don't really have time or energy to say anything much here, but just thought id let u all know I'v arrived in LA, finally got to hostel, which isnt quite what i expected but still good, and i am super sleep deprived, and to be honest, just cant wait to get home now.
As i suspected, neither sim card is working here so i have no phone until i get home, which is soooon.
ok, now bring on hot topic, if i can make myself move!
see you all soon
xoxox
Monday, February 23, 2009
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Goodbye Spain...hello France
Don't really have much time to say much right now because I've gotta look up some stuff about Lyon.
I've packed up all my bags and am ready to get up and go first thing in the morning. Had to pack away my Lonely Planet Spain guide, which has been like a bible this last month, and now I know nothing about my next stop!!!!!
Should be fun =) lol
Still hasn't quite set in fully that I'm leaving Spain in less than 24 hours, but without a doubt i will be back!!!! hehehe
more adventures to come in France however, I'm sure
out for now
xoxoxox
I've packed up all my bags and am ready to get up and go first thing in the morning. Had to pack away my Lonely Planet Spain guide, which has been like a bible this last month, and now I know nothing about my next stop!!!!!
Should be fun =) lol
Still hasn't quite set in fully that I'm leaving Spain in less than 24 hours, but without a doubt i will be back!!!! hehehe
more adventures to come in France however, I'm sure
out for now
xoxoxox
Monday, February 16, 2009
So yesterday I went to see all the Gaudi attractions - well some of them, the best and most famous but there are lots more around. The buildings he designed/build are fascinating and pretty remarkable - such as the Casa Battlo which I swear doesn't contain a single straight line or plane!!!!!
Once again took lots of photos and filled up camera memory for like the millionth time!
I started the day at the Sagrada Familia (huge cathedral designed and started by Gaudi, still not finished after over 100 years). Well when they finally finish constuction that is gonna be one epic cathedral, and definately unique. I can see why so many people come to see it! Would like to post some pictures from there, but depends if i can find a computer with a cd drive, on top of all the other little jobs and sightseeing i wanna do today.
As I was leaving La Sagrada Familia I ran into Ah Run - one of the Korean guys who was in my grammar/conversation class in Salamanca. It was crazy! so we stopped and talked awhile and then found chocolate con churros together, which I'm gonna miss so much after today =(
last full day in Spain!!! I'm gonna stop thinking about that now because I don't like that very much. haha
Last night I was talking with my German mate from the hostel in Sevilla and the Aussie guy who works here and while we were sitting talking her bag got stolen from right beside her. Has her wallet/credit card and passport and everything, and she was supposed to fly home this morning around about now - I haven't seen her since then though so hope she's got things sorted. But it was pretty terrible. Especialy since an hpour or so before that we had been walking back from the supermarket and she was saying how good it was she'd made it through Barcelona without getting robbed!
Well I'm off now, gonna head for a start up the hill to Montjuic to see one or two things up there, and then work out the rest of the day's plan.
xoxoxox
Once again took lots of photos and filled up camera memory for like the millionth time!
I started the day at the Sagrada Familia (huge cathedral designed and started by Gaudi, still not finished after over 100 years). Well when they finally finish constuction that is gonna be one epic cathedral, and definately unique. I can see why so many people come to see it! Would like to post some pictures from there, but depends if i can find a computer with a cd drive, on top of all the other little jobs and sightseeing i wanna do today.
As I was leaving La Sagrada Familia I ran into Ah Run - one of the Korean guys who was in my grammar/conversation class in Salamanca. It was crazy! so we stopped and talked awhile and then found chocolate con churros together, which I'm gonna miss so much after today =(
last full day in Spain!!! I'm gonna stop thinking about that now because I don't like that very much. haha
Last night I was talking with my German mate from the hostel in Sevilla and the Aussie guy who works here and while we were sitting talking her bag got stolen from right beside her. Has her wallet/credit card and passport and everything, and she was supposed to fly home this morning around about now - I haven't seen her since then though so hope she's got things sorted. But it was pretty terrible. Especialy since an hpour or so before that we had been walking back from the supermarket and she was saying how good it was she'd made it through Barcelona without getting robbed!
Well I'm off now, gonna head for a start up the hill to Montjuic to see one or two things up there, and then work out the rest of the day's plan.
xoxoxox
Sunday, February 15, 2009
blogging again
today's been a bit of an odd kind of day. Good day, but odd. Ie just been wandering around, and starting to get a bit of a feel for the city. I don't think I've paid for a single thing, apart from one bottle of water that cost €0·75 =). Went off this morning after an easy late start to explore the Barri Gotic, or Gothic Quarter, which was cool. I went to this awesome museum which took you through a whole lot of excavations through parts of the original Roman and Visigothic settlement - walls, tower entries, laundry houses, factories....it was cool, and free =)
I'm not too sure what it was, but there's been some kind of minor festival or celebration on today, and all the squares I went through had stages set up with different kind of acts on and were packed out with people. The best thing I stumbled upon was a couple of troupes of castellers - I think that was the name, but anyway it was people climbing on top of each other making human towers or castles. It was awesome, I watched them for ages and they kept getting bigger and harder hehehe.
