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Snowbirds Tackle Europe
  • Betty Foidart
  • Betty Foidart

Snowbirds Tackle Europe

An open-ended adventure by Betty Read more
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  • Trip start
    December 31, 2017
    Betty FoidartSnowbirds Tackle EuropeTraveler

    Travel Day - YWG to BCN

    December 31, 2017 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    Armed with travel vouchers earned from a previous European holiday and a desire for a unique cultural adventure, we abandoned our usual southern USA winter destinations and planned a 3 month journey throughout Spain and Portugal. Despite winter weather delays in Winnipeg and Toronto we arrived on schedule in Barcelona at 11 am after a 14 hour travel day.

    We managed to figure out how to get the train to our hotel in central Barcelona without too much difficulty but once we arrived at the main train station our troubles began. I had expected to pick up a city map at either the airport or train station but the tourist information offices were closed because it was New Years Day. We tried to get directions but with the language barrier and foggy brains we ended up walking for over an hour to our hotel when it should have taken just 20 minutes. The saying, “slower than molasses” or “a snail’s pace”, would aptly describe John’s mobility. He didn’t sleep on the plane and he was lugging a 46 pound suitcase, ignoring my advice to “pack light”. For the record, my small bag weighed in at 28 pounds. Feeling somewhat sympathetic, I traded bags with John about half-way.

    Once we checked into our room, jet lag and the long walk overpowered us and we had a 5 hour “nap”. We ended our day with a delicious wood fired pizza at Gusto’s and a nice Sicilian red wine, feeling as though we were in Italy and not Spain! After our satisfying meal, much more sleep was needed.    Read more

  • Betty FoidartSnowbirds Tackle EuropeTraveler
    Casa La Padrera - "the quarry"
    The colour changesCasa AmatllerCasa MoreraHotel Granvia - a peaceful break

    Two Days Exploring Barca

    January 1, 2018 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 11 °C

    We are very pleased with our boutique hotel, u232 in the upscale Eixample (pronounced eh-sham-plah) area. Breakfast is included in our special Black Friday rate of $100 CAN and is a traditional European breakfast, which means the usual bacon, sausage, eggs, toast, juices, as well as sliced meat, tuna, cheese, salad, yogurt, fruit, unusual vege dishes, champagne and the most delicious pastries. It is more like a Canadian brunch. I woke up at 5 am, which is very odd as this is normally closer to my bedtime, and had to wait until 7 to go for breakfast! John insists seriously that the plumbing fixture next to the toilet is a “short sink” and I haven’t been able to convince him that it is a bidet!

    Still feeling sluggish, we opted to explore the neighbourhood on foot. On day 2 we logged in nearly 13,000 steps or 8.6 km, with many rest stops. The highlight of the day was the Gaudi Casas built in the early 1900’s during the Modernista period with some classified as World Heritage sites. The large homes are so unusual that we both agreed that Gaudi must have been on drugs but that he was a gifted architect. We later learned that his inspiration came from nature. His designs were definitely way ahead of his time. We stopped for a light lunch at the Hotel Grandvia and the interior was very impressive as it was all white. A light lunch was served in a room full of comfy sofas, where I actually had a cat nap as we were the only ones there.

    Our first impressions of Barcelona:

    - It is a lively, exciting city with a population of 3 million. There are lots of people out and about at all times of the day with many international tourists.
    - We saw lots of smokers (but fewer than London or Paris) and no obesity.
    - The streets are full of cars, taxis and motorcycles/scooters that all drive way too fast.
    - Pedestrians do not have right-of-way so we had to tread carefully. Green lights change quickly!
    - The main thoroughfares are wide streets with boulevards and are called Gran Vias. The side streets are all one-way streets. In Eixample the streets are on a square grid like in Winnipeg but each corner is diagonal to allow better visibility.
    - Good food is available everywhere and tipping is not required. Wine is good and cheap. At the supermarket I bought a mid-priced Spanish wine for $6 and it was very good. I could have bought several others for $3 but only the good stuff for me!
    - Our Spanish is far worse than their English skills, although very few spoke English outside of the tourist areas.
    - Winter weather has been pleasant with highs of 18 and lows of 12 but it has been quite windy every day. Light jackets have been needed especially in the evening.
    - The Metro is very efficient but you have to walk very long distances underground to get to your right train. We rode 5 times for $1.50 each. I tried not to racial profile fellow passengers or think about potential terrorist attacks :(    Read more

