Our memories of Spain 2024:
Yet another great trip to Spain, our 5th since 2017, and that's with Covid. We have a number of wonderful memories, including:
- a nice meal of paella on Norm's birthday, accompanied by a bottle of Alborino at MacSura (Cordoba)
- staying in Paco de Lucia's home, Entre dos Aguas
- the beautiful courtyard often with Paco de Lucia's music playing
- enjoying our last dinner on Entre dos Aguas' rooftop terrace accompanied by church bells and pigeons
- relaxing / listening to music in Paco de Lucia's sound studio
- our meal at Entre dos Fuegos
- the gifts upon our return each day to Entre dos Aguas
- the snow capped Sierra Nevada mountains
- the abundance of colourful, varied wildflowers, especially the poppies
- returning to Cortijo del Marques (for the fourth time)
- relaxing in the afternoon sun of Cortijo del Marques' outdoor terrace
- the screw up by Avis by not communicating the closing of their Toledo office
- the cypress and shrub lined entry to the beautiful traditional Andalucian farmhouse at Las Tejuelas
- the countryside vistas as seen from El Amparo
- eating outdoors at El Amparo, admiring the vistas
- pizza night at El Amparo, including the wonderful salad and lemon tiramisu
- enjoying a bottle of Alborina with tapas at outside our circular room at Hotel Rural Las Tejuelas
- the unique lemon dessert we so admired (but did not order) at Regardera
- Cordoba's spectacular Mezquita - Catedral
- the calima (wind / dust) storm
- the smell of the lemon blossoms
- the storks
- the history and buildings of Toledo and Cordoba
- the tranquil rural settings of Cortijo del Marques, El Amparo and Hotel Rural Las Tejuelas
- great meals accompanied by great wine
- fantastic breakfasts ... everywhere
- the Madrid airport lounge
- the views from our Eglise room at Cortijo de Marques (Sierra Nevada mountains; orange trees in the courtyard)
- our drives in the countryside
- endless acres of olive groves
- the small forest of cork trees
- the complicated maze of streets in old Cordoba
- the welcome birthday gifts (Cava and traditional cake) from Hotel Madinat
- our Moroccan themed room, along with the interesting original floor tiles at Hotel Madinat
- boletus risotto at Alfilerito 24 (Toledo)
- the pedestrianized (very few vehicles beyond taxis) cobble stone streets of Cordoba and Toledo
- our struggles walking the significant inclines and declines of Toledo
- the overall beautiful scenery of Andalucia
- enjoying flamenco music in Cordoba
- our wonderful hosts - Sylvia; Eilko; Simon; Nick; Youseff; Christian; Marina; Belen and Andrea
Expenses (based on average exchange rate 1 euro = $1.4716 Cdn):
Here are the costs of our 14 day trip:
$ 2,167 airfare to / from Spain; seat selection
$ 196 internal flight Madrid to Granada
$ 4,198 lodging ($300 Cdn $ per night)
$ 1,589 food ($113 Cdn $ per day for dinner etc. including wine; breakfasts are included in lodging)
$ 1,252 vehicle ($749 or $68 per day for the vehicle; fuel and tolls of $183; parking and taxis of $320)
$ 44 souvenirs
$ 30 entrance - Mezquita-Catedral
$ 48 miscellaneous - primarily tips
$ 9,524 for 14 days
The total cost excluding airfare and souvenirs (i.e. lodging, food, entrances, vehicle and miscellaneous) was $7,380 or $527 per day, with increased lodging and car rental costs.
Following are the average costs of this and our four previous trips to Spain.
Total Lodging Food Vehicle
2017 $ 408 160 euros / $ 250 63 euros / $ 93 $ 28
2018 $ 380 146 euros / $ 229 60 euros / $ 93 $ 26
2019 $ 375 146 euros / $ 227 68 euros / $104 $ 22
2023 $ 423 180 euros / $ 266 79 euros / $115 $ 28
2024 $ 527 204 euros / $ 300 77 euros / $113 $ 68
Prices appear to be steadily rising although our choices of lodging do contribute. We do tend to choose more expensive (although not the most) rooms, and this trip we stayed in two tourist cities - Cordoba and Toledo, each of which come with a price. Food - essentially dinner with wine - costs have been consistent over the years, increasing more or less with inflation. The one spike is the huge increase in car rental in 2024. The cost did include a one-way charge although that does not accounts for a significant portion of the increase.
Our lodging ranged from a low of 163 euros to a high of 245 euros. All included excellent breakfasts (with a opportunity to upgrade breakfast at Entre dos Aguas for 15 euros each which we did one morning).
Here is where we stayed, the amount we paid (in euros) the range of room rates and links to websites.
206 euros (134 to 224) Cortijo del Marquis Albolote (Granada) www.cortijodelmarques.com
187 euros (149 to 213) El Amparo Santa Cruz del Comercio www.elamparo.com
245 euros (200 to 441) Hotel Madinat Cordoba www.hotelmadinat.com
163 euros (132 to 163) Hotel Rural Las Tejuelas Valdecaballeros www.lastejuelas.com
195 euros (195 to 375) Entre dos Aguas Toledo www.entredosaguas.com
We finished packing and then enjoyed one last breakfast (the continental version) before heading off to Madrid's airport.
Rather than keep our vehicle (and not use it) for days and pay for parking we decided to have a driver pick us up at the hotel and deliver us to the door of Madrid's Terminal 1. Although 150 euros it was still more or less the same cost as three days of car rental plus three days of parking, but a lot easier and stress-free.
