Day 83, Algoz, Portugal

The top of the cliff (above the beach)

Not a big day, quiet start and then went to a nearby beach, advertised as one of the top ten beaches in the world. Yes well, if Kaiteriteri and Split Apple Rock beach are up there in the top two, then the competition is tough. The approach is certainly stunning with huge steep cliffs and a long winding path to get to the beach. The beach itself was too crowded though and the water full of seaweed, very murky, so bit average all around. I guess we are just so spoiled in New Zealand.
Next a visit to a nearby town, very pretty and then home.

Silves

Tonight I went to a sand sculpture display. Was expecting 5 or 6,

but there were at least 60 or more. Absolutely stunning, the theme was music, and so well done. From musicals to movie theme music, to African tribe to buskers, rock bands, you name it, it was there. Apparently the biggest display in the world, held for the last 10 years. Artist from all over the world take two months to complete the display. It was lit up beautifully and it was a full moon tonight, so quite magic.

Charlie & the chocolate
factory (theme music)

Beethoven sand sculpture

Look how narrow that house is!
Yes, the doors on either sides
belong to other houses.

Day 82, Algoz, Portugal

Chocolate covered figs, yum!

I've been everywhere man....

What a great day of sightseeing with my host, Bijiou. She does property management for holiday rental houses, and this being a weekend she goes out to say hi to people who arrived yesterday and today, to make sure everything is okay and see they're settled in. She invited me to 'tag along ' as she was going to quite a few different town. Off course a yes from me, what better way to spend the day then with a local! Well, first stop was her mum, and I spent a pleasant half an hour with a 91 year old French lady with so much zest for life. Her English was very good, and it was so interesting listening to her tell me about the area. She did incidentally tell me Cliff Richard was her next door neighbour, and yes, had my photo taken at his gate.

Cliff  Richards gate...

She had the most beautiful figs from her garden, even some chocolate covered ones, which were divine. Then we were off again, winding our way up and down the coast, through lots of small villages, all the while Bijou telling me history and interesting facts about Algarve. We visited a very exclusive area, where house prices start at €2.000.000, about NZ $3.600.000. 

This guy bought a house for €3.500.000, then literally had the house demolished and rebuild for 2.5 million, so a NZ $10.000.000. Golf membership is €250.000. Anyway, that's a very small part of the coast, and a sharp contrast with the beautiful simple villages and narrow winding roads on the hills lying beyond. We stopped at a building that was previously a palace, now used as a hotel, with ornately decorated ceilings and gilded mirrors, again with stunning views. Home to use the washing machine, oh such simple luxuries.

Palace turned hotel

Day 81, Merida, Spain to Algoz, Portugal

Bridge into Portugal

Yes, I have moved countries and am now in Portugal. Quite an adventurous (and a little stressful) day. First of all I must have had the noisiest room in the hotel last night, as I got woken at 2.30 by shouting and carrying on in the hallway, and thought it was time to get up. I usually hit the pillow and am dead until I wake again in the morning, but clearly not the case last night. Then getting ready this morning it dawned on me I should check about driving on roads in Portugal and how to go about paying for toll roads (especially after my Austrian disaster I like to be prepared).And ARGH it was complicated. Lots of websites explaining how to go about it, which is not a good sign if you need so many websites. And there were different kind of tolls as well. However, as I had agreed to meet the host at my Homestay between 2.00 and 2.30 and I had quite a drive ahead, I couldn't worry about it for too long and got on the road.

The drive was pretty but uneventful. The bridge into Portugal, over the river Guadiana is stunning, but unfortunately when you're driving you can't take photos, so this once I cheated and googled the picture! Very majestic.

Anyway, the whole toll thing turned out easy, obviously the web wasn't up to date, but they actually had people on the border to explain it to the tourists. Austria could learn something from that.

So Easy Toll works like this. Your credit card gets swiped at machine, which simultaneously reads your plate number. Every time you enter a toll road there are huge cameras over the road that read your plate number and automatically charge your credit card. Easy peasy.

