Boog's Blog

Tues 3 November cooler

Cadiz side trip. 1 hour 40 minute local train ride to the beautiful seaside spit of land, the port that replaced Seville when it's port sort over. Rich in earlier times from the trading monopoly for his from the east.

Arriving it looked like the cruise port of San Diego. At least six cruise ships passed as we left the train station.

Stopped a gentleman to ask a question. Hola Buenos dias I say. No,buenas tardes he responds with a twinkle. Where is the tourist office? He starts walking, cane in hand, he is 84, into we cannot miss it.

Walked through the medieval quarter. Not Moorish had hoped.

Lunch in a local restaurant, fish etc. as on the water. The clams were in a sauce of oil, oil, tomatoes, garlic,oil,garlic,onions.

Circumnavigate of the small spit that is Cadiz. Very breezy at times.

Tapas dinner in barrio Santa Cruz part of Seville. Lovely are, many places, but to my taste and experience pinxos of northern Spain are far more inventive and interesting.

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In Album Seville and Cadiz

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Monday 3 November

Hotel breakfast and then Atoche train to Seville.

Excellent high speed train to Seville. Clean, fast, nice meal served, comfortable seats. Zipped along at 250km/hr.

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

The cathedral was closed when we got there. The write up is interesting, largest structure etc. Very ornate exterior.

Big wooden art sculpture
http://www.setasdesevilla.com/?r=1&A=360

Outdoor space, impressive in size. We did not go on top to look down.

Tapas dinner at a small place, bar Regio. To early to eat at restaurants.

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In Album Seville 1

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Sunday 2 November same nice, bit warmer weather. Then very heavy rain after dinner.

First stop after a rather large buffet breakfast at the hotel:

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thyssen-Bornemisza_Museum

Did not enter as an exhibit we wanted to see does not start until we return in two weeks.

Mercado for food. Will come back for a tapas dinner. Wonderful collection of stalls. Last time we were here e could not get in, better timing today.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g187514-d1520183-Reviews-Mercado_San_Miguel-Madrid.html

Cathedral. Got there in time to hear the organ at the end of Sunday mass. As all know organs are spectacular in large cathedrals, wonderful resonances. Modern cathedral with an impressive retablo

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

Varied tapas and a six sherry tasting rotunda at the Mercado. Soaking wet upon walking back to hotel.

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In Album Madrid 2

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Saturday 1 November another perfect day

Flight to Madrid to meet up with Michelle and George. Cab driver tried hard to cheat us. Ran a meter on a fixed fare ride. When I just gave him the fixed rate he was clearly pissed. Rude, he got no tip.

Italy thoughts: the USA is becoming a third world country. Italy appears to have achieved fourth world status. Filthy streets, broken pavement, many disfunctional systems, clear lack of civic pride, traffic patterns ignored. A lot fewer obese persons. Excellent pasta, pizza, cheese. Running water pumps everywhere.

Good tapas dinner in Madrid.

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Friday 31 October warm

Last full day in Rome. Vatican city day with evening visit to the museum. That and some strolling in the shopping areas.

A visit to gelarmony, another highly recommended place. Visited it in Vancouver where it is called mundo gelato. Good but not as good as Giolotti.

Crossing the streets. Short green light and very long, 20 seconds or more, and light. Must know their culture.

Villa Borghese, nice strolling park.

http://www.spottedbylocals.com/rome/villa-borghese/?utm_source=fieldtrip&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=fieldtrip

Basilica in Vatican, museum and Sistine chapel evening tour. No pictures in the Sistine because……rights were licensed for revenue!

Halloween at the Basilica: featured The Four Hallows doing hymns from the Inquisition.

May not be the largest and most ornate of ask the cathedrals we have seen on our trips but if not awfully close.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Peter's_Basilica

Vatican museum. Fantastic map room and surprising modern art collection.

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In Album 10/31/14

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I was here: Sistine Chapel
http://fieldtripper.com/c/4kiQ0IfIeXQ/sistine-chapel

I thought you might find this interesting, too.

It's your world, explore it.: http://fieldtripper.com

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Field Trip – Sistine Chapel
Thanks to the extraordinary talents of Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564), the Sistine Chapel (Cappella Sistina) in Vatican City has become one of the most famous art galleries in the western world. Michelangelo’s famous Sistine ceiling depicts scenes from Genesis in dramatic and moving detail, …

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http://fieldtripper.com/c/WzmtmfvcHuI/vatican-museums

I thought you might find this interesting, too.

It's your world, explore it.: http://fieldtripper.com

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Field Trip – Vatican Museums
The Vatican Museums (Italian: Musei Vaticani), in Viale Vaticano in Rome, inside the Vatican City, are among the greatest museums in the world, since they display works from the immense collection built up by the Roman Catholic Church throughout the centuries, including some of the most renowned …

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Thursday 30 October. Same weather except brutal hot sun.

Breakfast entertainment continues with the highly engineered coffee machine. Beautiful, many alternatives, but barely functional. Milk spews, other items drip….

Two morning custards. One a flan the other was described to me as baked who cream. Had the consistency of a very firm pie filling.

Trastevere area, medieval left bank area. Santa maria in trastevera, oldest church in Rome,337 founded,12th century design. Wonderful mosaics. Also a large number is marble carvings; many more than in the Spanish churches. Fewer puti.

Colosseum and forum area.

After having read a history of Rome, many thanks to Libby, it is good to see the layout of the various hills both extent and destroyed. Much of the area is under construction for a new major line 3 metro line.

Another visit to Giolotti, the famous gelato place.

Later some tea. I ask the waiter why the bill days "posto" for tea. He says he is sorry but the register only has posto for all items and then laughs knowingly. Ah,Italy.

Picnic dinner.

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In Album Rome 4

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Wednesday same weather.

First to the market at campo di Fiori.

An interesting short history of Roman Jews. Did not know they are a separate group.

https://www.ricksteves.com/watch-read-listen/read/articles/romes-jewish-legacy

No entrance without a guide and no photos.

Church of Jesus. Ornate to say the least

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

Trevi fountain under scaffold, even so long lines.

First rain in months but we missed it. They change so fast.

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In Album Rome 3

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Tuesday 28 October. Same weather.

Turned out to be mostly a rest day. Shorter touring by qb and some hours resting for kb, back spasm.

Qb brought breakfast to the room to save me the hike before the spasm relented.

Marcus Aurelius Obelisk, one of 12 obelisks, knocked off. Well decorated and later modified by a Pope.

Dinner included grilled veggies with scormorza cheese. A bit different.

Hotel manager came by to chat with us. Yesterday I left him a personal note complimenting his staff and therefore his management. This is a well run hotel and, having experience, told him so.

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