Trip Report: 17 days in Spain & Portugal

hi, i/c,

what a start to your trip. You are clearly very patient people to put up with having to go back twice.

looking forward to the rest of the report,

regards, ann

Hello to 1/2 of Indiancouple! Thank you for posting this. I'm looking forward to the rest! pp

Looking forward to the rest of your report.

Would the airlines not deliver delayed luggage to your hotel in Madrid or did you just want to get your bags as soon as they arrived?

Trip Report (Continued):
DAY 2 (Sept 1,Saturday):MADRID/TOLEDO:
Woke up refreshed and relieved about the bags. Managed to leave the hotel by 8:15 am, and had a quick breakfast at the same Taberna Gallecha nearby where we had dinner the previous night. Churro con chocolate, Toasted wheat bread, Cafe con leche, and Peach zumo. Had heard so much about these churros, and they certainly did not disappoint. Fabulous item to eat for breakfast. And Spanish coffee tastes so good; the aroma and the taste are both excellent.

We took the metro from Gran Via to Atocha Renfe, where we had to board a train for Toledo. We were stunned by the looks of Atocha station. The foliage area below are positively beautiful, and the looks of the train station from outside are even more impressive. We boarded the 9:20 am AVE train for Toledo, for which we had purchased tickets the previous day. The train ride was extremely comfortable. Madrid to Toledo in 30 minutes !

As we got down at Toledo and walked from the platform to the main Toledo station, we were taken aback by the beauty of the architecture. We had never seen a train station more pretty than Toledo. Built in Mudejar style, it is a worthy tourist attraction in its own right. We took the short bus ride from the train station to Zoco Plaza, which is at the heart of Toledo, and we felt that we were being transported back to a different era of time. Everything looked so quaint and antique and beautiful. The Zoco plaza itself is full of life, with pretty buildings all around, and lined with inviting sidewalk cafes. We sat on one of those cafes, and sipped cafe con leche (DW was by now hooked on the natural zumos of Spain). Very pleasant indeed.

A short walk took us to the Tourist office, where we got good maps and helpful advice. Then we headed straight into the Cathedral. What we saw was breathtakingly beautiful. We are not Christians, but we greatly admired the rich goldwork in the Main Chapel, and the Choir Stalls. The place was huge. And the El Greco paintings in the Sacristia were superb; they really stand out from all other paintings in the same place.

After spending almost 2 hours in the Cathedral, we headed for the Church of Santa Tome, to see El Greco's masterpiece : "The Burial of Count of Orgaz". The audio guide was extremely helpful in explaining the finer points of the painting, which we enjoyed immensely.

The great thing about Toledo is walking around in those thin winding alleys. Occasionally a car will drive into the alley, and you press yourself against the wall to avoid being run over ! And as you continue walking, you burst into one beautiful plaza after another. At one such plaza, we decided to stop for lunch. We had no listing of any veg restaurant in Toledo, so we decided to try our luck anywhere. I had a Tortilla Espanola (which I frankly did not relish very much), and DW had a veg mixed salad, topped with beer. Average lunch.

After lunch we walked to the Alcazar (which was closed for renovations), and walked all around it. Most imposing structure. Then back to Zoco plaza, where we boarded the Zocotren. This is an excellent choo-choo train that runs on tyres (i.e. on roads), side open, which goes non-stop all around Toledo in 45 minutes. We found it an excellent way of seeing many parts of Toledo, especially since it crosses the river and goes on the opposite hill, from where the views of Toledo are fantastic.

On return to Zoco plaza, we visited the nearby Museo de Santa Cruz. A free entry museum, very quiet and peaceful, with some nice El Greco paintings. We especially liked his "La Veronica" work hanging there.

Then we did some shopping in the many interesting shops near Zoco. Nice figures made of resin, beautiful antique pistols (decorative, not real ones !). Then reluctantly boarded the bus back to the train station to catch the 5:25pm AVE back to Madrid. We regretted not having spent a night at Toledo. I am sure the place would have been even more magical at night.

Back in Madrid, we headed for the Reine Sofia Museum. Saturday afternoons were free entry, and surprisingly there was not much of a rush. Although everyone visits the Reine Sofia to see "Guernica", which we did admire for a long time (incl. the preparatory sketches made by Picasso for that painting), we also liked the collection of Salvadore Dali Domenech, Joan Miro, and Picasso's other paintings.

We then took the metro back to our hotel and rested for an hour. Then walked balk to Sol, and then to Plaza Mayor. It was 9 pm, and Plaza Mayor was coming to life. All benches were occupied, and we sat on the ground, like countless others. Spanish ladies dress so well, and they look so pretty. Everyone has a pram with a baby inside, and an itsy-bitsy poodle on a chain. Babies must have a great time in Spain, and that goes for dogs too. And Plaza Mayor under lights on a Saturday evening was excellent. Ribbons tied on air-vents, dancing in the sky. Musicians performing everywhere.

Late at night visited a tapa bar near Plaza Mayor, where we had excellent dry white wine with veg salad, and then shiften to a tapa place on main Plaza Mayor, where we feasted on Manchego cheese, and Artichokes in vinegar.

As we walked back towards Sol at midnight, there were street performances going on everywhere. People were posing as statues everywhere, dressed in strange attire. Youngsters were appearing all around in funky costumes, headed for some theme party somewhere. And those beautiful street signs, on tiles with a pictorial representation. We were beginning to feel the magic of Spain ! Reluctant, though tired, we turned back to our hotel to call it a day.

Nikki, we did toy with the idea of letting the airline deliver our luggage. But the lady at the Alitalia counter said that they were so shortstaffed, that she could not guarantee how many days it might take them to deliver lost baggage ! So we thought it wise to fetch it ourselves.

The place was in a mess, with the retrieved baggage area crammed to the hilt, with no one having sorted anything out for many days.

Trip Report (Continued):
DAY 3 (Sept 2,Sunday): MADRID:
Slept till a little late, and left the hotel at a more leisurely 9 am. Headed straight to the famed Chocolateria San Gines, where we believed Churros were made to perfection. Was given to understand that the place is open till about 3 or 4 am in the morning, shuts down for a while, and was just opening when we reached. Had their Churros and Porras (or is it Porros ?) with chocolate. Could understand why people rave about this place. The chocolate was thick, dark and excellent and so were the churros. Can't say the same about porras, which we found a bit oily. And of course great Spanish cafe con leche.

We then took the metro to La Latina. It was a Sunday, and we wanted to visit the El Rastro flea market. We were a bit early, which was good, as it was not too crowded. Great place to shop for junk jewellery, antique clocks and all kinds of odds and ends. We had expected to do a lot of bargaining at the shops (which is half the fun at flea markets), but most shops were not interested in much price negotiation. Anyway, we bought all kinds of junk, and headed back.

After dropping off our shopping at the hotel, we went to the El Retiro Park. It is a very relaxing place, and the Sunday atmosphere there is great. Local families are visible in large numbers, with babies in tow. We rented a row boat, and enjoyed the boating in the lake. The structure on the side of the lake looks beautiful (what is it anyway ?). After boating, we took a long walk to the Crytal palace inside the park, and then headed out.

We went back one metro stop to Banquo de Espana, where we spent some time searching for a highly recommended veg restaurant called "Al Natural" on C. Zorilla (very near the Thyssen museum). On the way we passed the lovely Communication Building and the Fountain of Neptune, probably the most beautiful part of Paseo del Prado. The lunch at Al Natural was one of the best we had in Spain. Excellent place, with superb staff, and an English menu. Started with a Salad of hearts of palm, with olives and cheese; for main course it was crepes with spinach filling, and stuffed eggplant, accompanied with a beer. The food was top class, and would highly recommend this place.

We relaxed for some time in the park in front of the El Prado, before going in the museum. I must say the museum exceeded all our expectations. Contrary to what many posters on this site had said, we found it quite well laid out, and smaller than what we had in mind. We really enjoyed Goya's "Dressed Beauty" and "Nude Beauty", Velazquez's works, especially "Las Meninas", the collection of Reubens, and the solitary painting by Rembrandt. The El Greco collection was nowhere near as good as in Toledo. We had been rightly advised at this ite to enter El Prado after 4 pm when the crowds are thin, which is what we did. Although it was a Sunday, the crowds were not much.

We then had a nice walk on the Pasdeo del Prado, lined with trees, which was pleasant. Then we headed off to Gran Via, and to a side street called C. Fuencarral, where there were great shops. Although shops are normally closed on Sundays, they remain open on the first Sunday of every month. So we were lucky. Did a lot of window shopping, stopped at a Starbucks for coffee, and then went to the hotel for an hour's rest (our siesta time everyday strangely fell between 7:30 to 8:30 pm !).

Evening time we headed to Plaza Santa Ana, which was very lively. Not as large as Plaza Mayor, but full of life. Lovely cafes/bars all around, and much lower prices. Many many more tapa bars. We started with a tapa bar on the Main plaza, where we tried Pimientos de Padron; great green chillies, gently fried and salted,not very spicy. And good wine. Delicious. Then on to another tapa bar where we had canapes with pears soaked in wine; quite good stuff.

As we walked back to the hotel, DW noticed that people in Spain seem to eat an unusual amount of ice-cream. Almost everyone seems to walking around with an ice-cream, and ice-cream parlours are overflowing with people. I kept noting that females were very pretty, and extremely well groomed, and DW kept reminding me that men were great looking too !

So ended the Madrid leg of our journey, for the next morning we were headed off to Granada.

i/c, You are welcome.

Good start of the report (although with your luggage issues, not so good start for you but you seem the patient sort... that's good). Yes, I also find the Spanish people are extremely friendly and wonderful. I think someone on Fodors once called them "very" warm but I can't confirm that conclusively.

Your trip reminds me of my own (but your culinary preferences are for sure different from mine!) and looking forward to the remainder of your report.

Comfyshoes, fortunately for us, the luggage problem on the first day was the only glitch in the entire trip. Everything else went off superbly after that. So we really can't complain.

Trip Report (Continued):
DAY 4 (Sept 3,MONDAY): MADRID/GRANADA:
Had to check out of our hotel by 7:15 am, and take a taxi to Madrid's Mendis Alvaro bus station. Bought tickets for the 8:30 am bus to Granada. We had a skimpy breakfast at the bus station of croissants, with cafe con leche/hot chocolate. We were impressed with the way the bus station was organized, and its appearance. Far cry from the Greyhounds stations in the US. Boarded the bus, and off we were to Granada.

It was my DW's birthday, and I had originally hoped to treat her to an Alhambra visit on that day. However, our Alhambra tickets were for the next day, and I tried to convince her that her parents must have been confused about the time of her birth, and probably she was born a day later. Didn't work.

The bus ride to Granada was very comfortable, taking just over 5 hours. About the same time it takes by train, with far more timing options. All along the way, we could just see olive plantations, as far as the eye could see. Hordes of olive trees, bursting with thousands of olives waiting to be picked. I guess that area (Jaen province) is the main olive growing region of Spain. A short pit-stop at the half-way point, where we helped ourselves to icecream.

We reached Granada at 1:45 pm, and took a taxi to our hotel. We were staying at Hotel Los Tilos, which is the only hotel inside the Bib Rambla Plaza. The hotel turned out to be a gem. Large spacious room, overlooking the Plaza, very well decorated. Excellent a/c, nice toilet, safe deposit box, free internet etc. I believe they also have a lovely rooftop garden, but we never found time to visit it. Can't ask for more at 70 euros/night.

It was getting late for lunch, and we had heard of a great Indian restaurant near the hotel. Called "Indian Tandoori", it is situated just off Plaza Garcia, and was a short walk from our hotel. The place turned out to be excellent. Nice decor, very warm reception, and excellent food. As Indians, we know good Indian food when we have it, and this one is highly recommended. We feasted on Chola, Dal Tadka, Pulao, and Nan. The staff, comprising of Pakistanis, Bangladeshis and Indians were extremely friendly. We learnt that they have another branch at Plaza Nueva, in the heart of Granada.

We decided to embark on a walking tour of the city. The weather was cooler than Madrid, and the sun not as harsh. We started at Plaza Catalitico (where the Christopher Columbus statue exists), which was very nice. Then walked down to Corral del Carbon; the door said "Closed", but when we pushed it, it was open. Nothing much inside. So we walked across the street to enter Alcaiceria, the old silk market of Granada, and now a bunch of souvenir shops in thin alleys. Reminded us of the Khan-e-Khalili market of Cairo, only much smaller. Shopped for boxes with marquette inlay work, old hookahs, and other memorabilia. Met a young shopkeeper who was upto date on Indian movies, and was belting out the latest hit songs from India ! Asked him to take our picture on our camera; before clicking, he said "Say Patatas". He clarified that saying "Patatas" brings a bigger smile on your face than saying "Cheese". We tried it. He was right.

We had a brief rest at our hotel, and then proceeded to visit the Capilla Real and the Cathedral, which were nearby. No comparison with the Toledo Cathedral, but nice. Lots of architecture students sketching the exterior of these buildings. We then walked over to Plaza Nueva, which was relaxing to roam around in. Bought phone cards and made calls to India and to our kids in the US, to let everyone know we were safe.

Then we boarded a bus to Albaicin. Somewhere at the highest point of the route, we got down, and started walking around. I was struggling with my map, when someone walked up to me and told me that I was wasting my time, as maps don't work in Albaicin ! He directed us to Miradour San Nicholas, which had fabulous views of the Alhambra and Granada city. We walked around some more, and then took the circular bus back to Plaza Nueva.

We visited the same Indian restaurant's branch off Plaza Nueva (on C. Joaqim Costa), where we helped ourselves to Indian snacks: Samosas and Lassi. Then proceeded to walk back to the foothills of the Albaicin hill, where we had noticed very nice shops while riding the bus. As we walked along the bank of the river, and went in and out of lovely curio shops, we could begin to feel ourselves getting seduced by the city. We ended up on a thin long plaza by the riverside, where there were fire dancers, tarot card readers etc. Relaxed there for a long time before heading back towards our hotel.

Same sight of people walking their dogs, only the dogs here were slightly larger than the pocket-sized ones in Madrid. And far more English spoken here. The atmosphere creeps on you slowly, and entices you. If I had to describe Toledo in one word, I would say "spectacular"; if I had to choose a word for Granada, it would be "magical". The city certainly has a romantic feel to it. Too bad we were here for only one night.