However, finding my accommodation turned out to be a bit harder. I ended up going to a bar, as you do, and offered the waiter 5 euros for the use of this phone. He eagerly handed it over (I should have rung someone in NZ, haha) and contacted my host, who came and picked me up. No harm done, except for a frustrating hour driving around the village, feeling I was close, but couldn't quite find it. My home for the next 4 nights (maybe longer) is super duper, a fully equipped apartment, kitchen, lounge, huge deck out front, with view of the village, even a docking station for my IPod, My hosts are lovely and very keen to show me around, so I think I will enjoy my time here.

I did have a very confusing few minutes lining up the time on my IPad with the fact I arrived in the village at 2.00, drove around for an hour and now it was still 2.00? Well, I didn't know Portugal is an hour behind the rest of Europe!

View from my deck towards the village

Day 80, Toledo to Merida, Spain

Windmills, Don Quixote country

A loooong drive today, well, felt like it anyway. 

I left Toledo at 10 and arrived in my new town at 4.40, but a great drive through some beautiful countryside.

I first of all made a diversion, to take in part of the 'Don Quixote' trail. Don Quixote is the region's most famous, but fictitious son, in the novel, often regarded as the founding novel for modern European literature, Miguel Cervantes tells the story of Don Quixote De La Manche, a rather senile country gentleman who sets off on a mission to recreate the age of chivalry. Amongst the best known episodes in the novel is the section where Don Quixote picks a fight with windmills, imagining them to be dastardly giants. Quite a number of these iconic windmills are still proudly dominating the landscape. And I just had to see them! Very interesting visit, worth the walk up the hill only to discover I could have driven the car up, grr.

Just too cute!

Then I cut right across country to a town called Merida, which I am sure has something more going for it apart from being a perfect midway point for those traveling from Madrid to Portugal ( like me), but i didn't have the oomph to find it. But I loved the windmills today so was happy with my sightseeing efforts!

Day 79, Toledo, Spain

One of the many 'Puorto's" in the old city wall

Took a slow start to the day, a great breakfast. The place I'm staying at it is run by a group of friends, who bought the hotel together. There's actually a sign in reception telling the story and apologising in advance if they make a mistake as they are all quite new to this business. But every one of them has been lovely and hospitable, so I hope they do well.

Toledo town was declared a UNESCO heritage site in 1986 and not hard to see why. Around every corner is a church, monastery, mosque, the huge city wall that circles all of old Toledo.

Marzipan church

A walk into town, and I got hopelessly lost! Ended up on Plaza de Cristobal. Yep, definitely needed my crystal ball to get out of there! But that's the fun of these small towns, totally impossible to read a map, and lots to see when you do get 'lost'. One side of town to another is only 1 k, but it sure feels like further, must be because it's all up and down steps.
Toledo is well known for Marzipan (a sweet made mainly from sugar and almond meal), and lots of shops have wonderful displays in the window.

Marzipan fruits

Visited a museum of a different kind, a house set up in honour of the painter El Greco. Very interesting, I'm not usually a museum person, but this was good, house set up in the style how he would have lived in the early 1600's, with a lot of his paintings. Plus it was cool in there and 36 out, so bonus! 

Had a blissful swim early this evening in the public pool, great for the joints.

And that is a tight park!!

Travesia  San Cristobal

Day 78, Madrid to Toledo, Spain

The small Mosque

I'm getting the hang of this, it's 3.15 and just ordered my lunch. According to tradition I have to take at least an hour and a half over this!

The big bulls are everywhere
along the motorways

Arrived in Toledo, which is only about 80 k's south of Madrid. Booked one night but added another, staying really close to the old town. A lot of these Old Towns I have noticed have escalators from outside (where the car parks are and buses pull up) to the top, which is where the Old Town is. It certainly saves the feet, especially on another hot day like today.

Walked too long around town, visited a Mosque, 1000 years old, tiny, 5x5 meters, later it was added onto and changed into a church, very unusual style. 

I realised while in Madrid I didn't actually visit any monuments or museums, is that naughty? Nah, I enjoyed the city and soaked it up, that's more important I think! 

