2023 Adventure - a grand tour of spain

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Compared to last year, it has been an easier decision to book this Grand tour of Spain.    After going as a single to UK, Scotland and Ireland last June, I now feel comfortable jumping aboard another tour from the same company, EF Go Ahead.

This will be 14 days starting in Madrid and finishing in Barcelona on busses and trains once again, with many side trips along the way.   Sadly no direct flights from Boston, and I will be connecting through Dublin in both directions.

Looks like this group is around 24 peeps. I hope I do not come home with Covid this year.

I have got this white bucket hat specifically for this tour.  I have a set of fine tip Sharpies  to go along with it.   This will become my souvenir of this trip.  More  along the journey.

Here I am, day before travel and I'm working hard to fit enough for 2 weeks in a single carry on.  I was reading Rick Steves' Spain travel guide, and he states he can do a carry on for 3 weeks of travel.  First time I am trying this out.  Hope I do not forget anything.

I've been working with a local jeweler to create my very own necklace that looks like my logo that you can see in the above left corner of this page.     I picked it up today 5/3, just in time for this adventure.  I am beyond excited and amazed to see what a beautiful heart was created.  I'm planning to wear this throughout  this tour

On the irst entire day in Madrid we stated with a tour of the city.  We hopped on our bus and started driving through the hotel neighborhood when I noticed this frog on a street corner. If you know me, and my frog, ahem, obsession, that explains the picture.    We drove around for a bit with a guide sharing some of the sights, which were not too exciting, but we did get off in a few places to walk around.

We stopped outside the Madrid Bull Ring where the bloody slaughters still go on.  I hoped tp get in but, alas we only walked around the outside perimeter.  However I did get a chance to wrap my arm around a statue of one of the "heroes" of the sport - not that I even know his name,  WE DO MAKE A CUTE COUPLE, THOUGH.

The Temple de Debod, was a gift  to Spain from Egypt  when the Aswan Dam was built.  It would have been flooded out if not moved.  So how do you move an ancient temple, Why, brick by brick, of course, and  3 years of labor.

This is found in the Plaza de Espana.  A large beautiful area that leads to Spain's Royal Palace.   I took a few shots but none really worthy of sharing here IMHO.

I was worried I might get to Spain and not run into  that windmill fighter and his buddy Sancho, but they were there in Madrid.

This happened as we walked 

 We were now running behind schedule (imagine that!)  and hopped on the bus to visit the famous Prado Museum, home of works from many of the old Masters.  The original plan was to have over an hour with a guide leading us to some of the select masterpieces by El Greco, Velazquez, and Goya, but we ended up having less than half that.  And is was a busy crowded Saturday, with many peeps and groups and guides  going in many directions at once  which was not my favorite way to be in a museum.  Perhaps the shortened time was a blessing.   A little further along, I will share a self discovery that will reinforce this thought

I grabbed some lunch at the Prado with some tour mates adn then went off on my own a  short walk away to spend the afternoon in the lovely Retiro Park.  There is a little man made rectangular lake where they rent row boats, that all appear to marked Madrid on one side.  I stopped for a while to just hang out in the shade, on the grass, to enjoy a  beautiful 80 degree afternoon.  Just another green beach to me.

After I enjoyed my lazy, relaxing layout on the grass, there were 2 more sites to explore in the park.  I was so pleasantly surprised to find that they were both extensions of the museum I visited the day before, Reina Sophia.   The first stop was the Palacio Velazques which housed a small but nice exhibit of modern art, which I really enjoyed, Yup, 

As I walked around, a few light bulb went off for me.  Walkinmg around this building, seeing each one I realized my smile  was getting larger and larger.  Now (plug time coming here) I contributed a short piece to a soon  to be published anthology titled The Art of Touch   (coming 10/15 from the University of Georgia Press).  The piece I wrote is titled Touching the Nooks and Crannies of My Soul.

These modern art works were doing exactly that and I have never felt that with viewing any of the old Masters that filled the Prado, and so many other Museums I have been to.     I can now state that I am a modernist, whatever that may mean!

The other stop was another Palace, thisone was aptly named, adn you cans for yoursel why.    Totally brehtaking.

Outside the Crystal Palace was a fountain and in it was a black Swan. swimmin with group of turtles.  hese days a black Swan is so associated with rare negative , unplanned events, I was not quite certain what message I was getting.  Had just made a fabulous self discovery that felt rare qdn POSITIVE for sure.  Well after all, it is just a bird.

Some young suckling pig after some starte taps was a joy with a small group of who  opted for this evening.  great conversation and fun was had, and the food was delish.

...and....

They dressed their part and popped in to entertain with singing which even the group joined in with  I even joined in myself (who the heck am I?)   A lovely day and evening was almost done.

Well I did have to document it all here.  Until tomorrow, be well.

