In recent trips overseas I have tried to do a challenging walk like Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles (40kms), Broadway in New York (13kms), Samaria Gorge in Crete (16kms), Athens Marathon course and the Honolulu Marathon. For this trip I plan to walk the last 115kms of the Camino Frances which is one of the Camino Santiago walks from Sarria to Santiago de Compostela.
The Camino de Santiago known in English as the Way of Saint James among other names, is a network of pilgrims' ways serving pilgimage to the shrine of the apostle St James the Great in the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia in northwestern Spain, where tradition has it that the remains of the saint are buried. Many follow its routes as a form of spiritual path or retreat for their spiritual growth. It is also popular with hiking and cycling enthusiasts and organized tour groups.
The Way of St. James was one of the most important Christian pilgrimages during the Middle Ages together with those to Romeand Jerusalem.
Legend holds that St. James's remains were carried by boat from Jerusalem to northern Spain, where he was buried in what is now the city of Santiago de Compostela
The Way can take one of dozens of pilgrimage routes to Santiago de Compostela. Traditionally, as with most pilgrimages, the Way of Saint James began at one's home and ended at the pilgrimage site. By the 1980s, only a few hundred pilgrims per year registered in the pilgrim's office in Santiago. In October 1987, the route was declared the first European Cultural Route by the Council of Europe; it was also named one of UNESCO's World Heritage Sites. Since the 1980s the route has attracted a growing number of modern-day international pilgrims.
The scallop shell, often found on the shores in Galicia, has long been the symbol of the Camino de Santiago.
Today, hundreds of thousands (over 300,000 in 2017) of Christian pilgrims and many others set out each year from their front doorsteps or from popular starting points across Europe, to make their way to Santiago de Compostela. Most travel by foot, some by bicycle, and a few travel as some of their medieval counterparts did, on horseback or by donkey. In addition to those undertaking a religious pilgrimage, many are hikers who walk the route for other reasons: travel, sport, or simply the challenge of weeks of walking in a foreign land. Also, many consider the experience a spiritual adventure to remove themselves from the bustle of modern life. It serves as a retreat for many modern "pilgrims"
Most pilgrims carry a document called the credencial, purchased for a few euros from a Spanish tourist agency, a church or parish house on the route, a refugio, their church back home, or outside of Spain through the national St. James organization of that country. The credencial is a pass which gives access to inexpensive, sometimes free, overnight accommodation in refugios along the trail. Also known as the "pilgrim's passport", the credencial is stamped with the official St. James stamp of each town or refugio at which the pilgrim has stayed. It provides pilgrims with a record of where they ate or slept, and serves as proof to the Pilgrim's Office in Santiago that the journey was accomplished according to an official route, and thus that the pilgrim qualifies to receive a compostela (certificate of completion of the pilgrimage).
Most often the stamp can be obtained in the refugio, cathedral, or local church. If the church is closed, the town hall or office of tourism can provide a stamp, as can nearby youth hostels or private St. James addresses. Many of the small restaurants and cafes along the Camino also provide stamps. Outside Spain, the stamp can be associated with something of a ceremony, where the stamper and the pilgrim can share information. As the pilgrimage approaches Santiago, many of the stamps in small towns are self-service due to the greater number of pilgrims, while in the larger towns there are several options to obtain the stamp.
The compostela is a certificate of accomplishment given to pilgrims on completing the Way. To earn the compostela one needs to walk a minimum of 100 km or cycle at least 200 km. In practice, for walkers, the closest convenient point to start is Sarria, as it has good bus and rail connections to other places in Spain. Pilgrims arriving in Santiago de Compostela who have walked at least the last 100 km, or cycled 200 km to get there (as indicated on their credencial), and who state that their motivation was at least partially religious are eligible for the compostela from the Pilgrim's Office in Santiago. At the Pilgrim's Office the credencial is examined for stamps and dates, and the pilgrim is asked to state whether the motivation in traveling the Camino was "religious", "religious and other", or "other". In the case of "religious" or "religious and other" a compostela is available; in the case of "other" there is a simpler certificate in Spanish.
The Pilgrim's Office gives more than 100,000 compostelas each year to pilgrims from more than 100 different countries. However, the requirements to earn a Compostella ensure that not everyone who walks on the Camino receives a Compostella. The requirements for receiving a Compostella are: 1) make the Pilgrimage for religious/spiritual reasons or at least have an attitude of search, 2) do the last 100 km on foot or horseback or the last 200 km by bicycle. Wheelchair pilgrims also have a minimum distance. 3) collect stamps on your Credencial at least two per day for the last 100 km
A Pilgrim's Mass is held in the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela each day at 12:00 and 19:30. Pilgrims who received the compostela the day before have their countries of origin and the starting point of their pilgrimage announced at the Mass. The Botafumeiro, one of the largest censers in the world, is operated during certain Solemnities and on every Friday, except Good Friday, at 19:30. Priests administer the Sacrament of Penance, or confession, in many languages.
Where has the time gone? One minute it was two years to go, then two months and now it is down to less than three weeks. We think we have everything covered. The only hiccup we had was when Globus cancelled our bus trip of southern Spain, Portugal and Morocco. It was a challenge as we had booked in commitments either side of the bus tour including non-refundable accommodation. I managed to find a Cosmos tour (cheaper version of Globus) which finished on the same day as our previously arranged trip. However it is three days longer with more time in Morocco. We had to forfeit our Madrid hotel cost but the bus trip is cheaper so I guess there are swings and roundabouts.
Denise has chosen some amazing optional excursions as part of her Mediterranean cruise. We have also chosen night time options as part of the bus tour including a Flamenco show and a Moroccan dinner.
I have found Macs Adventures to be brilliant with organising my Camino walk. They have booked my accommodation and have sent me a guide book which will no doubt prove useful.
For our time in Barcelona I have booked entry times into the La Sagrada, Picasso Museum and Camp Nou Tour (Home of Barcelona Football Club). We have some other attractions to book before we leave.
For our two day stopover in Singapore we have not yet nailed what we plan to do. I note when we fly from Singapore to Barcelona we have a one hour stopover in Milan in Italy. The same happens on our way back.
Our first drama for this trip was when our Globus Tour was cancelled and we had locked in Denise's cruise and my Camino trail departure dates. However it was resolved when we found the Cosmos Tour that ended on the same date as the Globus Tour. It meant less time in Madrid but more time in Morocco.
The second drama was resolved two days ago (12 days to go). I wanted to travel direct by high speed train to Sarria (the starting point for the Camino Trail). For weeks I have been trying to book online but the website said the date was unavailable or the station of origin and station of arrival were not available. I wanted to travel on the 12 May but the only date available was 8 May. I spoke to my travel agent who rang the Rail Europe representative but they could shed no light. They would investigate but no word was provided.
I did more research online and discovered the high speed rail line is undergoing maintenance. I could still book a seat on the train but it only goes as far as Zamora and then I catch a bus to Ourense and then back on the train. Half of the nearly seven hour trip is on the train with the remainder on the bus. It only cost 15 euros and I suspect it will not be a high speed train. I was then able to inform my travel agent of my findings. I will remain positive and look upon it as another adventure (as my American buddy Oliver always said).
Cannot believe the time is here to start our trip. It has been overshadowed by the passing of our fiend Craig Currie. As we are missing his memorial service, our Friday night dining group met at Craig’s favourite eatery, the Concord Inn. Nine of us had a great evening remembering Craig. Denise and I plan to reflect on Craig at 6am (Singapore time) which is 10am New Zealand time on the date of Craig’s service.
I had it all worked out I would spend Wednesday and Thursday mowing the lawns, have a haircut and do last minute shopping but I had to do the courier job from 9.30am until 6pm on both these days. I wanted to do the lawns so the grass cuttings would go away in our wheelie bin.
Denise did the lawns and she ordered me out of the house this morning as I was pacing and getting under her feet when she wanted to do the cleaning. I shot into town and got a haircut in HQ Express in Centre City. Could not believe how quiet it was at 9am and then at 10am the place was packed. Kathmandu where I wanted to buy walking socks had around twenty customers waiting to get in. They had a 50% sale day.
Julie drove us to the airport and our plane left on time arriving in Christchurch five minutes early. Caught a shuttle to my sister’s place where we stayed overnight. Watched the Highlanders v Blues rugby game on Prime TV. Well done to our boys from the south. I was worried after twenty minutes where the game was all the Blues and Nonu was looking dangerous. I thought Coltman, Frizzell and Faddes played well. With even more luck we could have scored another two to three tries.
Managed to check-in, online. For some reason my laptop would not allow me to get through but the phone would. I could not print off our boarding passes without access to a printer here, in Christchurch. Taxi booked for 8am.
Denise and I went to Singapore in 2010 on our way to Greece. On that occasion we chose not to do a stopover and spent time at Changi Airport waiting for our connecting flight to Athens. On our way back we had 14 hours wait time so chose to take advantage of a two hour bus trip into downtown Singapore. I remember the heat but because of the long flight we were feeling jaded. This time we will do a two day stop over on the way to Barcelona and on the way back will spend six hours in the airport Ambassador Transit Hotel.
Our taxi arrived three minutes early and we were at Christchurch Airport ten minutes later. Having checked in online we went through, getting our boarding passes and dropping off luggage promptly. We had a two hour wait but it was nice to relax and wander around the airport and mentally prepare for our adventure.
