I learned so much reading this - a mutual fear of heights, what Big Oil doesn't want me to know about the origins of olive oil, "Toledo" exists outside of Ohio, monkeys in Spain! Thanks for sharing and for the pics!
Looks like an excellent trip! My husband is also the history buff/gap filler lol. I totally admit that it wasn't until I moved abroad (UK) that I came to appreciate how insane the Roman Empire was. The fact that we have Roman artifacts all over the UK, color me shocked!
Amazing fact! And yes, swords a plenty! Our tour guide pointed out that interestingly, the swords that sell the most now aren’t the “real” ones that were made for battle. They are the dupes from Hollywood movies that people want.
Great post, and sounds you had a terrific trip, such an eclectic mix of places you visited. I learnt quite a bit in this post, especially about "Spanish" olive oil and Ukraine being such a big rice exporter - 13 years I lived there and I had no idea about this! I'm going to ask my Ukrainian friends if they know.
I'm with you on the funny head thing - my sister and brother-in-law constantly make fun of my egg head 😂
You're a braver man than I, I'm getting severe vertigo just looking at those pictures, I'd be shitting myself, I cannot handle even the thought of heights.
My mother lived in Gibraltar as a kid, said it was the best time of her life, and we visited for a few days when I was living in Madrid, ages ago, in the late 80s. Those damn monkeys were a nuisance!
How can anyone NOT read a Substack essay with a title that includes “Ron Jeremy”? He’s a true artist. (By the way, your Ron de Jeremy caption is a scream, the sound, I suppose, one would make when receiving a dose of penicillin; anyone coming within six feet of ol’ RJ should play it safe and get stuck.)
As for that trail nailed to the cliff: “Yes please – but only if I can borrow one of your parachutes.”
All kidding aside, this is a really nice, colorful overview with great pics. Glad you and yours had a great time.
Don Quixote-tilting at ATM fees. What an incredible adventure. You packed in a ton! Would you go back to Spain in general to see other parts or are you now following the trail of Ron Jeremy to wherever it may lead next? Answer: Yes and that destination is Tampa.
Spain was great, but I think if I were to re-do any of the European countries I’ve been to it would be last to re-do so far. Although I’d love to check out Portugal!
Tampa is the Milan of Florida! Totally! I’ve only heard incredible things about Portugal and Barcelona. I wouldn’t be surprised if European tourism explodes this year as Americans look for some respite from…..the obvious
Not much in the way of artifacts. When the Christians took over that synagogue they turned it into a church. So I’m guessing they probably destroyed a bunch of stuff.
But they kept the Hebrew inscriptions that were lining the inside. So the entire building was like a conglomeration of Muslim, Jewish, and Christian design/motif.
Multiple of our tour guides talked about this aspect of what you’d see. The different cultures back then really learned aesthetically from each other and built on what others had done.
Too bad that didn’t carry over to other parts of the culture as much.
I learned so much reading this - a mutual fear of heights, what Big Oil doesn't want me to know about the origins of olive oil, "Toledo" exists outside of Ohio, monkeys in Spain! Thanks for sharing and for the pics!
Glad you liked it Maria, thanks for reading!!!
Careful now, the monkeys are in Gibraltar, not Spain (yet) 😉
Tomato, tomahto 😀
Lol 😆
What an amazing trip! That hike would have scared me, too! Good on ya for going! 😎
Thanks Jenn! I think I’ve recovered by now.
Key word being “think” 🤣
Looks like an excellent trip! My husband is also the history buff/gap filler lol. I totally admit that it wasn't until I moved abroad (UK) that I came to appreciate how insane the Roman Empire was. The fact that we have Roman artifacts all over the UK, color me shocked!
It’s amazing! And I left out so much more that we saw and learned.
Ireland has been my favorite European trip to date. Have you spent much time there?
Only to Dublin but it was cool, would love to see more of the country someday!
Yeah the small towns were out favorite part. We wanna go back sometime and just spend like 2 straight weeks in the same place.
Toledo, the sword-making capital of the world, which inspired the name of the daily newspaper in that other Toledo, in Ohio: The Blade.
Amazing fact! And yes, swords a plenty! Our tour guide pointed out that interestingly, the swords that sell the most now aren’t the “real” ones that were made for battle. They are the dupes from Hollywood movies that people want.
