Departed on March 25, 2004 for Madrid via Frankfurt. We arrived in Madrid quite tired not so much due to the hours flown but because of the plane's seat and leg room configuration (definitely designed for midgets). I cannot ever remember sitting in such a small seat on an airplane. Even though we were booked on Lufthansa we found out the operating airline was United (partnership trends we need to watch for in the future). We checked in the Melia Galagos Hotel which was very nice and after a shower and a short nap went out to dinner. We ended the evening with a night tour of Madrid in rain.
Next morning we drove through West Park, stopped to view Plaza Espana with its monument to Cervantes and the Royal Palace which has housed King Juan Carlos and his ancestors for the last 200 years.
After lunch we had tickets to The Prado Museum which maintains the art collection of Fernando VII and other Royals. It is one of the few museums that allow visitors to take no-flash photographs of their collection. We had limited time and therefore devoted it all to some of the Spanish Paintings on the ground floor ( Velazquez - El Greco - Goya ).
We spent a couple of hours before dinner (usually served in restaurants between 9 to 11 pm) in Puerta del sol the old section of Madrid and quite tired, were happy to call it a day.
Sunday March 28, 2004. After breakfast we headed south to the ancient Castilian capital of Toledo. Being the capital until 1560, it probably accounts for its really impressive architecture. Visiting the 13th-century Gothic Cathedral we took the long narrow staircase to the top and enjoyed the spectacular panorama of the city especially the old bridge still in use by pedestrians. We also visited the Church of Santo Tome that houses El Greco's masterpiece The Burial of Count Orgaz.
Walking through the streets of Toledo one feels like having stepped back into the Middle-Ages. Of particular interest to me was the Jewish quarters built in 1492 and visiting a steel workshop specializing in the famous damascened Toledo steel and ornate jewelry. We then drove south to the Andalusian city of Cordoba.
Monday March 29, 2004. Cordoba has an extensive array of monuments built by the Romans, the Moors and Christians. We started the morning visiting the 8th-century Mosque of the Caliphs. One of Islam's grandest mosque, it still looks awesome despite a baroque cathedral that was inserted into it's middle in 1523. The columns of red-and-white arches in the interior are amazing and are enough to make you giddy.
Then on to the Jewish Quarter which is made up of a network of narrow streets whose whitewashed facades are decorated with tiles and at that time housed the Jewish academies it hosted. It would be from there that most of the advances of the Middle Ages would spring to life. A cradle for poets, scientists, and philosophers which we recognized by the street names. In the pictures above we have a view of the Alcazar Moorish fortress.
March 30, 2004. Granada boasts one of the most visited sights of Europe, the magnificent Alhambra, built by the Moors in the 13th century. This complex of palaces, fortress and gardens is absolutely magnificent and afforded great views of the Old Quarter.
In the afternoon we headed south to Costa del Sol known among other things for its balmy Mediterranean climate. We loved our room and the views of the Melia Costa del Sol hotel in Torremolinos. We strolled along the seaside promenade, browsed the shops and cafes of the San Miguel area and enjoyed some great diners at a restaurant by the boardwalk opposite our hotel.
Wednesday March 31, 2004. Morocco. A short ferry ride across the Straights of Gibraltar brought us to the Moroccan city of Tetouan. Founded in 1305 it was repopulated in the 16th century by the Moslems and Jews who had been chased away from Andalusia.
Hassan II Square, seen above is situated in the heart of the city where the old and modern parts converge. King Hassan's Palace abuts the east side of the square and preparations were being made for his impending visit. Walking the narrow alleys of the casbah, strolling crowds are usually fascinated as we were by merchants selling their wares of spices, fruits, nuts, vegetables, fish, meats and imported commodities.
Friday April 2, 2004. The British city of Gibraltar was a short drive from Costa del Sol. I had always been under the misconception that Gibraltar was an Island, only to learn on this trip that it is attached to the Iberian Peninsula. We drove to the top of the famed Rock enjoyed the panorama, a visit to St. Michael's cave and played with the Barbary apes (allowed to roam free in Gibraltar).
After lunch we drove to Seville, checked in and after dinner experienced an authentic Andalusian Flamenco show which like in the U.S. did not allow photos of their performance to be taken.
Saturday April 3, 2004 Seville. Started this morning by driving by the Maria Luisa Park. Then to the magnificent Plaza de Espania. Seville architect Aníbal González began this astounding huge square in a semicircular shape decorated with tiles. The large brick building is flanked at each end by a high tower. It has fifty eight benches in recesses decorated with tiles, depicting historic episodes of Spain. Later we walked by the Palace of Alcazar but did not have time to visit inside.
From there we visited Spain's largest Gothic cathedral that houses the tomb of Christopher Columbus. We were told that a DNA sample is being used to determine his origins. Speculation has it that he might have been Jewish. The results are expected to be available in a few months and hopefully will put an end to this long sought mystery. The view of Seville from the cathedral's tower was spectacular.
April 4, 2004. Drove most of the day, then crossed the border to Portugal headed for Lisbon. Checked in and had a couple of hours of shopping before dinner. After dinner we were treated to an entertaining Fado evening complete with song and dance.
April 5, 2004 Lisbon. Our first stop was to Jeronimos Monastery a spectacular building with high arches and ornate spires. It is also the resting place of Vasco da Gama, who departed from Belem in 1497 to discover India.
Our next stop was the Tower of Belem erected between 1514 and 1520 as part of a defense complex built to protect the mouth of the Tagus river. Next to the tower is the Monument to the Discoveries built to commemorate the great voyages headed by Magelian, Dias and Henry who set sail from there.
The Castelo Sao Jorge made for a very interesting visit. For many of its different owners throughout history, it was either a royal residence or military headquarters with an ideal watch tower. Looking through the nooks and crannies of the castle, we enjoyed the gorgeous view of Lisbon and the Tagus river.
April 6, 2004. We traveled north this morning through the Sierra d'Aire Mountains to the Shrine at Fatima with a visit to the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary. We then headed to Salamanca and checked in the Gran Hotel situated a stone's throw of the Baroque Plaza Mayor, one of Spain's grandest squares.
April 7, 2004 Salamanca. A short drive took us to Avila. The city wall was build on the fortifications started by the Romans and Muslims in the 11th and 12th centuries. Records show it took nine years for 1900 workers mostly Muslim captives to complete the job. It is considered one of the best preserved walls in the world. The sun would not cooperate and this was the only picture I succeeded in taking there.
We then headed for the Valley of the Fallen a memorial built by Franco to those who fell in the Spanish Civil War. I was frankly surprised that Franco was buried there. He was a ruthless fascist dictator that did not in my opinion merit this honor.
Back to Madrid for last minute shopping, packing and a farewell dinner party. Food was excellent and after sipping an aperitif, three brands of local wine and an after dinner liqueur we were all in very high spirits (no pun intended).
Next morning we bid to all our effusive goodbyes, especially to Louis our fantastic tour guide and then headed for the airport for our uneventful flight home.