Feb 19-21 - Madrid

Feb 19 – 21 Madrid

Got to Madrid about 10:30 am Sunday and took the metro to our hotel near the Puerto del Sol where we were informed the museums would all, but one, be closed the next day. Because we were leaving a day early, it was time to move! We grabbed an Abuela Smith apple off the hotel registration counter, picked up a map of the city and metro and headed out to “do” a couple of museums. First stop was the Royal Palace, supposedly the third greatest royal palace after Paris’ Versaille and the Schonbrunn in Vienna. Heck, we saw the other two almost 40 years ago, might as well add this one to the collection. It certainly was worth it. Broad grand royal staircase from the entry hall up to fantastic royal antiques, the current throne room and magnificent dining halls with room for close to 200 to sit at the same table. Built mainly in the 18th century, it is still in use today, King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia, though, live a bit farther out in the country and only come here for special occasions. Built by a Spanish King of French descent with an Italian wife, it is a sumptuous feast for the eyes – lots of Baroque decorations, and an impressive arsenal of chainmail, horse (and dog) and knight armor, all inlaid with gold and brass threads pounded into the steel for decoration. Over 2000 rooms, we saw about 20. We can’t possible describe them, so Wikipedia if you are interested in what they look like!

After walking our toes off at the palace, we had lunch at the Mercado San Miguel, strolling among the hundreds of Madridlenos doing the same thing. Each booth at the market offered different tapas such as olives plates, cod plates, beef plates, shrimp, oysters … you get the picture. One booth sold fresh made potato chips, cooked in olive oil with plenty of salt. We retied our shoes to make room for salt and activity swollen toes and headed to the Prado a mile or so away. This is one of the most impressive art museums we have been in, a collection of more than 3000 canvases with whole rooms devoted to different artists ranging from Spanish favorites (El Greco, Velazquez, Goya, Miro) and medieval specialists, to the Italian Renaissance, northern favorites, others like Titan and Rubens. Much of the art had a religious focus, since that is what was popular at the time most of these great painters were working and the protestant catholic battles were beginning to boil. When we came out of both places, the lines stretched for blocks. Late Sunday afternoon was free; we paid and saw fewer crowds.

Tried to then cram all the meals we had planned into that first night. We visited three or four different restaurants, one drink and tapa each until we settled on a full racion of chorizo at Casa Labra Taberna. This was the birthplace of the Spanish Socialist Party in 1879; it still exists and the walls are full of photographs and newsprints for years back. Then it was off to Chocolateria San Gines for hot chocolate (like hot chocolate pudding in a cup) and churros. The churros were extruded into a 3 foot deep vat of boiling oil in a long 30 foot coil which, once cooked, got cut into 12 inch pieces. We each got a plate of churros and a cup of hot chocolate to dip them in. Stumbled off to bed.

Up early the next morning for pastries at Salon La Mallorquilla, one of the best pasty shops we’ve ever seen, coffee from Starbucks (Spain does pastry well but we know how to make coffee with chocolate - Mark needed hismmocha), then off to the one museum open on Monday - Reina Sofia collection of modern (19th and 20th century) art. We saw everything they had, but our real reason to visit was to see Picasso’s Guernica. In 1937, Picasso was in France to paint a light and lively large painting for the Spanish pavilion at the Paris world fair. A civil war was raging in Spain between the legally elected democratic government (who sent Picasso north) and some traditionalist right wing forces under Franco. Franco was friends with Hitler and Mussolini; he asked for their support and gave them the opportunity to try out Hitler’s new air force. The town of Guernica, Basque capitol, on market day was the target of the world’s first carpet bombing of civilian areas. First the planes took out the bridges so escape was impossible. Then the bombing and strafing obliterated everyone; it was market day and full of refugees who were trying to avoid the battles in their own areas. Picasso’s canvas is in black, grey and white, not free and fancy, and is a symbolic masterpiece of the destructive capability of war. Bombs are falling, horses screaming, a sad bull (symbol of Spain) looks on, mother’s hold dead babies, dead warriors with broken swords, prideof Spain, lie trampled. It depicts a true nightmare and is weirdly similar to what Quadaffi is doing now in Libya and what S. Hussein did to the Kurds in Iraq. Somber scene at the museum with hundreds of Spaniards funneling through the room to see it, I think it has become a real statement and summary against the inhumanity of wars of all kinds. It only came back to Spainafter Franco's death. Again, Wikipedia would give you more information.

After the last museum, it was another hit on Starbucks and back to the Mercado de San Miguel for lunch. Many glasses of Sangira, sweet Vermouth, and wine later, with tapas to match, we headed back to the hotel for the later afternoon nap and to pack.

Mark has come to the conclusion the sultry low voice of Spanish women is not inherited or planned. He thinks it is just the end result of a pack a day for 20 years (if you are 35 plus). We are somewhat amazed to see that about 60-70 percent of the population on the streets is carrying a lit cigarette.

Figure the last night in Spain should be a tapas Crawl. A tapas bar in Spain does not equal a topless bar in the US. First up, La Casa de Abuella where we had gambas al ajillo (small shrimp cooked in olive oil, what else, and garlic) as well as sangria and a tuna tapa. There were 4-5 of the same name restaurant…hopefully, we hit the right one. Next we hit Casa Toni where we dined on the local rioja wine, as well as berenjena (deep fried eggplant slices with honey) and champinones steamed (mushrooms). Toni was fun, and had a bar full of bull-fighting pictures and memorabilia. Thank god we escaped before Kathie ordered the snowball size of lamb intestines wrapped like Mexican Christmas ornaments on wooden sticks to be deep fried. Even the grandson of a sheepherder (Mark) could not appreciate that. Ended the evening with an Argentina ice cream tropical surprise at Giangrossi Helano Artesanal at the end of another amazing tapas bar street with will need to be explored on another visit, because we are tap - ed out and leave early tomorrow.

Thoughts of Spain and Madrid? We think Spain is lovely, the people warm, friendly and kind-hearted. We were constantly being stopped on the street and offered help with a map or directions. The people we met were eager to chat about our lives, their lives, what we thought about their country, politics, and any other topic that came to the fore. The waiter who gave us his copy of Don Quixote, even though we couldn't read Spanish, says it all. He wanted us to have something of his to share with others in the states. Wow. Madrid, though a very large city, we found to be intimate and warm - lovely pedestrian streets. Cordoba was historic and a wonderful "small town" to explore. Sevilla was beautiful, full of light and the potential for spring flowers (a return trip may be mandatory). In all our time, we walked the small backstreets streets and big plazas late at night, early in the morning, and in the middle of crowds of locals. Only once were we mildly concerned or uncomfortable about being followed or stalked, and that was likely our imagination. We were told repeatedly to watch our bags, keep our hands in our pockets (so no one else would), and be aware of gypsy scams

Up quite early with an easy hike (1 km) to the Metro to the airport and a flight that was less than 1/3 full. First time that has happened in years. Guess that is why our flight tomorrow was cancelled. Back in the USA! Greasy hamburgers, yuck. Diet starts tomorrow.

