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.

Danish Doings

Thursday 17th May - Oslo

Up bright and early after a very short time between the covers. We could have booked a direct flight to Copenhagen but after the advice of one of our friends “Budgie” have decided to take the ferry from Oslo to Copenhagen. On landing at Oslo we went straight through customs without having to go through any immigration. The only disappointment with this process is that there is no stamp for the passport. We took the high speed train from the airport to Oslo Central. A very efficient and fast trip of about 14 minutes costing us 170 NOK per person.

On arrival at Central everyone was in a festive mood as it is Norway’s national day. They obviously take a lot of pride in their day as there were plenty of people in national dress. Deciding it was too far to walk to the ferry terminal with our luggage and the threat of rain a we opted for a taxi. I knew it wasn’t far and it appeared that the driver took the shortest route. The fare of about $40 however was disproportionate to the distance traveled.

The ferry is operated by DFDS Seaways and is due to depart at 5:00pm and arrive in Copenhagen at 9:45am. There was a crush of people waiting to board so we held back until the last minutes. The Kindle does come in handy when you are playing the waiting game. Our inside cabin on deck 5 is small and comfortable with ensuite facilities. Overall there are 11 decks with a pool which had mad Europeans taking a dip in the heavily chlorinated water. The pool was complemented by a casino, dining rooms and a large duty free area. Jens had told me that many of the Norwegians travel on the boat for access to the cheap duty free alcohol.

Alice and I took up a prime window position at the red wine bar on deck 8 whilst Ann and Barry braved the elements on top. Whilst they were taking photographs Alice and I were having a beer tasting of Skant beer which is a small Danish microbrewery. “Blackie” would have been proud of us.

I could not think of a better way to pass the time as we sipped beer watching the shoreline of Oslo’s fjord. Lots of beautiful houses, small islands and sailing boats as we slipped by on our 2.5 hour journey to open water. Our open buffet dinner in the Seven Seas restaurant was booked for 8:15pm. By the time we arrived for dinner the ship which is more like a mini cruise liner was pitching up and down in the ocean swell. This did not prevent me from trying most of the delicious food that was on offer.

Off to bed at a reasonable hour in an effort to catch up on some sleep. At least we picked up 2 hours as a result of the change in time zones.

Friday 18th May – Copenhagen Again

Showered and dressed by 7:00 am as we would like to be in a position to enjoy our entry into Copenhagen’s harbour. We have foregone the buffet breakfast and settled on a coffee and Danish pastry.

Alice and I were on the top deck when the ship arrived. As we approached the pool area we were traumatized by a horrific sight. A young woman in a G-string who was afflicted with severe hail damage was endeavouring to have some last minute fun in the pool.

Putting the fright aside we attempted to make our way down to deck 5 to collect our bags and exit the ship. We were like rats trapped in a maze full of scurrying passengers loaded down with goodies all heading for the one exit. Eventually we emerged from the entangled bodies and found Ann and Barry outside.

Alice found her cousin Jytte waiting patiently for us. We tried waiting for a large taxi that could accommodate us all but in the end we gave up and caught a train to the airport. The airport? But we only just arrived! This was where we had to pick up the hire car from as Ann and Barry will be returning it on Monday when they fly to Norway.

Jytte gave me directions as I once again tried to come to grips with driving on the right hand side. In Denmark there is one rule that you have to obey and that is to give way to the cyclists no matter where they are. As I found out that is especially difficult when you are on a roundabout. I only just avoided collecting an unwary female rider. We followed Jytte from Roskilde to the summer house in Ordrup without further incidents.

The summer house is in a wonderful country setting down by the Kattegat Sea. Alice and I took a little walk to look at the sea but I refrained from taking a dip as it is a little chilly at present. Jytte has prepared the house for our arrival and cooked us some nice pork schnitzel for dinner. Complementing the meal was a bottle of red, white and a Leffe Brune which is a dark Belgian beer that Jytee had bought especially for me.

Saturday 19th May – Danish Lunch

Alice is once again the last person to arise from the comfort of her bed. A little cloudy this morning and Jytte was caught in the rain as she made her way back from the bakery with a special breakfast treat of tybirkes which is a Danish pastry.

Ann and Barry have taken off for a drive and are looking for a lake where they will take a small hike. We have decided to stay at the house and catch up on phone calls with the family. Jytte has prepared a traditional Danish lunch for us to try.

Lunch consists of a number of courses where the guests graze on food and engage in conversation over the course of the afternoon. The first course is usually herring on a piece of rye bread which is followed by a nip of Akvavit and the salutation “Skol”. I was chastised by Jytte for not following etiquette by eating the herring without the aid of those universal utensils the knife and fork.

