Who Moves to Portugal?: Flamenco

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!

I'm not sure if it's a good or bad sign that I'm finding less and less time to put these little diddies up on the interweb... life keeps on chugging along with work, the day to day routines, and the occasional adventure. Our first family visit came to pass just in time for my birthday at the end of February. Mom & Ken took an epic trek from all the way over there in Seattle and stuck around for 2 fantastic weeks. In that time we took advantage of our "carnival" break from school to head on into Spain, where we visited roman ruins in Merida, got lost for hours in Sevilla (in a bad way), and later got lost for days in Sevilla (in a good way). We played games, ate well, drank often, and marveled at the beauty of the old Andalusian city.

My 6 highlights included:
First, climbing the towering Giralda which reached above one of the largest cathedrals in Europe and allowed us to look out over the world (it's always nice to see things from up high).
Second, going on a night time stroll over the rolling contours of the Metropol Parasol, the world's largest wooden structure, and a bargain at 3 Euros with a glass of wine included. I do have to say... is it really the best idea to give people alcoholic beverages when they are several stories up on an undulating open sculpture? No matter... we didn't fall.
Third, wandering the twisting streets. Despite the ridiculous amount of trouble we had driving in to the city, I soon came to love getting lost in the narrow alleyways. After a few days of walking every which way, I started to feel like I had a sense for the place, and loved the chance to encounter.
Fourth, the tapas. We sampled and dabbled across the city, and ran into a lot of tasty bites. I love to eat... and Seville obliged me, little plate after little plate.
Fifth, although it wasn't a huge focus of the trip, it's always great to find a place that caters to my tastes. Ceverceria International was that in spades. Great atmosphere, delicious tapas, and a beer list that could take months to properly explore.
Finally, Flamenco. Oh boy, Flamenco. I went into the Casa de Flamenco expecting to be whelmed; not overwhelmed, not underwhelmed, but somewhere right in the middle. It's so great to be wrong. I was flush with goose-bumps from the start of the performance to the end. It was passionate, vibrant, bold, and so perfectly executed. That night, after mom & Ken retired, Jyl and I decided to stroll down to the old corner bar, where we found an impromptu flamenco performance every bit as passionate and impressive as what we had just paid to see. We sipped 1 euro beers, tapped our feet, and smiled the irrepressible smiles of people that have just hit the jackpot, but are trying not to gloat.