Andalucia, Spain

Tales of Andalucia

October 2015

 Andalucia has been on my travel to-do list, but wider-ranging tours I’ve seen had not enough time there. Then I found a British-based company (www.tourandelucia.co.uk) focused on the region: staying in a centrally located hotel w/ small van tours radiating out to different cities each day. Sounded just perfect. 

And if we put together our own group of 6-8 we’d have our own tour plus a nice discount. So we put together our Grupo de Siete: my brother Doug (unfortunately, sister-in-law Ann couldn’t join us  ̶  we’ll miss her), their friend Una from a previous trip to Iceland (where we also traveled in March, and small world experience: Una’s a high-school friend of one of my colleagues!), Marjorie’s cousin Jim & wife Susan, & Susan’s sister Ann. I’ve acted as “Principle Guest” in arranging details and payments (& calculating exchange rates between British pounds & dollars) with Gary Montagu, aka Gary the Tour Guy, who has been very responsive to our wishes. AAA agent Donna helped arrange our flights.
One regret: I’ll be missing my 50^th (!!!) high school reunion  ̶  it was thoughtlessly moved from Sept. to early October after we’d made arrangements for this trip. But Marjorie made it to hers in August, and we’ve had some interesting activities leading up to the trip. M had her most successful sales at the big 64^th Annual Schenectady Stockade Art Show a couple of weeks ago  ̶  and we’re partly dug out from the artistic disorder at home. Last weekend we returned to the historic Stockade for the annual “walkabout” to tour some of the old homes & gardens. 

And Sunday (9/27) we saw the rare “super blood moon” eclipse; i.e., during a full moon when its orbit is closest to the earth, last seen in 1982 (full disclosure: left photo is mine, right is from the internet). This makes for a trifecta of heavenly events, combining with clear skies for peak Northern Lights in Iceland in March & for July 4^th fireworks viewing from the East River in NYC.

Thursday, 10/1:

          We had everything packed up Wed. night; Marjorie celebrated her efficiency with a facial at Kimberley’s Spa using a coupon I had given her. This AM she and her art mentor Betty set up for an art show this weekend at Hagaman. We’ve had heavy rain & cooler the last 2 days, and a hurricane may head up the coast to bring more rain this weekend. But a nice day today & an uneventful drive to NYC to drop off the car at Smart Park JFK, using a Groupon coupon. On the drive Marjorie chats & texts w/ grandson William on his new cell-phone (he assures us it’s after-school so OK to use his phone). He passes along names of 3 fútbol players from Real Madrid whose jerseys he’d like us to look for. I have leftover euros from a previous trip as seed money; tho we’ll make several ATM stops (cajera automática) during our travels. Easy thru abbreviated TSA “Prechk” (we appear to be trustworthy travlers). On time out of JFK at about 7:30pm. We splurged some for “Premium Economy” seats w/ a bit more legroom on the 1^st flight on American.

Friday, 10/2:

Free wine, a pretty good dinner & continental breakfast. Some “bumpy air” but the 6½-hour flight is on-time into Madrid at 9am (6 hour time difference) w/ pretty sun. Had to wait until here to get Iberia boarding passes for the next flight. We’re in a “satellite terminal” that seems quite deserted, but shortly rendezvous w/ Susan, Jim, & Ann. We board our noon flight but sit a while; not sure why, can’t understand our pilot in either English or Spanish. The flight takes us over dry rugged countryside about an hour late into Malaga at 2:15 in bright sun on the Costa del Sol. Some confusion about getting our bags until someone kindly tips us off that bags coming in from outside the country are sent to a different location. Doug & Una arrived earlier via Paris, we meet up as planned w/ them and Jimmy & Alan from the tour company at CAFÉ & TE in the Arrivals Hall. We’re a bit too late for a planned stop at Mijas mountain village, so instead head for our hotel. Thru Malaga, which is much bigger than expected (about 600,000)  ̶  all of the cities we visit prove to be larger than we thought  ̶  past a big IKEA & McDonald’s. 

          Then a nice drive, pretty brown hills w/ many olive trees, white-washed buildings  ̶  very Mediterranean scenery  ̶  about 30 miles north to Antequera, centered w/in the region for day trips to the different cities ranging 50-100 miles. Many roundabouts, often decorated w/ flowers and/or sculptures. Our 1^st view of a distinctive large “Sleeping Giant” outcropping (aka “Indian Chief” or “Lover’s Leap”).

