The Viva Bahia is located on the northern coast of Majorca, just steps away from a lovely beach, Playa Muro, in the Bay of Alcudia. This is a large hotel, more a resort really, and we were there for only three days, not nearly enough time to sample all the goodies on offer. That said, we did have a good look about and really enjoyed our stay. Cat didn’t want to leave. Kids have a lot to do with that. Goat kids, that is.

The apartments

Viva Bahia has 266 spacious apartments, decorated in a Scandinavian style: light, airy, functional and slightly minimalistic. The large sitting room comes with a flat-screen TV and a well-equipped kitchenette – in case you feel like cooking on holiday. (I always sorta kinda mean to, but never do. I fill up the fridge, and then quickly forget about it). The bedroom has a large comfortable bed and no TV, I’m happy to report (a pet peeve of mine, they just don’t belong). We were there in April, early in the season, and evenings were a bit chilly. But no worries, plenty of blankets in the cupboard.

The sitting room and the bedroom have a lovely balcony each, with ocean and pool views. Very convenient if you have children old enough to be in the pool by themselves, but you want to keep an eye on things without actually being in the middle of the bedlam.

Free wifi is available thrughout most of the hotel: in the rooms, the common areas and around the pool.

The food

Viva Bahia has several restaurants. We were out and about so much, we only had time to try two of them: the pool bar La Palapa (sandwiches, pizzas, salads, meat, fish – and wonderful views!) and the buffet restaurant Caprice, offering just about anything you can imagine, including a pasta chef whipping up just the pasta sauce you want. And the desserts… ooh lala!

Of course since it’s a family restaurant – and a buffet – there will be kids back and forth. Could have been just luck, but when we were there, all the children were well behaved: no yelling, no running.

For kids

The Viva Bahia is for children. Playgrounds are creative and colourful, on dry land and in the shallow splash pool. There’s even a pirate ship (but no Captain Jack Sparrow, I’m sad to say)

Play clubs and a wide selection of entertainment and excursions are available for kids 4 – 17. Cat’s favourite was an animal enclosure, home to ducks, swans and adorable kids. In fact, she insisted I make the baby goats a major feature of the review, hence three photos.

Sports and gardens

Viva Bahia has an extensive, lovely garden, a gymnasium and outdoor courts for a variety of sports, including tennis. A small minigolf course, ping-pong and billiards, petanque and beach volleyball are also on offer. Bicycles can be hired at reception (as well as motorbikes and cars). Really, I can’t think of anything missing.

Ready for the pièce de résistance?

Viva Bahia has treats for grown-ups too. There’s an indoor jacuzzi, sauna, spa and massage service. But here’s my favourite:

I absolutely loved this beautiful chill-out pool/jacuzzi with Balinese beds, reserved for adults; the perfect place for parents’ private time, say when the kids are on an excursion with the play club.

Convinced?

Hop over to Travel Photo Thursday for more travel inspiration.

Disclosure: In Majorca, we were guests of Viva hotels and No Frills Excursions. As always, we’re free to write about anything we want and retain full editorial control

Viva Bahia, a fabulous Majorca family hotel is a post from Sophie's World

My youngest daughter Catarina and I have just spent a few days in Majorca. We were in the north of the island, at Playa de Muro, far away from the party beaches down south – very, very far away – in distance as well as state of mind. We spent one long, lovely day in rural Majorca, outback Majorca – shopping ingredients at the market, sampling local produce, then cooking lunch outdoors. Just a fab day all round.

Our guide is Michael, a Brit, island resident for 12 years, and passionate about everything Mallorquín.

First stop of the day is the Thursday market in Inca, third largest town in Majorca, and home of Camper shoes. No shoe shopping for me today alas, but there’s time for a browse. The market is huge and just about anything is for sale: basket ware, sunglasses, and an impressive assortment of bras.

And then, of course, there’s bunyols, (buñuelos in Spanish), fried dough balls topped with sugar; doughnuts, really.

An abundance of colours, textures, flavours…

We buy mild, white onions, equally mild green peppers, large beef tomatoes, and for the pa amb oli, the smaller tomàtiga de Ramellet, firm on the outside, soft on the inside, with a more intense and slightly bitter taste; perfect for rubbing on fresh bread.

We stop in Binissalem, a sweet little village in the rolling hills of Majorca’s wine region. Binissalem… sounds Arabic, no? Means sons of Salem, if I remember my Arabic correctly. The Moors once ruled this island, as they did much of Spain. More than 1 000 years before the Moors, however, the Romans lounged about here, occupying the island and drinking wine. As far back as the 1st century AD, Majorcan wine is mentioned in Roman manuscripts.

Well, certainly can’t break such a long and prominent tradition, now, can we? The only thing to do is sample the local products. We wander in through the doors of a small bodega, home of Ca’n Novell wines, sold from the barrel for next to nothing.

Our little group try six different wines, beginning with young whites and reds, then moving on to an older red, and then sweet dessert wines, one yummier than the next. (Of course Cat, like most 11-year-olds, fails to see the charm of a country wine tasting and uses the opportunity to check out yet another show jumping vid on YouTube).

Cooking in rural Majorca

Finally, we’re off to the finca, our cooking venue for the day. In the garden of this curious house, we hand over meat – pollo y cerdo – to Juan, barbeque chef extraordinaire, then get on with chopping ingredients for a trampo, a traditional Majorcan salad…

…and making the pa amb oli, also typical of this region – and one of life’s simple pleasures: delicious, healthy and, as a bonus, very easy to make: you take a hefty piece of fresh peasant bread, rub it with half a tomato, drizzle on some very good local olive oil, then sprinkle on salt. That’s it. Even I can do it. And that’s saying something…

Stay tuned for more on Majorca in the weeks to come. Horses will feature prominently. In the meantime, if you want to see more travel photos from around the world, head to Travel Photo Thursday or Friday Daydreamin’.

Disclosure: In Majorca, we were guests of Viva hotels and No Frills Excursions. Of course we’re free to write about anything we want, as ever.

Rural Majorca is a post from Sophie's World

Next week, I’m off to visit Majorca. That’s a sentence I haven’t said in many years.

The name Majorca (or Mallorca) conjures up to Northern Europeans what I imagine the name Acapulco does to Americans: package holidays, pig roasts, loud pop music blasting from shops and cafes on busy seaside streets, embarrassingly drunk fellow countrymen…

Like the Costa Brava, the Costa Blanca and the Canary Islands, Majorca was one of the ‘original’ package holiday destinations. In Norway, this type of holiday is referred to as a trip to Syden, meaning the south. Syden is a generic term encompassing Spain, Italy, Greece, Turkey – and sometimes even Florida and Thailand. Doesn’t matter where you go, as long as there’s sun, sand and cheap alcohol.