Adios till the next trip

More Toledo

Just found out our flight Wednesday doesn't exist. Gee, United, think you should have emailed us this?! They called and left a message that one flight took off at a different time, but not that one just ceased to exist!!! So, have to come home a day early. We won't get out to see El Escorial or the Valley of the Fallen, which I was really looking forward to. Will do whirlwind tours of the Madrid museums... The last picture of Toledo above shows the size of streets the cars and buses drive on. Note the gouges in the wall for car mirrors, and we are talking LITTLE cars, not our volvo or even a VW wagon like Liesl's-those are HUGE here.

Feb 19 - Toledo

Up late and into the center of town to see the Catedral. Again, another amazing take on Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, neoclassical architecture, complete with burial sites of past archbishops, cardinals, and their red hats hanging overhead until they rot and fall down. Pity the poor tourist standing there at the time…might scare the hell out of him or her. And then there is the 16th century skylight added to the arched ceiling after the fact. A deep hole in the ceiling tumbling with angels, clouds, sculptures of cherubs, with feet hanging out illuminates the entire carved back wall of the altar complete with angels holding fill by their gills and the ascending soul of Jesus. The individual choir seats carved in walnut depicting the reconquest of each Spanish city starting with Toledo in the 11th century and ending with Granada in 1492 are so accurate as to be used by historians to trace the evolution of weapons over that 400 years. An amazing 465 pound gold plated silver monstrance is in the Tesoro (treasury), used to hold the Holy Communion wafer that represents the body of Christ during April religious processions around town. In addition, did I mention the 18 El Greco paintings as well as some by all other famous artists from the different eras. The cathedral is a museum all on its own.

Off to Santo Tome to see one of El Greco’s most famous paintings, hung where he positioned it 400 years ago. The Burial of the Count of Orgaz – very colorful and with all the local town fathers fit into it, only El Greco stares out at you from the scene while his son holds a hanky with the Greek name painted on it- the artist’s signature. Then, how about a 1 euro bus ride around town to get our bearings and lift us back up the hill, highlighted by a thread the needle (bus through 16th century medieval arch) maneuver at pace 

Strolling through the labyrinthine twist of streets as the Toledans begin to flow into town for the Saturday stroll, we made the pleasant mistake of pausing in front of a metal working shop window where an old man was doing meticulous gold inlay crafting, hammer and wooden block in hand. In 1973, an old man took Kathie’s hand and led her into the caves of Herculaneum near Pompeii; in 2009, he took Kathie’s hand and pulled her into a dark restaurant; in 2011, that same old man grabbed her hand and took her into the cueva of his shop to show off his metal work of necklaces, rings, scissors, chess sets etc.-all guaranteed to be 24 k gold made by him, not some distant factory. Did we mention knives? “Hey buddy, want a knife? “ Or how about a sword. How to get this into a carry on…hmmm. Every other shop sells hundreds of knives, swords, shawls, mantillas, shoes, or all of the above guaranteed to be handmade by the owner. It used to be the swords were the best in the world, sought by traveling warriors from every country now the stores claim the fame of creating the weapons for Lord of the Rings or Conan the Barbarian….still quality work.

LUNCHTIME “Show mi amigos to a better table in the next room” said el padrone as we strolled in to his Meson Palacious restaurant with Rick Steves under our arm. Lunch was bread, gazpacho soup (cold tomato), veal with pepper sauce, vegetable stew (ratatouille) La Mancha style, chocolate three layered cake, flan, a bottle of wine and – did I mention?- Kathie ate the partridge from the pear tree. Three meals before 2 p.m. may be a record for this trip. Tough to pass the panelaria with great bread on the way up the hill for breakfast and the Two Nuns pasteria with great chocolate, coffee and sweets just off Santo Tome square for a snack.

How do you know when Kathie has had enough wine with lunch?
A) She ate the whole loaf of bread on the table
B) She ordered a double espresso after an entire fixed price menu of the day (she doesn’t drink coffee)
C) She commandeered my wine, then backwashed when she got caught, or
D) All of the above

So, taking the escaleras mecanicos (8 flights which speed up when you step on them) may be an intellectual challenge after the above lunch, but we must hurry before the rain in the distance beats us to the Hotel El Cardenal doors. The rain has kept us inside for the afternoon, but it appears we may take of to Plaza de Zocovoder (used to be the horse market) to see what night life is there. Rumor has it a NJ high school band is playing at 8. We have been crossing paths with them and their parents the whole trip. Off to Madrid tomorrow

Feb 18 - en route to and in Toledo

Another delightful breakfast in Cordoba served by at least 3 people complete with linen tablecloth and napkins, fresh squeezed OJ and assortmentsof breadsetc. Taxi to the train station and a quick 1 ¾ hour ride to Madrid while we typed Feb 17. Got to Madrid to find all trains to Toledo were full. First rumor was no trains until tomorrow. OUCH! Put on our sorrowful, country bumpkin, rube faces and got separate seats on maybe the last train after three hours wait. Lesson learned: get tickets the day ahead! Typed some more on the blog, to upload once we get to Toledo. Had a brief pizza Margherita and jamon bocadillo (sandwich on a baquette) while we waited for our train. Not willing to say the lunch came complete with potato chips and a coke, or that they tasted good. At time this is being typed we are sitting in the ante-room of the Madrid train station. When we arrived you could not turn sideways in the huge station. As we look around now we only see 3 securidad and each other. Have we missed something in translation? Is this the same Madrid train station el Qaida blew up a few years ago? With a second quick look around at least we see no well shaven Muslim men with bulging coats or loanly left backpacks. Security cameras everywhere, but no shifty characters. Speaking of shifty characters got our first Gypsy proposition, baby dropper, yesterday. We either look more like locals, which we highly doubt in our bright yellow coats, the Gypsies are out of babies which we also highly doubt, or business all moved south for the winter, just like the cruise ships.
Caught our train to Toledo and chose to hup our bags a mile UPHILL to our Hotel del Cardenal. Then hiked up hill some more to Plaza de Zocodover to get the lay of the land...then hiked downhill to the Catedral and an early dinner at Adolfo Vinoteca. We made good friends with our waiter Miguel after 5 tapas and 4 glasses of wine. He gave us his personal oopy of Don Quixote (in Spanish), autographed it, and sent us stumbling on our way. Then we tried to find our wy home. Three miles of winding dimly lit alleys (except when cars speed around the corners), help from El Predsidente's personal security guard, and 8 flights of escalators (down) we found our way back to our room. We have found the Spanish people overwhelmingly friendly and helpful and have never been worried about our safety. Off to sleep so we have time to "do" Toledo tomorrow. Nighty-nite!

