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Published: August 30th 2009
Day 2: Madrid
Vera in one of the parks near the hotel Day 1: Friday 26th June 2009: Departing on our next holiday adventure started with flying PERTH - SINGAPORE - FRANKFURT - MADRID; taking in all of what seemed liked neverending hours in the air. Flying over Spain showed the varying countryside (brown like Australia and then areas of orchards) which we were about to explore over the next 12 days. I used my video camera for both video and photos with only 2.3 mega pixels for still recording, far below what is the normal practice .
Day 2: Saturday: MADRID: Found us in Madrid - such a large city where did one start to look around. I noticed most of the shops were closed in the afternoon, but McDonald's was open so lunch was there before taking a stroll around the local area and through some small parks. It was salad and chicken again for tea at M, and it was good. Being very tired we went to bed early.
Day 3: MADRID: Temp 29C: We had a wonderful buffet breakfast at the hotel before walking to the Metro and going to book our ticket to Barcelona for when our tour finished, then on the train to a
park and garden before returning to the hotel to meet all the people on the Best of Spain tour with Trafalgar.
Day 4: 29th June: MADRID - TOLEDO: Temp 33C: After a delightful buffet breakfast it was everyone onto the coach for an excursion to Toledo, capital of Castile where we picked up a local guide and a tour around the New Toledo and fabulous views then it was a ride up the hillside on a covered escalator before walking through the cobblestone streets of "Old Toledo", a visit to a synagogue, the Church of Santo Tome and a steel workshop. A very lovely place and well worth the visit. Returning to Madrid we had a tour around the city including the Cibeles Fountain.
Day 5: MADRID - BURGOS - SANTANDER: Temp 25C - 32C: This morning we were up, off through flat countryside to the lovely green Guadarrama Mountains to the El Cid city of Burgos where we stopped to walk over the old bridge to town for lunch before strolling around and back onto the coach for the drive close to the Ebro and over the Cantabrian Cordillera to Santander, situated on the Atlantic coast where
our hotel room overlooked the beach. So with that, a group of us, with pants legs rolled up we laughed and chatted as we strolled along with feet in the Atlantic Ocean. After dinner a few of us went to the Casino and I think all came away a few Euros poorer, but we had fun.
Day 6: 1st. July: SANTANDER - BILBAO - San SEBASTIAN - PAMPLONA: Temp 30C - 36C: Today we drove along the front of Santander through the mountains to the port of Bilbao. On through winding roads and mountains to San Sebastian and the Bahia de la Concha beach. Traveling on we arrive at Pamplona and here we see the ancient streets and learn of the Festival of St. Firminius, the Running of the Bulls which was due to start in a few days time. We walked the streets and I bought souvenirs of T-shirts and fans.
Day 7: PAMPLONA - ZARAGOZA - BARCELONA: Temp 28C - 35C: Going through the Ebro Valley again we stopped at Zaragoza to visit the Cathedral of El Pilar and Cathedral La Seo. Onto Barcelona, a drive and walk through the city before going to dinner in
a restaurant at the port where the champagne was "the best" and the food fabulous. Back onto the coach and off to see the Dancing Fountains" where music is played and coloured lights are reflected in the dancing fountain water. Very attractive and entertaining.
Day 8: Friday 3rd. July: Week 2: BARCELONA: Temp 30C: A free day, so Vera and I walked up the street to check out the hostel we had booked into the fo;;owing week before embarking on our cruise. Looked OK. So it was onto the HOP ON/HOP OFF bus to get an insight of places to visit in this very busy city.
Day 9: BARCELONA - PENISCOLA - VALENCIA: Temp 30C: Today we visited Peniscola, a lovely seaside spot and not too busy. We walked the many steps up the hill and through the streets to the ancient castle where there were fantastic views in all directions. After some time we strolled a little way down some streets and found a lovely spot for lunch, sitting under an umbrella at a table with views out and over the beach. We made our way to Valencia where our drive around showed us the sights including
the town hall, the Bull Ring, the Towers of Serrano and Cuatre and the cathedral.
