by Kim-Ling | Jan 15, 2013 | Córdoba, Navigation, Travel
When it comes to cities to visit, Córdoba often gets left behind or forgotten about. Which worked out just fine for us, as we enjoyed taking plenty of photos without having to worry about ‘photobombs’, or time spent waiting in line. However, it is a shame both for the city and the tourist that skips it, as it is beautiful and deserves a mention.
We only spent one night in Córdoba, but managed to fit in plenty of sights and experiences to enjoy this city and vow to return. Our hotel (Hostal Lineros 38) was great, and had an Arabic feel. They even organised mobile massages (which we enthusiastically took advantage of on our second day).
Our first stop was lunch. The Menu del Día never fails, and with a satisfied tummy, we headed onwards to the great Mosque/Cathedral. It is one of the most amazing and beautiful sights from our journey so far. It started out as a small church, which was purchased by a Muslim prince back in 784 and reconstructed into a mosque. Centuries later, when the Christians conquered Córdoba, the Mosque (which had several extensions since its original acquisition) was converted back into a Cathedral. The beauty and intriguing thing about it is the two distinct styles in the one place. From the outside, it looks like a Cathedral, however on the inside, it looks like a Mosque (apart from the large Christian Renaissance nave in the centre).
The other wonderful thing about Córdoba, was how beautiful the days were. Despite being in the middle of winter, we enjoyed reasonably long, sunny days and temperatures above 20 degrees.
After walking and exploring, we felt that we needed some relaxing. And it just so happens that Córdoba, like many parts of Andalusia, has the perfect form of relaxation: Baños Árabes de Córdoba (Arabic bathhouse). We spent hours (partly due to a communication mix up) relaxing in the bathhouse and attempting the custom of switching between the warm, hot and freezing baths, before receiving a blissful massage. What a way to end the day! Then we headed out for a delicious light snack and dessert at the funky Sojo Fusion before heading to bed.
The next morning started perfectly with a massage. Then we headed out for lunch and more street-wandering, before making our way to our next stop: Seville. Thank you Córdoba for a special two days! I hope to visit you again one day!
by Kim-Ling | Jan 7, 2013 | Navigation, Travel
After our amazing New Years in Ibiza, we dazedly dragged ourselves to the airport to catch our flight back to Valencia, where our onwards train to Granada would depart.
Hindsight. It’s a beautiful thing, isn’t it? Of course, it’s only good if one has it BEFORE booking tickets. Had I had it earlier, I would have booked a much later flight back to Valencia and maybe forget the overnight train to Granada, which didn’t depart until 1am. Thus allowing us a sleep in and avoiding spending 12 hours in what I like to now refer to as, “Travellers’ Purgatory”.
Travellers’ Purgatory will almost always occur at least once during a long holiday. It is where one is stuck between destinations for an extended period of time, waiting for their connecting train, flight or bus. It often leads to boredom, a sudden onset of tiredness and, in the most extreme cases, crankiness. We managed to delay it for as long as possible by enjoying a Menu del Día (my three favourite words) and walking around the city. However, what made our case of Travellers’ Purgatory worse was that it was a public holiday, so most things were closed. However, the Golden Arches delivered us some salvation in the form of free wifi (this blog was proudly brought to you by McDonalds).
3 hours of wifi, some pintxos, churros, hot chocolates and 2 episodes of Arrow later, our train arrived and we promptly tucked ourselves into our beds with eager anticipation of arriving in Granada the following day (praying we won’t encounter Travellers’ Purgatory again).
by Kim-Ling | Jan 5, 2013 | Ibiza, Navigation, Travel
Ibiza. That is all…
Ok, so now that I have your attention, let me talk about what could be my greatest NYE ever. First of all, we arrived in Ibiza to find that whilst it is no doubt a “clubber’s paradise” in Summer, it is a very different story in the Winter. The streets are lined with billboards promoting only one thing: the clubs. The only problem was that they were promoting events long gone and what we had arrived to was almost a post-zombie-apocalypse town. Having done plenty of reading, I thought I would be prepared for the shock of an Ibiza in Winter, however the lack of people in the streets reminded me more of Canberra’s Civic at 10am than a club that turns over millions of tourists in the Summer. What a difference a season can make. Not only was it quiet, but at least 50% of the stores, restaurants and hotels were fully closed and boarded up until the following Summer. We couldn’t help but wonder how much money they make in the high season to afford to completely shut down business for 4-5 months (even in the middle of the crisis!).
