Sunday morning we got up early and headed to the circuit (fully decked out in Ferrari gear). We had general seating tickets so we had no assigned seats, meaning that not only were we in the rowdiest section of the circuit, but we would also be sitting in the same seats and in the sun all day (from 9am to 4pm).
This was our first live F1 experience and we had no idea how the day was going to unfold. The first race started soon after we were seated. The first race was for G3 drivers, the "C Team" of F1. The cars were fast and loud but bearable, much like watching go-karts. It was just what we needed to get into race mode.
The crowd really started to show up as the second race, G2 ("JV"), started. These cars were noticeably faster and louder than the G3 cars. Their race was about twice as long and much closer between the drivers. It was really fun to see the progression of speed and skill between one race and the next, and it made us even more excited about the F1 race.
I'm not sure if I would have fully appreciated the power and speed of the F1 cars had I not had the other cars to compare them too.
After the G2 race there was about two hours of lag time when the drivers were getting medical inspections, having team meetings, etc. There was also a driver's parade around the track and interviews with each of the 24 drivers, discussing the track.
As I said before, we were sitting in the rowdiest section of the circuit, filled with Spanish fans donning Ferrari gear in support of Fernando Alonso, a Spanish native and two-time F1 World Champion. So when he came by our section of the track during the parade, the first time we had seen him all day, the crowd went absolutely nuts! In fact, every time he came by (which was about 60 times) the crowd went crazy. It set the mood for an excellent day!
The warm up laps started and the difference between the F1 cars and the ones we had seen earlier was immediately known. The noise was unbearable but incredibly impressive, and these was just the warm up laps. We quickly put ear plugs in as we waited for the official start.
The race started and Alonso was in fourth place, the spot he qualified for, but by the time the first lap was finished he had bumped up to third.
I won't go on and on about the details of the race, the important thing to know is that at the end of the race Alonso finished second and our section was wild with excitement! We stayed for a few hours after the race but we couldn't stay all night because we had to drive back to Barcelona.
We survived the 3.5 hour drive to Barcelona, checked into our hotel, and then went out for dinner.
A few things we noticed about Barcelona on our first night:
-It is much more expensive than any other city we had been to this trip.
-It also hosts more street vendors than any other city we had been to this trip.
After the long day we had, and all the sun we took in, we were exhausted. We went to bed, preparing for some intense sight seeing the next day.
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Thursday, June 30, 2011
Girona to Valencia
Saturday morning we packed and had a late breakfast before making the drive to Valencia. It took about 4 hours to get to Valencia, and by the time we got there and were checked into the hotel we had missed the Formula 1 qualifiers.
We decided to stay in near the race headquarters and check out the activities. Every year Valencia sets up a "Beach Park" as extra entertainment for the Grand Prix weekend. There are different booths offering free swag, two go-kart tracks, and several tapas bars. There are also several stores near the area selling race merchandise. We spent some time walking around and bought some Ferrari team gear.
In addition to the Beach Park, the Valencia Street Circuit (and I would guess most of the F1 circuits) offers several "open door" sessions, meaning that they open the track to the public and let you walk through part of the track, look at the pits, and take photos. We took advantage of this opportunity, it was very cool to say the least, and then headed back to the Beach Park for dinner and drinks. Valencia was packed with people there to see the race, making it quite different from our visit a few days before.
We didn't stay out too late because we wanted to make sure we could get up early the next day for the big race.
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We decided to stay in near the race headquarters and check out the activities. Every year Valencia sets up a "Beach Park" as extra entertainment for the Grand Prix weekend. There are different booths offering free swag, two go-kart tracks, and several tapas bars. There are also several stores near the area selling race merchandise. We spent some time walking around and bought some Ferrari team gear.
In addition to the Beach Park, the Valencia Street Circuit (and I would guess most of the F1 circuits) offers several "open door" sessions, meaning that they open the track to the public and let you walk through part of the track, look at the pits, and take photos. We took advantage of this opportunity, it was very cool to say the least, and then headed back to the Beach Park for dinner and drinks. Valencia was packed with people there to see the race, making it quite different from our visit a few days before.
We didn't stay out too late because we wanted to make sure we could get up early the next day for the big race.
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Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Girona-Costa Brava
We woke up later than we had wanted on Friday, feeling the aftermath of too much alcohol. We managed to get up and were on the road by 11am, heading to the Coast Brava.
There are many beautiful parts of this coastline and unfortunately we just did not have time to see it all. We took advice from my stepmom and her family and headed towards Palafrugell and worked our way up the coast.
We started in the small town called Calella. We parked the car and started walking. We walked along the beach, traversing another beach town, Llfranc. The coves that make up this coastline are beautiful. The water is very clear, and the way the mountainous and treelined area falls towards the Mediterranean is breathtaking. The rocky coast is unique to this northern coastline and it is a very popular tourist destination.
We got back in the car and headed further north towards Begur. The winding roads in this area provide amazing views and the drive itself was just as fun as walking on the beach. We followed the road to Platja Aiguablava, a small beach tucked into the coast.
It was beautiful! Like nothing I have ever seen. It was a perfect mix of mountains, forest, and the beach. We stayed at the beach for about two hours, had lunch, and then made our way back to Girona.
We spent the evening with family as they showed us around the older parts of Girona. We walked around the Jewish quarter, through the narrow streets, around the cathedral, and across four of the walking bridges in the city. It was really neat to walk around where my stepmom grew up and visit places that I know her and my dad have been and enjoyed. We took photos of the beautiful sites, and then sat for dinner.
The old parts of the city are easily visited in one evening. The whole area is incredibly well preserved.
We made our way back home and called it an early night, as we were headed back to Valencia the next day to partake in the Formula 1 festivities and watch the race on Sunday.
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There are many beautiful parts of this coastline and unfortunately we just did not have time to see it all. We took advice from my stepmom and her family and headed towards Palafrugell and worked our way up the coast.
We started in the small town called Calella. We parked the car and started walking. We walked along the beach, traversing another beach town, Llfranc. The coves that make up this coastline are beautiful. The water is very clear, and the way the mountainous and treelined area falls towards the Mediterranean is breathtaking. The rocky coast is unique to this northern coastline and it is a very popular tourist destination.
We got back in the car and headed further north towards Begur. The winding roads in this area provide amazing views and the drive itself was just as fun as walking on the beach. We followed the road to Platja Aiguablava, a small beach tucked into the coast.
It was beautiful! Like nothing I have ever seen. It was a perfect mix of mountains, forest, and the beach. We stayed at the beach for about two hours, had lunch, and then made our way back to Girona.
We spent the evening with family as they showed us around the older parts of Girona. We walked around the Jewish quarter, through the narrow streets, around the cathedral, and across four of the walking bridges in the city. It was really neat to walk around where my stepmom grew up and visit places that I know her and my dad have been and enjoyed. We took photos of the beautiful sites, and then sat for dinner.
The old parts of the city are easily visited in one evening. The whole area is incredibly well preserved.
We made our way back home and called it an early night, as we were headed back to Valencia the next day to partake in the Formula 1 festivities and watch the race on Sunday.
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Valencia-Girona
Thursday morning we checked out of our hotel and headed to the train station. We grabbed a coffee and got on the train headed for Barcelona to pick up our rental car.
We arrived in Barcelona three hours later, picked up our little Smart car, and got on the road for Girona. Because it was the Noche de Sant Joan, a highly celebrated summer festival marking the shortest night of the year, many people were leaving the city and heading north towards the coast, so traffic was terrible. The forty minute commute from Barcelona turned into a four hour drive, and we arrived in Girona exhausted.
We showed up at my stepmom's mother's house and met her, her son, his wife, and their daughter. We changed and then went with my stepmom's brother, his wife, and his daughter to their friend's house to celebrate Sant Joan.
We were treated to an amazing meat and cheese meal, wine, champagne, sweet bread traditional of Sant Joan celebrations, fireworks, and way too many gin and tonics! We drank and hung out till after 3am, it was a blast!
Our first night in Girona completely lived up to our expectations, and we were excited for the next day to explore the city and nearby area.
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We arrived in Barcelona three hours later, picked up our little Smart car, and got on the road for Girona. Because it was the Noche de Sant Joan, a highly celebrated summer festival marking the shortest night of the year, many people were leaving the city and heading north towards the coast, so traffic was terrible. The forty minute commute from Barcelona turned into a four hour drive, and we arrived in Girona exhausted.
We showed up at my stepmom's mother's house and met her, her son, his wife, and their daughter. We changed and then went with my stepmom's brother, his wife, and his daughter to their friend's house to celebrate Sant Joan.
We were treated to an amazing meat and cheese meal, wine, champagne, sweet bread traditional of Sant Joan celebrations, fireworks, and way too many gin and tonics! We drank and hung out till after 3am, it was a blast!
Our first night in Girona completely lived up to our expectations, and we were excited for the next day to explore the city and nearby area.
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Valencia-City of Arts and Sciences
Wednesday morning we headed towards the City of Arts and Sciences on the opposite side of Valencia, which has an arts museum, planetarium, science museum, and aquarium.
The City of Arts and Sciences is a fairly new part of Valencia, and the architecture here is amazing. The City is located at the end of a large riverbed turned into park, but the ultra modern designs of each building makes you feel like you are in another world.
We walked around the whole area and then decided to go into the science museum and the aquarium.
For those of you reading this from Alaska, the science museum is similar to the Imaginarium on steroids. It is a super interactive science museum with activity stations, work shops, displays, etc, all designed to bring science to life. There are exhibits on pretty much everything you can think of, electricity, construction, energy, global warming, space, health, DNA, sports medicine, gene research, and so much more. We spent about 2.5 hours visiting all three floors and almost every station.
We left in complete awe and headed to the aquarium, which was also amazing. It is designed to take you above and below ground, showing you a variety of marine life from all over the world. There are many impressively long tunnels that take you from one side of the world to the other, all the while surrounded by fish.
About three quarters through our tour of the aquarium, we made our way to the dolphin show. It is very similar to what you would find at Sea World, but it was still pretty impressive. It had a slightly different twist, the show was focused more on teaching spectators about dolphins instead of tricks, although there were plenty of tricks.
We left the dolphin show, made our way around the last parts of the aquarium and then headed to the beach.
Valencia has hosted the European Grand Prix on the Valencia Street Circuit for the last three years, and just so happened to be hosting it for the fourth time this coming weekend. The city was preparing for the exciting weekend event, and while walking along the beach we were definitely feeling left out of the action (we were leaving for Girona tomorrow).
After debating the expenses, travel arrangements, and all the logistics associated with going to the race, we decided to go for it and bought tickets for the race! Totally elated, we went out to dinner to celebrate!
We ate at La Pepica, a suggestion from on guide book, located on Malvarossa Beach. Everyone who gave us advise about Valencia said the same thing, have paella on Malvarossa Beach, and so that is exactly what we did. We ate a wonderful paella, one of the best I have ever had, had a delicious bottle of wine, and celebrated our new adventure. It was a fabulous end to a fabulous day.
It ended even better when we realized we were having dinner right next to Rubens Barriochello, a F1 driver from Brazil.
We made our way back to the hotel, I had to of course tell my dad about all of this, and then we packed for our trip to Girona in the morning.
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The City of Arts and Sciences is a fairly new part of Valencia, and the architecture here is amazing. The City is located at the end of a large riverbed turned into park, but the ultra modern designs of each building makes you feel like you are in another world.
We walked around the whole area and then decided to go into the science museum and the aquarium.