I think the travelling/backpacking lifestyle is starting to catch up on me and I'm getting really tired all the time hehe so its nice that at least I'm in one place for a few nights and don't have to think about packing up and moving around for another day or two =)
I had been considering the possibilty of making another daytrip, from Barcelona to Tarragona, which is about an hour south and it's a small city with [surprise] Roman remains - theatre/temple/circus....stuff like that, since I missed out on Mérida. But now I think I'm not going to, because there's so much to see here, and I think I'd rather take my time doing everything I wanna do in Barcelona. After all, I came here to see Spain and I can go to Italy another time to see Roman stuff properly, and besides I have seen bits and pieces here and there - like these awesome as columns from a Roman temple hiding in a corner of the Barri Gotic today =)
Well that's today's update, tomorrow I think I might go and check out some Gaudi buildings, and probably the Sagrada Familia - probably Barcelona's biggest and most famous attraction.
latterrr
xoxoxox
I'm not too sure what it was, but there's been some kind of minor festival or celebration on today, and all the squares I went through had stages set up with different kind of acts on and were packed out with people. The best thing I stumbled upon was a couple of troupes of castellers - I think that was the name, but anyway it was people climbing on top of each other making human towers or castles. It was awesome, I watched them for ages and they kept getting bigger and harder hehehe.
I think the travelling/backpacking lifestyle is starting to catch up on me and I'm getting really tired all the time hehe so its nice that at least I'm in one place for a few nights and don't have to think about packing up and moving around for another day or two =)
I had been considering the possibilty of making another daytrip, from Barcelona to Tarragona, which is about an hour south and it's a small city with [surprise] Roman remains - theatre/temple/circus....stuff like that, since I missed out on Mérida. But now I think I'm not going to, because there's so much to see here, and I think I'd rather take my time doing everything I wanna do in Barcelona. After all, I came here to see Spain and I can go to Italy another time to see Roman stuff properly, and besides I have seen bits and pieces here and there - like these awesome as columns from a Roman temple hiding in a corner of the Barri Gotic today =)
Well that's today's update, tomorrow I think I might go and check out some Gaudi buildings, and probably the Sagrada Familia - probably Barcelona's biggest and most famous attraction.
latterrr
xoxoxox
Saturday, February 14, 2009
apparently I have a boyfriend...
well no not really but I had to invent one this afternoon!!!
So I went walking down La Rambla, which is this huge and largely pedestrianised street which runs from Plaza Catalunya (one of the main squares) right down to the waterfront and a large monument to Christopher Columbus. It's full of restaurants/cafes, bird stalls, flower stalls, buskers - some very good and/or original, others average, and some pretty bad and just plain desperate haha - magazine stands selling more tourist souvenirs than magazines, craft stands oh yeah and a bout three hundred million people, probably about 90% of them tourists haha but it was pretty cool =)
Then I was wandering around the waterfront when some random guy started talking about me. (in English) Well I shouldn't have replied but don't always think so quickly or know what's coming up. He was like 30 and from some country in Africa, can't remember which one but yeah and became quite attached to me and I couldn't get rid of him. Followed me all around town, through the produce market and the supermarket and on the metro back to the hostel (=s) And every 3rd question was about my 'boyfriend' nkdfnkhsfuihfujbnjsjdf
lol
So he thinks I'm gonna call him tomorrow so we can meet up, because we are now great friends and 'Barcelona is going to be for us'
hahaha
I think not.
lol
I only hope he doesn't try come back to the hostel, and if he does that he gets lost and can't find it!
Other than that Barcelona so far has been pretty cool and this is another awesome hostel =).
was so excited to have salad with my dinner - with stuff I bought at the huge produce market off La Rambla =)
and man, It's such a small world!!!!!
Just before I came on to this computer I ran into [oh dear I've forgotten her name, if I ever knew it], but the German girl I shared a room with my first night in Sevilla.
And also...
I think I already said we found out Larissa and Greg (her bf - who actually does exist lol and is petty cool) are gonna be in Paris when I am on their contiki tour, and in Lyon before that
The Korean girl I shared a room with and spent a morning climbing up hills with in Malaga - well I ran into her a few days later in Granada, up in the Albaycin [Arabic district] and turned out we were both staying at Oasis backpackers!
Made friends with 2 supercool Australian girls [well actually one is British and the other South African but they've been living in Aus for 3 or 4 years] at Oasis in Granada. Just before they moved on, we discovered that they were booking onto the exact same hostel in Lyon that I've booked, on the exact same nights!!! Can't wait to meet up with them again =) and share tales hehe
And then there's the Kiwis I've met - not so many but still more than I expected
One girl in the backpackers in Cádiz
The guy who checked me in at Granada, from Auckland/Kumeu. Had this awesome as little convo about how it sucks to have to say we're from Auckland...
And when I was checking into the backpacjers in Córdoba some other guy [I think he worked there] came up from behind, saw my passport and was like oh, kia ora - it was cool!
and then
- 'so where are you from?'
-Christchurch, you?
-Auckland.
