Spain

I went to the Mezquita yesterday. I HAD to squeeze it in between two bus journeys because I think the Alhambra is all booked up in Granada. This was one of the most, maybe the most, amazing structures I have ever seen. Just to think all the history and time and energy and faith put into the ideas that are the ground floor for this building. Truely phenomenal!

This is the first view I had of it when walking through the gate.

This is another part outside...

This was the very first thing I saw once inside... so grand!

Then on around ... Beautiful workmanship...

These pillars were everywhere throughout the Mezquita...

And the different wings held numerous other archways.

Then I went into the most wonderfully ornate room I have ever seen in my life... it was at the center ... this was the ceiling in there...

This was one of the chairs...

And brian, if you like the organ, you will absolutely LOVE this one:

Then, leaving the actually building, more exterior shots:

And my newfound love of olive trees...

Then when leaving the walls surrounding the Mezquita... a horse and carriage...

And on the outside of the wall was this very nice painting.

And back up to the train station.

And here is me, happy in cordoba!

Madrid was, at best, a short nightmare. But it is over now and I am somewhere relaxing and beautiful... and that smells like nag champa.

So here is what I did in Madrid when I was not looking for somewhere to spend the night...

This is the train station. Intimidating at night, but really close to everything in the day time. And a lovely forest inside!´

I went to the largest park Ive ever seen. There were musicians, boat rides, statues, policia on horseback, food venders, gardens..and more!

This was my favorite statue set in the park...

These were at the botanical garden... These trees must have been 100 years old! they were the largest Bonsai trees I have ever seen...

This was a view over Madrid...

And this was an Egyptian monument which was sent to Spain in thanks. But I wonder how they got it there??

I took this picture for my mom, because I know how she likes tulips... they were very beautiful and very red.

And this was another great statue by the last place I stayed. Everything is so epic in Spain!

And lastly, this is me trying to leave Madrid. Notice all the trains that are full "tren completo"... thankfully Madrid let me leave her.

SO that was Madrid.... I would go back during the off season, but not during Semana Santa again!

Hello! This is a late posting of some sights in Valencia. Remember the gates to the city? One day when I was walking around, one was open to climb. All the way to the top! I know Brian would have absolutely freaked out.

First set of stairs...

Next set...

View from the first level of the gate...

Now view from the very top...

And another...

And yet another... It was such a grand city...

And, what Brian would love the most was this... there was NO railing anywhere to keep a tourist from jumping off, and you could go ANYWHERE on this thing. SO not American.

It was THE most exhilarating experience...racing to, yet trying to savor the climb, to the top.

PS, why are badasses always pointing?

...has a place for me to stay. oy vey. I promise I´ll book places to stay next time I travel during semana santa. ..And I´ll eventually try and post my pictures of madrid. This computer is from the dark ages.

Hello. I have been in Madrid the last two nights. And supposedly I am supposed to stay tonight, but I have no where to stay. Smart me. So, I get here for the first night, and...

-the train station is intimidating
-I take the metro and when I get off I promptly have a tachycardia attack for half an hour
-I go to the hostel I was thinking of, and no one answers
-I get into the building, and go to the door, and no one answers
-i get STUCK in the building because you need a key to get out
-finally I get out
-A couple who speaks 5 words in english try and help me find a place, they bustle me all over the city
-I find a place. its $82 for the night
-I am back where I started by the metro stop
-next day I find a place for 25 eu. I am relieved.
-i start to feel better and check out some sights.
-I go home to the place and i am thinking I´ll get up early and see some sights
-the place has cockroaches. lots of them.
-i leave the light on all night for fear they will crawl on my face.
-i get no sleep.
-construction at 8 am. I get up and theres a cockroach in my jacket.
-i have now been wandering for 2 hours and I cant find a place to stay for the night. I´m considering leaving this damned city.
-I need a shower. I still imagine cockroaches crawling on me.
-i havent eaten.
-if only i had listened to my mother.
-i´m booking hostels for the rest of my trip.
-there are 2 million words for places to stay here and are very confusing... hotel, hostal, hostel, pension, habitacion, and a few others that i cant even remember right now. send me some best wishes, i need it.

And I feel ill.

Hola from Valencia, Spain. The keyboard takes a little getting used to. I like this city a lot. It is very old, and has many interesting sites. I went and saw a beautiful botanical garden yesterday. I must have wandered for hours. It was very relaxing, and they had plants from all over the world!

Here are some delightful cacti...

To my cebolla...

un gato botanical...

And I pretty much meandered around the city all day. I ate some tastey tapas. I oreder un bocadillo queso y calamares and got 2 sandwiches intead of the calamari separate! Oops! But the place was very friendly, and cheap. I love trying to speak Spanish because it keeps my brain extremely active.

He says, "Learn Spanish, Damnit!"

This was the view from my first hostel. I have since had to move. The Hostel was very nice, and I met a nice French couple who shared wine and strawberries with me.

Also by the Hostel. And I musy say that Valencia Oranges are some of the best I´ve tasted. Brian! Let´s get an orange tree STAT!

I feel like posting all my pictures, so here are two gates into the city.

Alright, that is all for now. I have to eat and make my way to la playa. (the beach) Love to all! -Maggie