E S P A N A
including Islas de Canaries and Mallorca
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10 November: Early in the morning, we and Vic and Linda went to the airport for our various flights. We arrived in Madrid near 1:00PM. After collecting our rental car we headed to Segovia, a World Heritage City. We had tremendous views of the city with its Roman aqueduct and huge cathedral from our balcony at the Parador de Segovia. Paradores are state-sponsored hotels which promote tourism within Spain. They are operated by the Department of Tourism of Spain and are built near or in important historical or natural sites and frequently in restored ancient buildings. This Parador certainly exceeded our expectations. While new and not an ancient building, it was beautiful and the views of the ancient city where very special. After our day of travel we enjoyed a picnic in our room so we could savour the setting.
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The town Cathedral at night as seen from our room in the Parador |
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The Roman aqueduct at night |
11 November: We went into Segovia immediately after a fantastic breakfast in the Parador and spent our morning touring there. We started at the aqueduct which is an amazing three stories tall. We then wandered down its small streets to the Cathedral of Assumption. It was huge and very ornate. We finished our touring by visiting the Alcazaba (Moorish fort) with its towers, moat and draw bridge. It was obvious why Segovia is a World Heritage City.
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The three-tiered acqueduct |
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The beautiful Cathedral of the
Assumption (Catedral del la Asuncion) |
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Ed in front of the Alcazaba Fortress Complex |
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A view of the moat and
drawbridge at the Alcazaba |
We next drove two hours to the town of Salamanca, our home for the night. We spent the balance of the day touring its ancient streets. We enjoyed the Roman Bridge, the Cathedral, various other churches and its splendid Plaza Mayor. Touring both cities made for an excellent day.
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The Roman Bridge with the
city's Cathedral in the background |
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A closer view of the Cathedral |
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The University of Salamanca |
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Entry to the Plaza Mayor (the Main Plaza) |
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The Plaza Mayor |
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Another view of the beautiful Plaza Mayor |
12 November: This was a travel day as we headed further south to the town of Badajoz (also the name of the region). Badajoz is located right on the border with Portugal. It was controlled by the Moors for much of its history and this is reflected in its architecture in the old town.
13 November: (Happy 13th! - We celebrate all 13th’s as that is the day on which we met, were engaged and the day on which we were married!!) We explored the historic center of Badajoz today. We started at the Puerta de Palmas which was constructed in the 1500’s as part of the city’s many fortifications. Across from the gate is a beautiful arched bridge which is now a pedway. We visited the Cathedral and did a little window-shopping as it was located off a main thoroughfare. We spent the balance of our time in the part of the city which held the Alcazaba or Moorish castle and its fortifications. It was an impressive stronghold! Inside there was a beautiful plaza; again, with arches plus beautifully painted walls.
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The Puerta de Palmas, a beautiful gate to the city |
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The Cathedral of San Juan |
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The Palacio Municipal (The Municipal Palace) |
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The walls of the Alcazaba |
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The beautiful and intricate Piazza inside the Alcazaba |
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The quant streets of Badajoz |
14 November: Today we drove a short distance to the namesake of the largest city in New Mexico (Albuquerque), “Alburquerque”(note that the first R was dropped over the centuries). It’s a beautiful village which sits on a hilltop which rises over the plain. A large castle dominates the town. We walked the quaint streets taking in the many old buildings and churches. We also walked along the castle walls before returning to Badajoz.
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We're finally within sight of
Alburquerque (note the Olive Groves which abound throughout this area) |
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We're Here! |
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An ancient gate into the city |
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Inside the city looking out through the same gate |
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A view of an old tower and the city's narrow streets |
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Alburquerque Castle set above the town |
15 November: Our excursion for today was a drive to the town of Merida. Merida is famous for its Roman history and the buildings there are very impressive. First, we visited the partly restored amphitheater. Next, we went to the theater. We were really impressed with its stage which boasts two tiers of marble columns and statuary. Really nice! We then wandered further into town stopping at the Portico and also the Temple of Diana. Boy, those Romans sure got around!
