Verona

 September 12th

We reluctantly left the Lake Como area heading to the Dolomites. The scenery along the route was wonderful with acres and acres of perfectly groomed vineyards and acres of apple orchards with the apples growing on trees that look more like vines.  Old castles occasionally dot the countryside high up on the hills.

We had a few hours in Verona along the way.  This is an old city that dates back to the Roman times. And fills a bend in the Adige River.  This city was made a household word by the story of Romeo and Juliet.  There is a small square with Juliet's balcony and a statue of Juliet with a very shiny right breast as folklore has it that rubbing this breast will make you lucky in love. The core of Verona lies between Piazza Bra and Piazza Erbe which has been the market square since Roman times.  The most outstanding feature in Verona is the Roman Arena dating from 400 AD.  Over the centuries crowds of up to 25000. have cheered on everything from gladiator battles, medieval executions, rock concerts and operas. Within the inner city one is treated to surviving Roman gates.  The unfortunate ing that we felt in this old city is that economics has one out and many of the facades of the ancient buildings have been severely changed by large glass windows of the multitude of stores, many of which we can find in most of our larger shopping ares. The stone bridges crossing the river are picturesque.  Verona is a very busy tourist stop and though we enjoyed it we were happy to leave and head up to the Dolimites.

Coloseum in Verona dating back to 400 AD

Part of the Roman gates

Recognized as the old painted city some of the. Frescos survive to this day

Juliet's balcony.  Yes we did the tourist thing

Coloseum

Steps within and still used today

Enjoying a Aperol Spritz

Verenna and Lake Como

September 11th,2014

We spent the whole day yesterday exploring the central part of Lake Como.  There are several ferries that run continuously and are like the hop on hop off buses.  We started at Villa Carlotta which is a beautiful villa built at the end of the 17th century in a natural basin between lake and mountains right on the shore.  The villa is now a museum and is surrounded by 70000 square meters of gardens. The pathes meander through perfectly maintained gardens containing hundreds of species of plants and trees.  There is a large rhodo and azalea. 'Forest' which must be spectacular in the spring.  

We spent the majority of the day in the town of Bellagio.  Built on the steep shore of the lake the streets are steep and narrow and for the most part were steps so were pedestrian only.  These were all lined with shops of every description interspersed with restaurants and wine bars there was a lovely walk out to the point which took one past huge villas hidden by even larger fences.

Spent a pleasent time in the late afternoon sitting on our deck overlooking the lake and sipping some cold rose.

Dinner saw Eric and I dining at Le Vista, a small family restaurant with seating on the lake patio and absolutely spectacular food.  My foie gras Popsicle was a delight for the eyes and the palate.  Eric's venison chops and accompaniments met or exceeded some of the bestmealswe have had.  Was especially nice to spend time talking with the chef and owner of this first class restaurant.

Verenna from the ferry

Entrance to Villa Carlotta

Magnificent ceilings

Sloping gardens alive with colour

First glimpse of Bellagio. No slot machines here.