          We all opted to start w/ an extra day at our home for the week: Antequera Golf Hotel. We won’t be roughing it here: indoor & outdoor pools, spa, restaurant, golf course. I’ve taken up golf in my retirement this summer after many years, but no, didn’t bring clubs; and the course is 3 km away. 

But there is a statue of a golfer in the roundabout near the hotel, and a poster of golfers over our bed. We check in & poke around the hotel. Things get busier as some bus groups arrive. 

I explore some pretty neighboring areas to warm up my shutter finger. A nice surprise: we’re invited to Gary’s for paella tomorrow night. Too pooped to go into town (about a 15-20 minute walk), we chat by the pool & have a buffet dinner in the hotel restaurant. A singer performs by the pool as we head for bed.

Saturday. 10/3:

          A good night’s sleep, awake at 7:30, unusually late for me when we travel. It’s still quite dark; sunrise later here than home. Then a typical AM mix of sun & clouds. Only 2 English TV channels: BBC World News & CNBC (mostly financial stuff). Today’s news includes follow-ups on some shootings at an Oregon college. Down for the good breakfast spread: typical European mix of eggs, bacon & sausage, fruits & tomatoes, meats & cheeses, breads & rolls, cereals. Thought this would be just a day to decompress from our flights, but instead one of the later-day itineraries has been inserted: Torcal & Malaga. Our guide for today, Antonio, arrives in our van w/ 2 sets of 3 seats across plus Jim (who’s still recovering from knee surgery) in front next to the driver. Jim gets extra points for soldiering on over cobblestones & some mountainous terrain.

          A pretty drive, houses & villages nestled in the surrounding hills. To El Torcal de Antequera, a Natural Park Reserve (paraje natural) in a small mountainous area south of the city. A brochure rightly calls it a “museum of natural sculptures.” Beautiful views as we drive up along a winding road surrounded by limestone rock formations.

A short but somewhat strenuous hike takes us down into a natural amphitheater, then up to a rock terrace w/ incredible views over the countryside, a small town below w/ a plume of smoke spiraling up.

Wow! In addition to the many rock formations (reminding us of national parks in Utah), there are fossil imprints & other neolithic remains, pretty weeds & thistles, colorful lichens . . . and a vulture soaring above us. 

At a small museum on the geology & history of this area we meet Gary, who founded this tour company 6 years ago. After a career in IT & computers, he started new ventures including renovating & selling houses . . . just as the housing market crashed! But he seems to be doing OK. 

        We head back down w/ a panorama of steep hills & olive trees, which are everywhere but thankfully not in bloom (Marjorie discovered in Greece that she is quite allergic to the pollen). We pass a large outline of a bull along the highway. Originally advertising, this was going to be removed but there were protests because it’s an iconic regional symbol.

          More sun in the PM as we head back to Malaga. Thru a maze of streets down to the waterfront for lunch at Restaurante Hermanos Muñoz, one of the seafood chiringuitos. 

The specialty is sardines grilled on an olive wood fire on the beach next to the Mediterranean; some get sardines, Marjorie & I split a grilled sea bass. Then a pirate ship shooting its cannons in the bay! 

A drive along the bay into the city center, past beautiful parks, a bullring, and many Guardia Civil & Policia Local. Antonio says there will be a parade for some sort of “holy week,” he thinks including the President. Doug & Una see a parade coming very slowly at one point of their wandering later, but that’s all. Into a parking garage where we’re entertained by Antonio’s skillful squeezing into a parking space. 

          Thru a pretty pedestrian area, a view of the “armless” Cathedral (a 2^nd tower was never finished), into famous old tavern Bodegas El Pippi. 

Then a typical routine for our afternoons: Antonio provides orientation & gives us 3 hours to wander on our own. 

As will be true thruout our stay, there’s way more here than we expected. Pretty flowers & fountains outside the Cathedral, 

           and a very impressive interior. 

   After a stop for dos pequeños el helado (2 small gelatos), Marjorie & I head into the Moorish Alcazaba (fort or castle).  

Beautiful plantings & gardens, panoramic city views from the ramparts, pretty stonework & bricks, arches & entryways. Malaga was Picasso’s home, but M & I skip the Picasso Museum. Heading back to the garage we see a big ferris wheel in a park, many horse-and-carriage rides.