Our Singapore Airline flight left virtually on time and we were seated in row 60, second back from the rear. The only minor hassle was we tended to get our meals served last and on one occasion I had to have second choice. Great movie selection. I saw “Creed 2”, The Girl in the Spider’s Web” and “The Wife”. Denise saw “The Green Book” and “Crazy Rich Asians”
We arrived in Singapore twenty minutes early and were quickly through immigration and customs. The temperature was 31°. As we travelled with Singapore Airlines and are having a two day stopover we were given a lot of freebies and discounts. We had to find the “Singapore Holidays” counter which Denise did particularly well. They gave us a smart card and lots of reading material. We were told to go over to Ground Transportation and given a free ride in a shuttle to our hotel, “Furama Riverfront”. There were only three stops before we reached our hotel.
The hotel is 19 storeys high and there seemed to be a lot of other hotels in the area. Our room is modern and comfortable. Not the cleanest according to Denise but it will suit our needs well. As it was dark it took a while to get our bearings. We decided to walk to Chinatown and it was hot outside. I wanted to find a nice place for a drink and celebrate the start of our holiday. Alas there was no real place for wine but lots of options for having a beer. We went down a side street and found a place to have a drink outside. However it was extremely difficult to make the server understand we wanted a glass of wine and not a bottle. Denise gave up and she insisted I have a Tiger beer. By this time we were feeling jaded so walked back to our hotel. It was lovely and cool inside, so we decided to go to the bar and we had a very cold wine or beer. After we finished the waitress brought us another drink each. I explained we had not ordered them but she replied it was happy hour and you get two drinks for the price of one.
We hit the sack around 10pm (2am NZ time) and realised we had been up for twenty hours. All in all a great day.
As our body time clocks have not fully adjusted we were wide awake at 5am. I got up an hour later and down loaded my photos and wrote up my blog. We decide to go for a stroll to find somewhere for breakfast. We could only find a wee café that did toasted sandwiches and paninis. The sandwiches were great.
We have been given two free access to the hop-on, hop-off buses. We had to walk a brief distance to Hotel Miramar to catch the yellow line. It was very humid sitting on the open deck but we had great views. We chose to go on the Singapore Flyer (similar to London’s Eye) and it was a half hour rotation. The views were stunning especially of the Marina Sands Hotel with a surfboard looking roof above its towers. We could also see the Gardens By the Bay which was our next visiting place. The FI car race track is highly visible as well. We could see heaps of electric scooters going around the track. If we had more time I would love to do that. Martin you would love it as well.
We had to do probably a 1km walk to Gardens By the Bay. The Gardens itself is free but that have a number of paying attractions. Our stopover gave free (again access to the Flower Dome and the Cloud Forest. They are two separate domes with an amazing array of plants and trees. Denise was in her element. It amazes me how she knew the names of all the plants. We had lunch at an Asian style restaurant. Denise had steamed pork buns and I had pancakes with red bean sauce. Both very enjoyable. When you purchase food it is always for two people with each serving. It was nice to relax.
Next we walked back to the bus and had a long drive to Orchard Road which is probably one of the more famous spots. The bus makes five stops. I saw a Hard Rock Café so we got off, had a drink and I bought my customary shot glass.
By this time it was getting on in time and we wanted to get back to the hotel have a thirty minute time to freshen up. We had two options to get to Singapore Zoo. One by train then change to a bus which would take well over an hour or catch a taxi which takes thirty minutes. It was a no-brainer. We had saved so much on the attractions thus far so we decided to spoil ourselves. Unfortunately we travelled at peak hour travel and it was slow thirty five minute drive. However I thought the S$29 was very reasonable. When we arrived the whole complex had a Disneyland feel set up for dealing with large numbers. As it was 7.30pm when we arrived we realised food was a priority. W went to Safari Sizzle and had hotdogs. I quite enjoyed mine but Denise was not overly impressed.
Night Safari (again no cost) is set in the Singapore Zoo and you can experience the animals in a rainforest setting. We did a forty minute tram ride and even though it was dark with subdued lighting we could see the animals clearly. We saw hyenas, rhinoceros, hippopotamus, lions, tigers, elephants.
We attended two live shows – “Thumbuakar Performance” which saw pyro performers doing fire playing feats and stunts. It was about fifteen minutes long. The second show “Creatures of the Night Show” was in an amphitheatre. It was their final performance of the night and we saw wolves, hyenas, raccoons, owls and otters do tricks with a conservation message being spread throughout the show.
Then we decided to catch a taxi home. Interesting the ride home was five minutes shorter but $13 more expensive. I noticed the metre went up in 0.40c increments as opposed to .22c earlier. The woman taxi driver was very nice. She gave me her phone number so I could ring her tomorrow to take us to the airport. She drove a lovely Mercedes car.
Denise and I sat in bed at 6am drinking coffee and tea as we remembered our friend Craig Currie. Janice had sent through a copy of her eulogy which I read aloud. A sombre moment. Thanks for all the texts and emails regarding what happened at Craig’s memorial service.
We wanted to have breakfast in Jamie Oliver’s restaurant but alas they were closed. Instead we went to the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf for a quick snack.
Next we headed to Raffles Hotel. The Long Bar opened at 11am so we went across the road to Raffles City a huge shopping complex. We arrived five minutes after the bar opened and there were heaps and heaps of patrons. The service was excellent and the ambience was superb. We had a lovely cold wine each. I could imagine Denise, Shirley and Janice dressed to the nines drinking wine.
Our next stop was to do a River Tour which also came with the Singapore stopover package. The forty minutes cruise went through a few quays starting at Clarke’s Quay. There were very few passengers and there were heaps of photo opportunities. One of the crew asked for my phone. He was away for ten minutes and I was getting worried. He went to the bow of the boat an dtook some amazing photos. He then asked Denise and I to stand at the bow and like a wedding photographer took amazing photos which I will share. They are fun and quirky.
Clarke’s Quay has a lot of bars like “Hooters” and it is a very popular place at night time. We had lunch at a Mexican Restaurant called Muchos. I love this type of food.
We caught the bus for the last time and headed home. The rain was pelting down so when we got off the bus we had to do a 200 metre dash to our hotel. We were so wet we had to get our bags and go to a changing room and change clothes.
So then it was away in a taxi to Changi International Airport. Check-in was effortless. We got rid of our bags and walked for about seven minutes to Changi’s newest attraction which is about a week old. It is in a huge dome and over five levels high. The central attraction is a giant waterfall with lots of green shrubbery. It is a massive complex. There are dozens and dozens of shops and eateries. We spent about two hours finishing with a lovely French meal at Paris Baguette.
Our plane was away late due to the lateness of connecting passengers. We also arrived even later in Barcelona (not quite an hour) because Pakistan closed down their airspace.
It was a long flight and by the time we got to bed in Barcelona I worked out it was 42 hours since we last slept in a bed.
Denise managed to get a few hours of shuteye on the plane but I tended to doze off and on. Managed to watch three movies but lost the thread in some because of dozing. I saw “Crazy Rich Asians”, “Mary Queen of Scots” and for something funny, “Johnny English Strikes Again” with Rowan Atkinson. Food wise we had two biggish meals and a snack but they were well outside our time clock.
It took a long time to clear customs as opposed to Singapore. We had a taxi transfer booked and they would only stay for an hour after the plane landed. We made it by ten minutes. However we could not find our driver even though we had found the designated area. I walked up and down a long line of drivers holding signs with passenger’s names. I could not find “McWhinnie”. I rang the emergency contact and the woman I spoke to on my mobile could not have been more helpful. I was asked to stand in the original meeting point and a big burly Spaniard approached me. He had our name on his mobile screen in large bold letters but somehow we missed him. No harm done. The driver could not speak English so we managed to bumble through some conversation.
We are staying in the Bari Gotic quarter and the streets are narrow with amazing buildings. We pulled up outside a beautiful boutique hotel “Hotel Suizo”. The young man who met us at reception was brilliant. It was a painless process, booking in. He took both our big cases and showed us our room. He explained where everything was and how they all worked. It had not turned midday and we were in our room. It could have been easy to go to bed but we decided to unpack our bags and regroup with our belongings after living out of our suitcase until now.
After long showers we felt embraced, to hit Barcelona. I was told that Barcelona teems tourist but I was mentally unprepared for the number of tourists. It was impossible to stride out. The only similar experiences I have had are Venice and “The Warehouse” in the week prior to Christmas.
Our first duty was to find a laundromat. We were directed down a narrow alley and found one which was 200m from our hotel. We decided to explore the quarter for an hour or so and then try our first tapas. We found an open air eatery and the tapas we had were divine.
I knew the La Catedral was nearby and we easily found it. It was impressive. The line was short so we decided to have a look inside. It was fantastic with so much to view. We lit candles for Craig and Denise’s family. We did not dwell too long as we knew that over the next few weeks we will go through ABC. Another Bloody Church. We are booked in to see La Sagrada on Friday morning.
Next was Las Ramblas which is a mecca for tourists. It was so busy. I spoke to an assistant at the Hard Rock Café who told me that once Easter comes they are always this busy until November. We mainly people watched and wandered into stores that interested us. Denise purchased some ear rings. Once at the top of Las Ramblas Denise found one of her favourite stores HM. We said good bye for half an hour while I explored Placa Catalunya – a meeting place where people just hang out with the pigeons. It is also a hub for the various tourist enterprises to collect tourists like the Hop-on, Hop-off buses.
