An Andalusian Adventure

"Un buen viajero no tiene planes fijos ni la intención de llegar." Lao Tzu

This year the kids’ school spring break coincided with Easter and they had just over a week of vacation. We decided to take the opportunity to avoid the tourists flocking to Jávea and join the tourist train in the south of Spain. “Semana Santa”, or Holy Week, is one of the biggest fiestas in Andalucía (southern region of Spain) so we booked some AirBnBs in advance and hit the road in our Cordoba Seat with the plan to visit the following cities: Mojácar, Málaga, Sevilla, Córdoba, and Granada. Each city had something substantially different to offer, however together, the cities gave us a well-rounded insight of the Moorish impact on the culture, language, and architecture that make Andalucía so romantically unique. In this blog, I highlight our experience covering 1,666 kilometers of the countryside and describe the gifts each city has to offer.

Mojácar

What brought us Mojácar? Nothing cultural actually. Just a sweet AirBnB listing. The goal was to get to Málaga, but I wanted to break up the long drive from Jávea by finding an interesting town along the way. Cartagena caught my eye but accommodation was expensive so when I came across the “Terrazas del Sol” listing in the coastal town of Mojácar, situated in a white-washed village, I booked. We only had the afternoon and evening to explore but when the kids saw the apartment, they refused to leave. The apartment was really unique, with two bedrooms and a glassed-in living/room kitchen surrounded by a terrace. It was meticulous and unique to the neighborhood, so it felt like we had our own fort above the rest of the neighborhood. After exploring every nook and cranny and playing hide-and-go-seek (something the kids do no matter how small the place), eventually, hunger became the motivating factor to get us out and explore. We climbed down our windy staircase and wandered down the beach where we settled on a restaurant with a questionable menu, but a nice patio where we could sit outside. With low expectations, we ordered a few things and to our surprise, every tapa that was delivered to our table blew our minds, each richer than the last. 

Completely satisfied after our delicious lunch, we returned to our open air terrace and both Davin and I took legitimate Spanish siestas with the sea breeze blowing through white billowing curtains (priceless). After that, we took a sunset stroll down the other direction of the beach which had a playground/football pitch. Declan quickly became immersed in a pick-up soccer game. Volly ran around the playground. Davin was roped into a game of charades by a Spanish Bachelorette party, and I became enthralled in listening to the live band music and watching couples dancing at a beachside restaurant. It was a low-key, yet festive atmosphere. The last gift Mojácar gave us was coloring the white stuccoed, red-tile rooftops of the village with a yellowish glow during the sunset, a feast for the eyes and a perfect compliment to the red wine we were drinking.

Málaga

We arrived in Málaga just in time for the “Resurrección” parade, the last of the week-long Easter (Pascua) celebration. This 500 (plus)-year tradition in Málaga is something I had to see in person after learning about the robed men (nazarenos) wearing cone-shaped hoods (capirotes) with holes for only their eyes to see (an image I’d only ever associated with the KKK), and the huge floats weighing over 5,000 kilos carried through the streets by an estimated 250 participants. Aromas of incense and flowers filled the air, drums from the marching band set the rhythm of the participant’s steps, swaying back and forth to the solemn music as they carried the ornate floats (tronos) depicting the Passion of Christ and Sorrow of the Virgin Mary. Standing in one spot watching, the parade lasts about an hour and is like no other parade you’ve seen, tapping all of your senses!

After the parade, we set off on foot to explore the city. We walked to the port, enjoyed people-watching and made our way toward the “Alcazar” which refers to a palatial fortification of Moorish decent. Naturally, the fortress was situated up high on a hill and we climbed up for a good 30-45 minutes up to the top through beautiful gardens. From the alcazar, we had 360-degree views of the port, old town, and countryside. The circular (abandoned) bull fighting ring stood out amongst the other buildings. 

Back in the city center we found a cozy restaurant and tried some new tapas. We were recommended the “Bacaloa al Pil Pil” which is salt cod, garlic, and olive oil, breaded.  Luckily it arrived really hot so I could try some before the kids gobbled it all up. They couldn’t get enough! We ordered this dish several more times throughout the trip per the kids' request.

