It was different from the very beginning - extra boarding security, and justifiably so, at the El Al Airline counter in Toronto as we waited to board for an almost eleven-hour flight to Tel Aviv, Israel. We must have been two of very few non-Jewish passengers on board and our flight was excellent, with attentive service from the flight attendants. We got our first surprise just as we began our descent into Israeli airspace when the young male flight attendant asked "Do you know that you will arrive at a very special time for Israel and that everything will be closed?" In ignorance, we both showed surprise and inquired as to why. We had no idea when we selected our date of arrival that we would land at the time of Yom Kippur, the Day of ... read more

Visiting Gaudie's inspired masterpiece will have an impact on anyone regardless of religion, race or nationality. It is for everyone that La Sagrada Familia has been created. I was struck by Gaudie's words when he said that anything meaningful takes a long time to build. So true are his words, for this magnificent Basilica, started one hundred and thirty years ago, "could be completed in the first third of the 21st century" (quote from official website). It is in his respect and love of God, that he brought the Holy Scripture to life through his visionary artistry. Every aspect has deep meaning and I felt a sense of awe in trying to grasp what he was seeking to accomplish. Many may enter merely to gaze upon its artistic magnificence and intricate detail (which is fine too) ... read more

Leaving the sunshine of the Algarve,we headed north early for what I consider to be the heart and soul of this Iberian country. Evora This was our first stop after hours of driving on beautiful roads, away from the coast and into the interior hill country, bypassing numerous small towns and villages. Besides the sightseeing in the city itself, the most amazing discovery was the megalithic stones discovered nearby. The stones of Almendres Cromlech, have been in use since 6,000 BC and are two thousand years older than those of Stonehenge. It is worth Googling this for more in depth information. Tomar This small town of 40,000 was the perfect introduction to authentic Portugal. Later on, I will share an incident that we had with the police on the highway after we left this town on ... read more

Through the scientific breakthrough of DNA testing, I recently learnt that I have a small percentage of Iberian blood in me. That unexpected development has added another intriguing dimension to my longstanding love of things Spanish. As the huge yet sleek Boeing Dreamliner lined up to approach the city of Madrid for this our third visit to this vibrant, historically rich and culturally diverse land, I wondered how I would be affected, given my latest discovery. We would spend the first part of this vacation in Andalusia, the land of the teroro or matador and so we changed flights and boarded for Malaga. While many see sheer brutality and torture, I see technical skill, grace and romance in the unique experience of the bullfight. Luring Jeanette to yet another of these magnificent spectacles, complete with its ... read more

For obvious security reasons, as has been our policy in recent times not to visit iconic sites at certain times being so fraught with potentially unexpected danger, we chose not to visit the Grand Place on New Year's Day itself, but instead found ourselves being drawn to this focal centre of the city on the day after the big event. Although the festivities of the season were being slowly run down and the decorative lights gradually removed from the city, throngs of people lingered across the city, capital of Belgium and the European Union. Everywhere we walked, families strolled around taking in the last of the festive atmosphere. Patrons filled the cafes, restaurants and shops as the usual early winter darkness swept the country and brilliantly coloured hues of every description took control of the night. ... read more