Early rise and off to the Madrid train station for the high speed train to Cordoba.   Train stations are always an adventure.  Will share more when we meet.  

Couple hours later we arrived Cordoba and entered though the old Roman walls, and first  path through the old Jewish quarter adn I had a chance for  photo op

Of course I cold not resist taking this shot.  I think we both look cute, although it might be hard to argue who has the more modern look.  LOL

Pretty much the purpose of touring Cordoba is to view the UNESCO Heritage Site of the Mosque-Cathedral. Originally built  staring in the late 700s and had addition upon addition , through the Moors and Christians and even has a cathedral built within it.  Pictures do not do it justice but it is an imosing structure in all directions, built through the centuries  Personally I had the feeling it was like Battlestar Galactica (strange reference, but you know I have many of these) as addition upon addition as it travelled through time adn space..

Free time for lunch is always a bit challenging for me.  Another hot day and I started with  a group but then I chose not to wait at a table and just went outside and grabbed a waffle and gelato for lunch and took a siesta in the sun on the steps of nearby wall entrance.    Perfect lunch for this introvert!  Successful recharge.

Back on the bus and headed south towards Seville but stopped and a large Organic Olive Farm for a lesson about olive oil.  Above pic shows us for to select your olives.  We learned to smell and hoot properly taste the oils  (let me know if you want the secrets here) and what we should be looking for and how to best stores, and most important that all oils will get rancid within about 2 years. So avoid massive quantities (Sorry Costco)  

We tasted #s 4 and 5.  Sure enough you could smell them as the chartewrleir described.  And the secret tasting method worked.  The aromatic orange infused oil smelled amazing and the taste test was not just tryin to dink it, but we were given a small dish of ice cream with the oil drizzled on it.  Needless to say awesome!  We were advised to try it on fresh warm brownies.  This is now on my to do list and I purchased both of the oils we taste. They are in cans and easy to pack.  A great adventure was had.

Another day of over 10K steps (now each day here) and now in Seville.  A big city , beautiful and bicycles everywhere with marked paths on the sidewalks.  I almost got hit a few times, but my tour mates saved me.  Above is another large gorgeous plaza, once again named Plaza de Espana.  This one was large and beautiful and we had a chance to walk around it.  Vendors abound , music and dancing happening, and tons of mosaics of the many regions of Spain.  The day was a hot one reaching 95 degrees, so we tried to catch any shade we could find.

As we moved on to explore the old areas and Cathedral areas, we  entered a street that was next to the old city wall and had this Roman acqaduct peeking out.

Sorry, nuff said about these buildings.  My brain is having  a hard time with all of them.  Too much to discuss here.

In the courtyard of the Cathreal was this small unassuming fountain.  Why am I showing this?  This is the oldest object still stanidng here, built in the 400s by the Visigoth's who built an early temple on this site.  Yes , the 5th century.  Wowza!

Now getting assimilated to Spanish eating hours.  lunches happen close to 2 PM and dinners can happen between 8-10pm.  After the Cathedral visit I joined a few mates and was able to get  a few Tapas dishes, calamari, spinach with chick peas and potatoes with garlic aioli, which were delish, but I could not even finish.   Dinner waited until 10PM and that was just a big salad.

The first time ever I attended a Flamenco show and it just blew my mind.  Sorry, no pics were allowed.  Two male singers, male and female dancers, and a guitarist were amazing for an hour.  I would go again.

After,  we walked back to our bus, still full light at 9PM and we walked across and along the Rio Guadalouvir.  Had one of my mates snap a shot of me.

So many bikers. might be fun to explore this city someday on 2 wheels.

We now are putting on the miles between cities and sites.  Out tour director is keeping informed and entertained with stories and Spanish music  along the drives, as well as giving us time to "nap," uncomfortable as it may be.    The day was broken up with a beautiful lunch at a lovely restaurant in Granada,before we headed out at 4 PM for our 5 PM tickets to spend a few hours walking, with a guide to tour the 22 acres (not all of them, phew) of La Alhambra.   It was built by the Moors over centuries before the Christians conquered it.  I am not going to relate any history here.    For that you can read, or go on a tour yourself, to appreciate it.

Apparently these tix are a hot item.  Now you have to have your name on the ticket  and  show your passport as proof that you are the original owner of the ticket.  All great advance work by the tour director.   This is to avoid a hot secondary market for them.

The you walk on some hills and steps, and it was good that we had a guide, as there were many buildings and gardens

Onei of the first building we went nto was aa Christian Palace where we entereda square building and was met with a Roman style coliseum structure.  This fit under the "Its good to be King" department.

The details of tiles, ceramic, wood pillars made from Cyp ress that are over 700 years old, precious metalwork, and even the methods of providing water to the entire area is most difficult to comprehend.  Overwhelmed I surely was, but I now have the experience of having put my feet within it.