I must admit the reputation put me off these destinations, including Majorca, for years. My loss, it’s a lovely island with lots to offer. And it’s very easy to stray off the beaten path, i.e. keep away from the Syden-trippers.

I first visited Majorca with Alex when she was 11. That was in 1999 – and we enjoyed our little holiday there so much we returned the next year. That doesn’t happen often. I specifically remember four things from Majorca:

• Cabo Formentor – a gorgeous rocky headland in the northwest of the island (photo),
• Hearing a piano and violin-concerto performed from a rowing boat on an underground small lake in Cuevas del Drach (the Dragon’s caves),
• Valldemossa – a hill town very near the island capital Palma – and especially the Carthusian monastery where Frédéric Chopin and Aurore Dudevant (better knwon as George Sand) spent a few winter months to combat the famous composer’s tuberculosis.
• Palma itself – a smaller version of Barcelona, with much less traffic

A while ago, I was thinking it was time to take Cat, my present 11-year-old, along to visit Majorca. As fate would have it, just a few days later, an email from Viva hotels popped in, inviting us to come and have a look. Must be fate.

I look forward to seeing if the island has changed much in the last 13 years. Posts will be forthcoming, with much better photos than the scanned old thing above.

Have you been in Majorca recently? Any tips?

Hello again, Majorca is a post from Sophie's World

Jardí Botànic Marimurtra

Costa Brava is such a diverse region. From Blanes in the south to the French border in the north, this Catalonian region encompasses mountains and cliffs, plains and rough terrain, cities that manage to be simultaneously cosmopolitan and quaint. Here are adorable villages, miles and miles of coastline with alluring little coves and bays and, perhaps most famously, stunning beaches that have attracted visitors since the 1950s.

New to me were the gardens. On a recent trip in Costa Brava, I had the opportunity to visit both the pretty Jardins Santa Clotilde in Lloret de Mar, as well as Marimurtra Botanical Gardens in Blanes.

A Costa Brava Garden

Marimurtra is one of Europe’s oldest botanical gardens, planned and developed by enthusiastic German botanist Karl Faust. More than 4 000 species from five continents grow in this four-hectare Costa Brava garden.

But the most striking feature is perhaps the spectacular views here at the southern tip of the Costa Brava.

Enjoying it all with a lovely glass of local Cava – perfect!

Do you enjoy visiting botanical gardens on your travels?

Disclosure: I was in Blanes as a guest of the Costa Brava tourist board, Costa Brava Pirineu de Girona. All opinions are as ever my own.

Want to see more enticing travel photos? Then visit this week’s Travel Photo Thursday.

A Garden with a View is a post from Sophie's World

Lloret de Mar: it’s a name I first heard in primary school.

We didn’t travel to Spain when I grew up, but friends and neighbours did. They went to Mallorca and Ibiza for the school holidays – and to Lloret de Mar. Some bought holiday flats and villas along the Costa Brava and further south. Today, there are entire Norwegian colonies along the coasts of Spain, complete with schools and everything else from home. For all intents and purposes, it is home, only warmer and with cheaper wine. Some political parties even have their own local chapters down here.

My school mates brought back clicking castanets, soaps with pictures of dark, mysterious señoritas, and oranges with the leaves still on. Very exotic. Back then, oranges were available mostly in winter up here in the northern world. Strangely, they’re still the snack of choice when skiing. (Strange, because frankly, oranges are a bit messy.)

When the Costa Brava Tourist Board offered to take a bunch of bloggers to Lloret, I rearranged my schedule to have a look at this mythical place from my school days.

Was it anything like I had imagined? Well, I suppose it’s difficult to live up to an image seen through childhood’s rose-tinted lenses.

Lloret de Mar today

Today’s Lloret has a lovely setting with clean and pretty beaches, and beautiful coves and gardens. It has its share of bland blocks of flats and beach hotels…

… but also the beautiful Rigat Park Hotel on top of the hill overlooking Fenals Bay; warm and colourful, inside and outside.

Lloret was one of Europe’s first package destinations, a resort town for sun-hungry northern Europeans.

It’s a lively place, especially popular with the young crowd. Clubs and discotheques abound, and ‘proppers’ are there to lure you into their particular bar with free drinks. If you play your barhopping cards right, you might get free drinks all night, I’m told.

Many of the tourists here today are Russians.

bus info in Russian

A few locals I spoke to went so far as to say they’ve saved the town. Tourism was on the decrease, then came the Russians. And they don’t just buy flats, but also villas like this one.

This pink finca is guarded by watch-dogs – real and in stone…

…and is inside Jardins Santa Clotilde, a gorgeous garden and a Lloret highlight.

I was only in Lloret for a day, so there’s bound to be interesting things I’ve missed.

Have you been in Lloret de Mar? Any further tips?

PS Did you spot the red-and-yellow striped Catalan flag in any of the photos above? As I write this, Catalonia is holding parliamentary elections. President Arturo Mas is expected to be reelected, and if he is, he will likely hold a referendum on Catalan independence. Find out more about that in Catalonia – a new European state? (Both sides have chimed in in the comments, too.) Other European regions, Scotland, Flanders, and more, are on the same path. Interesting times are afoot.

Disclosure: I was in Lloret de Mar as a guest of Pirineu Girona Costa Brava Tourist Board. All opinions are, as ever, my own.

What to do in Lloret de Mar is a post from Sophie's World

Recently, I was offered an opportunity to join a Context guided walk on Modernisme architecture in Barcelona.

What is Context, you ask? Here’s their introduction:

Context is a network of scholars and specialists—in disciplines including archaeology, art history, cuisine, urban planning, history, environmental science, and classics—who, in addition to our normal work as professors and researchers, design and lead in-depth walking seminars for small groups of intellectually curious travelers.

So a walking seminar, then – not a walking tour.

The walks

Context offers a number of walks in Barcelona, focusing on the Gothic Quarter, the Spanish Civil War, farm-to-fork, chocolate, and more. I’m quite taken with Art Nouveau, Jugend, just about everything fin-de-siècle, so I chose a walk called Gaudi in Context.

The Catalan version of Art Nouveau is Modernisme and it’s about more than architecture. Modernisme is an entire movement closely linked to Catalan culture and identity. Yet, it is through architecture this movement is best known, especially the works of Antoni Gaudi.

Our Context specialist is Biel Heredero, an art history student from the University of Barcelona who wrote his thesis on Catalan artists. Biel is enthusiastic, passionate even – both about Catalonia and his field of expertise.

