March 31, 2017: The Rock of Gibraltar

We spent John's birthday on Gibraltar.

 

It looks just like the pictures we've seen all of our lives.

Yesterday was spent traveling from Grazalema to La Linea de la Concepcion, the town that borders Gibraltar.  This is where lots of Gibraltar visitors stay and employees live because it's far less expensive.  Getting to Gibraltar this morning involved a short taxi ride to the border where we walked across.  As per Rick Steves's recommendation, we caught a "taxi tour" (8-person van) for an orientation.  

We saw St Michael's Cave, which is full of stalactites and stalagmites and lit with colored lights.  Not exactly natural any more  - it has tiers for concert seating and lots of shotcrete (the stuff they make swimming pools out of).

 

We stopped at several lookouts en route up the Rock -

 

where we could see both Morocco and Spain although haze and smog affected the view.  John asked about the cargo ships anchored near shore.  Our guide said that most ships refuel here as soon as they come through the strait because fuel is inexpensive here.  He pointed out a small ship that looked like a mini tanker - it goes out to the ships to fuel them.  

We also saw the famous Gibraltar apes-

 

 

As we approached the summit, one jumped on our still-moving van and hung on for the ride.  When we stopped, the guide instructed us to wait and let him open the doors - he had a stick to keep them from jumping into the van.  He also locked the doors because some can (and do) open unlocked doors.

 

Getting onto Gibraltar involves the unique experience of driving across the airport runway:

 

The runway itself was constructed of fill from digging the 23 or so miles of defensive tunnels within the Rock.  Relations with Spain have never been cordial since Britain took it over in 1704 (it was made official be the Treaty of Utrecht a few years later, but Spain has nevertheless unsuccessfully attempted to retake it numerous times), so they had to build their own flat ground for an airport.

Whenever a plane lands or takes off, access th Gibraltar is cut off - this occurs for longer periods when military exercises are taking place.

 

It was a great day on Gibraltar - we had feared another wet, overcast day, but we had a beautiful sunny- if a tad hazy - day.

 

March 29, 2017: A drive through the Sierra de Grazalema

Today we took an extended loop through the Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park and environs.

 

Most of the drive was on very narrow, windy, and incredibly scenic roads through the mountains.

 

These are new mountains, geologically speaking, with rough craggy peaks and outcroppings - reminds me of the terrain on Mckenzie Pass.  We also went through forests of cork trees -

 

The narrow road was scenic, but hazardous.  There wasn't a lot of traffic, but the cars, vans and trucks we did pass were driving like maniacs, and there was no shoulder at all to pull off onto.  The driver of the one full-sized truck we passed tried to motion for John to pull off the road to let him by.  Pulling off the road meant driving off the edge - at least a 12-inch drop.  John declined - the truck driver glowered, then backed up to a slightly wider spot and we edged around him.

John was relieved to finally turn onto a regular road with a genuine center stripe.  Not quite as scenic, but definitely safer.  We had been bemoaning the fact that there had been no place to pull off to enjoy the most spectacular views on the narrow road, but the main road had a several nice viewpoints with maps and information.

 

We circled back around Ronda and decided to go back to the ancient Roman ruins of Acinipo, or Ronda la Vieja ("old Ronda") as it's known locally.  This was a town founded by retired Roman soldiers about 2000 year ago.  We went there Sunday on our way to Grazalema, but it was just closing for the day (at 2:30 pm).  So we figured we could get there in plenty of time to look around today.  But, alas, it was closed all day today.  According to the sign, sometimes it's open on Wednesdays, sometimes not.  We guessed that it's operated by volunteers, hence the irregular schedule.  As we were consulting the map to plan where to go next, two more cars arrived.  Oh, well...

We took another scenic roundabout route to Grazalema to check out the village and have a late lunch.  We did both.  We looked for a sign that John had taken a picture of years ago stating that Grazalema is the rainiest place in Spain.  We couldn't find it, and the young woman at the tourist office didn't know about it - but she assured us that this is the #1 wettest place in the country.

