TRAVEL ALONG!

#30 "UNDER THE SUN" HOMEMADE APRICOT JAM - Syrian Recipe

2014-06-01T12:14:00.004+02:00

"UNDER THE SUN"
HOMEMADE APRICOT JAM

SYRIAN RECIPE

2 Kilos Ripe Apricots
1 Kilo Sugar
2 TableSpoons Lemon Juice

-----------------------------------------------------------

STEP 1
Wash - Dry Well - Remove Seed - Cut In Half

STEP 2

Put apricots in big pot. Pour all the sugar and cover with very light kitchen towel.

Leave overnight.

STEP 3.

Next day the sugar will be melted into syrup. Stir gently on medium heat to prevent sticking. Stir bring to a boil. Keep stirring. Once the apricots begin to soften like the photo on the right remove them into a strainer . Pour back the syrup into the pot.

STEP 4.

Now add two tablespoons of lemon juice. Keep stirring. Remove any excess white foam on the top.

Keep stirring it until it starts to thicken. Maybe 10-15 minutes. You can test it by letting it drip off the spoon. When it slowly drips and barely falls off then it is ready. Or put a drop on a plate and if it doesn't run off then it is ready.

STEP 5.

Add in the apricots pieces for another 5 - 15 minutes until they are softer and the syrup is thicker.

STEP 6.

Once done pour into Pyrex dishes or long deep flat tray. Spread apart. Let cool. Then cover with cheese cloth or light kitchen towel.

Then place in sun. Cover with light kitchen towel. Leave in sun 1-2 days or until it becomes jam like. Stir occasionally. Once it hardens and becomes jam like it's ready!!

Jar them. No need to keep in fridge.

This is the grandmother recipe from Syria.

It's actually very easy. Try it!!

It's delicious. And makes great gifts.

TIP: Don't put the trays out if it is windy. Instead put them inside near a sunny window.

--- and don't let the bugs get near them.....

----you can also use this recipe with other fruits....

Enjoy!

Jasmine

6/14

p.s. leave comments - i love to read them!!

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#29 - NORWAY & SCOTLAND - Fjords & Bagpipes

2013-06-27T17:02:00.000+02:00

NORWAY & SCOTLAND
Fjords... Mountains... Castles... Bagpipes...
9 day cruise......

THE VIKINGS HAVE LANDED.........

NORWAY - the name....

Some medieval texts attribute the name to the mythical King Norr. However, most assume is derived from Old Norse "norovegr," meaning "the northern route" (the way northwards).

Norway, a land of magnificent Fjords, fresh cold seafood, and the largest country in Scandinavia. It shares the longest uninterrupted border in Europe with Sweden.

Join us on our cruise to view the picturesque coastal towns and spectacular Fjords which dominant Norway. Do you know what a Fjord is? Long narrow inlets with steep cliffs created in a valley carved out by Glaciers.

Norway has a population of 5 million people with 600,000 living in the Capital of Oslo. Most of the population lives in rural coastal towns. Unemployment is only 3%. It is one of the richest countries with the highest paid salaries. Officially known as the Kingdom of Norway , it is a social country which offers its citizens 36 months of full paid benefits for pregnancy for the woman and full paid benefits for the father for a full 18 months.

Norway is the #1 natural Gas exporter and #2 country in the world for Fishing/Seafood and Petrol. Most of the people in Norway work in the Petrol industry in the government sector with full retirement pensions. However, even though they are a country of Petrol - one gallon of gas costs $12 USD .

Norway runs a capitalist welfare state. It is rich in resource like oil, hydropower, fish, forests and minerals. It also has a free and efficient pubic health system. The government owns a significant stake in the country's key sectors. It also boasts of low unemployment rate of 3% and high productivity by its workers.

DO YOU REALLY WANT TO LIVE IN NORWAY?

The average annual gross income is the 8th highest in the world at $43,990 vs the USA at $55,000 . That's the good news - the bad news is the lowest tax rate in Norway is 36% !

MYTH OR FACT

1. Norway has one of the highest suicide rates in the world

Myth - they rank #36 - below the USA at #34

2. Education and healthcare are free in Norway

Fact - According to the Patients Rights Act - everyone is entitled to free healthcare

3. School is only cancelled if the weather falls 20 below zero

Fact - Kids must go to school up to 19 below zero

4. Vikings still live in Norway

Myth - The Vikings Age was from the 8th - 11th Century

-5. Only Norway has Fjords.

Myth - Fjords are in many other parts of the world but Norway has the most pronounced and famous Fjords

6. Everyone in Norway is rich

Fact - The strong social system support doesn't allow anyone to be considered poor.

7. It's always dark because it is so far north.

Fact & Myth - In the winter there is only about 1 hour daylight in the North and 5-6 hours of daylight in the South. But in the summer you have about 20 hours of daylight and only 4 hours of semi dark night.

8. Norway has 50,000 islands.

Fact -

9. Norway only has 5 Fresh Water Lakes.

Myth - Norway has over 450,000 lakes - mostly created by Glacier erosion and 4 of the deepest lakes in Europe.

DAY 1 & 2 .... BERGEN

Bergen is located on the West Coast and is the 2nd largest City in Norway with a population of 250,000.

The town is surrounded by mountains and is known as the "City of Mountains".
It was founded in 1070.

Over 900,000 people a year visit this popular town.

Fires destroyed most of this town except the few well preserved wooden buildings as shown above.

Norway stretches over 25,000 KM in length. ( 13,000 miles)
It borders, Russia, Finland and Sweden.
Most popular mode of transportation - Ferry
Most modern trains
Literacy rate - 100%
Longest tunnel in the world 25Km ( 13.5 miles)
Religion - Church of Norway
Language - Norwegian
Immigration - only 6%
Currency -1USD -6.00NOK/ 1Euro-7.92 NOK

FRESH FRESH COLD SEAFOOD......

Norway exports seafood to about 130 countries all over the world.
In 2012, Norwegian seafood exports totalled NOK 51,4 billion.(@9Billion USD)

I had to try a King Crab Leg... you can taste the sea it was so fresh.... delicious!!

Cost $20USD for one leg.

The largest revenue sources for Norway are the extraction and export of oil and natural gas from the ocean floor. However, the metal industry, shipping and tourism are also important for the country's economy.

UNESCO HERITAGE SITE - after a large fire only a few old wooden buildings holding each other up

Most of the coastal towns in Norway do not have roads. One travels by Ferry from town to town. Most of the coastal towns only have a few hundred people living in them. We were looking for a Pharmacy in one of them and was told it was 24km away.

Rain didn't keep us from enjoying a pretty walk along the countryside where we saw this adorable bunny below.

DAY 3 & 4 - FLAM

Flåm is situated in the innermost part of the Aurlandsfjord - 204 kilometres long.

The over 65 year old the Flam Railway is widely known as one of the world's most fantastic stretches of railroad. On this amazing journey you climb nearly 900 meters from fjord to mountain top, an incline of one to 18, with a a tunnel that twists in a spiral inside the mountain. The views are breathtaking. Cascading waterfalls, small villages, roaring rivers......

On the 20-kilometer train ride you experience some of the most dramatic and magnificent Norwegian nature. Here rivers cut through deep ravines, waterfalls that plunge from the steep cliffs of the snow-capped mountain slopes, as well as mountain farms clinging on to steep slopes.

Come on and take the ride with us......

Nearly 80 percent of the route is on a 55‰ gradient

Few places in the world offer such magnificent scenery as the fjords of Western Norway. As one of two West-Norwegian fjord areas, the beautiful Nærøyfjord was in a UNESCO’s World Heritage. This unique fjord is 17 kilometres long and only 250 meters wide at the most narrow part. The impressive mountain mass along the fjord climbs up to more than 1800 metres height, with waterfalls cascading from the top.

DAY 5 - OLDEN

Olden has a population of 480 people. Located in the valley of Oldedalen close a the glacier border. The Glacier is 500Km long and one of the largest in Europe. The Fjord is 100 KM long and extends the glacier into the ocean. The lake below the Glacier is green in color and the Glacier blueish. The waterfalls are like white kites falling from the sky.

DAY 6 - GEIRANGER

It is the 3rd largest port in Norway and received about 180 cruise ships a year. 300,000 people visit Geiranger a year. Only 250 people live in Geiranger.

Geiranger is under constant threat from the mountain Akerneset which could erode into the fjord. A collapse could destroy Geiranger.

Geiranger is a small town in the Stranda municipality with a population of 600 people. In summer thousands of tourists travel to Hellesylt. Most take a boat from each town.

Sunset was at midnight and sunrise at 3:45am. The photo on the right was at 11:55pm and much lighter out than the photo shows.Sunset time..

Geiranger is without doubt one of the prettiest fjords in Norway.

NATURAL RUNWAY.......

Grass growing on the roof to keep the snow away in the winter.....

Some areas along the coast have no water or lights and are so remote that the only way to get to them is by boat. The people are quiet trusting - in some areas people just leave money on the desk in the hotel and the owner comes back a few days later to collect it. The door is left open the entire time. Honestly ....

From GEIRANGER to HELLESYLT

crisp cool weather....

HELLESYLT

a 120 acre village with 600 population - most travel here by Ferry which runs every hour and half

Somehow everytime I had to go back to the room I was on the wrong side and it felt like a mile walk to arrive....

DAY 7-9

SCOTLAND

bagpipes & whiskey

Scotland........ is part of the UK - United Kingdom and has 4 bodies of water surrounding it

- North Sea, Irish Sea, Atlantic Ocean and North Sea

FACTS:

- 790 Islands

- Edimburgh is the capital

- Glasgow is the 2nd largest city

- Population - 5 million

Language - English & Gaelic

Currency - Pound Sterling

Day 7 - Invergordon
Invergordon is best known for the 1931 Invergordon Mutiny and repairing Oil Rigs from the North Sea.

17 City walls are painted with murals by local Scots which tell local stories about the town.

If you don't pay your taxes in Scotland they board up your windows so you cannot see out!! What an idea!

George - our driver for 7 hours showing us the Highlands of Scotland

We didn't take any of the Cruise Excursions.. we always found our way on our own.

The drive with George was one of the best. He took us down all the secondary roads along the Highlands. We saw things most would never see.. Thanks George Ritchie!

Scotland has 8 million sheeps - more than the 5 million population while some places have only 800 people. 500K live in the capital and around 600K in Glasgow. The queen comes every July to St Johns one of the oldest hotels from the 15th century. In Scotland you can get 4 seasons of weather in one day . And yes it's true... we had 4 weather changes several times a day while we were there. It doesn't rain as much as you think. ( wink wink)

12,800 years ago the first people arrived to Scotland

13th Century Cathedral which ended up being used as a cemetary

All the gardens and museums in Scotland are free!

Built during Medieval times.

A visit to a Brewery....
55,000 bottles a day....

5 star hotel....

PREHISTORIC CEMETERY

This cemetery is a chamber tomb from the Bronze Age. There are 50 of these types of tombs in the Inverness area in the Highlands of Scotland. There are still burial remains in the graves. With the graves in the middle of the large circle it has large rocks covering the entire area.

Battle was in 1745. There were over 2000 Jacobites killed in the area.

LOCH NESS - a monster
Loch in Scottish means lake. Thus Lake Ness... where the famous legendary Monster lives...
The first sighting was in 1933 and to this date many people believe the legendary monster still lives within it's long stretch of 37KM.

URQUART CASTLE -
The castle dates back to 13th- 16th century. A medieval castle. It was destroyed in 1692 by the Jacobites during the war.... It sits directly along Loch Ness

Edimburgh

Population @500,000
1,000,000 visitors a year

Bagpipers throughout the city..

Scotland is often referred to as the "END OF THE WORLD" because whenever you want to leave the city you must pay an exit fee.
And it's the only place where ancient Churches are made into bars and discos. All the gardens and museums in Scotland are free!

Afternoon TEA & SCONES E7.95 for two...

Dear Grace Murray - we enjoyed spending an hour sitting on the bench talking with you - about your life, your country , your ideas and most of all your friendly Scotish personality... we will never forget you....

A VISIT TO NORWAY AND SCOTLAND

#28 TURKEY - Magic 8 Day Tour

2013-05-31T19:51:00.000+02:00

TURKEY
WHERE THE WEST MEETS THE EAST

8 Days Magic Tour of Turkey

- Istanbul

- Cappodocia

- Konya

- Pammukale and more.....

The Bosforo is what brings the ASIA and EUROPE together... two sides - ASIA/EUROPE

Onur & Turkish Icecrea- and more....

JANEREK!!! Yea.. my favorite fruit. Dip it with some salt and eat.. Salty Sour

FRESH FRUITS....

Naturally Organic

These cucumbers were so delicious.. the size of my little finger...

ISTANBUL - over 17 million people living in the Asian and European continential city of Istanbul. Founded 600 years BC it was originally known as Constantinople and served as the capital in 300BC for 4 empires - Roman Empire, Byzantine Empire, Latin Empire and Ottoman Empire

The Asian part of Turkey is called ANATOLIA.

STREET SIGNS OF ISTANBUL

Istanbul's strategic position on the Silk Route fostered itself as an important trading city til today as a main trading city between East and West.

BOAT RIDE ON THE BOSFORO

Between the Black Sea and Sea

Abramovich, the very wealthy Russian just bought the most expensive home in the world on the Bosforo for 170 million Euros - over $200 millions euros. Most expensive home per square foot.

97% of the people in Istanbul life on the Asian Side - 3% on the European Side

of Mamara lies one of the busiest

waterways in the world -

the Bosforo - which separates

East from the West - Asia and Europe.

55,000 boats travel on the Bosforo a year. For each 12 hours they can only go one way and then the next 12 hours the other way.

Turkey signed the International Treaty allowing ships to travel the waterways for free. However they make money from the drayage, docking and other shipping services.

12 million people visit Istanbul a year making it the 5th most traveled city in the world.

Istanbul is currently competing for the 2020 Olympics.

THE SPICE MARKET

The smells and colors of the Spice market were quite intense.. So many different products -look and feel. Walking thru this Spice Market takes you back in time to when many passed through Istanbul on the Silk Route selling and trading with much rigor and excitement as today.

The nuts and dried fruit were ample... prices are the same as in the West if not more.

SULTAN AHMET CAMII MOSQUE

Built in 1906 the Blue Mosque is known for its

THE BLUE MOSQUE- the largest Mosque in Istanbul

thousands of blue tiles.

(Called Sultanahmet Camii in Turkish)

With over 20,000 tiles and 200 stained glass windows with a mixture of both Ottoman and Byzantine style. Commissioned by19 year old Sultan Ahmet - it took 7 years to complete.

St Sophia - Church/Mosque

St Sophia was originally a Church then later

converted to a mosque. During the reign of the Ottoman Turks they converted the Cathedral to a church and it is currently a museum.

Built in the 5th century until the 16th century it was a Basilica. It was the largest cathedral for over 1000 years until the Cathedral is Sevilla in Spain was finished in 1520.

A popular drink with the street vendors
is fresh Pomegranate

Mustafa

Onur & Zeinap

Dinner on the Bosforo with our friends in Istanbul

Fresh - strawberries, cherries, janerek, nispero and sweets

ANKARA - capital of Istanbul - 5 million people live here. It is not a tourist town. Very local.

Ankara is a very old city with various Hittite, Phrygian, Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman archaeological sites. It is is the 2nd largest city in Turkey

FLAVORS AT A LOCAL MARKET

Grape Leaves

Lunch with the "TRAVELING GROUP"....

AND MORE...

CAPPADOCIA

Dating back from the 6th century BC, Cappadocia in Eastern Anatolya is a natural heritage wonder of 1000 m high volcanic peaks. 9 million years ago sedimentary rocks were formed from erupted volcanos.

The rocks of Cappadocia near Göreme eroded into hundreds of spectacular pillars and minaret-like forms. People of the villages at the heart of the Cappadocia Region carved out houses, churches and monasteries from the soft rocks of volcanic deposits. Göreme became a monastic centre in 300—1200 AD. There are over 102 churches carved out in the caves with the walls painted with depicted scenes of religious events.

The caves stay at 17 degree Celsius the entire year. Even though there is snow during the winter the cave are not cold and in the hot summer stay cool inside - which is how they survived living in the caves.

300 BC Persecuted Christians fled here to practice their religion freely. They hid and lived in these caves they carved out of the Volcanic rocks and settled there til the 15th century when there was a massive earthquake.
They took everything with them including the graves.

What is left is the caves carved out where they lived and the paintings they made on walls inside their "church".

All the holes in the rocks are homes where people lived until the 1500s when an earthquake erupted and the people abandoned the area. Christian persecuted for their beliefs came to this area to hide and practice their faith without punishment.

Duplex cave with an upstairs and a downstairs.
The people took everything with them when they abandoned the area.

Our guides - Ahmed and Mehmat! Thanks!

Wong - Kelvin from Hong Kong. I hope he didn't forget anything when he went back home!

LOCAL FLAVORS AT THE MARKET

Bob's second love - Tomatoes - ( or maybe his first?)

The only inhabited cave - handed down from the mans great great grandfather.

The government gave his the cave and land for free.

Inside the cave....

Our guide - Mehmet - singing.

CARPET SHOWROOM

Handmade carpets - double knotted

Takes 6-8 months to finish 1 carpet. 1200 workers - 7000 carpets -

How silk is made. Silk worms without the butterfly are put into hot boiling water. Over 24 km long of thousands of strands are pulled out of the silk worm.

Then thousands of strands are pulled out. They are strong but very thin.

Then they are threaded through the spools to separate them.

Kelvin from Hong Kong said his mom cooks the worms in a special sauce for lunch and they are delicious.

Lunch or a dress?

Voila - the end results of silk worms - Beautiful colorful carpets - priceless!

Over 2000 people go up daily in hot air ballons over the rock formations. E140 a person for 50 minutes.

HIERAPOLIS - GREEK/ROMAN CITY - NOW A HERITAGE SITE

The amphitheater was built after the destructive earthquake destroyed the city in 60 BC. The theatre was built in 17BC. It seats 15000 which means there was over 150000 inhabitants in the city. They way they determine population is that all theaters are built for 10% of the population.