The drive is indicated as approximately an hour but there was an accident as we approached the airport that added 20 minutes to half an hour. We had built in about that much as a cushion resulting in no worry or anxiety.
Our flight from Madrid to Toronto was on schedule. We ended up sitting beside Josephine who actually arrived in Spain with her husband John the same day we did and was returning, again the same day on the same flight. They had stayed in Seville, taking a number of day trips.
We were a bit early arriving in Toronto allowing for some (not a lot but some) lounge time before catching our flight to Halifax where we again arrived on time.
The room we stayed in was Almoraima, one of Paco de Lucia's early pieces.
Have a listen while you scroll through the day's travel blog.
Andrea, from Romania, is proud of and promotes Romania as a wonderful place to visit. She was extremely attentive and helpful throughout our stay. La Casa de Paco de Lucia is everything we imagined it would be. There are photos, guitars, CDs, albums and all sorts of memorabilia. More than a home it feels like a museum / shrine, including the small sound-proof recording studio in the basement where Paco de Lucia recorded a CD.
Again this afternoon we headed out to walk the streets of Toledo - towards Plaza Zocodover. No particular destination but we did wander through some of the Museo Santa Cruz. Rather than go out to dinner tonight, our final night, we decided to get some takeout and have a 'picnic' on our rooftop terrace, enjoying the view of the setting sun. We bought an order of Manchego cheese, a half-order of Iberian ham, and a goat cheese salad at a restaurant (Domenikus) where we enjoyed a nice chat with Lara while we waited for our food. But rather than walk back with our food we decided to wimp out and took a taxi in order to avoid again walking the (for us) painful elevation changes.
Remember our gift of marzipan yesterday? Today we returned to a bottle of wine with the message "Juice with more life experience. Enjoy". Which was a perfect accompaniment for our dinner.
We spent the afternoon in the sound studio listening to Paco de Lucia's music while working away on our travel blogs, very peaceful.
We had the rooftop all to ourselves where we enjoyed a nice relaxing 'meal', listening to church bells, admiring the rooftop tiles and watching the sun turn the sky a nice orange. If only that crane was not there. Andrea was thoughtful enough to provide us with plates and cutlery which made the experience even nicer.
While a dinner at a restaurant had appeal, our rooftop experience was somewhat unique, relaxing and a great way to end our trip and stay in Toledo.
Right: the casa's staircase adorned with hanging plants
Below: the small restaurant where we had dinner the first night
Right: The tower and church of Sto. Domingo El Antiguo, across the square from Entre dos Aguas.
Below: The intricately carved door to Entre dos Aguas.
When considering hotels in Toledo we were drawn to Entre dos Aguas (La Casa de Paco de Lucia), one because we enjoy Spanish flamenco guitar music, and two because it is, according to TripAdvisor, the top rated hotel in Toledo, and three the price was reasonable for being in the centre of an historic city.
The five room boutique hotel, a 15th-century house was owned by famous Spanish composer and guitarist Paco de Lucia, known to have revolutionized flamenco. The hotel is essentially a museum / shrine to Paco de Lucia.
Throughout the hotel there are photos, busts, guitars, memorabilia etc. honouring Paco de Lucia, a virtuoso flamenco guitarist, composer and record producer. A leading proponent of the new flamenco style, he was one of the first flamenco guitarists to branch into classical and jazz. Paco de Lucia has been described as a "titanic figure in the world of flamenco guitar" and "one of history's greatest guitarists". In the 1970s De Lucia recorded ten albums with flamenco singer Camarón de la Isla, regarded as some of the most important and influential in flamenco history.
It is our goal to stay in lodgings with character. La Casa de Paco de Lucia has character +++.
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Toledo is a small ancient city with a population of 84,000 set on a hill above the plains of Castilla-La Mancha in central Spain. The capital of the region it is known for medieval Arab, Jewish and Christian monuments in its walled old city. The Moorish Bisagra Gate and the Sol Gate, in Mudejar style, open into the old quarter. Toledo is primarily located on the north bank of the Rio Tagus, nestled in a bend in the river. It is known as the 'City of the Three Cultures' for the cultural influences of Christians, Muslims and Jews throughout its history. Toledo was the capital of the Visigothic kingdom from 542 to 725 AD. The city includes a Gothic Cathedral and was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1986 for its extensive monumental and cultural heritage.
Toledo is a difficult city to walk, especially for those of us with some mobility issues. The meandering alleys and streets are rarely flat, most often on an incline or decline. This, and the cobblestones can make walking a challenge. But it is an interesting city with a number of churches, historical buildings and monuments. There are actually too many to keep track of. Our walk today took us through the Jewish quarter, on the west side of the old city. It is the Jewish community of Toledo that in the 12th and 13th centuries became the most populous and rich of the Kingdom of Castile, coexisting for centuries, more or less peacefully, with Muslins and Christians contributing to Toledo being known as the city of the three cultures.
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After our walk we returned to Entre dos Aguas to find a gift in our room - a box of marzipan. Marzipan is a ready-to-eat sweet treat traditionally found in confectionary shops across Europe. Made from ground almonds, sugar and egg whites, marzipan is often shaped and dyed or painted as realistic fruits and vegetables.