However, not one to really like crowds, this was fine for me. We were able to enjoy getting a table at the popular places (that were still open) without reservations. One great place for atmosphere and tapas was La Cava.
The rest of our time we enjoyed the ‘quietness’ of the island by sightseeing, siestas and shopping.
New Years Eve however, is a different story. All those who are left on the island are out and about. We were lucky enough to stumble upon a restaurant that still had a free table and enjoyed a late-night dinner (11pm to be exact!) of the most succulent suckling pig and taking part in the Spanish tradition of eating 12 grapes at midnight. Each grape is rushed down at each strike of the bell at midnight, and each grape represents one wish. One of mine would have been ‘I wish these grapes were seedless!’ 🙂
It was a fantastic atmosphere, as everyone stops to take part in the tradition (including staff). Then once the bells are rung and the grapes are swallowed, everyone turns to each other to wish a Feliz Año Nuevo and kiss each other on the cheek. In that one moment, strangers become the best of friends. However, despite our new friendship statuses with strangers, the party must go on. We made our way to Pacha, Ibiza’s only superclub that stays open all year long.
Words cannot really describe how cool Pacha is. It is huge, with different stages, levels and rooms to cater for different music. Although, unfortunately not all of the rooms were opened (possibly due to it being Winter and not having as many people). It did still put on a great night, that didn’t really get rolling until well after 2am. The doors open at 1 and the first hour was great for people watching. What shocked me most was the ages of at least half of the revellers here (at least for the first hour). People well over their 40s were rocking the dance floor in their sequinned attire, with some Rebels club members being part of the mix. Our guess was they were all the hippies that came in the 70s and never left! (Obviously making a fortune in the meantime, as they had access to all of the VIP areas). I was half expecting Richard Branson to be burning up the dance floor. By 2am though, the crowds increased in number and decreased in age and the DJ really got rolling. Unfortunately, due to an ill-thought early flight booking for the following day, we couldn’t party on as late (or early, depending how you look at it) as the rest. However, it was so much fun and an experience I will never forget (although I can’t speak for a lot of the crowd there!)
by Kim-Ling | Dec 28, 2012 | Navigation, Travel, Valencia
Hola peeps
It is with great sadness that this is my last post…. From Valencia! We are off to Ibiza bright and early tomorrow, with the hope that we can enjoy some sun, sand and surf (and maybe a club or two, if they are open)…
With that in mind, I thought I’d take an opportunity to reflect on the week that was… (Cue dream sequence music here)…
True to my word in my previous post, my man arrived on Saturday. Unfortunately, his bags did not… However, putting that aside, it was wonderful to be reunited again. I had spent the morning checking into our apartment (wonderfully located next to the food markets and in the centre of the city) and catching up with a friend who was visiting for the weekend. We feasted on an awesome ‘Menu del Día’, involving a 3 course feast with bread, water and, my favourite, sangria!
We then walked what seemed like the length of the whole city to sightsee and pick up tickets for the soccer game that night… Of course, with my exceptional luck, I was advised upon arriving at the stadium that the game had been changed to the night before, and therefore we had missed the game completely! Thank goodness we bought the cheapest tickets! After the initial shock and bursts of laughter that followed, my buddy and I moved on to take in more sights as we waited for Guy to arrive.
When he did finally arrive, we locked eyes at the station, and the orchestra chimed in before I whispered “kiss me Katut”… Wait… That was another story… But in all seriousness, it was great to see him again (albeit bagless). Then the three of us went out and ate… Chinese food! That’s right, Guy travelled for over 35 hours to eat Chinese food in Spain :p Then, with full stomachs, we all went our separate ways to rest for the big day ahead of eating and sightseeing…
Our Christmas was certainly untraditional. We started off with a few family Skype sessions and then headed to Bioparc, a zoo built to mimic the African wildlife. Now, it’s been many a few years since I visited the zoo last, and this trip certainly brought out the inner child and reinvigorated my love for zoos!
However, despite the non-traditional zoo visit, I was still able to spend part of my Christmas visiting a church (and a 207-stair bell tower).
And to top off the week that was, some yummy tapas, churros con chocolate, sangria and beers! Valencia, you’ve been great!
