Welcome to 'Life in a Hammock', a capture of Gayle's daily 'real time' eBlogs of our travels.
Shorter than our Travel Blog but more literary with somewhat of a different perspective.
to Villamanrique de la Condessa (Ardea Purpurea)
"First Day in Spain ... Just Ducky!"
We slept in until near 10:00 am before dashing off to breakfast. Fortunately at our hotel breakfast is served until 11:00 am. Some mornings even more than others I appreciate a really good cup of coffee. And this one did not disappoint. It was extra delicious! There certainly was quite a lot to choose from especially for meat eaters. The orange juice couldn’t be fresher as you did it yourself. A little bird hung around the restaurant rafters looking for a fallen crumb on the floor as all food ‘stations’ were covered. It seemed perfect … a reminder that we are well out in the country!
What a relaxing place it is here! Very country! Each little cottage with its thatched roof, and the ‘great room’ in the Lodge with its large sculpture of different flying birds are true reminders. A beautiful rustic comfortable hotel.
Mommy duck and her 11 strong brood walk around everywhere, sometimes right up to our cottage. Like she is proudly showing them off to us! She is teaching them how to swim in the swimming pool! It’s so adorable. The pool although technically ‘open’ would not really be usable as it definitely feels more like Springtime.
Travel yesterday presented a few challenges … a flight cancellation being one of them. But thanks to Norm’s quick actions in getting our tickets for the next flight out of Halifax we were still able to make our connections with even some lounge time in Montreal. Nothing like a glass or two of Prosecco to toast the upcoming trip! Fortunately, a large Dreamliner plane with space was awaiting. Our new seats were even together! The flight was with ‘regular’ seats … and seemed roomy enough … no complaints this time.
Oh but the line up for immigration upon arrival … a bit of a nightmare. Hundreds and hundreds of people in line waiting … so very many people. It took close to an hour and a half before we snaked through the lineup and got the official ‘Welcome to Portugal’. Now we did learn an important lesson … there is a possibility that if Norm had worn his knee braces we maybe could have gone through a special line thus cutting the time spent. It was definitely hard on the knees standing that long for Norm.
Now with a shortened time before catching our next flight to Seville, we decided not to find and then try to enter the Dragon Pass Lounge. The flight to Seville was about 50 minutes long and uneventful. We arrived in clouds, but by the time we rented a car and hit the road the sun was valiantly shining and the clouds had all but disappeared.
Our almost brand new car is a good one it seems. With a comfortable ride and Norm’s navigational skills we arrived with no problems about 40 minutes later
Our hotel, Ardea Purpurea Lodge, is just perfect for us. A world away from the big city lights and sounds of Seville to more than quiet countryside with dark starlit nights. It wasn’t long before it was time to go to dinner at 8:00 pm. We ordered the mushroom risotto for two and for Norm a ‘half’ portion of Iberico ham. The risotto portion was so large we couldn’t finish it but it was sure delicious! So creamy with lots of Boletes mushrooms and fresh Parmesan too! Norm’s plate of thinly sliced ham was plentiful for one person. A wonderful beginning to our Spanish trip!
A quick walk back to our thatched ‘cottage’ and before we could even say goodnight we both had fallen asleep in our comfy king sized bed. So very quiet, so serene!
Other residents using our swimming pool. Swimming lessons available.
To the left the towering bird sculpture.
Below breakfast.
"The Storks Deliver Spring in Andalusia"
Hopefully today we will take another drive to see what we can see. But first a walk enjoying the few moments of warm sunshine that have just appeared.
After a totally do nothing day I suggested we go for a late drive just before dinner. There seemed to be a short break in the weather so at 7:00 pm off we went. We popped into the nearest town Villamanrique de la Condesa, an attractive typical Andalusian town with its white houses and wrought iron balconies. An older man walked by and blew me a kiss … like Spain in days long gone by. Norm missed it … but for that moment I felt young again, lol.
On the outskirts of town were towering palms, orange and olive groves, and lots of occupied stork nests. No tourists seen, just us.
By now it was 8:30 pm and the sun was setting and the once somber sky was now glowing golden. Time to head home for dinner. In typical Spanish style we arrived after 9:00 pm. Although I had already planned out my dinner choice I did a sudden switch as I felt quite hungry. I started with a delicious cold creamy tomato soup and then moved on to scrambled eggs with mushrooms and caramelized onions. Clearly the most delicious way to enjoy scrambled eggs. Scrambled eggs often appear on Spanish menus at dinner interestingly enough. Norm raved about his lamb plate accompanied by beets and a large potato croquette stuffed with an over sized mushroom. We both were too full for dessert, maybe tomorrow.
As the soft drizzle once again fell, we headed back to our thatched roof cottage enjoying the complete silence of the night. No noise at all except for the clicking of our shoes on the slick wet cobblestones.
Proud Mommy duck parades past our house each morning.
April 04, 2024 - Villamanrique de la Condessa (Ardea Purpurea)
"... Am I Really in Spain?"
10:00 am … One advantage of a thatched roof is the pounding rain is muffled. Yes indeed it is raining again, more than ever.
