Thanks for help with Spain
 

I have been so busy since return from Spain Nov/Dec that I did not post a trip report. I have seen the fabulous post from TravelTherese so I won't mention much sightseeing, just some experiences.

We were visiting friends in addition to vacationing. For some reason, I never seemed to hit my stride on this trip--confusing directions, missed opportunities, etc. We enjoyed ourselves nevertheless.

We had a rental car for a few days and drove to Jijona/Xixona near Alicante to visit a turron factory. We visited the Museu del Turron which was offering tours. The lobby was crowded with buses of Spaniards and the guides were trying to take control. One looked at us and asked if we wanted the tour? Any English tour today, I asked? No, Spanish. So Spanish it was. We watched a film about the history and making of turron and then were ushered along a catwalk and downstairs to observe the work floor. Production was in full swing in advance of the holidays so we saw the almond paste being pounded and slabs of cinnamon and limon turron being sliced and packaged. The museum tour came after but I would have preferred to see the exhibits with explanations before the production floor. Of course, the tour ends through the gift shop. We let the groups rush the shop while we found the restroom and some water, then had the shop to ourselves. My friend also suggested we stop at a small artesamo shop in town where we had to ring a buzzer for entry into a one room shop with the same varieties as in the other shop plus a few more. We bought a variety for my friend, relatives back home and for snacking the rest of the trip.

I had never been to Seville or Ronda so we purchased Renfe AVE high speed train Alicante-Seville directly online from Renfe in advance. We were at the mercy of my friends' schedule and we expected to be tight on time getting to the station/dropping off the rental car, so I wanted changeable/refundable tickets. Decided to go all out on Premium in case we didn't have time to pick up food. It was a long ride and we were arriving late. There was one train that went through Atocha, so we didn't have to change trains/stations in Madrid, but would change in Cordoba so easier. The funny part of the trip was that the attendant came by to start our dinner service within an hour of Cordoba. As each part slowly appeared I told her we were getting off in Cordoba but she said plenty of time. As we were standing, putting on our jackets and gathering bags to get off, she was still offering us a coffee. (Relax, no rush) We had to exit up the moving ramp and re-enter through security to the correct platform for our connecting train.

We enjoyed lots of walking in Seville. Loved the buildings in the Parque de Maria Luisa. We missed some of the other architectural delights left from the exhibition in the surrounds that we later glimpsed from the bus. Wish I had put more time in on identifying specific architectural sites to visit. I was a little confused about advice I had read about taking our Alcazar timed apartment tickets to the attendant/line to the right rather than getting in the general entry line against the wall on the left. She wanted us to go to the end of the long general entry line for our tour time but we needed to get inside earlier for security. Eventually we worked it out but I think it was my mistake of having saved the email ticket on my phone but they wanted to see the email itself because something was cut off. This trip we put an eSim on my husband's phone, not mine (new phone still locked) so I couldn't quickly open phone and access email. The buildings were lovely but the crowds overwhelming. I think rather than going early we should have gone in the afternoon for fewer people. On another high note, the Casa de la Memoria flamenco show changed my husband's opinion of flamenco (he saw a dinner show performance in Miami once)--small ensemble dancing their hearts out. We arrived 30+ minutes early so sat in front row. Highly recommend.

We took the train/taxi to Jerez Royal Andalusian horse show then walked to Lustau for sherry tasting. The horse show was interesting. I think I would have been mesmerized as a pre/teen when we used to watch competitive horse shows each year at our state fair. The tastings were generous (plus vermouth) and the tour educational. Had a great lunch next door at Tabanco los Monos.

We chose a tour with Naturanda that would take us to an olive oil farm, white villages, and Ronda with the agreement that they would drop us in Ronda with our luggage. My husband doesn't like driving winding hilly roads so we enjoyed the skills of our minibus driver. The tour guide was fine, the other tourists nice, and we saw a lot. Cork trees, olives, ibex. Limited time in villages but that was the trade off for someone else driving. Only hitch was upon arrival at bus station in Ronda we asked if he was going to guide in Ronda or were people on their own--if no guiding we would take our bags. The guide said no, it would be easier for us to get them later, so we thought they were going to move the bus for passenger pick up closer to our hotel, the parador, as pickup in other towns was different spot than drop off. The guide walked the group downhill to the center and told them to meet back at the church at 5pm. We checked in at the hotel and did some sightseeing in the cold wind, then returned to the church at 5pm. At which time the guide said, now we go back to the bus! So we walked uphill to the station, collected our bags and walked back down to the parador. We enjoyed our time in Ronda the next morning.

We took a regular bus to Malaga. Lots of confusion in the station. Buses with different company names but all run by the same so look for the bus with your destination. Both tourists and locals stood in wrong lines, shifted to other bays, put bags under bus, took bags out again. Not enough bays so some buses stopped on street. A fellow went around asking if people had tickets--if not, go inside and buy. We had purchased tickets online, were patient and all was fine. Enjoyed the ride, seeing some towns, amazing bus driver skills turning around in some towns.

Holiday decorations made Malaga festive for an evening walk. Our hotel was 5 minute walk from Centro Alameda station and the first train would get us to the airport plenty early. We checked it out the night before and saw elevator out of service in the tiny station, but we can use the stairs. Next morning we and another woman arrive at the station just before 5 and it is locked up. We wait until 5 and ask if she knows if usually open. She did not and thought a staff member might arrive just with the first train. So she and we decided to walk together to the Maria Zambrano station and catch the train there. Station well marked for airport train. Arrived too early to check in but rather be early than late.

We had a tight connection in Madrid from Air Europa to Delta, but an agent met the flight and was checking off arriving international connections to let them know we were coming. It was a long march but we arrived just as boarding was starting for our smooth return to the US.

I've been to Spain several times for work and to visit friends, but I still have areas to explore,