The Berry Woman In Granada

By Nancy Todd

Street vendors come and go and people in Spain love them.  In Granada, vendors are scattered about the city and sometimes move onto another location in the same day.  When you find something you can’t live without, buy on the spot as the vendor may disappear.

The usual items are for sale like sunglasses.  I am a big consumer of sunglasses and therefore I always buy on the street.  Five, ten euros.  I go through  four pairs every summer.  You will find purses, leather bracelets, scarves, earrings that sparkle and dangle, and fans.

Among the people in Spain selling on the street, I love the food vendors, a departure from tapas.  They sell what is in season.  My favorite was a short, round, rosy cheeked woman in her seventies.  She had little baskets of fat, delicious black berries.   My friend Pamela and I, out strolling near midnight found the berry woman.  Another woman sold hunks of prickly pear cactus.  She deftly whopped off the spines with a knife the size of a baseball bat.

The sunglasses man.

Another salesperson sold bananas and pineapples that were cut into small pieces ready to eat on the go.

For four more great shopping spots in Granada, check out:  Shopping in Granada.  Write and let us know the food vendors you discover in Spain.  The Scoop has suggestions for excellent hotels in Granada.
RELATED POSTS ON THE SPAIN SCOOP: SEVILLE

Seville Restaurants for Hot Tapas

 By Nancy Todd                        Comments by:  The Blog Dog

Taking center stage, were the waiters who were hunks.  Green eyes and long eyelashes prevailed in Southern Spain.  The waiting crowds mooshed through all available aisles, the servers pirouetting with ease.  The main man in the show had a sleek black pony tail and I am sure was a flamenco dancer by night. With a hot dancer’s body, this star gracefully flitted through the crowds carrying trays of food.  No, I didn’ have my camera with me.  Damn. 

Something about Spanish guys.....is it those long lashes?

Tapas in southern Spain are the best!  Seville restaurants serve portions are large, one and one half tapas is a dinner for me, and inexpensive.  Most run two to three euros a piece. One of the most popular tapas restaurants in Seville is right off the Cathedral Plaza, Cerveceria Girald, which was built on top of an Arab bathouse.  Entering  this crowded restaurant, one smells cooking seafood that said, “This is worth the wait.”  Once I was seated, as tradition has it in Spain, you also wait a long time for a server to take your order. No problem here.

I overate, not being able to resist the choices.   Also on stage were Patatas Don Miquel-hot boiled potatos resting in olive oil, a rich garlic sauce on top.  Laying across the sauce were slivers of salmon and strips of red roasted peppers.  I ate Beregenas Tapades, eggplant with béchamel sauce.  Mushrooms stuffed with meat and a tomato marmalade.  And of course a glass of white wine.  Tapas were a bit more expensive here, three to four euros.

Prints and lithographs were hung below the vaulted ceilings at Cerveceria Giralda. They depicted your basic castle meetings and women in Klimt gowns. Ceramic wainscoting was of intricate geometric designs, the Moorish influence.   If all moves too slow for you, relax.  You are in Southern Spain.  Order another glass of wine.  Sit back and enjoy the show.

Cerveceria Girald

Where:  Mateos Gago, 1

Phone:  954 228 250

Comments by The Blog Dog:   “Did you get his phone number?”

Related Spain Scoop:  The Scoopettes give Seville a Scoopometer 10 all the way.  For Seville and surroundings, more to read.

Let The Spain Scoop know about your fav tapas restaurants.

No Car Needed! Seville To Cadiz

Sometimes it is good to chill by taking a day trip to an uncomplicated city.  Seville to Cádiz takes about an hour and one half.  I agree with Christine, getting lost is part of the fun of travel.  Good stuff always happens…most of the time!

By Christine Medina

Though Cádiz can’t contend with the likes of Sevilla and Granada in terms of wow-factor, it’s a destination with a rich history and a just-right size that’s worth squeezing in on a visit to Spain’s sunny south.

I first traveled to Cádiz on a day-trip during my first few months in Spain. This was back during my honeymoon phase with Spain–when every city was new and beautiful and exciting (which for the most part, hasn’t changed!). I came to Cádiz with zero expectations and left knowing I’d return–I’ve been back twice since for the city’s famous Carnival celebrations.

My three visits to this city have left me with these impressions:

Cadiz

For great walkability, Cádiz is the perfect size. It isn’t overwhelming like Madrid or Barcelona can be, and it isn’t small like the white pueblos you’ll find outside of the city. I personally wouldn’t bother with spending time outside of the old town–all of the interesting stuff is there! Besides, getting lost in the labyrinth is part of the fun. If you ever get lost, find your way to the seaside promenade that snakes around the city and you’ll quickly regain your sense of direction.

Its historic significance Cádiz is known as the oldest continuously-inhabited city in Europe, reportedly founded by the Phoenicians in 1100 B.C. As a city built on the coastline of the Atlantic Ocean, its maritime history boasts Columbus as sailing from here on his second and fourth voyages to the New World.

Its low cost of living I’ve enjoyed many a cheap beer and café con leche (coffee with milk) on my visits to Cádiz. Since not as many tourists come as here other cities in Andalusia, its prices stay low in comparison, with the exception of the time during and surrounding Carnaval.