We give it a bad time, but the Spanish train system has been wonderful. Any shortcomings have been ours. These trains have been great. The US has a lot to learn.

cordoba pictures

Courtyard of the oranges - entry to Mezquita

Roman bridge with Mequitain background

The tower at night

Forest of marble columns

Feb 17 Cordoba

Woke up to a lovely breakfast with fresh squeezed orange juice, a giant English muffin with orange (local) marmalade, STRONG coffee and tea. Then it was off to see the Mezquita. This massive (600 ft x 400 ft) former mosque is jaw dropping; words to describe it are insufficient. You enter through a large garden of palm/orange trees with intricate irrigation system and 2 central fountains. Though the typical mosque provides a west entrance to the mosque and east altar (facing Mecca) this one’s entrance is from the north, facing Syria from where the local Moors who built it came. The fountains were for the ritual cleaning prior to prayers. This mosque was first built in the 700s and the minaret (now bell tower) guards the courtyard. You pass from the orange grove into the interior of the mosque to find yourself in another world, another type of forest, this one of beautiful delicate marble columns connected by red and white double arches – necessary because of the height of the ceiling, The structures adapt the Visigoth ruins (more history later) and roman arches admirably, The columns seem to recede into the distance, like looking at yourself in mirrors where there are hundreds of you. Remember when you were a kid and went to the barbershop. Mirrors in front and behind you made it look like there were 20-30 other kids getting a haircut at the same time. Same sensation looking into the rows and rows of columns. Quickly stepping it off it seems there were easily over 600. The Visigoths built a Christian church here in the 500-600 era, and then came the Muslims. In 1236, the conquering Christians took it over. With amazing forethought, rather than tear down the mosque, they built a lovely cathedral inside the mosque. Yeah, it has to be seen to be believed. The cathedral, in the center of the mosque rises 130 feet and has glorious plaster work in the ceiling, rich decorations contrasting with the simplicity of the Muslim building. We arrived as mass was being said; the warmly intimate forest of columns blended with the chanting and singing – it brought tears to our eyes for the beauty and tranquility presented. The Catholic Church now makes sure to claim the Visigoth heritage from the 500s to prove their current right to keep this active church for themselves. In some ways it is a shame, the Muslim Mihrab (high altar) is beautiful and the 8000 Muslims in Cordoba should, in our opinion, have a right to worship here. It is an ongoing, and perhaps growing, controversy. King Ferdinand III chose to be buried here with the Mudejar mosaic decorations of the Muslims…a beautiful Royal Chapel within the mosque (one of about 50). Peaceful, tranquil and a great showing of the dichotomy between the two religions: simplicity vs. ostentation, god within yourself vs. god as all powerful over you, tolerance of differences vs. intolerance, joy vs. fear. I could go on, mostly based on the history I’ve been reading, but perhaps I am putting too much of my own interpretation into this.
As to history…Spain as a whole and the southern part more specifically. Please remember, I am writing this as a diary so I don’t forget all we’ve learned. Sorry if I digress! The Celts from Ireland and that area present the first evidence of inhabiting the northern Iberian Peninsula. They came by both land and sea about 800-1200 BC and their typical homes and burial sites can be seen where not destroyed by “progress.” Very reminiscent of our trip to Ireland. The Phoenicians first settled the southern edge of what is now Spain in about 1100 BC. Carthaginians and Romans followed in 200-400 AD. When the Roman Empire crumbled, the Christian Visigoths (from current German areas) came and built the first Christian churches. That leadership lasted until about 711 AD when the Moors first landed at Gibraltar. Within 3 years, the Moors ruled the entire Iberian Peninsula. Though powerful, they were very tolerant of different people and religions. For the next 700 years they ruled most of Spain and allowed a mixing of Jewish, Christian and Muslim faiths. They valued the Jews especially as the go between for them with the Christians.
Those who weren’t Muslim paid a bit more in taxes but were allowed their culture. This was perhaps Europe’s most advanced culture, totally escaping the Dark Ages, and honoring science, mathematics, literature, astronomy and architecture. They also flourished with wine-making (thanks Romans) even though the Muslim religion forbade drinking it. After a few hundred years, the Reconquista” began when the Moor kings split into different factions, lessening their agreements and subsequent control over the area. With the Catholics slowly advancing south and driving the Moors out of the peninsula,Toledo fell in 1085, Sevilla in 1248, and, finally Granada in 1492. The Moors in some places were allowed to stay for a few years, but inevitably fell back to their more southern areas and finally Africa as they were pushed out. The Jews were forced out or “allowed” to convert around the same time. The vicious inquisition was to find out the “false converts” and kill them all. Not a pretty time. From about 1500-1600, Spanish ruled the seas and the world; then religious arguments and those pesky English ruined it all. A slow decline followed until we thrashed them in the Spanish American War (they lost Cuba, the Philippines and Puerto Rico), WWI was devastating , and their 1930s Civil War finished it all. They also chose the wrong side in WWII and somehow failed to benefit from the situation as Germany did (Marshall Plan).
Enough history. We continued to walk the myriad narrow lanes of the Jewish quarter in Cordoba, and ventured out of the twisty turny lanes to the more modern parts in search of restaurants. Yummmmy search results. We found food, two great restaurants for lunch and dinner. You are supposed to eat a big lunch, sleep it off and then eat a small dinner. When you find a place with food and atmosphere, it is HARD to eat small. Oh well, a few more hours on the Nordi track when we return. We wind through the old and into the new Cordoba. The first restaurant we ate at for lunch yesterday (17th) was in the Plaza San Miguel – the Casa de Pisto ( a local stew). Very local bar in the front and then typical 5-6 rooms in the back. The walls were lined with old paintings, photos (one from1888) and bric-brac from Cordoba history. Olive oil lamps, foot braziers under the table, fountains, and famous bull fighters, flamenco dancers, and padrones looking down at you from the walls. Our eyes were bigger than our stomachs again. It all started with our first pitcher of Sangria. Then we progressed to Salpicon de Marisco – a cold sea food salad with shrimp, cod, crab, green peppers (chopped fine), onions, olive oil, tomatoes and vinegar….burp. Then we moved to fried aubergines (eggplant) with a honey dressing, Sobrasida Iberica (a tomato based pate with lots of salt), broiled mushrooms with crumbled prosciutto on top,