  • Betty FoidartSnowbirds Tackle EuropeTraveler

    Sagrada Familia

    January 3, 2018 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    We purchased advance tickets as this site often gets sold out. We took the Metro to this middle class residential neighbourhood and as you exit the underground, there it is in all its glory....the Sagrada Familia is breathtaking! Gaudi worked on his passion for 43 years before being killed by a street car in 1926 at the age of 72. Other architects have used his drawings and plans are underway to have the project completed by 2026, the 100th anniversary of Gaudi’s death. In 2010 the Pope declared the Sagrada a minor basilica and an effort is being made to bestow sainthood on Gaudi. His designs were influenced by nature and this is evident in the interior where the pillars resemble tree trunks and the many stained glass panes represent the sun filtering through the branches. The Catholic Church can hold 8,000 people but it is very rarely used for services. Gaudi definitely was very forward thinking for an architect in the early 1900’s. We spent about 3 hours wandering through the basilica and the museum. It was a fascinating experience.Read more

  • Betty FoidartSnowbirds Tackle EuropeTraveler
    A fun time up top, but windy.
    Entrance to Park GuellBarcelonaViaduct - cars on top, pedestrian walkway belowGaudi's mosaic 360' ergonomic benchDulcimer busker

    Hop-On Hop-Off - Part 1

    January 4, 2018 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    After logging in 8,000-13,000 steps each day (about 6-9 km), we decided to splurge on the Barcelona Touristic Hop-On-Hop-Off bus and give the old guy a much needed break! It cost 25 euros each, about $37, and you get a 4 hour tour of major areas in Barcelona. Our plan was to first see Park Guell, a 30 acre park that Gaudi was designing as kind of a gated community. Only 2 houses were built as work was interrupted by World War I but there are still some remnants of Gaudi’s mosaic works. I tried to buy advance tickets but Visa put a freeze on my card for suspected fraudulent use (straightened that out at the end of the day). So we took a chance and hopped/hobbled off the bus at the Park Guell stop, unaware that there was a 20 minute uphill hike to the park entrance. Unfortunately, tickets were sold out for the day but we were still able to walk through the forested areas, just not the Gaudi work that we came to see. The paths are paved and there were buskers so it was a nice break from the city. The rest of the day we just rode on the upper level of the double decker bus and enjoyed seeing parts of the city that we likely wouldn’t have gone to. It was sunny and the temperature was 21, so a perfect day for sightseeing.Read more

  • Betty FoidartSnowbirds Tackle EuropeTraveler
    Palau de la Musica Catalana
    We had the cheap seats!One of us seems happy!

    A Busy Day - Part 2

    January 4, 2018 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 20 °C

    At 6 o’clock we turned high-brow and went to see a concert at the Palau de la Musica Catalana in the El Born district. Built in 1908, this concert hall holds 2,138 people and is listed as a World Heritage site by Unesco. The show was called Gran Concierto de Ano Nuevo featuring the Johann Strauss Festival Orchestra and Ballet Ensemble. They have performed this show in all the major concert halls in Europe. There was also a soprano singer, the type that my Dad used to call a “wounded bird”! It was quite a memorable experience as the acoustics were amazing, the music hall was gorgeous and you could envision what it was like back in Vienna hundreds of years ago. And I did not fall asleep (which I am known to do!)Read more

  • Betty FoidartSnowbirds Tackle EuropeTraveler
    Barri Gothic - Old Barcelona
    Christmas is celebrated January 6thBarcelona Cathedral - 14th centuryLa RamblaGran Via Corts Catalanes - loved the sound of these wordsRest stop for the old guy

    A Busy Evening - Part 3

    January 4, 2018 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 17 °C

    Dinner was at a nearby Korean-owned restaurant, followed by more walking. We went through trendy Barri Gothic where the ancient Romans first built the city, Christians built the Barcelona Cathedral, and where Jews gathered. Now it’s narrow, winding roads and courtyards are full of shops, restaurants and bars, still all lit up for Christmas. We wound our way to busy La Rambla. The tourist office told me that locals no longer go there and the food is over-priced and not very good. But I wanted to see where 14 people lost their lives and more than a 100 injured at the hand of an Isis terrorist, and said a quiet prayer in their memory.