Had heard a lot about Tapa bars of Granada. When we went exploring in the night, we found mainly restaurants, and very few tapa bars. The streets around Bib Rambla were certainly lively, and we finally sat down in a tapa bar, where I had "sex on the beach" with a plate full of olives. Then hopped to another tapa place, where I made my first deviation from vegetarianism on this trip, and treated myself to fried shrimps. Pretty good.

We had early morning entrance tickets to the Alhambra for the next day, so we turned in a little early for the night.

Trip Report (Continued):
DAY 5 (Sept 4,TUESDAY): GRANADA/MALAGA:
Woke up early, and checked out of our hotel at 7 am, leaving our bags behind. It was still dark outside, and our hotel directed us to Plaza Trinidad nearby for breakfast. A short walk away, we did find a few cafes open there, and we settled in on one where we had Tostadas with tomatoes, along with coffee. Simple yet wholesome.

We took the bus to Alhambra, and were there shortly after 8 am. We had an entry time-slot for the Nasrid Palace for 8:30-9 am, so couldn't afford to be late. When we saw the long queues for people waiting to buy tickets, we were thankful that we had reserved ours over the net. No waiting for us; just shove your credit card into a machine, and your ticket comes out. Being early, we also managed to get the English audio guide, which we understand runs out quickly. The gates opened at 8:15 am, and in we went.

What can one write about the Alhambra that has not been written a thousand times over ? Suffice to say that we explored every corner, leaving out no place: the Nasrid Palaces, the Alcazaba, the Medina, the Generalife gardens. We had high expectations, and they were fully met. Too bad that the lions are away for restoration; even without them the Patio of Lions is excellent. And there is an excellent AV show about the restoration work going on with the lions, with a few of the restored lions already back. Loved the water staircase in Generalife gardens, where water runs down the side railings as you climb up. Very romantic place, and thoroughly enjoyable.

We were in the Alhambra complex for five and half hours, and we departed at 1:45 pm. Content and fulfilled. Took the bus back to Bib Rambla, where we had a hurried lunch of croissants with vegetables. Then picked up our bags, and off in a taxi to the bus station. There were long lines at the ticket counters, and we made it for the 3 pm bus to Malaga in the nick of time.

Our bus drove into Malaga before 5 pm. We had selected a hotel just opposite the train & bus stations, as we planned to use Malaga as a base for making day trips. Our hotel, Silken Puerta Malaga was just across the street, but with heavy luggage, getting heavier with progressive shopping, we opted for the taxi. The hotel was really nice, and we had the most spacious room in our entire trip. Complete with mini-bar, safe deposit box, free wi-fi internet,huge toilet,very clean and lovely decor. And a free spa on the rooftop, all for 70 euros a night. Mentally thanked tripadvisor.com once again.

We rested awhile at the hotel, and left at 6:30 pm. From now on, the prescriptions of josele from this Fodors site took over ! We walked for about 10 minutes to the river, and crossed over to Alameda Principle, the widest street in Malaga. A short walk down Alameda, we hit the "Casa del Guardia", a 125 year old establishment serving the famed Malaga sweet wine. It had a very nice quaint old look about it, with barrels of wine lined at the back, and one long bar counter to stand and drink. Courtesy josele, I even knew what to order, and confidently asked for a "pintao", which I later learnt was a blend of two different types of sweet wine ! It was dark in colour, and utterly delicious. As you keep having your drinks, the bartender keeps writing your bill amount in front of you with chalk ! I was warned that this wine goes quickly to the head, but fortunately, I didn't feel tizzy.

A very short walk took us to Larrios Street, which is the heart of Malaga. A beautiful pedestrian walkway, with benches everywhere, and shops, bars and restaurants all around. DW absolutely loved it. Attractive and lively. At one end of this street was Plaza Constitution, where we sat by the fountain. Kids everywhere, either feeding the pigeons or chasing them. Mothers trying to leave, pulling their kids away. Kids not wanting to go, and screaming away. As invariably happens, no mother wins a war with a two-year old. The mother relents, the kid has his way, and again goes chasing pigeons !

Kept walking, and reached Plaza de la Merced, another large and lively plaza. It had a stage on one side, where a school band was performing. Sat there for a long time, listening to them. They were pretty good, and had attracted a large crowd. Picasso's birthplace sat on one corner of the plaza.

On another corner was a lovely veg restaurant, called "Canadu", where we went for dinner. Lovely and very popular place, with artwork lining the walls (the artwork was for sale). We started with the ajoblanco soup of which we had heard a lot about. Frankly, it didn't tickle my palate. After that we had Risotto with asparagus and mushrooms, which was excellent. Excellent combo juices, and huge portions of free olives. Can easily recommend this place to anyone.

We then walked to Bodega El Pimpi, which we were told is an institution in Malaga, a must see. I can now say that it is really a must see. Great old world charm. Huge place spread out on two floors, with access from 2 different side streets. Huge barrels of wine stacked on one wall horizontally, each one autographed by a celebrity, including some Heads of States who have visited here. One wall lined with photographs of visiting celebs, in antique frames. And huge posters all around of bullfights going back to 1914 and 1918 ! Everyone inside seemed to be clicking photos. Had a shot of Cointreau, with more olives. Then walked back via Larrios Street to Alameda, and took a taxi back to the hotel.

It had been a long and memorable day, and we were really tired.

hi, i/couple,

i am really loving your report. as we've been to Madrid, Grananda and Malaga, it's nice hearing about places we've been.

now I'm looking forward to leaning about somewhere new.

regards, ann

Very informative and interesting. My daughter and I plan a trip to Spain and Portugal April-May for 2 weeks. We've never been before. Do continue as these are some of the places we will be visiting. You have a writing style that makes one want to read more.

indiancouple,
Am enjoying this report so much--thank you for posting it.

I too loved the train station in Toledo--surprised it doesn't get more attention as it's spectacular. And of course, Alhambra...sorry the lions weren't out, but it's still magical I'm sure.

Glad that you finally got your luggage from Alitalia--DD didn't have as good of luck.

Looking forward to reading more.

Hi, indiancouple, nice to hear your trip was successful. But you never mentioned you were veggies...Well, I am not, but I could have made some recomendations.
Awaiting the next...

Thanks annhig, maryanne, artlover & josele for your appreciation. Glad to know someone is liking the report. Will keep posting more everyday.
josele, must have forgotten to mention that we were veggies. Anyway, we had no problems in Malaga with veg food.

Trip Report Continued...
DAY 6 (Sept 5,WEDNESDAY): MALAGA/NERJA :
We treated ourselves to a night without an alarm clock, and woke up real late. Left the hotel at 10:30 am; guess we needed the rest after 5 hectic days.

Had breakfast at some cafe near the hotel. Again, churros con chocolate. OK, the chocolate was not as dark and great as San Gines, but churros still are great anywhere. And although the quality of churros may vary all over Spain, the quality of coffee and fresh juices never changes.

We telephoned josele, who had been of such great help in planning this leg of the journey. (He is a painter of high repute, who lives in Malaga). It was great to connect a voice with a screen name. We wanted to meet, but he lived a little far away, and was a bit preoccupied. Anyway, we thanked him, and wish to thank him once again for his invaluable guidance. Really josele, you ought to be publishing a guide book on Malaga and its surrounding areas, for the benefit of all !

As we re-traced our steps of the previous day, walking on Alameda Principle, we couldn't help admiring the beautiful flower stalls that had sprung up in the morning, on the central divider. Rarely do you see such large roses, gerberas, and flowers of all hues and sizes. And very nice old ladies selling them, who gladly posed for pictures with my DW.

A repeat visit was warranted to Casa del Guardia; this time I opted for a "Malaga Dorado". The wine was lighter in colour, and tasted even better. Once again the bill written in chalk before you ! And met this wonderful old British couple who had settled down in Malaga, and wanted to visit India.

Went down the alley to reach Atarazanas, the huge vegetable & fruit & fish market of Malaga. It has a very antique facade, which looks very nice; the inside is even better. We kept away from the fish quarters, and concentrated on the fruit & vegetable sections. It is a huge market, with an unending variety of produce on display. DW is a fruit lover, and wanted to buy up everything. Promised her to buy them on our way back. We did buy lots of "spiced olives", which were olives which had been sprinkled over with red chilly powder and celantro leaves; the shopkeeper let us taste some before we made our purchase. But be careful, the shopkeepers are sensitive about you touching their fruits !

We then turned on Larrios street, which DW declared as her favourite street of Spain. Looks very different during the day, but ever so enjoyable to sit on one of the benches and do people watching.

We then visited the Picasso Museum, which is a new addition to Malaga, and its facade and landscaping looks very attractive. We had been told that the better works of Picasso are not there, but for novices like us, it really did not matter. In fact we enjoyed it much more than the big museums we had visited in Madrid, simply because it is much easier to grasp the works of a solo artist rather than a potpourri of several great names. One can see the changes in painting style and subject matter of Picasso over a period of time. Reminded us of the Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam.

We next went to Picasso's birthplace at Plaza de la Merced, which was interesting. Nice cute short visit; houses some interesting memorabilia of Picasso, and great photographs of the maestro. For me, I got a kick out of using the toilets at that place (Can you believe it, I "did" it in Picasso's home !!)

Had lunch at "El Vegetariano de la Alcazabilla" on C. Pozo Rey, which was nearby. Turned out to be another excellent place. We had a superb platter of three kinds of pastas, each one of a most unusual kind, and utterly delicious.

Had promised my DW to do her fruit shopping at Atarazanas, and it was getting close to 3 pm, the closing time for the big market. So we walked hurriedly, and reached there just as the traders had begun downing their shutters. We bought enough to last us for a few days, and everything looked very fresh and good. We then took a local bus from Alameda back to our hotel, where we had a 1 hour siesta. When in Spain, do as the Spaniards do.

We were more or less done with our sightseeing of Malaga town, and wondered why this place is so maligned as a destination on every site, including Fodors. We thought that Malaga was an excellent place to visit : it is a vibrant city, has a lot to offer by way of museums, plazas and walking streets (not to forget El Pimpi !), and we had a great time here. And there is probably no better location to base yourself to cover nearby places like Nerja and Ronda. Well, I guess to each his own.

We took the bus from the station across the road at 4:30 pm, bound for Nerja Caves, and reached in slightly over an hour. The Caves were fabulous, and well worth the visit. Once inside, you feel you have been transported back to the Paleolithic era. The Hall of Cataclysm is simply amazing. Never been to anything like this.

There is not much else to do at the Caves, so we boarded a bus for Nerja town, and on alighting, we headed straight for the "Balcon de Europa". On the way we walked on the main arterial road of Nerja, which was extremely pretty. And kept munching on our spiced olives. Until this Spain visit, having olives was a special treat; you got 3 or 4 pieces in a salad if you were lucky, or 1-2 in a Martini. The idea of continuously popping five-at-a-time in your mouth, ad infinitum, was a real luxury. And olives here are so fat and juicy !

As we reached the Balcon de Europa, we must say it took our breath away. It was certainly the most beautiful single sight that we had experienced in Spain so far. Mountains in the distance, the white village of Nerja in the foreground, and the cliffs and waves of the Mediterranean down below. You simply do not feel like leaving the place. Any visitor to Spain must go here, IMO.

We did take the maps from the Tourist office nearby, and walked to where Burriana Beach was, but did not have the inclination to go down to the beach. It was a far way down, and the thought of climbing back up was scary. And strangely, we noticed that there was not a single bather out on the beach (when we had crossed Malaga beach on the way to Nerja, there were hundreds of people swimming there); we could not figure out why, as it was quite some time away from sunset.

We walked back to Balcon de Europa, stopping for dinner at a restaurant we saw on the way, called "Cibeles", where we had a very average tasting pizza, and a bad glass of wine. The Balcon de Europa is a different sight at night, all lit up, and the promenade is wonderful at that hour. But do reach before sunset to see the panoramic view in natural light. We had a lovely Tiramisu icecream there, and the nice lady selling it had a long conversation with us, and corrected much of our Spanish pronunciation. Did some hat-shopping in the shops around the place, which were surprisingly low priced, despite this being a very touristy place.

Nerja is a quaint little town, enchanting and beautiful, with lovely shops everywhere. But we didn't think we would have wanted to spend a night here. Good for a 3-4 hour visit, and the Balcon de Europa is a must see. I guess it is a place for longer stay for beach lovers.

The last bus back to Malaga was at 9:45 pm, which we duly boarded, and were back at our hotel before 11 pm.

Trip Report Continued...
DAY 7 (Sept 6,THURSDAY): MALAGA/RONDA/ TORREMOLINOS :
Woke up early again. Realized that our fruit shopping of the previous day was not fitting into our mini-bar fridge, so decided to stash away half in our tummies !

Josele had done much research, and located an 8 am direct bus for us to Ronda. We did reach the bus station in time, and someone pointed out to us the Ronda bus, which we quickly boarded. What we did not realize was that there were two buses to Ronda at 8 am, one direct, and one non-direct, and we had accidentally boarded the non-direct one. So instead of taking 90 minutes, the bus would take 45 minutes longer. Well, there was nothing much to do but to enjoy the views of the splendid Spain countryside, as the bus stopped in village after village. Either the driver personally knew every passenger who boarded the bus, or he had a propensity for making quick friends, but he kept up a loud non-stop conversation with the front passengers all through, as though he had played marbles with them since childhood. How much some people can talk, without pausing for a breath !

We had been blessed with good weather all through this trip, and today was particularly special. It was cloudy and heavily overcast, with no sun at all. Not what an Englishman would call good weather, but in our book it was a splendid day. When we alighted at Ronda, it was a bit windy, and we felt a little chill in the air, which was very nice.

As we walked from the bus stop towards the gorge, we stopped at a nice "Croissanteria" for breakfast. Very nice cosy family-run place, where we had our shots of coffee and zumo respectively. A little further on, and we were at the Puenta Nueva by the gorge. Found it extremely beautiful, picturesque and photogenic. Coundn't stop clicking our camera.