Las Rambas is very wide with two lane traffic on either and there is a wide strip that goes down the middle. Along this strip are souvenirs and eateries. There are no cars to worry about. We had taken very careful note of the alley we walked along to get to Las Ramblas. It was 5.30pm and we were very tired. We were encouraged by a person on the street to have tapas at his restaurant. As the saying go “When In Rome …” we agreed. The service was outstanding and we decided to get one plate of about ten different tapas to share and it lived up to my expectations once again. I tried the local San Miguel beer and Denise had a Spanish wine. Everywhere we go New Zealand wine is available.
We arrived back to our hotel and were asleep before 8pm.
Wide awake at 4.50am as I knew I would be as we try to get our body time clocks right. Had a superb breakfast provided by the hotel. What a selection from cold to hot food along with sweet to savoury.
After breakfast I did a small walk to check out the laundromat . Unfortunately it did not open until 8am. In fact it was really quiet in the area. I started to notice that everyone was wearing jackets and were well rugged up. All I had was shorts and a t-shirt. Only then I realised it was quite cold. So I wore a thin jersey thinking it would warm up.
Our hotel is in a great location. With the Jaume 1 metro station at the front door and around the corner to La Catedral where we went to pick up our first stop for the Hop-on, Hop-off bus. We had pre-purchased our ticket so it was relatively easy to get on board.
There were two routes – east and west. We started with the eastern route going to Port Vell where the cruise ships are and lots of shops and bars. We passed Barceloneta, the Olympic Stadium, La Sagrada, Park Guell, Tribaldo (wealthy area with a theme park), La Pedera, Casa Batllo, Placa Catalunya and back to the start. This was a 2hr 20min ride and as we were sitting on an open air top deck and it was freezing. I was certainly not dressed accordingly. It was back to the hotel and into warmer clothes – long trousers (yes “long”), a merino vest, jersey and water proof jacket. It felt odd but 14° was too cold.
As we had a huge breakfast we grabbed a piece of quiche and back to Placa Catalunya which is the hub for the Hop-on, Hop off buses. We called into a shopping centre to try and find a toilet. We had read that toilets were scarce in Barcelona and were pleasantly surprised to see a toilet sign. We had to pay €0.80 each but was worth it. There was an attendant and the place was pristine.
This time it was onto the western bus route. Points of interest were Arc De Triome, Passeig de Colum (with the Christopher Columbus monument), World Trade Centre, up to Montjuic where there were lots to see and incredible views of Barcelona, an old bull ring turned into a shopping complex and Camp Nou (home of Barcelona FC). This was a much warmer trip and took two hours. It started to rain so a concertina roof was put in place.
Denise saw S ephora, a make up shop she wanted to visit. I left her for 30 mins and did some exploring. On our way back along La Ramblas, Denise wanted to do our washing and encouraged me to go down to the Columbus monument. It is right at the bottom of Las Ramblas and near the port. I paid a few Euros and was taken by a very small round elevator to a lookout. It was a tight fit with other tourists but the 360° views were wonderful.
My next mission was to find the location of out apartment for when we come back to Barcelona at the end of our time in Spain. It is where Denise and I catch up after the Camino Trail and her cruise. If we cannot make contact for some reason I found a tapas bar beside the apartment which will be our meeting point. The apartment has no reception and Denise has to ring them to arrange to meet someone with a key.
By the time I got back Denise was still away dong the laundry. When we were in Paris in 2003 we had a long flight from Chicago and straight away we visited the attractions including the Louvre. I had hit the wall with tiredness so went to bed. Denise was the opposite so she did the laundry. She met a “nice” young man who she talked to and came back full of the stories that were shared. This time in Barcelona she had the opposite experience. Two guys came in smoking dope and they argued and eventually had a fight in front of Denise. When they left, two other young guys came in drinking beer. She could not wait to get back to the hotel.
On my stroll this morning I found a nice looking tapas bar so we went there for dinner. It was okay but not to the standard of our previous tapa experiences. We tried Sangria Cava to drink. I think I will stick to my beer.
We had another hearty breakfast and today we had to travel on the underground Metro. The Jaume 1 station is outside our hotel door. We paid €2.20 for one ticket and had to do one change before hitting La Sagrada. It took less than 10 minutes to get to our destination so we had time to kill. We walked the entire circumference of Sagrada Familia marvelling at the enormity of this church. It will be finished in 2026, exactly 100 years after Gaudi’s death. It was a very cold wind so we had hot drinks before checking in at our scheduled time of 9.30am. I had purchased beat the queue tickets online before leaving New Zealand. The church is so incredible. The way it lets light into the interior is wonderful. The figurines surround the outside showing all aspects of Jesus’s life. We had an audioguide that told us the history of La Sagrada. Because of the windy conditions we were not permitted up the Passion Tower. Our time was reduced so after an hour the tour was over. The size of the crowd outside was astounding. Because they manage the time you enter, you never felt overwhelmed by the number of people.
We came back to our hotel to prepare for our afternoon visit to the Picasso Museum. I did a trial walk there so I knew exactly where to go. When I came back we had a lovely pizza for lunch. I also showed Denise where our apartment was for our final four days in Barcelona. There was still an hour to go before we went to the Picasso Museum. I walked to the Palau de la Musica Catalana which is an impressive concert hall. Like all buildings of note in Barcelona this one was up there.
It was about a seven minute walk to the Picasso Museum. Because we had pre purchased tickets online we went straight through. Our one hour visit looked at Picasso’s paintings at the various stages of his life. Some of his work at 15 years of age was incredible. The museum itself was massive with lots of galleries and room to move. There were a lot of tour groups there but it did not distract our visit. My three favourite painters are Toulouse-Lautec, Van Gogh and Picasso.
On our way home we wandered around to find where we would have our final tapas meal. We chose Tapa, which we look down on from our hotel window. The tapas this time round exceeded our previous tapa meals. The food in Barcelona is divine.
So here, we have almost finished our first stay in Spain. Loved Barcelona for its food, attractions and the Bari Gotic area where we stayed. I found the inhabitants engaging and easy to converse with. Our hotel was great. Sorry running out of adjectives. I put Barcelona beside Paris for the wow factor. We are looking forward to having our final four days in Barcelona.
Our Cosmos bus tour officially started today with dinner to meet our tour director and bus driver along with our fellow passengers. This tour was not our first choice as our original chosen tour was cancelled. We had to rejig our itinerary which was not easy as Denise’s cruise and my Camino walk were locked in. This tour is 16 days as opposed to 13 days. It starts earlier than planned but finishes on the same day. We get three extra days in Morocco and as it is a budget tour it is cheaper. We only get two nights in Madrid now but I guess it is swings and roundabouts.
At the start of the day (4.30am) in Barcelona we were woken by a very loud alarm. We all got up and looked into the corridor and then the alarm stopped and started again. There appeared to be no concern but we were wide awake so we mucked around in our room until breakfast.
At 7.30am we caught a taxi to Barcelona Sants Train station. It was quite overwhelming when we first entered the station but after speaking to someone at the information desk we found our way around. From there we had to wait until we were called to go to our train. Our travel agent had booked us into First Class and it was terrific. There was room to spread out and it has comfortable seating. We departed exactly at 9am. The train travels around 300km/hr and the trip seemed to go fast. It was refreshing to relax.
When we arrived in Madrid we had a long walk from the train until we reached the taxi stand. There was a long line but quickly shortened. The first taxi driver would not take us because we were not going to Central Madrid. However the second drover did and we were at our new hotel, Hotel Praga by 12.15pm. Our room was not ready until 2pm so we headed away to have a light lunch. We still had an hour to kill so I left Denise at a shop and headed to behind the hotel where there is a 7km river walk. It was fantastic and packed with joggers, walkers, roller blades and bikes. I loved having my first stride out since leaving Dunedin a week ago.
We have a lovely spacious room but it smelt of smoke. We decide to open the window and hopefully it will not be an issue. WE shot away for a hot drink as we are killing time until we have a tour party meeting at 6pm. I also wandered along the road for a kilometre so I knew where the nearest Metro station is.
We met our tour guide Paulino who went through all the logistics for our two week bus tour. The biggest issue will be the celebration of Ramadan while we are in Morocco. More on that later. We had a huge buffet dinner and sat with four Australians. It appears the Australians will outnumber everyone else.
After dinner I was keen to have a drink with the locals on a Saturday night. We were feeling really tired after the early morning alarm wake up call so called it a night after one drink.
Today we decided not to go on the optional visit to Toledo but explore Madrid. I studied the Metro line map, did research on the top Madrid highlights online and drew up a plan as to how we would get through them. We had to be back by 3pm to do a Madrid Highlights tour. We went to the nearest Metro Station and realised the line we had to get to (Red No 1) was having maintenance and I had planned to stop at three stops on this line. Back to the drawing board. We had to go the long way round to reach Retiro Park. It is a huge green area smack in the middle of Madrid. We wandered aimlessly and Denise was keen to give her knee a rest. I went on and found the Crystal Palace. Which was a huge vacancy building made of glass. Close to the park was a big monument “Puerta de Alcala.
Our next stop was to go to the local Hard Rock Café so I could buy6 a shot glass. Nearby was the Plaza de Colon featuring a statue of Christopher Columbus.
Next it was to Gran Via (Madrid’s version of Las Ramblas). It was packed. We enjoyed the heat and the real buzz in this area. We had a light lunch and then headed back to our hotel.