    On arrival at the airport I had bought a T10 card that allowed 10 public transit rides that you can share for about $15. Best deal in town! So it was back on the Metro for our final ride home at 11 pm.....a very long but wonderful last day in Barcelona.    Read more

  • Betty FoidartSnowbirds Tackle EuropeTraveler

    A "small sink"

    January 5, 2018 in Spain ⋅ 🌧 6 °C

    Inquiring minds want to know if it is indeed a “small sink” or bidet. What do you think?

  • Betty FoidartSnowbirds Tackle EuropeTraveler
    A double bed = 2 twins pulled together
    1Flan & profiteroles.....mmmmm!

    Travel day - Barcelona to Segovia

    January 5, 2018 in Spain ⋅ 🌧 6 °C

    Why do travel days have to be so difficult?!! Our train was departing at noon so I allowed ample time for us non-morning people to get there. I didn’t dare suggest that we walk to the train station so I arranged a taxi fully aware that the driver was going to rip me off. And he did and I fought back, just on principle, and still lost $5 on the deal before I decided it just wasn’t worth the aggravation.

    We boarded our AVE train and in just 3 hours at a speed of 300 km we arrived in Madrid (Atoche station). The speed is posted on a screen with a map and I tried not to look at it! We no sooner arrived in Madrid when John discovered he had left his e-reader on the train. I ran around that huge train station trying to find someone who could help me get back on the train to retrieve the e-reader and had no luck. I was told to come back when the lost and found was open. We then had to take the Metro to another train station (Chamartin) in order to board our train to Segovia, 100 km north of Madrid. When we arrived in Segovia, we discovered that the train station was 11 km outside of town, which surprised me because usually they are in the centre of town. John wanted to take a taxi but I only had enough euros to take the public bus, which was fine with me.

    It was raining when we got to the city centre. We then learned that there was a huge celebration across Spain, called Three Kings Day, which is equivalent to our Christmas Day. The narrow cobble-stoned streets were packed with people and we had to pull our luggage uphill nearly 2 km as no vehicles were allowed within the old walled city. John grumbled the whole way but the people around us were so joyous that it was infectious. Our hotel, Exe Casa de Los Linages, was once an old castle. We were assigned the nicest room on the 6th floor, except the elevator only went to the 5th floor. At this point John was struggling and a nice young man offered to carry his luggage up the flight of stairs. John declined the offer but I intervened and the luggage was hoisted up the steps in seconds. Now John was really feeling old because earlier in the week a young man offered him his seat on the Metro! So you can see why it is imperative to pack light when travelling in Europe!

    We ended our eventful day with a nice meal at a local restaurant where no one spoke English and the menus were in Spanish. We gambled on a 3 course dinner that is typical in Segovia. Fortunately, I was served some unknown species of fish and John had steak. The cost was $25 per person and that included a full bottle of wine, which we really needed!!    Read more

  • Betty FoidartSnowbirds Tackle EuropeTraveler
    Not a dry cold!
    Unhappy faceCars drive very fast down this narrow lane"Small" pizzasSnow can be pretty.....sometimes

    Soggy in Segovia

    January 6, 2018 in Spain ⋅ ❄️ 0 °C

    This hotel also provided a fantastic European breakfast, although one thing we noticed was that the bacon was almost raw. Well fed (minus the bacon), we were ready to explore. We dressed in multiple layers and rain jackets and headed out. The rain from last night had turned to a heavy wet snow and the temperature reading was 1.5 degrees (very accurate!). Many businesses were closed because it was a National holiday. We walked through the town to one of the main attractions, the 9 mile Aquaduct, which was built by the Romans 2,000 years ago. The exposed section we saw was 2,500 feet long, 100 feet high, with 118 arches, made from 20,000 granite blocks without any mortar, and can still carry a stream of water to a subterranean channel that runs through the city. Pretty impressive.

    We stopped at a small market and picked up a fresh baguette, cheese and tomato for lunch because I just wanted to return to our warm hotel room and not have to sit in a restaurant with wet hair and clothes. Later in the evening we wandered out again to a nearby pizza restaurant. When I asked how big the pizzas were, the server told me “small....good for one”. So we each ordered one. Surprise! They were actually the size of our typical large pizza. I once again felt like I was taken advantage of because I was a tourist. Most of my leftovers ended up in the garbage. Although the restaurant was empty at 8:30 when we arrived, by the time we left it was full. The Spanish people eat supper between 9 and 10 pm and I observed that they usually order 3 courses plus coffee. Seems like a recipe for gastric reflux when they go to bed a couple of hours later! It’s a good thing we are used to eating later than normal at home.

