Spain is our favorite travel destination. We’ve been there a couple of times and would return if we could. Maybe someday.
We once took a Mediterranean cruise with my parents that began in “Barcelona”. I believe we got there a day or two early and had a limited amount of time to spend in the city.
It is a very large and interesting city which hosted the 1992 Olympic Games. We visited shortly thereafter. I recall that it had a nice subway which enabled us to see key sights without a car. I also recall that my Dad fell down the stairs going down to the subway.
Las Ramblas is a three-quarter mile, tree-lined boulevard with a pedestrian mall running down the center, and is considered the social center of Barcelona.
Along Las Ramblas are hotels, restaurants, outdoor cafes, bars, kiosk vendors, and small shops. It’s a delightful place to take a stroll, particularly in the evening.
Lots of free entertainment here, as well. There are many street performers (like human statues), who come in all types of costumes, and can remain motionless for an hour.
I think you get the point: it’s like Fremont Street in Las Vegas, but classier. We didn’t see any, “Kick me in the nuts for $5.00!” signs.
On the minus side, Barcelona is known as the “Pickpocket Capital of Europe”, and Las Ramblas is where these jokers like to ply their trade. Guess why?
We actually saw a team of pickpockets in action. A car was coming up and out of a parking structure, and had to stop at the dipped curb. One guy reached into the back seat, grabbed a lady’s purse from her, and then lateraled it off to another accomplice, and they took off running, with the driver and another guy in hot pursuit. The brazen pickpockets got away.
Another interesting place in Barcelona is the Gothic Quarter, which is the oldest part of the city. At one entrance to the Quarter, there are Roman walls.
The Quarter is mostly made of stone, very Medieval in nature, although much it was erected many hundreds of years later. Narrow alleys abound.
You see a lot of roll-up doors facing the alley. They are all shops that are open for business during the day.
There is also a nice cathedral in the Quarter.
However…THE biggest tourist attraction in Barcelona is another church, the Basilica of the Familia Sagrada, which has been under construction since 1882.
It is almost impossible to describe this jaw-dropping architectural masterpiece. It looks, from the park in the foreground, like someone (God?) has dripped candlewax on the structure…it has a very organic feel to it, even though it is obviously made of stone and steel.
The Modernist architect/artist behind this massive project was Antonio Gaudi. Many of his works are featured in this city, including unusual buildings and the famous Parc Guell.
When we visited the Familia Sagrada cathedral, I had an opportunity to huff and puff my way up the stairs in one of the completed exterior spires. What a view!
When completed, the church will have eighteen exterior spires, the tallest of which will be 560 feet tall, making the Basilica of the Familia Sagrada the tallest church in the world.
The exterior has many facets, with lots of niches and statuary built right into the structure.
However, the inside of the cathedral is other-worldly. The center of the structure (the vaulted ceiling of the apse) is 246 feet high.
Construction is scheduled to be completed in 2026, funded by private donations. (I think we kicked in ten bucks!)
For many years we owned a deluxe timeshare in Mexico. One year, we exchanged a “bonus” week from our travel account for a condo at Marbella, just a few miles from Malaga, on the Costa del Sol (south coast, Mediterranean side) of Spain.
We flew to Madrid, rented a car, and headed south on A-5, a very nice highway. You’ve probably heard the old rhyme, “The rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain.” Well, there is a lot of that plain between Madrid and Malaga. It’s about 320 miles of dry, rolling hills with nothing much happening except olive orchards here and there, with an occasional hilltop castle thrown into the mix.
This area, called “La Mancha”, was the stomping ground of the fictional Don Quixote and his sidekick, Sancho Panza.
After 5 hours of a fairly boring drive we came to the Mediterranean port city of Malaga. It looked like a very vibrant resort town, complete with beautiful beaches and a bullring.
However, we weren’t stopping there, we were headed further south.
Our timeshare condo was situated in the “Marbella” area.
We chose that location because all of the major places of interest in southern Spain are located within a 1-1/2 hour drive. So, our plan was to check one out each day.
Before going on, I should remind the reader, if unawares, of the history of Spain. The Iberian Peninsula (including Spain and Portugal) was part of the Roman Empire from roughly 200 B.C. until almost 400 A.D., almost 600 years. The Visigoths (a faction of the Germanic Goths) controlled the area for the next 300 years.
