I finally have time to write this as I avoid my French homework while the doc dumbs down my child (wisdom tooth extraction). I will preface this story with two things. Point 1, we are not racists. Never have been and never will be. We love people of all colors, even purple. Since we are not one-eyed, one-horned, flying purple people eaters this comes in handy. Though they may be tasty, I am not a cannibal. However, I will not rule it out if I am ever in a Donner Party situation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donner_Party. Survival and all that. Point 2, have you ever taken the test that explains how you think? Like Germans are usually linear thinkers, while Latins are usually circular? Interesting thing is I have a German background but think very circular, more like tornado-y really, while my hubby is Latin but thinks linear. Must be why we complement each other. Okay, what was I trying to say? Wait, let me read back. Ah okay, circular thinking.
So we went to Southern Spain for Easter, Andalucia to be specific. The title of this story, Round and Round, is very fitting. Because that is what we did the whole time. Not one road in Andalucia is straight. Well, okay maybe the main thoroughfare going into the city is, but that's it. Our first experience in Seville https://youtu.be/uYBce9Gsz7g was the major roundabout to get near the old city. Major in that it had 6 lanes. Which would not be a problem if the Spanish followed normal traffic laws, or the arrows on the ground. There were 6 or 7 branches off this thing, and apparently you could turn right from any of the lanes. Not knowing this, it was disturbing to be driving and then someone cuts across in front of you. Yeah, we went around that thing twice until we figured it was okay to cut across. It was a very good lesson in weaving. My eyes were closed. Good thing I was not the one driving.
I thought it would be cool to stay in the old parts of the cities that we visited. However, those roads were not straight by any means either. So while we could see our hotel from across a plaza, it took about 25 minutes to get to it. This happened in Malaga also. We were 100 yards away from our hotel for about one hour. We could see it, but couldn't get there because of all of the construction in the city and one way roads and procession blocked roads. It was a test to our marriage as well. I don't think we spoke to each other for a half hour just so we could decompress from the stress. One thing we learned for future is to call ahead to make sure there is a parking space available. While the hotels say they have parking they actually have only 5-8 spots available. And they are first come first serve. In Cordoba, with Ricardo driving down loopy roads that may be about 6 feet wide from wall to wall while trying to avoid people in the roads, this is an important concept. So I ran in to let the hotel know we were there. No parking available so clerk gave me a map to parking. I go out, sprint after Ricardo because, of course, someone had to drive down the road too, but with the walking traffic I did not have to go too far, and tried to direct him with a map and an intermittent GPS because the buildings were blocking our signal. So another thing, the maps the hotel gives you? They don't say what is a pedestrian only road, nor do they tell you all of the roads, just the "major" ones. As navigator, I failed miserably. I led hubby down dead ends, to walking only streets, and one way turns. Well, the last one we ignored. So what if only buses and taxis could turn right? We were kind of a taxi! But we found a parking garage. I realized after that we were off the map when I told my husband we were in the middle of the left corner. See, total fail. But we didn't hit anybody because they stepped into doorways. That's a plus.
Why did you go to Andalucia you ask? Okay, maybe you didn't but I am saying you did so you did. I wanted to experience the cultural phenomenon that is Easter in Spain. They have these processions throughout Holy Week in most of the cities across the country, Seville being the major one. These go back into the Renaissance period or earlier some of them. The deal is there are 1 ton floats carried by a people through the streets with bands and penitents, called Nazerenos, following them.
See the pointed hatted people? (So story goes this is where the KKK got their robe idea.) Those are the penitents. They gave out candy and Jesus trading cards. Of course we were going to be right up on them when we could. At a certain point though we could not get anywhere near them because of the wall of people. There were more people in Seville than NYC Times Square on News Years Eve and Disney's all year attendance combined. At night the floats were cool because the candles were all lit. These processions could take like 2 hours because they had to stop to relight the candles and give the carriers a break. It was really an experience.
See? The sea of people. Okay, so we planned out out days to see these processions. And you know when one is coming because people flock down the streets like rats leaving a sinking ship. (Who should sing the song "Round and Round?" Yes, Ratt. I am totally synergistic.) We did not have a route plan, but we did not need one. We just followed the pied piper with everyone else. But you see all these people? Yeah, you don't want to get stuck in that.
We asked our concierge about it. He wrote in our map. Stay away from this area after 3 pm or you will be stuck. Okay, we could handle that. It is only one street.
This is what the map should have looked like.
Why would we think that a procession would go in a straight line in Spain? We were right in the middle of that when I took those photos above. And that was only one street corner. Yeah, and it is frowned upon to cut through a procession. Though that rule was below my husband, and we had to follow him. At one point we were headed in the right direction of our hotel and hit a procession again and made a right turn. 20 minutes of wandering, yes you could have guessed it, in circles we were right back where we started. I couldn't help but laugh. Ricardo did not think it was funny. Who was holding the map? Yes, that would be me. 2 hours after leaving dinner we got back to our hotel. Yeah, no more for my children. The next cities we visited our eagle-eyed spotter youngest child would call out, "Mom, cone heads dead ahead!" And we would turn around, or round and round. Yes, you are allowed to groan.
Overall, it was a very fun trip. Seville is Old Spain, Cadiz is beach and similar to Puerto Rico in looks, the Caves at Nerja were my sons' favorites, Granada is okay, Malaga had interesting Mexican/Indian fusion restaurants and was a nice jaunt for the day after we figured out how to get to our hotel. And Cordoba was totally cool and totally Moorish Spain. And all withing a 3 hour circle from each other. Yes, we even drove the region in one big circle. The food was yummy, the wine was thirst quenching, and the sites were magnificent. And Span so cheap! Ricardo got a beer at a street corner kiosk for 1 Euro. He had to double check to make sure he heard correctly. Oh and a nice Rioja? Maybe 2.50 Euros per glass. Can't beat that! I don't know what can top this trip. I just set the bar pretty high. As long as there is a glass of wine on said bar I am fine.
Seville
Caves
No comments:
Post a Comment