Its relaxed ambiance Even though the majority of the time I’ve spent in Cádiz was during one of the rowdiest Carnaval celebrations in the world, my first visit alone was enough to give me a feeling that this port city was unique in its laid back feel. From the friendly shopkeepers to the less-than-hectic way of life here, Cádiz may be a city, but it doesn’t feel like one.

Overall, Cádiz isn’t a place that’s captured my heart like the bigger Andalusian cities, but it is a worthwhile day-trip to make from Sevilla if your itinerary allows. Get lost in the alleyways of the old town, order up some fried fish to-go (they invented it here, not the Brits!) and if you come in the summer, reserve a couple of hours to lounge on the beautiful Playa de la Victoria.

 To get from Sevilla to Cádiz, it’s easiest and cheapest to take the bus. For schedules look here: http://www.exploreseville.com/transport.htm

Related Spain Scoop:  Christine has more on Cadiz with her post on Carnavale!  For great stuff to do in Seville, we have The Scoop.

Christine Medina, originally from Seattle, Washington, has been an expat in Andalucia for two years.  She shares her travel advice, anedotes and photographs   on http://www.christineinspain.com/

Budget Travel Tips for Spain

With the economy the way it is these days, who doesn’t like to save a few euros? Your Scoopettes have always been travel hackers, sometimes by choice, other times by necessity. Here are a few sites to check for saving big bucks in Spain.

Atrapalo.com

We dig this site, and I use it all the time for movie, concert, and theater tickets. Seriously, about once a month or more I am printing off a voucher from Atrapalo. That’s the thing, you need to have access to a printer to have the voucher handy when you show up to whatever event you buy passes for. You also need a credit card. You might need some Spanish as well, I didn’t see an English option on the site.

http://www.atrapalo.com/

Sixt.com

This is where we rent cars for all our far-flung jaunts. We’ve tried them all and Sixt is the best bet for your Euro cash.

http://www.sixt.es/

Momondo.com

OK, so Momondo is not a Spanish company, but this is where I look first for cheap flights. It covers all the Euro cheapos: Vueling.com, Ryanair.com and EasyJet.com.

http://www.momondo.com/

Rumbo.es

This is the site to check when planning your cheap Spanish holidays any time of year. They cover flights, hotels, cruises, train travel, bus travel and package tour travel. I like their transportation search option that searches flights but also trains and buses going to whatever destination you put it. Sometimes the train is a better deal.

http://www.rumbo.es/

Eurocheapo.com

Ok, to be fair I’ve written most of the Barcelona reviews for Eurocheapo.com. Clearly, I think this is a great site and I’ve used it a lot when traveling to other parts of Europe. They cover inexpensive hotels and hostals in Barcelona and other big cities in Spain. My fave of the listings in their Barcelona section is Fashion House.

http://www.eurocheapo.com/

What sites do you use when planning a trip within Spain?

Temps de Flors 2012 - Girona, Spain

By Regina Winkle-Bryan

Nancy and I went up to the Temps de Flors, or the Flower Festival, in Girona, Spain. In the north of Catalonia, Girona is about 1.15 hr – 1.30 hr from Barcelona by RENFE train. A roundtrip ticket there and back is just under 20.00 euros, which is not cheap. Still, Girona is worth the 20.00 train ticket and if you have a little more to spend book a hotel and stay a couple nights.

Your Scoopettes recommend Girona any time of year; it’s a wonderful place in a diverse area of Catalonia. If you have a rental car you can use Girona as a base to explore the coves of the Costa Brava, head to Figueres to the Salvador Dalí Museum or check out the many up-and-coming vineyards in the area. We love this rural hotel for stays nearby Girona in the countryside.

As far as the Temps de Flors, go early in the week because by the 20th of May the flowers are not so fresh. Also, be aware that this is a popular local festival and the place is packed on the weekends. The best time to see the floral displays throughout the old Jewish Quarter and medieval center is from 2pm-4pm when everyone else goes to have lunch. Eat early and avoid lines. The Temps de Flors is completely free and very extensive. It’s easy to spend the whole day wandering around Girona’s steep streets admiring blooms.

Bring your walking shoes for the cobblestones and some water. I went to the Temps de Flors about 5 years back, and I have to admit that this year it was not as impressive as the first year. I think this has something to do with the state of the economy in Spain. In any case, it’s still a wonderful festival, now in its 57th year!

Here’s a peek:

Nancy and a Bee or a Fly...Temps de Flors 2012 - Girona

Temps de Flors 2012 - Girona, Spain - Cathedral

Temps de Flors 2012 - Girona, Spain - Cosmic Floral Sculpture

Temps de Flors 2012 - Girona, Spain

Floral Dress - Temps de Flors 2012 - Girona

Temps de Flors 2012 - Girona - Scoopette Regina Winkle-Bryan

Nancy in Girona, Spain

Bridges of Girona

Temps de Flors 2012 - Girona - 'Princess Bridge'

Temps de Flors 2012 - Girona, Spain - Scoopettes Strike a Pose

Temps de Flors 2012 - Girona, Spain - Leafy Square

Temps de Flors 2012 - Girona, Spain - Nancy by Cathedral

Girona, Spain

Temps de Flors 2012 - Girona, Spain - Cathedral from Above - Steps

This vibrant festival is on NOW, so get on over to Girona to enjoy it before the petals wilt (May 12 – 20 2012). See more on Temps de Flors on this website:www.gironatempsdeflors.cat

Bakeries In Barcelona

By Nancy Todd

People line up in front of colorful cases, out the door, and down the block at this Barcelona bakery.  Everyday, people line up at Patisseria Garde.  Four salespeople bustle behind the counter, packaging, tying string handles on boxes, and chatting with customers. 