Good thing our waiter was nice. In a polite way he talked us out of 6 half rations, insisting 4 was sufficient (by the way, waiters have vastly improveda fter our Barca experience). He gave us a tour of each of the relics hanging on the walls. Too bad there is no music or flamenco here in Feb. We need to walk this one off. Wined, and I do mean wined, our way home with stops at a few granny grabbers and fall into bed for a short nap. Finally figured we must be awake, up and out between 5-7 p.m. if we want to visit any open shops. Also figured out we must buy the first time we see something because 1) you may never find the shop again and 2) it will be closed if you come back. Note to self: Remember to bring guide book and map when you trek out at night to eat. Else you have to find your way back to the hotel to retrieve them. So what, we looked for one restaurant, couldn’t find it, and ended up at Taberna Salinas, even better than the others we searched for mapless. This place was a small covered court yard. We trusted waiter Jose Carlos to pick the meal and wine. We started with the Cordoban specialty of oranges, onions, salt-marinated cod- strangely, it was great. This was followed by fried eggplant and calamari, croquettes with ham and cheese inside continued with a stewed pork – so tender it would disintegrate with a fork- had to use a spoon. Finished it all off with an orange custard surmounted by a one inch square of vanilla chocolate covered ice cream and sugared almond tart El padron who has been overseeing the entire meal (from a back corner table) and watching his bodego fill up over the last 1 ½ hours. He came and asked us “Fini?” We weren’t sure what we said but he then served us with some PX, Pedro Ximenez, complements of el Pedrone, a sweet after dinner wine reminiscent of Japanese plum wine and port , from grapes grown only in this region. Just what we needed. After another half hour of sipping we have an idea!!! Get Jose Carlos to draw directions on the map (another reason for keeping one with us) to get us home. We shuffle off to the Mezquita for one last night time photo before melting into bed. Tired bodies…off to bed ..travel is so exhausting. Wonder why we do it? The sarcasm is as thick as the PX.

Feb 16 - a slow day

Up early and had a slow easy breakfast and lazy drive out of Granada en route to Cordoba. Two hours later, after driving through miles upon miles (as far as the eye can see)of olive tree groves, we descended into Cordoba and made our way, side mirrors folded in, through the Jewish quarter´s narrow lanes to our hotel. Unloaded the car then took it to drop at the Europecar office at the train station. Then walked back through the Jewish quarter, getting lost along the way in tiny twisty alley ways and ¨streets¨ where the cars brushed the walls (and us) as they passed. Had our big meal ¨lunch¨ at Bodegas Mezquitas near the mosque. Great bunch of tapas and superb dessert wine made from Pedro Ximenez grapes which only grow near here. It tasted almost like Japanese plum wine. Check out the restaurant on you tube...lots of fun. Left ur camera there and one of the waiters chased us down with it. Quite a nice un-touristy place; we will eat there again as the food was so good. The streets here in the Jewish quarter are all tiny, most won´t fit a car and there are tons of shops which aren´t just for tourisits. Lots of baby clothes and toys. We will have to peruse them more carefully tomorrow. Nap time, then we will take another stroll around the nearby streets. Tomorrow it is up early to vist the Mezquita and Jewish synagogue. Hope all of you are well!

Feb 15. If this is Tuesday, it must be Granada and the Alhambra

Feb 15 – Granada and the Alhambra
Up at 6:30 for an early breakfast and early appointment at the Alhambra. Seems we have slipped into the lifestyle. Onto mini-bus #32, down the hill off the Albayzin and back up the next hill to the Alhambra entrance and our 9:30 a.m. appointment with the Palacious Nazaries. This is the last and greatest Moorish palace in Spain. As the Spanish reconquest crept south, the Moors slowly settled into Granada to rule their dwindling empire. In 1492, this was the last place to fall to the reconquest. Though the moors held Spain for more than 800 years, the Spanish Christians finally overtook the last capital of their empire. While the dark ages ruled most of Europe, Spain under the Moors was in an era of enlightenment. The Alhambra has four places of major interest. The oldest is the Alcazaba, a fort with beautiful towers and views of the city below (and Albayzan and the neighboring hill). Next is the Palacious Nazaries, a Moorish royal palace that makes meticulous use of calm water falls, drizzling fountains and flows throughout. There are royal offices, ceremonial rooms and private quarters. Built mainly in the 1300s, the rooms are elegant, refined, and decorated from top to bottom with beautiful filigreed plastic walls – and always the sound of gentle water falling. Another area of the Alhambra includes the Generalife gardens and small summer palace. Again, beyond description. Finally, we hit Charles V round palace, built in the Renaissance after the reconquista, on top of other palaces. Supposedly, Columbus solicited Queen Isabella’s support for his journey in this palace. Sort of funny, but this Isabella/Columbus thing seems to have taken place almost everywhere we have been. Sort of like the George Washington slept here thing. Washington Irving certainly wrote his “Tales of the Alhambra” while staying here in 1829…a text that brought the world to the doors of the palace. A common phrase for the area is “Give the begging blind man a coin, for there is nothing worse in this life than to be blind in Granada.” Very true, even in winter and in a driving rain storm! The peaceful nature of the area may have been aided by the lack of tourists, but this was 4 well spent hours.
Off to lunch at a lovely restaurant on the 2nd floor in the Albayzan overlooking a small square, the local library, and the public school. Children, dogs and rushing parents filled the square while we finished off some local white wine. The best feature of the “comedor” was its fireplace!~ Caliente! Eggs scrambled with shrimp, ham chunks and mushrooms, with a paella appetizer. Thin sliced lamb chops doused in olive oil and peppers…yummm. A beautiful rainy day. The Albayzin is the old Moorish quarter with shady (today they’re wet!) lanes, a view around every corner and lots of small plazas or terraces – AND CLOSE TO 20 CHURCHES …ONE ON EVERY CORNER. In summer, I’m sure every window will pour out flowers.
Next, after a wine induced nap, it is off to trek down the hill to see the cathedral and walk the old town. To walk down to the old town, just face downhill. Soon you are in the middle of wide stepped streets (no cars!) lined with small arab type shops and restaurants – a world apart. At the bottom, newer (1700?) buildings mask the old camel caravanserai (Corral de Carbon) and silk markets where Roma women now try to read your palms, or pick your pockets! The caravanserai, the last of 14 in the old town, is 4 stories tall with a large courtyard and fountain in the middle. Camels, and men, would sit here and chew their hay or smoke their hookah and discuss the trade routes. The nearby cathedral is the center of the old town and has a wow factor, as do all of these magnificent buildings. Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand are buried here. Though free land was available 500 yards away, the conquerors had to, once again, destroy the local mosque and add their bell to the prayer tower –then they just rebuilt the whole thing. It is a gothic foundation with a renaissance completion, it focuses on Ave Maria, who is also revered in the Quran so wasn’t so offensive to the Moors. Nice banana and chocolate crepe, then hop bus # 31 back up the hill. These mini buses make it easy to get around. Bed and then tomorrow to Cordoba. Oops, that means I have to try to drive these streets again. Better charge Nuvi and hopes she gets a good night sleep.

