The Meat in Crete

Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It was the centre of the Minoan civilization (c. 2700–1420 BC), the earliest civilization in Europe, comprising the first palaces in Europe. Two notable artists were born on Crete, El Greco the Renaissance artist, born in Fodele and Nana Mouskouri, an internationally-known singer, born in Chania.

Friday 15th June -   The Palace of Knossos

After a quick visit to the Venetian Fort which has a prime position at the harbour entrance we took a stroll through the mall. The fort by the way was closed for renovations. We made our way slowly uphill, me sitting on shady park benches and Alice fossicking through numerous small shops. I did help her with a couple of needy purchases such as a wine bottle opener and a beach towel. At the end of the strip there was a quiet restaurant which offered good people watching opportunities as well as reasonable food. Directly opposite us there was a fruit cart with Con the Fruiter yelling out his specials. “Cherries, one kilo for three euro” This of course was all said in Greek with a cigarette hanging out of the side of his mouth. He was good as business was brisk.

Back onto public transport as we took the number 2 bus out to Knossos to have a look at the ruins of the Minoan civilization.  The palace was excavated and partially restored under the direction of Arthur Evans in the earliest years of the 20th century. Its size far exceeded his original expectations, as did the discovery of two ancient scripts, which he termed Linear A and Linear B, to distinguish their writing from the pictographs also present. From the layering of the palace Evans developed de novo an archaeological concept of the civilization that used it, which he called Minoan, following the pre-existing custom of labelling all objects from the location Minoan. It is an interesting history as we found out from the guide we hired with six others to show us over the site.

He was very passionate and kept us at each location far longer than what was required or allowed. At one stage another guide gave him a serve for being too long in a particular area. We were still there at closing time and I think we probably saw only 60 percent of the site. At the end we sat down for another 30 minutes while he gave us a dissertation on what we had missed. An interesting afternoon for us as I think we were the last tourists to leave as we were the only two on the number two bus.

Saturday 16th June – On the Road Again

Our car is due to be delivered at 10:00 this morning so that we can begin our road trip. Our plan is to head to the other side of the island and find a nice place to stay for a couple of days. We will also use it as a base to do some further exploring as well as having a few swims on protected beaches. This morning the wind has really picked up and is blowing quite hard directly off the sea. Hopefully, we will have the opposite effect on the other side of the island.
 
A minor hiccup on our way out of town as we are not sure if the road we are on is the correct one. It took a while but we finally figured out that the spelling for most towns on our map did not match the road signs.

When we reached the small town of Mires I missed the turn and ended up in the middle of the Saturday market. It could have been disastrous amongst the roosters and vegetables. At the beach town of Matala we stopped for some spinach pie and coffee. The wind is still howling but there are some areas here that are protected. The main pedestrian boulevard is covered in colourful drawings which adds a vibrancy to the area.

Continuing on our journey the roads which were in good condition became more narrow and windy as we negotiated the mountainous terrain. The landscape away from the sea was mostly barren but occasionally dotted with olive groves. We made a couple of detours into the beach areas of Kalamaki and Agia Galini. Both of these areas are small but have a few nice hotels and tavernas which would make them an interesting place to stay for a night or two. The next stop we made was to admire the view of the Kourtaliotiko Canyon. As soon as we opened the car doors the wind nearly picked Alice up and deposited her in the canyon. I thought we were headed to Oz to meet the Wizard.

Our final destination for the day was the beach village of Plakias. We had booked some accommodation the night before on the faithful booking.com at a place called Creta Mare. The cost for two nights including breakfast was 64 euro, so I had low expectations. Alice had told me that the room was a little pokey but it would do. Liar, Liar – the room was huge, with a refrigerator (for storing beer and wine) and a huge balcony overlooking the sea. It really is a great view.

The wind is blowing as hard as it did in Iceland but the big difference is that it is warm. It is picking up sheets of water off the sea which makes it look misty and almost like rain. Directly opposite the hotel there is a set of stairs leading down to a small protected beach. Alice managed her first Mediterranean swim in the refreshing but not too cold water.

Fairly happy to have chosen this location and we are looking forward to a seafood dinner at one of the local tavernas. Dinner at a tavern called Muse was exceptional. Alice and I settled for a Greek banquet which started with a meze platter and then a selection of roasted lamb, pork and chicken. There was so much meat that I thought they had slaughtered three animals just to feed us. The banquet also came with a half-litre of wine, orange slice for desert and a glass of raki. Another half-litre of wine followed and with a tip our bill came to 25 euro.

Sunday 17th June – Mountain Driving

After a late breakfast we hit the road in search of mountain villages and wind free beaches. The mountain villages were easily found as their white washed facades stood out against the stark grey of the mountains and the contrasting blue sky. On a couple of occasions I had to reverse back or hug the side of a precipitous drop. The local Cretan population just park anywhere in a village and as a result the width of the road is constantly down to one lane.

We stopped for a light lunch at a tavern overlooking the water at a beach named Frangokastello. The wind had abated in this area and the crystal clear water looked inviting. Alice and I did a quick strip next to the car and tip toed our way across the hot sand. It was a joy to cool off and then lay on the warm sand by the water’s edge. Right by the beach there is an old Venetian fort which is still in good condition. There are only a few hotels and tavernas in this area but nevertheless a good place to spend a couple of days relaxing.

All through the drive we have magnificent views of the coastline on the good but winding road. Our last stop before returning to Plakias was Hora Sfakion. This small village right on the water has an even smaller stony beach situated below the tavernas. There is no wind and the elderly holiday makers were making the most of the free sunbeds and the calm, protected water. There are a few holiday hotels with most having a view of the water from their balconies. It is also possible from here to take ferry trips to a number of beaches that are not easily accessible by road. The drive back seemed to be easier but that might have been due to us knowing what was on the road ahead.

Monday 18th June – Elafonisi, The End of the Road

Goodbye to Plakias and the Creta Mera hotel where we had such an enjoyable stay. Driving with confidence it was not long before we were back on the northern side of the island. At Rethimnon we joined the main costal highway and headed west in search of beaches without wind.

Georgioupoli has a long sandy beach and from the car it appeared that the wind had dropped. We decided that our last two nights may be spent in this area. The road is quite good and soon passed the major towns of Souda and Chania. The town of Kissamos looked like it may be sheltered from the wind and offer up some decent beaches. I soon christened the town “Kiss My Ar..” as the beach was suffering from erosion and the wind still blowing. Next we tried Falasarna and looking down from the mountain the sandy beaches looked inviting. We soon knew that we would not be stopping here as the wind was still gusting strongly. A late lunch with a terrific view and we were on our way again.

The next sixty kilometres involved lots of hairpin turns as we navigated our way back to the south of the island. The roads were narrow and on steep slopes with precipitous drops which meant that a lot of the time was spent in second gear. Alice clutched at her heart on more than one occasion.


The villagers are the worst as there is often only room for one car which means someone has to pull off or reverse out of harm’s way. We have been lucky and have only met buses on the open road.

Sfinari was a place that we liked as the place was semi isolated with only a few tourists. The beach was stony and exposed to the wind. Camping was available but the beachside tavernas did not have rooms to let. We literally came to the end of the road at Elafonisi. The bitumen ran out and after 400 metres of dirt we came to what many call the best beach in Crete.

Judging by the number of cars in the parking area it is not a secret. My description will not do it justice but it is a beautiful stretch of sand with crystal clear water that is no more than waist deep. There is a small sandy island separated from the mainland by a beautiful lagoon. You can simply reach the island by walking along a sandbar and through the shallow water for a short distance. The other bonus was that there was no wind.

