Three Princesses of the Alhambra

There’s little point in telling you about the grandeur and the beauty of the Alhambra. The photos and my description will never do justice to the 10 hectare site, steeped in history, romance and ornate splendor. You’ll just have to go there. The Alhambra has a 2000m long wall, amazing architecture, fascinating gardens, 100s of … Continue reading Three Princesses of the Alhambra

Sobremesa and Life in the Streets

Much of Spanish life is lived in the streets and the atmosphere is vibrant - especially on Sundays. Last Sunday, being turistas (tourists), we made a grave error – we went to a restaurant wearing our “walking” clothes, and we were decidedly under-dressed and unprepared. So we’ve been waiting, anticipating, all week to make amends … Continue reading Sobremesa and Life in the Streets

Sun Gods and Fishermen

Last night, we went for a nightcap at the Palace bar. But there was no Limoncello left, so we asked Tiago, the barman, to gave us a “traditional” Portuguese nightcap. Holy moly - after the first sip, I can only guess that it’s a Portuguese tradition to A) poison all the tourists or B) drink liquid … Continue reading Sun Gods and Fishermen

The village of Monte Gordo

Our little adventure in Portugal continues with a day trip to Monte Gordo. But before we get to that, I must tell you about last night's “nightcap” at the Palace bar. The bar had run out of Limoncello, so Tiago the barman, gave us what he called a traditional Portuguese nightcap. Holy moly - I … Continue reading The village of Monte Gordo

Portugal, Passports and a Palace

As the booker of accommodation, there’s always a moment of panic when you arrive and it looks, well…. below your expectations. Like the time I booked an apartment in Hong Kong – which on arrival looked like a slum, the tiny elevator was one where you had to pull the cage door across, and the … Continue reading Portugal, Passports and a Palace

Palácio de Estoi – my Portuguese Palace

As the booker of accommodation, there’s always a moment of panic when you arrive and it looks, well…. below your expectations. Like the time I booked an apartment in Hong Kong – which on arrival looked like it was about to collapse, with a tiny caged elevator that only took 2 people, and a hallway … Continue reading Palácio de Estoi – my Portuguese Palace

The Barber of Estepona

The sky was silver today - not blue, not grey, but silver. The Mediterranean was a shimmering haze, so it was hard to tell where the horizon actually was. The cool winds of the last few days were gone, and the marina was a mosaic of picture-perfect mirror reflections. Dressed only in t-shirts and jeans, … Continue reading The Barber of Estepona

Gibraltar, sigh

We should have known Gibraltar was going to be a disaster the moment Ross nearly ran over the British border security guy. To be fair, it wasn’t really Ross’ fault. The border security guy pointed to a spot at his feet, and dutifully, Ross drove right to that very spot! He’s very obedient, and follows … Continue reading Gibraltar, sigh

Gibraltar

We should have known Gibraltar was going to be a disaster the moment Ross nearly ran over the British border security guy. To be fair, it wasn’t really Ross’ fault. The border security guy pointed to a spot at his feet, and dutifully, Ross drove right to that very spot! He’s very obedient, and follows … Continue reading Gibraltar

The Barber of Estepona

The sky was silver today - not blue, not grey, but silver. The Mediterranean was a shimmering haze, so it was hard to tell where the horizon actually was. The cool winds of the last few days were gone, and the marina was a mosaic of picture-perfect mirror reflections. Dressed in t-shirts and jeans, and … Continue reading The Barber of Estepona