Boog's Blog

Tuesday 11 November rain, heavy at times

Good day for another large cathedral. Grenada has one.

Lunch at the oldest cafe in Granada. Bib-Rambla, 1907

Arab bath experience, with massage. Three pools at different temperatures, the warmest at a nice 39 degrees C

Wonderful experience. Similar ritual to HK with soaking pools, a massage, sweet tea instead of orange juice, no pedicure or manicure, much more interesting architecture, thick keyhole walls, tiles and carvings as well as candles in the niches, very quiet atmospheres, not like HK.

Slight incense aroma, multiple massage oils, clearly a place for relaxation, hedonism and likely erotocism. Not business.

Tapas dinner.

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In Album Granada 2

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Monday 10 November sunny

Bus ride to Grenade. No train, walk or bus being the routes. ALSA has good buses, opted for the supra, 2€ more.

Reasonable hotel in the old quarter. Lovely area with a good view of the Alhambra. The old Sephardic section.

Narrow cobblestoned street with buses and taxis forcing walkers and us to press against the walls to allow them to pass

Nice walk along the darro river.

Tried to visit and enjoy the Arab baths, three pools, with a message. Unfortunately sold out, completo! Made a reservation for tomorrow. Should be quite different. Others demurred.

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Sunday 9 November

Several museums here,Picasso, thyssan, music passed as well as the cathedral. QB made a short Thyssan visit but was not inspired.

Roman ruins, Alcabeza, and the waterfront & beach for us.,

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcazaba_of_Málaga

Garum pit with explanation.

Lovely seafood lunch followed by a walk along the very long beach here. Runs for miles, did only several before a climb back up to the castle and hotel.

Rice stew dinner.

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Sat 8 Nov.

Train ride to malaga. Cloudy and humid.

Taxi driver explained he has been to the coast many times and how nice it is.

We have a first class rail pass. The train to malaga does not have a first class coach. We go to the first class lounge to sit and wait and perhaps to have a coffee. Entry denied. No first class ticket. But….. No buts, you do not have a first class ticket.

After riding over flat plains for a while we passed and passed and continued to pass olive groves. Far too large to be family farmed but seemingly too large for either hand picking out the shaking/net method we say in Italy. Have not found any site showing more mechanized equipment.

Left the olive area into the mountains just north of malaga. Still some olives on the hillsides.

Parador hotel at the top of a big hill. Great views but a hard walk down for those not familiar with mountain hiking. Enjoyable town/city to stroll through. Roman ruins, alcabeza.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Málaga

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Friday 7 November rain forecast but not so much

QB suffering with a cold that started yesterday.

Grand Cathedral day- saved it for a rain day.

The cathedral at 230500 sq. Ft is the size of a medium Wal- mart. Probably has a greater number of SKUs. Not our favorite but certainly the most expensive to visit.

Has, however, an original Dalak, see photo.

Non energetic day with QB suffering with her cold.

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Thursday 6 November sunny

Train ride to Cordoba, day trip. History well summarized:

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/137374/Cordoba

The synagogue is one of only three remaining ones from before the expulsion.

http://www.sacred-destinations.com/spain/cordoba-synagogue

Very fine Judea museum in the areas de judios. One of the best described exhibits and history that we have seen in a while. See above, included, from Maimonides.

And, of course extensive wanderings in the amazing mosque-cathedral.

Harisa and a cazuela for lunch. Restaurant with an Arabic selection.

Roman bridge and roman forum rounded out a busy day.

For those following the blog, additional pictures on flickr.

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Dinner eats

In Album dinner at Alfonso

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"Mezquita" discovered via Field Trip App. http://fieldtripper.com/c/HNubHqHNBO8/

Field Trip – Mezquita
The Cathedral and former Great Mosque of Córdoba, in ecclesiastical terms the Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción (English: Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption), and known by the inhabitants of Córdoba as the Mezquita-Catedral (English: Mosque–Cathedral), is today a World Heritage Site …

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Wednesday 5 November

Alcazar day.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcázar_of_Seville

Moorish architecture and wonderful fragrant, sour orange, gardens. Fortunately a perfect day for strolling. Suspect this would not be fun in the heat of the summer filled with tourists.

Nice wanderings through the Santa Cruz barrio with an excellent late lunch.

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Glad we do not have children.

http://www.newyorker.com/humor/borowitz-report/exit-polls-indicate-nation-suffering-severe-memory-loss

Exit Polls Indicate Nation Suffering from Severe Memory Loss

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