This yacht race today was interesting to watch. On the hill at the back is a hotel and amusement park to which we ventured on Friday. The land on the left is a small island on which you can see a building. Boat trips go to the island each day, and visitors can explore it for themselves.

Overturned bins in the centre of the road which have been set alight, abandoned car at right angles, and riot police in the background behind the car.

San Sebastian
Just after we posted the last entry, there was a flurry with much shouting in the street and the internet staff hastily closed and locked the door. When we were able to get out, there were riot police with shields and batons and paddy waggons everywhere (earlier in the day we had seen the police helicopter hovering overhead near the main square for several hours). The streets were full of broken bottles, smashed shop windows, and the very large recycle bins (about 6 times the size of our blue bins) overturned and set alight in the middle of the roads. There was smoke everywhere, and people running to avoid capture. We did not see any arrests, since the demonstrators were masked and able to escape by running through the narrow laneways in the old quarter. Apparently Friday was a significant day in the Spain calendar, and as far as we could gather the demonstration was political with the left v the right rallying in protest (probably students or at least young people)
We have walked this city from end to end, covering many km. Today is very busy because it is a long weekend, and the promenade, beaches, and streets are crowded with holidaymakers and locals. It is a beautiful day, clear blue sky, 26 degrees, and the beach alive with ball games, sunbakers, dogs playing, prams with babies, joggers, and walkers. There was a competition run along the promenade this morning, with many hundreds of competitors. The promenade stretches for about 6 km around all three beaches, and it seemed that the run was from end to end. We have walked this distance twice and it is still an enthralling experience.
Tomorrow morning we sadly drive to Bilbao for the long trek home (total time at least 38 hours from door to door). Whilst we are sad to be heading home, it will be good to see everyone again, sleep in our own bed, and eat our own food with lots of vegetables and fruit. The washing machine will be a very welcome piece of equipment!
This is likely to be our last entry, although we may be able to post something in either London or Singapore when we are in transit.

View from our window at the last place we stayed before San Sebastian. Note how close the beach is to the hotel, with a croquet lawn, bar, and outdoor furniture awaiting the return of summer weather.

The travellers, with the bay and island in the background. At the very top is the peak which we visited today. A few days of R and R are required to prepare for the 32 hour journey home! This is just the place to do it.

The fernicular in which we travelled up to and down from the peak to have a spectacular view over San Sebastian and the bay. There was actually a children´s fun park at the top as well as an expensive hotel.

View of the main beach at San Sebastian, taken from the top of the point on one side of the bay. City of San Sebastian behind the beach and the hills in the background. Our hotel is right next to the sandy beach to the left of the centre point of the photograph.

One view of the outside of the Guggenheim Museum at Bilbao. As you can see it defies all the usual construction and design principles.

San Sebastian (continued)
Not sure what happened, but the screen froze. The little vehicle was basically a one-seater, smaller than a "smart car" and could only travel at a maximum of 80km per hour. The car was registered in Copenhagen, and the driver was from the Netherlands on a one-month holiday. Brave man to take that old, tiny car on motorways where the trucks and cars travel at high speed (cars up to 160 km/hr), must be unnerving at times.

San Sebastian
We have not been able to access internet for two days. We are now here at our last stop after spending two nights at hotels on the beach away from the main roads and most of the tourists. This is a particularly nice place, with a wide long curved beach (in fact there are three beaches all together) of clean sand, with a promenade running around the main beach about 2km long. Next to the promenade is a well-marked cycle track which is used by both joggers and bicycles. It is a particularly pretty and restful place to spend the last few days - we intended to take a drive into France, and also to Pamplona and Gernika, but have decided to rest up here instead. There is much "people peeping" to be done and coffee to be drunk, and walks in and around the old city and along the beach.
On the way here, we stopped at Bilbao to visit the Guggenheim Museum, which is world-renowned as a fascinating building containing art exhibitions. This month the exhibition is of the history and art of USA. Well worth the stop.
Today we walked around to the point, and took the funicular to the top of the hill where we had an amazing view over the bay, the beach, and San Sebastian, as well as out to sea.
There are many more observations to mention. Dried codfish is a major part of the diet here, and we have seen it in the dried state and also eaten it after the mandatory 4-day soaking in water to reduce the salt level.
The beer and wine are good, and we have tried a mug of Sangria which was surprisingly excellent. The port in Porto was to die for - neither sweet nor heavy!
Still impossible to find somewhere to eat dinner before 8.30 pm or even 9.00 pm, so today we gave in to the local customs and played "if you can´t beat them, join them" - breakfast at 11.30 am, lunch at 4.30 pm, and dinner probably about 9.00 pm tonight.
There is a particular style which women seem to have, as we also observed in Paris. Clothing is chosen so that the whole outfit makes a statement - eg red shoes with a scarf tied ¨just so¨ containing a splash of red, with the remainder of the outfit being neutral or black and white. Gold handbags and matching high heels parading along the promenade is a common sight, and men wearing suits and leather shoes, where the walkers appear to be intent on "being seen". There is definitely a talent in co-ordinating the garments so that the whole effect is particularly chic.
We continue to be amazed at the standard of the major roads and motorways. In Australia we would make a cutting around a hill, but here a tunnel is simply cut through the hill, and where there is a deep valley a long bridge is constructed from one side to another. Some of these are as high as 200m and up to 1 km long. There are few traffic lights - most intersections are controlled by well-marked roundabouts, and the traffic flows extremely well.
We saw an amazing little vehicle with registration 45KM

Candas
Wonderful drive through very green forests and pastures, with many dairy cattle, sheep and goats. When we woke this morning, the harbour was dense with fog, and the fog continued for most of the journey today. The place we had chosen to stay turned out to be a bit scruffy and very steep, so we continued along the coastline and found this place which is rather pretty although also in fog. It is on a river where it enters the sea, so perhaps in the morning the fog will clear and we will have a good view of the surroundings. Will stay here one night, then another stop tomorrow night on our way to San Sebastian. We are really enjoying cruising through the countryside, particularly now that most of the tourists have gone home. Not much English spoken away from the larger cities, but this is not a problem if you are resourceful. Temperatures are now cooler in the north, today being 17 degrees.