The pastries are little works of art.  Each strawberry, kiwi, and chocolate morsel is delicately positioned.  Four inch rolls of chocolate cake, whipped cream inside, are sprinkled with dark chocolate powder.  The Sara Cake, my delectable favorite, is three layers of airy, yellow sponge cake, laced with butter cream frosting on the in and outside.  The outside is also speckled with slivered almonds.  This not-too-sweet cake crunches and melts in my mouth at the same time.  It is a Sunday morning treat along with my stand by, café con leche. 

Off to my favorite Barcelona Shop in my slippers.

Large spiral shaped pastries, the size of a dinner plate, are loaded with powdered sugar on top. Gypsy’s Arms are long rolled cakes, about the size of an arm.  A rectangular puff pastry has thinly cut apples pertly lined up at attention.

Thousands of bakeries are in Spain.  Some just bake bread, others add pastries and candies like Patisseria Garde. They all seem to be doing a thriving business and it continues to be a mystery to me how most Spanish people stay slender.  I do not get exercise to get to my favorite bakery.  Luckily for me, I take the three person, lurching elevator from my eighth floor penthouse, walk outside, go half a block and around the corner and there is the door of my bakery.  Now to figure out how to slip in to get my Sunday morning café con leche in my mickey mouse pajamas and red fuzzy slippers. Then, I will really have it made.

Where:  Concell de Cent, 421

When:   7 am – 8 pm, Monday-Saturday, 8am-3 pm Sunday

Metro:  Yellow line, Girona

Somewhere to lay your head in Barcelona, Spain? The Scoop recommends Easy to Book for hotels in the Catalan Capital and all over Spain! www.easytobook.com

Related posts on The Spain Scoop: Barcelona Buzz!  More on Barcelona food.

Wind Surfers, Tarifa

It is only when one lives in a place that they can write the minute observations of seasonal change. Robin Graham, from Tarifa, our expert from Southern Spain, shares a snippet of daily life as awakenings of spring slowly shift into summer. Tarifa is a small town known for strong winds and a hangout for kite surfers and wind surfers. Robin takes us for a walk on the beach and the streets. 

By Robin Graham

Suddenly it’s all colour again, as if Hockney had wandered away from the pool and down to the beach. The inverted pendulums of a dozen surf kites sway and swoop over the water, falling and rising across three bands of blue; the sky, the sea, the brilliant strip of bright turquoise that laps at the sand.

It doesn’t yet feel like summer on the skin but it’s certainly beginning to look like it. Nobody is swimming in the cold water but the swimsuits are out, the afternoon warm enough to bathe in the sun; bikinis, speedos and pre-season bodies litter the strand, bordered at its rear by an eruption of scrubby Spring growth – low-lying marine grasses and plants, a mess now of purples, yellows, blues and reds.

I paddle.

Back in the old town the little boutiques have opened up and dusted themselves off. Ceramics and Moroccan jewellery, lamps and throws and all kinds of scented stuff. The very brown girls in baggy hippy pants are back with their flip-flopped, tussle-haired boyfriends.

In our neighborhood people have poked their heads out; they linger on the street, doorstep conversations replacing the hurried, huddled hoodies and overcoats of last week. The sun glares down on everything like a woken god. It isn’t breathing fire yet but it’s taking preparatory breaths.

At last, the long Summer days are coming.

Related Spain Scoop:  Read about the Sunday Market in Jerez by Robin.

What signs to you see that lead spring into summer?

Robin Graham, from Tarifa in southern Spain, writes stories. Some of them are about places and some of them are just made up. A lot of them can be found, with accompanying photography, at www.alotofwind.com. He’s a private person but, strangely, doesn’t mind being followed on Twitter: @robinjgraham or liked on Facebook: alotofwind.com.

Photos of Barcelona Spain - Where is this?

Well, well, well…it’s Friday again, which means some people are heading to TGIF’s for BBQ chicken wings and others, like your Scoopettes, are back with another Barcelona photo challenge!

Dear readers..what famous Barcelona square is this?

RELATED ON THE SPAIN SCOOP: BARCELONA

Yogatone Retreat - Andalusia, Spain

By Regina Winkle-Bryan

I was the only American at the Yogatone Retreat, set deep in the mountains above Málaga in sunny Andalusia Spain. This fact stands out in my mind, in that I don’t think I’ve ever been in that situation before, that is: the American surrounded by British folks entirely for four solid days in the middle of nowhere. It is only important in that this somewhat strange situation taught me so much about the UK, its culture, its people, but all the time we were in Spain.