For those of you reading this from Alaska, the science museum is similar to the Imaginarium on steroids. It is a super interactive science museum with activity stations, work shops, displays, etc, all designed to bring science to life. There are exhibits on pretty much everything you can think of, electricity, construction, energy, global warming, space, health, DNA, sports medicine, gene research, and so much more. We spent about 2.5 hours visiting all three floors and almost every station.
We left in complete awe and headed to the aquarium, which was also amazing. It is designed to take you above and below ground, showing you a variety of marine life from all over the world. There are many impressively long tunnels that take you from one side of the world to the other, all the while surrounded by fish.
About three quarters through our tour of the aquarium, we made our way to the dolphin show. It is very similar to what you would find at Sea World, but it was still pretty impressive. It had a slightly different twist, the show was focused more on teaching spectators about dolphins instead of tricks, although there were plenty of tricks.
We left the dolphin show, made our way around the last parts of the aquarium and then headed to the beach.
Valencia has hosted the European Grand Prix on the Valencia Street Circuit for the last three years, and just so happened to be hosting it for the fourth time this coming weekend. The city was preparing for the exciting weekend event, and while walking along the beach we were definitely feeling left out of the action (we were leaving for Girona tomorrow).
After debating the expenses, travel arrangements, and all the logistics associated with going to the race, we decided to go for it and bought tickets for the race! Totally elated, we went out to dinner to celebrate!
We ate at La Pepica, a suggestion from on guide book, located on Malvarossa Beach. Everyone who gave us advise about Valencia said the same thing, have paella on Malvarossa Beach, and so that is exactly what we did. We ate a wonderful paella, one of the best I have ever had, had a delicious bottle of wine, and celebrated our new adventure. It was a fabulous end to a fabulous day.
It ended even better when we realized we were having dinner right next to Rubens Barriochello, a F1 driver from Brazil.
We made our way back to the hotel, I had to of course tell my dad about all of this, and then we packed for our trip to Girona in the morning.
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Valencia-Cuitat Vella
We left Ibiza early Tuesday morning headed for Valencia. We had a four hour layover in Palma so we decided to take advantage of the time and go to post office. We needed to send stuff home and lighten our load.
We finally arrived in Valencia around 4pm. We arrived at our hotel, a much needed upgrade from our island life, and then hit the streets.
We started at the train station since we needed to finish our travel arrangements, and then headed towards the Cuitat Vella, or Old City.
Valencia is a fairly new tourist hotspot. It was once a forgotten, unkept city on the coast, and since 2007 it has transformed into a beautiful vacation destination, offering both the city and beach life. Events like the America's Cup and the European F1 Grand Prix have made the city this year's European Sports Capital.
The Old City is in the heart of Valencia and is littered with monuments including the city hall building and several cathedrals. We spent all evening walking around the narrow cobble stone streets, admiring the architecture, and people watching.
We had a few tapas for dinner and made our way back to our hotel trying to find a place for dessert or drinks. The sleepy city was almost entirely closed! We decided to make it an earlier night and just went to our hotel. We had a full day of sightseeing planned for the next day.
We finally arrived in Valencia around 4pm. We arrived at our hotel, a much needed upgrade from our island life, and then hit the streets.
We started at the train station since we needed to finish our travel arrangements, and then headed towards the Cuitat Vella, or Old City.
Valencia is a fairly new tourist hotspot. It was once a forgotten, unkept city on the coast, and since 2007 it has transformed into a beautiful vacation destination, offering both the city and beach life. Events like the America's Cup and the European F1 Grand Prix have made the city this year's European Sports Capital.
The Old City is in the heart of Valencia and is littered with monuments including the city hall building and several cathedrals. We spent all evening walking around the narrow cobble stone streets, admiring the architecture, and people watching.
We had a few tapas for dinner and made our way back to our hotel trying to find a place for dessert or drinks. The sleepy city was almost entirely closed! We decided to make it an earlier night and just went to our hotel. We had a full day of sightseeing planned for the next day.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Ibiza-Eivissa
We got back from Formentera around 8pm on Sunday, sun burnt and completely exhausted. We got back to our hotel, changed and headed into town for dinner. Dinner was nothing special, and since the sun completely wiped us out, we just went right back to our hotel to crash.
We spent all day Monday in Eivissa. We decided to take a break from the sun and do some sight seeing and shopping in town. We managed to hit almost every store throughout the day, and walked most of the streets within the city center and near the port. We stopped a few times for snacks but mostly just enjoyed our day of walking.
We had tapas at Can Pour Bar before heading to the casino on the opposite side of the port. We were expecting a semi Vegas style casino, with slot machines, bright lights, and free drinks...what we found was a dimly lit room with about 25 slot machines, one roulette table that wasn't open yet, and an empty bar offering no free drinks. We played a few slots, won 8€, and headed back towards the more "happening" part of town.
We made our way back towards the shopping area where we recognized a tapas bar we found after lunch. It was a traditional pinxos place serving only tapas. Cold tapas are in a case on the bar, and warm tapas are served by waiters roaming around the room. Each tapa is a small bite with a piece of bread stuck together by a toothpick. Each customer gets a plate and helps themselves to whichever tapas they want, hanging onto the toothpicks, which are used to tally your bill (each tapa is 1.25€). We had a great time sampling tapas and drinking wine.
We headed back to our hotel, packed and prepared for our flight to Valencia the next morning.
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We spent all day Monday in Eivissa. We decided to take a break from the sun and do some sight seeing and shopping in town. We managed to hit almost every store throughout the day, and walked most of the streets within the city center and near the port. We stopped a few times for snacks but mostly just enjoyed our day of walking.
We had tapas at Can Pour Bar before heading to the casino on the opposite side of the port. We were expecting a semi Vegas style casino, with slot machines, bright lights, and free drinks...what we found was a dimly lit room with about 25 slot machines, one roulette table that wasn't open yet, and an empty bar offering no free drinks. We played a few slots, won 8€, and headed back towards the more "happening" part of town.
We made our way back towards the shopping area where we recognized a tapas bar we found after lunch. It was a traditional pinxos place serving only tapas. Cold tapas are in a case on the bar, and warm tapas are served by waiters roaming around the room. Each tapa is a small bite with a piece of bread stuck together by a toothpick. Each customer gets a plate and helps themselves to whichever tapas they want, hanging onto the toothpicks, which are used to tally your bill (each tapa is 1.25€). We had a great time sampling tapas and drinking wine.
We headed back to our hotel, packed and prepared for our flight to Valencia the next morning.
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Formentera
Last Sunday we took a boat from Ibiza to Formentera for the day. There are several different companies that go there daily and they all cost about the same, 20€ roundtrip.
The entire island is easily seen in one day, and this can be done by different tour buses or by renting a car, moped, or bicycle. If you know that you are going to rent some form of transportation you should make reservations from Ibiza, they can be up to 10€ more expensive if they are set up from Formentera. We chose to rent a moped, and for 30€ we had our sweet ride for the entire day.
We started our island tour by going to Platja de Migjorn, the longest beach on the island. It was crowded and windy, so we decided to keep cruising around till we found something a little better.
Our next stop was in the little community of Es Arenals, along the eastern end of Platja de Migjorn. It was much less crowded and less windy, making it the perfect place for lounging and taking a swim. We ate lunch, played in the water, and laid out in the sun for about 2 hours before getting back on the moped.
We made a brief stop across the street to check out the views, which were amazing. We took a few photos and then quickly realized that we were taking pictures of a nude beach, luckily nobody noticed and we were able to leave without any weird looks.
We continued down the island until we got to the charming little community of Es Pujols. We sat at a cafe and had an afternoon snack. The waterfront views were unbelievably beautiful. We took more photos and then headed towards Platja Ses Illetes.
It costs 2€ to access Platja Ses Illetes, and it is worth every cent. I have never seen such a beautiful beach. The water was so crystal clear and brightly colored, and the Mediterranean backdrop filled with glamorous boats made the whole area look like a movie set. This was by far and away the most beautiful beach I had ever been to. My biggest regret is that we arrived at the end of the day. With only an hour left before having to head back to Ibiza, we took a quick swim and snapped some photos (which will never do this little gem any justice).
We returned the moped and walked around the marina, soaking in the last bits of paradise. If you ever have the opportunity to go to Formentera, take it! It is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been to, and it has a great atmosphere. The island is welcoming and all it's little communities are very charming. Formentera is definitely a place I will be visiting again.
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The entire island is easily seen in one day, and this can be done by different tour buses or by renting a car, moped, or bicycle. If you know that you are going to rent some form of transportation you should make reservations from Ibiza, they can be up to 10€ more expensive if they are set up from Formentera. We chose to rent a moped, and for 30€ we had our sweet ride for the entire day.
We started our island tour by going to Platja de Migjorn, the longest beach on the island. It was crowded and windy, so we decided to keep cruising around till we found something a little better.
Our next stop was in the little community of Es Arenals, along the eastern end of Platja de Migjorn. It was much less crowded and less windy, making it the perfect place for lounging and taking a swim. We ate lunch, played in the water, and laid out in the sun for about 2 hours before getting back on the moped.
We made a brief stop across the street to check out the views, which were amazing. We took a few photos and then quickly realized that we were taking pictures of a nude beach, luckily nobody noticed and we were able to leave without any weird looks.
We continued down the island until we got to the charming little community of Es Pujols. We sat at a cafe and had an afternoon snack. The waterfront views were unbelievably beautiful. We took more photos and then headed towards Platja Ses Illetes.
It costs 2€ to access Platja Ses Illetes, and it is worth every cent. I have never seen such a beautiful beach. The water was so crystal clear and brightly colored, and the Mediterranean backdrop filled with glamorous boats made the whole area look like a movie set. This was by far and away the most beautiful beach I had ever been to. My biggest regret is that we arrived at the end of the day. With only an hour left before having to head back to Ibiza, we took a quick swim and snapped some photos (which will never do this little gem any justice).
We returned the moped and walked around the marina, soaking in the last bits of paradise. If you ever have the opportunity to go to Formentera, take it! It is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been to, and it has a great atmosphere. The island is welcoming and all it's little communities are very charming. Formentera is definitely a place I will be visiting again.
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Monday, June 20, 2011
From Palma to Ibiza
Friday morning started with a stop at a pastry shop for breakfast and a bus ride to the beach. We decided to go back to the Platja Illetes on our last day in Palma since it was both breathtakingly beautiful and close by.
We got to the beach and enjoyed a relaxing 3 hours of swimming and laying in the sun. We left the beach around 3pm and headed to our hotel so we could change and go shopping in the city.
Our shopping adventure took us all over Palma. We walked and walked and kept walking for about 3 hours. We were so tired but hungry so we made our way to the same little street we had found the night before and had dinner. It wasn't the best meal we've had but it was ok. We grabbed the bus and headed back to our hotel. We left for Ibiza the following day.
Saturday morning we finished packing and checked out of our hotel with time to get coffee and breakfast before heading to the airport for our 3pm flight to Ibiza.
We got to the airport a little early but due to the massive amount of people there we were glad we did. It took over an hour to check in and get to our gate, however when we checked in we realized our flight was delayed by an hour. Our day was pretty much lost to the airport, but we made the most of it and shopped around, sampled duty free alcohols, and of course had some snacks.
We finally took off around 4:30, landing in Ibiza just after 5pm. It took about 35 minutes to get our bags and then we took a cab to our hotel in Talamanca (just outside Eivissa, largest city on the island), or the place we thought we would be staying at.
Upon arrival we were told that the hotel was overbooked and that we would be upgraded to a 4 star hotel on Platja den Bossa, closer to the Eivissa city center. We were both frustrated and kind of excited at the same time so we hopped in another cab and went to our new hotel.
