

    Singing is the most important element of flamenco music. Original Flamenco was comprised purely of singing and handclapping. The songs are passionate, intense, deep and emotional. They are improvised by toe and heel clicking, finger snapping, hand clapping and shouting. It wasn’t until the 19th century that the guitar was added..

    It is thought that today’s flamenco clothes were traditional Andalusian but they actually originated from the Spanish gypsies in the 19th and 20th century. The gypsy women were dressed in black, white and red calico dresses with ruffles. That look was adopted by other women of other classes over time.

    The dancers at times used castanets that were played skillfully. They used fans and wore beautifully embroidered shawls with fringes that they flipped around their bodies as they dance. It doesn’t look easy.

    Flamenco had a Golden Age in which the performance gained popularity and spread from Andalusia to other areas of Spain and the world. It lasted from 1869 until around 1910. Performances started taking place in cafes and people paid to see them.

    The show we went to see was held in a theatre and included dinner and drinks. We had a fantastic candlelit meal while watching the amazing performers sweat due to the energy they expended on stage! It was an excellent evening for us.

    Our menu included -
    Cured cheese slices and Iberian ham to start
    Sprouts salad with soft figs and goat cheese
    Baked salmon with teriyaki sauce and sesame seeds
    Braised Beef with a Pedro Ximénez (P.X.) wine sauce with potato gratin
    Chocolate lava cake with vanilla ice cream and whipping cream
    Water and a bottle of Reserve Rioja red wine and sangria!    Les mer

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  • LadyandtrampAndalucia, SpainLadyandtramp
    1

    Our Night on Mushrooms (whoops)

    25. februar 2024, Spania ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    As mentioned in a previous footprint, we met a German couple in our hotel and every day at breakfast, we compared notes about what we had seen or done the previous day.

    Heike and Johannes live in Germany on Rugen Island in a town called Sellin, and they like to travel. In fact they will be going to Italy in the Fall and staying on a beautiful lake near Venice for a month.

    One night, they went to the Metropol Parasol in Seville, also known as Las Setas. Setas means mushrooms in Spanish and the name refers to the shape of the structure, which resembles a giant cluster of mushrooms. They really enjoyed it and encouraged us to go at night. So we did.

    The Setas is supposedly the largest wooden structure in the world. It is situated in the Plaza de La Encarnación and was constructed between 2006 and 2011.

    The structure, that is 150 m long and 70m wide, is made up of six large parasol-shaped structures, almost 30 meters high. The panels used to create the shape are arranged in a honeycomb-like pattern, which creates a visually stunning effect and provides shade for the area underneath. There are two concrete columns that house the elevators.

    We walked a short distance to the Setas just as the sun was starting to set. Entry to the mirador (viewing area) was controlled but once we got in, we could take the elevator to the top and stay as long as we wanted.

    We found it hard to believe that the structure was made of wood. Chris checked it out. It looked and felt like concrete. But it wasn’t. Apparently 3,500 pieces of Finnish pine was used in its construction and 16 million screws. A polyurethane covering was put over the wood to protect it from the weather.

    At the top, we walked on a 250m long ramp to the panoramic platform that offered great 360 degree views of the city. It was fun looking for the various places we had visited during our stay. As the sun started to set and the city darkened, lights came on on the buildings and the sky turned a pale pink. People come here to take photos of the sunsets.

    At 8 pm, a gentle light and sound show began, with LED lights bathing the Setas in ever changing waves of color. So pretty and calm. A huge contrast to last nights energy at the Flamenco show. Lol.

    When we had seen enough, we had the option of watching a 15 minute film called “Feeling Seville” that encapsulated what Seville had to offer. It was an excellent film but we not able to film any part of it or take photos. I was able to find it on Utube though…

    On our way back to the hotel, we saw a large group of students dancing and singing. A street musician was playing his guitar and the kids were having a ball singing with him. It was nice to see the freedom that they had while accompanying the singer.    Les mer

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  • LadyandtrampAndalucia, SpainLadyandtramp
    So sunny!The tiled bench areasOne of two towers - "the thumbs of the hug"Maria Luisa ParkRoyal Tobacvo Factory (snuff)Moat around an old tobacco factory that turned into the universityOn our walk home. The buildings are something else.A plazaFountains

    Plaza de España

    26. februar 2024, Spania ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C

    We knew that we wanted to see Plaza de Espana and the adjoining Maria Louisa Park and today seemed to be the right day to visit them. It was a bit of a hike through the city but a good way to burn off some of the calories from last night’s flamenco show dinner.

    Plaza de España was created for the Ibero-American Exposition of 1929. It was held to welcome the former colonies of Spain, which means most of South America, and even Portugal and the United States were invited.

    The square is in the shape of a half-circle, which represented arms in a hug or a sign of welcome. The expo was welcoming the former colonies back to Spain.

    Unfortunately, this expo wasn’t the biggest success. Travelling wasn’t easy at that time and those countries weren’t particularly happy to be ‘colonies’ of Spain.

    There are 48 tiled benches on this square, one for each of the provinces of Spain.
    It’s in alphabetic order and starts on the left with ‘Alava’ and ends with ‘Zaragoza’ on the right. In 1929 there were 49 provinces (now 52), but Sevilla is not represented. On every bench you can see a map of the province, a important moment in history for that province painted by a painter from that province and the Province’s coat of arms.

    It is an impressive and massive building and anyone coming to Seville should visit it. Around the square is a moat. You can rent rowboats and peacefully row in the moat.

    We walked around while listening to musicians playing relaxing music. In one spot flamenco dancers and singers were performing.

    Maria Louisa Park is a historical garden created in 1850 and part of it was donated to the city in 1893. It is 34 acres and filled with flowering plants, ponds, bridges and sculptures. The ducks, swans, doves and parakeets aren’t afraid of people. I guess because people feed them.

    We can see why people have recommended this area to us, with a smile. It is a great place to visit on a sunny day, and for us today it was a very visual 11 km walk, there and back.