    The falling snow and the medieval buildings looked so pretty at night.    Read more

  • Betty FoidartSnowbirds Tackle EuropeTraveler
    Alcazar
    1Are we having fun yet?Smart people stayed indoorsA resourceful snow removal techniqueOur hotel (with spooks of course)I left Winnipeg for this!

    Travel Day - Segovia to Madrid - Brrrrrr

    January 6, 2018 in Spain ⋅ 🌧 3 °C

    When I looked out the window this morning, there was a lot of snow out there.....20 cm to be exact. After breakfast I spoke to the front desk clerk and learned that no buses or taxis were running. She said this was not normal as they occasionally get only 2-3 cm of snow. We decided to store our luggage and headed out once again to see another highlight of Segovia, the Alcazar, a Middle Ages fortified palace which is now a museum. It is one of 3 European castles that the Disney World castle is modelled after. It was a 20 minute walk only to find that it was closed. Very few people were out and definitely no cars as they were buried in snow. It appeared that no one owned a shovel as they were using a piece of wood, a dust pan, or broom to clear the snow.

    We returned to the hotel wet and cold at 2 pm and found out that the buses were running but no taxis. Since we had a non-refundable apartment reservation in Madrid we decided to make our way to the bus stop 1.8 km away. Tire tracks through the snow looked like it might be doable, but they were too narrow to be of any help. It was a real struggle for both of us. When we finally got to the airport by bus I discovered that all trains were sold out for the day! No!!! Travellers who couldn’t get to the station for the earlier trains had rebooked for the later ones. I had checked online in the morning and could have bought tickets but at that time we weren’t sure if we would be able to get to the train station. For the next 3 hours we sat in an unheated train station and I kept checking the train website to see if any tickets would come available. And they eventually did so we were happy. But awhile later I realized that our tickets weren’t jiving with the posted schedules. I spoke to an employee who informed me that our train left from the old train station in the centre of town! No!!! A well-dressed man overheard our conversation and approached me with an offer to join him on his train. I was puzzled until he revealed his identity....”Supervisor”.

    I thought our luck had changed but because of the snow our train was delayed nearly 2 hours. With wet feet, no heating, and an outdoor temperature of -3, I felt I was getting hypothermia as I couldn’t stop shivering. When we finally boarded the train there were no seats available so the Supervisor told us we could stand at the back. Thankfully it was a high speed train that only took 27 minutes and it was warm! I yelled “Muchas Gracias” to the Supervisor and he reassured me this was not normal and we had to return again to Segovia. A pretty city, but not likely to make a return visit in winter. I took a wrong turn coming out of the railway station in Madrid so our 10 minute walk to the apartment was more like 30 minutes at John’s pace. We made it “home” at 11 pm.

    Travel days are a bitch!    Read more

  • Betty FoidartSnowbirds Tackle EuropeTraveler
    Erik Vogel trendy apartment
    Argentinian green parrotPalacio de CristalEmigration disasterJohn "checking out the bike"Our vegetarian meal

    Madrid - City of Parks and Museums

    January 8, 2018 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 4 °C

    Madrid is a huge city with a population of 3 million (6 million in greater Madrid). It is very busy and doesn’t seem to have the same vibrancy as Barcelona. We have a one bedroom apartment in a working class neighbourhood on the fringe of the central area. The weather was a cool 6 degrees but sunny when we slowly made our way to Buen Retiro Park, a 600 acre green space in the core of the city. In the centre of the park is the Palacio de Cristal built in 1887 of glass and iron. It was intended as a greenhouse but is used for contemporary art exhibits. On the floor of the Palace the artist engraved in stone the names of all those who have drowned in the Mediterranean and Atlantic over the last 20 years in an attempt for a better life with greater freedoms. We had to wear booties over our shoes to protect the artwork. Using a complex hydraulic water system, drops of water form the names temporarily and intermittently. It was very creative but we didn’t understand it fully until I researched it afterwards.