Another view of the harbour, as the fog rolls in from the Atlantic whilst the sun is still shining brightly. A very peaceful, quiet and serene little village which was well worth choosing to stay for a night.

View across the small harbour at Pontedeume in the late afternoon sun. Tranquil.

Pontedeume
This is a small village (population 4,730) on the NW tip of Spain, which we reached today after departing Porto and sadly saying goodbye to Portugal. Took the autobahns all the way back into Spain which were fantastic - Australia could learn much from the design and maintenance of the roadways. Seemed like every few km we needed to pay a toll, but they are not particularly expensive. There was very little traffic on the road, and the scenery all the way was of rolling green hills with many eucalyptus plantations. Also have seen many wind generators throughout Portugal and parts of Spain.
We had no booking here, so went to a hotel and found that there were plenty of rooms. An interesting event then occurred. We have room number 209 with a great view over the river mouth, and had only just entered when a man let himself into our room with a key and rushed into our bathroom toilet! It turned out that he was in room 309 (immediately above) but had entered the wrong floor from the lift. His key fitted our door. After some sign language with the receptionist and checking the key to 309, it was established that the 309 key was actually a master key which fits every door in the hotel! We will be using the latch lock overnight.
Took a long walk along the promenade watching the fishermen mending their nets and the small boats bobbing in the harbour. Fog is rolling in from the nearby hills and the late afternoon sunlight is golden, so it is a very pretty little town indeed.

Common scene - washing hanging out to dry next to TV satellite dishes.

The roadway built out into the river to alleviate traffic problems is an interesting solution.

This amazing bridge is attractive from all angles - the Pont de Louis I. The train line runs on the top and also pedestrians, and the lowest level is a pedestrian crossing along with vehicles.

Porto
Have managed to make it through today without consuming any ham or cheese!!
Porto has a romantic reputation and history. The city is planted with multitudes of camellias which give a colourful and festive air throughout the colder winter months.
It is also renowned for its bridges which are particularly attractive, one of which was designed by Gustav Eiffel.
The city folk celebrate St John´s festival on June 23, when they stay up all night feasting, lighting fireworks, and hitting each other over the head with a squeaky plastic hammer. One must stay up long enough to collect the early morning dew, which is believed to bring good fortune for the coming year.
Porto´s early population was primarily fishermen and boat-builders. It has also developed to service the surrounding countryside (river Duoro valley) which produces major grape harvests which are transported to Porto to be matured, blended and bottled.
Porto has not always been a tranquil and romantic tourist spot. It has a history of rebelliousness and dissent - in 1628 even the ladies attacked a minister for introducing a tax on linen!
The earliest recorded origins are that Don Joao I (king John the 1st) married Philippa from England here in 1111, and their son Henry the Navigator was born here. There are many statues and monuments in recognition of Henry, who followed after Vasco da Gama in explorations to the East.
Interestingly, throughout Portugal which is primarily a Catholic country, there seems to be no evidence of religious statues other than on and in churches. Statues/monuments around the squares are a myriad of poets, writers, kings, explorers, and other famous people from the past.
The city bus tour today was particularly good - almost two hours, through both the old and newer parts of the city on both sides of the river, and along a portion of the Atlantic ocean and the river. The buildings and streets are rather austere and imposing, against which a McDonald store provided a gaudy contrast. There are many gardens and open squares sprinkled throughout the city, and some of the old buildings and churches are coated with the unique painted blue and white tiles (often depicting a scene using 12cm tiles which have been hand painted and fired).
In the morning we walked down to the river from the main cathedral through tiny alleyways
and footpaths past small domestic residences - great photographic opportunity.
The city is also known for "tripe", cooked into a stew. This began in 1415 when Henry the Navigator left to sail for Morocco, Porto´s loyal citizens donated their best meat to the sailors and kept the offal for themselves (earning the nickname "tripe-eaters").
Porto is a beautiful city on the banks of the Douro river and a traveller´s delight with wall to wall restaurants along the river bank and loads of historical sights.

Porto
Just arrived after a fairly short trip from Coimbra through countless little villages which seem to be continuous. Fast flowing river, great bridges, and of course an "old town" like everywhere else. Our hotel is large, very nice room, but a bit out of town so we need to take a cab to the city centre. Has a buzz about it down by the riverside, and there seem to be lots of tourists. This is the second largest city in Portugal after Lisbon. We will take the tourist bus and explore more tomorrow.

p.s. Bob. He was told so should know that the cracks in the office area do not need to be touched, that the beams in the kitchen must be painted, and also the pantry doors.

