It’s a bank holiday in England today but for me it feels like the festive time is over and things are back to normal. Like Weaver we have taken down the Christmas decorations and stuck them back into the attic. The rooms immediately look lighter and bigger although the sun is highlighting my dirty windows.
Traditionally this a time to
plan summer holidays and Paul has been happily organising our next trip. In March we usually head back to our home in
France but this year we are going to take a bit of a detour. We are taking the ferry from Portsmouth to
Santander (northern Spain) and then driving down to Salamanca, (described as one
of the most beautiful cities in Spain).
I’m hoping for a lot of impressive ancient architecture here. Then driving on southwards to Seville, the
city of Carmen, Don Juan, Figaro and oranges.
I would be thrilled to catch some
authentic flamenco dancing here. After a
couple of days in Seville we head east and recuperate from our sight-seeing
with a week at an Airbnb villa (or it might be a shack) in a small coastal town
about 100 miles east of Malaga. At the
end of our stay we will start our drive north along the east coast of Spain
towards France and home with several overnight stops on the way.
I’ve only visited Spain twice
before, the Costa Blanca, and really didn’t like all the noisy resorts and
English bars. I’m hoping this trip will
give me a different flavour of Spain. Hola!
Seville is the most wonderful town; I'd spend longer than 2 days there if I was you!
ReplyDeleteI really hope it meets my expectations.
DeleteDo you speak Spanish? I imagine you do, as well as French. I've been casually studying Spanish for a couple of years now, but I have a very slow ear for it. One of my resolutions for 2017 is to study harder and spend more time watching news/movies/tv in Spanish.
ReplyDeleteOnly a few words but I expect we'll get by. I'll try and learn a few phrases before we go.
DeleteI have always wanted to visit Salamanca since I saw Portillo go back there - his family originate from that city. It looked a fabulous place and is in fact on my list of places to go to on the train, the way Portillo went. Sounds like a wonderful start to your journey back to France.
ReplyDeleteI watched a lot of the Portillo trips but I think I missed that one. It sounds like it's a fascinating place.
DeleteI think it was his first programme ever and it turned out so popular he made a series. It was many years ago but I have never forgotten it.
DeleteI remember that programme - wasn't it where he went back, for the first time, to visit his family who had remained behind after the Civil War?
DeleteYes it was. As soon as I saw it I knew I wanted to go there. Portillo's greatest show of many.
DeleteSalamanca is beautiful and the Plaza Mayor,(Main Square)is absolutely stunning - I think it's a designated World Heritage site. If you can visit on Friday or Saturday evening, it's a great place with lots going on and the Spaniards "promenading". There is a little train which will take you all round to see the best of the city. Seville too, is a lovely city - the Barrio (old town) is interesting with narrow alleyways and courtyards and you mustn't miss the Alcázar. The Barrios - or Old Towns, are the places of interest, but with all these places there is a lot of new development outside. The "white towns" are worth a detour, but you may not be going that far south. There is also Granada and the Alhambra.
ReplyDeleteIf you are driving north, back along the east coast, then you won't really be able to avoid passing near to the popular holiday resorts all along that coast, but a few kilometres inland you are in a different world !
Oh, and good luck driving round Barcelona !
I'm starting to get excited now. The way you describe it sounds right up my street.
DeleteSalamanca and Seville - my two favourite cities in Spain - I know you will love them.
ReplyDeleteThat's so good to hear Pat. I'm looking forward to it.
DeleteAs someone kindly said when my husband retired 'Everyday is a holiday '. I'm sure we are already looking forward to 2017 and your international reports. It's interesting that other people are influenced by TV progs. as to where they visit. If it were not for Ch 4's coverage of the Tour de France we would not be living here our 'everyday holiday'.
ReplyDeleteI didn't see the Portillo programme but Salamanca and Seville just seemed like interesting places to stop on our way to the Costa del Sol. The TV coverage of the Tour de France really does highlight the beauty of the French countryside, it's better than the racing sometimes!
DeleteIf you take a look at the blog Mitchell is Moving, he's posted some lovely photos
ReplyDeleteof one of the best White Towns.
Ooh, I'll go and take a peak.
DeleteWho knows, the Spaniards may get you up doing a flamenco on the dance floor. It sounds like a lovely adventure.
ReplyDeleteI would need to drink large quantities of sangria before I got anywhere near a dance floor.
Delete