A unique feature of Context’s guided walks is the small groups (max six people). We’re only three, leaving plenty of time and opportunity to satisfy everyone’s whims and questions. Our little group is possibly above average demanding, but Biel answers everyone’s questions – no matter how silly – with patience and humour.

As we amble through the centre of Barcelona, we learn how Gaudí’s works was inspired by turn-of-the-century Catalan society. We learn about Catalan history, about the city’s expansion and about Ildefons Cerda, city planner extraordinaire (think von Haussmann and Paris).

The works of Gaudi is protected by UNESCO, and the World Heritage listing comprises seven of his works scattered around Barcelona. I was familiar with a few of these: the still-not-finished cathedral La Sagrada Familia, and the intriguing public space that is Parc Güell. So I was keen to take a closer look at some of the other, lesser known works of the eccentric architect.

La Pedrera

The Gaudi in Context-walk includes a comprehensive visit at the slightly absurd, yet utterly fabulous apartment building Casa Milá, better known as La Pedrera. I love the plaster ceilings, the wrought-iron details, the peculiar structures and the views from the roof…

Gaudi ventilation – and a view of La Sagrada Familia from the roof of La Pedrera

According to UNESCO, the seven properties comprising the World heritage site

testify to Gaudí’s exceptional creative contribution to the development of architecture and building technology in the late 19th and early 20th centuries…

But Modernisme isn’t only Gaudi

Biel introduces two other important Modernisme architects: Lluís Domènech i Montaner and Josep Puig i Cadafalch.

Casa Terrades (Cadafalch)

I was already familiar with Montaner. A year ago, when I last visited Barcelona, I stopped by Hospital de Sant Pau, (which I’ve been meaning to write about, and will soon), yet another World Heritage site in this city, and Montaner’s creation. Cadafalch is new to me, and clearly Biel’s favourite. I’m especially intrigued with the political statements he added to his buildings.

The walk includes a visit inside one of Cadafalch’s buildings as well, Palau del Baró de Quadras (now housing Casa Asia).

Our walk ends on the busy Passeig de Gràcia, where four Modernisme architects (our three, and Enric Sagnier) are gathered together on the Block of Discord (Illa de la Discòrdia in Catalan). Here’s Cadafalch’s Casa Amatller and Gaudi’s Casa Battló, in supremely clashing styles:

My verdict
Three educational and entertaining hours packed with interesting discoveries. A Context walk in Barcelona costs €65 p.p., perhaps a bit steep, but I think good value nonetheless. Entrance to La Pedrera is included, which otherwise costs €16.50.

Have you ever taken a guided walk?

Head over to Nancie’s Travel Photo Thursday for more fab photos!

Disclosure: I joined this guided walk as a guest of Context. As always, all opinions are my own.

Gaudi in Context – A Walk through Catalan Modernisme is a post from Sophie's World

I’m no stranger to Catalonia. I’ve been here many times: in Barcelona, in Costa Brava and elsewhere. This time, however, something is different. I can’t help but notice a proliferation of Catalan flags – and freedom flags. Both the red-and-yellow striped national flag and l’estelada blava (the blue-starred flag of the independence movement), wave from windows and balconies across the region.

September 11 – in Catalonia

Turns out, the flags are up for 11 September. Isabel, a Girona native, explains.

Just like Chile and the USA have their horror stories of this date, so does Catalonia. On 11 September 1714, Catalan troops were defeated by the Spaniards after the 14-month-long Siege of Barcelona. Many of those who defended the city on that fateful day died and are buried at Barcelona’s Fossar de les Moreres, now a memorial plaza.

Nowadays 11 September is Catalonia’s national day, celebrated with flower offerings at Fossa de les Morenes and at other important monuments throughout the region, and with demonstrations and waving of the red-and-yellow striped flag.

This year is special

As I wander past one flag-draped balcony after another, we’re 11 days past the national day. One would expect the flags to have been taken down by now. Not so.

“This year is special,” I hear again and again. The sentiments seem to run especially deep this year. An age-old dream of Catalan independence seems within reach.

I chat with Antón from Vigo in northwest Spain. “I’m from the other side,” he laughs. Then, somberly: “If Catalonia wants independence, of course they should have it. This is something they have a right to choose for themselves.”

There was a time when it was not as straight-forward. Catalonia have had a strong independence campaign for centuries, but couldn’t always wave the flag. Some still found ways to express their political opinions, however. Josep Puig i Cadafalch, one of the major architects of the Modernisme movement built cleverly hidden messages in some of his buildings.

The picture on top of the building above survived the Franco regime by being covered up. Under Franco, everything Catalan was banned.

Not just politics

So what will Spain do? Losing 7.5 million inhabitants will be noticeable, but even with ‘just’ 40 million, Spain will remain one of the major players in Europe.

“It’s not just a question of politics,” continues Antón, “but also of economics.”

With more than 25% unemployment (and an extremely worrying 52% among young people under 25), Spain has been hit hard by the current financial crisis. Catalonia is the wealthiest region in Spain, and many feel they will do better on their own. Everyone I spoke with complained about taxes, feeling that the region payed more than they got in return.

(All said ‘feel’. I don’t know if that’s significant – I’m not familiar enough with the language to know whether ‘feel’ is more commonly used in Spanish than it is in the northern European languages. Interesting, all the same.)

Catalonia – a new state in the European Union?

I’m Norwegian, and my country has firmly (but, one hopes, politely) declined three invitations to join the European Union. I’m therefore interested to hear how the Catalans feel about the EU. Seems Catalonia wants to remain within the union. At least, none of the locals I spoke with voiced a different opinion. It’s just that they’d rather deal directly with the EU, as an independent member state. And with 7,5 million inhabitants, while it won’t be a huge member state, it won’t be insignificant. (More than half of EU’s member states have less than 10 million inhabitants).

Peaceful separatism

When I was in school, a girl in my year had a Spanish mother. At least, that’s what we called her. She, on the other hand, insisted she was Catalan. As kids, we didn’t really know the difference. And unlike Basque separatism, we simply didn’t hear much about the Catalan counterpart. But then, they never blew up cars or supermarkets. For most of my childhood, a trip to Spain meant a slight risk of becoming a victim of ETA terrorism. Not a great risk. But it was there. Somewhat ironically, ETA’s bloodiest attack took place in Barcelona.

I ask Gabriel, a student from Barcelona. “Catalans have never killed people,” he says. “That’s why I think we will win our freedom.” Then he adds, “maybe this year. This year is special.”

Disclosure: I was in Catalonia as a guest of Pirineu Girona Costa Brava Tourist Board. All opinions are, as ever, my own.