   

          After a stop at our hotel, it’s off to Gary’s house as sunset brings pretty pink reflections in the clouds. We join another tour group with folks from Australia, Scotland, & the US. A wonderful meal: paella (a stew of seafood, chicken, sausage, rice), sangria & wine, melon & ice cream for dessert. Gary’s operation seems quite a family affair: Antonio’s wife made the paella, Jimmy’s wife is the housekeeper (she’s in the hospital now after a heart attack, but reports are that she’s doing well).

          A terrific 1^st full day!

Sunday, 10/4:

          A pretty sunrise, partly cloudy AM. Today will be warmer, up to the low 80s (our temps mostly range from lows in the 60s to highs mid-to-high 70s). We meet Barry, from Scotland, who will be our driver/guide the rest of our stay (seen here later in Ronda). The main focus today is Ronda, about 50 miles SW. 

Off we go thru agricultural fields of red soil; potatoes, onions, garlic; sheep, goats, cattle; and, as always, many many fields of olive trees spreading up & over the hills. Barry shares some of his own experiences w/ olive harvesting on these sometimes very steep hills. 

 A 1^st stop at Teba castle, site of a famous battle with the Moors. Fabulous views leading up, then even more fabulous panoramas from 1500’ of mottled hills & countryside, a white-washed town w/ colorful canopies from a street fair, a large wind farm in the distance, other villages tucked into the mountainsides. 

Barry explains the origin of “Moors,” referring to Muslim invaders who were Berbers & Arabs from North Africa. He also recounts the exploits of “the black Douglas” & other Scottish heroes, and tells us of the “evil weevils” that have been killing many palm trees in the region.

On to Ronda, one of the largest of the white-washed hill towns w/ (as my Rick Steves book says) a “spectacular gorge-straddling setting.” Orange (naranja) trees line the street as we drive in. Barry leads a walking tour. 

Past Iglesia de la Merced, a convent of the “barefoot Carmelites.” Thru a pretty park & promenade looking over incredible panoramas from 2500’. 

Along paseos named for Orson Welles & Ernest Hemingway, who loved Ronda, toward the “New Bridge” overlooking the gorge. Rick Steves notes that we could go “down, down, down” into viewpoints in the gorge, but would have to come back “up, up, up;” we stay up top. 

A stop for lunch on a pretty street: tasty olives (plentiful here, of course) to start, gazpacho & tapas, vino blanco.

After some orientation, Barry sends us on our own for 3+ hours. Our group splits up to wander the pretty alleyways & shops. Jim has the most “global” experience: watching an Argentine-Tonga rugby match in an Irish pub. 

We eventually work our way to the famous bullring, oldest in Spain & now a museum. This was the birthplace of modern bullfighting, and celebrates the iconic Romero family: Francisco, son Juan, & grandson Pedro who killed nearly 6000 bulls. The museum includes posters, costumes, various paraphernalia. 

  You can walk out into the arena surrounded by 5000 seats. To Susan’s dismay, Jim has her pantomime a bull’s horns coming at him  ̶  they receive applause from a spectator up in the stands. Into paddocks & pens & stables w/ horses for an equestrian school. 

 
















The drive back to Antequera is very quiet as all (except Barry) snooze. He takes a swing thru the city to show some restaurant possibilities, but we’re again too pooped to go out, instead grabbing dinner by the hotel pool.

Monday, 10/5: 

          BBC news: migrant crisis talks in Turkey; a typhoon in China; S. Carolina hit by a “once in 1000 years” rain. Some confusion finding breakfast, moved to a “saloon” on “floor -2”. A mostly cloudy & cooler AM. Today takes us 65 miles east to Granada. As usual, we leave the hotel passing a pretty shrine to St. Veronica. There always seems to be someone there, and her presence seems appropriate for us  ̶  she is the patron saint of photographers. Marjorie, who organizes the cleaning of altar linens at our church, notes that St. V is also the patron saint of laundry workers. And for some reason Veronica’s name is attached to a variety of businesses here. The drive again takes us by olive trees covering hills as far as we can see. Barry provides background on the Muslim invasion & occupation of al-Andalus. Granada was their last stronghold, falling in 1492 to Isabella & Ferdinand. The Sierra Nevada mountains loom ahead as we reach Granada. Another deft parking job in a garage.