Being Sunday night virtually every restaurant was closed, with us ending up at Restaurant Alfilerito 24, open 24 hours a day. Generally we were pleased. The ambiance was nice, blending old and new. The bread was delicious, served of course with olive oil. Cheese and olives were provided before our meal. There were no vegetarian options on the menu but when Gayle asked she was provided with three. As soon as Boletus Risotto was mentioned there was no need to consider anything else. It was excellent, a nice tasty, large serving. Norm on the other hand wish he could have a do-over. The choice was between lamb chops and wild boar loin marinated in citrus, herb butter and green asparagus. Norm went with the wild boar which unfortunately was quite tough and did not reflect the citrus marinade. Some times we get it right; some times we don't.
The walk back was again difficult (up, down, up, down) through quiet streets but we returned to our hotel after a somewhat tiring day.
Again the impressive Monastery of San Juan de Los Reyes. Another of the many churches.
There were no vegetarian dishes on the menu but when there were choice offered. Without hesitation Gayle said yes to the boletus risotto which was absolutely delicious.
Entre dos Aguas (Paco de Lucia's house), Toledo
The current owners, in love with the farm and its surroundings, decided to acquire the property to create what is today the 'Las Tejuelas' Rural Hotel. A year later (2016) a comprehensive renovation of the property began refurbishing it as a hotel, respecting the original style. Two years after renovation began (2018) 'Las Tejuelas' Rural Hotel began to welcome guests.
Due to a mess up by Avis we HAD to be at a meeting place just outside Toledo at 2:30 pm. We planned to leave no later than 11:00 am to give ourselves plenty of time. Breakfast, being great as ever took a bit longer than expected due to Belen, in spite of her struggle with English, being the perfect host, preparing coffee and toast and constantly replenishing the breakfast buffet.
After breakfast and settling up, I ended up chatting with the other couple staying at the Las Tejuelas. Serkan and Judith (and their young daughter Emily) from Valencia chatted with us about traveling through Spain and elsewhere in Europe. The time flew by with the result being we left somewhat later than planned.
As a result we had virtually no time to stop for photos along the way, which was a shame given the many gorgeous fields of wildflowers, flocks of sheep and rolling hills of olive trees.
The drive to Toledo was scheduled for, and took 2 1/2 hours. We arrived at the meeting place a 2:04 pm where we waited for the Avis reps. They were somewhat late but did arrive at 2:55 pm to pick up our vehicle.
After completing the paperwork one of the fellows drove us to our hotel Entre dos Aguas in the historical centre of Toledo.
We both enjoy Spanish (flamenco) guitar music. When we realized we had an opportunity to stay in a home owned by Paco de Lucia, one of the best Spanish guitarists of all time we did so. More on Paco and the hotel tomorrow as the following focuses on the dinner we booked tonight at the intimate 8 seat restaurant where the chef cooks directly in front of us. The restaurant Entre dos Fuegos is located in our boutique hotel Entre dos Aguas. The dinner was 10 dishes served over two and a half hours by Chef José Lopez, assisted by his sous-chef Yolanda.
Dinner was an experience. Unfortunately it was essentially all in Spanish (Jose spoke no English), although thankfully we were provided an English menu. But even as Jose explained the variations for Gayle's vegetarian versions of each serving we really did not understand (Asi es la vida / That's life). As well four of the other guests spoke only Spanish - an elderly couple from Toledo and a young couple from the Basque region of Spain. Fortunately one guest from Boston knew a fair amount of Spanish, serving as an interpreter during the evening.
The meal consisted of four Appetizers, three Starters, a Fish dish, a Meat dish and a Dessert. We ordered a bottle of (reasonably priced) wine and water (in a pretty blue bottle) to enjoy with our dinner.
The Appetizers were (Gayle was served vegetarian variations)
- a pickled combo (Basque chili pepper, green olive, anchovy and octopus)
- Wasabi chips with salmon dices and mango vinegar
- red endive with mussels, bacon and mustard, and
- teriyaki crunchy bean candy
Then the Starters of
- brioche toast with guacamole, sardine, wakame and soy & yuzu pearls
- pastry bags filled with pear and gorgonzola, cheese cream and parmesan slices, and
- pan with artichokes fried with Iberian pork jowls, poached egg and foie, truffles and mushroom sauce
The fish dish was a
- sheet of bread with baked turbot, baked apple cream, caramelized onion, pea shoots and samphire
While the meat dish was
- beef and mushroom 'brownie' with sweet potato cream, sweet potato chips, a Padron pepper, currant and chive sprouts
Finally for dessert we had
- cheesecake with Torrija ice cream, red fruit coulis, raspberry and mint leaf.
After dinner we were offered a digestive - we choose limoncello.
A few observations
- although the servings were (very) small we were stuffed by the end
- our favourites were the pastry bags (aka pasta) in cream cheese and the cheesecake dessert
- the cooking of the poached egg was very unique and interesting
- there were a number of unique touches e.g. samphire; yuzu pearls, pea shoots etc.
- in spite of our frustration with our lack of Spanish smiles go a long way
- all the guests seemed engaged and enjoying themselves
- it was a unique and fun experience
It was 11:30 pm when dinner finished - quite late for us but we only had to take the elevator up to our room where we retired full and tired after a long day.
Sous-chef Yolanda. J
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cooking the pastry bags Gayle in her Spanish dress.