The Hellenistic city was built with streets running parallel or perpendicular to the main street

The white cliffs of Pamukkale were formed when a spring with a high content of dissolved calcium bicarbonate cascaded over the edge of the cliff, which cooled and hardened leaving calcium deposits. This formed into natural pools, shelves and ridges. It's called "COTTON CASTLE" because of the cascades of white naturally formed waterfalls...

Pamukkale is invaded by visitors not only for it's beauty but for the therapeutic qualities of the water, celebrated since antiquity as being a health cure

Pamukkale's terraces are made of travertine, a sedimentary rock deposited by water from the hot springs. ancient Greco-Roman and Byzantine city of Hierapolis was built on top of the white "castle" which is in total about 2,700 metres

The waters are warm and full of calcium with a sandy feeling. To see it is truly a natural wonder.

It took 85 millions years of deposits to form this natural landscape.

CLEOPATRA POOL

Mark Anthony - ruler of Ancient Egypt gave the city of Hiercopolis to his wife Cleopatra as a gift. She spent 6 months there in the thermal baths one year for health purposes.

You can pay to swim in the ancient pool for 25Lira which is about $12. It's therapeutic waters are set to heal many ailments.

During the Roman Empire period, Hierapolis was a health centre. Thousand so people were coming to the Baths for healing. At the time there was more than 15 natural thermal baths.

Today’s Antique Pool was shaped by the earthquake which happened in A.D. VII. Century. Many of the Roman/Greek columns fell into the spring during the earthquake in VII. Century A.D. They are still there today making for an impressive natural rock look in the pool.

Hierapolis became part of the Pergamon kingdom.

Hierapolis became a healing centre where doctors used the hot thermal springs as a treatment for their patients. The city began issuing bronze coins in the 2nd century BC. These coins give the name Hieropolis (town of the temple Hieron). This name eventually changed into Hierapolis ( which means HOLY CITY)

Mosque in the town of Esmir

CEMETERY

Beer Break! Good laughs and good company!

LEATHER FASHION SHOW

Our own personal model - ENRIQUE! A new career for him!

GO ENRIQUE and SUSANA!!

AEGEAN SEA

Swimming in the Aegean Sea in May was a bit chilly.. but a lovely change from a day at the ruins...

THE END IS NEAR.....

OUR LAST FEW HOURS TOGETHER

CABLE RIDE - TO PERGAMON

PERGAMON - Ancient Greek/Roman city near the Aegean Sea.

It became the capital of the Kindgdom of Pergamon during the Hellenistic period in 281–133 BC. Pergamon is mentioned in the Book of Revelations in the bible as one of the seven churches in Asia.

The Greeks built an amphitheater on an incline with a view to the countryside.

The Romans built an amphitheather on a flat surface and the stage was built up high to block any distractions of the view.

This theater was a combinations of the two. It was first built by the Greeks and then later rebuilt after its destruction by the Romans.

The entire great altar of Pergamon ( called Apollos Temple) was taken by the Germans to Berlin where they have it built in a museum .

VERTICAL SLOPE!!

Pergamon was briefly the capital of the Roman province of Asia, before the capital was transferred to Ephesus.The Hellenistic Theater with a seating capacity of 10,000. This had the steepest seating of any known theater in the ancient world.

A combination of a Greek Temple and a Roman temple.

HAIL ROBERT!

Seats 10,000 which means there was over 100,000 population at the time it was built.

The 40 minute ferry ride crossing from the Asia side to the Asia side to get back to Istanbul. The ride saves over 3 hours on the road.

Beautiful sunset.......slight breeze... and the end of a lovely trip to exotic exciting Istanbul.. where the East meets the West.

Jokes.... tales... feedback... and a few more laughs before we all part and go our own ways....

A part of Turkey we took back with us..... handmade carpet from Kaysari....

#26- JEREZ - A GLASS OF SHERRY

2011-07-03T13:43:00.003+02:00

#26

JEREZ DE LA FRONTERA

SPAIN

From: Marbella
To: Jerez
Distance: 141km / 80 miles
Time: 1.5 hours
Climate: 27C -80F

JEREZ - A GLASS OF SHERRY

Hello!! Welcome back!! I hope you missed my blog for the past few weeks? Ah... I got a big lazy but I have had many requests so... here I am again. Thanks for everyone who has followed along. There's plenty of room in the back seat. I am stopping to pick everyone up again so hop in... This time I am picking you up to go to....

JEREZ DE LA FRONTERA

and you may be asking - "Why Jerez, Jasmine?"

Well... a few weeks ago it was my birthday and Bob asked the famous question - "Jasmine where would you like to go?" Well I didn't want to go to the beach since it was just in front of us.

and...

I didn't want to go to the mountain since it was just behind us.

so instead I said for something different... let's go to a flat place

and in Spain flat is not always easy to find...

so I picked a place in-between the Mediterranean and the mountains

somewhere flat....

JEREZ DE LA FRONTERA

a few facts.....

1. Only 1.5 hour drive from where we live

2. known for it's Sherry production ( more about this later for you Sherry lovers)

3. is a municipality in the Provence of Cadiz in autonomous community of Andalusia

4. Fifth largest city in Andalusia with over 200,000 people

5. One of the largest horse breeding and show areas in the country

6. Of course - wine growing area....

7. It is THE largest exporter of Sherry

8. Ruins which prove the existence of the Phoenicians

---------------------

Here, follow along to see old and modern Jerez......

LOCAL DAILY MARKET:

Freshly caught fish... a Spanish food staple

LOCAL VEGETABLE MARKET:
Such delicious fruits and vegetables.... my daily addiction!!!

Take a close look at the FRESH FIGS and the every so plump juicy huge cherries! Yes we bought both and ate them before we left the stand!! Price was about $3.00/pound

LOCAL BEER PRICES:

Bob and I stopped to have his daily 5pm beer. This local cafe offered a draft beer for .50 euro cents ($.75cents). Well needless to say he didn't have one at those prices! Prices in this town were less than the beachside resort town we live in!

LOCAL SHERRY & HISTORY:

Sherry is a fortified wine made from white grapes from Jerez. In Spanish it is called Vino de Jerez. Jerez has a wine culture since wine making was introduced by the Phoenicians in 11BC. The practice continued by the Romans when they took control of Iberia in 200BC. The Moors conquered the in 711AD and introduced distillation which led to the development of brandy and fortified wine which is Sherry. Thus Jerez became the center of Sherry due to the Arabs (Moors) and still continues to this day - five centuries later!

Christopher Columbus brought Sherry to the New World on his voyage and introduced it to the West. Because Sherry was a major wine export to the UK, many of todays Jerez Bodegas were founded by British families and still continue to be owned by them instead of the Spanish.

LOCAL ARCHITECTURE :

Most of the interesting Architecture in Jerez dates back to the birth of the Renaissance from the 15th-17th Century including Gothic & Baroque designs. Prior to that, little is left of the Moors 800 year reign in this region except the amazing and well preserved Alcazar of Jerez. ( below)

Many of the styles host Arab style entrances

LOCAL VEGETATION:

Fresh fig tree - yummy

Oh course - there isn't a place in Spain where you can't find a fresh Olive Tree - their staple for Virgin Olive Oil -

Lettuce!

FRESH BEANS!

HERB - MELISA - great tea for tummy ache

LOCAL WEDDING STYLES:

beautiful simple yet elegant style for a outside summer wedding

THE ALCAZAR OF JEREZ

12th-18th Century
Entry fee E3.00/$4.50

The Alcazar of Jerez is one of the most important and well preserved monuments in the city. It was built in the 12th century and one of the few examples left on the Iberian Peninsula of the Almohade architecture. Alcazar comes from the Arab word - al-qasr which means a group of buildings - surrounded by walls - encompassing both a palace and a fortress.

OIL MILL - Growing of Olive Tress was very important in Jerez until the 19th century when vineyards took over in importance versus olive groves. The oil mill dates back to the middle of the 18th century. It was owned by the Villavicencio family.

The olives were milled here until they became a paste. The olives were cleaned, poured into the wooden box which was called the hopper, then it would fall on a round stone on a base - the bed stone. A mule would walk around the bed stone which then moved the stone around to grind it. The grindstone as it was called crushed the olives to make the paste.
The work was done in the winter and the fireplace was lit during the entire day. The paste was put between a grass mat and then pressed by a block. A beam was lowered and pressed thus pressing liquid which ran along a channel into a tank in the floor.
The pure oil with the lower density remained on the top while the impurities sank to the bottom thus separating the oils.

During the 12th Century Jerez became one of the most important cities in Lower Andalusia because of the grandiosity of the Alcazar. It covered 4 kilometers (2.5miles) with over 46 hectares (115 acres) and a population of 16000 people.

Remaining today -
Two ages - Mosque - Arab Baths - Tower - Palace - Part of the Mill- Grounds

This courtyard dates back to the Al- Andalus period.

TOWER
Buit in 1471.
It was originally surrounded by a moat. It was the last defensive. It has a semi basement and three floors.From the 2nd floor there is access to the chamber of the islamic tower.

The mosque is one of the only mosques that still exists from the 18 mosques of the Islamic city. It dates back to the 12th century and has a typical element of the religious building. King Alfonso who conquered the city in 1264 consecrated this mosque to Christian worship and dedicated it to the Virgin Mary.
HAMMAN

The Arab baths (Hamman) were for private use. They were also constituted for religious obligations as well as pleasures. They had three rooms according to temperatures.

- A cold room - a transit area before entering the wet area

- A warm room- the largest area - Here people were given massages and had their bodies soaped.

- The hot room. This is where steam baths were taken. The temperature in this room was very high because it was close to the boiler and because of the underground heating system.

Pharmacy -

LOCAL CATHEDRAL:
17th Century
Architecture: Baroque - Gothic- Neoclassical

Spa - moorish modern day spa's

LOCAL AND MOST FAMOUS SHERRY:

TIO PEPE:

So let me know - do you like Sherry? Have you ever tasted Tio Pepe? Or any other Spanish Sherry? Well for those of you who know me, you know I really don't like to drink and the taste of Sherry is certainly not my taste.

But Sherry from Jerez is very well known and well liked. And that is what makes a trip to Jerez so well worth it - the tours, the free Sherry tasting ... all the Bodegas - all the Sherry - everywhere you turn - makes Jerez a Sherry of a town!!
-------
Oh I do have to tell you something fun which happened to us on our way back. You know Bob - my birthday driver - the same guy who drove 1500 kilometers in one day without blinking - well! For some reason on our way back this time from Jerez - only 1.5 hours away I decided to let him drive. I was kinda tired ( probably from the Sherry tasting) decided to put my head to rest. All of a sudden I felt the car jerk to the side. I jumped up and only to see that Bob was sleeping while driving on the highway. What a fright! It was broad daylight. Only 6 o'clock in the afternoon!

Well - can you imagine?!?!?! I think it was that cheap beer or the Sherry or the fact that we really have gotten a bit lazy lately and can't seem to do all that running around like we were doing... so.. I took over driving and Bob took a siesta in the passengers seat.

Stayed tuned to see where we went next and especially who was behind the wheel..
--------------
Thanks for joining me again... I hope I haven't lost my touch and you stayed in the back seat.. let me know... I can't turn my head and look in the back seat while I am driving so scream and let me know if you are back there.. post post post comments... tell me what you like, what you don't like or even if you want me to stop sending you these blogs... I won't be offended. I promise.
Comments.. comments... comments.. they are so fun to read..

night night....
Happy 4th of July to those in the USA!!

(p.s. feel free to send my posts to anyone you want - the more the better)

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#25 -GRANADA- Alhambra, Moors & A Revolution

2011-06-08T20:44:00.000+02:00

#25

GRANADA

SPAIN

#25

From: Marbella
To: Granada
Distance: 186km / 115 miles
Time: 2 hours
Climate: 28C -82F
Altitude: 738meters/ 7900 feet
Coast : 1 hour drive

*Please note: This blog does not cover the Alhambra Castle. It deserves it's own blog apart from the rest and will be covered at a later point.

GRANADA

Alhambra - Moors and a Revolution

Bob and I decided for our 7th year wedding anniversary ( May 29th) to spend a couple days in the romantic lovely city of Granada; about a 2 hour drive from where we live. IT is so full of history and helped carve what is Spain today.

TOP TEN GRANADA FACTS:

Capital of the Provence of Granada in the Community of Andalusia
Population - @500,000
Third largest urban city in Spain
Elevation - 738meters / 2421 feet
Where three Rivers meet - Beiro, Darro, Genil
Famous Islamic Moorish heritage
Moors occupation for over 800 years
One of the top three Universities in Spain
The Origin of the pomegranate fruit - hence Grenadine ( granada in Spanish)
Famous Sierra Nevada Mountain range
Most mosques converted to Churches.

THE DRIVE TO GRANADA FROM THE COSTA DEL SOL:

OLIVE TREES AS FAR AS YOU CAN SEE

The drive throughout Andalusia (South of Spain community) usually consists of either Olive, Almond or Orange Trees.

During the 2 hour trip trip to Granada we were surrounded by Olive Tress on both sides for as far as you can see.....

Although we have both been to Granada many many times either to visit the famous Moorish Alhambra Castle or to go skiing in the Sierra Nevada's, neither of us really knew the town.

HOTEL - MONASTARIO DE LOS BASILOS

We booked a room in the lovely 16th Century Monastery: Monastario de los Basilos located directly on the river by the center of town.

Part of the Charming Hotels Chain, the hotel was quite lovely. The price was extremely reasonable at only 49E including breakfast. The courtyard was filled with fresh lemon and orange trees and a beautiful 16th Century church located on the grounds.

The room was quite new and clean with Marble bathroom.

No, no, no... we didn't take a tour this time. But if you are in Granada, a tour serves you well because there is so much to cover and a lot of walking.

Granada as we discovered is so much more than skiing, Moors and castles. The town is quite manageable, clean and with tremendous history. Tapa bars are everywhere... as well as a Gypsy and Moorish quarter.

MARBLE & STONE

Most of the pedestrian walk ways in Spain are built from stone and marble as shown.
In fact, it's hard not to make your way around Spain without seeing either Marble or Natural Stone being used everywhere; a walkway, wall or floor covering, park benches...or even as the tarmac of a beach side boardwalk.
Marble is everywhere!!!!

Note: While Marble is a high end luxury in America it is quite common in Spain.

HISTORY and the MOORS

The Moors occupied Spain for over 800 years -

711 AD to 1492 AD

The Moorish influence can be seen throughout the entire city.

The Arab Baths
Court yard homes
Castles
Arabic Architecture

Right and Below:

Basilica de Nuestra Senora de las Angustias

CHRISTIANS

Granada dates back around 5BC when the Greeks settled in the region. Followed then by the Romans and Visigoths, the history of the region is rich in culture. Following the conquering of the Moors in the 15the Century the Christians then gained and currently maintain control of the region.

LEFT: look closely to see the hundreds of small photos of people for their prayers.

A strong Christian influence developed with Churches being built almost on every street - literally. You hardly have to walk around the corner to find another Basilica, Church, Monastery or the monumental Cathedral.

Nuns - a rare sighting these days, no?

ABANICOS
Hand fans

These beautiful hand painted fans are not only used for Flamenco dances as a more practical use today to keep everyone cool. You will see women all over Spain fanning themselves with these beautiful Abanicos.

As I keep mentioning, one of Spain's comforts is having park benches everywhere. PARK BENCHES EVERYWHERE

LUNCH

We decided to stop at a Tapa Bar for lunch. Taberna Las Copas in the main pedestrian walkway was our choice.
If you are interested in trying a variety of Tapas in Granada the Albaicin, Elvira Street or Campo Principe are the places to go for a taste of Granada.

Don't ask me what this Tapa is below... I asked. The waiter explained it is a common "gratis" Tapa offered as a flavor of Granada. It tasted like loose flour.

11 Euros total:
Fried baby Squid
Fried Sardines
These were so delicate and delicious. Squeeze a bit of lemon to add zest.

SUMMER WEDDING INSPIRATIONS

Ah... for the romantics and wedding planners, Granada offers beautiful gowns. E200

REFRESHING SUMMER DELIGHTS

OK, this had to be one of the best ice creams I have had in years.... Italian Ice Cream, hand made, smooth creamy and a summer delight.

LOCATION: Golosita Italiana, Zacatin 20 - Located close by the Albaicin market.

CATHEDRAL OF GRANADA

16th Century

(Unfortunately the video tape I took of the inside was accidentally deleted)

The cathedral was built in 1505 by the request of the Catholic Kings. During the birth of the Renaissance this Cathedral has Baroque and Neo -Classical architecture.

Ferdinand and Isabelle are buried here.
115 meters long x 65 meter wide x 45 meters high (@500 ft high)
center aisle 32 meters long

Located just on the side of the Cathedral you will find an inside market of souvenirs. Along side there are street vendors selling their crafts.
The guy on the left is selling a plaque of your name written in Arabic for 1 Euro.

NON EDIBLE ORANGES

Orange trees which are used to line the streets for shade are NOT the kind of oranges you can eat. Rather they are the kind of oranges which are used in Liqueurs, Marmalades etc.. so don't pick and eat one. They are quite distasteful.

Many of the Tapa bars in Spain are lined above with Pork Legs hanging and beautiful tile lining the walls.

Albaicin Market Place:
The Gypsy Quarter

Nothing in Granada compares to the artistic Gypsy Quarter. It takes you back in time to when the Moors were settlers. It is a lovely area and not one to be missed in Granada.

Enjoy the sights below and just imagine yourself walking along the narrow cobblestone roads with merchants selling their handmade goods. As you stroll along imagine smelling the scents of incense burning mixed with the aroma of Arabic coffee brewing.

MONASTERIO DE SAN JERONIMO

FACTS:

Founded in 1504
First monastery built after the conquest from the Moors
First temple in the west devoted to the immaculate conception
Occupied in 1551
Present day nuns still there
500 memorial stones placed for the monks who lived there

Cloisters:

Present day nuns living at the Monastery

Ok. Are you wondering what I am from a Monastery courtyard tree? ah... Let's see if you can guess.. It is orangish..small.. big brown pits... a passion fruit.. and only available in May/June for about 4 weeks. Go ahead.. guess.....soooooo yummmy

LOQUAT - originally from SE China and introduced to Japan over 1000 years ago and mentioned in ancient Chinese literature and dating back before the Age of Discovery in Western Europe. It is also called a Chinese plum and labeled a Passion Fruit. It is used medically for sore throats. One of my favorite fruits!!