A short walk to the left brought us to Casa del Rey Moro, famed for its gardens, and its stairs which lead down to the bottom of the gorge ("La Mina"). The thought of going down 300 feet to the bottom of the gorge was tempting, but the thought of climbing back up was not, so we decided to pass up on the descent. Visited their gardens, which were nothing great. Our advice is, if you do not plan on making the descent, stay away from this place. Not worth it.

We clicked lots of pictures at Plaza Maria Auxiliadora, a "camera" point marked on the map, and rightly so. Walked by the Palacio de Mondragon and the Church of Santa Maria la Mayor, which we admired from outside, but did not venture in. By now we had had enough of museums and Churches, and we knew more exotic ones awaited us at Seville. But walking through the town in very pleasant, and the appearance all around is enchanting.

We made our way to the Banditry Museum. As we approached, we saw two men go by on the streets on horseback, dressed as bandits of a bygone era. The Banditry Museum itself was excellent - nowhere else in the world will you find such a museum ! Pictures of famous bandits, with their birth certificates, death certificates, marriage certificates, all on display. All kinds of interesting letters written by government officials of that time relating to these bandits, news articles etc etc. Very very interesting, and a must see according to us.

We walked to the old Arab Wall, which had lovely miradouras looking out into the countryside. Walked along the wall till we reached the Old Bridge, crossed it, and walked along the gorge back to Puenta Nueva. There were lots of "camera" points marked on the map, and we went to every one of them, each having panoramic views of the countryside.

Went by the famed Ronda bullring, which is very antique in nature. A bullring with old-fashioned tiled roofs. Nearby, we saw several ladies strolling around in flamenco attire (tourists from somewhere). I asked them to pose with me for a picture, and they willingly obliged : two lovely ladies in each of my arms, all in colourful frilly dresses !

We had only one veg restaurant listing for Ronda, and when we located it, we discovered that the two British ladies who owned that place had sold out and gone back to Britain. The new owners had a slightly less charitable view about huntin' and fishin', i.e. it no longer had any vegetarian offerings. So we stopped by at a place called "La Giralda", on a pedestrian walkway just off Plaza Espana, where we saw some veg dishes on the menu. We had a plate of veg salad, followed by grilled mushrooms which were excellent.

We slowly made our way back to the bus station, passing a very pretty convent on the way (not sure about its name). The trip had been nice; Ronda is a lovely quaint town, and well worth a visit, but perhaps only for a day trip. It seemed like too quiet a place to spend a night, unless you are on a honeymoon. We caught the 3 pm bus back to Malaga (this time made sure it was a direct bus), and were back by 4:30 pm. The driver was quiet, and we quickly freshened up at our hotel on reaching there.

If you ask a 100 people about what comes to their mind first when they think of Spain, I am sure 90 will say "bullfighting". Spain is synonymous with bullfights, and I strongly felt that a trip to Spain would be incomplete without watching one. DW had strong reservations about the cruelty issues, but on this one issue I had managed to prevail (and on no other issue really !). We had checked out the bullfight calender before coming to Spain (on www.tauroentrada.com), and the only date when the bullfight calender intersected with our travelling plans was today, and the fight was on at Torremolinos. Although we had no intentions of otherwise going to Torremolinos, it is but a suburb of Malaga, and had decided to trek there for the sake of the bullfight. We had avoided buying tickets on the net, where the surcharge was as much as the ticket price, and were hoping to get tickets at the gate. Fortunately, we had called up to check the timings, and discovered that they were 90 minutes earlier than what was mentioned on the website.

We caught a local bus across the street from our hotel, which got us to Torremolinos in 30 minutes. We learnt that the bullring was a bit far off, so took a taxi to get there. The cheapest "Sol" tickets (i.e. in the sun) were for 30 euros, and the "Sombre" (shade) tickets for twice the amount. The overcast conditions were holding themselves, so we figured that for today Sol & Sombre were all the same ! We went for the Sol tickets, and were delighted by what we saw as we entered. Lovely atmosphere, with everyone in a partying mood, and beer and popcorn and chips on sale everywhere. And a huge band ensemble, which was belting out good music.

The proceedings started with several horse-drawn carriages rolling into the ring, each with colourfully attired guests seated on them. They kept waving to the audience, and we waved back. I have no clue as to who they were, probably some VIP guests of honour. After a few laps around the ring, one horse of one of the carriages decided that he had had enough, and decided to go berserk. As people pounced on him to control him, he gave a strong hind-kick which shattered the carriage. Four lovely young girls were seated on it, and they all screamed. Mayhem prevailed for a minute or two; finally the damsels were rescued unhurt, the horse decided to cool it, and off they went !

This was followed by the ceremonial entry of the matadors, their assistants, decorated horses etc, to take a bow before the audience (I think it is called the "Paseillo" or something). Very colourful and ceremonial. Then the first bullfight began, with the matador perched on a horseback (I think there is a special name for this kind of bullfight; can someone enlighten us ?). This was a treat to watch, as apart from the fearlessness of facing the bull, it involved expert handling of the horse. And how beautifully these Andalucian horses dance sideways, teasing the bull, but just staying away from their horns. We loved the way the matador held up his hand to the audience after every daring move, exhorting them to cheer him. Done with a lot of flair and elan. Finally, when the bull dies, the waving of white kerchiefs by the audience, and the victory lap by the matador all round the ring. Everyone throwing their hat or fan or keychain or anything into the ring, and the matador throwing it back (is this what is known as "throwing your hat into the ring" lol ?!).

This was followed by two bullfights, where the matador was on foot. More traditional, but I found it less interesting. DW had stopped looking after the first slaying. I loved those assistants on foot, with two spears in their hands, would come near the bull, jump and pierce the bull's shoulders with both at the same time (what are they called, please ?). Again the white flag waving, and the victory lap. And three horses come in after every bull dies, the bull is quickly tied to a yoke, and the horses run away, carrying the dead bull in tow. I know all this is grotesque, but the pomp and spectacle and the pageantry was a sight to behold.

We waited till the end of the fourth fight, where the matador was again on horseback, and left after that. I had seen what I had come to see, and was satisfied. Having come to Torremolinos, we decided to give the beach a look. Took a taxi to the Bajondillo Playa, and for the first time in our trip, we encountered someone who was trying to cheat us. The taxi did not seem to have his meter on, and demanded 10 euros for a ride of barely 5 minutes. No big deal, but it hurts when someone tries to con a tourist, no matter how small the amount.

We walked briefly along the beach, and through some souvenir shops. Then took the elevator ride up, and walked to the Centro of town. Spotted another Indian restaurant called "Karishma", and decided to go in. Bad ambience, bad service, bad food. Totally avoidable.

Took the local train back to Malaga instead of the bus, just for a change of experience. The Malaga Renfe station is extremely modern and nice from inside, and we were quite impressed. This was our last night in Malaga, and we had thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. For some reason, we found the people here exhibiting even greater warmth than Madrid or Granada. And a lot of tapa bars everywhere, perhaps more than many parts of Madrid. We felt that this place ought to be an integral part of anyone's itinerary to Spain.

Trip Report continued...
DAY 8 (Sept 7,FRIDAY): MALAGA/SEVILLE :
Today was our departure for Seville, and we had zeroed in on a convenient bus at 11 am. Last night, when DW had reviewed the pictures taken on the camera, she had pointed out that we had forgotten to click photos of Picasso's birthplace, and the Atarazanas market. So I was persuaded to leave a little early from the hotel, to click those photos before we boarded the bus. I think she just needed an excuse to get back on Larrios Street !

We left the hotel at 9:15 am, and took a local bus from down below to Alameda, near Larrios. On Larrios, we sat down on a lovely sidewalk cafe called "Lepanto", which had a large array of pastries and tarts. We had a lovely breakfast of cheese sandwiches, with fresh kiwi zumo and coffee. Very nice place.

We were getting late, and we had to really hurry to get our photos clicked at Picasso's birthplace and Atarazanas, get back to the hotel, check out, and take a taxi to the bus station. We just barely made it on the 11 am bus to Seville. We reached Seville shortly after 1:30 pm, and took a taxi to our hotel. The traffic was very heavy, and it took 45 minutes from the San Sebastian Bus station to our hotel, which was off C. Amar de Dios. We had an interesting lady cab driver, who showed us pictures of her grandson on her cellphone, and improved our Spanish vocabulary by giving us a crash course in the language !

A word about hotels in Seville; we found it the hardest place to get bookings. We had done our bookings 4 months in advance, and even at that time we had found that the most popular hotels listed on tripadvisor were sold out for these dates. We had to keep going down the rating chart, until we found a hotel that was available, which was the Vime Corregidor. It had a very nice exterior facade, and a fabulous entrance lobby, with a nice patio to sit out, but the rooms were quite small. And although it was well located with respect to Santa Catalina and Plaza Alfalfa (where the good eating joints are), it was a bit far from the city's historic centre or Barrio Santo Cruz. Although we stayed there for 4 nights, they did not change the sheets even once, even on request. And everything was on extra charge, the safe deposit box, the internet etc. I don't mind if hotels charge 5-10 euros extra on their tarriff, but to keep having to pay these extras gives a very un-homely feeling. However, to be fair, the staff at the front desk were quite helpful. And 75 euros/night for Seville was not bad, as it is probably the most expensive Spanish city.

We walked to Plaza Alfalfa for lunch, and sat down on some "Manola Bar" which appeared crowded (we always followed the maxim of entering crowded eating places, as we figured they were crowded for a good reason). And we were not disappointed. Had a excellent tapa lunch of Gazpacho soup (served in a tall glass), Espinacas con garbanzos, and Patata Ali Oli. Everything was excellent in taste. In general, we found a much larger variety of tapa offerings in Seville than any other city we had visited so far.

We had been carrying our used clothes all through this trip, as we had planned on doing laundry only once, at the halfway point (to conserve time). Today was the scheduled day. We discovered that finding a laundromat in Seville was not easy, but one helpful hotel staff did a lot of investigation, and found one about 5 minutes walk from our hotel. It was a nice little place, run by a sweet lady, and her ageing father who was extra nice. 10 euros for each load of washing plus drying, and they do everything, including putting your clothes in, adding detergent/softener, etc while you relax in wonderful armchairs. Nice friendly warm people, and the old man even kissed my DW goodbye when we were leaving. Leaves a nice feeling in your heart.

We had our siesta at the hotel (by now we were Spanish converts), and left at 8 pm on a walking tour of the city. Started on C.Sierpes (shopping area) near our hotel, then Plaza El Salvador (where we halted for refreshments), Plaza Nuevo, Plaza San Francisco, Plaza Virgin de los Reyes, Plaza Triunfo. The sight of the Cathedral and the Giralda at night was lovely. It was a Friday night, and there were weddings everywhere. Every entrance to every church was lined with a wedding party, including the main Cathedral. Lovely brides in their flowing white gowns, sweeping the dirt off the streets. And tourists going around in horse carriages everywhere, blending with the married couples who had fancier carriages. Too beautiful a sight.

We continued our walk to the riverside, passing the Torres del Orro, and crossing the bridge to reach C.Betis in Triana. We had read about the nightlife at Triana, and were keen to experience it. We were looking for "Lo Nuestro" which was supposed to be a great flamenco place. When we found it, to our dismay it was closed. Then someone nearby told us that it was not really closed, but it opened only at midnight ! We were getting tired, and spotted a nice Italian restaurant nearby, called "O Mama Mia". It was a huge place, and very crowded. Had an excellent meal of Fagottini stuffed with pears and cheese, with a nice glass of white wine.

We sat by the riverside on C.Betis, which was very pleasant and lively. Finally, after 11:30 pm, the doors of "Lo Nuestro" opened, and we trooped in. We discovered a lovely atmosphere inside, with cosy seating all around, with standing place by the bar counter, and vacant space in the middle for dancing. Discovered that there were no tickets or cover charge; only the drinks were slightly pricier, which was fair. At midnight the professional flamenco singer and the guitarist started off, with nice fast flamenco numbers, atop a small stage. There were no professional flamenco dancers, with the dancing being done spontaneously by the local visitors ! Some of them were extremely good, and a treat to watch. And they would periodically pull us up from our seats and encourage us to join in. Truly a great place. When we entered, we had no idea of what we were in for, and this turned out to be very enjoyable. The drinks were good and the atmosphere relaxed, with more locals than tourists.

We learnt that the flamenco dancing there went on till 5 am ! But after half-past one, we decided to call it a day. Took a taxi from outside, and reached our hotel.

Hello Indiancouple,

Thank you for this great trip report, it just confirms my eagerness to travel to Andalucia !

Would you care to share some of your pictures ?

Looking forward to the rest of your report.

Marie

Marieparis, thanks a ton for the compliment. We would be happy to share our pictures. Let me finish writing this trip report, and then I will find time to upload some pictures also.
Hope you enjoy the rest of the report.

i/c, You really are doing a wonderful job with the daily reports. I also like that you seem to have managed to avoid using a car altogether. One question: Did you get on the stage for flamenco or not?

Trip Report continued...
DAY 9 (Sept 8,SATURDAY): SEVILLE :
Once again a night without use of an alarm clock. Woke up very late, and left the hotel at 11 am. Realized that by some coincidence, all our weekends on this trip were being spent in large cities, which was nice, as they had a lot of "life" to offer on a weekend. The last weekend was in Madrid, this one in Seville, and the next one would be in Lisbon.

Walked to La campana square near our hotel, where we had breakfast in a cafe also called "La Campana". Lovely outdoor seating, but very limited menu. Had tostadas, and tried the cafe solo (without milk). Too strong. Another cafe, this time con leche.

Strolled on C.Tetuan, another shopping street nearby, where DW picked up a lot of earrings and necklaces at great prices. Once again went past Plaza Nuevo and Plaza San Francisco, and on to Avenida de la Constitucion, a lovely wide pedestrian street, with tram lines, and gorgeous buildings on both sides ; this was to become my favourite street in Seville, and we kept coming back here everyday.

Made a short visit to the Archives of the Indies, which is interesting, and one of the rare museums which has free entry. Then we entered the famed Alcazar at around 1 pm. Thankfully, we took the audio guide, which was very helpful. Loved the place, especially the Patio of Dancellos, Hall of Ambassadors, and the Hall of Tapestries. Exquisite work of Mudejar architecture, all in intact condition. Reminded us a lot of the Alhambra. Spent a good 3 hours inside, and enjoyed every minute of it.