¡Adios!
by Kim-Ling | Dec 17, 2012 | Navigation, Travel, Valencia
So I’ve realised it’s been over a week since my last post. What have I been up to, you may ask? Well lots and then at the same time, not much. Needing some time to recover from some ‘blogger’s block’ and rest my tired legs from the epic week of walking, I spent a little more time in my room studying and reflecting (as opposed to the sightseeing-every-minute week I had prior). One epiphany I had, during my reflection time, was along the lines of Dorothy’s sentiments of “There’s no place like home”, however for me, I’ve found that no matter how wonderful or exciting a city is, having someone to share it with firsthand only makes it better. Whilst I love sharing my adventures with you peeps, I am counting down the days until my other half arrives 🙂
However, being solo in the city has not stopped me from enjoying myself. Since my last entry I have been to two free concerts at the Palau de la Música which were beautiful, inspiring and a wonderful way to spend consecutive Saturday mornings.
I also was lucky to meet Gulliver whilst on his travels and see girls dressed up in the traditional Valencian dress outside the cathedral.
I also checked out El Rastro; a market not unlike a Trash & Treasure, however on the Sunday I was there, it was more like Trash & More Trash. For anyone thinking of going, I wouldn’t waste your time. However, there are some lovely sights to see walking back to the city centre from there.
And of course, with food being one of my muses, a friend and I checked out Valencia’s version of Chinatown (however in this case, more like China street). Whilst I love my Spanish food, I realised quickly upon biting into my first bite, how much I love and missed my Chinese dishes. “You had me at dumpling…” I also explored El Mercado Central; a food market based in a beautiful gothic building. I tasted Turron, a sweet bar made essentially from almond meal and honey (which I love) and Horchata, a sweet cold drink made from a plant of some sorts (that, I didn’t like so much).
And of course, my other muse is shopping. It’s amazing how easy it is to pass the time and walk kms and kms without realising it when shopping. I think if there were shops in the gym, I would certainly get a better workout! I have done plenty of window shopping in stores like Zara, Blanco, Mango, Malaya (my favourite as I can actually afford it!) and Desigual (another favourite, however can’t justify the prices… Yet). And to ensure I am immersing myself in the Spanish life, I’ve bought a few Spanish cds. However, up until yesterday, I had managed to hold off on purchasing shoes. Yes, I know, what was wrong with me? The problems I’m facing is 1. The lack of allowed weight I have left in my suitcase (before being charged a ridiculous amount by the airline), and 2. The immense amount of shoes I already have (and therefore, lack of storage space) at home. However yesterday, I couldn’t hold back any longer and and gave in to my S.O.D (Shoe Obsession Disorder). Whilst they are not for everyone, I love them…
And one other thing I’ve enjoyed whilst here is the drama in the previously mentioned show ‘Mujeres y Hombres (y Vice Versa), currently featuring dreamy Christian. It’s become a long-running joke with my ‘mama’ that I am a big fan of Christian and his journey of finding ‘the one’…
And it is on that note, I shall love you and leave you (so I can make it home in time to catch the finale!)
Hasta luego peeps!
NB: I’ve since realised it wasn’t the finale, which is fine by me, as it means I have more chances to swoon!
by Kim-Ling | Dec 4, 2012 | Navigation, Travel, Valencia
Yesterday began bright and early for my first day at school. It felt extremely eerie to rise long before the sun (it was dark and the street lights were still on, despite it being 7am).
Thankfully, the sun decided to show its beautiful face in time for me to find my way to the school with the lovely help from a strapping Spanish lad who I met on the bus. Yes ladies, they do breed them well here 😉
Anyway, my classes went well and I think I spoke more Spanish in the 5 hours here than I spoke in a month of classes at university. I am really looking forward to the classes ahead. Hopefully it will also help me speak more with my “mama” who is absolutely lovely. I think she had me from the moment she called me “princessa” (and the ongoing offering of food also helps!). She also loves her Spanish tv, which I too am starting to enjoy; especially last night’s offering of a reality tv dating show (again, displaying the finest Spain has to offer).
I spent the rest of the day exploring parts of the city (mainly the shops – a girl has got to keep her priorities, am I right ladies?). I was even mistaken for a local by one of the street volunteers (otherwise she was just desperate to get a signature or something). It was the first time I didn’t mind being stopped in the street for “a moment of my time” 🙂 She quickly let me pass when she realised I didn’t live here or speak enough of the language to save the world or whatever it was the company was trying to push. Can I also just add, that my love for McDonalds has only grown since coming here. And no, not because of the food (despite my addiction to their golden nuggets and chips). It is due to their free wifi, clean toilets (which require a combination to enter, provided on the receipt), and the knowledge that if you want a cheeseburger just like home, you will get one (and for only 1€!).
And on that note, I am off to lunch… Hasta luego peeps!