Gayle's toast, without the sardine.
into the nearby countryside / mountains
On the way to breakfast I met Andres, the gardener. He mentioned something in Spanish but after I indicated I had no idea what he was saying immediately switched to English. Interestingly Andres' English was surprisingly good. He was clearly proud of his other vocation, that being as a fishing guide here in the 'lake district' of central Spain.
Breakfast was superb, including fresh tomato to spread on toast with excellent quality (the best Norm had on the trip) Iberian ham, the freshest orange juice and all the other breakfast items.
Marina recommended a drive north and west, past Guadalupe which we are familiar with having stayed in the parador on two occasions, and on to Castanar di Ibor. From there west past Robledollano where we turned south, heading to Canamero to complete the loop.
Mid-afternoon we headed out as recommended on what turned out to be more or less a three-hour drive.
The drive was a nice mixture of rolling countryside, lots and lots of olive trees, mountains, animals (sheep, pigs and cows) and more wildflowers.
Somewhat unexpectedly we also came across a small forest of cork trees.
our room in the hot (it went up to 28 C today) afternoon sun with some tasty olives and 'tapas'.
Afterwards we wandered over to the restaurant where we enjoyed another nice meal starting with some bread and a tasty red pepper, tomato, bread, olive oil and salt mixture traditional to Marina's home region of Cadiz. Gayle followed with a pumpkin soup while Norm had the salmon in orange sauce. Both very good.
Rural Hotel Las Tejuelas is our kind of place. The hotel is a typical Andalusian farmhouse. Based on the number of mounted animals (the local taxidermy was well employed) this is an area where hunting was prominent. Wild boar, mouflon and roe deer live on the property's land as well as various birds.
One really has the feeling of being with nature here where it is quiet with vast open spaces.
Love the way the light encircles the leaves.
The nice verandah area - as seen from both ends.
Upon returning we decided to order a bottle of wine before dinner to enjoy with some olives and 'tapas' at our room. As one can see the wine was delivered with a few flowers - a very special touch. What a great way to relax with the sun streaming on us. Life if very good.
April 11, 2024 - Cordoba to Hotel Rural Las Tejuelas
After three nights in Cordoba it was time to move on. We tend not to visit / stay in larger cities but after having done so in Sevilla a number of years ago we decided to see both Cordoba and Toledo on this trip. We stayed right in the heart of Cordoba. We didn't try to see or do too much, but rather just enjoyed wandering the narrow medina like streets / alleyways.
The hotel we chose - Hotel Madinat was wonderful - the decor, breakfast and service. Our room was very interesting with it's Moroccan lights and touches, bringing back fond memories of our trip to Morocco. Sure the room was smaller than those we are accustomed to when staying at cortijos in rural areas but that was as expected in the historical centre of a city.
Before leaving we enjoyed a nice chat with Christian, one of the staff here at Hotel Madinat.
But then it was off on a 236 km supposedly nearly three hour drive. However with all the photo stops the drive took us nearly double that.
Our route took us essentially due north from Cordoba into Extramadura to Hotel Rural Las Tejuelas between Valdecaballeros and Guadaloupe.
The drive was, at least for us, quite something - some flat; some rolling hills; not many towns but beautiful scenic countryside throughout. The wildflowers were in full bloom, very prolific. The olive trees were seen throughout as were the many sheep along the way.
We finally arrived at Hotel Rural Las Tejuelas, a place we chose as it is a rural lodging more or less half way between Cordoba and Toledo. We were warmly greeted by Marina who while appearing to understand most of what we said could not express herself well in English, relying on her translator, which actually was very effective.
Las Tejuelas serves dinner - a good thing as it is at least 20 km from the nearest place to eat. We had dinner in a beautiful dining room, staring with some cheese, olives and toast with a jam-like spread. Gayle then had a warm goat cheese salad with walnuts and fruit while Norm enjoyed a dish of tasty pork with an apple / pear chutney.
A nice meal to end a nice day.
Below the ceiling of the staircase; and some of the art in the courtyard.
To the right Gayle and Christian.
Flor de Esteva or Rock Rose, or mountain flowers as we call them.
After relaxing through the late morning we then headed over to see the inside of Cordoba's Mezquita-Catedral.
The Mosque-Catedral is Cordoba's main monument. Work on the construction of a Mosque started soon after Abd al Rahman the first took over the Emirate in 711. Its most ancient foundations are built over the remains of the primitive Visigothic basilica of San Vicente. After Cordoba was conquered by the Christians at the beginning of the sixteenth century the city council decided to build a Cathedral in the heart of the Mosque which at present stands in the middle of an impressive forest of Moorish arches.
The building is massive and very impressive with the rows and rows and rows of arches. We were very glad we took the time to tour such a historical site.
While wandering back we first stepped into a leather (or cuero) shop where Norm bought a belt. Cordoba is known for its leather artesans with goods, in particular bags, purses, wallets and belts being a local speciality in Cordoba, still made by hand in studios and workshops all over town. Then we stopped in a small outdoor cafe on this sunny warm afternoon where Norm had a glass of sangria (actually better than expected) and Gayle a glass of cava, along with a bowl of tasty olives.
As well, on our way back to Hotel Madinat we passed a restaurant that offered a flamenco show. While worried about being 'touristy' the venue looked interesting and the reviews were generally quite good causing us to book a table. Another excellent decision. The food was actually much better than we expected. The traditional Gazpacho was excellent as was the Doble de Cepa potato omelette (tortilla) with candied onions. Gayle very much like the fried aubergine (eggplant) with cane syrop although Norm less so. Norm's ox tail was quite tasty with a rich sauce. Water and a couple of glasses of wine were sipped during the one hour performance.
