It's all Greek to us......

Hot on the heals of Portugal it was time to pack the bags again and head for warmer weather. This time the destination was Greece – Athens, Santorini and Naxos for 9 days.

Athens

After arriving late on Friday night we had the weekend to explore Athens. We took it pretty easy here (as we did everywhere actually) and with beautiful hot days you would not want to have been trying to squeeze too much in.



Of course we took the time to explore the Acropolis and the various ruins which can be found in the surrounding area. The Acropolis is quite spectacular – sitting on a craggy rock outcrop overlooking the city. Our hotel had a roof top garden bar which also offered spectacular views of the site which is lit up at night. We also really enjoyed exploring the grounds of the Ancient Agora (market) which sits on the flat below the Acropolis.



We also spent some time on the coast in one of the marina areas which are dotted along it – Mikrolimano, took the cable car up Lykavittos Hill for an amazing view of the city and the surrounding region and enjoyed many beautiful meals. The stand out eating experience was probably at ‘To Steki tou llia’ a small local taverna in a residential street where we sat outside enjoying the balmy evening weather and a large serving of BBQ’d lamb chops and a nice red wine. Yum.

Santorini

After an early start we navigated our way to Piraeus – the main port for ferries which service the Greek Islands. The port was very busy – many huge ferries being loaded with hordes of travellers dragging bags, while cars and trucks were being loaded next to them.



After a 6 hour journey calling at various barren Greek islands along the way we arrived at Santorini. Santorini is reputedly the most spectacular of the islands, with its steep cliffs running down to crystal clear water - the result of massive eruption many years ago. After disembarking from the ferry we were driven slowly up the road which zigzags up the cliff to the island above.



As well as being spectacular geographically, Santorini is also a ‘picture postcard’ Greek Island, with its white terraced houses perched perilously on the cliff-top overlooking the sea below (of which our accommodation in Firostefani was one).

We wasted no time here and equipped with our trusty quad bike (25 euro for 24hrs) we set off exploring the island. First we headed the southern coast where the best beaches are located. We spent some time swimming and sunning on Perissa Beach – a nice beach lined with trendy cafes/bars and restaurants. After a beautiful fresh fish meal in a small port West of Perissa we made our way to Red Beach – a stunning beach a short walk around the rocky coastline. More sunning and swimming here in water which was crystal clear, although a bit nippy! Finally – after a wrong turn which took us to the highest point of the island (where it was just us and the goats) we raced to the far north of the island to try and catch the world famous sunset in Oia – which we did. It was great fun exploring the island – dotted with white churches, vineyards and rocky beaches it is undeniably a picturesque place.

The following day we went out to the islands in the bay off Santorini for a day of diving. We did two dives – one along a sheer wall which dropped from 12m to 300m, and other in a shallow bay where a small cruiser lay upright on the seabed after being accidentally sunk while moored here. The visibility on both dives was spectacular, and while not a spectacular as our Red Sea diving, it was nevertheless well worth doing.

Our accommodation was in Firostefani which was a very nice spot to be based. Firo (the main commercial centre) was a short walk away along a coastal path. Firo can however be a bit hectic during the day with cruise ships delivering 1000s of tourists daily – on a bad day there can be up to 15 cruise ships stopping at Santorini, so it was nice to be a bit out of the way of all of that activity but still in walking distance of lots of eating options. When we weren’t exploring, plenty of time was spent reading by the pool and looking out over the Mediterranean below.

Naxos

Before we knew it we were on the slow ferry to Naxos, a couple of hours north of Santorini. Naxos is a larger island than Santorini and while it is less well known to tourists, its fertile soil and abundance of white marble stone mean it has always been an important island for the Greeks.



Small cars (rather than quad bikes) seemed to be the vehicle of choice and we spent the next 2 days exploring the island in our Fun Car!