    From the park we walked to a tapas restaurant and had a much needed break. The tapas and wine were excellent. Wine is the same price as Coke, tea, or coffee and slightly more than bottled water. So naturally I’ve been enjoying several Spanish wines that would be very expensive at home. Our next stop was the Prado Museum that has the greatest collection of paintings by the European masters, over 3000 canvases. The building was enormous and we only saw a very small portion of it, narrowing in on the more famous Spanish painters that we had read about....Goya and Velazquez. Admission was free for the last two hours before closing and that was enough time for us. Madrid has several famous museums but we only made it to this one.

    It was a long, slow walk back to the apartment. Overall we did nearly 15,000 steps or 10 km. John thought I was trying to kill him. He hates taking pills but eagerly took the Tylenol that I offered him. We stopped at a supermarket on the way home and made use of the well stocked kitchen in our apartment that evening. We bought a convenient package of fresh root vegetables that made a hearty stew. The lentils were from Canada. For about $7 we had two meals. Eating out every day is certainly a budget-killer!    Read more

  • Betty FoidartSnowbirds Tackle EuropeTraveler
    Palacio Real courtyard
    Almudena Cathedral adjacent to the PalaceAt the top of the grand stairwayCeiling fresco of the King surrounded by womenMore calories to walk off!1Alyssa would be drooling over these!

    Madrid - Home of Spanish Royalty

    January 9, 2018 in Spain ⋅ 🌧 3 °C

    I decided to give the old guy a break and planned our day using the Metro. Our destination....the Royal Palace in central Madrid, considered one of the top three in Europe. It was built in 1683 and has been expanded by each king trying to outdo his predecessor. It now has 2300 opulent rooms but the current royal family live in a mansion a few miles away and only use the palace for state receptions and royal weddings. No photos were allowed beyond the grand staircase. It certainly made me feel like a commoner.

    When we left the palace it started to rain so we stopped at a restaurant for a light lunch. We ordered one vegetarian paella to share and got two. John ordered a “cold beer” and of course was served the most costly one on the menu. I hate that we are being targeted as tourists almost on a daily basis and we just have to be more savvy when we place our order. On our way to the Metro we passed by a panaderia that was calling our names and we couldn’t resist the sweet treats. We also walked through a market that had the best selection of olives (Spain is the world’s largest producer of olives and olive oil).

    We managed to survive Spain’s two biggest cities without getting pickpocketed, but I will continue to be hyper-alert as this is a major problem throughout Europe but Spain in particular.

    We ended our day doing something necessary but not too exciting....laundry! It’s always a challenge to figure out how to use European appliances as the washer and dryer are all in one unit so there are a lot of settings and it can take two hours or more to do one load.    Read more

  • Betty FoidartSnowbirds Tackle EuropeTraveler
    Oranges are not edible
    Can't be modest hereThe gate I couldn't findMmmmm....tapas, sangria & wineAn open door is an invitation to the patioZzzzzzz.....and I haven't had any wine yet!

    Travel Day - Madrid to Cordoba

    January 10, 2018 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 10 °C

    Yay!! We finally had an uneventful travel day. This time around, it was an easy 10 minute walk to the Madrid train station. It’s surprising how quick things go when you know where you are going. I even had time to go back to Customer Service to see if they had found John’s e-reader and there it was! We had a 10 am ticket for our journey to Córdoba, 400 km south, which took us 1 3/4 hours on the speedy train. Our first impressions of Córdoba were positive as we walked along streets lined with orange trees, what looked like maple trees, and palm trees. It was sunny and 14 degrees. Our hotel, the Eurostars Palace, was a 20 minute walk and conveniently located to all the sites. It wasn’t a palace at all but a very modern 4* hotel with an unusual glass shower and tub combo (2 shower heads and the water just drained through the floor).

    We went across the street to the old town, entering through a gate in the wall built by the Romans in the 12th century. We had the best tapa lunch at Casa Rubio where we discovered our new favourite tapa, lightly battered aubergine deep fried and drizzled with cane syrup, a Córdoban specialty. John was tired and went back to the hotel to rest. I explored the old town, the new town, and the Jewish Quarter. It was all very fascinating with narrow streets and hordes of people. This city is known for it’s patios, where the homeowner will leave their heavy wooden entrance door ajar so that you can enter to admire their landscaped patio. Before heading back to the hotel I decided to find a supermarket so that I could pick up wine, water and Coke Zero for John, all the essential food groups. Afterwards I got disoriented with all the twists and turns I encountered in the old town as it definitely was not built on a traditional grid system. My map app was useless so it took me nearly an hour to find my way through the maze to the gate, one of 7, where we had entered. It was very frustrating as my shopping bag was heavy, it was dark, and it had started to rain. My fitness tracker reported that I had walked over 10,000 steps or nearly 10 km. Now I needed a nap!

