The weather was absolutely gorgeous this weekend and I was able to enjoy a couple of long rides (my last ones before I leave for Spain next week)! This morning while waiting for the others in my group I took a few photos to share with you all.
Isn't the view terrific . . .
Look closer . . . And closer still . . . Get the message . . . It's as clear as daylight . . . I decided that I needed a bumper sticker for my bike! I found out that there are a lot of fellow Obama-Biden supporters who like to ride! :) Cool!
Although I have been looking forward to my trip to Spain, it has not escaped me that there is a very momentous occasion coming up only two days before I leave on Tuesday, November 4, 2008. On this day, we will decide who will be our next President and Vice-President of the United States.
But before you cast your vote next Tuesday, ask yourself if you are happy with what's been happening in our country. Are you satisfied with the past 8 years? If your answer is no, get yourself to the polls next Tuesday and make your voice heard! It is the only way we can change the course of our country, to make things better, to improve our economy, to save our environment, to ensure that everyone has affordable health care and jobs to pay for them.
To find out where you need to go to vote, simply enter your address HERE and you will be given your polling location.
For more on Obama's issues, check out his website HERE.
Well, that's it! The last of my Pre-Trip Entries. I really wanted to finish them this weekend. Now, I'll finish organizing my notes, I'll work on my train schedules and then packing. And since today is Sunday I can officially say that I'm leaving next week for Spain! Whoo hoo!
It was fun to blog about the details on what I'll be seeing in Spain. And now when I am on the road I can concentrate on blogging about my experiences, my observations, the fun I'll be having . . . and all the outer/inner journey stuff that'll be happening! :)
Thanks to all my regular blog readers for all of your comments and encouragements during my planning stages! Thanks Annie, Maria, Girasoli, Leslie, Sandra, Anne and also thanks to Marta and Menehune for stopping by with your comments and recommendations. You all are awesome!
I am looking forward to blogging on the road! I've learned so much from you all and I can't wait to practice what I have learned.
During my week long stay in Sevilla, I will see my first ever live Flamenco show at Los Gallos. I have been really looking forward to seeing a genuine Flamenco show ever since I first started planning my trip to Spain and I am so excited that it is about to happen.
If you have read my previous post HERE, you'll know that my interest was inspired by a sweet story told by fellow blogger pal, Maria, when she wrote about her family vacation and her experience with her then 2-year-old son. You can read about that special family moment in Maria's blog HERE. I know that I will totally enjoy the performance and I am so looking forward to seeing the show. Thanks again to Maria for sharing your heartwarming family story with me!
And in order for me to really appreciate what I am about to see at Los Gallos, I did a bit of research and this is what I learned:
First, the male flamenco singer is known as a cantaor, the female singer is referred to as a cantaora. Flamenco dancers are bailaor/a. Most songs and dances are played with a thumping guitar rhythm, and percussion provided by tapping feet, clapping hands or the brassy clink of castanets. The traditional flamenco costume for women is a shawl, a long frilly bata de cola dress and a fan. Men are adorned in flat Cordoban hats and tight black pants.
The first flamenco cante jondo (deep song) was a tortured howl of passion from poorer, often marginalized, Andalucians. This passion is still at the heart of modern flamenco. The ability to convey passion and tap into deeper human emotions is the essence of flamenco music and flamenco dancing. – - Destination 360
And to preview what I will have the delight and pleasure of seeing . . . .
I’ll end my Spain Adventure here in the city of Malaga for two nights before flying home. I really don’t have much planned here and will probably wing it when I get there. I have a few things that may interest me such as the Picasso Museum, the Cathedral of Malaga or the Alcazaba. Other than that I may just relax and explore around this possibly underrated city.
From Madrid, I will take the high speed AVE train (1/2 hour away) to the city of Toledo which is a UNESCO World Heritage site. In the Middle ages, Toledo was a melting pot of Christian, Muslim and Jewish cultures. It is positioned high on a rocky perch and is surrounded on three sides by the Tajo River. I read that Toledo which was considered home to famous Spanish artist El Greco will offer a wonderful medieval atmosphere for me to experience. Cool!
My must see’s will include the Cathedral which was built in the 16th century and houses famous pieces of art such as El Greco’s painting, “The Deunding of Christ” which is above the marble altar.
I want to also walk Toledo’s ramparts over the bridge and through the gate into the City, I hope to also have enough time to visit the Alcazar (if it is open). If not, then I’ll probably wonder through the city. Maria mentioned getting a Toledo sword letter opener as a great souvenir from Toledo which I really like. I want to make time to do a bit of shopping before I head back to Madrid.
