This may be a stupid question, but are G&T's a "thing" in Andalucía? I don't drink a lot of them here in the States (at least not since my college days), but I could certainly acquire a taste for them for purposes of this trip!

Nevermind, Tom! I just answered my own question with the help of Google. Did you experiment with garnishes (as one article suggested you can)? What was your favorite?

My two favorites GinTonics were in Toledo...my delicious Blue GT (picture on this page)...They don't sell that blue tonic i the U.S., so if you like it, maybe you can sneak a couple of bottles in your suitcase.

http://travelswithmaitaitom.com/chap...ersing-toledo/

...and my giant GT with strawberries and orange peels at a restaurant (Café Murillo ) on the backside of the Prado (really good lunch, too). Just looking at the photo makes me want to return to Madrid! Relive your college days with a flair!!!!

http://travelswithmaitaitom.com/chap...-adios-espana/

((H))

Wow; that G&T in Madrid looks fantastic! Sign me up.

Tom, out of curiosity, do you use an app or program of some sort to create your blogs? I'm totally ignorant re: blogging (I'm a bit of a Luddite). But I just love your blog so much and would love to have something like that to share with people.

Hi Indy...I use Wordpress and GoDaddy is my web hosting service (I think that's what they call it). I had another website from Apple that was discontinued a couple of years ago. Fortunately, I found a web designer who could transfer all my verbiage and photos to the Wordpress site, which is easy to navigate (for the most part) and 100X better than the Apple site.

People can then subscribe for the outrageous fee of Free, and then when I put up somethig new (travel stuff, restaurant reviews, recipes or something that pops in my head), I send out an email to my subscribers. As a semi-retired guy, it gives me something extra to do.

So to make a long story even longer, check out Wordpress and see if that's something that interests you.

((H))

Thanks, Tom! I'll check it out!

G&T is huge in Spain-or el gintonic. They usually infuse the gin with fruit. Very delicious. I too loved Granada apart from all the graffiti. There was a wealth of activities, great bus service and I must admit Los Italianos ice cream was a favorite.

The Alhambra is gorgeous but get tickets early in the morning as by the time I toured the Generallife at 12:00 it was packed. After ornately Baroque cathedrals in Spain, the relative plainness of Granada's church was a welcome change.

And I always have to recommend the place where I stayed Pension Rodri, right off Plaza de Trinidad close to the Cathedral. 12 rooms spotlessly clean, family run and while not luxurious for 47euros/night you have a reasonable size room and some have juliette balcony with french doors. Ah now I miss Granada again!

Tom, I hope you find this as funny as I did. I was relaying to my husband the various responses in this thread and mentioned how much I liked your blog and that I wanted us to try our hand at doing one. He asked for the name of your blog and when I answered, he blurted out: "He's the guy who killed his car in Umbria!"

He apparently read your Umbrian blog yesterday on slowtrav's site (we're heading back to Umbria in a few weeks). He's an engineer for Cummins, a diesel engine company. Your post about the car made quite the impression on him!

"He's the guy who killed his car in Umbria!"

A day that shall live in infamy! (:

Nelson, wow.... such great photography, am now going to peruse the rest of your gallery :)

<similar recommendation for Grananda or Cordoba>

Granada, Casa del Arte Flamenco, a new venue with some of the absolute best local artists: http://www.casadelarteflamenco.com/

Cordoba: Arte y sabores, also just a couple of years old, holds a high star in the local flamenco community: https://www.tripadvisor.es/Attractio...Andalucia.html

And the programme for real deal flamenco performances in your cities, from the small peñas to grand theaters and mostly a local crowd, is updated here:
Sevilla: http://www.guiaflama.com/flamenco-en-sevilla/
Granada: http://www.guiaflama.com/flamenco-en-granada/
Cordoba: http://www.guiaflama.com/flamenco-en-cordoba/

Thanks so much, Kimhe.

I have been to Sevilla once before--very briefly in 2000. I saw an intimate flamenco performance and the experience stuck with me. I'm so looking forward to experiencing it again.

Adelaidean, thanks much for your comment on my photos.

Have a great trip, indy. I learned about Hendrick's gin thanks to Sir Maitaitom and his reports!

Believe it or not, my husband has apparently never had a G&T (I learned this last night, in fact). He's intrigued. Both of us are sort of lightweights, so I'm sure hilarity will ensue.

And, Nelson, I agree that your photos are excellent. I took a closer look last night. The night photos of the Alhambra are, in particular, just fabulous. Thanks for sharing them.

Thanks Indy, really appreciate it. The Alhambra night visit was magical for sure!

<I saw an intimate flamenco performance and the experience stuck with me. I'm so looking forward to experiencing it again>

Flamenco live is of course totally another world than flamenco on video, but here are three of my favourite clips to whet your appetite:

Rocio Molina takes flamenco to new territories, here at midnight in Bodega de la Concha in Jerez during the most important flamenco dance festival in the world a few weeks ago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQpoEFuEQb0

The communication between David Palomar (song) and El Junco (dance): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1I6bSrDGqc

Fuensanta la Moneta, almost scary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbO_lw2xWtU