Huge escalators

Toledo street

Day 77, Madrid, Spain

Flamenco 

Another lovely day in Madrid, no earth shattering experiences, but thoroughly enjoyed the bike rides. I had looked up a couple of routes to take, one along the river and another through a huge park, not unlike New York Central Park apparently.

Entire outside wall of restaurant
covered in tiles, very different!

Lunch in the shade, another hot day today, back uphill into town, the Royal Palace Garden. The street art here is great, musicians, performers, 'statues'. Guy singing reggae, he was doing well with his hat full, good for him.

Reggae man

Anyway, quiet day, but tonight I'm going out to a Flamenco show! Very much look forward to that, doesn't start till 10.30.

So, sitting here waiting for the start of the show. Have somehow managed to get a seat quite close to the stage, it's a very small and intimate theater, only seats 120 or so I think, but there's only about 60 here.

First the musicians, 5 guys, guitars and great voices, songs you don't understand the words but feel the passion. The dancer is beyond description, so much fire in the dance, her face stern and her feet strong and unbelievably fast. She makes music just by using her feet and clicking her fingers so loudly. Very difficult to describe but that was just beautiful, absolutely beautiful.Oh, and they really do call out 'Ole' at random times, audience and performers.

Royal Palace Gardens

Day 76, Alcale de Henares to Madrid, Spain

Fountains everywhere

Striking architecture
at every corner

So, packed my bags and moved into Madrid today, and right in the heart, only 200 meters from Puerta del Sol. I didn't realise either, but that's the major square in Madrid. Off course parking is a nightmare as everywhere is pedestrians only, so to find a hotel that offers parking (even if that is €15.00 per day) is a challenge, but I managed. So, here I am. I first got my nails done, a treat after almost 3 months, then went and hired a bike for my time here, as I think it's by far the easiest and most fun way to see the city. My first stop was in the huge park, where we had already been on the tour yesterday. Had an ice cream and got chatting to a guy who was selling paintings. He was from Israel, had been in Madrid for 33 years now, and just great to talk to.

Jonathan the painter from Israel

His English was very good, he was telling me about all the people he meets while sitting on his wee bench, waiting for a sale. His name was Jonathan and just a real treasure of a man, I must have been there close to an hour. Bike parked up for the night, such a great city to bike around in!

Puerta del Sol

Day 75, Alcala de Henares, visit to Madrid

The Royal Palace of Madrid

Feeling really rather smug with myself today. Was a toss up whether to take the train or car into Madrid, but train involved a lot of walking and my feet are still protesting after yesterday's sightseeing. So, car it was. Found a car park, less than 100 meters from the place I wanted to be, since I also decided to seethe fair city by bike rather than feet. Enough time for a coffee beforehand, awesome planning Sil, if I may say so myself! 

The bike group

And what a cool decision it turned out to be to see Madrid by bike! We had a large group, about 18 of us, Trixi bike tours was the company. Our guide was from Budapest, but had lived in Madrid for 20 years and was very knowledgeable and passionate about the city. Winding through pedestrian areas and special bike paths it always felt safe, the sun came out, and it was so much fun! Afterwards some of us had lunch together, 4 guys from New York and 2 girls from Brazil, who lived in Japan. A great time and  nice to talk English!

Lunch time

Not sure what I had expected of Madrid, but I absolutely love it, so am heading in there tomorrow and stay in the city to soak it up properly.

Oldest restaurant in the world, since 1725

In the huge gardens

Day 74, Alcala de Heneras, Visit to Segovia, Spain

The Aquaduct

The Cathedral of Segovia

The castle

Okay, luckily feeling much better today, phew.

Yesterday I arrived in a town close to Madrid, for 3 nights. Didn't go far yesterday, but this morning hopped in the car for a scenic drive.

I have found so far you can't quite tell what Spanish countryside is going to offer up, some of it is barren, like I imagine Mexico to be, and then other parts are lush and green and mountainous, like today's drive (that was skills, not luck!). First stop for a coffee, then started to climb, and climb, and climb to 1900 meters. Beautiful views, turned out to be a ski village in the season! Then on to Segovia, a lovely historic town about 70 k's North of Madrid. Lots of interesting sights, the most well known in Segovia is a Roman Aquaduct, dating from the 1st century, and by looking at its huge structure (highest point 28 meters, length 794 meters and 167 arches) it's hard to imagine that it's built entirely without the use of mortar, it is gravity that holds all granite blocks in place! Very impressive, especially when you consider when it was built.