STREET SIGHTS

CHeck out the guy playing the rope and garbage bucket!! The music was great and he was actually able to produce nice music from the garbage can!!!

A religious street procession. Thousands of people dressed in religious attire, bands, walking for hours across the center of town.

Cultural dresses...flamenco style

MAY 29th was our 7th year Anniversary
By chance while visiting a local church we witnessed a wedding ceremony. It was beautiful and quite touching to see a wedding on our wedding anniversary.

LOCAL SIGHTS

Public transportation. Easy quick and comfortable.....

VIEW OF ALHAMBRA CASTLE
FROM PLAZA MIRADOR DE SAN NICOLAS

* Because of the depth and importance of the Alhambra Moorish Castle - a separate post will be made to cover it...included here is a view from afar...

ALHAMBRA CASTLE with Sierra Nevadas in the background

Yes that is still snow in the background.. over 3000 ft high.

SACAMONTE DISTRICT
Gypsy district

This lady not only serves you cold drinks on a hot day but at night dances Flamenco. Her small narrow restaurant is actually quite famous. She has been dancing she childhood and even met and danced for the King and Queen of Spain amongst other famous people. She is outgoing, friendly, happy smiling woman!!

OTHER STREET SIGHTS
Political viewpoint

Free spirited opinions

A Solitary Man

The lovely Bougainvillea plant which is abundant in Spain

Typical Courtyard settings....

Fresh water from Sierra Nevada.. so delicious

My favorite band

Lovely corners

Typical Spanish police - on duty having a beer in a bar!! True!!See the policeman inside with the drink in his hand??

5 star hotel in Granada...
PALACIO DE SANTA PAULA

5 star hotel chef

ARCHITECTURE IN GRANADA

MOSIAC & CERAMICS

Granada Style

For those who know me, you know that I had a business importing and selling Spanish ceramics nationwide in the USA. So my love and affiliation with the ceramic ware goes beyond these couple of photos. Spanish ceramics are usually hand made, bright and cheerful while being price to market well.

Common to the Granada region is the Mosaic decorative boxes below. Each little piece is hand laid with a variety of woods used.Each little piece is hand laid with a variety of woods used. Above is a typical green/blue Granada ceramic with Moorish influence.

DECORATIVE DOOR ENTRY
Typical Andalusian. Throughout the South of Spain it is quite common to see decorative door entry. Tiled scenes with moorish design are abundant and pretty to the eye.

Surprise - another real mural. Such artistic flair!!

FLAMENCO DRESSES
Flamenco dancing is plentiful which makes the dresses available everywhere. Older women to infants all have at least one Flamenco dress to wear at the Festivals.

LUNCH
Menu del dia 11E ( fixed menu)
Appetizer, Main Course, Dessert

El Deseo ( The Dream)
Plaza La Romanilla 4
www.restauranteeldeseo.com

Perfect location directly next to the Cathedral with a beautiful view of it from the plaza.

Appetizer: Mixed salad & Fritura ( fried Squid & vegetables)

Main Course: Paella & Veal Roman Style

Dessert: Home made flan (custard) & Lemon Sorbet with Prosecco (Champagne). Absolutely mouthwatering

Owner of Deseo: Christian Greco (right)

He opened this successful restaurant 2 years ago. Italian origin with a father who is also a restauranteur, not only good looking face but an ideal host with a delicious restaurant. Christian is gregarious, friendly and an attentive owner, who in my opinion, has just seen the beginning of a very long successful career.

His restaurant offered excellent value/quality as well as quick service.

While in Granada, please visit El Deseo , a perfectly located and tasty restaurant.

*eating outside has a 10% surcharge

FYI: Do you know the different names and origins for Sparkling Wine?

1. Champagne is French

2. Prosecco is Italian

3. Cava is Spanish

Click the short clip below I taped for you of a Protestor explaining in English why there is a Spanish Revolution taking place.

For more on the Spanish Revolution please click and read the separate blog I made specially about it.CLICK BELOW

Spanish Revolution Blog by Jasmine

--------------------

Although this post may seem a bit on the long side.. it is only a sneak preview of the beauty, culture, history and sights of rich Granada.

During a visit to Andalusia (Southern Spain) you should not miss the beautiful city of Granada. You will fall in love with it, the food, the history and the richness in culture.

I hope you enjoyed a taste of Moorish Granada. Don't get out of the car yet... we have one more stop to make.

Please post comments and send this to your friends to enjoy a virtual trip.

Hope you are still with us in the back seat? Let me know...

night night...

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#24 - M15 THE SPANISH REVOLUTION May 30 2011

2011-05-31T01:44:00.003+02:00

#24

GRANADA SPAIN

Please forward this to as many people as you know to help them have their voices heard. The media is being censored and reporters are not allowed to report the news as it is.

M15

SPANISH REVOLUTION

May 30 2011

SEE HISTORY TAKING PLACE

We spent the past couple days in Granada Spain - 2 hours away.

Protestors lined the streets 24/7 to make their voices heard.

Below are some of my photos. I also had the opportunity to interview a few Protestors to explain in English to you why the Revolution is taking place in Spain.

SIGNS:
"Terrorists? Wall Street attack continues"

"USAOPA"
"Why doesn't anyone speak of Rockerfeller"
"Bush Bidladen Inc"
"If you own the markets why vote"
"I am interested to know the significance..."

M15

The movement in Spain is called M15: the day the revolution started May 15

Thousands upon thousands of demonstrators were protesting for everyone "not to vote" for either of the two parties on election day - Sunday May 22nd. They slept all day and night - camped out - at all the government plaza's

Their anger and protests were for:

1. High unemployment (25%)

2. Lack of work available for the youth ( 45% of the youth unemployed)

3. Radical change in Politics

4. Against Bankers - Wall Street

5. Lack of government help with the crisis and financial meltdown

It is said that the demonstrations in part helped the current government ( PSOE) lose the elections and instead the PP was voted back in to power.

I taped the below videos of some of the events today. I also interviewed specifically for you a few in English to explain the radical movement taking place all over Spain right now.

These demonstrators marched through town to have their voices heard.

CLICK ON THE BELOW 4 VIDEOS TO WATCH

I taped these today so watch to see it live.

( click to watch)

He explains in English why he has been sleeping in the plaza for the past 20 days and the problems they are facing.

( click to watch)

Carolina is a single mother. She has two degrees - Social Worker and Translator.

She has been unable to find work.

She also told me apart from the video that the government is not allowing much media coverage. They have had several reporters tell them that they cannot report the events.

The news is censored.

(click to watch)
Here she explains how police brutality tried to stop the demonstrations. She also said they heard that the police was going to be shutting them down very soon.

(click to watch)

ORGANIZED AND PEACEFUL

The events are organized and non violent. Police are stationed all over town where the demonstrations are being held and following the ones who march around the city.They inform the police of where and when they will march. They even have a permit.

For those who have children, they have an area set up for the kids to play.

"Each heart is a revolutionary cell"

Cities in Spain protesting (60)

"Realistic and dreamy"

"To get you have to believe"

"Solitude with the Syria - It is not a terrorist state"

" Don't want Chemtrails in my skies"

"If we don't get on TV we do not exist"

"Presidents of America who have direct linage with Bush"

121 people have been hurt so far in these protests

Spain on one hand is suffering tremendously while in Sports they are on top of the world.

The weekend Barcelona won the European Football (soccer) Champions vs England
Spain won the World Football Championship
Alberto Contador won again the Giro 2011 Bike & is the bike champion of Spain
Nadal is the tennis champion of Spain

Spain is winning winning winning in Sports.. let's hope they can come out on top economically - for the sake of their own people.

Today's blog is a bit more somber and serious. Rather than show the history of the past and the beauty of the country- it shows you the present day reality and just how serious the economic crisis is in Spain.
It also show how around the world so many people are saying - enough is enough.

I hope you found this hands on information interesting and will keep current on the latest developments as M15 continues .... for change!

click below to read more
REVOLUTION

Please forward this to as many people as you know to help them have their voices heard. The media is being censored and reporters are not allowed to report the news as it is.

night night....

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#23 - SLEEPING WITH AN EARTHQUAKE IN LORCA

2011-05-28T15:39:00.000+02:00

LORCA / SPAIN

#23

From: Orange - France
To: Lorca - Spain
Distance: 1500km /1000m
Time: 14 hours
Climate: 7C/18C= 45/65F

END OF PART 1

SLEEPING WITH AN EARTHQUAKE

Lorca, Spain

BACK TO SPAIN

Orange France to Marbella Spain
1500 km/1000 miles
15 hours drive time

You must think by now we are near Switzerland or Germany or lost somewhere in France... but.... the sharp turn I wrote about a few posts ago was back to Spain.

Unfortunately we had to cut our trip short and head quickly back to Spain to take care of an urgent issue with our place. The trip of small roads, lost roads, single lanes and undiscovered adventure was quickly replaced by, highways, radar control, traffic and 1500km or 1000miles and 15 hours of rush time.

After 9 hours of road travel we were both tired and needed to rest. If you look at the map you can see the route we took turned off towards Murcia. Little did we know what lay ahead.

UNEXPECTED EARTHQUAKE

The road from Alicante to Malaga is a very dark single lane road. There is nothing on that road... no hotels on the side, no stops... nothing. I was driving ( because I drive faster than Bob) we had to stop and rest. We pulled over at the first town we saw and ten minutes later found a hotel.

NO ONE ON THE STREETS
It was very dark - no one on the streets and usually quiet for a lively country as Spain. We thought perhaps there was a football (soccer) game running late to keep the Spanish off the streets and quiet.

HOTEL:
As we pulled into this remote hotel, Bob commented as how busy the parking lot was and why and how it could be so full. The man at the front desk said he had only 1 room left so we felt lucky and took it.

NO WIFI
Five minutes later I was back downstairs complaining the WIFI in our room didn't work.
The man gave me a funny look and said in Spanish "Haven't you heard? We just had a major Earthquake here a few hours ago. 10 people are dead."

My jaw dropped! "Where I asked".
His reply. "Here. Very close"

I thought - no way - of all the stops we could make. We stopped in Lorca Murcia directly where the Earthquake just happened!!!! How in the world could we have a good night sleep worrying about "after shocks".

5.1 EARTHQUAKE
Quickly we turned on the TV and saw every channel covering the news and the horrific damages, deaths and daily events.

Thousands of people were displaced and instructed not to return to their homes. They slept on the streets. 10 people were dead. Cars crushed most of the people.

How lucky were we to get a room?????

PAST & FUTURE
Just earlier that morning we were casually walking around an Amphitheater 2000 years old in France and now we are in the middle of an Earthquake zone.

FEARS

For anyone who lives or was in an earthquake the biggest fear is the after shock. The Earthquake in Lorca hit the town twice. Once at 5pm and the 2nd at 8pm. We were lucky enough to miss the direct hit by 3 hours. But the tremors were felt for 350km/220 miles around including our drive. However if you are driving or moving you don't feel the tremors as much as standing still.

So we were clueless - listening to music, talking and driving in the dark. How were we to know we were driving directly into a dangerous earthquake area.

THE NEXT DAY

As you can only imagine - the next morning we awoke quite early after a restless night sleep. By 7 30 am we were back on the road to quickly drive away from this danger zone.

The area hit was blocked off but I did take some photos for you to give you an idea of the area and events of the morning.

We saw helicopters circling around, fire engines coming from all directions, military vehicles and equipment forming a long line, police everywhere, and of course most roads all blocked.

EMERGENCY STATE

As you can see by the photos - the main highway leading out of the area was blocked with detours and heavy traffic even at this early morning.

Police were everywhere rushing with sirens. It was a solemn feeling to be accidentally near such a catastrophic and historical event. My thoughts went to the people who were innocently going about their daily activities only to be suddenly facing death and fear from the dangers of natures powerful reaching arms.

It did make us both think very hard at how lucky we are but at the same time to realize the fragility of life. We all must really work hard at trying to live each day as if it is our last and not think of it as just a "nice" saying.

Never put off until tomorrow what can be done today!

LORCA BACKGROUND

Population: @100,000

Border: Ancient border between Christians and Moslems

Economy: Agriculture and export of pork products

Capital: Lorca is the capital of Community of Murcia

Bronze Age: Town dates back to the Bronze Age (is the Stone Age & Iron Age)

The LORCA CASTLE, a historical site, built in the 9th century by the Moors was damaged in the quake.

DANGEROUS TUNNEL

only way out

As you can see in the photos there were originally two tunnels. One entering the town and one exiting the town. The one exiting was damaged from the Earthquake and was shut down. We had to pass single lane through the Tunnel into town.

Sometimes I find myself feeling a bit claustrophobic if the situation is odd or tight. This time I was completely uncomfortable to pass through a tunnel only hours after an Earthquake.

I kept asking Bob.. how can they be sure it is safe? How can we be sure it doesn't get hit in an aftershock and we are in the tunnel. So I closed my eyes, put the IPOD in my ears and waited till we passed the 2 mile tunnel to safety.

The medieval historical church was damaged as well as many historic sites located in the area.

The arrival of the Military

BBC VIDEO - Click to view

Views just passed Lorca
Natural beauty surrounds this now damaged and ever changed town!

Time stands still for the endless Olive Orchards found along the area.

We were were both quite disappointed our trip was unexpectedly put on temporary hold. But the good news is that we will be back on the road to pick up where we left off......soon....

In the meantime, let our hearts go out to the victims of Lorca and all those who have suffered from this violent earthquake.

TIDBIT: Did you know there are about 500,000 earthquakes a year and with over 100,000 of these felt.

Thanks! I wanted to say thanks to everyone taking the time to look at the "Travel Along" blog. To date there are over 2200 page views from as far as Russia, South America, Asia .... so thank you for joining us on this adventure.

In the meantime, please feel free to share this link ( Twitter, Facebook, email) with all your friends and family who would like to see and read about these special places we found, the food, history and culture along the less traveled roads of Europe.

Get some rest - we will be picking you up again to hop in the back seat - very soon.

night night...

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#22 - 2000 YEAR OLD DELICIOUS ORANGE

2011-05-24T20:48:00.000+02:00

ORANGE/FRANCE

ORANGE

#22

From: Montepellier
To: Orange
Distance: 93km / 58 miles
Climate: 25C = 73F
Region: Provence

2000 YEAR OLD
DELICIOUS ORANGE

Ah... we all know how delicious a juicy sweet Orange tastes ..... but how many of you know of the delicious sweet 2000 year old Orange located in Provence France?

Less than an hour later....
We left Montpellier with our our target being Grenoble, about a 5 hour drive.....but no sooner did we get on the road did we get off the road. Bob mentioned he had stopped for an overnight years ago in Orange... so we pulled off to the side to discover a very historical 2000 year old town.

And what a town!!
Orange is deceiving... you drive in to this small quaint French town...no big signs to warn you of the ancient discovery you are about to embark on as you make your way down the main street and after the roundabout you see to the left.

No billboards, no signs, no announcements. Just the sudden shock of such an impressive site which was good enough reason to overnight and put off driving to Grenoble for another day.

Come on..

get in the car with us

and travel back in time - over 2000 years - to visit the most preserved Roman theatre in the West.

But first...
click and play this beautiful video of Mireille Mathieu, France's most famous singer . (She was my moms favorite singer and her beautiful voice resonated in our home often)
For me - Mireille Mathieu is France.

Bio: Mireille Mathieu, a successor to Edith Piaf, was born in 1946 to a very poor family and the oldest of 14 children . She has sold over 120 million records worldwide in 9 different languages and sang for Kings and Queens around the world.

THE ROMAN EMPIRE

"ANCIENT THEATRE of ORANGE"
"Theatre antique d'Orange"

Because I was unable to take a photo of the entire site, I took a photo of a photo ( below) to show you just how large and incredible this 2000 year old Amphitheater really is.

FACTS:

Built in 100BC

Seats 8,500 people

Most preserved Roman theatre in the West

Romans viewed the theatre as critical to preserve cultural entertainment and a distracts from politics

Pantomime original started here in 20BC. It was the most popular form of entertainment for many many years

1981 UNESCO Heritage Site

82 Columns are missing

The design of the theatre provides perfect acoustics

Fire destroyed much of the theatre including a roof

Wealthy Romans were taxed to help pay for the theatre

ROMAN EMPIRE

RETIRED ROMAN SOLDIERS WERE GIVEN LAND FOR FREE

The town of Orange was always in good order without any civil problems. One of the reasons for this is the Roman government awarded all retired soldiers land for free in exchange for keeping order in the town they lived in.

HISTORY: The Romans originally came to France in 500BC to fight with the Greeks to protect their land and later took it over to be included as part of the ROMAN EMPIRE

HAIL TO THE EMPEROR!
Below you will notice a large Roman Emperor statue in the top center.
These were pre fabricated in Rome and sent to all the Roman towns as a "quasimodo-god statue". There were thousands made.However, interestingly enough, the head of the statue was removable and were easily changed whenever a new emperor was elected.

FREE ENTRY PRICE & STATUS SEATING
Seating was a symbol of status. The more prominent you were the lower you sat. The further back the less social status you held. The last and back seats were for prostitutes and peasants of the town.

All shows were free to the public. At the height of this amphitheater there were over 180 shows a year. Part of this was to distract the public from politics as well as a means of entertainment.

Roman Emperor Roberto Mancini

72 of the original columns are still missing
They had a fire which caused most of it to be destroyed.
There was an original roof which covered most of the theatre to keep it cool and shaded. It was also destroyed in a fire.

Right & Below:

Along side the theatre there was a recent archeological discovery of a large temple built. This historical find continues today to be dug out.

DECLINE OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE:

Church strongly opposes and bans the theatre

After the decline of the Roman Empire in 4AD the theatre was closed in 391AD due to strong opposition of the Church since Christianity then became the main religion of the State. The Church called it "uncivilized" and "profane".

BARBARIANS

Once the theatre was shut down Barbarians occupied it until the Middle Ages when it was then used as a defensive post during the Religious Wars.

19th CENTURY REVIVAL

It wasn't until 1825 that it slowly started to be renovated and reconstructed to being a "Roman Revival".

Below is a photo of a photo to demonstrate the modern day use of this Amphitheater. Today it is host to many Opera's, show and summer Festivals.