As you can see from the pictures, today was another warm, sunny day.  In fact, it's the first day that clouds haven't rolled in over the mountains in the evening - we enjoyed a beautiful sunset as we ate dinner.

March 28, 2017: A Visit to Ronda

 

Ronda is one of the largest and most visited of the white hill towns - and it's unique in that it straddles a deep gorge that divides the Christian side from the Moorish quarter.  This bridge (the "new bridge" - ponte nuevo - it replaced the old bridge that collapsed 300 years ago) connects the two sides, and at one time housed a prison.  I hate to think how unruly prisoners were dealt with.

The views from the bridge are impressive -

 

Almost as impressive as the view from the Plaza Espana that overlooks the surrounding countryside - again, one can appreciate the defensive advantage atop the cliff -

 

The bull-fighting ring is the oldest in Spain - we skipped the bull fights, but John took my picture with the bull out front -

 

Notice that I'm not wearing a coat - this is the first day it's been warm enough to not need one.

We took an alternate route back to Grazalema, ignoring the insistent instructions from the GPS, and enjoyed the countryside.  At one point we pulled over and looked back at Ronda -

 

The narrow roads wound through villages, some of which looked like they'd been discovered by Northern Europeans as great places to spend the winter, and climbed ridges that overlooked other towns.

 

Beautiful weather, peaceful countryside, only occasionally interrupted by by an impatient driver or packs of kamikaze bicyclists careening down precipitous slopes toward us.

March 27, 2017: Day tripping through the Pueblos Blancos

Breakfast at the hotel was fantastic - we had a tough time making choices.

 

 

 

These were only a few of the selections.  And the view was even better -

 

The weather was overcast and drizzly this morning, so we just relaxed until early afternoon before heading out to explore a couple of the nearby Pueblos Blancos - white villages.  We took scenic roads that wound through the countryside, occasionally spotting the old Roman watchtowers on hilltops.

 

The high point of the day was Arcos de la Frontera.  John courageously drove up the incredibly narrow streets to the top - to the town square - where we were fortunate to find a place to park (mostly because it's Monday and the weather's iffy).  At one point we had to fold in the outside mirrors in order to squeeze through the incredibly narrow street without scraping the buildings on either side.  The views at the top were worth it, though.

 

The patio in the foreground is part of the Parador hotel, which is right on the edge of the cliff - apparently they are having issues as erosion eats at the edge.  The views are amazing, but I'd hate to be there during an earthquake.

Not surprisingly, the church is also located on the square -

 

We decided to pay the modest admission fee and check it out.  The church was originally built in the 13th century (when the Spanish retook the city from the Moors) over the mosque that had been there during the Moorish era.  According to the signs, it had fallen into disrepair until restoration efforts began in 1960 - they were completed in 1972.  There were several beautiful Renaissance altars, especially the high altar:

 

This was one of the several figures of Mary (not surprising, since this is the Basilica of St. Mary):

 

An interesting aspect is that the choir is located at the back of the sanctuary, rather than in front of the altar where is usually is located -

 

Getting back down the hill wasn't quite as tight a fit as getting up, but it was bad enough -

 

I took this picture through the windshield just before a scooter came roaring up toward us, going the wrong way on a one way street.  We noted that he did turn around after squeezing by us.

En route back to Grazalema we again went through a National Forest.  As we passed a deer caution sign, John laughed and said they just put up those signs to impress tourists.  He was still chuckling when we came upon about half a dozen of them.  We pulled over, and John got out to take a few pictures (there was almost no traffic).

 

They were quick, but he did get a few shots.

 

They are much smaller than deer at home - they look kind of like mountain goats.

We stopped for lunch at a roadside restaurant where there were lots of diners and no one who spoke English.  We've had some great meals at such places, and this one was pretty good.  We managed to order paella for me and chicken cutlets and papas fritas for John, and I may have ordered the chicken and fries for me, as well, but knew to say "nada mas" when the waiter seemed to be asking if I were ready for the next course.