It was 4 pm, and getting on to Spanish lunchtime ! We were looking for a particular veg restaurant nearby, but discovered that it had vanished (alas, we veggies are a vanishing tribe). Entered a large restaurant called "La Juderia", on the edge of Barrio SC, near Catalina de Ribera, which seemed to have some veg offerings. Had a very good meal of Salmenojos (thick gazpacho soup), fried aubergines with honey, and made another departure from my vegetarianism in having the shrimps in garlic sauce. Everything was very tasty.

We spent the next few hours trying to get lost in Barrio Santa Cruz, which was not very difficult at all. We put away our maps, as we had realized by then that maps don't work in Seville anyway (we had been forewarned about this by Fodorites, but never believed it !), as the tiny alleys bear little resemblance to what the maps depict. The map shows some street which clearly does not exist, and sometimes you land up at an intersection of 3 by-lanes, whereas the map reveals none. Wandering around those tiny streets is a lot of fun, and there are lovely lovely buildings everywhere. Wonderful places to sit down and relax, and watch people go by. Entered taverns where locals were singing in unison at the top of their voices, and loved the general atmosphere. Finally we stopped at a Plaza with no name (they must have run out of names with so many plazas), took a coke and sat down for two hours, catching up with my travel jottings.

When the intensity of the sun had abated, around 7 pm we walked to the riverside, rented a paddle boat, and went paddling up and down the Guadalquivir river. This was great fun.

After last night's informal flamenco dancing, we decided to witness a professional performance of flamenco. Comfyshoes and a few others had recommended the Casa de la Memoria in Barrio SC (on C.Ximenes). We had earlier bought tickets for the 9pm show, and lined up by 8:30 pm for a good seat. The show was held in a courtyard seating about 100 people, and was very tastefully decorated. The one-hour performance was excellent, with vocal performance, solo dancing, and couple dancing. Very intense and enjoyable. Cannot say if it had the "duende" or not (as locals put it), but we enjoyed it.

Some Fodorites had talked about visiting Plaza de Espana at night, claiming it was beautiful with lights. Decided to walk to that place at 10 pm after the flamenco show. We figured that since it was a Saturday night, it would be alive like Plaza Mayor in Madrid. What a mistake ! It was a longish walk, and when we reached there, we were shocked to see only 5 or 6 people in a huge huge plaza, with the fountains having been shut off. It was certainly pretty with the lighting, but did not feel right to be in such a deserted place. We quickly clicked our camera and left.

It was a fairly long walk back to our hotel (public transport unfortunately does not exist in Seville, as it would never be able to negotiate the thin alleys). We were looking for a particular veg restaurant in Santa Catalina to have dinner, and when we found it, it too had closed down. Second disappointment in a day.

Had a tapa dinner at a place called "El Bacalao" near our hotel, about which we had read some favourable reviews. Had a plate of Red Pimientos in vinegar, and Espinacas con garbanzos, with wine. The food was decent, but we were tired. We had probably overstretched our walking today. Reached our hotel at midnight and crashed out.

Comfyshoes, thanks for the appreciation. Your own trip report was great and exhaustive.
Yes, we had taken a decision not to rent a car at all in Spain, based on the advice of many Fodorites. And we are glad we took that decision. The network of buses and trains in Spain is fantastic, and we had no difficulty at all. Saved the hassles of trying to find parking space.
No, wild horses could not get me to dance the flamenco ! But my DW was more sporting, and she did do a few jigs with the locals.

hi, i/couple,

thanks so much for such a great report. i really felt I was there with you.

i do agree about Malaga - we only stayed one night and half a day, but enjoyed what we saw and would go bakc for more. what we liked was that it's a proper place, not just for tourists.

the only thing we didn't like was trying to get out of there - we'd rented a car from the airport but we couldn't escape from it. so your decision not to rent a car was an excellent one.

regards, ann

I know DW must have been impressive in her improptu dancing... as you must aloready know flamenco itself has deep roots in Indian dance.

Am enjoying your report very much!

ana maria

Hmmm... photos of that impromptu dancing are a must

Yes!

annhig, atleast we have someone who feels that Malaga was worth visiting. We were feeling that we were the only ones.

amsdon, while viewing the flamenco, we commented that it has remarkable similarities to an Indian dance form called "kathak". The footwork is almost identical. The one difference is that in flamenco, the sounds emanate from the clicking of the heels, whereas in Indian kathak, the sounds emanate from hundreds of little bells tied to the dancer's feet. But we never knew that flamenco in fact has its roots in Indian dance. Thanks for enlightening us on that one.

Comfyshoes, I still have to go through my 500 odd photographs and sort them out. I know I have some pics of the dancing at Lo Nuestro, but I'm not sure if I clicked during the short duration that my DW was on the floor. I will upload whatever best I have.

I really regret we could not meet, I was not expecting you, had some work to finish, and was travelling the following morning. Really sorry.
It happens you went to Ronda during their local Fair, thus the people in traditional attire. That saturday was the famous Corrida Goyesca, a bullfight with the fighters dressed as in Goya’s times, very beautiful, but completely crowded.
The Casa del Rey Moro is very beautiful, but it is neglected, and gardens have been sacked. I knew it well, as I knew the owner, who let me in (it was already closed) and go freely. I did not go down to the Mina, too many steps.
The bullfighter on horseback is a Rejoneador, el Rejoneo (“spearing bulls on horseback”) is the really primitive art of bullfighting. The ones on foot with the “two spears” are the banderilleros, and the spears, Banderillas (wich is also the name of a tapa of pickled stuff in vinegar on a toothpick). And it is not grotesque, you wouldn’t expect a lorry and a crane to take away the bull, don’t ya?
Pity the taxi, and the Torremolinos center restaurant, this is the worst place to take a chance, spoilt since 1965).
And yes, I agree with you on Malaga being maligned, I don’t know why, and you now neither. Thanks for your kind coments. Let the Forum read this.
On behalf of readers, the thick gazpacho is Salmorejo.

Yes Indian Couple:

Flamenco is a product in large part of the non- Spanish cultures, but most especially that of India.

Ironically, the song (cante) is the single imperative element, but also the least appreciated and most misunderstood, outside of flamenco circles.

Ther are also many flamenco recordings today and performnces which combine Indian with flamenco music, if you are interested in purchasing CDs there are plenty.

Looking forward to more report from you and those pics!

I agree with you that Malaga is given a bad rap and really has much to offer. BTW, the paintings you saw at Museo Picasso were not minor works, infact they were works that he didn't want to part with, i.e. his PRIVATE COLLECTION, and thus, they are IMO incredibly spectacular. Anyone who is a big Picasso fan (which I am) should visit this museum.

Am looking forward to reading about your impression of Lisbon after being awed by Spain...

josele, I knew we could count on you to give the names of all the terms in the bullfight that we didn't know. Thanks a lot. Now our knowledge of bullfight terminology is better. By the way, who were those people who were being driven around in horse carriages at the start ?

Thanks for correcting the spelling of "Salmorejo". I am sure I have blundered many a place in Spanish spellings. Please keep correcting them, as we would seriously like to remember the correct names of everything.

You mentioned that the bullfight that Saturday was to be the one in which fighters dress up as in "Goya" period. Was this the bullfight for which tickets were going at 1000 euros each ?

amsdon, so interesting to know more about the Indian connection of flamenco. I wish we knew earlier; would have certainly purchased CD's which blend both.

artlover, no wonder we loved the Picasso Museum. We loved not only the paintings, but to see the preparatory sketches that a great master does, before making a painting. And we thought the external look and landscaping of the museum was also awesome.
As for Lisbon, I hope to complete the remaining Spain portions today, and on to Lisbon tomorrow.

The people on carriages do not belong to the bulfight; maybe there was a Fair in Torremolinos and decided to begin the spectacle with the parade; The mixed rejoneo-bullfighters indicates so.
The Goyesca is the one with expensive re-sale tickets (they do not sell for that amount at the booking office, but 50 to 70 eur. But you cannot find them).

The plaintive singing, while not as mournful as Fado is a combination of gypsy music and the intonations of Jewish music. It is very similar to that of a Cantor, who leads the congregation in prayes and melodies.

Aduchamp, thanks for the info; we are learning so much about flamenco from the responses to this trip report. It is quite interesting to know more.

Trip Report continued...
DAY 10 (Sept 9,SUNDAY): SEVILLE :
Once again we woke up late, and left our hotel at 11 am. What the heck, it was a Sunday anyway. Our first plan for the day was to head for Plaza Museo (right next to the Museo de Bellas Artes), where we had heard that every Sunday morning, upcoming artistes put up their paintings for display and sale. It was fairly close to our hotel, and we hoped we would find a suitable cafe for breakfast on the way. Well, there were no cafes to be found, but we soon reached the plaza. It was a lovely sight. Sort of like an art flea market, or maybe an outdoor art museum. There must have been about 30-40 artists, each with their paintings sprawled in one section of the plaza. The artist sat next to his/her paintings, forever willing to answer queries and discuss prices. A lot of what was on display looked very good, and we had a good time strolling through the plaza. We finally settled on an artist whose striking colour combinations caught our fancy, selected a canvas that would fit into our suitcase, a little price negotiation, and the deal went through ! We posed with the bearded artist for pictures. May he become rich and famous like Picasso someday, so that our small investment may turn into a few millions !

We walked back to La Campana area, where we had a 12:30 pm breakfast at the chain eatery of Pans & Co.;wonderful warm baguettes with melted cheese. Now we were fully on to Spanish timetable.

Dropped off the painting at our hotel, and went in search of a beer parlour that we had heard a lot about. Called "El Tremendo", it is just off one end of C.Imagen. It was easy to find, as the crowds milling around it could be spotted from a fair distance. It is a very tiny beer bar, with tables set all around on the sidewalks (no chairs, only standing room), that threaten to spill over on to the streets. Huge crowds. A glass of beer for 1 euro. What is special ? Well any beer lover will testify that there is a world of a difference between a regular cold beer, and one which is genuinely chilled to the right temperature. And "El Tremendo" seems to know what that precise temperature is, and chills its beer extremely well. I challenge you to find a better chilled beer anywhere else. No wonder it is so popular, with atleast a 100 people standing around. The glasses are not very large, and the wonderful beer goes down your throat ever so smoothly in two gulps, and you keep running inside for refills.

Noticed a street dog roaming around, and learnt that he is a permanent fixture here, and is called "Hurro" or something. He seemed to know the regulars well, and vice versa. Everyone was throwing crumbs at him, which he devoured gladly. As he walked past me, I tried to tempt him with some beer, and poured him some on the sidewalk. He ignored it and walked on. The locals smiled, and an old lady sitting on the sidewalk shook her head at me and said : "Hurro, no drink cerveza"! What a wonderful place, and we decided to keep coming back here everyday.

For lunch we went to a highly rated veg restaurant on travel sites, called "La Habanita", on C.Golfo just off Plaza Alfalfa. Turned out to be a top class place, with very friendly staff. Had cous-cous with onions and raisins, spinach balls, and courgette au gratin. They offer tapa portions for any item, so that you can try various items. Excellent food, and we highly recommend it. But do call up first and check its opening hours, for it is open some days for lunch only, and some days for dinner only.

We had planned on spending the afternoon visiting the Cathedral and Giralda (they open at 2:30 pm on Sundays), but on reaching there we discovered that some special event was taking place inside the Cathedral, and it would be closed for the public. We had made no backup plan for the afternoon, and decided to use the time to visit the Italica ruins at Santiponce. We walked to the riverside, and deliberately caught the circular bus C4 going in the wrong direction, so that we could take a complete round tour of Seville before alighting at the bus station Plaza de Armas. After waiting for some time, when the bus arrived and we got on, the driver told us that Italica closes down at 3 pm on Sundays. So we got off, and again took the C4 bus, this time alighting near Parque Maria Luisa.

As we were entering the park, our eyes feasted on some lovely buildings outside, including the Teatro Lope de Vega, and the Portuguese Consulate. We were looking forward to this park visit, as Sundays are when local families turn out in large numbers with babies and dogs (from our experience at El Retiro last Sunday). This was very much true here also, and in this park you could rent these wonderful double-pedalled bicycles, with a sun-shade on top, and go riding around the park. All tourists appeared to be doing that, and we did likewise, stopping occasionally to sip a granizada, or to have our pics clicked by a pedestrian. Inside the park you pass some even more beautiful buildings, including the Museo of Arts & Costumes, and the Archeological Museum.

After the park, we hopped across the street to Plaza de Espana, where we had visited the previous night. It was 6 pm, and the right time to come here. Full of people. We walked around the semi-circular facade, admiring the gaudy tilework of every province of Spain, and then sat down by the central fountain, feet in water, for a long long time. The plaza is very pretty and truly a sight to behold. We left at 8 pm, when the vendors began shutting their stalls. DW did manage to buy those folding fans which she found very enchanting.

From there we strolled back to the historic centre via Puerto de Jerez, and stopped in a coffee shop called "Cafe de Indias"; they seem to have many branches in Seville. Had wonderful Viennese coffee, and then on to Avenida de la Constitucion.

We slowly walked to the Santa Catalina area, where we stopped for a repeat beer at El Tremendo. Then proceeded to Plaza Terceros nearby, and had some veg tapas at a place called "La Huerta". Nice outdoor seating, and great atmosphere, witha lot of eateries around. There were two old drunkards seated on a bench nearby, who tried talking to us; they appeared harmless, and we ignored them. Had delicious veg tapas : leek quiche, and jacket potatoes with 3 kinds of hot sauce. Excellent food.

Nearby, on C.Alhondiga (across the street from El Tremendo) was another tapa bar supposed to be offering veg tapas, called "Ajo Blanco". We popped in there, and really liked the place. Tastefully decorated with jazz posters, and jazz music playing in the background. Delightful old man at the counter. We had some more tapas of cous cous salad with beets, carrots, onions & black olives; and tortillas with black beans & cheese, with a super spicy hot sauce ! When I asked for a dark beer, he produced 3 varieties, and entertained my DW with free samples of various exotic wines. It was one of the best places we had eaten in Spain, and we promised him we would come back here again.

