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Published: April 3rd 2017
Another couple of great days. Wednesday night we were invited to a wine tasting by the resort which was quite a fun night and we met two different groups of Americans, very nice people and had a great chat, sometimes you just click with certain people. Thursday morning headed over into Spain to visit our favourite sherry winery with the famous Pedro Ximenez grapes, also visited Sandemans as well but went to buy our favourite Pedro Ximenez El Candado, $14 a glass (small glass) at Adrian Richardson's restaurant in Carlton, around $37 in bottleshop and $11.80 a bottle here, amazing!!! Took us 3 hrs to get down to Jerez and then after the winery visit drove back to Seville to stay for the afternoon and night, had a wonderful couple of days in Seville, has such a great feel about it, felt like coming home, so many winding streets filled with tapas bars and restaurants. Our hotel was Hotel Ateneo Sevilla, the most beautiful, unique little place, 10 rooms only and has only been renovated and opened for 2 years...it was a private home before that....renovations stunning and no expense spared....owned by a Sevillian man. $122 for a night.....bargain! The drive
getting there was a different story, winding, tiny streets...the mirrors had to pulled in at one point but we made it! Tried to pack in as many of the sites as possible and it didn't get dark until about 8.30-900 so gave us plenty of time to explore before going for dinner At El Gallinero De Sandra, most restaurants don't open until 8.30pm, so time for a beer or two in the small bars surrounding the restaurant.....John has made another big statement here...saying this was one of the best restaurants he has ever eaten in!!! Returned to Albufeira late afternoon after the morning spent with a tour of the Metropol Parasol another amazing monument in Seville....people of Saville were not sure about it but are quite liking it now...designed by a German architect and is the biggest wooden structure in the world!
Saturday did a lovely walk down on the Alvor boardwalk and estuary trail and surrounds, lovely little fishing village about 25klm from Gale where we are. Beautiful area which they are preserving beautifully. Rich in wildlife and gorgeous beaches. Took us about an hour or so to do part of the walk, was nice to breath the
beautiful sea air. Back to our fave restaurant Sao Domingos tonight for the last supper and then drive up to Lisbon tomorrow for a couple of nights.
Sunday drive up to Lisbon was lovely compared to last Sunday when it rained all the way down. No dramas getting our car back to rental car at airport then got a taxi back into Lisbon. Our little apartment is beautiful and at $80 a night a steal, right in a beautiful area Santa Catarina right on border of Bairro Alto such a great area! Our host was here to meet us Ines a young mummy to be and she was an absolute delight giving us all the local tips. Talk a 2 hour walk around our neighborhood this arvo, such a nice feel about it, lots of view points over the Tagus River from here, lots of hip shops, restaurants and tapas bars. A few beers before getting to our restaurant at a little local bar full of elderly guys, great atmosphere, and the two fingers meant we needed two more beers. Great afternoon and ended up in Estrela da Bica restaurant for tapas and wine, got there at around 6.30pm
HOTEL ATENEO SEVILLA
One of the dining areasvery early for locals but suited us as we had missed lunch, wonderful tapas 4 plates, absolutely chockers at the end of it, pork ribs, some Portuguese sausage with turnip leaves and egg, prawn dim sum, breads and garlic butter with olives, and a litre of red for a total of $47. We have been up and down, round and round, the streets of Lisbon have no structure, but so enjoyed exploring all the cobbled streets we have not been before.
Monday first off to Fabrica da Nata for a great little breaky fix, croissant, baguette, lattes and the most gorgeous Portuguese tarts, yummo! Then over 17klms walking today...first stop Mercado de Rubeira wonderful market with loads of eating places, then walking the waterfront to the Padrao dos Descobrimentos...a beautiful memorial to mark 500 years since Henry the Navigators death, then Belem Tower, Gothic monastery Jeronimos, some great chill out eating places along the waterfront then stopped into a bar for a couple of cold beers before getting an Uber back to the apartment, enroute he was picked up by the cops for overtaking a bus, oh well wasted 20 minutes talking with the police but got us home
safe and sound in the end. Weather has been beautiful 23 and sunny today. Out for dinner local grill place, absolutely magnificent, $26 aus for mixed grill, huge piece of salmon with veges, chips, olives to start with and a litre of wine! Early morning flight 8.00a.m. to Paris tomorrow to embark on our 8 day cruise to Normanby landings on the Seine.
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Rhonda Brand
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Hi guys
Just love the look of Seville......you can tell by the photo's that it has a beautiful feel about it. I love the buildings...the streets and they say the blend of the old and the new....like the Metropol Parasol. I have only been to Barcelona for a few days when I was on my Europe trip in the 80's.....so your photo's have put Spain on my bucket list :)