TAKE THE FAST TRAIN TO BARCELONA FOR A WEEK WITH THE NINOS - WHAT A WAY TO GO WITH THE ONES YOU LOVE

HAIL HAIL RAILEUROPE !!!

 

As we boarded the high speed rail from Valencia to Barcelona, we were filled with great expectations. We were going to meet and stay with our daughter, our son and his wife for a week long stay in Spain's most vibrant, art filled city. And once again, AIRBNB did us really proud. First and foremost, train travel in Spain is , shall I say it, fabulous! And in Spain, it is ridiculously cheap and very very fast and clean. Imagine flying the way it was back in the day - quiet, clean and really nice, pleasant people. I have said it before and it bears repeating, especially in Espana - Those Europeans got this train thing figured out!

Our AIRBNB, for the five of us, was in the heart of downtown Barcelona within easy walking distance of virtually everything. Although, you could spend a year in this amazing city and not see all of its beauty and quality design around every corner. I always suggest staying as close to the "must sees" as possible and, as I have said without hesitation or apology, if you find the right AIRBNB, you will always get more than you expect for less than you expect. The Stylish Apartment C In City Center in Barcelona is just such a place.

Three bedrooms, two baths, ample kitchen and all with a high end design sense that has been completely coordinated  for convenience. The Owner, Antonio, grew up in Barcelona, so his knowledge of what to do, where to go and places to eat is quite exceptional. Upon checking in, he sat down at the large dining table with maps, brochures and other information and helped us plan our visit. For a quick preview of this great little place  in the heart of Spain's most artistic and architecturally elegant city both modern and ancient just check out below:

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So, if you want an amazing place to lay your head after a day of walking, eating and hanging out in one  of Europe's most exciting cities with architecture and artistic flair like no other, then I highly recommend AIRBNB and Antonio's place only steps from restaurants, Antonio Gaudi landmarks and other fascinating sites. And if this particular place is full when you go, check out more AIRBNB choices. You'll thank me and your wallet will love you.

d.l.stafford
thenomadARCHITECT

Next post - Barcelona - The City

This Week's Travel Quote - One of the few luxuries left is travel. And the aspect of travel that is luxurious is not the movement, but the being there - Andre Balazs. Hallelujah!!!!

And This Week's Tune - From the incomparable Diana Krall - Fly Me To The Moon.
 

IN THE CENTER OF OLD TOWN VALENCIA AT THE LOFT DE LUJO FROM AIRBNB - WELL IT JUST DOESN'T GET ANY BETTER

Valencia Blends Old & New Like No Other European City

The very cool, very well appointed and very well located LOFT DE LUJO, located in the heart of Valencia, is the perfect place to relax after a long walk or have a great night's sleep after a day enjoying the sites and sounds of one of Spain's oldest cities. The host met us at the door and assisted with our luggage into an 800 plus square foot loft with everything you need for a relaxing and refreshing stay in the historic district of this city of in excess of 1.7 million. It's location is perfect for walking to sites close by and has the usual things we have come to expect in highly rated AIRBNB places - great bed, huge shower and interesting modern design overlaid in an older building. The Europeans do this better than we Americans. And the owner was so helpful with his map and list of places, showing us the best places to eat and how to get around via train and bus to see the sites. We gave this place and the host a 10+ rating.

Another benefit worth mentioning is the roof terrace, accessible by a short stair from the loft, which allows you to relax and enjoy a glass of wine and experience the views and sounds of the city. And the price of this amazing, intimate place in the middle of everything is a "you gotta be kidding me" $76.00 - $82 per night in April and May, which is the best time of year to visit this area of Spain.

And The City of Arts & Sciences by Spain's Most Famous Architect Must Be Seen Live and In Person

Santiago Calatrava, born in Valencia, is a multiple award winning architect who does not do small things or small buildings. His many buildings in Valencia testify to the expressive design grammar found in his work. In a country known for its great architecture, music and art, this collection of modern structures in Valencia offers a great way to spend a day experiencing some of the most fantastic architecture in Europe. The buildings included in this grand experiment in uber modern design, placed in a city that was founded in 138 B.C. shows, with unabashed exuberance, European designers' belief in the merging and blending of new and old, whether in the grand buildings found at The City of Arts & Sciences or an intimate apartment like the Loft de Lugo.

 

Here's the thing. Spain is one of those places that really cannot be comprehended quickly. Its architecture, its art, its food and its  culture and people can actually change you, if you pay attention and enjoy the ride. And Valencia allows that on multiple levels. So, if you go to the land of Cervantes, Picasso and Gaudi make sure you spend a few days in this beautiful art filled city.

