When my husband and I discuss how to mark our 30th wedding anniversary, we naturally opt to do so with a trip. After all, we count these 30 years in terms of the 5 different countries in the 4 continents that we have lived in. What could be more appropriate? When we discuss where, I immediately propose Andalucía as I’ve had an eye on this part of the world for some years. My husband suggests adding a couple of days in Barcelona, otherwise is happy to leave it to me.
I fetch my guide books, get into Google maps and come up with an itinerary after much deliberation. We’ll visit Barcelona, Granada, Cordoba, Seville, Cadiz, Gibraltar and Ronda over a 9 day period, I decide. True, it doesn’t give us much time to smell the roses or see our destinations with any degree of thoroughness but it will give me an opportunity to see the sites which interest me the most in each place and allow my husband the opportunity to drive, something he loves.
I am a planner and as always, I plan our trip meticulously. I book flights from Geneva to Barcelona, from Barcelona to Granada and from Malaga to Geneva. I book hotels and a rental car. I read up on places and decide which attractions to visit. I buy tickets in advance for the popular attractions to avoid queuing up. I write to tourist offices and get maps sent to me by mail. I read up about walking tours (my favourite way of seeing places) and decide on the ones I would like to do. I research restaurants with vegetarian options. I prepare a day-by-day folder with maps, required information and booking confirmations. I have been teased by friends about all this planning I do. I have tried the other way – landing up in a place and chancing upon things – but I find that way both inefficient and wasteful of opportunities. My way works the best for me.
As our trip draws near, I am disheartened to see that the temperatures in Barcelona and Andalucía have fallen and my dream of warmth must remain a dream. Oh well. Its better than wet weather!
As the story is a long one, I have split it into smaller chunks to make it easier to read. Click below on the parts which interest you.
Sorting through my pictures while writing this blog, I am amazed to see how much territory we covered in nine days! It was an amazing, a truly exceptional holiday and I know that I shall hold this precious over the years to come. The South of Spain is beautiful and I shall head back there one day, I tell myself.
We wake up on this last day of our holiday in La Linea, in a pedestrian little hotel. A breakfast buffet is included and I don’t expect much. I am surprised! The buffet is excellent with a variety of hot and cold choices.
We check out and head towards Ronda. We follow the freeway to Malaga (Toll road) and then take an exit to climb up to Ronda (an hour from the exit). The countryside is dotted with what seems to be holiday homes, it is very dense. Do people really like coming on holidays to communes like this?
We park outside the new city centre and walk down the main shopping street towards the old town. There is a nice square with a church. Its a busy day, a Saturday, and its pleasant weather. Everyone seems to be out and about.
At the end of the main street is the famous bullring of Ronda, the oldest in Spain. Its a museum but we do not enter.
Ronda is very picturesque. It is perched on the 100m deep El Tajo Canyon. The Puento Nuevo (1793, not so new really) crosses the canyon.
We linger for quite some time at the bridge, the scenery on either side is stunning.
Our guidebook suggests a walk around the old town and we follow it, reading up on the history of the buildings. The Cathedral square is busy with tourists.
I enjoy our wander through the small streets with their beautiful white buildings.
The view on the other side with the Parador hotel on the right. Bapi and I wouldn’t mind coming back for a stay and to spend some time exploring this region, visiting other Peublo Blancos as well.
We stop for a light meal before heading to the Malaga airport. We stop on the way down to admire the beautiful scenery. It has been a good trip and we have both enjoyed it very much. A very memorable anniversary trip indeed!
As we collect our car and set off from Seville, I have a sense of satisfaction. It has been a good holiday so far and Seville has been a dream destination. I had originally planned to spend today and tomorrow following one of the Pueblo Blanco routes which tour the white-washed Moorish villages dotting the countryside. But Bapi wanted to visit Gibraltar, having read about it and seen it in films. So we head off today towards the strange rock, stopping at Cadiz which falls on the way.
Our drive to Cadiz on the freeway is uneventful and rather boring. Arriving in Cadiz, we quickly find a tourist office and pick up a map.
I want to see the Atlantic first so we head towards the ocean. Its a cold day and the wind is biting; soon there are fat droplets of rain. We don’t feel like lingering.
We check the buildings of interest marked in the tourist map but without much information, its rather boring. I had been told that Cadiz is one of the most charming towns in Spain, I don’t find it so. It seems rather lacklustre and dull. Perhaps its just the weather? We have lunch in the Cathedral square, I have a mixed salad and Bapi has fish and beer (Eu 32). Bundling back into the car, we continue on the motorway towards Gibraltar.
The hotels in Gibraltar were quite expensive so I had booked a reasonably priced place inLa Línea de la Concepción, the Spanish town which borders Gibraltar. As we drive up to it, the Rock looms up ahead. Its very impressive! We stop to take pictures.
The hotel is made for mass-tourism and is not very appealing. However, it is only a 10 minute walk to the border so it serves its purpose very well. The view from the balcony is quite nice and open.
Just past the border, there is a bus which takes us to the city centre, a 10 minute ride. We enter the town through the Casemates Square (above). We don’t have any tourism agenda, we just want to wander through. I do not why but Gibraltar is not quite what I expected.
We walk down the main street noting the red pillar post boxes, the pubs, the British chain stores and other evidence of Britain. But most of the people who pass us seem to be Spanish. Its a strange place!
We walk on the main street until the Convent, the residence of the Governor of Gibraltar. I know that there would be much more to see but I think after one week on the road, we are both reaching the too-tired-to-see-any-more point. We are in consensus when we decide to find a place to eat dinner and call it a day. We had noted an Indian restaurant on the way as a back-up plan. I look at menus in many restaurants and pubs but vegetarian choices are minimal. So we return to the Indian restaurant (Maharaja) which turns out to be an excellent choice. Its quite the best Indian food we have had in a restaurant for a long time indeed! (£ 23 for two main meals, nans and non-alcoholic drinks) Highly recommended.
We are quite satiated when we head back to our hotel. Today has not been that great – I did not like Cadiz much and I suspect that we did not do justice to Gibraltar. But that’s how it goes on holidays, some days are not as good as others. No drama.
We take the freeway (no tolls) from Cordoba to Seville. The scenery is nice, especially the glimpses of white-washed towns and villages which pass by. Seville is a big city (4th biggest in Spain) and I am afraid that if the GPS does not work like in Cordoba, we’ll find it hard to figure out. But it all goes well and we arrive safely in front of our hotel, Adriano. I spot the public parking (Eu 14 per night) that I had read of under the bullring just a short walk from the hotel.
The Adriano is a old-fashioned looking hotel and very central; I am very pleased with my choice. We soon set out to explore the city.
We stop almost immediately at the street corner restaurant for lunch (Eu 26 for two). We have the menu – a couple of the starters are vegetarian. Bapi is so pleased with the fish main course that he orders a second plate of the same! The waiter speaks next to no English but we gather that as the ocean is just 100 kms away, they get their fish very fresh each morning.
