Yesterday we woke up in a sleepy little cove on the Atlantic ocean in a small village called Deba or Deva, it´s spelled both ways, but pronounced Dava. We stayed at a little Pension and had the best tapas yet at the local taverna right on the beach.
From Deba we traveled along the coast to Amoribieta which is where friends of Jeanie´s are from and named after. In Amoribieta we stopped at a open air market and shopped. There was mostly fresh produce but lots of a cloths on display too. We did buy some artisan cheese and I was sorely tempted to buy some of the Iberian ham. I think I like it even better than the Italian version. After lunch in Amoribieta we set off again.
Next stop, Gernika, the place of the famous battle and the inspiration for the painting by the same name by Picasso. In Gernika we stopped at the (covered) town square and took in a mushroom competition. It´s fall and a little rainy here and there were hundreds of types of mushrooms on display. Mozart was playing over the loud speakers, children were dancing, truffle oil and mushroom pate were being sold, and there was a long queue waiting for fresh cooked mushrooms.
About 2 in the afternoon we arrived in Bilbao. After quickly checking into our hotel we crossed the river on a glass floored walking bridge (Jeanie clinging to me) and walked the short distance to the Guggenheim Museum. I have always wanted to see the Guggenheim in person and I couldn´t beleive I was now standing in front of it. Actually we entered from the back, but exited the front. It is beautiful, and no matter what you think of Geary or the EMP, this structure is breathtaking inside and out. There was a traveling exhibit of The History of Art with so much classical art we wanted to come back a second day. But they are closed on Mondays. Bummer.
We are not due in Madrid until tomorrow afternoon and since we can´t go to the museum again today we decided to take off for Madrid anyway. Again we will travel the back roads and stay off the toll roads. We love stopping in all the little towns along the way. We'll stay somewhere along the way.
I didn´t tell you about france. We drove up to St. Jean de Luz and the minute we crossed the border you could tell you were in a different country. The houses are different from Spain and they are all white with red trim. In the country side anyway. I see why people want to live in the south of France. The town of St Jean de Luz is on the Atlantic and at this time of year most of the touristas have left. Not much was open in town, but we found a wonderful little french restaurant and ate a fabulous meal. A kindly older gentleman diner offered his opinions of our culinary choices. Jeanie had fisherman´s stew and I had the duck and frites. The best duck and french fries I have ever had and the most expensive. Along the route to France we stopped in Irun, Spain at again another open air market and I bought artisan made chocolate and duck and goose pate. Yum.
Okay, that´s a lot for this morning and we haven´t even had breakfast yet, which in Spain is usually toast and coffee. I hope the hotel restaurant has eggs over easy.
Love to all,
Joy
Joy and Jeanie´s Grand Adventura
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Friday, November 14, 2008
November 14, 2008 - San Sebastian, Spain
Greetings,
Wow! What a trip! Spain is a beautiful country, and the people could not be nicer. Barcelona was great. We had a small B&B just a couple blocks off Las Ramblas. We saw La Segrada Famila, Park Guell, Casa Mila, tons of other stuff. We really packed in a lot of sight seeing in 3 days.
Yesterday we drove from Barcelona to Tudela and spent the night downtown in a hotel. We wandered around a bit and asked for a recommendation for a restaurant. We saw none while we were walking which was unusual because Barcelona had one every other shop. A young man not only told us where the best place in town was he also walked us there to make sure we would not get lost. The restaurants don´t open till 9:00 pm. We waited till 9 and were not dissapointed. The dinner was faboulous.
Today we drove to San Sebastian and found a wonderful little Casa Rurales on a cliff overlooking the ocean. It´s way up a long winding narrow road with steep drop offs. This place could not be more charming. Fortunately the drivers in Spain are very curteous. I made a few wrong turns, but Jeanie managed to get us back on the right track. She is a great navigator.
We got off the freeway in Tudela and traveled via country roads through small towns a villages. We stopped at one and had lunch. Again, we got there at 11:00 and lunch wasn´t till Noon. We had potatoe quiche which is typical for this Spain. Driving through the mountains was amazing in its beauty. The roads are really well kept and clean, as are the towns.
Tonight we are taking it easy and having left overs from last night and doing laundry. Jeanie nearly strangled me today when I drove past the llavandria. I promised her one when we got to the casa and boy was I releived when the owner showed us 2 washing machines and dryers. I´ve been redeamed for now.