 

d.l.stafford

thenomadARCHITECT

This week's travel quote is from the one and only Dave Barry - "Americans who travel abroad for the first time are often shocked to discover that, despite all the progress that has been made in the last 30 years, many foreign people still speak in foreign languages."

And this week's Video is by one of the truly great jazz pianists and singers working today - Harry Connick, Jr. performing One Fine Thing, a song he wrote for his wife and sings  to her in this video. If you ever get the chance, Harry is a must see performer - Amazing singer and a ridiculous piano player!

 

A PLACE IN THE COUNTRY WITH VIEWS OF MOUNTAINS AND THE COSTA BLANCA IN THE DISTANCE - FINCA EL TOSSAL

And With Incredible Food - Lo Mejor de España In An Idyllic Setting

Finca El Tossal is one of those places that you probably won't have on your bucket list because it is a little out of the way. However, it proves beyond any doubt the quality of sleeping  hideaways presented  by I-Escape, one of the best boutique hotel web sites around for  intimate, well designed, reasonably priced hotels. And  when you stay in this mountainside retreat with views of the mountains and the ocean in the distance you will tell every Nomad you know that it belongs on theirs.

To make it even better, a delicious breakfast is included and you can purchase dinner for a reasonable price, which I highly recommend. With extremely friendly, super competent owners and a chef that we wanted to take home with us, our stay in this small, boutique hotel in the mountains with amazing views from a well appointed room with  an immensely comfortable bed and a small balcony garnered a ten plus rating in our book. It was the perfect place to simply R & R after some pretty busy sight seeing for several days prior to arrival.

I agree with Rick Steves, who recommends a "down day" every few days, to keep your head and your heart balanced and rebuild your energy for things yet unseen. We just relaxed, swam in the pool and ate great food. We only ventured out one evening and took the thirty minute drive to the beautiful coast and found a great little seafood restaurant - Saltea Restaurante. Delicioso! For a quick view of this restful place in Southern Spain, check out the following You Tube. 

 

 

Though we didn't want to leave, the rest of  España beckoned. After three nights and days at the perfect place to just enjoy being in this amazing country, we headed out for our next adventure, Valencia. After three relaxing and restful days and nights, Finca El Tossal is on my Top Ten List Of Ridiculously Amazing Places To Sleep for All Nomads!

 

Remember - “All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware.” — Martin Buber. That says it best.

 

d.l.stafford

thenomadARCHITECT

 

This week's video blast comes from one of the truly great Texas Troubadours. The one and only Lyle Lovett, with his Large Band, performs one of his greatest , most thought provoking tunes from one of his greatest recordings - Joshua, Judges, Ruth - live - the song - CHURCH!

 

GRANADA, GAR ANAT & ALHAMBRA - OTRO CUBO LISTER (ANOTHER BUCKET LISTER) FOR SURE

Even Car Rentals Are Muy Barato (Very Cheap) In The Land Of Quixote

Because of our plans to venture away from metropolitan areas, we rented a sweet little Fiat 500 L for five days for a measly $34.00 per day, from Hertz no less, and headed for Granada. Spain, on the road, is a beautiful country. And the small enclave of Granada is the perfect place to walk and enjoy the sites and sounds of a beautiful town with a world class UNESCO  World Heritage Site - Alhambra. Our small, boutique 4-star hotel, Gar Anat Hotel Boutique, has only fifteen rooms and is located in the center of the small town, so you can walk everywhere to restaurants and other cool places to, see.

 

Due to our plans for the remainder of our trip, we broke our Nomad Rule (minimum three nights) and stayed only one night at this small, intimate hotel. The low price of $170.00 included a beautifully appointed room, complimentary wine, snacks and breakfast. Which, as you can see in the photograph, is served in a stone vaulted room that combines ancient and modern to perfection. All good! This small higher end hotel, at the price it charges, further supports this Vagabond's advice to go to Spain to see some of the best designed places in Europe for a song, compared to the rest of Europe.

The Alhambra Is A Reminder of Past Magnificence in Architecture

This unbelievable palace and center of the Moorish World for two centuries is a must see for any Nomad. Its history of design and construction is beyond the scope of this blog. Suffice to say, it is long and complicated. For more information on the history of this sprawling group of buildings just click here and here. To get you a little more interested in this magnificent work of architecture, enjoy a short presentation by the Traveler In Chief Rick Steves:
 

Due to its size and complexity, I highly recommend that you book a tour with one of the local tour companies. We used VIATOR, which is affiliated with Trip Advisor. Our guide/docent was full of great information about the details of this magnificent structure. Another recommendation is to plan your visit to be an all day trek.

