The final curtain.........

This final blog has been several days coming, but we have been getting over a bug we picked up on the flight home, been to a funeral in Sydney, and have been trying to adjust to the return to "normal" living after visiting seven countries, 30 cities and towns and walking almost 300 kilometres. The overall title of our blog is a tongue-in-cheek reference to the recent ABC TV series "Kevin McCloud's Grand Tour of Europe", where Kevin retraces the footsteps of the young 18th/19th century aristocracy who, in their "gap year", travelled through Europe to the Mediterranean to see the architectural wonders of the world. We have also seen many of those wonders, including the Acropolis in Athens, the Colosseum in Rome, the Cathedral in Toledo and the Mezquita in Cordoba. But we have also seen many sights and had many experiences that, although not so grand, have made an indelible imprint on our memories, including the friendly merchants in the Spice Bazaar in Istanbul, the short stretch of beach where ANZAC troops landed at Gallipoli, the old Roman theatre in Volterra (Tuscany), the thousands of little tortoises in an enclosure at Madrid Atocha Railway Station. We could go on. We have been privileged to see all these marvels and we have not just been bitten, but have been seriously and permanently infected, by the travel bug. Next - save madly for the next adventure.

The Dune Dudes Break Bread with the Bedouins

After a swim in the tepid waters of the Arabian Gulf,we were collected at 4.30pm for the final adventure of our holiday (sob). Khan is an affable, funny man who kept us entertained as he drove his 4-wheel-drive. After picking up a couple of German medical students we headed out onto the highway for a fairly rapid drive towards our destination (the 100kph speed limit must only be a suggestion). After about 45 minutes we turned off the highway and met up with three other 4WDs, let some air out of the tyres and set off in convoy for an exhilarating, nerve-tingling "dune-bash" on the Abu-Sallef Desert(nothing that Valium and Panadol won't fix) Straight up the side of a dune, hover on its top, then straight down the other side; sliding sideways through the sand; up the side of another dune - so it went for an hour before we made a brief stop to look at a small camel herd. Then up the dunes again, finally stopping near the top of what seemed the highest sand dune to watch the sunset. A short drive to a Bedouin encampment, where we were met with small cups of Arabic coffee and dried dates, camel rides, and finally a delicious meal of lamb, beef and chicken kebabs, Arabian salad, hommus, baba ghanoush and, of course, bread (otherwise the title of this blog wouldn't make sense). Then the sheshas - water pipes containing a mixture of tobacco, apple peel and honey - were brought out. (Sorry if the photo's a bit blurry - John took it just after he had his puff). Then back onto the highway for an equally rapid return trip to Abu Dhabi. A fascinating, thrilling, memorable night and a great way to (sob) complete our adventures. Next - early start to the airport, then home Tuesday morning. We will post a final wrap-up blog on Wednesday.

Abu Dhabi Mosque - masterpiece of design and engineering

Very early yesterday morning (Saturday) we arrived in Abu Dhabi, after an unsettled Thursday night on the train from Lisbon, most of Friday on our feet in Madrid, then a sleepless overnight flight to Abu Dhabi via Brussels. Fortunately, after a delicious breakfast at our Abu Dhabi hotel, the Hilton, we were able to catch up on a few hours sleep in our room overlooking the Arabian Gulf. In the evening we went into town and strolled through the market areas, with myriad small shops selling everything from clothing and textiles to electronics, then back to the hotel for a lovely Lebanese meal. This morning we took the hotel shuttle bus to the mosque. We thought we had seen everything there was to offer along out route over the last two months, but we were not prepared for the absolute magificence of the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Grand Mosque. The mosque, which has only been completed within the last decade, is principally of Moroccan design but embodies elements of the great mosques of the world. Around the main central square there are over a thousand columns and arches that remind us of Cordoba's Mezquita, and the huge, domed main prayer hall takes us back to the Blue Mosque in Istanbul (both described in previous blogs). The 22,412 square metre mosque site can accommodate almost 41,000 worshippers. It includes 82 domes, the tallest of which is 32 metres in diameter and reaches 70 metres above the floor of the main prayer hall, which in itself can hold more than seven thousand worhippers. The main prayer hall also contains the world's largest chandelier (10 metres diameter, 15 metres high and weighing over 9 tonnes) and the floor is covered by the world's largest hand-made carpet. We were both required to wear full-length robes (provided free of charge) - white for John, black for Elizabeth - and Elizabeth was given a wrap-around head scarf. This in itself added to the experience although at 46 degrees it also added to the body temperature. We are now back at the hotel and just about to walk across to the beach for a dip in the tepid waters of the Arabian Gulf. Next - out into the desert for a sunset dinner at a Bedouin camp.

