From Wikipedia: “El Caminito del Rey (English: The King’s pathway) is a walkway or via ferrata, now fallen into disrepair, pinned along the steep walls of a narrow gorge in El Chorro, near Álora in Málaga, Spain. The name is often shortened to El Camino del Rey.”

Sounds innocent enough. Now watch this and tell me just how long it takes for your palms to start sweating!

Here are two great photos from two great friends of mine.

First up is a photo taken this week by Ryan Opaz of Spains’ greatest wine website, catavino.net. It shows the crazed Castellers in his home town Terrassa, scaling new heights to celebrate St. Jordi, a Catalan fiesta similar to St Valentines, when people say it not just with flowers, but also by giving loved ones a book. You can see more of Ryan’s great photos here.

Secondly, we have this classic image from Alistair Wood, of Las Cruces in Granada. Where would I be if I could be anywhere in the world this May 3rd? In Granada for this fiesta. The Granadinos dress up to the nines and ride into town on speckled horses to see beautiful crosses made of flowers in the plazas around town. See more of Alistair’s wonderful photos from Spain and beyond here.

The photo above was taken by Alistair when I first went to Las Cruces with him 9 years ago. The two girls in the photo have probably turned into frighteningly beautiful young women by now!

If you could visit any fiesta in Spain this summer, which would it be, and why?

I don’t do relaxing very well, but this last week body and brain had a private conversation, and it was decided that a weekend off was very much in order. Marina and I booked tickets to Malaga on the new super-fast AVE route, and found a great deal in a 4 star hotel. Then we realised that going from one big city to another for the weekend wasn’t a good start, cancelled everything, and went back to the drawing board.

What we needed was countryside, but where do you find that these days? If you stop getting out of the city enough, ‘countryside proper’ starts seeming like this weird semi-forbidden construct, something from the past that you can go and look at to see how things use to be, but mustn’t touch, just as it becomes in scary future-fiction, like 1984 or Brave New World.

Still, after a weekend very much in contact with nature, I can report that it’s still there, in all it’s glory, not two and a half hours from Madrid.

The mighty Sierra de Gredos, in the Province of Avila, is as magnificent as the Alps. The air is achingly pure, the streams oxygen-clear, and even in April, the sawtooth peaks are covered in a thick white topping of snow. We stayed in the Parador de Gredos (for just 80 Euros a night, a special offer for being ‘friends of the Parador’ - free to sign up), a low, granite edifice set in the middle of a quiet pine forest.

The walking starts at the door, with a short circular route that quickly cleans lungs, heart and mind, but reception will give you a print out with other even nicer walks a short distance away. We headed up to the still-snow-bound Plataforma de Gredos, a base for hikes much higher into the mountains (there is a refuge after two and a half hours, you can spend a night there, then head for the top peaks), and to a lighter trail along a burbling mountain stream that started in the next village along from the Parador.

The result? We managed to relax. Enormously. We were pampered by the comforts of the Parador. We discovered that the wilds are very much ’still there’ and we reveled in them. We want to spend more time in them. Soon.

Are you a city-dweller who occasionally wonders if the countryside is still really there? (Or a country-dweller who won’t go near the city?!)

Update: When we finished our half an hour jaunt upstream from the Plataforma de Gredos, we arrived back at the car and, to all of our amazement, bumped into Katie, fellow blogger and editor of NotesfromMadrid.com. She was just about to embark on an overnight stay at the refuge 2 hours uphill, before attempting the summit with friends the next day. See her awe-inspiring photos on Flickr, which really show that the Sierra de Gredos is indeed a mountain range to be reckoned with.

In our latest guest blog post, Gary Child, who has a great site offering Free educational resources for the Primary classroom, takes us to the other side of a much-maligned holiday location:

“So, are you going away for Easter?”
“Yes, Benidorm for five nights for a rest”
“Costa del Blackpool – for a rest!?”
“Have you ever been to Benidorm?”
“Err… no but I’ve heard all about it and seen it on the TV…”

And so the myth is propagated in the minds of so many that equates Benidorm with a modern day Sodom, full of lager-crazed youths on a 15-day bender; stags and hens sleeping all day, drinking and fornicating all night.

I have no doubt that if you went looking for it that you could certainly find evidence that such activity takes place. But you would have to look for it. It certainly isn’t in your face on every street corner.

There is an area on the Playa Levante side of Benidorm known as ‘The Square’ where you would be most likely to encounter the mild debauchery that seems to have become synonymous with the resort in the minds of the twittering classes.

But there is another Benidorm; a very Spanish resort, that is a great place to holiday.