At 3pm we had our first trip in our Cosmos tour bus. It was a very nice vehicle. Our tour guide brought in especially for this tour gave us a 2.5 hrs run down of the layout of Madrid and of significant attractions.
Our first stop was at Plaza de Toros de las Ventas where bullfights are held. What an impressive structure. It seats 80,000 people. On our last day on tour we come back to Madrid and our hotel is 400m from the bullring. At this stage all going well I would like to attend a bullfight as they are on, the day we hit Madrid. Denise will give it a miss. We also stopped at the royal Palace.
At the end of this Highlights tour we were given the option of going back to the hotel or staying in town and making our own way back. Denise wanted to go back to the hotel so I stayed and visited the Prado Museum (Art Gallery). We were told tickets were free between 6-8pm on Sundays. Six of us arrived together and we discovered the free tickets were from 5-7pm and the time was already 5.30pm. The queue was around 200m. Four of the ladies decided to give it a miss. Another lady, Christina (from Denver, Colorado) and I decided we would join the queue and if we only had 30 mins we could at least say we spend time in the Prado. By 6.05pm we were inside. I asked an attendant how could we spend an hour wisely. He said to go to the 1st floor and see paintings by Goya, Rubens and Velazque. It was great advice and Christina wanted to see some of Goya’s paintings.
Christina and I came home via the Metro. Denise and I shot out for a quick bite to eat. This time the food was just satisfactory.
Breakfast was scheduled for 6.30am. We were told to be down promptly as there were only three elevators and three bus tours were at the hotel overnight. Once in the lobby the queue for the dining room was long. However the operation by staff to organise the diners was efficient. There was a vast array of food so I decided to use a smaller plate to stop the temptation.
Once breakfast was over it was a short wait until our bus left at 7.45am. It is interesting watching the dynamics of people within the group. The American woman who talks non-stop with a shrieky voice. Jim the Australian, who has suffered brain damage through an aircraft crash and is not getting on with his room-mate. There are also two sets of gay men.
Today is our longest drive of 530kms. Our first stop was in Avila which is a fortified town surrounded by a wall and towers. It is a religious place with a convent and impressive cathedral.
We next went to the University town of Salamanca. T has many imposing buildings including the Plaza Mayor, Cathedral and University. We had lunch here. Although we arrived around 12.30pm food in restaurants was not available until 1.30pm. However you could go to a tapas bar , have a drink and order tapas which we did. There were no public toilets in the area so everyone had to use the restrooms at bars and restaurants or coffee shops. We really like Salamanca with its lovely buildings.
We drove for two hours and had to stop at a diner/petro; station because the driver by law had to have a 30 minute rest. We tried our first Portugese custard tart which was glorious.
There was an hour’s drive to Coimbra where we stopped overnight. Firstly we were dropped off in the old town section of Coimbra to have a look around while the bus went to our hotel to drop off our luggage and get us registered. The University is at the top of a steep alley and steps. The students wore robes similar to Harry Potter. After an hour we were picked up. Given our key cards and promptly in our rooms. We had 30 minutes before dinner started. It was a rush but we made it with time to spare. The food arrangements are similar to being on a cruise ship. So much quantity and variety.
Portugal is on daylight saving time so we put our watches back an hour. A long day. Tomorrow we travel half the distance to Lisbon where we stay for two days.
One of our favourite musicians, Mark Knopfler (Dire Straits) is performing in Lisbon tonight and unfortunately his concert is sold out. Bugger as we would have gone otherwise.
As Lisbon is around 270km from Coimbra we had an hour later start. However we were wide awake at 5am.
Before we hit the highway we were taken up a steep hill to the University of Coimbra. Lots of students preparing for graduation and they were all wearing their Harry Potter gowns.
Our first stop was Fatima with the highlight being the Sanctuary of Fatima. There is a huge square in front and it was impressive. We wandered around the alleys, very similar to what we had seen in the previous towns. For morning tea we had custard tarts – a well-known sweet in Portugal.
We drove on to Obidos, probably my favourite town to date where we had lunch. We were advised to have lunch first as service could be slow. It was not too bad. We sat with three American ladies and they were fun to be with. Rather than have snacks for lunch we had a restaurant dinner with wine. A glass of wine today was €2 – the same price as bottled water. Obidos is a picturesque fortified town. I wandered to the top of the alley to have a look at a castle. Lots of churches to see.
Next we arrived at our hotel around 5pm. We had our key and luggage quickly. As I type this, Denise has decided to hand wash our laundry as it is difficult to get to a laundromat. Time is always compressed.
At 6.45pm 15 of us along with Paulima went to a Faldo Bar to listen to traditional Portuguese music. I was the only male in the group. Traffic was horrendous and it took us over an hour to get there. It was only a 15 minute return trip. The bar was in the Bairro Alto area which is where Lisbon’s nightlife is. We arrived with less than ten minutes before the show started. Once seated we were served a meal. The aperitif consisted of olives, cheese and small sausages. This was followed by a salad entrée. For our main course everyone chose the sea bass. Dessert was an ice-cream sundae. There were five Faldo singers and they sang 3-4 songs each. We were told the songs were about lost love, yearning for home as examples.
We had a wee walk around the alleys of Bairro Alto to meet our bus. Parking was at a premium. We were taken to a vantage point to get a great overview of Lisbon at night.
Firstly a welcome to Grant and Keiran from the Cavy Club. Please be accepting that there maybe spelling errors, Grammatical errors of typos. Because of time constraints I do not have time to proof read. Once home I check the whole blog for errors and them print off a hard copy.
As it is 1 May here in Lisbon it is their Labour Day and holiday. A number of shops and businesses are not open. When we drove around this morning for a highlights tour there was nowhere near the traffic of yesterday. It was so pleasant for the 3 hour tour. The walled cities that we had previously seen were fantastic but this time we had three stops for phots. The first was Belem Tower which is a Moorish citadel. The next stop was Henry the Navigator monument celebrating his rule with success in Portuguese ships that discovered new worlds. eg Vasco de Gama. Our final stop was St Jerome Monastery. This is where Vasco de Gama’s tomb lies. We have seen a number of religious shrines and this one was impressive. When I went into the monastery I took my cap off and put in my pocket. When I came out it was gone. Pickpocketing is huge in Portugal and indeed Spain. We are constantly warned of this hazard.
Our afternoon was free so we did not know what we would do as we had visited the three major tourist attractions. Some of the bus passengers were taking an optional tour but we wanted to visit downtown Lisbon. We purchased a one day transport pass for 6.90 euros and that gave us wonderful access to the city. We used their trams, buses, Metro and funicular tram. Paulimo escorted us by tram to the outskirts of the main area of Lisbon.
Before I go any further let me tell you about David Au who has been having a “shit” time. David has Chines parents, born in Hong Kong and lives in a retirement home on the Gold Coast. He is 79 years of age and looks ten years younger. He is accompanied by another man named Jim who comes from the same retirement home. Jim suffers brain damage from an aircraft accident in Papua and New Guinea. Jim’s brain damage makes him forget meeting times and he gets disorientated. He is always snapping at David and Jim can frequently be heard raising his voice to David. David asked us if he could accompany us around Lisbon which we were very happy to oblige. As the day wore on all three of us had a wonderful time together.
We had lunch at the Timeout Market which was in a massive type of warehouse. You can buy fresh fish fruit and vegetables. Another part has eateries of all sorts. I decided on the custard tarts which I absolutely adore.
We caught a bus to Rossario Square and boy was it teeming with tourists. There was a another monument. I see so many monuments that they start to blur. We found the Hard Rock so I purchased another shot glass. By this time Denise’s knee was being a pain (excuse the pun) so David and I took her to the Metro station so she could head back to the hotel. This was her first time alone so David and took her right to the train and showed her on a map where she had to change trains. She handled it with aplomb.
On the opposite side of the Hard Rock Café was the funicular tram that went up a very steep climb to another bust area of Lisbon. We had a great wander around and finished up having a Portuguese beer outdoors. It was so relaxing.
We caught the funicular back down and just wandered around the streets. We watched a University group of students sing a number of songs in front of a good audience. We decided to head back to our hotel on the Metro. A very pleasant, stress free afternoon.
Denise and I invited David to join us for dinner which he gratefully accepted. We went to a restaurant about two blocks away from the hotel. We all decide on fish for our main course and shared a bottle of wine. Before our food came out we were given a plate with bread and dip and mushrooms. All up it cost 16 euros each. We are finding food and alcohol relatively cheap.
So a lovely day and meeting a new friend.
Sorry to leave Lisbon as I really liked it. Loved the buildings. The ease to get around on the various forms of transport and English is widely used. Our hotel room was nice. Speaking of hotels. They are beautiful inside but could all use a fresh coat of paint on the outside.
Today was to be a longish bus ride from Lisbon to Seville. There were no formalised stops apart for comfort stops every two hours.
I enjoyed passing by or through the small villages with their whitewashed walls to reflect the heat. It has been hot all day reaching 31 degrees.
Our first stop was at a roadside café. The toilets and café were housed in temporary accommodation. It was too early for morning tea for us so we sat in the shade looking at the vista. For lunch we had pre-ordered our meal and drink. For €6 euros we had a good sized lunch and a drink of Sangria. To get to this bar/restaurant, we stopped at the first village over the border back to Spain. We also had to reset our clocks.
Portugal is well known for its cork so the driver stopped at a collection of cork trees that had been stripped. They put a number on each tree that had been stripped indicating the year. I am not sure if it means 2016 or 2006. Denise bought a wonderful cork handbag/backpack and I purchased a cork belt.