The Cathedral is just a 5 min walk away. We stop at the tourist office to pick up a few brochures and then we head towards the meeting point for our walking tour in front of the Giralda tower.
The square is very impressive with the imposing Cathedral on one side and the walls of the Alcázar on the other side.
We wait patiently in front of the Giralda tower until a young man appears with a group of other young people. I had seen a recommendation for Pancho walking tours online but I had not realised that their normal customers are from the hostels. we are about 20+ years older than almost everyone else. I feel odd and out of place for a few moments, then it doesn’t matter anymore.
Our tour guide is young Anja. For two and half hours, she regales us with legends and stories in a very entertaining way as she walks us around the Barrio Santa Cruz, the old Jewish quarter of the city with its claustrophibically narrow streets and surprising squares.
The statue of the fictitious Don Juan stands proudly in this lovely square.
Our walking tour finishes at Plaça Nueva. It has been an excellent experience so we decide to do the morning tour tomorrow as well, the route of which is completely different.
It has been a long day. We wander a little while in and around the Avenida de la Constitution until 8pm when we head towards the nice Italian restaurant that I had seen good recommendations for. There are plenty of vegetarian choices and their menu is extensive. We have salad and pizzas, no dessert. (Eu 50 for two with wine).
16 Feb 2012
We have coffee, tea and toast at the hotel (included in the room rate) and head towards the Alcazar. It is a Royal Palace, originally built as a fortress by the Moors.
We take the audio tour and start at this beautiful patio, Patio de la Montería or the Patio of the Hunt where Royal Hunting parties gathered before a hunt. At the centre is the beautifully decorated entrance to the Don Pedro palace (1364). We hear that the upper levels are private, still the official residence of the royal family in Seville.
The Alcazar is a gem, a beauty of Mudéjar architecture which was created by Moors who continued to live in Spain under Christian rule. The Patio de Las Doncellas is particularly beautiful with its elegant columns and decorated arches.
I listen to the audio-guide with only half an ear- I am too taken by the beauty of what I am seeing to pay attention to any facts!
My favourite room is this Salón de Embajadores or Salon of the Ambassadors. This throne room has incredibly beautiful walls and ceilings imaginable. I take dozens of pictures, but none do justice to the beauty of this room. Breathtaking!
The ceiling in this Salon of Ambassadors. I’ll love to lie on my bed and look up to this!
The Patio de las Muñecas (Patio of the dolls) is the centre of the private area of the palace. The decorations are have a delicacy which is very appealing.
After a very satisfying visit (1.5 hrs) we admire the Galería del Grutesco in the gardens outside before exiting the Alcazar.
We join the morning walking tour at 11am. This turns out to be a longer walk and more demanding on my poor feet. We start with the 13th centiury Torre del Oro or the Golden Tower which controlled access to Seville from the Guadalquivir river, an entry point for all the goods imported from the Americas when Spain ruled the seas.
The Palace of San Telmo (17th century) is the seat of the Government of Andalucia.
The semi-circular Plaza de España (built 1928) is a photographer’s dream. Built for the world fair of 1929, it is huge and impressive. I enjoyed looking at the tiled alcoves representing the different provinces of Spain.
From here we walk to the university (Tobacco Factory) which is the end of our tour. The tour guide suggests lunch at the Huelvo Ocho, partners of Pancho. where we have a light lunch of two tapas + drink for Eu 7 per person.
Post lunch, we visit the Cathedral. It is the third-largest Church in the world and the largest Gothic one. As I have visited some wonderful Gothic churches in the North of France a couple of years back, I am very curious to see this one.
History buffs like me will get a kick out of knowing that on Sept 8 1522 when the 18 surviving (out of 234) members of Magellan’s crew returned from the first expedition to circumnavigate the world, they offered thanks before the effigy of Santa Maria de la Antigua (above left). Magellan himself died in 1521. On the right above, figures on Columbus’s tombstone raise a sword and survey the cathedral in silence.
The Cathedral is huge and it is an exercise in exploration, going from one niche to another. This treasure room is lovely with priceless paintings. However, on the whole, the Cathedral doesn’t seem coherent to me, not like St Peter’s for example which though huge has an overall cohesiveness.
We climb the 36 floors (105 metres) to the top of the Giralda tower. The view from the top is marvellous.
Tired now and ready for afternoon tea, we have coffee and cake in an elegant little shop (above left). Then we wander down the shopping streets looking with interest into shop windows – at least I do, while my long suffering husband indulges me!
We walk to Museo del baile Flamenco where there is a performance every night at 7pm. It is crowded and though we are 30 minutes early, we find chairs only at the back. The performance is excellent, the singer in particular is just wonderful. We are very glad we came here and we would absolutely come back if we are in Seville again.
So our stay in Seville has come to an end. I have fallen in love with this city and it has been the highlight of our trip. Most people seem to favour Barcelona above all else in Spain; I think Seville is far more seductive. Two days has not been enough. We did not have time to see the art museum which I was particularly interested in. But its more than museums or monuments; I would like to come back and stay for a week to just enjoy the atmosphere and feel of this city. A hidden gem.
We wake up bright and well rested in our hotel at Granada. Today we are to pick up our rented car and head to Cordoba. After breakfast, we check out and walk 15 mins to the rental car office. We reach later than the requested time but our car is not still there. The customer service representative is apologetic but the wait is not too long. I had booked a C4 but we get an upgraded to a Peugeot 508. It has a GPS which speaks only in Spanish but we work it out. With full insurance, no excess and a Eu 60 fee for returning in Malaga instead of here, we pay Eu 280 for 5 days. I had miscalculated the time needed to get on the road – it has taken us nearly 1.5 hrs to do so!
The drive to Cordoba is very picturesque. Mile after mile of olive plantations are intercepted now and then by white-washed villages. We reach Cordoba by 1pm. I have booked into a small family run hotel in the city centre, the Don Paulo. They have sent instructions on how to drive to their hotel as the city has changed to a complicated one-way system that GPSs don’t understand. In spite of written instructions, a Youtube video and a detailed map of Cordoba, we still get terribly lost. We go round in two narrowing circles before finally making it to the hotel. It is in a quiet rather non-descript, residential square but it is neat as a pin inside. The hosts are very kind and help us park in their subterranean lot (Eu 14). I am well pleased with the hotel.
After checking in, we head out towards the Mezquita-Catedral. We see a number of Moorish style houses with their patios converted into tea rooms with charming, Arabic style decor. We stop in one for coffee, bread and hummus. It will have to do as lunch today.
The Mezquita is not far. As we enter under the tower, I think that it might be called a bell-tower but it shouts Minaret!!
There is a shaded orangerie in front of the mosque. We buy the tickets but there are no audio guides. They do have a pamphlet in English with good descriptions. Bapi takes charge of the pamphlet and gives me an excellent tour, working out which bits were added in which century.
The insides are totally Mosque-like. The lovely columns (more than 850 of them!) and arches attract me and I keep clicking picture after picture.