Where is it? The dividing line between the Spanish side of Benidorm and the ‘Brits abroad’ side is quite easy to find.

As a rough guide, walk to the south end of the prom on Playa Levante until you find Calle de Martinez Alejos and stand with your back to the sea looking up the street. Everything to your left is broadly Spanish, and to the right is the border with Guiri-land.

Some Benidorm Myths..

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It never rains in Cordoba. At least that’s what my friend Alistair and I thought when we took 24 hours out of Madrid to photograph the Semana Santa processions there this Easter Wednesday.

By 11pm that night, we were exhausted and soaking wet, having spent the entire day running around town only to discover that there was no way the vigines and accompanying processions were leaving the churches in a little bit of rain. We asked a barman what we’d done to deserve such bad luck. ‘Bueno,’ he said, ‘It’s rained here on Easter Wednesday for the last four years.’

Great. Easter dates change every year, yet it always manages to rain on that Wednesday, Miercoles Santo. Still, there was plenty to photograph - disappointed, damp Cordobans primarily…

… and the odd happy few that were sensible enough to stay in the bars…

For more Cordoba-Easter-Rain street photos from our damp, yet still immensely enjoyable 24 hours in Cordoba, check out my photos on Flickr, and more great images here, from my fellow photographer Alistair.

La Photo: Un jolie canal en France

I have just got back from a weekend in France, where I discovered the following earth shattering comparisons with Spain:

1. There is way more dog crap on the streets of France than Spain. Hard to believe, I know. Conclusion? The Spanish are less squeamish than the French when it comes to the “hand in plastic bag picking up warm offerings” maneuver. Respect.

2. French pastry shops blow anything the Spanish can offer out of the water. Any day. Ever. Punto Pelota.

3. The French do desserts like the Spanish do ham. No competition from either country on either front. When the Spanish tack ‘casero’ (homemade) onto the end of any dessert they think it’s instantly cordon-bleu. But that’s a French word (or two), and for good reason. Dessert-makers of Spain: go to France and LEARN what it means to enjoy a Tarte Aux Fruits Rouges.

4. The French, like the Spanish, eat way too much red meat.

5. The French say please and thank you more than the Spanish. Kudos. But let’s not get into that again.

6. The French use the polite Vous form way more than the Spanish use their polite Usted. A little bit of ‘How art thou?’ is all very well, but really, France, come on, step out of the 19th Century - and into the 20th, with the Spanish

7. Orangina wipes the floor with Kas Naranja. Sorry.

8. Who drives closer to the car in front at high Speed? The French guy in the Citroen? The Spaniard in the Seat Leon? Dead heat every time. Niether country has any concept of that great British life-saving invention, the 2 second rule.

9. In France a river is a river. In Spain it’s a stream. Or a winding channel of dust where cars and bodies and rubbish get dumped.

10. What earth-shattering differences have you discovered between Spain and the Great Elsewhere?

“The [220mph] Ave S103 is the kind of train that British commuters can only dream of, and forms the centrepiece of plans to make Spain a model for the rest of Europe, and the world leader in high-speed trains by 2010.”

“The aim is to have 10,000km (6,200 miles) of high-speed track in Spain by 2020, meaning that 90% of the population will be no more than 30 miles from a station through which the train passes.” Whether the train actually stops in said stations may be another matter…

Full article in the Guardian

There was a time when Spain was remarkably different to anywhere else. Crossing the Pyrenees was like crossing to another continent. Spain was in every sense more arid, uncommercial, pure… less affected. Even some of the Spanish joked that Spain was closer to Africa than to Europe, and not just geographically.

Yet these days Madrid, that just 10 years ago felt like a mishmash of small, friendly towns with one or two big roads in the middle, roars like London. And the Mediterranean coast is one long, crooked urban sprawl. And it seems like Seville and Barcelona only care about screwing money out of tourists.

But now I’m starting to sound like those insanely annoying people that say: “if only you’d seen Spain ten twenty thirty years ago…” Don’t you just hate it when people tell you that?

What if you want to see places where Spain still really looks like Spain today? Then you are in luck!

You only have to wonder around the barrio of Malasaña in Madrid to find an area that is still timelessly Madrileño, and you just have to stray 2 minutes from the tourist-hell of Barcelona’s Rambla to see the deliciously seedy Raval and feel like you’re on another, much more interesting planet. And you simply have to drive far enough inland from any coastal building site to find those same beautiful hillsides that always looked so raw and ‘Un-European’.

Here are the first few places I’d tell someone to look for “untouched Spain” if they asked for directions, maybe you can help me out:

1. Soria, town and province - largely undiscovered, even by me!

2. Ourense, town and province - if you are passing through Galicia… a town and province by the same name, both rough-hewn from ganite and rain.