-oh, right. [silence]
-shut up!!!!!
lol
the girl at the desk was so confused
anyway, I only supposed to spend 20 mins at a time on internet here and I think its been double that so I´m out
xoxox
So I went walking down La Rambla, which is this huge and largely pedestrianised street which runs from Plaza Catalunya (one of the main squares) right down to the waterfront and a large monument to Christopher Columbus. It's full of restaurants/cafes, bird stalls, flower stalls, buskers - some very good and/or original, others average, and some pretty bad and just plain desperate haha - magazine stands selling more tourist souvenirs than magazines, craft stands oh yeah and a bout three hundred million people, probably about 90% of them tourists haha but it was pretty cool =)
Then I was wandering around the waterfront when some random guy started talking about me. (in English) Well I shouldn't have replied but don't always think so quickly or know what's coming up. He was like 30 and from some country in Africa, can't remember which one but yeah and became quite attached to me and I couldn't get rid of him. Followed me all around town, through the produce market and the supermarket and on the metro back to the hostel (=s) And every 3rd question was about my 'boyfriend' nkdfnkhsfuihfujbnjsjdf
lol
So he thinks I'm gonna call him tomorrow so we can meet up, because we are now great friends and 'Barcelona is going to be for us'
hahaha
I think not.
lol
I only hope he doesn't try come back to the hostel, and if he does that he gets lost and can't find it!
Other than that Barcelona so far has been pretty cool and this is another awesome hostel =).
was so excited to have salad with my dinner - with stuff I bought at the huge produce market off La Rambla =)
and man, It's such a small world!!!!!
Just before I came on to this computer I ran into [oh dear I've forgotten her name, if I ever knew it], but the German girl I shared a room with my first night in Sevilla.
And also...
I think I already said we found out Larissa and Greg (her bf - who actually does exist lol and is petty cool) are gonna be in Paris when I am on their contiki tour, and in Lyon before that
The Korean girl I shared a room with and spent a morning climbing up hills with in Malaga - well I ran into her a few days later in Granada, up in the Albaycin [Arabic district] and turned out we were both staying at Oasis backpackers!
Made friends with 2 supercool Australian girls [well actually one is British and the other South African but they've been living in Aus for 3 or 4 years] at Oasis in Granada. Just before they moved on, we discovered that they were booking onto the exact same hostel in Lyon that I've booked, on the exact same nights!!! Can't wait to meet up with them again =) and share tales hehe
And then there's the Kiwis I've met - not so many but still more than I expected
One girl in the backpackers in Cádiz
The guy who checked me in at Granada, from Auckland/Kumeu. Had this awesome as little convo about how it sucks to have to say we're from Auckland...
And when I was checking into the backpacjers in Córdoba some other guy [I think he worked there] came up from behind, saw my passport and was like oh, kia ora - it was cool!
and then
- 'so where are you from?'
-Christchurch, you?
-Auckland.
-oh, right. [silence]
-shut up!!!!!
lol
the girl at the desk was so confused
anyway, I only supposed to spend 20 mins at a time on internet here and I think its been double that so I´m out
xoxox
in Barcelona!!!!! and tired...
yet another computer with usb ports blocked it seems...pain in the ass haha. gonna have to find an internet cafe to transfer photos from my camera otherwise memory card gonna fill up again - and soon!
So I got to the hostel about an hour ago, normally I´d be well into exploring the city by now but Ive just been sorting out some stuff, I made me a bocadillo (filled roll) with chorizo for my late lunch, and read a little bit of lonely planet since I still hadnt got through much of the Bacelona section while I ate.
This seems like a good hostel. Its pretty big, very clean and very secure. Havent talked to anyone yet other than reception staff, mostly because all the guests are either not here or in groups and/or talking in languages like french or catalan (not sure which). And the kitchen is clean and well equipped =)
I didnt really like the hostel in Madrid, though it wasn't bad.
I did however love the city of Madrid, just as much as when I was first there but it was really cool and interesting being back there after seeing a lot of the rest of Spain and getting used to the customs, language and people etc somewhat. It was a totally different experience! It almost felt like a totally different city, in a way, mostly because of the weather. This time the temperatures (from about 11/12-5/6 anyway) were around 16-18 degrees and in various places, like in the Plaza Mayor, everyone was out enjoying it!
Yesterday afternoon/evening I was getting pretty tired, so I thought when I got back to the hostel I would go to bed/sleep pretty early so I would hopefully be un-tired for today. That plan changed somewhat when my room, which was tiny, became occupied by 3 drunk/drinking australians who decided to hang out there before heading out clubbing at midnight! So I didn't get as m,uch sleep as I wanted and am still just as tired but hey that's backpacking right.
Off now to check out La Rambla - Barcelona's and Spain's most famous street (says Lonely Planet)
So I got to the hostel about an hour ago, normally I´d be well into exploring the city by now but Ive just been sorting out some stuff, I made me a bocadillo (filled roll) with chorizo for my late lunch, and read a little bit of lonely planet since I still hadnt got through much of the Bacelona section while I ate.
This seems like a good hostel. Its pretty big, very clean and very secure. Havent talked to anyone yet other than reception staff, mostly because all the guests are either not here or in groups and/or talking in languages like french or catalan (not sure which). And the kitchen is clean and well equipped =)
I didnt really like the hostel in Madrid, though it wasn't bad.
