May 20

Today was so fun.   We got up and went down the street to a little cafe for breakfast.  Mark and Stephanie picked us up at our hotel with their grand daughter and took us to their church.  It was all in Spanish and Stephanie sat behind us and translated it all.  The sermon was on Hebrews.   After church we went to Espania Plaza and had dinner at the top of the bullring that is now a shopping center.   The views were great and dinner was wonderful.  We had mixed veggies and Bob ordered Chicken curry and I ordered steak.  Both were very well-prepared and tastey.  The views of the plaza from the top were the best.  After dinner we went to their youth center to see it and then back to the hotel.   We rested a little bit but today Bob wanted to go out and see more so we went walking.   We went to the harbor and then to a street market.  On the way home it started to really rain so we ducked in to a little cafe (Caleuche) and had supper.  We had pizza (ham, olives,cheese, and artichoke) that was some of the best we have had.  If you are ever in Barcelona, try this little cafe.   The atmosphere  is great and food the same.  Now we are at the hotel and packing to go home after such a wonderful trip.  It was really good for Bob and me.  I think there are times we just need to be forced to be together and rebuild our relationship.  I pray that we will have many opportunities to do this again, real soon.  Love to all of you who have supported us over the past, trying years!!

May  19

Today we went to Barcelona.  These two days are Bob's days.  It was a little scary as I planned most of the trip and told him months ago that he got Barcelona.   He did no planning!!!  We left Granda and flew to Barcelona and then took the train and subway to our hotel, The Hotel Paral-lel.  We got there and checked in and went next door to have lunch at KFC, Bob's favorite fast food place.  After that we headed out to find the double-decker bus, Bob's favorite mode of transportation in the cities.  We took both the red and green line tours.   Need I say more?  We say ALL of Barcelona.   It is a beautiful city.  The architecture is very diverse.  I talked him into getting off at the cathedral and walking back.  It was probably 2 miles so I will pay for that someday, I am sure, but I love seeing the city by foot and nosing around.  We stopped for a little dinner and got back to the hotel about 9:30 pm.   Tomorrow we are going to church with some friends of a guy who goes to Bob's Bible study so that will be great!

May 18

We returned our car to the train station first thing this morning (that is after we got up at 9:00 - I doubt we will ever have a trip with these hours again, ha!) We got directions and then got close to the station but had to ask for final directions. There were police officers directing traffic in a construction zone with cars going everywhere. Bob just stopped in the middle and waited until an office came over and then asked him. We only held up traffic for about 5 minutes. Took a taxi to the hotel from the train station and left our luggage. The hotel was right in the middle of town. (Marcie Gran Via Hotel) We took a walk and then returned to the hotel about noon when we could get in to the room. Took a siesta and then headed to the Alhambra by bus. We spent a few hours there. Bob was in "Disneyland" mode. (This is what the girls recall of their dad when we went to Disneyland and he wanted to be sure the kids got to do everything and he nearly ran all over.) There was a lot to see. After that we headed back to the main part of town and Bob found an Irish bar so was able to get Guiness. We walked around a bit and found a place for dinner. Tonight we ate pizza and Sangria. The pizza was very good. We had bad memories of pizza in Europe in the past but now that is changed. Granada was pretty nice by night. It had cooled off and there were a lot of people out just walking around by the cathedral. There were street people out playing music and doing acts. We went back to the room and went to bed about midnight.

