Backroads of Iberia
A Cultural Record of the People and Places Encountered on an OAT trip to Spain and Portugal: June, 2019
Introduction
This was my first trip with Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT). I hope that the journal entries made below along with photo slide show galleries will give you a taste for the backroads of Portugal and Spain between the cities of Lisbon and Madrid. In addition to the many stops along the way, our major points of landing during the trip were in Evora, Portugal, and the towns of Carmona, Ronda, and Ubeda in Spain. We also made tour stops in Sintra in Portugal, and Merida and Seville in Spain. Daniela Castillo was our tour director for the entire trip and she was a gem. We were fortunate to have the same mini bus and driver for most of the trip. There were fourteen of us traveling the backroads of Iberia, a perfect group size for moving in crowds, sitting in a restaurant at a long table, and for getting to know one another as new friends. This was a learning experience where we engaged with locals throughout the trip, experiencing the culture of these two countries. Yes, we saw a lot, but more than that we learned much about the Iberian Peninsula that has added to our understanding of Europe and the World. For example, Daniela gave one of the clearest explanations I have heard of the impact of Brexit on the rest of Europe, including Spain and Portugal. There is much more that we experienced that tested my comfort levels, bull fighting for example. I hope that you enjoy the Travelogue that follows.
Please note: I am posting Part I: Portugal first because it is taking me a long time to edit my journal and process the many photos that I have selected to share on this site. As I prepare the Spanish portion of the trip, I will add to the site when I complete a phase of the Spanish trip.
This was my first trip with Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT). I hope that the journal entries made below along with photo slide show galleries will give you a taste for the backroads of Portugal and Spain between the cities of Lisbon and Madrid. In addition to the many stops along the way, our major points of landing during the trip were in Evora, Portugal, and the towns of Carmona, Ronda, and Ubeda in Spain. We also made tour stops in Sintra in Portugal, and Merida and Seville in Spain. Daniela Castillo was our tour director for the entire trip and she was a gem. We were fortunate to have the same mini bus and driver for most of the trip. There were fourteen of us traveling the backroads of Iberia, a perfect group size for moving in crowds, sitting in a restaurant at a long table, and for getting to know one another as new friends. This was a learning experience where we engaged with locals throughout the trip, experiencing the culture of these two countries. Yes, we saw a lot, but more than that we learned much about the Iberian Peninsula that has added to our understanding of Europe and the World. For example, Daniela gave one of the clearest explanations I have heard of the impact of Brexit on the rest of Europe, including Spain and Portugal. There is much more that we experienced that tested my comfort levels, bull fighting for example. I hope that you enjoy the Travelogue that follows.
Please note: I am posting Part I: Portugal first because it is taking me a long time to edit my journal and process the many photos that I have selected to share on this site. As I prepare the Spanish portion of the trip, I will add to the site when I complete a phase of the Spanish trip.
Part I: Portugal
First Day in Lisbon: Monday, June 17, 2019
I arrived a day late in Lisbon for the tour led by Daniela Castillo. My plane was delayed by an unfortunate runway accident in Newark, NJ on June 15. Although I missed a bit of the trip, I found my first day with my new traveling group both informative and interesting. I met my Wisconsin traveling friends, Ann and Sally, in the lobby of the hotel around noon and we took a stroll out into the Lisbon streets and had a light lunch at a bakery stand down the road. We took a taxi to catch up with our group in downtown Lisbon. We met Dani and several of our fellow travelers and followed our tour leader as she took us on a tour of a dynamic neighborhood where the people had worked diligently to restore a broken down part of the city into a community of talented and committed residents. It was a ten year effort and now the project is in a jeopardy because the successfully revived community has peeked the interest of local and far away investment companies whose economic interests are driving up the cost of real estate and threatening the quaint, artistic renewal of a vibrant part of Lisbon. The story was told by two members of the neighborhood group and they conveyed both their commitment and passion for the project. The gathering took place in a small store in the center of the neighborhood where products made by community members are on display and for sale.
I returned to my room for a much needed 45 minute nap. At 6:30, we gathered together and followed Dani on a walking tour of the downtown area. She spiced up the tour with historical remembrances of events that occurred the context of two World Wars in Lisbon. We finished the walk with a ride on an approved graffiti adorned trolly up one of the seven main hills in Lisbon.
We were rewarded at the top with spectacular views of the city, another walking tour of the cultural wonders at the top of the hill, and our walk concluded with a six course meal of starters, soup, salad, fish, veal, and Creme Boulais. We were entertained at this exquisite welcoming dinner by a group singing the cultural music of Portugal, called Fado (See Wikipedia). The voices of the older man and young woman were full, confident, and rich in conveying the passion, sorrow, and joy of the music. I sat between Yvette and Sue and across from Marilynn. We began the process of getting to know each other and the evening was special and filled with the ongoing service of satisfying Portuguese Red and White wines. We left the Restaurant sometime around nine and thankfully had a ride back to the hotel in a welcomed van provided by OAT. It was time to bring a close to this first day of the trip for me by crawling into my snug bed and sleeping for about six hours,. I arose and began the process of making this first entry into the travel journal of the “Backroads of Iberia.”
First Day in Lisbon: Monday, June 17, 2019
I arrived a day late in Lisbon for the tour led by Daniela Castillo. My plane was delayed by an unfortunate runway accident in Newark, NJ on June 15. Although I missed a bit of the trip, I found my first day with my new traveling group both informative and interesting. I met my Wisconsin traveling friends, Ann and Sally, in the lobby of the hotel around noon and we took a stroll out into the Lisbon streets and had a light lunch at a bakery stand down the road. We took a taxi to catch up with our group in downtown Lisbon. We met Dani and several of our fellow travelers and followed our tour leader as she took us on a tour of a dynamic neighborhood where the people had worked diligently to restore a broken down part of the city into a community of talented and committed residents. It was a ten year effort and now the project is in a jeopardy because the successfully revived community has peeked the interest of local and far away investment companies whose economic interests are driving up the cost of real estate and threatening the quaint, artistic renewal of a vibrant part of Lisbon. The story was told by two members of the neighborhood group and they conveyed both their commitment and passion for the project. The gathering took place in a small store in the center of the neighborhood where products made by community members are on display and for sale.
I returned to my room for a much needed 45 minute nap. At 6:30, we gathered together and followed Dani on a walking tour of the downtown area. She spiced up the tour with historical remembrances of events that occurred the context of two World Wars in Lisbon. We finished the walk with a ride on an approved graffiti adorned trolly up one of the seven main hills in Lisbon.
We were rewarded at the top with spectacular views of the city, another walking tour of the cultural wonders at the top of the hill, and our walk concluded with a six course meal of starters, soup, salad, fish, veal, and Creme Boulais. We were entertained at this exquisite welcoming dinner by a group singing the cultural music of Portugal, called Fado (See Wikipedia). The voices of the older man and young woman were full, confident, and rich in conveying the passion, sorrow, and joy of the music. I sat between Yvette and Sue and across from Marilynn. We began the process of getting to know each other and the evening was special and filled with the ongoing service of satisfying Portuguese Red and White wines. We left the Restaurant sometime around nine and thankfully had a ride back to the hotel in a welcomed van provided by OAT. It was time to bring a close to this first day of the trip for me by crawling into my snug bed and sleeping for about six hours,. I arose and began the process of making this first entry into the travel journal of the “Backroads of Iberia.”
A Visit to a Working Organic Farm: June 18, 2019
The second day of my journey was to join my 13 compatriots, after breakfast, on a short bus ride to Sintra, Daniela’s current place of residence for her and her family. She talked to us about the smaller town on the outskirts of Lisbon and the nature of the farm we were about to visit and the type activities they intended to include for our experience. We arrived at EcoAldeia around 10 AM and gathered in the living room of an old farm house to listen to the head of the farm, Alfonso, and his wife, Sylvia, share their last seven years working the farm. Although, they made it clear that they were not a “hippy” commune, they did impress us with their commitment to work with others in developing a self sustaining life on the farm while at the same time providing an educational adventure for those, like us, who chose to spend some time with them. The question and answer period was enthusiastic and clearly demonstrated our interest in learning about their goals and practice in sharing and running the farm with others. Usually, the farm has 8 permanent residents on the farms together with volunteers who come and spend some time working the farm. The residents live in tiny houses that the community has constructed. We saw the mushroom producing operation at the farm, a variety of animals that include, chickens, sheep, and pigs that provide the protein for the community, the gardens that produce many fruits and vegetables for the farm and the surrounding community, including a restaurant in town owned by the farm. In addition, they brew their own beer and hard cider. Following the tour of all of the organic practices underway at the farm, everyone in the group volunteered to do a particular job. Some went to the vegetable garden to harvest the current crop, others went inside to help make the multiple loaves of whole grain bread in the ovens of the kitchen. I joined two of my fellow travelers in assisting Nancy, a current volunteer from France, in grilling the sausage rings for our own lunch. The grill was fueled by wood and, although Nancy did most of the work, we did our share, although we took some heat from Dani who thought that we had taken the easy route to working the farm It was most pleasurable asking Nancy questions about life on the farm and also listening to stories from my fellow travelers, Steve and Joe, about their own travels and lives. Nancy, said she is returning to southern France to buy a house.
Around noon, we gathered with the staff for a communal lunch at two tables where we enjoyed the fruits of our labors over several glasses of delicious red wine and listened to more tales from the staff members about the joys of working on the farm. The three month old son of the leaders of the farm provided some of the entertainment as he continued to smile and gurgle at this mass of strangers that had invaded some of his space. As we said goodbye after lunch, we all had reached a silent agreement that his had been a special morning in getting to know a community of farmers dedicated to a self sustaining life and the creation of a model community for others to replicate..
Later in the day, Sally, Ann, Yvette, and I traveled the public transportation system to the waters of the Mediterranean at the southern end of town and strolled around the “Time Out Market Place,” that provides an opportunity for emerging chefs to rent a space and to present their fare of food and drink to the many wanderers in the market. After our market stroll, the four of use went to a nearby Italian restaurant for some wine and a light dinner. I had a Margarita Pizza. The ladies had various items from the salad menu. After dinner and a feeble attempt find the subway, we took a bus back to our hotel. Ann, Sally, and I finished off the evening with a drink and conversation in the bar.
In only two days, I have experienced the quality of life in and around the busy city of Lisbon and it has been a great start in preparation for the backroads of Iberia, which starts today as we travel to Evora, east of Lisbon.