Catalonia – a new European state? is a post from Sophie's World

As I write this, I’m on my way to Catalunya for a travel bloggers conference. If conferences don’t interest you, no worries, I’ll say no more about it today. Instead, I wanted to share a masterpiece of the outrageously creative Catalan architect Antonin Gaudi. I adore his structures, his unusual shapes, his vibrant colours, and am quite familiar with his best-known works: Parc Güell, and his unfinished cathedral, Sagrada Familia. This time, I’ll get acquainted with some of his other structures – and tell you all about it, of course. Meanwhile, here’s a long overdue photo story on Parc Güell. Enjoy!

Parc Güell, if you’re not familiar with it, is a most wondrous garden. So wondrous, in fact, UNESCO has deemed it worthy of special protection and placed it on its World Heritage list along with six other works of the famed architect.

Gaudi created Parc Güell in the period 1900 – 1914. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to time travel to, say 1912 for a stroll around here? Parc Güell is the kind of place that invites leaps of imagination…

Whether you’re here in 2012, or in an otherwordly 1912, don’t miss the details.

The mosaic salamander known as el drac, the dragon, might well be the most famous work in the park.

Casa-Museu Gaudi

In the park is Casa-Museu Gaudi, a museum with furniture and other Gaudi-designed objects. It’s worth the EUR 5.5 entrance fee to amble about in the house that was once the home of this creative genius. For 20 years, Gaudi lived with his family in this house – until his heart-breaking and dramatic death in 1926. Gaudi was hit by a tram. He wasn’t too particular about his clothes, so assuming he was a beggar, people left him there unconscious, without coming to his aid. When he was finally brought to hospital, it was too late. He died two days later.

Have you visited Parc Güell? Thoughts on Gaudi?

Want to see more great photos from around the world? Step on over to this week’s Travel Photo Thursday at Budget Travelers Sandbox.

Gaudi’s Parc Güell: a photo story is a post from Sophie's World

Six years ago, I had never heard of Girona. Even though it’s the capital of the Costa Brava, Europe’s oldest beach resort, I knew nothing of its existence.

I had been in Carcassonne on a writing assignment, was on a Barcelona-bound train for a flight the next day and wasn’t looking forward to it. Nothing against Barcelona, you understand – I just wasn’t in the mood to wander about a very big city trying to find a hotel right then.

When the train stopped briefly in a place called Girona, I looked out – and hopped off on an impulse. Not all my impulsive decisions are great. Far from it.

But this one was.

I ambled about for most of the night, along the lively La Rambla and in Barri Vell, the old town. Early the next morning, I slipped in a side door of the Cathedral to have a look, then had breakfast at Xocolateria Antiga, mostly because of the name. Chocolate spelled with x!

It was a sweet little café. My croissant was sugar-glazed, my orange juice sweetened and the house special – hot chocolate Catalan-style – was strong, thick and sweet. And just to be on the safe side, I was provided with extra sachets of sugar.

I adore watching cities wake up!

Soon, the tables were filling up with people having their morning xocolatas. Next to me, three generations of local women elegantly dressed in bright colours chatted in animated Catalan. Mum and grand-mum puffed energetically on long, slim cigarettes, hands all over the place. It might have been the set of a Pedro Almodovar drama – Women on the verge of a nervous breakdown. I stared shamelessly, enjoying every moment.

Two other memories of Barri Vell stand out: a wonderful dusty old book shop (hope it’s still there) – and the narrow alleys and stairs appearing around every corner.

I spent twelve hours in Girona, most of it awake. It was so interesting, I almost forgot I had to be in Barcelona airport that afternoon. The town – and especially Barri Vell, deserve more time for exploration than a late night and a few early morning hours, so I’m looking forward to visiting next month.

Will I see you in Girona?

More Girona ramblings at Boots’n'All. And more fun travel photos at Budget Travelers Sandbox.

The stairs of Girona is a post from Sophie's World

Alicante is a stunning city in the Valencia region in the south-east of Spain, a city which I think isn’t appreciated as much by tourists as it should be. Its landscape comprises beaches and mountains in beautiful contrast.

The airport lies six miles south of the city itself. This means if you choose car hire in Alicante, you can be at your hotel around 15 minutes later. If you’ve come here for one of the famous festivals, you’ll definitely want to get the party started as soon as possible!

So, which are the most popular Alicante festivals? I’ve listed my favourites below.

The Bonfires of San Juan

This festival welcomes in Spain’s summer and is a huge five-day event that peaks on June 24th, so make sure you book your accommodation early to avoid turning up and having nowhere to stay! Visit Alicante during this festival and you’ll be greeted by fireworks, parades, bonfires and giant papier-mache figures. You’ll capture some amazing photos of the sky above the city, which glows a brilliant red, yellow and orange.

Locals spend months before the festival creating elaborate pieces of art they then burn on the fires. Make sure you check out all of the parts of the city where they are showcased before they go up in flames – they really are fantastic to look at. You can also hear the sounds of traditional instruments including timbrels and flageolets across Alicante.

The Elche Mystery Play

I think it’s worth making the 30-minute journey by car from Alicante to Elche centre for the Elche Mystery Play. This historic corner of Spain hosts this festival every August and the event dates all the way back to the 13th century, so it’s pretty amazing to be a part of. This is especially true because it’s hosted in the breathtaking Basilica de Santa Maria, which is a popular attraction in itself.

The Elche Mystery Play is about the Virgin’s Assumption and according to the Spanish tourism board, is the only present day example of primitive lyric theatre that is held inside a church. Whether or not you are religious, the combination of hundreds of actors, locals and medieval music makes it a special event to be part of.

Moors and Christian Festival

The Moors and Christian Festival is one not to miss. Dating back to the 16th century, this event in the nearby town of Bocairent celebrates the clash of Christian and Moorish soldiers in the 13th century over who should rule Spain. Despite being outnumbered, the Christian soldiers won with the help of the town’s patron saint.

Highlights of the festival include the streets filling with pretend armies, the meeting of the two sides in the castle prior to the clash and a re-enactment of the battle. There’s also a procession, where the enemies try to outshine one another in elaborate costumes. Don’t miss it if you’re on holiday in Alicante. Note that if you’re not around to make the February festival, there are loads of similar ones in and around Alicante on different dates.

Which other festivals do you think are worth visiting in Spain? Leave your thoughts below and you could inspire someone when they next travel to Spain.

This post was brought to you in cooperation with Auto Europe. Photo credits: Salvador P, Baptiste Pons, and Blog Story.

Alicante festivals guide is a post from Sophie's World

A: Age of first international trip: At 11, I went to New Orleans with my mum and brother to visit our aunt. It was a long, arduous journey, involving 4 planes and 5 airports each way. We had heaps of fun though. And unlimited sodas.