Les' Farmhouse and Retreat Center

Les Benney runs monthly Yoga retreats in Andalusia at his totally charming renovated farmhouse. I took one of the cheap flights from Barcelona to Málaga and then drove winding roads for an hour north. Parked, I walked along the goat-path passing the frog pond and orange orchards to get to his slice of Spanish heaven. And it is heaven, if your idea of heaven involves Ashtanga Yoga twice daily and long breakfasts involving buttery toast, soft boiled eggs with ‘soldiers’ (that was a new one for me), fresh baked rolls, lemon drizzle cake, bacon, yogurts, local fruit and all the tea you can drink. Les is a generous host and guests will not go hungry at his retreats! (Can I just say that that stereotype about English people drinking loads of tea was confirmed on this retreat. I’ve never seen so much black tea consumed, with milk and sugar too, of course.)

Fountain with Frogs and Orange Trees

Private Guest Cottage

Most who partake in a healthy yoga retreat do it to lose weight or get in shape or whatever. Les’ retreats are about yoga practice, a hard-core practice at that, but are not about going without. As a yogi he is open to everything (smoking, caffeine, alcohol) and puts on quite a spread. Meals are not vegetarian unless you ask (another guest and I did, and it was yummy) and though he does not serve wine or alcohol he doesn’t mind if you bring a bottle of red to the table. We had wine at all three of our communal dinners and ate hearty, healthy, delicious meals cooked by a local Irishwoman, Ester, who has lived in the region for over 20 years.

Les Benney

Dining Room at Yogatone 2012

Over these long meals, which were served at 7pm not on the later Spanish schedule, I tried to keep up with the conversation and managed to learn some new British vocabulary words. Even speaking the same language it’s amazing how many little cultural things went right over my head. At one point I was offered (forced?) marmite and felt obliged to eat a bit. It’s not bad. After meals guests would sit around chatting, watch a yoga video such as ‘Enlighten Up! A Skeptic’s Journey into the World of Yoga’ (Churchhill), or read from Les’ library which includes gems like ‘Power Yoga for Dummies’, ‘Shift Happens!’, ‘God on a Harley’ and the classic, ‘Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus’.

Chill Out Space for Reading at Yogatone

Doing yoga at Yogatone

When we were not chilling at the retreat, eating, or doing Tree Pose in Les’ ‘magical cave’ studio, we were off on excursions to nearby villages such as Nerja and Comares. Like whether you take wine or caffeine at the retreat, how much you do is up to you and guests can skip these field trips of they want to. Partaking in Les’ retreat gets you way out into the middle of the mountains to a part of Andalusia that I certainly would not have visited otherwise. It’s a special place and deeply peaceful.

Les' Magical Cave Studio

View from house

I should say something about cost and rooms and all that. The retreat has space for eight guests in three twin rooms and one double though further accommodation can be arranged nearby for larger groups. This small group size keeps the retreat intimate and fun. It also means that if you come alone you’ll be sharing a room with someone (unless you opt to pay more). One of the twin rooms is located in a cottage next to the house which has its own washbasin and toilet. The remaining rooms share showers and WCs (there are two). The retreat rate is £385 per person, which includes everything but airfare. Les will pick you up at the airport if you plan it right, or rent your own car (but not from Do You Spain!!!).

Cozy twin rooms

SMILE!

Les runs retreats every month, and there’s one coming up at the end of this month from May 23rd – 26th 2012. See his other dates here. I would go back to Les’ retreats and many of the other guests said that this was going to be a yearly trip for them from now on. It’s the place, the vibe, the kind of yoga, but mostly it’s Les and his incredibly upbeat attitude. ‘Keep smiling’, he’d remind us as we tried to contort into some unnatural position. On the last day he even gave us tiny smiley stickers to put on our fingernails and toes, the idea being that when we looked down to grab our toes to stretch, or up to our hands for Sun Salutation, we’d see those smilies and smile, too. I know I did.

More on Les’ retreats and Yogatone plus how to get there:

http://www.yogatone.co.uk/

Festival in Cordoba when all interior patios are open to the public.

Flowers, flowers and flowers.  Cordoba is my kind of city.  Festivals in Cordoba,  a two hour train ride by AVE from Madrid, takes you to this elegant city.  You can also go from Seville which is an hour and one half by train.  Liz Carlson, our guest writer, used to live in Cordoba and recommends these fab five.  Dance, music, food, and thousands of flowers.  It doesn’t get much better.

By Liz Carlson

Without a doubt, the best time of the year to visit Córdoba, Andalucía is in May. Less than 2 hours from Madrid on the high speed train and situated between all of the beautiful cities of southern Spain, Granada, Sevilla, and Málaga, Córdoba is one of the most picturesque and oldest cities in Spain, the capital of the Islamic caliphate in the Middle Ages

Filled with narrow cobblestone streets, whitewashed houses with hidden patios, outdoor cafes and historic monuments left and right, Córdoba is incredible anytime of the year, but in May it’s magical! Córdoba in May is famous all over Spain because it hosts many festivals and cultural events throughout the month. The whole city is covered with blooming, colorful flowers, and everywhere you can catch whiffs of fragrant orange blossoms. Here are 5 of the most famous festivals held in May in Córdoba.