The second day of my journey was to join my 13 compatriots, after breakfast, on a short bus ride to Sintra, Daniela’s current place of residence for her and her family. She talked to us about the smaller town on the outskirts of Lisbon and the nature of the farm we were about to visit and the type activities they intended to include for our experience. We arrived at EcoAldeia around 10 AM and gathered in the living room of an old farm house to listen to the head of the farm, Alfonso, and his wife, Sylvia, share their last seven years working the farm. Although, they made it clear that they were not a “hippy” commune, they did impress us with their commitment to work with others in developing a self sustaining life on the farm while at the same time providing an educational adventure for those, like us, who chose to spend some time with them. The question and answer period was enthusiastic and clearly demonstrated our interest in learning about their goals and practice in sharing and running the farm with others. Usually, the farm has 8 permanent residents on the farms together with volunteers who come and spend some time working the farm. The residents live in tiny houses that the community has constructed. We saw the mushroom producing operation at the farm, a variety of animals that include, chickens, sheep, and pigs that provide the protein for the community, the gardens that produce many fruits and vegetables for the farm and the surrounding community, including a restaurant in town owned by the farm. In addition, they brew their own beer and hard cider. Following the tour of all of the organic practices underway at the farm, everyone in the group volunteered to do a particular job. Some went to the vegetable garden to harvest the current crop, others went inside to help make the multiple loaves of whole grain bread in the ovens of the kitchen. I joined two of my fellow travelers in assisting Nancy, a current volunteer from France, in grilling the sausage rings for our own lunch. The grill was fueled by wood and, although Nancy did most of the work, we did our share, although we took some heat from Dani who thought that we had taken the easy route to working the farm It was most pleasurable asking Nancy questions about life on the farm and also listening to stories from my fellow travelers, Steve and Joe, about their own travels and lives. Nancy, said she is returning to southern France to buy a house.
Around noon, we gathered with the staff for a communal lunch at two tables where we enjoyed the fruits of our labors over several glasses of delicious red wine and listened to more tales from the staff members about the joys of working on the farm. The three month old son of the leaders of the farm provided some of the entertainment as he continued to smile and gurgle at this mass of strangers that had invaded some of his space. As we said goodbye after lunch, we all had reached a silent agreement that his had been a special morning in getting to know a community of farmers dedicated to a self sustaining life and the creation of a model community for others to replicate..
Later in the day, Sally, Ann, Yvette, and I traveled the public transportation system to the waters of the Mediterranean at the southern end of town and strolled around the “Time Out Market Place,” that provides an opportunity for emerging chefs to rent a space and to present their fare of food and drink to the many wanderers in the market. After our market stroll, the four of use went to a nearby Italian restaurant for some wine and a light dinner. I had a Margarita Pizza. The ladies had various items from the salad menu. After dinner and a feeble attempt find the subway, we took a bus back to our hotel. Ann, Sally, and I finished off the evening with a drink and conversation in the bar.
In only two days, I have experienced the quality of life in and around the busy city of Lisbon and it has been a great start in preparation for the backroads of Iberia, which starts today as we travel to Evora, east of Lisbon.
Traveling to Evora, Portugal: June 19, 2019
So, at 8:30 on this 5th day of the trip, we left the Turem Hotel in Lisbon and began the trek to Evora with three planned stops along the way. The first stop was a tile factory just a few miles down the road and over the Vasco de Gama Bridge into the county side of the Alentejo District of Portugal. We saw how the factory makes the tile by hand from start to finish. They role out the clay for each tile, cut it a bit larger than the what the finished tile will be, because the tile shrinks as the water drys out, and then glaze it with a syrupy white substance before turning it over to the painters who use stencils to paint fascinating designs on the tile. We had the chance to paint our own tile, which in my case was from the stencil of a bird raising its song to the heavens. Only, in my case the bird looked more like a singing nun. Many members of the group did a very nice job with this. I did not. The finished tiles are beautiful and so I bought one as a gift for the generous people who opened their house to use for dinner in the evening. More on that later.
Our next stop was at a cheese factory where they make a very creamy Brie like cheese that is much milder than Brie and was very tasty. The woman who demonstrated the making of the cheese for us spoke very good English and was quite personable and funny as she took us through the process. Since my tile making skills were so bad, I chose to watch as members of our group volunteered help make the cheese that we would eat for lunch. Once the cheese was taken from the small round molds, we sat down for a wonderful meal of cheese, bread, pea soup, and delicious hot turkey covered with tasty gravy. We had a soft white wine to wash it all down.
With our stomachs full one more time we moved on toward Evora. When we arrived near the city, we stopped at a cork producing factory and learned all about how cork bark is removed from the tree and the fact that it takes over 26 years of growth before you can start to harvest the cork from the tree and the best cork only begins to emerge nine years after the rest layer of cork is removed from the tree. I bought a cork purse for Gina that I hope she likes.
We arrived at our Pousada hotel about 4:30, which is a converted convent sitting at the very top of the highest hill in Evora. Daniela led us on a short walk around the crest of the city and then I settled in for a beer in the lounge in anticipation of our upcoming meal at the home of Josef (called Se Maria) and Delfina just down the road in the surrounding countryside. The dinner was another treat. Se and Delfina were marvelous hosts and took great pride in welcoming the 15 of us to their home and table. Andre is a potential son in law who speaks very good English and helped to explain the purpose of the wine producing vineyard, designed to provide the wine for the family and for guests like us. Our meal was a simple, but tasty fare of olive oil, bread, lettuce greens, and a casserole of Duck Rice. The meal was satisfyingly simple and the conversation rich. It included Delfina having some our group model the traditional coats and accessories that she makes and sells from her shop in Evora. I sat between Daniela and Yvette and we had our own humorous and educational conversations during the course of the meal. Half an orange and a couple of cookies topped off the meal. As usual, the wine was very good and there was plenty to drink. We arrived back at the hotel around 9:30 and I sat and had a beer with my wine drinking traveling friends, Ann and Sally. It was the end to a very full, but very rewarding day. The rooms in the Pousada are a bit small, but quaint and very comfortable. I slept well for the first time since arriving on the trip. Perhaps Jet lag is over.
I cannot begin to comment on the richness of this tour. We have met wonderful and giving people on journey through Portugal. I have learned a lot, but more importantly I am beginning to understand why this trip is significantly different from my other trips, as we become partakers in the culture of the Portuguese.
So, at 8:30 on this 5th day of the trip, we left the Turem Hotel in Lisbon and began the trek to Evora with three planned stops along the way. The first stop was a tile factory just a few miles down the road and over the Vasco de Gama Bridge into the county side of the Alentejo District of Portugal. We saw how the factory makes the tile by hand from start to finish. They role out the clay for each tile, cut it a bit larger than the what the finished tile will be, because the tile shrinks as the water drys out, and then glaze it with a syrupy white substance before turning it over to the painters who use stencils to paint fascinating designs on the tile. We had the chance to paint our own tile, which in my case was from the stencil of a bird raising its song to the heavens. Only, in my case the bird looked more like a singing nun. Many members of the group did a very nice job with this. I did not. The finished tiles are beautiful and so I bought one as a gift for the generous people who opened their house to use for dinner in the evening. More on that later.
Our next stop was at a cheese factory where they make a very creamy Brie like cheese that is much milder than Brie and was very tasty. The woman who demonstrated the making of the cheese for us spoke very good English and was quite personable and funny as she took us through the process. Since my tile making skills were so bad, I chose to watch as members of our group volunteered help make the cheese that we would eat for lunch. Once the cheese was taken from the small round molds, we sat down for a wonderful meal of cheese, bread, pea soup, and delicious hot turkey covered with tasty gravy. We had a soft white wine to wash it all down.
With our stomachs full one more time we moved on toward Evora. When we arrived near the city, we stopped at a cork producing factory and learned all about how cork bark is removed from the tree and the fact that it takes over 26 years of growth before you can start to harvest the cork from the tree and the best cork only begins to emerge nine years after the rest layer of cork is removed from the tree. I bought a cork purse for Gina that I hope she likes.
We arrived at our Pousada hotel about 4:30, which is a converted convent sitting at the very top of the highest hill in Evora. Daniela led us on a short walk around the crest of the city and then I settled in for a beer in the lounge in anticipation of our upcoming meal at the home of Josef (called Se Maria) and Delfina just down the road in the surrounding countryside. The dinner was another treat. Se and Delfina were marvelous hosts and took great pride in welcoming the 15 of us to their home and table. Andre is a potential son in law who speaks very good English and helped to explain the purpose of the wine producing vineyard, designed to provide the wine for the family and for guests like us. Our meal was a simple, but tasty fare of olive oil, bread, lettuce greens, and a casserole of Duck Rice. The meal was satisfyingly simple and the conversation rich. It included Delfina having some our group model the traditional coats and accessories that she makes and sells from her shop in Evora. I sat between Daniela and Yvette and we had our own humorous and educational conversations during the course of the meal. Half an orange and a couple of cookies topped off the meal. As usual, the wine was very good and there was plenty to drink. We arrived back at the hotel around 9:30 and I sat and had a beer with my wine drinking traveling friends, Ann and Sally. It was the end to a very full, but very rewarding day. The rooms in the Pousada are a bit small, but quaint and very comfortable. I slept well for the first time since arriving on the trip. Perhaps Jet lag is over.
I cannot begin to comment on the richness of this tour. We have met wonderful and giving people on journey through Portugal. I have learned a lot, but more importantly I am beginning to understand why this trip is significantly different from my other trips, as we become partakers in the culture of the Portuguese.
Day Two in Evora, Portugal: June 20, 2019
The day began with elegant breakfast at the Pousada. Or first adventure of the day was a walk to the local university, the second oldest in Portugal. Maria and Raquel, two students in veterinary medicine led our tour and told us all about higher education, including entry requirements, costs for those who can afford it and those who can not. We asked them many questions and they answered with clarity an lots of tongue in cheek humor. They wore robes like in Harry Potter and there were some ancient magical tales about a white circle in the center of the main building at the university.. We were then joined by another Maria who conducted a walk of the ancient city housed within the walls of the city. There are churches everywhere, including the church that houses the. skulls and bones of the city’s deceased inhabitants. It reminded me of the church of the skulls I saw in the Czech Republic, east of Prague. Our walking tour ended at the base of the main hill off Evora at a delightful enclosure where we participated in a cooking class where, with the help of two talented ladies who directed my group. In the preparation of appetizers and desserts. We made a salad of chickpeass, olive oil, onions, garlic, parsley and cilantro We made a second salad of carrots with the same base. The other group prepared a lettuce salad and a casserole of cod mixed with tiny shoe string potatoes. Our dessert included baked apples and a custard dish. I have the recipes for preparing each course of the meal. We had a lot fun sharing in the creation of our own lunch.
