Spain

22nd November 2017
Travel day. After 2 months in France, we head into Spain. None of our usual accommodation available, so 2 nights in a small hotel, and dining out. Interesting that some borders you cross and barely notice the difference, some are a whole new world.
Hotel: $58.41/ night incl breakfast

23rd November 2017
Hotel breakfast. Always a good start to a day. Spent the day in Figueres walking the old town and up the hill to the Castell de Sant Ferran. Nice town, friendly locals, cheap market, shops and restaurants. Perfect. Had a drive out to the coast (Roses) which is clearly just a summer holiday spot.

24th November 2017
Another travel day heading for Creixell about 75km south of Barcelona. A little 3 bedroom white hacienda just like the tourist brochures. Ceramic tile floors might be good in the summer, not so much in November. Our run of beautiful clear days continues.
Airbnb $79.30/night

Photo:Figueres

25th November 2017
About an hours train ride into Barcelona. We left the house in the dark and beat the crowds to Sagrada Familia. The interior was everything I was expecting. Christmas markets being set up outside. The architecture of the surrounding areas appartment blocks more decorative than any other city we've been to. Parc Guell and the highlights of Passeig de Gracia and surrounding areas. Arrived home in the light, but only just. A bit knackered.

26th November 2017
A slow start then headed for the market at Tarragona. Multiple pieces of warm clothing later in to the Roman ruins and historic centre of town. Must be getting soft because we turned on a heater when we got home.

Photos: Barcelona, Sagrada Famila x2, Parc Guell

27th November 2017
Another slow start with a look and walk of some of the coast just north of Taragona.

28th November 2017
Into the Spanish interior heading for our next stop near Zaragoza. The car thermometer was consistently below 4 degrees all morning, with not a cloud in the sky. Stopped at Belchite, a town obliterated in the civil war and left as a ruin. Another reminder of the waste of war. We had a woman in our group who had lived there at the time, taking the tour with her grandson. Couldn't understand a word she said but understood the emotion behind the words.
Airbnb $79.27/night

29th November 2017
Drove into Zaragoza and spent the day at the various places of interest. Quite cold with a nasty cold wind.

30th November 2017
Spent the day visiting a number of the small hill towns. Tight fit thorough narrow streets, a bit of reversing, made it but next hill top villages on foot. Amazing what they can grow in desert like environment.

Photos: Taragona, Zaragoza Basilica,Belchite,Zaragoza Basilica,Hill top village,snow west Madrid, Catherdral in town stay at south Zaragoza.

1st December 2017
Travelling day heading to Colmenar Viejo, just outside Madrid. A light dusting of snow as we came through the hills east of Madrid. We got off lightly. The news showed western Spain and Portugal got quite a dumping.
Airbnb $66.55/night

2nd December 2017
Cold outside. A visit to the local market, some local research, and then home for some domestic duties.

3rd December 2017
Caught the train into Madrid. Outside temperature Zero, but clear and not a breath of wind. Concentrated on the west side of the city, including El Rastro, the biggest outdoor market I have seen, Real Royal Palace, Cathedral and Sol square and area. Liking Spain a lot.

4th December 2017
A day at home.
Photos: Madrid x2, Segovia x3, lights Madrid

5th December 2017
A Skype to the tribe. Always a good way to start the day, then off to Segovia. Over a mountain range (1900 metres) with a dusting of snow and down to zero degrees. Segovia is a really nice town that even at this time of the year still has a small tourist presence. A viaduct that dwarfs Pont de Gard. And again, not a cloud in the sky.

6th December 2017
Lunch at home then in to Madrid to see the sights on the eastern side of the city. Walked through Park de el Reitro, including a small art exhibition which Michele just loved in the Palace of Velazquez. Down to the Prado national art museum for a couple of hours of Rubens, Goya, Velazquez and Rembrandt. In to Sol Plaza for the Christmas lights and shopping. After the protests there over the past months, quite a strong Police presence.

7th December 2017
A day in Toledo. Lots of great historic buildings and fortifications, but lots of narrow alleys that just seemed to lack soul.

8th December 2017
Invited to lunch by Fernando, our b&b host. Lunch started at 2 and went on all afternoon. Salmon and Caviar entree, soup, a roast lamb leg (each, they kill lambs at 5 weeks so little lamb roasts), cheesecake and pineapple, and coffee. A really nice afternoon.

9th December 2017
A day at home. Unfortunately no repeat invitation.

10th December 2017
Travel day, moving on from Madrid to Cordoba. Sad to be leaving Fernandos place. Left with a wind and rain weather warning, but this didn't eventuate, and then did 400 km without a single set of traffic lights.
Airbnb $78.33/night
Photos: Toledo, Cordoba Cathedral x2, Cordoba x2

11th December 2017
The spell is broken. We finally had rain that affected our days plans. To the Córdoba cathedral for the free entry before 8.30 meant being up before the sun, and in the rain. The magnificence of the cathedral more than made up for it. Simply extraordinary. Home to dry out and back for a better look at the old city, later when the weather lifted. Lots of mosaics in entrances of buildings as unlike the French the Spanish open their doors. Has some likeness to Turkey spices/patterns etc. While Cordobas outer suburbs are quite ordinary, the inner old city is quite impressive.

