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Week 6--Spain

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Hola Another week in Spain, gone!!  The weather has finally improved, and I even have a sunburn on my face!!  this week, I took a day trip to Ganada to visit the ancient Alhambra.  This was of great importance to the history of Spain--dating back to the 1200's.  This is the castle where Ferdinand and Isabella granted the money for Columbus to do his exploration--you could almost feel their presence as we walked through it!!  This is the most visited site in Spain, with over 8,000 visitors daily!! I met some lovely ladies too--4 of the them were celebrating 50 years of friendship--they all started with the British Foreign Service--I just had to ask if they knew 007 (ha, ha!!) Footings of where the solders lived--a toilet, and 3 rooms, with a sunlit square in the middle.  The baths were located in a different area. View of the cathedral from the fortress.  This is the second largest cathedral, next to Malaga--the third largest in...
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Holy Week-week 5 of the Spainish adventure

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Hola What a week it has been.  The weather has finally warmed up--thank goodness--so each day has not only been an adventure, but an adventure is the sunshine!!  The family has done everything to show me the traditional Spanish hospitality. This week they took me hiking, biking and out to family gatherings!!  Yesterday, I took a day trip to Tangiers--now that was something--travelling across the straight of Gilbralter!!  I wish that I had opted for the 3 day trip which would have taken me to Casablanca--but instead, I decided to have only a taste--as I am still bound for Gilbralter, Ronda and Grenada. Rock of Gilbralter--we crossed the straight of Gilbralter to visit Tangiers--it was about an hour crossing on a ferry.  It was quite a rough ride. wall around the city of Tangiers built in 1200 herbal medicine show in Tangiers Yes, the you know what!! Burbur carpet shop lunch time entertainment oh--the spices and food in the markets ...
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Athletic family

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Hola:  Yesterday, I went with the family to pick up Mica.  She attends a private, international school, some distance away.  Then, we went to this cute little church on the top of a hill.  Above the church, there was a huge Roman castle at one time--now just some big rocks.  This is a very old area!! Havi demonstrating the hand stand at Mica's school. Mica practising the hand stand--she is very good at this! A church very high on the hill across the valley from the school. Inside this little church. A view of the church from the village. A view of the  village.  Beyond, on the mountain side, is where we live.
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Week 4 in Spain

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Week 4 in Spain Hola Wow, where does the time go when you are having fun!!  My hosts are both over the moon because they have passed their respective oral English Exams and now it is time for the Holy Week, leading up to Easter!!  Tomorrow evening, I will attend a special event at Mica's school, in preparation for the up coming holiday!! Yesterday I had a trip to Seville--it was a rather long day, but I got to see the most famous cathedral, the old town, the major park, the golden tower and the monument to Christopher Columbus--all in one day!!  Next weekend, I will go to Tangiers, for one day--another long one--but certainly. I met two ladies from Edmonton yesterday--they seemed like a fun twosome--they were certainly enjoying there time here.  And, I met another lady from Toronto--she was a delight as well! This is the cathedral in Seville.  It is said to be the largest cathedral in the world, next to St. Peter's in Rome!  This is the main part...
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Week 3 Spain

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Hola! Wow--week three--where does the time when you are having fun!!  The week has been filled with Spanish study, hiking 10 miles every day and fitting in some English tutoring.  Thankfully, the weather is getting brighter, and my cold is getting better, though I am coughing a lot still!! Today was a big day of travel.  Up at 5:00 AM, Havi drove me downtown so that I could pick up the tour to a place called Caminita del Rey, meaning small path of the king.  The King was Alfonso the 13th, who opened a hydro electric dam back in 1921.  The place is where the trail is.  it was absolutely breath taking. Nothing much had been done to keep up the old tracks around the mountain.  In the year 2000, a zip line was introduced.  Unfortunately, it failed and three young men plunged to their death, so the trail was closed. It was just reopened 3 years ago with state of the art safety.  It was well worth the trip as you will see from the pictur...
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Spain Week 2

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Hello All...yes the end of week 2!   I can hardly believe it myself!!  Every day has been full of activity--during the week, I am up early, and out to the park to practice kung fu.  Then, I walk as much as I can to prepare for the big hike.  It is going to be a challenge for sure!!  Yesterday, I met with a representative from the company, and I was a little overwhelmed with what lays before me.  I will be doing the hike on my own, with maps!!  Hopefully the weather gets better!! The  weather here is cold, and unusual, they say--I have quite a bad cold now, even though I am taking some medicine--because it is cold in the house--no central heating--they do have a fire place, but they seldom use it!  Last night was the worst--I am starting to feel better, but my nose is running and I am hacking away Yesterday was great--I got to go to the Flamingo show down in the heart of Malaga, among the old town--wow--it was great.  The show w...
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