That pretty much sums it up. I'm having a great time here, all things considered. Andorra La Vella is the highest capital in Europe, situated amid the Pyrenees Mountains between France and Spain. I've wanted to come here since I was 14 or thereabouts, so I'm glad it has finally happened! My trip up from the south of Spain yesterday was pretty painless - even the 5+ hour train ride to Barcelona went by surprisingly fast. I'm impressed by the Renfe trains of Spain, in spite of what I've heard in the past. The 3-hour bus ride from Barcelona to Andorra also went by unexpectedly fast. There were only 13 of us on the minibus, but most of us kept to ourselves. I was admiring the scenery for most of the trip, until it got dark. ... read more

The Alhambra is one of those places you just can't be prepared for. I'm gonna have to let my pictures speak for me, since most of it left me speechless. I can say that Granada is much more of a city than Cordoba, which I visited yesterday. It feels more urban, and it has the dense array of shops and touristy things that you would expect a big city to have. I can also say that this was by far the best of the tours I've been on this week with Julia Travel - I guess 3rd time's a charm? The guide was head and shoulders above the others - Paco, who is about 65 and enjoyed some fine-smelling cigarillos at several points in the day. He's the kind of guide you hope you get. We ... read more

I've now seen the Rock and can tell you why it's a big deal. Historically, this place would've been the ultimate vantage point for anyone coming from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean, or vice versa. These days, it's a tax-free zone with a good sailing industry that allows for unique tourism. I use the word "unique" loosely, since it's really one of those destinations that every world traveler needs to visit and most British tourists to the south of Spain have visited multiple times. Perhaps my favorite experience was with the monkeys - Barbary macaques that are the only monkeys living in the (semi) wild in Europe. They live along the upper reaches of the Rock, so you have to be determined to see them. Or you could just take a minibus up like I did. ... read more

If I had it to do over again, I’d probably book a hotel room in either Castletown or Peel, which is where I spent a good bit of the past 2 days. Castletown has the tall castle, and Peel has the spread-out one. Castle Rushen in Castletown was open yesterday; Peel Castle opens after Easter. Both of these towns have a charm; some might call it character. Both are immediately endearing. They have much more scenic views, in my opinion, than Douglas. Douglas, though, has more to do than either of these towns, which is why it’s where most people stay, and indeed why the capital is here. But you can get complacent in Douglas. In Castletown and Peel, you can visit for a day, and then there’s nothing else to do but admire the scenery. ... read more

I had planned on going out around the island today, but a few factors changed my plans. Isn't that how an adventure is supposed to be? There's a 2-mile-long Promenade that goes the length of Douglas. I've walked the whole thing now - once in the dark, and once in the daylight. Speaking of daylight, wow. I actually had to use sunglasses for the first time on the trip today - it was so bright! That was a pleasant surprise. My hotel is 1 block from the Promenade, and squarely in the middle of the 2 miles, so it's pretty ideal for exploring this part of town. I'm on the top floor (4th by American, 3rd by British practice), and there's no elevator. I'm glad I was able to lighten my luggage, if only slightly, with ... read more