    On the way back to the hotel we passed the old Royal Tobacco Factory that is now the university building. At the time it was built in 1758, it was the second largest building in Spain. The factory was employed a thousand men, two hundred horses, and had 170 "mills". It also has a moat and watchtowers! Apparently, this is evidence of the importance given to protecting the King's tobacco monopoly, which at the time manufactured of all of Europe's cigars.    Les mer

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  • LadyandtrampAndalucia, SpainLadyandtramp
    See the person in red? The monument is huge.
    Homeless person setting up house under the bridgeDavid Bowie graffiti artI borrowed a photo without the shadow on his face.

    The Columbus Egg

    27. februar 2024, Spania ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    Today is our last full day in Seville. This morning, I just want to take it easy and do a little planning for City #13, Cordoba, on our Southern Spain trip. We bought our train tickets from Seville to Cordoba and booked a tour at the Mosque Cathedral. We will only be there for 3 nights before heading to Madrid.

    While I am checking things out, Chris took a 8 km walk along the river bank to see the huge ‘Columbus’ Egg’ (Nacimiento del Hombre Nuevo).

    The walk to the monument is a pleasant walk for those who love the fresh air and a bit of exercise. That’s definitely Chris!

    The 500 ton bronze, egg-shaped sculpture is 45 metres high and holds a 35 metre figure of Columbus within it. A Georgian born Russian artist Zurab Tsereteli created it and it was a gift from the city of Moscow to the city of Seville in 1992 on the occasion of the 500th anniversary of the arrival of Columbus in the Caribbean in 1492.

    To transport the monument to its current location, it was first taken by boat to a port in Northern Spain and then by road to Seville. Seven trailers and an additional two special transport trucks were needed to transport the large pieces to its destination.

    Columbus is holding a map of the ocean in his hands, which also shows the three caravels that accompanied him on his first expedition to America: ‘La Niña’, ‘La Pinta’ and the ‘La Santa María’.    Les mer

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  • LadyandtrampAndalucia, SpainLadyandtramp
    The Roman bridge
    The Calahoura TowerSurgeons instrumentsWater wheelSaint Rafael statue on the bridgeThe giant water wheel up close.

    Cordoba’s Calahorra Tower & Roman Bridge

    28. feb.–2. mar. 2024, Spania ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    Cordoba is only a one hour train ride through farmland from Seville. We caught the 12:18 pm train and were in our hotel room, Hesperia Cordoba, by 2 pm. Easy peasy. The train was full with people going to Cordoba and Malaga for a little holiday, as it is Andalusia Day.

    Our hotel, Hesperia, is in a great spot and the view of the river and the Mosque/Cathedral, that we have from our room is beautiful. It’s a 5 minute walk over a 1st century Roman bridge to the historical centre.

    It was a gorgeous Spring day when we arrived so as soon as we dropped off our bags, we headed to the bridge. But first, we stopped in at the Calahorra Tower. Due to the holiday, the entry fee was waived.

    The tower’s fascinating museum really brought 10th century Cordoba to life. Muslims, Jews, and Christians all lived peacefully side by side in this city, freely sharing spirituality and learning with each other. Wouldn’t it be nice if the modern world could live like that?

    The museum has a collection of detailed miniature models that do a great job to help visitors visualize what life was like in the city way back when. In one room, there are scale models of both the original Mezquita Catédral and the Alcazar de los Reyes Cristianos. It was a good intro prior to our upcoming tour of the Mosque.

    The bridge was first built in the 1st century A.D., but has been rebuilt many times since then, and in its present form dates mainly from the Medieval era. It is 247m long and has sixteen arches, four of which are pointed and the rest semi-circular. For 2,000 years, it was the only bridge that crossed the river.

    Halfway along the railing on one side is a 16th century statue of San Rafael, the patron saint of Cordoba. Apparently, in 1578, the Archangel San Rafael appeared to a priest and swore that he would protect the city and its inhabitants. Now, people light candles and place flowers at its base.

    It was a pleasant walk on the bridge with musicians playing and vendors selling trinkets.

    We returned to the hotel and sat on the rooftop mirador with a cup of tea as the sun set.
    We think that we are really going to enjoy this city.    Les mer

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  • LadyandtrampAndalucia, SpainLadyandtramp
    The old call to prayer tower is withing this catholic tower.

    Mezquita Mosque-Cathedral

    29. februar 2024, Spania ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    The main tourist attraction in Cordoba is without doubt the Mezquita Mosque-Cathedral – one of the world’s greatest works of Islamic architecture and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Our cottage friends Karen and Rob raved about its beauty and architecture. This was a place that we weren’t going to miss seeing while in Cordoba!

    We booked a guided tour a few weeks ago (to guarantee that we got spots) and meet our guide at 4 pm. A good time to go.

    The Mesquita’s construction began in the 8th century – Architects were brought all the way from Syria to create the original mosque. The building is mammoth and we couldn’t help but stand in awe as we admired the 850 granite and marble columns and the red and white arches above them that were built to point the way to heaven. The original prayer hall could hold up to 5,000 worshipers. Over the next two centuries, the mosque would grow to four times its original size.

    Words will not do justice to what we saw. Neither will our photos. You have to see it to believe what you are seeing. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the 12 Treasures of Spain. It is also one of the best examples of Islamic architecture in Spain.

    In 1236, Cordoba finally fell to the Christian forces of Ferdinand III of Castile and 300 hundred years later, a Cathedral was built into the ancient Mesquita’s centre. It was surprising to see this glittering, ornate church within the mosque. The cathedral was built with the permission of King Carlos I who famously regretted the result, saying: “You have destroyed something that was unique in the world”.

    What an extraordinary building!    Les mer

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  • LadyandtrampAndalucia, SpainLadyandtramp
    Ancient Leather devorating art
    More leather art2Rabo de Toro (Bull Tail)Andalusia Bike RaceMoatSo many people smoke here!

    A Cordoba Walkabout

    1. mars 2024, Spania ⋅ ☀️ 8 °C

    Cordoba is located on the same river, the Guadalquivir, as Seville is but further upstream. At one time ships could come all the way to Cordoba from the Atlantic, but due to silting the river has become unnavigable now.