The flamenco was quite enjoyable. A guitarist, a singer and two dancers, one male and one female. Their intensity could be felt, particularly the male dancer who at first did not appear to be a 'traditionally built' flamenco performer but surprised us with the quality of his performance.
We left very happy with this Spanish experience, returning the short way to our hotel to bring an end to our last full day in Cordoba.
A small portion of the interior of the Mezquita-
Catedral.
the tourists in Cordoba.
Guitar, dancing and song (or perhaps better described as wailing).
We are very happy with the room we chose - Ras Lain, Moroccan themed, with its beautiful lights. It is also nice that it is on the first floor to which there is an elevator, which Norm's knees and Gayle's hip are very appreciative of (although we still manage to climb the four flights of steps to the roof-top terrace).
Early afternoon we went out for a walk, through the narrow streets / alleyways of our neighbourhood, heading toward the river and the restaurant the hotel booked for us. A quick glimpse in of Regadera did not leave us super excited but based on the hotel's recommendation and great reviews we kept our reservation and glad we did as we enjoyed a wonderful meal.
Our walk took us to the Mezquita-Catedral, the most significant landmark of the city. Cordoba was first built on the banks of the no longer navigable Guadalquivir River, the largest in Andalucia in 164 BC. The modest Roman Imperial settlement grew to the point that two centuries later it competed with the most magnificent of all cities. The arrival of the Moors to Spain in 711 made Cordoba the headquarters of the Emirate founded by Abd al-Rahman the first. His descendants made Cordoba at that time the richest and most sumptuous city in the known world, so much so that it was proclaimed the capital of al-Andalus in 929. A few decades later, Cordoba became the object of a bloody civil war between different Moorish factions with its immense power then being relegated to a modest and weakened Moorish kingdom. Finally in 1236 the Christian army led by the King of Castile, Fernando the third the Saint, took Cordoba and its Mosque. Over time the city developed in keeping with the aesthetics dictated by the Christians, eventually becoming an agricultural and artisan center.
Currently Cordoba has the most elements declared as World Heritage Sites in Spain with four included on the UNESCO World Heritage list
- the historic center of Cordoba,
- the Caliphal City of Medina Azahara,
- the Festival of the Cordoba Patios, and
- the Mosque-Catedral of Cordoba, including the historic centre that surrounds it.
We decided we would return tomorrow and visit the interior of the Mezquita-Catedral.
After returning to and relaxing at our hotel we went out to dinner. Regadare turned out to be an interesting restaurant with a huge open kitchen and a large herb garden. Norm started with Acorn fed Iberian ham croquettes with a confit of garlic mayonnaise and sliced chives. Gayle then had the warm asparagus salad with mayonnaise foam, citrus and sesame vinaigrette. While the salad was ordered without the ham, which based on others we saw was very plentiful, we suspect more asparagus were included. Norm went with the Spring lamb leg with carrots, miso butter and Ras el Hanout. What is Ras el Hanout you ask? It is a spice mix of cumin, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, coriander, pepper and more, often called for in many Moroccan recipes. The lamb and sauce was delicious. Surprisingly lamb is not very common on menus in Andalucia.
For dessert anything with the word 'chocolate' jumps off the page which had Gayle ordering the Chocolate cake with Madagascar vanilla ice cream, very rich and intense. There was another interesting option called 'All about the Lemon! Foam, cream, ice cream, sponge cake and mint' which also looked very interesting - no doubt we will order if there is a next time.
The original tiling of Madinat's entry way.
One of the interior courtyard windows.
The anniversary of the day of my birth, or what others traditionally would call my birthday. The start of my 8th decade. And the reason for this trip as Gayle suggested we do something special to celebrate this special occasion.
The weather was better today - the dust had for the most part cleared with bluer skies and warm enough temperatures that we were able to enjoy breakfast outside. After eating and packing we chatted with Nick, said goodbye to Simon and took a number of final photos. And then we were on our way for the 210 km drive to Cordoba, our next stop.
For the most part we drove the highway until 30 km or so south of Cordoba when we took a rural road to the east along which the ditches were full of wildflowers. It was hard not to stop around nearly every turn as the colours were so vibrant. No doubt too many photos below but only a small portion of the number we took.
We arrived in Cordoba, a city of 325,000 with more UNESCO world heritage sites than any other city in the world. After finding the parkade and experiencing a scare when Gayle could not find her phone (on the third trip back to the parked car we finally found it wedged between the seat and the side of the car) we eventually (after going one street too far and having to circle back) found Hotel Madinat, a beautifully renovated hotel in the heart of the old medina of Cordoba.
Our room, Ras Lain, takes its name from an Arabic toponym whose literal translation is 'head of the fountain', the name of a remote Moroccan town with which the Hotel Madinat feels twinned. The room maintains the original hydraulic floor from the 19th century.
For my birthday dinner I wanted traditional Spanish paella. We asked the hotel to suggest / book a restaurant where paella was available. They did a great job, booking us in to nearby (< a 2 minute walk) MacSura. We were very pleased with the ambiance of the restaurant, the level of service, the quality of food and the very enjoyable Spanish guitar / flamenco music being played.