I think visiting Toledo will be an awesome experience and I can't wait to see it!
During my stay in Sevilla, I have decided to take a day trip on the high speed AVE train to the City of Cordoba which has been declared on the World Heritage Site and is a city rich in history. Here I will get to see some great Moorish architecture, ancient palaces, beautiful parks and gardens, monuments and beautiful flower-filled courtyards.
High on my must see list is of course the famous Mezquita. I read that the Mezquita is considered to be the third largest mosque in the world. And what is so unique about it is how the Christian Cathedral was actually erected inside the walls of the Islamic mosque after the Moorish invaders were ousted from the City in the 13th century. It actually took almost 250 years to build. The result of this is a mixture of Moorish architecture combined with Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque styles. As soon as I saw photos of the interior with its Moorish influences and colorful arches, I knew that the opportunity (albeit brief) to see it should not be missed.
If all goes well, I will catch an early train and spend the entire day in Cordoba so in addition to visiting the famous Mezquita I will have enough time to visit the Synagogue (one of only three in all of Spain) which was built in 1315, the Alcazar and also the magnificent and beautiful flower filled patios and courtyards. It is said that in early times, family and social life in Andalusia revolved around the courtyard or patio. And rooms were built around this space. Very cool!
Here is an absolutely cool video that showcases some of the things I want to see during my visit and the music is so lively that it was partly responsible for my decision to visit Cordoba during this trip . . . how could I not!
In less than two weeks I’ll be traveling thousands of miles across the world to spend 3 weeks (23 days) in Spain. I have spent countless hours and several months planning and preparing for this trip and I have been looking forward to it for a really long time. In fact, last night I received my final re-confirmation from my hotel in Ronda. Here's what their e-mail reply to me says. . . "Buenas Dias. Todo esta OK. Saludos Paco Rojas". Basically, greetings, everything is fine! Is that great or what! Now all of my lodging reservations are confirmed. Whoo hoo! It feels more real as each day goes by. This is my one big vacation splurge for 2008 and there is no question in my mind that I will enjoy myself and totally have fun!
And yet as my departure day draws near I'm beginning to feel a little homesick. Is it because I'll miss my friends, my rides along the Pacific Ocean, my comfy bed . . .? And the really lame thing is, I haven't even left yet. I'm usually fine once I get to my destination, I always am. I just find my feelings so interesting. It's the "Perfect Irony"! Inner journey time! :)
Vote Obama-Biden: The Time For Change is November 4, 2008!
Well, I finally transferred all my notes to my iTouch. Took me a little longer to figure it out. I then scanned some select pages from a couple of heavy guidebooks and then copied and created pages of some of the more useful websites I found on Spain.
I had to take some time creating multiple folders on my iTouch organized by city and then by category. That took a while. Then to transfer the files over, I just dragged them and voila! Cool! I decided that I will still take one guidebook that covers Andalusia, but that's it. Everything else will be on this little and I mean little gadget. We'll see how this all works out! Thank you Roz!
Actually, if there is a Wi-Fi hot spot, I might even be able to use it to blog. I wonder if I take a photo and then blog if I will be able to post it. I’m going to have to test this theory out!
I still need to transfer my hotel/apartment confirmation copies and then a few more notes and I will be done (I'm still printing a hard copy of my hotel confirmations just in case). It shouldn't take me too long. Late last night, I also pulled out my luggage and packing cubes and got out my packing checklist. I honestly can’t stand the stress of last minute packing, plus I usually change my mind several times before I am completely satisfied with the end result. Gosh, I just realized that I haven’t been on a 3 week trip since 2005!
I really want to have everything organized and done a week before my departure date. If I can manage that, I will be able to relax and just do some last minute fun reading. Whew! It does feel good to have accomplished a lot yesterday and last night. So glad I didn't get distracted!