The first day was spent exploring inland areas and villages. Highlights were a pottery workshop off the main road were we had a bit of a spend up, Halki – a quaint village with some designer art/pottery stores, Panagia Drosiani – one of the oldest and most revered churches in Greece with small cavelike chapels, Dimitras Temple (where ancient Greeks once worships the Gods of Fertility) and the ‘kouros’ - huge half finished marble statues found abandoned in ancient marble quarries.

The next day we spent on Naxos’ beautiful beaches – firstly on a small secluded beach near Mikri Vigla and later on the larger more populated Plaka beach – where full nudity seemed to be the look of choice for most – however we went with a more conservative approach.



Special mention has to be made of our accommodation here – Hotel Grotta - where the staff where incredibly friendly and were never short of some good tips or eating recommendations, not to mention the breakfasts!


Naxos had a totally different feel to that of Santorini. It was far more laid back and didn’t suffer from the passengers brought by visiting cruise ships. While we don’t regret for a minute including Santorini on our itinerary, it was nice to have experienced Naxos, which felt a bit more like a ‘real’ Greek island experience.

All in all a nice holiday – the only thing which underwhelmed us was the wine!

Off the beaten track - Douro Valley and Porto

As most of you know, Michelle normally plans our holidays, but in moment of rashness, I decided I would plan a trip. When reality of what this entailed dawned on me, I did what any shrewd traveller would do - outsource the planning. So that is how we found ourselves embarking on a week long self guided walk in the Douro Valley in the North East of Portugal.

For those of you who want the abridged version - we had a fantastic week, kicking off exploring Porto and its Port Houses and then meandering on foot through the vineyards, olive groves, hills and valleys in the heart of the Douro Valley, while soaking up the Portuguese sun. Magic!

Porto - Getting our Port education

Our trip started in the city of Porto - perched on the coast in the North of Portugal where the Douro river reaches the sea. It is home to the historic Port houses, who are based on the other side of the river in Vila Nova de Gaia, the place where regulation once stipulated all Port must pass through for bottling and aging.

We had a very leisurely weekend here and wasted no time in up-skilling ourselves on this town's most famous attribute - Port. In fact, Michelle had purchased her first bottle of port within an hour of our arrival.

While here we visited both Grahams and Taylors and from tours and tastings developed our understanding of the distinction between the Vintages ports, LBVs, Tawnys and also the history of this famous wine.

It wasn't all about the Port though (well it sort of was actually), we also explored the historic centre, enjoyed tapas by the beach in the nearby coastal area of Foz and a beautiful meal at the Bull & Bear restaurant (not a English pub as its name might suggest, rather one of Porto's finest restaurants).

The train into the heart of the Douro

The starting point of our walk was Vesuvio, a tiny settlement in the far north of the Douro valley not far from the Spanish border. We took a train from Porto to Vesuvio and the journey itself was one of the highlights. The old train weaved its way along the banks of the Douro and at times it felt like you would reach out the window and touch the water (although this is not encouraged!).

View from the train window

We were the only people to get off in Vesuvio - at what could not really be described as a train station, rather a small shelter in the middle of nowhere on the bank of the river at the foot of Quinta do Vesuvio - one of Graham's most prestigious vineyards.

View from our window

After an anxious wait (our hotel forgot about us!) we were put in a small dinghy and taken across the river to our accommodation. There was very little English spoken here but our hosts were very hospitable and treated us to a meal of BBQ lamb which was incredible and superb local red wine to wash it down.

Let the walking begin - Day 2

Thankfully we were eased into the walking with just 11.4km of flat or downhill ground to cover on the first real day. We walked along a dirt track with the river (teeming with fish) on one side and steep terraced vineyards and olive groves on the other. We were spared an incredibly steep walk up to the top of the valley ridge by getting a lift and then took an ancient roman track back through cork trees and more vineyards and olive groves as it circled back to our lodging.