As a penance I’ll try and list all the different foods:

• Smoked eel with scrambled egg
• Frikedeller (a kind of fried meatball)
• Marinated herring and plain herring
• Asparagus wrapped with prosciutto
• Tarteletter (white asparagus, chicken , sauce in a tart)
• Roast pork with crackling and red cabbage
• Fried crumbed fish with remoulade
• Salmon infused with cream cheese and dill
• Liver paste prepared by the local butcher
• Beer and schnapps

Later in the afternoon Alice’s mothers cousin Lissa arrived for a short visit. We hope to catch up with her on Tuesday. We finished the day off with a range of cheeses with crackers and a small quantity of wine.

Sunday 20th May – A Drive in the Country

Barry and Ann have taken off to Roskilde for a visit to the Viking museum and church. Meanwhile we are taking it easy before heading off for a drive through the rolling hills surrounding Ordrup.

Our route took us out of Ordrup and through to Asnaes where we filled up with fuel. The first stop was a beach called Ellinge Lyng.

The beach is separated by a nature reserve which has a number of small lagoons with lots of birdlife. The tide was out so I dipped my feet in the water. The sun was also out and as there is hardly any wind and it would have been a good day for a bracing swim. There are many blue mussels in the water and I saw a local with rakes harvesting a few for dinner.

Next we visited a very old church in Hojby which had an immaculately kept cemetery. I saw one gravestone which was from the mid 1700’s. A number of the plots had beautiful tulips growing in them.

Gudmindrup beach was next on the agenda. There is lots of white sand and Jytte says that it has a beautiful sunset. In summer it is apparently very hard to get a parking space. We finished off with an 18 hole game of mini golf. The combatants were very competitive on this challenging course and I have been sworn to secrecy not to reveal the final scores.

For dinner we walked up to the local pub which is located in the centre of the village. We sat outside as it was still quite warm. The atmosphere was like being on an English green. There was a wonderful fragrance from the apple trees that were in bloom and our conversation was punctuated by the chirping of a variety of birds. A nice meal of steaks and fish which was washed down with a bottle of white by the A.A. members Ann and Alice. The Tuborg Classic which is a slightly dark beer also went down well.

Monday 21st May – Farewell Barry and Ann

Barry and Ann are leaving us this morning and traveling north to Kirkennes, Norway where they will take a cruise down the coastline.

Alice has an appointment at the dentist this morning at 10:30am as she has broken a piece of her back tooth. We will soon see if Danish dentists charge as much as their Australian counterparts. The good news was that the dentist was able to file her tooth and that there was no decay. The only charge was a donation towards the surgery coffee machine.

Meanwhile I decided that I needed some exercise and some sunshine. Rather than go for a long walk II got stuck into mowing the lawn and trimming a tree.

After all that exciting activity we took a stroll down to the beach. The water did look inviting so we plunged in. Oh my goodness, the water temperature was so cold. After a few strokes my arms felt like lead and my head was frozen. We did not last long and were concerned that we would be colder when we hit the shore. It was the opposite as the sun immediately warmed us up.

So much energy was expended today that we decided to eat out at the local pub once again. Tonight the menu is an all you can eat roast pork which includes potato, beetroot and a parsley sauce. Two small plates were all we could manage.

Tuesday 22nd May – Roskilde Viking Museum

At the Viking Ship museum you can view the remnants of 5 original ships that were scuttled in the fjord to protect Roskilde which was the capital of Denmark in olden times.

The ships were discovered in the 1960’s and painstakingly removed by a team of archaeologists. The museum has since built replicas of the 5 ships which are fully functional. There is also a Viking workshop where they constructed the replicas using traditional tools. You can try your hand at making rope, carving wood or casting Thor’s hammer. We declined the opportunity to dress up as Vikings as I would not have looked good in a dress.

Our next stop was the Roskilde Cathedral which is included on UNESCO's list of world heritage sites. The Cathedral is the burial place of the Danish kings and queens which has been continuous from 1534. My favourite chapel was for Christian the 4th who was king from 1588 – 1648. The two large paintings depicting scenes from his life added a great touch to the chapel. The other chapels were also impressive and there is an empty one waiting for the current queen Margrethe 2, crown prince Frederik and of course our Mary.

We then made a bee line for the town of Tune where Alice’s mother’s cousin resides. It was a hot afternoon and Lissa plied me with a few beers to keep me from dehydrating. Well it is a good excuse to have a beer. It was an enjoyable afternoon as we reminisced about family whilst enjoying a late Danish style lunch.

Lissa who I had met the other day remembered that I did not particularly like chicken but really enjoyed kartofler (potato) so you can guess that I had a very good lunch. We left her place a little after 19:00 and drove home to Yette’s on the tail end of what we would call a summer storm.

Wednesday 23rd May – Tree Loping at 3, Klinteborgvej, Ordrup

The morning was off to a good start as Yette was dressed in her Maroon State of Origin shirt and was ready to barrack for our team. As I am still not exercising enough I decided to lop a few trees while Yette and Alice were doing secret women’s business at the shops.