1.  Batalla de las Flores: To mark the beginning of a month of festivals there is a parade of flower covered floats throughout the city, with many people in costume and in the traditional gypsy dress. For the “Battle of the Flowers” they throw hundreds of thousands of flowers from the floats to the crowds of people.

Cruses de Mayo Festival In Cordoba

2.  Cruces de Mayo: The “May Crosses” festival is usually in the beginning of May, and it consists of dozens of big crosses made of flowers set up around the city. The brotherhoods (cofradía) of churches around the city compete to see who has the most beautiful cross. They set up outdoor bars next to the crosses and serve drinks and snacks and play music, usually flamenco. There are maps available of where all the crosses are around the city, and it’s fun to hop around and visit them all, drinking wine, eating the famous salmorejo (Córdoba’s gazpacho) and attempting to dance sevillanas with the locals.

White wine tasting festival in Cordoba. Have you noticed how many pictures we have from Liz that have to do with food and wine? She must live in Spain.

3.  Cata del Vino Montilla:  Also known as Montilla -Moriles,  Every year Córdoba hosts a wine tasting festival for white wines from its region for a few days. Montilla is just south of the city of Córdoba and is world renown for its dry white wines. Enjoying a tasting of the chilled white wines on a hot spring night is a great way to pass an evening with friends as well as getting to know the local wines.

4.  Patios:  Hands down this is my favorite festival in Córdoba. Owing to the hot, dry climate in Córdoba, since antiquity, houses have been built around a central, open patio filled with fountains, wells, plants, and you guessed it, tons of flowers! Most of these patios are in private houses, but for a week every May, they are open to the public during a competition for the most beautiful patio. Families all year growing these amazing plants to show off during the festival. There are maps available with open patios listed, previous winners, and even suggested routes. If you are going to make it down to Córdoba for one of these festivals, make it patios!

The entrance to the Feria (Fair). Thousands of lights!

5.  Feria:  The annual fair (feria) in Córdoba is held at the end of May, the culmination of a month of amazing and visually stunning festivals. Perhaps the most famous feria in Spain is held in Sevilla, an hour of away from Córdoba. But unlike in Sevilla, the casetas (tents) where people eat, drink and dance in the shade in Córdoba are open to the public; you don’t need to know anyone or have an invitation to enter. Inside, you can dance the day and night away with many people dressed in the traditional flamenco dresses and gypsy costumes. Horses trot by carrying people in traditional Córdoba dress. Later, you can catch one of the many bullfights or see an outdoor concert in the evening.

Dates of festivals change year to year. To check festival dates, check out this site.

The high speed train from Madrid to Cordoba is AVE.  The Scoopettes love this train as we feel like queens.  Not all Spanish trains are this lux.  Trains from Seville take about an hour.  Liz has lived in many cities in Spain and writes about them here.

Liz writes Memoirs of a Young Adventuress which is about traveling and expat life abroad. Four years ago, she said goodbye to the freezing cold New England winters and hola to sunny warm Spain, and hasn’t looked back. Unsatisfied living in the same place for too long, she has called several cities in Spain home, from Salamanca to Madrid, Córdoba and Málaga, and now Logroño.

Eating Out in Cabo de Palos

We went to a wedding near Murcia in the southeastern bit of Spain. It was not a Spanish wedding, but an English wedding, and most of the guests were from London. In fact, A and one other woman were the only Spaniards there!

At the wedding - A and I at La Manga Club

First of all, let me just say that I love weddings, and I love my friend W and am SO happy for him and his new wifey! Marriage, it’s so grown-up, right? The wedding was a blast and the ceremony sweet and personal (the colors were blue and white for those of you interested in these details! Classy).

Wedding at La Manga Club

While the location for the wedding was beautiful, it was also quite weird. I felt like I was at a sort of Disneyland for adults. Isn’t that Las Vegas, you’re thinking. Yes, you’re right. Then this was Euro Disney for adults, golf and drinking and eating being the main draws. The place in question is La Manga Club, and it’s just inland from La Manga on the Mediterranean Sea about a half hour to the east of Murcia and a half hour north of Cartagena.

Wedding flowers..

It’s strange because this area doesn’t seem to have much going on, just fishing and lots and lots of agriculture – artichoke fields as far as the eye can see. Men in the hot sun picking strawberries. Many times in Spain the ‘Murcian Garden’ is referred to as much of the country’s produce comes for here. It’s not a ritzy region. It also seemed quite dry, with low rolling hills and sparse vegetation. Yet among all this dry grass and these migrant workers there’s La Manga Club, with its manicured golf course and lush palms concealing luxury apartments and fabulous villas (I saw a couple I wouldn’t mind moving into to!).

This juxtaposition alone is not weird. What’s weird is that everyone who lives at La Manga Club is British. What’s weird is that when you order a drink in Spanish the bartender says, ‘Huh?’, and you have to stop and think about what country you’re in. It does not seem like Spain when one is strolling La Manga Club, where fish and chips are easy to come by and the pork is prepared at an English Butcher, ‘Best English sausage in Murcia’, his sign says.

Indeed, it is not just La Manga Club, but the whole area around Alicante and Murcia that seems to attract Brits. What’s the deal? Maybe some of you Brits out there can fill me in.