What a disappointment. Not only was the hotel a complete mess but the beach it was on was by far the worst beach we had seen this entire trip, which I realize is a bit snobby since we have been to some of the best beaches in the world, but we were still bummed out. Our original hotel was tucked away in a quaint little area with a small beautiful beach, and now we were stuck in disco central with a bunch of blacked out college kids, in a hotel that hasn't been maintained since it opened in the 70's. There was nothing we could do about it so we took a walk around the neighborhood, changed clothes, and then headed to Eivissa city center for dinner.
Luckily we found an amazing restaurant to take our mind off of our crappy travel day. We treated ourselves to a delicious dinner and an after dinner drink before heading back to our hotel. We had tickets to go to Formentera the next day and we needed rest.
More to come on Formentera, the most beautiful place I have ever seen.
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We got to the beach and enjoyed a relaxing 3 hours of swimming and laying in the sun. We left the beach around 3pm and headed to our hotel so we could change and go shopping in the city.
Our shopping adventure took us all over Palma. We walked and walked and kept walking for about 3 hours. We were so tired but hungry so we made our way to the same little street we had found the night before and had dinner. It wasn't the best meal we've had but it was ok. We grabbed the bus and headed back to our hotel. We left for Ibiza the following day.
Saturday morning we finished packing and checked out of our hotel with time to get coffee and breakfast before heading to the airport for our 3pm flight to Ibiza.
We got to the airport a little early but due to the massive amount of people there we were glad we did. It took over an hour to check in and get to our gate, however when we checked in we realized our flight was delayed by an hour. Our day was pretty much lost to the airport, but we made the most of it and shopped around, sampled duty free alcohols, and of course had some snacks.
We finally took off around 4:30, landing in Ibiza just after 5pm. It took about 35 minutes to get our bags and then we took a cab to our hotel in Talamanca (just outside Eivissa, largest city on the island), or the place we thought we would be staying at.
Upon arrival we were told that the hotel was overbooked and that we would be upgraded to a 4 star hotel on Platja den Bossa, closer to the Eivissa city center. We were both frustrated and kind of excited at the same time so we hopped in another cab and went to our new hotel.
What a disappointment. Not only was the hotel a complete mess but the beach it was on was by far the worst beach we had seen this entire trip, which I realize is a bit snobby since we have been to some of the best beaches in the world, but we were still bummed out. Our original hotel was tucked away in a quaint little area with a small beautiful beach, and now we were stuck in disco central with a bunch of blacked out college kids, in a hotel that hasn't been maintained since it opened in the 70's. There was nothing we could do about it so we took a walk around the neighborhood, changed clothes, and then headed to Eivissa city center for dinner.
Luckily we found an amazing restaurant to take our mind off of our crappy travel day. We treated ourselves to a delicious dinner and an after dinner drink before heading back to our hotel. We had tickets to go to Formentera the next day and we needed rest.
More to come on Formentera, the most beautiful place I have ever seen.
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Cuevas de Drach y mas
We got our rental car Thursday morning and headed directly to the Drach caves, about an hour and a half east of Palma. Driving stick shift was a challenge in itself, but actually finding our way to the caves proved to be harder and easier than we thought. Some areas were very well labeled, while others were not labeled at all.
When we got there we quickly realized several things the travel books failed to mention:
1. They do not accept credit or debit cards and the nearest ATM is in a small town down the road.
2. Although it is suggested that young children do not take the tour, young children created about 40% of crowd.
3. Tours start every hour and they are full, fuller than I thought was safe for a cave tour.
We went down to the nearest town to get cash, went back and bought tickets, and then waited with the masses till our tour started.
The tour takes about an hour and it is pretty impressive. They take you very far down, but the walkways and stairs are all well maintained. The rock formations are beautifully lit throughout the tour, making them almost look fake.
I have to add that the tour guide was pretty amazing. At each stop, he said a few things in Spanish and then translated everything into English, Italian, French, and German.
The tour ends at the biggest underground lake in Europe, where they have an orchestra playing and they perform a light show. Slightly on the cheesy side, but very well done, it was the perfect ending to the tour. After the show you can choose to end the tour by boat and crossing the lake or by foot and walking around the lake, since we were crammed in with close to 150 people we chose to just walk.
We left the caves and headed south along the coast to the Platja Es Trenc, one of the most renowned beaches on the island for it's white sand and crystal clear water. We made our way from town to town till we arrived at a beautiful beach. We knew we hadn't quite made it to Platja Es Trenc, but we were tired of driving and frustrated with our lack of a good map and some direction, so we stayed and enjoyed the random beach we found.
After about two and a half hours we started our drive back to Palma, and, as our luck would have it, we found a sign for Platja Es Trench about ten minutes from the beach we had visited. Completely over it, we just drove by and made our way back to the hotel.
We washed up and headed into town, this time following a dinner suggestion from our guide book. We walked towards the recommended restaurant and were pleasantly surprised by the narrow winding streets with tons of little bars. We walked up to the restaurant from the book and decided it looked kind of cheesy, so we walked up and down the streets for a little bit till we found a bar we liked. It was a tiny little place, almost cave like. You walk down the stairs into the bar, turn and walk down a few more steps to the small dining room. It was exactly what we were looking for.
We had a delicious meal of tumbet (Mallorcan vegetable casserole style dish), fried green peppers, and dates with bacon. After dinner, we headed back to the hotel, we were exhausted.
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When we got there we quickly realized several things the travel books failed to mention:
1. They do not accept credit or debit cards and the nearest ATM is in a small town down the road.
2. Although it is suggested that young children do not take the tour, young children created about 40% of crowd.
3. Tours start every hour and they are full, fuller than I thought was safe for a cave tour.
We went down to the nearest town to get cash, went back and bought tickets, and then waited with the masses till our tour started.
The tour takes about an hour and it is pretty impressive. They take you very far down, but the walkways and stairs are all well maintained. The rock formations are beautifully lit throughout the tour, making them almost look fake.
I have to add that the tour guide was pretty amazing. At each stop, he said a few things in Spanish and then translated everything into English, Italian, French, and German.
The tour ends at the biggest underground lake in Europe, where they have an orchestra playing and they perform a light show. Slightly on the cheesy side, but very well done, it was the perfect ending to the tour. After the show you can choose to end the tour by boat and crossing the lake or by foot and walking around the lake, since we were crammed in with close to 150 people we chose to just walk.
We left the caves and headed south along the coast to the Platja Es Trenc, one of the most renowned beaches on the island for it's white sand and crystal clear water. We made our way from town to town till we arrived at a beautiful beach. We knew we hadn't quite made it to Platja Es Trenc, but we were tired of driving and frustrated with our lack of a good map and some direction, so we stayed and enjoyed the random beach we found.
After about two and a half hours we started our drive back to Palma, and, as our luck would have it, we found a sign for Platja Es Trench about ten minutes from the beach we had visited. Completely over it, we just drove by and made our way back to the hotel.
We washed up and headed into town, this time following a dinner suggestion from our guide book. We walked towards the recommended restaurant and were pleasantly surprised by the narrow winding streets with tons of little bars. We walked up to the restaurant from the book and decided it looked kind of cheesy, so we walked up and down the streets for a little bit till we found a bar we liked. It was a tiny little place, almost cave like. You walk down the stairs into the bar, turn and walk down a few more steps to the small dining room. It was exactly what we were looking for.
We had a delicious meal of tumbet (Mallorcan vegetable casserole style dish), fried green peppers, and dates with bacon. After dinner, we headed back to the hotel, we were exhausted.
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Saturday, June 18, 2011
Palma-Platja Illetes
We woke up on Wednesday ready to see some sights. We had asked the front desk at our hotel how to get to the Drach caves and they suggested riding the local bus, so we grabbed breakfast and headed to Palma to catch the bus at the central bus station.
When we arrived we realized that there were very few bus options left and since we didn't know how long the cave tour lasted we didn't want to risk getting there without a way back. We decided to skip it for the day and head to the tourism office so we could make plans for all the things we wanted to see.
We walked for about twenty minutes before we found the tourism office, not marked on our map. At this point in our trip we have visited many tourism offices, all of which have been incredibly helpful, all except this one. I don't know if we arrived on a bad day or what but the lady we spoke with was incredibly rude. She didn't really want to help us and basically told us that the tours we had seen on various flyers did not exist and that we would need to look up private companies to do the things we wanted to do, like take a catamaran to a specific beach, etc. We left the tourism office very disappointed and headed back to our hotel to make the most of the rest of the day.
We spoke with the front desk at our hotel again and they were very helpful in setting us up with a rental car for the next day. Now that we had some plans, we relaxed and made our way to the other beach near our hotel.
Platja Illetes is by far the most beautiful beach I have ever seen, it puts the beach we went to yesterday to shame. Tucked away in a cove, the beach looks like a movie set or a picture from a magazine ad. We had lunch and enjoyed several hours of lounging on the sand and swimming in the crystal clear water.
We went back to our hotel, changed, and headed back into town. We returned to the small street we visited the night before for some delicious tapas and then walked around exploring the city. Somehow we managed to walk down all the deserted streets and failed to find any signs of the notorious Palma nightlife, so we headed back towards the bus stop. We were still hungry so we stopped at a tapas bar nearby and had a quick bite before jumping on the bus and heading back.
One thing I have failed to mention since we got to Palma is that they speak their own language, Mallorquin. You may have noticed some spelling differences in these last posts and that is why. They do speak castellano Spanish but most of the street signs and other public signage are written in Mallorquin, giving the island its own flavor and making us feel like we are no longer in Spain.
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When we arrived we realized that there were very few bus options left and since we didn't know how long the cave tour lasted we didn't want to risk getting there without a way back. We decided to skip it for the day and head to the tourism office so we could make plans for all the things we wanted to see.
We walked for about twenty minutes before we found the tourism office, not marked on our map. At this point in our trip we have visited many tourism offices, all of which have been incredibly helpful, all except this one. I don't know if we arrived on a bad day or what but the lady we spoke with was incredibly rude. She didn't really want to help us and basically told us that the tours we had seen on various flyers did not exist and that we would need to look up private companies to do the things we wanted to do, like take a catamaran to a specific beach, etc. We left the tourism office very disappointed and headed back to our hotel to make the most of the rest of the day.
We spoke with the front desk at our hotel again and they were very helpful in setting us up with a rental car for the next day. Now that we had some plans, we relaxed and made our way to the other beach near our hotel.
Platja Illetes is by far the most beautiful beach I have ever seen, it puts the beach we went to yesterday to shame. Tucked away in a cove, the beach looks like a movie set or a picture from a magazine ad. We had lunch and enjoyed several hours of lounging on the sand and swimming in the crystal clear water.
We went back to our hotel, changed, and headed back into town. We returned to the small street we visited the night before for some delicious tapas and then walked around exploring the city. Somehow we managed to walk down all the deserted streets and failed to find any signs of the notorious Palma nightlife, so we headed back towards the bus stop. We were still hungry so we stopped at a tapas bar nearby and had a quick bite before jumping on the bus and heading back.
One thing I have failed to mention since we got to Palma is that they speak their own language, Mallorquin. You may have noticed some spelling differences in these last posts and that is why. They do speak castellano Spanish but most of the street signs and other public signage are written in Mallorquin, giving the island its own flavor and making us feel like we are no longer in Spain.
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Palma-Cala Major
We arrived in Palma de Mallorca on Monday night around 9pm. The flight from Málaga was short and had beautiful views of the Mediterranean. We arrived at our hotel and realized we had an even better view, the next five days were going to be wonderful.
Funny thing about our hotel, it is actually on the exact same property my dad and his family used to live on. My dad lived here as a kid and it has been really neat for me to be staying here and walking the same streets as he did.
