Here we are in beautiful Madrid again. When we were last here we had the pleasure of staying in the flat of a friend who was away. She made some wonderful suggestions for places to go and things to see.  We are more familiar with the magnificent city this time, Continue reading “Madrid, Spain”

We arrived in Santillana Del Mar the Town of three Lies, since it is neither saintly, flat or by the sea as implied by its name. However the remains of Santa Juliana (Santa Illana), how the town actually acquired its name, are in the Colegiata, a Romanesque church and  former monastery.
Continue reading “Santillana Del Mar, Spain”

The charming city of Pau and the Le Tour de France roadside attraction were both unexpected and delightful discoveries. Continue reading “Pau, Pyrénées, France”

Gleaming titanium, limestone, glass and steel the museum of modern and contemporary art is built along the Nervion River which runs through the city of Bilbao. It is HUGE, beautiful and an indescribable architectural masterpiece. Tulips, a bouquet of multicolor Continue reading “Bilbao, Spain/Guggenheim Museum”

A resort town on the Bay of Biscay in Spain’s mountainous Basque Country. We stayed outside the city on 24 beautifully manicured acres in the Hotel Usategieta. It is quality, peaceful and perfect. Continue reading “San Sebastián, Spain”

The city sits on the banks of the Garonne River and is known as “La Ville Rose” (The Pink City) due to the terra cotta bricks used in many of it’s buildings. In the early morning and late afternoon, the rosy-toned brick buildings of Toulouse have a special glow.  Toulouse Continue reading “Toulouse, France”

Andorra is a tiny independent principality that is nearly all vertical tucked between France and Spain in the Pyrenees mountains. The average elevation of Andorra is 6,549 feet. It is known for it’s ski resorts and the closest thing to the Swiss Alps I have ever Continue reading “Pas de la Casa, Andorra”

We rented a car and headed in the direction of the Costa Brava and Cadaqués. We drove up the mountain with winding roads before and behind us and terraced hillsides all around. We were looking down on a village referred to as the Pearl of Costa Brava, facing Continue reading “Cadaqués, Spain”

Our first introduction to Barcelona was the obvious La Sagrada Familia, the most famous of all Gaudi’s creations. We were staying only a few blocks away and passed by this fabulous Spanish Gothic, Catalan Modernistic and Art Nouveau masterpiece with regularity. Continue reading “Barcelona, Spain”

We decided to forego agendas and wandered Cartagena aimlessly on foot. The city dates back to 100 A.D., and thanks to its Mediterranean location, it has been inhabited by many
different cultures, who have all left their mark during its tumultuous history.
It’s interesting to see ancient Roman and Spanish buildings surrounded by palm trees. Continue reading “Cartagena, Spain”