Ola - Spain

On September 4th we arrived in Cadiz, Spain. This is on the Southern coast of Spain.

Coming into Cadiz, Spain.








The first day (4th) we journeyed to Jerez where we visited in the morning the Tio Pepe operation. This is the largest sherry wine production plant and vineyards. Sherry production is big in Andalucía province. The sherry is supposed to be the best in the world.

Drinking sherry

with Ann & Jack Clough.

After visiting the Tio Pepe we went in the afternoon to see a Cartusian horse farm and see a spectacular horse show in the covered arena.

Pretty horse                                                             Ken with horses

In tandem

Mothers feeding young horses.  The young ones
found their mothers.  Exciting.




On September 5th we visited two of the “white” towns in the province. These are the last towns which were on the border with the Muslims before they were chased out of Spain. The Battle of Granada was a siege of the city of Granada fought over a period of months leading up to its surrender on January 2, 1492. The city was captured by the combined forces of Aragon and Castile from the armies of the Muslim Emirate of Granada. Granada's Moorish forces were led by Emir Muhammad XII of Granada (King Boabdil). Granada was the last city to fall to the Christians. This from Wikipedia. The towns we visited were Acros and Ronda. Both are beautiful towns.

                                                            Walking up in Arcos

Walking back down in Arcos

Arcade in Ronda for the festival

Overlook of the gorge at
the Don Bosco
Salesian monks home
in Ronda

Grace in Ronda

Grace and Ken in Ronda

This tree is one of a very few (estimated less than 10 left in the world) that are dying.  It is the ultimate Christmas tree.  There are two in Ronda.

On September 6th we rented a car and went to Seville with a young couple who are on the staff of Semester at Sea – Christopher Morris and Jodi Schneiderman. Chris is one of the coordinators of the Life Long Learners. Saw the Cathedral and the Alcazar again with them. Went to a restaurant near the one where we dined with Ann Mentz and Herschel Abbott in May and met a nice German couple – the Kohlhase’s (Kohhase means cabbage bunny). If we ever go back to Germany we will look them up. Then we continued the next day to Granada to see the Alhambra. This is the fortress that fell to the Christians in 1492 and led to the purging of the Muslims from Spain. On September 8th we returned to the ship in Cadiz in time for the ship to head for Casablanca, Morocco.

With the Kohlhase's in Seville, Spain.

Grace at the Alhambra in Granada

Grace in the Alcazar Gardens Seville

Alhambra from our hotel window lit up for the night.

Alhambra Pool

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A ceiling at the Alhambra