Feb 14 - Valentines Day

Up late today with a long pleasant breakfast in Ronda. We forgot to mention the scent that permeates Ronda - the almond trees are in bloom and it is truly heavenly. They are in bloom 1 month early and, with the storn approaching, will likely lose their blossoms. This happened last year also, the whole crop was lost for the area. Climate change again.
We drove through the mountains to Granada today. Lovely high wide valleys with miles and miles of olive groves and just starting to grow green pastures. The olive groves looked like braided rows undulating to every horizon. No wonder a dish full of them appears on every table for dinner! We drove into Granada trusting nuvi...big mistake. He took us up one way streets and told us to turn where there were no turns. Then a nice older (?) arab man with no teeth on an ancient motorini spotted us and, through sign language, convinced us to follow him. With map in hand, to assure we weren't being slowly led to slaughter (he could only go about 15 k/hr uphill), he led us to our hotel. We paid him for the service and hope the 3 Euro went to repair his almost flat tire.
We checked in and then headed out to explore the Albayzin, the old moorish quarter where our hotel is. A long walk downhill and around old town, then we caught bus #32 which tookus up to the Alhambra and then in a circle around the Albayzin back to our hotel...it's on top of a steep hill. Great "lunch" at 2 pm consisting of:
Garlic and egg soup (poached egg at bottom of chicken broth and toasted french bread in it)

Sliced deep fried eggplant,lightly battered, with a molasses/balsamic vinegar topping

Fava beans with cured ham (and a fine chianti - or at least rioja)

Grilled thin sliced iberico pork served with green chilis over the top, resting on a bed of thin sliced potatoes simmered in OliveOil and chicken broth till tender.

Naptime.

Just woke up (8 pm) and off for dessert somewhere. We need to be up early for the Alhambra tour tomorrow so will not stay out till late!

Feb 12- 13

Sat Feb 12 – Driving through the mountains of Andalucía

We had a lovely breakfast in a brilliantly lit central atrium above our cave. As I said before, I fixed their computer so we could pass on info to this blog. We caught up on email and the Egypto news and then took off for a drive to Ronda. We passed through El Bosque, Ubrique, Villaluenga, Grazalema and saw from a distance many other small white towns. This area is all a national park with very civilized hiking trails and picnic areas throughout. In Villaluenga, was a small bull ring built on top of a rock above town…great views but we think the small ring may have given the bull an advantage. We got lost in Ubrique trying to find the old town center and gave up. Instead had lunch in a small town triangle (wasn’t square!) of Grazalema where there were no tourists and there was great food. Stumbled our way back to the car (great vino also) and let the steep cliffs we were driving sober us up. We arrived at Ronda and found lots of construction to get to the old town. Our mansion here was a bit newer, built in 1735. Very nicely renovated, you can get lost in the numerous stairwells – one of which seems to go up the enclosed central atrium by the small private (12 seat) theatre. Pictures in the dining area of people frequenting the hotel include Rick Steves, Ernest Hemingway, bull fighters and various other world renowned musicians, movie stars and politicians. Ronda is an old town separated from the “new town” by a 300+ foot deep gorge and “nueve puenta” built in the 1700’s after old one fell down. We strolled the city, large lovely pedestrian streets and “mirador” viewpoints for photos to the tune of guitars, harpists, vocal groups and laughing children on their evening paseo. Saturday night here was their St. Valentine’s Day, so restaurants were full. We had to settle for an oven baked thin crust pizza, or two.

Feb 13- Cueva de la Pileta and Bodega San Francisco
Today we head south through the mountains and, like little terriers or dachshunds (which are everywhere) we went to ground. The cave we visited is still owned by the same family that discovered it over 100 years ago. Four generations ago, a farmer saw bats exiting a small opening and went inside to locate guano to improve his fields. They have allowed exploration but resist commercial exploitation…no electricity here - but the bats are (hibernating at the moment!). The entire family has been hijacked by their g-g-grandfather's fascination with the cave. Hiking up a steep rock side, we entered the cave through a small entrance (watch your head!) to marvel at the stagy tites and stagymites…they grow 1 cm every 100 years here. The cave is quite large but we only covered about 2 km. The cave comes complete with marvelous paintings from 30000 years ago and underground lakes (fish on the walls, not inthe lake). The oldest paintings were of animals - horses bulls goats people animal traps, done in iron rust red. The most recent, from Neolithic times 4500 years ago, were charcoal. As the paintings became more recent, they started to take on a more pictographic or symbolic nature, approaching language. There was even a “map” of the cave and calendars important for the inhabitants as they started to do more farming. Probably only one family lived in the cave at a time during the hunting era, though it was huge. It may have held a “village” of 3-4 families once farming started, maybe 12-40 people. At one point, the cave we were in overlay another below us, with 4 meters of rock separating the two – you could stomp on the floor and the whole place reverberated. Very freaky.
Back to Ronda and lunch at the Bodega San Francisco in a small square outside the town walls. DOCP great red wine from the area, marinated anchovies, shrimp cocktail on ½ avocado, octopus and Iberian pork sausage for lunch. Naptime! This evening it is raining slightly and we are catching up this diary while sipping wine in a lovely salon...may skip dinner and stay here for the evening. Tomorrow, off to Granada. Pictures of here to follow.

Feb 11 - Jerez horses and Arcos

Mark gets up late today, 5:30, to work on IMS and other office issues remotely - almost got all his faxes done. No news from WA is good news.
Feeling flush, we ordered in breakfast, finished our wine, perfected our Duet for violin and cello in B minor (see photo for details), then hoisted our bags to walk to the Sants Justa Estacion - the Ave station – to pick up our car. It was a much shorter walk once we knew where we were going. Picked up our Ibesa(?) SEAT, Spanish VW, which is really an A3 TDI. Fun. Once we took off, pleasant surprise, Garmin Nuvi works great!! Off to Jerez first, and the Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art. One of only 4 such training centers in the world. They pretty much breed their own horses from Spanish, Arab and English stock. Like the Lippizaners from Austria, they are born black and gradually dapple to gray and finally to pure white by 14-16 years of age. The picture below is an older one. The students / riders come from all over the world to try out. 5-6 new students each year spend 7 hours a day for 2-4 years training horses. Their graduate degree gives them a “Horse Master” after their name and they can name their price for training horses for others. Currently, a number of graduates are located in China in very plush digs training both horses and riders – 6 figure annual salary . The stables, saddlery, coach, and school museum were all beautiful on the grounds of the King’slocalpalacein Jerez. Oh, and the horses were magnificent. We watched a training session where they were leaping, kicking on command, learning to balance on their hind legs and hop, and all the other typical dressage steps.
Off to Arcos de la Frontera, our first Puebla Blancas de la Andalucia. In hind sight we think that roughly translates to “Rock hard bed at the end of the frontier”. Casa La Grande is a grand 8 suite remodeled mansion first built in 1701, literally carved into a vertical cliff looking over the agricultural plains south of Arcos. Our room is actually 15-20 feet underground with a terrace over the edge. We truly “ look down on the backs of birds” as the locals say. The only problem with this town is no matter which direction you walk to go have dinner, and we had a marvelous Italian dinner as Kathie will outline (the dinner also comes with a few glasses of Montepulciano), you have to walk (and I use that word loosely) back up hill to fall (settle gently) into bed. Turn out the lights and the “cave” gets VERY dark. Just try to find the bathroom in the middle of the night. We understand in April during festival time they close the gates to the Old City and let the bulls run, Pamplona style. A little wine, a few of these narrow streets, the elevation, and these hills, and the bulls might have a chance to get a bit of tourista. They have in the past – an Army guy stationed nearby died in 2007.
Some comments on most of the homes we see. I (Kathie) have always been a big fan of the Roman atrium style home … a central atrium with pond/fountain, cloister like columns supporting a covered walkway around the interior atrium and all rooms coming off of that walkway. It would be a lovely setting for an Alzheimer’s unit. The Spanish have done this one better in a hot climate by making the homes 2-4 stories tall. The walls are all about 3 feet thick and the central atrium acts as a chimney. Wonderful sunlit area for a short time each day, otherwise cool shade. The lower windows are open but covered with wet reed woven shades. As the air blows in the window, natural air conditioning from the wet shade drops the temperature 20-30 degrees and the hot air rises up the “chimney” providing a constant cool breeze for the inhabitants If we lived someplace hot, I’d sure build this!
Dad and I both thought about earthquakes as we went to sleep inour cave…wouldn’t want to jump off the terrace.

