Off the Beaten Path - Our First Day in Barcelona

On the 30th of January we headed back to the airport in Madrid to take a short flight over to Barcelona.  We flew Iberia Airlines.  I do have to say that the coach section of the aircraft has the smallest space from the seat in front of us that I have ever seen!

Mike Piranty picked us up at the Barcelona airport and drove us to the Villa Victoria Barcelona, where we were greeted by The Villa's owner, Victoria, her husband and their housekeeper, Olga.  We were really overwhelmed by the Villa, but that is a story for another day.

Olga lead us to a nearby restaurant for lunch.  The food in Spain is amazing and the cost to eat out for a fantastic meal puts the US to shame.  Lunch included bread, olives, a bottle of wine each, a bottle of water, a first course, a second course and dessert or coffee, for 23 euros, for 2, including tax and tip.

Sights along the walk back to the Villa.

Enter the Villa Victoria Barcelona!

I fell in love with this built in espresso maker in the Villa.

The living room at the Villa.

There is an entire blog coming up with many pictures of the Villa.  I am so excited to be sharing this with you!

Happy Trails!
Regards,
Karen
One Planet Yarn and Fiber

Off The Beaten Path - Toledo, Spain

We were in Spain for such a brief time.  We had to make the most of our days there.  On our last day in Madrid we took the high speed train to Toledo.  It is 70 miles away and took only 30 minutes to get there.

Madrid Atocha train station

Renfre high speed train

My husband in our car.

Approaching the train station in Toledo

Add for one of the museums

Inside the train station.

Old ticket windows

The streets of Toledo

The main cathedral in Toledo.

Minor repairs to the ancient cathedral, no elevators!

Inside the cathedral, finished in 1492.

Choir seats

Detail of one choir seat.  Each one had different carvings  on them.

The Lions Gate

All of the Popes

Ceiling of the dome.

Toledo was a rare city in it's time.  Christians, Jews and Muslims all lived together  in peace.  Then came the Spanish Inquisition.  Many of the buildings in Toledo share a cultural mix in their buildings.

Michelangelo, no, there is no glass, yes, we could stand a foot away, yes, pictures were allowed, no flash

Illuminated Manuscript.

This is a hugh Monstrosity.  It was made with the very first shipload of gold, silver and gemstones that were brought back from the New World.  It is HUGE!

I bought Mazapan here!

The owner insisted on a picture together!

Ancient and new.

The Jewish Quarter existed until 1492, when history decided to eradicate them from the town.

Maybe a sign for the Mikvah?

Inside one of the synagogues that was made into a Catholic church.

The route of Don Quijote!

Entry to the Franciscan Monastery that is in the old Jewish Quarter.

LLadro!

This used to be the tower of a mosque.  It is now a church tower.

The only yarn store I saw on my trip.  They only had Kattia yarn.

This replica of the cathedral is made out of Mazapan!

The old city wall that still surrounds the oldest part of Toledo.

Back at the station waiting for the train.  We sat in the cafe and had a bottle of water.  The room was so colorful!

Back in Madrid, when we reached our hotel there was a protest by bicyclists and roller bladders for more bike lanes.  They do this once a month.  There had to be 200 riders, and their dogs!  Some of the dogs were running with the bikers, others were in baskets on front or back of a bike, or both!

Travel safe and enjoy the world!
Regards,
Karen
One Planet Yarn and Fiber