This day was the feast of Corpus Christi in Portugal and was a day of celebration. I attended Mass celebrated by the Bishop of Evora and a choir of voices that were pure and inspirational. The young soprano who sang the responses to the reading had a voice that was both pleasing and thrilling. I understood nothing that was said during the Mass, but the music held my interest. Because the Catholic Mass is universal all over the world, I could follow the progress of the Mass. The bisho[ spoke with strength and emotion. What he said is and will remain a mystery to me. After the Mass, the bishop and his cohorts led the people of the city on a march through the walled section of Evora.
Later in the evening, we dined at The Pousada on vegetable soup, pork cheeks, and custard dessert. As always, there was plenty of wine to liven up the conversation at the tables. As we get to know each other with every passing day, the conversations become more intimate and humorous. The day ended for me at 10.
Since early morning, I had been frustrated with the multiple shots my camera was taking with each push of the shutter. I had read the manual, tried all of the various methods to try and return to a single shot. I spent way too much time eliminating the extra photos both from my camera and from my Photos file on my iPad. Finally in the middle of last night, I came up with the “brilliant” idea of resetting my camera to the original factory settings. I did so, and my problem was solved. The problem began when I took a timed selfie the day before, but I am still not sure what happened, because every effort I had taken to solve the problem prior to resetting the camera had failed.
The day began with elegant breakfast at the Pousada. Or first adventure of the day was a walk to the local university, the second oldest in Portugal. Maria and Raquel, two students in veterinary medicine led our tour and told us all about higher education, including entry requirements, costs for those who can afford it and those who can not. We asked them many questions and they answered with clarity an lots of tongue in cheek humor. They wore robes like in Harry Potter and there were some ancient magical tales about a white circle in the center of the main building at the university.. We were then joined by another Maria who conducted a walk of the ancient city housed within the walls of the city. There are churches everywhere, including the church that houses the. skulls and bones of the city’s deceased inhabitants. It reminded me of the church of the skulls I saw in the Czech Republic, east of Prague. Our walking tour ended at the base of the main hill off Evora at a delightful enclosure where we participated in a cooking class where, with the help of two talented ladies who directed my group. In the preparation of appetizers and desserts. We made a salad of chickpeass, olive oil, onions, garlic, parsley and cilantro We made a second salad of carrots with the same base. The other group prepared a lettuce salad and a casserole of cod mixed with tiny shoe string potatoes. Our dessert included baked apples and a custard dish. I have the recipes for preparing each course of the meal. We had a lot fun sharing in the creation of our own lunch.
This day was the feast of Corpus Christi in Portugal and was a day of celebration. I attended Mass celebrated by the Bishop of Evora and a choir of voices that were pure and inspirational. The young soprano who sang the responses to the reading had a voice that was both pleasing and thrilling. I understood nothing that was said during the Mass, but the music held my interest. Because the Catholic Mass is universal all over the world, I could follow the progress of the Mass. The bisho[ spoke with strength and emotion. What he said is and will remain a mystery to me. After the Mass, the bishop and his cohorts led the people of the city on a march through the walled section of Evora.
Later in the evening, we dined at The Pousada on vegetable soup, pork cheeks, and custard dessert. As always, there was plenty of wine to liven up the conversation at the tables. As we get to know each other with every passing day, the conversations become more intimate and humorous. The day ended for me at 10.
Since early morning, I had been frustrated with the multiple shots my camera was taking with each push of the shutter. I had read the manual, tried all of the various methods to try and return to a single shot. I spent way too much time eliminating the extra photos both from my camera and from my Photos file on my iPad. Finally in the middle of last night, I came up with the “brilliant” idea of resetting my camera to the original factory settings. I did so, and my problem was solved. The problem began when I took a timed selfie the day before, but I am still not sure what happened, because every effort I had taken to solve the problem prior to resetting the camera had failed.
Part II: Spain
Travel Day: From Portugal to Spain: June 21, 2019
After another marvelous breakfast feast, we left Portugal for Spain. It was primarily a day for travel. We stopped in Merida, a favorite city of the Romans where sholdiers use to come to retire. We saw many old ruins and the famous old bridge that spans the Arroyo de Albarregas. We stopped for delightful lunch of tapas and a beer. I had slices of the ham from the black pig that we had learned about earlier in the morning at a meat shop in the center of town. After lunch we took a walking tour through the ancient theater of Merida where gladiators fights took place 800 years before Christ. An even more ancient theater exists right next door where plays still take place today. That theater dates back to 1500 years before Christ. It was a pleasant first stop in Spain where the language changed and so did the customs. We left Mereda about 3 PM and drove on to Carmona, Spain, which is just outside of Sevilla. We are staying in an ancient castle that has been remodeled into a beautiful parador, our home for the next two nights. We had some time to examine the grounds and the pool area. The vistas go on forever and the beauty is breathtaking. I took many photos along the way on this day of travel, so hopefully, they give a fuller picture of the day than this shorter than usual description.
After another marvelous breakfast feast, we left Portugal for Spain. It was primarily a day for travel. We stopped in Merida, a favorite city of the Romans where sholdiers use to come to retire. We saw many old ruins and the famous old bridge that spans the Arroyo de Albarregas. We stopped for delightful lunch of tapas and a beer. I had slices of the ham from the black pig that we had learned about earlier in the morning at a meat shop in the center of town. After lunch we took a walking tour through the ancient theater of Merida where gladiators fights took place 800 years before Christ. An even more ancient theater exists right next door where plays still take place today. That theater dates back to 1500 years before Christ. It was a pleasant first stop in Spain where the language changed and so did the customs. We left Mereda about 3 PM and drove on to Carmona, Spain, which is just outside of Sevilla. We are staying in an ancient castle that has been remodeled into a beautiful parador, our home for the next two nights. We had some time to examine the grounds and the pool area. The vistas go on forever and the beauty is breathtaking. I took many photos along the way on this day of travel, so hopefully, they give a fuller picture of the day than this shorter than usual description.
Day Two in Sevilla, Spain: June 22, 2019
It was so tempting to not do the optional trip to Sevilla. The place we are staying in is beautiful. It has a great pool and it could have been a day of relaxing. Sevilla, however, is a beautiful city with great history, so I decided to go. At the end of the day, I walked about 13000 steps and over four miles. The temperature was in the 90s and the sun was high and hot in the sky. The drive from Carmona to Seville was about 30 minutes. A new guide, named Pablo, joined the trip in downtown Sevilla and gave us a tour of the city, particularly the consulate buildings and other structures related to the Expo of 1929 while remaining on the bus. After that, he led us to the the Plaza de España, which was Spain's contribution to the Expo of 1929. It is a massive site with columned walls, tiled representations of the various Spanish states, a fountain with water shooting upward, horse drawn carriages providing rides around the Plaza. We spent about an hour there, shooting many photos and just getting a feel for the entire place.There was a flute player performing a variety of classical pieces. Steve, one of our tour members, shared his flute like instrument with him and they chatted about the music. After the Plaza, we walked through the old Jewish quarter, which was largely abandoned during the Inquisition in the late 15th century. Conversion to Christianity was not an option and those Jews, who chose not to convert lost their homes and had to move on. Although some Jews who converted were allowed to stay in the quarter, they were looked at with ongoing suspicion by the Inquisition.
Walking in the sun was hot, so Daniela arranged for a refreshing break of wine coolers on top of a small hotel located on our walk. We sat at a long table and sipped our cool drinks while Pablo continued to tell us more about Seville and also himself. Following our late morning break, Pablo led us to the summer Palace where King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella spent their summers. It is a massive structure with beautiful gardens we saw the many rooms where important meetings were held between the royalty and visiting diplomats. There was a combination of Christian and Moorish architecture, which documented the long history of both in the region of Seville. Following our visit, a few of us found a refreshing ice cream shop that gave us some relieve from the hot afternoon sun. About 3:30, the entire group, now reassembled, marched for what seemed like a very long way to our bus. We walked along the river, but my feet were feeling the brunt of the many thousand steps taken in Seville. I found bits of shade along the way to help with the sun. It was with great relief when I crawled in my seat and settled in the 30 minute ride back to our Parador in Carmona.
It was so tempting to not do the optional trip to Sevilla. The place we are staying in is beautiful. It has a great pool and it could have been a day of relaxing. Sevilla, however, is a beautiful city with great history, so I decided to go. At the end of the day, I walked about 13000 steps and over four miles. The temperature was in the 90s and the sun was high and hot in the sky. The drive from Carmona to Seville was about 30 minutes. A new guide, named Pablo, joined the trip in downtown Sevilla and gave us a tour of the city, particularly the consulate buildings and other structures related to the Expo of 1929 while remaining on the bus. After that, he led us to the the Plaza de España, which was Spain's contribution to the Expo of 1929. It is a massive site with columned walls, tiled representations of the various Spanish states, a fountain with water shooting upward, horse drawn carriages providing rides around the Plaza. We spent about an hour there, shooting many photos and just getting a feel for the entire place.There was a flute player performing a variety of classical pieces. Steve, one of our tour members, shared his flute like instrument with him and they chatted about the music. After the Plaza, we walked through the old Jewish quarter, which was largely abandoned during the Inquisition in the late 15th century. Conversion to Christianity was not an option and those Jews, who chose not to convert lost their homes and had to move on. Although some Jews who converted were allowed to stay in the quarter, they were looked at with ongoing suspicion by the Inquisition.
Walking in the sun was hot, so Daniela arranged for a refreshing break of wine coolers on top of a small hotel located on our walk. We sat at a long table and sipped our cool drinks while Pablo continued to tell us more about Seville and also himself. Following our late morning break, Pablo led us to the summer Palace where King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella spent their summers. It is a massive structure with beautiful gardens we saw the many rooms where important meetings were held between the royalty and visiting diplomats. There was a combination of Christian and Moorish architecture, which documented the long history of both in the region of Seville. Following our visit, a few of us found a refreshing ice cream shop that gave us some relieve from the hot afternoon sun. About 3:30, the entire group, now reassembled, marched for what seemed like a very long way to our bus. We walked along the river, but my feet were feeling the brunt of the many thousand steps taken in Seville. I found bits of shade along the way to help with the sun. It was with great relief when I crawled in my seat and settled in the 30 minute ride back to our Parador in Carmona.