May 17, 20

Today was a true adventure.   Bob decided not to go around the coast but instead to head through the backroads of the Sierra Nevada.  It was twisting and turning for the whole way of about 6 hours.   Many of the roads we could not go more than 20 per k.  We did find a really fun spa town to stop at and Julie did quite a bit of shopping.  We went to the highest town in Spain.  We sampled the Jamon (smoked ham) of the area, took pictures of white villages, saw fabulous scenery (at least Julie did as Bob was driving and watching for cars coming at him on single lane roads.)  We came over one rise and right there was a herd of goats and a herder (and we were so baffled that we did not take a picture.)  We saw the first and I think largest castle built during the Renaissance. We started looking for a place to stay about 4 and could not find  anything.   This is the first time we were not able to find something in one of the little villages.   We drove through several white villages.  BOb said he was doing a great job of backing at one point.   We parallel parked on the left side of the car and he did a great job.   Well,  we went down a village alley and got stuck  with no way out.   He had to back out, around a corner with walls within about 6inches of each side of the car.  He managed to get us backed out, turned around, and then out of the winding one way streets.  HIs comment about being able to back-up has now come to haunt him.  We got out and we ended up at a truck stop near Granada, which is our destination for tomorrow anyway so all worked out.  Not even a scratch on the red car!!!

May 16

Today we arrived in Salobrena.  It is a white village partially on a hill and partially on a beach.  We found a great little hotel(Hostal San Juan) in the middle that is decorated with pictures and the names of the rooms are the major cities in Andulcia.  It is a short distance from Granada so we will stay here and check out the beach, castle, etc. a little later.  Everything is closed until 5:00, except the beach.  We are thinking it is very sad that we are getting close to the end of our trip.    We went up to the castle at about 6.  It is so nice to see the view from these high places and cooler in the evenings.  It is an interesting area because there are many greenhouses over the valleys.  They grow everything.   Had dinner at a little bogada and they were so nice.  They topped our dinner off with homemade cordials in iced glasses.  Needless to say, I ate too much and it is far too late so I will suffer tonight - and I did -- Ha!!!! 

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Today we went to Africa.   We took the ferry over from Tarifa to Tangiers.  (56 Earo each and included a bus tour, guide, got on a camel, and lunch.  Not bad and we would not have seen near as much had we gone on our own.   The guide was informative and took us through the Kasbah, the old and new part of the city, a carpet place (of course), an herbal shop, to a Moroccan lunch of soup, kebab, cousous, baklava, and tea.  It was complete with Morrocan The tiles in the houses and doorways are beauriful.  Went bacdk to the ferry at 4, back to Spain, and shoppped some here (no vendors asking us to buy their wares) and had my first coastal mojito and then dinner at a crepery.  The bed felt really good tonight.   Tomorrow we will head up the coast.

A Day in Gibralter

Today was a busy one.   We got up and went to Gibralter.  It was really a good time.   We parked the car in Spain and walked over the border and onto Gibralter. It really is a rock.  There are thousands of British people living there and at the top of the rock a colony of monkeys are living.   They roam the place free.   We took the cable car up to see them, came back down, visited the main street and had lunch.  Headed back late afternoon.  When we got back to the car, oh, oh, a parking ticket.   We had not gotten the right permit to park.   We took care of that and headed to Tarifa.   Got here, found a little pension and checked out the ferry to Tangiers.  We will go there - Africa - tomorrow, just for the day.  Tarifa is a pretty cool little town.  We walked around old town and found a place to eat and then headed back to our home away from home to sleep.  We leave at 8:00 in the morning.  

