Spain, the Cinque Terre, Rome

[lapassionata]

I'm kinda bummed I'm working through the summer this year. School has me a little stressed out and I'm definitely finding it harder to concentrate now the weather is warmer.

I actually took this trip last year summer, but I look through the pics anytime I need a little pick-me-up.

My three friends and I had been joking about doing the obligatory Eurotrip for at least a year. Every four weeks or so when exams rolled around, we would get a little bit more serious, until about three months before the end of the school year, we decided to stop thinking and start planning! I changed my mind about going at least three times and drove everybody crazy, so they went ahead and booked their flight without me. One evening, vacillating once again, I sat at the computer and found an INSANELY good deal on a flight into London Gatwick, so that was all the push I needed. Once everyone was on the same page, we booked our accomodations online, set up our itenerary, reassured all concerned parties(!) and took our final exams. Then we were off. First stop: Madrid.

[lapassionata]

Re: Spain, the Cinque Terre, Rome

The friends all got a route through Switzerland to Madrid, whereas I did a charter flight to Gatwick, and BA to Madrid. While I got a cheaper ticket overall, they got a few hours stopover in Geneva, and they reported that the city was quite quite lovely. So sad I missed it. But then soon our little multi-culti crew was reunited.

No real problems finding our way to our hotel, which was supposed to be in the centre of things, close to the royal palace. All 4 of us ended up sharing a room for most of the trip, which was a huge saving on accomdation. And for the most part, we tolerated the close quarters really well.

Dinner at a tourist trap on some Plaza whose name I just can't recall. Unfortunately there was a very strong flavour in it that I just couldn't tolerate. I felt like such a North American.


My friend A. gave her duck a 4 out of 10. The chocolately-looking sauce was very bitter. This particular example of Spanish cuisine had some seriously strong flavours.


Eurotrash

[lapassionata]

Re: Spain, the Cinque Terre, Rome

This trip was more of a "survey" tour, a little taste of everything. So accordingly our days were tightly scheduled. Very hectic, very fun, EXTREMELY tiring, but there was no other way to do it, and no better people to do it with

The day after arrival we made a daytrip to Toledo, a lovely medieval city, which was conquered by the Moors and made a part of Al-Andalus. The moors practiced cultural and religious tolerance, so you're able to see in the city the combined Muslim, Chrisitian and Jewish cultural influences. Anyway Toledo is less than an hour by train from Madrid, and designated a world heritage site, so it was a must see.

To get to the train station we had to take the metro, and can I say to all the major European cities with their extensive, well organized and logical subway systems? We had a bit of a mixup buying our Toledo tickets and my grade 11 Spanish just collapsed under the pressure but it was a lesson well learned about train departure times and minimum check in time and such. Never made that mistake again It all worked out in the end, and we reach Toledo mid morning.

When we decided to walk from the train station to the historic centre, nobody bothered to tell us it was another 2 km up a hill.


The Alcazar in the distance


I love narrow twisty roads, especially if they're cobblestone






And I also love churches (or I did before the art-fatigue set in)

[lapassionata]

Re: Spain, the Cinque Terre, Rome

<span style="font-weight: bold">Toledo</span>





A look over the city walls




Down by the river, looking up at the city walls




Quiet place to rest




Historic synagogue in the Jewish quarter

[lapassionata]

Re: Spain, the Cinque Terre, Rome

Toledo!





It was a wonderful day Spain was in the middle of a major heat wave though, so every day dawned a bright piercing blue and scorchingly hot. For the first time in my life I actually made sure I sprayed myself up and down every morning with the sunblock, because melanin couldn't save me from that kind of sun. And lets not even talk about the price of bottle water. But one of the residents told us the only thing better than Toledo by day is Toledo at night, so we were scheming to take the latest train back to Madrid...but it didn't work out. That of course gives me a reason to return one day.

[Diplomat]

Re: Spain, the Cinque Terre, Rome

Really cool, even though it seems the food left a lot to be desired Thanks for sharing; looking forward to Rome.

[MsExced]

Re: Spain, the Cinque Terre, Rome

Cool pictures thanks for sharing. Was it really crowded?

[lapassionata]

Re: Spain, the Cinque Terre, Rome

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ChurchDude</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Really cool, even though it seems the food left a lot to be desired Thanks for sharing; looking forward to Rome. </div></div>

ChurchDude, thanks for stopping in; it always feels nice when someone takes an interest

I have to admit I didn't enjoy the food in Spain at all...veerrrryyy salty and really strong flavours that I couldn't get into...but maybe we just got caught in the tourist trap

Rome soon come...

[lapassionata]

Re: Spain, the Cinque Terre, Rome

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Ms Exced</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Cool pictures thanks for sharing. Was it really crowded? </div></div>

Thanks Ms Exced, sharing helps the memories last long, and if I try to share them one more time with my family, I know they're going to do something desperate so...