Narrow steep pedestrian streets

Church bell tower

Adventures in Italy

September9th-10th

After a long trip we arrived in Milan to start our discovery of this fascinating country.  We started with our own walking tour of the  main district of the city which is as usual for European cities centered around the cathedral. The cathedral was started in the late 1400's and is ironically not that old for this part of the world.  It is said to be the fourth largest in Europe and with it's very high ceilings does seem massive. The interior is fairly dark with little light coming through the beautiful stained glass windows that depict stories of the life of Christ.  The outside of he cathedral is being cleaned in anticipation of EXPO which is to be held in Milan in 2015 so shines quite brightly compared to some of the churches we have seen on our other travels. We then strolled through the Gallerria  Vittorio which is full of high end stores before stopping for a glass of wine and for me some octopus.
We started the next day with a private guided tour of some of the sights of Milan. Our first stop was to see Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper, which is one of the ultimate masterpieces of the Renaissance.  Was amazing to see in person this great work of art which has survived for over 500 years. Only 25 people are allowed into the vast room at a time for 15 minutes so we feel very privileged to have seen it. We then went to San Maurizo.  Dating as far back as the 9th century this church with a connecting convent is totally decorated with magnificent frescos depicting the stories from the bible.  We also visited Basilica di Sant'Ambrogio which was built on top on a. Christian martyr's cemetery around 380AD. The pulpit sits atop of a Chrisian satcrophagus daing from the year 400.  In the crypt under the alter lay the skeletal remains of Ambrose who was one of the bishops of the early church.  The Benedictine Monastry that is adjacent to the church is now Cattloica University.  Was interesting to view the grounds that were designed by Donato Bramante, a Renaissance architect.  To complete the tour we were taken to the Sforza Castle.  Built in the late 1300's it once guarded the gates to the city. Over its lifetime it has served as home to royalty, a military fortress and today houses an array of museums and it's three massive courtyards host concerts and are public gathering places.
After our quick but wonderful tour of some of the best Milan has to offer we boarded a train to take us on a scenic trip to Lake Como.  Our hotel in Varenna sits high up on the hill with wonderful views of the lake and many of the small towns dotting its shores.  After a stroll through the town we met up with our tour group for orientation.  Eric and I went to a delightful restaurant on the lakeshore where we were entertained by thunder and lightening and a torrential rainstorm.

Along walkway in Varenna

Cathedral in Milan

Fresco in San Maurizio

Old city walls outside castle in Milan

Glimpse of Varenna

Sevilla

Well we are at our last destination of the tour.  Sevilla is a beautiful city many of the streets and squares are lined with loaded bitter orange trees. They serve dual purpose as shade and beauty and the fruit is exported mostly to Britian for marmalade.  We started our time here at the church of the Macarena where we had a most informative guide who taught us all about how the fraternities in his city work.  One joins the fraternity of their local parish generally and they all celebrate in April which is Holy Week.  Members contribute financially to the fraternity and the larger ones such as the one at Macarena are very weathly. The people of Sevilla go to their churches and worship statutes, primarily ones of Mary as they feel as a mother she is much more understanding of their issues.  Money collected goes to keep the statutes well dressed and even well jeweled. The floats that they use during Holy Week also come from this money. These floats are nothing like what most of us think of when we go to parades and it is hard to even begin to imagine what they are worth. They are in display in the church museum and are used every year so was fascinating to see them up close.  

In the afternoon we visited the Aalcazar which was originally a 10th century palace built for the Moorish but was taken over by the Christians and is still the Royal palace but most is open to the public.  Like the Alhambra much of it is done in Muslim style with exquisite plaster designs everywhere. The difference is that here the colors in the plaster have been well preserved giving it a beauty of its own.  Some of the rooms in the palace are done in tile motifs which are fascinating. The Alcazar also has extensive gardens for all to enjoy.

In the evening we went to a small flamenco show which was quite enjoyable.  The dancers have amazing foot and hand motion which is amazing to watch.  Our last big tour was of the Santa Maria de la Sede which due to its high ceilings is the biggest volume cathedral in the world.  A mosque previously stood on the site which was torn down in 1401 and the cathedral built over the next 120 years.  The church itself is beautiful with one of the highlights being the tomb of Christopher Columbus right in front of the main entrance.  The art work and relics are amazing and they even claim to have one of the thorns from the crown of thorns worn at the crucifixion housed in a beautiful silver receptacle.  One can climb the bell tower and the views were the reward for the effort. Eric and I spent a fair bit of extra time wandering around and admiring all that this cathedral has to offer.  After a tapas lunch outside in the wonderful sunshine and a stroll through part of town it was time to return to the hotel to get ready for our farewell dinner with the group followed by horse carriage rides around town.

This oddysey has been amazing. I have loved every minute of my time on the Camino, in France and exploring this wonderful country of Spain but I am ready and excited to be going home.  I have missed our family and friends and cannot wait to see our precious grandchildren.  Now Eric and I will have the fun of deciding on and planning our next adventure.

The float to hold the Virgin Mary

The Virgins crown. All gems and gold are the real thing!

Beautifully decorated and coloured walls and ceilings in the Alcazar

Stunning tile work

Cathedral bell tower. Amazing views from the top

Part of the church organ

More of my favorite scallop shells. They are every where in Spain and have been for centuries 

Christopher Columbus's tomb with his remains being carried on the shoulders of four representing the four areas of Spain

Our chariot awaits!