Next Up: We head to the country to one of the coolest places I-Escape presents for Nomads to lay their heads while enjoying the countryside, great food and simple relaxation.

Me Encanta Este Pais (I Love This Country)

d.l.stafford
thenomadARCHITECT

P.S. - And for your continued enjoyment of randomly found great music, please enjoy an ACL performance by one of the most unique folk/rock bands performing today as The Avett Brothers render a fresh take on a very old gospel song:
 

FOUNDED BY JULIUS CESAR & ENJOYED BY NOMADS THE WORLD OVER - SEVILLA IS A BUCKET LISTER FOR SURE

It's Not Just About Where You Sleep - There Is An Amazing Amount Of Cool Stuff To Do In The Capital of  Andalucia

After getting settled in our  contemporary studio the yellowBox, our AIRBNB place to sleep for three nights and getting the scoop on what to do and where to go from the owner, we started walking, riding and seeking out those places that we knew about and hopefully some places we didn't. One of Seville's more interesting architectural structures is Metropol Parasol.

Designed by German architect Jurgen Mayer, this fascinating structure is claimed to be the largest wooden structure in the world. It is commonly referred to as Las Setas de la Encarnación (Incarnation's mushrooms). As you would expect just looking at it, it was very controversial due to its appearance, location and cost overruns. At a cost of $55 million Euros and a two year construction period, it is well worth an afternoon to explore.

And You Simply Must Enjoy An Afternoon in Parque de Maria Luisa

In the heart of a city of about 800,00 lies one of the most serene, beautiful and natural places you will ever see - Parqu de Maria Luisa. In addition to the natural areas of the park, you can also enjoy the Plaza de España, an excellent example of regionalism, built in 1928 for the 1929 Ibero-American Exposition of 1929 (Worlds Fair).

You can walk throughout the park and then see the massive masonry structure as well, or you can enjoy it all from a horse drawn carriage. We spent an entire afternoon just enjoying the trees, plantings, water features and other places of quiet and peaceful solitude in the park as well as the magnificent Plaza and the huge half circle building. The plaza and building have been seen in various movies, including Lawrence of Arabia and Star Wars.

For A Remarkable Experience - Flamenco - In The Place Of Its Founding - Andalucia

And where better to enjoy the real thing than in Andalucia's capital - Seville? There are many places where you can see the grace, athleticism and passion of the Flamenco. However, we took our AIRBNB owner's recommendation and decided to see this beautiful art form in a very small, intimate club - Los Gallos Tableo Flamenco. No over production. No smoke and mirrors. Only guitarists, dancers and, for lack of a better term, hand clappers. We enjoyed  90 minutes of incredible entertainment with extraordinarily talented and passionate dancers, singers and rhythmic clappers. Below is a quick video of just some of the amazing dancing of the art form that takes its name derived from the word fire. So when you go to Seville, be absolutely sure that you check out the dance that was invented by this beautiful art filled country for all to enjoy.
 

I Wanna Be A Baile Loco!!

d.l.stafford
thenomadarchitect

P.S. - For those vagabonds that want to hear a new twist on the blues, check out this video from three time Gammy winner Keb Mo performing Old Me Better - Good Stuff!
 

TAKE THE TRAIN THROUGH THE PLAINS OF SPAIN TO THE FASCINATING CAPITAL OF ANDALUCIA

If You Wanna Dance and Eat Well - Head for Seville

As we boarded the train bound for Seville, the small capital of one of the most endearing regions of Spain, Andalucia, I was taken back to my memories of train travel in Italy and France. I said, at the time, and I still say - These Europeans got this train thing figured out. Immaculate, comfortable and very fast, train travel in Europe, Spain included, is the best way to go from any point A to any point B. And it's very reasonably priced. The web site for RAIL EUROPE is easy to use to procure reasonably priced tickets, and, there are many other ticket sellers at various prices, higher and lower. As we pulled away from our three days in Europe's second coolest capital, we were so looking forward to more adventures, expected and unexpected. And, as expected, the trip via train was like riding on air - fabulosas!

A Quick 2+ Hours On The Train And An Interesting Cab Ride To Another AIRBNB Winner

We collected our luggage and hailed a cab. After getting in the cab, with his English and our Spanish, he entered the address of our AIRBNB in his I-phone. As usual, in most European cities, unless a place is on a central or main street, it doesn't really comply with Google Map requirements for specific locations not on a beaten path. As we are winding our way through narrow lanes, our driver is asking people for help in finding our place. After a few enquiries and several turns, we found the AIRBNB we would be in for the next three nights. Just a note for Interesting Vagabonds - If you are traveling in a country or region for a couple of weeks, I highly recommend staying in each place or city you visit a minimum of three days to get the feel and vibe of the place and truly enjoy what it has to offer.