The panoramic views of the Douro were breath-taking and it was a great introduction to the region. It was just us and the lizards as we wandered along the dusty tracks as I constantly reminded Michelle..... "not many tourists make it this far into the Douro Valley". We ended the day with a real sense of excitement of what lay ahead of us over the coming days.

At the end of the day we took the train back to Pinhao - the centre of the port trade in the Douro and were then driven high up on the ridge to Casal de Loivos - a small village overlooking Pinhao and the Douro valley. Our accommodation here was a complete contrast to the night before - we were greeted by Richard a butler like Portuguese chap who spoke impeccable English complete with toffy accent (although he did throw in a "You shit me well" here and there!?). We were staying in a house owned by the same family since 1658 and who make their own award winning table wines from the vines around the house (http://www.casadecasaldeloivos.com/uk/casa.html). The view from this property has been rated as the 6th best in the world (by BBC) and as we sat by the pool enjoying a white port and tonic it was hard to disagree.

Dinner that night was also a contrast to the previous night - this time sitting around a large dining table with the other guests being entertained by the owner (who kept planting seeds in our mind about giving up the walk and staying with him for the balance of our trip!).

Do you think we are lost? Day 3

We awoke to another perfect day - blue, cloudless skies (as it turns out, each day would be the same in this respect). Day 3 was about a 12km walk - scheduled for 4 hours but we blitzed it (less stops for photos perhaps?). Our route ascended very gradually along mainly dirt tracks through plots of wild cherry trees (yum!), through small settlements (where we acquired a stray dog who joined us for about an hour of the walk) and across yet more areas of vineyards (this time rolling terrain, rather than steep terraced hillsides) before ending in the town of Alijo.

For while there we did have some concerns we were lost and the maps and compass out, but as it turned out we were on the right route all the way. Thankfully, this was the only time we felt a bit lost and was a good reminder to pay attention - a tough ask when there was so much to see around you!

Alijo was the largest town we stayed in - in fact the only place that really felt anything like a town. We rewarded ourselves with a glass of chilled red wine and bag of crisps at Martin's Cafe on the way into town (the bill: EUR2.20... cheap cheap!). The afternoon was spent relaxing, complete with a visit to a local wine museum where we tasted the Moscatel aperitif grown from the white grapes through which we had walked that day.

Stuck in traffic - Day 4

Favaios

We got an earlish start this day - with 16kms ahead of us. The first point of interest on the walk was the beautiful nearby village of Favaios. After exploring this cute village we headed out of town before stumbling upon an abandoned Quinta. Exploring the Quinta was quite surreal. A once grand manor house and buildings used on a vineyard, now derelict and overgrown (although still surrounded by a working vineyard).

Abandoned Quinta

We continued our walk passing workers in the vines, tending to the new growth - stopping as we passed to wave, pose for photos and (we think) encourage us to join them to help out!? We resisted the temptation to join them.

We sheltered from the peak heat of the day at a tiny local cafe in the middle of nowhere. The owners produced two chilled handles of red wine - they were enormous (I reckon close to 300mls!) for the grand sum of EUR1 each. Having slowly worked our way through these we set off up hill in the heat - unsure that our lunchtime refreshment would serve us well for the balance of the day!?

It was this day when we met our only fellow walker - and got stuck behind her for a short while. She was a local woman carrying a bottle of water on her head as we assume she made her way from one village to her own.

About 5 hours after setting off we arrived at our destination in the tiny settlement of Vilarinho de Sao Romao (north of Pinhao). Our accommodation that night was once again stunning (http://www.casadevilarinho.com/) - a restored manor house, complete with its own semi-functioning chapel built in 1462. After lounging by the pool and another tasty meal, we slept very soundly indeed.

The big day. Day 5

The walk this day was the toughest - but great fun. We covered 17kms (opting out of an optional transfer) and even though we had an early start, towards the end of the day the temperature was well into the 30s.