We started with a traditional Cordoba 'soup' - Salmorejo cordobes accompanado de jamon Iberico huevito duro y aciete de oliva (cold cream soup garnished with hard boiled egg, cured ham and oil) - a thick cold soup of mashed bread, tomatoes, olive oil, and garlic. The starter was followed by paella - de verduras / vegetable for Gayle and marisco / seafood for Norm. Our meal was accompanied by a nice Albarino wine - Adega Pazos de Lusco. Everything about the meal was perfect - 10 out of 10 - a great end to a wonderful day.
The front of El Amparo (where we enjoyed dinner the first night).
The drive to Cordoba was pretty easy - north from El Amparo back to Moraleno de Zafayona and then west for 60 plus kms on the A92. Just before Antequerra where we turned north on the A45.
Just past Montilla we took a country road, along which there was a wealth of wildflowers, especially poppies, east to Santa Cruz. From there it was north to Cordoba where we found the recommended parking garage.
Not every wildflower here is a poppy - Chrysanthemum indicum and daisies all being captured by Gayle.
More colourful roadside wildflowers.
MacSura turned out to be an excellent choice for a special meal.
The after effects of the calima were still obvious as the sun struggled to poke through the 'clouds' of dust.
After another late breakfast (10:00 am qualifies as late even to us) we hung around El Amparo, working on our travel blogs, napping on the day bed and generally chilling out.
Late afternoon we drove into the nearby town of Alhama de Granada where we strolled through the historic streets. We had again considered going to the Moorish quarter of Granada but with the 45 minute drive each way and less than perfect air quality decided against it.
It was believed that in the 15th century the town was consolidated by the Arabs who it is believed built the thermal baths here. However it now appears the earliest baths date back further - to the 12th century and were Roman, based on the style of construction.
In 1482 the fortress town was taken from the Moorish Sultanate and Kingdom of Granada by the Catholic Monarchs. Alhama's position between Malaga and Granada gave it strategic importance for the Moors, although they also had a particular fondness for the town and its thermal waters and hot springs. The strategic influence of Alhama de Granada made its fall vital for the conquest of the Kingdom of Granada, which led to the beginning of a flourishing Christian age.
Alhama de Granada was the community with the highest number of victims from the 1884 Andalusian earthquake where it was reported 463 died and 473 were injured, although the real number seems to have been considerably higher as more bodies were subsequently found under the rubble. More than 70% of the houses collapsed.
We wandered through the town past a number of churches, a castle, towers, hospitals and the prison, built in 1674 under the mandate of Carlos II.
A very worthwhile outing.
As El Amparo does not serve dinner on Sundays Simon booked us into a highly regarded new restaurant, Mar y Brassas in Moraleda de Zafayona, about a 20 minute drive. Known as a steakhouse Norm not surprisingly ordered a steak which was of excellent quality (although had a massive amount of fat), nicely served with asparagus and roasted potatoes. The starter of a sampling of croquettes (although we had no idea what was in the croquettes. The best we could get from the waiter was 'pescado' and 'carne' (fish and meat), Gayle's rice with vegetables dish, topped with asparagus and the three chocolate cake were all good.
However that's where the good ends. The woman who greeted us, speaking no English whatsoever said she did not have any reservation for us. In retrospect it should not have been an issue as the restaurant was for the most part empty. A waiter who spoke some English helped us settle in but then must have left as there was no-one remaining who spoke any English at all. The decor, in Norm's view was boring and the music loud and simply terrible. Perhaps it was the language but our service was definitely lacking. Plus the mushroom sauce Norm ordered was apparently not available (?). So while the food was decent the overall experience much less so.
After dinner it was an easy drive back to El Amparo.
The Church of our Lady of Carmen, built in the last third of the sixteenth century.
Simon suggested Mar y Brasas for dinner, in Moraleda de Zafayona.
As a starter I had a plate of four different croquettes.
Unlike fog, which consists of water droplets, the calima comprises solid particles that can travel vast distances carried by the wind. It can also have the added effect of potentially altering local climate conditions by trapping heat in the atmosphere. The origins of the calima are multifaceted, involving natural processes such as sandstorms in arid regions and volcanic eruptions, as well as human-induced factors from factories and agricultural activities.
Apparently the calima of 2022 was much worse than this weekend's when a significant orange glow covered the countryside. This was more like the aftermath of a fire but still created concern for Nick, the owner who encouraged us to stay inside in order not to be impacted by the dust. The 'haze' normally lingers for a few days.
We started the day with a nice breakfast that included bread, a large bowl of fresh fruit, excellent yoghurt, oats with chai seeds and mango along with some meat, cheese and avocado ... juice and coffee of course.
The calima kept us inside most of the day until we took a late afternoon drive through the countryside amongst the many olive groves and orchards of another tree that appeared to look like a cork tree but was likely some form of nut. Our drive ended with us in the largest nearby town of Alhama de Granada. We just nipped in with the thought of returning tomorrow.
Saturday night is pizza night at El Amparo. There was another family from Belgium, with two young children, who had checked in so we were not alone tonight. The meal started with an excellent salad followed by pizza and finally a delicious lemon / lemoncello 'tiramisu' cake. A very good meal to finish the day.
Today was moving day. Our time here at Cortijo del Marques has come to an end. We certainly could have stayed another couple of days. This is a beautiful property with great staff and superb food. Silvia was so helpful, and generous including giving Norm a bottle of wine to take and enjoy on his upcoming birthday, er we mean anniversary of the day of his birth.