B: Best (foreign) beer: I’m hardly a beer connoisseur, not even that keen, actually. Maybe I had too many, too strong German beers on my first parent-free holiday at 15. Sick for days. I prefer light beers, like Corona, with a bit of lime in it.

C: Cuisine (favourite): Arabic (fondly remembering a summer in Jordan more than 20 years ago).

D: Destinations, favourite, least favourite and why: So many faves: London, Australia and our once temporary home in New Zealand are just a few. Heaps of beauty spots at home in Norway, too. And the Middle East continues to fascinate me.

Our backyard in Takapuna, NZ

I don’t really have any least favourites: But if someone held a gun to my head, forcing me to choose, I might say I can probably live happily even if I never saw Belarus again. I was in Minsk in 1994. It was a short business trip, just a few days, with very little time to explore the city, let alone the country. And yet…

E: Event experienced abroad that made you say “wow”: Frau Greber’s cooking. When I was 15, I spent a summer in Bregenz. Even though much of that summer was spent experimenting with too strong German beer (see above), I still remember my Austrian host mother’s cooking. As far as I’m concerned, she’s the best cook in the world. She could make a gourmet meal of anything. And she made a cherry yogurt I still dream about now and then.

F: Favourite mode of transportation: My cool, quick little Citroën, boats and trains. (Considering the somewhat tedious train journey I take every day, I’m surprising myself). And boats? I dream of taking the Royal Mail ship to St Helena, a 31-day journey from Britain. Now, to get the kids to come along.

G: Greatest feeling while travelling: Being completely free to let the day – and fate – be my guide.

H: Hottest place travelled to: June 1992, Cairo, 45 C. Still remember. So does my oldest daughter, then 4.

I: Incredible service experienced and where: Aggie Grey’s in Apia, Samoa, one of my favourite hotels.

Aggie Grey’s

J: Journey that took the longest: Oslo to Auckland always seems to take a while.

K: Keepsake from travels: I’ve lugged around ridiculously heavy souvenirs too many times to count. But I do like that Malawi chair. And the huge wall hanging from Jaipur. And the curtains from Windhoek. Even the bird cage from Lucca.

L: Let-down sight, why and where: None. Not a place’s fault if I have faulty expectations.

M: Moment where you fell in love with travel: Bente, a school mate, always travelled everywhere and brought home the most exotic souvenirs. Exotic through the eyes of a kid during the 70s, at least. I was madly envious – and spent many happy hours playing with her plastic Venetian gondola and munching on tangerines from Costa del Sol with leaves still on them…

N: Nicest hotel you’ve stayed in: One that springs to mind is the Polana in Maputo, Mozambique.

O: Obsession—what are you obsessed with taking pictures of while traveling?: Everything: animals, people, buildings, parks, trees, sculptures, landscapes, details…

P: Passport stamps, how many and from where? Over the years, there’s been a gazillion stamps from more than 100 countries. When I first began travelling, we were given passport stamps even in Europe. Not anymore, sadly.

Q: Quirkiest attraction you’ve visited and where: The dead monks in Kiev’s Persch-Lavra, maybe…

R: Recommended sight, event or experience: Any memorial or museum to human cruelty is worth seeing, to solidify our stand against it, for when it next occurs and we’re given an opportunity to make a difference.

S: Splurge; something you have no problem forking over money for while traveling: Transportation. Also, sometimes I can spend an indecent amount of money on a hotel room, if it’s quirky or interesting enough. I’m so staying at the Pera Palace next time in Istanbul.

T: Touristy thing done:

Nuff said.

U: Unforgettable travel memory: Hmm…, probably riding a camel through the Great Rann of Kucth in the Indian province of Gujarat, more or less scotch-guarded by camel pee, with no toilets and no showers for days, sleeping in hay in a shed and waking up next to newborn lambs on Christmas Day.

V: Visas, how many and for where? I’m lucky – Norwegian citizens can get around most of the world hassle-free and without visas. But I do have a few, several US student visas among them. My favourite is the Chinese visa I was given to go to Fujian to get my youngest daughter.

W: Wine, best glass of wine while traveling and where? Visciola, under the trees in Giovanni Giusti’s vineyard in Marche.

X: eXcellent view and from where?: Seeing the misty and mysterious Faroes appear before me from the deck of M/S Norrøna was pure magic. I can just imagine how the Vikings must have felt, when first setting eyes on those ancient isles.

Iguazu Falls are a close second. I hung back after closing hours and had a few minutes all to myself before I was spotted and very politely told to leave. Imagine just coming upon such a sight (and sound), completely unaware it was there, as the first visitors must have been, thousands of years ago.

Y: Years spent traveling?: Decades!

Z: Zealous sports fans and where: The annual cross country races at Oslo’s Holmenkollen, especially the 50 km. Norwegians are absolutely mad about cross country skiing, doing and watching.

Passing the baton to you,

• Jeremy of Living the Dream
• Mariana of Travel Thirst
• Monique of Mo Travels
• Thomas of Top Backpacking Destinations
• Laurence of Finding the Universe

The travel ABC of Sophie’s World is a post from Sophie's World

Without further ado, here’s a virtual tour of some of the world’s wonderful cities. Travel bloggers from around the globe presents:

Cities in the MIDDLE EAST
Keith Kellett presents the futuristic city of Abu Dhabi, posted at Travelrat’s Travels.

Cities in AFRICA
If for some reason, you should need persuading to visit one of the most stunningly situated cities anywhere, CBCreations presents 15 Reasons to Visit Cape Town, posted at Measure of All Things.

Cities in ASIA
My youngest daughter is Chinese, so I have a soft spot for the world’s largest country. Over at A Little Adrift, Shannon presents Beijing’s forbidden city. She even shares a few tips on where, when and how to visit one of the most famous attractions in the Chinese capital.

On Hole in the Donut Cultural Travel, Barbara Weibel presents Three Views of Pokhara, Nepal Capture My Heart. We’re introduced to three fascinating aspects of this Nepali town.

Would you like to see wintry photos and odd graffiti in Tokyo? Jerimi presents the photo essay The City of Tokyo in Pictures, posted at Unserious travel.

Kiran presents a fabulous photo tour of the Groundnut Fair in Bangalore city, posted at Indian Bazaars.

Sash Milne takes a walk between two banyan trees. Blindfolded! Blindfolded at full moon is posted at Barefoot Inked.

I’ve not been in the Philippines. Yet. The country’s oldest city does look very interesting. Over at First-time travels, Claire Algarme presents First time in Cebu, Philippines.