Back in Carmona
Ann, Sally, and I went for a dip in the pool, which pleasantly sits at the bottom of the cliff with a view of the parador at the top. It was another longer than expected walk to the pool, but the reward was great. After spending about 40 minutes in the refreshing pool water, we reflected on this trip and others that we had shared in the past.
Almost the entire group gathered around two tables and drank and talked while waiting to walk to the Tapas restaurant for our evening meal. This highly respected restaurant served us three Tapas, a spinach dish, a leak presentation that was both tasty and healthy, and finally a meatball. We had a lively discussion about some of the interesting issues occurring in Spain, particularly the rape trial that Daniela had shared with us earlier in the day. We had an interesting discussion about acceptable topics for an OAT traveling group. Because the trip is supposed to be more than just sight seeing and visiting churches and famous buildings, Daniela shared that OAT wanted to support dynamic conversations across the spectrum of politics, culture, and life. We came back to our parador and a nightcap on the patio that overlooks the pool and the very flat and agricultural countryside. As I write this, my throat is a bit scratchy and my nose a bit runny. It is time for my nose spray and my Halls’ lozenges. On to Ronda today and another Parador. We are bonding as a group and enjoying each other’s company.
Ann, Sally, and I went for a dip in the pool, which pleasantly sits at the bottom of the cliff with a view of the parador at the top. It was another longer than expected walk to the pool, but the reward was great. After spending about 40 minutes in the refreshing pool water, we reflected on this trip and others that we had shared in the past.
Almost the entire group gathered around two tables and drank and talked while waiting to walk to the Tapas restaurant for our evening meal. This highly respected restaurant served us three Tapas, a spinach dish, a leak presentation that was both tasty and healthy, and finally a meatball. We had a lively discussion about some of the interesting issues occurring in Spain, particularly the rape trial that Daniela had shared with us earlier in the day. We had an interesting discussion about acceptable topics for an OAT traveling group. Because the trip is supposed to be more than just sight seeing and visiting churches and famous buildings, Daniela shared that OAT wanted to support dynamic conversations across the spectrum of politics, culture, and life. We came back to our parador and a nightcap on the patio that overlooks the pool and the very flat and agricultural countryside. As I write this, my throat is a bit scratchy and my nose a bit runny. It is time for my nose spray and my Halls’ lozenges. On to Ronda today and another Parador. We are bonding as a group and enjoying each other’s company.
On to Ronda and the Bullfight: June 23, 2019
Although today was a transfer day of 82 miles from Carmona to Ronda, we took our time with several stops along the way. The first stop was in the middle of vast Sunflower growing fields where we walked into the field to take some closeup shots. This trip continues to amaze with its surprise discoveries and interesting geography. The next was a rest stop where I chose to stay on the bus, but I guess my traveling companions who used the facilities found that it was interesting that the stop was at a cemetery, a pit stop that had been discovered by chance and necessity on an earlier trip. As we slowly moved on to Rondo, the countryside began to change dramatically from farmlands with rolling hills to hills and mountains. We stopped at a National Park, which featured beautiful views and a man made reservoir that stretched for miles in the high valley that sits at the base of some higher mountains. At the very top of one of these mountains or foothills was the winery where Antonio and his wife Olga gave us a tour of the vineyard and a lesson on the grafting of the vines and the origin of the grapes now growing on this countryside. We then moved inside to where he produces the wine and saw the wine vats and storage barrels for aging the wine. This was followed by a delicious meal of tapas and a blend of his red wine. Although Antonio spoke only in Spanish, Daniela translated his every word as he answered our questions and shared his adventure of wine making, while we enjoyed the beautiful view from his dining table at the winery. He gave us each a stalk of an herb growing outside off the patio to remember the beauty of this place.
Our next stop was at a farm dedicated to the raising of the bulls for the fights that occur throughout Spain. The farm also raises and trains the horses that support the bull fighting process in the ring. The farm was beautifully maintained with extensive stone walls and buildings with white stucco. Our guide led us on a walking tour that included facilities for branding and vaccinating the bulls. We saw a bull ring used for training and the stables where the horses are kept. Everything was clean and immaculate. Part of our tour took place on the bus as we rode through the acres of land that provide the grazing areas for the bulls and horses. A bull may be introduced into a small heard of 7 t0 8 cows to impregnate them as the bull raising farm continues to produce bulls for the ring. Only those bulls that develop a “nastiness” will make it to the ring around the age of 4 or 5. A bull fights only once and usually dies at the end of the fight at the hand of the matador. Occasionally, the bull who has fought well and gained the awesome respect of the matador and the crowd may survive the its one and only bullfight, only to eventually enter the slaughter house at a future time. The meat is used and served in restaurants. Bull fighting takes place in the spring and summer months and occurs throughout Spain. Obviously, the bull fight has its detractors, because in most cases the bull dies in the ring. The killing of the bull comes at the end of about a 20 minute fight with the matador who must kill the bull at a specific spot in the back of the neck. Although this may be a more noble way for the bull to die than the march to slaughter at a meat packing plant, a sight I witnessed many years ago at a slaughterhouse in Iowa, the idea of a bullfight is difficult to take in. The people who participate in what they call a cultural tradition and not a sport offer several different rationales for the practice. We had the opportunity to meet and listen to the matador, Raphael, who owns this bull farm. He is in his forties and has fought around a 100 fights. He answered the many questions that we had. The conversation continued back on the bus with Daniela giving her evolving view of the ethics of bull fighting.
We arrived in Ronda shortly after leaving the farm. This town sits high above a huge gorge and the surrounding country side far below. There are mountains in the distance with look out points that provide visuals of the dramatic geological formations that provide the foundation for Ronda. Our parador sits on the edge of the gorge and causes one to wonder about the impact of erosion or an earthquake on this dramatic center of living. I spent a short time in the pool, but then ran into Joe and Sue at poolside and we had a very nice discussion about the trip, living in the south, etc. We had a three course dinner of soup, veal, and a custard dessert. Daniela sat with us at dinner and told us much about the profession of tour guide. Ann, Sally, and I took a short walk around town near the hotel and the “new bridge” that spans the gorge and joins one side fo the town with other. The view from the patio outside my room is beautiful and I spent a few moments taking it all in before climbing into bed around 10 PM.
Although today was a transfer day of 82 miles from Carmona to Ronda, we took our time with several stops along the way. The first stop was in the middle of vast Sunflower growing fields where we walked into the field to take some closeup shots. This trip continues to amaze with its surprise discoveries and interesting geography. The next was a rest stop where I chose to stay on the bus, but I guess my traveling companions who used the facilities found that it was interesting that the stop was at a cemetery, a pit stop that had been discovered by chance and necessity on an earlier trip. As we slowly moved on to Rondo, the countryside began to change dramatically from farmlands with rolling hills to hills and mountains. We stopped at a National Park, which featured beautiful views and a man made reservoir that stretched for miles in the high valley that sits at the base of some higher mountains. At the very top of one of these mountains or foothills was the winery where Antonio and his wife Olga gave us a tour of the vineyard and a lesson on the grafting of the vines and the origin of the grapes now growing on this countryside. We then moved inside to where he produces the wine and saw the wine vats and storage barrels for aging the wine. This was followed by a delicious meal of tapas and a blend of his red wine. Although Antonio spoke only in Spanish, Daniela translated his every word as he answered our questions and shared his adventure of wine making, while we enjoyed the beautiful view from his dining table at the winery. He gave us each a stalk of an herb growing outside off the patio to remember the beauty of this place.
Our next stop was at a farm dedicated to the raising of the bulls for the fights that occur throughout Spain. The farm also raises and trains the horses that support the bull fighting process in the ring. The farm was beautifully maintained with extensive stone walls and buildings with white stucco. Our guide led us on a walking tour that included facilities for branding and vaccinating the bulls. We saw a bull ring used for training and the stables where the horses are kept. Everything was clean and immaculate. Part of our tour took place on the bus as we rode through the acres of land that provide the grazing areas for the bulls and horses. A bull may be introduced into a small heard of 7 t0 8 cows to impregnate them as the bull raising farm continues to produce bulls for the ring. Only those bulls that develop a “nastiness” will make it to the ring around the age of 4 or 5. A bull fights only once and usually dies at the end of the fight at the hand of the matador. Occasionally, the bull who has fought well and gained the awesome respect of the matador and the crowd may survive the its one and only bullfight, only to eventually enter the slaughter house at a future time. The meat is used and served in restaurants. Bull fighting takes place in the spring and summer months and occurs throughout Spain. Obviously, the bull fight has its detractors, because in most cases the bull dies in the ring. The killing of the bull comes at the end of about a 20 minute fight with the matador who must kill the bull at a specific spot in the back of the neck. Although this may be a more noble way for the bull to die than the march to slaughter at a meat packing plant, a sight I witnessed many years ago at a slaughterhouse in Iowa, the idea of a bullfight is difficult to take in. The people who participate in what they call a cultural tradition and not a sport offer several different rationales for the practice. We had the opportunity to meet and listen to the matador, Raphael, who owns this bull farm. He is in his forties and has fought around a 100 fights. He answered the many questions that we had. The conversation continued back on the bus with Daniela giving her evolving view of the ethics of bull fighting.
We arrived in Ronda shortly after leaving the farm. This town sits high above a huge gorge and the surrounding country side far below. There are mountains in the distance with look out points that provide visuals of the dramatic geological formations that provide the foundation for Ronda. Our parador sits on the edge of the gorge and causes one to wonder about the impact of erosion or an earthquake on this dramatic center of living. I spent a short time in the pool, but then ran into Joe and Sue at poolside and we had a very nice discussion about the trip, living in the south, etc. We had a three course dinner of soup, veal, and a custard dessert. Daniela sat with us at dinner and told us much about the profession of tour guide. Ann, Sally, and I took a short walk around town near the hotel and the “new bridge” that spans the gorge and joins one side fo the town with other. The view from the patio outside my room is beautiful and I spent a few moments taking it all in before climbing into bed around 10 PM.
