Better late than never! We are home now and Dean is finally feeling human after a relapse on Saturday. But first, more on Sevilla. Friday night we went to a flamenco show. Glad I can check that off my list. It was set in a dark, small room with about 50 spectators, a wooden floor and three chairs. The first 2 guys came in around 9PM. One was tall and sandy haired, looked like a college student from anywhere in the US. The other was short and dark, almost Peruvian. They sat down and the dark one started to wail and cry while the other guy provided some intermittent strumming on the guitar. The way the guy's face looked, he could have been singing, "I went to Fez, and now I have diarrhea, oooooh, ooooh". From what I understand about flamenco, he was probably singing about his wife leaving him, his dog dying and his trailer catching fire, sort of like C&W music. Later a woman came out and did the stomping as well as a younger man. It was OK, but now I don't have to see it again.
Saturday was very rainy in the morning. We went to the Alcazar, Catherdral and took a horse carriage ride around Sevilla. The Alcazar was built by the Catholic kings after the Reconquest, but it was done in the Moorish style. The architecture is amazing and the gardens beautiful, even in the rain. The Cathedral is awesome with lots of gold leaf, a huge pipe organ and Columbus's tomb. The Spanish celebrate Columbus Day too, but on Tuesday, not Monday. It's a pretty big deal, especially in Sevilla as the discovery of the new world really put that place on the map. It was the perfect inland port to accept all the loot from America.
Maria Luisa Park is where the ill-fated Exposition of 1929 (bad year) was held. It is lovely.
Had a nice lunch in the old Jewish Quarter (ham again!), then off to explore by foot. By then the sun was out and it was great. That night we got together for a farewell drink (minus Dean as he was sick) and then a bite to eat. Once again, lousy paella.
We left the hotel at 4:30 the next morning to catch a 7AM plane and there were still people lined up outside the nightclubs waiting to get in!
Many hours of flying, a 6 hour layover at JFK, then back to Seattle at 9:30 PM. All luggage arrived. We stayed the night in Seattle, the home today. Back to reality tomorrow. I have managed to download the trip photos and post them on the blog. Still have 200 captions to go. It was a great trip. Where next?
Monday, October 11, 2010
Friday, October 8, 2010
October 8, 2010 sevilla
What a beautiful city! Today is warm and sunny, and this city was just made for walking. There is a special color of yellow here on many of the buildings that adds to it's charm. We had an amazing lunch of the inevitable ham (3 kinds), salad with tuna and ham, ham and cheese croquettes, roasted peppers and beef brochette. The dessert was vanilla ice cream with chocolate sauce over a brownie ( they couldn't figure out how to get ham in that). Most of us are over our mohammeds revenge. The men seemed to be hit harder than the women. One of the guys in our group was waxing poetic over a grilled cheese sandwich, the first real food he has had in days. Tonight we go to a flamenco show.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
October 7, 2010
Coming to you from Ronda, Spain, a beautiful city in the pueblos blancos area of Andalusia. The town has about 38'000 people and several thousand tourists, mostly German. The tv stations are either in Spanish or German. Dean was able to follow the NFL highlights anyway. Most of us have come down with what I like to call the Moroccan weight loss program. We bought out a local pharmacy's supply of imodium. There are wonderful stores, lots of clothes and shoes as well as a bull ring, an amazing gorge and beautiful architecture. Tomorrow Seville, then back to the USA on Sunday.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
October 5, 2010
Woke up at 4am to the smell of something burning. Dean said it was toast. Toast? At 4am? Then at 4:45, the muezzin started chanting. At that hour? I looked out our tiny third floor window and saw a fire IN OUR ALLEY!!!!! The muezzin continued to chant. Finally, someone threw a washbasin full of water on the fire and put it out. The muezzin stopped chanting. Maybe he was saying, " there is a fire, go put it out". That's my story and i am sticking with it. I think it was a garbage bag on fire, but it made a good story at breakfast.
