Thursday 19 July 2012

Island Time

Here are some bits of our stay on the island Menorca.  Two days in a row we took a bus out of Mahon in order explore the beached and coves.




Saturday 14 July 2012

Barcelona Food Market


    A foodies dream is what you can call the Market in Barcelona.  Any food imaginable is three for the tasting from ostrich eggs to cherries.  Here is a bit of our afternoon among the vendors.



Entrance


Carne 


Fruit


Ostrich eggs 


Spices and shrooms


Fishes


Large lobsters

Friday 13 July 2012

Bits of Barcelona

    Finishing day two in Barcelona already!  The best word I can use to describe it is unique.  Here are some snap shots...









Thursday 12 July 2012

Ed Runs with the Bulls

    Yesterday morning Edward ran with the bulls.  Afterwards we hung out in Pamplona before boarding a five o'clock trainto Madrid. 


Waiting for the run


Balconies filled


Sea of red and white




Ed my bull runner

Tuesday 10 July 2012

Running with the Bulls

       Pamplona this time of year is a sea of red and white for their yearly San Fermin festival.  (Or as what us Americans will call the running of the bulls).   Ed and I arrived yesterday afternoon, and are staying in a student residence a thirty minute walk from anything.   However, in following a processional of drums dancing down the street with thousands of people last night, I realized I have been able to experience some of the best parties in the world.  There is more to the festival than the bull run. There are parades, concerts, and beer gardens all over the city which is a lot larger than we expected. 

Without further ado... Ole!!




    We head out tomorrow evening, and I hope Barcelona is ready for us!





Navarre Spain

      Sunday Ed and I drove around the Navarre region of Spain.  Here are a few hidden gems around the cliffs.



Castle on a hill.  I would not let Ed drive the car up.




Los Acros



Plaza in Estella


Sunday 8 July 2012

Hiking up a really steep hill

   We spent Saturday at a national park called Urbasa y Andia.  We did a day hike to a look out point on the other side of the mountain.  This whole area is a hiking Mecca. No literally people are on a pilgrimage though the French Way of the Pilgrimage called the Way of Saint James.  Hikers go through the country side viewing the ancient churches and monasteries.  Ed and I drove around some of these sites the past few days.  Tomorrow San Fermin, Pamplona, and the running of the bulls!






Ed on top of the world.

Saturday 7 July 2012

Arandi-what!? Or Driving With Ed in a Foreign Country

      So yesterday Edward and I left Madrid in order to begin our north country leg of the trip ending with a no doubt crowded rain to Barcelona on Friday.  Part one of our journey yesterday morning entailed taking two trains one to Zagroso and another to Longrono.  We then borrowed a car in order to drive to our hostel in a little town called Arandigoyen.  (Don't worry I cannot pronounce it either.)

       The trains worked out as planned, but we ended up driving around lost in the Navarre District for 5 hours!  Here are some scenes from yesterday.  









Our cute hostel!


Ed with our trusted coche.

Tuesday 3 July 2012

Madrid Part Dos

       Today in true Spanish fashion Ed and I got out and about around 10 AM.  Seriously, no one does nada early, and nothing is open.  Anyways we had a foodie adventure at the Mircado San Miguel.  Not until we walked to it from our hostel in order to not feel to tubby about ourselves.  We went from stand to stand sampling all the goodies.  However, I will leave you in suspense of those pictures for later.  Here are some great shots of the morning.  




      That afternoon we went to the Cerralbo Museum, which is a fine home from the 1800s.  I always like to see the day to day items over bits of broken pottery.   Here are a few shots from there...




    After a rest in the park by the palace, and locating some fizzy cola gummies, we headed off to a tapas tour.   There we met some fun Austrailians and enjoyed some good drinks, great food, and company.



Razor back clams y sangria! Muy bien!


Our first experience with a shot in a chocolate filled ice cream cone.  It is called madrono and it is from the berry of a tree when partnered with a bear is the symbol of the city.  It is super sweet and indulgent!