Marvellous Mafra, Old-fashioned Obidos

Our last blog from Europe (sob!). A most enjoyable penultimate day, spent on a bus tour - first to Mafra village, 40km out of Lisbon. The enormous palace, built in the 18th century by King John V, dominates the village. It occupies 38,000 square metres (3.8 hectares) of building space and at the time was the largest building in Europe. The first stone was turned in 1717 and the beautiful Basilica, in the centre of the palace, was consecrated in 1731. The palace also includes a Franciscan monastery and a hospital to service the monks. We viewed many of the rooms including the kitchen, distillery, games room, hunting room and the sparse monks´quarters. The library (see photo) is spectacular both in decoration and capacity for old volumes - a place Caitlin would kill for (except that every night several small bats are released to eat any insects that might damage the books...... very creepy, but apparently effective). The hospital contained just one large ward with twenty separate private ´rooms´, each partitioned by curtains (see photo). Next stop was an old village inside fortified walls. Obidos is quaint and pretty and we wandered the narrow streets, admiring the local handicrafts in the many shops. We were treated to their local liqueur, ´Ginjinha´, 19% proof and made from sour cherries. It was delicious, especially as it was served to us in an edible chocolate cup. During this outing we also learned that, just a short time ago, Portugal was home to the largest photo-voltaic centre in the world. We arrived back in Lisbon in time for dinner, then boarded the overnight train back to Madrid. Next - Abu Dhabi.

A day in the Sintra mountans.......

We spent a delightful day yesterday on a bus tour to the village of Sintra, about one hour north of Lisbon. After crossing the Sintra mountains we drove through the village and arrived at Pena Palace, a 16th century palace perched on the top of one of the highest peaks. It looked like it was straight out of a fairytale with very colourful and ornate turrets and other fortifications - including a drawbridge. The palace rooms were smallish, as was fashionable at the time. There was a mix of cultures, Arabic and European, in the decore and furnishing styles but all were beautiful. The king's bed was short, to reflect the custom of sleeping partly upright so that you would not wake up dead in the morning. We had an enjoyable and relaxed meander through the village, together with a substantial lunch at a local hotel. We then travelled to the Colares region and boarded another tram for a short ride down the hill, then rejoined the bus and travelled to Cabo de Roca, the western-most point of continental Europe, 140 metres above sea level and the wind almost blew us away. So now we have stood on the border between Asia and Europe, in Istanbul and also achieved the other extreme, standing at the western end of Europe - and have a certificate to prove it. We drove along the coast on our way back to Lisbon, visiting the upmarket beach resort of Estoril and this completed a most enjoyable day. Next - a bus tour to another Portugese village this afternoon, then back to Madrid on the overnight train, a day in Madrid, then off to Abu Dhabi via Brussels.

Lovely Lisbon

We arrived in Lisbon early Tuesday morning after a reasonably comfortable sleep on the train from Madrid. Lisbon has been the least spectacular capital city so far - just looking a little tired with no really outstanding features. On the other hand, it is quieter and more ordered than the madness of Rome or Athens for instance. We enjoyed a bus tour of the city that included a 90 minute stroll through the Alfama quarter, the oldest part of Lisbon. As Lisbon is based on seven hills, naturally our walk was up and down steep, narrow, cobbled streets. We stopped along the way to sample some Portugese port then took a tram up to the highest point, where the ruins of an old castle and fortress remain. Here we took in panoramic views of the city and the port (shipping, not liquid). We could see down to the old town square, which was packed with locals watching their home team play in the World Cup, on a huge wide screen. We also found time to take our own quiet walk through the main city park, seeing swans and ducks and merchants selling their wares on the side of the road. Next stop - a day out of Lisbon to visit a local village.

