Rest of January

After Granada, we headed back to Valencia (stopping at an AMAZING roadside cafe for a bite to eat). We had another day in Valencia to enjoy. I was on the search for a particular dress that I had wanted to buy, and Drakey was kind enough to go with me to search for it. We did stumble across an exciting find:

These are fantastic repros of period glasses! They are in fashion at the moment I gather. Who cares? They are MINE!

Then it was back to Geneva. Some friends of mine came over to dinner and Drakey cooked up a Thai storm. Lovely! I made fresh spring rolls with mixed success... the final product was good, but what a pain they were to make.

Then off to Brussels. You know I had the impression that Brussels was not a very exciting place, but really I rather liked it. The Grand place is grand, although the beer museum seriously sucks. The national museum is fabulous but doesn't allow photography (DAMN). That said, the art museum made up for this, by allowing photos and having a glorious collection of 16th century paintings:

Dirk Bouts 1475		Cranach 1553
Gossaert (known as Mabuse) early 16th century	detail	Quinten Metsys 1508

Drakey, in the meantime, was in beer heaven. I wanted to go to Brussels to see the museums, taste the food, explore the sights. Drakey, Drakey was in Brussels for the beer. Lambics, brews, ales... Brussels is the mecca of brewers everywhere. Our best find was a little bar with a great atmostphere and huge range of beers. I even found a lambic I liked: Framboise (raspberry). I think I had better be kind to Drakey, and not put up the photos I took of him after a few beers!

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Quote for the day: "In Italy, for 30 years under the Borgias, they had warfare, terror, murder, bloodshed - they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and the Renaissance. In Switzerland, they had brotherly love, 500 years of democracy and peace, and what did they produce? The cuckoo clock." (Orson Wells in the character of Harry Lime, The Third Man)

1 January 2008

Granada is a fascinating place to spend New Years.

Drakey and I arrived in Granada in time to climb the hill to watch the sun set over the Alhambra. The mountains behind it were covered in snow, making a spectacular backdrop to an already spectacular sight.

The square in Granada fills with people and during the twelve strikes of the clock, people stuff grapes into their mouths, one for each toll of the bell, and for each month of the year.  

Then, over the buildings, the fireworks burst. Spectacular, and vaguely frightening as pieces of firework and hot sparks rained down over the buildings and spectators.

On the morning of the 2nd, we went through the Alhumbra which was as beautiful as the last time I was there. It is hard to capture in photos the grandeur and presence of this wonderful building complex.

  One of the most fascinating things about this visit was seeing the structure below; discovering that the Alhumbra is still being held up by ancient timber tied with rope!