old tiger's Blog

so..second day in Andorra...was same as the first really..
shop in..shop out..we went to see the bus timings for our trip
back towards Barcelona..and our bus back to Brussels was booked..
before we started this trip..busride to Brussels was O.K..
we reached back home safe..next trip was a mini trip..
my uncle payed us a 1 day trip to Paris..I knew this city..
but my wife did not...we went back there once..Eiffel tower,you know..
in these days..I was preparing for a television quiz..
called from pole to equator..my choice was the country Senegal..
it was running on BRT=Belgian radio/television..
I underwent a selection...and got selected..
I won some money..and a free trip to Senegal(1986)
I'll report about that in a later posting..first Paris..uhuh..
Tiger

We reached Barcelona safe..and luckily enough could get a place..
in the youth hostel again..next morning..
we took a bus to Andorra la Vella via Manresa+la Seu d'Urgell..
bit over 4 hours drive...nice countryside by the way..
this country..is small...but based on shopping and tourism..
we got a decent priced hotel in Andorra la Vella..
and booked 2 nights..first we went to the tourist office..
to find out about sightseeing..main things to see are some typical buildings..
a few churches..but the main stuff are the shopping facilities..
Andorra la Vella is a shopping spree..because taxes are very low..
so..specially eletrical goods are much cheaper then elsewhere..
also alcoholic drinks,benzine,clothes etc...are better priced..
the language spoken in Andorra is Spanish Catalan..
in fact..2 days for this place was bit too much..
we went in and out shops for most of the time..
in the evening we had a cheap meal..
in fact it was pizza..that's international food..uhuh...
I'll try to find a good link about Andorra..
http://andorra.starttips.com/
Tiger

so..Zocodover..nice place to stroll around..very busy and touristical..
the Alcazar and the cathedral are very nearby..
we did not visit the fortress Alcazar..impressive enough anyway..
the cathedral was worthwhile..but if one has seen one..
in the end they resemble a bit??nice art in this one though...
we went to the museum of El Greco next..that was an interesting visit..
he was Greek from origine..his works are famous..and you'll find them..
a lot in Toledo..but also in the Prado(Madrid)Toledo abounds with musea
of all kinds..for me the real charm of Toledo were the small alleys..
the walls around the city..the bridges over the Tajo river..
as almost every Spanish city..there was a Plaza Mayor...shops,bars etc..
Toledo is very well known for swords..we bought a pair of scissors..
I had a beer in a cerveceria..where beer is served..una cerveza negra,
por favor..uhuh..means a dark beer...around the Zocodover are lots of
places to sit outside and enjoy a beer..watching the tourists strolling by..
next day..back by train to Madrid+directly to Barcelona as well..
we decided to make a 2 day excursion by bus to Andorra...
small country..around the Pyrenees mountains..will tell you peeps later..
Tiger

Toledo was reached by a 1 hour train ride from Atocha Madrid..
it was about 70kms..this city is situated along the Tajo river..
it is an ancient place with history enough to write a book about it..
we stayed in the youth hostel..which was one of the best experiences
we had on this all Spain trip..because it's situated in a real castle..yes..
we booked a room for 2 nights..this castle is called San Servando..
it's near the Alcantara bridge..which spans the river and gives access
to Toledo town..I will do another posting on this town..because I got
something to tell about this place..the following video=probably Chinese
or South Korean folks..tells it all..for me it's like going back there..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKpyEWaGWSM
lovely impression of this old city..known for knives and scissors by the way..
as a matter of fact we bought a small scissors..and we still got it now..
after settling in our cosy castle youth hostel room..uhuh..
we felt like attacking the old town..involved some brisk walking!!!
beware..just wear sunglasses and a hat..let me warn you all??
it can be bloody hot in Toledo...and while we were there..it was!!!
so..crossing the bridge over the Tajo..gave us a lovely view on the city..
I believe there are about 5 bridges to cross that river somewhere??
we walked to Plaza Zocodover..local fols call it Zoco..the way towards
there..took us trough narrow alley ways with flowered balconies...
a beautiful square..the cathedral and the Alcazar were very near..
lots of tourists..at noon..it was bloody hot...pffft...
my wife...couldn't take the heat..we took a *gazpacho*=a cold soup...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gazpacho
will report more in following posting about this place to remember..
Tiger

Trains were comfortable in Spain..it took 8 hours..
it's nice to see the countryside away from the coastal towns..
typical Spanish dormant villages..different mentality then big cities..
we reached Madrid safe..and booked 3 nights at the youth hostel..
it was rather crowded there...Madrid was a popular destination..
somehow...I did like Barcelona much better..Madrid is different..
it's a vast city..it can get very hot there in summer..
second day..we did the famous El Prado museum..
link for this museum.. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/main.jhtml?xml=/travel/2003/11/08/etprado08.xml
now..this was a worthwhile art museum..nice old building..
we got a booklet guide to see what this museum had to offer..
as in other famous musea..lots of tourists..the usual crowds..
one can expect in a famous world museum..it's divided into rooms..
with Spanish art from Goya,El Greco,V?lasquez etc..
I did like the works of Goya the most here=La Maja etc..
there was a Flemish room with Rubens and Bosch etc..
Italian art was represented by Titian,Botticeli etc...
then French,Dutch and German art...recall Rembrandt only..
it's not possible to see this museum in 1 day...
we went trough it in a glance really..because we decided..
to make a walk through Madrid's main boulevards afterwards..
I bet we stayed 2 hours in the Prado..not enough of course..
then walked towards Puerta del Sol..now..that's a hectic place..
Plaza Mayor..Palacio real=Royal Palace...lots of Plaza's=squares..
spacious wide boulevards,parks,fountains,hectic traffic..
that's Madrid..it tired us out really..we went for a paella..
the best ones are in Valencia..but it tastes good everywhere..
went back to the youth hostel tired...next day..daytrip..
to the town of Toledo=about 1 hour train ride..I loved that place..
will tell you peeps more about Toledo town..linked a lot to El Greco..
Tiger