We were going to continue driving to Paleochora but as I was getting tired we decided to see if any rooms were available at the two local tavernas. The best looking one which is situated in an olive orchard overlooking the mountains and the sea was our first choice so we tried our luck. There were a couple of rooms available and we took one for 35 euro which came with a huge balcony and the requisite refrigerator. Check out the website for www.elafonisi-resort.com 

The view was exceptional and from where I sat the water looked enticing. It was 6:00 pm so I decided to take a plunge. There were still quite a few people at the beach and I soon joined them in warm salty brine.

A couple of beers were consumed on the balcony before we headed to the restaurant for dinner. We nearly had the complete red sunset but at the last moment it was obscured by a sand hill.

Tuesday 19th June – Another Day in Elafonisi

After feasting on stale bread with vegemite, Guld Korn (from Denmark) and coffee we decided that we would spend another day and night at Elafonisi. Our decision has been based on the fact that the wind although stronger today would not be a problem. After securing the room with the landlord we hit the beach at around 9:15.

There was a plethora of sunbeds to choose from as we were among the first to arrive. The water was inviting and Alice, yes Alice, was the first to hit the water. I had my swimming goggles so I was able to see the abundant marine life. There were a few small sea bream and even smaller parrot fish darting over the rocky outcrops.

At around lunch the wind picked up which made sunbathing a little unpleasant. I went for a long walk to the outer part of the island and saw the odd nudist who would have looked better with a few clothes on. The sand hills provided a bit of shelter from the wind and as a result the sea was calmer. Plenty of good spots here for swimming and relaxing.

At 2:30 Alice and I were ready to call it a day. The wind was a little stronger and was whipping up the fine sand and depositing it on the sunbeds. Our balcony and a cold beer seemed like a better destination and a relaxing way to spend the afternoon. An early dinner tonight as we want to be on the road before 9:00 tomorrow.

Wednesday 20th June – Happy Birthday Jemma

Today is Jemma’s 21st birthday and I do not want to miss calling her. My problem is that I still have not embraced the mobile telephone as a communication tool and that here in Elafonisi there is no Wi-Fi access. This means I cannot use the Skype to call. Our solution is to hit the road early and find some accommodation with Wi-Fi in the town of Paleochora. I figure that I have until 11:00 am to accomplish my goal as it will be 6:00pm in Brisbane and Jemma should be home from work.

After a 90 minute drive over the mountain range we reached the beachside town of Paleochora. We drove around looking at the different hotel options and finally chose the Castella Hotel for 35 euros. The hotel is up on the hill across the road from the beach and has magnificent views of the water. Our room was not ready but they said we could use the Wi-Fi.

We ordered two cups of coffee and the best omelette that either of us have had for some time. Imagine our disappointment when the computer could not connect to the Wi-Fi. The owner was sympathetic and had his brother take us down the hill to their other hotel the Sandy Beach. Success! The connection was made and we were soon singing Happy Birthday to Jemma.

We finally checked into our room with a view and realised that we had made a huge mistake. The wind which seems to be getting stronger is on a direct flight path to our room. The windows are rattling and with every gust the door protests by vibrating furiously on its hinges. My hair will need washing as after a short walk it was full of fine particles of sand. It is lucky for us that we can only stay one night and we still have a view if we are game enough to brave the wind.

I refuse to be intimidated by the force of nature and stay holed up in my comfortable room safe from the elements. The beach village of Sougia is about 35km distance so a drive through the mountains should pass a few hours and keep the adrenalin flowing. Alice has decided to read her book as it is more appealing than another series of tight twisting roads.

As you drive into Sougia the last five kilometres is through a limestone canyon that is dotted with pine trees. There is a nice long beach which at the moment looks good for swimming despite the wind. There are only a few hotels, tavernas and shops which helps to keep the hordes away. On the return drive to Paleochora I took an alternative route through the small villages of Maz, Prodromi and Anidri. The roads were narrow with many switchbacks. The last few kilometres were in a narrow canyon before following the beach back to our hotel.

Dinner tonight was spent cowering from the wind as we took in the sunset from the Castella Restaurant that sits high on a bluff overlooking the sea. Alice and I look comical as every time there is a burst of wind we are covering our food and drinks with our hands and hunched bodies. This for the most part is to stop the fine particles of sand from settling on our food and drink. Others were not as lucky as the wind just blew their drinks right off the table. We ended up finishing our meal in the hotel but only after removing the sand from the tables and chairs.

Thursday 21st June – Georgioupoli

I woke up at around 2:00am with stomach cramps and not long after I was calling for my relations Arthur and Herbie. After that episode I could not get back to sleep due to the hammering of the wind on the doors and windows. Alice managed to sleep through it. With the coming of the morning I actually felt worse. I still needed to throw up and my limbs were aching. Poor, poor pitiful me! While Alice managed a nice full breakfast I dined out on her scraps and some juice.

After resting for a while we loaded up the car for the two hour drive to Georgioupoli where we have booked a four star resort. The drive up was a nightmare for me as I had the shakes and needed to pull over on a couple of occasions to be sick. I don’t know how Alice could bear listening to me moaning for the entire drive. Men are definitely poor patients.

Georgioupoli on the northern side of Crete has a long sandy beach that stretches for quite a few kilometres. We chose to stay here as when we passed through a few days ago there was hardly any wind. The good news was that the wind is still not blowing here. The bad news was that we could not find the hotel. After searching the entire strip we could not locate it. While I continued to moan Alice checked at a service station who was able to point us in the right direction. It turned out we were looking on the wrong side of the highway.

After checking in I retired to the bedroom while Alice took advantage of her new surrounds. This is not the sort of place we would normally stay at as it is designed for the package tourist. For an extra 15 euro per person we are able to have lunch, dinner, drinks and as much beer and wine as our hearts desire. Our room has a balcony that is bigger than the room. The table and two chairs look like they need company. From the balcony we overlook some farmland with the mountains as a backdrop and the ocean at the front. The resort has a large pool with water slides that the kid in me wants to try when I’m feeling better.

At around 6:00pm I emerged from the room and found Alice at the pool bar sipping a glass of wine after her swim. It was time for dinner and as I was still not eating I left it to Alice to elbow her way through the starving vacationers.

There is something about a buffet that brings out the worst in people. It was hard not to laugh as you watch so many of them piling all that food onto one small plate and then begin shoveling it into their mouths at a machine gun rate as if the food was going to run out. After that entertainment we headed off across the highway and took a short moonlight stroll on the beach. When we returned to the hotel there was a traditional performance of Cretan singing and dancing for the entertainment of the hotel guests. After listening to a couple of songs it was off to bed for more rest and hopefully a better tomorrow.

Friday 22nd June – Still No Wind

Up bright and early and apart from a couple of stomach cramps I feel pretty good. Out on the balcony there is plenty of shade from the Cretan sun and the wind is only a gentle zephyr. I managed to eat a light breakfast which has elected not to implode on me.

A short walk to the beach where you get a free sunbed if you purchase a drink. The wind has picked up but the beach conditions are acceptable. There are plenty of pedlars hawking everything from watches, handbags to fresh pastries and massages. I succumbed to the pleasure of a 30 minute massage administered by the strong hands of a man from Turkey. The water was a little choppy but very warm.

After a buffet lunch it was time for a nanna nap prior to an afternoon session in the pool. Before hitting the pool we took a short drive up to Kourna Lake. This is the only natural freshwater lake on Crete. The water is a deep blue and crystal clear. There were a few paddle boats out on the water which are rented out by the tavernas along the waterfront.

Back at the pool Alice was in luck as there was a water aerobics activity. She dived straight in and was soon gyrating to some of her favourite Zumba tunes. I was content with doing a few short laps of freestyle. Another buffet dinner and we were content to roll into bed for an early night.

Wine, chocolate and 3 litres of petrol

Thursday 7th June – Islamic Granada

After breakfast we took one last look from The Balcony of Europe but alas the fog or cloud had rolled in. We did manage to see the beach and a few hardy souls in the water.

