Tuesday, 20 May Today was spent heading from Madrid to Granada. After breakfast we headed to the bus at nine. Our first stop after about an hour and a half was a little town, Tembleque, for a look at the town square, a coffee and rest rooms. Another hour and a half before a stop…

Monday, 19 May Today’s breakfast was a bit of a disappointment. The same food as yesterday but no where to sit, tables with dirty dishes and not wiped off. Dolora and I waited and ended up at a table that had been emptied but not cleaned. Had to try to find silverware. At least the…

Sunday, 18 May After breakfast, Dolora and I were off to Toledo for the day. We took the Metro from in front of the hotel to the train station, Madrid Atocha. The Madrid Metro works the same as the DC metro. Find your line color with the correct endpoint and hop on. Four stops later…

Saturday, 17 May Dolora and I started the morning a little slow since all we had to do was eat breakfast and be packed by ten. We met our guide, Luis, in the lobby and the group boarded a bus for the short trip to the Barcelona train station. The station was busy on a…

Friday, 16 May A tidbit I missed yesterday, after 140 years of construction the Sagrada Familia church has no roof. When it rains, it rains inside the church and they clean it up…. Last night my sleep was interrupted by a series of loud bangs. I found out at breakfast, Barcelona won the La Liga…

Thursday, 15 May If you are only seeing these posts in your email, you are missing all the photos. Click “Read on blog” and you can see the photos at the bottom of that day’s post. After another hearty hotel breakfast, it was off to the Sagrada Familia for a 9:45 tour. The basilica is…

Wednesday, 14 May After a comfortable night’s rest, Dolora and I dined at our hotel breakfast. Too many choices, bread, pastries, meats, cheeses, cereal, yogurt, eggs, bacon and more. After a hearty breakfast it was off to the Picasso Museum. On the way we walked past the Mercat de Santa Caterina. This is much more…

Tuesday, 13 May Our flight landed at eight after an uneventful flight. It seems that is what you hope for these days. Passport control was a breeze with only a short line. The taxi ride ran into Barcelona rush hour but Dolora and I made it to the hotel by 9:30 and were lucky enough…

Monday, 12 May In 2018, Dolora and I experienced Italy through a Rick Steves “My Way” tour. These tours provide lodging and transportation, with a tour guide offering town insights on the bus and assistance with recommendations, reservations, and any problems during daily “office hours.” A key benefit of the “My Way” tour is staying…