The Moors (the Umayyad faction of the Muslim empire) kicked out the Visigoths in 711 A.D. and stayed put for 500 years. They called the Muslim area of the Iberian peninsula “Al Andalus”. (Today, it is known as the Andalusian province of Spain.)
The long Moorish occupation is why much of the outstanding surviving architecture in major Spanish cities near the Mediterranean retains a pronounced Islamic theme.
Our first destination was “Cordoba”. Approaching the city, one cannot be unimpressed by the huge bridge structure that was built by the Romans in the 1st century B.C. and survives, with modifications, to this day (it’s 2,000 years old!)
Between 784 A.D. and 1235 A.D., almost five hundred years, Cordoba was the capital of a Muslim caliphate that encompassed much of Spain. In the 10th century, during the Muslim (Moorish) occupation, it was the largest city in Europe.
The signature landmark of the city is the famous Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba (also known as the Mezquita) considered one of the finest examples of Moorish architecture in the world. It is a huge building, encompassing 128,000 square feet.
The interior prayer hall is supported by 856 columns with red and white arches.
The “mihrab” is the place within the mosque that is closest to Mecca and the direction that all prayers are directed toward.
The building was obviously designed as a Muslim mosque, as Islam forbids the depiction of God’s creations therein (i.e. the Second Commandment re: graven images). As a result, this mosque (and all others, for that matter) feature architecture and interior designs which are of a geometric nature: beautiful but subtle reminders of God’s design of the world. It is repetitious, but in a spectacularly beautiful way.
After the Christian re-conquest of Spain in 1236 A.D., the mosque became a Catholic cathedral. Along with that came fancy altars and familiar Christian images of holy folk…i.e. the things that are forbidden by the Second Commandment. The most significant alteration was the building of a Renaissance cathedral nave in the middle of the expansive structure. The insertion was constructed by permission of Charles V, King of Castile and Aragon. However, when Charles V visited the completed cathedral he was displeased by the result and famously commented: “You have destroyed something unique to build something commonplace”.)
Located near the Mezquita is the Alcazar, which was the royal palace of King Alfonso of Castille. It includes some spectacularly landscaped gardens.
Our destination on the following day was “Seville”, where we had opted for a guided walking tour of the city by a very nice Spanish lady who might have been a college history professor.
Seville is located on the Guadalquivir River which, until the 17th century, was a major Spanish seaport. In fact, Ferdinand Magellan began his circumnavigation of the globe from Seville in 1519.
Of course, way back before the time of the Spanish Empire, the Moors ruled this land for five hundred years. There is an “alcazar” (royal palace) n Seville, and it has a distinctive Moorish flavor, as the original residence was an Umayyad palace. Later Spanish kings enhanced it. It’s spectacular.
This portal leads to some impressive gardens.
In the almost 200 years since the Reconquista (i.e. the conquest of the Moors), the city of Seville became quite wealthy as a result of its maritime trade. The city fathers wanted to build a great cathedral. According to legend, they said, “Let us build a church so beautiful and so grand that those who see it finished will take us for mad”. And, beginning in 1411 A.D., that’s what they did.
It is the largest Gothic cathedral in the world, and the third largest church of any kind.
The cathedral encompasses some 253,000 square feet, and the floor-to-ceiling height at the center transept is 138 feet tall. It makes you feel so small, which is probably the intention.
This church has several altars.
The choir enjoys some spiffy accommodations in this church…
… supported by a humongous organ.
Lots of nice Gothic architectural detail.
Oh, by the way, Christopher Columbus’ tomb is inside this cathedral.
Seville is a large city of almost 700,000 people, and it is much more than just an Alcazar and a Gothic cathedral. It is also the capital of Flamenco dancing, something we did not have the time to enjoy as we were only in town for the day. Flamenco is a nighttime sport.
(Note to file: The next time we visit Spain, we need to include some overnight visits.)
On the following day, we headed north a bit to the wonderful city of “Granada”, located in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains. It is one of Spain’s most popular tourist destinations.