Captivating Cordoba

There is much more to Cordoba than the Mezquite, as dominant as that is. Yesterday and today we have been exploring other aspects of this delightful city. First developed as a prominent city by the Romans, it was then capital of the Moorish kingdom in this region from early in the eighth century until it was reconquered by the Christians in 1236. Cordoba is a magnet for history lovers. Naturally, we have explored as many of its treasures as we could find in the time available to us, including the Mezquita, the Alcazar (fortress) and the Medina Al-zahara. The Alcazar was built by the Christians in 1328. It contains a castle of 4,100 square metres with walls that connect the four corner towers (one of which we climbed) by walkways. Inside the castle are Moorish-style baths, a hall that housed the former chapel of the Inqusition (and it was quite chilling to sit in a hall where so many were sentenced to torture and death) and mosaic art from the second and third centuries CE. The highlight for Elizabeth was the garden - 55,000 square metres of pure delight - columns of cypress pines, fruit trees, ornamentals, ponds and fountains. Another brilliant experience was our short bus trip to the Medina Al-zahara, once a mighty Muslim city-palace, established in the tenth century. We spent hours wandering through the ruins (an archaelogical site since 1910) which include residential quarters, guards' quarters, the city square, stables, gardens, the sultan's private quarters and entrance gates, and a mosque which is said to have the truest direction to Mecca anywhere in the Islamic world. We ended our visit there with lunch - we had no idea what we were ordering, but enjoyed our couscous salad, sliced pork, fried egg and chips. Today (Sunday) was an easy day - a leisurely stroll through the ancient Jewish quarter; a visit to a tenth century house that has been kept in its original condition; back to the hotel and a swim in the beautiful pool (28 degrees today). Tomorrow - back to Madrid, then an overnight train to Lisbon, Portugal.

Mystical, mesmerising Mezquita de Cordoba

The Mezquita, or mosque, is the highlight of our trip for John, the one thing he most looked forward to seeing and experiencing. Construction commenced on the Mezquita in 784CE under Emir Abd-ar-Rahman, on the site of a Roman temple and it took over two centuries to be completed. It once held an original edition of the Qu'ran and an arm bone of the prophet Mohammed. The Mezquita served the Cordoba Moorish community for several centuries, then in 1236 Cordoba was taken from the Moors by King Ferdinand III and once again became a Christian city. Fortunately Ferdinand admired and respected the Mezquita and instead of razing it he consecrated it as a Catholic church and over the ensuing years it was remodelled to include a Catholic cathedral in the centre of the original structure, with naves, a 'choir', and the usual assortment of Catholic statuary, paintings and frescoes, some created over the top of the existing columns and arches. It is a unique and intriguing architectural oddity, with its own unique atmosphere, that simply cannot be described in words. The Mezquita occupies 24,000 square metres (2.4 hectare,; 6 acres; more than twice the size of our property). 856 of the original 1,293 onyx, marble and granite columns still stand. The repetition of striped arches, comprising red brick and grey/white stone, between the columns, extending as far as the eye can see lends an air of serenity and holiness. This contrasts markedly with the Catholic cathedral in the centre of the mosque, so highly decorated in gold and silver with statues of many sizes and colours, as well as paintings and other Catholic icons. It is almost too much for the eye to take in and the brain to comprehend. So here we were - standing in an intact architectural and spiritual masterpiece that is almost 1,300 years old. Quite an experience.