another recipe

Another Recipe for a snack or meal:
Shave a cross-section of a large eggplant, perhaps 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick
Lay a piece of prosciutto or ham into it
lay a thin slice of mozzarella ontopand rollit
Make a number of these and place into a shallow baking pan
mix ketchup and french's mustard to taste, add a bit of sweet cream
pour over top and bake
top with shredded parmesan when done and serve...ymmmmmmm

Feb 10 - Sevilla in Bauer minor

Feb 10 – Thursday … or bulls, anchovies, Alcazar and Flamenco in Sevilla
The pace slows and the sites are purely Sevilla. Mark up at 3, Kathie soon followed-what do you expect, but nothing pressing. Lazy stroll – paseo – to the bull fighting ring and museo. One toreador, two picadors, and three bandoleers fight 2 bulls (hardly fair fight) to the death. This used to be a way for men on horseback to control and kill bulls quickly for meat…they kept the cows for breeding. Once guns came into play, the admired skill of the toreador, bull killer, was being lost. Therefore, it became a sport, albeit a dangerous one. The picadors are to weaken the bull through loss of blood; the bandoleers anger him so he fights better (or perhaps those are backwards)– better sound bites. If the bull is angry enough, and the toreador kills him quickly (25 minutes) nobly with a spike through the heart between the 4th and 5th vertebra, the toreador may get 1-2 ears and the tail…one, two or three star fight. If the bull injures of kills the toreador, the bull is not only killed but also its mother. They say the bull gets his strength from his father and evil personality from the mother. Yuck. The whole thing almost made K sick to her stomach. If a horse gets gored, all the more free meat for the poor…college football similarities? Glad to have missed the spectacle. Littler fast boys head to bullfighting school to see if they have the ability to turn pro at 16. The ring took 120 years to build, same as the cathedral.
Back to the center of town with a bit of time to kill before touring Alcazar. Went into the Archives of the Indias. 40 million documents concerning every aspect and record of Spanish exploration of the Americas. Who went where, when, and what sank where. Chronicles the discovery of the new world from the Spanish perspective. Free sea versus controlled sea, were they pirates or privateers? This is where current salvage people go to try to locate sunken treasure…Spain it seemed owned the oceans and the Americas (the pope said so!), Then along came those pesky English, Dutch and French with letters of marque from their respective monarchs to disrupt the control. Took a nap in the 75 degree sunshine in the Plaza de Trunfio while waiting the guide. Our luck runs out with tours, not enough people showed so we do the Alcazar on our own.
Alcazar is 3 separate palaces with a magnificent garden. Amazing collection of rooms, fountains, courtyards, gardens, pools, water powered organs. All done with Mudejar architecture…a mix of mosaic, painted tiles, carved stone and wood, orientation of the rooms to sun and Mecca. This is still the home of the royal family when they visit Sevilla.
We are starting to settle into the Spanish pace, as indicated by a bottle of wine, 2 loaves of bread and a small siesta. We wake up just in time to go to the Flamenco Museo and its dance demonstration. 4 performers …imagine Michael Jackson, Mick Jagger, Riverdance Michael Flathely, and ice skating all rolled into Carmen. The girl was beautiful and sultry; the guy was a bit scary but stomped and spun while, Mark says, touching himself provocatively, and the singer sounded like he was calling the crowd to prayer from the top of the tower while Jesse Cook strummed away. It was all done very well and lots better than the 40 Euro tourist shows! Late dinner and slow paseo back to Hotel Amadeus. We should comeback in April sometime when all the orange trees are in blossom – perhaps better than a few rotten oranges falling at your feet.

Recipe of the day
Nicoise Sevilla style salsa fresca without cilantro
½ inch chunks potato – biked but al dente
Fine chop tomatoes, onions, green red yellow pepper, hard boiled egg, carrot peel
Tuna olive oil/vinegar…that’s it!