Coimbra
A few observations first. In Obidos, two church bells rang one minute apart on the hour. Behind our hotel were two dogs in the same property, who stood together and sang loudly in accompaniment with the bells! Most entertaining.
It is apparently an insult to ask for salt or pepper with a meal, because the chef believes that the dish has been cooked to perfection!
Breakfast is usually ham and cheese with a bread roll, bread, croissant, or a sticky bun. Lunch is also usually a sandwich or baguette with ham and cheese. The menu for a baguette for lunch today was for cheese, ham, ham and cheese, ham cheese and lettuce, or smoked ham. I ordered the ham cheese and lettuce, which came with just ham and toasted!
It was a pretty drive from Obidos to here, although we were sad to leave. Gladys did an excellent job of helping us to follow a red road away from the freeway, but brought us to the back of a building under construction with no access through to our hotel. Eventually we were given a drawing by a truck driver which brought us safely to the hotel only 100m away but a 1k drive!
This is a "university" town, holding the oldest university in Portugal and one of the largest in Europe. It began in the 13th century and was moved here from Lisbon in 1537, and is located on the highest hill overlooking the town and the river. The clock tower at the highest point is nicknamed "a cabra" (the goat) because when it chimed to mark the end of studies, the first year undergrads would be humiliated by senior students until they leapt and jumped their way home like mountain goats! The University is the dominant component of the town, renowned world-wide, with a huge student population.
We then took the one-hour boat cruise up the Rio Mondego (river) which was very pleasant. This river is the only main river to flow entirely within Portugal.
Later, we took the town bus tour, which always gives a very good overview in English of the entire city via headphones.
We have covered a great distance on foot today, and are now a little weary.
Both red and white wines are light, but quite good and very cheap. eg a bottle is about AUD$6.00 in a restaurant, and $4.00 at the supermarket.
Today was a public holiday (bank holiday) all over Portugal, with most shops closed apart from the newsagency and the tourist office. We are thus using the hotel computer, which does not have a USB port so no photos today! More soon.

Taken from the top of the Wall, looking outside. Foreground is the cemetery, with the aqueduct dating from the 16th Century through the centre of the photograph. Aqueduct is 3 km and was used to bring water to the town in ancient times.

Our hotel is just beside the wall, and our room is the third window from the left in the photo. Fantastic location, service, restaurant, and friendly staff. Note the balcony outside the window/french doors which has outdoor table and chairs and flowering potplants. Very Portugese!

View over Obidos from the top of the Wall. Castle is in the background, part of which has now been converted to a high class hotel run by the Government. As you can see, the town is on a hill and overlooks the countryside in all directions. Obidos overlooked the sea until 15th century, but the bay gradually silted up and the town is now inland about 6 km.

Obidos
Dom Dinis´wife Dona Isabel fell in love with Obidos when she visited in 1222, so her husband gave the village to her as a wedding gift. The town has lost none of its charm. The rooms in our hotel are named after queens of previous generations.
There is a parapet on the city wall around which you can walk (carefully, because there is no handrail and a sheer drop on one side), giving great views of the surrounding countryside.
Both Spain and Portugal have many old castles converted to hotels, and run by the Government. They are called "pousadas" in Portugal and "Paradors" in Spain, and are quite expensive. We have not booked any for accommodation.
We have seen many donkeys on the farms and around the countryside, as well as in the villages.
Today is our last day in Obidos, which we decided to enjoy in the tranquility of the town. Drinking excellent coffee in a courtyard near the ancient church, and stooging around the little shops after lunch, was a great way to spend the day rather than rushing into Lisbon as we had originally planned. In any case, rain still seemed imminent.
Sadly we say adios to Obidos tomorrow, to drive to Coimbra (pronounced Queembra) through villages and towns and "red" roads ie not on the autobahn. The day will include a stop at Batalha where we hope to see Battle Abbey (where the guards are changed on the hour) and the tomb of the unknown soldier.

A view from the coast road we travelled today. Note how close to the ocean the hotels and other buildings have been constructed.

The Palace at Sintra. Note the two large chimneys which rise from the kitchen, which were so large and high apparently to minimise the risk of fire from the large cooking ovens.

A very bleak day, when we came across a flock of sheep on the road. Driving through the countryside was certainly interesting.

Hope you can see the sheep through the rain !

Obidos
Thanks for the comments 3WG and also Anne T. Good to know that all is well and that you are enjoying our entries. Also happy to hear that Lyla is receiving the news and she is ok.
Last night´s dinner at our hotel was to die for - lamb rack and VEGETABLES for Judy and duck and VEGETABLES for Brian, preceded by home-made warm bread rolls and a special melted mixture of herbs with goat, cow, and sheep cheeses. Fabulous - can´t wait for tonight to choose another two dishes! We did not want dessert, but the chef/waiter George brought us a special rich chocolate dessert with toffee which was difficult to resist.
Today we set out on an adventure with our trusty FIAT and Gladys. Drove south about 1 hour to Sintra, where we FINALLY found a parking space and walked to the Sintra National Palace where we inspected the various rooms which date from early 13th Century. One ceiling is covered with repetitive paintings of swans. Another was painted with magpies, which is supposedly a cheeky decoration to represent the court gossip about the king´s advances towards one of the ladies in waiting! When the queen caught him red-handed, he responded "por bem", which means "for good", and these words are painted on the scroll held in the beak of each magpie painted on the ceiling. Sintra was a very pretty city, with great views of some fairytale type castles and steeples. Lonely Planet describes the city as "icing sugar palaces where Lord of the Rings meets Sleeping Beauty".
From Sintra, we took a much less travelled "green road", following the coastline north towards Peniche. Some of the route was even on a "white road", with narrow winding streets. The route seemed to be comprised of one village joining another, although occasionally there was open countryside viewed through the very heavy thunderstorms which arrived this afternoon. Roads were very wet, with deep gutters filled with water running across the road. At one stage, we were held up by a car in front, and were puzzled until a very large flock of sheep was herded across the road by a man and followed up by a woman (presumably husband and wife) The sheep were very wet indeed. Later, we saw the same scene with a herd of sleek black goats being shepherded home. It was great to see the real countryside of Portugal, and we are liking the country more and more each day.

