Wine shopping
Our second day of driving took us from Basque Country into La Rioja, where you are basically required to shop for wine. Bryan picks out three bottles at a little shop in Haro: one Crianza, one Reserva, and one Gran Reserva.
Vineyards
The countryside was ridiculously picturesque. This shot was taken from the parking lot of an over-the-top museum about wine-growing/making/loving, looking toward the town of Briones.
Tower view
We managed a whirlwind tour of the gigantic cathedral on our last morning--a fitting end to a fabulous trip. This shot is from the Giralda (minaret-turned-bell-tower), over the body of the cathedral and the city of Seville.
Suckling pig
Another key Segovia attraction: the roast suckling pig. They bring it out whole and bang the tender thing into portions with dinner plates.
Sagrada Familia exterior
Sophie, Leslie and Max spent Wednesday wandering around the spectacular and unfinished Sagrada Familia cathedral.
Sagrada Familia exterior
Gaudi (the architect) cited a forest canopy as one of his inspirations for the interior.
Room with a view
Our fancy hotel had a killer view over the rooftops of the city. This shot also features the ragged clouds that characterized our Barcelona weather.
Roman ruins
One of our favorite sights was a history museum in Barcelona, complete with various layers of excavated ruins. This was a Roman wine shop; the circular container held aging wine.
Pulpo and germ transfer
Bryan helped Jeff eat his beloved pulpo gallego while his hands were full of a certain 1-year-old. This may also be the moment when cold germs were transferred from one family to another.
Pintxos
On the 6th day of our trip, we trained up to San Sebastian for their famed food and fun. Here, Leslie surveys a bar of pintxos, ready for grabbing.
Mountains
We drove from the coast into the mountains. The Basque countryside looks like what I imagine Ireland to be: bright green and covered in sheep.
Mezquita-Mosque
This former Moorish Mosque was one of the most amazing sights we saw.
Mezquita-Cathedral
After the Reconquista, when the Catholic monarchy defeated the Muslim rulers, later kings grafted a cathedral right into the middle of the former prayer hall. It's incredibly jarring.
Meadow
Day Four on the road took us through Castilla La Mancha, where we spotted windmills and briefly intersected Don Quixote's fictional path in our lunch-break town of Tembleque.
Max at home
We enjoyed seeing Max in his natural habitat. His oral hygiene habits are already excellent, and he only has four teeth! (Going on six.)
Max and his bottle-cap
The whole world is fascinating to Max, but one of his favorite activities was placing a bottle cap on top of a bottle. He's willing to share this pleasure.
Lunch
We also identified the perfect lunch: mixed seafood a la plancha at a counter in the Boqueria. Excellent food and entertainment.
Leslie, Max, gin and tonic
We were proud to take Max to his first gin bar, where we drank delicious cocktails and prepared for our outstanding dinner across the street at Lolita (formerly Inopia, a site on the Spain On the Road Again tour and our favorite food venue from our 2007 visit).
Jamon
Our last stop was Seville, and our first order of business there was to buy a whole leg of jamon with Jeff and Sophie. Here they sample the first slices cut by the butcher at El Corte Ingles.
Hill view
Vineyards gave way to olive orchards as we crossed the mountains.
Grapes
Leslie appreciates some wine grapes. We may have also sampled them.
GPS screenshot
GPS on our phones and a dedicated device prevented us from getting lost forever in the Euskadi wilderness.
Giralda and group
As the sun set, we enjoyed a beverage on a rooftop bar overlooking the cathedral. We also pulled off our one group shot of the trip with the help of an accommodating Spaniard.
Flat Tire
Our road trip ended with both a bang and a whimper as we busted a tire navigating the tiny twisty streets (and sharp granite curbs) of old-town Cordoba. Here, Bryan puts on the spare to get us back to the rental company.
Familia
One of our first stops with Jeff, Sophie and Max was La Rambla and the Boqueria.
Dinner at the blacksmith's
We spent our first night on the road at a rural inn converted from a 17th-century ironworks. Delicious food and super-cool environment.
Dinner
We enjoyed another excellent meal at Tapas 24. Pictured here are rice with squid ink, tiny squid in yet more ink, and a wedge of Catalonia's incomparable bread with tomato.
Conference-goer
Bryan was (technically) attending a conference the entire week. Here he is just outside his meeting space.
Churros
Sophie and Jeff took us out for churros in the morning, which we enjoyed thoroughly.
Castle
The city also features an amazing Medieval castle. According to our guide book, Disney patterned Sleeping Beauty's castle after it, which may be why it looked familiar.