Went to some roman ruins today from the 1 st and 2 nd century with amazing mosaics. Lunch was lamb and quince. Fantastic.
Last night we went to a show that was absolutely terrible. The band ( and I use that term loosely) was made of four guys: one playing the violin upright, one on mandolin, one on a large bongo and one on the tambourine. Percussion in a Moroccan band has got to be the most boring job in the world. The show didn't improve with a percussion band. Five guys, three with hand drums, one on the gourd and an old guy beating a large pair of scissors with a stick. And these guys don't drink alcohol! The belly dancer was dressed head to foot with a black sequined sash around her ample ass. We had lemon chicken tagine for the third time in two days, needless to say, no one was all that hungry.
Off to Rhoda Spain tomorrow.
Went to some roman ruins today from the 1 st and 2 nd century with amazing mosaics. Lunch was lamb and quince. Fantastic.
Last night we went to a show that was absolutely terrible. The band ( and I use that term loosely) was made of four guys: one playing the violin upright, one on mandolin, one on a large bongo and one on the tambourine. Percussion in a Moroccan band has got to be the most boring job in the world. The show didn't improve with a percussion band. Five guys, three with hand drums, one on the gourd and an old guy beating a large pair of scissors with a stick. And these guys don't drink alcohol! The belly dancer was dressed head to foot with a black sequined sash around her ample ass. We had lemon chicken tagine for the third time in two days, needless to say, no one was all that hungry.
Off to Rhoda Spain tomorrow.
Monday, October 4, 2010
October 4, 2010
They said ther was no way to prepare us for fez. They were right. After all the warnings, it actually was very nice. The sellers weren't too aggressive and I didn't feel like there were scary people or pickpockets. In fact, I think Barcelona was more dangerous.
The sights, sounds and smells were overwhelming. We went to a tannery and they gave us mint to hold to our noses for the stench. They make the most beautiful leather goods out of sheep, goat, cow and camel with all natural dyes. Red is from poppy, yellow from saffron, blue from indigo, black from charcoal. I bought a red goatskin purse which is super soft. We also went to a weavers, rug co-op, and spice store.
Lunch was chicken couscous. I tried eating with my right hand, not too easy.
The women wear everything from western dress to head scarves, caftans, and something that looks like a bandit mask over the mouth. Some of their clothing is absoltuely beautiful. It is definitely a mans world though. No women are allows to eat at the outdoor cafes. The alleys are very narrow and sometimes a motorbike goes roaring past, or a donkey loaded with stuff, or a man carrying an armload of animal skins.
Tonight we go out for dinner and a show.
The sights, sounds and smells were overwhelming. We went to a tannery and they gave us mint to hold to our noses for the stench. They make the most beautiful leather goods out of sheep, goat, cow and camel with all natural dyes. Red is from poppy, yellow from saffron, blue from indigo, black from charcoal. I bought a red goatskin purse which is super soft. We also went to a weavers, rug co-op, and spice store.
Lunch was chicken couscous. I tried eating with my right hand, not too easy.
The women wear everything from western dress to head scarves, caftans, and something that looks like a bandit mask over the mouth. Some of their clothing is absoltuely beautiful. It is definitely a mans world though. No women are allows to eat at the outdoor cafes. The alleys are very narrow and sometimes a motorbike goes roaring past, or a donkey loaded with stuff, or a man carrying an armload of animal skins.
Tonight we go out for dinner and a show.
October 3, 2010
On the ferry to morocco in the morning. Pleasant crossing in very comfortable seats. Tangiers was the jumping off place. We stopped in a small town on the coast, all blue and white. Wish I could figure out how to post photos. Lunch was chicken tagine.
Then on the bus for hours. The countryside was not at all what I expected, in the north green and deciduous, farther south it looks like eastern Washington. Farm land every where. Up north they have thousands of big yellow melons that look like over grown footballs and taste like honeydew for sale at roadside markets. They also had turban pumpkins and watermelons. Farther south there were cork trees, olive trees, grapevines, and lots of empty fields. They use donkeys and horses on the farms. We also saw dromedaries, but they were just lying around.