As we drove into Seville and passed some lovely architecture, we cannot wait to get out and explore tomorrow.
Tonight we had an organised dinner at the hotel and then around 24 of us went to a Flamenco show. The venue is beside the bullring and as we were trying to get close there were hundreds of people leaving the bullring. It made parking the bus challenging and having to walk through the people going the wrong way.
The Flamenco show is in a theatre designed place. We were in the second front row so had a great view. A group of dancers provided a lively set of dances for 90 minutes. As part of our admission cost we had a sangria drink. By the time we got home it was 11.15pm. For the first time on this trip I felt really tired.
I am typing this on my phone as I sit with Denise at the Laundromat or Lauandera in Spanish. Have loved Seville with its architecture. It has been extremely hot at around 31 degrees. We had a 9am start which gave us some time to catch our breath.
We did a Seville highlights tour in the bus which gave us an insight into this city. Our first stop was at Plaza d'espana which was the site for the 1929 Exhibition. The place was so big I could not fit in one photo. The amount of tourists was insane. I was thinking about Dunedin moaning about the number of tourists especially when cruise ships are in. Our numbers are a drop in the bucket compared to Seville.
Next we were taken to the old Jewish Quarter with narrow alleys and tidy homes. Following this we were taken to the Cathedral of Seville, the third largest church in the world after St Peter's and St Paul's. It was impressive. Next door was the Alcazar of Grand Palace. All the online tickets had been sold and the line to get was 2 hours long. We were given orientation details by Paulima and we were free to do our own thing.
First port of call was the Hard Rock Cafe which is relatively new.We had a light lunch of croissants or a toasted language. When we walked back past the Cathedral the line was only 20 mins long to enter. I decided to have a look while Denise sat in the sun. Like other churches I have seen on this holiday have all been overwhelmingly large. The highlight inside was the Yomb of Christopher Columbus. As you will see in the photo it is impressive. I only stayed inside for 40 or do minutes as I was keen to get back to Denise. When I came out the salida or exit I was on the opposite side to where Denise was sitting.We had seen all the main attractions on bucket list so decided to do a slow walk back to the hotel. We went to a local art exhibition on the way home.
Once home we went to the laudromat which was a wee challenge trying to decypher Spanish. with the help of a local who did not speak English. It was great to have all of our clothes clean. On the way to the hotel we had a beer and a wine which was very pleasant sitting at a table on the footpath. We were feeling very tired so we decide to biy some cheese, crackers and wine and stay in our room. By 7.30pm we were in bed.
We had a quiet bus ride down to the port of Tarifa, stopping for a drink after 2 hours. Paulima went through an exhaustive list of procedures we had to go through. We had to fill out an entry and exit card, the letter Paulima kept for when we come back to Spain in 5 days time. Our first job was our own luggage and getting our bags off the bus as we had to take onto the ferry. We had to line up for getting our bags scanned. Next it was customs control. Paulima took all lour passports and managed to negotiate entry to the ferry rather than having to have a long wait getting your paasport checked on the boat. Paulima encouraged to buy a lunch in Spain before going on the ferry. BGreat advice as once we sat down we could eat and relax.
The ferry ride from Tarifa to Tangiers took 45 minutes and was relatively smooth. We managed to disembark rather easily. The bus come with us on the ferry so we had to wait until it came off so we could get our bags sorted out.
We had no Moroccan dirhams as Morocco has a closed currency which means in theory you cannot take in or take out Moroccan currency. It was suggested we allow 50 euros ech for the 5 days. We went to a Money truck where we exchanged 50 euros for 500 dirhams. It will be interesting if we need more money later.
We drove for around 2 hours and we were disappointed with the amount of plastic lying in the fields. We stopped at a cafe beside a petrol which was spacious. It was surprising cooler than what I expected with a lovely cool breeze.
We did our last section into Rabat. As we had some spare time we were going to see mosque first but the King was in town, with police officers everywhere. The mosque visit was abandoned and we went to the Casbah instead. We were disappointed to be rushed and not take our time walking through this village.
The hotel is called Mercure Sheherazade and it is very nice. (As I type this I can hear the Muslim call to prayer). Dinner was provided and we purchased one beer and one wine for 108 euros. I cannot see my 500 neuros lasting too long.
We had an early start as we did ahighlights tour of Rabat. As it was a Sunday there was little traffic so were able to get to our three scheduled sights with problems. We started with drive though the Royal Palace area which was a massive complex. Next it to the mosque which was huge. It took over five minutes to walk from the street through the mosque grounds to the other end which overlooked the sea. Our final stop was the Chellah Gardens. Here we saw ruins of Roman buildings. Really liked Rabat.
We started our 365km drive to Casablanca around 10am and just over an hour we were in Casablanca. We had been told by a friend and our tour guide, Paulimo that Casablanca would be disappointing so we had low expectations. We drove in via the port road and the place was seething in construction. We saw the building where Rick’s Place was (Casablanca fame, built after the film was made).
We stopped for lunch in an area that was busy with locals and tourists . We had over an hour for lunch. We felt like fish and chips but were disappointed with the meal and price. We felt ripped off.
The scenery was sparse with animals and people. The land was mainly used for crops. We saw the occasional man with a donkey and cart. We had a twenty minute stop for a drink and then it was on to Marrakesh.
Marrakesh is a modern city that we have seen so far. All the international brands like McDomalds, Toyota and Hyundai were visible. Marrakesh is known for the myriad of scooters that use the roads. Om one occasion we saw two adults and three children on one scooter. We were warned to be on the lookout for them as we tour the city tomorrow.
Our hotel was on the other side of the city and it is big. Our room was spacious and we overlooked a big swimming pool and courtyard. We had little time to enjoy because we had less than an hour to prepare for our 1001 Nights show and dinner. About two thirds of the group went for this option. We were taken to the Square which was packed with people. This is where the Marrakesh Night Life is. We had to walk a wee ay to our venue. For diner we had soup, chicken couscous and a pastry desert. I found it to be satisfying. Our meal was accompanied by half a bottle of wine, each. During dinner we were entertained by a man dancing with a snake and belly dancers. It was fun.
The highlight was the 45 minute trip home in a horse and carriage. A convoy of around sixteen horses and carriages proceeded to our hotel. It was great.
Marrakesh is a city of contrasts. Where we are staying could be described as the modern sector. You also have the old town and the Jemaa el-Fnaa Square where you can barter to buy reasonably cheap goods. We were advised to get their price first and then over 25% of that price but be prepared to go up to 33%. I did this once when buying a t-shirt and it worked. The smell and the energy are amazing. The vendors hassle you all day and can be rude. As part of our highlights tour we visited the Bahia Palace and the Saadian Tombs. After a while they become a blur as they are always impressive with their architecture and history.
We were taken to the square and had two hours to explore before the highlights package finished. This was the place we were at last night before we went to the show. We were given clear and specific directions where to meet the bus. Denise and I purchased a couple of clothing items and then found a great little restaurant. It was lovely sitting upstairs overlooking the square. We met the bus at the pre-determined point and proceeded back to the hotel.
We decided to be dropped off at the mall which is a 15 minute walk back to the hotel. One of the gay couple mentioned how good it was but we were underwhelmed. After 30-40 minutes we decide to start the walk back. A taxi offered us a ride which we gratefully accepted. It cost 20 dirhams (€2). We went to the bar and had a couple of cool ones before heading back to the room to pack our cases.
We had a dinner at the hotel which was part of the tour.
We are now at the half way point of our trip to Spain, Portugal and Morocco.
This will be a short entry as today was mainly spent on the road. At the start of the trip we were told we would have to travel an alternative route as the planned trip over the Atlas mountains would not happen because of extensive road works. Previous buses had reported that it was a frustratingly interrupted trip. Instead we would go back through Casablanca and Rabat and then head north east to Fez taking two hours of our trip.
Today Ramadan officially starts so the Muslims are expected to fast between sunrise and sunset. They have no food or water. This is to make them understand how poor people feel. If you do not fast you are expected of offer food to needy people for 40 days.
The first thing we noticed when we reached Rabat were the fewer number of cars and people. We were taken to a mall in Rabat for lunch and were told there would be fewer options available because of Ramadan. The only place we could find was KFC and as they had a skeleton staff it took ages to be served. We were warned but unfortunately two of our party voiced their displeasure at the slowness. I never eat KFC in New Zealand so it was a novel experience.
When we reached Fez I noticed how beautiful the city is. We travelled through the newer part to our hotel with lots of greenery. Our hotel belongs to the same chain as the one we had in Marrakesh. A lot smaller and the room had a great view with a balcony.
We had booked the option Moroccan dinner which was one of the best nights to date. We had a number of courses including soup, kebabs, chicken tagine, orange and a pastry. The food was great. Throughout the night we were entertained by musicians, belly dancer, magician, a type of acrobat who had a tray of mint teas on his head. Yours truly had to get up and dance with the belly dancer. A novel experience in front of a packed restaurant. Denise purchased a Moroccan top and received copious compliments. She did look good in it.
Our first stop was at the Fez Palace. There is no one living there at present but it was pleasant walking around outside the seven gates with no other tourists in sight. We next wandered through the Jewish district and looked at the architecture and in particular the ornate balconies. We were taken to a point to take a photograph of the Medina. It is so big and has around 8000 alleys.