The most beautiful part of the Mezquita-Catedral is the Mihrab which was built in 950 AD by Hakam II. In spite of all the gold, it doesnt look gaudy but very elegant. I would love to make a painting like this!
The Christian architecture is also beautiful but still, it feels foreign and an imposition on the beautiful mosque inside which it is built. They make much of a point that before the Mosque was built, there was a Christian structure there so they making it back into a Cathedral is not wrong. Yet it feels like a Mosque!
It takes about an hour and half for us to visit the Mezquita, we have taken the time to explore it well.. We walk all around the outside before heading to the river.
The Roman bridge is right behind the Mezquita. It doesnt look very Roman any more.
We cross the river but don’t go further than the Calahorra Tower on the other end. The Mezquita looks imposing across the Guadalaquivir River.
We then walk about an hour around the Castle walls and the Jewish quarter. That brings us to the end of our day. After a short rest, we have dinner at a very touristy place next to the Mezquita. I had a vegetarian Paella (passable) and Bapi a seafood one, we share a dessert and some wine (Eu 38). Back at our hotel, I enjoy the first good internet connection we’ve found so far and catch up with my emails before calling it a night.
The next morning we find breakfast in an overpriced café (tea, coffee and tostadas, Eu 5.50 each) then take a little walk around the city. We pass the Plaça Corredera, see some Roman ruins and a few pretty squares. Heading back to the hotel we check out and I attempt to navigate us out of the city with the map that the hosts have provided. It takes us 3 tries, going around in circles, before we finally get out! They really need to fix the GPS maps to match the city!
There is much of Cordoba that we have possibly missed but I am happy enough to have seen the Mezquita. A satisfactory visit.
We wake in Barcelona still a bit tired from the two very busy days of tourism. As I did not want to have an early start, I have booked a ticket for a 11:50 am flight to Granada. Bapi likes to be frustratingly early for flights so we catch the 9:10 Aerobus from Catalunya and are at the airport well in time. Its a lovely airport and I enjoy a little photography time.
Our flight takes just about an hour. From Granada airport, buses leave for the city after each arrival. For 3 Euros, we are dropped a couple of steps from our hotel, the NH Victoria at Porta Real. Its a 300 year old building and a hotel for about 6 years. We have a room in the 3rd floor overlooking the square. I am very happy with the position of the hotel. The street noise, especially the buses, may bother some but we slept deeply through it all.
We head out soon to explore the city. Bapi grabs a burger and I sit in a Tapas bar and have a grilled capsicum salad. We then walk around the old town, admiring the Cathedral from outside. There is a young man playing violin beside the cathedral; it is a pleasure to listen to the music under the warming sun.
We explore the little streets around the Cathedral, pausing to admire the Capilla Real, the Alcalceria and its little shops which look like Aladdin’s caves, the squares and interesting buildings marked out in my guidebook. It is aimless meandering, but it is a pleasant way to pass an afternoon.
We end up at Plaça Nueva and the town hall. Bapi has strained his back somehow. His back having caused some serious problems in the past, I feel that it may be better to abandon tourism for the day and rest his back before it gets worse. We head back to the hotel and have a little lie-in.
I have reserved dinner at 8pm at the Parador restaurant. We take a taxi (Eu 6.50) and ride up narrow roads to the looming Alhambra. Parador Hotel is housed within the Alhambra, in the building which used to house a monastery. I am thrilled that they have a vegetarian menu (Eu 25)! I have a bean soup to start (excellent) and gnocchi for the mains and a selection of desserts. Bapi also has a menu (Eu 34), choosing stewed mushrooms to start and then spiced goat as a main and ice cream for dessert. We share a nice bottle of rosé (Eu 18). We are both happy with our meal but stuffed to our gills, so to speak!
The reception calls a taxi for us and we peer at the lovely homes in narrow streets and we are back at the hotel in no time.
Monday 13 Feb 2012
We have a late start to our day today. We find a small coffee bar (SFCO near Plaça Nueva) for breakfast. Coffee, tea and huge tostadas are very satisfying (Eu 4.50 for two). We then set off walk in the Albayzin area, a World Heritage site. On a hill not far from the city, it is a warren of narrow, winding streets and Moorish style white-washed houses. I suggest to Bapi that we take a bus to the top and then walk down but his back seems better and he is happy to walk up.
My guidebook suggests walking north of Plaça Nueva along the ramparts, passing Santa Ana, the baths and then climbing up.
We walk up narrow streets till the top, admiring the beautiful white-washed houses and courtyards around every corner.
We walk for about an hour and a half. If you want to visit the churches, you’ll need more time. We finally reach this lovely little square from where we take a bus (No. 31, Eu 1.20 each) back to Plaça Nueva. We come back to the hotel and I relax and read for a while.
I have booked tickets online for Alhambra for the afternoon session starting at 2 pm, with entry to the Nasrid Palaces at 4:30 pm. This choice turns out to be perfect; it allows us a leisurely visit and we have enough time to enjoy everything. Setting off at 1 pm, we quickly grab a very light lunch and take a bus (No 30, Eu 1.20 each) from the front of the Cathedral. The bus is quite crowded. The Alhambra has four main areas to visit, the Generalife gardens and pavilion, the Alcazar fortress, the Carlos palace & museum and the Nasrid Palaces. Of these, the Nasrid Palaces are the most important.
We start our visit with the Genaralife garden and its pavilion.
The pavilion is beautiful with some lovely decorative features. We have taken the audio tour and it tells us the story of the kings and queens who spent their time here. I am reminded of the gardens and pavilions of Mughal palaces in India. We spend about 30 mins in Genaralife.
We then walk to Alcazar. It takes about 20 mins to reach. Alcazar is a fortress with battlements, towers and a great view. We spend about 45 mins here.
After resting a short while with Magnum bars to give us a sugar-kick, we pop into the Carlos palace just across the Alcazar. We cannot resist taking pictures of ourselves in the centre of the circular patio! There is an exhibition which we quickly check out. We do not visit the museum. About 30 mins.
We queue up to enter the Nasrid Palaces at our set time of 4:30 pm. It is an extraordinarily beautiful place and I will remember its beauty for a long time indeed. I do not wish to gush, but its definitely gush-worthy!
The Moorish architecture feels familiar to my Indian heritage, the intricate lacelike windows, the delicate columns, the lovely plasterwork, the muted colours, the beauty of the tiles..they all speak to me.
As we pass from room to room, I stop paying any attention to the audio guide. I don’t want to see it intellectually, but experience it in a sensory fashion. I take hundreds of pictures of rooms I cannot name, belonging to kings whom I have forgotten. But I have not forgotten the look and the delicacy of the arches or the beauty of white on white decorations in plaster. It takes is about 1 hr to see the Nasrid Palaces at a smart pace. Not to be missed.
On the way back to the entrance, we pass these beautiful pavilions. Then it is back to the bus to take us back to town.
We had spotted an Indian restaurant (Mughali) this morning which we find to be actually Pakistani. Bapi has Sheekh kababs as a starter and Lamb for mains, I have just Dal and a nan. We drink water (35 Eu).