Tomorrow we travel north to St. Jean de Luz, France. We are pinching ourselves, with the beauty of the country, the grace of the people, and our amazing luck in finding the best of it all.
Sorry no pictures. I can´t figure out how to upload them on this computer. But we do have some great ones.
Tell S-man I love him. Jeanie loves Mr. Wonderful.
Take care.
Joy
Wow! What a trip! Spain is a beautiful country, and the people could not be nicer. Barcelona was great. We had a small B&B just a couple blocks off Las Ramblas. We saw La Segrada Famila, Park Guell, Casa Mila, tons of other stuff. We really packed in a lot of sight seeing in 3 days.
Yesterday we drove from Barcelona to Tudela and spent the night downtown in a hotel. We wandered around a bit and asked for a recommendation for a restaurant. We saw none while we were walking which was unusual because Barcelona had one every other shop. A young man not only told us where the best place in town was he also walked us there to make sure we would not get lost. The restaurants don´t open till 9:00 pm. We waited till 9 and were not dissapointed. The dinner was faboulous.
Today we drove to San Sebastian and found a wonderful little Casa Rurales on a cliff overlooking the ocean. It´s way up a long winding narrow road with steep drop offs. This place could not be more charming. Fortunately the drivers in Spain are very curteous. I made a few wrong turns, but Jeanie managed to get us back on the right track. She is a great navigator.
We got off the freeway in Tudela and traveled via country roads through small towns a villages. We stopped at one and had lunch. Again, we got there at 11:00 and lunch wasn´t till Noon. We had potatoe quiche which is typical for this Spain. Driving through the mountains was amazing in its beauty. The roads are really well kept and clean, as are the towns.
Tonight we are taking it easy and having left overs from last night and doing laundry. Jeanie nearly strangled me today when I drove past the llavandria. I promised her one when we got to the casa and boy was I releived when the owner showed us 2 washing machines and dryers. I´ve been redeamed for now.
Tomorrow we travel north to St. Jean de Luz, France. We are pinching ourselves, with the beauty of the country, the grace of the people, and our amazing luck in finding the best of it all.
Sorry no pictures. I can´t figure out how to upload them on this computer. But we do have some great ones.
Tell S-man I love him. Jeanie loves Mr. Wonderful.
Take care.
Joy
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Greetings from Amsterdam November 9, 2008
Well here I am sitting at the Amsterdam airport with a couple of hours to pass before heading to Barcelona. It's 9:30 a.m. here, but Seattle time it's probably more like midnight. So we've been up since early this morning and just finished a 10 hour flight. It's like we skipped night altogether and went strait to morning. Our biological clocks are off to say the least. It will be 2:30 roughly when we reach Barcelona. Add an hour to reach the B&B and we'll be ready for a long winger's nap. Well at least a few hours before we head out to see the night life in the Gothic Quarter.
I felt really bad leaving Sparkie this morning. He must have known I was leaving because he's been real clingy for the past 2 weeks. It must be my body language that he is reading. Or a change in my normal routine that he picks up on. He does this every time I go on vacation. I think he will be okay when Joe gets there. Sparkie likes men better than women so he should be fairly well placated till I get home. I've promised Sparkie a girlfriend for Christmas too. I feel guilty leaving him alone every day while I go off to work. Maybe a little Yorkie girlfriend. I want to name her Lucy or Bella.
Hope everyone stateside is doing well. Stay tuned for more about Jeanie y Joy's Grand Aventura. I'll have pictures soon as well.
A shout out to Susan with a great big thank you for the beautiful necklace. I decided to wear it afterall. What's the point of having beautiful jewels if you don't wear them?
Love to all.
Joy
I felt really bad leaving Sparkie this morning. He must have known I was leaving because he's been real clingy for the past 2 weeks. It must be my body language that he is reading. Or a change in my normal routine that he picks up on. He does this every time I go on vacation. I think he will be okay when Joe gets there. Sparkie likes men better than women so he should be fairly well placated till I get home. I've promised Sparkie a girlfriend for Christmas too. I feel guilty leaving him alone every day while I go off to work. Maybe a little Yorkie girlfriend. I want to name her Lucy or Bella.
Hope everyone stateside is doing well. Stay tuned for more about Jeanie y Joy's Grand Aventura. I'll have pictures soon as well.
A shout out to Susan with a great big thank you for the beautiful necklace. I decided to wear it afterall. What's the point of having beautiful jewels if you don't wear them?
Love to all.
Joy
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