    It has a long Roman and Moorish past and was chosen as the regional capital for both empires. During the Dark Ages, when most of Europe was barbaric and illiterate, Cordoba was a “haven of enlightened thought - famous for religious tolerance, artistic expression and dedication to philosophy and the sciences.”

    We really enjoyed exploring the old city. Most of the sights are nearby, just across the river from our hotel, so we easily were able to put 11 km on our pedometer. The day was gorgeous with blue skies and full sunshine.

    We wandered through the Jewish Quarter, passed the Calleja de las Flores (Flower Lane), saw the city walls from the 12th Century and statues honouring Cordobas great thinkers, and lots of patios and gardens. Of course, there were lots of tour and student groups but it was easy to avoid them.

    A treat for us was finding the tiny free museum/art gallery called Casa-Museo del Guadamecí Omeya. The museum features five rooms with gorgeous leather items, as well as tools and information regarding the ancient art of decorating leather called Guadamecí. Only one man in the world knows how to do it. His display inside was mind boggling especially after we watched the video of the painstakingly time-consuming process. We weren’t allowed to take photos but I did find a couple online.

    http://snobb.net/2021/05/the-classic-art-of-cor…

    We found a great tapas bar close to our hotel called Miguelito’s and ate there a couple of times. We wanted to try some of the regional food without prejudging. Haha. So we actually enjoyed eating Rabo de Toro (bull’s tail) and a plateful of Patitas de Calamari (breaded and fried squid tentacles). Both were surprisingly delicious.

    We stopped in at the Royal Stables and bought tickets to see their horse, flamenco and art show. With our tickets, we could wander around the stables and take photos of the beautiful Andalusian horses in training and practising their moves for the show. More about the stables in the next footprint.

    In the morning we heard sirens and horns honking. An Andalusian cycling race had just started. Exciting to watch from our rooftop terrace!

    Note - We loved the leather art work so much that we bought a small piece for our travel souvenir wall at the cottage.    Les mer

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  • LadyandtrampAndalucia, SpainLadyandtramp

    Royal Stables Horse Show

    1. mars 2024, Spania ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    The Royal Stables of Córdoba were founded in 1570 by royal decree of Philip II, who loved horses and wanted to create one of the finest breeds the world had ever seen - the Pure Spanish Thoroughbred Andalusian Horse. It was a very popular riding horse and soon became a striking symbol of the Spanish Empire.

    We bought tickets to a 2 hour performance in the Royal Stables called the "Passion and Spirit of the Andalusian Horse". Our tickets included anytime visits to see the horses being trained. As we were not able to take photos or videos during the show, we were happy to enter the stables during the day when there weren’t many people around.    Les mer

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  • LadyandtrampAndalucia, SpainLadyandtramp
    The upper sidewalk and a cycling raceThe lower trailDogs and kids having fun!Mill2The Royal Palace and Mesquita in the backgroundThe Mesquita

    A Lovely Natural Park Beside the River

    2. mars 2024, Spania ⋅ ☁️ 8 °C

    We had two hours to kill before the taxi picked us up to take us to the Train Station. We felt that a walk along the river before travelling to Madrid would be a good idea.

    In front of our hotel is a wide sidewalk with lights that winds it way next to the river. It is in constant use, but relaxing, with people just strolling and walking their dogs, as well as runners, scooters and cyclists in the bike lanes. It is used like our cottage road.

    But below the sidewalk and right next to the river bank there is another trail that used to be the old Roman road going to Seville. This is the perfect walk for people who like to spot the ruins of ancient buildings in the brush, and birds. Our friend, Pat, would have loved checking out some of the 140 species of birds that live here and his wife, Gail, would be thrilled to see that Bee Eaters live here too!

    We walked along the upper sidewalk and then walked back on the lower trail. The area beside the river is protected and called the Sotos (groves) de la Albolafia Natural Monument.

    This city would be a great place to spend more time in. Three nights was definitely not long enough for us. We didn’t even get a chance to visit the Roman ruins.

    No wonder the old emperors, caliphs and kings chose this spot for their homes. Cordoba is a beautiful city in a beautiful location!    Les mer

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  • LadyandtrampAndalucia, SpainLadyandtramp
    Snow in Madrid
    From our lobby doorSaturday was busy!The Bear and the Strawberry Tree statueKilometer Zero - all roads in Spain start from this pointFound the famous clock!Tio Pepe SherryA fitting poster in our apartment - Lady and Tramp!

    Arriving in Madrid

    2. mars 2024, Spania ⋅ 🌧 8 °C

    We took the high speed train to Madrid and it took us less than 2 hours to do 396 km! It is so easy to travel around Spain with their efficient and clean train, metro and bus services!

    We knew that the metro station was connected to the train station but weren’t sure about the process for accessing it. We asked about buying subway tickets but were told that we didn’t have to buy a ticket as our train tickets from Cordoba covered them.

    The Sol station was only one stop away and our aIr BnB apartment was a 5 minute walk away from it. It was a bit of a shocker to be in such a busy city after our time in Cordoba.

    Did I mention that it was cold here? And it was raining? Thank heavens it was a short walk!
    We met our host and while we were talking, it started to hail and snow! We couldn’t believe it. It was colder here than it was in Ontario! That didn’t stop the Spaniards though from being outside under their umbrellas.

    We went for a short walk in the Sol Square just to get our bearings.

    Madrid ‘s official symbol is “The Bear and The Strawberry Tree” or “El Oso y El Madroño.” The symbol shows a strawberry tree and a bear on its hind legs trying to climb or eat from it. The symbol represents an era when bears roamed the city limits. In the middle of the Sol Plaza is a statue of the bear. Weighing over 20 tonnes, the statue serves as the emblem for Atletico de Madrid football team. People lined up to pat its rear end. Lol.