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An overview of the Amphitheater |
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Seating within the Amphitheater |
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Ed under a keystone in the Amphitheater |
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The magnificent Roman Theater |
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Lindy sitting below the
pillars so you can appreciate the size of the Theater |
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Us outside the Roman Theater |
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The Portico del Foro |
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The Temple of Diana |
16 November: We were in transit today from Badajoz to the hilltop town of Carmona, our home for the next three nights.
17 November: Our day began with the exploration of our accommodations, the Parador of Carmona, which is also Alcazar of Del Rey Don Pedro. This fortress was built during the 14th century when the Moors reigned over Spain. It is an amazing complex with incredible views as it sits on the high point of Carmona. You can imagine it being easily defended as you can see for miles and miles.
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The entry to the Parador of Carmona |
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One of the towers and ancient walls in the Alcazar |
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We walked below the Parador to take this photo of the entire complex |
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Lindy by a fountain in the interior courtyard of the Parador |
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A view of Carmona from the Parador |
We then walked through the town’s historic center which is dominated by old churches and convents. Eventually we wandered back to the Parador to enjoy its ambience for the balance of the day.
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La Caridad and the Convent of Santa Clara |
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The Priory of Santa Maria |
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Carmona's Outdoor Marketplace |
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The Puerta de Sevilla Alcazar |
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A closer view of the entry to the Alcazar |
18 November: We once again spent our day walking and exploring. Today we ventured to Carmona’s Roman necropolis. The first evidence of burials in the necropolis began in the 7th century B.C. During the 2nd century B.C., Roman usage of the burial area began. We were able to walk through the area and view various burial chambers which had been unearthed by archeologists. The complex also contains a museum which houses many of the burial urns (Romans cremated their dead after an eight-day celebration of the individual’s life) as well as items buried with individuals to be used in the after-life. It was very interesting and very informative.
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A circular Mausoleum in the Necropolis |
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Inside the Circular Mausoleum |
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The "Servilia Tomb" in the Necropolis |
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The entry into the tomb itself |
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Wall decorations which have survived the ages |
19 November: We spent most of the day driving to the town of Cuenca where we would spend our last night (this trip) on mainland Spain. We had a great treat during our drive. We found many “Molinos” (meaning grinders) driven by wind which we refer to as Windmills. They were often set together on hilltops and their purpose was to grind grain. We could visualize Don Quixote jousting with them.
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Grinders set on the hilltop to take advantage of the wind |
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Don Quixote lives on! |
Since we had to leave for Madrid early the next morning, we toured Cuenca beginning in late afternoon until dark. We once again stayed in another wonderful Parador. It is a 16th century building which was the former Convent of San Pablo. It sits high on a hilltop and has great views across a ravine into the old town. In particular, we could see the Casas Colgadas, houses which are built directly on bedrock and hang off the side of the mountain. There is a narrow foot bridge which we walked across to get closer views of the old town as well as enjoy some great views looking back at the Parador. It was a great way to end our touring of mainland Espana.
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Our Parador, the former Convent of San Pablo |
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A closer view of the church attached to the Convent |
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We had to use this bridge to cross an arroyo to access Cuenca |
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The famous Hanging Houses where families built balconies outward over the arroyo to avoid additional taxes |
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The Plaza of Cuenca |
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The Cathedral |
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A side view of the Cathedral shows it was built using "Flying Buttresses" as a means of support |
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A typical street in Cuenca |
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The view of the Parador
courtyard from our window |
20 November: This was a travel day. We left our Parador, after a wonderful stay, and drove to Madrid. We spent the afternoon awaiting our flight to Las Islas de Canaries (The Canary Islands). The Canaries are part of Spain and are located off the coast of Western Africa in the Atlantic Ocean. We arrived on Tenerife Island at 7:00PM and transferred to our hotel in Puerta de la Cruz.
21 November: Our rental car was delivered to our hotel near 12:00 noon and we began our exploration of Tenerife as we relocated to an apartment in Playa de la Arena. While only about 90KMs apart, the drive took 2.5 hours. It was absolutely crystal clear and very beautiful with great views of the coast. The roads are very, very windy and narrow and many times it seemed similar to the Amalfi Drive in Italia. We took a break en route to buy some food for the apartment and then spent the balance of the day settling in and enjoying our views from the terrace.