After lunch we drove north to a small fishing village called Havnebyen. The scenery along this narrow peninsula was breathtaking against the bright blue sky. This town was chosen as Jens had advised his sister Yette to purchase some Hornfisk, a local delicacy, for dinner. From what I can gather it looks a little like Garfish which my Dad used to catch years ago. Whilst in the fish shop I noticed a number of different beers from a local brewery at Holbaek. I chose a Bourbon Stout with an alcohol content of 7.5%. With flavours of chocolate, coffee, vanilla and bourbon I think that I am on a winner.

A short rest and we were off along the southern coastline to visit Dragon the oldest castle in Denmark. There were lots of cobblestones, old farm buildings and a castle that was in good condition as it now houses a hotel and restaurant. The grounds are kept in immaculate condition and there is a 9.5 kilometre walking/bicycle trail to explore.

When I logged on to the internet this afternoon I was hoping for good news and sure enough there was. With a score line of 18-10 the mighty Queensland side had defeated NSW again. I must say that after looking at the statistics we will have to improve if we are to be victorious in game 2 at Sydney. Nevertheless Alice, Yette and I have big smiles on our dials.

The Hornfisk which Yette has fried for dinner with “Nye Dansk kartofler” was delicious. The accompanying stout was also great and would have definitely received the Beer Tragic seal of approval from John Black.

Horse d'oeuvres

Wednesday 9th May - Third Time Lucky

We woke up this morning to a grey sky and snow on the ground which was predicted. From the lounge room we could see the large flakes of snow swirling around before they settled on what were bare rocks yesterday. We can also see the island out near the airport which is a good barometer to gauge whether any planes will land today. The Air Greenland web site allows you to track all the flights and our plane is in the air and running about an hour late.

One more time we pile into Jens’ car and head down to the airport. There was a big smile on everyone’s face as our Dash 7 made a perfect touchdown. We fareweled Jens who has been the most wonderful host. He has gone to a lot of effort to make our stay comfortable and memorable.

Our flight through the clouds was memorable as we managed to catch glimpses of the fijord systems, snow-capped peaks and frozen lakes. The pilots here are obviously well versed in landing aircraft on small runways. The strip that services Maniitsoq must be one of the shortest in Greenland. We ended up arriving Nuuk at approximately 4:00pm and were soon in a taxi en-route to the Nordbo Apartments. It is a reasonable apartment that just accommodates the four of us.

There was enough time after unpacking for us to venture out for some supplies for dinner. Whilst trolling the shelves of the alcohol section my eyes lit up like saucers. It was mana from heaven! There on the shelf was a bottle of 2008 Penfolds Bin128 Shiraz at the bargain price of 125DK ($22). It was cheaper than the Jacobs Creek that was standing next to it and far cheaper than the price I paid in Brisbane for the latest vintage. Needless to say I purchased a few bottles to be consumed at a later date and it felt just as good as a poker machine win. A nice taco dinner was prepared in our tiny kitchen which went down well after another day of travel.

Thursday 10th May – There Is No Nook in Nuuk

We were obviously spoiled by our view at Jens’ because our window view now overlooks a pile of dirty snow and a garbage skip. It has been snowing this morning so Alice and I are just hanging around. Ann and Barry were up and out of the apartment quite early.

They returned quite soon after they had left declaring that it was colder than an Arctic Iceberg. The wind chill has apparently dropped the temperature by a few degrees and all of our cold weather garments are now a necessity.

Nuuk which is the capital of Greenland is beautifully situated at the entrance to one of the world’s largest fjord complexes. The Danish priest and missionary Hans Egede founded Nuuk in 1728. With 16,000 inhabitants Nuuk is an Arctic metropolis with a university, cultural and research institutions and government offices. There are very different living environments from vibrantly coloured homes to concrete block monstrosities that were constructed in the 1960’s. The latter have seen better times and I wonder how much longer they will stand testament to an idea which was to improve living conditions but may have failed in the long run.

Alice and I ventured out when the sun poked its warming rays through the clouds. The wind was still blowing and as a result it was still bloody cold!  We headed down to the waterfront to investigate the exhibits of the Greenland National Museum. Trip Advisor have rated the museum the number one attraction from one attraction in Nuuk.

Seriously, the exhibits of ethnography, archaeology and art were well laid out and definitely worth a visit. The highlights for us were the mummified remains of some Inuit’s, kayaks and the umiaq boats which were made from drift wood and skins.

Santa’s post office is supposed to be located on the pier but all we could find was an old red mailbox with some graffiti. No Christmas presents for us this year! We then wandered along the shoreline to an old church and then ascended a steep hill that afforded us some great views of the surrounding area. At the summit there was a statue of Hans Egede which we hid behind to escape the blustery, freezing wind. After braving the wind and the cold all afternoon it was a pleasure to return to the warmth and sanctuary of the apartment.

