Ian

Itinerary

Arrive Madrid June 5 11:00 AM Sunday
2 Nights - Parador de Almagro
2 Nights - Parador de Jaén
1 Night - Parador de Granada
3 Nights - Hotel Amadeus - Sevilla
4 Nights - Paraiso del Mar - Nerja
2 Nights - Villa Real - Madrid
Depart Madrid June 19 12:30 PM Sunday

Travellers � Ian & Blanca. I planned our itinerary with care early last fall. Our goal was a slower paced, but interesting holiday that allowed us to discover many different facets of Andalusia. Blanca�s desire to see some Moorish architecture was the original impetus. We both love Europe with numerous trips to France and a trip each to Italy and London under our belt with countless US/Canada excursions. I also travel extensively for business, so I consider myself a pro. On previous trips we have made the �mistakes� � hotels too cheap, too much driving, not enough sit-on-butt time etc. Not this time.

There are two authors which I call B & I. B kept a journal which is where her comments are from. Mine I just make up. Haha.

Ian

Day 1 Sunday

We flew Toronto to Frankfurt, Frankfurt to Barajas, Madrid via Lufthansa, a Star Alliance member (Aeroplan points y’know). Frankfurt was mildly confusing, but we found the gate with time to spare. You have to go through passport control – Non EU. We arrived bagged, of course, and picked up a Hertz rental – a manual transmission Peugeot 307CC hardtop convertible for 210 Euro for week + 30 Euro per day X 6. We had decided to drop the car at Barajas on Friday & taxi to Madrid for the last 2 nights. Very smart move. Declined insurance, trusting on the Credit Card variety (it works, I have tested it in Florida, unfortunately). The rental car area was very tight – but you might as well get used to it. I had to get a guy to move a car to get out of the spot. Armed with my pre-made + purchased maps & some totally useless Michelin directions, off we went. Top down, life is good.

From Barajas we followed the E5 A4 signs & made an easy exit skirting Madrid to the west. Ugly suburbs. Madrid & area have some hills, but nothing too scenic. La Mancha was better with some nice hills in the distance. It’s a plain after all. Very dry with olives & grapes everywhere. We cut off around Puerta Lapice & two-laned it to Almagro through small towns & numerous round-a-bouts. For round-a-bouts, you merge only when traffic is clear & always travel counter-clockwise. They usually have 2 lanes & are always signed with all of the potential exits. It pays to watch your map & know the next town (and the next biggest town/city too) in the direction you want to go. Of course, sometimes you will go around a couple of times to get the right exit. Or take the wrong road for awhile. It’s part of the fun. The Parador signs led us along the circuitous route through town to our destination: The Parador of Almagro. Easy drive - just 2 hours from Barajas.

We chose this stop as a place to unwind after the trip & to move into a holiday mode. The Parador is in a 16th Century San Franciscan monastery right in the middle of the town – 4 blocks from the Plaza Major. It is 2 story stone building surrounded by a wall. There are many nice enclosed courtyards including an outdoor breakfast area, a pool etc. None of the fountains were working.

B. comments: Very nice room with canapé double bed overlooking courtyard with swimming pool. Very large bathroom & foyer. 170 Euro. Rm 201. Fine dining in the restaurant. B. had fried bread with an egg – condiments included blood sausage, ham etc – very good. I. had venison. 17 Euro for 2 courses + dessert. Free aperitif & tasting tidbit. Nice touch. Had a 17 Euro bottle of Rioja crianza with dinner.

Ian

Day 2 Alamgro continued . . .

B. comments: Up at 6:30 after good nights sleep. Many noisy birds at hotel especially doves which became annoying. Had a nice buffet breakfast at the Parador of cured ham, pineapple, raw bacon, toast, eggs etc.

Walked to town square - Plaza Major – not very exciting but authentic – nice & refreshing from typical tourist towns. But pretty sleepy.

I comments: (pronounced Platha Mahore or Mayore). Other words to know are Hola (olah), gracias (grathius) & bring a phrase book for the rest & for menu translation. Outside of the Parador, we did not encounter any English & very few obvious tourists. But language was never a serious hurtle.

B comments: Spent a couple of hours by the pool & then had a siesta. Lunch at 3:00 – bean soup for B & omelette thingie for I. Lunch was not cheap. Back to pool – we found our sunscreen worked too well, we needed more rays! Hot & sunny all day. For dinner, we walked back to the Plaza (the hub of Alamgro with kids playing soccer, teenagers eyeing each other, couples out with their strollers etc – great people watching).

