Spain, Our second trip, March 27-April 11, 2001

--writing with Apple laptop--

--Becky writes unless noted by Marilou--

--Marilou takes most of the photos--

Wednesday, March 28,2001

Howdy Y'all,

We arrived in Madrid as expected in the early AM of Tuesday 27th. During this trip we are touring the north of Spain.

Got our rental car and drove into Madrid. By chance we found a restaurant that we had enjoyed back in January. Parking is a real trick in the cities of Spain. To drive around the block is no easy task either. Streets are always going the other way and city blocks can be the oddest shape. So, after taking a short scenic tour of a few streets in the area we finally found our way back to the restaurant and a parking garage. To us it was lunchtime and to the Spanish it was still breakfast, sweet stuff and cafe con leche (coffee with milk) was all we could order at this particular place. Oh well. Sweet stuff is fine.

After we ate we headed out of Madrid on our way to Barcelona, about a 8 hour drive. We drove until we couldn't anymore and stayed the night in Zaragona about half way. We were so tired! Flying east is rough on the ole body. Slept well and woke up at daybreak ready to go on to Barcelona.

The scenery between Madrid and Barcelona is wonderful. There are many different kinds of landscapes: northeast of Madrid is almost desert and reminded me of Flagstaff AZ without the pine trees; then we went though the plains of Spain and it had just rained (rare), so all was green; nearer to Barcelona the mountains became surreal, like a painting of some other planet with a haze that shrouded their reality.

When we got to Barcelona and found our way to our hotel, we again had to circle the block a couple of times in order to figure out how the heck to get into the parking area. Sometimes driving onto the sidewalk is the way to get there in Spain. We have a nice room at the Hilton and hope to extend our stay here by a couple of nights.

Today, Wednesday, we went to eat at The Owl restaurant near the Train Station, one that we frequented in January. The owner had given us a bottle of wine when we left in January, and even though we don't drink, we accepted his gracious offer. So now, we brought him a jar of apple-butter made in our home Fannin County. He had never had apple-butter before.

Then we went to the Egyptian Museum to see an exhibit of "The Secrets of Tibet". There's a little of a lot of things here in Barcelona. The show showed secrets ... those Tibetan Monks know well how to amuse themselves. I won't go into details. After all it's a secret.

We went to the Gaudi Apartment house and up to the top, the roof. What a surprise! And we should have known. Gaudi doesn't do ANYTHING plain or "normal". The roof top terrace has hills, as well as all the weird towers and curly iron railings. As we were about to leave the building, we discovered an exhibit of 5 American painters on the second floor. They are contemporary artists and we've never heard of any of them. I think that says more about us than them.

While in Barcelona we are leaving the car parked at the hotel and catching the Metro and walking. That's the way to get around here. Similar to Madrid, many streets are one-way traffic that the maps don't show and the hundreds of scooters racing around make us feel like we're driving in some kind of a video game. Besides, walking is good!

We've walked the famed La Rumba Street may times, last January and now. It's a divided street with a subway line under it down the middle. Old trees line the street and down the middle, too. Lots of shops, restaurants, people, sidewalk acts and musicians. It's the place to be.

We are tired this first day ... we didn't have a week of Mojacar's steep hills to get us ready for all this walking. So, here's to sleep and more sights tomorrow.

Love to all,

Becky & Marilou

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Friday, March 31, 2001

Howdy All,

We are doing well, still in Barcelona.

Yesterday we went to the Modern Art Museum. That covers from the 1850's to the 1930's of Spanish artists. Great work. After seeing some Ramon Casa's work there and really liking it, we noticed that the Catalunya Art Museum was having a show of his work ... so we went to that today. He's a mixture of Monet, L'trec, and Sergeant. Very rich detail, color, and scope and in his later years he loosen up his brush work. A very notable painter.

Also yesterday, we went to the Contemporary Art Museum. That covers from 1930's to present. A large part of the museum was being redone for a new exhibit and what we did see wasn't very interesting to us.

And we went to the Aquarium that's built in the harbor. I'm not that well versed in aquariums so I don't know any comparisons. Mainly it had species native to the waters off this coast. There were some from other waters, like Hawaii. One of it's big features is a glass tunnel through the huge main tank that makes it feel as if you are walking through the water.

Today we went to the Miro Museum. He's one of Spain's most notable artists. If you remember the '92 Olympics that were held here and all the colorful graphic icons of the different venues, well that was Miro style stuff. It's always so much better to see paintings in person rather than in books.

And as always, walking up and down the streets gives the real flavor of a place. We have found some of the neatest little places. We've had some of our best meals in little places that if we had not just stopped and said, "Let's eat here", for no other reason than we were hungry and this was the place we were standing in front of ... it's amazing how things work out.

We slept a little later this morning, Saturday. When we did get out to have breakfast at a little restaurant, a fellow ordered two beers and ran off with them without paying. The barkeep took off after him along with the owner of the place. Some while later they returned with the two beers and lots of talk describing the chase and catch, none of which we could understand, though the excitement was universally communicative.