The car had not been moved from the car park for two days and the hefty 36 euro bill although expected, was not appreciated. The drive to Granada took about 90 minutes. As we drove off the exit ramp our hotel the Albero (37.5 euro) which is on the outskirts of town appeared in front of us.

After settling in, the owner gave us some helpful directions and the bus number to catch into the heart of town. The only problem is that today is another public holiday for Corpus Christi and the buses are at half frequency. This did not deter us and we were soon on the route 33 bus and in the heart of downtown Granada.

Our plan was to take a short orientation walk which would also take in some of the Moorish and Christian sites. Starting off at the Corral de Carbon which was a caravanserai of Silk Road fame we headed into the Alcaiceria.

This area was originally a Moorish silk market but now sells overpriced trinkets to unsuspecting tourists.

Another short walk brought us to the Cathedral which was closed today due to the holiday. It is a huge church built mostly in the Renaissance style. The attached royal chapel holds the bodies of Queen Isabel and King Ferdinand who were the monarchs who supported Columbus’s voyage of discovery in 1492. 

After passing through a couple of large plazas we took a stroll up Paseo de los Tristies which is known as the walk of the sad ones. This used to be the route of funeral processions to the cemetery at the edge of town.

A short rest by the river Darro at the base of the Alhambra and we were ready to proceed again. This time we had a steep uphill climb along a stream, up past the Sultan’s cobbled horse lane and beneath the Alhambra ramparts to the ticket office. I picked up our entry tickets for tomorrows Alhambra visit.

We have chosen a 2:30pm time slot for our entry time but this could be a mistake given that the temperature was hovering around 36 degrees. We have had enough walking so it was onto the route 30 Mercedes mini bus for a trip back into town. I was amazed at the narrow streets or should I say lanes that the driver navigated his bus through.

Our hotel manager has given us a restaurant to try for dinner but it was a little early. Rather than just sit around we jumped on route 31 another mini bus for a round trip through the hilly Albayzin quarter. This route was even tighter but a memorable trip just the same.

We found the restaurant and had a very cheap (34 euro), excellent three course meal with drinks. By the time we finished eating at around 9:30pm this street full of restaurants was heaving. It was difficult just getting out of the street so we could catch our bus back to the hotel.

Friday 8th June – The Alhambra

Up nice and early today as we have a 10:00 am appointment with indulgence.

Yesterday we decided that a scrub, massage and soak at the Arab Bathhouse would help us unwind from all the stress that these holidays are causing! This Hammam was incredible. Before we could enter the change rooms we had to cover our shoes with plastic so we did not scuff or dirty the white marble floors.

After changing we entered the bathing area which had three pools, steam and massage rooms. The lighting was subdued and soft which helped to relax you. The first pool which you enter has a marble floor and columns and is filled with warm water. You then hop into the hot pool before dunking yourself in the icy cold pool. Just keep repeating the process and throw in a steam bath for good measure. The scrub and massage was the icing on the cake. We were stretched out on a heated stone table and given a good 30 minute massage. Heaven!

At around midday our indulgence was over so we had no choice but to find a restaurant and partake in coffee and omelet.

What can we say about the Alhambra that hasn’t been said already? We spent four hours walking all over this awesome Moorish palace that thoroughly deserves its reputation as one of Europe’s top sites. Nowhere else does the splendour of Moorish civilization shine so beautifully. The jewel of the Alhambra is the Moorish royal palace known as the Palacios Nazaries.

Entry to this section is strictly regulated and your ticket gives you a set time in which you have a 30 minute slot to visit. Bad luck if you miss the time as there are no exceptions. You walk through three sections: royal offices, ceremonial rooms and private quarters which were built mostly in the 14th century.

The other areas in the Alhambra that are included in the ticket price are the Alcazaba, Charles V’s Palace, Alhambra Museum and the Genralife Gardens. As we stood atop the highest tower of the Alcazaba and gazed out over modern Granada you could try and imagine what it was like in the 13th century when the Moors were the light during the dark ages.

Charles V’s palace almost looks out of place in this surrounding. The king decided that after defeating the Moors that their palace was not good enough for him, so he had a new home built which was financed by taxing the defeated Muslim population.

After walking through the Generalife Gardens we caught the reliable route 30 back into the heart of town. It was a little after 7:00pm so we caught the number 33 with the intention of alighting in a tapas area near our hotel. We were a little early and nothing was open.

Just as we were about to give up we spotted someone setting up tables for the night. With the help of some sign language we secured a table and were soon sipping on a glass of wine. The good part was that for every drink you ordered you received a free plate of tapas. After five drinks we did not need any dinner or any more drinks.

Saturday 9th June – The Last Drive to Alicante

After wishing Alice’s mum Kirsten a Happy Birthday we jumped into the trusty Skoda for our last drive in Spain.

It is about 4.5 hours to Alicante on a good highway that lets you travel at 120kph. The road takes you over the Sierra Nevada mountain range and also gives access to a number of national parks. I was trying to return the car with next to no fuel in the tank but the warning light came on about 50km from Alicante. With about 20km to go we pulled into a service station as we did not want to get caught short when we were so close to our destination.

Alice found it difficult to hide her embarrassment when I only ordered 5 euros worth of fuel from the attendant. I figured three litres would be enough to get us to the hotel and then return the car. A couple of wrong turns later we were soon at the 30 storey Estudiotel, Alicante where we will spend the night for the princely sum of 40 euros. After clocking up 1388 km I returned the car to Europcar headquarters at the railway station.

It took me ten minutes to walk back to the hotel which will be of benefit tomorrow when we catch our train to Barcelona.

The rest of the afternoon was spent touring the waterfront which had a big marina. We thought the boats that were moored here could have paid off the Spanish banks debts. The beach here is sandy and the water is clean, calm and shallow.

Even at 7:00pm the beach was packed with families and tourists all having what we would call an evening swim. A lot of the buildings are well kept but looking tired. They look like they were constructed in the late 70’s. Some of the older art deco style buildings along the waterfront, including the casino appear to have been recently spruced up.

An early meal tonight, before 8:00pm as we have to be up early for our train journey.

Sunday 10th June – On a Train Bound for Nowhere, Barcelona

For 42 euros we are travelling business class to Barcelona. Our Talgo train departed on time at 8:06 and we are due in Barcelona at 13:39. One of the benefits of train travel in Spain is that it is quick and affordable. Unlike air travel you do not have to travel to the outskirts of the City or be at the terminal one hour before departure. If you desire, you can arrive five minutes before the departure time. There is of course a dining car, I’m still waiting for Alice to get me a glass of wine and lots of leg room to stretch out. The other advantage is that you get to see a lot of the countryside and then ocean as the train scoots along at 150kph. 

A quick ride in a taxi and we were at the Silver Aparthotel. This is the most expensive hotel that we have stayed in so far (100 euro) but it is worth it.

We are close to the metro so transport is easy and there is also a small kitchenette where we can cook some meals. It wasn’t long before we decided to fathom our way through the metro so we could visit the Picasso Museum which is free on Sunday afternoons.

After some trial and error we successfully navigated our way downtown to the museum. I think everyone in Barcelona must know that the museum is free as the entry queue was about a kilometre long. Queues annoy me at the best of times so we went for a backup plan and headed to the chocolate museum. There was no queue because it closes at 3:00pm.

As we were in the Barri Gotic area we thought we would have a look at the Barcelona Cathedral but as our luck was holding it was closed for a Corpus Christi event. It looked nice from the outside. Next we tried the world famous Shoe Museum but guess what – It is closed on Sunday and Monday.

After all these disappointments we gave up and headed for some food. The joy of this was that we came across a regional wine tasting and for the sum of 10 euro we purchased some tasting tickets.

Alice went straight for the champagne, called Cava in Spain and thoroughly enjoyed it. When we had run out of tickets we were asked by two ladies from the Netherlands if we would take their photograph. This led to a long conversation and a couple of their wine tickets which were duly cashed in. It was a pleasant way to end our first day in Barcelona.