Sahara to Arcos de la Frontera

Leaving Rhonda behind we set off to explore more of the Andalucian countryside. We first stopped off at a charming little hilltop village Zahara. It is no wonder that the citizens in this part of the world have a generous lifespan as there was hardly a flat spot to be found and most of the streets were steep and narrow. Even the elderly locals were happily walking up and down them which would help counter the wine and great food.  On the very top of the hill was an old tower with a spectacular  Jew in all directions.  Was beautiful to view the small white villages dotting the hills and the beautiful blue lake below. Enjoyed this little town as there were few tourists and the locals were all out going about their business.  On our way out of town we visited a local olive factory where they still cold press their olives producing wonderful virgin olive oil with great pride.  Was really interesting and the samples were very tasty. Passing through Grazalema National Park we arrived at the most picturesque town of Arcos de la Frontera.  Due to the steep and narrow streets we were dropped at the bottom of the old town and hiked up to the top of the hill where our accommodation was in an old convent turned hotel. The people of Arcos are very thankful to Rick Steves as he helped put their town on the tourist map thus infusing their poor economy.  The convent went as far as to name their best room after him and we were lucky enough to get that room.  Apart from the lovely room the large tiled balcony looking over the valley and right beside one of the churches was a real bonus.

The next day we had a couple of unique adventures.  We first went to visit the Andalucian horse breeding farm and training center.  The horses were beautiful and the guide gave us a very comprehensive tour of the whole facility. We visited the stallion stalls,the corrals where the mares are kept, this years offspring as well as the training center.  The farm is state owned and income is derived from selling horses as well as sperm. Was. Rey interesting to see the clinic area where this is collected and the mares are impregnated.  This facility even does embryo transfers so that they can produce more offspring from their best mares.  We even got to go into the operating room which certainly differs from any I have worked in as the patients are much larger.  After this most enlightening tou we were off to the Beam Sherry Bodega. This is a large facility in Jerez which produces both sherry and brandy. Most interesting to learn about the process but the best part was that this is where Harvey's Briatol Cream is made which was a great favorite of Grannies.  Eric and I toasted her with one of our samples.

It was then time to explore Arcos on our own. We visited the two largest and oldest churches which were both beautiful in their own individual ways but for us the highlight was Belen. This was the most amazing display that has been put together over three years by over two dozen of the local artists.  It completely fills the space of a small store and progressively tells the story of the nativity. Everything is handmade and it is stunning. As you try and take it all in the whole display turns from day to night giving one even more to look at. They have built it so you feel that you are in a cave and we did not want to leave. What made it even more amazing was that it was free.  There was one of the artists there to answer questions and watch over the display and their pride in the finished product was quite evident.

Our last night in Arcos Eric and I chose a local restaurant which was built in an old cellar. We arrived around 730 which is very early in Spain. We sat and enjoyed a bottle of wine and outstanding tapas.  Until 830 we were the only ones there and then it was like a flood.  The place was packed within minutes with locals and then a flamenco guitar player and singer played. The guitar was fantastic but I must admit that I find flamenco singing a bit like chalk scraping across the board.  All and all a wonderful local experience.

Tower from below. Great climb

Sunset from our balcony

Beautiful gentle Andalucian horse

An OR table for a horse

This one is for Grannie

A very small part of this wonderful display

Loved the camels faces

Charming local restaurant in Arcos

Toledo to Rondo

Was sad to leave Toledo but not for long as we were presented with one wonderful place after another. On the drive to Granada we stopped at a small town where we were taken up the hill to tour an ancient grain windmill. The view was panoramic and was quite fascinating to go up inside the windmill and see how they actually worked. We also stopped at a lovely restaurant for lunch where two locals were separating the strings of saffron from the winter crocus stamens and then drying them for sale. Can certainly understand the price of saffron when one sees how labour intensive it is.

We travelled through the plains of La Mancha with literally millions of olive trees as far as one could see again.

