We probably walked past the Mercat Central a dozen times before going in. It is too far from our Airbnb to use for regular shopping. But now we are on a mission to find jalapeño peppers so Stephanie can make pico de gallo. We knew the market was large, but wow is it awesome. After…
Author: Garrett and Stephanie Estep
Retired early to travel the world.
València, Spain (October, 2021, Part I).
Hola, València! Weather, check. The forecast for the immediate future is sunny with highs in the mid-70s to low-80s. Airbnb, check. We have a spacious apartment with a well furnished kitchen, large couch in the family room, a nice sized bathroom, and two bedrooms with huge organized closets. We are staying in the Marxalenes neighborhood,…
Granada, Spain (September, 2021, Part II).
Our trip from Córdoba to Granada took about 90 minutes on a Renfe high speed train. The tourist coach on the train is much roomier than an airline cabin. The seats are more spacious, the windows larger for viewing the passing scenery, and the aisle wider. The entire experience was much more pleasurable than going…
La Alhambra y El Generalife, Granada, Spain (September, 2021, Part I).
So this guy is absolutely stark naked walking on the side of Carrera del Darro (a one way street) in the middle of the afternoon. The road is too narrow for a sidewalk. A short wall above a creek is on the south side of the road and a building on the north. Naked guy…
Córdoba, Spain (September, 2021, Part II).
Stephanie and I traveled to Córdoba by train. It was about 1 hour and 20 minutes from Sevilla Santa Justa to Córdoba Central on Renfe. We got nervous in Seville as the platform for our train was still not posted 30 minutes prior to departure. As this was our first train trip in Spain, worst…
La Mezquita-Catedral, Córdoba, Spain (September, 2021, Part I).
La Mezquita-Catedral de Córdoba is simply the most impressive building I’ve ever entered. It is commonly known as La Mezquita, the mosque. The official website details the history along with an interactive graphic depicting the evolution and construction of the mosque over several centuries (https://mezquita-catedraldecordoba.es/en/). It is an imposing structure, with walls rising several stories…
Seville, Spain (September, 2021, Part III).
For some reason Google Fi does not like me. Prior to leaving for Spain, Stephanie and I changed our phone plan to Google Fi from AT&T. We did so because Google’s unlimited talk, text, and data plan – unlike the other major phone carriers – includes international roaming. The trick is that Google expects its…
Ronda, Spain (September, 2021).
On Monday afternoon Stephanie suggested that we take an overnight trip to Ronda. An hour later we had two bus tickets and a hotel room booked for Wednesday night. Located in southern Spain, about 75 miles southeast of Seville, Ronda is a popular city with tourists because of its new bridge, a dramatic gorge, and…
Seville, Spain (August, 2021, Part II).
Stephanie and I finally ventured to the cathedral about two weeks after arriving in Seville. The Catedral de Sevilla is the largest Gothic structure in the world, one of the three or four largest cathedrals in the world, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site (https://www.catedraldesevilla.es/). The structure was originally constructed as a mosque and minaret…
Seville, Spain (August, 2021, Part I).
After four flights and three layovers in twenty-four hours of traveling from Memphis, a brutal heat wave greeted us in Seville. During our first week the daily highs ranged from 101°F to 113°F. We are used to heat, so mid-90s is manageable, but 100 plus just plain sucks. Folding fans are sold pretty much everywhere. …