      Coffee & tasty churros (w/ chocolate to dip into!) beside a pretty square. A short walk thru part of the Alcaiceria silk market, a “mesh of tiny shopping lanes” (tho Marjorie & I note that it pales next to Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar), to the Cathedral. Barry warns us about gypsies handing out sprigs of rosemary & demanding 5 euros in return.

  
          We split up, Barry & I hoping to get our Alhambra tickets. This was the most stressful part of my efforts as “Principle Guest.” Gary e-mailed while we were visiting family in Minnesota in July that I would need to make our reservations directly for the Alhambra tour. With some trepidation, I was able to successfully follow the step-by-step instructions he sent. However, claiming the tickets requires the credit card with which they were purchased. We had lost a card and had to get a new one during the summer, but now can’t remember whether that was before or after the Alhambra tickets. Unfortunately, it was the latter, so my card doesn’t work at the 1^st ticket office. There’s still hope, but we’ll have to plead my case up at the entrance. 

          But first there’s more to see. Marjorie spends some time in a spice market, there are pretty shopping alleys,

 

and the Cathedral is the 2^nd largest church in Spain w/ one of the lightest interiors we see. After we all get some take-away pastries for light lunch, thru another street maze, past a Columbus & Isabella fountain & cave houses (still occupied but w/o any amenities) up to the Alhambra high above the city. Barry & I go to the ticket queue to plead our case (well, Barry pleads in Spanish). The agent takes my e-mail purchase confirmation & passport for ID and  ̶  Hooray, prints out the tickets!! Whew. I feared the group was beginning to lose faith in me. Missing any part of the Alhambra would have been a shame; Rick Steves says “nowhere else does the splendor of Moorish civilization shine so beautifully.” 

Light rain as we enter the Alhambra, but it’s short-lived, and we have a nice PM & evening w/ comfy temps. First thru the beautiful Generalife Gardens: colorful flowers; beautiful trees including poplar-lined walkways, pomegranate, orange, & other fruit trees; panoramic views over the city. 

Past ruins of the medina, a city of 1000 who lived w/in the ramparts. There’s a parador (an old palace, now hotel) & other hotels on the grounds. 

And lots of cats wandering around, something we see elsewhere. Briefly into the Alcazaba & Charles V Palace. 

But the highlight (for which we especially need the tickets for a time slot to enter) is the Nasrid Palace, a royal palace built mostly in the 14^th C. A short wait in a queue, where we’re amused to learn that Susan is a gummy bear/worm gourmet. 

A beautiful interior: ornamentally decorated walls & ceilings, elaborate arches & doorways, intricate carvings, pretty tilework. Lovely courtyards, highlighted by Courtyard of the Lions. The Washington Irving Room commemorates his Tales of the Alhambra.

A drive high up to the Albaycin, the old Moorish quarter, for dinner at Jardines de Zoraya & a flamenco performance (timing flexible at, as Barry puts it, “Andalusian 8:00”). A welcoming drink & excellent 3-course meal (w/ choices for each). Then a fine performance. Rick Steves says flamenco has its roots in Roma (Gypsy) & Moorish culture w/ “flamboyant machine-gun footwork,” graceful turns of dance, among the best guitarists in the world, “raspy-voiced wails” of singers. This show seems an excellent example: spirited dancing by a man & woman, a wonderful guitarist, emotive singing. Afterward a walk up to Mirador de San Nicholas for a wonderful view of the lighted Alhambra & city below. 

It’s been quite a day. Susan has an app that’s recorded 18,000 steps, 8.23 miles! A very quiet ride back, to our hotel about 11:30.

Tuesday, 10/6:

          A quieter day to recharge, we can sleep in for a 10:00 pickup. In the news: Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio lit in pink for breast cancer awareness. A cool cloudy start, brief shower during breakfast. Our “extra day” itinerary is inserted for today. Una in open-toed sandals wonders: “Are we walking on rocks today?” Barry tells us more about Antequera (from “old city” by the Romans). The city is much larger than we expected, 45,000.

