I forgot to download the book that I wanted read on my iPad, so I was forced to watch three movies. I saw one of the Hobbit movies, a Hunger Games movie and a movie about an Indian chef in France. I didn't get much sleep. The two meals were OK.
If you didn't know, I was going to a BAC bicycle ride in Andalusia. Even though I broke my clavicle the week before, I decided to go on the trip without my bike with permission from our tour director, Jane Maxwell. Jane, along with Sandy Emerson and Jean Peters were on the same flights. Through our tour company, Ibercycle, Jane arrange for a charter bus to take us from the airport to our hotel in Granada. We met several other tour members at the airport, found our way to the bus and motored on a two hour drive to Granada. We arrived the evening of April 23, a day and a half after we left the Bay Area.
Our hotel was a large tourist hotel across the street from the Alhambra. My room was a small single room in a very quiet section of the hotel. I met Sandy and Jean for a forgettable dinner buffet in the hotel's dining room. Then it was off to bed for a welcomed night's sleep.
April 24 - Granada
After an OK breakfast buffet, I ran into Jane, Sandy and Jean along with Martha and Barry Pullen in the lobby. We decided to go exploring in the old section of Granada. It was a long walk down the hill past the Alhambra into the old Moorish quarter. We walked beside a river up a road called Pasco de los Tristes - Walk of the Sad Ones. It was the old funeral procession walk to the cemetery. Our destination, however, was the Cave Museum of the Sacromonte. This was where some of the Roma people dig in and lived.
On our return, we stopped at a bar for refreshments with bread and cheese.
I got ahead of the group one the way down the hill and scouted the hotel where Ann and I our staying later. I also found a really good ice cream shop before trudging back up the hill past the Alhambra to the hotel.
Not having anything substantial for lunch, I decided to go to a decent restaurant for dinner. Jean joined me at a nearby hotel. I had some watery gaspacio and some nicely grilled squid.
April 25 - Granada
The entire cycling group had arrived at the hotel. After our breakfast buffet, we all walked to the Alhambra for an arranged tour with a local guide. If you ever have the privilege to see the Alhambra, this is the way to do it. Although our guide was a bit difficult to understand, we saw all of the high points of the complex and learned a lot about it. Because of my sore shoulder, I couldn't take any photos. I will be back again on May 10 and will do so then.
When the tour was finished, I walked back towards the hotel and had a good lunch of Moroccan risotto in a pizzeria/restorante.
I spent the rest of the day relaxing until our first Happy Hour and forgettable buffet dinner. Although this is a BAC tour, it was contracted with Iberocycle. Simon Proffit, the owner, is cycling on the tour with us. His employee, Montesclaros, is driving the van and tending to the non-cycling duties. Simon will be giving us a presentation of the next day's events at the start of each Happy Hour. After that we have a chance to socialize before dinner.
April 26 - Granada to Montefrio
It was cloudy and wet this morning. Most of the cyclists started early to try to beat the expected afternoon downpour. I was not worried because I had rented a car for the tour. My companions were Jane Maxwell and Cindy Graham. Jane needed a ride part of the time because she was not in shape due to pneumonia earlier this year which prevented her from training. Cindy couldn't ride because she had a broken wrist. The three of us decided to walk to the rental agency to get some exercise and to see more of the city. We managed to get off route a couple of times, but with the help of some friendly locals, we found the rental office. Our car is some kind of Ford with an automatic transmission
When we left the agency, I plugged in my GPS and routed us mostly along the cycling route.
Our first stop was in Santa Fe. This is where Columbus signed the agreement with the Monarchs to finance his voyages. It was also where Boabdil surrendered his sword and was exiled. We had some coffee and snacks at a small outdoor cafe and got back into the car when it started raining. On the way out of town, Jane was able to get a photo of a statue of Columbus.
On the route, we were able to stop a few times for other photos. In Illora we squeezed our way on very narrow streets so that we could look at an Arab castle on the top of the town's hill. Then it was on to Montefrio through heavy rain.
We had a real challenge finding our hotel. After looping through town a cole of times, we decided to backtrack our route. We got lucky and spied a sign pointing us in the right direction.
Our hotel was a smal family run business. My room was very plain, large and quiet. The temperature was cool and the only heat was from an overhead heater in the bathroom. It was early afternoon when we arrived and most of us met in the bar for snacks. My snack was chicken kabobs, grande. It was good but way too much. I decided to bypass my pain pills and have a couple of beers.
After Happy Hour, dinner consisted of about a dozen courses of tapas. By the time the last course arrived it was too much and too late. We stayed around, however, for dessert in honor of two birthdays.
I have to point out that dinners start very late in Spain. We made special arrangements to start this dinner at 7:20.
