Well, we got up in time for breakfast because today was the day to see the Alhambra. The Alhambra is a collection of palaces built by Moorish sultans and Catholic monarchs surrounded by fortified walls on the tops of two hills. The climbing up the steep hill was great training for the Camino but Madalyn could have done without the heat and high humidity. At the wall map by the entrance we met our fabulous guide, Margarita. It is important to get your tickets ahead of time because access times are strictly controlled to prevent tourists from over running the place and having our own personal guide was heavenly. There were lots of people but it didn't seem overcrowded. Margarita showed us the gardens as we strolled toward the Alcazaba, the oldest part built for military ... read more

We left the rain behind in London as we jetted off to Granada and blue skies. Gary has been to Spain before when he was in the Navy and it is Madalyn's first visit. We checked into our hotel to drop off our luggage and hit the streets. Our hotel is on a large, busy square near the base of the Alhambra, the main attraction in Granada which we'll visit in a day or two. Still recovering from lack of sleep we managed to tour the Cathedral of Granada. The pipe organ is huge with horizontal pipes as well as vertical, we wished it had been playing. Lots of gold leaf, paintings of Jesus, the Virgin Mary and saints. You don't light candles for fulfilling your prayers any more, you flick a switch to turn on ... read more

Welcome Everyone to our Blog for our trip to Spain! We are in the throws of getting ready to leave the house and drive to the Bay Area. Perhaps we'll have more time to blog when we are waiting for our plane. More later!... read more