Destination: Spain

Cordoba

Tue, 21 May 2013 | By vagabondstoo | Views [1715]

Cordoba, once Roman and later Visigoth, came into its own in the 8 th Century when the Umayyad Muslims made it the capital of Al-Andalus, Islamic Spain.  While the rest of Europe succumbed to the ignorance and superstition of the Dark Ages, Al-... Read more >

Montoro

Mon, 20 May 2013 | By vagabondstoo | Views [1259]

We detoured through the hill town of Montoro on our way to Cordoba.  We were looking for information on the national park and became entangled in a maze of hilly, twisting streets so narrow we had to fold in our mirrors to avoid rubbing the whitewashed ... Read more >

Photos: Mediterranean

Mon, 20 May 2013 | By kristinadenmark | Photo Gallery

Ubeda and Baeza

Sun, 19 May 2013 | By vagabondstoo | Views [957]

It was raining and cold, just above freezing, as we climbed the winding road from Elche into Andalucia.  We could even see snow on some of the higher peaks.  Spring in Spain can be like spring in the Rockies.       Nothing ... Read more >

Photos: Andalucia

Sun, 19 May 2013 | By vagabondstoo | Photo Gallery

The Palmeral of Elche

Fri, 17 May 2013 | By vagabondstoo | Views [617]

Historians pretty much agreed that the palms in the Palmeral of Elche, just west of Alicante, were planted by the Moors during their long occupation of Iberia. Recent archeological evidence, however, coupled with DNA from the palms indicate that the ... Read more >

Recipe For Travel

Thu, 16 May 2013 | By vagabondstoo | Views [610]

We joke that while we know where we will be in, say March, 2014 (India), we don't know where we will be tomorrow night.  But it is the truth! Planning is a day-to-day thing.  Often we will decide to stay over for a couple of days if we especially ... Read more >

Wheels of Our Own

Tue, 14 May 2013 | By vagabondstoo | Views [1341]

A rental car can be either a blessing or a curse.  On the one hand, having a car enables you to go wherever you like, whenever you want.  At the same time it deprives you of the experience of using public transportation.   In Europe ... Read more >

El Greco

Sun, 12 May 2013 | By vagabondstoo | Views [1376]

I could write about his background, how Domenikos Theotokopoulos was born in Crete, trained as a painter in Italy and developed his unique style in his adopted city of Toledo where he became known as El Greco, "the Greek."  About how his elongated ... Read more >

Holy Toledo, Oy Vey

Sat, 11 May 2013 | By vagabondstoo | Views [643]

Toledo, Spain's leading Catholic city, is dominated by a wonderful cathedral.  Streets are named for saints and museums are chock-a-block with religious paintings.  So you can imagine my surprise when I read that the expression "Holy Toledo" ... Read more >

Photos: Toledo to Valencia

Fri, 10 May 2013 | By vagabondstoo | Photo Gallery

A View of Toledo

Fri, 10 May 2013 | By vagabondstoo | Views [436]

El Greco's "View of Toledo" has haunted me ever since I first saw it in 1971 on a college art assignment to NYC's Metropolitan Museum of Art.  With a few days of Madrid under our belts we're back in the vagabonding groove and it's time to see Toledo ... Read more >

Donkey Paradise is here

Fri, 10 May 2013 | By cloide | Views [490]

When you get to live in paradise you find all the inspiration you need to enjoy yourself and others and build the best memories of your life.   Once upon a time there were wild donkeys in African and Asian landscapes. They ate whatever was ... Read more >

Tags: donkey paradise, marlen verhoeff; asturias;

Art, Art, and More Art

Thu, 9 May 2013 | By vagabondstoo | Views [891]

Madrid is a paradise for Art lovers with all the greats on display.  The private collection at the Thyssen-Bornemisza museum, valued at €2 billion, has been described as major works by minor artists and minor works by great masters.  If ... Read more >

Garabullos - The farm of the future

Wed, 8 May 2013 | By cloide | Views [267]

Welcome to Garabullos the place where the talking animals live and whom you can talk to (if you know how to listen), a place in which the trees hide stories that you’ll uncover (if you’re curious enough). This is a world that spins at ... Read more >

Tags: garabullos; galicia;