Bella

Guess where we are?

Go on guess. There are tipsy Aussies on a kontiki tour.

There are tourists who have a way with animals

Are you getting close?

There are leaning buildings

The tower I mean

Want another hint

How about a traffic jam?

What is it about Venice and trains and drama?

Left in plenty of time this morning. First drama, getting on the train I felt a hand in my pocket. Not as lucky as you might think. It was a bloke and he was after my phone . He didn't get it but I did dropy suitcase on his foot in my surprise.

Then the trains to airport weren't running properly and found out too late that the one we needed was cancelled. Off to find a taxi. Got to airport and baggage check was closing. Told to take cases to plane and have them loaded there. Lost butter knife and shaving cream through security. 

All is well though. 23 degrees, about to have pasta by a canal .

Ps

What do you call a middle aged man charging through an airport, muttering unprintable curses, hauling  two suitcases, a teenager at heel and an awesome hat?

Answer

Gimme a G, gimme an A, gimme a U.....................DI

Gaudi - madman or genius they ask.  Can you be one without the other?
Went on a Gaudi tour yesterday and saw some of his most significant works.  I'll probably take Connor back to see the inside of La Sagrada this evening.

And then

Barcelona is great.  Apartment is good.  Beach water is a little warmer than Malaga (go figure!).  Spanish queues are great. They move a little slow but are very entertaining as each person in the queue has to have their turn having a dramatic argument with the official person.  Much loudness, gesticulating and emotion.

La Sagrada Familia

Got to give props to a city that loves its architecture AND has a park that contains both the zoo and the parliament.  How could a blind person tell which is which?

Going to Pablos Espanyol today which is a small spanish village built for the world exhibition I think, and kept for an attraction.
Venice for two days from tomorrow, then the dreaded villa.  It will be OK.  It will be good!

BTW guess who was in Barcelona? In the royal square no less.

Alhambra y Alhambra express

The Alhambra was magnificent.  Certainly one of the sites you want to see sometime.
The way the Arabs knew how to build for hot and dry weather!!!

The overnight train was a good adventure.  We seemed to have been upgraded to first class and had a shower in our cabin.  What a blessing that was after a day trecking around Granada and the Alhambra in high 30 degrees heat.


Connor seems to have taken a shine to Spanish history.

Back to the train, the conductors were exactly what you would cast in a movie of a Spanish night train.  There was the large one with the moustaches, the small dapper one, the aloof boss and the efficient lady (who did most of the work).

They tended not to respond to requests.  Were rarely findable and had two of the 10 tables in the dining room set aside for their exclusive use.  In the morning they were all sitting at these tables reading the newspapers that were supposed to go to the customers.

Tapas y drinks

Nevertheless they were very nice and helpful when you did find one.  Our beds were made up when we stepped out for a dinner snack, so we had to put them back away again.  When we were ready to sleep we luckily found a conductor to unlock the beds again.

Selfie in our cabin

In Barcelona now.  Connor is playing on the computer and i am going for a swim.

Ay caramba

Who knew you had to get tickets to the Alhambra in advance? Disaster averted by there being a couple available for tomorrow afternoon. 

Granada further inland and hotter. Very interesting bus ride here. Nice bus. Through the hills and mountains and rural Andalucia. 

Very dry, but lots of olives

Last night we went back to our favourite La Taberna de Alvaro for the paella. Very nice! As was the tinto de verano.

I have been around the neighbourhood of Granada to see the cathedral and lucked upon a tour of a madrassa.

Tomorrow the actual Alhambra and tomorrow night the overnight Alhambra express to Barcelona. Tonight the Albaicin.

Ahhh the beach, and the culchu

Connor came to the beach today for a swim.  Most of the day we did our own thing.  I went to Picasso's birthplace, the Carmen Thyssen museum and the bus station for our Granada tickets.  Plus the fruit shop and bakery.

Picasso's birthplace

Connor slept in and played on the computer.

But together we went to the beach.  Sooner or later we will be going out for paella.

The Carmen Thyssen was a great size for an art gallery and there were some terrific paintings.  There was one of a very young nun which makes you kind of sad, as if she is giving her life away.  And I wondered why.  Then I saw a moving painting of the suffering of Christ and could see why.  It still seems a bit rough though.  Nevertheless, her life was probably not so bad compared to the alternatives back in the day when these were painted.

Did she fall in love with the suffering young man?