          A drive to Los Dolmenes, 3 dolmens dating to 2500-1800 BC, among the most important prehistoric discoveries in Europe. These portal tombs (tho they seem also to have been used as living spaces) are lined up w/ the “Sleeping Giant” & surrounded by flowering rosemary, other pretty plants & trees. There’s a fascinating video about their construction, bringing huge rocks from a neighboring hill to fit together for walls that were then covered by a roof & dirt. Early Christian crosses were later carved into some of the walls. 

    

           Back to Antequera, thru another maze of streets, up to another panoramic viewpoint over the city & surrounding hills from the Alcazaba. 

Ruins of Roman baths below Mirador Plaza de Santa Maria haven’t held up as well as the dolmens.Some light rain as we drive out thru pretty agricultural areas, more very red soil. Then a nice sun/clouds mix over the farmland. 

To beautiful aquamarine reservoirs set among the mountains of Pareje Natural Guadalhorce. It’s been very dry here, so the reservoirs are quite low. With some difficulty Barry finds parking for a lunch stop. Olives to start (of course!); large servings (& good prices) of gazpacho, paella, etc.; plentiful wine. A lovely leisurely lunch in a pretty setting. Then lots of PM sun & warm temps.

To an impressive gorge w/ Caminito del Rey walkway clinging to a cliff  ̶  we’re content to view it from the road.

          Back to Antequera. Barry drops us off at a Roman gate by the old bullring to go wandering & shopping. I walk back to our hotel via a pretty park & pedestrian promenade, past an elaborate playground. 

Marjorie strolls & explores shops w/ Una. M finds a Christiano Ronaldo jersey & shorts, 2^nd choice from William’s wish list. She communicated her wishes to the store clerk via an elaborate pantomime of kicking & pointed to her back; he became enthusiastic at the mention of the Real Madrid team. M then explored local grocery items in Mercadona Supermercado. Earlier she had found a t-shirt for other grandson Miles w/ the iconic Andalusian bull (& I later find the same for myself). Back at the hotel later Susan, Jim, & Ann regale us w/ their stories of PM silliness that included trying to squeeze into a photo booth. Looking at their photo, Una observes: “You can tell they’d been drinking.” Another tip-off was Susan’s references to “flamingo” dresses.

Wednesday, 10/7:

          A cool mostly sunny AM. In the news: 11 million VWs affected by “emissions-cheating software.” Today is our longest drive, 100 miles NW to Seville. We’re enjoying Barry’s company; he seems as much a member of the group as a guide. We drive thru flatter terrain, past a big solar farm, vineyards, & the ever-present fields of olive trees, pretty oleander in the median. A fast highway, colorful road signs advising against tail-gating. 

Into a service area for a coffee stop at Restaurante Venta los Casaores (“recommended on Trip Advisor”).

          Seville is a large city, 750,000, also “flamboyant” & “thrums w/ flamenco music.” Spain’s largest & wealthiest city in the 17^th C. And a very pretty city: jackaranda, plane, & other trees; pretty parks & promenades. 

Barry leads a walking tour thru the old city while recounting its history. Past a colorful union demonstration, lots of horse-drawn carriages, lovely Palacio San Elmo & Parque de Maria Luisa. 

Barry points out the “4 Ps” represented in a series of statues overhead: poets, painters, priests, pirates. Pretty white pigeons (the 5^th “P”?) in the beautiful tree trunks. 

The riverside Torre del Oro; everything to & from the New World came thru here. So many beautiful buildings! And many colorful shops & outdoor displays to colorful fans, dresses, & castanets (but the group nixes my suggestion to get some to play on the drive home).

         To Plaza de España, a spectacular setting created for a grand exposition in 1929; but it “crashed along with the stock market.” Beautiful towers, tilework & murals, rowboats in waterways. It’s a Disneyesque  vision of Spain on steroids. 

Nearby into what had been a “royal tobacco” factory (Barry gives a pop quiz on the opera Carmen  ̶  she’s a gypsy girl who works in a tabaco factory in Seville), now a university building w/ beautiful arches, fountains, staircases. Into luxurious Hotel Alphonso XIII for a “comfort stop.” And we see our 1^st Starbucks! Into Barrio Santa Cruz, the old Jewish Quarter, w/ its maze of lanes & patios, white-washed houses, windows w/ iron latticework draped in flowers. 

