FUN-travel: Northern Spain – Segovia to Sigüenza, Spain

July 27, 2012 by · Comments Off on FUN-travel: Northern Spain – Segovia to Sigüenza, Spain 

Day 16 – Wednesday, July 25 – Segovia to Sigüenza , Spain

Segovia

What I LIKE

La Granja

  • freedom of having a car
  • being able to deviate from plans
  • take off instead of staying here 2 nights
  • Garmin still works!
  • stop @ La Granja Palace – aka “Mini Versailles” – includes palace, gardens and sculptural fountains – incredible amount of art, tapestries, furniture and paintings -painted ceilings with massive gold leaf detail are some of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen
  • arrive 4 pm to yet another cute Parador – old castle sits high atop the hill overlooking the very small town
  • 7 pm walk down to town takes 15 minutes – see Plaza Mayor & Church ending up in Alameda Park – where all the action is – several blocks long sitting @ outdoor cafe sipping wine and watching everyone
  • thunder in the distance cools the warm night air
  • 30 minutes later it’s pouring @ we’ve run across the street to sit in the restaurant
  • venture out in the rain to go 1 block down to recommended restaurant
  • El Doncel is excellent! – have scallop appetizer, nice mixed salad, & sea bass – more good wine – Carmelo Rodero Crianza
  • rain has stopped for walk back to Parador

La Granja

What I DON’T LIKE

La Granja

  • can’t think of anything

FF (FUN-fact) – All over Spain when you order a drink you get free tapas – little mini sandwiches or a small portion of some other local dish.

FUN-travel: Northern Spain – Salamanca to Ávila to Segovia, Spain

July 26, 2012 by · Comments Off on FUN-travel: Northern Spain – Salamanca to Ávila to Segovia, Spain 

Day 15 – Tuesday, July 24 – Salamanca to Ávila to Segovia, Spain

Ávila

What I LIKE

  • hot coffee only costs 2 Euro @ Parador
  • 11:00 take 15 minute walk to the Art Nouveau Museum – 2 floors of bronze sculptures, ceramic & porcelain figurines, paintings, furniture & an incredible doll collection dating to 1860 – really beautiful!
  • Garmin works!
  • Euro is down to 1.20 to the dollar!
  • much warmer this morning
  • finally getting on “Spain Time” – get up late – drink wine with lunch – take siesta – wake up and repeat – go to bed late
  • 1 hr drive to Ávila – OMG Camelot for sure! – another walled city
  • free parking lot has security surveillance
  • lunch – local dish of huge white beans & ham stew – nice mixed salad

Roman Aqueduct

  • walking back to car realize we’re parked next to Police Station (what are the chances)
  • 3:30 head off to Segovia – only takes 1 hr
  • Parador sits high on the hill overlooking the “old city” – more panoramic views like Salamanca

    Segovia Cathedral

  • 7:30 take taxi to “old city”
  • 1st stop – Roman Aqueduct – really massive & impressive
  • 2nd stop – Cathedral – it too is really massive & impressive
  • 3rd stop – Alcázar – palace too is really massive & impressive
  • 4th stop – Plaza Mayor  for dinner – mixed salad & grilled tuna – Juan Gil 18 – Jumilla wine – quite good!
  • being serenaded on plaza by piano player
  • love watching all the families out & about
  • kids actually playing – no Ipods or computer games

What I DON’T LIKE

Alcázar

  • paranoid about leaving car in lot with all of our luggage inside

    Ávila Cathedral at City Wall

  • really hot mid-day
  • Parador is 20 years old & dated – too new for my tastes & too big & too expensive (prices have been all over the board depending on availability)

(FUN-fact) – The Paradors offer a 5 night card for 525 Euros. Much less expensive than we have been paying per night. Breakfast is not included but we don’t eat that much anyway. Breakfast charges have varied from 20 to 40 Euros for two people. We’d rather spend that money on lunch or dinner. When breakfast is included we always make a sandwich with the meats & cheeses and have it for lunch.

More FF (FUN-fact) – Segovia wins a Gold Medal for the most delightful, authentic local experience in our Travel Olympics.

