Tag Archives: Spain

Spain

On with the whirlwind adventures through Spain

We headed by car to Granada driving along the scenic route. The views and country side were gorgeous. Spain is truly a beautiful country and the landscape changes fairly quickly into something totally different.

We arrived in Granada and stayed in the heart of the city. It was a perfect time to visit because it was Christmas  season and there were lights decorated throughout the city.

We walked and explored some of the main streets of Granada. 

Shelley, Dan, Kathy and Ray in downtown Granada

We walked for a fair amount of time and came to an outdoor area that was converted into an outdoor skating rink. 

Outdoor temporary ice rink in Granada

We watched as people enjoyed skating or tried skating for the first time.  We decided to stop and enjoy some tapas and watch the skaters for a while.

Shelley and Kathy at our table enjoying a tapa and drink

The following day we went to see and explore the Alhambra Palace which is a world UNESCO site. It is one of the most famous monuments of Islamic architecture and one of the best-preserved palaces of the historic Islamic world. We walked up the path leading to the Palace. The views along the route up to the Palace were beautiful.

View of the Alhambra Palace walking up the route towards the Palace.

Once we reached the entrance we saw just how large and wonderful it was. 

The way to the Alhambra area through arched walls along the route to the main entrance.

We entered the Alhambra and walked along the different paths that lead throughout the Palace.  There are gardens located on a raised area that provide great views of the Palace as well as the city below. 

Kathy and Dan overlooking the Alhambra Palace
View of part of the garden in Alhambra
Inside islamic designs inside some of the palace buildings.

We walked through  many of the different buildings in the palace. Some of the buildings were quite unique and  included ornate islamic designs.

Beautiful marble floors inside the Palace
Shelley, Kathy and Dan on one of the walkways in the Palace with the city of Granada in the background
Shelley and Kathy inside one of the courtyards within the palace building.
One of the many water features in the Alhambra palace

After exploring this mazing Alhambra Palace and the city of Granada, we were off to our next adventure in Sevilla.

Sevilla

We arrived in Sevilla and we were immediately impressed by the display of lights that were set up for the holiday season. 

We stayed in the heart of Sevilla and we were able to walk to the major sites. One of our first stops was the Sevilla cathedral which was open and we were able to get inside.

Seville Cathedral

The cathedral was spectacular and we even saw the resting place for the remains of Christopher Columbus.

Inside the Cathedral of Seville
Kathy and Dan inside the Cathedral of Seville

After touring the Cathedral we walked along the streets exploing the area. We came across some beautiful buildings and sites. The streets were wet from the rain and it made everything look like polished marble.

Dan and Kathy on the streets of Seville, Spain

The following day we went to see an authentic Flamenco dance show. We arrived at the building which was located in the heart of the old quarter. We had great seats in the front row. We could feel the emotion and enjoyed the amazing dancing of the Flamenco. It truly was one of the highlights of Seville.

After Seville we went to another great city, Cordoba.

Cordoba 

The city is located near the banks of the Guadalquivir river.  It was once  a Roman settlement along with the historic Roman bridge of Córdoba. This bridge is in the Historic centre of Córdoba, and originally built in the early 1st century BC. 

Historic Roman bridge in Cordoba Spain

We walked across the Roman bridge and were amazed at the size and length of it.  It is 9 meters (30 ft) wide and 331 meters (1,086 ft) in length. 

Kathy and Dan walking along the Roman Bridge in Cordoba Spain.

It was a rainy day and we able to explore the area without large crowds of people. It was a nice pace and very relaxed.  We walked from the Bridge to the Puerta del Puente which means Gate of the Bridge. It was built in the 16th century.  The gateway is located on the site of the previous Roman gates, linking the city with the Roman bridge. 

Puerta de Puente in Cordoba

We walked the streets of the old section of Cordoba, including in the jewish quarter. The streets are very narrow and it was easy to get disoriented and loose yourself in the back streets.

We wandered around for about an hour or so before deciding to stop for lunch.

Tabursa Restaurant and bar in Cordoba.

We enjoyed Cordoba and the final leg of our whirlwind tour of Spain. We headed back to Madrid and said goodbye to our guest. It was a great time and lots of fun but it was time to get back to our normal routine and plan our next adventures.

“Vivimos en un mundo maravilloso que está lleno de belleza, encanto y aventura. Las aventuras que podemos tener no tienen fin si las buscamos con los ojos abiertos”.

Spain

Vallodolid

We stayed for a few days in the city of Valladolid which is located in the autonomous region of Castile and León. This is also in the Riebera del Duero area. The city of 300 thousand is very beautiful with lots to see and do. 

Statue in front of the Calvary academy in Valladolid. Spain

There were lots of statues that appeared to be randomly placed throughout the city.

Statue of person wearing a pointed hood which hides the identity. Traditionally this is done on the holy week where their faces are covered in mourning, and also as a sign of shame for the sins they have committed throughout the year. .
Statue to honour a police officer
Statues in water fountains

Many times we would be walking along a street and come across a bronze statue of some kind.

Bronze statue of a walking man with umbrella, Shelley taking a stroll with him.

It was easy to see where people sat or touched the statues by the polish on the bronze.

Bronze statue of a person with suitcase and umbrella- Note the polish of the suitcase where people have used as a seat

One in particular that we came across was part of a fountain and was a little bit unexpected and surprised us.

As we got closer to this particular statues it was clear that they were naked men. It was not hard to see where the bronze was polished.