I comments: Dinner was several raciones (big plates vs tapas which are little ones) at the Taberna del Pon. Spicey potatoes, ham etc. Numerous glasses of wine. Cheap at under 20 Euro. The restaurants all set up there own tables outside in the Plaza. Watch the chairs & table contents to determine where one stops & another begins.

B comments: The Spanish as a rule are short in stature. They are not friendly or particularily unfriendly either. One is hard pressed to figure out the opening & closing times at first. Stores close between 2 & 5ish & restaurants close between 4 & 8ish.

Ian

Day 3 Almagro to Jaen

B comments: Woke up somewhat hung-over but the great Parador breakfast cured it Lots of fruit). Left Almagro at 10:30. Drive went well except it was horrifying going over the Sierra de San Andre mountains north of La Carolina. 2 lanes highway (surprisingly there was still a passing lane which I used liberally) – white knuckled but we made it in under 2 hours.

I comments: No big deal to me.

B comments: Arrived in Jaen & got a little lost in the round-a-bouts, but after finding the Parador signs, we found the road up to the fort on the hill. Our room is awesome – a large balcony with a spectacular view south – mountains & olive groves all around us.

I comments: Twin beds shoved together – one of the curses of Europe. The other is their stupid showers, but this trip ours weren’t bad. The Parador was built next to the 13th Century Castle of Santa Catalina (3 Euro entrance fee if you feel the urge to see it). It uses similar stone & blends in nicely. The view north is the town of Jaen below & endless miles of olive groves. The other side views the Sierra Almaden & Sierra de Alta Coloma mountains + endless miles of olive groves. The large sitting room between the bar & the restaurant is fabulous with tapestries & paintings etc. Very atmospheric.

B comments: Spent a couple of hours by the pool (amazing vistas here). When we pulled into town, we saw some slummy-looking high-rises & I. Remarked that even the people in the slums had great views. Lunch at Parador (17 Euro each again). I. had the bread thingie (las Migas del IV centenario) & B. had Endives with mushrooms, vegetables & ham. Then more pool lounging & a siesta. Dinner at Parador – Beef Tenderloin which was really veal with figs & apricots & prunes – 17 Euro again for 3 courses. Very good. Wine was Valduero Reserva 1998 for 21 Euro.

Ian

Day 4 Jaén continued . . .

B comments: Got up late at 8:40 - I. got up before dawn - breakfast buffet at hotel (11 ?? Euros). Checked out the Castle a bit (Arab fortess) before driving down the hill to Jaén.

I comments: Streets are narrow & up & down & very, very busy. Not much fun. We found a public parking lot & the attendant was very insistent (in incomprehensible Spanish) that we know where it is. I showed him I had it marked on my map. He was very nice - just trying to make sure that we knew how to get back.

B comments: Just walked around most of the time. Busy, bustling town. Stopped in the Cathedral to cool & sit down. The Chapels inside the Cathedral had coin deposits which could make various objects light up.

I comments: Pretty hokey.

B comments: Did some light shopping - lower UV sunscreen (so we could get a tan), coke, olive oil at the Olive Oil Museo who happily gave us a handful of books on Jaén & area. The shopkeepers were friendly & very forgiving of our inability to speak Spanish. They would write the price down. Kind of fun. It was very hot. Wandered through some streets & alleys & ended up at the International Museum of Naïve Art, which has Arab Baths in the basement. You have to put your cameras in a locker – which we almost forgot (thank you Mr. Attendant Man). We bought lunch at a little pastry shop & ate in a nearby square (I comments: triangle actually) with benches & a bit of shade. We found our car (thanks to I’s map & the garage guy’s insistence). Returned to Parador for a little rest & then continued tanning & swimming at the pool. Siesta before dinner & dinner at hotel again.

I comments: Had a drink in the bar pre-dinner - ouch, 11 Euro for 2 mixed drinks. We'll stick to wine or Sangria in public & duty free hard stuff in our room at day's end.

B comments: B. dinner was asparagus soup with poached egg + leg of kid. I. had salad + venison. + Gran Vos Viña del Veno Reserva 2000. Great wines so far.