Friday 11th May - Winter Wonderland

Woke up this morning to a heavy snowfall that has covered the entire area. There is not much point in venturing outside because my blood does not have enough anti-freeze ingredients to ward off the cold. We are just sitting around killing time playing solitaire or updating photo files. Amazing weather for what is supposed to be spring.

Lunch has come and gone and still the snow keeps falling. We will have to eventually go out to purchase some food for tonight's dinner but no one is rushing. The walk down to the supermarket required Alice and I to negotiate slippery ice, ankle deep slushies and the spray generated by passing motorists. It is not as cold as yesterday but walking in this type of weather is a little hazardous.

During the evening there was an improvement in the weather and a bright blue sky showed off its colour. Barry and Ann decided on a walk whilst we curled up in front of the television. Into bed at a reasonable hour as tomorrow we say goodbye to Greenland.

Saturday 12th May - Iceland

Barry was up at the crack of dawn and hiked to the top of hill adjacent to the apartments. We are all ready with time to spare and are standing around waiting for the taxi that I booked for 8:00am. It is Murphy’s Law that whenever you are on time for a taxi, the taxi does not front.

Barry managed to flag a brand new BMW taxi down and we were soon on our way to The Nuuk International airport. Check-in was as usual smooth and hassle free. Now all we had to do was kill time before boarding.


There are no “Big Jet Airliners" (Steve Miller Band, I think) departing from Nuuk. We are on the pride of the Air Greenland fleet, the DASH 8 with a crew of three, seventeen passengers and baby.

This would have to be the least number of passengers traveling on an international flight that Alice and I have ever encountered. As we hurtled down the runway and then into the stratosphere I reflected momentarily on the time we have had in Greenland.

Apart from not seeing the Musk Ox at Kangerlussuaq and the cancelled flights due to fog our expectations were fulfilled especially in Sisimiut and Iillusiat. Nuuk was a little disappointing but the inclement weather played a big part in our time there.

The vista from the plane window provided us with a good view of the mountain ranges as well as the fjords but that soon disappeared as we headed for our cruising altitude. Touch down at Keflavik airport, Iceland is about 2 hours and 40 minutes away where we will be greeted by Karl who is the son of one of Ann and Barry's friends.

The trip from the airport to the hostel “Our House” in Reykjavik takes about 40 minutes. Karl is giving us plenty of information as well as the use of his 4x4 for the next four days.

That previous sentence had so many fours I thought I should sing for he’s a jolly good fellow!

We have terrific rooms in the hostel (10000ISD night) with access to a coffee machine, sauna and full kitchen facilities. The only downside is the shared bathroom facilities and pity the poor person that follows me into my house.

Ernesto from Spain who is the caretaker has given us a raft of information of places to visit, where to stay and also a rough guide itinerary.

Our heads were swimming with information when he started to give us some clues on where to eat. It was around 8:15pm and I could her Alice’s stomach grumbling which means we had better eat soon or else!

We settled on the Icelandic Fish and Chips café which is located down on the waterfront. After getting lost and asking directions we finally found the façade that proclaimed we had arrived. I could not get the door open and assumed that they had finished serving meals.

Looking at Ann and Alice’s face I thought I was finished. A couple of diners were exiting so I burst through the doors and asked if they were still open. To my surprise and obvious relief they stated that they were. We were soon seated and in no time flat we were eating grilled Haddock and Ling fish.

The girls had a Pinot Gris from Chile, Barry a ginger ale and for me a bottle of Gull beer. The food was excellent and the bill worked out at around $50 per couple. Our walk back was uphill and even though we were finished for the evening there were throngs of Icelandic’s of all ages heading out for a night on the boards in this cosmopolitan capital. You could say it was all downhill from here! Oh and the rain had stopped so it was a great finish to the day.

Sunday 13th May – On Tour With Barry

Iceland (Icelandic: Ísland) is a Nordic European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. The country has a population of about 320,000 and a total area of 103,000 km2. The capital and largest city is Reykjavík with the surrounding areas in the south western region of the country being home to two-thirds of the country's population.

Iceland is volcanically and geologically active. The interior mainly consists of a plateau characterised by sand fields, mountains and glaciers, while many glacial rivers flow to the sea through the lowlands. Iceland is warmed by the Gulf Stream and has a temperate climate despite high latitude just outside the Arctic Circle.

Our plan for the next four days is to explore the South Coast and the area where all the tourists congregate known as the Golden Circle. We were up pretty early and hit the road at around 8:00am.

I was giving directions and soon had Barry heading out of town in the wrong direction. When reading a map in Iceland you have to remember that they drive on the right hand side of the road. Barry recovered brilliantly by executing an illegal U turn on the main highway, route 1.

