A stop in Ronda....

Good Evening, Everyone,

This morning we woke up early to make our way to Marbella, via Ronda.  We sat and had a lovely breakfast and the best coffee since we left Nerja.  After a quick stop back at the apartment to pick up our things, we were on our way out of the city and soon up to the mountains.

The way to Ronda was through a lot of small two lane roads.  Our inspiration for this out of the way stop was a picture on Pinterest - actually, our inspiration for much of this trip came from Pinterest.  I've become quite a fan.  The picture of Ronda was captivating and from the first moment I saw it I wanted to go there.  Since we were going to be so close, it became a priority to see for all of us.

 
I'm embarrassed to say I didn't know much about the city of Ronda before we visited and actually I still don't know much now.  What I do know - I saw a really cool picture of the bridge there and had to see it and also I heard the city is important to modern bullfighting in Spain.  From what I read, bullfighting on foot was made popular there. Oh, and Ernest Hemingway spent time there; part of his book For Whom The Bell Tolls describes events that took place in Ronda.

We were only there for a few hours.  Truly, long enough to have lunch, walk around a bit and get our all important picture of the famous bridge.  The bridge, called the new bridge but completed in the 1790's, links the two parts of the city which are on opposing cliffs divided by a gorge with a river running through it.  To get the best pictures, we had to make our way down toward the gorge floor on a path that was not very well kept. 

After racing around the city cameras a blazin', we made our way to the car for another few hours on our way to Marbella.  We had no idea the mountain roads we would soon be on.  They were curvy, nerve wracking, white knuckle inducing....it would have been best if I'd just slept the whole way, but I didn't.  By the time we arrived in Marbella, all our nerves were shot and we were so happy to see the straight roads running along the beautiful coastline of the Costa del Sol.

Our host here in Marbella is the most kind older man.  His son owns the flat but works in France so we were able to stay there at what we've now affectionately named Grandma's house.  It smells like your grandma's house and is decorated the way you'd think granny would.  We went down to the beach for a few moments to look around but Manda and Sara opted instead for the pool at our building and I am having a siesta in the flat.  In a little bit, we are heading out to find dinner and then off to bed early tonight because tomorrow we are checking off another bucket list item - Gibraltar! Eeeeeekkkk.....so excited about tomorrow!

Stay tuned for that post - I think you won't want to miss it!

Until then,

LuLu

Sevilla

Hello All,

It has been a few days since I last wrote to you.  Our time in Nerja was lazy and fantastic.  We spent most of the day every day at the beach, my view the same fabulous one you saw in the photo on my previous post.  Yesterday, we took a road trip inland to beautiful Sevilla where we planned to spend the next two days.

This place had been high up on my bucket list for some time now.  BP lived here for a short while in college when studying abroad.  Every picture I'd ever seen of the city seemed romantic and mesmerizing.  I was not disappointed.

Traveling by car is great for a lot of reasons and not so great for others.  Major kudos to Sara who drove us around and navigated the narrow city streets with a crazy person (me) in the passenger seat.  After many, many wrong turns, thanks to Betty Bossy - our GSP - we finally made it to our intended destination.  Since we had decided on three bases in Spain, it was my task to find us a place to stay in Sevilla.  It was my first experience using Airbnb and I was pleasantly surprised at how much I absolutely loved our apartment.  The host, Juan, met me at the flat and gave some wonderful recommendations on places to eat, things to do and then helped us find the best place nearby to park our car.  The flat itself is full of light and color and is just a block from the cathedral and other sites we had on our list.

Our first evening in Sevilla we walked around and go acquainted with our surroundings.  We were staying in an area of the city that is mostly pedestrian and touristy so we found an outdoor cafe and enjoyed some cervezas before heading over to a local, authentic flamenco show.  It was a recommendation by Juan that we see flamenco at this place and I'm so glad we did.  Most places were charging upwards of 30Euro to watch and show and more, of course, if you wanted a meal with it.  This place was free!  The show was probably not as long but I had the feeling that it was possibly more authentic than any we could have paid for.  We ordered a pitcher of beer and a cheese platter and used the time before the show started to discuss what we wanted to see the next day.  By the time the show ended and we made our way home, it was nearly 1am and we were zonked.

 

This morning we woke up super early to make sure we could fit in everything we wanted to do for the day.  We'd checked out the opening times for all the sites we wanted to see and decided to go to the Alcazar Palace first.  This place was spectacular.  If I understood correctly, it is the oldest royal palace still in use in Europe.  The architecture is a mix of Moorish/Islamic influence but the second floor has a more Renaissance feel.  The archways and intricate detail of the first floor made it my favorite, by far.  The palace also has extensive gardens.  To see the place properly, we could have spent all day there but we only had a few hours.
 
