Gibraltar: totally worth the trip

From Ithaca to Mahopac, from JFK to Frankfurt to Baden Baden, from Girona to Sevilla...the next country on our tour was Gibraltar. I did a lot of research when planning this trip. There was no doubt we needed to spend time in Barcelona or Paris, but Gibraltar got mixed reviews from the online travel community. Many people said it wasn't worth the trip. I was a little nervous about dragging Danny hours off the beaten path just to play with the monkeys...lucky for us, they lived up to expectations and Gibraltar had some other hidden gems to share with us as well. If you've ever considered going, don't let the nay-sayers scare you off...it was a fantastic day trip!

The "Rock" is more like a mountain, looming in the distance at nearly 1400 feet high.

We walked across the Spanish/British border, crossed the tarmac (yup, you really do walk across an airstrip to get to Gibraltar), and began the hike up the rock.

After lunch at a British pub (fish and chips for Danny, curry for me), we finally got ourselves a tour guide. Our tour began with the vista across the Straits of Gibraltar and a view of Africa.

We saw the pillars of Hercules, marking the "end" of the Ancient World and the beginning of the Modern World, the Great Siege Tunnels, and the caves known as the gateway to Hades.

And…then we spent a couple of hours playing with the Barbary Apes. They were hilarious! The babies squeaked and rode on the backs of the elders. The teenagers begged for food, played, and climbed all over us. One even got feisty enough to give me some love bites on the arm and hand. (He didn’t break the skin, and it didn’t hurt. Really, it was funny.)

Yay monkeys!

Sevilla: the beauty of Southern Spain

After a five hour layover in Girona, a tiny airport nearly 2 hours from Barcelona, we finally arrived in Sevilla around 10pm. Fortunately for us, that is dinner time in Spain, so we were able to make the most of our first night, heading out to enjoy the views of the cathedral, tapas, and of course, sangria.

sea snails - served cold!

We walked along Rio Guadalquivir, the second longest river in Spain and the longest in Andalusia, enjoying the views of the first of many monuments to Christopher Columbus that we would see here.

We went back to the cathedral during the day to enjoy its splendor from both outside and within...

We spent our last day here simply wandering, exploring the hidden plazas and beautiful scenery. We meandered through the Jewish quarter, finding our way to the Murillo Gardens, enjoying the scent of jasmine that climbed over the Alcazar walls to surround us with its distinctive fragrance.

After two very long plane trips, we were glad the next leg of our journey would be taking place in a car. Of course, we when booked a rental car to drive from Sevilla to La Linea de Concepcion, the Spanish gateway to British Gibraltar, we forgot that all cars in Europe are manual transmission. Fortunately, Danny is a quick study and after a short lesson, he was able to drive through the Spanish countryside to our next destination.

Baden Baden is my happy place

Here I am, at the beginning of my last European vacation for a while, back in Baden Baden. I know I've said it before, but it merits saying again. There really is something special about this place. It's serene and beautiful, and it makes me happy. I'm so lucky to have friends here and to have been able to visit twice. I certainly hope to return again soon.

My first trip here came at an important time: a time of contemplation, change, decision, and searching. I came here alone, spent time exploring with Geoffrey and Cora, and some time wandering on my own, thinking. This second trip comes at the culmination of all those choices, on the brink of my new life beginning.

I’m so pleased that on this trip to BB, I get to share the serenity of German floral and forest paradise with Danny. I’m trying to convince him to write a blogpost, but until then you can enjoy his perspective through photographs.

As always, food was a priority for us. We sampled German baked goods (Danny claims the best waffle he's ever eaten) and of course, ice cream.

When walking down Lichtentaler Allez, the fragrance of apples wafts from the rose garden. Never before have I smelled roses so intense that they create the illusion of being in an orchard. The aromatic experience is completed with fountains and benches to sit and enjoy the view of the mountains and castles of the Black Forest in the distance.

Though we did not attend the baths or hike to any castles this time, we did spend some time in the vineyards of the Alsacian wine country. We also spent time admiring the beauty of the myriad varieties of dahlias in yet another public garden.

I also enhanced my zen experience by attending a yoga class with Cora, which was an incredible way to start the day! This trip was also special because we had time to see the exhibit at the Kunsthalle, including a guided tour with Cora. BB is a place that brings me peace and happiness. It was a fantastic beginning to our European extravaganza.