CLICK - OFFICIAL WEBSITE

MUSEE:

Directly across the street and included in the E6.50 entry ticket ( including audio tour) is a Museum which is host to all the Roman artifacts. It is 5 stories and has ample for those interested in Roman history.

Below are two paintings from the museum depicting the towns history. All the people in the town worked for the town and had a role to keep it functioning.

Tastes and flavors of Provence:

Lunch - E8.50/$12.00
including beer or wine. Water was an extra charge!

Left:
Bib lettuce salad, Basmati Rice with Soy Sauce and a crispy Thai favored chicken

Below:

Potato Souffle, sesame carrots, lettuce with balsamic dressing and a beef liver.

STORE FRONTS

Notice just how creative the French are at turning any storefront into a work of art and pleasing to the eye.

TIDBIT: Did you know it is cheaper to buy beer or wine in a restaurant than a bottle of water in France? Yes.........

We really hope you enjoyed todays travel back in time... tomorrow we take an unexpected turn... so make sure your seat belts are fastened as it ends with a big bang.

So hold tight.....

night night ....

and for those who like speed, distance, sound and natural surprises -

make sure you join us on tomorrows drive....

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#21 - "SUR LE PONT D'AVIGNON"

2011-05-19T22:54:00.000+02:00

"SUR LE PONT D'AVIGNON"

FRANCE

#20

From: Montepellier
To: Avignon
Distance: 95km / 56 miles
Climate: 23C = 75F
Time: 1.5 hrs but took 5

REGION: LANGUEDOC

AVIGNON

South of France

Typical scenes......

For every girl's dream to get married in France in a French designer wedding gown.
Only E880/$1200.

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CLICK BELOW TO LISTEN WHILE READING THE BLOG:

Here's a song I remember about Avignon during kindergarden in a French School.

- "SUR LE PONT D'AVIGNON"

Sing along....Maybe you know it?

ON THE WAY!

This morning when Bob asked me - "Beach or Mountains", I answered both!! And both I got.

We left Montpellier and took a small beach road which led along the Mediterranean Sea. Vineyards hugged the shoreline ....it was a lazy stretch of road as it travelers had "beach" in mind rather than the "city" zipping in and out to get to work.

CROISSANTS

Ah, but before leaving, we stopped to sit down and enjoy a warm delicious croissant. This has become a daily ritual while in France. My question is - why are the croissants only good here in France? What is the secret or the missing ingredient that the rest of the worlds bakers are missing? Why are these delicious French croissants so elusive to the rest of us in the world??? And do they deserve all the attention they get? The answer is an undeniable YES. They taste so fluffy and full of butter which makes them melt in your mouth.

BIRTH OF A CROISSANT

The name Croissant comes from the crescent shape of the pastry. However, the original croissant came from an Austrian baker until the French imitated and improved on the concept. Thus the birth of a French Croissant in the 1800's.

A french man once asked us in Spain (when tasting a Spanish version of a French croissant) -" I never saw a Croissant before filled with dough in the middle". Anyway 4 Croissants and 2 baguettes later we finally got in the car to plow ahead on this unknown journey to....Avignon where neither Bob nor I had ever been.

THE LONG ROAD

If any of you have been sitting in the back seat with us, you may have noticed we haven't been driving a very straight line lately. Nope.... we turn right, left, circles etc.. and what should have taken just 1.5 hours took us 5 hours today? Why? Not because the car has no horsepower - but instead - because there were so many small inviting roads along the way with soooooooooo much to see.

PIT STOP

AIGUES- MORTES! Without any idea of what we were going to see or who or what was there we stopped off at Aigues-Mortes. You never know what s off any road in Europe. Could be a hidden jewel. This time it was a HUGE walled city dating back 100 BC. Picture a large city, with streets, parking and all the norms of an active town with a huge fortified wall surrounding it. Well that is Aigues- Mortes.

1600 sq meters (@16000 sq ft) of wall surrounds entire town. During the 1500's it was an important city to hide the Protestants. Louis IX rebuilt the port making it the ONLY port on the Mediterranean during the 13th century!! The town is located just by on the Med.

Normal looking streets on the inside rather than the traditional medieval stone cobbled streets....

I am not sure if you can see it clearly in this photos but this tree is flat on both sides. They line the street from one end to another.

As in every European town - the hub and center of it's life is found on a plaza just in front of an old church with the plaza full of restaurants and shops.

Ah... time for the Bmer to get cleaned!!

NEXT STOP -

CHATEAU d'AVIGNON

A Heritage Site - The entry fee of E3 included audio so we had the pleasure of really understanding the life here during it's time.

NOILLY PRAT
- Vermouth
If anyone is familiar with Vermouth, especially the very distinguished brand of NOILLY PRAT , then this bit of history will be quite interesting for you.

Situated on 19,000 hectares or 47,500 acres. ( 1 Hector = 2.5 acres) this stunning estate is a must see when you are in the Camaraque region of France.

The original estate was built by the wealthy Jean-Francois d'Avignon, son a very rich Arles family. Having no children, after his death, the estate passed on and eventually purchased by Louis NOILLY PRAT - the bourgeoisie family of Lyon who produced wine and vermouth.

He expanded the estate to what it looks like today. Because I could not take any photos online, I suggested you take a moment to click on the link below to really appreciate just how stunning this estate really is..
CHATEAUX D'AVIGNON

MODERN BATHROOMS
Louis Noilly Prat was avant garde and a hygienist making this Chateaux on of the most advanced of it's time. He installed the latest and most modern plumbing bathrooms when taking a bath was considered bad for one's health. During this time most French homes didn't even have bathrooms. It wasn't until the 19th century that the medical world believed bathing as "good" rather than "bad" for ones health.

He was able to set up bathtubs which were hollowed out and in-between kept the hot water. He also was one of the first to have toilets, sewage treatment, irrigation with large water towers.
Fresh water was a commodity and the life expectance was only 25 years old.

He invented what is similar to the modern day Brita water filtering system. At the time it provided the Chateaux with 10 litters of fresh purified water a day - adding to the better health and longevity to the peoples lives.

He also learned that to overcome the disease of the vineyards that rather than planting the seedling them directly in water if one just planted them in water for 6 weeks instead of dirt - then they would be disease free.

His finacee died just before their wedding. He therefore never wed and did not have any children. The estate was passed down to this nephews. Because of the high running cost, they later turned the property over to the French government as at the Heritage Site it is today. It has been slowly restored back to its original state.

( if you remember, the other day, we spoke of inheritance and it's impact on society - this is another one of those examples in France' s long history of Chateaux wealth)

He had an entire building built just to house and run the water system on the estate. Below is some of the original equipment - the most advanced for its time.

Water tower and explanation of the advanced plumbing system

The Chateux d'Avignon is worth a visit, if not for it's beauty, but for its clear understanding of the struggles and achievements of modern day plumbing.

NEXT STOP ....
CAMARQUE!

Do you know Camarque? Have you heard of Camarque? If not, it is the area in France where the native to the land, ancient beautiful wild running horses were once found and named after the Region.

For thousands of years they lived wild in the marshlands of the Camarque region/
.

We were told these horses are always grey. However, they are born with dark hair and as they get older it changes to grey. Underneath the grey their skin is dark.Although small, they are strong and eventually became known as the War Horse and were used in many of the Roman and Celtic wars.

NEXT STOP !
AVIGNON

Yes it was a busy day today of stops and visits. Don't fall asleep... this part gets even better!

One of the most famous walled cities.
Keep reading to find out why......

Our hotel - full of pretty roses!

"AVIGNON"

This very very special city is situated on the Rhone River.

These next photos are what make Avignon so special. And I had to take the photos in sections ... but in your mind ... imagine them all linking together to make one great big building. ok?

PAPACY IN FRANCE

70 years of ruling

For almost 70 years!! Yes 70 years!! Avignon was the home to 7 popes instead of Rome. In the 1300's a French pope was elected and decided to move the Papel home from Rome to Avignon because of the civil unrest in Italy. This made Avignon owned by the PAPACY and not France. However, after the French Revolution Avignon was returned back to France and the last Pope fled the area.

During the 15th century it was a rule that any French King must rule Avignon.

The papacy originally taxed the people and therefore was in very good financial shape during the first Pope. However, when the 2nd pope came to term he did away with the taxes and the papacy ran a deficit and survived on borrowed money until it was moved back to Italy.

The pope was the only one outside of the meat carver who was allowed to use a knife.

This is the square infront of the Papacy.The photos do not give it justice as it is really quite large of an area.

EXTRAVAGENT EVENTS: They held events for 900 people which would require quantities of food to include: 93,000 eggs, 7000 fowls, 95000 loaves of bread ( 10/pp).

We took an audio tour. The complex was vast. Two popes had this built and it took over 20 years. There was a fire and much of it had to be rebuilt. The high walls, large staircases and opulence showed images of a grand lifestyle for the Popes.

There were many of these types of hidden dug outs in the Papacy where the Treasurer hid all their monies for their accounting. Like an internal bank.The stones are huge and I have no idea how they would lift them up ...

(left) A model of the complex

TIME TO REST

Ah.. the delights of France. Just about any corner you turn you will find an outside cafe.

Although there is a fortified wall surrounding the city - the inside is quite quite large. Some of the streets are cobblestone while others are paved. You do not have the feeling you are in a walled city due to its grand size.

THE CITY OF AVIGNON

The famous

Le PONT d'AVIGNON

A medieval bridge, only 4 of the original 22 arches are left today.During it's time, this bridge was the only one in the South which connected the Mediterranean and Lyon. Therefore the destruction of this bridge had a huge impact during the 14th century.

An entry way into the city! Tiny...

For Joel - An original SIMCA car

We found that after 7 30 in the evening, most of the French streets in the smaller cities are like a ghost town. Unlike Spain which comes alive at night, these streets are usually empty after working hours, except for the few restaurants with people.

Our dinner for the night. An authentic delicious Viet Nam restaurant just off the main square.

TIDBIT:

What's the difference between Patisserie and Boulangerie.

Patisserie - sweets, pastries
Boulangerie - breads and rolls

Most have both in the same place!

So I ask myself -

Why aren't the French fat?

Just about every French person is walking around with 1-3 baguettes in their hand and still slim!!

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I hope you did not fall asleep in the back seat today... it was a full day - full of discovery and excitement as we find our way across the jewels of France.

Again, thanks for joining.... shall I save you space in the back seat for tomorrow's drive?
**Get some rest because tomorrow's drive is taking us all the way back in time to 500B.C.

night night

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#20 - FRENCH POODLES & A FACE LIFT

2011-05-15T23:57:00.000+02:00

FRANCE

DAY 20

To: Montepellier
Climate:   23C - 75F

Hottest day so far on the trip...
Distance : Day of walking

FRENCH POODLES
& A FACE LIfT

MISSING FOR A WEEK....
Hi. I am back!! By any chance have you missed my blog? Wondered where we are? If we got lost or what could cause me from going silent for almost a week?
Ah... well something unusual but you will have to wait a few more blogs to find out. Stay tuned - it does get quite interesting.

A FACELIFT ?
Yes!Well not quite me but.... in between the silence I gave the blog a facelift.
Do you like it? Let me know...

MONTPELLIER

France is divided into 27 regions
Five are out of the country such as Guadeloupe and Martinique.
So far we have traveled the Midi-Pyrenees and now the Languedoc - Roussilon.

CAPITAL
Montpellier is the capital of the Languedoc- Roussilon region. It is the 8th largest city in France and one of the few without Roman influence.
It is located on the Mediterranean with a population of over 600K.

OLDEST UNIVERSITY IN THE WORLD
Bob and I have already visited Montpellier several times and happy to return - why? It is a vibrant, upbeat University Town. Youth always brings life to any city. And the youth of Montpellier adds plenty of charm to this city known to have one of the oldest Universites in the world dating back to the Middle Ages - 1160!!

Click and enjoy the video clip I took of some local street music by students.Lovely!

     MONTPELLIER'S
World Renowned Medical and Law School

Medical school founded by an Italian
Law school founded by a Spaniard

Snack time....

A TASTE LIKE NO OTHER

So imagine this... buttery flaky fresh warm french pastry.... with apricot and creme. And that doesn't even begin to describe the experience we had eating the below apricot pastry. It was the best we ever had in our lives. Yes! Our lives! We must have spoken about this extremely tasty delicious sweet for about 45 minutes.

BRIOCHE DOREE- learn more

HOW EUROPEANS ADVERTISE
All throughout Europe the best way you can find out what is happening in town is not by newspaper, radio or internet - it is by checking out the adverts stuck on planters, sides of buildings, and anywhere else they can glue the paper showing the concert, show or event.

FRENCH GRAFFITI

Do you remember a couple blogs ago when I was so overwhelmed with the surreal paintings on the side of the building in a small village?
Well I thought that was a -one off thing -to now only find it here as well. To see this by the naked eye is so deceiving. You may even just stroll by it thinking it is actually a building face... and only when you look at it carefully do you realize it is a painting on the entire building.It is so beautiful!!!
Everything you see in these two photos are actual paintings.
Below is a stunning one with a cafe in front of it.
Look at the detail carefully..

HOLD YOUR BREATHE!!
CAUGHT IN A STINKY SITUATION

So what do French Poodles have to do with Montpellier? Hmm a not so nice story but I am going to tell you anyway.

I was busy looking through the camera to take a photo for you... when I started to slip and slide.... OH MY!! OH NO!! I looked down and my show was covered and I mean covered in brown wet French Poodle doo doo....
I hope you are still holding your breathe because I had to as I frantically searched for grass, water of anything to remove the Poodle from my shoe...
FYI - While the French adore their dogs (they even allow them in restaurants) they do not adore picking up after them.

GOD BLESS THE USA
God Bless the USA for having city laws for owners to pick up after their precious animals.
Until this law goes global.. keep your eyes down - just in case

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
REAL ESTATE RENTALS

Are you sitting down? You will need to be for this next piece of info....
190 sq feet ( 19sq meters)
$600 or E400/ monthly rental price

Less than 200 feet for $600!!!
And this is during a recession - well that's what they say this is.. a recession but I haven't seen any cheap prices to either rent or buy in France.

TYPICAL STREETS OF MONTPELLIER

In France - EVERYONE carries French Baguettes.

The main square- Place de la Comedie

ART ON A WALL

and A PARK

Modern day transportation in the city / Main center - PLACE DE LA COMEDIE

Montpellier has a river Lez and the Med along side of it with marsh lands.

Lunch on the go!! No time for a long sit down meal today.

LEBANESE FALAFEL.... very tasty

STOP!! ARRET!!
Now you have to close your eyes and imagine this part...
Earlier in the day we had those delicious pastries I mentioned - which were the main part of conversation for the rest of the day.

NOT JUST A STRAWBERRY
Later in the day we decided to drive down by the sea - there on the side of the road was a typical French Fruit/Vegetable stand. We quickly pull over and to our delight they were selling very very fresh small strawberries..
Now here is the tricky party -

Imagine them so sweet you're convinced a bag of sugar was poured all over them.
Imagine them bursting with flavor in your mouth with the sensation of sweet strawberries which practically fall off their delicate stems
Imagine it is the best taste you have had in your mouth for years.. that you rush back and buy 3 more cases and eat them within minutes before starting the car
Imagine that for the next day - all you can think about were how delicious the strawberries were.. and start to crave the same taste again

That is only a mild description of just how incredible these strawberries were...

I wish I could send you some to taste to enjoy them as much as we enjoyed them here..

For those who have never seen a fresh fig or tree... Still green but looking good!

DID YOU KNOW?

Did you know that in most supermarkets in Europe you have to pay for the plastic bags?

Did you know there was a new law past recently whereby smoking is not allowed in most buildings? Finally ... for us non smokers!

WHERE ARE WE GOING NOW?
#1, #2, or #3??
Guess?

Ah.. and the winner is #2

St Guilhem le Desert.

30 km NW of Montepellier

We were advised by the locals to make sure we visited this special Medieval village.

St Guilhem le Desert.

FACTS:

1987 listed as a French Historical Site
Listed as one of the most beautiful villages in the country
Most preserved Medieval village in France
Town is named after one of Charlemagne chosen French Medieval Knights
He was the grandson of the Duke of Aquitaine
He fought against the Muslims in Spain
The Abby contains an original relic of the True Cross given to him by Charlemagne
He turned towards religion instead of battle and erected a Monastery in 804
He was buried there in 812 and later canonized
Because of the relic the Abby became a main pilgrimage site in France
Parts of the Abby can be found at the Met Museum in NY
He is considered a hero

In the 11th century the village started to be built around the Monastery.

All of the stores in the town are dug out from the mountain to form small caves for the small boutiques. Every so lovely to see part of nature so exposed.

Population of only 250 people with many tourists

If you remember awhile back while we were in Spain we discussed the CAMINO DE SANTIAGO and the incredible amount of pilgrims who come to walk to Santiago de Compostela. The Pilgrams used this Abbey as a staging stop on the way to Santiago de Compostela.

On the 5 December, 1998, it was classified as a World Heritage site by UNESCO as part of the "Paths of Saint James" - the pilgrimage routes of St-Jacques de Compostela.

The Abbey in the center
Presently the "Carmel Saint Joseph" monks occupy it
In 1987, the Abbey of Gellone was classed as a French Historical Monument

NOT QUITE DONE YET!

It was a busy two days.

No rest for the weary... off we go again and finish the day with a drive to a lake nearby.

The hills are unusually red soiled...the lake large and the winds strong - makes for wonderful sailing.

A very common yellow scrub growing.. I can't remember the name.. but so bright, so yellow and so hearty.

France is lovely for so many reasons and one of them is

history is everywhere.

Almost 400 year old cross... hanging on the side of a building on a side of a street...

TIDBIT: Did you know that the French write checks in restaurants? Check writing in France is widely accepted ...

I hope this you enjoyed this visit with us today..... and most importantly I hope you missed the Travel Along blog.
Right now I think everyone is asleep in the back sleep because it has been so quiet ... Bob and I thought we were alone... send comments.. they keep us awake while we drive

Join us for the next stop - which will not disappoint... and most likely be a place most have heard about... especially in Religion class...

night night...

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#19 - OWN A FRENCH CHATEAUX FOR LITTLE MONEY!