Our four tour guides kept us in a tight rein as we wandered through the Medina. Our first stop was ceramic place that was just outside the Medina. This is a co-operative where people are taught the art of tiling. The patterns they have to remember is mind blowing. We then when for a stroll, through a food and fish souk. The allies were narrow, busy with people, donkeys, bikes and scooters. It smelt quite bad. WE went to a tannery and were given pieces of mint to help us cope with the smell. We saw how they dye the leather in huge vats full of dye. Men then trample the leather like wine. We went to a place where scarves and linen are made. Whilst they were all interesting it was all about us buying goods. It was pressurised and I wonder what sort of kick-backs Cosmos get. We spent around two hours in the Medina but were never given any freedom to poke around. There main concern was to ensure no-one got lost.
When we got back to the hotel our time was free until dinner. Denise and I shot across the road to “Juliet’s” for lunch. Juliet is an Aussie who married a Moroccan and set up her thriving restaurant.
As we head back on the ferry tomorrow it was suggested we buy our lunch. Denise put her feet up so I walked to the supermarket in the very large mall, around a ten minute walk away. There were no suitable food places open because of Ramadan so I came back to Juliet’s and ordered some paninis for tomorrow.
Today we left Morocco. I quite enjoyed the experience but a number of fellow travellers were not overly keen on the place. I tried to go with an open mind and enjoy whatever was offered. I liked the way Muslims, Christians and Jews appear to get along and the country is obviously thriving. Lots of investment and construction were obvious.
We had to have our luggage out at 5am and were on the road at 6am as we had to catch the 1pm ferry across the Strait of Gibraltar. It seemed to take an age to get to the Port of Tarifa. As the driver had to take at least 20 minutes break every two hours we had two stops.
We had an interesting experience south of Tarifa. At a toll booth stop two North African teenagers were trying to find a way to cling to the bus. They were unsuccessful. Many North Africans (not Morocco) are desperate to get to Europe so stowing away on buses is an option. We were told about this in advance.
It was a slow process getting through customs and immigration to get onto the ferry. We once again arrange our own lunch prior to going on board. The ferry left 20 minutes late. I was very pleased I managed to spend all my dirhams. It is expected we tip local guides and Abdul our Moroccan guide was very good. The expected tip is 20 dirhams per day or NZ$4.
We stopped for a photo opportunity while passing the Rock of Gibraltar. Once in Spain it was a drive alongside the Costa del Sol (Coast of the Sun). This is where the wealthy purchased holiday homes or apartments. The white washed homes were everywhere. We stayed at Mijas which is a resort up in the hill. Our hotel was superb but unfortunately we are only here just over 12 hours. We also had to put our clocks forward two hours. Many of our group felt dinner was the best yet. Denise and I normally go to be early but this time we socialised until 11pm. It was a fun night.
Today was a shorter 290km ride to Granada. We followed the Mediterranean Sea for a while before heading inland. The Costa del Sol is a lovely place with so much housing. It is the in place for the rich set.
Our only attraction today was to visit the Alhambra in Granada. I had heard a lot of about this place and had seen a TV programme on it. I Know Dave Bond has an affinity for the Alhambra. It is one of the top tourist attractions and has a capacity of 8000 visitors daily during the high season.
We stopped at a café about 45 kms short of Granada so we could buy water, have a drink and use the WC as they label it.
Our tour group was split in two and had local guides. Our guide was thoughtful and passionate about the Alhambra. This complex is a lavish palace and fortress built by Moorish Kings. Security was tight and they do random searches to ensure the name on the ticket matches a photo ID. We started with palace and visited three areas. It is spacious with little furniture. The intricate work of the interior made this visit a highlight. I enjoyed the courtyards with fountains. The next part we went around was the huge gardens. The scent from the roses was wonderful. We finished with a tour of another part of the top palace. Overall we spent two hours at Alhambra and apart from the crowds it was a special visit.
Next it was a quick ride to our abba Hotel. Like our last two hotels this one is excellent. Spacious, nice bathroom and very comfortable. It was 2pm so we had our own time to fill in until 7.30pm. We decided to catch a bus to the Cathedral in downtown Granada. Like all Spanish churches this one was very big. We took a photo and then decided to find somewhere for lunch. We both felt like Tapas.
In a side street we found a sign advertising a Tapas bar. At 3pm it was very noisy but it was what we felt like. We met a Tauranga couple as well. The waiter was attentive as we worked our way through understanding the menu. He pointed us to a lovely Granada wine. We have enjoyed the company of our fellow bus tourists but it was nice to be away from them in this lovely tapas bar.
Denise had salmon and I had ham. The waiter threw in a complimentary tapas as well. It was a crumbed type of fish/potato.
In the area where we were it was like a souk with narrow alleys and vendors encouraging you to come into their shops. They sold lots of Moroccan souvenirs which was fun as we did not have the pressure of the vendors in Marrakesh and Fez.
For our last dinner as a group we had an excellent set menu and ½ bottle of wine.
We left Granada at 8am for our last ride with this Cosmos Group. After two and a half hours we pulled up to a cafeteria off the highway. It was the best we had struck all tour. Although it was 10.30am it was a lunch stop. Even if you only wanted a cup of tea you sit at a table and you are served at your table straight away. It was a huge place with great service.
We then drove through the heart of Don Quixote’s La Mancha territory complete with windmills. We stopped off at a local Wine Cellar and sampled three pleasant wines – a white, a rose and a red. From here we were taken to a hill with lots of windmills for a photo opportunity.
Around 3.30pm we arrived at our hotel which is very close to the Las Ventas bullring. Our first aim was to do our laundry and we were told they were closed over the weekend. It was back to our room with lots of handwashing to do.
I went for a quiet stroll to the bullring as the round shape was appealing. We were too early for dinner so stayed in our room until it was time to sleep. Just below our room was a wedding reception. It was noisy but did not affect our sleep too much.
Denise was up at 4.45am to prepare for her flight to Barcelona. I walked her to the taxi at 5.30am and will catch up again with her on her birthday, Sunday 19 May.
Dave
Had breakfast and walked around bullring. Watched TV and left by taxi at 10am-took 10 mins. Cost 15 euros
Train left on time and was always within a minute at other stations. At Zamora changed to a bus until we reached Ourense. It was a pleasant ride and I enjoyed the countryside. Many of the railway stations were impressive, especially Zamora. At Ourense we had to wait just over 30 mins before we finished our trip to Sarria. At Sarria only two taxis turned up so I walked to my hotel which took less than 15 minutes. All my documentation including maps, directions etc were there for me to peruse.
I did a small orientation walk to make sure I knew where I was going for the start of my Camino walk.
I found a nice wee bar and had a sizeable dinner and two beers for €10.
Denise
Left by taxi at 5.30am
She got to her gate with 5 mins until boarding time. It took 45 minutes to do the baggage drop and check passport. She was concerned that initially they would not let her through the scanner with her walking pole.
She had a long wait with three unorganised lines trying to get onto the cruise ship.
Once on board she manged a feed and met people from Brisbane and California. Denise along with seven others did the ship tour.
For the night entertainment she went to a Beatlemania performance.
After breakfast I started out at 8am in very foggy conditions. The temperature was 9 °. I was surprised at the number of pilgrims on the road. For the first two hours there was always 20-30 people ahead of me. I walked lots of woodland paths with tree cover. It was a gentle descent from 445m above sea level to 660m above sea level. At Portomarin my finishing point I descended to 343m.
I walked at a steady pace of 4.5km per hour for the first part. When I reached Peruscallo after two hours I had an annoying irritation on my small left toe. I put a plaster on the toe to prevent a blister (which I achieved). Around 1pm I reached Mercadoiro and had a superb lunch. All cafeterias have cheap meals for pilgrims. I had a Spanish omelette bocadillo (sandwich).
On the downward trip we came to a river and then I had to climb some steep steps to get to my lovely hotel.
I had a shower and wandered to a nearby pub for a large cold Estrella beer. T was divine. I decided to wander up to the township to buy a souvenir but all the shops were closed at 3pm. Not to worry I will check out at tea time. I came back to my hotel and had another beer at the bar. My feet knew they had 22kms so I lay on the bed for an hour having a quiet snooze.
The trail is in the Spanish province of Galicia so my aim is to have a Galician meal each evening while on the trail. Tonight it was Pork Loin.
Another foggy start. It was all uphill for the first 7.6km. I was feeling good and kept a good pace. My first 5 minute stop was at Gonzar. From here there was a lot of walking beside a major road and sometimes crossing it. The summit was at 720m above sea level.
I stopped at a church where it was looked after by a blind Spaniard. It was interesting to get him to stamp my Pilgrim’s passport. He put the stamp in my hand and helped me stamp the passport. This was also done with a date stamp.
Later I came across a pilgrim’s shelter where free drink and fruit was offered. A donation was optional.
Walked with an American for awhile who has spent over 30 days on the trail. He camps in the fields and is suffering badly from shin splints. He walks downhill backwards to cope with the shin splint pain.
Interesting watching the farmers plough their fields just as they do in New Zealand. The odour from the farms was very strong.
I arrived at my hotel at 1.45pm. Initially the door was locked so I waited until someone came to unlock it. They commented how quickly I did today’s walk as my room was not ready. 20 mins later I was shown to my room by a very friendly and helpful receptionist. My case was also in my room.
After a long shower I did my handwashing as there was drying area for guests.
I felt like a beer so went to a bar and had a drink with a Welshman who loves rugby and an American lady in a lot of muscle pain.