Cartagena - Spain

Not golfers, and in possession of a rented car from SIXT, A and I ventured out of La Manga Club. We went to Cartagena which is OK, but certainly not a must-see sort of place. We also ate a couple meals in Los Bellones (some good Asian food), which seemed to also have a large English expat population. The top meal we had during our weekend in Alicante and Murcia was most definitely at the fishing village Cabo de Palos at a seafood spot overlooking the Mediterranean.

Cabo de Palos

There are quite a few options in Cabo de Palos, but I recommend El Navegante (Paseo Maritimo, Cabo de Palos, Tel 968-56-33-12). Here we had the Menú del Día for €15.00 each which included wine (white this time), bread, a huge salad, fried baby squid (yum!), and a sort of paella called caldoso which neither of us had had before and which was totally tasty. Oh yes, let’s not forget dessert, which was flan. Stuffed, we went back to our spacious Suite at Las Lomas in La Manga Club and took a nap.

Sort of Paella at El Navegante - Cabo de Palos

El Navegante

I’ve got to say that despite my mixed feelings about La Manga Club, Las Lomas was an excellent deal. Mostly people live at La Manga Club but there is also a 5-star hotel and Las Lomas which offers up Suites and and holiday apartments. Las Lomas offers guests several pools, a spa, plus restaurants and cafes (serving Spanish and English fare) in a compact, landscaped environment. It’s very nice. We got an amazing deal on our Suite for €60.00 a night. Our Suite had a lovely porch and a bathroom bigger than my apartment in Barcelona. The view was of a parking lot, but at €60.00, we weren’t complaining too much. I noted that some of the other Suites had barbecue pits, too.

Las Lomas Suites - La Manga Club

Back from the wedding and sifting through email I read a press release that happened to mention La Manga Club. It read:

‘La Manga Club Swings Into Action With Sizzling May Offer!’

‘Luke Donald used La Manga Club as a launch pad to become the world’s best golfer and golf fans can try to emulate him – with a daily round of golf including accommodation at the Spanish resort available from just €82.50 per person per night during May.’

Like I said, I know nothing about golf, but for those of you who do, this may be exciting news!

‘Donald spent his summer holidays perfecting his skills on the luxury venue’s fairways and greens as a youngster and visitors can enjoy rounds on any of La Manga Club’s three 18-hole championship courses at fantastic discount prices.’

‘As well as golf, the amazing daily rate includes accommodation in La Manga Club’s fully serviced, four-star Las Lomas Village apartments, breakfast and access to Spa La Manga Club’s fitness centre, indoor pool, saunas and steam rooms.’

Clearly, this is a pretty good deal. But what if you’re like me and don’t dig golf? They’ve thought of that, too.

‘And if you don’t fancy golf, the daily rounds are exchangeable at the same rate for selected spa treatments, tennis or dinner. For more information or to book call 00 34 968 17 5577, email reserve@lamangaclub.com or go to www.lamangaclub.com.’

So there you have it. While I am not sure that I recommend La Manga Club, it’s a good place to go for a sunny break and a bit of luxury (the forecast for this week in May was between 80 and 90 degrees!).

Waiting for Ryan Air - which was 40 minutes late

More on traveling to this area:

We took Ryan Air to Alicante airport. There are also flights to Alicante from London on several carriers, or fly with Ryan Air to Murcia directly. Flying to Alicante puts you closer to Benidorm and Valencia, if that’s your cup of tea. The closest airport to La Manga Club is Murcia, but we couldn’t find flights to Murcia from Barcelona (which is also strange). From Murcia or Alicante you need to rent a car to get to La Manga Club. There are taxis too, but they’re expensive.

Murcia, Spain

Caves give me the creeps and I have crawled through a few in my day.  For many, there is an intrigue that versus repulsion for caves. Colin Kirby, our guest writer and expert in the Canary Islands, will have you right by his side from putting on a helmet to brushing insects off your neck. His article entices me to creep through yet another cave and I have Cudel Viento on my list. 

By Colin Kirby

Gathered below the metal grid as daylight poured into the volcanic chasm, my party of 20 explorers were pleased to feel the warmth of the Tenerife Island sun. It was a brief respite and the turning point in the Cueva de Viento (cave of the wind)  near Icod de Los Vinos in the north of Tenerife Island.

I did feel a bit daft with my hard helmet perched on my head, trying desperately to direct the beam of my light. It was a small price to pay in return for delving into a 1,200 metre stretch of the 17,032 kms. of tunnels spread over three levels. Mount Teide had looked majestic with its small snow cap, as a 30 minute uphill walk had brought us to the remote entrance.

Cave Entry - Are you getting the creeps by looking at this?

When a side vent in the volcano, Pico Viejo, erupted 27,000 years ago the molten lava carved its way down through the rocks leaving behind the biggest set of volcanic tubes in Europe.    Just before the entrance, our guide showed us a protected rough shaft where someone had fallen to their death a few years ago – it was more effective than just telling us not to wander off.

We entered this lost world via a heavy grid lifted to reveal stone steps hewn into the rock. The initial 20 foot high chamber had just enough room for us to perch on a craggy ledge as the history was explained on a multi lingual chart. Under instruction we dimmed our helmet lights and spent a minute sat in the dark to appreciate the thankfully the guide was still there when we lit up again.