Even so, we weren't able to work up a sufficient appetite for the three course dinner that's included with our hotel.  I opted for two appetizers (which were substantial - just the salad would have been plenty), and John ordered a sandwich from the lunch menu.  We did have dessert, though - my chocolate mousse came in a cute light flower pot -

 

We find the English translation of the menu amusing at times - tonight we weren't sure about the goldfish filets.

 

March 25-26, 2017: Evening in Granada, then off to Grazalema

After a late lunch and siesta, we walked down a steep hill to the center of Granada.  En route we came upon Washington Irving, who is revered here because of his writing Tales of the Alhambra, a highly romanticized history written when he lived here in the mid-1800's.  This work inspired the restoration of the then-trashed Alhambra (what Napoleon left undone, neglect finished), and Irving was subsequently named Ambassador to Spain.

 

We toured the cathedral, which is large but not nearly as impressive as the one in Toledo.  John seems to take pleasure in tapping fellow tourists on the shoulder and pointing to the "No Photos" sign as they prepare to take yet another picture.  They look (up) at John and put the camera/phone/selfie stick down.  At least until we're out of sight.  But, alas, one can only confront a limited number of the 1.4 billion selfie-snapping Chinese tourists visiting Spain this week.

We then took a wild minibus ride throughout the Moorish district, as recommended by our tour guide.  Our kamikaze driver forged through narrow streets packed with pedestrians and faced oncoming vehicles like a Jedi dodging Death Stars.  Great views (when we dared look).

We had a light dinner, then survived an equally fearless (of speed limits and stop signs) taxi driver getting back to our hotel.  Whew.

Sunday morning - deja vu all over again as Spain "springs forward" to daylight saving time.  Didn't we just do that two weeks ago???  Another hour lost.

So we slept in, had a late breakfast at the hotel, then checked out and set the GPS for the village of Grazalema, one of the "white hill towns" of southern Spain.  These are towns perched on hills (for defense) with whitewashed buildings (to reflect heat, perhaps?).  We had planned to stay in the larger and more famous town of Ronda, but, apparently, so did everyone else.  John had been here before and found a beautiful hotel outside of the village.  Our room looks across the canyon at the village.

 

There's a hiking trail from the hotel to the village - maybe tomorrow.

Another beautiful sunny day, until evening when we noticed some ominous clouds rolling over the hills.  As we ate dinner in the hotel dining room, we watched the rain move our way.  According to Intellicast, the rain should blow through tonight.

March 25, 2017: Granada and the Alhambra

 

The Alhambra was the last stronghold of the Muslim Moors in Europe - they held out here until 1492 when Isabelle and Ferdinand retook it.  I hadn't known that Columbus had been prepared to set out on his journey of exploration before this, but had been told he'd have to wait until Granada was retaken before Isabelle and Ferdinand would co-sign his loan to finance the trip.

The intricate details that decorate the walls, ceilings and windows are gorgeous, and would have been more so when the stained glass windows were still intact before an explosion at a nearby dynamite factory blew them all out (actually, one remains) and the paint hadn't worn off.

 

Windows frame beautiful views throughout.

 

The gardens of the Generalife (which roughly translates "regenerative gardens") are a high point.

 

This area is further up the hill and catches the coolest breezes (downright chilly when we were there).  This is where the sultan and his posse would hang out on hot summer days.

Speaking of sultans - they may have led a luxurious life, but death by assassination was a serious occupational hazard - especially from members of one's immediate family.  Fathers, sons, brothers - bumping each other off on a regular basis.  Some ruled for only weeks before coming to an untimely end.

Meanwhile, back at the gardens the fountains still function as they did originally - by gravity.

 

And the original viaducts are still evident - and those that Napoleon didn't wreck (along with ransacking most of the palaces and grounds) still function.

 

Our guide, Margarita, said that the water supply at her home comes from the old viaducts, originally built by the Romans.

As you can see, today is our first sunny day (sunny all day - not just a brief tease).  It's chilly - it got below freezing last night - but great weather for sightseeing.

 

John was last here about 13 years ago, also in March.  At that time, there were very few people here.  Margarita said that tourism has been increasing significantly every year.  Now tickets are issued with designated entry times for the palaces, and visitors may only enter some areas, like the Generalife, once.