Our first stop was the Pingvellir National Park. Pingvellir became a national park in 1928 due to its historical importance as the site of Iceland’s first parliament, as well as the special tectonic and volcanic environment. The continental drift between the North American and Eurasian Plates can be clearly seen in the cracks or faults which traverse the region, the biggest one, Almannagjá, being a veritable canyon. This also causes the often-measurable earthquakes in the area. You could say we had one foot in America and one in Europe.

We continued along the Golden Circle route to the Geysir. Barry must have been drowsy after all his driving as he found out the yellow roadside markers in Iceland are flexible.

This area is full of tourists as they jostle up the path for a glance at the Great Geysir erupting. Eruptions at Geysir can hurl boiling water up to 70 metres in the air. However, big eruptions can be infrequent, but we managed to see ours blast a few metres into the air.

My turn to drive and it was off to a “Foss” which means waterfall. Our destination is the Gullfoss one of the most popular tourist attractions in the country. The wide Hvítá rushes southward. About a kilometre above the falls it turns sharply to the left and flows down into a wide curved three-step "staircase" and then abruptly plunges in two stages (11 m and 21 m) into a crevice 32 m deep. Barry reckoned it was like a smaller version of the Victoria Falls.

Continuing on our exploration of discovery Barry sent us up a road that was not on the itinerary. The result was that we came across an historic church at Skalholt. Barry and Alice went inside and had a minties moment when they interrupted a choir practice.

Along the way we were stopping for Ann to take photographs especially of the beautiful Icelandic horses. We are traveling through beautiful countryside with panoramic mountain ranges as a constant backdrop.

One more stop before trying to find a hotel and that was at Seljalandsfoss which is one of the most famous waterfalls of Iceland. It is very picturesque and therefore its photo can be found in many books and calendars. This waterfall of the river Seljalandsá drops 60 metres over the cliffs of the former coastline. It is possible to walk behind the waterfall however Barry and I did get a little soaked as a result. The sun must have been in the right position as we were treated to a beautiful rainbow.

At around 8:00pm we arrived at the picturesque seaside village of Vik. Alice and Ann managed to snare a room at the Lundi Hotel which also had an attached restaurant (19000 ISK).

The dinner menu only had a few items and it was going to be difficult for Ann and Alice as Icelandic Horse was on the menu. We chose entrees that included trout and cured horse. Judging by their smiles the girls despite their initial ambivalence really enjoyed the horse. The mains were local lamb and “char” which was a pink fish. Alice and I eat out a lot and we both agreed that this was the best meal in terms of flavour and presentation that we had eaten in quite a while. Barry and Ann both agreed with our verdict.

Monday 14th May – James Bond Movies and Andre the Seal

A good sleep in after such a long day yesterday was well deserved. We continued our drive along the coastline and Barry made a couple of detours to check out the black volcanic sand and unusual rock formations that form part of the coastline.

Steady driving was the order of the day as the wind was really blowing. There were frequent sections of sand being blown across the road with visibility being cut down to less than a hundred metres. One would have thought we were driving across the Nullarbor Plain.

Our destination was a glacial lake called Jokulsarlon which has been featured in two James Bond movies “A View To Kill” and “Die Another Day” as well as “Tomb Raider” and “Batman Begins” -- in addition to the reality-TV series Amazing Race. It is considered as one of the natural wonders of Iceland.

The highlight for us was the multitude of seals that were cavorting around the lake in search of a herring dinner. They presented a picturesque parade as they swam amongst the ghostly procession of luminous blue ice-bergs. We decided to pass on the amphibious boat tour as we had been spoiled in Greenland.

It was starting to get late but we wanted to stop at the Skaftafell National Park before heading back toward Vik. Our aim was to walk up to the Vatnajökull glacier which is easily accessible from the national park. It is Europe's biggest glacier and the 3rd biggest in the world. We have not seen many trees but there was plenty of Birch and quite a few bird species. Barry is a walking encyclopedia when it comes to birds and is able to point them out for us.

It was getting late but you are easily lulled into a false sense of security due to all the light. We decided to cut our journey short at this tongue twister “Kirkjubaejarklaustur”. The girls have chosen a farm stay called Geirland Hotel (18000 ISK) which is situated in a beautiful valley surrounded by a wall of mountains. It is a working farm where they breed Icelandic horses but they best beware the eaters of horse flesh! I would have slept with the blinds open just to enjoy the vista but alas the sun is still up.

Tuesday 15th May – Slow Drive to Hvolsvollur

Another slow start to the day but I guess that was due to last nights’ lodgings. We would all recommend this farm stay but suspect that you would have to book when the weather warms up.

The wind is still blowing a gale but at least we have great blue skies. Not even out of the valley before we stop to photograph sheep and take a walk through a field for a look at a waterfall that was not even on the map. It is obviously cold here as the whirlpool at the base of the falls was full of ice.