Our route took us through Provesende, the oldest settlement in the region and a world heritage site partly due to its abandoned manor houses, testament to its former glory. The church in the centre of the town had incredible gothic interior and music was being played over a PA system across town - our visit coinciding with a festival it seemed.

From here we had steep climb until we reached the highest peak in the region. Up there it was just us and a sole fireman manning the fire watchtower - positioned here to take advantage of 360 degree view of the region. Following a slow and rocky descent through fields of flowering lavender we arrived at Chanceleiros - which would be our home for the next two nights.

By this stage of the week the days were getting incredibly hot. Even the dogs took the opportunity to cool off in the pool before we enjoyed dinner looking out over the Douro river once again.

The taper. Day 6

With the temperature hitting 25 degrees by 9am we were thankful that today's walking constituted a 5km walk down the road followed by a winery visit at one of the Port houses Casa de la Rosa (most well known for its table wines).

Pinhao Station

After exploring Pinhao we also had a memorable visit to Quinta do Panascal (the flagship estate for the Fonseca Port label - part of the Taylors family of wines). Here our visit coincided with a visit by a large Portuguese family event. We were befriended by one of the family and he generously gave us a glass of the 1985 Vintage port he had just purchased for EUR120?! Just one of many examples of the friendly and generous nature of the Portuguese we met along the way. They could not do enough for us.

By the afternoon it was 34 degrees in the shade and thus the only sensible thing to do was relax in the shade by the pool, jumping in to cool off from time to time. The chef decided it was too hot to cook inside, so we were treated to an incredible meal of BBQ meats which we enjoyed on the al fresco terrace under old olive trees. A magic end to the trip.

This holiday will be one of our most memorable in Europe (and I'm not just saying that because I 'organised it'). We would thoroughly recommend the company we booked this through - InnTravel. (http://www.inntravel.co.uk/walking/guides/PO_douro.htm). We will always remember the incredible scenery and views, amazing food and wines, unique and exceptional accomodation, experiencing this rustic region steeped in history - and most of all the friendly and hospitable people we met along the way.

Our trip to Mecca....

.... well, Mecca for Syrah lovers anyway!

It had been ages since we'd been in France, so we took advantage of a Bank holiday weekend and snuck off to Lyon. Lyon is reputedly France's second largest city - although it didn't feel like it. It is however a foodies' paradise, and snuggled between the bottom of Burgundy and the top of the Rhone Valley it's not a bad spot if you like your red wine. Bonus points were awarded by Michelle (1 per Airmile she racked up on her credit card) for the abundance of boutique designer clothes stores!

Best of all - there isn't actually that much to do in Lyon - so it was a perfect spot to relax and enjoy some time off.

The trip to Hermitage

Out of character for us we did some last minute research on the flight over. This was out of character for Michelle - because it was last minute and also for me, because I was the one doing the reading, something I usually don't get round to until the flight home. Anyway - we discovered that Hermitage - the home of Syrah was just to the south - a short train ride away.

So we jumped on the train one afternoon (with picnic bits fresh from the market) and headed south to Tain d'Hermitage. This small village sits at the base of the of a hill on the edge of the Rhone river - overlooked by the tiny appellation of Hermitage which covers a small steep hill. The hill gets its name from a religious hermit that lived at the top of the hill, hence the small chapel that stands there today. Locals maintain that vines have grown on this hill since 600BC - making the hill one of the oldest vineyards in France - and at just 320 acres - Hermitage must be one of the smallest appellations in France.

We had a fantastic wine tasting at M'Chapoutier (a large commercial estate who own a quarter of Hermitage) and then at a large local Co-op where independent growers on Hermitage and in the surrounding regions supply their grapes. Then... to the disbelief of locals.... with 10 bottles of wine in tow..... we set off for the top of Hermitage hill.....