Sevilla 

Next stop was Sevilla, which was meant heading inland away from the sea. Traveling by car is really convenient in Spain until you want to get into a city center. In some Spanish cities it is impossible or prohibited to drive in the city center, and even in cities where it is permitted, I wouldn't dare to endeavor (¡Porque me agobia!). Therefore, Davin researched parking options outside each city before we left and we’d leave our luggage in the trunk and carry what we needed for the day in a backpack. (We were relieved each time we returned to our car and it hadn’t been broken into or towed, although we did get an earful from the parking attendant in Sevilla!)

Davin spent a year in Sevilla during university and promised me that one day he’d take me to see the city I’d heard so much about. Little did we know we’d have two kids in tow when we checked this trip off the bucket list! He was our tour guide and walked us through the city showing us where he had coffee every morning, where is host-mom lived (unfortunately we couldn’t track her down), where he caught the bus to university, and of course, where the night life was. I had heard so many people talk about how they loved Sevilla they assured me I would love it, which was exactly the case. I thought it would be due to unique and colorful architecture, which to an extent was the case, however, it wasn't as drastically different as I thought it would be. While it is a beautiful city, what I fell in love with was not so much what I saw, but how the city made me feel. Sevilla is a hot city and we saw temps in the mid-80s. Naturally, the heat slows down the pace of life and while the city is bustling it seems to move at a relaxed pace. In no other city in Spain that I’ve visited has a caña (a small tap beer) been so cold and so refreshing. We all fell in love with Gazpacho which is the perfect food for feeling refreshed in hot temperatures as well. Then there are the sounds of the city. Very few cars enter the city center and everywhere you go there are horse-drawn carriage rides for tourists creating the repeating soundtrack of horse hooves clopping through the cobblestone streets. You can’t move around the city without encountering various street performers, many playing flamenco guitar which only adds to the enchanting ambiance (I was surprised how Sevilla trumped Paris in creating this romantic feeling). 

While it was delightful enough to simply relive Davin’s memories in Sevilla, there were several other highlights of our visit. First and foremost, we had purchased tickets to see a Flamenco Show at the Casa de La Memoria. I’d read about how Flamenco developed in Andalucía and knew that if we wanted to see an authentic performance (not simply a tourist show), Sevilla was the place. The show consisted of one guitarist, one singer, and both a male and a female dancer. The guitar is specific to the style of music, the vocals, almost like an emotional cry were accompanied by various rhythms of hand clapping. The Flamenco dancing involved intricate toe-and-heel clicking steps, both the male and female portraying strength and emotion, while the female was very graceful with her body and hand movements. It was easy to see their passion and emotion as the performers got lost in the song and dance, however, I couldn’t identify with it. I felt like an outsider being told the story of a painful history a culture had suffered. I think the kids felt the same, that it was really interesting to see but very foreign. I’m so glad we had the opportunity see authentic Flamenco. And although I couldn’t see myself ever having a reason to wear one, I couldn’t help but drool over all of the colorful, ruffly, gorgeous Flamenco dresses every storefront presented. I tried my best to justify (to myself and Davin) that I needed to buy a €400+ polka dotted, sexy, gypsy Flamenco dress, to have a memory of Spain forever, but failed and settled on simply fantasizing about it.

The best part of Sevilla, for me, was the Plaza de España. I knew nothing of it beforehand, so when we walked through gorgeous green park space and slowly approached this magnificent, grandiose example of architecture I was blown away. It’s size and c-shaped layout is impressionable from a distance, but then as you get up close and you can see the intricate detail of the tile artwork which creates a whole new level of beauty. Both Star Wars and Game of Thrones have been filmed here so you can imagine how awe-inspiring it must be. 

We were able to see amazing views of the city when we went to the Sevilla Cathedral. It is the largest Gothic cathedral and the third-largest church in the world. Inside, we wandered past the burial site of Christopher Columbus, through one of the longest naves of all Spanish cathedrals, and stopped to ponder the vast Gothic retablo of carved scenes from the life of Christ on the massive altarpiece, the lifework of its artist. We climbed the Giralda bell tower twenty-some stories and just as we reached the top the bells chimed vibrating through our entire body.