Feb 9 - city and cathedral tour

We solved the problem of waking up at 3 a.m. and not being able to get back to sleep – just stay up till 2:30!! Soccer game at a local taberna then getting lost in the Juderia kept us up. Then, a little sleep, a little internet, a little email, background reading about Sevilla and, before you know it, it’s time to go find good pastries. What’s with the surly waiters? They’re everywhere! Maybe it is Mark’s bright yellow coat and baseball cap…the ONLY person not in dark brown or black. Off to meet Alvado, our tour guide for the day. Concepcion was to be our guide (Rick Steves’ suggestion) but she is a bit indisposed- about 6lbs 4oz worth of indisposition.
Waiting for our guide we again saw the bicycles owned by the government. White in Barcelona,here they are red. For 8 euro yearly, you get a license to use the bikes for 3o minutes at a time. They have racks everywhere and everyone uses them. We also saw the pneumatic garbage shoots located all over the old town where trucks can't get to pickup trash. Interesting solution to the problem!
Walking tour of Sevilla…the same maze of narrow blind alleys and shuttered doors in the Jewish quarter and Alcazar we were lost in last night became picturesque photo ops as shops and restaurants opened and the ambience poured out. We got more of the idea of the growth of Seville from a Phoenician then Roman city, through 800 years of Moorish rule and the subsequent re-conquest by Ferdinand. After the discovery of the Americas (Columbus is a majordomo here – they even celebrate Columbus day like we do) Sevilla became the largest city in the world in the 16th century. All riches from the Americas came to Europe through Sevilla, with taxes collected right outside the cathedral – or inside if it was raining. Off to lunch with a great recommendation to eat at Casa de Romans, where they serve the best jamon iberico (acorn raised pork) in Spain – 5 “Js”. Great thin sliced prosciutto, chunks of parmesan and asiago, mushrooms steamed in olive oil and a GREAT WAITRESS! Mark must be getting better at trilling his “r”s (not arse). Back to find Alvado for a 1 hour tour of the Cathedral. It is the largest gothic cathedral in the world (by area) and they post the Guinness Book of Records to prove it. Our luck with guided tours continues – only 4 of us, the other couple from Massachusetts. Inside the cathedral walls are actually 44 other individual chapels which were privately owned in the past. Wealthy 16th century Sevillans had to own a chapel and celebrate mass every Day, even if no one attended. Good gig for the church and priests. The vied with each other to decorate their chapels. The main altar has a gold encrusted tableau depicting the life and times of Jesus – 40+artisans worked 85 years to complete it. Christopher Columbus, or at least 60%of him, is entombed here with DNA evidence to prove it (his son Hernando is also here). He spent a few hundred years traveling after his death with stops in Cuba and the Dominican Republic and left parts along the way. We were feeling really strong after our 5 Js lunch so decided to climb the minaret, cum bell tower thanks to Ferdinand. The re-conquest in Seville and elsewhere involved switching the east west orientation of the mosques to north-south, add a bell to the minaret and shazam! You have a church. The story is they built 26 churches in one day in Sevilla.
Muslims were called to prayer 5 time daily from the Giraldo tower…long hike, so this one has a series of 36 ramps so the mullah could ride a horse to the top. It made the climb a breeze for us and the view was well worth it. The climb made us really hungry for the big meal of the day. Couldn’t find any of the restaurants recommended in the books, so instead followed our noses, which has worked well in the past. Mark’s bad cold didn’t help. We went into one place with only one table left and great food, but after 10-15 minutes without even a nod from the waiter 3 feet away, we decided to take our stomachs elsewhere. Two doors down Don Carlos himself invited us into his place. A great bottle of white wine washed down plates of fried calamari and boquerones (anchovies). All went well until Kathie, famished after her long climb up the tower, ate the tails and spines of Mark’s fish (taste like thin potato chips) and washed them down with an espresso.
With Mark gagging, we trekked back to our hotel by way of the Flamenco museum, signing up for a show tomorrow night. Fell into bed to sleep off lunch and for Mark to try to shake off his cold. The bad thing about 5 pm naps is waking up at 10 and needing to go out (like the dogs). Off we go to find more nightlife, which doesn’t exist for those over 30. Can’t figure it out, by those standards we are over qualified! Mark’s fever broke sometime after midnight- God bless gelato! Now, again up at 3 a.m.. Oh well, got the blog written and typed in. Waiting for pastries and Starbucks to open.
Thanks for all the emails and comments. They do help to make our day.

Recipes!!! Oink...

We have had some good dishes here. Tapas are small plates; you can also order 1/2 "raciones" or full rations. We tend to order a number of plates and share. The best so far include:

tiny frieswith garlic aioli sauce

baby spinach, sliced apples, sliced mushroom, thick sliced parmesan, and shrimp salad with a HOT sweet mustard vinegarette dressing - blew out the sinuses and woke us up!

spirelli pasta, tomato chunks, black sliced olives, mixed greens, feta chunks, and again a sweet mustard vinagrette, not as hot as above, but same thing - very sweet

grilled pork tenderloin (not too well done so moist) with a carmelized onion, raisin, pine nut comfit, all served over chopped red potatoes which were likely grilled and then "toasted" under the broiler

3 cheese rissoto- gorgonzola, emmental and ?

red potato chunks "larded" with either thin leek/scallion greens or green peppers and then roasted till soft in the middle and crusty on the outside. Served with salty au jus sauce made with the potato liquid (to thicken it - maybe minimal cornstarch?) and a touch of whiskey

jamon iberico with the pigs raised on a pure acorn diet "5 Js" ...EVEN THE FAT WAS DELICIOUS!

We've stuck with the house red and white wines...never a disappointment yet!

Feb 7 and Feb 8 - Mark's 62nd birthday

Monday Feb 7
Today we were up early (our curse in Barcelona) in an effort to get to the Tourist information 1 hour early to assure we got the Gaudi bus tour. The orange umbrella was right in out face and we were the only participants of the tour… a big bus all to ourselves with our own tour guide. We got there an hour early and went straight to the bus – the old couple in The Amazing Race – scrambling around Placa de la Catgalunya –frogger between the millions of motorcycles and taxes. Thanks to god for the Veinte starbucks mocha. Our guide Nuria was great. The giant bus wended its way past the Passaig de Gracias and Gaudi buildings to Parc Guell. Eustebia Guell bought a mountain outside of town and commissioned Gaudi to design a housing development on the hill just north of downtown Barcelona around 1905-ish. People who were used to living in large apartment buildings couldn’t fathom a separate house so “far” from downtown. Only 3 houses were sold and 1 mile of roads built. When Guell died, his son sold it to the city as a park –couldn’t afford to keep it. Weaving elevated roads with “tree root” supports lead to large terraces surrounded by whimsical ceramic inlaid serpentine benches. The terrace overlays a market area below designed to look as if you are under the sea. – a guitarist doing his best Jesse Cook imitation – like singing in the shower. Each column supporting the terrace channels water from the terrace into cisterns that then flow out of dragons and are used to water the plants. Back onto the bus and off to Sagrada Familia basilica (it may be the cathedral once finished). Still under construction, Gaudi took over the project in its second year, apparently from the architect who designed the house our hotel was in. He ran the project from 1883 until his death by street car in 1926.
Estimates for completion range from another 8 to 30 years. 8 of 18 spires completed now. 2 of 3 facades are completed, the nativity façade and passion are complete. The glory façade is not yet complete. Checkout Wikipedia and the Dec 2010 National Geographic for details. The largest spire will be 550 feet tall, one foot shorter than Montjuic hill to in town. We rode up one of the spires in the nativity façade by elevator, walked catwalks around the top and then walked down spiral staircases in other spires. 100 years ago the stones were handcut one at a time, all the lines , supports ,angles and other supports were determined by upside down models. Gaudi would create chains which hung upside down, with weighted bags providing stress points – catenary arches. He photographed these models and then turned them right side up to figure out how to build it – or hung them over mirrors to see what they would look like. Either a genius or a madman, said his instructors at architecture school. He lived in the crypt of the church for the last 20+ years of his life We think he was both. He worked entirely by models, no drawings. Now, autocad designs the cut stones. His models were destroyed during the Civil war in the 30s and only now are being reconstructed.
We were getting hungry and tired, but one more Gaudi to see, can’t get enough of this crazy guy. Casa Mila (la Pedrera)- 6 floors, each 12000 sq. feet. Owners lived on the first floor and rented out upper floors, typical of the times. Up to the attic to experience the catenary arches first hand, then to the undulating terrace of the roof with too many chimneys to count – toad stools, serpents and monsters. Whimsical to the max. Outside (non-supporting walls were his secret), cascade off the sides of the building like melting ice cream. Every design comes from nature. Love or hate Gaudi, no one is indifferent. We like the whimsy.
Stagger back to the hotel for the requisite4 hour siesta. Then, tapas anyone??? If we must. Purchase of the camera USB cable to add pictures to this blog! Too many tapas, too little time, and off to bed. AVE train to Sevilla early in the morning