The mission up the hill was successful and the views out across the Rhone were very cool. Well worth the walk - although the track confirmed that this was not exactly on the tourist route. To lighten the load we enjoyed view at dusk while enjoying a bottle of 2001 Hermitage Syrah from the Coop and the leftovers of our picnic. A random Aussie winemaker dropped by - he'd had also climbed the hill (in jandals - making him crazier than us) as it was his 'Mecca'. [We'll have to visit Geoff at some point... http://www.mcphersonwines.com.au/ ]

Bouchon

The other great thing about Lyon (leaving aside the shopping) is the food. There are great markets, delis and everything else food related. Best of all though are the local 'bouchon'. These great little local restaurants are a real experience - they seem to worship pigs and serve up all sorts of delicious treats - many of which are very tasty - but it pays not to think too hard about what you are eating - I think our entree may have included raw marinated veal... My main was pig's cheek in a casserrole and Michelle had fish pie with crayfish sauce - yum!

All in all - we had a great trip to Lyon. We left well rested, well feed, well watered and very relaxed.

Head over heals in New York!

We had 4 days to pack in as much of New York as we could over the Easter Break. Michelle had done plenty of research and we ticked off all the main attractions like a well oiled machine (and no, that is not a veiled reference to us over indulging in NY's cocktail bars... although it would have been rude not to dabble in them a bit......)

So here is our 'Best of New York' summary:

Best semi-naked guy - The Naked Cowboy


Best tour - and probably the highlight of our time in NY was a walking tour we did, run by the WTC Tribute Visitors Center. The tour took us around ground zero and to key sites in the surrounding area. What made this tour so incredible was that the volunteers who led it were both directly involved in the events at WTC on 9/11. We heard about WTC before it was destroyed, the events of that day, what they saw, what they did, what they felt and experienced and how it has affected them. The most moving moment was when one of the tour leaders, a survivor from the South Tour explained what she experienced, the confusion of the day and how she just made it out of the building before the second plane hit - something 175 other people in the business she worked for did not.

Best restaurant - has to go to Peter Luger Steakhouse. This place is like The Sopranos meets Cheers - predominantly Italian American male waiters hurry round the restaurant, while cool friendly barmen tend to the crowd waiting at the bar for a table. You really don't need the menu - it is basically steak for 2, steak for 3, or steak for 4. A beautiful meal and a great experience. Michelle fell head over heals in love with the place (see below). A close second goes to Il Bagato - a busy neighbourhood Italian restaurant - I still can't get the mushroom fettuccine I had here out of my mind.
Best fall - Goes to....... Michelle for her grand entrance to the restaurant at Peter Lugar Steakhouse. There was legs and arms flying not to mention spilt wine and a broken wine glass. It sent the little male waiters into a flurry of activity and before she knew what had happened she was surrounded by at least 6 or 7 of them checking she was ok, replacing and refilling her wine glass and dusting her off. Fortunately the only damage to Michelle was dented pride and we went on to have a great meal (with complementary wine - a tactic to mitigate the risk of being sued we think?).

Best shopper - No prizes for guessing here - Michelle but the credit card did get off more lightly than I had feared it would.

Best cocktail bar - Flatiron Lounge (http://www.flatironlounge.com/) - a trendy art deco cocktail bar, smooth barmen, dark cosy interior and sublime cocktails. We only had time for one - but would definitely go back if we ever find ourselves in NY again.


Best architecture - The grand old and new skyscrapers of NY are incredible and give this city a feel quite different to any other city we have visited and is in stark contrast to London's skyline. Our favourite buildings were the Chrysler Building with its external detail, the Flatiron Building for its 'bow like' appearance and for being one of the first 'skyscrapers', although it is now dwarfed by the buildings around it and finally Grand Central Terminal - a very grand railway station indeed.


Best band - The Blue of Vipers of Brooklyn (you can check them out on Youtube - and see them below). This was one of the bands we stumbled on while exploring Central Park on our final beautiful sunny day. Complete with a 'wash board' percussionist these guys were great to listen to as we took some time to relax, soak up the sun and enjoy the surroundings.