1492 A.D. was an important year in Granada: (1) The Kingdom of Granada was conquered by the Spanish Monarchs (Ferdinand and Isabella), completing the “Reconquista” (i.e. the overthrow of Islamic rule in Spain); (2) Following the victory, the royal couple took up residence in Granada; and, (3) Later that year, at their royal palace in Granada, they gave state sponsorship to Christopher Columbus’ voyage to America.
The big tourist draw in Granada is the “Alhambra”, an Arab citadel and palace that was built by the Moors in the 14th century. It is the most renowned building of the Islamic historical legacy in Spain.
The demand of tourists to see this place is so high that: (a) visitors must pay $15.00 to enter; and, (b) the volume of visitors is metered, so that your Alhambra experience must fit within a window of time. And, that is a good thing, because the whole experience would be ruined with crowds of people milling about, talking, and taking photos. This place needs to be savored; quiet contemplation is required.
It is no wonder why King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella relocated their royal residence to Granada: the place is beautiful.
Several vaulted ceilings in the palace are stunning, with intricate detail.
Exquisite tile work and Arabic calligraphy on stucco adorn the walls, from bottom to top.
It gets hot in the Summer in Granada. Accordingly, a garden retreat was built adjacent and uphill from the palace where the royals could enjoy the view, the sounds, and the smells of nature. It is called the “Generalife”, and is among the most photographed places in the world.
One other feature of the Alhambra is the presence within the walled compound of the Palace of Charles V. It is a large, square building with a circular inner patio.
This monstrosity was built in the mid- 16th century, was never completed and was never occupied by a monarch. It was evidently just something to stoke the ego of the Holy Roman Emperor, who wanted to upstage the spectacular Moorish accomplishments at Alhambra.
Our next destination was the British Overseas Territory of “Gibraltar”, which is located on the very southern tip of Spain. The Brits have owned this strategic place since the height of their empire, much to the dismay of the Spanish, who want it back.
Gibraltar is famous for “The Rock”, which is the famous 1,400 foot limestone promontory that juts out into the sea.
This is a very curious place.
First, for pedestrians and motor vehicles, there is one way in and out of Gibraltar: a road that crosses an airport runway!
Second, tourists can drive up onto the Rock or take a cable car to check the place out. There are gun batteries up there, caves, and a whole lot of Berber monkees, who make absolute pests of themselves.
Third, Gibraltar has a thriving economy, featuring shipping and tourism.
It is a duty free port, so it is one of Europe’s prime shopping venues.
We retreated to our condo in Marbella that night to re-charge our batteries for Thanksgiving Day, when we had big plans: to visit Africa!
We are big fans of the travel guru Rick Steves, and he highly recommends, with a trip to southern Spain, that one takes the ferry across the Strait of Gibraltar to “Tangier, Morocco”.
Tangier is to Morocco (North Africa) as Tijuana is to Mexico: a sprawling border town that can seem scary to newcomers.
Per Rick Steves’ recommendation we hired Aziz Benami, a local guy, to be our guide for the day. As I recall, he was a lawyer who moonlights as a tour guide…because he likes it. I think we paid $69 apiece. He took us for a drive in the Moroccan countryside while he gave us a briefing on the history of Morocco, the culture, and some interesting tidbits about Tangier.
He explained to us that Morocco was the first country to recognize the United States as a separate nation after our Declaration of Independence. So, it has Western ties, even though it is an Arab nation. He added that about one-third of the people dress in full Muslim attire, about one-third have modified Arab clothing, and another one-third, mostly the young, dress in the Western mode.
Once we got the general lay of the land, Aziz took us to the Medina, which is the ancient, walled part of Tangier. Before entering, he advised us to keep close to him, hang on to our valuables, and don’t look directly at the Berbers (i.e. indigenous Arab merchants and shoppers who don’t appreciate that). Okay, we said, and entered the arched gate.
Almost immediately, we found ourselves in a produce market, filled with Berbers. It was hard not to look at them, as they were interesting looking.
We then wandered through the “souk”, which is another term for marketplace or bazaar. Lots of goodies for sale, from clothing to groceries to furniture to jewelry, etc. It was reminiscent of Tijuana…with a North African flavor.
Of course, Aziz felt it necessary to steer us into a rug shop, where we were accosted by a very skilled salesman.