My Day in Ronda: June 24, 2019
We stayed off the bus today. After breakfast, we went on a guided walk of the old section of Rondo on the other side of the “‘New Bridge.” We crossed the bridge and took a long look at the gorge, which has been chiseled out by the river that flows through town. It’s took 5000 years. Many of the very old houses in Rondo have been restored with attention to specific regulations. Some buildings are abandoned, but many have been turned into hotels, museums, or private homes, or restored or converted churches. Churches were relaced by Mosques that the Moors build during the 700 years they controlled Spain. And then, Mosques were replaced by Church’s in 1485 and after. The streets are narrow and only cars of residential owners can maneuver the streets and park there. We learned a lot of history about the Moors, the Christians, and Ferdinand and Isabella, the monarchs who were responsible for the return of Spain to the Christians in 1485. They demanded that all Moors and Jews convert to Christianity or get out. The result was the brutality of the Spanish Inquisition.
We finished the walking tour of the Old City around noon, but then followed Daniela up the street to the Church of St. Theresa of Jesus (Avila). The cloistered Carmelite nuns begun by St. Theresa opened the secret door so that we could see the hand relic of the saint. We also enjoyed some macaroon cookies purchased by Daniela from the nuns for are enjoyment. We reconvened around 1 PM in the hotel dining room for a big lunch of gaspachio soup, guinea hen and a delicious dessert. It was intended to be our main meal of the day, since we were scheduled to attend a classical guitar concert in the evening. After lunch, we were free to spend the remainder of the afternoon until 6:45 on our own.
That is when the “fun” began for me. I spent about 90 minutes swimming and lounging by the pool. About 4:15, I went to my room to listen to music on my balcony that overlooks the countryside far below. I realized that I had left my earpod base station at the pool. When I exited the door to go out to the pool, I caught my little finger in the door and cut it very badly. The bartender made a valiant effort to bandage the cut, but the blood was extensive. I managed to go out and retrieve my earpod base. I then went to the desk and called Daniela for help. We went to the pharmacy first, but the pharmacist said that I should go to the hospital. We went to the private urgent care facility up the street; and although they changed the bandage on the the cut for no charge, they sent me on to the hospital
.
Daniela and I took a cab back to the hotel where I secured my Passport and put on shoes to replace my sandals. We then went through the Old City to the outskirts of town to the Public Hospital. I thought we would be there for hours, but I was seen in less than 10 minutes. The nurse practitioner inserted three stitches to mend the cut and rewrapped the injury. “Keep it dry, take Tylenol for the pain, look at it in 3 days and have the stitches out when I get home were my orders. We left the hospital around 6:45 and went directly to the concert where I enjoyed an excellent presentation of a variety of Spanish guitar music by Paco, including Flamingo. After the concert, I walked back to the hotel with Ann, Sally, and Yvette to have a beer and something light. Steve and Jennifer joined us for a twilight discussion on the hotel Veranda overlooking the gorge.
Ann took a glass of wine back to her room and Sally and I joined her on her balcony for some later night discussion. We talked about trips and people on our trip, but mostly enjoyed the pink colors of the sunset. The sun does not really go down until 10 PM due to some crazy agreement between Franco and Hitler on time zones almost 80 years ago. Sally and I went to the opposite side to see the lights on the New Bridge and the Gorge. They were interesting and I took a few photos with my iPhone. I flopped into bed around 11.
I want to say a few words about my experience with the Public Hospital in Rondo. It was great. The people were pleasant, the medical attention to my little finger was both quick and efficient, and the payment less than a 100 Euros, assuming they send me a bill later. I asked my nurse if they treated many bullfighters at the hospital and she responded, “A few.” As a follow -up comment, 45 days later while adding to this travelogue on the website, my finger healed quite well with only a small trace of a scar, and I am still waiting for a bill from the hospital.
Secondly, our guide Daniela was incredible as my soothing support person, manager and translator for the entire adventure. My discovery for the day was that the hospital system worked well for me, but more importantly that we have more than just a very accomplished guide on our trip. We have a committed friend who knows just what to do with a bit of trouble. It was a long day for me, but a satisfying one.
We stayed off the bus today. After breakfast, we went on a guided walk of the old section of Rondo on the other side of the “‘New Bridge.” We crossed the bridge and took a long look at the gorge, which has been chiseled out by the river that flows through town. It’s took 5000 years. Many of the very old houses in Rondo have been restored with attention to specific regulations. Some buildings are abandoned, but many have been turned into hotels, museums, or private homes, or restored or converted churches. Churches were relaced by Mosques that the Moors build during the 700 years they controlled Spain. And then, Mosques were replaced by Church’s in 1485 and after. The streets are narrow and only cars of residential owners can maneuver the streets and park there. We learned a lot of history about the Moors, the Christians, and Ferdinand and Isabella, the monarchs who were responsible for the return of Spain to the Christians in 1485. They demanded that all Moors and Jews convert to Christianity or get out. The result was the brutality of the Spanish Inquisition.
We finished the walking tour of the Old City around noon, but then followed Daniela up the street to the Church of St. Theresa of Jesus (Avila). The cloistered Carmelite nuns begun by St. Theresa opened the secret door so that we could see the hand relic of the saint. We also enjoyed some macaroon cookies purchased by Daniela from the nuns for are enjoyment. We reconvened around 1 PM in the hotel dining room for a big lunch of gaspachio soup, guinea hen and a delicious dessert. It was intended to be our main meal of the day, since we were scheduled to attend a classical guitar concert in the evening. After lunch, we were free to spend the remainder of the afternoon until 6:45 on our own.
That is when the “fun” began for me. I spent about 90 minutes swimming and lounging by the pool. About 4:15, I went to my room to listen to music on my balcony that overlooks the countryside far below. I realized that I had left my earpod base station at the pool. When I exited the door to go out to the pool, I caught my little finger in the door and cut it very badly. The bartender made a valiant effort to bandage the cut, but the blood was extensive. I managed to go out and retrieve my earpod base. I then went to the desk and called Daniela for help. We went to the pharmacy first, but the pharmacist said that I should go to the hospital. We went to the private urgent care facility up the street; and although they changed the bandage on the the cut for no charge, they sent me on to the hospital
.
Daniela and I took a cab back to the hotel where I secured my Passport and put on shoes to replace my sandals. We then went through the Old City to the outskirts of town to the Public Hospital. I thought we would be there for hours, but I was seen in less than 10 minutes. The nurse practitioner inserted three stitches to mend the cut and rewrapped the injury. “Keep it dry, take Tylenol for the pain, look at it in 3 days and have the stitches out when I get home were my orders. We left the hospital around 6:45 and went directly to the concert where I enjoyed an excellent presentation of a variety of Spanish guitar music by Paco, including Flamingo. After the concert, I walked back to the hotel with Ann, Sally, and Yvette to have a beer and something light. Steve and Jennifer joined us for a twilight discussion on the hotel Veranda overlooking the gorge.
Ann took a glass of wine back to her room and Sally and I joined her on her balcony for some later night discussion. We talked about trips and people on our trip, but mostly enjoyed the pink colors of the sunset. The sun does not really go down until 10 PM due to some crazy agreement between Franco and Hitler on time zones almost 80 years ago. Sally and I went to the opposite side to see the lights on the New Bridge and the Gorge. They were interesting and I took a few photos with my iPhone. I flopped into bed around 11.
I want to say a few words about my experience with the Public Hospital in Rondo. It was great. The people were pleasant, the medical attention to my little finger was both quick and efficient, and the payment less than a 100 Euros, assuming they send me a bill later. I asked my nurse if they treated many bullfighters at the hospital and she responded, “A few.” As a follow -up comment, 45 days later while adding to this travelogue on the website, my finger healed quite well with only a small trace of a scar, and I am still waiting for a bill from the hospital.
Secondly, our guide Daniela was incredible as my soothing support person, manager and translator for the entire adventure. My discovery for the day was that the hospital system worked well for me, but more importantly that we have more than just a very accomplished guide on our trip. We have a committed friend who knows just what to do with a bit of trouble. It was a long day for me, but a satisfying one.
Another Travel Day: to Ubeda with a Stop in Cordova: June 25, 2019
After another tasty breakfast we left Ronda about 9:00 AM. The day was promising to be a hot one with temperatures in Cordova expected to top out at 100 degrees. Water was the recommended liquid of consumption to avoid dehydration on our always hot walks. The other bit of advice was to find shade wherever we could.
We arrived in Cordoba around 11 AM and were given until 2:00 to walk around and get lunch. Ann, Sally, and I chose to walk up the Street of Flowers, which was less flowery than expected. It consisted of flower pots hanging off the side walls that lined the narrow streets. We found the museum/gallery of the five homes shared by five Islamic artists. We viewed various designs, sculptures, and photos created by the five. As we left the five homes we found a nice place in the shade of umbrellas to sip a beer or wine and enjoy a tapa. I had the pork with tomato sauce and potatoes. It was good, but too much food as usual. As we walked to the meeting place just outside the huge Mosque/Cathedral to meet our guide, I stopped and bought t-shirts for Jacob, Stella, and Landon. I thought they were overpriced, but they had nice designs on them.
Our guide led us through the old Jewish Quarter of Cordoba. The Jews enjoyed a harmonious relationship with the Moors until the latter were defeated by the Christians Ferdinand and Isabella and the Spanish Inquisition, which forced the Jews to choose between leaving their home in Cordoba or converting to Christianity. The guide made the point that until 1492 the Jews had lived in Cordoba without a serious problem and alongside the Moors for 700 years. All three religions find their origins or a part of their heritage in the Old Testament. You would think there might be enough common ground for them all to get along, but as we know in the current world climate, that has not been the case.
We then visited the Mosque constructed by the Moors and one of the biggest Mosques in the world. It was a place of worship for Muslims until the Christians drove the Moors out. Ferdinand decided not to destroy the Mosque, but rather to convert it to a Cathedral with many side altars dedicated to the saints of the Church and with the impressively large main altar in the center of the Mosque. A large number of arched supports with Muslim designs on them support the gigantic structure. The guide talked about the huge space has a place of comfort, but not of unity between Muslim and Christian. I found the “hugeness” of the facility with its arched supports less than comforting and more of a distraction to the idea of quiet prayer, whatever the religion. My traveling colleagues and our guide, Daniella, disagreed with me praised the historical value of having one of the largest Mosques in the world in Cordoba.
We found our bus and headed on for another hour to Ubeda, in the district of Jaen. It is another old town that sits on a hill high above the vast fields of olive trees below. Mountains are visible in the distance. Our parador was one of the first to open in the 30s. It is not as dramatic as the last two, but the feeling of an old structure and much tradition does permeate the place. It was originally intended to be the home of the Chaplain for the Chapel just to the left of the Parador. Sally and I enjoyed a drink in one of the open spaces in the facility with Ann and Yvette joining us for a drink before dinner. The menus included a delicious salad and a generous helping of Hake, a thick white fish that went down easily. We had dessert sampler with coffee that was delicious. I walk every day until I feel like dropping, but with all the food that i am consuming, I hope the inevitable weight gain on a trip like this will be minimal.