We spent our first night walking around our neighborhood and having dinner on a small terrace. Our hotel is about 3 Km away from Palma but it is conveniently wedged between two of the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen.
We woke up the next morning completely elated. We were out of Torremolinos and in the most gorgeous place either of us had ever been to. It was going to be a great day.
We got breakfast and went down to Cala Major, one of our nearby beaches. The beach was clean and white with sand, and the water was unbelievable. Clear, warm, and shallow, it was like a big salt water pool that I never wanted to get out of.
We spent most of Tuesday at the beach and then headed into Palma via local bus. So far we have used many public transport systems and they have been cheap, fast, and totally worth using.
We shopped and walked around the city for several hours until we found two spots to have dinner. We ate our first meal in the Plaza Lonja. Unfortunately I stained my favorite shirt here but the food was good and the atmosphere was nice so all was not lost :)
We ate our second meal on the Carrer de Fábrica, a quaint little street filled with tapas bars.
Our first full day in Mallorca was a complete success. We left town for our hotel with hopes of sightseeing the next day.
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Funny thing about our hotel, it is actually on the exact same property my dad and his family used to live on. My dad lived here as a kid and it has been really neat for me to be staying here and walking the same streets as he did.
We spent our first night walking around our neighborhood and having dinner on a small terrace. Our hotel is about 3 Km away from Palma but it is conveniently wedged between two of the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen.
We woke up the next morning completely elated. We were out of Torremolinos and in the most gorgeous place either of us had ever been to. It was going to be a great day.
We got breakfast and went down to Cala Major, one of our nearby beaches. The beach was clean and white with sand, and the water was unbelievable. Clear, warm, and shallow, it was like a big salt water pool that I never wanted to get out of.
We spent most of Tuesday at the beach and then headed into Palma via local bus. So far we have used many public transport systems and they have been cheap, fast, and totally worth using.
We shopped and walked around the city for several hours until we found two spots to have dinner. We ate our first meal in the Plaza Lonja. Unfortunately I stained my favorite shirt here but the food was good and the atmosphere was nice so all was not lost :)
We ate our second meal on the Carrer de Fábrica, a quaint little street filled with tapas bars.
Our first full day in Mallorca was a complete success. We left town for our hotel with hopes of sightseeing the next day.
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Last day in Málaga
We snuck out of Torremolinos around noon on Monday and headed to Málaga for the day.
The train station in Málaga not only connects you to the airport but it also has secure lockers to store your stuff for the day. We put our luggage in a locker for 5 euros, totally worth it since our hotel wanted to charge us 50 euros to check out at 6pm.
We headed to the city center of Málaga and enjoyed a wonderful day walking, eating, and drinking.
We hung out till about 5 and then made our way back to the train station and hopped a train to the airport.
A couple things about the Costa del Sol and Andalucia:
- It is definitely worth your time to visit the Andalucia region of Spain. There is a lot to see, and the region is very diverse. Sevilla, Córdoba, and Granada are jam packed with culture and history. They are great 1-2 day destinations and are easily accessible by trains, buses, or cars.
- Many cities in Andalucia, especially Sevilla, are exceptionally welcoming of bikers. There are many bike paths and great bike rental services that are cheap and easy to use.
- Costa del Sol has many destinations and although Málaga might be the easiest to get to, it is not necessarily the most luxurious beach town. If you are looking for an extravagant beach getaway, Marbella and Estepona are better choices. If you are looking for a more cultural experience, Cadiz is likely your best option. Málaga is beautiful and worth a day trip, but to make the most out of this southern coastline it is best to move west towards Gibraltar.
- If for some reason you make the same mistake as we did and get stuck in Torremolinos or Fuengirola, bite the bullet, cancel your reservation, and change hotels/town.
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The train station in Málaga not only connects you to the airport but it also has secure lockers to store your stuff for the day. We put our luggage in a locker for 5 euros, totally worth it since our hotel wanted to charge us 50 euros to check out at 6pm.
We headed to the city center of Málaga and enjoyed a wonderful day walking, eating, and drinking.
We hung out till about 5 and then made our way back to the train station and hopped a train to the airport.
A couple things about the Costa del Sol and Andalucia:
- It is definitely worth your time to visit the Andalucia region of Spain. There is a lot to see, and the region is very diverse. Sevilla, Córdoba, and Granada are jam packed with culture and history. They are great 1-2 day destinations and are easily accessible by trains, buses, or cars.
- Many cities in Andalucia, especially Sevilla, are exceptionally welcoming of bikers. There are many bike paths and great bike rental services that are cheap and easy to use.
- Costa del Sol has many destinations and although Málaga might be the easiest to get to, it is not necessarily the most luxurious beach town. If you are looking for an extravagant beach getaway, Marbella and Estepona are better choices. If you are looking for a more cultural experience, Cadiz is likely your best option. Málaga is beautiful and worth a day trip, but to make the most out of this southern coastline it is best to move west towards Gibraltar.
- If for some reason you make the same mistake as we did and get stuck in Torremolinos or Fuengirola, bite the bullet, cancel your reservation, and change hotels/town.
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Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Estepona weekend
Since our day trips were over, we escaped Torremolinos by heading west down the coast to Estepona, where my dad's cousin and her family live.
We spent Saturday hanging out with my family at their house, sitting on the terrace in the sun and eating delicious food. My dad's cousin, who's basically my aunt, and her husband made an amazing gazpacho, paella with octopus, monk fish, and squid, and then a chocolate mousse dessert. It was by far the best meal we had eaten this whole trip.
After lunch we headed to the nautical club at the marina to pick up their kids who were in a sailing class all day (totally wish I could have done that!). It was hilarious to see about 15 kids come off three tiny boats all yelling at their parents that they want to continue playing in the water. We left them to play for about half an hour while we went down the dock to check out the yacht my uncle is captain of. It's the biggest boat in the marina, 7 million euros in cost, and outright fabulous.
We went back to pick up the kids and headed home. They were hilarious little monsters and very entertaining. After begging us to stay the night, we decided to stay, have dinner, and crash in the little girl's room.
We sat at the table while my uncle made dinner and watched my younger cousin tie nautical knots. He was teaching us how to do them and hilariously criticizing our every mistake.
Dinner was another amazing meal of squid and potatoes. We stayed out on the terrace chatting and hanging out until 1am, it was a wonderful day of doing nothing but eating and hanging out.
We woke up the next day to more sunshine and another great meal. Breakfast with fresh bread, toasted with cheese, olive oil, and turkey, accompanied by coffee.
The kids made their way to sailing class again while we took a walk along the beach and then headed to the marina to scope out the local market. The market was just like every other market we had been to, but much smaller. It was fun to look around at all the crafts, clothes, and other trinkets before we headed to lunch.
We had lunch at the nautical club, they had a big members only lunch to celebrate the fish derby they had earlier that day. They made octopus salad with potatoes, fried fish (caught during the derby), and paella with octopus. Another amazing meal on the Costa del Sol.
We left the marina and the lunch and headed home to jump in the pool. Little did we know we would be jumping in with 6 kids, all wanting to hang all over us and have us throw them around in the water. We spent two hours battling with these little animals in the pool, playing games, racing, and throwing them around.
Sadly, afterwards we had to wash up, say goodbye, and head back to Torremolinos so the family could get back to normal life (the kids had school the next day) and we could pack our bags for Mallorca.
We got back to Torremolinos so happy that we avoided long periods of time there and that we were leaving the next day. We called it an early night.
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We spent Saturday hanging out with my family at their house, sitting on the terrace in the sun and eating delicious food. My dad's cousin, who's basically my aunt, and her husband made an amazing gazpacho, paella with octopus, monk fish, and squid, and then a chocolate mousse dessert. It was by far the best meal we had eaten this whole trip.
After lunch we headed to the nautical club at the marina to pick up their kids who were in a sailing class all day (totally wish I could have done that!). It was hilarious to see about 15 kids come off three tiny boats all yelling at their parents that they want to continue playing in the water. We left them to play for about half an hour while we went down the dock to check out the yacht my uncle is captain of. It's the biggest boat in the marina, 7 million euros in cost, and outright fabulous.
We went back to pick up the kids and headed home. They were hilarious little monsters and very entertaining. After begging us to stay the night, we decided to stay, have dinner, and crash in the little girl's room.
We sat at the table while my uncle made dinner and watched my younger cousin tie nautical knots. He was teaching us how to do them and hilariously criticizing our every mistake.
Dinner was another amazing meal of squid and potatoes. We stayed out on the terrace chatting and hanging out until 1am, it was a wonderful day of doing nothing but eating and hanging out.
We woke up the next day to more sunshine and another great meal. Breakfast with fresh bread, toasted with cheese, olive oil, and turkey, accompanied by coffee.
The kids made their way to sailing class again while we took a walk along the beach and then headed to the marina to scope out the local market. The market was just like every other market we had been to, but much smaller. It was fun to look around at all the crafts, clothes, and other trinkets before we headed to lunch.
We had lunch at the nautical club, they had a big members only lunch to celebrate the fish derby they had earlier that day. They made octopus salad with potatoes, fried fish (caught during the derby), and paella with octopus. Another amazing meal on the Costa del Sol.
We left the marina and the lunch and headed home to jump in the pool. Little did we know we would be jumping in with 6 kids, all wanting to hang all over us and have us throw them around in the water. We spent two hours battling with these little animals in the pool, playing games, racing, and throwing them around.
Sadly, afterwards we had to wash up, say goodbye, and head back to Torremolinos so the family could get back to normal life (the kids had school the next day) and we could pack our bags for Mallorca.
We got back to Torremolinos so happy that we avoided long periods of time there and that we were leaving the next day. We called it an early night.
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Sevilla
We arrived in Sevilla on Friday morning around 11am and headed directly to the city center. We repeated our transportation route from the day before and had taken a commuter train to Málaga and a long distance train to Sevilla. The train station in Sevilla is not as close to the sights as the one in Córdoba so we took a cab, but it was less the 5 euros.
Of course I was hungry so we started the day at a cafe near the main cathedral. It was another beautiful day and we enjoyed breakfast outside in the sun.
We made our way towards the cathedral, where the Giralda is, combined these two monuments are by far the most popular in Sevilla. It was a major disappointment to find out that we would not be able to go up the Giralda due to construction, but we toured the cathedral anyways. The cathedral in Sevilla is the most extensive gothic structure in all of Europe, and it was the most impressive cathedral we had seen to date. Massive in size and amazingly elaborate in decoration, the cathedral was absolutely stunning.
We left the cathedral and made our way towards Sevilla's fortress, noticing that so far every town we have been to has had a cathedral, a fortress, and a castle or some combination of the three.
We had thought that the fortress in Córdoba was impressive, with it's beautiful garden and decorative rooms, but nothing can compare with the architecture and design of this monument. The fortress itself is enormous, and with no map it was impossible to see even close to the whole thing. We spent about 40 minutes meandering from room to room, marveling at the well preserved, incredibly ornate decor. It was so beautiful, probably one of the most beautiful building I have ever seen...and then we stepped out to the garden and that's when we were really impressed.
The shear size of the garden and it's immaculate upkeep is amazing. The garden is not necessarily the highlight of this monument but it definitely should be. The brightly colored flowers, the maze of hedges, and the decorative fountains and ponds are breathtaking, not to mention the amazing views of the cathedral from different parts of the garden which are spectacular.
We left the fortress completely in awe and made our way towards the Plaza de España, stopping for lunch near the university. It was really fun seeing all the college students around the city, walking around and riding bikes to class. It made me regret not studying abroad as I think Sevilla would have been a great place to study.