I did however love the city of Madrid, just as much as when I was first there but it was really cool and interesting being back there after seeing a lot of the rest of Spain and getting used to the customs, language and people etc somewhat. It was a totally different experience! It almost felt like a totally different city, in a way, mostly because of the weather. This time the temperatures (from about 11/12-5/6 anyway) were around 16-18 degrees and in various places, like in the Plaza Mayor, everyone was out enjoying it!
Yesterday afternoon/evening I was getting pretty tired, so I thought when I got back to the hostel I would go to bed/sleep pretty early so I would hopefully be un-tired for today. That plan changed somewhat when my room, which was tiny, became occupied by 3 drunk/drinking australians who decided to hang out there before heading out clubbing at midnight! So I didn't get as m,uch sleep as I wanted and am still just as tired but hey that's backpacking right.
Off now to check out La Rambla - Barcelona's and Spain's most famous street (says Lonely Planet)
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
I found me some internet =)
Found a computer at my hostel but I gotta pay for internet. damn lol, was getting used to free internet at backpackers. oh well. I wanted to post some photos, but theyve covered the usb ports behind a huge plastic case. bullies!
So the hostel here in Toledo is in a restored/renovated castle, that was built I don´t know when but it´s a genuine castle from lots of years ago, sitting up on a hill. It´s about a 10-15 minute walk from the old town which is spread over another hill, and a river (forgot its name) runs between the two. I feel like I´m repeating myself somewhat here haha but walking around Toledo is pretty awesome. It was once the capital city of Spain, well maybe of the kingdom of Castilla (I think it was before the unification of the various kingdoms that became Spain) but anyway yeah it used to be a pretty powerful place, and also was an important centre of culture/learning etc etc. Today it´s a `World Heritage Site´, or something, like so many places I´ve visited hahahaha. It´s all old and medieval-like =) And full of little narrow streets that go up and down and up again. That´s what happens when they build a city on a hill.
It´s been a really lovely day (weather-wise). Leaving Cordoba this morning (I miss the south already!) I was prepared for cold weather again but it´s actually been about 15º so very nice and I think it´s gonna be about the same tomorrow. Since I arrived this afternoon, I´ve been walking around seeing things and definately noticing the difference between Castilla and (i.e here) and Andalucia, where I have been for the last week and a half, still kind of adjusting. It´s a hard thing to explain though so yeah. I raced through the Cathedral, trying to keep ahead of the huge asian tour group, I´ve also visited a Jewish synagogue + museum, though I didn´t find the museum as great as Lonely Planet made it out to be, maybe I just wasn´t in the right frame of mind for reading all the details hehe. Never really have been a massive fan of museums, in general. Also quickly visited another church, couldn´t find one of the other museum things I thought I might see, and there was probably one or 2 more things but I can´t remember them.
Tomorrow gonna probably go for a morning walk around the city, maybe take a few more photos and then head off to Madrid. Might go look at the Museo del Prado.
So the hostel here in Toledo is in a restored/renovated castle, that was built I don´t know when but it´s a genuine castle from lots of years ago, sitting up on a hill. It´s about a 10-15 minute walk from the old town which is spread over another hill, and a river (forgot its name) runs between the two. I feel like I´m repeating myself somewhat here haha but walking around Toledo is pretty awesome. It was once the capital city of Spain, well maybe of the kingdom of Castilla (I think it was before the unification of the various kingdoms that became Spain) but anyway yeah it used to be a pretty powerful place, and also was an important centre of culture/learning etc etc. Today it´s a `World Heritage Site´, or something, like so many places I´ve visited hahahaha. It´s all old and medieval-like =) And full of little narrow streets that go up and down and up again. That´s what happens when they build a city on a hill.
It´s been a really lovely day (weather-wise). Leaving Cordoba this morning (I miss the south already!) I was prepared for cold weather again but it´s actually been about 15º so very nice and I think it´s gonna be about the same tomorrow. Since I arrived this afternoon, I´ve been walking around seeing things and definately noticing the difference between Castilla and (i.e here) and Andalucia, where I have been for the last week and a half, still kind of adjusting. It´s a hard thing to explain though so yeah. I raced through the Cathedral, trying to keep ahead of the huge asian tour group, I´ve also visited a Jewish synagogue + museum, though I didn´t find the museum as great as Lonely Planet made it out to be, maybe I just wasn´t in the right frame of mind for reading all the details hehe. Never really have been a massive fan of museums, in general. Also quickly visited another church, couldn´t find one of the other museum things I thought I might see, and there was probably one or 2 more things but I can´t remember them.
Tomorrow gonna probably go for a morning walk around the city, maybe take a few more photos and then head off to Madrid. Might go look at the Museo del Prado.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Iḿ sleepy...
so I came up intending to write a somewhat decent blog entry but sat down at the computer and suddenly Im really tired so probably gonna end up being a quick one. Even though Ive got about a million things to say.
Today I came from Granada to Córdoba, and have spent the afternoon exploring the city. The highlight of course would have to be the Mezquita, i.e. mosque (although it has now been converted into a cathedral. It was pretty epic, but the craziest thing was the Cathedral built into the middle of it.
