Return to Madrid

Our cabin on the high speed train is not full so we're able to stretch out and get comfortable. The train is much more comfortable than an airplane and a more efficient use of time; at least in Spain.

The city of Madrid puts on the best welcoming party since Adelaide.  Spain's equivalent of the Blue Angels and helicopter formation flying overhead, dozens of marching military units in full dress units, even a royal box for the King and Queen.  Thank you Madrid...

....for holding a National Holiday on the day of our return. Now we know why the rate for our room is much higher than last week.
El Cortés Ingles, one of Spain's primary department stores, has in some of its stores a food court called the Gourmet Experience.  It is frequented mostly by locals and we found it superb in Seville.  The one in Madrid was equally good.

Following a stroll through R Park, we returned for siesta and final packing.

Sometime after 9pm, we head out for dinner at the typical Spanish dinner hour.  On our last evening we are finally in sync with the Spanish dining schedule.

Cordoba

Our last touring stop on the train is Córdoba. The tour begins with a walk through the old Jewish section. There has been literally no Jewish population here since the beginning of the Inquisition when most Jews elected to leave Spain.

The highlight of the tour, and the highlight of the trip is the mosque/cathedral of Córdoba. Visionary people elected to convert the mosque into a Christian church while maintaining the beautiful mosque structure. It creates an unparalleled interest factor. Small chapels line the outer walls with a spectacular cathedral with two large pipe organs on one side.

During free time prior to returning to the train we explore the other side of the river and share a drink, a sherry found only in Córdoba,  with Enrique and Juanita; Mr. and Mrs. Al Andulus .

The train arrives on time in Seville and in time for a much needed siesta.  We have been very fortunate with the weather and this evening a thunder storm brings rain to Seville.

We return to a local tapas restaurant for a small dinner before returning to our room and its view of the Geralda Tower. Along with this view we have bar noise well into the early morning from just below our room.

Ubeda and Baeza

The train began moving at 0630.  From the time we first looked out the windows until the time the train entered the station, olive fields dominated the landscape.

Carol is trying to recover from the bug going around the train and remains on board today. We are traveling through a large valley surrounded by mountains. Olive trees run for as far as the eye can see. As the day is overcast not a single picture captures the magnitude of the olive fields.



The regional museum of olive oil is our first stop. It is located in Jaén province and half way between Jaén and Baeza.

Our guide is extremely informative; the restored facility well done. There are many antique presses on display and a part of the original "modern" aqueduct that fed the olive fields.

 

 The next stop is Baeza. It a UNESCO city but likely the least impressive we've visited.

CJ returns to the train opting to skip the Úbeda visit.

 

As this is the final evening on the train, there is a farewell party following dinner.  We are asked to vote for Mr. and Mrs. Al Andulus, the sexiest passenger and the most congenial passenger.  Carol leads a campaign to get the Mexican couple, married 58 years and still cuddling voted Mr. and Mrs.  One Spanish women whose hair each day makes us believe she awakes at 0500 to prepare it each day is a shoe-in for sexiest.

 

 



Carol dances her butt off and drives the party until we are one of three final couples.  Last off the dance floor is CJ, who's matador dance is cut short.

Granada

Granada is surrounded by mountains and in fact has a ski area that has hosted World Cup ski events. We climb high into the hills and exit the bus with no sign of the famous Alhambra. Even after entering the property it is quite a long walk into the Generalife (Paradise) Gardens before our first view of the Alhambra. The gardens and summer palace are extensive and beautiful.

The walled city containing the Alhambra also contains the most expensive (exclusive) Parador in Spain, church, and a small number of shops.

 



The Alhambra was a Moorish palace that eventually after the re-conquest became home to the Spanish king and queen in 1492; Ferdinand II and Isabella I . We visited the room where Columbus was received and granted money for his exploration of the New World.

 

There are good views of the gardens, summer palace, a reservoir that feeds the fountains of the Alhambra complex during our return to the bus. 



 

Following dinner on the train, the bus deposits us at a Flamingo dance show at 11 pm. We return to the train at 0030.  

 

 

Ronda

Just another incredible European city.  Ronda sits atop a cliff and gorge. There is a very attractive old city with narrow decorative alleys and a very connected new commercial city. The transition between the two is seamless. This is the type of place one could easily spend a couple of weeks chilling, walking and marveling. The city is home to Spain's oldest bull ring and one of the most spectacular gorge crossings you'll ever see.

Three bridges, Puente Romano ("Roman Bridge), Puente Viejo ("Old Bridge") and Puente Neuvo ("New Bridge"), span the canyon. The term "nuevo" is a bit of a misnomer, as the building of this bridge commenced in 1751 and took until 1793 to complete. The Puente Nuevo is the tallest of the bridges, towering 390 ft above the canyon floor.

Al Andulus Arrival

Today is our first day on the Al Andulus train. Between check-in and departure, the company organizes a bus tour of Seville with a stop at the cathedral. The Giralda is the bell tower of the Cathedral of Seville. Its height is 343 feet . The Giralda is the former minaret of the mosque that stood on the site under Muslim rule, and was built to resemble the minaret of the Koutoubia Mosque in Marrakech, Morocco. It was converted into a bell tower for the cathedral after the Reconquista, although the topmost section dates from the Renaissance. CJ elects to go to the top expecting an elevator; its a bloody long climb; but the views of the city, Alcazar and cathedral are impressive.
 

 

The group enjoys a traditional lunch is the restaurant of a very nice local hotel.

The  train departs on time and travels through cotton fields, passes through Jerez de la Frontera  before stopping at the El Puerto de Santa Maria station. A bus and ferry deposit us in the oldest city in Western Europe, Cádiz.

After a short evening walk in the city we return to the train for dinner and entertainment by a traditional Spanish singer/dancer accompanied by excellent guitar.

Jerez de la Frontera

We are touring and tasting sherry at Real Bodega La Concha in Jerez de la Frontiers by 1030. Among its many rooms and thousands of barrels, this Bodega features a spectacular wedding room framed by sherry barrels of various sizes including six huge barrels (the Apostles) flanking each side of an extremely large "Royal Family" (Jesus) barrel. They have another room of barrels signed by famous people such as Picasso, Winston Churchill, Marconi, Steven Spielberg to name just a few of the hundreds.

Our next stop is the Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art. This hour and a half show features riders and walking horsemen demonstrating numerous tricks and riding techniques . The horses are stunning and the routines even more impressive.

Following the show, we travel 45 minutes for another marvelous lunch in Sanlucar de Campoat at the mouth of the Rio (river) Guadalquivir.

Free time on the train is followed by a cocktail tasting of four different designer gin and tonic selections.

After another fine 9pm dinner on the train, Carol can't resist barging in on the train's kitchen crew.

Sunday in Sevilla

We must be becoming Spanish.  We are finally out of the hotel at the crack of noon. The line at the Alcazar is quite long but successfully negotiated. We wonder why we didn't contract a guide to get head of line privileges. The Alcazar is spacious, spectacular and fascinating; although a bit of a disappointment after the palaces mosques of Istanbul.

We lunch four two hours in purportedly the best tapas restaurant in Seville and it does not disappoint. Our Spanish lunch is followed by the Spanish siesta. 

At dusk we leave in search of an ATM, dusk photographs, and a cocktail. A personable Swiss gentleman invites us to share his table and his patron pimento (special roasted peppers of the region). As the restaurant is out of patron pimento, we share his peppers, offer him our calamari, and buy him a couple of beers for sharing his table.  After sharing travel stories, we return to the hotel to crash around midnight.