This is one of the Gates into the walled city of Obidos. Note the four old guys on the right having a sip of some local port and watching the world go by.

The arched doorway on the left is the entry to the main street

The policemen in Obidos sure have a great environment in which to work. The safety and security everywhere appears to be well managed.

At Obidos, just arrived, sitting on our private balcony enjoying the flowers and the view. This is a lovely town, and we will have fun exploring the streets, museums, castle, and the Wall.

As mentioned earlier on the Blog, a cork tree cannot be stripped of bark until it is 25 years old, and then only every 9 years. This is a recently stripped tree, showing the very bright red ochre colour after the bark has been removed.

Obidos
Today we left in very heavy rain to drive to Obidos. The further we travelled, the clearer it became, and now the sun is shining brightly from a blue sky. We have chosen to avoid the freeways so we can savour the countryside, travelling more slowly and passing through countless pretty little towns. The surroundings have become greener as we moved further north, with wonderful views of rolling countryside and plantations of cork trees, eucalypts, maize, apples, pears, and olives. There were also countless very large Plane Trees along the roadside which are very tall and impressive, forming a shady arch over the roadway.
The leaves of deciduous plants are beginning to change colour for autumn, particularly the elms and grape vines, and other trees such as silver birch are beginning to lose their leaves already.
Have not yet mentioned the large range of objects made from cork (presumably for the tourists). There are the usual place mats and bottle corks, but also handbags, purses, sugar bowls with lids, mens´ hats, slippers, drink holders, toys, etc. It is surprising how the cork can be moulded into shapes to create 3D objects.
A Ham and Cheese sandwich or roll seems to be all one can find for breakfast and lunch when on the road (as today), so we are looking forward to a real meal this evening. Our hotel here in Obidos is probably going to be the best of the trip - the people are really friendly, the room and bathroom are lovely with a private balcony overlooking the outside restaurant and across to the high City Wall. The "main" street is as to be expected only a footpath with pedestrians, although vehicles are allowed if "carrying animals" (at least that is our best attempt at translation) . It has been very easy to access an Internet Cafe in every city so far - not expensive and located only a short walk from each hotel. Hopefully this will continue for the remainder of the trip. Today the Internet is free as a promotion of IT throughout Portugal because the local people find it too expensive. Strange, because at least the tourists should pay to help cover the costs.
This place has a special feel about it, and will let you know more in due course.

This doorway to our bathroom is typical of how low the openings are. Brian has hit his head several times because he forgets to "duck". Most doorways are about the same in these older hotels and restaurants/cafes.

A good photo of the entrance to our quaint little hotel - reservation desk on the left, and polished wooden stairs ahead which is the start of a convoluted set of stairs leading up eventually to the third floor where our room is located. No lift. It is hard to see, but to the left of the stairs behind glass is a restored Medieval stone fireplace. The view from our window is of grubby rooftops and nearby walls which need painting, with pigeons squatting on the window sill.

Evora
Well done Charlotte - you are very clever to leave us a comment!!
Today was a lazy day of rest. It rained quite heavily here, and the news showed scenes of major flooding in Lisbon where we plan to be the day after tomorrow. Gave us a chance to write some postcards for the "oldies" and spend a little time in the shop stalls and a restaurant for a long lunch. Finally found a good one, and the meal included BROCCOLI and ASPARAGUS!! First greens we have seen other than a few green peas somewhere after we requested vegetables.
The rain has certainly reduced the crowds in the lanes and alleyways here today - guess they have either moved on or stayed inside like we did.
Tomorrow we hit the road again with "Gladys" as our right hand navigator.
Great to learn that Geelong won the Grand Final - a great result. Thanks for the info Bob.
More soon.

The cloisters at the cathedral, alongside the central garden, Judy standing in the sunshine. There were large marble crypts on the other side which hold the last four bishops.

This is typical of the tiny streets in the old town. This one leads to our hotel on the left past the two small stalls selling tourist items.

A friendly American took this shot of us standing in the main piazza at Evora. Government building in the background, central cafe in the foreground.

Evora
We have had a good walk around the town today and also along part of the old wall. Visited the Cathedral and its Museum which contained extremely interesting very old Roman and Medieval Bishop´s ritual garb, very old religious paintings, and artifacts and Catholic silver and gold pieces from the past. The signs and labels were all in Portugese but we could understand enough to know that the displays all dated from the 15th Century to the 18th Century.
Last night we ate at a restaurant which we will not revisit - "no cards, only cash" was the rather grumpy response when we tried to pay. The majority of menus for dinner at all restaurants seem to consist of only meat and potatoes with no other vegetables. The lamb is good, but a large quantity of meat with only potatoes is not particularly healthy or easy to digest. Strangely, in this region where we have passed millions of orange trees, they served orange cordial for breakast this morning!
Spaniards and Portugese are not tall, and in times gone by they were even shorter. Brian needs to watch his head when passing through every doorway both internal and external.

This is part of a wall in the Chapel of bones. The skulls are obvious, and the other pieces are the ends of femurs, tibeas, and humurous bones. When looking at the whole wall there is an obvious pattern, and even the ceiling has rows of skulls across the arches.