FEB 8 – Mark’s 62nd birthday
From the AVE train, after a quick taxi to the Sants train station. Amazing, quiet, 300 km per hour passage through mostly dry farmland and patches of snow in the high plains – nothing but blue sky after the fog lifted. Reclining seats, movies, multi channel entertainment with DeNiro movie and “Nine.” Yours ears pop as you go through tunnels at that speed. All these trains arrive with minutes of schedule or your money comes back to you! Hauled our bags 947 miles on cobblestone streets to our hotel – La Musica (addition to La Amadeus) is lovely. Directions we had were from the bus station … we arrived by train! We have a room on the top (4th) floor of a small house in the Barrio Santa Cruz. We wandered until 1 a.m. after a nap. The area is quite safe and we closed down the town. Did get lost in the Juderia quarter which was designed for that purpose as protection. More tomorrow.

casa batllo - Gaudi

look it up on wikipedia for more detail

dinner with Obama

la boqueria

Pictures from 5-6 of Feb

We found a camera cable, so here are a few pix. me in front of the Boquerie (market). Casa Batllo at night (a Gaudi design) At Parc Guell x2

Feb 6

Up early today to start touring the old town of Barcelona. We had a quick coffee and pastry at Starbucks as nothing else was open at 9 on Sunday morning...too many late nights on the weekend! Then we headed out for a walking tour of the Barri Gotic area. Mainly we walked around the cathedral and studied not just the gothic architecture but also that from the Renaissance and Baroque periods - all on Roman foundations 65 feet down. No earthquakes here damaged the older buildings, like in Italy, they just got torn down to make way for new. The first town wall surrounded the cathedral area, then expanded two more times. Unlike many places, the walls are all gone now. We did take an elevator down the 65 feet to walk around dyeing vats, fish meal factories and some other Roman ruins. Noon in the cathedral courtyard brought out a small orchestra and the Sardana dancers. People from the town sway, dance,and hop in large circles-putting their bags and purses in the middle to protect them from thieves...all ages take part, but it was slanted toward the aged as this was Sunday morning and the late nights kept the younger partiers in bed. Then we took a hike through the Ribera district to find the Picasso museum. He started out at age 12 learning to paint like the old european artists and then ended up painting in very childlike manners with broad black strokes and lots of color. Can't say we have ever appreciated the cubism, but now understand it more. Had our first hit on a tapas bar where they charged by the number of toothpicks on your plate! They weren't especially tasty, so need to find other places. Then we hoofed it again to catch a city bus to the top of Montjuic and the Olympia village. First built in the late 30's, the Olympics missed Barca because of their civil war. It was refurbished for the 92 Olympics. Quite a site. The plain of Barcelona is nestled between tall escarpments and mountains and the sea. Mainly flat, it abruptly rises to the heights around the city. Funiculars and cablecars carry you up, when they are working. The harbor and town streets were packed by evening with children on inline skates, strolling families and al fresca dining. Back to bed by midnite after 5-6 miles of walking and up early tomorrow for the modernistic site of the town's architecture...Gaudi and more! ALso off to buy camera cable.

Feb 4
Well, we are off. Currently sitting in the Newark airport with a 4 hour layover prior to heading out to Barcelona. The flight from SEA was moved to an earlier time so we were up at 2 a.m. The flight over the US is the first time we have ever flown cross-country where every inch was white – and rough the whole way. The massive storm certainly hit everywhere, like a clean sheet thrown over everything. I have been reading how the arctic is 20 degrees warmer than ever, and very little ice in places for the polar bears or other winter animals’ needs. The result is also that the “temperature fence” that keeps polar air circulating north of the arctic circle has failed and we down south are getting all the cold weather that belongs up there. You sure can tell! The piles of snow here at EWK are mountainous…well, we now must kill 4 hours of layover time. 12 hours until Espana!
Feb 5 (yawn)
Arrived in Barcalona early Saturday morning…only about 2 hours sleep in last 24. Brilliant red sunrise, with indigo sky above the red fading into inky black full of bright sparks in the sky. Every quarter of the sky showed a different sparkling constellation as we flew over the coast of Spain/Portugal. Orion's belt welcomed us itno town. Then we caught the quick A-1 bus into town to the Placa de Catalunya and walked 2 blocks up Rambla de Catalunya to our hotel where !joy! our room was ready and waiting for us. We dumped our baggage and started a slow ramble down the Ramblas (Arabic for “stream”) in the old town, main tourist street of the old town. The central meridian of the street was packed with bird markets (dead and live), street artists, mimes, and families out for their Sabado passeig. A stroll through the massive La Boqueria (produce market) was an intensive education in the Espana menu and left us both fearful and salivating – sometimes at the same time. We then continued down the Ramblas to the harbor and across the fanciful footbridge to stare at large boats, sailing yachts and the weekend crowds. By now our stomachs were growling and Kathie’s head was spinning from lack of sleep – a quick Beef carpacio with shaved parmesan and arugula, marinated with Spanish beer, aqua con gas, and topped off by fried baby calamari, then back to the hotel for a 6 hour nap.
At 9 p.m. it became clear we needed to venture out again to find a bar to watch FC Barcelona play Atletico de Madrid. This was not the Real Madrid vs. FCB game we expected so we did not shell out the 300 Euros for tickets but instead found a local bar to eat and drink dinner at during the game. FCB dominated, of course. Time to test Kathie’s newly learned Spanish…wine typically will help loosen the tongue but Long Island Ice Tea does a better job. Had dinner at Obama’s restaurante, with him seatedat our table-he wasn'tmuch of a conversationalist. Mark continues to try spaghetti carbonara and fails to match Kathie’s recipe…Kathie had cuatro estaciones pizza with tuna, black olives, jamon and tomatoes…yummy as usual, but a new flavor included (tuna). Pictures to follow tomorrow as we left the camera cable at home and need to buy a new one!
Midnight almost and off to bed, perchance to dream....or snore. Thanks Long Island!

" ... our bags are packed, we're ready to go..." la la la la

Less than 2 days. We've been watching the massive storm move through the midwest toward our one stop, Newark, on the way to Spain. Looks like they'll have time to clear the runways before we land and take off again. We're keeping our fingers crossed! We've been given the opportunity to attend a spectacular soccer game - Barcelona vs. Madrid - Saturday night at 10 pm in Barcelona. If our plane arrives, the tickets are still available, and we can fight off jet lag that first day we will be sitting in the middle of 90,000 screaming, face painted fans with smoke bombs about the time you all finish lunch...we'll be thinking of you!