Ian

Day 5 Jaén to Granada

B comments: Left Jaén at 9:30 & arrived in Granada at 11. Beautiful scenery through mountains covered with olive groves. Good drive, not too much traffic. Route to Alhambra is well signed along the highway & easily led us to our destination. A little trouble finding the Parador turn in from the main Alhambra road (missed a little sign) but found it on the second circle of the hill without I. getting too angry.

I comments: To get to various hotels & restaurants inside & beside the Alhambra, veer left at the main parking area. You will have shops & restaurants to your left. Right beside the ticket booth a small sign points you back to the Alhambra road (on the right) & a guard needs to see some proof that you are staying at the Parador (or Hotel America) which are both on the grounds. If you miss the turn, keep to your left & circle by the Alhambra Palace Hotel (and its long & useless traffic light) & through a residential are with twisty roads back to the round-a-bout & start again. On the grounds, you will have to negotiate your way through 10,000 tourists as you drive up the last stretch. And they are all stupid & move like cattle. Especially the tour groups (just follow the flag – moo, moo). The Parador is housed in an old Monastery between the Generalife & Nasrid. Ask for a room in the old part which has a tented inner courtyard & a shrine & a cute chapel & many antiques. Our room was small compared to the other Paradors, but very nice with a great view across to the Generalife (which you don’t know until you walk it). We walked back downhill to the ticket area & picked up our Alhambra tickets for later in the day. A sandwich lunch at the Parador with Sangria. Very hot again. We toured the Alhambra – stunning of course, all afternoon. Back to the room for a siesta & dinner at the Parador. Same price again (27 Euro for 3 courses) + Margués de Cáceres Gran Reserva 1995 (28 Euro). The wait staff collapsed ½ through dinner & I complained to the restaurant manager. Quality & services was not even close to the other Paradors which had ‘gourmet’ food. Here it was just OK. We walked the Alhambra grounds in the dark. It was magical, but all of the ‘good’ areas were closed for the night. This stop was devoted totally to the Alhambra & we skipped the rest of the sights in town.

Ian

Parador Sidebar

Be aware, that there is a sameness to all of the Paradors. Same soap, same towels, similar menus, same bathrobes etc. All have a bar & a restaurant. All have a taster’s menu (4 courses 35 Euro) & a general menu (3 courses 27 Euro – I got the price wrong above) & a la carte of course. Lunch in the restaurant is the same menu as dinner, but you can sometimes eat the bar for lunch. Breakfast was very good but a hefty 11 Euro each. They are often positioned in remote or access limited places, so you tend to eat & drink there rather than face a drive to town or other restaurants (well, we did anyway). The sameness is good too, because the service, friendliness (and English language) can be a constant in a foreign country.

Room Prices: Almagro for 2 nights $354 Euro (bigger than average room) - Jaén for 2 nights 318 Euro (normal room with balcony) – Granada for 1 night 271 Euro.

Driving Sidebar

The Spanish Autovias are great highways. Well signed & fast with posted 120 km/hr in rural areas. I drove 130 km/hr & was passed by many Audis, Benzes & BMWs. Drivers are very respectful & use the passing lane as it was meant. Not like the cell phone-talking SUV-driving jerks we have in North America. 2 lane roads were also very good once you get the hang of the round-a-bouts. We drove top down in the convertible until 1:00 PM most days, when it got too hot – even with AC on full.

Language Sidebar

As I mentioned above, language was only a problem in restaurants, where our trusty translating book (Lonely Planet) came in handy. Other useful phrases: La cuente (kooenta) is the bill in a restaurant (or use the universal writing in the air as a signal), café solo is black expresso coffee & café con leche (lecchay I think) is with hot milk. Por favor (poor favor) is please. Agua sin gas (gaz – water with bubbles) con gas (no bubbles). Red wine is vino tinto. Good is buenas. Buenas dias is good day, noche is night (bwaynas diaz, nochay).

Ian

Day 6 Granada to Sevilla

I comments: Easy drive out even though I missed the Ronda Sur highway & ended up driving through downtown Granada. Back on the highway – A92 – for the 4 hour drive to Sevilla. It started off with mountains around & gradually flattened out. White towns (some with castles) whizzed by & the oleander between the east/west lanes pleased B. Lots of curves, I swear the road is never straight for more than 1 km the whole way, but no mountain passes etc. In Sevilla, A92 turns into Ave Andalusia which turns into Ave de Luis Montoyo etc . . . & heads straight into the Barrio Santa Cruz. I had detailed directions + maps, but we got mixed up (of course) & lucked out by parking in the underground lot at the Avenida de Menendez Palayo (a busy normal street) & Santa Maria la Blanca – which was the hotel parking anyway. You can not pull over close to the hotel. The streets are too narrow & too busy. Park & walk is the plan.