This then is the end of our Granada visit. I am quite satisfied that we have seen all that I wanted to see. An extra day would have allowed me to visit a few more churches and a monastery I was interested in seeing, but we’ve done well.
Its –11°C when we leave our home early in the morning to get a train to Geneva airport. Thanks to early booking, I have got tickets for only CHF 30 to Barcelona. Our flight is quick and we arrive at BCN by 11:30am. The airport is efficiently run and we are out in no time. Picking up a map from the tourism desk at the airport, we are pointed towards the Aerobus stand. For Eu 5.30, this bus gets us into Plaça de Catalunya.
I’ve booked at NH Duc de La Victoria, which is approximately 500m from this main plaza. Its in a side street but very central and our room facing the back of the hotel in the 6th floor is very quiet. I am very happy with my choice of hotel.
We start our exploration, heading for La Rambla, which is just a few minutes walk away. My husband spots a vegetarian restaurant for me and to my surprise, my very carnivorous husband opts to eat a filafel sandwich with me (Maoz, Eu 4:50 for a very satisfying meal). A nod towards 30 years of togetherness perhaps?
We explore the market which is very lively and full of fresh produce. A nice place to browse. Then we wander down Rambla, trying to spot buildings of interest that my guidebook lists.
We walk all the way to the waterfront and admire the nice memorial to Christopher Columbus. We’ve woken at 4 am this morning and I find myself at very low energy levels. We sip a nice glass of rosé and watch the world pass by and then return to the hotel for a rest before heading for our walking tour at 4pm.
The Tourist office in Plaça de Catalunya in just a 5 min walk from our hotel. After buying the tickets for the walking tour Modernismo, we find a bench in the square and watch the pigeons do an amazing 3-round fly past!
The walking tour is about the Modernismo catalán architecture that Barcelona is famous for. My knowledge about this being nil, I hope to learn something as well as see something. The guide is very knowledgeable and his English is impeccable but he does have a dry way about him which doesn’t add much enthusiasm to the info.
Our first port of call is the Palau de La Musica Catalana. This exuberant coloured confection is joyful to behold! Our walk continues as the guide points out interesting architecture and talks of the Modernismo movement in Barcelona.
We move on soon to the newer part of the city known as Eixample (I had kept reading it in my mind as ‘example’, I almost didn’t recognize it when the guide kept saying éshampla!). Here the roads are broad and gridded and the luxurious buildings rich with details.
There are features to see and admire in every corner!
We finally come to the world famous Illa de la Discòrdia with Gaudi’s Casa Batllo, Puig’s Casa Amatller and and Domènech’s Casa Lleó Morera. I am fascinated by Casa Batllo and would have enjoyed a visit inside. Sadly it will not be possible on such a short trip.
Casa Milà, another of Gaudi’s famous buildings is the last stop.
The walk has taken about 3 hours. Added to the earlier walk on Rambla and our 4am start to the day, I am very tired. Bapi and I are so different – when I am tired, I want no food. When Bapi is tired, he just wants to eat and eat! We stop at a Catalan restaurant and he has a prawn starter and then a paella (which he likes very much) and a couple of glasses of wine (Eu 45). I have decided not to eat, the restaurant offers nothing vegetarian anyway, not even a green salad! The bill seems steep to me, especially as I compare it to my experience in Madrid last year. When we reach our hotel, I fall into the deep sleep of sheer exhaustion.
Saturday 11 Feb 2012
We have opted to have breakfast in the hotel. Its a big spread of hot and cold food (Eu 12 each) and we enjoy a leisurely and satisfying meal before setting off towards the Cathedral, just a couple of mins walk away.
The Gothic cathedral is impressively big from outside and its proportions are even most pleasing from inside. I walk from chapel to chapel admiring the artworks on display. The variety of artworks is impressive – tempera on panel, coloured wood statuary, gilded works and stone, just to name a few. As always in cathedrals, I am drawn to the stained glass windows.
We then enjoy a short walk recommended by our guidebook through the Gothic quarter. The Museu d’Historia de la Ciutat with its window displays looks fascinating. Sadly, we have not enough time to visit inside.
We end up in Plaça de Sant Jaume where we are to meet our guide for our tour this morning. Ever since we saw Niles in Frasier (TV sitcom) buzzing about on a Segway, Bapi has been raring to have a go at it. We had seen tourists whizzing past on Segways in Paris and Vienna but I had been reluctant to try it. My balance is suspect, I can’t even ride a bike! But I wanted to give a treat to Bapi for our 30th anniversary, so I pre-booked this tour. Our guide, Edgar, gives us a historical briefing of Plaçe de Sant Jaume and then we walk to the garage where he stores his Segways. After a brief training session, I feel comfortable enough but a bit nervous about facing foot or other traffic.
I need not have feared. We go slowly and Edgar takes good care of us. Soon we are at the seaside, zipping away in comfort. We go along the waterfront as far as the Olympic port. Edgar is constrained by where he can go on Segways, so it is not a tour of the Gothic part of the city that I had expected.
It is a fun way to spend a few hours by the sea, the sun warming us on this cold winter day, the waterfront of Barcelona laid out in front of us. The tour takes about 3 hrs. I had thought that this would be easy on the legs but my feet are aching when we are done. Would I recommend it? Yes, it is a nice way to see the city but it is no replacement of a walking tour.
Edgar has recommended a Tapas bar towards we head for lunch. We peep in; its so crowded that there is no place to sit. Right opposite is an empty bar and thinking of my aching feet, I suggest we look there for lunch. Carlos is a friendly host and though he is shocked at the idea of a vegetarian who doesn’t eat fish or eggs, he bears up manfully and provides me with a tomato salad and cheese. Bapi enjoys some cured beef and sausages. My Sangria is very nice and so is Bapi’s glass of red (Eu 40).
The Town Hall is having an open day and I am happy to have the opportunity to visit. It is much more beautiful than I expected and shows a classy richness which gives me a new respect for this city. The painted room is beautiful as well as the red room. We spend about an hour inside.
I pre-booked tickets online for the 4pm slot to see the Sagrada Familia. We take a taxi from the Town Hall (Eu 6.50) which is a good decision, it is much too far to walk. At first sight, I start giggling – it is so…exuberant! It is like no Cathedral I have ever seen!
The inside makes me giggle even more! It is such a joyful and somehow frivolous place that I cant think of it as a Cathedral. But its lovely. And clever. And amazing. And interesting.
The stained glass windows make us all into Harlequins. We have taken the audio guide (4E each) and we take about and hour and a half to see it all. We don’t hurry.
Taking a taxi back to the hotel, I am happy to rest for a couple of hours before heading to the nearby vegetarian restaurant Govinda for a meal. Bapi has sacrificed yet another meal to find some place which suits me. We take a menu (15E) and with our non-alcoholic drinks, the meal is about Eu 35 for two. Food is average.
