New draft route..

29 September

What a wonderful holiday in Spain I had. Cate and I headed off on Wednesday evening to Barcelona. Finding our way from the airport to the hostel was a little more challenging than anticipated, as the trains had changed. We emerged from the metro in the wrong spot, but somewhat fortuitously as it happens, as we came out next to our first Gaudi building.

The hostels location was fantastic for the beach so once we got there and settled in we had to take a look.

After that, we headed into town a little, to meet up with my Barcelona contact Tamara, and her husband "P". They took us out for our first ever tapas in the Basque style. All sorts of little things (a lot of them seafood sadly) on slices of bread, the method was to take whatever we wanted, and then count up the little sticks joining them, at the end. We went to a couple of different spots before Cate and I gave out and said we had to go back to bed.

In the morning we just had to have a bit of a swim and a lie around on the beach; a great way to really feel like you are on holidays! Then on to the bus to go to the cathedral for a brief look. There were all sorts of lovely features to it, including a rather lovely elephant gargoyle!

We bought a Spanish mobile sim for my phone (we couldn't persuade the public phone boxes to work, and the sim cost 20 euros and came with 15 euros worth of calls, so not a large investment for a LOT of convenience). We had lunch in a cafe on the way to the Sagrada Familia. Its hard to believe, looking at this amazing building, that it was started in my great grandfather's time - it doesn't seem possible that such opulent weirdness came out of what has always sounded like a very conservative time in history.

I wonder if it will be completed in my lifetime? The building continues enthusiastically, and someone did say that it will be finished in 20 years, but there certainly looks to be more than 20 years of work left to go! Its a strange building; Bits of it seem quite unconnected to other bits, but it is certainly impressive, with its sweepingly high columns and organic theme.

In a Gaudi mood now, and despite our aching feet, we decided to squeeze in the Park Guelli. We hadn't realised that there are an awful lot of steps between where the train halts and the park begins. Once we reached the summit, we searched and searched for the famous Gaudi mosaics; nowhere to be seen! We did see this rather hilarious sign as we looked out over the city:

We were hot, and weary and getting frustrated by not being able to find the Gaudi, when voila, we stumbled across it! Of course millions of people have photographed these colourful mosaics, and I doubt I will be able to add much in the way of new perspectives on them, but here are a few pics anyway.

Then we met up with Tamara; I know Tamara through Moleiro; the company from whom I am buying THE BOOK. Tamara showed Cate a few of the books, which made Cate drool as much as they had me. Cate however, has much better powers of resistance than I! Then P met up with us, and we had dinner in a rather more sophisticated restaurant than the one before. Cate and I then had to arm-wrestle Tamara and P to allow us to pay; a wrestling match that was to be repeated with many others during our week!

Home again, this time in a taxi (so much more reasonably priced than Geneva). In the morning we caught the train to the airport and took a plane to Alicante. We had considered taking the train, but it was going to take 7 hours! The plane was a bit more expensive, though not greatly, and SO much faster. Instead of arriving at 5.30pm after a day on the train, we arrived in Murcia in time for lunch with Maria and Joaquin in their lovely apartment. After a long leisurely lunch and showers (in my case a blissful bath - my feet were still aching from the day before!) we went to get my sandals fixed and to peer in a shop or two. Then we walked into town. There was a groovy fountain, where two huge urns sat above one another and the top one poured water in to the second, which eventually tipped under the weight:

The cathedral was rather fab, though I only peeked inside. Started in the 14th century, the fact that it was finished in the baroque shows very much!

Dinner was yet another feast of spanish food; I could get used to the Spanish habit of eating late, and of eating a range of small things rather than one large meal.

The next day we went up the mountain to see a bit of the view out over murcia.

We then hit the road to drive to Granada. It was an interesting drive (though I did have a snooze on the way) and lunch was at a roadhouse. Its worth mentioning the roadhouse because in complete contrast to an Australian roadhouse, the food was magnificent, and cheap.

The landscape was so dry. I had no idea just how arid it is in this part of Spain. The olive trees that dotted the hills had nothing growing under them whatsoever. No grass... nothing.

There were amazing cave homes dotting the marbled landscape

We arrived in Granada and met up with Jose Manuel. After settling into our hotel (for the grand sum of $30 each a night sharing a room) we had a bit of a walk around Granada to get a first taste of the city, including seeing the bazaar and the tea markets.

We also took a long walk up hill to the perfect viewing point to see the Alhambra during sunset.

Spectacular eh? Even better, there was a group of people playing guitar providing a lovely musical backdrop for the view.

After a beer and tapas on the hill, we wandered down (rather carefully as my knees work better going up hills than down) and into a bar where we enjoyed tapas Granada style.

After a long day of walking, both Cate and I crashed out completely. In the morning we joined our friends for breakfast in the "cafeteria" across the road, where juice and toast cost something like $5. We drove out of the city then, and up into the hills to see where Jose does some of his work.

On the way back, we stopped in a little town to get a bite to eat. Unfortunately the restaurant was full, but there were two gypsies replacing the reed seats on some chairs, which was very interesting. Unfortunately when the man saw me filming he leapt up and shouted at me; later on Jose said it wasn't because he was truly angry, but he wanted me to pay, but at the time I found him very frightening!

Maria and Joaquim then dropped us off at the Alhambra where we bid them a sad farewell.

Well... what can I say about the Alhambra? Its amazing. Especially if you pause, look around and imagine what it must have been like in its heyday. All I can do is show you photos and let you judge for yourself.

Does "WOW" cover it?

To top off our Spanish experience, as we headed down the hill towards dinner and home, we encountered a parade. It was apparently a holy day of the "Virgin in Anguish". There was a parade carrying a statue, with fantastic fabric and costumes to be seen.

Sadly as all holidays much, our time in Spain was drawing to a close. In the morning we headed to Malaga. We spent the afternoon lazing on the beach, which was just what we needed, and although we had an unexpected soaking from the rather frigid sea, it was a lovely way to top off a delightful holiday.

10 September

My friend Cate is visiitng from Oz, so we had an adventurous weekend. On Saturday we did the three countries in one day thing, nipping through France over to Italy and Aosta for lunch.

Sunday was a full-on day: Divonne markets where we picked up some good smelly cheeses, fresh figs and dates, strange sausages and a 'tranche' of foie gras terrine.

Then on to the Fort l'Ecluse, which was for the first time that I have seen it, open.

We ate lunch just outside the fort, in the dappled sunshine.... the tasting means that you will get a new cheese review or two soon!

Then it was on to Perouges, which was as lovely as usual.

7 September

I have had a bit of a shock. Last night I went to a party at a nightclub. It was being run by the Sindy mob. I was a volunteer helper and welcomer. I was taking a turn at the cash desk when there was a big silence inside. I was told that someone had fallen from the mezzanine. The ambulance came and took them. I found out it was my friend Adel. My friend Nir who was organising the party asked me to take over for him and headed off to the hospital.

So I stayed. I hadn't intended to stay late at the party, and it was scheduled to finish at 5am. But I was not going to let my mates down so I stayed and had a reasonably good time; taking lots of photos. 5.40am I got home. (blech!) This morning I found out the news on how Adel is. Not good. He is seriously hurt. I feel horribly sad and worried about Adel, who only two weeks ago celebrated his birthday, and weirdly guilty for being at a party having a good time while he fought for his life.

4 September

Last weekend was a party weekend. Friday night was a beach party and I danced till 3. Saturday night was a dinner for a friend's birthday, and afterwards, dancing till 3 once more. Sunday was a brunch with other friends. All in all a very sociable weekend!

Cate arrives this week! Woohooo!!