Granada - grey skies, but great city

A change in the weather has been a welcome relief with temperatures of 20 to 26 degrees, grey skies and rain overnight - but not today. Granada is situated in the region of Andalusia at the foot of the snow-capped Sierra Nevada mountains. It was the last Moorish capital on the Iberian peninsula and is full of Moorish palaces and Christian Renaissance treasures. Granada is a blend of the old and the "new". The Hop-on-hop-off bus transported us around this interesting city, full of contrasts. Apart from The Alhambra, the cathedral was a stand-out. Dating from the early 16th century (shortly after the Catholic rulers Isabella and Ferdinand wrested control of Granada from the Moors), it is enormous inside - as we have come to expect - with two huge organs and their massive pipes suspended high above our heads, and you can only imagine the sound that would issue forth from them(see photo). We also visited the Capilla Real and its crypt, containing the bodies of Isabella and Ferdinand. The Sacristy contains their crowns, sceptre and sword as well as a Boticelli painting. We visited two more churches - Santa Ana 1537 (Moorish/Christian in style) and San Gregorio, built on a Christian burial site during the times of the Nasrid King. Before lunch we walked through the Garcia Lorco park which also contains Lorco's former summer house. Lorco was a famous Granadan author and playwright who was unfortunately shot dead by a firing squad during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) for saying the wrong thing. We stopped for tapas in the area near the university and learned that in Granada tapas plates are complimentary with every drink purchased. They are generous servings with ingredients such as deep fried king prawns or calamari, with salad and chips. We explored the old Moorish region and the labyrinth of narrow streets in the Arabic region, stopping at a teteria (tea-room) for Tunisian tea (green tea with mint and pine nuts)and a milkshake which included rose petals and crushed almonds, accompanied by delicious crepes with strawberries and chocolate. Tomorrow - Cordoba.

The Alluring Alhambra

The Alhambra Palaces, fortress and the adjacent Generalife Gardens are so breathtaking that they deserve their own blog. The Moors crossed the strait of Gibralter in 711 and settled in what was then a small Visigoth town perched on top of The Alhambra hill. This was the foundation of the prosperous and influential civilation that was to hold sway on the Iberian peninsula and through other parts of Europe for almost seven centuries. The fortress, palaces and surrounding buildings were constructed between the 11th and 15th centuries and housed the Sultans and their families, as well as several thousand public servants and other servants. Gardens were established to grow produce for all these people and aqueducts carried water from the Sierra Nevada mountains (which still have snow on their peaks today). The beauty of the buildings and the intricacy of the stuccos and mosaics is stunning. The palace garden has, since the early 20th century, been remodelled to reflect an English country garden style - beautiful and relaxing to meander through. Because the Alhambra is so high it commands wonderful views of the city and the mountain ranges. The Moors eventually ceded occupation of the Alhambra to Emperor Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain in 1492, and it said that as the last Sultan, Boabdil, walked down the wide boulevarde away from The Alhambra for the last time, he looked back and wept (prompting a rebuke from his mother, who accused him of being too weak to successfully defend the town). After the Christain re-occupation of Granada and The Alhambra, Emperor Carlos built another palace within the complex but this does not compare to the original Moorish palaces. Many of the buildings were destroyed or damaged by Napoleon's troops as they retreated from Lord Wellington in the early 19th century and unfortunately only three of the original six palaces remain intact. Today - more of Granada.

Holy Toledo..... (Batman)

This certainly is a holy town and is also World Heritage-listed. Toledo sits 530 metres above sea level on a steep rocky outcrop, and for a long time Jews, Muslims and Christians lived in harmony here. Over the centuries Toledo has been a Celti-Iberian city, a Roman outpost, a Moorish-Muslim city, the capital of unified Spain and a recognised cultural and intellectual centre within Europe. Toledo is the town that inspired the famous artist El Grco and is the point of departure for the adventures of Cervantes' Don Quixote. Our two days have been filled to overflowing with historical and cultural sites. The highlight was the magnificent Cathedral, which words can hardly describe. Construction started in 1226 and was not completed until 1493. It is one of the most outstanding examples of Gothic architecture in Spain, indeed in all of Europe. It measures 120 metres by 60 metres and contains five naves supported by 88 pillars, each with a circumference of about 14 metres, and 72 vaults, as well as more than a dozen family chapels. The sacristy houses paintings by El Greco, Goya and Carravegio (to name just three of the noted artists on display) as well as the original robes of bishops and archbishops dating back to the 15th century. The Custodia de Arfe, a magnificient gold and silver monument about three metres tall and housed in the Treasure Room, is made up of 18kg of pure gold and 183kg of silver, and contains 260 small, detailed statuettes of gold and silver. The Treasure Room also houses a 1258 bible with gold-leafed artwork. The 'Choir' section of the Cathedral is hailed as the most beautiful of all the European cathedrals (see photo). Unbelievable artwork and monuments throughout and the whole scale of the building is awe-inspiring. We also visited the Iglesie de Santo Tome, a modest church in comparison but containing El Greco's masterpiece 'The Burial of the Count of Orgaz'. Next was San Juan de los Reyes, a Franciscan monastery where the chains of Christian prisoners who were liberated in Granada in 1492 can be seen dangling from the walls. We also visited a beautiful Jesuit church and climbed up into the towers for impressive views over Toledo and the surrounding countryside. Then off to the Mezquite del Christo de la Luz - the 1,000-year-old mosque - and the Sinagoga Santa Maria la Blanca - the Jewish synagogue - to experience the contrast in expressions of faith; not a statue or painting in sight. Toledo is also famous for its steel and examples of its products, particularly swords, knives and armour, can be seen everywhere. It is also famous for marzipan - quite a contrast. This week Toledo has celebrated the Festival of Corpus Christi, as it has done since the 13th century, and the streets are adorned with flowers and tapestries that made this fascinating town all the more beautiful. It has been a wonderful place to visit but we are completely wrecked from walking the steep, cobbled streets in 38 degree heat. Right now we'd welcome a plain in Spain, or even some rain in Spain. Today - we leave Toledo to catch the train in Spain, back to Madrid then on to Granada.