We are tired when we return to our hotel. It has been a busy two days, the hours too few to see even the highlights of a city as big as Barcelona. We need at least two extra days to visit at least one of Gaudi’s houses, a couple of museum and some further-out places of interest. For the two days that we have spent here, I think we have had a very nice intro to the city.
The first time we went there, we had been in Switzerland for just a few months. I had read about this cable-car ride and went mainly for the sake of the children. Aiguille Du Midi (3852m) is one of the peaks in the Mont Blanc Massif, neighbouring the big White Mountain. The cable car ride holds the record as the highest vertical ascent cable car in the world, from 1,035 m to 3,842 m. I remember my awe on seeing Mont Blanc and the other peaks from such close quarters. Not being a mountaineer, the experience was totally outside my realm. Since then we have always taken our numerous visitors over the years to Chamonix and the ride in the cable car. But I had never been in winter.
A few days back, seeing that a clear day was predicted in Chamonix, we decided to take our current visitors there. We drove around the east end of Lake Léman, passing Montreux, driving to Martigny and then taking a mountain road up towards Chamonix. Being the weirdest of winters this year, we have had rather mild weather here by the lake but there was decent build-up of snow once we gained some altitude. The road isn’t the best in winter and though it is shorter for us than the circling the lake on the west-end, it took us much the same time.
On reaching Argentière, we stopped for lunch and then drove on to Chamonix.
After buying the rather steeply-priced tickets for the cable car (45 Euros return), we took the first section with no views thanks to a thick cloud. You can see part of the first section of the cable car in the background.
The second section, a cable-car ride with no support pillars, took us to the upper station at 3777m . At –20C (-4F) it was probably the coldest I’ve ever been!!
We then took the elevator to the top. The sight of Mont Blanc took my breath away. The picture above is taken with no zoom, this is how close it looks! Much as my family hurried me, I was very reluctant to leave this cold and alien world and return back to earth. If you ever get an opportunity, don’t miss it. It is quite an extraordinary experience !!
As I drive the 550 kms from our home to our rented villa in Lucca, Tuscany, I am thinking of how lucky we are to be having this holiday as a family. Its not often that we go out on family vacations anymore. What with the kids living 16,000 kms away on the other side of the earth, one a doctor with inflexible holidays and another a student with fixed terms, family vacations are a thing of the past. Happily this time we are joined in our trip by my son’s best friends. One, we know for 16 years, the other for 8. Both are very dear to all of us, in effect they are my pseudo-kids. We are also joined by my daughter’s best friend, a lovely young lady very dear to me and her boyfriend whom I got to know on this trip.
I am a bit nervous about the drive as this is the first time I have driven such a distance in one day. I am following my husband’s car and that brings its own challenges (he speeds and I don’t). We drive through the Grand Saint Bernard tunnel, down to Genoa and then along the coast. The drive is easy except on either side of Genoa where there are narrow roads through many tunnels and I am tailgated by Italian drivers who drive one foot behind me in narrow tunnels at 100 kms/hr even when I have no place to go! I am a nervous wreck at the end of it.
We reach our rented villa just outside the walls of Lucca in about 7 hours, which includes 3 short breaks. I am rather tired but secretly proud of myself but am brought down to earth by my husband who complains about my not keeping up with him!! Oh well, one cannot please everyone…
Our home for the week is just opposite the train station. It has 4 bedrooms over three floors, two bathrooms, a living room, kitchen, a nice backyard and a long enough driveway to park our two cars. After a quick tea, my husband and I drive to the nearby supermarket (very conveniently open until 9pm) and stock up the fridge.
Sunday 3rd July 2011 – A drive through the Garfagnana region, north of Lucca
Our first stop is to see the 11th century Ponte Maddalena or the Devil’s Bridge which is near the town of Borgo a Mozzano. Legend says that the Master Builder, fearing that he would not finish the work in time, made a pact with the Devil. The Devil agreed to help him to build it overnight in return for the soul of the first person to cross it next morning. The villagers then tricked the devil by sending a dog across the bridge the next morning! I love bridges and this is one of the most unusual ones I have ever seen.
Next stop is Bagni di Lucca. On this Sunday afternoon, it is very quiet and we don’t really know what the touristic sights are. We wander aimlessly for a bit but its so very hot and we are flagging in no time. We settle to eat our first gelato of our trip. I choose a mix of Chocolate Fudge and Creamy Crunch. Its delicious!
We drive next to Barga, a quaint hilltop town. After having lunch, we climb up to the Cathedral (11th-16th century) at the top of the hill. The views are fabulous. The pale limestone building is quite charming and the interior austere.
We then wander around the town, stopping to admire a couple of old chapels and some art galleries. We meet quite a few people from Scotland. They tell me that a number of Italians from Barga migrated to Scotland in the 20th century and now the second generation comes to discover its roots in this old town. I do not know any Scots; I thought they were a taciturn lot based on characters from the books that I have read. Instead I find myself chatting with three sets of friendly, even garrulous strangers from Glasgow; my ideas take a 180 degree turn!
We drive next to Castelnuova di Garfagnana. I am pleased to see that it is market day. My very recently bought Merrell sandals which I love have a broken strap and I want to buy inexpensive replacements until I can buy myself another pair. I immediately find a 20 Euro pair in the market which are surprisingly comfortable. While shopping, I set my camera down (senior moment!) and when I realise that my camera is missing after 5 mins, I panic! The kids all try to help me find it but I am distraught. Thank you Julian for spotting it on top of a shoe box!! I scold myself thoroughly for being so careless.
We are all tired now and happy to head home. My husband cooks a home-cooked meal while the kids entertain us with music and conversation. We are not yet used the heat and find that it has zapped our energy. We decide to take it easy the next day.
Monday 4th July 2011 – Lucca and the beach at Marina di Vecchiano
After a slow start, we set off on a walk on top of the ramparts around the town. Its approximately 5 kms long and is pleasantly shaded in most parts.
We don’t quite complete the walk; we are thirsty and head towards town. Our first stop is San Michel Basilica which is built over the old Roman forum. It is mentioned first in year 795 and was subsequently rebuilt in the 11th century.
I really like this intricate patterns of this 13th century facade of San Michele.
Lucca was founded by the Etruscans and became a Roman town in 180BC. In the 1st century AD a grand amphitheatre was built here which could sit 10,000 spectators. Now the amphitheatre is gone but this unique oval Piazza Dell’Anfiteatro shows the exact size of the amphitheatre and four arches lead into it, just as they did in the old amphitheatre (which would be 2 metres below the surface of the road if it had survived).
After wandering in and out of small streets admiring the Casa and Torre Guinigi with its garden on top, the Torre dell Ore, the Ducal Palace and other sights of Lucca (all from outside only), I end up in front of the Duomo di San Martino (11th-14th Century). Its a beautiful cathedral and I sit inside quietly for some time lost in my own thoughts.
After lunch and a rest, the kids want to go to the beach. We drive up to the Marina Di Vecchiano which is about 30 mins drive from Lucca. Its a lovely beach and by the time we reach at 5pm, people have started to leave. The boys jump in to the cold water and frolic like seals. Unfortunately it soon starts to rain and we leave in a hurry. Its a good beach, I am happy to recommend it.