Day 10: VALENCIA - GUADIX - GRANADA: Temp 34C: This morning we went inland to the "sierras" and Guadix, stopping on the way to visit the Troglodyte Caves and museum. These are cave houses and are common in the province of Granada. Moving on we made our way through the jagged Mora Pass to the Moorish city of Granada. After a buffet dinner we went up the mountain to a lovely spot to see the Gypsy Dancers in the caves. It was a fun and noisy couple of hours.
Day 11: Monday 6th. July: GRANADA - COSTA DEL SOL: Temp 32C: After breakfast it was everyone out on time for a visit to the Moorish Alhambra Palace with it's extraordinary architecture and beautiful gardens and water gardens. It is the royal summer residence of the Generalife, with views over the city and hills. From here we continued along the coast to Torremolinos on the Costa del Sol with its long beaches. Our hotel room had views of the beach.
Day 12: Tuesday 7th. July: COSTA DEL SOL: Temp 29C: Free day so
watched the news and the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona - one young American died during the run. We walked up the hill, stopping to admire the views before reaching all the souvenirs shops - hundreds of them. When the weather cooled we strolled along the front, taking in all the sight and sounds of a lovely holiday seaside town.
Day 13: COSTA DEL SOL - GIBRALTAR - SEVILLE: Temp 25C - 31C: Today we were up and off to the rock, the Rock of Gibraltar that is; a place I had wanted to visit for some time. Once through the checkpoint, it was busy as with English tourists, other tourists, and shiploads of tourists. We had a bus tour of the Rock - taking us up the hill to the caves - with a quick walk through them and a stop with a view where monkeys were everywhere and some would jump onto and cling to some people!!! The tour did not include a tour of the tunnels so I was a little disappointed in it. Back through the passport check and onto the coach for a drive through the Jerez countryside before arriving in the Andalusian
capital of Seville. Tonight I did something I had wanted to do for a long time - something a lot of people disagree with, but it is tradition. I went to a Bullfight. Well, I am glad I have been, but thought it was disgusting for several personal reasons and l'm pleased that at times the bulls won, but they didn't have a chance, so I came away as an animal liberalationist.
Day 14: SEVILLE: Temp 32C: We had a walking tour of the city with a local guide - we went into the Maria Louisa Park, saw the tomb of Christopher Columbus and walked through the Jewish quarter then stopped at a place where we could climb to the top of the Bell Tower - no steps - concrete ramps going round and round so quite easy to climb. After this we went off on our own. Tonight we went to a fiery Flamenco show - similar to the gypsies, but more elegant.
Day 15: Friday 10th. July: Week 3: SEVILLE - CORDOBA: Temp 33C - 35C: After breakfast we picked up the local guide and visited an old cemetery dig site "Necropolis de Carmona" where we
went to the museum then strolled around the area, going down into the site. From here we continued along the Guadalquivir Valley to the city of Cordoba where we visited the Mezquita, a former 8th. century Moorish mosque now hosting Cordoba's main cathedral.
DAY 16: CORDOBA - MADRID: Temp 35C: Making our way back to Madrid we stopped at a small village for lunch and then a visit to the "Prada" art gallery before going into our hotel, a farewell dinner and goodbyes to the people who made the trip around Spain most enjoyable and entertaining.
DAY 17: Sunday 12th. July: MADRID - BARCELONA: Temp 28C: It was another early rise for breakfast and then off to the bus station for our trip through to Barcelona arriving late afternoon when we made our way to the Pere Tarres Hostel (twin room with en suite and balcony) via Taxi, checked in and took a wander about and had tea before settling for the night.
Day 18: Temp 28C: Up early again and into breakfast before heading (walking) off to meet Vera's sister, husband and friends. We had a great reunion, chat and coffee, then made our way down
to the water front, walked the mall and some small streets, hopped onto the 45 bus and walked the long way back to the hostel - but we did see a lot of Barcelona and found a delightful Buffet for E7.95.
Day 19: Temp 27C: Today we made our way to and walked around the Picasso Museum which was interesting, then took in some of the sights of Barcelona before catching the tram and going to the end of the line to see what was there, then back to the Palace and a walk through the gardens.
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Connie
non-member comment
Spain
Jenny, thanks for posting your Spain pictures. You took some wonderful photos, and the commentary is certainly helpful. Connie