Córdoba

Córdoba gave us the opposite experience of Sevilla. It provided endless charm and was visually inspiring but we felt unwelcome. It could be because we arrived at the tail end of spring break and all the locals were burnt out on tourists. Regardless, we were so glad we visited the city and saw its rich mix of Christian, Jewish, and Muslim culture. 

Before we left for Andalucía, my inner teacher-lesson-planner inspired me to create travel journal books for the kids that were specific to each city that we were to visit. I spent some time re-reading Iberia and ordered children’s books about the Córdoba Mosque. Between this information and Google Maps, I created a scavenger hunt for the kids, which directed our journey through the walkable neighborhoods of Córdoba. It led us first through the Jewish district surrounded by a fortress and full of spice stores, down towards the river where we crossed the giant Roman bridge and then ultimately caught our first views of the Mosque. We continued north through the old town streets and stumbled upon a neighborhood patio tour. Typical Andalucían homes have an open-aired patio unseen from the outside and we had the luck of arriving during the one time of year they open up their homes to the public to see the incredible flower-packed spaces they’ve created for free. 

The endless white-washed stucco buildings hung with classic Mediterranean blue flower pots full of colorful flowers will forever be the image that comes to my mind when I think of Córdoba. However, visiting the Mosque was easily the most impressive part of visiting the town. It is unlike anything I’ve ever seen, and it’s so cool to step inside and feel like you've gone back in time. It is an enormous hall of endless arches, then, smack dab in this beautiful Moorish place of worship, is a giant Catholic Cathedral which if located somewhere else outside could be admired for its ornate beauty, but really just appears to be an eye-sore in the context of a Mosque. However, the dissonance of the architecture is a visual reminder that rule of Spain has changed hands amongst the three religions over the course of hundreds of years, each leaving their lasting marks.

Granada

The drive into Granada was the most dramatic. After visiting the other cities in warm weather, it was stunning to approach Granada backdropped by white snow-capped mountains. We climbed to the top of the hill and parked near the Alhambra, what Lonely Planet describes as, “Granada’s and Europe’s love letter to Moorish culture- part palace, part World Heritage Site, and part lesson on medieval architecture.” Granada was definitely the perfect finale to our Andalucían road trip. 

There were several highlights of Granada. Visiting the Alhambra was so interesting and complex that I’ll just let the pictures speak for themselves. We also loved walking through the Albaicin, which is the Moorish area of the city and oldest part of Granada. It’s packed with tourist shops, Teterías (Tea restaurants), and Moroccan food. We ate so well in Granada, indulging in hummus, babaganush, couscous, tajine, zaalook, etc. The kids went nuts over the sweet teas and the beautiful teapot in which it was presented. The city has a great energy, and while it is bustling with tourists, it still felt like a modern day city that just happens to have this incredible historical gem overlooking the city. We were also aware of a sort of Bohemian subculture of 20-something-year-old hippies who made and sold crafts on the streets and hung out by the river in small groups which gave the city an interesting vibe.

Surprisingly we ate the best Italian food I’ve ever had in my life in Granada as well. A friend of ours clued us into a tiny restaurant with a crazy passionate chef (who reminded me of Prince) who makes everything from scratch. So I’d tell anyone that in addition to the mandatory Alhambra visit, you must eat at Vidaextra Live Cooking Show!

In the end, we were exhausted after packing in so much in such a short amount of time (typically not our style). However, had we just picked one city and moved at a more relaxed pace we would have missed out on so much significant Andalucían history! To top it off (proud Mom moment) we didn't bring any electronics and listened to one of my favorite books of all time The Alchemist in the car ride as a family. Listening to the story of an Andalucían shepherd boy who sets off to travel as we drove through Andalucía on our own journey was nothing short of poetic (especially since we spotted few shepherds along the way). "And when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you achieve it."- states the author Paulo Coelho in the tale. I hope my kids heard that part.

Gracias Andalucía para tu belleza, tu amor, y tu historia increíble. Hemos disfrutado todo los que nos ofrecías y esperamos a volver en el futuro!