Spain 2019

Leaving Nerja, we had a quick 1-hour drive to our next destination: Granada. If you aren't familiar with this city, then I should start by giving you a few pieces of background. Or, if you know your Spanish history, then you'll appreciate the conquering direction our itinerary has coincidentally followed ... Nestled at the base of the Sierra Nevadas, the city boasts extraordinary architecture from over 250 years as the capital of a Moorish kingdom. It is home to the Alhambra - the last strong-hold of the Moorish kingdom in Spain, and one of greatest wonders of Europe. There is no place in Europe quite like it. La Alhambra  We are staying in a typical house, called a carmen, surrounded by a high boundary wall and including a small garden courtyard.  (It is the first door on the left.) When we arrived through an old city gate for our 2-night stay, our host gave a funny lesson in tapas here, describing why they are free. "In Granada they marry the drink with

Greg wanted to record me saying no more traveling with kids - a joke I was making the other night at dinner. I couldn't remember exactly what he recorded - but now we won't forget it ... Mercedes automatically connects to his phone and repeats the voice recording. "I love you!" We hear over and over each time we start the car, lol! If you spend a week in Nerja, on the country's southern Mediterranean coast, and don't want to just sit on the beautiful beach and enjoy the plentiful town, there are many day-trips you can take. Within distance are Granada, Malaga, Ronda, Cordoba, and Sevilla. (My family are not day-trippers so we stayed in them instead.) Very close are the Nerja caves, Rio Chillar, and Frigiliana. Mi familia obliged me with a morning in Frigiliana. Frigiliana is yet another of Spain's picturesque whitewashed villages. Of the ones we have visited, this one is the quaintest - and I feel like we are treading on the local's doorsteps.

Although extremely scenic, the hike itself along the Caminito del Rey is a big challenge as large sections of the path are full of holes or missing completely, leaving nothing to hang on to. Every year, skilled rock climbers and thrill-seekers from around the world come to test their adrenaline rush limits along the notorious "world's most dangerous walkway". We were up for the challenge! Although still virtually hanging off the sheer, vertical rock face 300 feet above the Gaitanes Gorge, since its 2015 renovation, the Caminito is much safer but just as spectacular as before. To grab tickets before they sell out, you have to plan in advance, and be patient and diligent - checking the website several times a day 3 months in advance. The flat, one-way "hike" is about 5 miles total, and takes 2-3 hours. Although not comprehending or anticipating adjusting to Spain's late start to the day, thankfully I had the foresight(?) to book the early, cooler ti

The plan for today was to day-trip through Andalucia's White Hill towns - quaint villages perched in the sierras with wonderfully untouched Spanish culture. However, I made a late change to the itinerary and decided it would be best to stay overnight instead. It worked out well for us, and shortened the early morning drive we were expecting for tomorrow. We started on the outskirts of Sevilla in Italica, one of the earliest Roman settlements in Spain. Founded in 206 BC, it was the birthplace of Emperors Trajan and Hadrian, but what equally attracted us was its reemergence into history as the filming location of the Dragonpit from Game of Thrones. The impressive 25,000-seater amphitheater was one of the largest in the Roman Empire. Most recently it housed dragons, the powerful leaders of Westeros, and a wight. Next to the amphitheater, about five large houses of prosperous families have been excavated, some with well-preserved, colorful mosaics, including floors with exqu