I just read the previous post to try and figure out where I left off ... San Sebastian?!? Honestly, that seems like FOREVER ago, but I guess that's what happens with traveling -- so much seeing and doing and moving that things that happened yesterday feel like they occurred in a different lifetime. For brevity's sake, I'll write a few sentences about the various locations we have been since the last time I wrote.

First up after San Sebastian was Madrid: went and visited all sorts of good cultural things that one should see while in Spain -- The Prado and La Reina Sofia Museums (got to see a lot of Velazquez, Picasso and Miró, not to mention many of the other non-Spanish, big name artists that even non-artistic folks such as ourselves recognized), the Palacio Real (residence of the Royal Family) a bullfight (well, actually only Mom and Dad went), etc. etc. Overall, a good stop-over, but nobody's favorite city.

Valencia: By the time we got the car rented, packed, and drove all the way to Valencia, and, ahem, FOUND where our hotel was located in the city, we were left with less time than we originally planned. However, we did get to do all the basics: eat delicious paella, go to the beach and walk around the old Historical District of the city. Mom and Dad especially liked Valencia, although Colleen isn't entirely certain as to why...

Granada: Colleen's personal favorite, so she's a little biased when writing about Granada. FINALLY delving into Andalucía (clearly the best region in Spain), Granada is a city right next door to the Sierra Nevada mountain range and is home to La Alhambra (ancient Moorish fortress/palace), the Albazyn (funky neighborhood on the hillside with narrow, twisty streets and a fair amount of teterías (think cafés, but specializing in teas) and artesanía/handicraft shops. It is also home to one of Spain's largest universities, probably 96% of all of Spain's hippy population, and also has an out-of-the-way Roma (Gypsy) neighborhood who live in cave-like houses (this is all according to Dad's Rick Steves guide book --, it was kind of out-of-the-way to get to and we didn't see it ourselves). Anyway, we did get to go to the Alhambra and walk around the gardens, forts and royal chambers and patios, go to the chapel adjacent to Granada's cathedral and check out the mausoleum for los Reyes Católicos, eat chocolate con churros, watch the sunset from Mirador San Nicolas, and soak up the city's unique vibe.

Cádiz: Again, this whole trip is something of a whirlwind. We got here Saturday afternoon, went to the beach with 93% of the population of Cádiz (soooo crowded), got up the next morning and walked along the Paseo Marítimo and in the Casco Antiguo, took a bus to Arcos de la Frontera in the early afternoon, explored one of the typical Pueblos Blancos of Andalucía, nearly melted due to the intense heat, nearly didn't make it back from Arcos (that's a story for later), got back to Cádiz around 10:30, had dinner and went to bed. PS I totally realize that was one of the longest run-on sentences I've ever written, but that's pretty much what the day felt like. Anyway. Later today we're driving to Sevilla (where we're likely to finish melting from the heat), spending a few days there, and then on THURSDAY yours truly will be rejoining you all in the US and the parental unit will continue on to Portugal. Whew, complicated stuff. Okay, well that's all for now, hasta luego!!