    Spain’s capital city is the central hub of all roads in the country. In Puerta del Sol, there is a sign that indicates Kilometer zero or KM 0, marking the center of the Spanish road network. This means all roads start in Madrid and connect the rest of the Iberian Peninsula.
    We found the spot. Once again people were lined up to put their toes on this spot.

    One thing we didn’t see yet, but have read about, is the famous clock. For over a century, tradition has it that people across the country usher in the New Year by eating 12 lucky grapes as the twelve chimes of midnight are struck by this clock.

    We had had a busy travel day so we had dinner in the Wok for Work place across the street from our apartment, where they made us delicious and filling stirfries, to order. Then we watched The Property Brothers, the only English Channel on TV, and went to bed.    Les mer

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  • LadyandtrampAndalucia, SpainLadyandtramp

    Madrid’s Royal Botanical Gardens

    3. mars 2024, Spania ⋅ ⛅ 10 °C

    Today, our first full day in Spain, was spent doing some housekeeping jobs and planning for how we will spend our week in Madrid. A Dia grocery store is a 5 minute walk away so we bought some basics for the week. We have a washing machine, so did our laundry. We booked tickets to see the Prado and the Royal Palace. And we checked out what was going on in the big Sol Plaza before having a late tapas lunch.

    It is cold here (3 degrees C). Thank heavens we pack layers and a toque! The cold weather didn’t stop the Spaniards from being outside though. Everyone and their dog were out! The restaurants and outside cafes were full of people drinking wine, beer or coffee. A wonder! Musicians, costumed Shreks and Super Marios, dancers and buskers were out in full force.

    Our little apartment is right around the corner from the square. It is above a MacDonald’s restaurant but we don’t hear anything as we are on the 6th floor of the building. It is surprising how quiet it is. A small oasis in this busy and big city. The minute we walk outside the front door, we are in another world - Puerta del Sol Plaza! Everything and anything that we could possibly need are almost right across the street from where we are.

    On Sundays, many museums and tourists sights are either free or have a reduced entry price. For a bit of a walk and some calmness, we walked to the Royal Botanical Gardens in the afternoon, where we paid a euro to enter.

    The gardens house more than 30,000 species of plants from all over the world. Like other botanical gardens, it not only conserves numerous plant species, but also carries out research programs to protect rare and threatened plants and the study of habitats.

    Founded in 1755 by order of Ferdinand VI, it was originally located on the banks of the Manzanares River and had more than 2,000 plants. Twenty years later King Charles III commissioned the architects Juan de Villanueva and Francesco Sabatini to move it to its current location, where it was inaugurated in 1781.

    There are three levels of the gardens with plants that were obtained on expeditions to the Americas and the Pacific areas. We can only imagine how beautiful this place would be, and smell, in the Spring and Summer.    Les mer

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  • LadyandtrampAndalucia, SpainLadyandtramp
    Plaza MajorPhilip IIIAround the base of the lamp post are pictures of main events in the square i.e. CarnavalToro headThe shrine to bullfightingHats3Eating churros and hot chocolateInside the marketTapasBuying cookies from the sequestered nunsOld building with an Islamic doorwayFormer prison

    Madrid’s Historic Centre - Plaza Major

    4. mars 2024, Spania ⋅ ☁️ 8 °C

    Yesterday, we booked 2 pm starting time tickets for the Royal Palace so we had the morning to explore the historic Plaza Major.

    This large, cobblestoned plaza dates back to Madrid’s glory days in the 1600s when it was the main square, and not the Puerta de Sol. In 1619, the king made Madrid the capital of Spain and soon afterwards a former market place was transformed into this plaza.

    The four-storey buildings around the square are all symmetrical with windows, balconies, slate roofs and steepled towers all the same.

    In the 17th century, this plaza was where all the important things happened - bullfights, Carnaval activities, Royal pageantry and even the trials and gruesome punishments of the Inquisition. Up to 50,000 people could crowd into this square for such spectacles.

    Before entering one of the arcades of the plaza, we happened to see several people looking up above a clockmaker’s store. And what were they looking at? The Salt Street Watchmaker.

    He’s an automaton, perched on a balcony over an old clock and watch store. Every half-hour this mechanical man comes to life to work on his timepiece. The music that plays for him is “Madrid” from a traditional Madrid zarzuela (operetta), with lyrics that literally sing the praises of the city.

    The streets in this area are named after the important buildings or trades that were found on each street. So there is a Salt Street, an Embroiderer’s Street, the Mail Street, etc. Medieval street signs posted on the corners of the buildings included pictures so the illiterate could read them.

    We entered the square where lots of activities were going on while being watched by mounted police. All around the square, tables with big umbrellas with heaters were set up and of course people socializing and drinking coffee or beer/wine.

    Walking under the arcade, we came to a fascinating bar called La Torre del Oro Bar Andalu. The interior is a temple to bullfighting with walls totally covered in photos (some very glory) of famous bullfighting moments. The photos showed matadors having both very good and bad days. Above the bar are stuffed bull heads with their names, weight, birth date, owner, date of death and the matador that killed him and the location. We may have nightmares tonight!

    A lot of the men, and some women, wear a very traditional tweed hat with a brim called a parpusa. It looks similar to a Peaky Blinders hat. We saw an old shop (from 1894) that was selling these hats. They were a range of prices but many in this shop were selling for over 100 euros, or around $150 Cdn!

    We saw that several people were eating churros and dipping them in hot chocolate. We have ate churros in Mexico but haven’t tried a Spanish one so we had a break, sat at one of the tables in the square and sampled one while people watching. They taste similar to the ones we are used to but are not coated in as much sugar.

    Leaving the square, we came to a street with underground bars. Plaza Major was built on a slope and the underground vaults are part of the structure that braces the levelled plaza.

    Right beside this area, is the Mercado de San Miguel (1916). It is the oldest surviving market hall and has about 30 vendors . It is different than other markets that we have seen as you can buy and eat a variety of tapas here along with a glass of wine, Sherry or vermouth. It would be a good place for a quick lunch.