Also, some other very spanish paintings.  I am very drawn to Velasquez as well as Goya.

The one below is hilarious if you can make it out.

Some party!

pass the costa-del-sol- vol Jeffrey, or, how many more thousand steps

Fancy being on the costa-del-sol!!!  Went to the beach this morning and again this afternoon.  The sand is coarse and brown, and leaves a little stain on the feet. As warned, the water is quite cold too but not unwelcome in this heat.  We are in the old town and not far from the beach, though Connor didn't come.  Its very pleasant I told him and bikini tops seem both optional and rare (I think he will be coming for a swim tomorrow).

Later this afternoon we went to the Cathedral which is huge,

then we went to the Roman theatre and up the old Arab fort, La Alcazaba.  Sounds like a good tapas toast - "up your old Arab fort"  or just "alcazaba" after one or two mojitos. 

Lots of climbing but very interesting.  We thought we could cut across from there to the Castillo Gibralfaro, a later reconquista castle right at THE TOP of the bloody hill/mountain.  But no we had to go down and climb all the way back up again, plus more.  Great view and really interesting when we got there.  By the way does anyone know what smart arses 15yr olds are when climbing thousands of stairs?  Not in an upfront obtuse way, more in the 'waiting patiently' and 'doing extra little unnecessary side-climbs while waiting' kind of way.

Had to stop for a drink and tapas on the way back to the apartment.  Oh!

Maravilloso Malaga

Yes, it is true, if you didn't know already - this blog comes to you from a tosser.
A couple of thousand k south to the wonderful Malaga.  It is a real contrast to Germany.  So much noise and drama and colour and beauty.  This chapel is so different to the German church interiors and shows what I mean. 

We were hungry and found a little tavern where we had parillada which is a selection of local pork delicacies.  (too much for me but you would love it Joshie)  The waiter was very friendly and chatty and helpful while waiting for other customers to arrive.  Gave us a free sample of their paella, which was great.

Hannover and Malaga have in common that it is not a good idea to be looking for food at 8.30pm.  Hannover everything is shutting.  Malaga, not open yet.

Connor and I have continued our study into comparative icecream having compared the German icecream to the Spanish.  At this point, more research is required.

In our wanders we were astonished at the colour of the sky.

Special bonus, a photo of Connor in the hat of germawesomeness.

Connor's sabbath

Connor had a day off today.  Playing on his computer most of the time I reckon.  I went to Herrenhausen.  The museum and gardens were open.  Pretty fancy gardens, said to be more impressive than Versaille.  These are the people who sent George the first (and in effect 2,3 and 4 too)  to England.

Georgie I

Herrenhause 

Gardens

Pretty big fountain below

Last night on the way home we passed through what I suspect is the prostitute district.  A bunch of youngish women in too short skirts standing in different spots along a street.  Not going anywhere.  Watched over from a distance by a couple of men.  No pictures I am afraid.
Off to Malaga tomorrow.  Looking forward to a beach!!!!!
Last night in Germany.  Connor hasn't asked for another beer, he will have to wait three years after tonight.

I really like the quirky modern statues all over the place here.

Hanover Sleepover

Having a lovely restful time in Hanover (one 'n' or two - I don't know and no-one else seems to either).  One big thing each day and the rest a rest.  It is more a parks kind of town than an old buildings town.

not surprising seeing 90% of the city was destroyed in wwii.  There are still impressive buildings though  and some nicely preserved sections of old old town.  They have a redline walk where you follow the redline painted on the pavement and get to see all the main sites.  We did that today, and even had the sense to buy the accompanying guide book for 3 euro half way through.

Leibnitz hails from here as do several kings of England named George, including a mad one (and he wasn't the idiot.)

Leibnitz's house

Enjoying this hotel much better than the one in Berlin.  Still plenty of that "fuck you" attitude we seem to have encountered since leaving Sweden, but the hotel is just more comfortable and nice.  Perhaps we were spoilt by the very friendly Danes and the helpful Swedes (and the slightly bitter turnips - heh heh heh!)

More food

I lost some photos through editing google plus photos. Tried to put them back, hence old posts republished and date order mixed up. 

Off to Hannover today. Still protests every day here on Palestine .

Connor and I went to the topography of terror museum yesterday. Former SS and Gestapo headquarters site. He will have a good inderstanding when studying WWII next year.

I was determined to have native Berlin food yesterday. Pork knuckle with sour kraut and boiled potatoes. This was when I could eat no more.