12th December 2017
Spent the morning back in Córdoba, visiting the Alcazar (lovely gardens in perfect weather) and Jewish quarter. Headed for Olvera.
Airbnb $26.39/night (one month discount 60%)

13th December 2017
A day in Olvera, our new home town. Sat on the roof deck reading a book in the sun, warm, but the temperature plunge at sundown still catches us. On hill top (pedestrian only area)and stairs in house so will get some climbing over next month. Well kept village.

14th December 2017
Out to Cadiz for the day. A nice city, but other than the Cathedral, not as picturesque as I was expecting, the coast was nice.

15th December 2017
Rain day - nothing to report
Photos: Cordoba Alcazar, Cordoba Cathderal,Cordoba, Olvera view from top deck x2 and view Olvera on approach
This Page: Cadiz ,Seville Alcarzar x2, Seville Plaza Espana

16th December 2017
Saturday morning in the village xmas market and then a quick look at 3 of the surrounding white villages.

17th December 2017
A day in Seville. A couple of hours in the Alcazar, the most interesting we've seen, being so old buildings were different. The Cathedral, claimed to be one of the largest in the world and the old town and Maria Luisa Park. Lots of horse and carriages.Interesting city.
18th December 2017
A day at home, nice sit on sunny deck.

19th December 2017
Spent the day in Ronda. Much more than an ancient bridge, amazing gorge on a perfect day , even down to short sleeves when having tapa lunch in square. Tapa’s range 1 euro to about 4 euro

20th December 2017
A day at home with a wander down into the town later in the day. Couple of Spanish air force jets overhead seem to pass over most days.

21st December 2017
Arranged for a car service, which showed up a cracked turbo air intake. All fixed and back on the road. Google translate is a wonderful thing.

22nd December 2017
Headed to another couple of Blanc Villages. Never sure what you are going to find and the town of Setenil was a particularly good find. Cool cave houses.

Photos: Ronda x2, Setnil x3

23rd December 2017
Granada Alhambra. Described on the website as a "monument" it’s got multiple palaces, fort, mosque, church and all the trappings that go with those things. Quite a place.

24th December 2017
Went to the supermarket the day before Christmas, and like NZ it was busy and crowded. Unlike NZ it was orderly and sociable and enjoyable to be there. Several skypes through the night for Christmas Day, some more successful than others.

25th December 2017
Always planned to be a quiet day and was, managed some Spanish champagne.
Photos: Granada

26th December 2017
Happy Birthday Chloe!!!! Cloud and rain in morning. Down to town for full hair treatment so that was afternoon gone.

27th 28th & 29th December 2017
Windy and light rain good excuse to stay inside. Venture out to do a bit of shopping.

30th December 2017
A day at Gibralter. On the road before 7.00 and no sunrise until about 8.45. The only road in is across the runway of the international airport. Rode to the top of the rock in the cable car, and in spite of reading the warnings, lost half of our lunch when one of the apes jumped on my backpack, ripped open the zip and made off with 2 bananas and a packet of biscuits. Total time about 1 second. See smug little sod in attached photo. Walked the length of the upper rock, St Michaels cave and some of the tunnel system. Relieved of my bananas, none of the other apes showed any interest in us. Down past the Moorish castle and into the old town before a drive around the rock and some shopping at Morrisons. What a treat being able to read the labels. Long day. Not home til about 10.00. Got up to 20 degrees so in short sleeves.

31st December 2017
A big sleep in. Went up to the town square for quite a good fireworks display at midnight. Set off from the castle, which is all lit up. Quite impressive.

1st January 2018
Not much happening on New Year's Day so read a book up on the roof deck in sun.

2/3/4th January 2018
Had a few days exploring some of Andalucias scenery and visiting some of the "pueblos blancos". Particularly liked Zahara de la Sierra. Cool clear days.

5th January 2018
Headed back to Ronda for the day. A town worth a second look. Walked down into the gorge on the northern side of "the bridge". The day before Epiphany and the shops were flat out. We even managed to find the worlds best handbag. Back home to watch the Epiphany parade, but it got lost in translation and we arrived just as it was finishing which was disappointing. Less disappointed were the kids with enormous bags of lollies from the lolly scramble.
Photos: Gibralter (Morocco in background there next month),Guess who's lunch,Cave Gibralter,Rock Gibralter,Jimera de Libar,Zahara de la Sierra,Grazalema,Villaluenga del Rosario,Ronda,Last morning

6th January 2018
The weather has turned colder again, and being a national holiday, there is nothing happening.

7th January 2018
Woke to a light dusting of snow on some of the surrounding hills. Further north they are under the heaviest dumping of snow that they've had for years. Cars stranded, road closures etc. Again, by luck or plan, our timing has been excellent.

8th & 9th January
A day at home with a reluctant trip to the supermarket. Still have to eat, even when it's cold outside

10th January 2018
Went looking for a large Vulture colony about 10km from here on the Spanish equivalent of the Otago rail trail. Unfortunately a combination of winter weather and a farmer who happily let all his shed and pen runoff end up on the trail made it impassable.

11th January 2018
Finally got to the castle which is 200 metres from our front door. Great view of whole of Olvera and all surrounding valleys and mountains.While we were there yesterdays vultures turned up and hovered over the top of us. So graceful in flight.

Really enjoyed Spain, has it all, a bit of Northern Spain in February, country I would like to revisit.