The Hotel Amadeus is on a street that is too narrow for cars, like many in the Barrio. We rolled our bags the necessary 2 blocks & checked into RM 201 – the junior suite – the Mozart – 120 Euro. Strange long & large room with a bathroom – toilet, shower, bidet separated at one end. B. was not amused that the sink & Jacuzzi bathtub shared the main room. She likes her privacy at times. Antiques were everywhere in the lobby & the music theme was predominant. The owner & her daughters were great for suggestions, directions etc. Breakfast was 7 Euro each in your room, on the rooftop, wherever. Note that street breakfasts can be good too & are quite cheap. Some restaurants start opening around 8 AM & there is always Starbucks beside the Cathedral (I resisted).

B comments: We had lunch at outdoor café – El Cordobés near hotel. Cheap 7 Euro each for 3 courses & a glass of wine. We ran up the bill however by ordering a pitcher of Snagria (because of the heat) which was laden with alcohol – instant Canadian drunks. I. had Spanish omelette & paella (just fair). B. had her usual ham & a salad.

I comments: Rowdy kids kept customers from the neighboring restaurant – some carne thing – much to the annoyance of his father (?) & us. 30 Euros by the time we staggered away for a siesta. We leaped up around 5 PM & dashed to buy Flamenco tickets for Case de la Memoria which was a 2 minute walk from the hotel. 12 Euro each & we got tickets for the 10:30 show that night (two shows nightly – also at 9 PM). For dinner (8 PM following late afternoon hangover from Sangria) we had pasta carbonara in the Plaza Santa Maria at the rear corner of the Alcazar. OK but it was still sweltering. We walked a bit. Note: Cathedral square is under construction & the Giralda tower has scaffolding on top. Pre-show drink at Las Teresas (old & well-known bar) which got mobbed by people half through our drink. I felt sorry for the English girls trying to eat tapas at the bar. We arrived & lined up 45 minutes early for the show which gave us front row center seats. 3 performers for 1 hour – a singer (& rhythm) guy, a guitarist & a dancer in a small Moorish courtyard. Wow. Dramatic & intimate. Just what we wanted.

B comments: Got into a conversation in line with an English woman in town for a migrant worker conference. She had also been there the previous night & came back because it was so good. The music was exotic - very Islamic or something Middle Eastern. The female dancer was awesome. So intense – sometimes her movements were like a horse (beat) but her arms were like a belly dancer’s. She looked so serious.

Ian

Day 7 Sevilla continued . . .

B comments: Breakfast in hotel – 7 Euro – just coffee, juice, croissants, rolls etc.

I comments: Went to get bullfight tickets for Sunday night. 10 Euro at the wicket at the Real Maestranza bullring. Also bought wine to take home at Especialadades on Arfe in the same area. Good selection & prices seem great. After a quick drop-off at the hotel, we went off to the Alcazar.

B comments: Quite the line-up which totally stalled for about 20 minutes – everybody was losing patience & got very pushy once the line began to move – especially the hordes of old, short Spanish ladies. (I comments: I pushed back) Once we got in, it was very pretty with lovely fountains & gardens.

I comments: After lunch at a swarma place near the hotel, we walked over through the Parque Maria Luisa (with slight confusion) aiming toward the Museo Arquelógico. I had wanted to go out to Italica, but the oppressive heat (36 C) convinced us to see the collection here rather than a hot & dusty field tramping the ruins. We had to pit stop both ways for a sherbet in the park because we were getting fried. Free admission & only about 6 people. Good Roman artifacts & mosaics from Italica & an interesting Paleolithic area downstairs. Walked by the Plaza de Éspana – nice but decrepit. Water was drained from the canal, but the tiling was interesting at the many stations around the front of the building. Walked back through the subway construction area on Carlos V.