Up until now I had only vaguely remembered Córdoba and Sevilla from my childhood visits, but as soon as we approached the Plaza de España my memories became vivid. The plaza has a beautiful palace, which is now a military museum, with a huge fountain in the front and a small canal where you can rent row boats. I remember taking a horse drawn carriage with my family through the plaza and the botanical garden nearby. It was a great feeling to be living my memory again (no horse drawn carriage this time).
We left the plaza and headed towards the train station, walking through the center of town and stopping in souvenir shops. We took the train back to Málaga and then back to Torremolinos. We decided to eat at the same restaurant as the night before, and after about 5 hours of train travel and a full day of sight seeing we called it a night.
Of course I was hungry so we started the day at a cafe near the main cathedral. It was another beautiful day and we enjoyed breakfast outside in the sun.
We made our way towards the cathedral, where the Giralda is, combined these two monuments are by far the most popular in Sevilla. It was a major disappointment to find out that we would not be able to go up the Giralda due to construction, but we toured the cathedral anyways. The cathedral in Sevilla is the most extensive gothic structure in all of Europe, and it was the most impressive cathedral we had seen to date. Massive in size and amazingly elaborate in decoration, the cathedral was absolutely stunning.
We left the cathedral and made our way towards Sevilla's fortress, noticing that so far every town we have been to has had a cathedral, a fortress, and a castle or some combination of the three.
We had thought that the fortress in Córdoba was impressive, with it's beautiful garden and decorative rooms, but nothing can compare with the architecture and design of this monument. The fortress itself is enormous, and with no map it was impossible to see even close to the whole thing. We spent about 40 minutes meandering from room to room, marveling at the well preserved, incredibly ornate decor. It was so beautiful, probably one of the most beautiful building I have ever seen...and then we stepped out to the garden and that's when we were really impressed.
The shear size of the garden and it's immaculate upkeep is amazing. The garden is not necessarily the highlight of this monument but it definitely should be. The brightly colored flowers, the maze of hedges, and the decorative fountains and ponds are breathtaking, not to mention the amazing views of the cathedral from different parts of the garden which are spectacular.
We left the fortress completely in awe and made our way towards the Plaza de España, stopping for lunch near the university. It was really fun seeing all the college students around the city, walking around and riding bikes to class. It made me regret not studying abroad as I think Sevilla would have been a great place to study.
Up until now I had only vaguely remembered Córdoba and Sevilla from my childhood visits, but as soon as we approached the Plaza de España my memories became vivid. The plaza has a beautiful palace, which is now a military museum, with a huge fountain in the front and a small canal where you can rent row boats. I remember taking a horse drawn carriage with my family through the plaza and the botanical garden nearby. It was a great feeling to be living my memory again (no horse drawn carriage this time).
We left the plaza and headed towards the train station, walking through the center of town and stopping in souvenir shops. We took the train back to Málaga and then back to Torremolinos. We decided to eat at the same restaurant as the night before, and after about 5 hours of train travel and a full day of sight seeing we called it a night.
Córdoba
We arrived in Còrdoba on Thursday morning after catching the commuter train into Málaga and then transferring to a long distance train headed to Córdoba. The commuter train is by far the best part of Torremolinos, if you happen to get stuck in the outskirts of where you would rather be, be sure to look into the local commuter trains before switching hotels.
We stopped at the tourist information booth upon arrival and grabbed a map so we could plan our day.
It was a beautiful outside and we realized that most of the monuments and the historical zone of the city were within walking distance so we began our trek towards the sights.
We arrived in the Juderia, or the old Jewish quarter. The small narrow roads form a labyrinth filled with restaurants, souvenir shops, and the like. We stopped and had a cup of coffee with toast and tomatoes with olive oil, absolutely delicious. This is definitely a breakfast we plan to repeat both on the trip and at home.
We made our way to the Mezquita, or mosque, this is likely the most noteworthy sight in Córdoba. Everything from the outside to the inside was amazing. The moorish architecture is very ornate and colorful, it was simply beautiful. From the outside it's hard to tell that there is a cathedral inside, and from the inside it is interesting to see both religious cultures expressed in one building. It was also amazing to see how well preserved everything was, the floors, the pillars, the colors of the fresco paintings, everything was so intact. The size of the mosque/cathedral was also very impressive, especially since there were at least ten tour groups each with at least 20 people and they were hardly in our way.
We left the Mezquita and walked towards the Alcazar, or fortress, and it's gardens. The fortress was also in moorish design, and was very ornately decorated from floor to ceiling. We stepped outside to the garden which was filled with brightly colored flowers, beautiful statues, and decorated fountains. The most prominent statue is of the King and Queen of Spain and Christopher Columbus requesting funds to sail towards the Americas.
We took several pictures and walked through the entire garden before heading back towards the Jewish quarter for lunch. We found a nice little spot and enjoyed some delicious tapas while people watching and soaking the sun.
After lunch we started our return walk towards the train station, stopping in artisan and souvenir shops along the way and taking pictures of the beautiful architecture and the flower lined streets nearby.
A few things to point out about Córdoba:
- many parts of the city, mostly near the monuments, are protected as World Heritage sights and are incredibly well preserved
- the city is a candidate to be the Cultural City of Europe, and it is a very well deserved nomination
- both the city and the sites are easy to get to, you can walk from the train or bus stations or take a short cab ride, and once you are in the historical zone the sights are all within walking distance
We took the long distance train back to Málaga and then the commuter train back to Torremolinos. We washed up and went out to dinner, this time picking a nicer looking place near our hotel. It was by no means authentic, and it had a very mixed menu of different cuisines but it was by far the nicest place in Torremolinos, which isn't saying much.
We made it an early night as we had a long journey to Sevilla the next day.
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We stopped at the tourist information booth upon arrival and grabbed a map so we could plan our day.
It was a beautiful outside and we realized that most of the monuments and the historical zone of the city were within walking distance so we began our trek towards the sights.
We arrived in the Juderia, or the old Jewish quarter. The small narrow roads form a labyrinth filled with restaurants, souvenir shops, and the like. We stopped and had a cup of coffee with toast and tomatoes with olive oil, absolutely delicious. This is definitely a breakfast we plan to repeat both on the trip and at home.
We made our way to the Mezquita, or mosque, this is likely the most noteworthy sight in Córdoba. Everything from the outside to the inside was amazing. The moorish architecture is very ornate and colorful, it was simply beautiful. From the outside it's hard to tell that there is a cathedral inside, and from the inside it is interesting to see both religious cultures expressed in one building. It was also amazing to see how well preserved everything was, the floors, the pillars, the colors of the fresco paintings, everything was so intact. The size of the mosque/cathedral was also very impressive, especially since there were at least ten tour groups each with at least 20 people and they were hardly in our way.
We left the Mezquita and walked towards the Alcazar, or fortress, and it's gardens. The fortress was also in moorish design, and was very ornately decorated from floor to ceiling. We stepped outside to the garden which was filled with brightly colored flowers, beautiful statues, and decorated fountains. The most prominent statue is of the King and Queen of Spain and Christopher Columbus requesting funds to sail towards the Americas.
We took several pictures and walked through the entire garden before heading back towards the Jewish quarter for lunch. We found a nice little spot and enjoyed some delicious tapas while people watching and soaking the sun.
After lunch we started our return walk towards the train station, stopping in artisan and souvenir shops along the way and taking pictures of the beautiful architecture and the flower lined streets nearby.
A few things to point out about Córdoba:
- many parts of the city, mostly near the monuments, are protected as World Heritage sights and are incredibly well preserved
- the city is a candidate to be the Cultural City of Europe, and it is a very well deserved nomination
- both the city and the sites are easy to get to, you can walk from the train or bus stations or take a short cab ride, and once you are in the historical zone the sights are all within walking distance
We took the long distance train back to Málaga and then the commuter train back to Torremolinos. We washed up and went out to dinner, this time picking a nicer looking place near our hotel. It was by no means authentic, and it had a very mixed menu of different cuisines but it was by far the nicest place in Torremolinos, which isn't saying much.
We made it an early night as we had a long journey to Sevilla the next day.
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Friday, June 10, 2011
Málaga
Our last night in Madrid was greeted with a long morning before we parted ways with our friends and headed to Málaga (they left for Barcelona). We met up for breakfast and then took a nice final stroll through the city before heading to the Atocha train station. We boarded the Ave (Spain's high speed rail line) and enjoyed the views as we headed south towards the Costa Del Sol.
One thing I have to point out is that we legitimately thought we were staying in Málaga, it wasn't until we arrived that we realized our hotel was actually 30 minutes away in Torremolinos. When searching hotels along any coastline, check and double check the location that is listed and where it is in relation to where you think you want to be. Nothing against Torremolinos, it is just not at all where we thought we were staying, and to be completely honest it is the most disappointing place we have seen thus far.
Confused at the train station, we took a cab and headed to our hotel. Another surprise, our four star hotel we thought we booked was more like a two star hotel. The lobby is beautiful and from the outside it looked ok, but everything is outdated. It may have been a four star hotel in the 1970's, but unfortunately it's no where close to that now. Again, check and double check where you are staying before booking...big lesson learned here. That all being said, our hotel is definitely the nicest one in Torremolinos, which should tell you something about this little town.
Torremolinos is the oldest resort town in the Costa Del Sol. In it's hay day I am sure it was wonderful and fun, but now it is run down, outdated, filled with bad pseudo American restaurants and Irish pubs, and completely missing Spanish culture. The crowd is much older and almost everyone is from the UK (hense the food choices). Needless to say our first night was uneventful.
We woke up the next day well rested and figured out that there was a commuter train into Málaga and that the station was very close. We grabbed breakfast and then headed that way.
What a relief it was to head into a modern day city. We stopped at the main train station and booked our day trips to Cordoba and Sevilla and then headed towards the city center.
We cruised around downtown Málaga, people watching, scoping out restaurants and shopping, and admiring the bustling beach town. It was an absolutely gorgeous day and we were right where we wanted to be. We made our way to the Alcazar, an old Moorish fortress on a hill (it leads to an old castle but we didn't make it up that far). It was amazing to see the old architecture still so intact, and the views of the Mediterranean from the top were indescribable.
On our way back down we realized that there was an old Roman amphitheater at the base of the military fortress. The theater is still used today and is in very good condition.
After seeing the sights, choosing to avoid the local museums for now, we made our way to the beach. The sand was hot and filled with people of all ages. It was nice to be on a (relatively) clean beach with beautiful water. The beaches here are almost all public, unlike Mexico, hardly any hotels have beach front property. After about half an hour of walking along the beach we took a cab back to the train station and headed to Torremolinos on the commuter train.
We got back just in time for a late dinner. This time we went to the front desk for restaurant recommendations, explaining we wanted more authentic food, after some laughter suggesting that such a menu doesn't exist, they suggested only two places. We walked by both, picked one and sat down to eat. Although much more authentic, the food in Andalucia has yet to be anything to write home about. Málaga has much better food than Torremolinos, but neither can compare to Madrid.
Committed to making the best of our time here, we went out towards the beach where many bars are located. We hopped to two different bars filled with locals. It was fun but not exactly worth the expensive drinks, we much prefer the older more authentic little bars to the ones blaring techno music.
We were headed to Cordoba the next day so we made our way back to the hotel and right to sleep.
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One thing I have to point out is that we legitimately thought we were staying in Málaga, it wasn't until we arrived that we realized our hotel was actually 30 minutes away in Torremolinos. When searching hotels along any coastline, check and double check the location that is listed and where it is in relation to where you think you want to be. Nothing against Torremolinos, it is just not at all where we thought we were staying, and to be completely honest it is the most disappointing place we have seen thus far.