We arrived in Granada later in the day and after settling in we went for a short orientation walkabout before going up to the Albaysin hill for a magnificent dinner overlooking the lit up Alhambra. What a perfect spot to dine.  Spent yesterday morning at the Alhambra.  This Moorish palace is one of the most visited sights in Europe and one does not need to wonder why.  The architecture is exquisite and the beauty was impossible to capture on film though that did not stop me from trying.  The plaster work on the walls is so detailed and has survived beautifully for hundreds of years.  Throughout the grounds both inside and out there are numerous water features adding to the beauty and serenity of this unbelievable palace.  The gardens are all carefully kept and in places the wonderful aroma of different herbs was delightful.  The stroll back to the old town was down a lovely shaded walkway to end the visit perfectly.  We spent the afternoon visiting the Royal Chapel where King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella are buried.  The art work in the museum there dated back to the 14th century and was once part of the largest art collection ever by a woman as it belonged to Queen Isabella.  All of the paintings are on wood and included two by Botticelli and other masters that those versed in art would recognize more than myself.  We then visited the cathedral which was massive. It is one of only two Renaissance churches in Spain but over the time it was built has both Gothic and Baroque features as well.  All of these styles together gave it a very different feeling than some of the other churches we have visited. The inside of the cathedral was painted with lime in the 18th century during a disease outbreak and the worshipers liked it so much that it has stayed this way.  The white walls and pillars make it much brighter than other cathedrals.

In the evening several of us ventured out to an authentic Morrocan restaurant which was delicious.  This morning we set off to Ronda. With a short stop along the way we were in Ronda by noon. Ronda is a hilltop Andalusian town with the typical white buildings of this area. Our first visit was to the bullring which was the first great Spanish bullring and dates back to 1735. It is now only used one week a year but was interesting to see the ring and walk through where the bulls are kept and released into the ring.  The museum provided some Insite into the sport if you call it that and was enough for me.  The most impressive sight in Ronda is the bridge built in the 17 th century which spans the gorge connecting the two parts of the city. The gorge is 200 feet wide and 360 feet deep so the bridge is most impressive though not enjoyed by those who do not like heights.  Eric and I had a wonderful tasting menu at a lovely restaurant looking over the valley.  We are spending the night in a charming country inn outside of town which oozes with character. The bar is on the oh our system which would certainly be rare at home.

Visit to the flour mills

Harvesting saffron from the crocus stamens

Inside the Alhambra

Stunning water features

Imagine lying in bed and gazing at this

Inside the cathedral

Ronda bullring

Ancient bridge connecting the two parts of town

Ronda sitting high above the gorge

Toledo

What a magnificent city.  This world heritage town dates back 2500 years with a rich history of Romans, Moorish, Jewish and Christian populations.  The old town itself is surrounded by walls and then the Tajo River which flows down to Portugal. Delightful old foot bridges crossover the river to the old town to add to the charm. The old town is very walkable with windy narrow streets meandering up and down the hill. Streets are rough cobblestone and it beats me how the locals navigate them in high heel shoes.

In the am we did a bit of a tour with the local guide visiting the site of El Grecos masterpiece ,The Burial of the Count of Orgaz painted in 1586 depicting the artists conception of the transition from heaven to earth.  We spent some time n the Jewish synagogue which had at one time been converted into a Catholic Church when the Christians forced the Jewish people to either convert or leave the country.  The favorite stop was the Toledo Cathedral .  It is the second largest in Spain and is absolutely awesome. The alter and choir were beautiful but the highlight for me was behind the alter where a large hole was cut in the ceiling to allow the light in for mass. The sculptures adorning this opening and the back of the alter are a mix of heaven and earth. A highlight is a large alabaster carving of the last supper which is larger than life.  One could spend days in here and not see it all

We wandered the streets enjoying a traditional meal of the area including partridge and venison.  Our exploring took us along the walls of the city and out onto an ancient bridge crossing the river. After a wine tasting in the cellar of our hotel several of us ventured out to enjoy sights of the city that were lit up. All and all an amazing day.

Cathedral

The last supper

Gateway into Toledo 

Ancient footbridge leading into town

Steeple at night 

Cathedral door model made completely of marzipan the local delicacy.