Every night we get back to our room worn out, feet aching, and looking forward to the next day. We are staying until Monday, here at the Hilton and then we'll move on to Figueres. That is the location of the only toy museum in Spain. Marilou's main reason for coming back, if you remember from our last trip, for it was closed then for refit.

Later and Love to all,

Becky & Marilou

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Sunday, April 1, 2001

Hi all,

Had breakfast in the hotel this morning. Anything you could possibly want for your morning meal was there. Tons (well maybe just lots) of fresh fruit, cereals, sweet breads, regular breads, cheeses, eggs, bacon, sausage and more. Great way to start the day.

It was a beautiful day here, sunny, slight breeze, very comfortable. We drove to the Museums of Decorative Arts and Ceramics, because it is more on the outskirts of town where the streets are newer and make better sense. We were surprised at the wide scope of the Decorative Arts Museum, pieces from the 1400's to 1990's. Many inlayed pieces of furniture that must have taken years to be complete, beautiful, tiny delicate work. The Ceramic Museum had lots of majolica pieces (I learned the name from Marilou) and a wonderful one man show in which he explored pictograms. Lots of repeated forms with bright colors.

As we were leaving the museums, we saw some parrots in trees by the parking lot, building nests with twigs and lots of noise. They weren't in our European bird book, so they remain a mystery that we hope to solve when we get home.

We ate one last time at our favorite place, The Owl. We have become buddies with the owner. We got kisses on both cheeks as we said good bye, the European way.

Drove up a large hill to the Barcelona Botanical Garden which is full of all kinds of succulents from all over the world. There one gets complete views of the city. Tough place to be on a beautiful Sunday afternoon.

On to Figures tomorrow.

Love to all,

Becky & Marilou

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Tuesday, April 3, 2001

Howdy All,

Twice while we in Barcelona we went to the Picasso Museum and each time it was closing or already closed. I guess it wasn't in the stars for us to see his work. Though we did see some of his ceramics at the Ceramic Museum. Personally, I don't care for him a whole lot anyway. So, there!

We left Barcelona Monday and went to Figueres, which is about a 2 hour drive. The expressways here aren't the famed Autobahn of Germany and yet one must stay in the right hand lane or give way if you are in the left lane for the drivers who take the speed limits to be just suggestions. Most drivers seem to totally ignore the posted limits. Join them or stay out of the way.

Arriving in Figueres in the afternoon, we found a nice hotel in the center of town. Figueres is a mid-size town that has developed it's downtown area for shopping and sightseeing. Several blocks are foot traffic only.

The next morning we walked to the Toy Museum. Lots of fun stuff. Some of the toys were from the US and Spanish versions of things like Mickey Mouse and American cartoons. Also if you remember from our last visit, this is where we went to the Dali Museum just up the street from the Toy Museum.

Tuesday afternoon we drove on to Olot. The Hotel we stayed in last time that we liked so much was full so we had booked into another. And this new one is full tomorrow night, so we've got just the one night ... this shortens our plans for this area. Perhaps it's just as well. We will still go for the walk we had planned in a nature reserve nearby in the morning. Last time we were able to identify several many birds there.

Then we will move on towards Andorra and perhaps a little of France. We are planning on going through La Seu d'Urgell, Lisa and Joe's newborn's namesake, as we re-enter Spain from Andorra.

It is much warmer here now than it was back in January. (duh!) The trees are putting out leaves and the fields are plowed or already very green. Flowers all around. This area is very rich farm land. Ancient volcanoes have given their elements and the rainfall is plentiful. The Pyrenees though larger are old like our Appalachians. The valleys hold towns that are really nice to drive through. The in-town streets remind us why we asked for a tiny car from Avis ... they can be quite tight to get through! There have been spots on some of these old town streets that we've had to pull in the side mirrors in order to pass between two buildings.

Okay, more later. Love to all,

Becky & Marilou

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Monday, April 9, 2001

Howdy All,

We drove into France just to get to the road that goes through Andorra. Entering Andorra from the north there's one road that follows the river all the way to Spain. About a two hour drive if you don't stop. We stopped in Andorra Le Vella, the capital of this tiny country. The town is one large shopping district. Andorra doesn't have sales tax. Many big ticket items are sold here to folks who come from all over Europe to take advantage of the tax break. There are little items sold, too. I bought a wrist watch. Made in the USA. It just happened to be the one I could read with my over-forty failing eyesight. We also found a CD of a European group that we'd not been able to find anywhere else.

The road through Andorra follows a river, as I've said, and that's because there's little other than large steep mountains on either side of it.

That afternoon we drove out of Andorra back into Spain. A few miles on we came to the town of La Seu d'Urgell. The 1992 Olympic whitewater events were held here. This is where Joe won his Gold Medal. We visit the course and look around town and then go back to our hotel in the largest valley in the Pyrenees a few miles east of La Seu d'Urgell.

We leave there the next day and head west, winding through valleys in the Pyrenees until it gets almost dark so we find a B&B in a small town. Fortunately they serve dinner also.

The next day, to speed up things, we drive a bit further south to get out of the mountains to have faster roads. The terrain becomes dry and more like the south that we experienced in January. That old rhyme about it raining on the plains of Spain is not very true. The middle of Spain is considered the plains, the high plains, and it doesn't rain all that much there.