Monday 11th June – Gaudi

All aboard the metro and we are off and racing for a day of Barcelona sightseeing. The Barcelona Bus Turistic operates three routes blue, red and green with interchange possibilities. Alice has chosen the 31 euro ticket which is valid for two days and offers a range of discounts to museums, cable cars and other attractions. The first part of the day we spent travelling over the red and green route before taking a late lunch.

After lunch it was the blue route and the first stop we alighted was the Sagrada Familia (Holy Family Church). This is Antoni Gaudi’s most famous and consistent work and this super-sized church is not expected to be finished until 2026.

Gaudi laboured on the Sagrada Familia for 43 years, from 1883 until his death in 1926 when he was run over by a tram. It is difficult to describe the architectural wonder of this church but suffice to say that Gaudi’s vision is being executed by others in a faithful manner. If you have never seen a picture of this church then you need to look it up on the World Wide Web.

The interior is supported by a forest of 56 massive columns. Gaudi’s religious vision was a love of nature and like the trunks of trees, the columns blossom with life, complete with branches, leaves and knot like capitals. Alice and I both left in awe of the beauty, style and what has been accomplished.

Next stop was the Parc Guell which is a colourful park where you can enjoy more of Gaudi’s magic. Entering the park you walk by his wrought-iron gas lamps which are flanked by two gatehouses made of gingerbread. There is a large stairway which takes you past a ceramic dragon fountain. Past the pathway of columns you reach the terrace which has a long colourful ergonomically designed bench.

From here you have one of Barcelona’s best views with the Sagrada Familia church in the distance.
After wandering around the park it was back on the bus again for more entertainment. One of the more popular stops, judging by the number who got on and off is for the football tragic and that is of course the Barcelona Football Club’s home ground.

We finished off the day with a ramble down the Ramblas. This walk takes you from the Placa de Catalunya to the waterfront. This walk down Barcelona’s main pedestrianized boulevard attracts both locals and visitors alike. Judging by tonight’s numbers it is still as popular as ever. We finished up at the Christopher Columbus Column and then caught the metro back to our hotel.

Tuesday 12th June – Picasso, Chocolate and Shoes

Today we are endeavouring to make up for Sunday’s disappointment and as a result we have arrived at the Picasso museum 15 minutes prior to the 10:00am opening. There are about 100 people in front of us but the line moved quickly. Eleven euros later and we were admiring the work of this great artist. The museum is set up so that you view the paintings, sculptures and ceramics in a chronological order. One painting that Alice and I loved was the Ciencia y Caridad (Science and Charity). When you walked back and forth across the room you could see the bed shrink and stretch.

The periods that were on display were:
• Barcelona Freedom 1900
• Paris 1900 – 1901
• Blue Period 1901 – 1904
• Rose Period 1904 – 1907
• Cubism 1907 – 1920 ( not much on display)
• Eclectic 1920 -1950
• French Riviera – Last decade of his life

We spent an hour here and thoroughly enjoyed it but both agreed that the Madrid museums were superior.

A short walk and it was time to investigate the chocolate museum. I sat outside and had a coffee while Alice learnt the history of chocolate from the Aztecs to Europeans via the port of Barcelona where it was first unloaded and processed. There is also a series of remarkable chocolate candy displays. Of course we did not leave without trying some.

Some more walking and we arrived at the church of Santa Maria del Mar. This church only took 55 years to build and is built in a pure Catalan Gothic style. The church sided with Franco during the Spanish Civil war and the locals took out their anger by burning all the wood furnishings. The result is that you can still see the carbon blackened ceilings.

From here we ventured through the Barri Gotic area from the Barcelona Cathedral to Placa de Catalyuna. Along the way we saw ancient roman columns, beautiful fountains, a bridge over the street and the world famous shoe museum. This tiny one roomed museum is presided over by a little old man who clearly loves his shoes. Alice who was the only customer told me that he explained a couple of things to her. The only problem was that she could not understand his Spanish.

After lunch it was back on the bus for more sightseeing. We took in some more Gaudi sites in the residential area of Eixample. Along the ‘Block of Discord” there are several colourful Modernista facades that compete for your attention. You can visit Casa Mila or Casa Batllo but we were content to admire them from the street. It also saved us about 18 euros each in admission charges.

By the time the bus reached the Montjuic area I was almost asleep. I came to life when we saw the façade of The Catalan Art Museum. It sits high on the hill overlooking Barcelona and gives great views of the City and the magical fountains below. We gave up on visiting the Joan Miro museum because we just don’t get abstract art. Instead we opted for a visit to the stadium where the 1992 Olympics were held. To finish off we took the funicular tram down the hill to our metro stop and then back to the hotel.

Wednesday 13th June – Cava ad Wine in the Country

Up bright and early today as we have booked a tour that departs from the City at 8:30am. It is an organised tour that will take us into the Barcelona wine region. We are trying to convince ourselves that this tour is more about experiencing the countryside than drinking wine and cava. It is a beautiful area with almost every hectare taken up with wine production. For a brief moment in time I thought we were in the Hunter valley.


First winery stop on the agenda is the Bodega Jean Leon. This vineyard is famous for being the first to produce Cabernet Sauvignon in this region. The story of the founder is one of an emigrant from this area who made his fortune in Beverly Hills thanks to his restaurant, La Scala. His partner was the actor, James Dean who died in a car crash just before the restaurant opened. Jean Leon himself has now passed away but he sold the vineyard to Miguel Torres who promised to carry on the tradition of producing the cabernet in the same style. Our verdict was that the wines are up there with the best.

Next stop was the massive Miguel Torres wineries which are supposed to be the largest in Spain. They have been producing wines for over three centuries and are now one of the biggest export companies in the world. We took a tour of the facilities on board their little tourist train. Afterwards we had a wine and cheese matching session with a light white, merlot and cabernet sauvignon. Simple to remember, all you do is match the strong cheese with the strong wine and let your taste buds do the rest. The grounds around the winery were immaculate and the cellar door had plenty of products to relieve you of a few euros. There was also an excellent wine museum attached to the cellars.

Alice has been champing at the bit in anticipation of the last stop. It is of course the cava (champagne) tasting at the Freixenet winery. This is a huge winery with over a million bottles maturing in the extensive underground cellars. Our tour started off with a few photos of cava styled transportation vehicles. We then descended into the depths of the cellar where we were given an overview of the cava making process. One thing we did learn is that once the yeast is removed from the bottle and it has been re-corked is that the bottle should be stored standing up.

It was then all aboard the train for a run through the winery prior to disembarking at the bottling area. We then had a light tapas which was accompanied by a couple of full glasses of Freixenet. Needless to say Alice did purchase a few mini bottles of cava which she will no doubt enjoy in sunny Crete. The only downer of the tour was a group from New South Wales who took great pleasure in telling me the State of Origin score that had been texted to them.

Back in Barcelona Alice and I decided to walk the Rambla once more and experience the joy of walking down the main boulevard. This time we ventured into some of the side alleys and took notice of some of the more interesting landmarks.

We took a drink from the fountain of Canaletes which legend says that a drink from the fountain will ensure that you return to Barcelona one day. Given my age I hope that it is a legend that comes true.

Further down was the Betlem church which was built during the 17th century in the Baroque style. If only we had known about our next detour, the La Boqueria a lively produce market prior to today. It is just off the Rambla and sells all manner of fruit, vegetables, seafood and meat. It took all my willpower not to purchase a kilo of prawns. There is a Museum of Erotica but we did not venture inside as Alice is erotic enough for me! She can go all night?

Liceu is the heart of the Ramblas and underfoot in the centre of the mall is a much trodden on red-yellow-and blue mosaic by the abstract artist Joan Miro. I still don’t get this form of art and yet to find out if Joan is male or female.

