Viva España: Part 2

Even though I am just an ordinary tourist again, there’s still so much to appreciate about the Spanish way of life. If any of my friends have noticed the hint of snobbery that I can’t seem to hide, in spite of my aspirations towards humility, this is where it comes from. Europeans know how to live. Accents on beauty, acknowledgements of the ancient past, and at the same time satisfaction with simplicity are all part of the old world mentality. Add a dash of emotional expressiveness and you’ve got a Spaniard.

I arrived in downtown Madrid late Saturday night and found myself doing something I thought I’d never do—having dinner st 10:00 at night. The next morning I walked around places I hadn’t been since I was a child, Plaza Mayor, Retiro Park, then made my way to the train station on the Metro.



Next stop, Córdoba, a magical mix of ancient cultures with Muslim, Roman, Jewish and Catholic sections of town. It’s exquisitely beautiful but HOT! Yesterday the thermometer crested to 39 C (102 F). Walking for hours on these winding cobblestone streets is actually more exhausting than doing El Camino, where I walked longer distances. But the architecture is lovely and I don’t even mind getting lost in these tiny little alleys. I feel like I’m in an Indiana Jones movie.





I’m joined by my sister Helen, her husband and her friend who are experienced travelers.  Helen is a planner so we’re always going here and there. Whew! Luckily she likes to eat and shop!






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