On our way to our next stop, being El Amparo our route took us back past the Granada airport where we stopped to deal with our car rental problem. We had booked a one way rental with drop off in Toledo. Upon picking up the vehicle we were told the office in Toledo had permanently closed back in January, in spite of having received a 'reminder' email only three days earlier with Toledo still listed as the drop off destination. We had decided we would drop the vehicle off in Madrid, requesting someone from Avis drive us back to Toledo. Mari-Carmen, who was very understanding and helpful wasn't sure she could make that happen and alternatively suggested we take a taxi to Toledo and submit the bill to Avis for reimbursement. This seemed like a decent compromise. An hour wasted and we guess we will see how it goes.
We easily found El Amparo (aka The Lemon Tree Retreat), arriving before 3:00 pm siesta. We were met by Simon, an affable English fellow who is the do it all guy here at El Amparo. After relaxing during the afternoon we had dinner on the front veranda (thanks to the suggestion of Simon), cooked and served by Simon, overlooking the olive groves to the hill and sunset beyond. Although others are booking in tomorrow we were the only ones here tonight.
Another very nice sunny day with temperatures reaching the mid 20s.
We ordered a bottle of our favourite Spanish white wine - Alborina that we started before dinner, and then continued to enjoy with our plate of asparagus, covered with cheese and a poached egg. The main was a very interesting / unusual cauliflower steak, covered with a tomato / carrot sauce. .As well Norm was served a chicken stir fry. For dessert we enjoyed a delicious chocolate molten cake while watching an ok, but somewhat disappointing sunset.
Cortijo del Marquis has a lot of attractive pottery throughout the property. This reminded us of our Gordon Pottery that Norm acquired during his university days from a potter in Elora, Ontario.
There is no better start to a day than fresh squeezed orange juice. This was particularly tart.
However along the way we returned to Avis to discuss the problem we have with the Toledo office now being closed and where and when to return our vehicle.
Mari-Carmen was very empathetic and as helpful as she could be. We left with a plan - that being to return the vehicle to Madrid (an hour out of our way) and then taxi back to Toledo (another hour) with Avis picking up the cost of the taxi. Not perfect, but at least a plan.
Today was another relatively quiet and relaxing day although we did go for a drive into the countryside later in the afternoon.
After breakfast and a restful time basking in the sun we asked Eilko if we might be able to see the Terrace room, the other one we considered. While we certainly like Iglesia, particularly with the history of the bedroom being in a corner of the chapel building, the room is a bit dark, and with its three plus foot walls somewhat cool. However the views across the courtyard / pool to the hills beyond and through another window to the snow-capped Sierra Nevada mountains is very impressive. On the other hand La Terraza, while smaller is still a very nice size, very bright, with a large balcony / terrace that soaks in the afternoon sun. It will be out choice next time.
We had considered going into the Albayzin (Moorish) Quarter of Granada but in the end were just not up for such an excursion with parking in the city etc. Rather we took a picturesque drive through the countryside east and then north of the Cortijo. It was scenic - if you like lots and lots of olive trees stretching out as far as one can see. There was also a decent amount of colour with a variety of wildflowers. After the cool (4 C) start to the day it warmed up considerably with the temperature reaching 28 C on our drive.
We returned a bit before 6:00 after which it was back to the terrace where we enjoyed the sun and warmth, along with a glass of Alborino, a white wine from Galicia, before dinner.
Dinner was again creative and very enjoyable although perhaps not quite as memorable as last nights.
- the Bunuelo de puerro a la sarten con crema fresca, or Leek fritter with cream was light and tasty but not quite as wonderful as yesterday's avocado roll
- the starter Esparrago tradicional con tirabeques y habas - traditional asparagus with snow peas and broad beans was an excellent combination of vegetables
- Gayle had a stuffed aubergine / eggplant - very attractively presented but again not creamy risotto
- Norm, not being a fan of sea bass, tonight's dish, asked if there was an alternative and was served delicious Iberian pork with cherry tomatoes and potatoes - an excellent main course (albeit a bit salty)
- finally dessert was a Bizchochito de zanahoria y especias morunas, crema de brownie y helado (Moorishly spiced carrot cake with brownie cream and caramel ice cream)
Another excellent meal, very good quality and value for 35 euros each.
Being our last night here at Cortijo del Marques we enjoy this place so much we did wonder whether we should have stayed longer. Perhapas next time.
A traditional breakfast item here in Spain is the tostada - a slice of fresh white bread toasted and then smothered with fresh tomatoes, olive oil and a pinch of salt.
We expected we would sleep for quite a while, and in spite of waking during the night a couple of times we did. After having turned the lights out 9:00 ish it was 8:30 before we got up in the morning.
Our room, while large, interesting and full of character is cold. The bedroom is part of the chapel complex with extremely thick walls. Upon waking up we saw the temperature was only 5 C, and perhaps felt colder.
The buffet breakfast was exactly what one expects at a boutique hotel / cortijo such as this. Cereal, fruit, juice, yoghurt, cakes and cookies, a variety of fresh bread, a number of jams, cheese, meats, a tortilla, eggs (boiled and scrambled) and fresh tomato for local toasted bread (more on this tomorrow), coffee and fresh (tart) orange juice.