It was 11 pm, and time for flamenco, on which we were hooked. I had read somewhere about a place called "La Carboneria" on C.Levies, which offered free flamenco shows. We presumed that since it was free, it would be more of impromptu dancing like at Lo Nuestro, but decided to try it out. When we reached there, we were extremely surprised at what we saw. A huge huge place, sort of a bodega, with a very charged atmosphere inside. Unusual seating arrangement, with thin long long tables, set parallel to one another. Take your drink and sit wherever you find space; there will surely be someone seated opposite you, and it forces you to interact with strangers. Very informal place, and there must have been over 200 people inside. We went for tequila shots, chased down with salt and lemon, in keeping with the atmosphere of that place. Surprise, surprise...drinks were only 2 euros each. On one side was a stage, and it was so arranged that it was clearly visible no matter where you were seated. And there was no impromptu dancing here, but an actual professional flamenco performance ! Great singers and great dancer. The performances started at about 11:30 pm, and they were of high quality. We had an Argentinian father-daughter duo seated across us, who had become quite friendly. After an excellent soulful number that I liked, I asked the young Argentinian lady to translate the lyrics for us. She explained that the man was singing that he did not want to marry, and wanted to remain a bachelor always. No wonder it struck a chord in the hearts of every male member in the audience !And the dancer was excellent too, drawing repeated applause from the audience. Had we known about this place earlier, we would have come here every single night. Useless going to a "tablao", when you have much better stuff on display for free. And you have to experience the atmosphere here to believe it.

As always, we got lost in the maze of alleys while going back to the hotel. This is what we loved most about Seville. Here you are at 1 am at night, trying to go home, and consulting a map which bears no resemblance to the streets; you look around, and you spot various other tourists, equally lost, all consulting their maps and shaking their heads. And sometimes when you are walking down a deserted thin alley, wondering if it is safe at this hour, along passes by a Spanish lady with a pram, with the child gurgling and waving at you, and a little dog in tow. Puts you completely at ease !

One last word about these pet dogs in Seville, or anywhere in Spain. Boy, they have some nightlife ! They are visiting fancy plazas with fountains till 1 am at night. I bet most of these dogs by now have their favourite plazas, and their circle of "friends" at each plaza. How long before they start opening tapa bars for them ?

Our Indian mythology has it that we are re-born after death, into another form. If we do good deeds in our life, we will be re-born as humans again, probably in more pleasant environs. If the bad deeds outweigh the good, we could be re-born in a lower form, such as an animal ! Well, if I do a rough calculation of my good and bad deeds so far, I am not very optimistic about where I would stand. Of course, I still have 20-30 years to redeem myself ! But when the moment of reckoning comes, and God adds up my debits and credits, should He decided that I deserve an animal existence in my next birth, I will put in a request to be born as a dog in Spain. Can't be very bad !

As always, there was light at the end of the tunnel, and we finally found our way back by 1 am.

Having seen both kathak and flamenco several times in the last year or so, they are very similar yet different. In Kathak, the dancer is always bare foot but with bells, and always follows a mythological story. Flamenco dancer's movement and gestures relate to and emphasize the accompanying melody but not a specific mythological story line. Correct me if I am wrong here. So far as the music, very similar structurs so far as beats per rhythm etc. But indian classical music usually begins and ends with the same beats thus getting the listener to a point to catch up with a specific rhythm (here is one plus.... you can get clued in very quickly if or not you are about to like the performance!). Flamenco on the other hand typically has more improvisations and surprise elements for a listener. Basically, they remind me of two siblings. One who is slightly serious, say with a PhD (although it is a common error to connect the two). The other is younger and naughty, and dazzles you from across the room. Depending on the mood you are in, place for both in life. I have listened some "indialucia" genre and I don't think I like it much which I find is similar to drinking beer and wine at the same time.

i/c, I noted the use of my before DW in your posts. Very cute. And I am glad you want to be a dog in Spain and not something else etc because you could end up on a plate as Jamon Serrano Just kidding about that. I do hope you ended up going up the Jiralda because the views are rather nice.

I am really enjoying your report. If I ever get to back to Spain, I would love to go to the flamenco places you visited, it sounds wonderful.

Looking forward to Portugal.

Really enjoying your experiences.

IC: Interesting that you noticed the dogs I made a short photo journal just for myself called Perros Espanoles because I was so taken with the dogs in Spain and they way their owners related to them. (I am a dog lover obviously)

For those more interested in Flamenco,
I will post a link soon from the tourism office of Andalucia called Rutas Flamencas or similar that enables visitors to attend some classes to learn more while on vacation in Andalucia.

You seem to really have a enjoyed Sevilla in particular.

Thanks for taking the time to post your very interesting and detailed report. It is much appreciated.

I, too, am very much looking forward to your Portugal portion.

You are welcome. It is interesting to see the inisghts of someone other than an American or Europeam. Thank you for considered and educated perspective.

t

I am also enjoying your report. Thank you for the detailed information. I'll be in Spain in December and I haven't been able to research my plans as I usually do. Your report is definitely appreciated.

Comfyshoes, I agree with you that there are many differences between Flamenco and Kathak; the few similarities surprised us, since we were not expecting it. Yes, the kathak dancer is always barefooted, with a lot of bells tied to the ankles. The shorter "mudras" (numbers) may follow a mythological storyline, and somtimes may depict scenes from everyday life too. However, the longer "pieces" have no storyline, and end up as a competition between the dancer and the drummer; the dancer tries to keep varying his/her footwork, and challenges the drummer to keep pace, and vice versa.
Flamenco dancing seemed to follow a particular song's moods, and so was very different, as was the clicking of the heels. It is just the foot movements that we found similar.
I agree with you, being a dog beats having to land up on someone's plate as jamon, or a dead bull in a bullfight being whisked away by three horses !

Nikki, Dukey, Aduchamp, elba, thanks everyone for your kind comments. It spurs me to keep going.
Today is a holiday for me, so I hope to finish the trip report, including Portugal.
And Comfyshoes, we did make it to the top of Giralda. Coming up in subsequent days of the report.

amsdon, why don't you share your photo journal "Perros Espanoles" with everyone ? Please do send me a link to it. Also look forward to your Flamenco link that you have promised.
You are right about having enjoyed Seville in a special way. I was going to mention that in my concluding remarks about the city, but it seems to have become apparent in my descriptions.

Trip Report Continued...
DAY 11 (Sept 10,MONDAY): SEVILLE/CORDOBA:
Today we had planned on a day trip to Cordoba, and we checked out the train timings on the net at the hotel. There were a large number of options, but to our surprise, the cost varied drastically depending on the train..from 7 euros going up to 30 or even 40 euros. And the difference in travel duration between the fastest and slowest was a meagre 20 minutes. We decided to travel on the Andalucian Express, departing Seville at 1:25 pm (80 minute journey), and return by the same, departing Cordoba at 8:15 pm, 7 euros each way. We were only interested in seeing the Mezquita; we knew that other monuments would be closed on a Monday.

Left our hotel at 9 am for a change, and had breakfast at some nearby cafe, of tomato tostadas and coffee. We then walked to the Casa de la Pilatos, of which we had heard great reports by some Fodorites. Frankly, we were disappointed. After great monuments like the Alhambra, the Alcazar of Seville, this was a let down. Some interesting Roman sculptures, but IMO quite avoidable.

Near Casa de la Pilatos, is a street called C.Santiago, where we had read there are great patios to be visited at Corral de Conde. It is a private residential complex, but the security staff let us in. Found nothing very interesting. Perhaps it was the wrong time of the year, and the flowers were not in bloom.

Went to C.Sierpes, where DW burnt a hole in my pocket, buying leather purses and belts (prices were quite good actually !). We then walked to Plaza Encarnacion, where we caught Bus # 32 to the Santa Justa train station. Lovely shops at the station. Had some nice Danish pastries there, and jumped aboard our Cordoba train.

We reached Cordoba at 2:45 pm, and took the Bus # 3 to near the Mezquita. Had lunch at some "Taberna Jaular" off one end of C.San Fernando. Cheese baguettes, Patata bravas and Patata Ali Oli. Totally forgettable.

We finally entered the Mezquita at 4 pm, and spent a good 2 hours inside, helped by an audio guide.It was totally different from anything we had seen so far in Spain, and the row after row of arches were mesmerizing. Sometimes a mosque, sometimes a church. Too bad that a lot of restoration work was ongoing, and many parts inside were closed for public viewing. The Mezquita is well worth a visit for its uniqueness; it resembles no other monument you may have seen, and is beautiful.

Went out and walked around the Jewish quarters, and then toured the many souvenir shops around the Mezquita, especially on C.de las Flores. Nice shops to look in, but a bit touristy and overpriced. Walked to the San Rafael statue, which was impressive, and then to the Puerta Puenta. The Puento Romano was closed for repairs, so we could only view it from the side. The Alcazar and the Synagogue were also closed, being a Monday. We had come only for the Mezquita, and we didn't mind.

We had time to kill, so we boarded the circular Bus # 3 in the wrong direction, so that we could go all around Cordoba, before alighting at the train station. We were back at Seville shortly after 9:30 pm. Again we retraced our steps back to Plaza Encarnacion vide the bus, and walked towards out hotel.

We had read about a great veg tapa bar near our hotel called "La Ilustre Victima" on C.Doctor Lemandi. Went there and found it to be a large place, with nice outdoor and indoor seating. Seemed to be very popular, attracting large crowds, mainly of locals. They had a very large variety of veg tapas. But the place was grossly understaffed, and the few staff members just could not cope with the rush. Had Mexican Quesadillas, Jacket potatoes with hot sauce, and Vegetables with Roquefort cheese. The food was good, but had to cancel the rest of our orders when it did not arrive in 60 minutes. The variety here is excellent, but go there only if you have a lot of patience. We went back to our hotel at 11:30 pm and slept, our last night in Spain.

Trip Report continued...
DAY 12 (Sept 11,TUESDAY): SEVILLE/LISBON:
We checked out of our hotel at 9 am, leaving our bags behind. Breakfasted at another cafe off La Campana, called "La Maria". Turned out to be a gem. They had a very wide variety of baguette breads, and a delectable range of spreads. When we enquired about the constituents of some of those breads, the shopkeeper graciously went inside and brought out a basket containing one of every kind, so that we could inspect them ! Had a range of breads with chocolate spreads, Philadelphia cheese spreads etc, coupled with both cafe solo and cafe con leche. Very friendly staff.

We reached the nearby El Cortes Ingles just as it opened, and completed our shopping of Spanish items, like saffron, olives, olive oil, green apple liquer etc. Then rushed across to the Cathedral, which was still pending on our list. Had a lovely tour of the place, including the climb up Giralda Tower. The Cathedral was huge, and comparable in scale and splendour to the one in Toledo. The climb to the Giralda belfry was less intimidating than it appeared, thanks to the ramps sloped at comfortable angles. Absolutely stunning views of Seville from the top.

From there we walked briskly to "Ajo Blanco", the eatery which we had liked so much, and had promised ourselves an encore. And on the way, how could we miss a stop at El Tremendo for a spot of beer. The friendly dog "Hurro" was still there, and did I notice a glint of recognition in his eye when he spotted me ? Lunch at "Ajo Blanco" was superb as usual: Nachos with guacamole dip, Tacos with black beans and super-duper spicy sauce, fried Patata Bravas with a special hot sauce, with Mantilla wine straight from an oak barrel. Even better than the meal two nights ago at the same place. In fact our best meal in Spain, and unfortunately our last.

Took a taxi from our hotel to Plaza de Armas bus station, to catch the 3 pm bus for Lisbon. Sadly, it is the only mode of travel available from Seville to Lisbon. Vueling has announced a flight on this route, but it starts from December 2007. So we bid a nostalgic goodbye to Spain, where we had spent 11-12 wonderful days of our life. And we were specially sad to leave Seville, which had turned out to be our favourite Spanish city. We could understand why every Fodorite had raved and ranted about Seville; we were glad we had heeded their advice and kept our sight-seeing schedules light in that city. Indeed, Seville is not a city to be rushed through. It has to be romanced gently, and savoured slowly, like an exotic bottle of wine. It gradually intoxicates you, like no other city. You need not be seeing "sights" to enjoy the city; you can rest quietly anywhere, and just let your eyes roam. Everything you see is a "sight" in its true sense. And we felt it offered the widest range of food, and the most exciting nightlife.

The bus journey to Lisbon was comfortable, taking six and half hours, with short stops at Faro and one other place. We entered Lisbon driving on the famed Vasco de Gama bridge, one of the longest in the world. First stop was the Oriente station, which was a stunner to look at. We reached our final destination at Sete Rios at 8:30 pm local time, and took a taxi to our hotel in Baixa.

We soon ventured out for dinner, and a thundershower broke out (unseasonal for Lisbon, we were told). We had experienced excellent weather all through this trip, and our run of good luck had to end somewhere. As we started getting wet, magically a woman appeared on the streets, selling umbrellas ! We bought one for cover, and scurried inside the nearest restaurant that we could see. It was an Italian place called "Locanda Italiana"; classy place, huge and very crowded. Had Tortellini with spinach filling (excellent), and Gnochi with 4-cheese sauce (average). Went back to the hotel to call it a day. We had planned on doing some walking around in Baixa that evening, but the continuing rain put those plans to rest.

A word about our hotel, the Residencial Florescente, located on Rua Portas San Antao, just off Restauradores Square. This was the one hotel which we were nervous about, as the rates were incredibly low (55 euros a night, including tax and breakfast). The reviews were great, but we were worried that we would find it as some hole in the wall. We were pleasantly surprised. It is located in the heart of Baixa, on a street which has about 30-40 restaurants. It has a very nice lobby, especially on the rear side. We got an excellent room on the topmost floor, which was good sized, well decorated, good a/c, very comfortable toilet (with a cute ceiling window). Very clean, sheets changed everyday. Why is it priced so low ? Don't know.

Trip Report continued...
DAY 13 (Sept 12,WEDNESDAY): LISBON :
Today was devoted exclusively to Lisbon city. Fortunately, it was clear and sunny, after last night's rain. We had breakfast at the hotel, comprising of breads, cheese, jams, juices and coffee, and left at 10 am. Walked to the nearby Dom Pedro Square (which had lovely wavy floor mosaic designs), and the nearby Figueira Square. Both were bursting with life and activity. We bought the 7-colinas cards for 1 day only (3.85 euros each), which gives unlimited access to all public transport within Lisbon for a calender day, on trams, metro, bus, elevators and furniculars, but cannot be shared by two people. Good value if you plan to spend the day in Lisbon, which we did. And don't throw away the card when the day is over, as subsequent renewals will cost you even less if you have the used card !