Yesterday went to the Alhambra and it was fantastic!!!!! Same as in the Alcazar at Sevilla but this time even more so - photos just cant convey its magnificence! Obviously I have more to say about the alhambra, and I want to post some photos from there, but cant tonight (sorry mum i know youre waiting!!!)
Tomorrow hoping to get out early again to see the archeological museum, do a couple of little jobbies, and then got train out of here at 11.30, to Toledo, via Madrid.
This hostel is cool, but doesnt come close to the one at Granada!
Well off to bed now. With any luck I should be able to get back on tomorrow because I have more to tell but we shall see. Its also harder in places where Im only staying one night because i tend to spend more time seeing and doing things etc that sitting at computer.
Right now Im excited for sleeeeeep
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz....
Today I came from Granada to Córdoba, and have spent the afternoon exploring the city. The highlight of course would have to be the Mezquita, i.e. mosque (although it has now been converted into a cathedral. It was pretty epic, but the craziest thing was the Cathedral built into the middle of it.
Yesterday went to the Alhambra and it was fantastic!!!!! Same as in the Alcazar at Sevilla but this time even more so - photos just cant convey its magnificence! Obviously I have more to say about the alhambra, and I want to post some photos from there, but cant tonight (sorry mum i know youre waiting!!!)
Tomorrow hoping to get out early again to see the archeological museum, do a couple of little jobbies, and then got train out of here at 11.30, to Toledo, via Madrid.
This hostel is cool, but doesnt come close to the one at Granada!
Well off to bed now. With any luck I should be able to get back on tomorrow because I have more to tell but we shall see. Its also harder in places where Im only staying one night because i tend to spend more time seeing and doing things etc that sitting at computer.
Right now Im excited for sleeeeeep
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz....
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Granada
Another awesome, mostly sunny day in the South of Spain. Got the bus first thing from Malaga to Granada and checked into my hostel before 12. The guy who was working at the reception I discovered is a Kiwi!!! from Auckland even, though I never would have guessed it from his accent. This backpackers is totally awesome, it's what backpackers are supposed to be like. I've been talking to two girls on Australia, whose epic trip across Europe is making my journey look like nothing hahaha. And later on I'm going out for a tapas tour, organised by the hostel...sooo glad I changed hehe.
This keyboard is annoying the crap out of me...half the punctuation keys are not what they say they are...useful. But - its internet, inside the backpackers, and it works!!!
I was wandering town earlier this afternoon and went through a little plaza where I ran into Clara [I now know her name], my Korean roommate from 2 nights ago in Malaga, which was the craziest thing! We then discovered we were staying at the same backpacker, in the same dorm even! So that was pretty cool.
Haven't done a huge amount today...well I have but not so much to write about...mostly just random wanderings. I walked up this huge as hill - the arabic side of town, can't remember its name but anyway wandered up to the awesomest lookout point that had the best view out over the city and the Alhambra on the opposite hill, and behind the Alhambra - the Sierra Nevada (=snow covered mountain range) beautiful. In the plaza just behind it there were two outdoor cafes and since it was sunny and lunchtime I decided to treat myself to a proper lunch - cod fish with basil, pinenuts, raisins, prawns (!!!) and maybe something else I can't remember.
I think I worked out what's up with this keyboard. The keys are arranged as they are on English keyboards, but theyre printed like spanish keyboards (if that makes sense).
Tomorrow the plan is to get up early and head up to the Alhambra. Can't wait!!!!!!!!! A million more photos to be taken there, methinks....
xoxoxoxox
This keyboard is annoying the crap out of me...half the punctuation keys are not what they say they are...useful. But - its internet, inside the backpackers, and it works!!!
I was wandering town earlier this afternoon and went through a little plaza where I ran into Clara [I now know her name], my Korean roommate from 2 nights ago in Malaga, which was the craziest thing! We then discovered we were staying at the same backpacker, in the same dorm even! So that was pretty cool.
Haven't done a huge amount today...well I have but not so much to write about...mostly just random wanderings. I walked up this huge as hill - the arabic side of town, can't remember its name but anyway wandered up to the awesomest lookout point that had the best view out over the city and the Alhambra on the opposite hill, and behind the Alhambra - the Sierra Nevada (=snow covered mountain range) beautiful. In the plaza just behind it there were two outdoor cafes and since it was sunny and lunchtime I decided to treat myself to a proper lunch - cod fish with basil, pinenuts, raisins, prawns (!!!) and maybe something else I can't remember.
I think I worked out what's up with this keyboard. The keys are arranged as they are on English keyboards, but theyre printed like spanish keyboards (if that makes sense).
Tomorrow the plan is to get up early and head up to the Alhambra. Can't wait!!!!!!!!! A million more photos to be taken there, methinks....
xoxoxoxox
Saturday, February 7, 2009
listening to The Beatles...
(couldn´t think of a better blog title =p)
Well I´m still in Málaga, and today has been a lovely sunny day spent wandering around the city and climbing up castles on hills.
Yesterday I went to Antequera - which is a really charming little town about an hour out of Málaga. I thought I was only gonna be there until around 2 but I ended up staying all day because it was so cool. It was nice to see a place that wasn´t big city and super touristy =) Walking around the streets, there was a little church around almost every corner haha! Apparently it´s the town with the most churches by population.