Granite blocks that
make up the aquaduct

The habit of shops closing between 2 and 5 is even in place in touristy towns like these, although they don't all close. Lunch it appears is a long drawn out happening, from 2.30 onward and you just sit and rest till 4.30. Which makes me wonder, what came first, people taking so long over lunch so the shops think we may as well shut, or the shops are shut, we may as well take our time over lunch. The chicken or the egg??

Lastly a visit to a real castle, built in the year 700, and sadly at some point used for a prison for 200 years!

Think the door is a
retrofit?

I love the wiring!

Day 73, Huesca to Alcala de Henares near Madrid, Spain

no post today, feeling very average today, hope I am not coming down with something, achy and headache, so an early night!

Day 72, Huesca, Spain

Huesca fountain, one of many

For all of you who think that my entire time in Spain is being spent drinking beer and eating tapas, I have news. I actually did something very cultural today and took a tour of the most important historical sites in Huesca; a church, a Cathedral, the Town Hall and the Museum that used to be part of the Castle.

Monastary by the church dated  1096

So much history in one small town. The church dates from 1096, the Cathedral 1500's and the town hall around then too. The guide did her best trying to translate for me, but as I was the only English speaking one in a group of 45, there was little time. Goes to show I am off the beaten track though, very few English here, only the occasional French.

Roman Cathedral

I'm starting to find my feet in Spain, it's very strange coming to a different country again. You would think after Italy and France it would be easy, but each country is quite different and when I first arrive I need to get used to it. 

I was extremely daring this morning (you ladies will get this, guys won't) and got myself a cut and colour! An exercise in patience from the hairdresser, lots of gesticulation and we got there. Very happy with the results too! 

I have really enjoyed Huesca. It is clear in Spain the same applies as in Italy; everything shuts between 2.00 and 5.00, except the restaurants, so it's a matter of getting used to and going with the flow.
Dinner doesn't happen till late, it's now 8.15, I'm having a drink but no one is eating yet! My room is right above busy pedestrian area, people were eating outside until 12.30 last night.

Museum garden, which smelled
divinely of pines and freshly cut
grass.

Day 71, Huesca, Spain

I have moved onto the next town, couple of nights. 

Not a hugely interesting day, drive was actually boring, which I can't say very often. The Spanish landscape seems to change quite quickly and dramatically, today was dry and almost barren in places. The roads are great, no tolls (apparently only along the East Coast) , quiet and well maintained. I'm finding drivers much more curtious than in Italy, although that's not hard to do.

My accommodation is right in the heart of the city, pedestrian zone. So, finding it was a challenge and a half. Got as close as I could, or thought so anyway and parked the car, reminding myself to take note of where! Then started walking, hoping my iPad would point my location out, but of course today it didn't! So, visitor centre, the old fashioned way. No, that closed at 2, I was there at 2.04. Anyway, luckily there was a map on the window, so I managed to find my way. All part of the fun! 

Day 70, Berlou, France to Solona, Spain

Train bridge in the Pyrenees

Finally got a picture of  one
of my hosts: John in Berlou

 Another day, another town, and in today's case, a new country. Yes, I have moved onto Spain.

An absolutely stunning drive through the Pyrenees, a very slow and winding road. 

As the road climbed and the altitude rose, the temperature fell in matching degrees, until they 'met' at 1300 metres and 13 degrees! The road got as high as 1600 meters and just when you wonder what's around the next corner, the landscape flattens out and you travel for a long way on a plateau with some good size towns on them. Then you start to dip, the mountains are steep, a big lake, all just beautiful. So hard to take photos, but I did stop a couple of times.

Steep cliffs

Found my hotel quite quickly, despite the fact it's on the edge of a huge building site for a supermarket and car park. Great view, not!

Town (Solona in Catalonia) has a nice old town; where I am sitting at the moment with a drink and tapas, chosen well by my waiter.

Solona, Spain