There was a beautiful park located in the centre of the city, so we decided to walk through and check it out.

It wasn’t long after we entered the park that we were being followed.

Peacock in the park in Valladolid Spain
We stopped to take a selfie at one of the fountains located in the park.

We explored some of the many different churches in Valladolid. They were very ornate and quite beautiful. 

Modern Church in Valladolid

We explored the streets of Valladolid and worked our way to the Plaza Mayor.  

Shelley and Ray in Plaza Mayor in Valladolid Spain

The Pisuerga River flows through the city and has beautiful trails on the shoreline. We walked the trail for a while exploring this area of the city.

The city of Valladolid was a great experience and we enjoyed our time very much. I can see us returning in the future to explore more of this city. 

“La vida se trata de las aventuras que tomas y los recuerdos que haces.”

Spain

A few days in Zaragoza Spain

We spent a few days exploring Zaragoza, which is a beautiful city located in the northeastern part of Spain. The city has a rich history and was founded at the end of the 1st century. There are Roman ruins and reminders of its rich history throughout the city.

We walked through parts of the old section of the city admiring the old architecture and beautiful plazas. 

The bullring in Zaragoza which is called MIsericordia
Central Market in Zaragoza
Tram system with view of central Market in distance

We walked through the shops and restaurants towards the main plaza enjoying the sites and sounds. There was lots of things to see and the shops were full of interesting stuff. 

Eventually we reached the Plaza de la Seo which is truly stunning and has unique features.  The ground s of the plaza were covered in beautiful marble tiles.

There was the stunning Cathedral at one section of the plaza which gave the plaza a very grandiose feel.

We explored the plaza de la Seo and were amazed at all the features and unique statues and items in the plaza.

Shelley and Ray with waterfall feature in the main plaza of Zaragoza, Spain

We bought a ticket to go up the tower of the Cathedral of Zaragoza to get views of the city.  The tower was built on the site of the ancient Roman forum of Augustus and of the main mosque. The new tower, which was designed in Rome in 1683 by Juan Bautista Contini in the Baroque style, was started in 1686 and finished in 1704 with the placement of the spire. There are elements of the minaret that form part of the current tower. 

There was an elevator that took us up to the first level of the tower. From there we took stairs which made its way up to the very top of the tower.

When we reached the top the views were amazing. We could see entire city from the tower.

View of the Roman bridge and Cathedral of Zaragoza from the tower of Zaragoza
View from the tower of Zaragoza

The city of Zaragoza surprised us with its dynamic and vibrant city centre. There were lots of unique things to see, including Roman ruins, historic sites and architecture.

“La vida es un viaje, disfruta de las aventuras en el camino”

Spain

Els Arcs de Castell de Castells

We went exploring the area of the Arcs de Castell in the mountains approximately an hour or so from Alicante. The views along the road through the mountains were spectacular.

A view of some of the mountains along the way.

We came to a lookout area with a rest stop, so decided to take a break and enjoy the views.

Shelley enjoying the lookout in the mountains
The lookout at the rest stop.

There was even a small zip line and of course Ray could not resist trying it out.

Ray on the small zip line

After we enjoyed our stop we continued on to our destination. We arrived at the road that leads to the Arc de Castell. We began our hike up the road toward the arcs.

As we walked along the road it was so peaceful and quiet. We came along a very traditional style Spanish vila along the trail.

We walked approximately 8 kilometers and then started climbing up the mountain side. The road turned into a trail and then eventually into a small path. As we went it became steeper and more difficult.

Eventually we arrived at an area that was quite steep and looked a little unstable. At this point we decided to turn around and head back down the mountain. 

The Arcs de Castell

We worked our way back down and enjoyed the views along the way.  It was so quiet and there were no people around. We did not need to wear a mask and it almost felt like the pandemic was none existent. It was a great way to spend the day. 

“Disfruta cada momento”

Camino de Santiago, Spain

Leaving Lugo on the camino towards Santiago de compostela

We had rested up in Lugo and Shelley’s  knee was feeling better. We headed out early and restarted our journey along the camino. It was a beautiful morning and one of the first sites we came to was the Roman bridge at the outskirts of Lugo.  At the foot of the bridge was a statue of a Roman standing guard.

Statue of Roman guarding the Roman bridge

Roman bridge at the outskirts of Lugo

We took our time and enjoyed a slow pace and scenery as we progressed.

After a while Shelley’s knee began to hurt.   We stopped along the way a few times but her knee continued to get worse.  We walked along the camino for approximately 7 kms when Shelley’s knee was inflamed and very painful. We were afraid that it could cause some permanent damage to her knee. We decided that I should continue the camino alone and that she would take at taxi the remaining way to Santiago. There was a camino marker where we stopped so Shelley placed her stone on the marker. We contacted a taxi and she went ahead via taxi to Santiago de Compostela.

It was a sad time for us but we knew that it was the right choice. At this point I began the remainder of the camino solo.  I continued along the camino until I reached a small shrine along the side of the trail. It was quite peaceful and a perfect spot for me to stop and enjoy a snack.

I continued along the camino which was ascending over time, I came to some beautiful views and trails in that area of the camino..

I even met some of the local animals along the camino.

I walked another 20 some kilometres before stopping for the night. It was a day of mixed emotions I was sad not having Shelley with me on this section of the camino. I knew it was only 70 kilometres or so to go and I was excited to finish the last few days to arrive in Santiago.

¨Buen camino¨