Great post, and sounds you had a terrific trip, such an eclectic mix of places you visited. I learnt quite a bit in this post, especially about "Spanish" olive oil and Ukraine being such a big rice exporter - 13 years I lived there and I had no idea about this! I'm going to ask my Ukrainian friends if they know.
I'm with you on the funny head thing - my sister and brother-in-law constantly make fun of my egg head 😂
You're a braver man than I, I'm getting severe vertigo just looking at those pictures, I'd be shitting myself, I cannot handle even the thought of heights.
My mother lived in Gibraltar as a kid, said it was the best time of her life, and we visited for a few days when I was living in Madrid, ages ago, in the late 80s. Those damn monkeys were a nuisance!
Ha! Maybe they have the monkeys under more control now? What with the birth control and all 🤷🏼♂️
Big heads just mean we have big brains!!!
How can anyone NOT read a Substack essay with a title that includes “Ron Jeremy”? He’s a true artist. (By the way, your Ron de Jeremy caption is a scream, the sound, I suppose, one would make when receiving a dose of penicillin; anyone coming within six feet of ol’ RJ should play it safe and get stuck.)
As for that trail nailed to the cliff: “Yes please – but only if I can borrow one of your parachutes.”
All kidding aside, this is a really nice, colorful overview with great pics. Glad you and yours had a great time.
Thanks Larry! The penicillin joke was my favorite part of the piece, glad you noticed!!
Love the pictures. Excellent post!
Thanks!!!
Don Quixote-tilting at ATM fees. What an incredible adventure. You packed in a ton! Would you go back to Spain in general to see other parts or are you now following the trail of Ron Jeremy to wherever it may lead next? Answer: Yes and that destination is Tampa.
TAMPA! We were just in Tampa actually 🤣
Spain was great, but I think if I were to re-do any of the European countries I’ve been to it would be last to re-do so far. Although I’d love to check out Portugal!
Tampa is the Milan of Florida! Totally! I’ve only heard incredible things about Portugal and Barcelona. I wouldn’t be surprised if European tourism explodes this year as Americans look for some respite from…..the obvious
Seems like there’s already a decent amount of ex-Pats on this site
I'm in Spain now! Enjoyed your humorous history lesson. Agree about the level of service.
You’ve moved again?! Where in Spain?
Yeah, I move every 3 months or so. I’m in the Canary Islands. Hope you and your family had a wonderful trip.
I couldn’t remember how often you moved, time flies! I’ve heard the Canary Islands are amazing!?
Yeah, they’re so amazing that the locals have trouble buying a house or affording an apartment. 😔
Well that sucks
Yeah, and I’m part of the problem. On the other hand, they live off tourism and don’t want all of us gone. I don’t know the answer. 🤔
This was a cool adventure, complete with monkeys and narrow bridges!
Too narrow 🤣
Love hearing about all of your amazing experiences ❤️❤️
Thanks Pam!
What a great trip and history lesson!
Ron Jeremy Rum? 🤣🤣 Long smooth taste? Haha.
I didn’t know Gibraltar was its own country.
Glad you didn’t mention Leif Erikson. That would have burst their bubble.
Supposedly everyone lived peacefully together until Isabella was crowned. They still don’t like Jews. 😔
Long? Maybe. Smooth? I wouldn’t know 🤣
We visited one of the two synagogues in Toledo. They’ve turned it into a museum…very cool.
That was the tag line on the bottle. Haha.
Did they have Jewish artifacts?
Ha! Look at you and your attention to detail.
Not much in the way of artifacts. When the Christians took over that synagogue they turned it into a church. So I’m guessing they probably destroyed a bunch of stuff.
But they kept the Hebrew inscriptions that were lining the inside. So the entire building was like a conglomeration of Muslim, Jewish, and Christian design/motif.
Multiple of our tour guides talked about this aspect of what you’d see. The different cultures back then really learned aesthetically from each other and built on what others had done.
Too bad that didn’t carry over to other parts of the culture as much.
Very cool. That pathway on the side of the mountain. Nope
The sweet 23-year-old tour guide told me she was proud of me by the end of the hike 🤣