Back to Madrid

Yesterday I started to tell you things that I had forgotten before and the computer decided that I was finished and posted the blog.  So here goes.

• When we were in Gibraltar we could look one direction and see the Mediterranean and the other and see the Atlantic Ocean.  We could see Spain and turn and see North Africa--a unique experience.
• When we were in Tangiers, we stopped at a bakery.  Women (or their children on the way to school) brought their freshly formed loaves of bread.  The bread was baked in a community oven (similar to wood-burning pizza ovens in the US).  Children could pick up the bread on the way home.  Sure enough a little boy rode up on his bicycle, went in, returned with three loaves of bread in a bag and rode off. 
• At dinner in Torremolinos, deep fried anchovies were served.  They were not salty and so small that you just ate the whole thing.  Someone commented "at home, we call these minnows."
• Yesterday at lunch in Granada, there were pictures of Matadors in their costumes on the walls right beside those same men pictured eating at that bar.  Sports bars like to have pictures of sports figures who eat at their bars so why not matadors??

Today we rode 294 miles on the bus---a very nice, roomy bus--a smooth ride on good highways.  Jesus is our driver and he is the best.  He takes that bus places where I would hesitate to drive a compact car. 
Today was our turn to sit in the front seat --lucky. We drove through the rolling Andalusian hills.  Saw miles and miles and miles of olive trees,  Also melons, fields of crocusses (250,000 stamens of crocus yield one kilo of saffron --a yellow spice used in paella--a rice and seafood dish.)    Grapes were being harvested in the fields and we saw tractors pulling wagons loaded with grapes. 
Stopped in Toledo this afternoon and took a walking tour.  Toledo is on very steep hills.  No two steps were on the same level.  We were either climbing straight up and going straight down.  Saw an elaborate 13th century gothic cathedral, an early synagogue, and a famous ElGreco painting.  Also visited a Damascene steel workshop where workmen work designs of gold into steel. 

Tonight is our farewell dinner so I must close.  Today has been a better day just knowing that Caitlin is out of surgery.   We leave in the morning and will be back in Rockford tomorrow night.  We gain 7 hours tomorrow. Thanks for traveling with us.