Best gallery - To be fair, we only did one, but this prize goes to MoMA - the modern arts gallery. A great gallery with something for everyone - sculptures, photos, modern industrial design and art, including by the likes of Van Gough, Matisse and Picasso. The building itself is quite incredible inside - very open and it provided a great shelter from our one day of rain in NY.



Best queue: New York must be the city of queues. You queue for everything - especially tickets. security and Starbucks (although we got reasonably lucky in this respect). It was not uncommon to see a queue stretching right around block. Best queue award goes to the queue to MoMA which stretched for blocks on Friday evening when entry is free from 4pm.


Best view - There were a few - from the Statute of Liberty, from the Empire State Building, from the Brooklyn Bridge, from Central Park - but the winner is New York city by night as viewed from the Rockerfeller Center Tower. We took in this view from the 'Top of the Rock' 70th story viewing platform. If we had our time again (and had plenty of cash to spend) we might have considered taking in a similar view from the Rainbow Lounge a cocktail bar, also located high up in the Rockerfeller Center Tower.

New Zealand

Krakow Days

The second instalment of our Eastern European foray took place in February with a 3 day trip to Krakow.

After a 15 minute intensive Polish lesson by our crazy taxi driver, we arrived just in time for a coffee from our host (Magdalina - at http://www.crackowdays.com/, a fantastic B'n'B) and then to be bundled off on a tour of the salt mines.

We had heard quite good things about the salt mines - miles and miles of tunnels carved deep under the ground, interspersed with the odd chapel, lake, carved statutes - all apparently carved by the highly religious miners over the years. The mine goes down some 330m, but on the tour you get to about 135m - that's still quite a few steps! The salt mines were ok - but we far preferred the more rustic type of mine tour experience we had in Bolivia! (http://rossandmichelleontour.blogspot.com/2006/11/death-road-dynamite-and-deserts.html)

Chapel carved underground in the salt mines

Day 2 was largely spent on a tour of the Death Camps located not far from Krakow - Auschwitz and Birkenau. This was an incredible experience and something we are unlikely to ever forget. I had not appreciated the scale or nature of the atrocities carried out here - the harvesting of human hair for use in textiles, the fact that most people arrived with the belief that they were being relocated to a new life, but were put straight in gas chambers and killed. Those selected to live were housed in appalling conditions and usually worked to death.

The famous gates to Auschwitz - 'Work sets you free'

Auschwitz buildings in the snow

It was also interesting to understand why the camps were built where they were - essentially because the location was fairly central in the then occupied German territories, had an established rail network (allowing for the easy mass movement of people) and was an industrial area so prisoners could be put to work in factories.

Auschwitz was an old army barracks and so the multi-storied brick buildings were originally built for the Polish army and were not what I had visualised a concentration camp would look like. The nearby Birkenau (built as a death and concentration camp when it became apparent that Auschwitz was too small) however did match the 'Great Escape' or Hogan's Heroes depiction of a camp - rows of stable like wooden huts.

Birkenau - the chimneys are all that remain of wooden huts

The most airy moment for me remains standing in a gas chamber at Auschwitz into which new arrivals at the camp were put under the pretense that they would be showered there (hence false shower heads on the walls). Instead they were gassed and burnt in furnaces located in an adjacent room. As I stood there, I looked up to see that I was standing directly under one of the small holes in the ceiling through which the gas producing chemicals were dropped and for a moment a sense of the horror that 1000s before me must have felt as they stood there naked to see something being dropped into the room above them.

Birkenau - brick huts for women in the background

The balance of our time was spent exploring the historic centre of Krakow, Wawel Hill (with the Castle), a few of its (literally) 100s of churches, shopping (lots of great wooden toys!) and eating dumplings (more on them below).