Cities in EUROPE
In far west Wales, facing the Atlantic Ocean, lies the pretty university town of Aberystwyth with its fabulous Victorian promenade. Alexandra Crocodile presents Aber Monday: The Promenade (North Beach), posted at Friends & Crocodiles.

Northern Cyprus is not a destination you hear much about. Gratitude presents the lovely city of Girne in A Week in Cyprus!, posted at Gratitude’s Personal Development Blog.

Athens may be an amazing city, but do watch your belongings. Jason presents Welcome To Athens: Where’s Your Wallet?, posted at Family world travel and volunteering.

Abi King has visited the flowery capital of the Costa Brava. She presents a colourful photo essay, Funky & Fresh: Girona’s Flower Festival in Pictures, posted at Inside the Travel Lab

Germany’s vibrant capital seems to be on everyone’s radar every year. Jennifer Hattam revisits a favourite place and presents Going back to Berlin, posted at The Turkish Life.

No less livelier is Amsterdam, in every sense of the word. At Big City Blog, Jeff Funnekotter presents Queen’s Day in Amsterdam – parties, markets – and fights.

Cities in the AMERICAS
On the other side of the pond, why not cross a bridge? In New York, there are several. Mary T presents Take A Walk on The Brooklyn Bridge, posted at Travel With Teens and Tweens.

Liz Lewis presents Nit Witt Ridge is Cambria’s Hearst Castle, posted at Perceptive Travel Blog, saying Everyone knows about Hearst Castle at San Simeon, California but few realize that there is another, just as extraordinary, ‘castle’ down the road in Cambria.

Branson seems to be a popular city this week. Two bloggers are keen to share this Missouri city: Jim Barber presents Over 100 Reasons To Visit Branson This Summer, posted at Hamner Barber Theater. Over at Playing in Branson, Tamra Jane Corbin presents The Keeter Center at College of the Ozarks?a great place for distinctive dining.

Byteful Travel presents a green, radiant Oregon jewel. 7 Rare Glimpses of Ashland’s Vibrant Lithia Park (The Jewel of Southern Oregon) is posted at Byteful Travel with lots of pretty pictures.

Down in Texas, Ginny’s Little Longhorn Saloon in Austin is for you if you’re into drinking in the afternoon, live music, and pooping poultry. That’s rignt! Every Sunday afternoon, there’s a Chicken Shit Bingo. Heather presents Poultry Bingo, posted at The Heather Report.

Further south in the Americas, two bloggers entice you to visit the lively and energetic island of Cuba! Photo Editor presents 77 Beautiful Pictures of Cuba, posted at Cool Pictures & Beautiful Pictures. Furthermore, Simi Bhagvandass presents Why you have to go to Havana posted at See Simi Travel Blog.

Costa Rica may be most famous for rain forests and nature activities, but do have a look at the capital as well. Marina Villatoro presents 5 reasons to hang out in San Jose, posted at The Travel Experta.

I’m drawn to Patagonia. It sounds so foreign and remote. Yet, when I see photos, it looks like home. Loads of similarities between the Arctic and the Antarctic. Seems fitting then, that the grand finale goes to the Patagonian city of Valdivia. JenV presents Patagonia River Market, posted at Living in Patagonia.

That wraps up this edition of the Carnival of Cities. Huge thanks to all the participating bloggers.

—

Did you submit a post and can’t find it here? Chances are your post was excellent, but didn’t follow the guidelines. Another reason might be that it was submitted too late for this carnival. Don’t despair. That just means your post will be part of the next Carnival of Cities instead.

If you’d like to participate in the next carnival, you can use this form. Perhaps you would even like to host an edition on your blog? Sheila Scarborough is carnival chief and you can contact her at Sheila at sheilascarborough dot com.

Carnival of Cities for 1 June 2011 – from Abu Dhabi to Athens is a post from Sophie's World

Inside, I’m chuffed to see old books and manuscripts fill every little nook and cranny. There’s travel literature and every other kind. The proprietor, Señor Cortés Lopéz, is happy to chat and let me photograph his shop. He digs out books in Russian, English, French, Spanish and Catalan. Holding a leather-bound parchment manuscript from 1792 feels like transgressing the boundaries of time.

The nearby resorts of the Costa Brava teems with tourists of all nationalities. Yet, the majority of visitors to his shop are Russian, Cortés Lopéz says. We briefly discuss the Russian people’s love of books. One of the first things I noticed during my first visit in St Petersburg (back when it was Leningrad), was the many Dom Knigi (book shops). Much great literature has emanated from Mother Russia. During the oppressive years of communism, the Russians were at least spared mind-numbing television programmes. Books were what counted. Have the Russians held on to that noble tradition?

I hate to leave this wonderful Girona bookshop and the promise of further engaging conversation. But sadly, I have a plane to catch.

Girona is the capital of the Costa Brava, one of Europe’s oldest beach destinations, in the autonomous region of Catalonia in northeast Spain.

Have a look at other great photos over at DeliciousBaby.

Girona

The best little bookshop in Girona is a post from Sophie's World

Easy, right? Well, you’d think. But not so. Most found it a bit of a challenge, rating one spot above all others. We all adore so very many places, and favourites may depend on any number of factors. My favourite place often tend to be where I visited last.

Nevertheless, most of the contributing bloggers managed to choose one place. What follows is a long, delicious list of wonderful spots around the world: a market, several cities and towns, music, beaches, a hidden corner, a temple path, a castle, a fountain and a garden, a busy city square, islands, landscapes, a mud festival even. So grab a cuppa (or an apple), sit down, relax and enjoy all these great posts:

Julie Falconer, known as A Lady in London, loves Beijing’s 798 Art District.

• Tucked away in the northeastern corner of the city, the 798 zone is a former factory complex that is now packed with contemporary art galleries, chic cafes, boutiques, and exhibition spaces. Interspersed among the converted warehouses and modern buildings are massive sculptures and public art displays, making every street a surprise for the visitor… Giant red dinosaurs in cages gave way to cavernous warehouses full of thick red paintings. An exhibition of Socialist Realism from North Korea transitioned to a courtyard full of menacing clay wolves.

Sounds fabulous. I had never heard about it before Julie described it so temptingly, but now it tops my Beijing bucket list.

David Hogan jr of the snazzily-named website Malaysia Asia adores Luang Prabang. So does UNESCO, listing this former Laotian capital among World Heritage properties particularly worthy of preservation and protection. David says:

• Luang Prabang was built by the European colonials in the 19th and 20th century era and houses one of the best collection of French provincial style homes which many have been converted into cafes, restaurants or even boutique hotels. The beauty about Luang Prabang is that due to the UNESCO status (which was awarded in 1995), is there are absolutely no modern buildings here making it a perfect place to enjoy the natural culture and heritage of Laos. … When I was walking around the main town of Luang Prabang, I could not help notice the pure French Indochinese architectural marvels of that era. Some of them stand out in the night as they are beautifully lit.