After the palace we made our way across to the Seville Cathedral, which is the largest Gothic cathedral in the world.  Impressive doesn't even begin to describe this place.  It is massive and ornate, housing may treasure - what is said to be the largest altar piece in the world and what is believed to be the tomb of Christopher Columbus. 
We were able to climb up to the viewing area on the Giralda (bell tower) which is former minaret of the mosque that stood on the site where the cathedral now stands.  From there we could see the entire city and off in the distance we could see the countryside surrounding Sevilla.

When we left the cathedral, we went back to our apartment to observe the Spanish tradition of siesta, something we tried to do each day since we'd arrived.  I find it completely necessary to have a quick sleep during the middle of the day so I don't fall asleep in my food when we are eating at 10 or 11 pm each night. :)
  This evening, we took a stroll over to the river to see the sites near there.  We went past the bullring. I'm told that Sevilla is very important in bullfighting history and possibly the ring there is the oldest in Spain (though I'm not sure about that).  We did not have time to go in, unfortunately - maybe on my next visit.

We decided on paella for dinner and went in search of a place that looked like they cooked it fresh and not from a packet.  We ended up on the same street where we were staying and I was not disappointed.  I'm not sure how I feel about the creatures with the eyes in my paella so I opted for the mixed chicken and seafood and only had to deal with the shellfish, which I don't mind.

Now we are settling in for the evening and preparing to get up early.  Tomorrow we are heading to the coast again - this time to Marbella, Spain.  We have a long day ahead of us as we plan to detour through the mountains to go to a special town called Ronda.

Hoping to post again soon....

Until then,

LuLu

The obsession with the beach....

Hello, Dear Readers!

This morning I find myself in the beautiful beach town of Nerja, Spain. Part of the Costa del Sol, Nerja is littered with white washed buildings, narrow streets humming with motorbikes and beaches with blue green water packed with sunbathers. As I write this to you, I am currently one of those many people. 

I am not, however, a worshiper of the sun. I have rented us three chairs and a thatched umbrella for the day.  This in an effort to stay out of the sun's rays as my friends enjoy being out in them and in the water (which I'm told is actually quite chilly despite the temperature being in the mid 90s today).  For your enjoyment, here is my view for the day:

I don't completely dislike the beach; it does have its place. For example, back home, I enjoy spending a few days at the coast each year -usually in October- when I can walk down the beach in the morning and/or evening and really take in the beauty of it. I just don't get the love of the ocean like most people. I burn easily, I hate to sweat just because of being out in the sun, sand is like beach dirt and I dislike having it all over and honestly I get bored. I prefer to be exploring a city or in the mountains. Hiking isn't easy and I am known for complaining the whole way up but there is something supremely satisfying about getting to the top of a mountain and knowing you did all the hard work to get there. 

We arrived in Spain late yesterday evening. Flying into Malaga, we picked up a rental car and headed for the coast. We are being quite brave, I feel, in driving from place to place on this portion of the trip, instead of taking public transport around. It will be interesting to know my opinion of this process once it is all over. 

I guess for now I have nothing more to report other than the beach. We had a fabulous "omelette" for breakfast which was egg and whatever (in my case, cheese) on a really great piece of bread. I hope to have that same thing for the next few breakfasts :). We also tried churros and while they were ok (who doesn't like something deep fried?!?) it wasn't really my thing. 

Last night we arrived in Nerja around 10pm and headed out for dinner around 11:30. The streets were still so lively and even small children were still around. We made a quick night of it and went to bed fairly early. I suspect tonight we will be more adventurous. 

I'll check in again later....

Until then,

LuLu

Down the mountain....

The next morning we woke up early for our dash back to Zurich. We quickly packed out bags and headed to the outdoor tables for breakfast. Coffee, bread and cheese - so simple, yet so delicious!

 After that we made our way up to the cable car station. This required walking again through the cave and passing by the rock church. The views from the top were spectacular. Though it was a good day to leave as the clouds were beginning to roll in again.

The ride down was only a few minutes but I find it terrifying to come down from such a height while only suspended by cables. Still, it was cool to see from the air the full view of where we'd hiked up only days before. 

We were not alone on the ride. There was an older couple who apparently found it amusing that two of the three of us were nervous during those minutes. Also, we rode down with, what I'm assuming was, fresh cows milk. I know it was milk and I assume it was from one or more of the cows brought up to graze in the mountain pastures during the summer. As a side note, I'm convinced that the cows in Switzerland are the luckiest and perhaps happiest in the world. I know, if I were a cow, it's where I'd want to live!  Beautiful views from the alpine hillsides, entertainment from  interaction with crazy hikers...really, what more could a cow want?!

When we returned again to the valley floor, we headed straight for the train station at Wasserauen for the journey back home. We only had hours to repack for Spain and clean up after 2+ days of hiking and no showers. Another adventure awaits....

Until then,

LuLu

Ebenalp

Hello, Friends, 

Yesterday we made our way to Ebenalp and the historic Gasthaus Aescher. As we arrived at the train station and looked up, all we could see was a wall of rock going straight up. There is a cable car taking people to the top but we were determine to find another way. We walked/hiked for two hours through the forest, up some rocky areas and through fields where enormous cows were grazing.