12:00 pm ... Every once in awhile the sun pokes out as if to tease us, but the weather forecast presents a much bleaker scenario. The rain has diminished for now.
I’m so grateful for my very last minute throw in’s … a fleece jacket, an extra pair of pants and another long sleeved shirt. The down jacket may also be very useful too if eating outside. We have had mixed weather at this time in Andalusia … thinking back on past trips from a sweltering 36 degrees in sunny Sevilla to now, a chilly 15 degrees with rain and a few claps of thunder.
The king sized bed with its many blankets is the only place to stay warm, lol! Am I really in Spain?
So yesterday we took a drive to the coast just for curiosity. But on the way just outside of our town we stopped to look at the ‘stork condominiums’. The ‘landlord stork’ stood boldly at the top lording over the now seemingly empty nests. Perhaps minding the not visible chicks? The stork condominiums - an interesting nest structure created out of a dead tree with several available nests.
The drive was all in all less than 200 kms and took us past the various entrances to the expansive national park, Donana, home to many wetland birds and the endangered Iberian Lynx. There are signs in many places where they have created corridors for ‘safer’ wildlife travels with gaps in the fencing and speed limits are theoretically reduced. We stopped at Parador de Mazagón, to see what we were missing. Nice property but a little dated it seemed, without actually taking a full tour.
Clearly this area expected to see multitudes of tourists in its peak summer season. Although the long stretches of beach seemed lonely and empty as the large waves crashed upon the shoreline, all would be different in summer.
Generally somewhat disappointed with our drive we headed home. Glad we checked out the coast though.
Back to our hotel for a 8:45 pm dinner, all was quiet until about 9:30 pm when a family with cute but rowdy 2 to 3 year old identical triplet boys appeared. It was chaos and not fun for anyone … except maybe the triplets, lol. They ran around trying to ‘escape’, banged on pots, screamed, hollered and laughed all at the same time. Funny now though, as I’m thinking about it. This restaurant prides itself on being in Michelin guides time after time. But when Norm told me they were changing one of the boy’s diaper on the table, I practically lost my appetite. Really? Honestly I couldn’t believe it! I’d far rather eat with the more civilized 3 Bernese Mountain dogs and their people, as we experienced the one and only time we dined in a Michelin starred restaurant in France!
Luckily by this time I was almost finished my main course. We started off with a good appetizer board consisting of various types of croquette balls. Then on to my mango avocado salad that was certainly very pretty … its taste though just ok. Norm had a very large octopus tentical which he said was ok too but he much preferred the lamb dish the night previously. Dessert was in our minds supposed to be a cake … but was presented in parfait style in a glass. Quite delicious though!
By now it was 10:30 pm and we left the restaurant madhouse behind and headed for the serenity of our thatched roof cottage. It was not long before we drifted off to a sound sleep.
Condos available at the Stork Condominium Complex. A beautiful Spring scene.
Croquettes of different types, mine were mushroom.
April 05, 2024 - Villamanrique de la Condessa (Ardea Purpurea)
"Sometimes Things are Not What They Seem to Be"
Moving day. On to Cadiz. We hear there have been some road washouts but not the main highway. We must repack accordingly. Some things will be left behind in the trunk as our car will be in a parking lot as there is no direct parking at our new place.
We took another road trip yesterday into a different part of Donana National Park. Isla Major was our final destination, located in the middle of all the nature and parkland that surrounds us. Or so we thought. But first we had to get there, our efforts already thwarted by a flooded road. Now in Costa Rica in a 4wd this would have been par for the course but in our small rental car it was a no go. On the other side was a car with the hood up and people standing around. Did it try and not succeed? Likely. Luckily we quickly connected with a Spanish fellow who was also going to Isla Major. We followed him through endless backroads packed with nature but because we were tailing him we dared not stop.
Isla Major turned out to be completely unexpected … more of an industrial town whose main industry was rice growing and processing. Just like their ancestors did before them. Not the woodsy duck haven I imagined in my mind. I should have researched more, lol!
Home again now with only a little time before our 8:45 pm dinner reservation. Reservations here are very important it seems even though every night there is lots of space. It is the first question that is asked, “Do you have a reservation?” What if the answer is no … but I do not dare not have one!
I had hoped to order Risotto con Boletes again IF I could order only one portion instead of the required two. But that was not to be, so I ordered my second choice … a green salad with Parmesan crisps, cherry tomatoes and pineapple. A good vegetarian choice I thought. But when it came it also came with slices of dried ham (not on the menu, lol). Although the waiter offered to return it to the kitchen I whisked off the ham which made Norm an even happier man! Not that he needed more ham. Norm started with a plate of Iberico jamon which he demolished quickly, followed by grilled pork shoulder on top of Migas (spiced toasted bread crumbs) which he said was very tasty. My salad by the way was absolutely delicious and creative. It also included cheese and pumpkin seeds with a very tasty dressing. A scoop of ‘chocolat helados’ was the perfect dessert to share to finish off the meal.
We dodged the rain showers on our walk home. Impossible to dampen our spirits though. Maybe tomorrow will be the day the sun shines, was my final thought of the day.
We dodged the rain showers on our walk home. Impossible to dampen our spirits though. Maybe tomorrow will be the day the sun shines, was my final thought of the day.
