Christmas & New Year's have usually been family holidays for Jyl and I, but with baby growing at a healthy pace in Jyl's belly it seemed like a tough year to make the 9+ hour flight. We decided to make the best of it with a road trip to Cordoba & Granada, two beautiful old cities in Southern Spain. Our trip managed to balance getting our fill of the dramatic history and sights of Andalucia while also relaxing and decompressing in some modern amenities. We took in all of the must-see landmarks, ate some good food, listened to some great flamenco, and did our best to soak up the laid back atmosphere. Looking back on a year that was full of travel to many incredible locations, I have to say that Spain really tops my list... if you are reading this and haven't been, put it on your bucket list... it's an amazing country.
Cordoba's main attraction: The Mezquita; a cathedral built on top of and inside an ancient Mosque.
Light streamed in through vibrant stained glass.
Don't worry, I found the craft brew place in town. Good selection!
mmm... elbow...
The Alcazar
The old roman bridge
"All this is mine!"
Contemplating... something.
The Cathedral in Granada: Built over an old mosque, it's hard to believe how massive it from the outside because it is so enclosed by other buildings.
The Alhambra awaits...
Contemplating... something else.
We waited in a very cold line for an hour to get tickets into the Alhambra... a massive complex originally built during Granada's Islamic age. Worth the trip.
Granada, from above.
Gatekeeper.
We finished our trip to Spain with an indulgent night at the Precise Resort in El Rompido, just a short drive from Portugal. Although the resort was very nice, we were stoked to learn that it abutted an extensive wetland park system. We saw spoonbills!
As our school year wound down, we had our last scheduled family visit for the year, as Dad & Jody came to town. We headed up to the Galicia province in Spain, just north of Portugal, to see dad compete in an international duathlon (run-bike-run) in the sweet small city of Pontevedra. Galicia was a really captivating area, with a strong Celtic influence (a troop of bagpipers wound their way past us on our first night there), a unique Galician language (with roots in Spanish, but with veins of Celtic and German), and a beautifully winding rocky coastline. While there, we made our way to the city of Santiago de Compostela, the final destination of the well known Catholic pilgrimage called "El Camino," which translates to "The Road."
Pontevedra
This is part of a huge new art center complex in Santiago. Very interesting architecture
The Cathedral in Santiago de Compostela
Santiago Rocks Out
Cross in the ancient fishing village of Combarro, ESP
Dad finishes strong
The following weekend we headed to Evora, Portugal, where we
spent a fairly relaxing time enjoying a wonderful bed and breakfast called Albergaria do Calvario. We
explored the Alentejo, visiting the medieval town of Arraiolos which is
known for its hand made rugs. After a stroll there, we made a way to a crazy chapel made from the giant
rocks of an ancient dolmen. Despite the fact that I drove there, I'm not sure where it was, and can't find it in any online literature. We had lunch in Estremoz, where we all learned that sometimes
pig cheek still comes with the jaw. On Sunday we meandered our way back
to Cascais, driving the Setubal peninsula for the first time, and
having some great seafood along the way.
We were grateful for the visit, and excited to keep exploring and learning about this interesting place where we live...
The craft market in Arraiolos
Intricately tiled church in Arraiolos
Swallows in Arraiolos
Ancient stone dolmen turned into a chapel
Lunch in Estremoz
Jody was not a fan!
Pork cheek... teeth included!
I got to introduce my parents to the 9 different varieties I had made so far.
Great organic, fresh food at Albergaria do Calvario
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