We took the Bus # 37 from Figueira Square to St. George's Castle, and went around the castle compound. Superb views from everywhere, especially if you climb the Towers (Ulysees Tower being the tallest). Enjoyed the castle tour, including the nice AV shows on Lisbon. Had refreshments at the castle cafe, and left after 2 hours.

We walked to the Miradoura das Portas do Sol, also located in Alfama, opposite the Decorative Arts Museum, for more stunning views of Lisbon. From there we took the highly acclaimed Tram 28 to Graca, where we alighted near the Graca Church. The Church was closed during the afternoon, but the Miradoura there was also great, with a totally different view of Lisbon.

We again boarded Tram 28 on its return leg, and rode it all across Alfama, finally alighting when we had reached level ground at Baixa. The tram ride on those slopes is great fun, and you can almost touch the buildings as you go by. Daring youngsters were hanging outside the tram, perhaps enjoying more ! Tram 28 is an experience not to be missed, as every travel site to Lisbon will tell you.

Had lunch at a place called "Tao" on Rua dos Douradores in Baixa. They have veg buffets; cheap, but of average quality. Then we walked to Rua Santa Justa nearby, and boarded the Santa Justa elevator to the top. Never seen a mode of public transport like this one ! And on reaching the top, there are still more steep steps to climb, on a winding staircase, to reach the summit. The views from the top are truly great, and there is a nice cafe there. For some reason, the ride down appeared faster than the ride up (gravity??). No visitor to Lisbon should leave without experiencing this elevator ride.

We walked along Rua Augusta, one of the main shopping areas, doing street side shopping for ear-rings, until we reached Praca Commercio, by far the biggest plaza of Lisbon. Lovely place to walk around. The weather in Portugal appeared to be cooler, the sun not as piercing as in Spain, which made these strolls easier. From one end of the Plaza, we boarded a ferry to across the river (Bareeiro), and then back. Good fun, especially when the ferry starts bobbing on the waves. Nice views of the 24th April bridge enroute.

Back at Praca Commercio, we walked uphill through Chiado, the chic shopping district, until we reached Camoes Square, on the edge of Barrio Alto. Nearby was the starting point of the Bica Furnicular (we were determined to experiment with every known mode of transport that day). This was supposed to be the steepest and most picturesque furnicular ride in Lisbon. We rode the furnicular all the way down, and then all the way back up. Easily the most enjoyable ride of the day, and it simply has to be experienced.

It was getting close to 8 pm, and time to start bar-hopping in Barrio Alto, which was nearby. Tried 3 different bars, and each one was better than the previous one. It had been a good weather day so far, but now intermittent rain had started. Whenever it cleared a little, we hopped over to a different bar. The first bar had funky punk-rock decor, with a nice bartender who introduced us to an interesting snack which is consumed in Portugal with beer. I forget its name, but it is something that grows wild everywhere; pale white in colour, resembles a jelly bean. You bite off an edge, and gently squeeze the bean; the inside slides out smoothly from the skin, which you then devour (could anyone tell us its name ?). And BTW, preta beers (dark beers) in Portugal are great.

The second bar had an interesting bartender called Bruno, who made excellent Margheritas in various flavours. He insisted that Lisbon's 24th April bridge was the "original", and San Francisco's Golden Gate was an imitation. The last bar was a Cuban place, which served great Tequilas in Iced tea.

For dinner we went to "Terra" on Rua de Palmeira, on the edge of Barrio Alto, which had great reviews on travel sites. Very nice ambience, extremely popular place, and a good vegetarian buffet meal. Maybe a tad on the bland side, but then our Indian palates' thirst for spiciness may not be universal !

Came back to Barrio Alto, as we wanted to listen to Fado music, and found a good place (again, forget its name). Great music, great singers (4 of them, who sang in turns). Nice drinks. Strong soulful songs, belted out with vigour and passion. I guess you have to experience it alteast once in Portugal.

Walked back to our hotel around midnight. It had been a long and enjoyable day. Not much language problem in Lisbon, as most people seem to know some English, and the younger crowd speaks it very well. We had not tried to learn any Portuguese before this trip, as it would have been too confusing to learn two languages at the same time, and we were thankful that we faced no problems as a consequence. However, despite the similarities, Portugal did feel very different from Spain, and not surprisingly, as it was a totally different country. It was very pretty, if the first day was a pointer of things to come, but not so much a "fun" place as Spain, as streets tend to get deserted after 11 pm. No prams, no dogs, and ladies were less concerned about "dressing up" compared to Spain. However, we realized that any country needs some time to weave its own magic, and we were enjoying the unique difference which Portugal had on offer.

Trip Report continued...
DAY 14 (Sept 13,THURSDAY)ISBON/CASCAIS:
Left our hotel at 10 am after the usual breakfast, and Boarded Tram 15 from Figueira Square for Belem. Today there was no need to purchase the 7-colinas card, as we did not plan on travelling much in Lisbon.

Belem is a haven for museums and monuments. There are so many that you have to pick and choose in advance. On alighting from the tram, the nearest was the Coach Museum, which we had pre-selected. This was most unusual and enjoyable. It was a treat to watch the collection of royal coaches over the ages, leading up to the latest one which was used by Queen Elizabeth II in 1957 on her Portugal visit. We most enjoyed seeing the small coaches built for Royal children, for use in their gardens, which were pulled by sheep !

From there we hopped to the Jerominos Monastery, which was impressive. Particularly interesting was the beautiful cloister. And we loved seeing the tomb of Vasco de Gama, because of his Indian connection. The exterior facade of the monastery is as impressive as what's inside.

Every traveller to Lisbon and every travel site had insisted that the "Pasteis de Belem" or the custard tarts at the famed Antiga Confeitaria de Belem had to be tasted, which is what we did, and were not disappointed. Excellent stuff which melts in your mouth, and very cheap despite their fame and publicity. We followed this with a stroll around Belem Cultural Centre, which was large and impressive. Nice expensive shops selling exotic stuff.

Next stop was the Maritime Museum, which we also enjoyed thoroughly. An unending collection of old ship models, antiquated maps and instruments, old atlases - glad we came here. We then strolled over to the Monument for Discoveries. Took a ride to the top for the best views in Belem, and the best place to click your camera. We skipped their AV show, but went through their interesting Exhibits.

We lunched nearby at "Portugalia", a circular restaurant on the waterfornt with very nice views. Had omelettes, cheese sandwiches and boiled vegetables (which were surprisingly good), with preta beer. Decent meal, but while presenting the cheque, the waiter announced that the tip was not included in the bill. How subtle !

Walked to the Tower of Belem, which was a stiff walk in the afternoon sun. Admired it from outside, but did not have the heart to go in, as we had had our fill of museums for the day. In Lisbon, they have a museum for everything, including Air, Water, Electricity, and what not. How many can one visit ?

Hi Indian couple, I've been reading your report with lots of interest. It is one of the most complete I've seen recently.
The yellow seeds are tremoços (from the same word in arabic language) also called lupin/lupine in English. I am a passionate eater of tremoços.
You did the right move not going into Belem Tower, since it is beautiful from the outside, but the inside is composed basically by empty rooms.
Waiting for more...

i/c, I have never been to Portugal but plan to and look forward to your pictures. And I have to say I like your somewhat unusual approach to travel (referring to "we had time to kill so we took the bus going in the wrong direction"!!). Very nice reports, again.

I forgot to add something. You made a very funny mistake calling the bridge 24th April
The official name is 25th April, and the name "the 24th April" is a metaphor for Salazar's regime. Of course you don't have to be aware of these details, but it triggered a smile in my face when I saw it.
Another point is the "which came first". Of course the Golden Bridge is older. 25th April bridge was opened to public only in 1966 under the name Salazar Bridge (yes, things change). It was built by the some company who built the Golden Gate and it was called in the very first years "the American bridge" or most commonly "the bridge over Tagus". This last designation was popular until the new Vasco da Gama bridge was built.

Hello,
Great report!
What you ate at the bar was "tremoços", aka lupini beans, which are boiled and conserved in salt water.

Trip Report continued...
DAY 14 Continued...
Sorry for posting the last report half-way through a day's report. Continuing from where I left off.

From Belem Tower we took a taxi to the train station, as it was too stiff a walk for us. Boarded a train for Cascais at 5:30 pm, and were there by 6 pm. We were told that when you visit Belem, you are already halfway to Cascais, so it makes sense to combine the two.

At Cascais, we headed for the Tourist office, which was a short walk away, detouring into some interesting side-streets enroute. We got our maps at the Tourist office, and the nice lady there absolutely insisted that we must walk down to Boca da Inferno. As we walked towards the waterfront, we passed a beautiful house whose garden was a riot of colours. Never seen anything like it. A closer scrutiny revealed that it was a B&B place, and one could actually live there. Wouldn't that have been nice ! We then stopped for refreshments at a very nice cafe called "Chequers". Met an enthusiastic young male Portuguese waiter, who spoke impeccable English; not only did he serve us well, but he made detailed recommendations with his perspectives on what all to do in Cascais. Needless to say, he received a generous tip !

We finally reached the waterfront, and kept walking towards the Boca de Inferno. On the way we passed one exotic house after another, making our mouths drool. On reaching Boca de Inferno, we realized why the lady at the Tourist office had been so insistent. There was a rocky alcove of sorts there, where the ocean water crashed into the rocks, making it a very pretty site. The ocean was not at its roughest at that time; wished it had been (the young waiter had promised we would witness "explosions" on the rocks !). Anyway, sunset was approaching, and it was probably the best spot in Cascais to view it.

After viewing a romantic sunset, we slowly walked back towards the Marina. It was getting dark, and with the lights the Marina was a beautiful sight. Dined on the Marina at a great restaurant called "Casa Mexico" which had been recommended by a Fodorite. Lovely views, and a superb dinner of Nachos with cheese & jalapenos, Quesadillas with mushrooms & cheese, and Crepes with mushroom & celantro. Topped with great passion-fruit margheritas. Very large helpings of everything, and we had a tough time stashing away the food. Very friendly staff.

We then walked back through Largo 5th Oct Square, and delved into a few side-streets. Very alive and kicking at that hour. We found Cascais to be a lovely small town; reminded us a bit of Nerja in Spain. We would highly recommend a short trip here to any visitor.

We took the 10 pm train back to Belem, and from there transferred to the Tram 15 back to Baixa. We have ridden trams in other cities too, but never one which travelled at over 70 km per hour ! Never knew that trams could go that fast. At times it was scary, but I guess the driver knew his job, and brought us home safely. Reached our hotel back around 11 pm.

Thanks lobo mau/maia about the name "Tremocos"; was trying hard to remember it, as we had forgotten to jot it down.

Sorry about the goof up with regard to 24th/25th April, and thanks for correcting me. Had I goofed in the other direction, and called it the 26th April bridge, I could have explained it on the time difference between Lisbon and India ! I realize that to a Portuguese, the date has special relevance, as it is the date when democracy came back, and dictatorship was overthrown.

Lobo mau, we had toyed for long about whether to contact you for an LDC evening, about which we have read so many glowing reports. But then we thought that our vegetarianism might put you through torture, so we avoided. It would have been nice to meet you and your wife anyway; the loss has been entirely ours.

Comfyshoes, thanks again. We got the idea from a website exploreseville.com, which had recommended that one of the interesting things to do in Seville on a hot afternoon was to catch the circular bus and keep going round and round till the driver noticed and threw you out ! We did'nt go that far, but the genesis of the idea was good.

Trip Report continued...
DAY 15 (Sept 14,FRIDAY): LISBON/SINTRA/ CABO DA ROCA
Left our hotel at the customary hour of 10 am, after a monotonous breakfast, and took the metro from "Restauradores" to the "Jardim Zoo" stop. Transferred to the train station under the same roof, and boarded a train to Sintra. While purchasing our Sintra tickets, we met a very friendly mother-daughter German combo, who engrossed us in conversation through the journey. Interesting to share your perspectives about a country with travellers from different places.

We reached Sintra by 11 am, and the Tourist Office was right at the train station, where we picked up our maps. The Bus terminal was a minute's walk away, where we got tickets on the Sintra sightseeing bus (hop on/hop off bus, which covers all the sites for 4 euros each; worth it). While waiting for the next bus, it was time to have a "shot" of coffee. If there is anything better than Spanish coffee, it is the Portuguese variety. Best had without milk, it is served in a slender cup which resembles a shot-glass. It goes down in two small gulps, but leaves you satiated. Warning: it is very very addictive!

The bus started off on its steep ascent, with lush forests all around. First stop: Pena Palace. Noticed that many people had the stamina to walk all the way up, instead of taking the bus. Must be very pretty to do so, but suggested only for young strong legs. There were many entry options to choose from at the Palace gate, and we finally opted for the comprehensive "T" tour, priced at 11 euros apiece.

There is not much that we can say about Pena Palace, except to call it "magical". I think the authors of all fairy tales came to Sintra for inspiration, and penned their works sitting in this Palace. There are some things which defy description, for words cannot express their beauty, and this was one such place. Most different from any other palace we had visited, with its bold contrasting colours of bright yellow, orange and purple on the walls. And those lush forests which surround it, threatening to swallow up the palace. You have to see it to believe it. The palace visit takes a lot of time, and we did not rush it. Each of the chambers inside, with their unique furnishings, were a sight to behold. And the extensive palace tour was followed up with an exhaustive walking trail through the gardens (more like forests), which had some excellent miradouras.

The tour over, we lunched at the ritzy restaurant inside, consuming gazpacho soup (of tomato & cucumbers) with garlic croutons, and Risotto with mushrooms, with the best white wine we had sipped in this trip.

At the palace exit, we took the next sightseeing bus to the Moorish Castle. The walk from the road to the entry point of the Castle is long, and once inside, there is not much to do but to keep climbing the stairs alongside the castle walls (there is nothing there except for the walls !). The climb is tortuous, but the views of Pena Palace are lovely. The climb down was scary, as we hadn't realized how far up we had gone. We wished there was something more on offer for the strenuous workout we had endured.