 

When we finally made it to the gasthaus our legs were aching. What a special place!  This gasthaus is over 150 years old (though it has been modified over the years) and is built right to the side of the cliff.

The back wall of the house is the face of the rock. After dropping our bags and looking around for an few moments, we headed to the gasthaus restaurant for some kind of refreshing beverage - a local quollfrisch bier for Amanda and I and mohl for Sara. 

After arrival we explored the area a little. We walked to the cave church they call wildkirchli, went through the cave to the other side and read about the cave bear and other large animal skeletons that had been found in this and other prehistoric caves in the area.

We walked all the way to the top and got to see some para gliders make their running leaps off the mountain. After that, we walked back down to the gasthaus and relaxed in our room for a while before dinner. I had fleishkase and rosti and my heart was so happy from the days events. 

I woke up very early in the morning to see the area with the new day's sun. It's no secret the weather has been less than agreeable on this trip, so far. But, today is August 1st, the reason I'm actually here this time, Swiss indendence/national day, and I would be quite happy if the weather would stay as lovely as it is right this moment.

Breakfast was taken outside and we enjoyed the view. After some minutes of discussion, the decision was made that the day would be spent hiking down to Seealpsee (a nearby lake). We grabbed our hiking boots and started down the mountain. For me, it was not very enjoyable on the way down. It was steep and was slick from the rain in the area in previous days. In the end, though, the effort way very much worth it. We came upon a lake of the most magnificent blue/green color. The water was freezing (and for that matter, so was the air) but the views from there were magnificent!  

We did a lap around the lake on foot and then decided to take what we thought would be a light hike up to the gasthaus by another route.  Fast forward about 30 minutes and we were clinging to the side of the rock face with steps only about a foot and a half wide and cables to use as hand holds. It was scary and overwhelming and completely exhilarating!  To date, I don't think I've ever done a hike I am more proud of than that one!  That part seemed to last forever but was really over after about 20 minutes. Soon we were at a mountain pasture walking again past grazing cows and taking in amazing views!

We arrived back at Ebenalp around 5ish and went immediately for our well deserved beer and plate of appenzeller cheese. I'm not sure it has ever tasted better!  Then we decided we'd not had enough and decided to go on another walk up to the cave and rock church and all the way up to the cable car station at the top to check times for our descent down the next morning.  Soon it was time for dinner in the gasthaus restaurant. Again I had the fleishkase (it's one of my favorites) and rosti. We made an early night of it, since the next morning we would be rushing back to Zurich to catch our flight to Spain :). 

Friends, I cannot overestimate the beauty of Ebenalp. If you ever get the chance to visit there, do not hesitate!

Until my next post, sending you all my love,

LuLu

Exploring Zurich with old friends....

Hello, friends,

I've been back in Zurich for two days now. Yesterday, I returned from the mountains to meet Amanda in the city. We walked around, shopped for a bit and then settled in by the lake with sausages from the Sterner Grill (the famous sausage stand in Zurich) and some snacks purchased from the local market.  We had a few hours to burn until the time Sara landed on her flight from Berlin. We used that time to catch up on the time since we last were together - 4 years. 

Just as those last four years have, time flew by and soon it was time to go to the flughafen (airport) and reunite with Sara. Her plane arrived late that evening so we only had about an hour to catch up before going our separate ways - Amanda and Sara to Amanda's host family house and me to mine. 

Today we met up in the city before noon. It was quite rainy, again, so we sat for a while and had coffee at the main train station (Hauptbahnhof). After that, our first task of the day was to handle something that has been 6 years in the making for me...it was time to close my Swiss bank account. When I moved home, I left about 100 ChF (Swiss francs) in the account to use and replenish when I came back on future trips. Fast forward, I had lost my information to get in to the account online, hadn't used it on any past trips, etc. - it seemed time to close it. I had been dreading this. But with Sara and Amanda by my side, I walked in and talked to a very nice lady behind the glass. Within a few moments, the account was closed and I took away about 50 ChF - the only bit that was left after years of fees. It was such a cool thing to have - a Swiss account - and I'm sad that I don't anymore. :(

After that, we walked around a little bit and then had lunch by the lake. The weather was just not great. The highlight of the day was a  1 1/2 hour boatride we took on the lake. We enjoyed coffee, nice views and good conversation. When we returned to shore, the three of us shopped at some favorite spots, got cake at one of my favorite places, Cake Friends, and then headed back to the main train station. 

We decided to do a quick run by the grocery store for snacks and then went our separate ways to pack and prepare for tomorrow. Tomorrow we are headed to Ebenalp!  Something I've been dreaming about for the better part of a year now. 

I will post again soon when I have more to share. 

For now, goodnight dear friends.

LuLu