It’s been a month and a half since we arrived home from Spain. I wish we could do it all over again! As background, we planned our trip to Spain in about 3 weeks flat after finding out that Mike had to go to Madrid for meetings. We thought we had better take advantage! We called up Margie and asked if she wanted to fly over from Malawi and join us…well, let’s be honest…join Lewis!!! She booked a flight, and we were off and running!
As the pictures show, we were lucky enough to visit a few areas of Spain. We spent a week in Andalucía in the southern part of the country. It had been recommended to us as one of the most beautiful areas of Spain, and it certainly lived up! Another reason to visit Andalucía was that we were there over Easter, and this part of the country is well known for its Easter processions. In fact, people come from all over Spain to be part of the celebration. It was fascinating!
We began our trip in Cordoba, a smaller city, but with no shortage of Easter processions. In fact, we could see one of the main procession routes right out the window of our room. (This did make for some adventures, being woken up at 2am to bands passing by!) The highlight of Cordoba was seeing the Mezquita, an incredible mosque turned cathedral. It was honestly one of the most spectacular buildings we had ever seen!
We continued from Cordoba to Ronda, which turned out to be a favorite. Ronda is just a small, little city. But, it’s absolutely picturesque. It’s known for the bridge built over a cliff that connects the old and new city. We had a delicious lunch, with views over the valley below the city. The weather was perfect. We just loved it! We also picked up about 10 different treats at a local pastry shop to sample that evening with tea. The evening was also a real treat, because we stayed in a charming little “Cortijo” that our friends Charlotte and Tad had recommended to us. It was out in the countryside – a rustic gem. We went for a hike in the evening, had a delicious breakfast in the morning, and wished we had more time there!
The next day’s drive was also a favorite. We drove to Sevilla on a scenic route through the mountains. It was beautiful scenery, and we visited two of the most famous “Blancos Pueblos” – the White Villages. They were tiny little white-washed towns, tucked away in the mountains. It was so beautiful!
That evening, we arrived in Sevilla and were immediately immersed in the processions, the bustle, and the charm of the city. We spent a couple days there sampling the tapas, paella, and a few more treats. We visited the Alcazar with its incredible Moorish architecture. We climbed the tower of the cathedral to take in beautiful views of the city. We loved the Plaza d’Espana at sunset. We saw a flamenco show that was just phenomenal. And, we celebrated Easter there with tons and tons of ornate processions!
Our last stop in Andalucía was Granada. Granada is the most Arab and the most bohemian of the cities in southern Spain, and it had amazing character and charm. We stayed in a little inn in the Albaicin, the old Jewish quarter. It’s a winding neighborhood of cobblestone streets, built all on a steep hill that faces the Alhambra, Granada’s most famous site. In a way, we felt a bit like we had stepped into the Old City in Jerusalem with the spices, Arab fabrics and colors, hookah pipes, and steep, winding roads. All that with a Spanish twist. We loved it! We explored the Sacromonte, the gypsy neighborhood and wove our way through the streets, visiting shops. The next day, we spent all of our time visiting the Alhambra. It’s an incredible complex with palaces, fortresses, gardens, and rich history. The Moorish architecture was just breathtaking. Before leaving the city, we visited the cathedral. It was completely white and was just gorgeous. It was a real treat to have been there!
We did slip in one more adventure on our way back to Madrid. We decided that we just had time to stop by Toledo, a neat, old, walled city. We were really glad that we got to see it. We even found a marzipan shop as we were wandering through the main square. Well worth the visit! And, just outside of Toledo, we happened to drive by the actual Man of La Mancha windmill! How cool is that!
One of the best things about Madrid was the location where we stayed. We rented a big apartment in the city. That made it so nice to be able to stretch out a bit and relax. We were right on the Plaza de la Paja, which is a favorite area for locals. It’s in a neat residential neighborhood, but literally just a stone’s throw from the Plaza Mayor – one of the central areas of Madrid. There were about five restaurants and cafes right on our square, three of which were written up as top picks in the city. We had a beautiful church right there. The school kids would come out and play soccer on the square during lunchtime. And, there was a beautiful, enclosed flower garden right below our window. What a treat! Lewis loved people watching from the balcony, and we loved hanging out right near our place.
Mike had three days of work while we were in Madrid, although we still were able to see him in the evenings or during siesta. Mom and I walked and walked and walked all over Madrid, exploring every neighborhood. We visited the famous Prado museum and the Retiro gardens. We did lots of browsing on the shopping streets near Puerta de Sol and in Salamanca. We caught the changing of the guard ceremony at the Palacio Real (which only happens once a month, so we were lucky!). We discovered that Spaniards don’t speak English nearly as much as we would have thought. We got to enjoy Mike being our guide in Spanish, but we also discovered that Norah can understand Spanish pretty well. (What ESL teacher can’t! J) We bought Lewis 13 pairs of shoes. Yes, that’s not a mistake…13! Shoes to fit him until he’s about 4!!! On our last Saturday, Mike and I also visited the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, which had an amazing collection. We found the most gorgeous glassed in food market that had a chocolate shop that was to die for! The Italian hot chocolate was the most divine thing we have ever had; it would be worth the flight back just for that! We ate our last tappas, magnum bars, and our last churros and chocolate. And reluctantly, we headed back home. What an incredible two weeks!
I should note that we were welcomed home by a stunning Pennington spring, with blossoms and flowers everywhere. So, we are very happy to be back, and we’re so excited that summer is here!