Monkey on the Rock of Gibralter

Two monkeys on the Rock of Gibralter

Tarifa, Spain

May 12 and 13

Saturday, May 12, we got up and left our little abode in Gaucin.   Good-bye to a very beautiful place high in Spain.  We drove to Zahora en Tunes, Spain.   The Spaniards say this is the most beautiful beach in Spain.   We agree.  It is 12 miles of white sand and not very many people.  Bob found a place to park the car and that was a hit with him.   We walked and found a hotel for one night, though we ended up staying until Monday morning.  The drive here was pretty, along the Atlantic.  Saturday night we tried to eat at 9:30, did OK with that, but were still the first ones at the restaurant.  We have been eating a lot of fresh fish and really enjoying it.   Spent both days walking on the beach and just enjoying the sound of the surf and waves.   I did a little sun bathing but I am trying not to get fried and ruin the rest of the trip.  I have had two mishaps already.   I really tore up my knee in Madrid on the second day and am still having to favor it and then in Granada I opened the bathroom door on my eye and have a black eye from that.  I just joke with Bob that he has to stop beating on me.  The hotel we are at has wi-fi but they changed the provider so we were having trouble with that  so the owner and his nephew wanted to make sure the room we had would work so this morning we were working on that.  Then we blew a braker so we are calling ourselves the High Maintenance Americans.  It is good that they are all so kind.   This morning I got a coffee in the cafe of the hotel and they would not even let me carry it up to my room.  He carried it and walked with me.   Bob thinks it is because he was afraid I would trip and fall and break the dishes.  Maybe soooooooooooo. 

We ordered the fish of the day for lunch and the waitress brought us a whole sea bass on a plate to ask how we wanted it prepared.  We looked at each other laughed.  I asked how much it was going to cost and we were to pay by the kilo.  It was going to cost 44 Euros.  We said "no thank you" and ordered shark instead.   It was really good.   We think the waitress brought  us the whole sea bass  because she thought we had no idea what we had ordered and she spoke no English and it was her way of making sure we wanted it - not today!  Ha!!

This shows part of the 12 miles of beach!!!

May 11 - Friday

Today we stayed around Gaucin and explored the town. We walked through the narrow streets of the white village and up to the top of the village to see the cathedral and then on up to the very top to see the hermitage (chapel) and the castle ruins. The walk was very steep and the temperature is very warm. We stopped and talked to “Karen” at the deli about going to Gibralter and Morocco. She gave us very good suggestions as to get around. Stopped for our typical 1.20 Euro beverage and also went to the organic market to use their internet as the public one is not very relieable. Tonight we will “dine” our last night at a local restaurant and eat on the terrace. We were thinking we would go to Gibralter tomorrow but now are re-thinkiong that because it is the weekend and it might be too crowded and more pleasant for us to go during the weekj. We will see. This town is full of martins and black cats.eyhave lizard sculptures on most every corner. They are brightly colored and some a bit funny.

May 10

Well, today we were headed to Etopena until we got to the door and discussed the days of theweek. Bob wanted tosee the beach and Julie wanted togo to the market but we realized it was Thursday and not Wednesday so the market was not in that town today. We walked to the car and sat therea minute and decided to go toJerez to the sherry country. We left Gaucin and drove to the Cortez turnoff. We took that turnoff and headed toward Cortez. It was through the Grazelmine Nature Park. The roads were only one lane wide, if that, and we wound and wound through the park. Julie enjoyed it and Bob was white knuckle. Needless to say, it took a long time. We finally made it to the main road and then to Jerez. When we got to the town we found a place to park and then walked to the information booth. There was a festival in town at a very large venue rght across from where we parked but first we stopped for a drink and watched the flamingo dancers, walked by the cathedral, palace, and went to a bogeda, to take a tour of the sherry production. We were the only English speakers so we got a private tour. It was so much fun. Left there and walked back to the car with our treasures and headed for the fiesta. It was the fiesta for the Andalucian horses and of horses in their regalia and people in costume everywhere. It was so fun. We left around 5 and headed home, a much faster way but it still took 2.5 hours. (I bought Chance a gift I had been looking for at the market.) We got home and now we will go out for a late dinner because I am starved!!!

Today we went to Ronda.  It was about 35 kilometers from our place in Gaucin (goo seen.) It was around tons of switchbacks and narrow roads and then all of a sudden you go over a hill and around a corner and there you are.  You enter the old city first.  We parked the car and headed up through the gates.  The city is high up with a river running through it below a very large cliff.  It is quite a site to see.   You can walk to the bottom, we did about half, and then could see the Roman bridge and took lots of pictures.  Continued through old part of of the city, walked over the top of the bridge, saw the bullring, fights only in September here, we were able to see the stockyards, museum, and grounds at this one.  Went through one of the palaces with gardens and archiological museum attached to it.  Weather is really warm today and anticipated for the week.