Tuesday 5th July 2011 – Cinque Terre
After having been warned about the difficulties of parking in Cinque Terre area, I decide that we should train it there. The open tickets all the way to the last of the five villages costs only 11 Euros. Tired, I left it all to my daughter the previous night but what I didn’t realise is that these slow trains would take a good 3 hrs to get us to that area (only an hour by car). We take the train at 10:30 (difficult to get the boys going before that) and spend too much time waiting on platforms.
We finally get off at Riomaggiore with a sigh of relief. We are all hungry but can’t find a sandwich place close to the station so it has to be a sit down meal. We are all impatient to be off but I am happy with my pasta with fresh pesto, its quite yummy! We then walk on the Via Dell’Amore, a 20 min walk along the Mediterranean towards the next village, Manarola. The afternoon is hot and my dodgy ankle has been playing up since morning, I can only place it in one certain angle to walk pain-free. So its rather slow going. The scenery is amazing.
Manarola looks more vibrant (the colours and the ambiance) as compared to Riomaggiore.
We head towards the sea. There is a rocky cove where many young people are swimming and children are jumping off high rocks into the sea below. Its very pleasant to stand watching the frolicking youngsters.
In the foreground is the rock they jump from; if you look carefully you can see one kid climbing up.
I had intended to walk to the next town but the blue-route walk is closed for maintenance. We still walk a short way up the path to take pictures of beautiful Manarola perched on the cliff.
Then comes the most frustrating part of the day. We go back to the train station and find to our dismay that the next train to the further villages are an hour away as per the timetable and the information screen on the platform. We go back to the information counter to ask about boats when what do we see but a train coming by! We ask if this would stop at the next village and on hearing yes, try to run to catch it but miss it by seconds. When we come back to the info counter we are told that the boats would have just left too. Nothing to do but wait on the burning hot platform for a long time. I am normally super organised; I would have researched time tables, decided how much time to spend where etc but I get accused of being a holiday Nazi. This time I had decided to go with the flow as the kids like flexibility but then….. Oh well, as I said before, one cannot please everybody. And today I feel frustrated.
We finally take the train to Vernazzo. The kids have to give up their idea of hiking to the next village; we are restricted by the long train ride back to Lucca. Vernazzo’s beach is lovely and full of families enjoying the sun. The boys decide to go for a quick swim. They go across to what looks like a beach on the other side but is just a rocky outcrop; its also farther than it looks. We wait a bit worriedly for them n case we miss the train. They take a shorter route back by clambering on rocks and have cuts and grazes all over when they return. We run to the station (or hobble, as the case may be) and make the train in time.
Wednesday 6th July 2011 – Drive in Chianti region
Today’s plan is to enjoy a drive through the countryside in the Chianti region and finally end up in Siena. The Autostrada takes us past Florence and we exit towards Greve in Chianti. We start with Le Cantine de Greve for some wine tasting (yeah yeah, its before noon but its a holiday!). Its all very well organized and automated. You load a card with money and then insert the card in machines which offer tastes of different wines. The price of tastings vary between 60 cents to about 2 Euros, depending on the cost of the wine. The youngsters enjoy picking random wines to taste and we end up with a couple of bottles to take home.
Greve’s triangular Piazza is nice but rather sleepy. We check out the church and sit down to lunch in one of the restaurants lining the piazza.
We then drive to see Montefiorelle, just 2 kms from Greve. Its a sleepy little hamlet with pretty stone houses, very quaint. The views from up here are very pretty. The church is closed so after a short wander in the hamlet, we are ready to leave.
I had wanted to drive the Route 222 based on internet recommendations. And it is indeed beautiful. There are rolling hills, olive plantations and vineyards, cypresses and umbrella pines, hamlets perched on hills and hillocks and interesting looking towns. I think this route deserves far more time than we allocated it, I would have enjoyed a more leisurely drive stopping often. For another time.
We finally arrive in Siena. This is my third visit here but the kids have not been here before. I am quite happy to just wander the streets looking for photo opportunities while the youngsters take a more close look at places.
The 12th century Siena cathedral is a wedding-cake confection from outside and an artistic wonder from inside. Today, while the youngsters tour the inside, I am content to sit in the square and enjoy people watching.
The Piazzo del Campo is impressive as always and we enjoy our gelato and the buzz in the square. Both my previous visits were in the summer, under a hot afternoon sun when my energy levels are at their lowest. I determine secretly to come back in low season during cool weather for there is much to see in this beautiful city. I especially like the colours of this city – Raw Sienna and Burnt Sienna are some of the most used colours in my palette (I like earth colours) and I love that the pigments originally were made from the earth of Sienna.
Thursday 7th July 2011 – Florence
This will be my third visit to Florence, one of my favourite cities in Europe. The last time we stayed here for four days and I think I popped in and out of every church and museum, bar just a few. On this short day trip I just wanted to see a couple of things and enjoy the busy ambience of the city. We take the 9am train from Lucca. It takes about an hour and costs only 11 Euros return. Compared with trains in Switzerland, it is very inexpensive for the distance.
Our first stop is the 13th century Basilica of Santa Maria Novella. I wanted to see again Ghirlandaio’s Tornabuoni Chapel from the 15th century which is surprisingly well-preserved. The stained glass windows and the frescos are as beautiful as I remembered it. Photographs are not allowed inside, so click here if you want to see this details of the frescos.
The exterior of the 13th century Duomo is one my favourites in Europe – I adore the colour scheme. The queue to go inside is not too long. I don’t like the interior as much as I like the exterior but the frescos of the dome are indeed beautiful.
The Bronze doors of the Baptistry by Lorenzo Ghiberti, dubbed the Gates of Paradise by Michaelangelo, are amazing, perhaps the most beautiful doors ever. I stand spellbound looking at the lifetime achievement of the artist, a labour of love for 21 years – the whole lifetime of my son, in fact!! Each panel is detailed, perfect in every way.
Our boys have in the meanwhile decided to spend the day busking. They have found a place near the Uffizi, my husband SMSes me, so I head off to admire the youngsters. They have spread a guitar case in front for coins and in spite of the ambient noise which makes them hard to hear, they have had a small admiring audience. I pop myself against a centuries old pillar and listen to them with maternal pride. I have two unlikely sons in this threesome – one is a six-two blue-eyed curly-mopped handsome angelic-devil (or devilish-angel, depending on the day!) and the other a six-four blond Jesus look-alike with silky long hair! And I, a dark, short and dumpy woman, look at them affectionately as My Boys! Maternal affection knows no skin colour..
There is an Indian tour group passing by and one man stops to chat with me, saying that he likes this thing in Europe, this music in the streets. I smile and say yes, isn’t it lovely and add with pride that one of them is my son and the others almost so. He looks at me with amazement and asks ‘Why are they asking for money then?’. That’s when I realise that to Indians who are used only to street side beggars who may or may not sing, the concept of busking is a strange one!! They make 11 Euros or so today, enough for some iced tea and gelato.