March 24, 2017: On the road to Granada

After a leisurely breakfast in Toledo, we packed up the Volvo and set off for our next stop - Granada.  

 

We first passed through the plains of La Mancha, where thousands of acres of vineyards are being removed to be replaced by olive orchards.

 

I wanted to get a photo of one of the famous windmills of La Mancha (a la Don Quixote), but, alas, the only ones left are wind turbines.

We stopped for lunch at a roadside restaurant -

 

Where we looked forward to the menu del dia - a hearty serving of grilled chicken.

 

Our journey took us south through the mountains - where we experienced another brief snow shower - then into Andalusia and Granada.  We got a peak at the highest mountain of the Iberian Peninsula, Sierra Nevada - we had a clearer view from Granada.

 

As we entered Granada, with a population of about a million, the sultry voice of our GPS insisted that we drive right into the crowded and confusing center of the city, despite the fact that the signs for the Alhambra suggested that we stay on the freeway.  She also wanted us to turn right directly into a building (we opted to ignore this sage advice).  John has concluded that listening to her is about as helpful as listening to my directions (I have no sense of right and left, which he occasionally finds annoying).

We have now parted with the car for two days, as per the required and ridiculously overpriced valet parking here at our hotel, which is actually on the grounds of the Alhambra.  We'll see if John's more forgiving of its start-stop diesel engine (that shuts off every time he puts his foot on the brake and comes to a stop) when we get it back.

March 23, 2017: Holy Toledo!

What a difference a day makes - this morning we awoke to bright sunshine.  This is the sunny Spain we were expecting.

After breakfast we took a taxi into the heart of Toledo, Plaza Zocodover, for a day of sightseeing.  The sun felt warm, but the wind still had a sharp chill, so I wore my winter coat and John took along a rain jacket and umbrella - just in case.  Seemed like overkill, but we might as well be prepared in case a shower came along.

Good thing we did -

Those aren't spots on the camera lens - that's snow falling as we enjoy an outdoor lunch on the plaza. Yes, we have officially brought the lousy Oregon winter along.  You'll notice the two diners in the photo staring out at the snowflakes - that's what everyone was doing.  It never snows in Toledo!

When we were seated next to the propane heater, I thought it might be too warm.  Silly me!

But before lunch we visited the military museum - not usually something we'd make a point to see, but Rick Steves (our trusted guide) said it was a good way to get a sense of Toledo's rich history - and it was. It's only been open since 2010, and the multitude of artifacts are grouped into theme areas - this made it easier to pick and choose what to see.

My personal favorite was a very recently restored 500 or 600 year old battle tent:

 

The entire surface is embroidered - here's one panel:

 

The weather began to go south while we were in the museum - it was decidedly chillier as we enjoyed the view from the museum garden -

 

The brief snow shower wasn't the high point of the day.  This was -

If you ever wondered what happened to all that gold the Spaniards plundered from the New World, be sure to visit the cathedral in Toledo - question answered.  This 10 foot tall monstrance (a tower designed to hold the Holy Communion wafer as it's paraded through the streets during the Feast of Corpus Christi)  contains 400 pounds of gold-plated silver, and the inner part is made of 35 pounds of pure gold.  

And here's where more of it wound up:

That's pure gold over wood decorating the cathedral's high altar.  But it isn't just the gold and silver that makes the cathedral such a jaw-dropper - everywhere we looked we were overwhelmed - this magnificent sculpture is found on the back side of the high altar:

Click on the photo below to see the trim beneath the gold leaf ceiling of the Chapter House - this is the unique gold-etched-on-black design that Toledo is famous for.  It's found on jewelry and decorative plates everywhere here.

Toledo Cathedral is immense - as long as any other, and far wider since it was originally a mosque dating from the Moorish period.  I took this picture of John standing by a pillar to get a sense of the scale - it isn't often that John looks dwarfed -

 

We finished up our day of sightseeing with a bus tour of the city - we got a little more historical background and a welcome relief for our tired feet - we had logged far more than our daily 10,000 steps going up and down Toledo's steep streets -