    Around the corner, there was a brick, not stone, church and convent built in 1607. A dozen steps away, there is a big brown door and a sign that says Venta de Dulces (Sweets for Sale). We walked in and went down a dark hallway to another sign that said Torno . This is a lazy Susan that lets nuns sell their baked goods without being seen. We checked the price list and what was being offered. The quantities were large so we didn’t buy anything but another lady did and we watched. You tell the hidden nun what you wanted, the lazy Susan turns and your goods appear. Then you put your money on the torno and if you need change it will appear in another turn. Lol. The other lady got a big box of almond shortbread cookies covered in icing sugar. She offered them to us to sample and they were good but oh so many!

    The oldest square in Madrid, Plaza de La Villa, was right around the corner and in this plaza the oldest building/tower (1494) in Madrid is located. The door is in the shape of Arabic doors, a keyhole shape. This building was also used as a prison at one time.

    Then on we went past the former town hall, and a memorial to a 1906 assassination attempt on kIng Alfonso and his bride on their wedding day. They weren’t killed but twenty eight onlookers were. The king and queen lived on to a ripe old age.

    It was an excellent morning for us, filled with interesting things to see. And now, we were close to the Royal Palace and the wonders it held.    Les mer

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  • LadyandtrampAndalucia, SpainLadyandtramp
    Hall of Columns
    The King's Dressing Room with all of its mirrors.2The gala Dining Room with seating for 144 guests. There are 15 chandeliers in this room.The Royal Chapel is used for royal funerals.The music room with 2 Stradivarius violins, a viola, and a cello.The Throne RoomThe 70 step Grand StaircaseThe tapestries were awesomeAnd the chandeliers!

    Spain’s Royal Palace - Wow!

    4. mars 2024, Spania ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    For three centuries, Spain’s royal family has called Madrid’s Royal Palace home. It is Europe’s largest palace with 3,418 rooms and almost 1.5 million square feet. It’s Europe’s third greatest palace after Versailles and Vienna’s Schonbrunn.

    It started out as a wooden fortress but that burnt down and the Palace that is there now was started in 1738 and completed almost 18 years later, in 1764.

    It is filled with luxurious tapestries, gorgeous chandeliers, frescoes, priceless porcelain and a bronze decor covered in gold leaf. The palace is still used as the ceremonial palace for formal state receptions, royal weddings and … for tourists. We only saw 22 of the rooms and it took us 2 hours to gawk at the splendours in these rooms and to do a lot of walking.

    The walls between the rooms are very wide. Apparently, these hid service corridors for servants, who could scurry about, unseen.

    We weren’t allowed to take photos in the palace even though Chris asked every attendant that he saw if we could. LoL. The good thing is that people have posted photos of the rooms so I have included some of these photos.

    Once we left the palace, we went across the open-air courtyard to the Royal Armoury. The photos are in the next footprint.    Les mer

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  • LadyandtrampAndalucia, SpainLadyandtramp

    The Royal Armoury

    4. mars 2024, Spania ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    In the Royal Armoury, we saw weapons and armour of several great Spanish historical figures. The area in the centre was filled with knights in armour on armoured horses. What an amazing collection!

    Downstairs there was a collection of children’s ‘training’ armour that they used to learn and practice graceful riding, fighting and playing. I can’t imagine our grandkids wanting to wear those while jumping on the trampoline!    Les mer

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  • LadyandtrampAndalucia, SpainLadyandtramp
    Ham legs hanging
    Ham museumHam sandwiches

    Pork in Spain

    4. mars 2024, Spania ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    Everywhere we have been, we have seen a lot of pork legs on display as well as gourmet pork products - great for charcuteries and sandwiches. But we wondered where that tradition of eating pork came from when Spain had been occupied for so long by Muslims and Jews, who didn’t eat pork.

    Well, I found an answer…

    During the Spanish Inquisition, Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand issued royal decrees that gave all Jews and Muslims living in Spain three not very appealing options: convert to Catholicism, leave the country for good or burn at the stake. Many chose to leave, however there were some who decided to stay.

    The problem was that they wanted to stay, but they didn’t want to convert to Catholicism, so they had to pretend that they had converted. So they hung pork legs to show that their religion had changed and they were willing to eat pork! Of course, once one person started to do this as a way to show their Catholicism, everyone started doing it. So it spread around the country.

    Sounds like a good answer…    Les mer

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  • LadyandtrampAndalucia, SpainLadyandtramp
    Las Meninas by Valazquez - Connie's favourite
    The Gareden if Earthy Delights by Hieronymus BoschAscent in a Montgolfier Balloon in Aranjuez, Carnicero - Chris' favouriteAn artist copying a painting!Two Cats Fighting on a Wall - Goya Cartoon for a Tapestry

    The Prado Museum

    6. mars 2024, Spania ⋅ ⛅ 6 °C

    With more than 1,800 famous paintings on display, in 100 rooms on four floors, we had our day cut out for us!

    The collection dates back to the Spanish monarchs of the 16th and 17th centuries. Their passion for collecting art and decorating their palaces with the best artwork, meant that at the end of the 17th century the finest royal collection in Europe was in Spain.

    In 1819, the museum opened and since that date the building has been remodelled and enlarged to house its constantly growing collection. At present it holds more than 3,000 canvases.

    With a Rick Steve’s suggested self-guided tour, we felt confident enough to tackle this vast museum on our own while hitting the highlights. The paintings had good descriptions in English that helped us to understand what we saw.

    To start we saw altarpieces of early religious art by Hieronymus Bosch such as The Garden of Earthly Delights (1505). All of his images teach a religious messages that the pleasures of life are fleeting and we better avoid them or we’ll end up in hell.

    We went on to see the realism of the Renaissance (1500s) with paintings by Raphael, Fra Angelico, Mantegna and Albrecht Durer.

    Renaissance art spread to Spain which was Europes richest country at the time. One of the most famous court painters at this time was Velazquez. The most important painting in the museum was one that he painted called Las Meninas (1656). Another famous painter was Murillo who admired Velazquez.