April 27 - Montefrio to Zuheros - Happy Birthday to Ann, Ellen and Suellen
It was still drizzling this morning making me happy that I wasn't cycling. Before we left the hotel, Jane, Cindy and I walked a couple of blocks the the town square just to see a little bit of the city. What we saw were a lot of men standing around and chatting. We thought that there might be a major activity that was going to occur. I asked Simon about it and he told me that because of the lack of employment opportunities, this is all that they had to do all day. Kind of sad...
Our first stop was in Priego de Córdoba. Our focus was the Fuente del Rey, Fountain of the King. It is an elaborate fountain of three pools with statues in the center of each and 139 jets of water spouting from the sides. It would be very refreshing in the hot summer. Today, however, it was cold and wet. We saw almost all of our group there. Jane was able to take photos of them posing at the fountain.
I should mention that this area of Spain is well known for its olive groves and its olive oil. All we can see for miles and miles are olive trees. It was appropriate then that we stopped at Acietes Vizcantar, a local olive producer. We were treated to an olive tasting where the proprietor showed us how to taste three very different olive oils. I can't wait to get home to display my new skills at our local olive oil store. After the tasting we were served "snacks" which became a filling lunch.
We drove on to our destination for the day - Zuheros - a beautiful white hilltop village. Our hotel was an old Spanish style abode with tiled floors, white washed walls and thick carved wooden doors. It was another challenge through the narrow streets to find a parking place near the hotel. Our rooms had a panoramic view of the valley far below the village. It was a wonderful place to stay. It was a short walk up to the small town square next to an old fortress. The view from there was magnificent.
Dinner was at the hotel. It was another feast of many tapas courses.
April 28 - Zuheros to Córdoba
Jane decided to ride her bicycle today. Cindy and I were on our own to find our way. We were lucky to be able to stop in Baena to visit an olive oil mill of Nunez de Prado. The mill has been run by the same family since the 18th century. It took a while to find the mill but Cindy's sharp eye did it. We parked on the street and walked into the courtyard. We were greeted by an elderly well-dressed gentleman who took us in hand and began a tour just for us without us asking. It turned out the he was one of the two brothers that owned the mill and the one brother that spoke English. His accent was pronounced so that I had trouble understanding him. He gave us a good tour, though. We saw the presses, the various filters, the huge storage containers, the bottling facility and labeling room. We also saw a symbolic but real 500 year old olive tree that was just beginning to show its buds.
After that, Cindy and I drove on and caught up with most of the riders. We had arranged to meet Jane before the hill if the day, but she felt strong enough to continue. So we drove on to our hotel in Córdoba
I parked the car in a dirt lot next to the hotel and we checked in just ahead of the first riders. I have a large room at street level. I can look out the window a see the car. The hotel is very close to the old Roman bridge which spans the Guadalquivir and leads to the Mezquita - the former mosque with a 16th century church rising up from the middle.
I unpacked my bag, did some laundry and then walked over the bridge to find some lunch. I had good tapas at Bodegas Mezquita. Then I did a short walk through the area on very narrow streets alongside whitewashed buildings with lots of shops selling lots of stuff to tourists. It was pretty, though, with many balconies with hanging flowers. In May, there is a festival where homeowners open their patios to the public and compete for the best floral displays. Flowers are important here.
I wandered back to the hotel to rest.
Happy Hour started in a conference room with Simon's presentation of the next day's ride which takes place after another day in Córdoba. After he was finished, we went up to the rooftop bar for refreshments and a wonderful view of the city. I had my first sangria which was really good. A group of nine of us strolled to dinner at Bodega San Basillo. We split several tapas.
April 29 - Córdoba
The coffee at our hotel is the very best. The pastries are great. We have fresh grapefruit and oranges. If you ask, they will make your an omelet. I am happy.
I toured the Mezquita this morning along with several hundred others. Because it is so large, the crowds did not get in the way. I spent a couple of hours there and it was well worth it. The red striped columns are spectacular and the church within the mosque is strange. The Christians who took over the mosque had enough foresight to leave the vast majority of the mosque alone, only destroying a small part of it for the chapel.
I came back to my room afterwards. My shoulder is getting much better, but it can't take a lot of walking around.
Back across the Roman bridge, I had tapas for lunch at Casa Pepe de la Juderia. I am finding my favorites. Then I ventured out to see more of the old part of town by wandering through new districts and trying to not get lost. I made it back to the hotel by mid afternoon for some downtime and to see if I could start typing my blog. I can, so you will see a dimly blog from now on. I can also take photos, although I don't have the flexibility to frame them well.
There was no Happy Hour tonight because everyone was on their own. I walked to the Jewish quarter near the old city wall and had tapas at Casa Rubio. I walked back to the hotel on a different route.
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