2011-05-09T22:40:00.000+02:00

OWN A FRENCH CHATEAUX FOR LITTLE MONEY!!

#19
FRANCE

From: Carcassonne
To: Montepellier
Distance: 130km / 87 miles
Time: 1.5 hrs but took 4.5
Climate: 18c - 25F
CAR WITH A BRAIN!

CAR WITH A BRAIN

As promised we decided not to decide where to go today. Not even TOMTOM could give us directions. He was shut down and taking a rest.

Today was the day to be lost in the fields of adventure!

Saying goodbye to a very very windy and chilly MAGIC KINGDOM of Carcassonne we set out to see where the car would lead us. North, South, East or West?

Did you hear everyone in the back seat screaming which way to turn - right, left, straight, u turn? But the BMW had a mind of it's own.

A MIND OF IT'S OWN

Instead of staying on the secondary back roads and away from the highway as originally planned for this adventure, the BMW all by itself, decided to take it one step further. Today it changed from "No Highways" to "No Secondary Roads" and instead went onto a single lane ( for two cars including tractors) through farmlands and vineyards.

WINE TRAIL

What a precious drive.... the sky looked like cotton balls, the cool winds were strong and rain was visible in the distant horizon as the car slowly weaved in and out of the back small villages connecting farmland with civilization.
Walking would have been a quicker pace.

What should have been only a 1.5 hour drive turned into a 4.5 hour delight. Most of the time we were the only car on the lonely roads surrounded by vast array of vineyards.

If and when the odd car would come along in the opposite direction we would almost be push into the side ditch.

COOPERATIVES & SELLING
With the wide abundance of privately owned vineyards, one way that most of these farmers are able to sell their wine is privately or through cooperatives. A corporative is an community association of all the local farmers for a specific product line - such as wine, olive oil, olive wood etc.. It is an easier way to focus on farming, rather than on marketing and distribution. This is very common for farmers throughout Europe. Although many of these farmers do private label their product line - most of their sales come from cooperative sales.

GAS + GAS = $$$$$$$$

If you have not yet travelled to Europe then you might be surprised to learn:

Plastic gloves are available to pump gas (Bob always uses them and when he first returned to the US he was searched each time for them until he realized they do not exist there)
Price of gas: We found a gas station (similar to a COSTCO) $1.00 less a gallon. What a savings!! Filling up cost - $100 or $9.18 a gallon. Sure makes the $3.00 price in the USA seem cheap now doesn't it?

YOU CAN OWN A CHATEAU IN FRANCE!!!

Private Chateau (also a B&B)

Well... the dream of being a Chateau owner may seem to a fairy tale but as we found out today actually more of a possibility than a probability. Today's single lane drive exposed an abundance of beautiful Chateaux across the countryside which would otherwise be hidden or out of direct reach. And what an opulence quantity of Chateaux....

Another private Chateau

Ah... so did you ever dream of living in a Chateau? In the wine valley of France? Amidst the long rows of Vineyards? To harvest and enjoy your own wine?

FRANCE

There are thousands of Chateaux in France! Thousands! Some privately owned, some turned over to the government as a Heritage Site and others hotels. Many are located on Vineyards and host to making and selling wines. Some with very large properties and others more modest.

It is difficult to travel very far without seeing a sign for a Chateaux. In the region of Corbieres just about every half a mile would feature a massive, gorgeous, out of a book dream castle.

And all :

privately owned
harvesting and selling their own wine
renting out rooms on their estate
with tours, books, souvenirs and a vineyard to walk through

Rivers, moats, almond and olive trees were all part of the serene settings as you weave through the grounds of a Chateau.

Conversations with an owner of a Chateau

A PERSONAL STORY

ABBAYE DE VALMAGNE
by Michel Picard

Up until this time, we had no idea where we were - not the area nor the direction we were heading. We were traveling blind.

From afar we could see an enormous castle.
An accidental stop to visit this inviting Chateaux brought us to met and speak to an extensive an art collector - Michel Picard from Toulouse.
( Click to read more about his collection exhibited in museums)
Michel Picard

He happened to take our photo in the vineyard which then started an hour long French conversation. He is a personal friend and guest to the owners of CHATEAU - ABBEY VALMAGNE the largest and most famous Chateaux in the region. The French have designated it a historical monument. ABBEY - Click to view

( 272 ft wide by 75 ft high)

INHERITING A FORTUNE

Mr Picard, a lively conversationalist, explained the history and story of this intriguing property. He is friends with the owners, who, by family inheritance law, must keep this Chateaux in the family and never sell it. And they must make a living from it. They do so by offering tours ($12 each), growing and selling their own wines (E4.50 to E22) as well as having an Auberge and restaurant on site.

The Abbey's own wine for sale.

PATROMONIE = HERITAGE

CASH FLOW PROBLEMS

However, he explained, as rich in abundance and value the property is, they do not have the same amount of liquidity to maintain the property. For example, the electricity is still from the middle ages as well as many of the rooms. It is located on 2000 hectares and one must use a horse to get around. Their great great grandfather ,who bought this Abbey when the 300 monks died from the Black Plague and left the monastery in ruins, was a General in Napoleons army. We met the owner who explained the vineyards and grounds to us. We were also explained that one of the "family laws" was only to have 1 wife and 1 child. Curiously interesting, no?

Mr Picard spoke to us in great length about life now in France vs many years ago and repeated many times how much harder it is now. "Les belles annees", he claimed was long ago. Although not Jewish, his passion has led him to be a large art collector of "Resistance" art (during the Jewish expulsion). He spends most of his time searching for Jewish art during the 1920-1940's. French museums host his collection since it is one of the largest of its kind. He gave us a brochure of his art collection.

THANK GOD FOR PARENTS

He also explained that one of the ways the French are now surviving is by inheritance - and without it - the youth of today would be without hope for a future. He did however explain that many of these Chateaux across the country could be purchased for little money. I promised myself to look further into what was "little money".

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO BUY A CHATEAU IN FRANCE?

After a lovely conversation we decided to find a landing spot. After checking the map we realized we were not far from a good sized town. When I got back to the hotel I decided to check prices on Chateaux in the area.

There are thousands of Chateaux for sale in France.

To my surprise these mansions could be bought starting at E250K all the way to E25million. SEARCH FOR YOUR OWN CASTLE IN FRANCE

But as Mr. Picard explained - the upkeep and maintenance usually costs more than the castle itself. So much for rushing out to by a dream castle!

Some photos from the grounds of the Abbey's vineyards and the type of wine grown.

For those who have never seen a grape vine....(see the little grapes growing?)

THE ABBEY'S VINEYARDS
Michel Picards friends Chateaux
12- 14 Century

Abbaye de Valmagne was built in 1139, gothic in style. It measure 83 meters y 24 meters high.

This private Chateaux, Abbaye de Valmagne is one of the most prestigious and well preserved Cistercian abbey. In the early days, it was one of the richest abbeys in the South of France but was hurt by the effects of the 100 year war. During the revolution the fled and the Abbey was sold to Mr. Granier, who turned the church into a wine cellar. Following his death, his heirs sold it to Count De Turenne and with permission from the Bishop it remains in the family who work tirelessly to preserve the abbey by way of growing and selling wine, tours, restaurants etc...

Their wine, from the Languedoc region, is one of the most recognized from the area. Remember, Cistercians monks were the best experts in wine growing!

VEGETABLE TEST!!

Do you recognize which vegetable this is from a previous post sample?

Fresh artichokes... grown at the Abbey

The photo Michel took of us at the Abbey

EXTRA FRENCH INFO:

WHAT'S YELLOW ON FRENCH CARS?

What a typical French license plate looks like.
A key difference between the USA ( some states) and Europe is:

European car tags must be on both the front and back.
USA ( some states) only require them in the back.

What is
BLUE - WHITE - RED?

colors of the French Flag

What is the

HOTEL DE VILLE?

City Hall

Just in case you visit France and are looking for a hotel in the city - this is not it.

"Hotel de Ville" is actually "City Hall".

BACK ON THE ROAD AGAIN...
Before we made it to the hotel we accidentally drove through a small town and came upon this incredible site.
This over towering Church was built in 982.

A painting of what it originally looked like.

See all the chairs connected at the top?

GORGEOUS FRENCH GRAFFITI

This is one of the most unique and beautiful things I have seen on this trip- yet.
The entire side of an apartment building was painted in 3D. It was surreal - with fresh rose bushes in the front. As we turned the corner we actually thought it was a street!!

Isn't this absolutely gorgeous???

Before i say good night can you guess where we are headed tomorrow??

FRESH FLAVORS OF FRANCE
I will leave you now to use your imagination of just how delicious these French Pastries were..... my lunch for the day! Oh soooooooooo yummy!! Want me send you one????

I truly hoped you enjoyed this relaxing and lovely "one lane road" drive today through the farms and vineyards in the beautiful South of France.

For non French speaking readers:

TIDBIT: Chateau in English means Castle, mansion, manor house or country house. (Chateaux is plural)

Please don't forget to let me know if you are going to hop in the back seat for tomorrows surprise ride to......

night night...

(p.s. I made some of the photos larger to see... let me know if it takes too long to open the pages)

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#18 - THE MAGIC KINGDOM

2011-05-07T10:38:00.000+02:00

THE MAGIC KINGDOM

#18

To: Carcassonne - France
Climate: 15C = 60F

CARCASSONNE -

The first time I ever heard of Carcassonne was in 1979 listening to French Singer - Michel Sardou - sing his song " Carcassonne". I included the video for you to listen to - just click above. If you are not familiar with him - take the time to discover his beautiful voice.

CARCASSONNE

more than just a song.....

TRULY MEDIEVAL

A couple years ago we stopped in Carcassonne but unfortunately it was a cold and rainy day. We promised to return one day to properly discover this jewel of a walled city.

BIT OF HISTORY

Named " La Cite" - "The City"
The first inhabitants were Neolithic - dating back 500BC
Became part of the Roman Empire around 1st century
Later rebuilt over the ruins of a former Roman fortress
Crusaders used this location against the heretics in the 13th century
Part of the "Cite" was burned down in fire by the "Black Prince" in 1355
Developed as a city of Draperies
Unesco World Heritage Site 1997
Fort has 2 fortified walls surround the entire city, 52 towers
Fort has been occupied by: Gauls, Romans, Visigoths, Saracens and Franks
The language of Occitan was spoken here - not French
Citadel - became important during the Crusades
Used as a border between France and Spain
Each year they host a medieval festival with all the horses, crusaders in full costume
La Cite - so well preserved you actually feel as if you are back in the middle ages

Enjoy these photos..

You cannot escape the sweets in France. Just look at how beautiful the displays are... and needless to say my sweet tooth got the better of me...

This amount of chocolate should be illegal....

Dried candy fruit..... even more sweet!!

I hope you are sitting down. Bob and I bought one of these dried candies to try. I got the one in the back - mandarin and he took the green watermelon. 2 pieces ( 1 each)
Total Price - $8.00....

Crazy or what?
But oh so sweet...

I lit a candle for all those I know and said an extra prayer for a friend in need.

This is a typical local bean soup dish.

Ok.. well - someone has to do the wash around here... and I am sure you are tired at looking at us in the same ole clothes.

YEA!! More than meat on the menu... ah.. a lovely French Pizza..
I was happy!!

Well I tried to take enough photos to give you the flavor and sense of the beautiful and lovely MAGICAL KINGDOM of Carcassonne. Please make it one of your stops along the South of France.

TIDBIT: Did you know that the SOUTH OF FRANCE is also called LE MIDI?

night night..

Tomorrow we have decided not to decide. Just to get on a road and pick a road and place by name.... so let's see which way Bob turns the steering wheel - left, right or straight. I will be watching myself in anticipation.

......see you soon!

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#17 - RED-WHITE - or ROSE'?

2011-05-07T00:55:00.000+02:00

A thank you to everyone who is reading my blog. I have a shocking 1200 page views so far... now I feel pressure to make them interesting enough to keep your attention!

RED - WHITE or ROSE'

#17

From: Perpignan - FRANCE
To: Carcassonne - FRANCE
Distance: 97km / 60 miles
Climate: 15C - 60F

Do you prefer Red, White or Rose' wine?
Well here in the southern French wine valley of Corbiere, the specialties are all three.

Leaving the area of Perpignan we accidentally took a lovely small road leading through the Corbiere wine valley. Both sides of the valley as well as up and down each nook and cranny of the mountain were filled with freshly young light green leaved vines. Small signs indicated we were on the Wine Route.

Bob was pleased!

As you can see on the TOMTOM the road was in the middle of nowhere.

We had to get off the busier roads for two reasons. One, our trip is designed to be the back roads of Europe. And two, the French are very aggressive drivers and always tailgating. So it doesn't make for a relaxing drive. Bob said - "it's amazing how aggressive the French are - yet Germany occupied them in 3.5 days!" ( no offense but please give us some space)

CORBIERE
The Napa Valley of the South of France

This region, home to the Carignan grape, produces roughly 75 million bottles of French wine a year- predominately red. Not too far away from the Spanish border between the Pyrenees and the coast you can find a special region of wine growing. With over 53,000 hectares of vineyards growing on rocky slopes the terrain lends itself to a more windy climate producing rich and full bodied flavors of Red, White and Rose.
95% of the wine is however Red.

As we drove along about every 10 yards was a sign for a Chateaux. These Chateaux are host to vineyards, their own hotels, their own gift shops and of course tasting of wine in hopes of an eventual sale.

Both sides of the Valley are covered with vineyards for as far as you see....

Again, we were the only ones on this scenic road....

If you are lucky, the best part of a country drive, is the fresh fruit stands along the side of the road. And guess what lies up ahead... hmm... go ahead.. yes... a lovely French fruit stand with all the latest local grown berries and vegetables.

"Ugly Tomatoes"
These are anything but ugly... the wonderful flavors of France

It is difficult for me to explain in words just how sweet and delicious these local strawberries were..... in fact, I was convinced they poured sugar on them. So full of sweet succulent juice. They must have just picked them.

We also ate a delicious freshly baked baguette sandwich. Oh mais oui!!

Are you curious which direction we were going to take? Right? Left? Well, we took a right turn for two reasons. One TOM TOM told us to and the other is we choose Carcassonne as our next destination. And why? Ah..you shall see tomorrow why this perfectly preserved Medieval town is a "must see" in the South of France dating back 500 years BC.

For now, let's continue on the country road. Oh yes, here is something to note.So far, all the roads throughout France have been so poorly surfaced compared to even the small back roads of Spain.

Here is a taste of Bobs cynical humor: "The irony is France has both funded perfect roads for Spain, while their roads are unattended to and in need of repair. Looks like Spain will have to lend France some money for road repair!"

A wine Chateux!

In between the wine valley are poppy fields on either side, brimming a bright red carpet alongside the road.
FYI- did you know that as soon as you pick the poppy flower it wilts and dies. Bees use poppy for pollen.

Just as we turned the corner we were welcomed by a beautiful 12th century Abbey in a small stone town of Lagrasse - in the middle of nowhere.

Remember in a previous post I was trying to compare French style architecture with typical Spanish home design. I described the French style as having colored wooden shutters on both sides of the windows while the Spanish have bars. Below is some typical French style windows.

A rarity - drying clothes the old fashioned way - on a clothes line!!

Cold - 60 degrees and chilly!

The French hard at war!

The French hard at play!

Well I hoped you enjoyed the relaxing drive today. We promised you it would not have many twists and turns. What we didn't know was just how special the wine valley would be. Hope you didn't get too drunk smelling all that wonderful French wine.

Tomorrow - magical Carcassonne .....

night night....

TIDBIT- throughout Europe you may notice signs which forewarn Radar Control. STOP! SLOW DOWN. It means they have Radar Cameras in place for speeding.

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#16 - ADIOS or BONJOUR?

2011-05-05T23:55:00.000+02:00

ADIOS or BONJOUR

#16

From:   Girona- (CATALONIA)
To: Port Vendes - France
Distance: 155km / 96 miles
Climate:   18C = 65F
Altitude:   Sea Level

Goodbye Spain!

Hello France!

Goodbye bulls meat and hello croissants!!

But stop! Before we could leave this morning the big question was not beach or mountains. It was - " will our credit cards actually arrive in the morning so we can continue our journey?"

CUSTOMER SERVICE or NOT

But before I answer that question I must tell you about a huge difference between Europe and the USA when it comes to customer service. The USA strives to give its customers complete satisfaction - from unconditional returns, to discounts, to bending backwards to make sure they keep a customer. In Europe, the opposite is true. If you touch it - you own it. If you don't like it - no one cares. And usually there is no one higher to complain to. For instance - if I start to complain to a customer service rep on the phone, they just hang up.

In this specific case - the bank manager accidentally cancelled my credit cards and I had to wait 5 working days for replacements. So as you know we hung out in Spain waiting. The bank manager ( who never called ) told me when I called him that the cards arrived. Great I said - please over night them to the hotel I am staying at. His reply - you have to pay for that service.

You can imagine what I had to say after that. His reply. It costs money to send it over night. I said, yes, but it was your fault and error you cancelled my cards so you should cover the mailing costs. He refused. This went on for a bit more as my voice got louder and louder until he finally agreed to sending them by courier. Can you imagine!!! This type of "lack of service" is quite common throughout most of Europe. At least I have experienced it that way.

GOODBYE SPAIN

However, in spite of the bank issues and Although we hated to do so - we decided to leave Spain and head to the border of France. Rather than cross over the Pyrenees again - we took the coast road north.

Goodbye to our Girona hotel - so typical of Old Spain

COASTS OF SPAIN:

Spain breaks down its coastal area by names. There are 16 of them along the Peninsula.
A few of the more common ones are -
Costa del Sol, Costa Brava, Costa Blanca, Costa Dorada.

COSTA BRAVA
The Costa Brava is in the NE of Catalonia in the Provence of Girona.It covers 214 km of coastal roads of curves and turns along the Mediterranean. It starts from the frontier of France/Spain to Blanes.

BEACHES

Today - we travelled the Costa Brava on a two lane road which hugs the coasts. A road which every 20 feet would wind and curve. The view was gorgeous.

The beaches of Costa Brava are not long stretches. Instead, they are all small coves - beautifully guarded by the towering cliffs and rocks.