FUN-travel: Northern Spain – Salamanca, Spain

July 25, 2012 by · Comments Off on FUN-travel: Northern Spain – Salamanca, Spain 

Day 14 – Monday, July 23 – Salamanca, Spain

University of Salamanca

What I LIKE

  • another beautiful day – cool in morning
  • computer is still working
  • 10:30 – 12:30 nice walk through old town
  • go to University – the oldest in Spain – built 1230
  • McDonalds has coffee for 1 Euro – just off Plaza Mayor (coffee there costs 3 Euro)
  • best lunch so far @ Parador – roasted peppers & tuna salad – broad bean & chorizo stew – nice white wine from Duero region
  • take siesta
  • happy hour on the large veranda overlooking the old city
  • dinner @ Parador quite good – large plate of fresh grilled vegetables – grilled tuna on mashed potatoes – more nice wine from Duero region

What I DON’T LIKE

  • computer screen reads “no operating system found” – take out battery & restart
  • many businesses & tourist attractions are closed on Monday
  • too much meat, cheese, bread & mayo for me

FF (FUN-fact) –  There are many stores selling Ibérco ham in varying degrees of quality. 18 Euros for 100 grams (4 0z) of the best – acorn only fed pigs.

FUN-travel: Northern Spain – Santiago de Compostela to Salamanca, Spain

July 24, 2012 by · Comments Off on FUN-travel: Northern Spain – Santiago de Compostela to Salamanca, Spain 

Day 13 – Sunday, July 22 – Santiago de Compostela to Salamanca, Spain

Salamanca Cathedral

What I LIKE

Plaza Mayor

  • another beautiful sunny day
  • turns out this Parador is 5 ***** and the “best address in Santiago”
  • get map & directions out of town from reception
  • get to Salamanca @ 3:30
  • nice warm breeze blowing
  • this Parador is new & sits high on the hill with stunning views of the cathedral & old town
  • town is only half mile away
  • nice walk to get there
  • 4 pm happy hour @outdoor cafe
  • 5 pm have snack of salad & lentils – yummy! & wine of course!
  • cathedral & churches look splendid lit up @ night
  • download new software update for Garmin
  • sit outside sipping nice wine from Duero region before bedtime

Hanging Ham

What I DON’T LIKE

View From Parador

  • GPS keeps freezing up
  • seeing more & more graffiti
  • still have to stop & ask how to get to Parador because streets have no signs
  • no TP twice today & had tissues in car

 

FF (FUN-fact) – Driving across the middle region of Spain looks a lot like Arizona and El Centro. Dry grass and barren hills with small farms sprinkled across the landscape. Lots of sun flowers too.

FUN-travel: Northern Spain – Santiago de Compostela, Spain

July 23, 2012 by · Comments Off on FUN-travel: Northern Spain – Santiago de Compostela, Spain 

Day 12 – Saturday, July 21 – Santiago de Compostela, Spain

Cathedral

What I LIKE

Altar

  • wake up to more sunny skies
  • really, really hot coffee finally!
  • bigger breakfast spread than yesterday
  • 11 am stroll through streets to market
  • several blocks long & wide – vendors selling everything
  • lady cooking & serving up plates of fresh caught octopus with olive oil, salt & pepper
  • cathedral having special service – have to wait until 1:15 to get in
  • 2:00 decadent splurge!
  • Case Marcelo lunch – Michelin star restaurant – 9 course meal – always wanted to do this!
  • eat things I’ve never eaten before like fresh sardines – (too fishy for me)
  • mostly fish & small portions – 2 are desserts – finish 4:30
  • take a siesta
  • 8 pm head out to wander the streets
  • 1st stop – wine & tapas @ locals place – Cotolay
  • 2nd stop – back to O Biero Vinoteca for more great wine
  • wines from Duero vs Rioja region
  • printing out google directions for tomorrow on hotel computer

One of Four Courtyards Inside Our Parador

What I DON’T LIKE

  • way too much food at lunch!
  • beggars @ church working the crowd

FF (FUN-fact) – Santiago wins the gold medal for a UNESCO site that is really cute, easy to get around, & FUN in our Travel Olympics. Plus the weather is typically very rainy here and we’ve had warm sunshine!

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