Castila Y Leon - "The true heart of spain"

Yesterday we went on a bus tour out of Madrid to the old towns of Avila and Segovia. Avila is surrounded by an impressive intact medieval wall and is the perfect place to stroll narrow laneways and soak up the history. We visited the convent of Saint Teresa who was the reformer of the Carmelite nun order.It was built in 1636 and her original bedroom as a child was turned into a very ornate chapel. Her ring finger (complete with ring) was removed after death and is now on display in a beautiful glass container (yuck). We also visited the lovely 12th century cathedral, the first gothic style church built in Spain. The market square was packed with locals buying their fresh produce as they have done every Friday for the past 8oo years. We then took a 60 minute drive to Sergovia and were greeted by the enormous remains of the Roman aquaduct (over 2000 years old) which was used to transport water 16 kms down the mountain to the city. Our next stop was the very impressive cathedral that contained many individual chapels, originally bought by the rich families of the day. These were highly decorated in gold and enclosed within ornate timber and metal gates. Next was a visit to the Alcazar (palace, or castle) that was built in the late 15th century by Emporer Ferdinand and Queen Isabella (who, incidentally, financed Columbus' voyage that led to the discovery of the Americas). Unfortunately Ferdinand wasn't all that impressed with the finished product and he had another palace built in the mountains. Nonetheless it is an imposing building which is said to have inspired Walt Disney (as you will see from the photo). Today is Elizabeth's birthday, so hopefully we will have a reasonably easy day, visiting the Centro de Arte Reina Sofia (containing the best of Madrid's modern art, including works by Picasso and Salvador Dali) and the Thyssen Museum and having a nice dinner tonight. Tomorrow - Toledo.

Magical Madrid

Madrid, modern Spain's capital, is and exciting and vibrant city. We explored most of it via the Hop-on-hop-off bus system. Within walking distance of our hotel is the Parque de Buen Retiro, a massive and beautiful park containing, among other things, the Palacio de Cristal, a huge and beautiful glass house (growing pumpkins half a metre in diameter) and an artificial lake big enough to accommodate dozens of rented row boats. We spent several hours at the Museo del Prado, one of the best and most important galleries/museums in the world. It is filled with works by Goya, El Greco, Rubens, Rembrandt as well as other famous European artists. The building was used as cavalry barracks for Napoleon's troops during their occupation of Madrid (1808-1813). Next stop was the Palacio Real, the former royal palace built by King Juan Carlos I. It contains 2,800 rooms of which 50 are on show for the public. These are highly ornate and beautifully furnished with original furnishings. As well as the residence, we saw the palace's original pharmacy with fascinating displays of medicine jars, scales and cooking apparatus. There was also a comprehensive display of armoury from the 16th and 17th centuries. The highlight of the palace for John was the display of 2 violins, 1 viola and 2 cellos made by Stradivari between 1696 and 1705. We lunched at Plaza Mayor - a massive town square whose walls are frescoed and where heretics were burned at the stake during the Spanish Inquisition just a few centuries. John managed to make friends with one of the street mimes - Neptune - and we have now made it back to our hotel in the 35 degree heat to shower and prepare for another delicious dinner. Tomorrow - Avila and Segovia.