A short sideways detour to the palm tree dotted Placa Reial and we found that man Gaudi’s first public works which were two colourful helmeted lampposts. The square itself has a colonial ambience and is ringed with neoclassical buildings. A detour to the opposite side of the street brings you to another of Gaudi’s works, the Palau Guell. This modernistic building has some impressive ironwork adorning the façade, especially the fierce looking dragon.

At the end of the boulevard we jumped on the Metro and headed to our home station of Fontana.

Thursday 14th June – Barcelona to Crete

The time has come to say goodbye to Spain and Barcelona. We had a terrific time in Spain and apart from some wrong turns when driving it has been an absolute pleasure. People everywhere have been polite, helpful, accommodating and proud of their country and heritage. We would recommend our hotel in Barcelona as the room facilities, breakfast and access to the Metro were spot on. It was expensive by my standards but the ability to cook your own meals does reduce the overall cost.

Our access to the Metro was so close that we decided that our trip to the airport would be on public transport. It is only four stops on the Metro to Catalunya Square where you can catch the airport bus. The bus only cost 5.15 euros per person, had excellent luggage racks and operated on a five minute frequency.

At the airport we engaged in the self-check-in procedure for Aegean Air and in no time our bags were on the conveyor and hopefully headed for Crete. Our tickets had cost just over 100 euro each so we had no expectations of in-flight service. How wrong was I?

Not long into the flight I was eating good spaghetti bolognaise and sipping on a fine Greek red wine. The time, pardon the pun, just flew by and we landed on time in Athens with plenty of time for our connecting flight to Heraklion, Crete. We have picked up another hour in time zone changes and now have a 7 hour difference with Brisbane. 

Our flight touched down on time and an honest taxi driver had us at the Kronos Hotel by 6:00pm. The hotel (60 euro) is on the waterfront and from our balcony we can gaze over the Mediterranean Sea.

After settling we found a late night travel operator and have arranged a flight from Crete to Rhodes, ferry tickets from Patmos to Athens and car hire for one week. With this out of the way we have a full day tomorrow to explore Heraklion.

Spain, Morocco and Moors

Wednesday 30th May – Sevilla

Our train trip this morning departs at the civilized time of 9:20am which gives us time for a leisurely breakfast. Our ticket to ride the rails was a mere 11euro as this train had about 7 stops and only reached speeds of 160kph. We did a last minute reservation at the four star Gran Hotel Lar (45 euro) through the web site booking.com. This is an excellent site for booking hotels in Europe as the rates are always competitive and (cross my fingers) I have never had an issue.

We holed up in our room until late afternoon as it is an incredibly hot day. Even when we emerged it was still a stifling 33 degrees. The queue for the cathedral was quite long so we opted for a visit to the Alcazar which was built by the moors in the 10th century as a palace. This one left the Cordoba Alcazar for dead as it is still in use for the present royal family. It has rooms and decorations from the many rulers who have lived there. The Admirals Room is where Columbus recounted his travels to Queen Isabel and where Magellan planned his circumnavigation of the world.

This evening I have convinced Alice to attend a two hour Flamenco show at a small venue called Los Gallos (27 euro). She was a bit apprehensive but that soon turned to awe as the performers danced, sung and played the acoustic guitar for an energetic two hours. A Canadian girl Lisa who is learning the flamenco was sitting next to us. She explained some of the nuances of the dance and that the two male performers were among the best in Spain. The guitar player had extraordinary long fingers which glided effortlessly over the strings to produce an incredible sound. We both agreed that the show exceeded our expectations and left us with goose bumps. Ole!

Thursday 31st May – Spain’s Biggest Cathedral

Today I am touring alone as Alice is laid up in our hotel room. The Cathedral de Sevilla which is the third largest church in Europe is my destination. The church has a 100 metre bell tower called Giralda but unfortunately it is currently closed for renovations. I took the audio tour which gives a good guide to all the paintings, treasures and chapels. The paintings include works by Sevillia’s two 17th century masters Murillo and Zurbaran.

One of the more interesting sculptures that I came across was the head of John the Baptist depicting what it must have looked like immediately after decapitation. The tombs of Christopher Columbus and his son little Chris are found here in the church. The tomb probably traveled further than Columbus did as it was returned to Sevillia after Cuba gained its independence around 1900. As well as the aforementioned there are also quite a few Catholic cardinals who are interred here.

The treasury contained many valuable items including a crown that sparkles with 11,000 precious stones and the world’s second largest pearl. There are many stained glass windows in the side chapels that depict saints and scenes from the bible. You exit the tour into the court of the orange trees. There is a fountain in the middle that 12th century Muslims stooped at to wash their hands, face and feet before praying. You can still see the irrigation channels for the trees between the bricks.

Alice ventured out in the evening so we took a short walk through the Barrio Santa Cruz district. It was a lot cooler walking through the maze of alleyways that link the various small squares in this district. We then did the busman’s trick and went for a ride on the new tram system. It only has four stops so it was a short journey that terminated in the shopping district at Plaza Nueva. Alice was starting to feel ill again so we only walked the length of the pedestrianized Calle Tetuan. Judging by the look on her face as we passed the many stores I could tell that she was disappointed.

Friday 1st June – Road Trip

Well we have paid our bills and are on our way, just scorched out onto the Sevillia highway, not a care in the world, not a trouble on our mind until I remembered drive on the right side if you want to get there on time! It wasn’t quite that easy to extricate ourselves from Sevillia as we had to work out how to use the GPS that we had purchased in Madrid. Once we had accomplished what should have been an easy task we were on our way but being a little nervous I missed an important turn at a roundabout. With nowhere to turn I heard that infuriating tone emanating from the GPS “recalculating your route”.

Eventually we were out of the city and on a tollway heading for the town of Arcos which is a white hill town in Andalucia. The old town with all the buildings painted white is perched high on a ridge and overlooks the valley.

The driving is relatively easy as the roads are good with the occasional sign warning us to be on our guard for bulls.

At around 1:30pm I was feeling a little tired and hungry so we pulled off at a little town named Bornos. We stopped at the first café we saw and ventured inside. The menus were in Spanish, the owner spoke only Spanish so we ordered using a mixture of pointing and sign language.

We ended up with two beers, two plates of tapas and two coffees. The tapas was a delicious capsicum stuffed with rice, mince and a beautiful sauce that the pint sized mama had whipped up in her spotless kitchen. At an all up cost of 7 euro it was truly a serendipitous moment.

We have decided to travel off the main road and have taken a not so long and winding road, with sparse traffic to the hill town of Zahara. This town with its own castle is high up and overlooks a huge lake. The route we are on is very scenic but gets worse with a series or tortuous switchbacks to the 1700 metre summit of Puerto de Las Palomas (pass of the pigeons). Alice had a few white knuckle moments on the blind corners and narrow roads with a long drop to the valley below. I eased the tension by stopping at a few of the hiking trailheads that lead into the Sierra de Grazalema National Park.

As we drove through the small town of Grazalema it was so beautiful we contemplated staying there for the night. The town of Ronda was only an hour away so we headed out to the main highway and were soon on the outskirts of the town. We programmed the tourist office into the GPS and after a couple of near misses eventually found it. Our aim was to get the address of the Hotel Colon (Alice did not appreciate the name) as the booking.com site had indicated that it had spare rooms. A new address typed in and my nightmare began. The GPS lady had me traveling around in circles, down narrow streets and across pedestrian malls but eventually there it was in front of us, the Hotel Colon.

Alice enquired about the room but alas bookings had been strong and there was no vacancy. It was time to try our second choice which this time we found a little easier. I circled the block as Alice checked out the options at the Hotel Morales. She was smiling, so I reversed into the very small hotel parking space and unloaded our kit. I still had to find the parking area and again I set out into the unknown. After a couple of laps of the block I found it but alas there were no spaces available. I was circling with the other car park vultures when I spotted someone getting into a car. No time to be nice I headed straight to it and indicated that this space was mine.