An excellent & filling tapas lunch in a very atmospheric setting: many animal heads on the walls, cured hams (jamón ibérico) hanging (hoofs up) by the bar (something we’ve seen many other places). Another nice PM & evening, sunny & warm but not hot.

        To the largest Gothic Cathedral in the world & 3^rd largest church in Europe. It includes the largest altarpiece ever made: 65’ tall, 44 scenes from the life of Jesus & Mary carved from walnut & chestnut, a “staggering amount of gold leaf.” 

  

A 7000-pipe organ. The Giralda bell tower, originally a minaret, is an important symbol of the city visible from many vantage points. 

          On to the Alcazar, the oldest “working” royal palace in Europe (the official residence of the King in Seville). An unusual tree w/ pink blossoms as we enter. Large gardens & park. 

  

An impressive maze of rooms & halls; I spot a couple having wedding photos taken in this fabulous setting. 

We walk back toward the car thru a maze of very narrow streets (hence the term “kissing calles,” Barry tells us). And a very “global” stretch w/ Starbucks, restaurants claiming “authentic” NY pizza & Mexican food, street musicians who sound like New Orleans & Sorrento.

          Another busy day: Doug’s app has recorded 15,400 steps. The drive home in pretty lowering sun & sunset gets us back to the hotel at 8:30. Snacking in the room suffices after our big lunch. BBC news: the US is unhappy that Russia is launching cruise missiles against the both Islamic State & opposition groups in Syria; “volatility reigns” in the stock market.

Thursday, 10/8:

          Pretty AM clouds reflecting sunrise. There’s a big cycling group in the hotel. Today we go 70 miles north to Cordoba (like Granada, population 250,000). More miles of olive trees & reddish soil. Past Lucena, known for furniture-making; a giant chair marks one of the headquarters. 

Barry provides his usual local history & orientation. Cordoba was capital of the al-Andalus kingdom encompassing all of Spain & Portugal. It was a “haven for enlightened thought” during Europe’s Dark Ages, w/ a “remarkable spirit of tolerance and cooperation” among Muslims, Christians, & Jews; & we later see a modern sculpture displaying a poem on brotherhood. 

       

We drive in past Gypsy neighborhoods & along tree-lined boulevards & parks. After parking, a walk thru pretty neighborhoods w/ windows beautifully decorated w/ lattices & flowers. Cordoba is also known for beautiful interior patios; there are annual “open houses” & awards.  

A stop into Asociacion de Amigos de los Patios Cordobeses to admire an example of the patios plus handiwork by local artisans. 

Continuing on thru a maze of cobblestone streets w/ evidence of both Romans & Moors to the Royal Stables. Some beautiful “dancing horses” are going thru their paces. 

To the Alcazar, the site of planning for Columbus’ voyage. An “overrated fortress” says RS, but the plaza has especially beautiful gardens & fountains. Marjorie is intrigued by someone painting with fingers instead of brushes outside the entrance, but too long a line to get one for herself. 

  Passing lots more horse-and-carriage rides, we go into the old Jewish Quarter & a small synagogue built in 1315, 1 of 3 medieval synagogues remaining in Spain. Nearby is a statue of Moses Maimonides, the “Jewish Aquinas.” Then we have a bodega table reserved for an excellent tapas lunch: lamb, gazpacho, aubergine (eggplant), calamari, etc. Gourmet cook Jim is impressed w/ the wine reduction.           

         Another gorgeous PM, quite warm in the sun but overall very comfortable. Now for the highlight of the day, & one of the trip highlights: the Mezquita, containing the Cathedral of Cordoba & the Great Mosque of Cordoba. Moors from N Africa conquered the city in 711, dividing this space into Christian & Muslim halves and building the Great Mosque. After Christians retook Cordoba in 1236, instead of razing the mosque (as happened elsewhere), the 2 religions continued to coexist. 

A Renaissance cathedral nave was inserted in the center, beginning in 1523 but not completed until 1766. An amazing place! More than 800 double-arch columns of the mosque surround the beautiful cathedral interior, with many smaller chapels around the outside edges. The organ is being played during our visit, adding to the wonderful atmosphere. 

          Waiting outside for the group to gather, M & I have a helado break. She says this is her favorite city of the trip, with its more compact historic center. We all head to & over the Puente Romano bridge, pigeons bathing below, some sizable fish, panoramic views back to the city.