We entered the access code and walked into the contemporary studio the yellowBox and, as with every AIRBNB we have stayed in, were highly impressed with the design and location  of the place and its surroundings. It was thoroughly modern, comfortable and aesthetically unique in every respect. It had all the basics covered - comfortable bed, great shower/bath and ample room to relax and read or plan our next venture out. In addition  to the interior design of original brick walls, modern furnishings and a complete kitchen, the neighborhood was in the middle of everything, yet very private. Another unexpected weekly happening every Friday was an open market in the small square which the studio borders. And, because its in Spain, there were many things for sale that you just don't find at home. We even bought some tiles which we plan to install in a small courtyard in our own house.

Not long after arriving, I texted the owner, who came by with goodies, cookies, fruit, o.j. etc. and showed us the many places and things we could enjoy in the area. Our time spent in this unique rental unit from AIRBNB was excellent in every way. And the price was $80 - $120, depending on when you go. As an architect and a demanding vagabond, it exceeded every expectation we had for a great, comfortable and low cost place to lay our heads and hang out between trips around town.

 

So - It's only January - get busy. With great exchange rates and economical options for everything in this great modern and history filled country, Seville is one place you don't want to miss. Next post - The Flamenco Experience in Detail.

 

Comer Tapas Un Poco - You'll Thank Me !

 

d.l.stafford

thenomadARCHITECT

 

 

Lamata 24

AND PICKING UP WHERE WE LEFT OFF TELLING YOU ABOUT SPAIN - GET OUT YOUR LAPTOP

YOU HAD ME AT HOLA

That's right. The people of Spain throughout are friendly, helpful and seem to truly enjoy their lives. AND - they generally either speak English or give it their best college try. OK - I will admit a certain digression in my recounting of one of the truly great adventures this Nomad, his Mrs. Nomad and his Nomad Kids in one of the greatest countries on the planet - Spain. To bring all of my favorite readers up to speed, please click on the following links to read the first three posts about our 2015 trip to The Land of The Conquistadors: 
 

Waitin' On A Plane To The Plain In Spain  / Madrid - Europe's Second Coolest Capital  /

Museum Day In Madrid - Guernica And Tapas

Next Step - La Mancha - A Bucket List Must

It was our third and last day in the urban metropolis of Madrid. So what are a boy and girl to do in Ispania, the land of  rabbits, as the Carthaginians named it in 300 B.C.? After picking up a sweet little Volvo number, we struck out for the land of La Mancha and the storied windmills of Señor Don Quixote & his loyal squire Sancho Panza. With our I-phones and Google Maps directing us - we are after all conversant with all the latest in vagabond technology - we arrived in the land made famous by the the first modern novel - Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra.

As Exploradors, we took in completely an area of Spain that has become the physical embodiment of the myths so poetically written about in the great novel by Cervantes. The area, and, more specifically, the windmills must be seen on any trip to Western Spain. It is, at most,  a relaxing two hour drive from Madrid through the plains to an area and the small town of Consuegra nearby that feels almost medieval. There are several restored windmills. Four are still usable with the machinery still working so you may, if you desire, see how these ancient structures used to work. It is said that these windmills were passed down from generation to generation and the primary purpose of them was to grind grain.  There is also a tenth century castle to enjoy.

One thing that must be experienced, no matter how many books or pamphlets you read about the area, is the vibe. With the windmills standing strong on a long rise against flat plains surrounding these vigilant structures, it feels like you have truly stepped back in time. This was a great, inexpensive, relaxing day trip from Madrid.
 

So, check your New Year's Resolutions AND your Bucket List, and get busy making plans to travel to one of Europe's truly great countries with great hotels, great food and some of the most amazing architecture on the planet. Any country that produced the master of modern art Pablo Picasso and one of the world's greatest architects, Antonio Gaudi, must be on every Nomad's Bucket List. With the Euro at an all time low against the Dollar, there is no better time to go than 2017.

Disfrute del paseo !!

d.l.stafford

thenomadARCHITECT

Video Artist of The Week - The Avett Brothers - OK - I am a new fan of this pop/rock/folk band from North Carolina. This band of two brothers and other great players and singers dishes out an entirely new take on pop, blues, country, honky tonk and ragtime. Take a listen of a cut off their latest CD - Ain't No Man.