It was 6:00pm and I was knackered after the tension of the last 45 minutes. I laid down on the bed, moaned a couple of times and pleaded with Alice to buy me a couple of beers. The angel of mercy returned bearing refreshments for her jaded husband. She also likes the town of Ronda so we are now staying an extra night. A walk around town, a look at the view, a late dinner and it is time for bed.

Saturday 2nd June – Help Me Ronda

We are staying in what is known as the new town but it is still very close to the gorge and the New Bridge (Puente Nuevo) which was built between 1751 and 1793. The ravine is approximately 60 metres wide and 100 metres deep and today some extreme sports persons are testing their mettle by canyoning, abseiling, climbing and running in this testing environment.

At the moment we are all churched out so have decided on a walk through the old town to the bottom of the gorge. A couple of blocks downhill and we arrived at the Casa del Rey Moro (House of the Moorish King). Apparently it was never home to any king but it does have a fine garden as well as a mine! The mine is an exhausting series of 240 slick, dark and narrow steps (according to my count) that lead to the floor of the gorge. The Moors cut the staircase into the wall of the gorge to access water when under siege. It was a real thigh master workout. Further downhill was the Old Bridge that was rebuilt in 1616. Now that we had reached the bottom of the gorge we had no option but to go up again. We took a route over the old bridge and ascended via a scenic route on the opposite side of the gorge.

After a beer and a light snack it was time to hit the bullring. Ronda is apparently the birthplace of modern bullfighting and this was the first great Spanish bullring. I expected the ring to be huge but in fact it is quite small holding only 4500 spectators. Alice and I charged out into the centre and then into the museum to look at the vast array of exhibits. It was definitely worth the 6 euro admission charge.

Just prior to sunset we decided to give the legs another workout and took a walk down the opposite side of the new bridge in the old town. Unfortunately, it was a little cloudy so we missed the sunset. We were lucky enough to catch a parade that commenced from an old church and finished on the other side of town. There were horse riders, band and parents marching with their children in honour of Viva la virgin de la Cabeza whatever that means (I suspect it has something to do with the virgin Mary). Dinner at the hard to believe time of 10:00pm was next on the agenda and we sat down to an exceptional meal at Macia’s Restaurant.

Sunday 3rd June – Ronda to Tarifa

Back on the road again today and I have convinced Alice that a little more driving in the mountains would be good for our nerves. With the GPS plugged in we were soon being guided to the white hill town of Benaojan.

The route was quite scenic with great views of the mountains, farmland and wild flowers growing by the side of the road. At Benaojan we programmed in Ubrique and the trouble soon began. Instead of leading us out of town it plunged us deeper and deeper into the narrow streets of Benaojan. An old couple took pity on us and told us in guttural Spanish “how the heck did you get here”. We showed them the GPS unit and they nodded their heads sagely and pointed us back in the direction we had come from. Eventually, with the help of a few others we wound our way out of the labyrinth of narrow lanes and back to the main road. After that episode I felt physically and mentally drained. I stopped listening to that invisible woman, found the correct route and was on our way again. On the way to Arcos she tried a couple of more times at the small towns to send us up the garden path.

A short break at Arcos by the lake to rejuvenate us was required before we set off on the last 150km to Tarifa. Most of the driving from here was on top quality highways. There wasn’t much traffic and for once the GPS was acting as a friend as we sped through the county side. We have booked two nights at Meson de Sancho hotel about 10km from Tarifa and arrived just before 3:00pm. We were not expecting much as it has cost us only 55 euro for the two nights. Imagine our surprise when we opened the door to a huge bedroom, big bathroom and a large balcony with a view of the mountains.

There was even a bar fridge to cool down my cans of beer.

After settling in we took a late drive into Tarifa to have a look at the beach. Even at 7:00pm there were people kite surfing and hanging around the beach. It was difficult to get a park so we headed back out of town along with the multitudes who were finishing up their weekend.

Monday 4th June – Out of Africa

Unlike Bing Crosby and Bob Hope who starred in “The Road To Morocco” Alice and I will be bit players in “The Ferry to Morocco”.

We have booked a trip to Africa for 59 euro and will alight at Tangiers, Morocco which is about a 60 minute trip. We were met at the ferry terminal in Tangiers but were delayed as they were missing a female passenger. It turned out that I should have had my glasses on as they were looking for an Alice Djernov, Oops!

The city bus tour consists of a drive through the ritzy palace neighbourhood with views of the old city. There is a quick stop for a five minute, one euro camel ride but you spend more time swatting away the unwanted salesmen who are trying to flog off souvenirs that nobody wants. The bus then deposits you near the Kasbah where the guide leads you through a maze of interesting lanes with mosques, communal water fountains and hole in the wall shops. We must have been day dreaming as we missed where the guide had turned into the restaurant that was providing our lunch.

A decent lunch of soup, skewered lamb, chicken and desert was served in a palatial setting, loved the red cushions and the sounds of live traditional music. After lunch we were off into the maze of the Medina for some well-deserved shopping. The touts were out and about and as we walked the prices for unwanted goods dropped in dizzying amounts. The shopping the tour had in mind was a trip to a carpet shop which we half expected. A team of men rolled out carpet after carpet with no mention of cost. At the end of the show the hard sell began but Alice and I were spared as we feigned no interest.

One woman whose husband had gone missing seized the opportunity and purchased a rather large carpet which was quickly wrapped and paid for. Our next shopping stop was an oil and spice market which seemed to have every tour group in Tangiers trapped within its walls. The salesman who was dressed like a chemist in his white waistcoat rattled off an impressive list of oils and herbs that did everything except cure the common cold. He must have been good as I walked away with some leaves to sniff which according to him will cure my snoring in at least six months. I’ll have to book another trip if it doesn’t work.

A little after 2:30pm we were back at the ferry terminal to catch our boat at 4:00pm which meant 5:00pm due to time differences. We managed to pass the time easily as we had struck up a quick travel friendship with an American couple and two Aussie ladies on holidays without their husbands.

The trip back to Tarifa was pleasant and after a lot of guesswork we managed to find the bus which would drop us at our hotel. Our recommendation for this tour is don’t do it! The better option is to pay an extra 10 euro and stay overnight at one of the hotels. This gives you the afternoon and all of the next day to explore Tangiers at your leisure.

We spent the evening on our balcony drinking wine and beer staring out over the valley with the African Pillar of Hercules in the distance. The other one we will hopefully see tomorrow at Gibraltar.

Tuesday 5th June – Got Married in Gibraltar, Near Spain

As you drive towards Gibraltar you cannot avoid seeing the European Pillar of Hercules which today is shrouded in cloud. The title for today’s diary entry comes from a line in the John Lennon song “The Ballad of John and Yoko”. Play it again if you dare! It is hard to believe that Gibraltar also was home to Miss World 2009 and the brilliant songwriter Albert Hammond. Who is Albert Hammond you may well ask? His songs have sold over 300 million records and he had several hits in the 70’s (time to Google).

For most of my life I believed that Gibraltar was an island just off the coast of Spain that belonged to good old England. Well today proved that it was on the mainland and as a result a constant thorn in Spain’s side. We parked in Spain and then walked to the border where we were ushered through with barely a glance at our passports. This was a good option as the line-up of cars was quite long and as we found out there isn’t much parking available. We were delayed along with vehicular traffic as the road was closed due to planes landing and taking off. The main road into Gibraltar cuts across the middle of the runway.

Public transport was our method for today’s sightseeing adventure. For two British pounds we purchased a hop on and off ticket and caught the number 3 bus out to Europa Point. There were a few sunbathers taking advantage of the weather but none were swimming in the crystal clear water. The number 4 bus was supposed to drop us at the cable car but we missed the stop and ended up back in the town centre. A kindly retired couple with unmistakeable British accents explained that we could catch the number 2 bus to the cable car and to alight at the same stop as them. I could not understand why the buses were taking so long as they were supposed to be operating on a 15 minute frequency.

