The Prado and modern art

The Prado and modern art museum were great. We thought Dali and Bosch were fun. We will see the naval and another art museum tomrw.

We made it to Madrid!

We made it to Madrid! Yesterday we went for a fun bike ride with Timo, our host in Sevilla. Then we made a seafood feast.

Sunny Sevilla!

Sevilla is an incredibly comfortable city with lovely plazas and an especially amazing public space created for the 1929 world fair called Plaza Espana. We have loved exploring and enjoyed walking the small streets in the old town all day. We were just out for a perfect night including a birthday party and dancing. We are staying with an incredible group of people in the heart of the city about a five minute walk from the river. They are an international group of students from Italy, France, Germany, and Brazil. Last night there was also a Hungarian couple staying here. It was fantastic to sit and listen while four or five different languages were being used in one household. Everyone here speaks three or more different languages, except us! They are all living here for a year or more of their studies. It is so exciting to hear their stories and dreams.

We spent a fantastic week driving from Barcelona to Sierra Espuna natural park to Sierra Nevada natural park and national park, then to Tarifa with a day trip to Tangier, next to Grazelema natural park and then to Sevilla. We enjoyed several walks and drives in the rain through the white hill towns the past few days. Our high-speed hydro jet ferry ride to Africa was a highlight of the week. The day became even more amazing when we got off the boat. We spent the day wide eyed and trying to absorb as much as possible. That night we talked about ideas for the next cycle trip! It is always inspiring to hear other cyclists and travellers experiences and ideas. We met a man that night who told us of a friend cycling from Germany to China on tandem cycle as a partner to a blind woman who wants to complete the journey as well. Our plan is spend a few more days enjoying the atmosphere here in Sevilla and then head to Madrid. We will have to save cycling in Asia for another time.

I am so excited to visit the museums in Madrid and be out with the city when the streets are alive at night. Many Spanish people do not begin their evenings out until 10pm. We have heard that in Madrid people fill the streets all night long walking and hanging out often until sunrise. One of our favorite customs of both the Italians and Spanish are the evening walks or Paseos. Around sundown or 6-8pm everyone from toddlers to the grandparents join in the town plaza or main pedestrian areas to walk and play together. We saw this happen in towns with a population of 2,000 to 2,000,000 from Northern Italy to Southern Spain. We loved joining these evening strolls and seeing all the life on the streets as the community actively spends time together everyday. It is such a sweet and simple habit that appears to bring energy to all that participate. Tonight we happened to be on the same path as a man around 80 or more years old crossing many busy roads which led us to the river of people out walking in Sevilla. We hope to join the Paseo every evening the rest of our visit in Spain!

Driving through Spain in rain,

Driving through Spain in rain, lightning, and even snow has been so much more cozy than cycling. Been camping in Sierra Nevada mnts.

Bad weather to North. Planned

Bad weather to North. Planned to cycle to Madrid, but watched rain flood streets today! Wimped out, going South in Hertz minivan.

We have met the most

We have met the most fun Frenchmen in Barcelona! The city is great 4 walking. We loved visiting more Gaudi sights & Gothic quarter.

We went for an architecture

We went for an architecture walk today. The Gaudi style buildings are so facinating. We are in love with the colors of Barcelona!