Spain!

  

 Travel Bingo  -- Travels to other places while living in London

Spain!  A special treat was exploring Spain with Ashley, Chris and Jackson as they finish up their semester abroad with Chris’ MBA program in Barcelona.   We soaked up Barcelona’s beauty and then toured a bit of southern Spain.  It was such a gift to be with them and share a tiny piece of their fantastic experience!  We so enjoy being together, wherever we are!  Jax is quite the little traveler and such a trouper with being on the go.  He’s got some European city in him, for sure, as many of his favorite words are “taxi,” “castle,” “neigh” (horse), “choo choo,” and “stairs”!  He keeps us laughing and entertained with his engaging personality and warm loves. 

What a terrific city of vibrant contrasts Barcelona is!  Ashley and Jackson took us on wonderful tours while Chris finished up his last two days of classes. 

The city’s Hop-on-Hop-off tour chauffeured us through the bustling city and past landmarks, cathedrals, parks and plazas.  We saw the Olympic stadium, arena, the village and surrounding area, plus the area where they did the boating events in 1992 and took a tram to the top of Montjuic – what vistas from the tram and castle at the top!  Stunning!

Other tour highlights of our few days there were La Romba (a colorful delight of a market full of fresh fruits, juices, fish, Iberian ham, nuts and spices), a Picasso art museum, churros and thick dipping chocolate, and yummy tapas at various restaurants. 

Then there was Sagrada Familia Basilica by Antoni Gaudi – a landmark Barcelona is famous for.  It was an eye-popping, jaw-dropping edifice of elaborate stone work depicting Christ’s life, spectacular sweeping pillars, richly colored stained glass and geometric wonders of artistic genius.   Words and pictures truly can’t do it justice.  It has been under construction since the late 19^th century.  Completion is scheduled for 2026 or so.  Quite a spectacle!

We often rode the choo-choo (subway) – Jax’s favorite, strolled through neighborhoods, played at parks and happily found an honest-to-goodness clothes dryer in a laundromat so clothes weren’t soggy!  Darling little local stores, bakeries, fountains, and plazas dotted their neighborhoods and surrounds. 

Once A, C and Jax packed up their apartment and waved goodbye to Barcelona, we took a train ride to Madrid, which we used as a jumping off spot for zooming to other locations of interest.  Trains, a rented car, subways, a bus, airplanes and good old walking carried us to several cities.  It’s impossible to recap them completely, but here’s a bit about each one.

Seville:  So picturesque!  Strolled a delightful, huge park full of fountains, flowers and amazing buildings – including the expansive and famous Plaza de Espana!  A horse-drawn carriage ride around the city gave us lovely nighttime vistas.

Granada:  La Alhambra was an incredible peek into the time when sultans ruled southern Spain – Moorish architecture and all!  Intricate carvings, vast gardens and amazing views of the sprawling city beyond were amazing.

Andalusian countryside:  A meandering drive through the mist-enveloped, then sun-drenched, rambling countryside between Seville and Malaga was heavenly.  Rolling hills of verdant green, sage colored olive tree groves, whitewashed mountain villages with church steeples, and an occasional castle was soul nourishing.  It was gorgeous!

Ronda:  This was a tiny town perched on a sheer cliff with waterfalls, walls and arched bridges.  Stunning views complete with mist from a rainy day!  Winding alley streets, cobblestoned walks, intermittent fountains and tile work, patterned rock streets and Spain’s oldest and famous bull ring rounded out this gem of a stop.

Malaga:  Wandering the area in our quick time there, we were captivated by the easy-going, friendly feel of this beach town on the Mediterranean.  Caught the sites of an ancient fortress and wall, a famed square, Roman ruins, one of the most famous bull-fighting rings in Spain and the Playa de la Malagueta beach (where, of course, we had to dip our toes)!

It’s also where we watched with fellow fans as the Barca soccer team took it to Madrid’s team in a huge match and won!  Quite surreal to be perched in a little tapas restaurant in view of a cathedral from the 1400’s while we cheered on the hot team of Spain’s nationally favorite sport.  Very cool! 

Madrid:  What a buzzing city Madrid is.  As Spain’s capital city, it pulsed with activity.  Favorite stops here included the beautiful LDS temple grounds (where we also saw the MTC – Missionary Training Center), the palace, Plaza Mayor (with fancy building facades, a center statue, cobblestones, street entertainers, etc.), a fantastic gourmet market and of course, a shop with churros and thick, dark chocolate for dipping.  A hop-on-hop-off tour bus swept us past other city sites, as well.  A colorful flamenco show wowed us, too!

 Visiting Spain was a wonderful, whirlwind trip and we loved being there with Ashley, Chris and Jackson.  Another must-return-to place!  !Viva Espana!