The Praca do Giraldo, the central square in Evora. It has seen some potent moments in Portugese history, including the 1483 execution of Fernando, Duke of Bragnanca, the public burning of victims of the Inquisition in the 16th century, and fiery debates on agrarian reform in the 1970's.

This is inside the bullring at Seville, showing the prime spot where the king and the royal party sat during the fights.

Evora
Thanks to those of you who have left comments for us to read - much appreciated.
Last night we drew a complete blank for dinner - even the Chinese restaurant was closed at 7.30 pm. After having a delivered pizza the night before, we finally gave up and went to the supermarket to see what we could put together which did not require heating or cooking. We were able to assemble a salad and cold meats, purchasing a packet of kiddies´ clown party plates and a small sharp knife but still needed to eat in our fingers!
The trip today was very relaxing - very good road even though it was a "brown road" on the map. Apart from a section of roadworks, it was all bitumen and in good condition.
"Gladys Penelope Smartalec" ie the GPS, again did a wonderful job, even though we settled on a route away from the freeway. She brought us right to the door of our hotel in a tiny one-way street. The only thing it can't seem to do is identify a "no entry" or "one-way" street. We deviated from the main drag so that Brian could see first hand the extremely long bridge over a new dam. Portugal and Spain share the river on which the dam was built, but could not agree on its location or construction. So Portugal went ahead and built it anyway on their side of the border. On the way (still in Spain) we passed a cork plantation, with the very red ochre trunks showing where the bark has been harvested. A cork tree is not ready to harvest until it is 25 years old, and then only every 9 years after that. The tree is able to produce a bark crop for up to 200 years, but it is a long lead-up time from planting before any income is generated! Portugal is the largest cork producer in the world, but the recent move towards plastic wine-stoppers is hurting the industry which is a major export for the country.
The countryside appeared to change after we crossed the border - drier and less prosperous, although we have not yet seen much of Portugal.
The staff at our hotel are very friendly and helpful, and the facilities good (unlike our rather unpleasant experience at the Seville Suites where there was virtually no customer service, and even a 5 Euro deposit required to borrow a hairdryer from reception!)
After arriving here, we visited the major Igreja de Sao Francisco (Church of St Francis) and marvelled at the altar and crypt decoration. Behind the church is the Capela dos Ossos (Chapel of Bones) which is a mesmerising reminder of death. The walls and columns are lined with the bones of about 5,000 people, carefully arranged in intricate patterns. This was constructed in the 17th century, partly as a solution to the overflowing graveyards of several dozen churches and monastries. The sign at the door says "We bones await yours".
We will endeavour to attach some photos of Seville and also a first glimpse of Evora now that we seem to have a USB port.

Seville
Lazy day today, so there is time to pass on a few general observations.
More about bullfights. In Spain, a bullfight meet involves 6 bulls and 3 matadors. The matador spends only about 15 mins with the bull - as the guide said, that is a long time to spend at close range with a very angry very large bull! The bull is dragged from the ring, and then the meat is sold for consumption. In Portugal, bullfights are still fought on horseback, dating from the 12th century as a way to maintain military fitness and prepare nobles for horseback battle. Since the gory death of a nobleman in 1799, the bulls´ horns were covered in leather or capped wtih metal balls as some protection for the fighter. The bulls are not killed in the ring, but slaughtered away from the public.
On the route from Granada to Seville, the countryside was first filled with thousands of olive groves, each overlooked by an expensive-looking large villa. Later on the journey, the olive groves were replaced by expanses of ploughed fields, apparently in preparation for the planting of a winter crop (we suspect wheat, although are unsure)
The towns along the route had all crisp white houses and buildings, with apricot-coloured tiled roofs. Very pretty and from a distance the ones on the hills could be mistaken for snow.
I expected to see vegetation very different from Australia, but the majority of plants are those to be found at home - bouganvillia, hibiscis, oleander, magnolia, chestnuts, palms, and pines. Many of the smaller plants are those grown in the Wimmera and are relatively drought-tolerant.
The temperature in the afternoons has been extremely hot, particularly in the sun with reflection from the hard pavements of brick or stone. In spite of the heat and harsh sunlight, no-one wears a hat for protection (neither tourists nor locals).
There are three different types of police in Spain - Policia Municipal (local police - urban traffic), Policia National (law and order and national security), and Guardia Civil (borders, country areas, and the coast). Each wears a distinctive uniform and a different coloured hat. Accidents and drink-driving are viewed very seriously, and all visitors to Spain who drive must hold an International Driving Licence. Most of the cars seem to be diesel, and hire cars manual ¨stick shifts¨ ie no automatics. The roads are excellent and good even off the main routes, and we have yet to strike a Tollgate.
Tomorrow we depart for Portugal, and in particular Evora which is a small town with the original old city behind the city wall. There appear to be some very interesting things to see there, so will let you know and hopefully post a photograph or two.