The most often sene view of the Alhambra is from the Moorish Palace

Still overwhelmed with each step I took.

 I learned that this fountain and the 12 lions shown were made by Jewish craftsmen and each one has a different face, that represent the 12tribes of Israel.

Quite a surprise to learn this.

After 90 minutes I was beat.  I hung out for a 1/2 hour by one of tthe gardens with a few mates, while the rest of the group made it to another palace building.

Down the hill that is.      Must have been the low rent district.

One of my tour mates suggested the La Alahambra needed to go on my hat,

It was a one night stay in Granada, before we had another long drive, so in the morning, on the bus I gave it a try.  Hat is getting filled in, eh?

Another 4-5 hors on the bus = our last long ride - on the way to Barcelona for 4 days of new advntures.   The group has totally bonded by now and everyone is cool and unloving.  This has been a great tour with all the peeps and all the places.

We even made it to Barcelona ahead of schedule, and managed a short walk around the hotel neighborhood to get our bearings.

With bull fighting a dying sport, how better to transform a town's ring than into a shopping mall?

As we enterred Barcelona we passed this  and the monument to the Three Seas, The Atlantic, The Mediterranian, and the Canterbrian )?)

I had a plan to visit the mall in search of  aBacelona - FCB - football shirt, as thry won the league championship the night before.

Six of us walkd about 30 minutes from our hotel tothe Arena Mall.  We grabbed a snack - for me, dinner, adn walked around for some shopping.  I scored my goal and got a Barcelona jersey.   A great decision on my part because we were so busy touring  it was hard for others to find time to get any of they wanted to

Honestly, I really knew little to nothing about Gaudi up until being on this trip.  People said I had  to see Gaudi's hoses but I had no idea what to expect.  If you knew what I would see, you will perhaps enjoy some of these pics.  If you, like me, had no idea, justtake a good deep breath in and hold on to it, because if you are like me, you soon, too, will be breathless.

Take a moment to read the description above.  If you have been following me, you have heard how I have been "cathedral out."  However the Sagrada Familia is a catherdral of a different colr - oh, many different colors, in fact.  There is a not unfamiliar Gaudiness of the details on the outside on its many different sides.  I will only share a few pichtures but I ave had difficulty comprehending the enormity of what has been created.  The inside has  multiple columns  of simple beauty and the stafined glass section cross the rainbow o light.   We heard that the column support all the weight and there are no weight bearing walls.

We have heard how so many of the old cathedrals thoughout Europe have taken hundreds of years to complete.  This one is still incomplete after a 150 years, which explains the cranes you will see in some of the pics..

Now, again, take a deep breath.

I was walking  with my group and turned a corner, and ... could not believe what was in front of me.  At first it just looked like globs upon globs of  -I do not quite know what?   On closr inspection the details of scultures - fabulous one all up and down the expanse of the building was overwhelming.   Even as our guide was pointing and explaining I could not keep up with him.    SO totally awesome, and so different than any other cathedral I have seen.

Look deeply everywhere.  Copy it , blow it up.  Be amazed!

Just wow!

This just a hint of the column and a suspended crucifixion within. The pic does not even come close to the experience 

The details throughout -in and out, are quite amazing..  The intent was to build a edifice that would welcome all faiths.

No two of the towers are the same height,  It still strikes me that jsut as the ols classic cathedrals , this is stilling built after 150 years.

Just keep breathing

Some of the group was leaving as they did not opt for the extension days, and we had  lovely dinner to celebrate the tour.  Just adding a few pics of some of the folks with me.  Here is Sherry, me, and Darlene.  We had many laughs along the way.

with Georgia, me, Leonor (Tour Director) and Rose  Smiles all around.

OK ok ok , I had to have one of these pics on the tour.  No apologies.

Maybe on another visit

This was a chronological view of Picasso's life.  This painitn was a self portrait by the 13 year old Picasso.

It was fascinating to see what a great artist he was and how his focus on styles evolved over time.

Of course I was pleased to see Picasso's toad.   What would you expect from me?

I had no idea he dabbled in this work.

Of course I put myself into a Picasso frame.  Why the hell not?

After the tour, I went for a walk and found my street, Grace's Promenade.

Found the Lego store and loved their major wall sized Gaudi buildings

228,000 pieces.  You in?

Well, got dropped off at Terminal 1 and had to discover that Aer Lingus was a long shuttle bus away.  I found d my way with plenty of time but some more exercise that wasn't planned.   First leg was to go from Barcelona to Dublin.  I still do not understand why my route went this way. 

My passport shows the time spent in Spain

7 plus hours from Dublin to Boston.  Landed Boston around 7:5 or 1:15 AM Barcelona time.  ANother long day , but home successfully.