Ann was keen to photograph the black sand beaches so we headed off to Dyrholaey.  The rock formations, scenery and birdlife in this area are extraordinary. Basalt pinnacles rear out of the water like sentinels guarding the beach from the marauding waves. The cliffs are pocketed with caves which provide nesting opportunities for the birds. Fine black sand littered with small round pebbles formed the beach. Out on the water there was a flock of Eider ducks and also a lone seal that spent most of its time submerged. Walking back to the car into the headwind was a challenge as we felt that we were being sandblasted. Even with my short hair I was picking out small granules of grit.

Just up the road we stopped at another beautiful waterfall named Skogarfoss. This waterfall is fed by water coming off the Myrdals- jokull (glacier). We all took the stairs to the top of the fall. The walk up was not only like a stair master workout which we all need but it also gave us a great view of the coastline and farmland that stretched out below us. At the base of the falls you had to be careful from falling ice that was hanging like stalactites from the cliff face. It was so cold in here that the grass and lichens were covered in ice. There is also a museum that has traditional turf houses but decided not to enter as the day was drawing to a close.

As we were driving up the highway we decided on a whim to stop at a volcano museum. We were treated to a 20 minute movie about the April 2010 eruption of the Eyjafjallajokull glacier which disrupted international air traffic for days. The film concentrated on the disruption to the local farmer’s lives and how they overcame this adversity. The museum is owned and operated by the farming family and judging by the look of the farm now they have recovered fairly well. They also helped us by checking ferry times and accommodation up the road near Hvolsvollur.

The farm stay that we were looking at looked great but we decided not to stay as unfortunately due to a lack of bookings the owner decided to let the chef have a few days off. Back into down we drove and took a chance at the only hotel in town which had two tour buses parked at the front.

Two rooms (18500 IISK) were available and we were soon seconded in our lodgings. I was about to strip off when I noticed that there were pensioners outside my window. Our room overlooked the front entrance and as a result the smoking pensioners congregated here. We chose a local pizza place for dinner as it is dangerous queuing with pensioners when there is a buffet dinner on offer. Our choice was good as the 16 inch pizzas were not only as big as a wheel rim from a 4x4 but delicious as well.

Wednesday 16th May – Blue Lagoon

Last night on a punt I tried to book some accommodation at the Blue lagoon. Much to my surprise and to our bank accounts chagrin they had one room left at 32500 ISK ($258). The cost is not as bad as it looks as it includes admission to the Blue Lagoon, towels and dressing gowns which would normally cost 88 euro. Barry and Ann have generously agreed to drop us off a little after midday so that we can get full value from our purchase. Bedda at Our House has also not charged us for our late cancellation of our room.

Barry and Ann were up early and ready to roll after breakfast. Unfortunately, I was delaying them as I had to make several trips to "the office" as a result of last night’s jalapenos. We were on our way just after 9:00am and soon passed the hamlets of Hella and Selfoss.  Our route encompassed a new road that ran along the coastline between Eyrarbakki and Grindavik. It was a great drive with the mountains providing a great backdrop. The colours and textures of the rock and sand made us feel like we were driving in the Australian outback.

After departing Grindavik I thought we would be driving for some time before we reached the Blue Lagoon. Imagine my surprise when the turn off appeared after a few minutes driving. After checking in we took the five minute walk to the geothermal spa for some self-indulgence.

The lagoon is a pool of geothermal seawater from up to 2000 metres deep. When you enter the lagoon you are enveloped by the warm blue water. There is more to it than just dunking yourself in warm water. Alive had a 30 minute water massage and I looked cute in my mud mask of silica. There is also a waterfall for a good free massage as well as a sauna and steam bath. Our 3.5 hours passed quickly and we would have to give the whole experience thumbs up.

Back at the hotel we are bathed in sunshine and looking out on our own private moss covered lava field. To cap it off we are sipping on a fine wine prior to hitting the hotels mini geothermal spa which becomes available at 8:00pm. It will be an early night as we have to be up at 4:15am for our flight to Oslo on Iceland Air.

Stranded in Sisimiut

Friday 4th May – Shoveling Snow

It is a bright sunny day so Barry and I decided to get some exercise by shoveling the snow that had accumulated on Jens’ verandah. I must have appeared a little strange to the locals standing out there in my shorts and with no footwear. It was a big pile which must have taken us over an hour to move. Underneath all this snow there were two frozen carpets which are now thawing out.

More exercise was required so we donned some warm clothes and went for a walk into town in an effort to find the tourist shop. We found it opposite the museum but unfortunately it was closed as today is a public holiday. Barry and I wandered the streets for another hour and just enjoyed the serenity of the walk. The inlet below the house is still frozen but you can see that it is starting to break up with the warmer weather.