Seville
Thanks for the comments folks. And Bob, stop stirring!!
We can´t put any photos on today from this computer - no USB plug. Perhaps at the next stop.
Yesterday we travelled by car from Granada to Seville, with the intention of stopping on the way with a diversion to Ronda based on a recommendation from a good source at home. Ronda was supposed to reveal a steep cliff side with a town perched on top and lovely views. We found the town without difficulty, but no parking spots, no direction to the Tourist Information Centre, roadworks in the main street, and most streets with No Entry signs. No restaurant for lunch either - the three we tried where we could park temporarily were either closed or a bar only. Even the GPS was confused, so we eventually gave up and cannot tell you anything about Ronda.
Travelling through the countryside is easy - excellent roads and good signage. But leaving a city and arriving at a city are very nerve-racking and fraught with danger! Motorists are on the whole patient, and while the traffic is thick the vehicles of all types tend to travel quite slowly. Finally arrived at our accommodation in Seville, after the GPS took us to a school with the same name as our area! A labourer helped us in broken English and Spanish to re-program the GPS to the correct address and now we are here! It is a lovely place with large suites, but a long way from anywhere including restaurants and bus stops. A small Mini-mart next door sells bread rolls and water for emergencies.
Last night we drove to a restaurant area, but had to resort to a Chinese meal because all the others did not open until 8.30 for dinner. At least we had some quality vegetables! (note, Anne)
Today we caught a cab to the main part of the city for tourist activities. Went first to the Plaza de Toros and the Bullfight Museum, where we had a short conducted tour of the oldest bullring in Spain. This was the first ring to have bullfights on foot instead of on horseback. It is the only oval ¨ring¨in Spain, and holds 14,000 patrons. Most seats are purchased for the season, and if you wish to buy a one-off (assuming that one is available) you may only obtain a seat in the hot sun. The bulls did not always lose, and the heads of some of the best and bravest bulls are stuffed and hang on the wall of the museum. The most famous bull fighter fought for only 14 years - from age 9 until age 23 when he lost his life to a bull.
Took the city tour bus with commentary on headphones - always a great way to obtain an overview of a new city. Then on foot visited the Santa Cruz Cathedral (where Christopher Columbus´tomb is located but he is not there! The tomb is now thought to be that of his son. Then the Plaza de Espana which is a very large square featuring tilework and ceramics in rather gaudy depictions of Spanish history around the perimeter. Large fountain in the centre. Very impressive.
We intend to lay back tonight and tomorrow to gather some energy - it is time for an RDO! There is a pool here, and the surrounding area looks like it might be conducive to a long and leasurely walk through upmarket suburbia.

Inside the Alhambra in Granada this morning.

At least 100 gardeners were very busy keeping the gardens etc. looking spectacular.

A limit of 6000 tourists only are allowed to inspect each day. 5000 are on tours and 1000 are sold tickets at the gate early each morning.

So a steady stream of tourists did not create any overcrowding.

Sorry about the position of the photo but have not worked out how to rotate them yet.

This was typical of the flamenco dancers at the cave in Sacramento in Granada last night.

Granada
An interesting observation - in the tourist areas, wine seems to be cheaper to purchase than water!
The Flamenco dancing show last night was very good. We were taken by bus to the high area of Sacramento which is the gypsy area of Granada. The show was held in a ¨cave¨, with about 120 attending each session. The stage is very small, and the only music a guitar, a singer, and 5 people clapping hands. Three female dancers and one male dancer, each taking a turn and giving a rendition. We expected to see a male and female dancing together, but presumably the stage was too small. Extremely energetic display by dancers with a very proud stance.
Today we visited the famous La Alhambra, with tickets purchased the day before (if not the queue is as lengthy as we saw today - much better to be in a group with a guide speaking to us in English). This is a 13th Century conglomeration of palaces and other buildings, which have changed hands over time. Originally the palace was built and occupied by Muslims, but then they were defeated by Christians and the palace overtaken by the King and Queen of the day. Even Napoleon was involved in the history of the place. The main church, which is still functional and Catholic, sits on a foundation and walls of Muslim design. The Christian Palace was built in the 16th century, and the elaborate gardens in the 1930´s. It is a real hotchpotch of architecture and cultures dating over a very long time.
Tomorrow we hit the road again to travel to Seville.

Wall to wall coffee shops, selling superb coffee. These are around every plaza we have seen so far. Great stop for a mid-morning ¨caffeine¨ fix.

Hats for sale in one of the little tourist shops, along with many other items to appeal to tourists who want to take something typical home with them.

Granada
We have seen quite a few beggars, mostly on the steps of churches and on the footpath, a few with double amputations.
Birds everywhere in the plazas, mostly pigeons but also doves and little hopping birds like sparrows.
Today we took a stroll through the tiny narrow streets, past small shops selling tourist items. Since we are staying in the ¨Jewish precinct¨, there is much of a Jewish nature for sale. Our room has dark green painted doors, all painted with decorative emblems and the Star of David.
Walked to the Cathedral, and inside to examine the decorations, altar, and stained glass. Accidentally we had entered whilst a Mass service was being conducted, so we did actually go to church today!
Locals sleep in very late on Saturdays and Sundays, and museums and other attractions are closed on Mondays. When planning how long to spend in a city, this needs to be taken into account.
Restaurant fare for tourists is not particularly nutritious, being high in carbohydrates and there is little in the way of vegetables or fruit. The only really healthy choice is to order a salad, and whilst heavy with lettuce there are also other salad vegetables included. The main meals on offer at the street restaurants (particularly at lunchtime) seem to be paella, pizza and Italian pastas, plus coffee.
Most of the tourists seem to be couples (not English speaking) - some young, but mostly either middle-aged or elderly. We have also seen a few groups of young female students.
We have been able to obtain tickets to a Flamenco dancing show this evening which should be good, and tomorrow morning we were lucky to be able to join a conducted tour of The Alhambra monument/castle (otherwise we would have needed to queue with 4,000 other people at 7.00 am in the hope of obtaining entry for the day).
There are very few people fluent in English, but we are managing with a combination of our English and my French words, sign language, and charades. Flapping one´s arms and making ¨chook¨noises whilst pointing to the menu is an easy way to order chicken!!