          Another pretty ride back to the hotel. After Marjorie & Una make a trip to the mercado, we all enjoy a “farewell dinner” at the hotel.

Friday, 10/9:

          Sadly, it’s time to leave. There are some uncertainties: Susan, Jim, & Ann have been wondering how best to make a needed change of airports in London; Una isn’t confident that her “White Airlines” connection to another tour in Lisbon actually exists. Hopefully, all will be well. A very clear AM, bright crescent moon & lots of stars, for our 7:15 ride to the airport w/ Barry & Alan. M & I have a later flight than the others, but decide to head in with them (we could have been dropped off in Malaga, but Barry says there won’t be much open for us to do). We’re especially sad to bid farewell to Barry, our wonderful guide & companion over the past week. Barry: “I’ll remember you every time I see a churro.” Still the guide to the end, as we drive toward Malaga he explains the Control de Velocidad signs we’ve been seeing along highways: “speed traps” that record speeders on video & mail tickets to them.

          At the Iberia check-in we ask about Premium Economy seats for the Madrid-JFK flight. They are available; the agent says “Too busy. I won’t charge you.” As seems the practice here, we have to wait for our gate to be posted about 45 minutes before scheduled departure at 1:40. Gives us plenty of time for tasty breakfast pastries at Upper Crust (“No Nonsense Good Food” & “Superb Coffee”) & later a shared ham-&-cheese baguette. 

Boarding is delayed because our plane is late arriving, but they do a fast turn-around so only about 20 minutes late taking off over the blue Mediterranean.

          In Madrid we take a bus to the terminal, train to another terminal, then a long schlep to our gate for on-time departure at 4:45. We’re treated rather well on the flight: they offer a large selection of newspapers (when did you last see that in coach?  ̶  I catch up on sports news w/ a USA Today) & we’re fed pretty well again w/ a hot meal & later a big “snack.” On time to JFK about 7pm, it’s raining! The rain has delayed other flights so we have to wait a bit for a gate. Thru baggage claim, Customs, etc. w/o incident, a call to Smart Park for pickup to get our car.

 We head to our Queens family in Jackson Heights to deliver some winter clothes packed in the car that were stored in our basement, and to give them some gifts we brought from Andalucia. After a short visit, we decide to head back to Albany, which turns into quite an adventure. As we near the Triboro Bridge we come upon what seems more like a parking lot! An accident on the bridge has closed all 3 lanes going north. After sitting a while w/ no progress I’m able to maneuver & squeeze over onto the last exit before the bridge. Our GPS is too confused to help, but I know something about alternate routes out of the city. We double back to head for the Whitestone Bridge, then north w/ a few missteps, finally home at 2:30am, considerably later than expected. The house is occupied by “Billy Bassoon,” one of our regular Albany Symphony guests, but he’s sound asleep by now; we’ll see him later after we’ve had a few hours sleep. After picking up mail held while we were away, some exciting news: Marjorie was awarded 1^st place in “mixed media” at the Hagaman show! Her first 1^st! And it’s a beautiful day, fall colors well underway.

          The trip was a great success on every count! The itinerary proved even better than expected w/ every day a new & wonderful experience. Each city was quite distinctive, and bigger, more colorful, more spectacular than even our high expectations. And the natural scenery  ̶  mountains, lakes, fields of olive trees  ̶  was way more than expected.

          All the details were handled efficiently by Tour Andalucia: airport transfers, comfortable hotel, efficient van rides each day, dining arrangements. Each city had a nice mix of guided walking tours & time to explore on our own. Barry, our guide for most of the trip, was a delight! Who’d have imagined a Spanish tour w/ Scottish brogue? He fit right in w/ our jolly group, giving & taking a lot of kidding. There was good orientation & background info w/o overloading us. Barry has quite a knack for storytelling, an engaging style & sly sense of humor; tho one is given some pause by his statement: “Why spoil a good story with the truth?” I especially appreciated his being my support dealing w/ the Alhambra ticket snafu.

          The weather was just about perfect. A few brief periods of rain when it didn’t matter, pleasant temps (highs mostly mid-to-high 70s, topping out in low 80s).

Our group of 7 was also a delight to travel with: congenial, punctual, flexible. We all played very nicely together. It was so enjoyable to have the extended time w/ Doug, Susan, & Jim, & getting to know Ann & Una.