Stopped off for a little lunch and drove home.

The one thing I am finding is that it is hard to just slow down and change my clock to sleeping  in (that doesn't seem to be my problem) having lunch around 2, siesta until 5, dinner at 10, then to bed around midnight. 

May 8

I have not changed the computer to time here so sometimes it looks like we are a day ahead.   Today we left the paradore and drove to Gaucin.  It is not for the weak at heart.  We did not get lost once but we were close a couple of times.  Gaucin is about 25 miles off the main road up in the middle of the mountains on a very narrow road.   We are staying for five days in a little white village here.  There a lots of one way streets, maybe one car wide and no parking right beside our villa.  We managed to find a parking place a short distance away, got to the market to pick up some groceries, had dinner,
 and now are sitting on our terrace looking at Gibralter and we can see Africa across the strait.  It is very relaxing.   I am wondering if I will get Bob out of the villa and into the countryside at all.  Right now he is in the kitchen making me tea!   How about that?

OK, so, last night - the anniversary dinner was fabulous.  We ate at the paradore and had a three course Cocina meal.  I had pork croquette for a starter, stuffed sea bass for my main course and a sampler platter  of 5 desserts to finish the meal.  Bob had a really good asparagus soup with a poached egg in the middle, pork  that was so tender you could cut it with a fork, and dessert of four different kinds of ice cream and a coconut sponge cake.  After dinner we went out to the castle ruins and looked at the view of lights and took lots of pictures. 

Well, today was an adventure.  We left the hotel and went to the station and picked up the car.   We followed the road signs for Jaen instead of the verbal directions and 45 minutes and two stops to ask for directions, we got out of Granada.   We are still talking to each other!  Ha!!  Drove to Jaen and stopped in the city center and walked around and then went up the hill to the paradore Jaen,where we will spend the night.   It is an old Moor fortress that the government has made into a tourist hotel.  It is so high up on a as hill (mountian) that you can see for miles.  The furnishings are all very old and it has an old feel to it.   We will have dinner here tonight and then walk the grounds with the lights on.   They say it is very pretty - stay tuned.

Today we left took the train from Seville to Granada.  It wads so fun.   You could see olive trees for miles and miles.  Now I know why they call this the olive abnd olive oil country.   Plan to try to get some oil to bring home tomorrow.  Got in on the train and found that the car rental was not open until 5 so we went on to the hotel and will get the car tomorrow.  (Called form hotel to make such arrangements) .  Went downtown Granada by bus as it was already 6:00PM and saw the cathedral and roamed the streets.  We found out the Granada is the only city in Spain that serves free tapas with their beverages so we both liked that, Bob especially. They served us ham and chips at one place, seafood and shrimp at another and we drank the local beer and wine.  Found our way back to the hotel.  This hotel, Nevada Palace (Phil, you would like the name), is really quite nice and very helpful.  It has a spa (we did not use as we really wanted to go to the center of the city) and an electric badet (I may not be spelling that right but I will explain when we get home, just remember to ask me.)  A game of cribbage, Bob won so now I am only up 3 games, darn. Tomorrow is our anniversary celebration day!   I am really looking forward to it. 

Today we are in Seville.  Woke up to rain.  Yuck!  But got out the raincoats and headed for the historical part of town.  Saw the cathedral, largest Christian cathedral in Europe.   Pretty impressive.  No bullfight today.  Disappointed about that but went to the ring and took a tour to learn a little more about the sport.  After that we went to the Gold Tower, Alcazar (palace), walked around Santa Cruz barrio and back to hotel.  Managed the bus system just fine.  Hope to go out later for tapas and then get a night's rest before going to Granada tomorrow.

May 4

Took train from Madrid to Seville.   Great ride, checked in to hotel, out to dinner, home and to bed.