Suddenly, I can’t understand why I haven’t I been to Luang Prabang – or indeed, Laos – yet. Definitely time for a visit.

In Home, Sweet Home, Ragne from Destination Anywhere shares her love for Morocco. She does make this North African country – and magical Marrakech especially – sound very enticing.

• First time i visited Morocco was in June 2008. I would never have guessed that this noisy, loud, hot and difficult country will have such a hold over me that even before the year passes i’m going back for the 3rd time. And i feel so pleased to be back – amidst all that roller-coaster of color, art and people. It feels like i’ve been away for way too long already, though it’s only been 5 months since my last visit. I can’t explain the hold Morocco has over me. It’s like a love-story that keeps burning with a bright flame, enticing and intoxicating me. I feel so unbelievably comfortable here.

Sounds dreamy, doesn’t it?

Kerry Dexter of Music Road shares this evocative post about music and hope in Derry.

Reminding us of the events of Bloody Sunday 38 years ago, she writes:

• People lay dead on the streets of Derry then, and it is one of the events which deepened the divisions and struggles across the political and personal landscapes of Ireland… Music has always been a part of the conflict, and the grieving, and the reach for reconciliation

before optimistically concluding:

• when people sing together, there is the possibility of hope.

Beautiful post. Also, check out this post for a video of local Derry girl Cara Dillon singing There were Roses, Tommy Sands’ haunting song, setting the political struggles in the context of everyday life.

Over at LeX Paradise, LeX Tan Yih Liang has an unusual favourite: The Boryeong Mud Festival

• The mud is dug up near Boryeong, trucked to the Daecheon beach area, and dumped at a ‘Mud Experience Land’. The mud is considered rich in minerals and used to manufacture cosmetics.… Some of the final weekend participants are foreign tourists, and especially American GIs, but most of the participants during the week are Koreans, attracted by clever marketing by the town. The town fathers and mothers discovered that the mud is more lucrative as a tourist attraction than using the muddy fields for agriculture.

LeX tells us about his experiences at this action-packed Korean festival and gives useful information on how to get there. The festival attracts a whopping 1.5 million visitors every year! Looks fun. Dirty, but fun.

Claire Algarme of First-time travels shares her favourite place, lovely Coron Island in the provice of Palawan in the Philippines.

• Though not as hyped as Bali or Boracay or Phuket or any beach destination in Southeast Asia, Palawan is a favorite among foreigners who come to this tropical country of 7,107 islands because of its beauty and serenity. Tourists get a close brush with nature, exciting adventures, and a large dose of peace and quiet.

Claire is not the only one who loves this spot:

• Famous international personalities and celebrities privately sneaked to this part of the globe to get away from the maddening crowd and enjoy the sun and the sand without the threat of paparazzi.

I haven’t been to the Philippines yet, but when I go, I’d like to hit one of those Coron beaches.

Vibeke Montero of Photito’s Blog has fallen in love with Oslo all over again. In Oslo for free, she recounts a lovely summer day full of pleasant surprises. In the most expensive city in the world, she encounters a bus driver who lets her ride for free, an Italian cafe owner who offers a latte on the house, a fruit seller charging only a symbolic sum for his apples…

Vibeke writes:

• … I was made to feel so welcome by a city I haven’t lived in for a good few years. It was as if Oslo herself wanted to remind me that she can indeed be a charmer, a real sweet talker with plenty of charisma. And I know exactly why. Look to the sky for the answer. If it is full of grey skies and drizzle you don’t get this kind of treatment. When the snow is inches deep and people are freezing and cars have to be undug to be used, I can assure you there are no free rides. You’ll be lucky to catch someone smiling from the depths of their scarves and woolly hats. However, when the sun is shining, magic happens.

So true! At the first sign of summer, Norwegians cast off their inhibitions – along with most of their clothes – and magic does indeed happen!

Oh, and by the way: Norwegian apples – best in the world! Totally objectively speaking, of course

Renee King of the cleverly named A View to a Thrill shares her love affair with Prague and heaps of great photos. Renee calls this city on the banks of the River Moldau one of the rarest jewels in the European Union.

• I managed to leave enough of my heart in Prague which would necessitate my going back someday to reclaim it, says Renee. Prague promised not only to court my senses to sublime ecstasy, but to ensure that I would fall hopelessly in love with it. So who was I to refuse?

Who indeed? Prague is like a fairy tale, drawing you in.

Liz Borod Wright from Travelogged tells us about Red Beach: The Best Beach in Santorini near the ancient, Minoan site of Akrotiri.

• We were intrigued by the name of the Red Beach and by the idea of red sand. We didn’t know much about it beyond that and we didn’t want to get our hopes up because of Kamari. However, it turned out to be among the most spectacular beaches I have ever seen. It has to be best beach in Santorini.

Check out Liz’ great Red Beach photo gallery, too.

No wonder you like it, Liz. Santorini is already high on my go-to list. I’m thinking Greek island-hopping (with kids), definitely including Santorini. After all, it’s said to be the last remnant of mythical Atlantis. Heaps of interesting history, philosophy and mythology here. And with this unusual red-sand beach near Akrotiri, I’m even more intrigued.

Jason of Alpaca Suitcase loves the Tuscan countryside, specifically the Val D’Orcia region around Pienza between Montalcino and Montepulciano. Jason says:

• We recently drove through the Val D’Orcia and marveled at the harmonious blend between natural beauty and man’s best efforts. The green rolling hills were so lush that the texture resembled a soft baby’s blanket, fresh out of the dryer, left to fall gently on the terrain. From that blanket a patchwork quilt is created. Start with a square of twenty-five trimmed olive trees standing in a perfect 5-by-5 formation, then a wild section of pine, chestnuts, cork oak and myrtle, and then patch in a small vinyard of grapes, the parallel lines wrapping tightly over a small hill. Everywhere you look, man has added to the natural beauty. We saw many straight gravel driveways with perfect lines of trimmed cypress trees on both sides leading to stone farmhouses with vegetable gardens of tomatoes, zucchini, peppers, basil, and sage. And wheat fields everywhere…manicured to perfection.

La bella Toscana: she does indeed inspire poetry.

Erin Ridley of La Tortuga Viajera proves choosing only one favourite is very difficult indeed. In there’s no place like …, she gives us two faves. The first is a perfect vista in San Francisco. Erin takes us to a little spot on the water side of Broderick Street, from where you can see the Marina, Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge.