We drive west some more and then headed north towards Bilbao on the north coast, near France. As we got closer to the north coast the land showed signs of more frequent rains. As we pulled into Bilbao it was raining. We found the hotel and had dinner.

The next morning we go to a small art museum and then to the Guggenheim of Bilbao. It is magnificent! One of the MOST intriguing buildings of the world. Perhaps as great as the Taj Mahal, in my opinion. And I was moved by the Taj probably more than any man made structure I've ever seen thus far.

The Museum's inside, not even considering whatever art exhibit is there, is more involving than its outside. One of the giant rooms on the first floor is like being inside a huge fish. Cameras aren't aloud inside the building. (clever plan) We bought an excellent book about the place.

The exterior's shape(s) is simply stunning in its ability to change every 5 to 10 steps as you walk around. The titanium on its sides reflects the light, whatever light, deliciously. We saw it with a overcast sky and with the sun breaking through the clouds. Quite an experience.

Oh yea, the art ... There was some projects from the 70's designed to change one's perception of one's space, environment, or self -- a couple of human sized mazes -- neon light in rooms or hanging neon to walk under, changing color and intensity -- photos of the same spot in a room taken every 6 minutes of a day -- huge geometric drawings by pencil right on the wall ... that sort of thing. The building can easily distract from a weak exhibit.

The rooms on the first floor are tremendous in size. Large ships could be placed in some of them. On the third floor was a show of a large collection of Giorgio Armani's clothing and accessories, some older stuff and mostly new lines. Pretty impressive stuff. I didn't know he has no formal training in clothing design. He just started doing it, found a backer/partner and bang, he's one of the world's leading designers and innovators.

It seems that the Guggenheim in Bilbao has shows that change, rather than having some stuff that is always there. We also learned that there are two Guggenheims in Las Vegas and one of them is having a show of The History of the Motorcycle this fall. Hmm ....

So, a day in a "regular" art Museum AND the Guggenheim completely worn us out. Walking back to our hotel after museuming and supper, we flagged a taxi, the first this trip.

The weather in Bilbao was very rainy the first night and partly cloudy the next day and always windy.

We left there this morning in sunshine, heading west again, along the main coastal road. Following the coast, we stopped at a beach area just east of Sant Visente for a walk, had lunch in Sant Visente. Then a coffee break in Tazones just east of Gijon, and now have checked into a beautiful old hotel in Ribadeo, a small port town. Will stay 2 nights here.

Folks continue to be friendly. In this northern area of Spain the language is yet different from Castilian Spanish and Catalan. It's called Galician. We've not a clue.

Tomorrow we are planning on driving around the area and perhaps go inland. The land on the north coast is unlike anywhere we've been in Spain. The comparisons to Scotland that we've heard are probably true, at least in the greenness of it all. Having not yet been to Scotland, I don't know first hand. All of the north coast has mountains and bluffs going into the sea. Some areas have beaches. The forests were cut years ago and today most of the trees growing in forest type arrangements are plantings of Eucalyptus, which along with the sometimes rocky mountains remind me of the south island of New Zealand. There are wonderful valleys of lush green pastures and farm land.

The northern towns are not like southern Spanish towns. Not all the folks live in towns as they do in the south. There are farm houses on individual farms. There's not as many forts. Still plenty of churches. Between the mountain ranges are rolling hills of green. Everything is green. Much more chance of rain on any given day here in the north.

Spain outlawed billboards on the roadsides some years ago. This really helps make driving in Spain a very pretty experience. The one billboard that has remained is the mega-sized black bull. It's an alcohol distillery's logo that has been up for so long that public demand forced the lawmakers to grandfather it in to their no billboard law. It's simply a black bull, no words, and so perhaps the meaning has become Spain itself ... you know, bullfights, matadors, ranching, cowboys, B American westerns. Every so often you see one strategically placed so that it looks like it's standing on the hilltop, some distance from the road, just a black silhouette of the bull against the sky, no surround, about the size of a six story building. Other than that there are no other billboards anywhere. It's great.

Enough for now. It sure is nice having this laptop and a digital camera.

I'm doing this as much for myself to look back on, as for y'all.

Love,

Becky & Marilou

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Wednesday, April 11, 2001

Howdy All,

Tuesday was a quiet one. We slept longer than usual and chose to not drive anywhere as we had planned. We walked around Ribadeo some until all of the stores closed for the afternoon. Came back to the hotel for lunch and a nap (it's the Spanish way).

About 7:00 PM we drove a couple of kilometers out of town to the pasture and garden areas to bird watch. Saw a large flock of Goldfinches real close, different from ours by their red, white, and black faces. Saw Honey Buzzards, which actually looks like a hawk. Saw Black Redstarts and Greenfinches. Along about 8:45 we were losing too much daylight to see much and anyway the birds were going to roost then, so returned to the hotel. It was a good sighting.

Today, we drove to Madrid, about 6 hours. Found a hotel by the airport that is in a building that was part of the Royal farm in the 1600's. Will catch our plane home Thursday at noon.

It's been a great trip.

Love to all,

Becky & Marilou