A nice beer in the sun, some lunch and I was ready for a lie down. Jens had other ideas and rang the mobile number of the tourist office. The manager agreed to meet us at 3.15pm so Barry, Ann and I (Alice rested) hightailed it to the office. We quickly arranged a 4 hour dog sledge ride (1050DK per person) which would be ready to go at 4.00pm. Jens had recommended that we go this afternoon as the weather forecast for tomorrow was predicting rain.

Our sledge was bigger than the one in Ilulissat and as a result more sturdy and comfortable. Sixteen Greenlandic hounds were straining at their harnesses and ready to shoot down the gentle slope with their beasts of burden (great Rolling Stones song) Barry and David. They were soon into a comfortable gait as they sauntered and farted their way over the frozen lake. I cannot believe that they can still run with the rope that tethers them to the sledge between their legs. The snowmobiles were heading in another direction and our handler Johannes told us there was a ski lift over there.

After about 40 minutes we pulled over to give the dogs are rest. Another dog sledge was approaching so Barry decided to get some video footage of the action. There was plenty of action as both sets of dogs became excited. So excited that our team took off in pursuit of the other dogs and left Barry and I stranded on the frozen lake. We could hear the handlers abusing the dogs and after a few failed attempts they stopped them at the other end of the valley. We thought it was quite hilarious as we crunched our way through the slushy snow.

Some of the lake has thawed slightly and there are areas of icy surface water. This does not worry the dogs as they plough straight through as if it wasn’t there. What does worry them is the steep hills that they must pull us up. When we look back down the valley it is hard to believe how high they have taken us. There is some respite as what goes up must come down. When we are on the down slope Johannes throws a rope over the front runner which acts as a brake to slow us down. At the halfway point we are afforded a magnificent view of the second fijord which is still frozen. Perched on the edge of the fijord we can see huts that the locals use for overnight stays in the wilderness. The fishing and hunting are supposed to be very good in these parts.

The trip back was much faster but still highly enjoyable. Grey clouds are staring to roll in and that has lowered the temperature. Our feet are getting colder and we are glad that we did not book a longer trip. Back home by 8.00pm and the little women have prepared us some open sandwiches and hot tea and coffee for dinner. A little red wind and it is off to bed.

Saturday 5th May – Rain and a Cancelled Dinner

Jens has correctly predicted the weather once again as this morning we have rain. This has given us the opportunity to relax and catch up on emails etc. Barry is having trouble with his emails and to ease the frustration has gone for a long walk.

We were going out for dinner tonight to sample the local fare at the Sisimiut Hotel. When Jens rang for a table he was informed that they were completely booked out for the next two nights. How can this be so in a small town like Sisimiut? Jens said the food was good but surely not that good! It turns out that they have been booked out for a couple of months as this is a time when the locals are celebrating their children’s confirmation. Looks like we will cater dinner ourselves which is not disastrous as the local shops have plenty of good tucker. The only problem will be whether we have enough wine to last the next two days. The answer is yes as Ann and Alice have come through with a big supply.

Jens and I have decided to have a sporting afternoon and are flicking between the Giro Italian cycle race and the FA cup final. I went for Liverpool and alas was disappointed when the full time score was 2-1 to Chelsea. I never thought I would watch the FA cup live during daylight hours let alone in Greenland.

Sunday 6th May – Crazy Words

The weather this morning was not as predicted, no sunshine but instead plenty of cloud. It was a good morning for just hanging around and drinking coffee. After lunch the others decided to take a hike to the museum as it was open from 1.00pm. There is a fine collection of older buildings with some good exhibits especially on the construction technique of traditional kayaks. Ann and Barry spent quite a while exploring all the museum had to offer.

As I did not want to view the trappings of the museum I set out about twenty minutes later. Down on the Corner (A great Creedence Clearwater Revival song) the local fisherman was selling the catch of the day. The catch would not have appealed to most Australians as slabs of Seal including the stomachs and intestines would upset our delicate tum tum’s. I finally caught up with everyone and convinced Alice to walk to the shops with me. Along the way we saw signs on shops that just do not sound right to an English ear. A couple of prominent names were “Boghandel” (book shop), “Slut Spur” and so many names that have the word “Fart” embodied within the name.

Prior to checking out the shops we continued on to the Cultural Centre which Jens had recommended. It is a beautiful new building with a coffee shop that overlooks the still frozen lake. Alas, the centre was closed for the 6th May. Spring has well and truly arrived as the snow is now melting very fast. There are rivulets of water cascading down every street. The snow mobiles are being covered with their summer tarpaulins and the boats are being serviced in readiness for another fishing season.

At the Brugsen store we purchased a large pork rib roast and of course red cabbage for dinner. Jens was excited of the prospect that we would all get to sample a traditional Danish dinner. He gave Alice instructions on how to get the best crackling for the roast. This entailed having the pork (heavily salted) upside down in a small quantity of water for the first 20 minutes at 220 degrees. The roast is then turned back over and cooked at 180 degrees for an hour depending on the weight and then increase the temperature for the last 30 minutes. Alice was a little doubtful about the water but followed the instructions. The result was a perfect roast with a superb crackling which was completely consumed.

