Category: Tourism

Andalucía / Tourism

Encore Córdoba: flamenco, mudéjar, and yes: more patios

Our May visit to Córdoba was so full of interesting sights (and resulted in so many photos) that – somewhat to Doer’s chagrin – Dreamer decided the trip deserved a rare third blog post. You see, courtyards (known as patios in Spain) truly are an ubiquitous part of the city; they can be found just about everywhere. While many of the courtyards we visited were part of people’s homes and are only open to the public during the festival, there are plenty of patio-related destinations that are open year-round, including a palace featuring TWELVE. DIFFERENT. PATIOS. But before we get to

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Andalucía / Tourism

There’s more to Córdoba than patios

Though we went to Córdoba for its famed patios festival in early May, there was no shortage of other, non-related sites. Perhaps the most famous monument in the city is the mezquita-catedral, or mosque-cathedral (that is not a typo, as we’ll explain below). Although it was Dreamer’s first visit, Doer had great memories of seeing the mosque 17 years ago. However, he did not remember where to buy tickets… Finally, we found the ticket booth on the opposite side of the entrance, then returned to the entrance with our entradas in hand. Before it became a cathedral, this was a mosque. But before

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Andalucía / Tourism

Competing courtyards? Yes, please!

Spain brings many images to mind. Bulls, maybe, or flamenco. Paella or sangria, even. Before she ever set foot in the country, Dreamer associated Spain with courtyards. However, when we moved to the Valencian Community, on the eastern coast of the country, we did not find tranquil inner courtyards in abundance. We learned these cool sanctuaries – which have traditionally provided respite from the brutal heat – primarily exist in the south, especially the city of Córdoba. When Dreamer learned the city has a two-week competitive festival devoted to courtyards (called patios in Spain), we couldn’t book train tickets fast

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Tourism

Island in the Sun: Tenerife

For the final leg of our long April trip, we decided to go a more traditional spring break route, finishing our adventure waaaay south, and on an island to boot. But before arriving in paradise, we had to take a train from Rotterdam in the Netherlands to the airport in Brussels, Belgium. We were delighted with how easy (and fast!) international travel proved. No advance reservations needed, even. After arriving in Tenerife’s southern airport, we drove our rental care about 15 minutes to our beachside Airbnb apartment in Médano Beach. Tenerife is the largest of Spain’s Canary Islands. Politically, the

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Tourism

Double Dutch 2: Rotterdam

If we visited Amsterdam for the tulips, then we definitely went to Rotterdam for the pinball. We also encountered surprisingly modern architecture. While Amsterdam retains its historic credentials, Rotterdam looks very different because the Germans bombed it in 1940 during World War II. The city has since recovered, and today it is Europe’s largest port. We also enjoyed the small, historic section of the city that was not hit by bombs and thus remains preserved. Our train ride into Rotterdam was short and uneventful, with a gray spring landscape broken up by shocks of color. We found our boat hotel

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Tourism

Double Dutch 1: Amsterdam

We came to Holland in the spring for the tulips. Isn’t that VEIRD??!? Of course, we crossed canals, we took in history, we visited a famously colorful district, and we sought out interesting food and drink. But we really did come for those tulips. Still, we were eager to return to the city after a honeymoon layover there almost four years ago – 18 hours wasn’t enough! But first… a trip to the Borriana/Les Alqueries train station in the strong midday sun. As with many trips before and after it, we celebrated our arrival at the Valencia airport and clearing security with a

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