Tonight I will have a meal and a beer and plan to use a camel bag rather that a normal pack. I have just on 30kms to cover as I am combining two recognised stages in the one day.
For €10 I had a salad, salmon and half a carafe of red wine. Food and alcohol is so cheap on the Camino.
It was a cooler start to the day without the fog. I decided to combine two stages which meant I had to cover almost 30kms.
The terrain included forest tracks, woodland paths, country roads, stone-paved roads and gravel footpaths beside roads. Flat terrain overall. I stopped at Melide for a tortilla and an orange juice. This is thought of as halfway between Sarria and Santiago de Compostela. Upon leaving Melide, I struck gravel paths, forest tracks and paths, country roads, and footpath arriving into Arzua. There were two moderate but short climbs. The walk was given a Grade 4 rating as opposed to the previous two day’s 3 rating. I found the walk quite easy.
I met Ramon from the Canary Islands and we struck up a casual acquaintance for around 5kms. We were so busy talking that we missed our turnoff. Two locals flagged us down and pointed us in the right direction. I also had a lovely chat to a woman from Montreal, Canada.
The walk today took 6.5hrs.
When I reached Arzua my feet were sore ad unfortunately I have picked up two blisters. Not to worry, I will work through the pain barrier as I only have 20kms to do on each of the two remaining days.
I plan to have dinner at the hotel’s restaurant so will not be going far.
Denise is in Rome today.
My hotel room in Arzua is beside the main road and across the road the bar was in full swing until 3am. Although noisy and raucous I still managed enough sleep to cope with the second last day on the trail.
There appeared to be few on the trail and I spent long periods by myself. I think this is because the second last day on the trail tends to be shorter and I guess people are having a lie in. I was keen to get underway early as rain was forecasted and in the end I managed to get through dry. The rain did come in later and watching the pilgrims with ponchos and jackets made me feel pleased with my decision making.
The terrain consisted of forest path and tracks, country roads, gravel paths along roads; a little walking on tarmac with no notable climbs.
I did the walk in under 4 hours with no stops. I found people quiet and generally showing the effects of days on the trail. I went through villages with names of Taberna Velha, A Calzada, A Calle, Boavista and Brea. They are quaint with narrow paths and always somewhere to eat.
When I arrived at me hotel, Casa Do Acivro (around 11.30am) which is a lovely place in A Rua I could see my bag. I was lucky my room was ready.
The blister on my left inside foot has got bigger and is sore when I walk on it. The good news I have only got 20kms to go or 4.5hrs.
The hotel has a restaurant next door so after my shower I had a great toasted sandwich and a couple of cold wines. The service was superb so I had no option but to go but for dinner tonight.
Day 25 Camino Walk Day 3 - Palais del Rei to Arzua
I had another interrupted night’s sleep with a tractor nearby working from 10pm – 2am.
However managed to get away at 7.15am. There were few pilgrims around so I took my time making sure I followed the markers. This time the markers did not have brass plates with how far to go.
The terrain this time was forest tracks, country roads and gravel paths along roads; some tarmac and paved footpaths leading into Santiago There were two short climbs - after O Amenal and up to Monte do Gozo.
About 6kms before the Cathedral it started to rain so had to wear my poncho for the first time. After ten minutes the sum cam eout so I quickly dried.
It was an amazing feel coming into the city. Everyone was full of expectation especially when we hit the old town. I found some of the signage of wear to go wanting but finally we cam from behind the cathedral to its front. Then the heavens opened with rain. Everyone was seeking cover. I managed to find someone to take my photo in front of the cathedral but it turned out very dark.
After some reflection and very sore feet I found a taxi to drive me to the hotel.
Because I arrived two hours before check in time I had to wait in the foyer until 1.30pn before my room was ready. However my case had not arrived so I chilled out.
My left foot is a mess with three blisters, one on the inside heal (huge), one under by big toe and a blood blister under a toe nail.
After my shower I completely emptied my suitcase and put all my clothes and other possessions in drawers.
At 3.15pm I realised I had not eaten since 7am so found an eatery nearby.
I had two more things to achieve 1) Collect my compostella or certificate indicating I had completed the trail and 2) attend the pilgrim mass. I had read online that lines outside the Pilgrim Office where you collect your certificate can be 2.5hrs. As the office opened at 8am I decided I would get there at 7am and then enjoy the rest of the day. I was number 8 in the queue and by 8am the number swelled to over 100.
When I got my certificates I was given a honorary dinner voucher to the five star Parador Hotel. Apparently they give ten vouchers to the first ten that line up.
My next task was to check where mass would be held and where the Parador Hotel was. As the Cathedral is being renovated inside mass has been transferred to another church, close by. After I found both places I casually strolled back to the hotel and had breakfast.
As I had no time constraint I walked back to the cathedral and walked right around the entire building. I entered the crypt where the Apostle St James is said to be buried. To be honest I am over churches so only stayed a short time. I meandered around till around 11.15am and decide to go early to mass as I would get a seat. The church was about 1/3 fill. In no time the church had every seat taken and there were heaps of people standing. It was around a 45 minute mass, spoken in Spanish. However it was nice to be part of the occasion.
Lunch was at 1pm and the other guests were waiting to get in. It was a superb lunch. Four courses with wine. The other guests were Spanish, German, Taiwanese and myself. By the time I left I knew I had eaten too much.
I came back to my hotel room for a siesta as they do in Spain. It was interrupted by the maid wanting to tidy my room. I needed a walk so strolled around the area for about an hour. I thought I knew exactly the area so went without a map. Silly me. I strolled aimlessly not looking where I was going and when I tried to get back the alleys looked unfamiliar. The trouble is you come to an intersection and there can be five narrow alleys. I managed to find the main cathedral so it was easy to get home from there.
Tonight I will pack my bag probably miss tea and have an early night for my trip to Barcelona tomorrow.
Loved my time in Santiago with the highlights, finishing the trail, receiving my compostela and given a free lunch at Parador with 9 other fellow pilgrims. The hotel was also nice and relaxing and within 350m of the Cathedral.
I slept off and on during the night and at 5am I watched music videos until it was time to have a shower. Talking of showers the cubicle would be the smallest to fit into. If you drop the soap you do not room to bend over and pick it up. I found the staff great with language not a problem.
I was told it would take a 30min taxi ride to the airport but in fact, 21 euros later it took less than 15 mins. Cars can drive 120kph on the highways.
It was too early for check in at Vueling Airlines so I bit the bullet and purchased breakfast. I find airport eateries excessive in their costs so tend to avoid them. When I went to the line at 8.15am I was surprised how long the line was. There was only one lady checking in and it took 30 minutes before I reached the front. Behind me the line stretched for a long way. However the airline had a second assistant.
Once through security it was relatively straightforward. Again the lines at the gate were long but it did not worry me this time. The flight was 1:45 hours and the plane landed at Barcelona on time. The walk to the baggage claim took ages following signs, twisting and turning. By the time I got to the carousel the luggage had not arrived and it took ages to appear.
The taxi system was quick and effective and shortly I was outside the door of the outside door of MH Apartments where we will stay for four nights.
Denise has a different story. Her ship docked at 5am and she was scheduled to ring MH Apartments at 8am as they do not have a receptionist on sight. She decided to get a taxi to the apartment and ring them at 9am. When she rang them she was told in no uncertain terms that the apartment would not be ready until 12.30pm at the latest. They suggested she get another taxi to the office where she could leave her bag which she did. She still had a long time until I arrived so she took a stroll along the Gran Via and to the bottom of Las Ramblas and back. Almost too much walking for her knee. She decided to taxi back the remaining distance to the office. At 12.30pm she was allowed to go to the apartment. She was shown how everything works and give the codes for the street door, the apartment and wifi.
Finally after seven days on Denise’s birthday we were reunited (I hear music in the background).
From the street you would not rate the property highly as the apartments look cramped. However to our joy it is very spacious with two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen with washing facilities and a large lounge. The lounge has a two seater sofa, a large dining table, television and two coffee tables. The apartment is less than 50 metres from Las Ramblas.
We shared our experiences and then went to the supermarket to get supplies. Once back we did the washing. Boy did we do some loads. As we have done handwashing Denise wanted to rewash all our clothes. I think four loads were done. We have a drying rack and every bit of space was used.
Next door is “Guell Tapas” where we decided to celebrate Denise’s birthday. It was very busy and had to wait for a table so had a cold glass of wine while we waited. Within 15 minutes we had a table. The tapas lived up to our expectations along with the wine.
I purchased some bread, cheese and ham to go with the bottle of wine we would enjoy throughout the night. We had so many fascinating experiences to share.
You know mine.
For Denise her time started when she had a long wait at Madrid airport to get through Air Europe procedures. After checking in she had to go to a separate baggage drop off and it took 45 minutes. By the time she did this they were starting the load passengers into her plane. She got a taxi straight to the “Norwegian Epic” cruise ship. Even though she had two hours to the official embarking she said the lines were a shambles with no system to get people on orderly. It took 45 minutes for her to get on board. There were over 4000 passengers and this was too big. The ship had 18 storeys and lifts had 30 minute queues to get to meals.
As a solo passenger Denise had an inside cabin with no portholes. She met a number of lovely passengers and went to the solo club for drinks. Of course there was the inevitable male looking for a wife including an Asian American who made it clear to Denise that he was looking for a wife.
The weather was not overly amazing for her cruise and Denise had a bit of sea sickness which she took medication to improve. Her excursions were okay but as they involved a lot of walking she did not enjoy as much as previous cruises.