Confused at the train station, we took a cab and headed to our hotel. Another surprise, our four star hotel we thought we booked was more like a two star hotel. The lobby is beautiful and from the outside it looked ok, but everything is outdated. It may have been a four star hotel in the 1970's, but unfortunately it's no where close to that now. Again, check and double check where you are staying before booking...big lesson learned here. That all being said, our hotel is definitely the nicest one in Torremolinos, which should tell you something about this little town.
Torremolinos is the oldest resort town in the Costa Del Sol. In it's hay day I am sure it was wonderful and fun, but now it is run down, outdated, filled with bad pseudo American restaurants and Irish pubs, and completely missing Spanish culture. The crowd is much older and almost everyone is from the UK (hense the food choices). Needless to say our first night was uneventful.
We woke up the next day well rested and figured out that there was a commuter train into Málaga and that the station was very close. We grabbed breakfast and then headed that way.
What a relief it was to head into a modern day city. We stopped at the main train station and booked our day trips to Cordoba and Sevilla and then headed towards the city center.
We cruised around downtown Málaga, people watching, scoping out restaurants and shopping, and admiring the bustling beach town. It was an absolutely gorgeous day and we were right where we wanted to be. We made our way to the Alcazar, an old Moorish fortress on a hill (it leads to an old castle but we didn't make it up that far). It was amazing to see the old architecture still so intact, and the views of the Mediterranean from the top were indescribable.
On our way back down we realized that there was an old Roman amphitheater at the base of the military fortress. The theater is still used today and is in very good condition.
After seeing the sights, choosing to avoid the local museums for now, we made our way to the beach. The sand was hot and filled with people of all ages. It was nice to be on a (relatively) clean beach with beautiful water. The beaches here are almost all public, unlike Mexico, hardly any hotels have beach front property. After about half an hour of walking along the beach we took a cab back to the train station and headed to Torremolinos on the commuter train.
We got back just in time for a late dinner. This time we went to the front desk for restaurant recommendations, explaining we wanted more authentic food, after some laughter suggesting that such a menu doesn't exist, they suggested only two places. We walked by both, picked one and sat down to eat. Although much more authentic, the food in Andalucia has yet to be anything to write home about. Málaga has much better food than Torremolinos, but neither can compare to Madrid.
Committed to making the best of our time here, we went out towards the beach where many bars are located. We hopped to two different bars filled with locals. It was fun but not exactly worth the expensive drinks, we much prefer the older more authentic little bars to the ones blaring techno music.
We were headed to Cordoba the next day so we made our way back to the hotel and right to sleep.
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Last night and day in Madrid
After returning from Toledo, we jumped right back into city life and stopped to have drinks and a snack. The place we went to was not worth writing home about so the biggest tip here is to check out the menu and look at the food before you sit down. There are so many places to eat that it is not worth having a bad meal. Afterwards we headed back to the hotel and prepared for our last night out on the town.
The four of us (our friends who arrived from London were still with us) got dressed up and made our way to dinner near the Plaza Mayor. There is a string of little bars all tucked away underneath the plaza, making the cave like dining experience incredibly unique. It had been pouring rain since about 8pm but that didn't stop our late dinner plans from being amazing.
We started at Las Cuevas de Luis Candelas, a very touristy restaurant but they have amazing food and the atmosphere is a lot of fun. The restaurant is made up of several intertwining caves decorated in traditional Spanish fashion. We had a bottle of wine, the best little green peppers I have ever had, cod filled croquettes, and fried chorizo. My mouth is watering just thinking about everything we had!
We moved from there to the bar next door, Meson del Champi, a tapas bar specializing in mushrooms. I don't even like mushrooms, but these little guys were unbelievable. They are fried and served with the tiniest bite of chorizo, making them irresistible. We of course enjoyed these delicious treats with another jug of wine before moving on to the next bar.
Let me also mention that since this was a Monday night all the bars we went to were virtually empty, however the atmosphere was still amazing. We were able to hang with locals, listen to karaoke and live music, and fully enjoy each others company without having to yell over a thousand people. The little caves create a very cozy place for eating and drinking with friends.
The next bar was the Meson de la Tortilla. Now, I am pretty picky when it comes to tortilla, but I have to say that this one was amazing. It was cooked perfectly, and enjoyed with yet another jug of wine.
We moved on to yet another bar, skipping the Meson de la Cava and heading straight to the Meson de los Boquerones. At this point we were so full we didn't order any food, but I am sure that everything they serve is delicious. We did order another jug of wine before heading to the last place of the night, Chocolateria de San Gines.
This chocolate shop is probably the most famous one in Madrid. Open from 6pm to 6am, it treats Madrid's nightlife to homemade "drinking chocolate" (thick, hot milk chocolate) and churros (thin pieces of fried dough, not covered in cinnamon and sugar like you might expect). The classic combination of chocolate and churros can be found almost anywhere in Madrid, but San Gines does it the best and it's old fashion decor make it a fun stop for locals and celebrities alike.
Our long day ended with a bang and it couldn't have been any better. We headed back to the hotel and went to bed before we could even pack our bags for the next destination.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
The four of us (our friends who arrived from London were still with us) got dressed up and made our way to dinner near the Plaza Mayor. There is a string of little bars all tucked away underneath the plaza, making the cave like dining experience incredibly unique. It had been pouring rain since about 8pm but that didn't stop our late dinner plans from being amazing.
We started at Las Cuevas de Luis Candelas, a very touristy restaurant but they have amazing food and the atmosphere is a lot of fun. The restaurant is made up of several intertwining caves decorated in traditional Spanish fashion. We had a bottle of wine, the best little green peppers I have ever had, cod filled croquettes, and fried chorizo. My mouth is watering just thinking about everything we had!
We moved from there to the bar next door, Meson del Champi, a tapas bar specializing in mushrooms. I don't even like mushrooms, but these little guys were unbelievable. They are fried and served with the tiniest bite of chorizo, making them irresistible. We of course enjoyed these delicious treats with another jug of wine before moving on to the next bar.
Let me also mention that since this was a Monday night all the bars we went to were virtually empty, however the atmosphere was still amazing. We were able to hang with locals, listen to karaoke and live music, and fully enjoy each others company without having to yell over a thousand people. The little caves create a very cozy place for eating and drinking with friends.
The next bar was the Meson de la Tortilla. Now, I am pretty picky when it comes to tortilla, but I have to say that this one was amazing. It was cooked perfectly, and enjoyed with yet another jug of wine.
We moved on to yet another bar, skipping the Meson de la Cava and heading straight to the Meson de los Boquerones. At this point we were so full we didn't order any food, but I am sure that everything they serve is delicious. We did order another jug of wine before heading to the last place of the night, Chocolateria de San Gines.
This chocolate shop is probably the most famous one in Madrid. Open from 6pm to 6am, it treats Madrid's nightlife to homemade "drinking chocolate" (thick, hot milk chocolate) and churros (thin pieces of fried dough, not covered in cinnamon and sugar like you might expect). The classic combination of chocolate and churros can be found almost anywhere in Madrid, but San Gines does it the best and it's old fashion decor make it a fun stop for locals and celebrities alike.
Our long day ended with a bang and it couldn't have been any better. We headed back to the hotel and went to bed before we could even pack our bags for the next destination.
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Toledo
I haven't had Internet access for awhile so many apologies for the delay in these blogs...
On Monday we went to Toledo. We took the bus directly from Madrid. It was easy to get to the bus station in Madrid, however arriving in Toledo was a whole different story. The bus station is located outside of the city walls and at the bottom of a hill, making it an arduous climb to the town. The streets are intertwined and hard to follow, making it incredibly difficult to make your way into town without a taxi, car, or other buses (which we didn't know the smaller buses existed until we were already in the town). After about fifteen minutes of wondering around we hailed a cab and made our way up to Toledo.
We started at the tourist information center near the cathedral and realized that since it was Monday many things were closed. This was of course a bummer but we still managed to make the most of our day there. I highly suggest looking into the monuments and attractions on your list and making sure they are open when you plan your visit (this applies to any sites in any city).
We had lunch near the old monastery and then made our way towards the opposite end of the city, marveling at the architecture, souvenir shops, and the tiny streets surrounding us. The most common souvenir from Toledo is knives and swords so pretty much all of the shops had windows full of something of the sort.
We made our way back to the cathedral and went in. Unfortunately we weren't able to take any photos, but they wouldn't even do this beautiful building any justice. The cathedral in Toledo is one of the oldest gothic buildings in Europe, and it was the most impressive monument we had seen so far. It was another one of those moments where everyone is silent and in awe of where they are standing. Along with the architecture, the cathedral houses many "treasures" (old bibles, statues, paintings, etc) that are spectacular and totally worth seeing.
After walking around the cobble stoned streets of Toledo, we hailed another cab to the bus station and headed back to Madrid. Taking the bus to Toledo wasn't all bad, it's only 4 euros and they leave every half hour. All in all it's probably the easiest way to visit this little gem.
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On Monday we went to Toledo. We took the bus directly from Madrid. It was easy to get to the bus station in Madrid, however arriving in Toledo was a whole different story. The bus station is located outside of the city walls and at the bottom of a hill, making it an arduous climb to the town. The streets are intertwined and hard to follow, making it incredibly difficult to make your way into town without a taxi, car, or other buses (which we didn't know the smaller buses existed until we were already in the town). After about fifteen minutes of wondering around we hailed a cab and made our way up to Toledo.
We started at the tourist information center near the cathedral and realized that since it was Monday many things were closed. This was of course a bummer but we still managed to make the most of our day there. I highly suggest looking into the monuments and attractions on your list and making sure they are open when you plan your visit (this applies to any sites in any city).
We had lunch near the old monastery and then made our way towards the opposite end of the city, marveling at the architecture, souvenir shops, and the tiny streets surrounding us. The most common souvenir from Toledo is knives and swords so pretty much all of the shops had windows full of something of the sort.
We made our way back to the cathedral and went in. Unfortunately we weren't able to take any photos, but they wouldn't even do this beautiful building any justice. The cathedral in Toledo is one of the oldest gothic buildings in Europe, and it was the most impressive monument we had seen so far. It was another one of those moments where everyone is silent and in awe of where they are standing. Along with the architecture, the cathedral houses many "treasures" (old bibles, statues, paintings, etc) that are spectacular and totally worth seeing.
After walking around the cobble stoned streets of Toledo, we hailed another cab to the bus station and headed back to Madrid. Taking the bus to Toledo wasn't all bad, it's only 4 euros and they leave every half hour. All in all it's probably the easiest way to visit this little gem.
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Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Back in Madrid
We got back to Madrid Saturday morning and have continued our non-stop adventure. Since we had already visited most of the sites, we spent our first day back walking through "new Madrid" and the more residential areas of the city. We left the city that evening and met up with my dad's cousins in Majadahonda, a small community on the out skirts of Madrid.
Two of his cousins own a bar out there called Malamaluca, a modern local hotspot with live music and amazing drinks. We spent the night hanging out with the locals and listening to live music, it was way more fun than we had expected and it's definitely a bar I recommend venturing out to.
The next day we forced ourselves to get out of the hotel early and made our way to the weekly artisan market locally known as El Rastro. Having been before, I was expecting my memories of gypsies and crowded streets to hold true, but it was so much more. I remembered the market as being much smaller, covering only a plaza and a few neighboring streets. What we went to spanned at least a square kilometer and went from the Plaza de Cascorro to the Plaza Mayor. Although it was definitely crowded, it was filled mostly with tourists and local shoppers, very few gypsies made up the crowd. Walking through the jam packed streets of art, clothes, and other goods was interesting to say the least. The people watching was worth every bit of the sometimes frustrating walk through the crowds.