I was getting car sick again from all the winding curves along the small beach road. Bob turned off into one of the beach coves - beautiful aqua clear water protected on each side by hills and black road.

I decided to try to be a better "drinking buddy" since I never drink. We had a glass of wine each and I fell asleep. Wine should be sold as a sleeping pill!!!!!!!!

WHAT DO BOB AND I TALK ABOUT ALL DAY?

Some people have asked me - "what do Bob and I talk about in the car all day together."

Bob is actually the best traveling partner I ever had and super to travel with. He makes me laugh most of time and never lacking conversation - whether it is all the history of the area and what he knows or about countless topics which never bore us. With over 10,000 songs on the IPOD or as an added bonus we have 50 spanish lessons to listen to once a day. Otherwise, as you can see by the photos - the daily beauty never ceases to amaze us.

Just watching nature and it's incredible beauty in silence ...

PORBOU is the last town in Spain before crossing over to France.

Ah croissants... here we come!!

These are so pretty they do not need any words of explanations - just pure natural beauty!! ENJOY!

Can you smell the freshly baked croissants??

This southern tip of France is also considered Catalonia on the French side. Catalan is also spoken here.

The old border crossing which is no longer in effect.

Another stop to take a break from all the curves.

One keynote difference between Spain and France is how fast the French drive and tailgate. In Spain I thought all the bicyclists were part of the Tour de France while in France I believe all the drivers are on the Lemans Course to win a title!!

VINEYARDS all along the coast... can you taste the wine yet?

Vineyards everywhere.. all along the mountain sides.

Our resting spot!

Ah... so any suggestions as to where we should head tomorrow?

North?

South?

East?

West?

Hope you didn't get too car sick today? We promise to not take too many winding curves tomorrow! Come on... get in... the back seat is starting to get full - we may have to upgrade to a mini van soon!!

TIDBIT - Cala in Spanish means cove.

FYI- Some people have asked if they can forward the blog to some of their friends. Please please feel free to pass and share this with anyone you know. If you send me their email I can add it or they can add their email at the bottom of a blog. The previous blogs are on the right column. Just click and a drop down appears with all the older posts.The URL to the blog is www.jasmineroadtrip.blogspot.com (You can email your friends that address.)

As usual - thanks for joining us ...
night night....

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DAY 15 - CATALONIA - GAY, HAPPY or BOTH?

2011-05-04T23:29:00.000+02:00

CATALONIA

Gay, Happy or Both?

DAY 15

From: Barcelona - Spain
To: Sitges & Girona - Spain
Distance: 207km / 128 miles
Climate: 18C = 65F

GAY SITGES:

We decided to leave Barcelona - what a great city!! One NOT to be missed while visiting Spain. But after a trip of quiet back roads, small villages, we were overwhelmed with the amount of people in Barcelona. Our heads were spinning. Time to move on..

So when we woke up after 4 days in Barcelona and Bob asked me again the usual question - "Beach or mountains?" I chose BEACH - so off we went to the quaint beachside town of Sitges, 35 KM South of Barcelona. Our shortest excursion yet!

If you have never heard of Sitges, it is quite famous for it's carnival and open gay lifestyles. I don't mean gay as in happy - I mean homosexual gay.

GAY & SPAIN

Although Spain is a very Catholic country they are actually very open minded and lenient. For example, it is the country to first to allow legal gay marriages

66% of the people support gay same sex marriages
over 16800 same sex marriages since 2005
1 of 10 countries to recognize same sex marriages
Prostitution legal

EVEN IF YOU ARE NOT GAY

No one passes through Barcelona without making a stop to Sitges - even if they are not gay. The town is full of life, parties, bars, clubs and people. Bob and I have been there together and on our own before. However, this time we thought the town looked a bit more tired and in need of a face lift.

With no parking available at any hotel, we decided to have lunch there and continue our journey. No beach for us today. The weather was cloudy, windy and rain was on the horizon.

FOR JOHN D!

Pulpito - baby octupus. Bob was in heaven. He loves his 8 legged creatures!! Especially mixed in salsa.... as for me? Tough to be a vegetarian in Spain. I said, this may be the trip in which I may try my first piece of meat since I was 10.... Bob is so funny - each day he asks me if this is the day. I ask for what? He says.. oh my your memory is short. "To eat meat".... my answer - simply " Manana"

Beaches of Sitges

Sue this is for you!!

Promenade of Sitges!

ONWARD BOUND -
GIRONA ( CATALONIA)

After lunch in Sitges we looked at the map and decided to head north to Girona. We found a nice hotel just 10 minutes from the center - one of the older Spanish hacienda type hotels - formal restaurant, large gardens, fountains and the charm of old Spain.

Our hotel - Fornells Park

THE BACK STREET DRIVE

The next day one of the local living here suggest a route for us to take outside of the city to visit a few of the surrounding Roman and Medieval pueblos.Again all the less travelled roads.... it was a stunning drive through the forests. From afar you can see the the snow peaked Pyrenees. We drove as you can see on the map just along the French Border. We visited 3 towns.

BESALU

The town of Besalu was such a delightful surprise.

It was designated a historical property. It dates back to the Romans and is a Medieval walled city . There is a beautiful 12th century bridge crossing over the Fluvia River.

This was the first time I had ever seen anything like this. You cannot go inside the church unless you insert 1E which then turns on the lights in the church for 3 minutes. Incredible!!

This church which was a monastery was concentrated in the 9th century.

The Plaza in Besalu

The entire town was so beautiful with its old rocks, bridges and stone paths.

Adorable! They took wood and made modern day bars on the windows!

Am not sure how tall the people were back then??

The beautiful Romanesque bridge across the Fluvia River. 12th century. (I hope they don't close the gates on Bob)

Just at the end of the wall we found this fresh vegetable garden. I wanted some of that lettuce!!!

Can anyone guess which vegetable plant this is? come on... try again...

Artichokes! Baby ones..

NEXT - CASTELFOLLLIT

This towns only attraction was that it was built on volcanic rock.

NEXT CAMPRODON

A ski village nestled just on the border of France. It is known for it's meats and cheeses.

The water flows from the mountains down to the town.

Dried fresh mushrooms

These are local dried meats. ( my favorite store) They include ( see below) Bulls tongue, white or black.

Baby calfs.. oh so cute.

HAPPY GIRONA!!!

Only 1.5 hours from Barcelona, we thought this was going to be a big busy city. On the contrary - we were pleasantly surprised to discover a manageable city, relatively quiet, with a charm like no other.

It has the feel of a big city, but the charm of a small town without the crowds. So close to busy Barcelona this city is a great alternative to a big busy city. It is very close to France and the mountains and fresh air surround it. It is truly a hidden gem.

Neither Bob nor myself had ever been to Girona so we didn't know what to expect. Since we had to wait a few extra days to get our bank cards sent to us, we thought this would make a good waiting spot. And what a good waiting spot it turned out to be....

Girona, in the heart of Catalonia, is truly impressive. The most difficult thing was trying to understand Catalan ( the primary language spoken in Catalonia).

RAIL SYSTEM

2012 completes the high speed train network being built between France, Girona and Barcelona. More and more people will be looking to live in Girona and work in Barcelona because of the high speed train coming soon. The train will only take 30 minutes to Barcelona from Girona.

REAL ESTATE IN GIRONA

House prices in Girona are 95% more expensive than the national house prices in Spain. An average price here is about E450K Euros ( $750K) vs the national Spanish average of E225K ($340K). Remember the national home price average in the USA is only *$158K *(according to Reuters). Girona real estate costs 2.5x more than the USA.

FLOWER FESTIVAL

The old historical part of the town is walled, medieval and dates back to BC.
This Saturday marks the annual Flower Festival. Each area and home in the old town will be heavily decorated with flowers for 10 days. People from all over come to see this beautiful show of artistic display of flowers. Today hundreds of people all over the town were working on their unique displays...They say it is a sight to be seen.

This ancient cathedral dates back to the day of the Moors. It was originally built in the 2nd century.

The 86 long steps which are now covered in grass for the upcoming Flower Festival. The Cathedral is massive in size inside. Hosts a museum, cloister, and many jewels, arts and relics. It is enormous inside.

You can see the flower festival preparation,

These steps lead to the old Jewish section of town.

We were told that in the 12th century there as a very strong and successful Jewish community until the expulsion in the 15th century.

The city hosts a Jewish museum, Jewish quarter .

The Jewish quarters in Girona are the best preserved in all of Europe and host to many tourists a year.

BUILT BY
GUSTOV EIFFEL

the same man who designed the Eiffel tower.

Most of Girona is surrounded by the Rivers...

Streets of Girona - paved and clean

The wall surrounding the city is still preserved. Each store along the walled part of the city has the original all on the inside which they are prohibited to alter. These walls are even located in peoples home in the old part of town.

The old city wall was an important defense for the city and built in 1 BC.

The grounds surround the cathedral are beautiful. Parks, cypress trees, Arab baths

The Arab Baths

Built in the 9th century, they were very modern for their times. A serious siege in the 1200 destroyed most of the baths, located just on the side of the cathedral.

In the 15th century it was privately owned until it was turned into a Monastery and the Arab baths were used by the nuns as a pantry, kitchen to store food. In 1929 the government took them over and started to restore them.

Getting ready for the flower festival this weekend. About 30 people were decorating the Arab baths.

There was so much to see in Girona. The 3 days we were here were not enough. We visited the old part of town, the museums, churches, cathedral and a few good restaurants. The town hall offered so many areas with free parking. Not even Corte Ingles here charged for parking. ( a rarity in Europe not to pay for parking).

The Venice of Catalonia

Summary - Catalonia a community with great cities, lush forests, running rivers and Pyrenees in the background are both Happy and Gay!

Hopefully our bank cards will arrive tomorrow so we can continue the journey. Otherwise, another day in Girona would be just fine with us!

Thanks for coming along. Want to drive tomorrow? Bob is getting tired and is asking me if anyone else wants to drive... so who is in the back seat? Are we driving alone or are there some passengers in the back seat with us? Keep those comments coming...

Hope you enjoyed the Community of CATALONIA
(Barcelona, Sitges, Girona and all the surrounding little pueblos)

THANKS!

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POP QUIZ 1 - Day 1-13 Review

2011-05-02T00:03:00.000+02:00

QUIZ TIME -
let's see if you have been really reading my blogs..
I put together this pop quiz. If you haven't taken it yet, just click on the link to take the online test.

Take this pop quiz online at:
http://www.quibblo.com/quiz/eMPbPpp/Take-this-fun-quiz-See-what-you-learned-so-far-sitting-in-the-back-seat

Questions on the quiz:

1
Where did we start our journey from?
- Spain
- Gibraltar
- USA
2
How long is our car trip for?
- 30 days
- 3.5 months
- 4 months
3
In which town did the dam break in the 1950's killing over 150 people?
- No dam broke and killed 150 people
- Salamanca
- Sanabria
4
Which bay is St Vincente located on?
- Bay of Viscaya
- Bay of Biscay
- Biscayne Bay
5
Where are the Picos of Europa located?
- Spain
- Switzerland
- Andorra
6
What holiday is Semana Santa in Spain?
- Easter
- Christmas
- It is not a holiday
7
What is the "Camino de Santiago"?
- It is all the roads from France to Spain which lead to Santiago de Compestela.
- It is a road in Mexico.
- It is a song.
8
Where is the Running of the Bulls held each day in July?
- Madrid
- Toledo
- Pamplona
9
What is a Bodega?
- Bar
- Winery
- Farm
10
What is the % of red wine produced in Spain?
- 33%
- 75%
- 43%
11
Which country is the largest importer of Spanish wines?
- Germany
- USA
- Australia
12
La Guardia is a town in?
- Only the USA
- Spain
- France
13
TAPA is?
- Dinner
- Dessert
- Appetizer
14
The Running of the Bulls official name is?
- San Fermin Festival
- Santiago Festival
- Pamplona Festival
15
What does "Peregrino" in Spanish mean?
- Bottled water
- Pilgram
- None of the above
16
The Pyrenees are a natural border between:
- Only Spain
- Spain and Portugal
- France and Spain
17
How many languages are spoken in Spain
- 1
- 2
- 5
18
The Basque name for Pamplona is:
- Donostia
- Iruna
- Only Pamplona
19
The largest Wind Power company in the world is:
- Iberdola
- FPL
- None of the above
20
How many communities does Spain have?
- 17
- 50
- 10
21
I am having fun following this blog and want to see more.....
- Yes
- No

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DAY 14 - VICKY, CRISTINA, BARCELONA

2011-05-01T23:12:00.000+02:00

So have you been wondering where we have been the past 4 days?

ANDORRA/SPAIN

DAY 14

From: Andorra
To: Barcelona - Spain
Distance: 207km / 128 miles
Climate: 7C - 18C = 45 -65F

VICKY, CRISTINA, BARCELONA

What a great movie that was with Penelope Cruz and her now husband Javier Bardem! And what a great time we had crossing over the Pyrenees from Andorra back to Spain.

CUSTOMS

In my last post you may remember that Andorra is not a part of the EU therefore we had to pass through border control which was mostly comprised of checking the car for too many tax free items - cigarettes etc.

We filled our gas tank up in Andorra because of the lower gas prices. With gas being about $9.00 a gallon now in Europe (thanks Kadafhi), the $1.00 per gallon less in Andorra felt the same as winning the lottery.

TRIP PROBLEMS

Now you may be asking yourself, "Why are we going back to Spain". Well this morning, Bob did not ask me if I wanted "beach or mountains". We had no choice but to head back to Spain because of a slight hiccup in our trip.

An employee at our bank in Spain cancelled, ( yes I said cancelled) my Spanish credit cards. Which meant that we had no credit cards to use on our trip. And anything urgent in Spain amounts to about a week or so of delay!! With limited cash on hand, and no cards to use we had to come back to Spanish land to get some money and wait for our cards!! After screaming and shouting to the bank manager, all I did was waste my time and energy on something which was not going to go any quicker.

So, back to Spain we came! And where else to go but to the beautiful and magical city of Barcelona - rich with Gaudi, history, architecture and great food!

ROAD BACK TO SPAIN VIA ANDORRA

Small narrow tunnels to pass thru.... The next 2.5 hours consisted of so many curves and turns that I got car sick. It was an exhausting road.

Instead of taking the highway back to Spain, we decided to cut through the mountains along a small off track road. For the next 2.5 hours, we were the only car on this road. No one else!

No- this is not a view form an airplane. The small road we took was soooooooo high up in the mountains and cold. It went as low as 41 degrees.

Because of all the EU money Spain has received over the years - even the unused small back roads of Spain are paved!!

BEAUTIFUL and WORTH IT!

BACK TO CIVILIZATION-

BARCELONA

Ah.... back to a city!

El Corte Ingles (Hence - the small English) is the largest and most known Department store in Spain. It is a privately owned company. Corte Ingles is one of the greatest stores I have been in. It has everything. And I mean everything! From furniture, to food, to car washing - in fact, there isn't anything they do not have!

CORTE INGLES
BARCELONA!

TAX FREE - as a non EU resident ( as an American) you can get back all your taxes (@16%) at the airport when you leave. All you have to do is at each store you make a purchase ( over E90) is fill out a form and have it stamped at the airport by customs.

BUS TOUR

Well how could we come to Barcelona and not be a tourist! Yes... we took the tour!

Cataluyna Plaza

CATALUYNA - Community
BARCELONA- Provence
BARCELONA CITY - Capital and 2nd largest city in Spain

Population 1.6 million people ( but feels like 10million)
Origins: Roman city

The growth of Barcelona happened within the past 100 years.

Follow us on the Barcelona City Tour!

Port Vell - where the cruise ships come in

Area of - Barceloneta

Near to Las Ramblas and Port

Frank Gehry - Architect of the Fish Sculpture and the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao

ICE TOWER

The Diagonal Buildings -

Agbar Building. Built in 1999-2005 has 16 millions lights and 40 thousand different colors.

All the streets in the city are unusually wide!

Guadi - Casa Bitio

Catalunya Square.... one of the busiest places.

Las Ramblas - the famous walking street

The Musuem

UNEMPLOYMENT NUMBERS JUST IN!

Unfortunately the unemployment numbers just came out while we were there. Over 5,000,000 people are unemployed. 21% out of work!

Numbers were up! 43% of them are youth. And 1.6 million of them are couples with both being unemployed. It is the worst statistics ever!

TRANSPORTATION:
We took everything - bus, cabs, trains, subway and walked a lot... this city put our cardio in shape

LUNCH-
As you now know - Catalan - is the language of Barcelona and used more often than Spanish. Most signs are in both languages - and sometimes not. When we sat down to eat, Bob thought the menu was huge - why? Because he didn't realize it was written in two languages!!!

If you want the best Seafood Paella in Spain - then visit Oasis - ( see card)
Mathias has been making this homemade speciality for over 30 years in his family restaurant. It was one of the best we have ever had in Spain! Price 20E ($30usd).

The streets of Barcelona are filled with street entertainment. Here 17 guys showed off their breakdancing acrobatic tricks. Over 300 people were watching, but not too many pulled out any change at the end.

We tried to rent these bikes - but they are for locals only!

The World Trade Center

The Museum - closed only 3 days a year - and of course the day we went!

Gorgeous view from above... you can see Monserrat in the distance

This photo is taken especially for all my dog lover friends.

He wanted to cool off!

Palau Sant Jordi
Ah... this building brings back some great memories.... A year ago Bob and I travelled to Barcelona to see Eros Ramazottii in concert - it's part of the Olympic Stadium.

Local Barcelona Police - SEAT - the national Spanish car. ( one of our cars as well)

LUNCH!

Remember in a prior post one of the 5 other languages spoken in Spain is Catalan. That is the language of Barcelona. People were speaking with me in Catalan and I had no clue what they were saying. It was as if we were not in Spain. Even the signs were all in Catalan. So a bit confusing if you are used to Spanish.

PASTA

Bob ordered a coffee and dessert. When it was time to pay the guy said - in Spanish " "Ok, 1 coffee and 1 pasta.". We answered, no we didn't have any pasta. Just a dessert and coffee. He insisted - no you had Pasta. We kept this up for a bit until he explained in Catalan - Pasta is the same as dessert. Ah... and Pasta in Spanish is also slang for money and also Pasta for Spaghetti. So watch out for the Pasta!!