We just got back from our night of eating tapas.   The Spanish don't eat until about 10 at night so off we went.   We tried a little place around the corner from our hotel.  We had tried to go last night but it was closed due to a holiday.  Tonight it was open.   All they serve is seafood.  Picture this, it is a small hall about 4 foot by 20 foot with a counter along one side.   In front of the counter is a bar the same length.  When you turn toward the wall there is another bar that is about 20 feet long.  There is about enough room to turn around from one side to the other and it is packed with people, mostly 30 ish in age.  We were the old folks.   We had no idea what to order so I tapped the young man in front of me and asked if he spoke English.  " A little."   I asked what we should order and he really did not know how to respond so one of the woment with him responded with what they were eating.  We ordered, otr should I say the young women in front of us ordered  a plate of squid and a plate of very large shrimp for us and two glasses of vino.  Before our order arrived a 2 foot by 4 foot tin plate arrived that was stacked high with small snails.  I knew I wasn't going to eat them but Bob was in heaven.  Now, how to eat them.   The young lady next to us handed him a cork with few head pins in it and showed him how to take a pin and dig into the snail and eat it.  He had a blast eating them.  Our other order came and we were in for the treat of our lives.   It was so good.  Then the owner was on end of the counter and she plated a few small shrimp and handed them to us to try.  We had so much fun jning the locals.  No tourists here!!!  Just us!  After that we went to a corner cafe and I had coffee and dessert.  What a great night. We will just eat our way through Spain.

Had a great night's rest and we seem to be on Spanish time now.  Got up and headed for the Prado Museum today.  Spnt a few hours looking at the masters there.  It is pretty amazing to see paintings from the 1400's in such pristene condition.   It is equally amazing to see how the artists from different centuries and different countries depicted Christ.  From there we stopped at the Botanical Gardens and then walked to Plaza Mayor, stopping for dinner enroute.  On the way back to the hotel I managed to cross a street in too much of a hurry and did something to my knee, which was not in very good shape to start with. Ha!  I am now sittingon my bed and icing every 20 minutes.  Can't believe I managed to hurt it this early in the trip but Iam bound to get it better so it won't slow me down.  It is the "pits" getting old.

Where are Phil and Chance when I need them.   I think they could help me order so that I know what I am ordering.  Today, a waitress helped me learn how to order some things on the menu so I will b  Last nige better at that in  the future.  Last night a lady about my age who was sitting at the next table trying to tell me what was on the menu in Spanish, then she switched to French, hoping I knew it, and ended up just helping me order a cervaza with lemon soda in it and we just laughed.  After dinner today, with the help of the waitress, I will be able to order that myself.

I think Bob thinks the best part of the trip is that he is a Senior citizen and gets in free or for little at all the museums and attractions.  By the way, as I write this, he is in his favorite position, prone on the bed, making sure he can go out later tonight.

Later tomorrow we head to Seville.  I think it will be nice to get out of the bigger city and into a smaller one.  We are taking the train there so it will be fun to see the countryside pass us by.

Lions made of melted cannonballs.



May 2, 2012
Well, we made it!  We flew on Iberia Air and it was really nice.  Food was great, even in the tourist class.  We are in Madrid.  Weather is a little cool.  Thanks to Ally's suggestion I have a wrap to wear.  Got to the hotel by Metro.  Even us old folks could figure that out.   Spanish people are so helpful.   We ask questions and they all take the time to make sure we understand.  Toured the city using their double-decker bus.   It was fun.  Tomorrow we will take time for some highlights.  Looking forward to our first meal out tonight.  Hotel staff has given us some good ideas on where to eat.  Bob is zonked out on the bed.  I have not found a place that sells my beverage of choice yet!  For you soccer fans, we went by their stadium this afternoon.  It is right in the heart of the city.  Pretty impressive.  The architecture is the most unique thing we have noticed so far.   There are buildings from influences back to early times and from every era and people.