From there we wandered the old alleys a bit. Very exotic and exciting. I was wondering what the locals were thinking about us Americans.
Aziz took us into a hand-looming factory. On the first floor, near the stairway, was a nightmarish cobweb of exposed wiring, with extension cords plugged to extension cords ad infinitum… an electricians nightmare. That was the power for the many small cubicles in the upstairs working area.
Every room upstairs was devoted to hand-looming Moroccan rugs, scarves, and such. Here’s the equipment and a lucky guy.
The room that we visited was maybe 10′ wide and 15′ deep, with one loom… and six guys working it, sitting three on a side. They do that monotonous work all day, in stifling heat (no air conditioning), no music, no ladies to stare at, etc.
While we were up there on the second floor looming deck of the building, the muzzein’s call to prayer (public address system) could be heard in the neighborhood. Every single occupant of the building exited their cubicle, layed down a small rug on the walkway, and began to do their prayers to Allah. That’s when we KNEW we were out-of-place.
Our guide then took us to lunch. It was a seafood joint in the Medina, very small, unimpressive, with maybe 6 to 8 small tables. The menu was in Arabic and French, I believe: we had no idea what we’d eat.
The customers were all local men who gave us the stare when we entered. I almost shat when I noticed a particular guy chatting with some other locals: he was a spitting image of American Public Enemy Number One. I asked him if I could take a photo of he and Charlie. He said, menacingly, “Why? Because I look like Osama Bin Laden!!!!” I replied, sheepishly, “Yes.” He laughed, and said, “Sure.” It turned out that he was a banker friend of Aziz.
Aziz then introduced us to the restaurant owner, who found a table for us. And, then, Aziz announced that he had to run some errands, and left us there to fend for ourselves! We were a bit nervous.
I guess that Aziz had arranged everything, because the cook/waiter began to bring us all manner of foods, none of which I recognized (except fish). To our surprise, it was all delicious, particularly the fruity drink that was refilled many times for us.
We had a very memorable Thanksgiving Day lunch, thanks to Aziz Benami.
The next day, back in Spain, we headed north, back toward Madrid.
However, our vacation wasn’t done, because we were going to stop for two nights in “Toledo”.
We were not prepared for the wonderfulness of this place. It is just a perfect example of a hilltop, walled Medieval city. It is stunning as you approach in your car, and gets better when you emerge from the underground parking facility to the cobblestoned streets above. And, then, it is perfection at night.
Did I say that it is a walled city?
All of the main actors in Spanish history built, modified, and coveted this city. The Romans started the ball rolling, then the Visigoths came, followed by the Moors, and then the Spanish.
This is a Roman subterranean vault, the Cave of Hercules.
The Moors were here for a long time.
The Spanish monarchy had their royal palace here until the 16th century.
The walled city remains much like it was in Medieval times, with a maze of cobblestoned alleys leading this way and that. Cars are not permitted except during narrow windows of time when commercial deliveries can be mode with small lorries. The city is a World Heritage Site, so it must be maintained in the same fashion as it was back in the day.
This was the view from our hotel window.
Yep, that’s the Toledo Cathedral in the photo. It doesn’t look like much, but it is a masterpiece of architecture and indulgence. Of all the churches that we’ve seen in Italy and Spain, this one packs more punch per square foot than any of them. It took 270 years to build it, and the town’s people were carrying water up the hill in buckets while the Catholic bishops were gold-plating this thing. Go figure.
The most famous of all Spanish painters, El Greco, lived in Toledo. Here’s one of his paintings that is hung in the cathedral.
This appears to be some Medieval scene, as the guy on the left is wearing armor. Toledo is famous for a couple of consumer products: armor and sword blades. There are shops all over town that sell those products to aficionados.
Toledo has a population of 80,000 I believe, and quite a few live within the city walls. At night, the place comes alive, as folks head for bars and restaurants. Toledo at night is magical.
Tapas crawling is a major pastime in this town. Charlie and I did a bit.
Here’s what a tapas joint looks like inside.
The locals in these joints were very friendly, enjoying food and drink and watching TV (sitcoms and soccer). Good food, too.
We were lucky to spend two nights in this wonderful city. I think it is my second favorite place that we’ve visited, next to Venice.
Good-bye, Spain…we love ya!