On a Clear Day You can see Africa

But first of all, I need to fill you in. I was already to update you all on our trip and our last hotel only had wifi in central courtyards. It really was a nuisance because Google has been giving me grief about loading photos. You have to be a first rate blog writer to grab a readers attention from the first sentence to the very last paragraph without photos. I unfortunately have not reached that status yet, so I try to keep my readers interested by throwing in a photo or two (or ten)...grin.
I tried buying more space, but apparently Google is not recognizing that, so I have resorted to deleting a few photos from much earlier posts, hoping to free up a little space.
So! Where have I been? Well I have been to Gibraltar. This is some of what I learned; Gibraltar is not an island it is connected to Spain but does not belong o Spain. It is a British Colony/Territory, therefore making it necessary to show your passport? Gibraltar was extremely important during the war and Canadian and British soldiers were very instrumental in making many of the 50 some km. of tunnels that are inside the "rock". The tunnels allowed the soldiers to move equipment, guns, men, supplies etc totally unseen by the enemy, and they were able to keep watch over the strait between Spain and Africa from the safety of the "rock". We visited St. Michael's Cave and wandered through looking at massive stalactites and stalagmites. ( I learned an easy way to remember which are which...stalaCtites come down from the Ceiling, stalaGmites come up from the Ground. C for ceiling, G for ground! )
There is a colony of Barbary Macaques(Rock Apes) living on the island. Cheeky little varmints! They are wild, but very curious of the tourists, jumping on the vehicles and approaching them. One was sitting on the hood of a vehicle and I reached my hand forward to "pet" his hand and before you could say "Tarzan", he was on my head and shoulder! I froze instantly, which apparently was a good move because he was ready to take a nibble out of me before a guide shooed him off!
Must have been my new Italian perfume that attracted him....

That is Africa just 24 km across the water! On a clear day you really can see Africa!

After sightseeing we had a British lunch... Fish and chips of course, with brown malt vinegar, then did a little shopping before rushing to catch up with our guide and the bus. Let me tell you it was a HOT day! Not great for rushing...I am a Northern Canadian gal and when the temps are upwards of 36 degrees C. It is too warm!

From Gibraltar we journeyed on to Seville. Home of seville oranges, Seville Cathedral, which houses Christopher Columbus's grave, and a very interesting, very old Jewish quarter. We stayed in am amazing hotel. It is a collection of four palaces and courtyards, which is still owned by a Prince. Our room was amazing!

We even had our own private courtyard. This place was amazing! That evening we visited a ranch than ranch that raises bull fighting bulls and trains bull fighters. Not my thing, but extremely interesting, and owned by a Marquis. We had supper at his home, seated on the terrace and he came to bid us goodnight as we left. Supper at a Marquis's home and sleeping in a palace...oh my! How will I ever go back to the quiet life?

I have been slowly working away at my "Adventure" quilt blocks. There are only five out so far, with the sixth due around the first of July. I brought four with me, thinking I would never come close to finishing them, but I finished the third one yesterday, just before we stopped for the evening. I traced off #4 last night just before sunset.

If you think you might be interested in stitching these fun blocks you can find them at www.prettybmamab.com
This will eventually become a quilt for our vehicle. So far we have been blessed enough to have been to each of the destinations on the blocks!
We have said goodbye to our travel companions and have picked up our vehicle and are making our way through France to our new "home" for the next month. We have rented a three hundred year old restored Normandy farmhouse for the next part of our adventure. Hopefully we can move in this evening! Photos to follow!
Au Revoir!