We stopped and had lunch around the Plaza Mayor and made our way back to the hotel to meet up with our friends arriving from London. We let them freshen up a bit and headed straight toward the Plaza de Colón and walked towards Cibeles. The Paseo de Recoletos is a beautiful tree-lined walk through old Madrid filled with architecture. We met up with my dad's cousins (and their families) at Cafe Espejo and had a few tapas. It was great to see family and enjoy the afternoon outside. We sat on the terrace for about 2 hours before heading towards Plaza de Santa Ana.
It was so crowded there that we just kept walking until we ended up at the Mercado de San Miguel. We decided to sample food and wine from several different stations, and just as we were about to leave it started to rain. Not just rain but thunder, lightening, and torrential down pour. We decided to camp out in the market till it let up a bit. Just as we were getting our second round of drinks a huge bolt of lightening stuck nearby. It sounded like a gunshot, and the large crowd that had congregated in the market completely freaked out, making it was quite the spectacle.
About half hour later the rain let up and we made our way back to the streets, walking through the Puerta del Sol and back to the Plaza de Santa Ana. It started to rain again so we jumped into the next bar we saw, Villa Rosa. I'm not one to go back to the same restaurant on the same trip, but since it was raining and our friends had never been (or seen flamenco) we decided to give it another go.
We enjoyed paella and more wine before the flamenco started. It was a slightly different group than before and much more intense. The male performer had the solo this time around and not only did he change consumes, he took flamenco to a whole new level. His foot work was amazing and his intensity was both noteworthy and hilarious. All in all it was a great day. We made our way back to the hotel around 1am and made plans to go to Toledo the next day.
We just got off the bus in Toledo, more to come on this spiritual capital.
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Two of his cousins own a bar out there called Malamaluca, a modern local hotspot with live music and amazing drinks. We spent the night hanging out with the locals and listening to live music, it was way more fun than we had expected and it's definitely a bar I recommend venturing out to.
The next day we forced ourselves to get out of the hotel early and made our way to the weekly artisan market locally known as El Rastro. Having been before, I was expecting my memories of gypsies and crowded streets to hold true, but it was so much more. I remembered the market as being much smaller, covering only a plaza and a few neighboring streets. What we went to spanned at least a square kilometer and went from the Plaza de Cascorro to the Plaza Mayor. Although it was definitely crowded, it was filled mostly with tourists and local shoppers, very few gypsies made up the crowd. Walking through the jam packed streets of art, clothes, and other goods was interesting to say the least. The people watching was worth every bit of the sometimes frustrating walk through the crowds.
We stopped and had lunch around the Plaza Mayor and made our way back to the hotel to meet up with our friends arriving from London. We let them freshen up a bit and headed straight toward the Plaza de Colón and walked towards Cibeles. The Paseo de Recoletos is a beautiful tree-lined walk through old Madrid filled with architecture. We met up with my dad's cousins (and their families) at Cafe Espejo and had a few tapas. It was great to see family and enjoy the afternoon outside. We sat on the terrace for about 2 hours before heading towards Plaza de Santa Ana.
It was so crowded there that we just kept walking until we ended up at the Mercado de San Miguel. We decided to sample food and wine from several different stations, and just as we were about to leave it started to rain. Not just rain but thunder, lightening, and torrential down pour. We decided to camp out in the market till it let up a bit. Just as we were getting our second round of drinks a huge bolt of lightening stuck nearby. It sounded like a gunshot, and the large crowd that had congregated in the market completely freaked out, making it was quite the spectacle.
About half hour later the rain let up and we made our way back to the streets, walking through the Puerta del Sol and back to the Plaza de Santa Ana. It started to rain again so we jumped into the next bar we saw, Villa Rosa. I'm not one to go back to the same restaurant on the same trip, but since it was raining and our friends had never been (or seen flamenco) we decided to give it another go.
We enjoyed paella and more wine before the flamenco started. It was a slightly different group than before and much more intense. The male performer had the solo this time around and not only did he change consumes, he took flamenco to a whole new level. His foot work was amazing and his intensity was both noteworthy and hilarious. All in all it was a great day. We made our way back to the hotel around 1am and made plans to go to Toledo the next day.
We just got off the bus in Toledo, more to come on this spiritual capital.
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Saturday, June 4, 2011
Logroño
Before heading to Logroño yesterday, we started our day at the Palacio Real. The line was unavoidably long but it moved quickly so we waited it out. The palace is quite the spectacle, very grand and ornately decorated, exactly what you would expect in a royal palace. It was nice to be able to move from room to room at your own pace, taking in the ambiance and the decor. Walking through, we noticed that everyone was silent. I'm not sure if its instinct or what but there is something about being in the presence of history that makes you be quiet. After an hour of navigating through the royal walls we made our way to lunch.
Lunch was delicious. We were a little hungover from the night before so we were craving comfort food. My dad and stepmom (and the guidebooks) recommended Casa Lucio, a quaint establishment that embodies the sentiment of classic Madrid. Celebrities and the King often dine here, and after visiting the royal palace we thought it was the natural choice for lunch. Walking in was intimidating, apparently you need reservations and although we were able to sneak in, we definitely felt bad for not making reservations. We got over that feeling quickly after our food came. We ordered huevos estrellados, cut fried eggs over potatoes, and bread with tomato and olive oil, the soul food we were craving. It was so good we basically inhaled it. The waiters were astonished when we asked for the check a mere 40 minutes after sitting down (typical Spanish lunch can take up to 2 hours).
After lunch we went to the Reina Sofia modern art museum. In all honesty it was more impressive than the Prado, and much easier to navigate through. Reina Sofia houses many of Picasso's most famous work, including the Guernica, as well as Miro's and Dali's work (and many other Spanish abstract artists). Currently it is also exhibiting several light installations, that were truly remarkable.
We spent the rest of the afternoon walking around the city, people watching, and passing the time until our train left for Logroño.
When we got to the train station we were a bit confused as to what to do. People were walking in all directions, the destination board was constantly changing, and our train did not have a platform assigned to it yet. Since it had been ten years since my last Spanish train ride, the entire process seemed foreign to me. I ended up asking the information desk and we quickly made our way towards the right platform, just in time as the train was boarding when we walked up!
Our journey to Logroño started off a bit unsettling. We had planned to be there most of Friday, Friday night, and leave sometime in the afternoon on Saturday, but the train schedules made this impossible. We ended up taking a 3.5 hour train ride from Madrid in the early evening, arriving in Logroño around 10pm. In order to get back to Madrid by Saturday we would have to leave at 8am, giving us only 9 hours in the heart of the Rioja wine country.
The train made several stops and we noticed that as we got closer to our destination that the stations were less and less crowded, with no taxis in sight. As we made our final approach to Logroño, I decided to ask the lady next to us if there were taxis at the train station and how far it was to the city center, we quickly realized that we were either going to walk about a half hour to our hotel or we would have to hitch hike. Our worries worsened when we read in our guide books that restaurants close at 11pm, and that with our luck we would have to miss dinner and just stay in our hotel, making it an uneventful night. Luckily, the lady we met was nothing short of amazing, as her and her friends happily drove us directly to our hotel.
Upon check in we were reassured that restaurants are in fact open till at least midnight and that we would be enjoying a fun evening out. And that is exactly what we did.
Our hotel was located in the heart of the city, near the Calle Laurel, a local hotspot for tapas and wine. Several streets connect to this hotspot and make up the pedestrian zone where no cars are allowed. Down the streets are many tapas bars, each with seating inside and an ordering window outside, where you can choose to eat and drink with the masses. On a Friday night the small streets and alleys are filled with people. It was so crowded we were elbow to elbow most of the night. It was amazing to see such big crowds in such small areas. The tapas at each bar was even more amazing.
The bars are similar to what the Plaza Mayor of Madrid offers, where each bar has a specialty and you move from one to the next sampling the signature dishes. We had an absolute blast moving through the crowds and tasting the great food. We sampled bocadillos de jamón y queso (mini ham and cheese sandwiches), pork skewers with bread (not sure what the tapa is actually called, but it was wonderful), and the best patas bravas (fried potatoes with spicy tomato sauce) I have ever had. The tapas and drinks are also incredibly cheap, making this a great destination for the backpacking traveler on a budget. The most amazing part is that this gem is only barely mentioned in the guidebooks.
During the 9 hours we spent in Logroño the city stole my heart. My biggest regret is not staying longer. As we headed to the train station this morning we realized just how much there is to see here and how little we were able to do. It was also fun to see the masses of people just heading home from the bars this morning as we journeyed back to the train station, a true indication that this town is more than just for vineyards and wineries, but geared toward genuinely fun nights out.
This is definitely a place I recommend visiting, although you should plan on renting a car as the vineyards are not in the city center and you'll need a ride from the train station (rental car booths are located at the train station). I am already looking forward to coming back here, with any luck we will make it back during harvest.
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Lunch was delicious. We were a little hungover from the night before so we were craving comfort food. My dad and stepmom (and the guidebooks) recommended Casa Lucio, a quaint establishment that embodies the sentiment of classic Madrid. Celebrities and the King often dine here, and after visiting the royal palace we thought it was the natural choice for lunch. Walking in was intimidating, apparently you need reservations and although we were able to sneak in, we definitely felt bad for not making reservations. We got over that feeling quickly after our food came. We ordered huevos estrellados, cut fried eggs over potatoes, and bread with tomato and olive oil, the soul food we were craving. It was so good we basically inhaled it. The waiters were astonished when we asked for the check a mere 40 minutes after sitting down (typical Spanish lunch can take up to 2 hours).
After lunch we went to the Reina Sofia modern art museum. In all honesty it was more impressive than the Prado, and much easier to navigate through. Reina Sofia houses many of Picasso's most famous work, including the Guernica, as well as Miro's and Dali's work (and many other Spanish abstract artists). Currently it is also exhibiting several light installations, that were truly remarkable.
We spent the rest of the afternoon walking around the city, people watching, and passing the time until our train left for Logroño.
When we got to the train station we were a bit confused as to what to do. People were walking in all directions, the destination board was constantly changing, and our train did not have a platform assigned to it yet. Since it had been ten years since my last Spanish train ride, the entire process seemed foreign to me. I ended up asking the information desk and we quickly made our way towards the right platform, just in time as the train was boarding when we walked up!
Our journey to Logroño started off a bit unsettling. We had planned to be there most of Friday, Friday night, and leave sometime in the afternoon on Saturday, but the train schedules made this impossible. We ended up taking a 3.5 hour train ride from Madrid in the early evening, arriving in Logroño around 10pm. In order to get back to Madrid by Saturday we would have to leave at 8am, giving us only 9 hours in the heart of the Rioja wine country.
The train made several stops and we noticed that as we got closer to our destination that the stations were less and less crowded, with no taxis in sight. As we made our final approach to Logroño, I decided to ask the lady next to us if there were taxis at the train station and how far it was to the city center, we quickly realized that we were either going to walk about a half hour to our hotel or we would have to hitch hike. Our worries worsened when we read in our guide books that restaurants close at 11pm, and that with our luck we would have to miss dinner and just stay in our hotel, making it an uneventful night. Luckily, the lady we met was nothing short of amazing, as her and her friends happily drove us directly to our hotel.
Upon check in we were reassured that restaurants are in fact open till at least midnight and that we would be enjoying a fun evening out. And that is exactly what we did.