Antequera was a very important town during the Arab occupation of Spain, as it lay in the middle of the 4 main cities of the Arab kingdom of Al Andaluz; Córdoba, Granada, Sevilla and Málaga. I went up to the Alcazaba (Fortress) and got there just as a tour (in English! =D) was starting, which made it more interesting and also a bit of company hehe) and there were cool as views from the towers =)
This is the other cool thing I went to see in Antequera:
the photos don´t show them so well, but there are these megalithic structures, constructed about 3000 years ago which makes them pretty impressive. Apparently they´re the most important in Spain/Europe or something like that.
Today I had hoped to go to Ronda, which is a `pueblo blanco´ (`white town´) and supposed to be very pretty. Didn´t make it there, mostly because the bus station is almost completely shut down, except for the platforms and now ticket counters for one company (but not the one that runs to Ronda). I found out this morning its becuase of damage caused my a hurricane - must have been last week or something. Fun. So anyway, I couldn´t get any information about bus timetables or buy tickets or anything. I managed to get on the internet this morning to check timetables, but by then it was too late, especially since it´s 2-3hrs to get there. Never mind. So I´ve spent the day slowly wandering around Málaga, which has been nice actually since the next few days are gonna be pretty packed and faced paced, methinks.
Tomorrow I´m off first thing to Granada - quite excited. I´ve cancelled my booking at the REAJ hostel and booked a much smaller and cooler looking backpackers and oooh its got a kitchen its tragic how exciting that is. Same goes for Córdoba.
Well I´m still in Málaga, and today has been a lovely sunny day spent wandering around the city and climbing up castles on hills.
Yesterday I went to Antequera - which is a really charming little town about an hour out of Málaga. I thought I was only gonna be there until around 2 but I ended up staying all day because it was so cool. It was nice to see a place that wasn´t big city and super touristy =) Walking around the streets, there was a little church around almost every corner haha! Apparently it´s the town with the most churches by population.
Antequera was a very important town during the Arab occupation of Spain, as it lay in the middle of the 4 main cities of the Arab kingdom of Al Andaluz; Córdoba, Granada, Sevilla and Málaga. I went up to the Alcazaba (Fortress) and got there just as a tour (in English! =D) was starting, which made it more interesting and also a bit of company hehe) and there were cool as views from the towers =)
This is the other cool thing I went to see in Antequera:
the photos don´t show them so well, but there are these megalithic structures, constructed about 3000 years ago which makes them pretty impressive. Apparently they´re the most important in Spain/Europe or something like that.
Today I had hoped to go to Ronda, which is a `pueblo blanco´ (`white town´) and supposed to be very pretty. Didn´t make it there, mostly because the bus station is almost completely shut down, except for the platforms and now ticket counters for one company (but not the one that runs to Ronda). I found out this morning its becuase of damage caused my a hurricane - must have been last week or something. Fun. So anyway, I couldn´t get any information about bus timetables or buy tickets or anything. I managed to get on the internet this morning to check timetables, but by then it was too late, especially since it´s 2-3hrs to get there. Never mind. So I´ve spent the day slowly wandering around Málaga, which has been nice actually since the next few days are gonna be pretty packed and faced paced, methinks.
Tomorrow I´m off first thing to Granada - quite excited. I´ve cancelled my booking at the REAJ hostel and booked a much smaller and cooler looking backpackers and oooh its got a kitchen its tragic how exciting that is. Same goes for Córdoba.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
well overdue photo post...
University of Salamanca - Facade
Under the clock in Plaza Mayor, Salamanca = universal meeting place
Roman Aqueduct - Segovia by day and night
Plaza in Sevilla - currently can´t remember which one
Alcazar - Sevilla
Càdiz/Malaga
So I spent yesterday afternoon and this morning exploring Cádiz, which is a pretty cool little city, different yet again from all the other cities. It´s interesting mostly for its historical significance, and I also loved the fact that occupies a peninsula (or promontory, whatever that is) therefore lots of ocean viewage!!!! =D. Well Cádiz is possibly Europe´s oldest city [I might have mentioned that in last blog, not sure] so it´s been inhabited by Phoenicans, Romans, Christians... probably more. It was an important port and commercial centre during the years of the Spanish Empire, when all the riches were coming in from the South American colonies. Also, Cádiz is where Spain´s first liberal constitution was proclaimed, at the end of the Napoleonic war in 1812. In terms of wandering the city [which I´ve done a lot of, through all the rain], its all narrow streets and plazas, like any Old Town in Spain, although the streets don´t seem to have quite as much character as in other cities like Madrid and Salamanca. Still pleasant though. Another cool thing about Cadiz is that its got hundreds of towers - so the people [back in the old old days] could watch and moniter ships coming into the port and what not. One of the coolest things I did was to climb up the Cathedral tower (the highest, I think) which had awesomeful 360 degree view above all the rooftops and towers and out to the ocean along with an audioguide of all the monuments and important places that could be seen =)
Oh and the little backpackers I stayed at was totally awesome, especially after the boring hostel in Sevilla. It´s run by an English (judging by his accent) guy aged somewhere between 30-50 (I can never tell!) And it´s a true backpackers!!! It was in a small building in a street just off one of the main plazas: the ground floor had a reception desk, a couple of tables and chairs/couches and a small kitchen - no doors or anything so really open and friendly. Above that were about 3 or 4 levels of bedrooms with a bathroom on each level, and the top level had a patio with hammocks (for summer haha) though i never made it up there. Really friendly people too. There were a whole lot of girls there (mostly German) who had just arrived to start studying at the university there on monday and were apartment hunting etc. AND a Kiwi girl ooohh who has just been traveling around so was cool to talk to her.