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A view of the coast leaving Puerto Cruz |
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The town of Garachico and its famous Rocca (Rock) in the ocean |
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A view of Playa de la Arena |
22 November: We continued to settle into our apartment. We went for a short drive to see Los Gigantes, the giant lava cliffs located near Puerto de Santiago. We then did some additional food shopping. In the afternoon, we walked about Playa de la Arena and just relaxed.
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A view of Los Gigantes |
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Another view of this spectacular spot |
23 November: We left the apartment at 8:00AM to pick up our friend, Deborah, who was joining us for the balance of our week in the apartment. Deborah arrived at 11:00AM and, after long overdue hugs and kisses, we headed to Playa de la Arena along the Western coast road (the same way we originally drove to the apartment). We stopped along the way to enjoy the views. We managed to keep Deborah up and awake (despite the jet lag) until dinner. Then, we celebrated with champagne and Ed made a belated Thanksgiving feast (albeit with the turkey breast served in red sauce al’Espanol).
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Happy Thanksgiving! We forced Deb to stand on a windy, chilly pullout on the road (part of our strategy to keep her awake)! |
24 November: We began our day at Los Gigantes and viewed the cliffs from the beach. They are truly impressive!! Then, we drove to the town of Icod de la Vina to see “El Drago.” It’s a huge plant (it looks like a tree) which is over 1,000 years old. It was believed to have mystical powers by the Guanches, the original inhabitants of the island. After exploring the town, we ventured back to Santiago del Tiede through a road which wound through the national forest. It was very quiet and beautiful. Next, we decided to drive to the town of Masca. It only recently was accessible by car. While the road to it is paved, it is basically a one-land road with a few pull-outs for passing other cars. Although it’s only 6KM, it is one switch-back after another. It is not for the faint of heart! Ed did a great job negotiating it, especially when having to pass two buses and some really scared drivers. It was well worth the views as the town sits on top of the Los Gigantes lava flows.
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A view of Icod de la Vina,
including houses with hanging balconies |
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The Church in Icod de la Vina |
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Ed and Deb beneath a giant ficus |
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This church has a beautiful steeple made of cut lava |
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"El Drago" |
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Deborah on a pedway in Idod de
la Vina (no, it's not a deserted town; it's afternoon siesta) |
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We begin our trek to Masca |
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A view of the switchbacks to
get to/from Masca |
25 November: We headed south to visit a local market in the town of San Juan. Afterwards, we ventured further south to the area near Playa de las Americas. This area was very different. It was similar to Miami Beach with lots of high-rise accommodations and lots and lots of tourists and lots of “tinsel and plastic!” It made us appreciate our sleepy holiday town!
26 November: Once again we went south but before arriving in the area of Playa de las Americas, we turned inland. We visited the small village of Vilaflor, one of the highest villages on Tenerife. Next, we continued on into the Parque Nacional del Tiede. It was a beautiful day and we got some terrific photographs of this heavily vulcanized area. We went as far into the park as the Parador del Canades, our future home in a few days. That evening we had an early celebration of Deb’s birthday (December 8).
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The Iglesia de San Pedro in Vilaflor |
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Inside the Iglesia |
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The beautiful Plaza of Vilaflor |
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Lindy and Deb at the town's Fountain |
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Mt. Tiede |
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Lava Flows within the park |
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Ed and Deb with Mr. Tiede in the background |
27 November: We took a driving tour of the northwestern coast of the island. First, we drove to Los Realojos. We were in search of the island’s oldest church. We eventually found it but the building was covered in scaffolding. We found another beautiful chapel and visited it instead. Then, we headed to Garachico, a lovely coastal city. We finished our touring in Buenavista. Need we say more?! A great close to our time together.
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A typical example of
architecture in the Canary Islands which we found in Los Realojos |
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A sanctuario in Los Realojos |
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The altar in the Sanctuario |
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The girls at Garachico |
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Deb in front of a cactus laden with fruit |
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The girls again.... now at Punta Negra |
28 November: We left our apartment in Playa de Arena after a great stay. We then drove Deborah to Santa Cruz, the island’s capital on the far Northeastern coast. Deborah booked a hotel there to ensure easy access for her departure flight the following morning. After saying good-bye, we headed to the Parque Nacional del Tiede via one of its northern entrances. The drive was beautiful and very different from our previous experience as we drove through beautiful forests of tall pines. We arrived at the Parador de Canades del Tiede at ~3:00. It was a beautiful day and we had incredible views of Los Roques de Garcia and Pico del Teide from our room. We wandered around the Parador property until early evening and then enjoyed the bar.