We had one of our best meals at XOPDOR restaurant just near the Museum My risotto was to die for!! And Bob swears it was the best Bacalo he ever had. Prices E12& E15

The most important bull ring in Spain. ( Not the oldest)

GAUDI

La Sagrada Familia - is Spains' most visited monument and Anton Guadi's masterpiece. Unfortunately he was unable to complete it. When he was 73 years old he was hit by a local tram, taken to the hospital for 3 days where he later died. His plans were carried on but other architects but this still remains as his " work of art".

He started this Cathedral when he was 31 years old and obsessed over it for more than 40 years until he died an accidental death ( read on). He even lived in the Church. It was his masterpiece but he was only able to see one side finished prior to dying.

This church was built by Gaudi's teacher.

Arc de triomphe

( Park de la Ciudadella )

Yes, kids in Spain still climb trees and play in parks - without their parents.

And yes, Barcelona is not only a tourists city - but a romantic city for locals in love - after so many years!!

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DAY 13 - ANDORRA - PASTA? PLACE? PERSON?

2011-04-28T23:21:00.000+02:00

DAY 13

From:    Pyrenees - France
To: Andorra
Distance: 283km / 175miles
Climate:   6C = 45F
Altitude:   3400Meters /11000 ft

ANDORRA

Andorra.

Question: Is it a Pasta? Is it a Place? Or is it a Person?

Answer: None of the above. Well kinda...

It is a Principality. So what does that actually mean? It means it is a country ruled by a monarch with the title of Prince. In this case, this quietly held country, is ruled by two Princes - a bishop from Spain and the President of France - thus making him Prince.

Andorra - a country which few people speak of, few people visit and a place very few people live. It's the 6th smallest nation in Europe bordering France to the north and Spain to the South while only covering 170 sq miles. Pretty small but curiously interesting yes?

Bob and I left Lourdes the next morning and when he asked me the same question he asks me every morning. Do I want mountains or beach - my answer this time was a bit different. I said.... let's let TomTom ( our navigator) decide and Andorra was where the TomTom pointed! So... off to Andorra we went. But - with little knowledge of what lay ahead.

Read on....

We left France and it's fresh croissants, grey pitched Churches, side shuttered windows feeling revived with our special Holy water from Lourdes and embarked on a drive of a lifetime.

French castles lined the roads along the way with it's dairy signs...yesterday we were on the Cheese Route and today it was marked the Milk Route.

In French it's called - Andorre

A spanish sign reads Andorra

Coming from the French side into Andorra was breathtaking. We decided not to take the tunnel but rather drive the mountain road. It was well worth the climb and time.

Andorra is NOT part of the European Community although it's currency is the Euro. So we did have to pass through border control - which after all these years of a free European border - it was a bit strange to do.

I had to make a phone call on my cell to Spain and forgetting Andorra was not part of Europe I ran out of credit and my roaming charges were astronomical.

There was quite a bit of traffic going and coming to Andorra on the French side. We didn't realize why until we arrived.

Andorra is a duty free, tax free, offshore haven. Therefore, there are many things which are much cheaper there than elsewhere - one being gasoline. 16 cents euro less per litre. That is equivalent to $1.00 less a gallon difference. The cars were lined up. On top of it the duty free shops were packed at the border.

We had dinner in a lovely Italian restaurant in town. The owner, a Spaniard from Jaen sat and talked to us about life in Andorra.

For him, he claims the life is much better than when he was living in Spain.
He said the country has better medical - 100% coverage for free for all its citizens.
Including free schooling.
The safest of any country in Europe. Strict border control.
They closed the borders to any immigrants 5 years ago. No one except higher management is being brought in from the outside.
He smiled and said - there is no prostitution in this country and no gambling allowed.

He told us the breakdown of people in Andorra is as follows:

80,000 people in total

30,000 Spanish

20,000 Andorrans

13,000 Portuguese

5,000 French

and others.....

He also explained to us that life there was not only very safe and clean, but the food, gas and utilities were much cheaper than other parts of Europe.
The only expensive thing were the clothes. I had to agree. I went into a store and the prices were quite out of place.

The hotels were so reasonable with high standards. However, there is NO parking in town.

Some key notable difference about Andorra is how clean and organized it is. Compared to any other country it looks very new, modern and very clean.

The snow peaked mountains circled the entire country from side to side. It was as if we were birds gliding through threading a needle as we passed the peaks and valleys.

Andorra's main economy thrives from

1. Tourism (10 million people a year visit)

2. Off shore banking.

The Spanish spell it Andorra.

Andorra is nestled between the Pyrenees and host and haven to skiing. Each village along the road is a ski village.

It was chilly!

While we were there also met a kid who was born and going to school there. He shared the following:

Languages of the country:

1. Official language is Catalan ( same language spoken in Barcelona)

2. Spanish

3. French

4. Portuguese

With a smile he explained why he loved living in Andorra. He can come and go with his friends without his parents worrying about him because it was so safe. He also shared that Andorra is a country which has the longest life expectancy. He said he grew up learning 4 languages at the same time.

The capital La Vella

All the buildings in Andorra are quite new and modern looking. A different style than central Europe. Nothing was out of place.

I enjoyed the fact that I could speak French or Spanish and everyone was fluent in both. Everyone thought I was Spanish so I stuck more to the Spanish when speaking.

Our hotel - downtown.

In summary - Andorra is a precious stopping point in Europe for it's special charm of European mix.

TIDBIT:Andorra has the worlds lowest unemployment rate - 100% employment.

So - has anyone every heard of Andorra before or visited it? I would love to know your impressions......

Ok.. tomorrow - who in the back seat wants to drive? Bob needs a break and I am busy taking photos for you to see... so anyone up to driving?

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DAY 12 - A MIRACLE IN FRANCE!

2011-04-27T22:23:00.000+02:00

FRANCE

From:   Pyrenees - France
To: Lourdes - France
Climate:   7C - 18C = 45 -65F
Altitude:   3400Meters /11000 ft

A MIRACLE IN FRANCE!

Do you believe in miracles? To date 200 million people have visited Lourdes-  all on account of their strong faith and belief in the 87 documented miracles which have taken place from the special water coming from the grotto.

Lourdes, beautifully nestled in the foothills of the Pyrenees is one place off the beaten track not to be missed - regardless of your religious belief.

The story goes as follows - in the 1800’s, a 13 years old French girl named Bernadette, claimed to have seen the vision of the Virgin Mary appear to her over 18 times at a Grotto in the mountains near to where she lived. Six years later a shine was built and today over 5 million people a year visit there as a Pilgrimage and in hopes of a cure for the sick. They have 15,000 people living and focus the town on the Church - hospitals, hotels, ( second to Paris per sq meter), gift shops, restaurants etc...

Although I was brought up with 12 years of Catholic schooling and contrary to my mother’s wishes did not turn out to be very religious, I am always drawn to stop by Lourdes while passing through France. This is my 5^th time and Bob’s 3^rd. No matter how little or how strong your faith is - once you are there the atmosphere will make you feel humble, bring you to your knees and put tears in your eyes as you end up in awe of how many people come from afar to make this journey – based on faith alone.

I said a special prayer for everyone I know……

For Bob and I the evening was even more special. Each night at 9pm there is a procession, which takes place around the Church and river. This night was special because there was a Charity group from England ( HCTP) which is the largest worldwide Children Pilgrimage group in the world. There were over 15,000 children from all over with their country, branch, group leaders, support and banners all taking part of the processions each holding a burning candle in the night. We estimated an easy 100,000 people walking in the procession. ( Yes - more than on the Camino de Santigago).

They were pouring in from everywhere and mostly all young. They were singing and praying. It was actually quite moving. A young man from the HCTP group explained to me that they have branches all over the world and come to Lourdes once a year at Easter time with over 15,000 children at a time!!! Quite a sight to see and very special to have been a part of.

Candles burning everywhere from all over the world.

This is where the water still comes out from the rocks themselves.

This is where Bernadette claims to have seen the vision.

I usually stop there to get some of the “curing” water for others - which unknown to man still pours out of the Grotto after all these years. For those who know me and my migraines, I dunk my head in the water in hopes of a cure, but quickly relinquish any hope or request when I see all the other people there with such serious illnesses, especially multitudes of small sick children. Needless to say being there makes you feel grateful.

So if anyone wants any of this special water, I now have some. It has been known to cure. If you do not know the story of Lourdes, read up on it, as it is an interesting one.

Tomorrow's destination is going to be a geography test for everyone! Study up!

Thanks for joining... stay tuned ....

night night...
jasmine

( thanks for the comments - we have more room in the back seat so come along)

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DAY 11 - LOST IN THE PYRENEES!

2011-04-27T00:46:00.000+02:00

SPAIN /FRANCE

DAY 11

From:    Pamplona - (NAVARRE)
To: Pyrenees - France
Distance: 155km / 96 miles
Climate:   7C - 18C = 45 -65F
Altitude:   3400Meters /11000 ft

LOST IN THE PYRENEES - 11,000 ft up!

Before I begin to tell you how we were lost in the Pyrenees, I thought you might be wondering by now how we could take enough clothes to last 4 months for both winter and summer weather? Not easy is the answer. As you notice Bob is always wearing the same clothes. He was only allowed to bring 1 pair of pants and 1 top.. no..no... no...

Many years ago when I was in Spain, a dear British friend of mine, name Sue, taught me how to pack in a way that I am able to put 5000 things into one small bag. That one time lesson has turned into a life time of value. Thanks Sue!

We have two medium suitcases we leave as storage in the car while we take a small overnight with us to the hotel each night. As you can see by the photo below, a BMW Cabrio does not have much trunk space. So.... we have coats, jackets, shorts and bathing suits..... all inside the back of that small little trunk!

A more difficult feat is to remember the hotel room number as we change hotels each night. I find myself putting the key in the wrong door or going to the wrong floor etc...

Bobs daily job - putting them in and taking them out.

My daily job - to keep the car looking semi organized.

ADIOS SPAIN!!!

Bye bye Pamplona.... very comfy hotel - privately owned.

Our new best friend. Tom Tom. Helps us get around without stress!

Each day when we wake up, Bobs first question is - "Where do you want to go today". And my usual answer is. "Anywhere". He follows that up with "beach or mountains". I choose and then we point on the map.... today I said, mountains. Which led us to the Pyrenees in France. This time I didn't lose my photos for you to see. So take two!

Still in Spain. A dam on the way to Jaca.

A man on the way to Jaca.

A car on the way to Jaca.

Rocks on the way to Jaca.

I couldn't resist. Another Camino to Santiago Sign! They are everywhere. It was starting to feel like an invasion of Camino signs!!!!

Still in Spain.Today we drove through the Provence of Aragon.

Below you can start to see the Pyrenees. Remember, the Pyrenees run 430KM across as a natural border between Spain and France up to 11,000ft high. Some of the best skiing is done in the area as well as the best cheese is made from the region.

Hint: If you see a purple little sign on the side of the road while driving in Spain. PULL OFF!

It is amazing where those little signs will lead you. Below is a perfect example. We took this long winding road off what we thought was already a small side road. There was no massive sign saying - Turn now - you must see this- or very important turn here. Nope- just a simple purple sign saying Monastery Juan de la Pena.

What an amazing surprise. We visited a gorgeous ex-Monastary of 1100 years old! It was then converted to a church and took 70 years to build. Yes.. 1100 yrs old! All original except the doors and floor. I couldn't take photos inside but it was so pretty. I could not believe what others could build 1100 years ago. Built in 996 it is now a Heritage Site.

The backdrop was so beautiful - set in between a gorge and forest.

And yes, another Camino sign... they are everywhere!

Back on the road again towards France.

Next stop - JACA Spain.

Such a pretty town. Reminds me of Denver. Clean, manicured and nestled between a valley and range of snow peaked mountains. We stopped to have a picnic in a park.

One thing I have to mention is a difference very noticeably between Spain and other countries. After visiting 70 countries so far, the one thing which stands out the most is how many park benches there are in Spain. They are literally everywhere. If you go to Italy you will struggle to find a bench to sit on... but Spain has more than enough. In fact, one of the biggest advantages I find to Spain is that it is quite a comfortable country - roads are excellent and the country is quite clean. You can easily move around the country as a traveler without much effort.

Chef Bob preparing our lunch!

Best view in town!

Ah... how did we get lost? Our lovely Tom Tom must not have had an updated road system installed because we took an off road instead of the 8km tunnel to go through the Pyrenees and what a wonderful mistake that was!!

It was one of the most beautiful drives we have ever been on...... in fact it was so gorgeous we hardly said a word. We were in awe of the natural beauty.

No words I can add will add to their beauty. So enjoy the photos below. Without words.

Believe it or not! This is where the Camino to Santiago starts in France!!!

As I pointed out the last time - a notable difference is the building structure between France and Spain. ( I still need to take a pix for you). Spain has barrel roof while the French have pointed thatch roofs... as well as the windows and shutters. The grey stone walls are also more predominate in France.

In case you have not heard it on the news - Spain reduced their speed limit from 120km to 110KM when civil war broke out in Libya a couple months ago. But, back in France the speed limit is 130km on the highway, 70 on secondary roads and 50 in the towns.

LOST LOST LOST!!

Poor TomTom.. she had us going up and down the mountain until we were sure we were on our way to China. As you can see on the TomTom it looked like a one lane road, but in reality it was more like a bike lane. That is when Bob and I knew we were lost... lost in the mountains in the Pyrenees with a Tom Tom who was also lost!!

An hour later we saw a farmer... who helped guide us back to civilization. It seemed we were in a park and 11,000 ft up.

Finally... 2 horses.. we were back to the world!!

My battery died! This is the last photo I was able to take today!

TIDBIT: Did you know the Pyrenees are older than the Alps? They date back to 150 million years ago.

Thanks for the comments.. keep them coming!
Glad you are in the back seat with us. Hope you are enjoying the ride!

Tomorrow? Ah... mountains or beach?

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DAY 10- WIND POWER or MONK POWER?

2011-04-26T00:13:00.000+02:00

SPAIN

DAY 10

From:    Pamplona - (NAVARRA)
To: Surround area - (NAVARRA & ARAGON)
Distance: 100km / 60 miles
Climate:   12C = 55F and windy

WIND POWER or MONK POWER

PERFECTA! ( and not the type you gamble) We were so lucky with the weather! Sun all day and I didn't lose one photo!! And since a photo tells a 1000 words, I am hoping these photos will tell a perfect story.

Since Navarre (Pamplona) is such a beautiful provence we decided to stay an extra few days to see the "RUTAS" (routes) in the surrounding areas. What we didn't know at the time was the surprise we were in for.......

We randomly chose the Red and Orange "Rutas". How did we pick? Just by color!
Little did we know we would end up at ABBEY ROAD. (Stay with me on this one!)

The view out of the car window!

As we headed to the country side following our "red" guide, we were struck with how each valley was so lush with a variety of green colors. And regardless of which small village your eyes would set upon, each had a tall church steeple in the background.
Even if only as few as 3 homes were there!
There is always a Church to be found dominating the surroundings.

IBERDOLA - WIND POWER

If you have ever travelled throughout Spain you may have noticed the many many wind power units high on the mountain tops. That is because Spain (IBERDOLA) is the leading and largest company of Wind Power in the World. Second behind them is FPL in Wind Power. Between the two companies they are starting to transform alternative energy. (More power to them!)

CANOLA FIELDS (Biodiesel)
When traveling throughout Spain your eyes will enjoy the vast bright yellow Canola fields covering the countryside. But!! But....these Canola fields are NOT used to produce the Canola Oil which most of you are familiar in the USA as cooking oil, but instead as Biodiesel - again alternative fuel.
(Remember, Spain is very rich in Olive Oil... so no need for Canola Oil for cooking purposes.)

FACT: Navarra being a large wine producing region adds wine to almost everything. They offer wine pickled onions, wine vinegar, etc... everything has a bit of red added...

Bright RED Poppy Flowers along the side of the road - everywhere!

Bob on the side of the road - everywhere!

THE SURPRISE VISIT!!!

CASTILLO JAVIER!

We had an incredible surprise when we randomly choose to stop along the way to visit CASTILLO JAVIER. Who is Javier? Why is there a castle named after him? Well we wondered the same and decided to turn off the road to find our answers.

Well to our amazement when we not only shocked but quite pleasantly surprised at what we found. The most incredible looking and well preserved castle we had ever seen. The grounds were immaculate and the castle intact and enormous. We could not believe what we had carelessly stumbled upon. No big sign, no major announcement. But oh so worth it.
We

paid the meager 2.50E to visit the castle.... and the inside was as a restored art museum.
So who is Javier, you may still be asking? And why such an elaborate castle?

The answer is simple!
Javier was born in this castle. He is St. Francer Javier, patron of Navarre and Catholic Missionary who travelled the world for 11 years. He came from a wealthy family, studied at the Sorbonne in Paris and was befriended by Loyola. He died at 46 years old in China. His mom continued to own the castle.

The castle was built in the 10th century and was used as a defense against neighboring Aragon. It holds the only Skelton painting in Spain and was completed in the 14th century.

Modern day Javier - ready to save the world or play his Game Boy! ( I had to take his pix)

Beautiful manicured grounds.

Lovely hotel and restaurant on premise

Cafe, bar as well!

My usual daily lunch. Ensalada Mixta

In Spain - a mixed salad always comes with egg, tuna, asparagus, olives and lettuce/tomatoes

FACT: A vegetable sandwich in Spain includes Ham, egg, tuna and sometimes beef.

Next stop! The Catholic King!

In the provence of ARAGON

This delightful side stop is host to the birthplace and home of King Fernando. The town is a walled Medieval village.

Stress? What stress?

His siesta!

I couldn't resist snapping this of him napping.

Inside a local shop

A rooftop view

Bronze chairs.. Bob says they were super comfortable. I found them stiff.

Springtime flowers everywhere.

Tunnels everywhere... to escape

The Bronze Age. Bobs new best friend!

On the way up to the Kings Palace.

The inside of a persons home.

Can you imagine trying to fit a pick up truck in this gated city?

Yes that actually says the EXIT FOR CARS.. I don't think 3 bikes will make it thru

The view from above

Time standing still... riding to the next pueblo

AND NOW.... MONK POWER!!