Well, I'm still off from work and it is absolutely gorgeous outside! So courtesy of several very creative Slow Travel Photo hunters this past weekend, I think I deserve a lazy day at the beach today! :)
From the coastal town of Cadiz, I will catch a train and travel to the city of Granada. Here I will visit the famous “Alhambra” which is on the UNESCO World Heritage list. I have read that the Alhambra is considered to be “the most exciting, sensual and romantic of all European monuments. It was the palace-fortress of the Nasrid sultans, rulers of the last Spanish Moorish kingdom, and in its construction Moorish art reached a spectacular and serene climax. But the building seems to go further than this, revealing something of the whole brilliance and spirit of Moorish life and culture. There's a haunting passage in Jan Morris's book, Spain , which the palace embodies: "Life itself, which was seen elsewhere in Europe as a kind of probationary preparation for death, was interpreted [by the Moors] as something glorious in itself, to be ennobled by learning and enlivened by every kind of pleasure."—Destination Guides
The name Alhambra comes from an Arabic root which means “red or crimson castle”. But there is another more poetic version, evoked by the Moslem analysts who speak of the construction of the Alhambra fortress “by the light of torches”, the reflections of which gave the walls their particular coloration. Created originally for military purposes, the Alhambra was an “alcazaba” (fortress), an “alcázar” (palace) and a small “medina” (city), all in one. ---Andalucia.com
I took the advice recommended by Slow Travelers and booked my tickets on-line with reservations to visit the Palacios Nazaries. The Palaces of the Nazaries was constructed by Ismail I, Yusuf I and Muhammad V (1312 to1391 AD) during the Nasrid dynasty. I have read that there are some amazing architecture and beautiful gardens here and I am really looking forward to this visit. I also purchased tickets to visit the Alhambra at night which Slow Traveler, Doru, also recommended in his trip report. Very cool!
Other sights I hope to visit will include: the Cathedral which is located in the center of the Muslim area and dates back to 1523; and also the famous old Moorish quarter of the city, El Albaicin, which is located on a hill facing the Alhambra. There are apparently these dramatic views of this area from the Palace’s famous rose gardens (which I have also booked tickets for).
I will have 4 nights in Granada and will also try to experience some of the night life (a couple of Tapas Bars with live music and maybe even another Flamenco show, who knows). I think I will really enjoy my experiences in Granada a lot and I can’t wait to get there!
For more on the history surrounding the "jewel" of Andalusia (The Alhambra), check out this YouTube. Kind of touristy, but it has a great explanation of the Alhambra. I, of course, will do a really cool YouTube of my own when I return! :)
With a population of 40,000 residents, Ronda is considered the largest of the pueblos blancos (white villages) in Andalusia. And from what I have seen on several videos and photos, it looks spectacular.
Today the cliff side setting with its’ gorge spanning bridges is a photographer’s dream. Historically speaking, its impregnable position was actually one of the last Moorish bastions before finally falling to the Christians in 1485.
The main attractions that I will get to see is the Puente Nuevo (New Bridge), which divides Ronda into the whitewashed old Moorish town (La Ciudad) and the new town (El Mercadillo). The Puente Nuevo was originally built in 1735, but fell after six years and the new bridge was built 1751 to 1793. The bridge is 200 feet wide and straddles a 360 foot ravine called El Tajo. I think I’d better not drink too much cava when crossing the Puente Nuevo!
Ronda is also considered the birthplace of modern bullfighting and it is where the oldest bullfighting Ring (Plaza de Toros) is located. In the early 1700s Francisco Romero established the first rules of modern bullfighting and introduced the famous scarlet cape. For 6 Euros I can visit the bull ring, stables, chapel and museum.
They say that at night when all the day trippers disappear the town of Ronda is quite peaceful. There are a couple of hikes down to the gorge that I can even do which will give me some of those spectacular views of the Puente Nuevo. I think it will be fun exploring Ronda during the day and evening. They say that my hotel (San Miguel) is located right on the edge of the Gorge and it’s restaurant/bar has some of the most spectacular views. Cool!
I also read that there is a fabulous train line from Ronda to Algeciras which is considered one of the best journeys in Andalusia as it takes you through such towns as Gaucin and past some of the most beautiful towns of San Roque and Jimena de la Frontera. Very Cool!
I found this really cute video. I liked it for it's subtle humor. Also, you can see the train ride views and some other things I hope to be seeing on my visit.
Since Italy has been on my mind lately, I decided to stroll down memory lane and select a photo of the month from my 2005 trip to Siena. Feeling a bit adventurous one day my friend and I decided to rent a car and drive the Chianti loop to Castellina and back. This month's photo is one of the beautiful scenes we saw along the drive!
Here are more: Here's one of the SMART car we rented for the day. Do you think they knew we were tourists! :)
The funny thing is we didn't even care about the big dorky sign, we just had so much fun driving it around! I've since spotted two SMART cars being driven on the freeways of Los Angeles. But somehow they seem so much more cuter when they are seen being driven on the Roads of Italy . . .
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