Now I´m in Malaga. It´s a city (I think the 2nd largest in Andalucía, after Sevilla) at the end of the `Costa del Sol´(Sunny Coast), though it´s been raining all day lol. Although from what I´ve seen so far (not a lot), it´s a nice city, and the tree-lined streets are lovely to walk through, it is however just a city, and not one that I had originally planned to stay in. Theres really only a couple of things I particularly want to see here, and I´ve got 3 nights, so I´m planning some daytrips =). The hostel is pretty much the same as in Sevilla, a big place that seems more aimed at large groups than individual travellers. Maybe this is something I should have picked up on when I booked them but hey. Once again there´s no kitchen, only a dining room for meals which the hostel cooks. So I can pay 8€ for hostel dinner, probably amongst uniformed Spanish teenagers, or i can have bread rolls or similar in my room again. I reckon I´ll go for the latter. I have a feeling that the hostels in Granada and Cordoba (next stops) will be similar, I´m about to have a look at the REAJ (Spanish youth hostel network, equivalent to YHA NZ) page to see, and I´m very tempted to cancel my bookings there and look for other non Hostelling International backpackers in those cities, which might even be more central - handy. The one here is about 20 -30 minutes walk from the centre of town, though its a bit closer the the bus and train stations.
Gonna see if I can post some photos after this - I tried in Sevilla but the computer I was on didnt seem to want to upload them to the blogger site - fingers crossed it´ll go here. Silly me didnt bring my camera connection cable, so I can´t get the new ones off camera but oh well.
xoxoxox
Oh and the little backpackers I stayed at was totally awesome, especially after the boring hostel in Sevilla. It´s run by an English (judging by his accent) guy aged somewhere between 30-50 (I can never tell!) And it´s a true backpackers!!! It was in a small building in a street just off one of the main plazas: the ground floor had a reception desk, a couple of tables and chairs/couches and a small kitchen - no doors or anything so really open and friendly. Above that were about 3 or 4 levels of bedrooms with a bathroom on each level, and the top level had a patio with hammocks (for summer haha) though i never made it up there. Really friendly people too. There were a whole lot of girls there (mostly German) who had just arrived to start studying at the university there on monday and were apartment hunting etc. AND a Kiwi girl ooohh who has just been traveling around so was cool to talk to her.
Now I´m in Malaga. It´s a city (I think the 2nd largest in Andalucía, after Sevilla) at the end of the `Costa del Sol´(Sunny Coast), though it´s been raining all day lol. Although from what I´ve seen so far (not a lot), it´s a nice city, and the tree-lined streets are lovely to walk through, it is however just a city, and not one that I had originally planned to stay in. Theres really only a couple of things I particularly want to see here, and I´ve got 3 nights, so I´m planning some daytrips =). The hostel is pretty much the same as in Sevilla, a big place that seems more aimed at large groups than individual travellers. Maybe this is something I should have picked up on when I booked them but hey. Once again there´s no kitchen, only a dining room for meals which the hostel cooks. So I can pay 8€ for hostel dinner, probably amongst uniformed Spanish teenagers, or i can have bread rolls or similar in my room again. I reckon I´ll go for the latter. I have a feeling that the hostels in Granada and Cordoba (next stops) will be similar, I´m about to have a look at the REAJ (Spanish youth hostel network, equivalent to YHA NZ) page to see, and I´m very tempted to cancel my bookings there and look for other non Hostelling International backpackers in those cities, which might even be more central - handy. The one here is about 20 -30 minutes walk from the centre of town, though its a bit closer the the bus and train stations.
Gonna see if I can post some photos after this - I tried in Sevilla but the computer I was on didnt seem to want to upload them to the blogger site - fingers crossed it´ll go here. Silly me didnt bring my camera connection cable, so I can´t get the new ones off camera but oh well.
xoxoxox
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Sevilla
Today I had thought I might go to Mérida for the day, but turned out the walk from hostel to bust station was a lot longer than I thought and I missed the bus, so I stayed in Sevilla - and it was probably the smarter option lol!!!
Sevilla is so very different from all the other places in Spain [and Portugal!] that I´ve seen so far. Obvious, I know, given it´s in a different pat of the country, different geography/climate, and most importantly - different city. All throughout the south of Spain theres strong Muslim influence on the architecture and such, which I´ve definately been noticing and loving. And it´s a really pretty city to walk around. Orange trees everywhere and pretty plazas etc etc. Yesterday (once I finally got myself un-lost and into the central city) I visited the Cathedral, which Lonely Planet says is one of the biggest in the world - its huuuuge!!! and climbed up La Giralda - the cathedral tower which i think existed first and was built by arabs? Oh yeah I also had a look at the Plaza de Toros (Bullfighting ring).
