Spain - Last stop before home!!!

24 July - Madrid

Arrived in Madrid and the Tourist information were really good, they gave me a list of hostels and also details of how to get to the one I chose as well as information on the metro, which made everything easy to get to the hostel.  It turned out to be a new hostel and the rooms were all 4 bed dorms with ensuite - not bad at all, plus free use of the internet and breakfast included!!!!

In the tourist information centre (Am I going on about the tourist information places in Madrid????  Well they are good in comparison to the non entities in Italy that I experienced - sorry!!!) they also gave me a lovely book with walks detailed around the various sights of which I managed about three, which meant I went  around the important sights and saw the things I wanted to see, namely the Royal palace and the Cathedral, as well as the Botanical Gardens.  The only down side is of course is the entry prices for most of these things, although I struck it lucky with the Palace as it was free to EU citizens on the day I got there!!!

I quite like Madrid and there is lots to see and do here.

27 July - Cordoba

Oh my this place is hot!!!! It was 40 degrees in the shade and although I've been to hot places it still feels too much and it's a very dry heat too!!!!  I stayed in the old town, near the Juderia section, actually not far from the train station, but at just after 2pm when I arrived it was far too hot to walk even the shortest distance, especially with my backpack!!!!  I think a lot of the locals have the right idea, they shut up shop for all of August and go to where it's cooler!!!!!

Visited a 13th century Synagogue, a beautifully decorated place, just one room, but so effective and a Moorish home where they made the first paper in Europe, but somehow kept missing the entry times to go into the Mezquita Cathedral (as in most historical Spanish towns, a Mosque that had been adapted into a Cathedral) and the Royal Palace and a few other places were closed for renovations, however I think I visited the best sites.  The temperature had a peak of 49 degrees one day - ugh that was just a little excessive, especially when England is getting all that rain at the moment - doesn't seem quite fair - does it????  Managed to try some lovely Tapas - enjoy drooling over the picture.

29 July - Seville

Another scorching place!!!! (Was it possible this seemed even hotter!!!!!!!!!!!!)  Needless to say I was only visiting a few places here, it was just too hot to contemplate walking around for too long and I was just sapped of energy.  Did get to see the Mezquita Mosque/Cathedral here, as well as go up the Giralda (No stairs as someone or other wanted to be able to ride his horse to the top!!!),  the Real  Alcazar (Royal Castle) and Lord knows how many churches, with their statues of Mary and Christ that come out especially for the Holy Week festivities.  The Moorish influence in these historical buildings is really intricate and all the buildings seem to keep beautifully cool in this horrendously hot summer, thank goodness.

1 August - Colmenar

Hot, but just a tad cooler thankfully and on one occasion I felt three yes THREE drops of rain !!!

Had a wonderful time meeting up with my cousin Ruth, Chris and Megan (their granddaughter who was out for the school holidays).  They were staying in a lovely cottage just outside of Colmenar, (which is where they are having a lovely house built), there were  olive, lemon, almond, pomegranate and I can't remember how many other trees in the garden  It was just such a beautiful and peaceful place to be and in the "real" Spain - not where there are too many tourists.   Hopefully I haven't disgraced myself so I'll be able to visit again!!!!  Got to try some more lovely Tapas in the village and watch the place transform a little, getting ready for their annual Feria - unfortunately I didn't time that right and was moving on before it started, never mind - perhaps next time!!!

Whilst I was there Chris and Ruth took me to the caves at Nerja (sorry Glenn, didn't quite find your apartment, but I think I was quite close). A special trip was made to Granada for me to see the Alhambra, unfortunately there was a queue with a three hour wait for entrance so I didn't get in, but that's another excuse for me to return.

We spent a morning in Malaga whilst I sorted out the train and bus journeys for the next part of my travels and Ruth and Chris let me hog their computer to update all my photos and generally sort out all the little bits of things I had to do.  We also had a great time making cards, bracelets, pipe cleaner teddy bears, plaiting hair and other craft activities - thanks I really enjoyed myself.

8 August - Valencia

Wow clouds - I was beginning to think they were a figment of my imagination!!!  Only 28 degrees here, obviously I need the cooler weather to get me ready for the cold weather in England!!!

I only had one afternoon and one full day here so I walked all around and visited the inevitable Cathedral and various other landmarks.  Quite a lot of history ranging from Roman and Gothic to Renaissance and the like, so lots to see if you like that sort of thing.

There are, I was told, some good beaches nearby, although I didn't really have time to get to them unfortunately.  Obviously a good place for hostels and the food was great, a different kind of tapas here, more like open sandwiches really, but very good ones.  I also tried the Paella as this is where it's supposed to have originated - yummy and very filling, you wouldn't be able to do much walking around after that little lot!!!!

10 August - Barcelona

Well the last real destination before Madrid, the airport and good old England!!!!

I was really looking forward to going to Barcelona as I had heard so much about it and I wasn't disappointed.  There is lots to see and it's a very vibrant and up to the minute place.  La Rambla was fascinating and there was lots going on, including the inevitable mime artists and acts, just like the one's you see near Covent Garden - still not sure if one of them was a statue or not!!

I visited the compulsory Cathedral and other historical sights, but the highlight for me was The Sagrada Familia that Gaudi designed - brilliant and I went around and around and up in the lift to the top of one of the spires, the carvings and the ideas were just amazing.  To think that this was all designed before 1926 and yet it feels and appears so modern and it isn't even finished yet!!!  You all have to go and see it if you haven't already been and I would really like to see it when it's finished!!!

I went to see Gaudi's other works, (La Pedrera, Casa Batllo etc) but the admission fees and everything meant I couldn't really afford to go in them, I now have an excuse to come back, as if I needed one!!!

I spent the whole day on the beach on Monday and managed to top up my tan a little - I seem to have lost a lot with keeping in the shade during my walks and sightseeing, still a tan isn't everything!!!!!!!!!!!

Tuesday saw me off walking again, this time around the Parc Guell, another design greatly influenced by Gaudi, with some gorgeous artwork again and beautifully designed paths and sitting areas, his house is within the park too.

Afterwards I went up in the funicular to Montjuic and walked around the venue of the 1992 Olympics and then down past the MNAC (Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya) passing the Magic fountain and on to the Placa Espanya, not a bad walk all told.

You may just get the idea that I liked Barcelona - I think I may come back here too!!!

Caught the overnight bus, another 'last', over to Madrid, the 'last capital' before England and home soil I suppose.

               

                                 HAPPY BIRTHDAY RACHEL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!