B comments: Our first full tapas dinner (Bar Estrella) – it was very good. We had to translate the menu with our book. Staff spoke no English but we managed OK. Cheese dishes were good & I. kept getting egg dishes until he figured out that huevas was eggs. 27 Euro including a bottle of Rioja crianza – the house wine. We had a Jacuzzi – much partying going on outside (Saturday night) – it got quite noisy but we didn’t mind.

B observations: The gardens of Sevilla are a sight to behold. There are oleanders & oranges (rotting) all over. Tiles, tiles everywhere – even on park benches – very picturesque. Streets in Santa Cruz area are extremely narrow with sidewalks barely big enough for one & often they just disappear & you have to dodge cars & scooters by standing in doorways. Sevilla is very bustling with outdoor cafes where people socialize. Parents, babies, people on the way or coming from church, tourist, priests – a great place to people watch.

Ian

Day 8 Sevilla continued . . .

I comments: Dueling church bells outside this Sunday morning with a slow hung-over start. I walked for coffee & watch people rushing to church. We finally got out around noon for a walk to the Casa de Pilatos. Got lost & ended up taking a taxi to get us there. We snacked at the Bodegas Extremeña just down the road – a local bar. 9 Euros for a couple of cheese dishes & some Iberico jamon. The Casa de Pilatos is a small gem – a miniature Alcazar without the people.

B comments: Case de Pilatos – wow – tiles everywhere & lovely garden (but between flowerings) & Roman statues & busts. A little crumbling, but worth the trip. Very few people which made it very pleasant. We visited the Cathedral on our way by. Free on Sundays & very busy. Cathedrals all seem to pale after San Pietro in Roma . . . Ornate with lots of tile & gold & chapels & of course, Christobal’s tomb (or is it?). Back to our room for siesta as we wait for the bullfight. The weather started to cool a bit & a breeze finally started.

B comments:

I comments: The bullfight. 7:30 PM Sunday. This was something B. wanted to see. We felt it was necessary because of the long tradition etc. We had a drink in a bar behind the bullring to prepare (& kill time). Our 10 Euros seats were about half way up on concrete benches. Quite the collection of spectators. Locals who come every week, dressed to kill women, teenagers – a whole smattering. The younger man sitting next to I. was a Mexican living in London who came to see the sight. He explained the whole ritual to us with help from an old Spanish lady who seemed like a pro. The live band that marches in the toreadors & the pageantry was great. The first bullfight was OK (B, hid her eyes through the death sequence. The second fight had a reluctant bull. 2 was enough for us. There are a total of six fights or so.

B comments: We stopped for dinner at the Cerveceria Giralda. Rude waiter – abrupt, bossy. Loud. Very noisy restaurant with very few patrons at 9 PM. Had 3 tapas (same tapas selection as Estrella). We left & went for Chinese next door.

Sue_xx_yy

Hey Ian, just in case you think you're talking to a wall, thought I'd let you know you have your fans. I especially appreciate the notes on prices, driving tips, and call-it-as-I-see-it play-by-plays. Please note though that should I ever be your navigator, I hold to the rule that it is always the driver, not the navigator, who makes the mistake....

Ian

Thanks, Sue. Nice to know that someone is reading it.

As the driver, nothing is ever my fault because I am sooo busy trying to keep us alive etc etc. That's my story anyway . . .

I'll post more later.

Ian

Amapola_

I'm reading too! . Can't wait for the Madrid part, since it's the only stop we have in common (we're leaving on Friday).

Just a small correction, agua con gas is WITH bubbles and sin gas is without gas.

Thanks for your report!

Amapola_

sin gas is without bubbles, but I'm sure you knew what I meant

Chele60

I, too, am enjoying this trip report! Especially the views of two people, rather than just one. And, being that we will be road-tripping in Spain in Sept/Oct, I really, really, really appreciate your observations on driving and some of the directions you are outlining! I will definitely be copying and pasting your directions for our use! (We will be driving to the Alhambra and will also be staying at the Hotel Amadeus!)

Oh, and just a little tidbit to clear up some confusion? Agua sin gas means water without bubbles ("sin" meaning without), and agua con gas means water with bubbles ("con" meaning with). And "good" is bueno, unless it is used with "dias" - then it becomes "buenas". For night, it is buenos noches. (Just a little grammar thingie, but can determine the pronounciation!)