Her favourite place was Palma, Majorca. She love the heat, the beach the ambience and the happy residents. She loved watching the children learning to yacht. She said there were yachts everywhere. While at Palma she spent a lot of time looking for the Hard Rock Café to get me shot glasses. Apparently it took ages and a lot of walking to find. Yes I owe her.
Denise enjoyed the entertainment and sometimes paid a little extra to go to a nice restaurant away from the masses.
Back to us.
We planned tomorrow’s day. I had to find out how far the Metro was so went for a stroll to Las Ramblas to find the Liceu station. It was 5 minutes away. I also found the taxi rank where we will need to get a taxi for when we go the airport. Las Ramblas was busy with so much energy. There were pop up dining areas everywhere.
It was so nice waking up in our spacious apartment and making our breakfast. We had planned to visit Montjuic this morning but had to go to Plan B when we realised all the museums and art galleries are closed on Mondays. Denise wanted to do some retail therapy so we decided to do some shopping at Las Arenas a former bullring. It had been turned into a five level (one level below ground) shopping complex. Level three was a cinema complex and level 4 had restaurants. From level four you could go to the very top and walk around a 360 degree walkway giving fantastic views of Barcelona.
Before we got there we had to pick up our prepaid two day Metro Hola passes. I entered the voucher code into the ticket machine and instantly had our Hola passes. We got on the Metro to stop “Espanya” and at 8.30am the train was packed and I mean packed. At subsequent stops people just kept cramming in.
When we got to ground level at Espanya, there was the impressive Las Arenas complex. It was a beautiful looking complex.
As a retail area we were disappointed in the prices and the range of shops. We took a photo of our exit as it was very big. After doing a sweep of the three floors of shops we had a drink and bite to eat. When we at the top of the complex we could see the Joan Mira park and what looked like a big market area.
When we down to what we thought was a market, people were setting up a huge outdoor car trade display. We walked over to the park and it was very relaxing. No grass but just soil mixed with gravel. There were playgrounds, table tennis tables and a dog park. T was a very therapeutic place. Joan Mira was a painter.
I had a prepaid ticket to visit Camp Nou, Barcelona FC ground at 2pm. As it was 11.30am, Denise went back to the complex to get her hair cut while I decided to explore the Espanya area. I had so much time to hang around so I decided catch the Metro to catch the Metro to stop “Les Courts” as it was on the same green line I had been using. I knew that I had a ten minute walk from the train stop. It was well signposted and not a problem.
Camp Nou is huge. They let me in early and I had access to the Museum and stadium. I am not a football buff but was aware of the success the club had had. Lionel Messi is their most famous player and his picture is everywhere. I had a look at the cups the club had one and followed the arrows around the tour. I sat in the grandstand which is huge and steep. There are three sections with two tiers of seats. Where I sat I got a fantastic view of the pitch. We had access to the changing rooms, press box, where they interview players after the game, press conference room and even a chapel. A highlight was standing on the grass area in front of the reserves bench. I sat in the reserve’s seats and they were comfortable. We also sat in the seats behind where the players enter the ground. It was a marvellous experience.
When we left we came through the merchandise store. It consisted of three levels of merchandise and the tills just kept ringing. I bought a souvenir and the couple in front of me purchased 230 euros of goods which is over NZ$400.
I found the Metro stop easily and managed to beat Denise home. I went to the huge market on Las Ramblas to buy some lovely cheap bread. Las Ramblas was packed.
Around 5pm we had a drink in a pop up restaurant. The beer came in a huge stein but was great. We felt comfortable so decided to have a meal. We ordered Italian dishes and shared.
It was a lovely low key day.
Gaudi Day. Antoni Gaudi was a Catalan architect known as the greatest exponent of Catalan Modernism. His works have a highly individualised, one-of-a-kind style. Most of his work is located in Barcelona including his main work, the church of the Sagrada Familia (which we visited earlier).
Today we used the Metro train to visit Parc Guell, Casa Batllo and Palau Guell (very close to our apartment) as this was day two of using the Hola pass.
To get to Park Guell we had to catch two trains to reach “Alonso X” station where a shuttle bus took us the attraction. A shuttle bus is used because Park Guell is one of the major attractions and surrounding roads become clogged with people and transport. Our pre-paid check in time was 9am but we did not need it as there were not a huge number of people in the park.
The place is so massive and impressive that I could not do it justice in a few words. The design of the grounds and buildings were amazing. There is even a public school within the grounds. There is a public park for everyone to enjoy and the Monument Zone that you have to pay an entry price. It includes Casa Del Guarda (Porter’s Lodge) – which we had to queue for 30 mins, Monumental Flight of Steps, Hypostyle Room which consists of 86 columns, Gardens, Nature Square and a spiral ramp. It was fortunate that we went early as the crowd got progressively busier throughout the morning.
We caught the shuttle then train back to Passeig de Gracia where our second Gaudi feature was, the Casa Batllo (spelt correctly). It is modernist house with amazing curves and designs. We were booked in for 2pm so decided to have lunch first across the road. We still had 90 mins to wait so asked if we could enter early which was fine.
Next it was back to our apartment as our third Gaudi designed building Palau Guell was at 6pm. We asked if we could enter at 5pm and this was also alright. This tour was easy as there were less tourists so we could take our time. This palace was designed for a wealthy industrialist. Its special feature was a parabolic shaped atrium which also included an organ. I like the way Gaudi makes his chimneys a feature of the palace rather than be eyesores. I invite yiu to have a look at Gaudi’s work online. A fascinating man.
We had dinner in Las Ramblas again and this time we opted for paellas.
For our penultimate day in Spain we visited Montjuic in the morning. To get there we caught the Metro to “Parral-lel” and then the Funicular to Montjuic. We mainly went there for the views. Upon leaving the Metro stop we started the climb to Montjuic. Denise decided to rest her leg but encouraged me to go the Castle. This I did, by having a brief look around and came back to Denise. The views were great.
Once back to where the train took us we had a hot drink and snack at a bar across the road. Sitting at the table overlooking Barcelona was fabulous.
Denise wanted a new pair of shoes so we caught the train to the Placa Catalunya” stop. We found her shoes and called into Tapas Bravas for a great meal. As we are staying in the La Riberia area we had really explored the alleys of the area. It is amazing at the eateries and squares where people congregate. We stumbled into the Boqueria Market and I was keen to have another tapa and drink at a counter. The place we chose gave wonderful food, wine and service. We meandered back to our apartment about mid-afternoon.
Our next task was to pack our cases for the flight home tomorrow leaving at 10.45am. This will probably be my final daily blog but Grant, I plan to do a reflections piece from Singapore during our stopover. I do not know how I will cope with the weather in Dunedin as I have seen rain twice and generally the temperature has been warm and sunny
Wow almost five weeks are up and it is time to go and leave this exciting city and country. It has been a fantastic time and we feel we have done virtually everything we wanted to. The food has been sublime and will probably be my number one highlight. As for cities my favourites were Barcelona, Lisbon and Marrakesh. Denise really liked Granada.
It was an early morning start and for breakfast we had pastie type pies. To get a taxi all we had to do was walk to the Las Ramblas taxi rank which is a three minute walk. The taxi ride was around twenty minutes and cost 30 euros. Singapore Airlines check-in opened at 7.15am and we were on eof the first through. When we lined up at security we bypassed the queue because Denise had a walking stick. We had a two hour wait but it was fabulous we were checked in to Dunedin but had to put our backs through Christchurch security.
I had a lot of euro coins so put it towards morning tea. A lovely hot cup of tea to leave Barcelona was great. Denise has struggled finding a good coffee and the English barrier has not helped.
Our plane left late because of the delay in its arrival. The flight to Milan was brilliant as there were very few passengers and we could spread out. However that changed in the flight from Milan to Singapore. A very tall young man sat beside me and he struggled with the space and I felt really hemmed in.
Once in Singapore we proceeded from Term 2 to Terminal 3 to check into the Ambassador Transit Hotel from 8.30am to 4pm. What an inspired decision to stay at this place. The room was quiet and dark and the showers before and after bed were very welcome. Although we did not have deep sleeps we both felt refreshed and prepared to face the last 9:45hrs flight to Christchurch. We stayed until the very end of our booked time, feeling great. Had breakfast or was it lunch (4.15pm Singapore time).
Our gate was A13, a very long walk. Denise decided to look at shops while I opted to wait by the gate. When Denise got back I went for a 45 minute walk through a couple of the terminals. The flight left exactly on time and the 9hrs 45 minutes went quickly.
When we attempted to land at 9.15am the fog would not let us. The plane tried for two hours to land and in the end had to go to Auckland and refuel. The plane eventually landed at Christchurch airport at 3:05pm We were met by a Singapore Airlines representative who whisked us through Immigration and Customs and had us outside the Air NZ check-in before 3.30pm. Unfortunately there were no spare seats on the 4pm flight to Dunedin but we were checked into the 6pm departure flight.
At 5pm the fog came in and I was concerned we would not get away. However we were on the plane on time but unfortunately a connecting flight was late and we had to wait 15 minutes for them. The next drama was the plane had lost its place in the queue and the fog had slowed traffic down on the tarmac. We did get away 45 minutes late and finally hit Dunedin at 7.50pm. We jumped in a shuttle and were finally hom eat 8,30am almost 8 hours after our scheduled arrival in Dunedin.