FUN-travel: La Alhambra – Granada, Spain

September 3, 2012 by · 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 · 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 · 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 · 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 · 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.

 

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