The sound quality in the video above is not good due to street noise. If you want to listen to their music, click here.
Even a lightning visit to Florence is not complete without admiring the Ponte Vecchio. I look through jewellery shop windows with deep longing – and then scold myself thoroughly for not outgrowing my deep desire for bling. The scolding is of no use. I still WANT it all. With saintly self-control I walk away with nothing.
Piazza della Signoria is one of the most impressive squares anywhere. You see the Palazzo Vecchio in the centre, with a copy of David in front. To the left is the fountain of Neptune and to the right, the Loggia dei Lanzi.
My last visit is to pay homage again to Michaelangelo and so I walk under the hot afternoon sun to the Basilica of Santa Croce. It is only a km from the Duomo but I don’t deal well with the heat. I am not my enthusiastic self; I walk lethargically past the resting place of greats like Galilieo, Rossini and Marconi..I finally stop in front of Michaelangelo’s monument and thank him for all the joy he has given me.
This then is the end of our little Tuscan holiday. The drive back is uneventful and I am happy with the cool night breeze in Switzerland.
I am excited as the plane comes to land. This is my first trip to Spain and I have been looking forward to it for some time. My daughter and her friend are also travelling with me but I don’t reckon on seeing much of them.
The yellow airport bus is just outside the terminal and for €2, it brings us to the centre of town. We get off at Cibeles and walk to our Hostal (something between a hostel and a hotel). I had selected it based on internet reviews and in general, I was quite happy with it. Very central, clean, wi-fi access and reasonably priced. I wish they had tea and coffee facilities, I missed that.
As soon as we checked in, we went out to get some lunch and made our way to Plaza Mayor to start out walking tour at 3 am. It advertises itself as free but tips are expected. It lasts for about 3 hrs and is a great way to get acquainted with the city. The tour starts outside the tourist office; you don’t need to pre-book.
Plaza Mayor is busy and full of tourists. It is lined with eateries which cater to many tourists who throng this Plaza.
We walk out of the south-west corner of the Plaza. Inside the walls is an old tavern which was once used by the Robin Hood of Madrid. In the same street is Botin, which proudly displays a Guinness book of Records certificate of being the oldest restaurant of the world. I am thinking ‘How do they know? I bet there is a chai-walla in Varanasi whose ‘restaurant’ is even older!’
We head next to the Plaza de la Villa. The town hall (to the left in pic) is an imposing building. Opposite it is the Torre de los Lujanes, a 15th century tower built in the Mudéjar style. Not seen in the pic is Casa de Cisneros, a 16the century castle. A very impressive square.
We amuse ourselves by spotting the Madrid city symbol which appear ever so often around the city. This is set in the pavement. I wonder if bears really like strawberries? And do strawberries grow on trees? I thought they grow on vines…I was puzzled about this until a kindly reader informed me that ‘strawberry tree’ is just a name for madroños or Arbustus Unedo, the berries of which are eaten by birds and bears!!
Our next stop is the Parque del Emir Mohamed I. The wall you see is one of the oldest remains in Madrid. Parts of the wall are from Moorish times in the 9th century. You can see the cathedral behind.
We then stop to admire the Palacio Real from outside. Its an impressive building and I look forward to visiting it tomorrow.
We also admire the Cathedral de la Almudena from the outside. Another place to visit tomorrow.
Beside it are the gardens called the Jardines de Sabatini, a manicured garden which sets off the beautiful lines of the palace beside it. I would have liked to have a stroll in the gardens but I know that I don’t have the time for such luxuries. Tourism is serious business, no time to linger !!
We pass through the Plaza de Isabel II with the Opera house. We hurry through Sol, the main square, admiring the statue of the bear and the strawberry tree but my pictures are bad, I have nothing to show you!
Passing through the Plaza de Sainta Ana it strikes me that one can visit Madrid, wandering from plaza to plaza (ie. a few mins walk each time) and collapse in café after café sipping Sangrias and eating Tapas! Why am I not doing that kind of tour?? !!!
Our next stop is the literary quarter. I am rather pleased to see the house Cervantes lived in. Don Quizote was my first introduction to the world of Spain; an extract from this book was in a textbook in secondary school, if I remember correctly. What did we Indian kids in New Delhi reading under whirring fans in dark classrooms understand about Spain, so far away from all we knew ?? The book gave me the impression that the Spanish were a funny lot….instead they are a dark and brooding lot – or so it seems from the paintings they paint and the dances they dance!
This was more or less the end of our walking tour. We went back to our hotel for a rest. The afternoon had been hot and we had had an early start from Switzerland.
I had booked in advance to see the Spana Baila Flamenco show at 9pm. We have a quick and light dinner and head to the theatre except that its not as easy as all that. We have to pass Sol and there is a protest on. We don’t realise how bad the crowds are and get into the stream of people to cross over to the other side. Its a mistake. We are swept along willy-nilly with no control over which direction we are heading. Its overwhelming. I am in a panic about missing our show. A man ahead holds a board saying ‘Bastas’ and a path is opening for him. We join him (I am tempted to shout slogans too!) and after some pushing and shoving for 10 mins we are at last free of the crowd.
It is a very entertaining show with passionate singing which I take to immediately. Men and women stomp their feet passionately, swirling colourful clothes and interesting accessories such as fans and cloaks. Lots of rhythm…the music, the sound of the shoes on floorboards, the click of the castanets. I need to buy myself a skirt like that for flouncing when I am in a temper I think. “Wait a minute dear, while I change my clothes before we continue our argument”, I can hear myself saying…..
The next morning we start our tourism day by a visit to the Palacio Real. Unfortunately photography is not permitted inside. Though its very far from being a Versailles or a Schonbrunn, it is quite impressive in its luxurious decorations. I love the rococo room, some of the vases on display, the huge chandeliers, the curtains. Well worth a visit.
Next we visit the Cathedral de Almudena. It’s a large cathedral but from the 20th century. With my firm love for old Cathedrals, I am not sure I like this much.
Thankfully, the Basilica which we visit next is beautiful..in fact, its quite perfect…though from the relatively recent 18th century.
It was time for some lunch and then we headed out to the Reina Sofia Museum which is free from 2:30pm to 9pm every Saturday, as it is today. I am very excited to see this major and very well recommended museum. Yet…..I don’t like it. No, I definitely don’t. I do not have a great liking for this period of art or for the major artists displayed such as Picasso, Miro or Dali. Even the much celebrated Guernica leaves me cold. Blasphemous? Yes, to some. But I like only a handful of pictures, some of which I am showing above (Miro, Dali, Picasso, Delaunay, Dali, Balbuena). I had planned to spend a happy day browsing. Instead I am ready to leave by 5, disappointed and puzzled as to why my tastes remain firmly rooted a few centuries behind the rest of the world.
Before leaving I go up to the terrace for a look around. A great spot for photography!