The tour drops 470 metres from one end to the other, as we edged our way along in half light the rocky and rutted floor tested us at every step. There was just enough room to stand upright but tree roots dangled through in places and the tunnel pressed in close enough to feel the dry dusty sides. Strange rock formations took on imagined life in the torch beams but the myriad of small insects that live down here didn’t seem overly keen to meet us.

Colin Kirby

The tunnels re-opened four years ago after being sealed for 15 years and the full extent of them has still to be mapped. Our main route was fed by lots of tight twisting fissures spinning off into darkness well beyond the reach of our lights. The village of Cueva del Viento is a delightful old Canarian settlement, much of the land surrounding it is marked out to reflect the route of the tunnels below. Ideally the preservation trust would like to buy this land to ensure that chemicals from farming don’t seep down to poison the eco system below  .There are several guided tours a day, for more go to http://cuevadelviento.net/

More on traveling to the Canaries:

Plan your holidays to Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote and more with our posts on the islands here: CANARIES. ***Note that Vueling.com offers good flight deals most of the year to Tenerife.

Colin Kirby was born in Oxford, England and combined years of freelance writing with a full time office job before cutting the chains. Mad on sport, travel, and exploring, Colin covered topics as diverse as Ice Hockey, theatre reviews, and interviews with the odd star or two before moving to Tenerife to lap up the sun 10 years ago. Still finding new wonders in Tenerife and the other six Canary Islands, you can usually find Colin walking, swimming, or worshipping CD Tenerife football team. Meet him at http://www.colinkirby.com/

MadridMan - Plaza de Oriente

Interview by Nancy Todd

MadridMan, created his travel web site before most of us knew what a blog was.  Started fifteen years ago, with his passion for Madrid,  he continues to write about many cities in Spain.  He refers to himself as a ‘Madrid Maniac’ and his site, complete with a forum, makes referrals to apartments, hotels, and hostels.

 Describe your role with your website and how it evolved.

I’m the sole operator/manager of MadridMan.com. My role has evolved from that of a website creator to a Marketer, Advertiser, Writer, and somewhat of an Internet personality.  MadridMan.com is reaching its 15th birthday in July 2012 with the domain name registered in 1997. But “MadridMan’s Yankee Home Page”, as it was called for its first 10 years, was born online in 1996.

1. What is the most satisfying part of your work?

The most satisfying part of my work is introducing Madrid – the city I most love in the world – to first-time visitors. The second most satisfying part of my work is doing it from home and being my own boss.

2. Why did you decide to start your site?

Everybody needs a hobby and “MadridMan” was mine. I first visited Madrid in 1995, one year before I started the website, and immediately fell in love with her. You could say it was love at first sight. I’d visited Europe before, but Madrid was special for me, I suppose, because I’d studied Spanish for several years and taken a number of Spanish literature and art classes in High School and at the University. I started MadridMan.com to combine my new passion for Madrid with my interest in computers and the blossoming Internet.

3. What is the most popular part of your site?

People tend to visit MadridMan.com in search of lodging in Madrid, but the most interactive part is the ALL SPAIN Message Board – with a strong focus on Madrid. There, people ask questions and share their travel experiences.

3. Tell us more about Madrid.  Madrid is a noisy city. Where do you go to relax and be quiet?

For me, working at home, I get to relax and be quiet every day I’m here. There’s no place more peaceful. But for visitors, one can find acoustic shelter at Madrid’s large city park, Retiro Park.

4.  What is your favorite museum?

The Prado Museum is my favorite as I prefer the classical art style.

The Prado

5.  What is the strangest thing/place about Madrid?

The strangest thing about Madrid (and Spain) to visiting Americans is the food. Spaniards eat some of the most unusual seafood I’d ever seen before moving here like squid, octopus and baked whole fish to name a few. This isn’t strange for Spaniards, of course.

6.  Where do you like to go for the best food?

My neighborhood bar, “Cafetería Javi” has a fastastic 7 Euros “Menú del Día” lunch which can’t be beat. But in Old Downtown Madrid, my first choice is the Bar Postas on Calle Postas, 13, right next to the Plaza Mayor. They have the greatest variety, the best “raciones”, the best prices and a very Spanish clientele. It’s a small place, however, and only about 4 stools on which to sit. Most people stand at the bar to eat and drink.

7.  What is your favorite neighborhood?

Huertas is my favorite neighborhood. Although Huertas is now being labeled as “Barrio de Las Letras”, I prefer the local term. Huertas has some of the best tapas bars and narrowest streets. This neighborhood was home to countless Madrid writers from the 16th and 17 centuries.

8.  How do you see the future of the internet affecting your business?

Since mine IS an Internet business, MadridMan.com will evolve along with the Internet. “Evolve or Die”, as they say. But with time, there’s ever-increasing competition as well.

9. Where is a great place in Spain where you travel for a get away?

For short get-aways from Madrid, I tend to go to Segovia. It’s one hour from Madrid by car or bus and has some spectacular monuments including the Roman aqueduct and the Alcázar/castle. It’s also a great place to go for lunch. “Cochinillo”, or roasted suckling pig, is the local specialty and is known throughout the region.

