FUN-travel: La Alhambra – Granada, Spain
September 3, 2012 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on FUN-travel: La Alhambra – Granada, Spain
Trip Day 47 – Sunday, August 26 – Granada, Spain
Palacios Nazaries
What I LIKE
Palacios Nazaries
- being able to sleep in the walled city of La Alhambra
- 8:00 – good, hot coffee on patio overlooking gardens
- nice fresh fruit & sandwich for later
- 10:00 – depart for guided tour of La Alhambra
- 10:30 – start our tour
- headsets are provided so you can hear the guide
- Enrique – very dapper man – is the “best” guide we’ve had in Spain
- 1st stop – Palacio del Partal
- 2nd stop – Charles V’s Palace – impressive Renaissance building
- 3rd stop – Palacios Nazaries – the jewel of Alhambra – 14th century Moorish royal palace – consists of carved wood ceilings, ceramic tiles, molded-plaster walls, stucco “stalactites” & filigree windows – impressive size of 9 different rooms & areas
- 4th stop – Alcazaba – the original 13th century fortress
- 5th stop – Generalife Gardens – Sultan’s summer palace & the vegetable & fruit gardens
- 1:30 – back to parador – beer & siesta
- 8:45 – dinner on patio – Carpaccio, broad beans with jamon, baked cod – Anta Banderas (Antonio Banderas winery)
- dessert splurge – melody of sherbet & fresh fruit
Generalife
- no bugs
- warm & not humid
What I DIDN”T LIKE
- still bothered by being charged for dinner in Nerja
- shame on me for not checking or asking @ check in
FF (FUN-fact) – The Alhambra is the last and greatest Moorish palace in Europe.
More FF – The Parador de Granada San Francisco was once a Moorish palace and was converted into a Franciscan monastery in the 14th century.
FUN-travel: Nerja to Granada, Spain
September 3, 2012 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on FUN-travel: Nerja to Granada, Spain
Trip Day 46 – Saturday, August 25 – Nerja to Granada, Spain & La Alhambra
Granada
What I LIKE
Alcaicería
- 8:30 – good hot coffee
- 9:30 – take lift down to beach
- walk along promenade & back on the sand
- 10:30 – breakfast fruit & sandwich for later
- 12:00 – checkout & ready for next big adventure
- 1:30 – arrive Granada
- 2:00 – check into parador in La Alhambra
- 2:30 – beer on patio overlooking gardens
- 4:30 – 10-minute walk down hill to city of Granada
- using Rick Steves guided tour – start @ Plaza Nueva – see Cathedral – Royal Chapel Square
- Plaza de Bib-Rambla – the original main square & focal point of market & festivals
- Alcaiceria – originally a Moorish silk market with 200 shops – packed into narrow alleyways
- Plaza Isabel La Católica – beautiful statue shows Columbus unfurling a long contract with Isabel
- 6:00 back to Plaza Nueva for a beer
- then walk up Paseo de los Tristes –
- “walk of the sad ones” – once the route of funeral processions to the cemetery
- take the #31 mini bus to Albayzín – walk up to San Nicolás church – majestic views of La Alhambra
View of La Alhambra
- 8:00 bus back to Plaza Nueva – tapas & beer stop @ restaurant with sign that reads “Los mejores tapas en todo el mundo” – broadbeans & ham – YUM!
Plaza Isabel La Católica
- 8:30 – dinner Cunini – locals love this place – bar is standing room only – we have table outside – fresh veggie salad & sea bass
- taxi back up hill $10 Euro
What I DIDN”T LIKE
- charged $94 Euro for breakfast
- dinner was included but no one told us @ check-in
- during high season hotels add “half & full board” charges
- would have liked to spend more time here
- need to make sure you order fillet of fish otherwise you get whole fish with bones (ordered turbot on waiter suggestion, had to send back)
FF (FUN-fact) – For a time, Granada was the grandest city in Spain.