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The view from our room |
29 November: After a leisurely breakfast at the Parador, we went via car to one of the scenic areas which appears to be a moonscape. Because it was early in the morning, we had the area to ourselves. It was so void of any life it was easy to understand why movies have been filmed here. Next, we returned to the Parador and then headed on a hike to Los Roques. There is a circular trail of about 4.5km which begins on a crest overlooking the lava towers, descends to the crater floor and returns via a hill with a 60% grade. Although there were a lot of people at the overlook, very few made hiked the trail so we were able to enjoy it alone. It was spectacular! We returned to the Parador in early afternoon and watched the clouds and rain arrive from our warm, cozy room. Tiede was totally hidden by 3:00PM so it was good we made the most of our morning. By about 6:00PM the clouds cleared and we were delighted to see Tiede covered in snow almost down to the level of the Parador. Wow, we confirmed it was the first snow of the season! We did have to endure a 2.5 hour power outage (good for playing cards by candlelight and drinking read wine). Oh well, it adds to memories.
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A view of Los Roques at dawn |
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Ed in a moonscape |
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On the trail in Los Roques |
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Ed by a lava flow |
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The mineralization along the
trail is incredible |
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"Bear Rock" |
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A view of our hiking trail from La Catedral |
30 November: After a leisurely breakfast and taking some photographs of snow-covered Tiede, we drove to Puerto de la Cruz where we returned our rental car. We walked about the town and relaxed. We made it an early night in anticipation of a 5:30AM taxi ride to the airport.
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The morning sun on Mt. Tiede with the first snow fall of the year |
1 December: This was a travel day. We left the Canary Islands on a 7:15 flight. After routing via Madrid, we arrived in Palma on the island of Mallorca, also part of Spain but in the Mediterranean. We picked up our rental car and drove to Portals Nous, our home for the final four nights in Europe on our Round The World adventure. Upon our arrival, we noticed that there was “something different” about the signage. That is, while there was lots of Spanish there was another language that was similar at times but very different at others. Ultimately we learned that Catalan is spoken on the island as opposed to Castilian Spanish. However, we could still use Spanish and be understood by the young people.
2 December: We decided to go to a local market located in the town of Alcudia on the far north side of the island. It is a beautiful city which still boasts most of its ancient walls as well as two towers. The area within the walls is a pedway and the market is held in one of its plazas. The market itself was huge with lots of vendors and customers. We wandered around both the market and the city before returning to Portals Nous.
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The Moat and Walls of Alcudia |
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A Gate to the city between two Towers |
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The town's huge Cathedral |
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A City Building |
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A colorful, narrow street |
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An ancient gate which still has part of the wooden entry intact |
3 December: We headed toward the West today to visit the town of Andratx, a fishing village and tourist area. The town port is on the water but its surroundings go into forested areas on some ancient cliffs. We took time to stroll around the town and also then drove up to enjoy the views from above. Afterwards we took a scenic road back to Portals Nous.
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A view from above of Andratx |
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Andratx from across the bay along the shore road |
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A close-up of the Port |
4 December: Wow, our final day in Mallorca before commencing our return travel to the US. We did what all tourists do – we hit the outlet mall located north of Palma. It had some great bargains and we were tempted to add to the local economy. However, given our bags were stuffed with other goodies all we did was window shop. It was a beautiful day so we enjoyed our drive and the great scenery as we returned back to our hotel to begin packing for a 6:00AM departure.
In summary, Espana was terrific! We enjoyed our time immensely in this beautiful country and will definitely return in the future.
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Our route home consisted of a flight on Iberia from Mallorca to Madrid and then another flight on Iberia from Madrid to JFK in New York. We spent the night there. Then, the next day we flew from JFK to Dallas and then on to Albuquerque. We did it! We actually flew around the world!!
NOTE: "HOME" takes you to our
initial home page; "UP" will return you
to the Round The World 2007 site
for more exploring.