    Spain’s Golden Age kings, Charles V and Philip II both hired Europes premier painter - the Venetian painter Titian to paint their portraits around 1550.

    Now we moved on to see the works of El Greco, Rubens and Goya. The world was changing and revolution was in the air. Goya painted the changing times and became a political rebel and a champion for the Revolution in France. That was all okay until the supposed hero of the Revolution, Napoleon, turned into a tyrant and invaded Spain. Goya through his paintings documented what happened during this time.

    Goya also painted what they called “ cartoons” that were the templates for the big tapestries that hung on nobles’ walls.

    At 46, he developed a mysterious illness (possibly syphilis) and lost his hearing.

    After four hours of walking through this huge museum, we came to the last paintings done by Goya. Depressed, he retired to his small home when he was in his 70s, and smeared his walls with his “black paintings”. Dark in colour and mood. During this period In his life he painted his nightmares. The paintings are actual murals painted on the wallpaper on the walls of his house and later carefully transferred onto canvas.

    By the way, even with our little guide and the museum map, it was hard to figure out where to go in this huge museum. It was a labyrinth of rooms with beautiful works of art on every wall.

    It was strictly prohibited to take photos in the Prado Museum. Argh…But many of the paintings we saw are on online so guess what? I’m going to post a few of the more famous ones I found and a few that Chris sneakily took…    Les mer

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  • LadyandtrampAndalucia, SpainLadyandtramp
    1Water Fall and Crystal Palace
    ExercisingStatues all the way to El PradoRowboats on the lake

    Retiro Park

    7. mars 2024, Spania ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    Chris was itching to get his walk in, and I just wanted to chill, so he went off to visit Retiro Park that is located near the Prado.

    At one time, this majestic 300 acres park was owned by royalty but it has been a place for commoners ever since Charles III opened it up to the public in the late 18th Century.

    There is a big lake there, El Estanque, where people rent rowboats and a grand boulevard of statues lead to the Prado.    Les mer

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  • LadyandtrampAndalucia, SpainLadyandtramp
    Madrid from the Dear Hotel
    Gran ViaThe pool at the top of he hotelLook at those clouds!The narrow barGran ViaWonderful buildings

    Our Last Night in Spain

    8. mars 2024, Spania ⋅ ☁️ 9 °C

    Our last night in Spain, what to do? We decided to walk down Spain’s version of Fifth Avenue - the Gran Via.

    This boulevard was built primarily between 1910 and the 1930’s. It wowed us a bit with its early 20th Century architecture. It has wide sidewalks and traffic is limited to buses and taxis.

    The Gran Via is filled with luxury and trendy brand-name stores. In the 1930s, a section of the Gran Via was built to look like the buildings of Chicago and New York City. There’s a Schweppes Building and a section that is built to look like Broadway with theatres offering musicals and plays.

    We were looking for the Dear Hotel. We read that it has a rooftop lounge and a small bar and thought that it would be a good place to have a final drink to toast our time in Spain.
    We walked confidently through the hotel lobby, rode the elevator to the top and climbed the stairs to the rooftop. Walking up to the outside bar was a little daunting and Chris swore that the building moved because of the wind. Hmmmn. Bottom line is that the view from there was amazing! Too cold for a cold drink but great for taking photos.

    We walked back home and had a drink and tasty chicken wings at Tapas and Canas. There just happened to be two seats available in the bar. Very unusual for a Friday night. It was great though. Very Spanish - loud and friendly.

    We toasted our success at planning this trip. We had a wonderful two months in this great country.    Les mer

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  • LadyandtrampAndalucia, SpainLadyandtramp

    Random Final Thoughts about Our Trip

    8. mars 2024, Spania ⋅ ☁️ 8 °C

    Tomorrow morning, we will leave Spain after our very full trip over the past two months. We just wanted to write a little about some of our observations as we’ve learned a lot.

    Packing

    We usually pack in layers as the weather usually changes over a 2 or 3 month period. Our most used clothing in Spain were our jeans and lightweight black pants, short and long sleeved tshirts, running shoes and fleece/puffer jackets. - standard uniforms for Spanish people. I didn’t need to bring a skirt at this time of year or capris. My leggings and tank top came in handy when it was really chilly. Our Isotoner slippers were used on a daily basis. We bought toques and at times, really appreciated them! Our bathing suits never got wet.
    We bought a hot water bottle that we used a fair bit after long walks. My small lululemon crossbody purse was perfect for my phone, passports, sunglasses, etc.

    Favourite Cities

    Actually, we weren’t disappointed in any place that we visited. Maybe Cordoba was a favourite. Even though we were travelling during the off season, there were a lot of tourists everywhere.

    Random Observations

    - the most often heard Spanish word is “Vale” that is like our “Okay”
    - we appreciated hearing and seeing all the talented street musicians
    - people were always kind and helpful
    - they love their bicycles and scooters here
    - a lot of Spaniard smoke! You can smell it in the air
    - very few English channels on TV, but we could watch Property Brothers every night and Colombo.
    - Menu del Dia lunches, Monday to Friday, are economical and filling.
    - the wine and beer are very inexpensive
    - grocery stores have everything that we needed.
    - we were turned on to eating Fine Oatmeal Flakes (no cook) with yogurt, honey and nuts for breakfast
    - not all accommodations provided kettles, but often they will give you one if you need one for a hot water bottle. LOL.
    - breakfast here usually consists of a coffee or juice and toast spread with olive oil and covered with tiny pieces of tomato.
    - 9 a.m. was not too early for a vodka and water chaser
    - the architecture everywhere was spectacular
    - amongst everyone had a little dog
    - all the cafes and restaurants were full of people after 9 p.m.
    - when friends get together they all talk loudly, all at the same time, and they have a lot to say!
    - tapas were great and sharing food is expected
    - there are a lot of seafood and pork items on the menus
    - we never got used to the late dining habits in Spain
    -public transportation (buses, subways and trains) in the big cities was easy and always on schedule
    - the high speed trains are awesome
    - for the most part, the wifi was very good    Les mer

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  • LadyandtrampAndalucia, SpainLadyandtramp
    The Metro Plan/MapNot busy. We have good seats.Lisbon airport

    Now on to the Azores from Madrid, Spain

    9. mars 2024, Spania ⋅ ☁️ 5 °C

    We tidied up the apartment and we were able to leave by 8:30 a.m.