Related Spain Scoop:  The Scoopettes love conducting interviews and learning about people in Spain dancing to their own music.   Here’s more on MadridMan’s website.

White Plastic Chair Theory, Granada Restaurants

By Nancy Todd

The big eating Scoop on Granada restaurants is that free tapas, little snacks, are served with each drink.  They vary with fried shrimp, mushrooms in olive oil,  to ham, bread and cheese, etc.  You can snarf your way through the city, drink, eat for free and never buy dinner.    How to choose a restaurant?  The Scoopometer read is that a restaurant with no plastic chairs, the more substantial the tapas.  Regina has The Scoop on three kick ass tapas joints in Barcelona.   Menu del Dia, Spain’s bargain mid-day meal, is not as common in Granada  restaurants as it is in other cities in Spain.   Here are four cool neighborhoods to check out.  Warning:  watch out for those plastic chairs:  Scoopometer 0.

1.  Navas Street  - Located in the center of the city, Navas Street is  lined with restaurants all with outdoor seating.  There are many tourists and some locals munching away here.  How to choose when confronted with a zillion  Granada restaurants bunched all together?  Regina and I, experts, big eaters in Spain, have the quick Scoop for you when  faced with multiple restaurants all at once.   We call it the White Plastic Chair Theory.

Realejo Neighborhood

Numero l.   We will never put our big toe in a restaurant with white plastic chairs.  Never.

Numero 2.  We will especially never put our big toe in a restaurant with red plastic chairs that say Coca-Cola.

We read the menu posted on the outside, love the wicker chair look, and settle in for great people watching and delicious food.  Hang out till the late hours on bustling Navas Street.

Fellow looking at clientele - Granada Restaurants Navas Street

2.  Realejo Neighborhood - A real neighborhood that few tourists know about and a pleasant walk from the center.  Along the Campo Principe Plaza, is a string of colorful restaurants, all with outdoor seating–of course, it’s Spain.  Not much starts shakin’ till ten o’clock.  I sipped my tinto de verano ( a red wine sprizer with fruit) and watched dusk descend.  Lanterns were lit, chatter crescendoed, colorful facades of ochre and blue faded into the night at Altramuces Restaurant  founded in 1946.  My wine and tapas was 1.80 euros.  Cornish game hen excellent.  I missed my  North Carolina friends and wanted to share this special evening with them.

3.  Albaicin Neighborhood – An old Moor neighborhood with dozens of skinny meandering stairways, golden hues from old fixtures lighting the way at night, and many restaurants.  You will have your pick of all price ranges.   Mirador de Morayma Restaurant has a serene garden restaurant with stunning views of the Alhambra, especially beautiful at night.  Not a white plastic chair in sight.  President Clinton dined here and the place is famous.  My friend Pamela, who lives in Granada,  knew the way up the mountain side through the maze of  back lanes.  I have no idea how we walked there or back.   C/Pianista G Carrillo, 2.  Skinny lanes were made for donkeys.  An American hog car will have it’s mirrors sheared to jagged nubs.  The lamb was delicious.

4.  Plaza Bib Rambla – If you can eat your way around this large, tree shaded plaza, you will need a bib.  A string of restaurants with umbrellaed tables await your perusal.   The White Plastic Chair Theory applies.  Inside the  pedestrian only Plaza, is a grand fountain, holy figures, and rose bushes.  A quiet bustle here.  No one would want to hurry in these Granada Restaurants.  Yeah, it’s touristy,  the Plaza a beauty  and worth wine and tapas.  My Scoop on the best restaurant on the plaza is Shine Restaurant, Plaza Bib Rambla, 22.    And shine it does with contemporary decor  that rests the eye after the visual busyiness of Granada.  The tapa I ordered was sea urchin mousse with a flower salad served in a half of a spikey sea urchin shell.  Red and yellow petals sprinkled about.  Yum.  Great wine list.

Let us know great restaurants you have found in Granada!

RELATED ON THE SPAIN SCOOP: SEVILLE   Need tickets and excellent advice on how to do the Alhambra.  We have it for you.

On our way to the fair, yes, underdressed (sigh)

By Regina Winkle-Bryan

I went with my mother to the fair – not just any fair, but the horse fair: Feria del Caballo. We arrived and realized that once again I had the wrong gear. We tried to fit in as best we could among sleek fur, twisted tails, polka dots and ruffles…so many ruffles. Next time I’ll be wearing this.

Feria del Caballo - Woman

Feria del Caballo - Caballo

Feria del Caballo - Girls

Feria del Caballo - Arriving at the Fair

Feria del Caballo - Horse Hair Art

Feria del Caballo -

Feria del Caballo - Driver

Feria del Caballo -

Feria del Caballo - The Guests of Honor

While most of the action is at the fairgrounds, there’s also a lot to see in Jerez proper. Plus there’s sherry to be drunk and tapas to be had in the center of town.

Drinking Sherry

Comparing sherry...

Feria del Caballo - Jerez center

Other horses in Jerez

The Feria del Caballo is on this year from the 7-13 of May 2012. See more about experiencing this amazing festival here : http://www.jerez.es/especiales/feria/