FUN-travel: Tarifa to Gibraltar, UK to Nerja, Spain
September 2, 2012 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on FUN-travel: Tarifa to Gibraltar, UK to Nerja, Spain
Trip Day 45 – Friday, August 24 – Tarifa to Gibraltar, UK to Nerja, Spain
Rock of Gibraltar
What I LIKE
- 7:30 – coffee @ La Palmera Churreria – locals breakfast spot
- they have a niche market – very limited menu – & they’re packed
- have great FUN just being with them
- 10:00 – load up & head out!
- 11:30 – arrive Gibraltar
- parking garage just outside saves from us from actually driving in & having to wait in a very long line
- good walk through town
- nice breeze – 80’s
- 12:30 – take aerial tram to top of rock
- see monkeys with brand new babies
- see where John & Yoko got married
- 1:30 – lunch stop @ Angry Friar – fish & chips, beer
- 2:30 – back to car
- easy in & out – (cars backed up 2 miles to get into Gibraltar)
Mama & Baby
- 5:00 – arrive Nerja – staying @ Parador
Nerja Plaza
- grand outdoor patio overlooking the sea
- pool & grass terraces high on the bluff
- views of the mountains to the north
- 8:00 – walk into main plaza
- Balcón de Europa – pedestrian only
- really cute & upscale feel – the Laguna Beach of the Cost Del Sol
- 8:40 – dinner @ Haveli – Indian restaurant – chicken vindaloo, rice, dal & garlic nan – food just so-so
What I DIDN”T LIKE
- parador is from the 60’s – not much charm – just location
FF (FUN-fact) – We still haven’t figured out how the people in Spain eat dinner so late at night and get up and go to work.
Balcón de Europa
FUN-travel: Northern Spain – Alcaníz to Barcelona, Spain
July 31, 2012 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on FUN-travel: Northern Spain – Alcaníz to Barcelona, Spain
Day 18 – Friday, July 27 – Alcaníz to Barcelona, Spain
Parador Courtyard
What I LIKE
Church in Parador
- chose Alcaníz stop to shorten drive back to Barcelona
- only 200 kms drive today
- don’t need Garmin & maps for next two weeks!
- breaking up the driving with cruising
- having someone else in charge of where we go
- caught thief attempting to “pinch” the backpack off top of luggage yelled & he dropped it
- got my “wake up call” to never, ever look away from belongings
- get a taxi to ship terminal
- arrive 1:40 pm
What I DON’T LIKE
- takes more time – only 2 lane roads through small towns
More Parador
- not having street signs that match Garmin directions
- a bit difficult finding Hertz in downtown Barcelona
- almost got backpack stolen in front of Hertz – only thing in it were passports
FF (FUN-fact) – Spain is the size of Nevada & Utah combined.
TIRA – (Things I Remembered After)
- San Sebastian has a “mini Rio” feel with statue of Christ high on the hill overlooking the bay & city.
- When ordering Spanish wine the degree of quality ranges from –
- Crianza – then Reserva – then Gran Reserva
- 4 glasses of wine with 8 tapas & water only costs 9 Euro in Sigüenza.
Northern Spain Trip Recap – The major roads were great to drive on and well marked. Everyone is very nice & helpful (especially when we needed directions in town). The cities were clean and well maintained. Food & beverages were very reasonably priced. Pamplona was fabulous with its civilized debauchery – Santiago Cathedral was spectacular – Segovia’s main plaza was magical with the authentic local experience.
FUN-travel: Northern Spain – Sigüenza to Alcaníz, Spain
July 31, 2012 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on FUN-travel: Northern Spain – Sigüenza to Alcaníz, Spain
Day 17 – Thursday, July 26 – Sigüenza to Alcaníz , Spain
Our Parador
What I LIKE
- breaking up the long drive back to Barcelona
- only takes 3 hours
- Garmin still works!
- Parador is at the top of the hill overlooking town
- dinner here is quite good again
What I DON’T LIKE
- kind of on Castle, Palace, Monastery, Church overload
- feeling a bit sequestered up here so don’t venture down to town
FF (FUN-fact) – A cafeteria in Spain is a cafe that serves food all day.