Monday 7th May – Kangerlussuaq or Sequestered in Sisimiut

Today we are on the 10:40am flight to Kangerlussuaq and Jens is shuttling us in convoys to and from the airport so we can avoid paying a taxi fare. We are checking in early and then returning back to Jens where we can wait in comfort.

This was the world’s fastest check in which must have totaled all of five minutes. There is a fair amount of low hanging fog this morning which may result in our flight being delayed. All that means is that we get to spend more time with Jens who has been a fantastic host to all of us.

Airports can be quite fun if you are going somewhere but in our case the prophecy about being delayed has eventuated. We are stranded in Sisimiut until tomorrow as the fog instead of lifting has become a real pea soup. At this stage we will be flying out tomorrow at 11:10am, we hope!

We now have to cancel a night’s accommodation in Kangerlussuaq and hopefully whoever is on reception will check the emails. I always like to reconfirm any bookings that I make via email to ensure everything is on track. Luckily, that I checked for our two nights in Nuuk as they had lost our records from February due to a flooded office. Jens, using his mastery of the Danish language was able to get them to reorganise the booking and as a result we are now in a larger apartment for the same price. Now all we need is for the fog to lift.

Every fog has a silver lining as we are now able to have dinner at the Sisimiut Hotel where we can sample the local delicacies. Dinner time rolled around and at 7:00pm we were seated around our table with a view of the melting roadside snow. It was a set 2 (315DK) or 3 (345DK) course menu which included fresh local caviar, seafood bisque and of course grilled reindeer. The food was exceptionally “plated”, to many master chef programs at our house, and tasted great.

A few nice wines complemented the food and we then finished off with a Greenlandic coffee that was prepared at our table. The waitress has a gas flame which she uses to heat the glasses as she pours in the ingredients. First it is a finger of Kahlua, a finger of Whisky, coffee, whipped cream and the piece de resistance a finger of flaming Grand Mariner. It was so good that Ann wanted a second but Barry said NO as he did not want to carry her to bed.

There is always a good taxi driver story out there in the naked city and tonight was no exception. A taxi was ordered from the hotel and it duly arrived with the sound of crunching gears and carrying the scars of previous encounters. Jens gave him the address and one would expect that in a town of 6000 that a taxi driver would know his way around. A bad assumption as he was soon checking with his base for directions. Jens told him not to worry as he would show him the way. We lurched out of the driveway with the gears protesting and a driver that could barely see over the dashboard. Jens then proceeded to give him directions that included hand signals that would have made a point duty policeman proud. The driver responded with a big toothy grin and nodded his head in understanding that reminded me of Manuel from “Fawlty Towers”. We were soon home and had a good laugh about the experience. A few more fares and he may become a competent driver.

Tuesday 8th May – Pea Soup

After last night’s excursion the intrepid travelers did not bounce out of bed. There really was not much of a hurry as the fog is again like a pea soup and probably worse than yesterday. We checked in our bags nice and early as it pays to be optimistic when you are faced with this type of situation. The flight has already been delayed another 2.5 hours. It is hard to believe that we will be going anywhere today but you never can tell. At around 11:00 am the fog lifted and it looked like we would be on our way later in the day.

Jens received a call at 1:00pm from Air Greenland and it was not welcome news. We had been bumped from the flight as they needed to transport all the passengers who had the connecting flight to Denmark. We did however have a guaranteed flight for Kangerlussuaq at 10:00 tomorrow which of course would be subject to the weather. This would not be suitable as the following day we have to travel to Nuuk which would not leave us any time for an excursion. After some discussion we decided it would be best if we could get a flight to Nuuk later in the day.

Jens worked his magic with the staff at Air Greenland and before you could say up, up and away we were booked on a flight to Nuuk. The only downside is that we have to travel via Ilulissat. For those who want a laugh check out a map of Greenland and check out our flight path from Sisimiut to Nuuk via Ilulissat.

With the change in plans we needed Jens to work his higgery jiggery and find us some accommodation in Nuuk as we will not be arriving until 9:00pm if we are on time. The Nordbo Apartments have a room for us and will leave a key for us at the check in counter at Nuuk. The ever thinking Alice has gone to the shops and we will have a nice cup of soup with some cheese and biscuits when we arrive. That is a far cry from last night’s meal but much appreciated.

Unbelievable! The weather here is great but at 7:00pm we received the news that once again our flight is cancelled due to bad weather at Nuuk. I’m starting to think that we may be jinxed but as Jens says the weather up here can change so quickly. We are now booked on a direct flight to Nuuk tomorrow at 7:25pm and the forecast for tomorrow is snow. Who knows what will happen but we still have a few days before our flight to Iceland. We are all keeping our fingers crossed.