After another tasty breakfast we left Ronda about 9:00 AM. The day was promising to be a hot one with temperatures in Cordova expected to top out at 100 degrees. Water was the recommended liquid of consumption to avoid dehydration on our always hot walks. The other bit of advice was to find shade wherever we could.
We arrived in Cordoba around 11 AM and were given until 2:00 to walk around and get lunch. Ann, Sally, and I chose to walk up the Street of Flowers, which was less flowery than expected. It consisted of flower pots hanging off the side walls that lined the narrow streets. We found the museum/gallery of the five homes shared by five Islamic artists. We viewed various designs, sculptures, and photos created by the five. As we left the five homes we found a nice place in the shade of umbrellas to sip a beer or wine and enjoy a tapa. I had the pork with tomato sauce and potatoes. It was good, but too much food as usual. As we walked to the meeting place just outside the huge Mosque/Cathedral to meet our guide, I stopped and bought t-shirts for Jacob, Stella, and Landon. I thought they were overpriced, but they had nice designs on them.
Our guide led us through the old Jewish Quarter of Cordoba. The Jews enjoyed a harmonious relationship with the Moors until the latter were defeated by the Christians Ferdinand and Isabella and the Spanish Inquisition, which forced the Jews to choose between leaving their home in Cordoba or converting to Christianity. The guide made the point that until 1492 the Jews had lived in Cordoba without a serious problem and alongside the Moors for 700 years. All three religions find their origins or a part of their heritage in the Old Testament. You would think there might be enough common ground for them all to get along, but as we know in the current world climate, that has not been the case.
We then visited the Mosque constructed by the Moors and one of the biggest Mosques in the world. It was a place of worship for Muslims until the Christians drove the Moors out. Ferdinand decided not to destroy the Mosque, but rather to convert it to a Cathedral with many side altars dedicated to the saints of the Church and with the impressively large main altar in the center of the Mosque. A large number of arched supports with Muslim designs on them support the gigantic structure. The guide talked about the huge space has a place of comfort, but not of unity between Muslim and Christian. I found the “hugeness” of the facility with its arched supports less than comforting and more of a distraction to the idea of quiet prayer, whatever the religion. My traveling colleagues and our guide, Daniella, disagreed with me praised the historical value of having one of the largest Mosques in the world in Cordoba.
We found our bus and headed on for another hour to Ubeda, in the district of Jaen. It is another old town that sits on a hill high above the vast fields of olive trees below. Mountains are visible in the distance. Our parador was one of the first to open in the 30s. It is not as dramatic as the last two, but the feeling of an old structure and much tradition does permeate the place. It was originally intended to be the home of the Chaplain for the Chapel just to the left of the Parador. Sally and I enjoyed a drink in one of the open spaces in the facility with Ann and Yvette joining us for a drink before dinner. The menus included a delicious salad and a generous helping of Hake, a thick white fish that went down easily. We had dessert sampler with coffee that was delicious. I walk every day until I feel like dropping, but with all the food that i am consuming, I hope the inevitable weight gain on a trip like this will be minimal.
A Day in the Fields of Olive Oil: June 26, 2019
There was a walk after breakfast to visit and observe a local potterer, but his shop was down a steep hill and I chose not to go. Instead, I wandered down to the wall that runs along a cliff that overlooks another beautiful countryside. Below were numerous olive trees, mostly in rows and dotting the sandy and rocky dry soil. In the distance were mountains, not so visible in the haze of the potentially very warm day. It is hot here in south western Spain and will get hotter in the next few days as we make our way to Madrid, but the heat is a dry heat with little humidity to add to the discomforts. I took some photos of the countryside on my independent little walk.
I returned to the Parador and worked on my journal, completing the entry of the previous day. Before we left on our day trip, I removed the bandage from my stitched finger to take a look and to air it out. So far, so good. I am not in pain. I only have to compensate for the use of the finger, which is minimal, even in touch typing on this iPad.
We left the Parador for the bus and our trip to the San Francisco Olive Fields down the road a bit. It is a small family run operation that does sell its olive oil and related in products. They sell in small shops and are currently investigating shops in NYC. One of the sons rode on the bus to the fields where he gave an informative talk on the different olive trees and the various methods, old and new, for harvesting the olives. He was interesting, but his accent made it difficult to pick out every word. Nevertheless, it was a good beginning to our visit.
When we arrived back at the factory, the son gave us a tour and information about the old and new ways for pressing the olives and producing the oil. Modern day equipment makes the whole process faster and easier, hopefully not at the expense of the quality of the product. He also discussed three different types of oil the company produces based on the time of year for harvesting the olives. We had an opportunity to try the oil, with pieces of bread. The green brand, harvested later than the others was full bodied and had a small bite to it. All three were good. Members of our group helped to prepare plates of sliced tomatoes and cheese soaked in the olive oil. We topped it off with Sangria made right on the spot. After this little adventure, we moved to the table to enjoy a lunch with family of tapas and Sangria, all doused with the olive oil from the farm. It was a delicious lunch. After perusing the shop a bit, we climbed on the bus for a trip back to the hotel. I went up to my room and rested while listening to iPad music.
At 6, we left for one of the most interesting and surprising discoveries of the trip. It is called the Water Synagogue that was found in a building that was planned for destruction and the building of apartments. When they dug into the foundation and the walls they found all sorts of artifacts and structural walls, steps, and rooms, including steps leading down to a Mikveh where Jewish people have the opportunity to purify theirs souls in the cold underground water. Our guide, not a Jew, was passionate about this discovery and gave an informative and dynamic talk making the already interesting museum come alive. He talked of Jewish couples seeking marriage in the synagogue, men and women cleansing their souls in the Mikveh, and several other celebrations or rituals that are conducted in the museum. It was short, but intimate look into a discovery that has both a past and now a new present and future.
We sat outside at a local restaurant just a few hundred feet from our parador. I talked with Ann, Sally, and Yvette about the trip and other trips. We enjoyed white wine and tapas with a final dessert plate to end the meal. Ann and I joined Joe and Sue for a drink and some talk about our trip and others we have taken. There is common agreement that we have an exceptional guide in Daniela, who has navigated the backroads of our informative journey with skill, determination, and a wonderful sense of humor. We are lucky to have her.
There was a walk after breakfast to visit and observe a local potterer, but his shop was down a steep hill and I chose not to go. Instead, I wandered down to the wall that runs along a cliff that overlooks another beautiful countryside. Below were numerous olive trees, mostly in rows and dotting the sandy and rocky dry soil. In the distance were mountains, not so visible in the haze of the potentially very warm day. It is hot here in south western Spain and will get hotter in the next few days as we make our way to Madrid, but the heat is a dry heat with little humidity to add to the discomforts. I took some photos of the countryside on my independent little walk.
I returned to the Parador and worked on my journal, completing the entry of the previous day. Before we left on our day trip, I removed the bandage from my stitched finger to take a look and to air it out. So far, so good. I am not in pain. I only have to compensate for the use of the finger, which is minimal, even in touch typing on this iPad.
We left the Parador for the bus and our trip to the San Francisco Olive Fields down the road a bit. It is a small family run operation that does sell its olive oil and related in products. They sell in small shops and are currently investigating shops in NYC. One of the sons rode on the bus to the fields where he gave an informative talk on the different olive trees and the various methods, old and new, for harvesting the olives. He was interesting, but his accent made it difficult to pick out every word. Nevertheless, it was a good beginning to our visit.
When we arrived back at the factory, the son gave us a tour and information about the old and new ways for pressing the olives and producing the oil. Modern day equipment makes the whole process faster and easier, hopefully not at the expense of the quality of the product. He also discussed three different types of oil the company produces based on the time of year for harvesting the olives. We had an opportunity to try the oil, with pieces of bread. The green brand, harvested later than the others was full bodied and had a small bite to it. All three were good. Members of our group helped to prepare plates of sliced tomatoes and cheese soaked in the olive oil. We topped it off with Sangria made right on the spot. After this little adventure, we moved to the table to enjoy a lunch with family of tapas and Sangria, all doused with the olive oil from the farm. It was a delicious lunch. After perusing the shop a bit, we climbed on the bus for a trip back to the hotel. I went up to my room and rested while listening to iPad music.
At 6, we left for one of the most interesting and surprising discoveries of the trip. It is called the Water Synagogue that was found in a building that was planned for destruction and the building of apartments. When they dug into the foundation and the walls they found all sorts of artifacts and structural walls, steps, and rooms, including steps leading down to a Mikveh where Jewish people have the opportunity to purify theirs souls in the cold underground water. Our guide, not a Jew, was passionate about this discovery and gave an informative and dynamic talk making the already interesting museum come alive. He talked of Jewish couples seeking marriage in the synagogue, men and women cleansing their souls in the Mikveh, and several other celebrations or rituals that are conducted in the museum. It was short, but intimate look into a discovery that has both a past and now a new present and future.
We sat outside at a local restaurant just a few hundred feet from our parador. I talked with Ann, Sally, and Yvette about the trip and other trips. We enjoyed white wine and tapas with a final dessert plate to end the meal. Ann and I joined Joe and Sue for a drink and some talk about our trip and others we have taken. There is common agreement that we have an exceptional guide in Daniela, who has navigated the backroads of our informative journey with skill, determination, and a wonderful sense of humor. We are lucky to have her.
On to Madrid with a Stop in Toledo: June 27, 2019
Our first stop on the road to Madrid was at Casa Pepe, a pit stop owned by a right wing Spanish fanatic who still supports Franco and all that he stood for. Daniela made it clear that the reason we were stopping was so that we could witness that such a place exists. She told us not to buy anything and to not flush the toilets. It was a depressing place with signs and logos everywhere calling for a return to the old days of the dictatorship. I guess that I was glad we saw it, but it reminded me that the dangers of ultra nationalism and discrimination against others exist everywhere, including now in our own country.