ABBEY OF SAN SALVADOR DE LEYRE
( Abbey Road)

This was one of the most beautiful monasteries. Even our Tom Tom could not find it. Bob had to drive up and down so many back roads to try to find it. And why? All because we saw a purple sign about 5 km back. We were curious. And what a delight!

This monastery is over 1000 years old!! Yes 1000 years old! The entire outside wall is original and well preserved. The monks are Benedictine of Santo Domingo de Silos. They devote their lives to Gregorian Chants, praying and research studies.

He told us he was disappointed in Obama and wished Clinton were President.

We met one of the monks who allowed us to visit their private Cloisters. I wish I could have taken a photo for you to see... so clean, so well preserved, so rich. You can see they live a very good life.

These 31 monks living and working in this Abbey make their own cheese which is quite famous. It is called QUESO RONCAL ( for the Roncal Valley) as well as their own honey. They grow their own food and herbs. They pray 7 times a day and in between eat and work the monastery. There is a hotel and restaurant on premise.

For 2.70E we took a guided  tour and although these photos did not come out very good you can see there is a large crypt below. They do not know what the original crypt was used for except that it was built to hold the church above steady.

Since the monks were very educated, these tunnels for the monks to escape in case of war.

The view from ABBEY ROAD

Summary: Because the sun was shining today and we had the opportunity to visit so many beautiful surprise monuments, I added a lot more photos for you to see. I hope you enjoyed them as much as I have enjoyed sharing them with you.

Tomorrow: How about the beach? Tapas in San Sebastian? We are going to roll the dice and see where they land on the map!

TIDBIT:
Q. How many provinces does Spain have?
This is a tricky question...

A.
Spain has 50 provinces but 17 communities (which one would think are provinces)

.

1. Andalusia 2. Aragon 3. Asturias 4. Balearic, 5. Basque, 6. Canary 7. Cantabria
8. Castille & Leon 9 Catalonia 10 Extremadura 11. Galicia 12 Rioja 13 Madrid
14. Murcia 15 Navarre 16. Valencia.... oops I forgot 17. La Mancha

Bob and I live in #1.. Andalucia.

That's it for tonight from Espana.....

Hope you enjoyed Navarre...post comments so I know I am not alone.

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DAY 9 - IS IT FRANCE or IS IT SPAIN?

2011-04-24T19:38:00.000+02:00

SPAIN

DAY 9

From:    Pamplona - (NAVARRA)
To: Pyrenees - France/Spain
Distance: 135km / 83 miles
Climate:   7C - 18C = 45 -65F
Altitude:   549 Meters /1 805 ft

Is it France or is it Spain?

Peregrinos (Pilgrams) : I still have to say a few more words about the Peregrino's (Pilgrams). They are everywhere. Spain indicates there are about 200,000 a year who come to walk the CAMINO de SANTIAGO and I think we must have already seen 50,000 of them in just a few days.

To give you an example. The entire walk starts in France and ends in Santiago Spain. It is a total of 900 Km or 552 miles. By foot! It's the same as walking from Augusta Georgia to Washington DC- on foot!

We met a few the other day and here are some of their interesting stories:

3 from Korea - walking 500 miles ( 800km) in 6 weeks starting from France. I asked why? They said they are trying to find their way in life.
4 from Finland. Walking 400miles (250km) in 14 days. I asked why. Their answer. They have no idea. It seemed like a good idea. They see it now as very challenging.

Anyway, everywhere we go, from the small back roads, to the more populated roads, there is a Camino Sign! Fascinating. And oh yea.. people on it walking!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

HAPPY EASTER

When they say it rains every Easter in Spain this one is no exception. It rained all day until 5pm.

I am sorry to say that I cannot find any of the photos I took today.

It is such a shame because the scenery today was breathtaking We crossed over the Spanish side of the Pyrenees into France. Had lunch in a quaint mountain side French restaurant and came back to Pamplona.

The Pyrenees are a natural mountain range border between Spain and France. Hard to even know when you are in one or the other. We only knew it when our cell phones kept changing carriers. They extend 300 miles across the country.

During the day we found the most gorgeous paths ( thanks to the suggestion of a local - Miguel, the hotel owner). It was truly a path less taken. In fact, it was a one lane looking driveway, up and over the Pyrenees with fog, dew, misty rain and no side rails. I was driving and had to stop and let Bob take over. It was a bit too high and dangerous. We were sure we were lost, except how can you be lost when you have no real destination.

The best thing we did so far on this trip was to have bought a TOM TOM. For $200 this wonderful British lady alerts us to Radar, wrong roads, dead ends and dangerous paths. The only problem is that most of the roads we were on were labeled "unnamed roads".

Bob was sure we were the only ones in the world to have taken these roads today. I begged to differ as I am sure there were some local animals who found their way on them as well!!

Gorgeous waterfalls, fresh green spring forests and then the valleys open up and you can see the Pyrenees as far above as you can see. Breathtaking!

We didn't even know when we crossed over to France until we were having lunch. The lady serving us was speaking in French. Bob asked me "Are we in France?" I had just come back from the Toilette and answered - "For sure". What does the Toilette have to do with the answer? Well.... in France the toilettes are MUCH smaller than in Spain. (No offense to the French).

Another notable difference ( even along the border) is the architecture. ( Wish I had the photos I took to show- Boo hoo). The homes in France have shutters all along the windows while the Spanish have bars usually on them with Geraniums in planters. The French have their shutters painted in greens etc. Plus the fact that we saw only Peugeots helped us know where we were.

There in the middle of the Pyrenees with only villages of 5 or more homes, we came upon a road with cars lined up on all sides.. for about 1 mile or more. Bob said - what is going on!!! I said, they must all be coming for Easter Mass. Haha.. that was farther from the truth. There must have been more than 5000 people parading in on this small village for what we later found out to be a festival. Busy busy valley full of locals.

We decided to go back to Spain - but today was not as easy as before. All the signs were written in Basque and we could not understand where we were. I spoke to the locals in French and Spanish, but could not understand any of the towns name. Basque is quite difficult sounding.

TIP: How many languages are spoken in Spain? 5

1. Castellano ( official Spanish language)

2. Catalan ( Barcelona area and Baleric islands)

3. Basque ( Basque region)

4. Galician ( Near Galicia - NW side of Spain)

5. Aranese - Pyrenees area

The signs are in several of the languages when you are in the area. Some are different lettering and therefore hard to understand such as Road signs etc.

For example - PAMPLONA is also called IRUNA. So if you see a sign for IRUNA that is how you get to PAMPLONA. Crazy huh?

Same with San Sebastian . It is called Donesta.

Easy to get lost if you aren't paying attention to the dialects.

Sorry for losing the photos.

John D, if you are reading this. I took some great photos of Bobs 5 course meal today - just for you!

The only thing I can show you from today is the hotel we just checked into and what you can get in Spain for 60 Euros- Tax and breakfast included.

Happy Easter!

Yesterday is a memory

Today is a gift

Tomorrow is a mystery

Stay tuned as we have yet to know where we will be tomorrow!

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DAY 8 - WINE to RUNNING OF THE BULLS

2011-04-23T23:55:00.000+02:00

What life is about for many people - home and wine!

SPAIN

DAY 8

From:      Logrono - (RIOJA)
To:    Pamplona - (NAVARRA)
Distance: 71km
Climate:    55F - 65F
Altitude:   460 Meters

Ruta de Vino ( Wine Route) Yellow & Orange

Logrono to Pamplona ( 71km)

Ah... the Napa Valley of Spain! Now this part of the trip is really more for Bob than for me since he is the wine lover. We woke up early and as you can see by the map above we really didn't cover as much distance as usual. Today only 71Km. Hmm.. wonder why? Could it be all those Bodegas on the side roads? All the vineyards offering to taste their wines?
Above is the Ruta de Vino ( Wine Route) we took. Not very far in distance, but so much to see along the way. We took each back road into each village which had so many of their own bodegas. In this region everyone has something to do with wine. Rioja is just one of the many wine regions of Spain although probably the most recognized. It covers 3 provinces - Rioja, Navarra and Basque.

DID YOU KNOW?

NAPA VALLEY vs RIOJA: Although Rioja is quite famous most people in the USA are not yet quite familiar with the wine or region. Most likely because the Spanish are not as strong exporters as other countries. FACTS:

Napa covers 17 miles / 150 producers
Rioja covers 75 km / 14000 producers
Bodega - is a winery
Cooperative - most sell via a cooperative rather than self label. (over 750 cooperatives)
Spain has the 15% of the worlds wine hectares
Wine accounts for over 2% of the Spanish Food Agriculture Produced for the country
Red wine is over 43% of the wine produced in Spain
Germany is the #1 importer of Spanish wines

As far as your eyes can see were vineyards after vineyards. Although we were a bit early to see all the leaves on the vines the vastness of the area still can be appreciated by the below photos:

Imagine this with all the soft green leaves on them!

Throughout the region each Bodega resembled a mansion or an amusement park. Many were sprawling with restaurants, tours, wine tasting, hotels ( yes hotels), and were quite impressive. See below:

Part of the wine route tour takes you to a very quaint lovely walled medieval town called La Guardia ( yes... same as the the NY airport). It was bustling with people, shops, tapa bars and historical architecture and museums. What makes this stop quite interesting is that below the town you can find another part of the town completely dug out from the days of the middle ages when it was used for storage and safety from wars. Later when wine was produced they found those dugouts to be a perfect place to ferment the grapes. The entire inside of the town is a pedestrian walkway and no cars are allowed to enter within the walls. It is well worth a visit. ( See below)

By the time we finished the Ruta de Vino we were hungry... and the most famous thing is Spain to eat is TAPAS. ( see at end what a Tapa is).

We also stopped off in another walled town called - PUENTE DEL REINA:

RUNNING OF THE BULLS!!!

Once our tummies were full we were ready to run with the bulls... which is what Pamplona is famous for.... Running with the bulls...Except one problem.

They only run from July 6-14!!...

FACT: The run is only 900 yards long
FACT: Pamplona is a walled town
FACT: Called the San Fermin Festival and not the running of the bulls
FACT: Hemingway went 8 times there to watch the run and spend time in the town

Pamplona is a very pretty town. Not too small and not too big. It is quite handsome with beautiful parks and many many small tapa bars. Well worth a visit if you are near.

Road to Pamplona full of Canola Fields

Pamplona Plaza

The restaurant where Hemingway hung out..now named after him

It is 8pm and we wanted dinner at the famous Hemingway restaurant - But they don't start serving til 9 30pm.

So instead, Bob had to have the famous Churros with chocolate. Freshly made.

Resting spot for tonight. Miguel, the owner, built this hotel 17 years ago

Note: Do you know the origin of TAPAS? It's been told that many centuries ago when food was sparse they would offer a small tapa appetizer) with a drink and cover the drink with the Tapa ( hence the word Tapa ( cover)

We ended the day by going to Mass at a gorgeous cathedral at 9pm for Easter. It was packed with the high church bells ringing loudly, calling for everyone to come join.

HAPPY EASTER!

Thanks for joining us today!
Stayed tuned for tomorrow surprise visit.... ............
High up in the mountains on the border of France and Spain

night night

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Day 7: OCEAN to FOREST

2011-04-22T21:04:00.000+02:00

Spain:

Day 7

From: San Vincente - Bay of Biscay /Altantic Ocean (CANTABRIA)

To: Logrono - (RIOJA)

Distance: 355km

Climate: 45F - 65F

Altitude: Sea Level to 1680Meters

Semana Santa: Otherwise known as Easter. This is the largest holiday celebration in Spain.Bigger than Xmas. Which means a double the prices and harder to find hotel rooms. Which is why Bob and I together with our big brains thought it would be better to drive inland today rather than fight the crowds along the coast - which we thought would be full of holiday makers. WRONG!!

ROUTE: With no special route planned, we just decided to go on a very small road away from the coast. We had no plans except to lay low while this weekend played itself out. We randomly took a simple one lane road which looked interesting. It took us to a gorgeous national park. We thought we would be the only ones.

Nope! I thought we joined the "Tour de France". I really had no idea until this trip that almost every Spaniard was such a bicycle enthusiast. And a serious one at that. Up and down steep mountains - most of them well up in age. I can't even begin to tell you how many times my jaw dropped when I would see a group of them peddling up steep hills, and talking at the same time with their buddies, only to see as we past them that they looked about 70 or 80 years old. This went on and on and on.... They were up as high as 1280 meters in 45 degree weather just peddling away as if it were a leisurely ride! Amazing.

The scenery was gorgeous... words and photos do not give it any justice. The province of CANTABRIA has to be one of the prettiest and most natural. Just to give you an idea, we saw signs warning " free roaming animals - caution". And we would see, sheep, goats, cows, horses, just walking around. The nature is breathtaking. Hills upon hills with surrounding snow peaked mountains. Only nature and medieval stone like villages. All neat with flowers everywhere. Vibrant and subtle colors greens.... misty dew on the fields and the smell of fresh forest were heavenly.

Although I was suffering still with my strep throat and a migraine the day was not ruined because of it. Until......

HOTEL: We decided to look for a place to sleep..... Place after place after place was BOOKED. And I mean booked. And prices were 3x the price. 355km later we found 1 place.

Moral of the story- Do not travel during Easter time in Spain without a hotel. I went into a gas station and bought some munchies thinking we were going to sleep in the car!

FOOD: We thought being on the water would make for some inexpensive seafood...quite the contrary. For example - a dinner menu for clams, mussels, or a fish started at about $80+ for two.

SUMMARY: Our random drive today took us from the Bay of Biscay, across the mountains and forests and down towards the region of Rioja. Bobs favorite area since it is the Napa Valley of Spain. We were greeted with a gorgeous full rainbow.

Here is where all the mains wines are from... so next will be a wine tour! We are just across the street from many of the Bodega's...

Thanks for touring with us!

(FACT: Did you know lunch is served fro 2-4pm? After 4pm it is very difficult to find a place to serve you. Dinner doesn't start serving until after 8 30pm til midnight or later)

Day 7

San Vincente - view from room

San Vincente - View from room - Bay of Biscay

San Vicente - Medieval Town

Our hotel

Bridge connecting the town

45 degrees out.. Too cold for the top down!!

San Vincente

Bye bye....

Lost in the woods! Bob took a wrong turn .... so pretty

They were just hanging out...

They were everywhere!

Coming down and going up. 1680 Meters!

All wear these outfits!

Fields of green towards Logrono

Ah.. Napa Valley of Spain

So much green in the Spring!

Beautiful welcome rainbow into town.

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Day 6 - MOUNTAINS TO OCEANS

2011-04-21T18:45:00.000+02:00

Spain:

Day 6

From: Villa de Gloria ( CANTABRIA) Picos de Europa

To: San Vincente (CANTABRIA ) Bay of Biscay - Atlantic Ocean

We left the heart of the Alps early in the morning making many stops at the small villages along the way. Our oil light came on in the car so Bob was a bit nervous.. no gas station for 80KM!

An hour later we found a jewel in the Picos- A small town of 1500 people ( they call the capital of the Picos) called Potes. We stayed all day.... it was stunning, nestled as a valley between the surrounding jagged snow peaked Alps and green ranged mountains. It looked like Switzerland. Because this week is Easter week, most of the Spanish take it as a holiday since it is a bigger holiday than Christmas. So the lodges and trails were full of holiday goers. Bicycling is a big sport here and the amount of guys on long range bike runs were amazing.

I had to go to the hospital there because my throat was so bad. Ended up I had strep throat. Lucky health care is so easy here. 5 mins to see the Dr. 5 Mins to buy the medicine and we were on our way. Gotta love this country! Oh and yes - Free.

We visited a Monastery, the National Park and drove around the area for hours. Stunning!

From there it was only an hour to the Bay of Biscay ( the Atlantic Ocean) to the town of St. Vincente. We are staying in a lovely inn just along the Bay. The sheep are outside my window.

From Alps to Ocean

Monestary

Picos of Europa

Charming Pueblo of "Potes"

Potes

View from our hotel - Bay of Biscay

Picos de Europa

TRAVEL ALONG!

#30 "UNDER THE SUN" HOMEMADE APRICOT JAM - Syrian Recipe

#29 - NORWAY & SCOTLAND - Fjords & Bagpipes

#28 TURKEY - Magic 8 Day Tour

#26- JEREZ - A GLASS OF SHERRY

#25 -GRANADA- Alhambra, Moors & A Revolution

#24 - M15 THE SPANISH REVOLUTION May 30 2011

#23 - SLEEPING WITH AN EARTHQUAKE IN LORCA

#22 - 2000 YEAR OLD DELICIOUS ORANGE

#21 - "SUR LE PONT D'AVIGNON"

#20 - FRENCH POODLES & A FACE LIFT

#19 - OWN A FRENCH CHATEAUX FOR LITTLE MONEY!

#18 - THE MAGIC KINGDOM

#17 - RED-WHITE - or ROSE'?

#16 - ADIOS or BONJOUR?

DAY 15 - CATALONIA - GAY, HAPPY or BOTH?

POP QUIZ 1 - Day 1-13 Review

Where did we start our journey from?

How long is our car trip for?

In which town did the dam break in the 1950's killing over 150 people?

Which bay is St Vincente located on?

Where are the Picos of Europa located?

What holiday is Semana Santa in Spain?

What is the "Camino de Santiago"?

Where is the Running of the Bulls held each day in July?

What is a Bodega?

What is the % of red wine produced in Spain?

Which country is the largest importer of Spanish wines?

La Guardia is a town in?

TAPA is?

The Running of the Bulls official name is?

What does "Peregrino" in Spanish mean?

The Pyrenees are a natural border between:

How many languages are spoken in Spain

The Basque name for Pamplona is:

The largest Wind Power company in the world is:

How many communities does Spain have?

I am having fun following this blog and want to see more.....

DAY 14 - VICKY, CRISTINA, BARCELONA

DAY 13 - ANDORRA - PASTA? PLACE? PERSON?

DAY 12 - A MIRACLE IN FRANCE!

DAY 11 - LOST IN THE PYRENEES!

DAY 10- WIND POWER or MONK POWER?

DAY 9 - IS IT FRANCE or IS IT SPAIN?

DAY 8 - WINE to RUNNING OF THE BULLS

Day 7: OCEAN to FOREST

Day 6 - MOUNTAINS TO OCEANS