As luck would have it they were operating on a 30 minute frequency as it was a public holiday.
We made it to the cable car, paid our 9.5 pounds for a return ticket and then ascended to the top of the rock. The limestone rock allows you to drool over the 360 degree view of Morocco, the Strait of Gibraltar and today a bank of cloud obscuring the Costa del Sol.

 The Rock is also home to the Apes of Gibraltar which are actually tailless Barbary macaques. Alice managed to snap a few shots of these hairy creatures as they always congregate where there is an opportunity for free food. It would have been good to walk down from the summit but we were running out of time. After waiting 15 minutes for a bus the number 3 came along. We jumped on board, alighted near the airport and took the short walk back into Spain.

At 4:00pm we started our 200km drive to the beach side town of Nerja. I only took one wrong turn which added about 10 minutes to our journey. By 7:00pm the car was parked and Alice and I were sipping a celebratory glass of champagne. Our hostal is situated on a pedestrian mall and only a short walk from the Balcony of Europe. Suffice to say we are looking forward to our stay here at the Tres Soles Hostal (45 euro, with breakfast).

Wednesday 6th June – Nestled in Nerja

After a late but delicious breakfast Alice and I were ready for a relaxing day on the beach. We chose to walk 20 minutes east to Burriana Beach which is probably the most popular with tourists. This is due to its length and other attractions such as volleyball courts, paddle boats, playgrounds. The shoreline did not look to inviting as there was a rust coloured algae that had come in with the tide. This did not deter us and after spending some time under the beach umbrella I finally moved my carcass from the rented deck chairs and plunged into the water. It was certainly invigorating and I was surprised at how cool it was.

After the swim it was off to one of the many cafes and restaurants that line the beach. Our guidebook had recommended Ayo’s whose paella feast is a destination in itself. The restaurant décor is all plastic and set up on the beach sand. The all you can eat chicken and prawn paella which costs about 7 euro is cooked on an open fire for everyone to see. The food was good but the added bonus is that the owner Ayo hires hard to employ people as a community service. Another swim after lunch and it is back to the hotel. I should mention that we left at about 6:00pm and there were still plenty of people on the beach. The Europeans just love the sun and spend the day moving deckchairs to glean as much as they can. I was the only person in the water or on the beach that had a rash shirt on.

Alice has trolled the shops looking for bargains but alas she has returned to the hostal empty handed. This is a modern day tragedy when a woman cannot spend her hard won dollars. To make up for this disappointment I have gone all out on dinner at the local pizza restaurant. It was a good choice as the food was delicious and the wine was cheap. We finished up with a romantic stroll (paseo) on the Balcony of Europe.

The Balcony is a bluff that juts out into the sea and is completely pedestrianized. It overlooks the Mediterranean, miles of coastline and little caves and coves below. It is a popular spot for locals and tourists and a perfect way to end what has been a relaxing day.

Holy Toledo

Thursday 24th May – Ordrup, Denmark to Madrid, Spain

This morning I thought I would take a last walk down to the beach. I’m glad that I took the opportunity because at the end of the lane there was a deer. I stood quietly and observed her (no antlers) for a number of minutes before she headed into the backyard of a summer house. She was still in the yard but when I approached the deer took flight and protested my arrival with a series of loud barks. It sounded like our neighbours dog Bella with a sore throat.

I continued down to the beach and took a last breath of Danish salt air and dipped the toes in the frigid water. With my sandals off I crunched my way slowly down to the jetty, turned and said a silent goodbye to Ordrup.

We have had a terrific stay here and Yette showed lots of patience as she chauffeured us around and answered our many questions. She has been a great host and we cannot wait to see her “Down Under” in 2013. One lasting memory is of the summer houses that all seem to have a large uncovered patio. The men sit with their shirts off to catch the sun and the women appear to enjoy an afternoon tipple of white wine.

The trip from Ordrup to the airport took us about 70 minutes. I don’t think that Yette was speeding, it was just the good roads. Our check in was smooth and it appears that we have good seats with a little extra leg room.

Like all airports the time moves slowly when you are waiting for your plane to board. Our aircraft has arrived but there is no movement to indicate that we will be departing on time at 15:40. The flight finally took off about 30 minutes late. The promise of extra leg room was a furphy as we were one row forward of the extra room and without the window view.


After touching down in Madrid we had the longest taxi to a terminal that we had ever encountered. It seemed like an hour but it did take 20 minutes. Still no stamps in the passport as we went straight to the baggage claim. I went cheap on the transfer to the hotel and booked a shared shuttle service. It worked OK but the extra hour was not worth it.

The Hostal Gonzalo (60 euros) is our home for the next five nights. Our room on the third floor is small, immaculate and has a good hot shower. There is also a small balcony where you can stand and watch the pedestrian flow below. It was after 22:00 but we decided a light meal to curb the hunger. There was no shortage of tapas bars but it all looked a little overwhelming. Where is the McDonalds when you need one?

We saw a spare table at one bar and decided to plunge in and try our luck. With the help of the waitress we soon had a plate full of “toasties”, beer and wine. It was a good end to our first evening in Madrid.

Friday 25th May – Madrid Walking Tour

There is no breakfast here at the Gonzalo but the management recommended a nearby coffee shop that is also a tapas bar. We were not disappointed and soon had enough fuel to tackle some walking.

The Puerta del Sol which is named for a long-gone medieval gate with the sun carved onto it was our target for the start of our walk to the Royal Palace. It is a wide open cement filled space (with a couple of good statues) that is as hot as King George Square. There is a marker “kilometre zero” which marks the very centre of Spain.

After a short walk we arrived at Plaza Mayor. This square, built in 1619, is a vast, cobbled, traffic free chunk of 17th century Spain. Today it is filled with football supporters from Barcelona and Athletic Bialbo who are in a state of origin mood. There is lots of drinking and singing as they prime themselves for the Spanish football league final tonight.

As we strolled out of the square we stopped at a sandwich shop called the Casa Rua, famous for their cheap bocadillos de calamares – fried squid rings on a roll.

We continued on past the city hall, past the Cathedral of Almudena until we reached the (Palacio Real) Royal Palace. What can I say about the palace, apart from fantastic! This is Europe’s third greatest palace after Versailles and Vienna’s Schonbrunn. The sumptuous original interior is packed with royal antiques as well as tourists (entry 10 euro). The 24 room one way circuit shows off beautiful clocks, furniture and chandeliers. What stood out for me were the beautiful frescos painted on the ceilings. The armoury was also great and was packed with weapons and suits of armour including the sword of El Cid.

The cathedral next door beckoned and I could not resist an entry fee of only 1 euro. It is relatively new (1883-1993) and the exterior is a mix of contemporary styles. The striking interior is neo-gothic, with beautiful stained glass windows and a glittering 5,000 pipe organ. The coffin of Isidro who is the patron saint of Madrid and farmers lies in a chapel behind the 15th century altar.

To finish our walk we returned to Puetra del Sol past the Royal Theatre which is currently performing the opera Cyrano De Bergerac.

I thought we had finished walking however I decided (not Alice) that we should look in the local department store. That was a mistake as we left about 300 euros poorer as we had purchased a Garmin GPS and a tour to Toledo. The GPS purchase is for the next part of the trip in southern Spain. It is actually cheaper to buy a unit than to rent one for 9 days. Hopefully we will not get lost.

After all that walking we were too buggered to go out for dinner. A little bit of Spanish television and then I switched to the football which Barcelona won 3-0.

Saturday 26th May – A Day with Jose


A good American breakfast before we meet with Jose who is one of Alice’s old students from South Bank. Jose was dead on time at 10:30 after traveling on the metro for about an hour. We had no plan so he took us on a route that would encompass new territory for us.