• Here, in this little piece of heaven on earth, you can just sit while your skin gets kissed by the crisp marine air, and everything around you seems to stand still. I’ve spent countless moments in this very spot, reflecting on a stressful day, pondering life changing decisions (to move to Spain or not to?), or simply just reminding myself how grateful I am to be at that very place with such a special city wrapped around me like a familiar hug.

Erin’s other favourite is a magical Moorish castle. You have to stop by her blog to find out more

Jeff Funnekotter of Big City Blog has numerous favourites as well: a beachfront cafe in Malaga, New Zealand’s Paihia and his parents’ kitchen (I love that!). But Jardin du Luxembourg – and particularly the Fontaine de Medicis – tops his list. Jeff says:

I’ve spent many happy moments in the Jardin du Luxembourg myself, away from the hustle and bustle of the boulevards. Next time I’ll have a closer look at this amazing fountain.

In How I Know a Favorite Place, John Houser of The Dotted Route, counts down to his number one spot. Runners-up include the stunning Tiger Leaping Gorge in China’s Yunnan province and Stuttgart’s lively Schlossplatz. But top billing goes to London’s Trafalgar Square.

• When I stepped into Trafalgar Square, I just knew that I was in London. The red double-decker buses drove around the streets, the postmodernist architecture, and the throngs of people all just spoke to me an immediate feeling that I was in London. This is no where else that this could be. It was as if the city said to me, “Here I am, John. Feel right at home.” And I did. London stands out, in my mind, as the cosmopolitan city of the world and the Trafalgar Square was the cross-section of where millions before me have come before.

London – my favourite city in the world!

Jennifer LoPrete of Orange Polka Dot lists Northern California’s Sea Ranch as her “favourite place just to be”:

• Created in the 1960s as a planned development that would have minimal environmental impact and a style that blended with the rugged natural surroundings. Sea Ranch is quintessential Northern California. Residential density is purposely low. Utilities lines are underground. Cars must not be parked in sight of others or on the streets. There are no fenced and landscaped backyards. But rather a simple deck over a common space of natural terrain, which is maintained by grazing sheep and deer.
  

I’ve never heard of Sea Ranch before, but it sounds absolutely wonderful. And very ahead of its time.

Over at Todd’s Wanderings, Todd Wassel’s favourite spot is the path behind the Iwayaji Temple, Japan Here’s why:

• The trail delivers the walker from a pristine wooded ridge line path into an ancient moss green forest with enormous cypress trees and age worn shrines and religious carvings. The forest is dark, damp and its enormity and silence creates an atmosphere were a Buddha or Shinto god could easily pop out from behind the next corner. It is also along this path that I came to a sudden realization about my life, where I want to be and what I love to do.… Not a week goes by that I don’t think about the path leading to Temple 45 and the effect it’s had on my life. I dream of going back, if for nothing more than to spend some time in that magical forest empty of humanity but full of gods, demons, enlightenment and bright green moss.

Todd provides fascinating background info and gorgeous photographs and is currently writing a book on the Shikoku Pilgrimage.

Wow, what a stunning secret temple path – almost enough to make one religious.

And finally, what’s my favourite, you ask? Well, perhaps you’re not asking, but I’ll tell you anyway. Like so many, I had great difficulties choosing – but finally settled on a short-list of two. Both are remote islands, neither of them tropical. One is a new aquaintance: the enigmatic, verdant Faroe Islands in the North Atlantic. The other is the haunting – and haunted – Norfolk Island. For the number one spot, I’ll choose the latter.

Once Britain’s worst penal colony, Norfolk is now a self-governing Australian island – and home to the descendants of the Bounty mutineers ever since Pitcairn became too small. Exciting history, stunning landscape, ghosts, secrets, mysteries; a most excellent little speck in the Pacific.

On this carnival around the world, we have covered 5 continents. We’ve been in China, Laos, Morocco, Ireland, South Korea, the Philippines, Norway, the Czech Republic, Greece, Italy, the USA, Spain, France, England, Japan and Australia/Pacific. I hope you’ve enjoyed all these wonderful spots around the world. I know I have.

The last Lonely Planet Blogsherpa Carnival was hosted by Claire of First-time travel and was all about first-time travel outside your country. The next carnival will be hosted by Kat over at Tie-Dye Travels and is about food around the world. Yum! See you there!

Blog carnival: Your favourite place on earth is a post from Sophie's World

It was midnight and my daughter was tired and yearning to go home when the taxi driver took pity on us. He knew someone who knew someone who had lodgings for rent. We drove for a long time, past the beaches, the resorts; winding our way up into the mountains. Or so it seemed in the dark Canary night.

We ended up in El Tablero, high in the hills above Playa Ingles. People come to the Canaries for beaches and beer. But none came to El Tablero. It didn’t have any tourist infrastructure. Only 4 kilometres from the beaches, it seemed a different world. Mums walked their children to school, taking all the time in the world, chatting, laughing. In the afternoons, kids lazed on benches with grandparents or played football in a field.

Near our holiday rental was a pub. One afternoon, I entered. Conversation immediately stopped. I was the only female in the dark, smoke-filled little room. About to approach the bar, I was discouraged by stern looks. It could have been my imagination, but I got the distinct impression women weren’t welcome.

I came to enjoy watching the day begin in this little village. In the house next to our apartment, a señora hung the laundry. At the garage across the street, a mechanic in his undershirt started a car, opened the bonnet and began tinkering. An elderly woman swept the street outside her house. The man in the sandwich shop flirted with his young, pretty assistant. These were the morning activities in our street. I could have spent the day just watching life unfold.

A 5-year-old has different needs, however, including ample beach time and looking in toy shops. So we did all those things. Every morning, we’d catch the bus down to the beach. But as the day wore on, I found myself increasingly eager to return to our hillside village. Had the mechanic finished working on that Seat yet? The shop girl – had she finally told her boss to leave her alone? I became oddly obsessed with this microcosm of life.

Had we stayed in a resort, this would have been just another beach holiday; pleasant, details easily forgotten. Living in that little neighbourhood resonated on a different level altogether. I discovered Gran Canaria had its own personality, totally independent from the cocoon society catering to spoilt Northern Europeans in search of sun, sand, sex and cerveza.

Today, I see estate agents advertise apartments for sale in El Tablero. The resorts may even have crept up into the hills. Back then, the village certainly presented challenges to this feminist Northerner. Yet, the holiday proved oddly rewarding. I still remember it vividly.

My 5-year-old is now 22. She has a curious bent, always looking around corners, walking along seemingly uninteresting streets of everyday neighbourhoods. I like to think El Tablero had some influence on that.

Las Palmas De Gran Canaria

Canary Islands – The Accidental Local is a post from Sophie's World