Meeting in the lobby at nine a.m. for a bus tour of the city. Today’s blog will be a long one because of all the information that the tour guide provided to us over the next five hours. Mumbai (or Bombay as some know it) is built over 7 islands. When the British took over Mumbai from the Portuguese they built causeways between all the islands. It is situated on the coastline of the Arabian Sea And has a population of 23 million. Mumbai is known as the City of Ganesh, a city with a heart. The Hindu god Ganesh ensures a flow of money, protects the inhabitants and welcomes visitors. Rudyard Kipling was born here as his father was a famous architect in the city. He designed the fruit market which we will visit a ... read more

Contemplate the horrors of medieval prisons, where scores of men and women were forced to cohabitate in cramped conditions, pressed against each other, not able to lie down. A sip of water and a few bites of food thrown to them. Got that picture in your head? Well that’s what a 14 hour flight feels like exactly. I was lucky to sit with a young couple who live in Philadelphia, were visiting relatives in Canada and were on their way to Mumbai to visit their parents - really pleasant people. While waiting for the bathroom, I spotted Helen on the other side chatting up the flight attendants and another passenger. She had an enthralled audience by the look of it. Finally we arrive at the Mumbai airport and are welcomed by our tour guide who draped ... read more

Last day - where did the time go? Apparently 10 days is really not enough to experience Spain. Two days are lost in flying and Spain is an immense country. So lots of time lost travelllng between cities. I would love to have had another day in Cordoba and another day in Sevilla and another day in Granada. So much packed into so few days. A city bus tour started the day today with a short stop on top of a foothill with a magnificent view of the city of Barcelona and in the distance the Sagrada Familia which we will visit later today with a private tour. Continuing on past the port of Barcelona which the third largest in Spain. The harbour is packed full of cruise ships, freighters and innumerable sailboats. Barcelona is a ... read more

Alhambra - a sprawling hilltop fortress encompassing royal palaces, serene patios, reflecting pools as well as fountains, orchards and gardens. The buildings existed since the 9th century but became a royal residence in mid 1300’s of King Muhammad Ibn Yusef Ben Nasirn Known as Alhamar (Muslim sultan). Alhambra name means red castle or vermilion because of the red colour of the bricks and astones. The Alhambra became a Christian court in 1492 with the expulsion of the Muslims by the Christians. I apologize for so many pictures - you may not believe it but I maintained restraint on the number of pictures I took. There were so many beautiful rooms and fountains and gardens and of course pictures don’t do any of it real justice. Our guide Carlos is the best guide we have had so ... read more

Sevilla - capital of Andalusia. We have a leisure morning to enjoy coffee and breakfast before meeting at 10 am for a short walk to the city centre of Sevilla. A beautiful day for experiencing the mysteries of Sevilla. A stroll through the gardens of Alcazar and then into the narrow lanes of the city to the square abutting the Sevilla Cathedral and Alcazar. David takes us to the meeting place at 3 pm and then we are off to explore. We really wanted to tour Alcazar which is the Royal Palace and still in use by the royal family when they come to Sevilla. Alcazar was used when filming The Game of Thrones and there is already a mile long waiting line to get in for a tour. David says we can avoid the line ... read more