A vende in bygone days of travel was a stop along the way to refresh on a long trip. Puerto Lapice in the State of La Mancha is a small village on the road to Madrid where Cervantes mentions that Don Quixote and Sancho Panza stopped on their way to killing windmills and other adventures. I visited a small museum dedicated to the classic Spanish work of literature and took some photos. Saffron is grown in the countryside, so this was a place where you could purchase it. I went into the small Church in the center of town and lit a candle for Terry. Our short stay was both refreshing and rewarding. We were served a so called “second breakfast” with and egg dish and a coke zero. It was a light lunch that would get us through the trip to Toledo and on to Madrid.
The heat wave has hit this part of Spain. It was reported to be 105 degrees. It is a dry heat, so it is more bearable than the mid 90s with high humidity in Mt. Pleasant. However, we spent the next several hours walking the narrow streets of Toledo looking for shade and seeking shelter from the sun. We took an excalator too get to the top of the city from the bus. After a brief walk on our own, the purchase of a scarf for Ann of Mt. Pleasant, and an ice cream for me, we were led by Carlos, our guide. As we descended past the Cathedral, we paid a visit to the church with a famous painting by El Greco of the crucified Jesus surrounded by his apostles and others, including a selfie of El Greco himself and the face of his wife depicted on the Blessed Mother. Carlos took a long time to explain the painting to us and its history hanging in the Church. We were not permitted to take photos of the painting. He then led us the rest of the way down the hill streets of Toledo to the bridge that is the entry way into town and to our bus. I was worried that the heat would take its toll, but we all survived and made it back to our bus. An hour later and 40 km down the road, we entered the city of Madrid. Our hotel is in the center of town, just a block away from a street similar to Broadway in NYC. There are theaters with familiar bill boards, only in Spanish. The hotel is nice, but not as quaint and uniques as the pousades and paradoxes that have been our homes along the backroads of Iberia. We took another walk in the still warm evening to our restaurant where we enjoyed some wine and a very tasty chicken entre with a delicious red sauce. Ice cream finished the meal and we returned to the Mayorazgo and our very comfortable rooms. It was after 10 and we were all ready to call it a day.
Our first stop on the road to Madrid was at Casa Pepe, a pit stop owned by a right wing Spanish fanatic who still supports Franco and all that he stood for. Daniela made it clear that the reason we were stopping was so that we could witness that such a place exists. She told us not to buy anything and to not flush the toilets. It was a depressing place with signs and logos everywhere calling for a return to the old days of the dictatorship. I guess that I was glad we saw it, but it reminded me that the dangers of ultra nationalism and discrimination against others exist everywhere, including now in our own country.
A vende in bygone days of travel was a stop along the way to refresh on a long trip. Puerto Lapice in the State of La Mancha is a small village on the road to Madrid where Cervantes mentions that Don Quixote and Sancho Panza stopped on their way to killing windmills and other adventures. I visited a small museum dedicated to the classic Spanish work of literature and took some photos. Saffron is grown in the countryside, so this was a place where you could purchase it. I went into the small Church in the center of town and lit a candle for Terry. Our short stay was both refreshing and rewarding. We were served a so called “second breakfast” with and egg dish and a coke zero. It was a light lunch that would get us through the trip to Toledo and on to Madrid.
The heat wave has hit this part of Spain. It was reported to be 105 degrees. It is a dry heat, so it is more bearable than the mid 90s with high humidity in Mt. Pleasant. However, we spent the next several hours walking the narrow streets of Toledo looking for shade and seeking shelter from the sun. We took an excalator too get to the top of the city from the bus. After a brief walk on our own, the purchase of a scarf for Ann of Mt. Pleasant, and an ice cream for me, we were led by Carlos, our guide. As we descended past the Cathedral, we paid a visit to the church with a famous painting by El Greco of the crucified Jesus surrounded by his apostles and others, including a selfie of El Greco himself and the face of his wife depicted on the Blessed Mother. Carlos took a long time to explain the painting to us and its history hanging in the Church. We were not permitted to take photos of the painting. He then led us the rest of the way down the hill streets of Toledo to the bridge that is the entry way into town and to our bus. I was worried that the heat would take its toll, but we all survived and made it back to our bus. An hour later and 40 km down the road, we entered the city of Madrid. Our hotel is in the center of town, just a block away from a street similar to Broadway in NYC. There are theaters with familiar bill boards, only in Spanish. The hotel is nice, but not as quaint and uniques as the pousades and paradoxes that have been our homes along the backroads of Iberia. We took another walk in the still warm evening to our restaurant where we enjoyed some wine and a very tasty chicken entre with a delicious red sauce. Ice cream finished the meal and we returned to the Mayorazgo and our very comfortable rooms. It was after 10 and we were all ready to call it a day.
A Bus Tour of Madrid and a Side Trip to Segovia (Not): June 28, 2019
Our first full day in Madrid promised to very hot. The prediction was 105 degrees. I had a reading of 108 late in the afternoon. Before that blast of heat we had a bus tour of the city in the morning with a couple of stops at the main park in the city, similar to Central Park in NYC. Martha was our guide and she expertly shared with us the history of the landscapes, architecture, and evolution of Madrid as a major city. She did a good job of leading us around in shady spots, not hard in the park, but more difficult when we left the bus to walk the main plaza at the end of her tour. Around noon, we found a calamari restaurant with the help of Daniela who made sure our hunger was satisfied with seafood rings of lightly fried tasty morsels embedded. in huge pieces of bread. Washed down with a beer around a cozy table with new friends was a great way to enjoy lunch.
We met up with the others at 1:15 to walk to the bus station, board a new bus with a new driver to spend a steamy, hot afternoon in Segovia. The bus, however, was not up to the trip. About 45 minutes outside of town, the air conditioning system on the bus malfunctioned and because the day was so hot, Daniela canceled the trip and we found a suburban mall to spend the next 90 minutes waiting fora substitute bus to take us back to the city. Daniela bought us some ice cream and we waited in a cool mall for the bus to arrive to take us back. I think in some ways it was fortunate that we cancelled the trip to Segovia, because of the heat. Daniela had scheduled taxis to take us to the top of the hill where Segovia sits, so that our walk in the heat would have beenl down hill.
We returned to Madrid about 5 PM and I worked on my iPad a bit and then had a beer with Daniela in the small bar in the lobby. Sue and Joe joined us for more conversation and then Sally and Ann arrived. Daniela had some paper work to do and went to her room. The five us sat and talked some more and then decided to go the recommended Italian restaurant two blocks from the hotel. It was still 105 degrees outside. We spent the next half hour trying to find the restaurant, using the map and some attempts to communicate with the locals. We were unsuccessful. We ended up at the fancy food court on top of a red brick building a few blocks up Gran Via and off to the right. A sandwich of beef or chicken was had by all washed down with wine or beer, and we satisfied our hunger. We had some difficulty with elevators getting from the Ninth to the first floor, but escalators in the department store helped us out. It was 10 10 PM and 99 degrees as we walked back to the hotel. The streets were crowed with locals and tourists. Madrid is a big town with lots of activity going on until late into the night. I was beginning to long for the quieter towns we had visited on the backroads of Iberia.
Our first full day in Madrid promised to very hot. The prediction was 105 degrees. I had a reading of 108 late in the afternoon. Before that blast of heat we had a bus tour of the city in the morning with a couple of stops at the main park in the city, similar to Central Park in NYC. Martha was our guide and she expertly shared with us the history of the landscapes, architecture, and evolution of Madrid as a major city. She did a good job of leading us around in shady spots, not hard in the park, but more difficult when we left the bus to walk the main plaza at the end of her tour. Around noon, we found a calamari restaurant with the help of Daniela who made sure our hunger was satisfied with seafood rings of lightly fried tasty morsels embedded. in huge pieces of bread. Washed down with a beer around a cozy table with new friends was a great way to enjoy lunch.
We met up with the others at 1:15 to walk to the bus station, board a new bus with a new driver to spend a steamy, hot afternoon in Segovia. The bus, however, was not up to the trip. About 45 minutes outside of town, the air conditioning system on the bus malfunctioned and because the day was so hot, Daniela canceled the trip and we found a suburban mall to spend the next 90 minutes waiting fora substitute bus to take us back to the city. Daniela bought us some ice cream and we waited in a cool mall for the bus to arrive to take us back. I think in some ways it was fortunate that we cancelled the trip to Segovia, because of the heat. Daniela had scheduled taxis to take us to the top of the hill where Segovia sits, so that our walk in the heat would have beenl down hill.
We returned to Madrid about 5 PM and I worked on my iPad a bit and then had a beer with Daniela in the small bar in the lobby. Sue and Joe joined us for more conversation and then Sally and Ann arrived. Daniela had some paper work to do and went to her room. The five us sat and talked some more and then decided to go the recommended Italian restaurant two blocks from the hotel. It was still 105 degrees outside. We spent the next half hour trying to find the restaurant, using the map and some attempts to communicate with the locals. We were unsuccessful. We ended up at the fancy food court on top of a red brick building a few blocks up Gran Via and off to the right. A sandwich of beef or chicken was had by all washed down with wine or beer, and we satisfied our hunger. We had some difficulty with elevators getting from the Ninth to the first floor, but escalators in the department store helped us out. It was 10 10 PM and 99 degrees as we walked back to the hotel. The streets were crowed with locals and tourists. Madrid is a big town with lots of activity going on until late into the night. I was beginning to long for the quieter towns we had visited on the backroads of Iberia.
Our Last Day on the Trip: June 29, 2019
It is a Saturday and the last full day on the trip. Tomorrow, the dynamic 14 plus an exceptional leader will fly home to families and friends. We started the day with Dani leading us on a tour to the Cathedral and Cript of Madrid. It is an “eclectic” building integrating several different styles into a single cathedral. The photos demonstrate the variety of design in the cathedral. I lit an electronic candle for Terry at one of the side altars that venerated a saint. We then visited the Cript, which is a church unto itself where the family of former dictator Francisco Franco wants his remains to be buried. This is a controversial decision where apparently the Pope has deferred to the local church authorities in Spain. The very wealthy of Spain have chosen to be buried in this substantial structure as noted in the photos. After this somber, but interesting beginning to our day, Dani bought those of us who followed her lead with a delicious hot chocolate at a place famous for chocolate in Madrid, near the Cathedral. We dipped our pastries into the thick liquid and savored the taste of rich chocolate on this hot day.
We departed from Daniela after our chocolate break and five of us, including Ann, Sally, Yvette, and Libby took Bus #6 to the Thyssen Art Gallery where we reviewed a collection of art built over two generations by a single family. It was a cool and very pleasing way to spend a couple of hours in hot Madrid on this final day. I tried to find some paintings that reminded me of Terry’s work and I took some photos and bought some postcards of those items. We returned to the hotel, quite easily, on Bus #2, and I commenced reshuffling my large suitcase for the trip home.