Our hotel was located in the heart of the city, near the Calle Laurel, a local hotspot for tapas and wine. Several streets connect to this hotspot and make up the pedestrian zone where no cars are allowed. Down the streets are many tapas bars, each with seating inside and an ordering window outside, where you can choose to eat and drink with the masses. On a Friday night the small streets and alleys are filled with people. It was so crowded we were elbow to elbow most of the night. It was amazing to see such big crowds in such small areas. The tapas at each bar was even more amazing.
The bars are similar to what the Plaza Mayor of Madrid offers, where each bar has a specialty and you move from one to the next sampling the signature dishes. We had an absolute blast moving through the crowds and tasting the great food. We sampled bocadillos de jamón y queso (mini ham and cheese sandwiches), pork skewers with bread (not sure what the tapa is actually called, but it was wonderful), and the best patas bravas (fried potatoes with spicy tomato sauce) I have ever had. The tapas and drinks are also incredibly cheap, making this a great destination for the backpacking traveler on a budget. The most amazing part is that this gem is only barely mentioned in the guidebooks.
During the 9 hours we spent in Logroño the city stole my heart. My biggest regret is not staying longer. As we headed to the train station this morning we realized just how much there is to see here and how little we were able to do. It was also fun to see the masses of people just heading home from the bars this morning as we journeyed back to the train station, a true indication that this town is more than just for vineyards and wineries, but geared toward genuinely fun nights out.
This is definitely a place I recommend visiting, although you should plan on renting a car as the vineyards are not in the city center and you'll need a ride from the train station (rental car booths are located at the train station). I am already looking forward to coming back here, with any luck we will make it back during harvest.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Friday, June 3, 2011
Day one
Day one was a complete success in every way.
We started our day early, leaving the hotel around 10:30 and headed to Starbucks for the free wifi. I know you are probably thinking, why would we go to Starbucks with all the great Spanish coffee spots, well we really only went there for the free Internet.
From there we went to Atocha train station. The station itself is impressive and worth walking through even if you aren't getting on a train. There is a huge atrium in the middle and for lack of a better word, it is simply beautiful. We went to activate our euro rail passes and get our tickets for our trips to Logroño and Málaga. Booking train tickets has proved to be incredibly easy and I highly recommend using a euro rail pass if you plan on making several train trips within Europe, whether within one country or across several.
From Atocha we started our walking journey of the city. We started at the Prado museum. It took about an hour to navigate through the intricate building that houses many of Spain's masterpieces and it was worth every minute. Although crowded, we were able to see everything we wanted to see. General admission is cheap and unless you want to see specific exhibitions it's worth just seeing the standard collection.
From there we walked to El Parque de Buen Retiro, the biggest park in the city similar to NYCs Central Park. The Park is massive, very well kept, and quite stunning. There are ponds, statues, large courtyards, and small secluded areas which allow you to make the Park whatever you want it to be. For us it was a beautiful gateway to the rest of the city. We used it as a means to get to another attraction but it really is a stand alone attraction itself.
We left the park and stopped at la Puerta de Alcala. This is very similar to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris except you cannot go to the top and the flame of the unknown soldier is not here. This arc is the gateway to Madrid and for tourists it's an excellent picture location. It is also incredibly close to the more famous Plaza de las Cibeles.
The Plaza de las Cibeles is by far my favorite spot in Madrid. The fountain in the middle of the huge round about is beautiful and the backdrop behind it is absolutely stunning. The post office that sits behind the fountain is in many ways the most picturesque building in Madrid. Large, white, and very ornate, it glorifies Spanish architecture.
After taking photos we marched on to the Puerta del Sol. When I was here last I remembered this to be quite the spectacle, jam packed with people and lit up for the holidays. Visiting this area in the summer was not quite the same. In light of the recent riots and protests, the Puerta del Sol was literally covered with tents. The kilometer zero sign was nowhere to be found and the area was nothing like I had remembered it. It was dirty, crowded, and not photo worthy to say the least.
We didn't stay there long and headed directly to the Plaza Mayor for lunch. Lunch in the actual Plaza was somewhat of a tourist trap. Prices were a bit higher than normal and when paying your bill, the waiters will not bring you change unless you ask for it. Knowing you are American, it is about the only place that will accept a larger tip, even if you were expecting change.
Outside of the plaza are many little alleys filled with tapas bars, likely a better choice for more authentic food. Each bar is named based on the specialty they make and it traditional to go from one bar to the next, eating the specialty tapas at each place until you have had a full meal. In the same area is the tourist hotspot Las Cuevas de Luis Candelas. When I was a kid this was my favorite place we went to. We made reservations for Monday night and I am hoping it lives up to my memories.
We continued walking and stumbled upon the Mercado de San Miguel, a local market geared towards foods you eat there instead of take home although they offer both. This market is unlike anything I have ever seen. Naturally, we stopped and had a glass of wine.
We continued our walk and headed toward the Palacio Real. Never in my life have I seen so many people waiting in line. It was way too long for us to stand in so we just took some photos and continued walking toward the Plaza de España.
From the Plaza we made our way down Gran Via, one of the main streets of the city and arguably the busiest. We continued down Gran Via, stopping in a few local shops, until we made our way back to the Plaza de Santa Ana. This little Plaza has become our favorite. We stopped and had Sangria, sat in the sun, and people watched, it was a perfect afternoon.
We returned to the hotel and went back out to the Plaza for dinner, dining at another one of my favorite spots, Cinco Jotas. It was the perfect meal after a perfect day in the city.
Today we are heading to Logroño, the center of Rioja wine country. Before we head out we will be checking out the modern art museum, La Reina Sofia, and trying our luck at seeing the Palacio Real.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
We started our day early, leaving the hotel around 10:30 and headed to Starbucks for the free wifi. I know you are probably thinking, why would we go to Starbucks with all the great Spanish coffee spots, well we really only went there for the free Internet.
From there we went to Atocha train station. The station itself is impressive and worth walking through even if you aren't getting on a train. There is a huge atrium in the middle and for lack of a better word, it is simply beautiful. We went to activate our euro rail passes and get our tickets for our trips to Logroño and Málaga. Booking train tickets has proved to be incredibly easy and I highly recommend using a euro rail pass if you plan on making several train trips within Europe, whether within one country or across several.
From Atocha we started our walking journey of the city. We started at the Prado museum. It took about an hour to navigate through the intricate building that houses many of Spain's masterpieces and it was worth every minute. Although crowded, we were able to see everything we wanted to see. General admission is cheap and unless you want to see specific exhibitions it's worth just seeing the standard collection.
From there we walked to El Parque de Buen Retiro, the biggest park in the city similar to NYCs Central Park. The Park is massive, very well kept, and quite stunning. There are ponds, statues, large courtyards, and small secluded areas which allow you to make the Park whatever you want it to be. For us it was a beautiful gateway to the rest of the city. We used it as a means to get to another attraction but it really is a stand alone attraction itself.
We left the park and stopped at la Puerta de Alcala. This is very similar to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris except you cannot go to the top and the flame of the unknown soldier is not here. This arc is the gateway to Madrid and for tourists it's an excellent picture location. It is also incredibly close to the more famous Plaza de las Cibeles.
The Plaza de las Cibeles is by far my favorite spot in Madrid. The fountain in the middle of the huge round about is beautiful and the backdrop behind it is absolutely stunning. The post office that sits behind the fountain is in many ways the most picturesque building in Madrid. Large, white, and very ornate, it glorifies Spanish architecture.
After taking photos we marched on to the Puerta del Sol. When I was here last I remembered this to be quite the spectacle, jam packed with people and lit up for the holidays. Visiting this area in the summer was not quite the same. In light of the recent riots and protests, the Puerta del Sol was literally covered with tents. The kilometer zero sign was nowhere to be found and the area was nothing like I had remembered it. It was dirty, crowded, and not photo worthy to say the least.
We didn't stay there long and headed directly to the Plaza Mayor for lunch. Lunch in the actual Plaza was somewhat of a tourist trap. Prices were a bit higher than normal and when paying your bill, the waiters will not bring you change unless you ask for it. Knowing you are American, it is about the only place that will accept a larger tip, even if you were expecting change.
Outside of the plaza are many little alleys filled with tapas bars, likely a better choice for more authentic food. Each bar is named based on the specialty they make and it traditional to go from one bar to the next, eating the specialty tapas at each place until you have had a full meal. In the same area is the tourist hotspot Las Cuevas de Luis Candelas. When I was a kid this was my favorite place we went to. We made reservations for Monday night and I am hoping it lives up to my memories.
We continued walking and stumbled upon the Mercado de San Miguel, a local market geared towards foods you eat there instead of take home although they offer both. This market is unlike anything I have ever seen. Naturally, we stopped and had a glass of wine.
We continued our walk and headed toward the Palacio Real. Never in my life have I seen so many people waiting in line. It was way too long for us to stand in so we just took some photos and continued walking toward the Plaza de España.
From the Plaza we made our way down Gran Via, one of the main streets of the city and arguably the busiest. We continued down Gran Via, stopping in a few local shops, until we made our way back to the Plaza de Santa Ana. This little Plaza has become our favorite. We stopped and had Sangria, sat in the sun, and people watched, it was a perfect afternoon.
We returned to the hotel and went back out to the Plaza for dinner, dining at another one of my favorite spots, Cinco Jotas. It was the perfect meal after a perfect day in the city.
Today we are heading to Logroño, the center of Rioja wine country. Before we head out we will be checking out the modern art museum, La Reina Sofia, and trying our luck at seeing the Palacio Real.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Touchdown Madrid
After almost 24 hours of travel we made it to Madrid safe and sound. We got in around 9:30pm but by the time we got our bags and navigated our way through the metro to our hotel it was nearly midnight.
Those who know me know that I was obviously starving at this point, so naturally we freshened up and went out for some tapas. Our quest for food down the streets of Madrid was starting to seem unlucky (kitchens were surprisingly closed) until we stumbled upon an old tapas bar in the Plaza de Santa Ana. We walked in and not only were we treated to a delicious meal of jamón ibérico de bellota, croquetas de jamón, and pinchos de tortilla, we were also treated to flamenco dancing!
In all my trips to Spain I have never had the chance to experience flamenco, and it was amazing!
Our wonderful and successful first night in Madrid did yield some lessons learned for the next trip...
1. Purchase your plane tickets together through to your final destination. We bought tickets from Anchorage to Frankfurt and then tickets from Frankfurt to Madrid. This made us get our luggage in Frankfurt and check back in. It also made us have a longer layover because we had to ensure we had time to check back in.
2. If you are checking into a hotel late, you should definitely let them know ahead of time. There is a chance that if you don't they will give your room away.
All in all Spain has held true to my memories and I am very much looking forward to the month ahead.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Those who know me know that I was obviously starving at this point, so naturally we freshened up and went out for some tapas. Our quest for food down the streets of Madrid was starting to seem unlucky (kitchens were surprisingly closed) until we stumbled upon an old tapas bar in the Plaza de Santa Ana. We walked in and not only were we treated to a delicious meal of jamón ibérico de bellota, croquetas de jamón, and pinchos de tortilla, we were also treated to flamenco dancing!
In all my trips to Spain I have never had the chance to experience flamenco, and it was amazing!
Our wonderful and successful first night in Madrid did yield some lessons learned for the next trip...
1. Purchase your plane tickets together through to your final destination. We bought tickets from Anchorage to Frankfurt and then tickets from Frankfurt to Madrid. This made us get our luggage in Frankfurt and check back in. It also made us have a longer layover because we had to ensure we had time to check back in.
2. If you are checking into a hotel late, you should definitely let them know ahead of time. There is a chance that if you don't they will give your room away.
All in all Spain has held true to my memories and I am very much looking forward to the month ahead.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
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