Capital City: Madrid

Quaint Cordoba

Here's my attempt to redeem myself for the lack of blogging along the trail...

Cordoba was the second stop on our most recent voyage, this one with a focus on Andalusia (southern Spain). It was small, it wasn't run over with tourists, it was charming. We stayed at a great family-run hostel managed by an older gentleman who called himself Fernando El Guapo (translation: Fernando the Handsome) and performed a series of parlor tricks for Eric's younger brother (who is 23 years old).

We fell in love with this little town that is home to La Mezquita, which we saw in the early morning hours before the tour buses arrived. We ate fresh churros, enjoyed a beautiful sunset on the river overlooking the giant mosque/cathedral and strolled along the narrow whitewashed alleyways peeking in doors and gardens.

We'll definitely be back.

P.S. For a larger view of our trip there, just click on the photos below.

Coming Tomorrow: Madrid

Volando voy, Volando vengo

Eric and I just got back from a 10 day tour of Spain where we visited Madrid, Cordoba, Granada, Sevilla, Tarifa and even made it across the Straight of Gibralter to the African continent to visit Tangier, Morocco. Highlights include:

* Buying a bunch of great crap I don't need in Europe's largest flea market, El Rastro, in Madrid

* Watching locals dance the flamenco with reckless abandon in Sevilla, Granada and Tarifa

* Visiting the Alhambra at night with only a few other tourists in whispering voices

* Seeing the sun set on the Alhambra from Saint Nicolas' viewpoint on another mountain (okay, hill) with some spirited impromptu flamenco guitar

* Two words: Arab Bath

* Visiting the Roman temple turned Christian church turned Muslim mosque turned Catholic cathedral - La Mezquita

* Standing 10 feet from Picasso's "Guernica," Velazquez's "Las Meninas," Goya's "Third of May" and Hieronymus Bosch's "Garden of Earthly Delights," among others

* Riding a camel in Tangier, even if only for a minute

* Other stuff

Prague and Olomouc...

Life has been a frantic rush from one thing to the next lately, so I thought I´d try and redeem myself for lack of blogging by giving you a sample of where we´ve been photo style. We´re off for a new whirlwind adventure tonight. More to come.

P.S. That photo of Eric and the fork is of him eating the purportedly stinkiest cheese in the world in Olomouc, Czech Republic.

Amsterdam...