Okay. Spanish lesson over! Continue with the report!

kenderina

Sorry to say, but the correct thing is "buenos dias" for good morning and "buenas noches" for good evening/night

Amapola_

Continuing the Spanish lesson... ;-)
it's buenOs días and buenAs noches (el día is masc., la noche is fem.). And not to be picky <g> but Plaza Mayor -- platha maah-JOR.

kenderina

Oh, I forgot !! I'm reading your report and find it somewhat funny I was born and live my whole life in Spain and never have gone to see bullfighting so it is not at all necessary, believe me
Maybe I haven't read it badly, but you were in Almagro and didn't visit the "Corral de Comedias" ? It's the landmark of Almagro. It's a real XVI century theatre.

Ian

Yeah, sin is no bubbles. The con stuff seems to have natural sodium & just made us thirstier.

No, we saw the Corral in Almagro but we were there Sunday & Monday & nothing was on. We were being really lazy anyway. The Plaza was the entertainment . . .

Ian

Ian

Day 9 Sevilla to Nerja

I comments: After a street breakfast in a café - 5 Euro each (very near hotel in the small plaza on Santa Maria la Blanca) we loaded the car & paid the parking bill – 14 Euro per day. With some expert driving maneuvers (a couple of u-turns) we got turned around & easily found the Ave Andalusia, which turns into A92 for the trek east. Slight cloud partway (the first we’d seen) made it a very pleasant top down drive. We turned south on N331 at Antequera (since it was Monday, we couldn’t stop & see the dolmens) & started mountain climbing. B. was in her usual mountain-induced white knuckle state. Malaga popped into view briefly (rampant high rises were visible – glad we didn’t stay there) as we veered east on the coast highway E15. This highway was not your typical follow-the-coast road, but darted in & out amongst the mountains & thru tunnels. I thought it was great fun but B. didn’t. I threatened to lock her in the trunk. Numerous towns were viewed in the distance on the coast – many looked as bad as Malaga. I started to question my judgment to go to the coast for a beach vacation.

We arrived at Nerja in about 3 hours & followed the Parador signs to our hotel – Paraiso del Mar – right beside the Parador. It was fabulous! Enrique (owner?/manager) gave us the tour & told us it was our home for our stay. It was a villa built in the 40s & gradually added to. English was spoken by all & the bulk of the clientele was British or German. Now there are 3 buildings with only 16 rooms & indoor parking (via a car elevator no less) under the newest building. We had rented the junior suite – Rm 207 – 130 Euro per night - the old master bedroom with a sitting area & a monstrous bathroom. B. forgave me for the bathroom at the Amadeus when she saw it. Stunningly beautiful grounds, right on the cliff overlooking the multi-hued Mediterranean. Wow! Our balcony faced due south & I swore I saw Africa in the haze (might have been the wine & Sangria though). Mountains were off to the east & north. Just a gorgeous spot. The public beach was accessed via 141 steps with numerous small patios to break up the walk down & for private sitting areas overlooking the beach. You have to buzz in & out of the gate below to keep the beach riffraff off the hotel grounds. A big WOW again. I felt sorry for the people in the Parador that looked longingly at the Paraiso & wished that they had stayed there. They had an elevator to get down to the beach.

We unpacked & walked up the big hill to N340 to find a Supermercado to buy supplies – Coke, vodka, Kleenex (absent in most European hotels & B. is addicted). We stopped for a hamberguesa & fries & Sangria (cheap) at a ratty restaurant. Back to the hotel for some sun (still really hot 36C) & then we walked the beach. Playa Burriana is about 3/4 km long & well serviced with lifeguards, restaurants, rental sun bed enclaves & tourist ticky-tacky. It ends at an abrupt mountain bluff at the east end. Coarse sand & lots of people, but never packed. August would probably be a different case however. The Med was freezing.

For dinner, we followed the Enrique’s map & wandered into the ‘tourist’ zone in Nerja Queste. Bars, restaurants, shops – all aimed at the British tourists who holiday here or own condos. I had no idea it was there when I investigated Nerja. Only 10 minute walk from the Paraiso, so close enough, but also far enough away. I had a steak with pepper sauce (btw medium is our rare) & B. had sole at the Paellador (?) in front of the Balcon de Europe hotel which is in the heart of this mess (don’t stay there). 55 Euro including a bottle of Vega de la Reina Reserva 1989. B. amused herself by feeding stray cats that were wandering around amidst the hubbub. Carriage rides, street artists, musicians etc etc.