I meet up with my daughter and her friend. They don’t like the Reina Sofia either, they are giggling about it. I am secretly pleased to know that its not my age which is affecting my taste. After enjoying a cool and long Sangria (I could fall in love with this drink!) we head to the Prado, to make it for their free 6pm-8pm admission.
I love this museum (on the right above). We queue for 15 minutes but once its 6pm, the queue moves fast. Inside a treat awaits me. I love it. I love it so much that I am going to come twice more during this trip and spend a total of between 7 to 8 hours here. Those of you who are art lovers and museum rats like myself, do read my very detailed post ‘Prado, My Selection’ for my recommendations. For those who don’t think they’ll make it to Prado, I have linked my recommendations to the very high resolution pictures provided by Prado so you can do armchair museum-ratting.
Very happy at the end of the day, I find myself some dinner before heading back to the hotel, sleeping in total exhaustion.
It is Sunday morning and the day of the El Rastro flea market. I enjoy visiting markets and on this beautiful day its a pleasure to be outdoors. I don’t take my camera so the shot is from the internet. All of Madrid (including the protestors at Sol) seem to have descended here. The stalls are colourful, the people even more so. I spend a good few hours here and as I head back to the hotel, I find a wonderful beads and jewellery findings shop – simply the best I have seen anywhere. I spend an enjoyable time browsing.
I eat a leisurely lunch and then head to the Retiro park. The Madrileños are very lucky to have such a large (350 acres) green space in their city. In fact, Madrid is blessed with a number of parks and green areas, a very welcome break from the business of its streets.
There are many people enjoying a boat ride in front of the monument to King Alfonso XII.
I walk around the Palacio de Cristal admiring the play of light.
Then I visit a small art exhibition inside the airy Velázquez Palace.
Then it is back to the Prado for three hours of happy browsing. My feet ache terribly by the end of the evening but my spirits are lifted by the beauty of the art I have seen.
Today is Monday and all the museums are closed. We plan to take a trip to Toledo and head out to Atocha station. The station has a surprising indoor garden which I enjoy. Unfortunately there are no tickets until the 12:30 train so we are a bit stumped. I kick myself for not buying the tickets yesterday – I am spoiled by Switzerland where I rock up to the station at any time.
The train ride is only half an hour. From the Toledo station, we take a bus up to the city centre. It is not too far but its all uphill and in this heat it would be exhausting. The bus drops us close to the Alcazar (on the right above) but today it is closed. I don’t care, I’ve come to see the Cathedral really.
I wander to the Zocodover Plaza and like all squares I have seen in Spain, it is lively with people enjoying coffee / drinks / food in the eateries surrounding.
The Cathedral is indeed one of the best I have seen. No photography allowed inside so I have only this shot to offer you. The inside is treasure trove. There are hidden altars and chapter houses, each one more rich than the other. Remarkable! The only negative point is the constant announcements over the loudspeakers telling people to be silent and respect the environment – as far as I could see, it was only the loudspeakers which were making noise. It was often enough (every few mins) to be a nuisance.
Toledo is pretty and colourful; I am enjoying all the photo ops here!
Next stop, the former synagogue, now a museum. Built circa 1180, it is disputably the oldest standing synagogue building in Europe.
I head next to the monastery but I find my energy flagging. The last few days of non-stop tourism has taken a toll on my feet, which I had twisted badly just before travelling, and all I want to do now is sit down. The girls tell me later that it is beautiful inside.
I shuffle slowly back to the bus stop. We take the train to Madrid and there is no energy for anything but dinner tonight.
The next morning I head back to the Prado for my last visit. I even manage to see the temporary exhibitions and I am very satisfied. But there is no time for lunch. Chewing some trail food for energy, I head to the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza. I didn’t take a picture, the above pic is from the internet. Oh what a treasure trove! I am rapt! What follows is three hours of agony and ecstasy – agony because my feet are giving up on me and ecstasy because I have seldom seen a private collection of this quality. Masters from different periods, different schools and different countries are represented here. It is a great collection and deserves at least double the mere three hours I spent here. The audio guide is recommended.
For those who would like to examine the collection online, the museum provides a wonderful online visit. On choosing the floor, you get to see a 360 view of the rooms and clicking on paintings allows you to read information about them and examine them in high resolution detail. I will soon write a Thyssen-Bornemisza, My Selection’ post to present the paintings I like best.
On this high note, I finished my trip. I had planned to walk around the city doing some photography to fill in the time before flying out but my plans were too ambitious. I decide to reach the airport an hour earlier than I planned and just rest. Which I do.
I have loved my visit to the city. Its a warm and lively city, colourful and picturesque. I forgive all the café owners for never smiling when I went for my morning tea, I forgive all the restaurants for not thinking of vegetarians, I forgive all the cleaners for leaving the city quite dusty (I was forever sneezing). I forgive even the Prado ticket seller for not understanding English (surely, at such a big tourist attraction one should find English speaking staff? I cannot be expected to learn Spanish for a 5 day visit, surely?). I forgive all the revellers in the night who made sleep a bit hard, I forgive the inquisitors for making me shiver in Plaza Mayor. My first trip to Spain has been very satisfactory and I shall be back again. Absolutely.
Practical Info:
Weather : This last week of May it was hovering between the mid-twenties and mid-thirties (celcius). Late nights were cooler, but never really cold. We had no rain. Shorts, dresses, light t-shirts are all that’s needed. Pack comfortable footwear, there is lots of walking to do!
Transport : Airport to the city and return – the Airport express that I mention above is very convenient. I didn’t use any public transport within the city, preferring to walk everywhere. Nothing exceeded 20 mins of walking.
Hostals : Mine was comfortable, I wouldnt hesitate to recommend it. They do not provide breakfast but there are plenty of cafés within a couple of mins.
Restaurants: Spaniards keep strange hours!! Lunch time seems to be between 2 and 4, dinner time after 9pm. There are cafés opened outside these hours but restaurants are often closed. Vegetarians will find it difficult, especially if you don’t speak the language. There seems to be ham in everything! I was told by our guide that even churros are fried in animal fat. I ate in Maoz, a vegetarian Felafel and salad bar open all day (near Sol), Artemisa – an excellent vegetarian restaurant but it does include 2 or 3 non-vegetarian dishes, Taj – an Indian restaurant in Calle de la Cruz and Miranda- a restaurant on Calle de Leon which served a nice salad.
Supermarkets : There are plenty of shops selling drinks and snacks in the city. Normally ‘Alimentacion’ was written in the front. I went to a supermarket close to Cathedral de San Isidro (not far from Plaza Mayor, on Calle de Toledo) which had everything one needs.
Number of days needed : I was there for 4.5 days, which would have been sufficient if I hadn’t kept one day for visiting Toledo. But it does depend on how long you want to spend in museums. I spent a total of 13 hrs inside museums and if you count the time needed to come and go and queue up, its nearly 15 hrs of sight-seeing time!
Toledo : Book tickets at least one day in advance. There are plenty of trains. Costs 19 Euros return. You need at least 4 to 5 hours there. The trip takes only 30 mins each way.