Our guide is Muslim and tries to explain his religion and culture. First born sons are always called Mohammed, so we are changing lucas's name. The Muslim angels are afraid of dogs, so Gus has to go.
Got to use my first pit toilet at a highway rest stop. It does take some skill. TMI.
Out hotel in fez is amazing. It is the real deal, like something out of Arabian nights. They served us hot tea with mint when we arrived.
Dinner at the hotel
Salad: spiced carrots, zucchini, green chiles, olives, broad beans, squash, cucumber and tomatoes, eggplant, beets all served in individual bowls with a piece of bread that looked like a bagel.
Second course. Little filled pastries.
Third course, chicken with lemon and olives
Dessert, assorted cookies
Delicious.
Then on the bus for hours. The countryside was not at all what I expected, in the north green and deciduous, farther south it looks like eastern Washington. Farm land every where. Up north they have thousands of big yellow melons that look like over grown footballs and taste like honeydew for sale at roadside markets. They also had turban pumpkins and watermelons. Farther south there were cork trees, olive trees, grapevines, and lots of empty fields. They use donkeys and horses on the farms. We also saw dromedaries, but they were just lying around.
Our guide is Muslim and tries to explain his religion and culture. First born sons are always called Mohammed, so we are changing lucas's name. The Muslim angels are afraid of dogs, so Gus has to go.
Got to use my first pit toilet at a highway rest stop. It does take some skill. TMI.
Out hotel in fez is amazing. It is the real deal, like something out of Arabian nights. They served us hot tea with mint when we arrived.
Dinner at the hotel
Salad: spiced carrots, zucchini, green chiles, olives, broad beans, squash, cucumber and tomatoes, eggplant, beets all served in individual bowls with a piece of bread that looked like a bagel.
Second course. Little filled pastries.
Third course, chicken with lemon and olives
Dessert, assorted cookies
Delicious.
Friday, October 1, 2010
October. 1 2010 Granada
Finally figured out how to get back to this blog page. Will update about yesterday (oct 1).
Woke up multiple times to the sound of church bells beginning at 4 am. It sounds like someone hitting a cast iron pot with a stick.at 5:30 am and pm they hit it 25 times. It was around 50 this morning so great sleeping and walking weather. Hiked up to the Alhambra and toured for several hours. Amazing architecture and design, especially the stalactite ceilings. Went down to town late am and had genuine tapas, free with wine. I had 2 cafe cortadas, sort of like cappuccino. Really having trouble with the Spanish here as they use words way differently than I am used to. Patata for papas for instance. Walked all around the city, then hit the free wi fi. Beer, tapas and gelato in the afternoon. It was in the 80 s. Finished Ornament of the World ( thanks Bonnie Christianson for the suggestion).
Dinner overlooking the Alhambra:
Appetizers ham, cheese and almonds, olives and soft cheese, salad, broad beans and ham, potato chips and eggs
Main course either prime rib or sea bass
Dessert assortment
STUFFED!!!!
Woke up multiple times to the sound of church bells beginning at 4 am. It sounds like someone hitting a cast iron pot with a stick.at 5:30 am and pm they hit it 25 times. It was around 50 this morning so great sleeping and walking weather. Hiked up to the Alhambra and toured for several hours. Amazing architecture and design, especially the stalactite ceilings. Went down to town late am and had genuine tapas, free with wine. I had 2 cafe cortadas, sort of like cappuccino. Really having trouble with the Spanish here as they use words way differently than I am used to. Patata for papas for instance. Walked all around the city, then hit the free wi fi. Beer, tapas and gelato in the afternoon. It was in the 80 s. Finished Ornament of the World ( thanks Bonnie Christianson for the suggestion).
Dinner overlooking the Alhambra:
Appetizers ham, cheese and almonds, olives and soft cheese, salad, broad beans and ham, potato chips and eggs
Main course either prime rib or sea bass
Dessert assortment
STUFFED!!!!
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