This morning I went to the Alcazar - definately a highlight of Sevilla. I took about a million photos but none of them come close to capturing the decorations, arches, patios etc etc etc. It´s an old palace/king´s residence or something like that, and parts of it havwe been destroyey/rebuilt/added various times through history. So its got all sorts of constructions and decorations from different arabic/christian/`mudejar´(=arab/christian mixture) styles and yeah, can´t really explain it so well but its pretty impressive. and goes on forever!!! I spent 2hrs, maybe more going through the rooms and patios with my audioguide. The only problem was that is was reallly super busy!!!! people everywhere and around every corner - a couple of school groups and another group with fancy cameras taking about 50 thousand photos of every wall hahaha. So I´d often find myself standing around in a corner waiting for a few people to clear out so I could appreciate the place a bit better =)
I´m just in an internet cafe on on of the main roads and out the window to my left is the cathedral amd oh now a tram going past. This morning it was lovely and sunny, but it has since clouded over and about 5/10 minutes ago started to rain. Which could be a pain because after this i was gonna go walk through the `Parque de Maria Luisa´ - a big park with a couple other things to look at on the way back to the hostel. oh well.
Tomorrow on to Cádiz - probably relatively early in the morning since I´ve now pretty much seen enough of Sevilla - well theres always more but yeah.
Sure there was something else I was gonna say, but right now I can´t remember.
love to all
xoxoxox
Sevilla is so very different from all the other places in Spain [and Portugal!] that I´ve seen so far. Obvious, I know, given it´s in a different pat of the country, different geography/climate, and most importantly - different city. All throughout the south of Spain theres strong Muslim influence on the architecture and such, which I´ve definately been noticing and loving. And it´s a really pretty city to walk around. Orange trees everywhere and pretty plazas etc etc. Yesterday (once I finally got myself un-lost and into the central city) I visited the Cathedral, which Lonely Planet says is one of the biggest in the world - its huuuuge!!! and climbed up La Giralda - the cathedral tower which i think existed first and was built by arabs? Oh yeah I also had a look at the Plaza de Toros (Bullfighting ring).
This morning I went to the Alcazar - definately a highlight of Sevilla. I took about a million photos but none of them come close to capturing the decorations, arches, patios etc etc etc. It´s an old palace/king´s residence or something like that, and parts of it havwe been destroyey/rebuilt/added various times through history. So its got all sorts of constructions and decorations from different arabic/christian/`mudejar´(=arab/christian mixture) styles and yeah, can´t really explain it so well but its pretty impressive. and goes on forever!!! I spent 2hrs, maybe more going through the rooms and patios with my audioguide. The only problem was that is was reallly super busy!!!! people everywhere and around every corner - a couple of school groups and another group with fancy cameras taking about 50 thousand photos of every wall hahaha. So I´d often find myself standing around in a corner waiting for a few people to clear out so I could appreciate the place a bit better =)
I´m just in an internet cafe on on of the main roads and out the window to my left is the cathedral amd oh now a tram going past. This morning it was lovely and sunny, but it has since clouded over and about 5/10 minutes ago started to rain. Which could be a pain because after this i was gonna go walk through the `Parque de Maria Luisa´ - a big park with a couple other things to look at on the way back to the hostel. oh well.
Tomorrow on to Cádiz - probably relatively early in the morning since I´ve now pretty much seen enough of Sevilla - well theres always more but yeah.
Sure there was something else I was gonna say, but right now I can´t remember.
love to all
xoxoxox
Monday, February 2, 2009
my feet are wet
It seems the world has something against me getting on here :(
Finally found internet and its the crappest slowest internet in history on dinosaur computers without a usb port which i need
So the short version of what i wanted to say [or some of it] is that I´m not in Mèrida, as my itinerary said, I´m in Sevilla [2 days earlier than planned hehe] my train from Segovia to Madrid for some reason sat for almost 2 hours about 1km from the station in Madrid. Thus I missed my 1.30 train to Mèrida, the next one was full and the next didnt arrive until midnight - no thanks! so they refunded that ticket and i came to Sevilla. Might daytrip it to Mérida tomorrow.
Last night was...interesting...can´t say i´d be keen to repeat it. Short story it rained a lot and i got lost a lot hehehe
but i´m all good now and getting used to being on my own etc.
off to see the city of Sevilla now
more updates to come shortly - i hope!!!!
xoxoxoxox
Finally found internet and its the crappest slowest internet in history on dinosaur computers without a usb port which i need
So the short version of what i wanted to say [or some of it] is that I´m not in Mèrida, as my itinerary said, I´m in Sevilla [2 days earlier than planned hehe] my train from Segovia to Madrid for some reason sat for almost 2 hours about 1km from the station in Madrid. Thus I missed my 1.30 train to Mèrida, the next one was full and the next didnt arrive until midnight - no thanks! so they refunded that ticket and i came to Sevilla. Might daytrip it to Mérida tomorrow.
Last night was...interesting...can´t say i´d be keen to repeat it. Short story it rained a lot and i got lost a lot hehehe
but i´m all good now and getting used to being on my own etc.
off to see the city of Sevilla now
more updates to come shortly - i hope!!!!
xoxoxoxox
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