This is the main plaza in Granada, where we will have dinner tonight and have a laugh about our experiences over the last 24 hours! Our hotel is the pink one on the corner. As usual, restaurants are not open for dinner until 8.00 pm at the earliest.

This is the daunting laneway in Granada leading to our hotel at the end (the pink building). Looks easy from here, but it was full of cars, motorbikes and people, and we had covered several km through similar laneways before arriving here.

Granada
Last night we walked down to the main restaurant area for dinner. It only rains 5 days per year in Alicante, and we experienced 2 of them! Just as we were about to order our meal, the skies opened up and it poured torrential rain for almost two hours. I have never seen rain so heavy. Every patron dashed inside where we all ate amongst much hilarity and watching and waiting for a break in the storm. Thunder and lightning were constant, until eventually about 11.00 pm we were able to trudge home in the lighter rain. Good fun.
This morning we collected our hire car when we eventually found Europcar (at the train station, would you believe?). It is an acceptable FIAT, diesel, 5-door, and quite comfortable. Managed to find the Expressway without difficulty, and travelled quickly along a very good freeway which is well signed. Then we made a mistake - left the highway to travel into the town of Lorca for lunch and a short break. No luck - travelled through the town and out the other side, followed by a 50 km treck through desolate country - barren, dry and hilly. The trusty GPS tried very hard to get us back to the freeway, and we had no idea where we were. The directions took us to a dam wall marked ¨Forbidden entry¨or something like it, but since we can´t read or speak Spanish we crossed over the dam wall and continued to accept the directions from the GPS. Without it we would have been totally lost - it was our lifeline!! Once back on the highway route we saw many vineyards and almond orchards, and fields of green vegetables.
Arriving at our destination was a strange experience - the directions took us through very narrow winding cobbled streets (more like footpaths than streets), ending at a T intersection with the hotel in front. No room to turn, or turn around, and with cars behind and in front of us, it was a major exercise to reverse out of the laneway. Eventually the receptionist took pity on us and escorted us to a carpark not too far away, where we were allocated a teeny weeny space to park. The car will stay there whilst we are in Grenada - no desire to try to find our way around the city by car.
Hope to see a Flamenco Dance whilst here, and also the Palace. Perhaps even a bus trip up to the high Sierra Nevada Range.
Thanks to Mel and Ryan for the footy scores

This is the famous La Rambla in Barcelona, with our hotel directly ahead on the right. Note the human ¨statue¨of a skeleton on the left - one of at least 20 along the route. From our window on the 3rd floor we looked out over the street and watched the constant stream of people walking up and down all day and well into the early morning.

View from the top of the Castle at Alicante looking over the old city and the harbour.

A long way down!

Alicante
Thanks so much for the comments - it is great to have some feedback from friends and family.
The train trip from Barcelona to Alicante was very efficient and fast. A five hour journey through countryside and along the shoreline of the Mediterranean, electric train, morning tea and lunch included, with comfortable airline-type seats. Passed through Valencia, which of course was surrounded for many km with orange orchards as well as olive groves and market gardens. Much of the journey gave views of a surprisingly rocky white limestone terrain.
Alicante is a much quieter place than Barcelona, population about 280,000. Far less tourists, predominantly local people and easier to understand the life of the people in a smaller city. Right on the beach, so the seafood is excellent and the promenade along by the water very appealing.
Meals in Spain are an interesting exercise. Breakfast - easy. Lunch also easy if you are prepared to eat it between 1.00 pm and 5.00 pm. Dinner is another story! If you are prepared to eat Tapas, this is available at any time, but for a proper meal you need to wait for the restaurants to open at either 8.00 pm or 8.30 pm (and for some places even 9.00 pm)
The hotel here is quite adequate and surprisingly cheap. In fact, everything is much cheaper here than in Barcelona - two cups of coffee today cost only $2.70.
Today we took a cab to the top of a very high hill to explore the Castle de Santa Barbara - the only other way was to walk through a tunnel and then take a lift through the bowels of the earth more than 1,000 ft up! This castle is built on a high rocky hill very close to the old city, and was extremely interesting with spectacular 360 degree views. We walked down from there to the water - a long way but at least it was downhill!
From there we explored the waterfront and cruised around the shops, relaxing and preparing to hit the road by car tomorrow. That will be very interesting! From tomorrow, we rely on our own driving and navigation skills (with the help of the GPS in English).
More soon.
p.s. Peter - Gaudi buildings were unique and an outstanding feature of Barcelona.
LK - the 50´s and 60´s kitchens were just as we said
Bob - keep your eye on those girls! And what about the footy scores?
3WG - great to know that all is well

Barcelona
Last day today. Spent the time ambling around the city, and in particular along narrow lanes leading off the main streets. Once away from La Rambla, there are interesting sights to see and far less tourists. Also down to the wharf and the World Trade Centre.
There are many more things for sale along La Rambla than we first thought. Live lizards, birds, tortoises, ferrets, dogs, cats, flowers and plants, etc. One large beautiful bird for sale (I think it was a Macaw) cost 2,800 Euro (about $A4,500) - we couldn´t help but wonder from where it had been smuggled!
We have tried to attach some photos to the entries, but without any luck. Don´t know why.
After packing and organising our ¨things¨, we catch a high-speed train in the morning for Alicante where we will stay for two nights before collecting the hire car and making our own way for the remainder of the time. Train journey is about 5 hours. Alicante appears to be a pretty city, located on the coast. Will post our impressions when we find another Internet cafe.
Last night we had our first taste of Lobster Paella for dinner, which was delicious.
There seem to be very few English-speaking tourists, except for the occasional Americans.

