Things to do in Spain and Portugal
Since the death of General Franco, Spain took on a new lease of life. Things are a lot more exciting these days, even in the once rather staid and melancholy Madrid. The flamenco from Andalusia but also the Castilian fandango and bolero are danced in the cabarets of the capital till the early hours of the morning. Every other bodega claims to be an old Hemingway watering hole. Most of them are.
Nonetheless, despite the heightened bustle at the Puerto del Sol, the prevailing tone of Madrid is still one of dignity. Its Prado museum has one of the great art collections of the Western world, proud not only of its Velazquez, EI Greco and Goya, but also of the triumphant return of Picasso's Guernica. You'll find the stately essence of old Madrid in the narrow streets tucked away behind the Royal Palace.
And if you're an aficionado of bullfights, the best are to be found at the Plaza Monumental and Vista Alegre.For some easy and rewarding excursions around Madrid, drive out to Toledo with its fantastic cathedral and colourful old Jewish quarter, to Avila for its fascinating ramparts or to EI Escorial for the grand domes of King Philip II's royal palace city.
Capital of the Republican government during its valiant struggle against fascism in the Spanish Civil War, Barcelona stands with pride and independent spirit apart from the rest of Spain. The feisty Catalonians have made it the country's liveliest cultural centre, the gathering place for writers, artists and eccentrics.
Barcelona and La Rambla
The centre of town is around La Rambla, where high and low gather to discuss the future of the nation, the fortunes of the local soccer team or how to carryon a torrid affair without wife or husband finding out. The port district behind La Rambla, the Barrio Chino, is raunchy but exciting for the bold and brazen. Plan your evening stroll or paseo, like the Spanish, before a late dinner. Catalan cuisine is robust rather than refined try the zarzuela fish soup and escudella meat stew, with a fruity sangria wine punch to help it down.
Besides the impressive cathedral in the medieval Barri Gotic, Barcelona's great architectural attraction is the bizarre 19th century work of Antonio Gaudi, plant like extrusions covering his church and apartment buildings. Seville was the commuter terminus for the Spaniards' voyages of discovery to America. Testimony to the famous mistake they made about where they thought they were going can still be seen today in the Archivo General de las Indias, the museum where you can see original documents of Columbus, Cortes and Magellan.
But Seville is now above all a great centre of Spanish Catholicism. Its great cathedral is the third biggest church in Europe, after Rome's St. Peter's and London's St. Paul's. It's also the home of the country's best flamenco dancing, often right there in the streets of the Barrio de Santa Cruz (once the old Jewish quarter).
Together with the minaret of the Giralda, remains of the mosque that the cathedral replaced, the Moorish fortress of the Alcazar and its tropical gardens are an intriguing reminder of the varied exotic elements of Spain's beginnings. You're a long way from Oslo. Important wherever you are in Spain (or, for that matter, in any other of the hot countries of southern Europe): participate in the lifesaving local custom of the siesta. A half hour nap in the afternoon will work wonders it makes late nights and early starts a lot easier.
Portugal and things to do
First thing to remember when in Lisbon is not to mistake the Portuguese for Spaniards, they really don't appreciate it. But you'll find them a polite and friendly people, for the most part more easygoing than the Spanish. But note, too, that touch of melancholy in their music, the heartrending fado sung as you sip a glass of chilled semi sparkling young white wine known as vinho verde, literally green wine, not sweet, not dry. And they don't kill their bulls at the bullfight. Enigmatic bunch.
Walk through the ancient Alfama neighbourhood and you'll encounter vestiges of the Greeks, Romans, Visigoths and Moors who created this intriguing cocktail. Built on hills overlooking the Tagus River, it's a' great walking town, with sudden dramatic views, best of all from Castelo Sao Jorge (Saint George's Castle).
Nonetheless, despite the heightened bustle at the Puerto del Sol, the prevailing tone of Madrid is still one of dignity. Its Prado museum has one of the great art collections of the Western world, proud not only of its Velazquez, EI Greco and Goya, but also of the triumphant return of Picasso's Guernica. You'll find the stately essence of old Madrid in the narrow streets tucked away behind the Royal Palace.
And if you're an aficionado of bullfights, the best are to be found at the Plaza Monumental and Vista Alegre.For some easy and rewarding excursions around Madrid, drive out to Toledo with its fantastic cathedral and colourful old Jewish quarter, to Avila for its fascinating ramparts or to EI Escorial for the grand domes of King Philip II's royal palace city.
Capital of the Republican government during its valiant struggle against fascism in the Spanish Civil War, Barcelona stands with pride and independent spirit apart from the rest of Spain. The feisty Catalonians have made it the country's liveliest cultural centre, the gathering place for writers, artists and eccentrics.
Barcelona and La Rambla
The centre of town is around La Rambla, where high and low gather to discuss the future of the nation, the fortunes of the local soccer team or how to carryon a torrid affair without wife or husband finding out. The port district behind La Rambla, the Barrio Chino, is raunchy but exciting for the bold and brazen. Plan your evening stroll or paseo, like the Spanish, before a late dinner. Catalan cuisine is robust rather than refined try the zarzuela fish soup and escudella meat stew, with a fruity sangria wine punch to help it down.
Besides the impressive cathedral in the medieval Barri Gotic, Barcelona's great architectural attraction is the bizarre 19th century work of Antonio Gaudi, plant like extrusions covering his church and apartment buildings. Seville was the commuter terminus for the Spaniards' voyages of discovery to America. Testimony to the famous mistake they made about where they thought they were going can still be seen today in the Archivo General de las Indias, the museum where you can see original documents of Columbus, Cortes and Magellan.
But Seville is now above all a great centre of Spanish Catholicism. Its great cathedral is the third biggest church in Europe, after Rome's St. Peter's and London's St. Paul's. It's also the home of the country's best flamenco dancing, often right there in the streets of the Barrio de Santa Cruz (once the old Jewish quarter).
Together with the minaret of the Giralda, remains of the mosque that the cathedral replaced, the Moorish fortress of the Alcazar and its tropical gardens are an intriguing reminder of the varied exotic elements of Spain's beginnings. You're a long way from Oslo. Important wherever you are in Spain (or, for that matter, in any other of the hot countries of southern Europe): participate in the lifesaving local custom of the siesta. A half hour nap in the afternoon will work wonders it makes late nights and early starts a lot easier.
Portugal and things to do
First thing to remember when in Lisbon is not to mistake the Portuguese for Spaniards, they really don't appreciate it. But you'll find them a polite and friendly people, for the most part more easygoing than the Spanish. But note, too, that touch of melancholy in their music, the heartrending fado sung as you sip a glass of chilled semi sparkling young white wine known as vinho verde, literally green wine, not sweet, not dry. And they don't kill their bulls at the bullfight. Enigmatic bunch.
Walk through the ancient Alfama neighbourhood and you'll encounter vestiges of the Greeks, Romans, Visigoths and Moors who created this intriguing cocktail. Built on hills overlooking the Tagus River, it's a' great walking town, with sudden dramatic views, best of all from Castelo Sao Jorge (Saint George's Castle).
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