3. Teruel, town and province - so far off the beaten track that even the locals aren’t sure if it exists anymore…

4. Extremadura - wild, vast, full of lushous landscapes and fine ham!

5. ??? - Yes, over to you again: tell us where to find “untouched Spain”, and I’ll add your suggestions to the map below!

For locations and details, click on the blue markers on the map below:

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And finally, also by popular request, my last list of the week. Please feel free to add to it.

The BEST things about Spain:

1. The food - the variation in all the different provinces, from Salmorejo in Cordoba, to Fabada in Asturias, Pinxtos in San Sebastian, Arroz in Valencia, tapas in Leon, and everything else in between!

2. The outdoor lifestyle - who doesn’t love eating, drinking, and living outside?

3. The strong sense of family - Spaniards work hard to keep the family important, it’s a shame other cultures focus less on this as time goes on.

4. The climate. Of course!

5. Spanish wine!

6. The Spanish are generally happy people who take pride in showing others the best of Spain (in many other countries people are often too quick to criticise their own culture, and there us nothing wrong with a bit of national pride).

7. If I don’t say the pretty girls then someone else will!

8. Small traders still giving ‘trato personal’ - the supermarkets haven’t put everyone out of business yet.

9. The landscapes - From the lush green north, to the mighty Pyrenees, the deserts of Almeria, the Alpujarras, the Rias in Galicia, the wilds of Extremadura… the variety is unimaginable until you start to see it all for yourself.

10. What would YOU put for number 10?

Go abroad. Please! A notice to any college student anywhere who may come across this, please take my advice – spending time studying in another country is something you MUST do. I know you were most likely told to never listen to strangers but I beg you, hear me out.

My name is Michael Loiacono and I am a junior studying business at, and through, Syracuse University here in Madrid. Unfortunately, my semester will be coming to a close within the next two weeks so Ben and Marina have asked me to write (for an internship they provided me with - another great experience I can take away from here) a brief reflection/advice entry for any fellow students who may be looking to come to Spain.

But before I get into details let me give you the single most important instruction: JUST GO!

Highlights

To be honest before I came here, I couldn’t have told you the difference between a tosta and a tortilla. But Spanish food is something incredible that once embraced, can allow for some memorable meals.

Spain, and Madrid in particular, is a great jumping board for trips to other countries. It is great to embrace Spanish culture but getting a small feel for places all over Europe is equally exciting. I was able to make trips to Italy, France, Switzerland, Belgium, Netherlands and Germany, and picking a favorite is nearly impossible. Also, I had peers who made their way out to Portugal, England, Ireland, Czech Republic, Turkey and Greece.

All I can say about these places is that reading a book or browsing online only goes so far. Seeing for yourself is an overwhelming experience that has profoundly changed the way I view people, places, and culture. Truly an eye-opening experience.

Essentials to buy before arrival

While many students like to go out and pick up guide books on what to see and do etc., one thing I have found is that those books do not provide very insightful advice on foods and types of foods. Find a quick and easy guide book to Spanish food. This will make your dining experience much easier and allow you to cipher out your favorites quickly.

My second tip may involve a bit more planning than some like when they travel. But for students it is a great way to save money. Tickets. Those who had planned at least a few trips before they arrived saved much more than those who paid premiums for last minute trips.

My last tip is actually not something to bring but something not to bring. Before you go many people may scramble at the last minute to pick up attire. The truth is, once you are here there are numerous places to find inexpensive, well made and most of all fashionable clothing. Save your money in the U.S. and buy the goods here.

Things I had wish someone had told me before I arrived

Find good places to get good tapas. Once you understand the methodology by which tapas work they are a great way to socialize and enjoy Spanish cuisine.

On the same note the best bars and restaurants tend not to be in any book. Get lost, take a chance and try places that you may walk past, I have found these places to be the most rewarding for food, drinks and nightlife.

Arrive at a restaurant at 1:30 in the afternoon to find it dead and at 2:30 to find a completely packed house. It´s as if the second the clock hits 2, the entire country runs to eat. Good to know when planning your day accordingly… and if you’re coming from America, do not expect the service you are used to, waiters and waitresses do not work for tips here and it translates!

Conclusion

The best way for anything however is to learn for yourself. That is why more than anything I have told you, my most important piece of advice is just to come here. You always hear how great going abroad is, and the fact is that the experience lives up to the hype. Push yourself, and try something that will undoubtedly change your life. Coming abroad has always been something I wanted to do, a dream for me, and these past four months have been nothing short of that.

For a run down of my specific tips for Madrid, head over to notesfrommadrid.com