Just a few words about Navigating Madrid. It is a very crowded city, which for the past several days has exceeded 100 degrees without hardly trying. We were constantly warned about pick pockets and so I was constantly checking my front right pocket to see if my wallet was there. It was. My camera resided in my left front pocket and I was pulling that out from time to time to take another photo. Unlike Manhattan, this town is not laid out north to south and east to west. Rather, it is fan like, spreading in directions emanating from an argued center at the Cathedral and the King’s Palace. All the maps in the world could not easily provide a clear path from one point to another, and it was quite easy to take a wrong turn. However, like always in big cities that I have visited, I became convinced that with a few more days in the city, I would master the transit system. I did not take the subway, but I did find the bus system quite helpful.
At 5:30 we gathered in a back room of the hotel restaurant and reviewed the trip with Dani. She mostly narrated the review asking us questions along the way. She gave some gifts to some long time OAT travelers and thanked us all for being a fun group. Somewhere along the line, she thought that I resembled Woody Allen with what was in her terms a neurotic sense of humor. She said it was a compliment. I was not so sure
.
We then followed our leader to the restaurant a few blocks up the street and over a bit. Together, we located the cozy place for our final dinner. The evening began with a wonderful and exciting presentation of Flamenco Dancing by three well adorned individuals, a woman dancer, a male singer, and a male guitar player. They explained and demonstrated the structure of the guitar and singing style, while the woman demonstrated the dance beautifully as depicted in my photos. We then asked questions and we were taught the rythem of the Flamenco hand clapping that accompanies the music and the dance.
.
The staff then set a beautiful table for our meal. With Daniela’s permission I offered a toastt to Dani and the group by singing Lennon and McCartney’s “In my Life.” I got through it with a clear voice and without forgetting the words. It seemed too be received well by the group. My excuse for making the toast was that I was the oldest in the group. Our meal was quite filling with a variety of tasty appetizers, a delicious “sea bass,” a piece of bison, and lots of red or white wine. I topped my meal off with rice pudding.
It was a wonderful final meal as a traveling group. We gave Daniela all sorts of positive feedback, particularly fo her performance as our fearless leader. The group loved the back roads of the trip with its smaller towns, pousades and paradors, wonderful discoveries gained from interactions with local people and the Portuguese and Spanish cultures. We celebrated often with plenty of good food and wine. Luis, our bus driver for most of the trip was excellent. The coach he drove stood up well as we climbed the hills and navigated the farm fields of the back country. We traveled with a great group, a great leader to guide us and teach us, and supported with a superb itinerary. We fly out tomorrow, back to the U.S, and our usual lives; but with new knowledge and perspectives on life in Portugal and Spain.
It is a Saturday and the last full day on the trip. Tomorrow, the dynamic 14 plus an exceptional leader will fly home to families and friends. We started the day with Dani leading us on a tour to the Cathedral and Cript of Madrid. It is an “eclectic” building integrating several different styles into a single cathedral. The photos demonstrate the variety of design in the cathedral. I lit an electronic candle for Terry at one of the side altars that venerated a saint. We then visited the Cript, which is a church unto itself where the family of former dictator Francisco Franco wants his remains to be buried. This is a controversial decision where apparently the Pope has deferred to the local church authorities in Spain. The very wealthy of Spain have chosen to be buried in this substantial structure as noted in the photos. After this somber, but interesting beginning to our day, Dani bought those of us who followed her lead with a delicious hot chocolate at a place famous for chocolate in Madrid, near the Cathedral. We dipped our pastries into the thick liquid and savored the taste of rich chocolate on this hot day.
We departed from Daniela after our chocolate break and five of us, including Ann, Sally, Yvette, and Libby took Bus #6 to the Thyssen Art Gallery where we reviewed a collection of art built over two generations by a single family. It was a cool and very pleasing way to spend a couple of hours in hot Madrid on this final day. I tried to find some paintings that reminded me of Terry’s work and I took some photos and bought some postcards of those items. We returned to the hotel, quite easily, on Bus #2, and I commenced reshuffling my large suitcase for the trip home.
Just a few words about Navigating Madrid. It is a very crowded city, which for the past several days has exceeded 100 degrees without hardly trying. We were constantly warned about pick pockets and so I was constantly checking my front right pocket to see if my wallet was there. It was. My camera resided in my left front pocket and I was pulling that out from time to time to take another photo. Unlike Manhattan, this town is not laid out north to south and east to west. Rather, it is fan like, spreading in directions emanating from an argued center at the Cathedral and the King’s Palace. All the maps in the world could not easily provide a clear path from one point to another, and it was quite easy to take a wrong turn. However, like always in big cities that I have visited, I became convinced that with a few more days in the city, I would master the transit system. I did not take the subway, but I did find the bus system quite helpful.
At 5:30 we gathered in a back room of the hotel restaurant and reviewed the trip with Dani. She mostly narrated the review asking us questions along the way. She gave some gifts to some long time OAT travelers and thanked us all for being a fun group. Somewhere along the line, she thought that I resembled Woody Allen with what was in her terms a neurotic sense of humor. She said it was a compliment. I was not so sure
.
We then followed our leader to the restaurant a few blocks up the street and over a bit. Together, we located the cozy place for our final dinner. The evening began with a wonderful and exciting presentation of Flamenco Dancing by three well adorned individuals, a woman dancer, a male singer, and a male guitar player. They explained and demonstrated the structure of the guitar and singing style, while the woman demonstrated the dance beautifully as depicted in my photos. We then asked questions and we were taught the rythem of the Flamenco hand clapping that accompanies the music and the dance.
.
The staff then set a beautiful table for our meal. With Daniela’s permission I offered a toastt to Dani and the group by singing Lennon and McCartney’s “In my Life.” I got through it with a clear voice and without forgetting the words. It seemed too be received well by the group. My excuse for making the toast was that I was the oldest in the group. Our meal was quite filling with a variety of tasty appetizers, a delicious “sea bass,” a piece of bison, and lots of red or white wine. I topped my meal off with rice pudding.
It was a wonderful final meal as a traveling group. We gave Daniela all sorts of positive feedback, particularly fo her performance as our fearless leader. The group loved the back roads of the trip with its smaller towns, pousades and paradors, wonderful discoveries gained from interactions with local people and the Portuguese and Spanish cultures. We celebrated often with plenty of good food and wine. Luis, our bus driver for most of the trip was excellent. The coach he drove stood up well as we climbed the hills and navigated the farm fields of the back country. We traveled with a great group, a great leader to guide us and teach us, and supported with a superb itinerary. We fly out tomorrow, back to the U.S, and our usual lives; but with new knowledge and perspectives on life in Portugal and Spain.
Flying Home: June 30, 2019
After consuming one last breakfast at the hotel in Madrid, I left for the airport at 7;30 AM. I had no trouble checking in and navigating my way through security. So, that was all accomplished by 8:45 and I had two hours to wait to board my United Flight to Dulles in Washington, DC. The flight took 8 hours, but sitting on the aisle made it easy for me to get up and walk or stretch during the flight. There were two young women from Spain on their way to the U.S for a summer program and they chatted in Spanish for the whole trip, but sleeping on a plane does not work for me, so I watched the progress of the flight on the screen in front of me and the time went by. I had another two hour weight in Washington until I boarded the small plane for the trip to Charleston. Once in the air, the flight lasted for about an hour and fifteen minutes. I arrived at 7:00 PM on time. My flight home was a smoother experience than the one day delay I experienced at the beginning of the trip.
I was home after a two week visit to two magical countries that I hope the narrative above captures in a way that is interesting to you the reader.
After consuming one last breakfast at the hotel in Madrid, I left for the airport at 7;30 AM. I had no trouble checking in and navigating my way through security. So, that was all accomplished by 8:45 and I had two hours to wait to board my United Flight to Dulles in Washington, DC. The flight took 8 hours, but sitting on the aisle made it easy for me to get up and walk or stretch during the flight. There were two young women from Spain on their way to the U.S for a summer program and they chatted in Spanish for the whole trip, but sleeping on a plane does not work for me, so I watched the progress of the flight on the screen in front of me and the time went by. I had another two hour weight in Washington until I boarded the small plane for the trip to Charleston. Once in the air, the flight lasted for about an hour and fifteen minutes. I arrived at 7:00 PM on time. My flight home was a smoother experience than the one day delay I experienced at the beginning of the trip.
I was home after a two week visit to two magical countries that I hope the narrative above captures in a way that is interesting to you the reader.
A Final Reflection: July 3, 2019
I completed the trip evaluation form on line yesterday, after a three day period of return from the trip. I rated the trip as excellent for the following four reasons:
I completed the trip evaluation form on line yesterday, after a three day period of return from the trip. I rated the trip as excellent for the following four reasons:
- The hotel accommodations, particularly at the Pousada in Evora, Portugal and the Paradors in Carmona, Ronda, and Ubeda, Spain were exceptional and dramatic in their reconstructed states from ancient structures of convents, town halls, castles, etc. The accommodations were most comfortable, but the ambiance of each of these old structures was memorable and special.
- The visits with local members of the various communities we visited were also exceptional. The narrative above details the neighborhood interactions, home visits, farm visits, factory visits, and cooking experiences we had along the way. This made the trip more than just a tour, but a true effort to connect our fourteen travelers with a very special view of the two cultures of Portugal and Spain.
- The food and wine we enjoyed at each phase of the trip did not help the waist line, but did connect our stomachs and taste buds to the two cultures. Breakfast each morning was filled with choices and all the lunches and dinners were special, regardless of the size of the meal or where it took place. The special stops along the way in between meals for ice cream or a snack only added to the gastronomical ambiance of the trip.
- Our tour director, Daniela Castillo, was the glue that held all fourteen of us together. Her surprise discoveries like stopping in the Sunflower field to smell the flowers, or at the Casa Pepe pit stop, so that we could get a taste of the political remains from the Franco dictatorship, or the Flamenco Dance demonstration are just three of the many little added experiences she brought to the trip. There are many more, but I hope it comes through my narrative loud and clear that Daniela is one of a kind tour director. Her exclamation of Brexit one morning on the bus and its impact on the European Union was exceptional and clarifying for me. It was good to hear the viewpoint of a person who values the European Union and the importance of the continuance of its influence in the global scheme of things.