We had a couple of great eating experiences - so cheap! Top marks go to the dumplings (pierogi) - they are sooooo good! Filled with meats, vegetables, cheese - steamed and serviced with a light sauce kinda like soya sauce. As with Prague, we were impressed with the range and quality of restaurants on offer. The pick for us was probably a place called Nostalgia - food was quite local and very good - a big hunk of pork for me and half a duck for Mich!

A great weekend to mark the end of this little Eastern European spell.

Exploring Prague

View of Prague from Petrin Hill

The start of 2009 marked a brief flurry of forays into Eastern Europe for us - a chance to see this great part of the world in the midst of the Winter, while saving other travel destinations until the Summer months!

At Prague Castle

Our hotel was right in the middle of Prague and provided a great base for exploring this beautiful city, all of which we could explore by foot. We easily filled a weekend, spending time exploring Prague Castle on the hill overlooking the city, taking in the most animated changing of the guard ceremony we had ever seen (with trumpeters popping out the window of the castle), walking through a nearby icy hillside park which offered panoramic views of the city, passing the time in small smoky beer halls enjoying a Pilsner Urquell with the locals, waiting for the cheesy 'astronomical' clock (complete with little figures which pop out on the hour) and meandering around the small cobblestoned streets.

Changing of the guard - note the band in windows to right

View of the river at dusk from the Charles Bridge

Prague was once a stag capital, but we saw little of this. For us it was a city filled with beautiful buildings, squares, statues and bars, restaurants and cafes everywhere. We had an incredible meal at Monarch (www.monarch.cz) a French, come Spanish, come Italian restaurant with a huge wine list and a great sommilier who was happy to recommend a great wine and a smooth cigar to follow the meal - just one example of what a cosmopolitan city this is. We had a fantastic relaxing time here - just what we felt like after a fairly busy start to the year.

Funky interior design in the tube station

Gargoyle in action during a brief shower of rain

Feliz Ano Nuevo!

(For you non-Spanish speakers, that's Spanish for 'Happy New Year')

The bags were hardly unpacked from our Christmas holiday when time came to repack them - the destination this time Seville and then Granada for a few days each with travel buddies Andrew and Sel.

Our hotel in Seville was located in the heart of the old town and it was a great base for the next couple of days which were spent exploring this beautiful place. The cobbled streets are lined with orange trees which gave the sense of a warm summer town - notwithstanding the fact it was the middle of winter!

The main attraction in Seville is the Alcazar - a fortress palace and reputedly the best example of Moorish architecture outside of the Alhambra (see below). While the building is beautiful, the highlight for us here was exploring the huge garden grounds which are filled with ponds and fountains - symbols of power and wealth in this dry southern Spanish environment. On the sightseeing front we also ticked off the bullring - although unfortunately there are no bullfights at this time of the year, so we had to settle for a tour instead.

Grounds of the Alcazar

Fountain at Alcazar

A local at their window in Seville

We also celebrated New Year in Seville. We had an interesting night - our expectation of lively bars and parties in the streets was not quite met - it seems the Spanish tend to spend New Year with their families and as a result most bars were shut. We did manage to settle in with some locals in a small bar by the river - complete with an ancient free pouring barman!!! We managed to find a restaurant for the countdown - and in Spanish tradition marked the New Year with grape filled mouths and cries of 'Feliz Ano Nuevo'.

Mich, Sel, Andrew and Malaga Virgin

We embraced the tapas culture and enjoyed the odd tipple of the local sherry - the Malaga Virgin proving particularly easy to drink! One afternoon Michelle and I were befriended by a local couple in a tapas bar and passed the time exchanging tapas and buying each other drinks while trying to converse in pigeon English/Spanish!

Typical Tapas Bar - Hams lining the roof

Our new friends......

From Seville we went by train to Granada (2 hours). In Granada we were again located in the heart of the old town, this time in a beautiful old house converted to a B&B.