    We had a light dinner at a nearby place called Victoria Mercado. It was similar to the food booth area at the Forks, only larger, with a good variety of restaurants to choose from. Although it was late on a Wednesday evening the place was packed with locals. The Spanish people seem to love eating, drinking and having a good time with friends or family, any day of the week.    Read more

  • Betty FoidartSnowbirds Tackle EuropeTraveler
    Exterior of the Mezquita
    The mosque completely surrounds the churchA view of the church in the centreThe Mihrab...more than 20,000 could pray at once hereThe altar of the cathedralA blend of Gothic & Moorish architecture

    Cordoba - Home to the Mezquita

    January 11, 2018 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 7 °C

    Today we saw one of the most fascinating places we have ever seen, the Mezquita. It is a well-preserved mosque that dates from A.D. 784 and was once the centre of Islam. You enter a dark area of more than 800 columns, built from marble, granite and alabaster recycled from ancient Roman ruins and churches, topped with red and white stone arches. The Mihrab is the mosque equivalent of a church’s high alter and was built in the mid-10th century of multicoloured glass and enamel mosaics. In 1236 a Spanish King conquered the city and 300 years later Cordoba’s bishop proposed building this grand church in the Mezquita’s centre. 70% of the mosque remains. At the back of the altar there is a blend of Christian and Islamic architecture that is found nowhere else in the world. We spent about 2 hours here and were awestruck.

    We meandered through the narrow streets and found this area of the old town to be way too touristy, filled with tacky souvenir shops. We did manage to find a popular tapas restaurant to have a break and ponder what we had just seen in the Mezquita.

    Too tired to find our way to a restaurant for dinner, we decided to go to a nearby supermarket to buy food for a light dinner in our room. I knew the store would be closing within 15 minutes so on our way there I gave John the directions then ran ahead to get there on time. Someone didn’t listen and ended up in a patio bar having a beer, supposedly waiting for me, but in the wrong place! I returned to the hotel on my own when I couldn’t find him. I was going to send out a search party if he didn’t return by midnight but he showed up within the hour.    Read more

  • Betty FoidartSnowbirds Tackle EuropeTraveler
    Full of tapas & beer....ready for nap time
    2Cordoban deep fried aubergine (our favourite tapas) & patatas bravasThese oranges are bitter and used for marmalade & aromatherapyOne of our favourite restaurants so farA typical home entrance in Old TownIt was easy to get lost when I was busy admiring my surroundings. This is an actual street!

    Cordoba - A Beautiful City

    January 11, 2018 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C

    Cordoba’s population is 328,000 (bigger than Regina). We really enjoyed our 2 days here and could only imagine how beautiful it would be in March when the orange trees were in blossom with aromatic white blooms. The people were friendly and we never felt cheated as tourists in any way. I took so many photos and had to add this extra page to include my favourites.Read more

  • Betty FoidartSnowbirds Tackle EuropeTraveler
    Meats, cheeses, fruits, yogourt, vegetables, hot entrees, etc.
    Yummy pastries

    A Typical Spanish Breakfast

    January 11, 2018 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C

    Our rate at the Eurostars Palace in Córdoba was 67 euros, approximately $100. This included breakfast every morning. In addition to these two main breakfast buffets, there was also made-to-order omelettes, a tea/coffee/espresso bar, a fresh juice bar, and wine or cava. A common breakfast item is crushed fresh tomatoes on toast and it tasted very good. Europeans must be shocked when they come to Canada and discover what a meagre breakfast is offered at our hotels!Read more

  • Betty FoidartSnowbirds Tackle EuropeTraveler
    A blur of orange groves
    Our building (yellow), 2nd floorTrajana, 42, 1A was our addressToo cool to use the patioA girly bathroomThe one skyscraper....bad decision

    Travel Day - Cordoba to Sevilla

    January 12, 2018 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 8 °C

    A quick walk to the train station and we were on our way to Sevilla,120 km SW and a mere 45 minutes on the high speed train. I haven’t been able to take any photos of the countryside because they are a blur at 300 km/h. So far the land has been flat and winter brown. Now that we are heading south it is greener, more hills, and dotted with olive and orange groves.