Our first stop was a park with a beautiful statue of Miguel de Cervantes and the two famous characters he created Don Quixote and Sancho Panza. Further up the hill at Montana Park there was a surprise in the shape of an Egyptian temple.

Due to the construction of the Aswan Dam in 1960, many valuable monuments and archaeological sites were in danger of being destroyed. As thanks for the aid given by Spain, particularly in helping to save the sacred buildings of Abu Simbel, the Egyptian government donated the temple Debod to the Spanish people in 1968. On the temple itself you may admire some carved reliefs but Jose prefers to come at sunset as it is Madrid’s most outstanding.

It was a short walk to Madrid’s cable car which we caught from Pintor Rosales, in the Parque del Oeste. You catch it out to the huge Casa de Campo, a massive park which goes on for kilometres, stretching out towards the east of the city. From the cable car, you are able to see the Royal Palace and of course take award winning photos. Jose's plan was for us to walk through the park and down to the lake where we would take lunch Spanish style. There was a lot of activity going on and it turned out that Madrid was hosting a leg of the world triathlon championships.

As we had arrived early for lunch at 13:30 we had no trouble securing a table. Jose was correct when he told us that it would not get busy for at least another hour. We left it to the local expert to order and he suggested three traditional dishes.
• Croquettes (Not our favourite as it was a little dry)
• Pigs blood stuffed with rice and mixed with scrambled egg and red capsicum – good flavour
• Prosciutto known as “Jamon Iberico” and sourced from stress free roaming pigs that feast on acorns – very expensive and very nice

Alice and Jose chatted while I checked out the start of the women’s triathlon. There are a few Aussie girls competing so I threw in a couple of quiet Oi, Oi, Oi’s. After the swim leg two of the girls were in the leading fifteen. At around 17:00 lunch was drawing to an end so we started a slow stroll back to the chairlift. Along the way we stopped in a couple of places to watch the bicycle leg of the race. On the last lap of what was a demanding bicycle leg there were three Aussie girls in the lead pack. Watching the news on the following day I discovered that they went unplaced.

It is amazing how late the locals stay out! There were still plenty of families relaxing in the park at 20:00 and just as many watching a free concert outside the royal palace. As we were getting closer to our hostel you could see the tapas bars warming up as throngs of people jostled for a space at a table. A lot just stand at the bar where they chat with animation, drink and eat. We farewelled Jose at around 21:30 and commented what a great day we had exploring Madrid with him.

Sunday 27th May – Holy Toledo!

Today the Gould’s are on tour with a local company called Trapsatur which I have translated to trap the tourist!

Our first stop on the tour is the town of El Escorial to visit the Monasterio de San Lorenzo or the King’s Palace. The palace has plenty to offer including magnificent paintings, tapestries and frescos. Some of the art on display is by Titan, El Greco, Cellini and Weyden. After walking through bedrooms and galleries we came to the Royal Pantheon which is the gilded resting place of 26 kings and queens representing four centuries of Spanish monarchy. The only queens in this chamber are the ones who became mothers of kings. The basilica is again awesome and a highlight was hearing the organ that was built in the 1500’s playing just before the prelude to mass. It was our signal to leave and catch the bus to our next stop.

The Valley of the Fallen is about 8 km from El Escorial high in the Guadarrama Mountains. The first thing you see is a 150 metre cross that marks this immense and powerful underground monument to the victims of the Spanish Civil War 1936-1939. In 1940 prisoners dug 220,000 tons of granite out of the hill beneath the cross to form an immense underground basilica. A solemn silence and a stony chill engulf the 250 metre plus basilica. The remains of General Franco and 50,000 soldiers from both sides are interred here. It is a very impressive site and worth a Google.

After a very huge lunch in Madrid we were back on the bus for the 70km trip south to Toledo. Our guide is taking us for a stroll through the cobble stone streets and past the many souvenir shops selling swords made from the finest Toledo steel and anything to do with Don Quixote.

We walked past the Cathedral which gave birth to the expression “Holy Toledo” but did not venture inside. The view from a private museum that we visited gave us a good look at the valley and the river that bisects it. A simple chapel called Santo Tome housed El Greco’s masterpiece “The Burial of the Count of Orgaz”. A couple of more churches, out through the huge Bisagra gate, a walk downhill to the bus and the tour was over, almost! Before we could leave everyone was subjected to the ubiquitous visit of a jewellery store. I did not escape unscathed as I purchased a knife which we desperately needed for cutting cheese!

Back in Madrid by 8:00pm where Alice purchased a few supplies, including the world’s most expensive prosciutto from the happy pigs for a cheap stay at home dinner.

Monday 28th May – Culture at the Museum

There is only one art museum open on a Monday and that is the impressive Reina Sofia Museum (6 Euro). The showpiece for the museum is Picasso’s Guernica. He painted this in response to the bombing of Guernica during the Spanish Civil War and shows the horror of modern war. There is also a good collection of works by Salvador Dali including “The Great Masturbator”. This surrealism piece is supposed to depict a lonely, highly sexual genius, in love with his muse, Gala, while she is still married to a French poet. To be honest I think Dali was on more drugs than Keith Richards ever took! There were a lot more works by Picasso including the “Blue Lady” who Alice thought looked like Cruella De Ville as well as Braque, Leger and Gris. These artists were at the forefront of the Cubism movement.

This culture business sure is exhausting work. After about three hours of stopping and starting I had a sore groin and could hardly walk. We called it quits and walked back to the hostae for a well-deserved rest.

Our last night in Madrid and we decided to try the pub crawl dinner suggested by Rick Steve’s guide book. The starting point was the Museo del Jamon (Museum of Ham) where we had a croissant washed down with beer and wine. This was my cup of tea as the atmosphere was hectic and the price cheap. Casa Toni was a delightful little spot and has a helpful English menu. We nabbed a low table with stools and ordered berenjena (deep-fried slices of eggplant) and pimientos de pardon (miniature green peppers). Last stop on our little tour was the Naturbier Microbrewery where we had more wine and of course a dark beer. Home to bed as we have an early train to catch in the morning.

Tuesday 29th May – Cordoba Fast Train

Our train does not depart until 8:35 nevertheless we are up by 6:30 and on the road by 7:30. When I say on the road that is exactly what it means. We must have looked an odd sight wheeling our large luggage down the main arterial road en route to the Atocha train station. Cordoba is approximately 400km from Madrid and the journey time is scheduled for two hours. Our seats are more comfortable than an aircraft and they also play a movie. One downside for Alice is that she jumps every time the train passes something close as it causes a buffeting effect. She just did it again!

The train pulled into Cordoba station dead on time which was pretty good for such a long trip. Alice looked after the luggage while I went in search of the Hotel Serrano (51 Euro) which is supposed to be ten minutes away. Seems like we have made a good choice as we have saved another taxi fare and only have a 15 minute walk to the major attractions.

Our first visit was to the Alcazar de los Reyes Cristianos which is basically a fort (4.5 Euro). Upon entering there is a big garden rich with flowers and fountains. It was a good place to gain some respite from the 32 degree heat. The fort has a tower that gives you a view of the Guadalquivir River and the Roman Bridge which we later traipsed over.

The highlight of a visit to Cordoba is the Mezquita or the Cathedral of Cordoba. This massive former mosque which now has a 16th century church rising up in the middle was once the centre of Western Islam that rivaled Baghdad and Istanbul. As soon as we entered this imposing structure you could immediately feel the drop in temperature. The 850 red and blue columns are topped with double arches made from alternating red brick and white stone. The columns seem to recede into infinity. Although it is a vast room, the low ceilings and the dense forest of columns create an intimate and worshipful atmosphere.

Another highlight is navigating the narrow cobblestone streets to and from the Mezquita. They provide shade from the sun and limit the number of cars that can travel in this area. Houses have whitewashed walls with colourful doors and windows. When you peek through the iron grilled gates there are beautiful patios with wonderful mosaic tiles.