Again hopped on the sightseeing bus, down to Sintra town, where we snacked at a cafe, and tried the local delicacy called "Queijadas", a nice cheese cake. Did some shopping in nearby stores for lovely items made of "cork" - purses, belts, etc. (Almost all of the world's cork requirement comes from Portugal, and they make a wide range of items from cork, including shoes and umbrellas; very unusual). From there we walked to the Bus Station, and took the 6:10 pm bus to Cabo da Roca. This bus # 403 leaves from Cascais and Sintra in opposite directions, and goes to the other destination via Cabo da Roca. You can catch it from Sintra and go to Cabo da Roca, and then proceed on to Cascais, or from Cabo da Roca you can catch a bus in the reverse direction coming back to Sintra. Likewise from Cascais. The journey from Sintra to Cascais is about an hour, and Cabo da Roca is approximately at halfway point.

Cabo da Roca is the westernmost point in continental Europe, and many Fodorites had recommended we visit it. We reached there at about 6:45 pm, and I must say it was one of the high points in our entire trip. It should not be missed at any cost. The vista there is magnificent. Sheer cliffs looking out into the Atlantic, and no habitation in sight except for a tall lighthouse and a snug tourist office with wonderful sofas to relax in. The views are spectacular. But go prepared with a light jacket, as it can be windy and a bit cold. We were told that sometimes you can see whales cavorting away in the waters, but we were not so fortunate.

At the tourist office, they were issuing beautiful certificates, testifying that you had visited the westernmost point in Europe, which we took for ourselves. We caught a return bus to Sintra at 7:45 pm. From Sintra the train to Sete Rios, and the metro back to our hotel.

We discovered an Indian restaurant right next to our hotel called "Sitar", where we dined. The decor was average, but the food was excellent. Veg vindaloo, Veg dal, with a variety of Nans. Highly recommended.

It was Friday night, and our last night on the tour. So we ventured on foot to Barrio Alto at 11 pm. We were surprised to see it was so different on a weekend. Camoes Square resembled Puerto del Sol, with musicians performing everywhere, and packed with crowds. And when we entered the lanes of Barrio Alto, we were taken aback by what we saw - streets crammed with people everywhere. The norm was to buy your drink in a bar (served in disposable glasses), and walk outside on the street with it, where people hung out with their friends, and finally throw the empty glass on the streets ! We did likewise, and it was great fun. Why sit around in a bar when it is so pleasant outside ?

Finally, well past midnight, we decided to call it a day, and trudged wearily back to our hotel.

Trip Report continued...
DAY 16 (Sept 15,SATURDAY): LISBON/MADRID/ MUMBAI :
This was the last day of our tour, and somewhat uninteresting to write about. After breakfast at the hotel, we finished our packing, checked out at 11 am, leaving our bags behind. Extended our 7-colinas card by one day.

DW had a lot of shopping to do. We went to Rua Augusta, and picked up a large amount of stuff based on Portuguese tile-work as mementos. Also picked up a bottle of White Port Wine. Didn't know they made white port wine; always thought it was only red. Had really wanted to visit the Institute of Vinho Porto, of which we had heard so much about, but we were a bit rushed.

Went uptown in search of a particular veg restaurant that DW was keen on trying; found it, but discovered that it was closed on Saturdays. Ate at a nearby Chinese place called "Hua Sheng" on Rua Estafania. Bamboo shoots & mushrooms, with Veg chowmein and Steamed Rice. Pretty decent stuff.

Wanted to visit Parque Eduardo VII. The place looked great, but it was the wrong time of the day. The sun was too strong, and just couldn't stand it. So left early. We took a bus from Figueira Square to the Tile Museum, which is a bit off the way, but we had really wanted to visit. An interesting museum, and nice to visit, but somehow we had expected more. It had a beautiful cafe, where we had refreshments, and came back. Go there if you have spare time. Otherwise, concentrate on the other museums which are better, Heard good things about the Water Museum and the Electricity Museum from other tourists.

We had some more shopping to do in the Restauradores Square area, which we completed. Then picked up our bags and took a taxi to the airport. We were surprised as to how cheap it was. Only about 8 euros for an airport ride.

The new terminal of Lisbon airport is quite nice, which is where we were flying out from. Had my last shot of Portuguese coffee there, and boarded our Vueling flight to Madrid at 8:25 pm. We were apprehensive about this flight, as we had heard mixed reports about Vueling. We were pleasantly surprised. Smooth check-in, very nice aircraft interiors, and quick baggage clearance at Madrid airport. And of course, the T4 terminal in Barajas is absolutely splendid. One of the prettiest international terminals we have seen.

It was almost 11 pm, and we had a 6:30 am morning flight to India. It made no sense to go to a hotel, and scamper back in 2-3 hours. We had originally planned on leaving our luggage at the Left Luggage office at Barajas, going into Madrid, partying there for a few hours (it was Saturday), and then taking a taxi back in the wee hours. But DW pleaded that she was way too tired, and requested that we stay put at the airport. I was somewhat jaded too, with the hectic travel of the last 16 days, so didn't put up much of a resistance.

We transferred to T1, where our outbound flight was scheduled. Sat down at the only cafe that was open, and ate junk food at atrocious prices all night. Eyes were beginning to droop, and many people were sprawling around, sleeping at all corners of the airport. Remembered having come across a weird internet site called sleepingatairports.com, which had listed the cosy spots to sleep in at every airport terminal in the world (what can you not find on the web ?). Wondered if we should have made some jottings about Barajas T1 !!

The short visit to Portugal had been fantastic. Lisbon and the surrounding areas of Sintra, Cascais and Cabo da Roca had been wonderful, and we were glad that we went there. Our last night at Barrio Alto had changed our opinion about the fun-loving spirit of Portuguese. They party real hard on weekends, perhaps more than Spaniards. The latter prefer a continuous party round the week. Which is more fun ? Guess it is a matter of preference.

Our Alitalia flight in the morning to India went without any hiccups. No lost baggage at Milan this time.

We were left wondering if we would ever get an opportunity to come back to this magical land of Spain and Portugal. I am sure we will visit Barcelona at some time, probably combining it with a visit to southern France. But Andalucia and Lisbon...unlikely. But who knows. The world is small and round. Someday, maybe.

This brings us to the end of my extremely elaborate trip report. As I mentioned at the outset, my apologies if it was too detailed and laboured at times. But I am no Shakespeare. Would be happy to receive your responses, and queries from future travellers. And we will try to post our photos shortly.

Not too detailed at all, love the detail. Thanks for taking the time; I know how long it takes to put together a report like this.

I was surprised to read your first impressions of Lisbon as quiet at night, but I guess it got more lively toward the end of your stay. We were there on a weekend and it seemed as if people never slept. Well, maybe Sunday morning...

Yes Nikki, Lisbon is quite different on a weekday and a weekend. It was rather quiet on Wednesday and Thursday nights. Maybe the slightly adverse weather at nights also had something to do with it. But Friday night was really crazy, crowds like we had never seen before. Wish we had more weekend nights here.

About elevators in Lisbon...there are three in Bilbao, where I live, and even a funicular train right in the middle of town. The elevator in Lisbon is not very high, though, and has become a major tourist attraction. On the contrary, no tourist coming to Bilbao knows about the existance of our elevators...

...and your report was great, I love the way you describe your experiences. If you ever come back to Spain, you´ll discover that in such a tiny territory (at least, compared to India) there are noticeable differences from one part of the country to another. The North is another world, gorgeous green and mountainous, rainy, and much less touristy (while absolutely a must to visit)

Mikelg, thanks for your appreciation. You are right, one has never heard of the elevators and furniculars in Bilbao.

We certainly wish to cover Northern Spain sometime. Will definitely visit Barcelona which we missed out on, and try to cover other Northern cities as well. Have heard that they are very pretty.

Just to mention that the dog’s name probably is Curro (a nickname for Francisco); wine you drank is Montilla, and the yellow seeds can also be found in Málaga, the name is Altramuces (from the Moorish name), or more vulgarly “chochitos” (don’t make me explain this).
Best regards, and hope you come back soon.
Josele.

Indiancouple, it would have been our pleasure, but I'm sure we will meet someday somewhere.
If you wish to keep in touch, just send me a mail and I'll send a "keep alive packet" at least once a year.

Indiancouple, thank you so much for the wonderful wealth of information that you included in your report. My family and I are going to be in Lisbon at the end of December and I appreciate all the details that you included about the museums, transportation and restaurants. Your report was thoroughly enjoyable to read. Thanks for taking the time to write a great trip report.

josele, thanks again for the corrections. Now I have to sit on a weekend and memorize all the new words and terminologies you have given us, so that they become part of my active vocabulary.

Lobo mau, I don't have your e-mail id to send you a mail. Could you send it across ?

Sognodfn, glad to know that the report will be useful to someone travelling there soon. Where all are you planning to go ?

Thanks again for this wonderful report. Was eager to hear your impression of Portugal after Spain as I'm considering a trip there next, though am really drawn to Green Spain as well.

And mikelg, I'll have to get the details on the escalator in Bilbao when we go.

And amsdon, thanks again for your recommendation for the Bibo and Cigala CD Lagrimas Negras--I'm absolutely in love with this CD and recommend it to all flamenco lovers.

Indiancouple,
Thank you again for this report! And don't say you won't be back--as you said, it's a small world, and you're even closer to Spain than I am and yet I keep going back again and again and am never disappointed.

I too think this was a great report. Thanks for the time & trouble I know it is hard to do this as you have done with such care.

Artlover you are welcome. If you ever get to see the tape (I saw it on public TV) of Cigala you will enjoy that even more. He is something to watch as well as hear.
Some of those songs like "Na te Pido" are old time classic made famous in the 40s & 50s.

artlover, amsdon, I bow to your accolades. Thanks for the appreciation. It makes it worth the trouble to write it.

Indiancouple, thanks to your descriptions, I have added Cabo da Roca to the "have to go there" list. We'll visit many of the museums that you described, take the famous Tram 28 ride and spend a lot of time meandering our way through the streets of Lisbon.

Your food descriptions are great. Do you have any suggestions of food items that we should make sure to purchase while in Lisbon? A favorite venture of ours while travelling is to go into the local supermarkets and pick up interesting items to bring home. We'll be certain to look for a jar of the tremocos that you so enjoyed!

Oh--I love the way you described Seville "...it has to be romanced gently.." How beautiful!

Thanks again for the super trip report.

Sognodfn, what is the duration of your Lisbon trip, and which other cities are you planning to cover ? Are you also going to Seville ? While in Lisbon, in addition to Cabo da Roca, I hope you are planning to cover Sintra and Cascais. There are many other interesting places nearby that we did not get a chance to visit.
As for picking up food items, in Spain we did pick up a packet of cous cous to bring home, as it is not available in India. And of course lots of olives and olive oil. Many people bring back Manchego cheese (which is a local delicacy, made of goat's milk), which we didn't like too much. And you must bring back several bottles of the famed port wines.
I am not sure what the weather will be like at end of December, but wish you and your family an excellent trip. If you have any other questions regarding the places we visited, please feel free to ask.

In Spain there is cheese from goat's milk, but the Manchego brand is from manchega sheep's only. There are other manchego-type made from a blend of sheep's and cow's.

Don't forget that you really cannot bring food products like cheese into certain countries anyway.

Take it from personal experience, at least returning to USA, no cheese or ham allowed.
The little dog in the airport always nabs me...

Not sure about the UK or others?

ams

hi, amsdon,

there are regulation in the UK eg no potatoes from outside the EC, but they'd have to find them first. no-one is going to check that ham roll at the bottom of your rucksack.

Overall, we don't care, unless it's dictinctly dodgy like "herbal tea" from the carribean or definitely illegal.

regards, ann

First just want to add to the chorus praising this trip report -- lots of information that was very helpful, so thank you.

But my question is for ams -- when did you have problems getting cheese into the US? My most recent trip back was from Spain in June of this year and though I too had the sniffing dog sit down next to my backpack, it was only because I had forgotten to throw out the two apples I had brought on the plane for snacking. I was left with my cheese and told it was no problem. Is this something up to the discretion of the individual agent, or is cheese now prohibited? Thanks.

i/c, Like others, I wanted to tell you that you did a very good job with the report. Good details and a nice sense of humor. I think you had done a nice job researching the trip on fodors, and it showed in your experiencing a new place.

Best wishes for all future endeavors, including travel.

Thanks Ireynold and Comfyshoes. Given below is the link to some pictures, for those interested.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/14286024@N06/sets/

Mu Apologies to Indian Couple for hyjacking the post to respond to Ann & Ireynold:

Well I had this great big delicious hunk of Manchego with me on the Lufthansa flight back to CA from Frankfurt. I was told no food products by Lufthansa. So I left it on the plane. I did not want to risk it because on a previous trip to Spain I was nabed at US customs the little beagle and had to forfeit my coveted Jamon Serrano. I bought the ham at the eleventh hour as gifts at the Malaga aitport after being assured by the saleslady in the airport shop that since it was sealed it was ok. Not so. The doggie got me immediatly and I had to hand over my cargo while the customs agents went into a tirade about the inferior meat processing in Spain..(humpph...as if...el colmo!)
BTW I am a typical middle aged lady not a crazy looking person...

I think it does matter who the customs agent is. In any case, no risks for me
I have bad luck in customs you may recall from my own trip...

Anyway Indiancouple I will notforget the Flamenco link I am currently clarifying some confusing details on the website which are unclear before I share it with you.

Again GREAT report.

amsdon, thanks once again. And you can now hijack this thread to your heart's content, as I am done with it now, except to stand by to answer queries, and to acknowledge any brickbats and bouquets !

Hi indiancouple,

Thank you for posting the promised pictures and giving such a good report !

regards

Marie

bookmarking

indiancouple,
Loved the trip report and the pictures..nice job. I am going to Sevilla in December...I have lots of family there and so love it there!

indiancouple,

Thank you for your exceptional report.

marieparis, Mollie, angy400 and Beth, thank you all for your appreciation. It feels nice to hear it, after the hard work that went into writing it.
And angy400, lucky you to have a family in Seville. That was certainly the city that we loved most. We envy you !

