Posts Tagged With: Spain

The Many Faces of Sevilla, Spain

Posted on October 26, 2016 by carolinehelbig
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The Alcázar Gardens in Sevilla, Spain—C.Helbig

We’ve had a lot of gloomy weather in beautiful Vancouver and my mind is wandering to sunnier spots. Aaah…Sevilla, Spain, now that makes me feel cheery. Our son Alex spent four months in Sevilla as part of a gap year and we of course took the opportunity to visit him. That was almost a year ago, last November. Sevilla is a stunning city and November in southern Spain is as good as it gets—no crowds and beautiful warm, sunny weather. Mike and I had an awesome time discovering the city and Alex took full advantage of scrumptious tapas meals courtesy of mom and dad. Continue reading →

Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , | 26 Comments

The Albayzin District of Granada, Spain: Medieval Moorish Splendour

Posted on January 12, 2016 by carolinehelbig
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Granada’s Albayzin District with view to the Alhambra—C.Helbig

November 3-5, 2015. If you’ve read my post on the Alhambra, you’ll know how much I love this spectacular monument. I also love the area we stayed in. Granada’s Albayzin district is a UNESCO World Heritage Site steeped in its medieval Moorish past. It’s a magical place, sprawled on the side of a hill with narrow cobblestone streets, traditional tea rooms, and the best views of the Alhambra. You’re guaranteed to get lost in its tangled labyrinth, but it’s a joy when every turn brings another wow scene.

The “getting here” instructions (below) from our guest house website, gave us a sense of the Albayzin’s delightfully confusing, pedestrian-only layout. I had a good feeling about the place.

“No matter how you arrive to Granada you need to get to the pick up point.  Which is Aljibe de las Tomasas (known as the stop to get to Restaurante El Agua).  The Restaurante is not exactly there, so don’t go looking for it, but it is how the Taxi drivers know where to drop you off.  Please wait for us where you are dropped off to avoid getting lost.” Continue reading →

Categories: Places, Spain | Tags: , , , , , , | 12 Comments

The Itinerant Itinerary: Spanish Steps

Posted on December 1, 2015 by carolinehelbig
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Like travel, these mudejar style tiles surprise and delight me. Capilla de San Bartolome, Cordoba—C.Helbig

Mike and I just returned from four weeks in Spain. This destination has been high on our list of places to go, and with our son, Alex, studying in Sevilla this semester, the time was right. Sort of. Shortly after we made our flight reservations, my mother became seriously ill. We put all other pre-bookings on hold fearing we might have to cancel. As it turns out, the trip went ahead, albeit, last minute. My wonderful sister stepped in as Florence Nightingale. We left with only our first few nights booked in Barcelona. The rest was a clear slate. I hadn’t done this “on the fly” traveling since backpacking in the early 90’s. Ironically, my mom’s unfortunate state led to a refreshingly different travel experience. Continue reading →

Categories: Spain | Tags: , , , , , , | 12 Comments

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