    On arrival in Sevilla we took a public bus to the central area 20 minutes from the train station. Here we had a short 10 minute walk to our Airbnb one bedroom apartment. The owner, Esperanza, spoke some English and was very helpful with tips on her apartment and city. The apartment was spotless, had everything we needed, and was charmingly Spanish. It was conveniently located to all the shopping and sites. There was a large department store, El Corte Ingles, that had a great supermarket where I was able to stock up on some staples as we would be spending 5 days in Sevilla. It reminded me of the old Eatons downtown store where my Mom would do her grocery shopping.

    Sevilla has a population similar to Winnipeg yet everything was so centralized. There is only one skyscraper that wasn’t a hit with the people when it was built. Since there are no shopping malls, the downtown (Centro) is a maze of shops, restaurants and bars that extends for many kilometres. Armed with a better map app I was able to mostly figure out where we were going but the streets and lanes have no symmetry. In Spain there is a custom called Paseo where the locals go out and walk between 7 and 9 before their late dinner. The narrow streets, flanked with shops on either side, were packed shoulder-to-shoulder with people. Many were shopping as in January and February there is a government law that all stores must reduce their prices in order to make room for the new inventory. Spain is my kind of place, although I was only window shopping and people watching. Paseo is supposed to be very interesting in the warmer months as the people dress up in their finest and latest fashion wear.    Read more

  • Betty FoidartSnowbirds Tackle EuropeTraveler
    Sunny & 13 - perfect weather for sightseeing
    The high altar - the largest ever made at 65' tall44 scenes on the high altar carved from walnut & chestnutImmense!From the TreasuryThe tomb of Christopher Columbus

    Sevilla Cathedral

    January 14, 2018 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 7 °C

    Yesterday was an R&R day, mostly for the old guy. I took a long, meandering walk just enjoying the sunny day and my beautiful surroundings. Today John stubbornly wanted to navigate the old-fashioned way, with a paper map, but the cockeyed streets are a challenge and we got totally lost. Map app to the rescue. Our destination was the Sevilla Cathedral, the 3rd largest after St. Peter’s at the Vatican and St. Paul’s in London and the largest Gothic church anywhere. It took about 100 years to build, starting in 1401 when the Christians tore down the mosque that was on the site. We felt so tiny in that massive space and are always amazed at the talent of the builders so long ago.

    We are trying to get back on budget and have been eating in. John hasn’t complained yet about my vegetarian creations.    Read more

  • Betty FoidartSnowbirds Tackle EuropeTraveler
    Entrance looks Islamic
    Courtyard of the MaidensGorgeous Sevillian style tile work1Domed ceiling - combination of stylesBanquet hall for wedding receptions3Garden pond. No idea what is in the sky! Not birds. Water?

    Royal Alcazar

    January 15, 2018 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 10 °C

    Now that we had a better idea of the lay of the land, it was just a 20 minute walk to this 10th century building that still functions as a royal palace. The residence was a separate fee so we didn’t see that section. All of the sites we have been to offer a significant “pensioners discount”. In this case, for example, we paid €4 instead of €9,50. Once again, this palace was decorated in the Mudejar style...a mix of Islamic and Christian. It was beautiful and ornate. The royal gardens were dormant but I can only imagine how beautiful they would be in bloom. This is actually a public garden and free to locals since it was once owned by the citizens when the king was exiled in 1931.

    We then walked to the bus station to buy the bus tickets for our next destination. From all my research, it is possible to arrive an hour early and buy same-day bus and train tickets. But I learned my lesson in Segovia and don’t want to risk a sell-out!    Read more

  • Betty FoidartSnowbirds Tackle EuropeTraveler
    I'm now wearing my Canada 150 pin!
    Fairly quiet location in winter but lots of Asian tour groupsColourful ceramics everywherePretty rest stops for JS.Does this look familiar to GOT fans?Added to the ambience

    Plaza de Espana

    January 15, 2018 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C

    Nearby was Plaza de Espana with the remains of the 1929 international fair for Spanish-speaking countries. Along the exterior walls of the building were historic scenes and maps of each province in Spain done in ceramic tile. There has been more tile work here than the northern cities. I’m learning that tile will last forever. There was a flamenco dancer and guitarist busking. For all you Game of Throne fans, this site was used in the production of the series. John didn’t see anything that looked familiar to him and he’s watched the whole series but admits he’s not good with details. Notice the new wool scarf I bought him as he was complaining that his neck was cold because he got his hair cut too short. Where does he get his ideas from?! So this is his new European look with no baseball cap!

