Episode 9 – Seville – home of fan language

Group Flamingo Dancing

Seville has rather hilly roads which had not discouraged the walking tourists. The town is also rich in its own culture, customs and festivals. When you got a good thing, every city claims to be its inventor. Such is the case for flamingo and Jamom (the ham). Seville is not any different than any other place. It also claims to be the origin of flamingo. We all got absorbed by the intensity of this dance form. The little suggestive gestures from the hands, the constant gazing of the eye, the rich costumes that enhance every bit of the fluid body movement, commands a total stranger of this art like me for deep admiration. The music is hot. The crowd is steaming. Just pass the wine and I do not think I will make it home to-night. Continue reading →

Episode 8 – Gibraltar – A Gem at Sea

We read about Gibraltar when we were young and it was difficult to image great general like Napoleon would fight over this piece of rock. When we went up the hill and looked down, Gibraltar is such a military strategic point since it can reach Spain, Portugal and Africa within a short distance. The rock is the perfect guard controlling the passage way between Atlantic and the Mediterranean.

Cave Scene

This is a cute little island. It is its own country now. Banking and tourism remain the strongest industry it has. We finally reached this island after a long coach ride. It is very interesting to observe 2 different languages spoken at the custom office. The English on the island are boastful, loud and very outspoken. We turned our attention to sightseeing. Continue reading →

Episode 7 – The worst invention of all times

The traditional coffee made in an urn is facing extinction. Coffee is supposed to be consumed hot. The best coffee remains as the fresh brewed coffee. Then the experts say the flavour and taste of coffee will react reversely with time. It will be excellent condition if coffee can be brewed fresh every single time. This is difficult to monitor. It becomes a rivalry between convenience and taste. So there is machine which can brew different varieties of coffee in single portion on demand.

The morning call was at 6. The coach departs at 7:30. I and the other 200 people rushed down to the hotel dining room for breakfast. I need my morning coffee to kick-start the motor. The good old reliable huge coffee urn which could feed hundreds of people could not be found. There was a box with buttons resembling a desktop computer surrounded by cups and saucers. It took at least 30 seconds to brew a single cup of coffee. Continue reading →

Episode 6 – Granada – Vacation Land

Alhambra (*)

This part of Spain is reaching the Southern part of the country. There are major vacation land close by. Beaches are frequent and many. The population of the small towns along the coast had been ballooning up for the past 10 years or so. The area along Costa del Sol had been very popular. Vacation home flourished. The entertainment and hospitality industries grow by leaps and bounds. The Spanish people are still taking things rather easily. There are some major tall buildings and shopping centers but they paled in the pace of North American development.

The most famous sightseeing area belongs to Alhambra which is a palace built with strong Moorish influence. Together with the Generalife Garden and the Royal palaces could employ your whole day of Excursion. Continue reading →