May 1st - Jerez & Sevilla

After a nice breakfast outside our hotel, we go for a late morning sherry tour at the Sandeman Bodega. A very interesting tour, with a charming tour guide (bedecked in the logo cape and hat) and lots of sherry and tapas to sample! The storks on the roof are the mascots for the bodega.



We hit the road, and after a little pause under an oak tree in the Andalusian country side, we hit Sevilla.... another confusing town to arrive in - we parked and headed into the old town.



Our hotel was right across from the gothic cathedral - an unbelievable building with locals and tourists filling the streets around it. We hit some tapas bars, and watched the evening turn into night....



Loved the tapas bars! Full of locals, stopping in for a drink and a little snack - you had to squeeze yourself up to the bar to get served, the waiters doing an incredible job filling your order and keeping tabs on your tab! (See our bill in chalk on the counter below!).

April 30th - Cadiz and Jerez

Woke up to being in a funky old hotel, El Duque - lots of character.... yes, that's a real matador's outfit, including cape that looks like it had been put to some use.....



We decided to have breakfast in Cadiz, an interesting port town that is thought by some to be the oldest city in Europe, founded in 1100 BC by the Phoenicians. We hung out with the after church crowd at a nearby pub, watching soccer, then went for a stroll through the old town.


Came out across town to a glorious view of the cathedral. Note second photo below - the tourists viewing the "locals" aboard their safari buses... not our kind of vacation!



We then drove into Jerez, absolutely the most confusing city of our trip from a navigation standpoint! The maps made no sense, street signs were few and far between... even the people we asked for directions didn't know where they were!!! We found a little hotel then walked into the empty old town... no one around.


We had been recommended to go to a new Turkish bath house, called the Hammam Andalusi near the cathedral above. We stepped into a hidden world of Moorish design - three baths - one tepid, one hot, and then a freezing cold one in succession, over a few hours... came out of there completely relaxed and ready for a wonderful tapas dinner in a beautiful patio restaurant... Tomorrow - SHERRY!

April 29th - La Playa Bolonia

Woke up to a gloriously sunny morning - stumbled out of the beachside hotel and had a fabulous brunch on the beach!


Decided to go for a long hike up into the umbrella pine forest on top of the dune... beautiful views of the dune, the point and the Atlantic Ocean.



We then decided to walk out on the point - wildflowers in bloom, super hot and still day - the cool blue of the ocean beckoning to us! Look for the fossils in the photo with the yellow flowers...



By the time we got back to the beach, we were tired, a little burned - ready for a cold beer! Got in the car and headed inland to Vejer de la Frontera, another beautiful white village for dinner. After finding no parking and no hotel room, we carried on to the next town where we finally found a place to in Medina Sidonia to lay our weary (and sunburned!) bodies for the night....

April 28th - evening - after Morrocco, we hit the beach...

Due to the 2 hour time difference, we got back to Spain with plenty of time to spare. We hopped in our faithful Citroen and zipped along the coast, to Bolonia. This off-the-main road beach was incredible - kilometers of fine white sand, a big sand dune complex with the nearby Roman ruins (4000 years old!) of Baleo Claudia.

We decided we had to hike to the top of the dune (because it was there!) and had a wonderful stroll to the top - an umbrella pine forest on the other side, beautiful views of the sun setting on the ruins... We strolled back, trying to find our car in the dark - and came out on the road right beside a hotel - which had an available room! Good nite!