Wonderful trip report. If you do end up returning to Iberia as you wish, do visit the north of Portugal. Porto is emerging as a great destination. See www.gooporto.com for ideas

Thank you for your tremendous report. Having recently returned from my own trip to Spain, reading your report is bringing back many great memories!

SonofLusus, we had heard a lot about Porto, and really wanted to go there, but alas the time that we can take off from work is limited, and sacrifices have to be made. If we ever go back to Portugal, Porto would be high on our list.
jjfern, thanks for your appreciation. Why not post your own trip report ? It would be interesting to read experiences of other recent travellers.

What gorgeous pictures! Thanks for sharing them with everyone.

sognodfn, glad you liked the pictures !

indiancouple, I bow before this great report. After reading it, I have suggested to spouse that we convert to vegetarianism, on the pretext that it must surely give one more energy.

The crowning touch was that you even considered partying all night before a 6:30 a.m flight to India. (Yes, I would have done such a thing, but in my twenties - but not now. Yet you, the same vintage as me, considered it....let's just say, if we ever get to India, I know whom to contact for a party!

Just one thing. Seville does have a fantastic bus system - one of the best I've seen anywhere. The buses on which we rode had live video monitors on which were displayed the route of the bus and where the bus currently was on the route - in real time. This was extremely convenient for us who needless to say, had a bit of trouble getting our bearings, especially after darkness fell. No worries about getting of at the wrong stop! (Granted, such buses do not ply the alleys of the you-know-where quarter in Seville. But I was impressed, just the same, especially since we once took a wrong bus in Florence, Italy late at night - and found ourselves walking, a LOT.)

The other thing is that you, unlike us, had the good sense not to try and learn both Portuguese and Spanish at the same time. When I finally finish my own report (the dog ate my homework) - I will relate some misadventures with respect to lingual confusion.

again, thanks very much!

Sue xxyy, glad you enjoyed the report. As regards the plan to party all night at Madrid, OK we are getting on in years, but would like to think we are still young at heart ! But alas, the heart was willing, but the flesh was weak, after the two weeks of pounding !!

Do plan a trip to India sometime; I am sure it will fascinate you, as it has so many others. And we look forward to reading your trip report.

We did realize that Seville has a good bus system in the areas of less tourist interest. And we did try their circular buses on a few occasions. But of course it would be impossible to construct a public transport system in Barrio SC or the historic centre, and our hotel was a bit away from there, causing much strain on our feet.

Your trip report, indiancouple, was truly a delight to read! Thank you for taking the time and effort to share your experiences with us. Reading your report brought me back in time - 35 years ago - when I made a similar trip to Spain & Portugal. Thank you so much for re-awakening those memories for me.

easywalker, you are most welcome. You say you went there 35 years ago ! I am sure both countries have changed a lot since then. Would be interested in knowing from you as to which aspects seem to have changed most significantly.

Hi Indian couple:

I just finally did the post re the flamenco info I promised you, just FYI.
See Flamenco.

amsdon

Thanks amsdon. Wish we had known about it before our trip.

bookmarking

Bookmarking

Wonderful trip report. It's making me rethink some reluctance to go back to Spain. Thank you for your careful descriptions, and your wonderful attitude.

Thank you for this detailed report.

rbsny, you are most welcome.

Hmm. Reading bits of your trip report kinda made me want to consider doing just Southern Spain for my 8 full days there, rather than try to manage 2-3 of it in Barcelona then a train down to Madrid & nearby towns for the next 5.

Loved reading your detailed report.

We have spent most of our European time in France and Italy, but your report makes me want to explore Spain and Portugal also.

cin_pg and tpayton, it has been a year since I posted this trip report. Glad to know it is still being read and appreciated.

I'm just back from a trip to Greece and Rome, and have set my sights on the next one (though likely a few years away). I'm thinking Spain and/or Portugal, so I'm enjoying this immensely. I'm only halfway through, so I'm bookmarking to finish later. Thank you for such an entertaining and well-written report!

lifeofmytime, I can say we sure had the time of our life in Spain & Portugal. Memories that linger long are those of Seville, the Sintra castle, and the bullfight !

indiancouple
as per an earlier post, I had planned to just go just Barcelona and Madrid so 8 days wouldn't look so crazy. But after reading your TR, I really felt I couldn't touch down in Spain without putting a foot in Andalucia, even for just a day or two!

cin_sg, if you are going to be in Andalucia for only 1-2 days, let those days be spent in Seville. It is truly a magical city. Have fun !

indiancouple

my exact plan - Seville. But I feel horribly pressed for time and wonder if I should just stick to Barcelona/Madrid this trip and leave the south for another trip. 8 days is barely enough to scratch the surface of Spain, it seems.

Original plan was to fly into Barcelona (stay 2 nights), then fly to Seville (stay 2 nights), and finally to Madrid (4 nights) with a day trip to Toledo &/or Segovia. Was hoping to catch some bullfights or flamenco along the way but after some research, realised that the bullfighting season is well over by the time I'm there (Oct30-Nov6)!

On 2nd thought, maybe I should just divide my time between Barcelona and Madrid with day trips out from there. Any suggestions would be very much appreciated!

With only 8 days, and Barcelona and Madrid being on the top of your list, it would make sense to leave out Andalusia for another time. I have not been to Barcelona, but I hear it is a fabulous destination, and probably deserves more than 2 days that you are budgeting. At least 4 days.
And Madrid is easily worth 2 days by itself, plus an extra day for each daytrip. Since you are planning daytrips to Toledo and Segovia, 4 days in Madrid is also fair.
I am sure you will be intoxicated enough by Spain to want to come again, when you could spend your entire time in Andalusia, visiting Granada, Malaga, Ronda, Seville, Cordoba etc. We missed out on Barcelona, and we do plan to visit that city sometime; perhaps combine it with a trip to France in the future.

On hindsight, I should have planned to spend 8 days in Madrid and parts of Andalusia. But greedy me, I've booked my tickets to fly into Barcelona and out of Madrid (can't change anymore) so I think what you say is more do-able for my trip than the original "fantastic" itinerary I imagined I could do!

Indeed, doing Barcelona and France together sound very feasible, geographically-speaking. Well, I hope you'll get round to do this trip soon then!

Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

Hasta Luego!

Hi

I saw ur extensive report on spain and portugal.many thanks.We are from India too and are travelling from NY to India in November and are planning to spend a week in southern spain ..we have a one year old and feel that it will be convenient if we make one place a base and take day trips from there..which would be best u think...seville or malaga or Granada..
Thanks alot,

indiancouple,
I have been reading and enjoying your report....it's better reading than any guide book I have come across, it's like walking the streets and taking the trip along side with you, just fantastic.
We will be in Spain in two weeks for two weeks, covering Madrid, Toledo, Granada, Cordoba, Sevilla and Barcelona.
Question: I have not made any transpotation arrangement except Vueling flight from Sevilla to Barcelona as I like the flexibility. You did the same on your trip, how did that work out for you, looking back, would you have done anything differently.

Great report.

Sam.

insearchofheaven, sorry for the late response, but I was travelling the past few weeks. I can understand your predicament with a one-year old, but IMO it would make sense if you have two base camps instead of one. One should definitely be Seville, as Seville itself is wonderful, and you can easily do Cordoba from there, and even Ronda. The second could be either Granada or Malaga; either one is good enough, and they are pretty close by anyway. However, having only one base camp point may be difficult, as Seville and Granada/Malaga are quite far apart, and not doable from one location to another as a day trip.

Samuell, my apologies for not responding for so long, as I was travelling. I guess by now you may already be in Spain. No, I don't think we would have done it differently with the benefit of hindsight. Flexible travel in Spain is the way to go, and there are a multitude of travel options available, none of which require advance booking.
Saying that reading my report was better than a guide book ... well that tops the best compliment I have ever received on this forum. Thanks for taking me over the moon, however undeserved !

Bookmarking-after reading about your first days, I'm enthralled and must agree with Samuel about your wonderful writing style!

Thanks TDudette; do let me know your thoughts once you have finished reading the report.

Hi..Thanks for the reply

I have saved and printed ur report to take with me when I go.

Anyways could u please advise how to plan our trip ,we have total 5.5 days in seville before we go to India to meet family.

We will reach seville at noon on 26th November and depart from seville on 2nd Dec morning for Delhi.

Please advise how to divide our time in seville/granada/cordba..or maybe should we give cordba a miss due to short time...

I havent made any hotel resevrations yet and dont know how would we travel..maybe train between seville and granada..dont know how wud it be with a baby

also when i try to book tks for alambhara there are 3 choices on website..2 different ones for day,dfferent prices and one for night..which is best?
Thanks

hi, insearchofheaven [I like the screenname BTW]

may I butt in? i can only help with Granada and Malaga, but here goes].

if your priority in granada is to see the alhambra, i suggest staying in a hotel nearby, like the hotel guadelupe which we stayed in about 3 years ago, and it was great and cheap! we had a huge room with bath for €60 and there would have been plenty of room for a cot.

to maximise your stay, if you arrived mid afternoon you could book the evening tour of the alhambra, and then the mornnig tour the next day.

there are in fact two day-time sessions, [am & pm] and one evening one. you see a lot less in the evening but the illuminated nasrid palaces alone are well worth the trip. if you book a day time-trip, the morning one allows you to enter any time in the morning and stay all day; if a pm time, you only get to stay until they chuck every out in the evening.

the time on the ticket refers to the 30 minute time slot that you have to enter the nasrid palaces which are within the complex. otherwise, you can do what you like.

once you had finished your tour, you could get a bus to the albercin [moorish area] from right outside the alhambra ticket office. or set off back to SEville.

with ony 5 days, I wouldn't bother with Malaga.

regards, ann

I entirely agree with the suggestions of annhig. On any of the days in Seville, catch an early morning bus to Granada, reaching there at about noon or early afternoon. Make sure you have booked an afternoon entry into Nasrid Palace at Alhambra for that day. You may additionally opt for a separate night visit also, which people say is magical (although you see only a small portion of Alhambra in the night). Spend the night in Granada. In the morning, you can take a quick tour of the Albaicin area if you wish, and the Cathedral & Chapel if you are interested. And then catch a bus back to Seville.
It would have been slightly easier on you if your flight our of Spain was from Malaga instead of Seville, as Malaga airport is much closer to Granada than returning to Seville. Then you could have been done with Seville, then proceeded to Granada, and from Granada gone straight to Malaga airport to catch your flight out.
As for Cordoba,you can take that decision after reaching Spain. It requires no advance booking. The train ride from Seville to Cordoba is only an hour, and there are a dozen trains a day. If you feel up to it, you could easily hop on to a train any day for Cordoba, see the Mezquita, and be back in half a day (although Cordoba is worth a full day according to most). If you feel this is cramming up too much in 5 days, you could skip it. There is enough in Seville to occupy you for 4 days. I would not try any other side-trips in such a short visit.

This trip report was recently mentioned in another post, so I went looking for it. I too have enjoyed reading it tho I haven't read the entire thing as I am not going to Lisbon(tho I was there the weekend of the attempted coup d'etat in Madrid in 1981...but I digress!). I booked a couple of the same hotels that you chose based on this report as well as other positive reports on trip advisor. and have noted many other things that you mention as well.

thanks so much for all the great information. I am planning a trip for my 50th birthday next May and your information was invaluable. In fact, we changed our stay in Malaga from one to two nights based on what I read here. I can't wait to see the Picasso museum!

cheers to you! and thanks again

tobyo

I agree great report.

Tobyo look for another good one by comfyshoes.

Thanks tobyo and amsdon. Good to see the report still being useful to people after 2 years of writing. Could you send the link to the thread where this report was mentioned ?

okey doke amsdon. thanks for the tip!

I don't recall in which thread I found the tip but will take a quick look. if I find it, I will link it.

I found the thread where your trip report was recommended:

http://www.fodors.com/community/europe/2-3-wks-in-spain-in-june-2010.cfm

bookmarking

while I haven't read it all, it seems like a very extensive report, thanks for your effort

amy

Thanks tobyo for the link. Gratifying to see one's report being quoted after 2 years.

Amycyma, thanx for the appreciation.

Hi indiancouple - we too are an indian couple from pune and like you we too love taking in as much as local flavor as possible when we travel. we will be traveling to spain this may end for 15 days and have taken a lot of advise and tips from this trip report. I have also read your other trip reports and must complement/thank you on your sharing your experience in such a detailed manner...
Our itinerary is:
BOM - MAD - 25th May on lufthansa
4 nights in madrid including a bull fight and tapas tours and a day trip to toledo
madrid to granada - alhambara (have bought tickets already) by night and then by day next day and depart to seville
4 nights in seville with a day trip to cordoba.. 2 nights of flamenco in seville. also noticed ur favorite restaurant is in seville.
6 nights in barcelona with a kayaking tour day trip to costa brava.
wish i had purchased an open jaw ticket to fly from barcelona back to mumbai but i guess couple goof ups are allowed. so we fly back to madrid and then back to mumbai.

Hi pgautam, nice to see this report being dug out and read 5 years after it was written !

I think you have a nice itinerary. Almost perfect for Spain. I gather that you are spending only one night in Granada - if so, I would have recommended adding another night there (we also spent only one night there and regretted it). Otherwise it sounds great. Do visit Ronda from Seville.

We should meet up sometime in Pune !

hi indiancouple, thanks for your reply.. we have budgeted our time in a way that only allows us 1 day in granada. we will try and get in a day trip to ronda possibly. another thing i was getting a bit concerned about reading thur this forum and others too but something that you didn't touch upon in your TR is about safety with regards to pickpockets or holdups. we have traveled to amsterdam, joburg, etc. and we live in mumbai now, so are we any more susceptible to crime in the spanish cities than these places and do we need to take any extra precautions like money/passport pouches or just use common traveler sense. We normally carry a DSLR and iphone/ipad and of course few euros and credit cards when out and about in any city.

gautam

Hi pgautam1, I dont think you need to worry at all about safety in Spain. Very safe place with regard to crime etc. So no problems about your DSLR, iphones etc.

Just be careful about pickpockets on metros in Madrid / Barcelona. They operate in gangs, and are very good. Be very careful of your wallet in such places. Otherwise you will be fine. We freely roamed the streets of Seville and Granada well past midnight, and never had anything to fear.

Thanks indiancouple. puts my mind at rest.. have a good weekend..