As to crowds, depended where on we were; we went late June, and it wasn't too bad. Florence was the worst, felt like I couldn't breathe.

[lapassionata]

Re: Spain, the Cinque Terre, Rome

On Day 3 we got up late because we were dead tired from all the walking around the previous day. But we only had a few hours to &quot;explore&quot; Madrid before leaving, so we dragged ourselves to the Royal Palace. Gitanoes everywhere selling those &quot;authentic&quot; Spanish fans imported by the boxload from China...I bought a couple anyway for souvenirs

I had a twitchy trigger finger those first few days...took pics of absolutely everything







They Royal Palace. No photos allowed inside of course...and I was too scared to take any. Too many official-looking dudes round the place watching people...

[lapassionata]

Re: Spain, the Cinque Terre, Rome

To tell you the truth Madrid didn't make a huge impression on me. Probably because we didn't spend enough time there, more like we were passing through. But I got a sense of vibrancy, great energy, a young population, artsy and trendy. And overall the Spaniards in Madrid were really nice, and Spanish guys were fooooiiiinnnneeee (if a little height challenged ) But yeah, that was it.

So it was basically onward and Southward...to Granada! Another great Moorish-Judeo-Christian city. Big University town too, and of course The Alhambra! Another 4 1/2 hour Eurail trip, pretty comfy in second class. Man, we were so not back-packers But I told my guy friend from the start, me naw spend dat amount a money guh a Europe guh sleep innah hostel bed. No siree Bob! Luckily my other girlfriends were of the same mind, and three out-vote one.

The view from second class






We reached Granada late that night and checked into our hotel. This time we had two rooms and again very comfy accomodations. Hotel Best Western Dauro. It's located pretty close to Albaicin and the Alhambra. We went to go find some food and again dinner was an epic fail Did some strolling up and down the avenue after dinner.



I was beyond tickled to see this. Can't tell you how big abroad Jamaica is




So I started following any crowds of young people I saw, reasoning that this was a college town and whereever they were headed, that's where the party was at! There seemed to be a general movement toward what I found later was the Albaicin, the quartier in Granada overlooked by the Alhambra.

Again with the twitchy finger




I was by myself at this point, and conscious of being a &quot;woman alone&quot; strolling around in not particularly well lit areas. I didn't feel any danger, but I was about to call it a night when I realized that all my walking had brought me to basically the gates of the Alhambra...I just had to brave a steep, narrow, twisty, dark road to get up there. But hey nothing ventured So I did walk and I did pray, oh Lord, let me not be robbed/raped/killed/kidnapped/etc. When I reached the top of the hill I had to Yes this was the gate, I could hear the sounds of the fountains, but the AlAhmbra was still waaaaayyyyy updehso, and updehso was too dark and bushy and lonely for even me to attempt. Just as a I turn around to go back down the hill, two guys jump out of the bushes followed by two girls, and that was all the signal I needed to end my adventures for the night.

[lapassionata]

Re: Spain, the Cinque Terre, Rome

So glad to be back on my little hotel street

[lapassionata]

Re: Spain, the Cinque Terre, Rome

The next day, Day 4, I was up early to get tickets for Al Ahambra before the big line-ups started. NB to anyone planning on visiting Al Ahambra: in order to minimize the number of people trooping through the palace at anyone time, each ticket has a specific time for entry. If you are not inside by the time printed on your ticket, you will be denied access. Our group came very close indeed to not entering the palace. But all's well that ends well.

You could take any entire day and still never exhaust the pleasure of the Al Ahambra; just the gardens alone made me just want to stop everything, stop the scurrying and the picture taking, and the insane scheduling, just stop being a tourist and enjoy the serenity. Moorish architecture incorporates alot of water elements; the sound of fountains is everywhere. Very soothing.

We had planned to do half day Al Ahambra, and the remainder of the day for a possible bus tour of Granada. But I wasn't up for the bus tour so I ended up just wandering off by myself after the AlAhambra, up into the Albaicin district. I spent money I didn't need to spend, took crappy pics, sat and people watched and just relaxed the afternoon away. So I'll just let the pics do the rest of the talking. Warning: some of the following pictures may be rated SA for 'self-consciously arty.' Viewer discretion is advised.







The AlAhambra overlooks the Albaicin







Those Arches I warned about

[lapassionata]

Re: Spain, the Cinque Terre, Rome

I just couldn't seem to stop trying to frame those arches. Well, &quot;A&quot; for effort anyway.







The height of Islamic art and architecture in Spain





Please remember that the Al Ahambra was constructed in the 14th century

[lapassionata]

Re: Spain, the Cinque Terre, Rome

At some point I just wanted to stop TOURING (by the way, I definitely recommend renting an audioguide) and just sit and while the hours away...