    Yesterday we did a dry run through of how to get Metro tickets from the Sol metro stop to the airport. It’s a lot cheaper to take the Metro than a taxi. A lady gave us a lesson on using the ticket machine and we practiced a bit so that the next day we wouldn’t have any issues.

    At 8:30 in the morning, the Sol plaza is pretty quiet and so was the metro. It was raining a bit but we were only a 3 minute walk to the Metro. Once we got on the subway, we wouldn’t be outside until we got to Terceira. Good day to travel.

    Our ticket buying went well and we took #1 to Tribunal, then #10 to Nuevo Ministerios, and finally #8 to the airport. It took us about an hour and cost us $9.00 Cdn. each.

    So now, we have gone through security and are just waiting. The coffee is good and we have time to do a little Azores planning. The plane to Lisbon is supposed to leave at 12:10 pm. but is late so leaves at 12:50. Time for a lunch here.

    The flight from Madrid to Lisbon took 1 hour - a little rocky as there were high winds. There is a 1 hour time difference. We leave in 1 hour for Terceira Island.

    We landed in the Lajes airport - an American Army base. A quick taxi ride brought us to the hostel, Hostal da Palmeria in Praia da Victoria, where we will stay in for 2 nights. It is perfect!

    P.S. It’s warm here!    Les mer

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  • LadyandtrampAndalucia, SpainLadyandtramp

    Background Regarding our Winter Travels

    1. april 2024, Canada ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C

    Each of our travel blogs have included an introduction similar to the one below with a new add-on at the bottom regarding new plans. This introduction has been growing and growing but I like to keep this going as a summary of our life’s major adventures. I have decided to add this to the end of the book as it is too long for an introduction! This year's winter trip is number 19!

    Here's how we caught the travel bug...

    In 1999, after taking a one year leave of absence from our teaching jobs, selling our house and purging most of what we owned, Chris and I packed our bags into a van and headed to Zamora, Michoacan, Mexico, to teach English to Mexican students. Our youngest daughter Caitlin had already left home to perform for a year with a traveling group called Up With People. Our other daughter, Amy had studied Spanish at school, so she traveled to Mexico with us, helping us navigate our way to Zamora. Shortly after we got to our destination, she flew home and started her 3rd year of university. She lived in a townhouse, with two other students, that we had purchased to store 1 roomful of our valuables and to have a place to 'come home to' when we returned. During that year that we taught in Mexico, we fell in love with its daily blue skies and sun, and the latino lifestyle. We promised ourselves, that in our retirement we would return.

    Four years later, after retiring from teaching, we went back to Mexico. We spent four months on the shores of Lake Chapala in Mexico, in a beautiful house where we made lots of wonderful friends.

    The second year we backpacked through Central America from Guatemala to Panama taking a puppet theatre and puppets with us.

    The third year we focused on learning more about the Mayan culture by spending a month in the Yucatan Peninsula, a month in Guatemala, a month backpacking from San Cristobal, in the Chiapas, up the Pacific coast of Mexico to Puerto Vallarta. Along the way, we had several visits with friends. Finally, we ended up once more in Ajijic on Lake Chapala, where we stayed for a month.

    The fifth year, we felt that we wanted to venture a little further south so we did something a little different. We headed to South America following a three week layover in Guatemala where we spent Christmas and New Year's eve with our daughters and one of our future son-in-laws. We took and distributed 300 pairs of reading glasses, continued to learn Spanish and volunteered for two organizations in needy communities in both Guatemala and Ecuador. We helped to paint a huge mural on the side of a coliseum with artist, Susan Shanley. The highlight of our trip was the creation of a Grand Circus of Puppets which was performed by all the children in a Biblioteca (library), as well as 25 volunteers, in Banos, Ecuador.

    Year Six was a favourite of ours. We spent a month in Peru, three months in Bolivia and then returned to Peru to see Machu Picchu. Because we had enjoyed volunteering in the Arte del Mundo library in Ecuador the previous year, we looked for another library to help out in Bolivia. We were able to find another wonderful, non-profit organization called Biblioworks, based in the capital city of Sucre.

    <a href="http://biblioworks.org/&quot; target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://biblioworks.org/</a&gt;

    The North Carolina group who runs this project provides disadvantaged Bolivian communities, in the vicinity of Sucre, with access to books and learning materials. Since 2005, they have been able to build 12 community libraries, support teachers and students, and put countless books in the hands of adults in both North and South America. The eighth library opened when we were there and we took part in an exciting inauguration with our amazing 'boss' from South Carolina, Matt Lynn. What a wonderful organization.

    Our very good friends, Pat and Gail, who we met in Mexico in 1999/2000, joined us in February and March. Due to the generosity of many of our good Ontario friends, we took down 6 puppets which were used in a puppet show, puppet-making workshop materials (so that 200 children can make simple rod puppets), an educational parachute for games, and 200 pairs of
    reading glasses. Four classes at Greensville Public School, near Dundas, Ontario, prepared artwork which we took to Bolivia as part of an art exchange. Fun!

    The next three years were spent back in Mexico. Year Seven was in Ajijic, helping at the Tepehua Community Centre. A fantastic lady, Moonyeen King, was trying to help out the extremely poor people in this part of Chapala by forming a centre where people could eat a hot meal and have a shower once a week, get medical aid and feel that they were part of a community. We helped out by distributing food, playing with the kids, performed a Xmas puppet show and organized the painting of a huge mural on the side of the building, once again led by artist, Susan Shanley. We also travelled to the beautiful Sierra Gorda where we met two very special people, Margarita and Juan, as well as a traveling group of puppeteers. Two hundred pairs of reading glasses were also distributed.