We knew right away we were going to spend the day here at del Marques. After a leisurely breakfast and some work on our travel blog it was nap time. We then finished the first day of the travel blog after which we headed down for the warmth of the sun on the terrace in front of the restaurant. The temperature rose to a bit over 20 C, very nice in the sun.
Late afternoon we ordered a bottle of Cava - Spanish sparkling wine - that we very much enjoyed, with what Gayle concluded was a surprisingly good bowl of olives, taking us to dinner.
Each morning a four course menu is presented of that evening's dinner. For the quantity and quality of food the 35 euro each ($51 Canadian - tax and service included) was very reasonable. Of course being in Spain where the wine is excellent and decently priced there is a very strong temptation to order a bottle with dinner. In spite of the pre-dinner cava we did order a nice 50 cl bottle of Marques de Murrieta (25 euro) to accompany our meal.
Dinner started with
- an appetizer of Canutillo de aquacate (avocado roll) - 10 out of 10,
- the starter of Champinones cremosos alajillo romeo, vino de Jerez y espinacas (creamy mushrooms with rosemary, garlic, sherry and spinach) - another winner.
- then the main courses - risotto with spring vegetables including leeks for Gayle and Albondigas caseras de ternera con salsa jardinere y verduritas al vapor (homemade beef meat balls with garden vegetable sauce and steamed vegetables) - both also excellent, and finally
- the meal ended with a Tarta fina de almendras y helado de yoghurt artesano (fine almond cake with artisan yoghurt ice cream) - light and delicious.
During dinner Eilko stopped by (as he did with all the other guests) to chat with us. What was so appreciated is that we never felt as if his visit was a box to tick, but rather that he was sincerely interested in how things were going, both with dinner and otherwise.
A superb meal ending a great first day here in Spain.
Today's dinner menu.
The pool area - in spite of the nice afternoon temperature way too cold to swim.
April 01->02, 2024 - Halifax to Toronto to Madrid to Granada to Cortijo del Marques
A long day / two to get here to Spain - not that we're complaining.
First Halifax to Toronto where we had a lengthy seven hour layover (thank goodness for the Maple Leaf Lounge), then overnight to Madrid.
This was followed by a short 40 minute flight to Granada where we picked up a rental car.
While waiting for our connection to Granada we spent a few hours in one of Madrid's airport lounges (accessed through our Dragon Pass). This was quite a nice lounge with a wonderful selection of drink (wine, cava, liqueurs, beer, soft drinks, juice etc.) and an excellent selection of taps - served in individual small dishes. Unfortunately we were too tired to enjoy much of the food and drink (although I did have a glass of cava). In fact Gayle was so tired she needed a short nap.
From Granada airport it was an easy half hour drive to Cortijo del Marques, a beautiful rural lodging where we stayed in both 2013 (twice) and 2017. A 'Cortijo' is a traditional rural dwelling, often a farm. Cortijo del Marques is a property set amongst rolling fields with views of the Sierra Nevada mountains to the east.
At this time of the year the fields are often adorned with poppies (see the banner photo above taken from the Cortijo in 2017).
The Cortijo del Marques is set in the countryside more or less 30 km north of Granada and its famous Alhambra. It's history has been traced back 500 years through the Roman columns in one of the hotel rooms. After the conquest of Granada in 1492 the remaining Moors were forced to hand over two thirds of their property to their Catholic victors. In 1532 such a transfer was made of a large agricultural property at the base of the Pozuelo mountains to the Marquis (Marqués in Spanish) of Mondéjar - henceforth becoming known as the Cortijo del Marqués.
The full name of the Marqués was Luis Hurtado de Mondoza, captain of the general of the kingdom of Granada and alcaide of the Alhambra. Luis was an early supporter of Charles V with whom he became a close friend. His closeness to the Emperor earned him high profile jobs such as overseeing the construction of the renaissance Cathedral of Granada as well as the Palace of Charles V in the Alhambra.
In the early 19th century the Cortijo del Marques passed to a local family, continuing its role as an outsized agricultural property. In 1878 the sizeable chapel and the tower of the Cortijo were built resulting in the property coming to look more like a small village than a farmhouse. The chapel received its full church rights by means of a papal bull dated 1880 with the seal of Pope Leon XIII.
During the Spanish civil war the Cortijo served as barracks for the Republican forces, with the chapel being damaged when hit by a Nationalist artillery round.
Toward the end of the 20th century the property was abandoned and quickly deteriorated. Despite its glorious past nobody but the locals were aware of its existence until it was carefully restored at the beginning of the 21st century. Restoration work and adaptation to its use as a small country hotel were carried out. Many original features have been maintained and for this reason the property still has the air of a historical Andalusian manor house.
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We chose the Iglesia room, or more accurately a small apartment of 80 sq m. A bedroom, large living space and a huge bathroom with a beautiful claw-foot tub (along with a shower).
Spain - April 01, 2024 to April 16, 2024
While three of our lodgings will be in rural settings somewhat unusual will be two in cities - Cordoba and Toledo.
We will fly from Madrid to Granada where we will pick up our rental car and work our way north to Toledo staying along the way
- 3 nights at Cortijo Del Marques north of Granada, where we have stayed twice before, then
- 3 nights at El Ampero, near Santa Cruz del Comercia followed by
- 3 nights at Hotel Madinat, in the city of Cordoba, after which we continue north for
- 2 nights at Hotel Rural las Tejuelas near the village of Valdecaballeros before finishing with
- 3 nights at Entre Dos Aquas in the city of Toledo