On the hills over Granada
Cave homes in foreground, Alhambra in the distance

Pomegranate - the symbol of Granada

We enjoyed the next two days exploring the steep cobbled streets of Granada. In some ways it was similar to Seville but overlaid with a more diverse cultures - the influence of Gypsies who lived in homes built in caves on the surrounding hills still evident as well as a Moroccan influence with shisha bars, lots of mosaics and Moorish influence. For us - Granada was the pick of the two cities.

Me!

The main attraction in Granada is the Alhambra - Spain's most visited attraction, and rightly so in our opinion. The Alhambra is a complex of buildings located on a hill overlooking Granada. It started life in the 11th Century and was home to various rulers over the years that followed. In around 1830 Washington Irving stayed there and wrote about his experiences -following which the Alhambra had cemented its reputation as a must see attraction.

Fountain - Alhambra

Alhambra

Our 5 hours here flew by, exploring the main building attraction (the Palacios Nazaries), the impressive Palacio de Carlos V (which was built later) and the incredible gardens, ponds and fountains - particularly those which surrounded the Summer Palace.

Palacios Nazaries - Pond

Palacios de Carlos V

Palacios Nazaries - Fountain

There were lots of great eating experiences and nights spent in wine and tapas bars. We had a very relaxed time exploring these cities, and while due to the time of the year we did not get the benefit of the Spanish summer, we also avoided the crowds of tourists which would pack the streets in the warmer months. It was great holiday - with a nice mix of tourist sights and relaxing with friends.

Grounds of the Summer Palace

A not so white Christmas.....

It has been a fairly busy start to the year and we are a bit behind on the Blog. Here are a few words and pics from our holiday in the North of Scotland over Christmas.

Sky reflecting on Loch in Bonar Bridge

Unsure of whether we would have our passports back from the Home Office, we decided a domestic holiday for Christmas would be a good move. We were keen to explore the far north of Scotland so booked flights to Inverness and started planning the trip. We quickly discovered that not many other people travel to the North of Scotland in the depth of winter and as a result pretty much everything up that way was shut (including accommodation) making a road trip somewhat problematic. Plan B - hire a cottage on the coast and hunker down with friends, a few bottles of wine, lots of food and a fireplace for a few days.

Dena, Shane and Mich in front of MacKay's Cottage

We had five days in Durness - a small village on the northern coast of Scotland - population 353 (or 358 including us). Durness comprises 2 stores, a petrol station, a restaurant, a beach (award winning) and a pub. With the important exception of the pub, all of which were shut for the duration of our stay.

Durness' Award Winning Beach - there is no disputing it

Days were spent sleeping in, playing board games, eating, drinking and reading. We occasionally ventured out to explore the coast - including the award winning beach and the nearby Smoo Cave. While the days were short (with darkness falling around 3-4 in the afternoon) it was surprisingly mild and snow was never on the cards for us. Nights were spent - hmm.... doing the same really.

Exploring the coast

Christmas Day was marked by a visit from Santa and lots of laughter as we shared our Secret Santa presents with each other. We ate (and drank) even more than usual to mark the occasion with a beautiful roast of lamb and chicken served up in the evening (just 5 hours later than originally planned). Topped off with charades it was an action packed day.

Santa!

Shane's present for Pubs and Pub's present for Shane - a strange conicidence?

We also explored the pub and befriended the locals (especially Shifty - a local labourer and drummer in the band which played Boxing Day night). We soon learned that one could byy a beer for someone even when they has one on the go - with the Barmaid simply noting that there was 'one in the pipes' for you.

Shane with one in his pipes

The drive back to Inverness was picturesque. We took the scenic route back down the west coast including a detours along coastal lanes as we went. As we drove south the temperature dropped considerably - minus 5-6 degrees celsius and completely frozen landscapes in places.

A lonely sheep on the Scottish West coast

Reflection on a little pond

We had a fantastic experience and enjoyed lots and laughs with good friends for this orphan's Christmas.

A frozen landscape