Europe 2024

  19 May - Edinburgh Settled back into a bit of a routine in Edinburgh.  Actually wearing T Shirts now - sometimes we do have a warm coat over them when out and about but it is definitely warming up. Heating is off and we are opening our windows to cool the place down. So much sun yesterday, people wandering around in sun dresses and shorts.  Went to see a great play yesterday afternoon and women at interval were commenting it was so hot they were feeling faint.  It's about 17 degrees. Play we saw was Macbeth - An Undoing.  Saw it at the Royal Lyceum Theatre in the west end part of Edinburgh.   Excellent play.  Is Macbeth but turned around where it is Macbeth that goes mad, not so much Lady Macbeth.  And the witches have a more prominent role as does Lady Macduff.  So not all Shakespeare.  Was a commentary on the writing out/minimization of women in Macbeth plus on the treatment of the underclass.  Wasn't preachy at all.  ...

 Day trip to Cordoba - Monday, 13 May Early train to Cordoba - only about 40 minute trip so very easy.  Becoming quite familiar with Seville's main train station or Santa Justica to us old hands.  Walked from train station to old quarter in Cordoba.  Very pretty white washed houses with colorful flowers in pots everywhere.  Found Catedral - Mezquita.  Queued up but moved quickly so all good.  Stunning place inside.  Great double arches from Moorish times when was a mosque.  They were apparently an innovation, copied in later mosques. Also ornate chapels, mainly on outside which were added by the Christians in the 1200's plus you can see excavated old Roman parts and bits from when the Visigoths were in charge.  Largely a huge room with these amazing arches that seemingly go on for ever. Also a courtyard outside which the Moors built which originally had fruit trees in it and a bell tower which was originally a minaret.  I think I ha...

  Saturday 11 May - Grenada to Seville No idea what the festival was but it involved people on horseback and tractors towing highly decorated caravans.  Whatever it was about, we did end up walking to the train station which was not too bad, as only had 2 small overnight bags.  Good for us after all the food we have eaten. Train this time did not break down so back in Seville around 4pm. Significantly warmer than Grenada so changed and ventured out for a drink in 'our' Plaza.  (You may notice a theme emerging here). Saturday night, so lots of people sitting around having fun.  Ended up at a restaurant called Casa Paco where we had eaten lunch on our first day.  We had a delicious meal.  Getting better at avoiding fried food.  Just so many croquettes we can eat.  Favourite was a burrata salad with spirals of zucchini, almonds and cherry tomatoes in a honey based sauce, think was also a sundried tomato element to it. Would happily reproduce at ...

Grenada  Thursday - train ride to Grenada.  Flawless taxi trip to train station.  We easily found correct train and seats.  Train leaves on time.  Thinking how good is the Spanish train system when we suddenly stop in the middle of nowhere and stay stopped for some time.  Announcement in Spanish after a longish while and Spanish speaking people nod.  Rest of us still confused.  Eventually someone translates for us that train is broken down.  Will send another one.  Don't know when.  Eventually this happens and we are off again.  We also  stop at a number of smallish towns none of which I remember seeing on booking.  Not to worry.  Got to start new book and eventually got there.  Countryside uneventful.  Flat, brown and lots of olive trees. Granada is very scenic.  Hotel is very old and quirky with a spiral staircase in room leading to a sitting area.  Fortunately bed and bathroom are downstair...