Left: My artistic delicious salad.
Below: Helados, aka ice cream the perfect finish.
April 06, 2024 - Villamanrique de la Condessa to Cadiz (La Casa del Consul)
"A Break in the Bleak Weather"
Although Sunday morning’s sunrise looked hopeful, the clouds have now moved in and the sky is somewhat grey. But in a typical ‘Maritime Med’ climate I suspect that can quickly change. We will have to search out breakfast as our place, La Casa del Consul does not currently offer breakfast.
Our place is wonderfully eclectic especially in the common areas. Our room on the first floor is bright and beautiful, painted white with very high ceilings, long floor to ceiling windows and a modern 4 poster bed. It even has a little kitchen. But the real design details come out in the bathroom with its choice of a spectrum of colour in mood lighting and a Japanese toilet that is just something else! It does everything except play music, lol! A bidet and a toilet combined together with a remote controller. Who knew the bathroom could be such a fun place, lol?
Yesterday morning back in the country at Ardea de Purpurea Lodge, the sun finally poked out. So nice to sit outside to feel a little warmth. Momma duck paraded by our cottage once again with her brood, the chicks getting braver each day in their roaming around. Such a beautiful place … but after breakfast it was time to say goodbye and move on to Cadiz. Breakfast was the only weak spot at Ardea … about a 6 out of 10 … but there was excellent coffee and fresh squeeze-it-yourself orange juice, so that was a win.
The 2 hour drive that stretched to 3 with all our photo stops took us through flat plains of olive trees and oranges to a somewhat hilly green landscape until we hit the coast and the City of Cadiz. We easily found our way into the city and with a little luck found our outdoor parking lot and then our hotel easily.
Since we arrived a half hour early for our 5 o’clock checkin we sat on a bench in an adjacent park enjoying a few rays of sunshine. We struck up a conversation with a fellow Canadian as he randomly walked by our park bench. Turns out ‘Paul’ was born and raised in Halifax before eventually moving to Ontario.
A half hour whizzed by and soon it was time to check in. Eric, the host, then spent an hour and a half just chatting with us and explaining a few things. La Casa del Consul is like a combination of an Air B&B and a hotel with limited services.
Fortunately there was a restaurant just meters away from ‘Consul’. With a bottle of Spanish wine and an iron pan full of tasty rice and a lamb shank, Norm couldn’t have been happier. I had a lightly fried cauliflower dish deliciously spiced for my main course. We met a couple from New Mexico at the table next to us who were in the process of house hunting here to get out of the US. We both talked about how hard that would be at our age.
Speaking of meeting people … Eric, our hotel host, mentioned there were other Canadian guests staying at our place from the same area. Not only were they from the same area … they were from the neighbourhood! One couple from Montebello, the other couple from Keystone. Isn’t that crazy???
And now as I finish the blog the sun is shining and the parrots are singing! Yes indeed we have those adorable chattering little green parrots!
Right: a happy man.
Below: cauliflower … much tastier than it may look.
April 07, 2024 - Cadiz (La Casa del Consul)
"Cadiz ... Sunshine, Palm Trees and Parrots"
Cadiz is so far the hot spot on this trip. 17 degrees and cloudy now at 9:00 am; a high of 20 degrees and some sun is expected later today. We will be off shortly to find a spot for breakfast and then a walk to the market and another area of Cadiz.
It was nice to enjoy some sun yesterday. Since there is no breakfast here we head out about 10:30 am to find a place. We randomly pick a street and walk to find a place open. Cadiz is perhaps surprisingly quite an attractive city with its old baroque architecture, many green plaza parks and glimpses of the turquoise sea in the distance. After about 15 minutes we stumble across a popular breakfast place, ‘Mediterraneo’. Norm orders a serrano ham sandwich and I order an omelet which actually is served in a bun like a sandwich. It was lovely sitting outside enjoying our coffee and not being cold.
Full to the brim, we head back to our room. We have a full list of things we could do … but after a little relax time Cava and the upstairs terrace was calling our name. Who were we to refuse Cava time? A gift from our host Eric. Not long after our ‘from the neighbourhood’ guests also were also seeking some sun. Not warm enough for a dip in the pool but beautiful to sit out in the cushioned dory. We wondered how much work that must have been to get an old boat frame up to the roof.
For dinner we had reservations at Balandro with seating at the bar. The bar seemed much more popular than being seated at the adjacent tables with their starched white tablecloths and pretty dishes. We wondered if we all ate from the same menu at the same prices. Our menu had a multitude of appealing small tapas style plates, some with an Asian fusion twist. I chose an Asian tempura vegetable dish and a Spanish stew of chickpeas and spinach. Very good! Norm enjoyed a pork ravioli plate and a seafood rice dish that although tasty was lacking the actual visible seafood. Overall we were pleased with the restaurant.
It was nice to have a bit of a walk home to let all the food settle. The streets and alleys are brightly lit in this neighbourhood and very pleasant to walk about at night. Tomorrow we will explore this beautiful city further. So glad we finally came here.
The fortress walls and turquoise sea. Cava on the terrace.