Barcelona
Took a bus trip around the south section yesterday pm, which was another great way to learn about the city.
The port accommodates even very large cruise ships, and we watched one leaving as it turned 360 degrees with barely metres to spare at either end as it virtually turned on the spot.
The 1992 Olympic Games made a huge impact on the city. The Olympic village was constructed near the waterfront which had previously been a very poor area with no properties taking advantage of the potential beauty of the port. After the Olympics, this area was transformed into an expensive up-market area for those who are affluent enough to afford it.
There are 13 km of excellent beaches to which the Barcelonians can go, some suitable for wheelchair access so the disabled to swim.
On a nearby hill (which is quite high) is the location of the games venues and stadium built for the Olympics. The pool overlooks a spectacular view right over Barcelona - a beautiful and breathtaking sight.
This is a city which has a great vitality and buzz, with green trees lining many of the streets and a bar or restaurant every 50m or so. There are many famous buildings designed by Gaudi, the famous architect who mastered the¨triumph of the curve¨. His most famous construction (which was his personal lifetime obsession) was the Sagrada Familia cathedral which was commenced in the late 19th century and is still under construction. It is being completed using donations from churchgoers, devotees, and ticket revenue from visitors to the cathedral.
Many artists and famous artisans spent time in Barcelona, including Picasso in his youth.
Chupa Chups were invented here, and are now made all over the world. If you cannot identify a Chupa Chup, ask any child!
Coffee is very good, tea barely passable so far.
Tourist (local?) dress is varied. There are the colour-co-ordinated expensively clad ¨glammed-up¨ females looking for recognition, contrasted by the scruffy neutral look of the backbacker types. Many of the latter have rings and spikes protruding from their faces, and some cannot be identified as either male or female.
This is a city to walk, wearing comfortable footwear. No-one seems to wear socks, and thongs are common.
Surprisingly there are many McDonalds, Kentucky Fried, and Starbucks coffee shops.
With so many museums and cathedrals to visit, the choice is difficult. We chose the History of Catalunya Museum (this is the Catalunya area, which considers itself to be more or less autonomous and has fought hard for centuries to retain their own separate language and traditions).
The museum was excellent, and difficult to leave. The deciding factor for departure was a kitchen from the 1950´s and 1960´s, which was decidedly much too close to country Victorian homes in our youth. If our youth is now represented in a museum, it was definitely time to leave!
During the Black Plague, the population of Catalunya halved - from 500,000 to 250,000 in 180 years.
More soon.

Monday September 17 at Barcelona
Very long trip total hours door to door 32 hours. Slept the leg from Singapore to London, but still very tired.
Luggage made it from Melb to Barcelona, but not on carousel upon arrival. Interesting process - the handling is outsourced to another company, and you must pay to collect. No instructions or directions anywhere, so found our bags by trial and error.
Barcelona is full of tourists by the thousands - play find a local!! It has a very happy environment, with everyone obviously on holiday. All shapes and sizes and obviously a diverse range of countries, and very few seem to speak English.
Lost optical sunglasses at the airport (negligence due to exhaustion), but fortunately found them again.
Our hotel is on La Rambla, a wide street with a centre promenade, renowned for human "statues", stalls, restaurants, and entertainment. Great fun to walk along and peep at the people. Took the tourist bus today around the North of the city - good thing to do on the first day in a new city to get a feel for what is important to go back and explore. At 9.30 am it was easy to buy a ticket and hop on the bus, but on our return at 12.00 the queue was 1 km long! Obviously the time to do things is in the morning when everyone is still recovering from last night!
Our observations from the open air bus was of thousands upon thousands of multi-story apartment blocks, many very old but renovated and a good standard.
It seems that the information we had been given is correct - to find a restaurant open for dinner before 8.00 pm is etremely difficult if not impossible. So if you wish to eat earlier it must be "tapas" - small serves of various different entree style foods eg sausage meats, omelette, fried aubergine, mushrooms, shashlik, etc.
There are 8 universities in Barcelona, and 100,000 people fit into the football stadium.
There are bicycles for hire on racks around the city. Apparently you pay for 1 month, and then can ride anywhere and leave it anywhere in the city in one of the special racks which give access to the lock with a dedicated card. Very good idea.
Traffic is hectic, but buses and taxis have special lanes so it is easy to get around. There is a widely available network of bicycle lanes on the inside next to a central garden or walkway on the major routes around the city, which makes cycling very safe.
Seafood seems to be excellent - we will try some for dinner this evening.
There is much to see and do, and only two more days here before we catch the train to Valencia.
People do not seem to queue as readily as we are accustomed in Australia - they push in from the side or pretend there is no queue at all. Sometimes one must take a ticket with a number, but there is no sign or indication that this is required eg at the railway station.
Having fun. Weather warm an balmy, and hot in the sun during the middle hours of the day. About 28 degrees today.

Itinerary for Spain and Portugal

Depart: 15 Sept.2007 for Singapore / London and Barcelona (4 nights). Train to Alicante
(2 nights) and then hire a car for the remainder of the trip. (23 days). We then stay at the following places for 3 nights; Granada, Seville, Evora (Portugal), Obidos, Coimbra, Porto, North Coast of Spain, San Sebastian, and finish in Bilboa on the 15 Oct.2007.Arrive home on the 17 Oct.2007.

Bilbao and the Basque Country are where we finish

Barcelona is where we start. La Rambla at night