    Year Eight saw us in Queretaro, Mexico - a beautiful old city, just on the west side of Mexico City. There we studied more Spanish and helped out a young puppeteer, Diego Ugalde. Once again we traveled into the amazing Sierra Gorda and then went north to ride the El Chepe train in the Copper Canyon in Chihuahua.

    Year Nine. Back to Mexico, but this time in a city south of Mexico City, Cuernavaca. We stayed in a lovely house with beautiful gardens, hidden behind high walls. We started this trip by flying to Manzanillo and spending a week on the ocean with our friends, Pat and Gail. Then off to Cuernavaca where they joined us for a week. We flew to Puerto Escondido for Chris' birthday and saw our friend from Panama, Scott, as well as cottage neighbours, Dale and Michelle. We helped out a young artist who was setting up a business in Cuernavaca. From him we learned how to make traditional Papel Piedra dolls. In March, we flew to Los Angeles and did something that we have never done before. We rented an ESCAPE campervan for a month and camped through South California, Arizona, Utah and Nevada. Fabulous!

    Year Ten had a big change... Where did we go, and why? Well, I happened to read a blog entry entitled, "Ten Reasons You Should visit Namibia" by fellow Canadian travelers, Kevin and Ruth, and I was hooked.

    http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog/ladyandtra…;

    I easily convinced Chris, and without much effort, in the way of coaxing, enticed our friends, Pat and Gail, to join us in Windhoek, Namibia? We went off on a camping safari trip extraordinaire in Namibia and Botswana! Of course, we took puppets for a travelling puppet show, ukuleles and a parachute to give away to a needy community. Pat and Gail flew home in February and we had a few weeks to kill so flew to Capetown, South Africa, where we rented a car and drove a couple of thousand kilometers along the beautiful Indian Ocean coast staying in guesthouses along the way.

    After that amazing trip, we had to rethink where we would like to spend a winter and we came up with a crazy plan.

    When we were in Ecuador, we heard stories from travellers about the thrill of sailing through the San Blas Islands in Panama and the rugged beauty of Colombia.

    So Year Eleven in 2015, was the year that we saw for ourselves what others have been talking about. But Colombia wasn't the only place we visited. The Yucatan and Cuba were also in the picture!

    President Obama recently made the decision to allow Americans to legally visit Cuba and we know that major changes will take place. We wanted to see the real Cuba before those changes took place. It was an eye-opener.

    So, as we ask ourselves every summer, "Where will we spend our winter this year?".

    We are in good shape, physically, and are still up for some adventure so for Year Twelve in 2016, we decided to go back to Colombia and see some of the beautiful areas that we did not get a chance to see on last year's trip. The difference will be that we will meet up with our good friends Pat and Gail and do some parts of this trip together. Ahhh, more Colombian coffee, birds plus the Amazon and good times with our travelling friends.

    Year Thirteen, 2017. We have missed visiting Mexico but still want to continue heading south in South America. So this year, we will spend a month in Uruguay (and a few days in Buenos Aires) and then fly to Mexico City. We have rented a beautiful house for 3 months in Patzcuaro, Mexico. Dear Texan friends live there. We haven’t seen them for at least ten years. It will be a wonderful reunion. Pat and Gail may also come down for a visit and we hope our daughters will have the time to come down too. (These plans sadly didn’t happen.)

    Year Fourteen, 2018/19. A big change in plans this year. We are heading to Portugal! Not just the mainland, but also to the lovely islands of Madeira and several of the Azore Islands. In fact, our daughters and their families have already bought their plane tickets to Sao Miguel in the Azores and will be joining us during the March Break. What fun we will have!

    Year Fifteen, 2019/20. Back to Mexico where we will spend Christmas and New Years close to Puerto Vallarta, in the tiny mountain village of Mascota, then three weeks with our travelling buddies from Bellingham, Washington, Pat and Gail, in the Pacific beach village of Chacala. But that’s not all. At the end of January, we will fly to New Zealand for an action-packed, two month road trip. A great place to travel for Chris’ 70th!

    Well, that trip was cut short by 2 weeks, when the Canadian government told travellers to return home due to the spread of the Corona Virus. In 2021, we did not go on a winter trip. It was the first winter that we stayed home since 2004.

    Year Sixteen, 2022. In October 2021, we took a wonderful weeklong trip to Vancouver Island with our two older grandkids, Audrey (9) and Cal (8) to visit Great Grandma Peg for her 99th birthday. We rented a motorhome in Victoria and drove to Courtenay where she lives. Totem poles, whale watching, hiking through tall trees, oh my!

    We felt that we needed to get back into the saddle and spend the winter in a warm and sunny place. Our longtime friend Jeremy Ament said that he was building a house in Majahua, Guerrero, Mexico on the Pacific Ocean. If we wanted to rent it, we could. We jumped on his offer and for Year Seventeen, we glamped in his beautiful house with a pool in the jungle, far from Covid sicknesses. A little paradise for Connie’s upcoming 70th birthday!

    Year Eighteen, 2023. Once again, we took a short trip to Vancouver Island with Chris’ older sister Barbara. Chris’ mom turned 100 on October 7, so we surprised her with a birthday party at Chris’s twin sister’s place in Bowser. What a wonderful party that turned out to be!

    In December 2023, off we went to a bucket list country for one month- Egypt! We returned to Ontario in mid January for a week and then headed back to Mexico to rest and to meet up with our good friends, Pat and Gail, in Chacala, Mexico.

    Year Nineteen, 2024! Wow!!! So where this time? Spain it is! Our friend, Janet, lived there as a teenager and most of our friends have already visited this interesting country so we decided it was time for us. Two months mainly in the Andalucia area and then one month revisiting and exploring new islands in the lovely Azores. This is what I wrote last year - P.S. We are still contemplating several possibilities for 2024 - Mongolia, Spain, Malawi, and maybe we would go back to see more of the Azores, ....

    NOTE: The blog will be written and left in draft form. The way that you see it, is the way it was written, full of typos and bad grammar but good feelings. Lol.    Les mer

    Reisens slutt
    9. mars 2024
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