    Since John was quickly fading at this point, we ate out at a recommended tapas restaurant, which are everywhere. I learned that with so little new construction in Sevilla, the unemployed engineers and architects have invested in renovating old spaces to create new tapas bars and cafes.    Read more

  • Betty FoidartSnowbirds Tackle EuropeTraveler
    Interesting buildings on every street
    Modern art that locals call "the mushroom" - another bad mayoral decisionSo many interesting doorwaysThe tower of the cathedralFlamenco performers

    Flamenco!

    January 16, 2018 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 11 °C

    This was our last day in Sevilla and I had come to love this city. I can see now why it is one of the most popular cities to visit in Spain. It is lively, even in winter, and architecturally there are beautiful sights around every corner.

    Today was laundry day so I took the opportunity to work on our itinerary. Air Portugal cancelled our February flights to the Azores and rescheduled them the following day with a 0645 flight to Lisbon and a 10 hour layover there. Emails weren’t getting answered and phone call attempts were useless because the message was in Portuguese naturally. I finally messaged through Facebook and they were able to give me better flight times but wouldn’t change the date back to my original booking. Our accommodation was reserved based on our flights so it’s been one big headache. I also haven’t planned our March itinerary in Portugal so I did some research on that. Feeling frustrated, I went for one last long walk through the central area. John chose to stay in the apartment to read so I was free to explore at my own pace.

    In the evening we attended a flamenco show at an intimate,100 seat theatre called La Casa de la Memoria, which was recommended by our apartment owner. She described it as real flamenco and not touristy. The one hour show was fantastic. It was very loud, energetic and passionate. There was a singer, flamenco guitarist, and two dancers. Although we couldn’t understand the singing in Spanish, the dancing was theatrical and expressive. The audience would yell out “Ole” to encourage the singer and dancers. No photos were allowed until the end. I don’t know if all flamenco shows are like this but it was riveting!    Read more

  • Betty FoidartSnowbirds Tackle EuropeTraveler
    En route to Ronda
    Perched on a gorgeThe New BridgeA beautiful sightThe soothing music added to the experience

    Travel Day - Seville to Ronda

    January 17, 2018 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    We had a 9:30 a.m. bus to catch so I felt it would be wise to take a taxi to the station to avoid the morning rush hour crowds, and John didn’t argue with me. Surprisingly, the streets were quiet and I noticed that the buses were empty. I concluded that the Spanish aren’t morning people because they eat and drink late into the evening on any day of the week. Also, sunrise isn’t until 8:40 so it is always tough to get out of bed when it is still dark outside. Our 130 km bus ride was uneventful except before leaving the bus station John decided to go to the bathroom and got back a minute before departure time! Passengers are responsible for loading and unloading your own luggage so I had a real struggle with his 50 pound suitcase.

    The scenery along the two lane narrow highway was pretty with green, rolling hills. We passed several spandex-clad cyclists so this must be a popular route for biking road trips. On arrival in Ronda our hotel was a 20 minute walk. The Catalonia Ronda was a splurge at $120 but we were assigned a two room suite with a view of the hills and bull ring. It has been our nicest hotel so far.

    Ronda has a population of 34,000 and is one of the largest white hill towns, where most of the buildings are whitewashed. Although the town appears to be flat, we walked across the street to an area called the New Bridge and discovered that the town is actually clinging to the walls of a canyon. It was such an amazing sight to see. The sun was shining; it was 23 degrees; and there were two buskers, one playing the harp and the other a guitar and pan flute. What a way to make a good first impression!    Read more

  • Betty FoidartSnowbirds Tackle EuropeTraveler
    18th century Old Bridge
    Whitewashed buildingsEntrance to a private homeA scenic rest stopYou had to pay to go into the church....we didn'tJohn had company at this rest stop

    Ronda - gorge....ous!!

    January 17, 2018 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    We walked around town admiring the historic buildings and homes. The ravine divides the old Moorish town with the newer town. John wasn’t used to the heat but easily found many resting spots. Although Ronda was very tourist-laden, we were happy we had included it in our itinerary.Read more

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