Spain. June 10th to June 24th.

Well it looks like we'll be traveling to Spain in June.  The plan is to land in Madrid, spend a couple of days there with some friends, then head south to Sevilla via train.  We're thinking of renting a car there and road-trip it down to Cadiz, Jerez de la Frontera, possibly Marbella.  After a few days head back to Madrid to catch our plane back.

Anyway, we're looking for recommendations, especially with lodging as we want to keep a tight budget.  Round-trip flight is around $2,500 USD for the two of us, so we might want to keep all other expenses (lodging, meals, etc.) below $3,000 USD if possible.

So post up any suggestions and recommendations you might have.  Thanks in advance.

Monterrey, Nuevo Leon. Mexico

Doing a little cleanup of the hard drive tonight I came across some photographs of a trip we took to Monterrey for a friend's wedding.

If I remember correctly I shot this from the hotel window in Monterrey, looking out to the "Cerro de la Silla", a mountain formation named this way due to it's resemblance to a saddle.

This one was taken outside of a convenience store on our way to Cd. Victoria where the wedding took place. I know there is video of this rest stop somewhere...I'll need to look.

I just decided to put a few together in a single image:

1.- Nati messing with da popo!
2.- Corn on a stick.
3.- Lion attack!
4.- El Rey del Cabrito.
5.- No idea what I am looking out for.
6.- With some friends at El Rey del Cabrito.

Make sure to stop at this restaurant on your next visit to Monterrey.  You will not regret it!

El Rey del Cabrito

Foreign Travels

As we approach another summer, it is time to get out again & travel the world.  So far we have been discussing travel to Spain, Uruguay, Ecuador, Italy or a cross-country road trip across the United States (on a side note, Superman: The Movie, 1978 is on TV!  Yes, I get distracted easily), or fly to Colombia and "road trip-it" over there.

We are still open to suggestions/ideas.  The plan is to leave for a couple of weeks in June. And so the map goes...

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Cartagena's Historic District




Cartagena's Cathedral in the background.

 

Don’t despair my friends!  We are back!  And yes, still daydreaming of beautiful, romantic Cartagena.

As soon as you arrive, that same afternoon, walking the streets of the historic wall district is a must.  You will see colonial houses, balconies full of flowers, and your mind will be drunk with yellows, deep blues, and vivid oranges.  At night, a carriage ride is a good idea.  When the sun is going down, walk on the top of the wall that surrounds the historic district.  You will see the Caribbean Sea on one side, and the beautiful streets on the other.  The ocean, the breeze, the sun going down…. Experience the magic! Words are not enough to describe the it.  Here are some pictures from Dukes Fotografía.  Hopefully, they will help you visualize your trip to Cartagena. (These were taken a few days before our wedding).

Some of our favorite places in the Historic District:

-Café del Mar:  This is a bar on top of the wall that surrounds the city.  It is the perfect spot for a cocktail during sunset time.  Notice we didn't say "perfect spot for dinner".... There are better places for food, but it is still worth to go.

-Plaza de Santo Domingo.  A feast for the senses!

Enjoy some food and sip wine surrounded by beautiful architecture, including the Iglesia de Santo Domingo, the oldest church in Cartagena.  You may see some guitarists, or young dancers moving to the fast pace of Caribbean music.  If you are lucky, you may spot newlyweds leaving the church.  Read the legend about this plaza here.  Some pics of the City, including one of the Plaza de Santo Domingo in Lonely Planet.



Cartagena's Historic District



Recommendations:

-          We highly recommend walking shoes.  Confortable, flat sandals are ideal.  Leave your fancy shoes for another occasion.

-          Ladies, the weather in Cartagena is very humid.  Go with the natural texture of your hair, and wear waterproof mascara. Don't forget sunblock for daytime!

-          Before leaving for your walk, ask in your hotel for taxi prices, and carriage ride prices.

-          Take a good number of memory cards for your camera.  Believe us, you will be taking tons of pictures!  A good photo shop in Cartagena, just in case, is FotoJapon.  There are several locations.  Again, ask the receptionist in your hotel.  Finally, street vendors may be very persistent…..  Just be direct and clear if you don’t want to buy at the moment.

Daydreaming

Another snow day in Texas, and our minds are far away.  We are daydreaming of sunny days.  Aaaahhhh….. The sun light setting its warm kiss on our skin.  What comes to mind next is one of our favorite destinations: Cartagena de Indias.

Cartagena is located in the Northern Coast of Colombia.  It was founded in 1533 by Pedro de Heredia, a Spanish explorer.  Since then, Cartagena has been an important port in the country.  Today, the city combines our Spanish, African and Indigenous heritage, which translates to unique folklore, cuisine and architecture.
I will be posting more about this amazing, almost magical destination.  To get you excited, as I am now, check out these pictures José Luis took during our last trip there.

Have a good rest of the week!