The Alcossebre Pensioners´Journey to Andalusia Octobre 16th – 21st 2022
Commented by the usual, but since some years invisible Reporter
![[Img #91686]](http://el7set.es/upload/images/11_2022/5030_1166_7657_765_thum_6579_9761_img-20210516-wa00012.jpg)
We left Alcossebre at 8 o´clock in the morning and arrived, in the evening, after several stops, lunch included, at the hotel Reyes Zeríes, next to Albolote, in the surroundings of Granada. A nice hotel, we shared with two groups, where a buffet offered tasty and varied food.
The following morning we headed for the Alpujarra and had a first stop at Lanjarón, the entrance to the Alpujarra, and famous for its water. We took a little stroll across the streets and squares, and we admired the great many fountains with beautiful ceramic decoration and with words and poems of García Lorca. Some time later our bus went climbing up a road that was getting steeper and steeper, till we ended up at more than 1400 m, at Trevélez, one of the highest spots of Spain. The village is famous for its hams, which are treated and air-dried in special installations. We visited one of them, where we got a lot of information about the ham´s treatments and drying. Afterwards we had a tasty, regional meal, packed with calories; that´s why we really needed the walk that was waiting for us at Panameira, a picturesque, Moorish village at more than 1000 m, the last stronghold of the Moors of Granada before their expulsion. The white houses climb up a steep hillside, where we were permanently walking up and down steep, winding and narrow little streets. Quite a tiring walk, at the end of which we fell, exhausted, on the seats of the bus. Well, to be honest, there didn´t seem to be too much exhaustion, as, after supper, most pensioners got on a minibus, that brought them to one of the caves of Sacromonte, to enjoy a flamenco show, at whose end there was still a little walk to the nearby Albaicín, to have a look on the illuminated Alhambra. Finally, everybody went to bed, to get the strength back for the following day´s walk across Granada.
The following morning we left the bus at Sacromonte, took a little stroll, then went to the picturesque Albaicín, the oldest quarter of Granada, where we enjoyed the Alhambra´s view at daylight, and, finally, had a long visit of the town´s old area after whose end we got some free time before returning to the hotel for lunch. However, several pensioners decided to keep strolling about and have some tasty tapas, before everybody met again, in the afternoon, in front of the Alhambra waiting for a guided visit.
The following day we left the hotel quite early in the morning, heading for Córdoba, where we spent a lot of time in the mosque. There was just a little time left to stroll across the former Jewish quarter, before we met in a nice restaurant, where we enjoyed delicious, regional dishes. In the evening we arrived at the hotel Jardín de la Reina, in Torre La Reina, near Sevilla. a hotel somewhat like a youth hostel, with lots of little buildings, long tables and good, but simple food, offered behind an anti Covid glass buffet, where you indicated what you wanted.
On our last day we first had a guided stroll across the marvellous Plaza de España, built on the occasion of the Iberoamerican Exposition of 1929; later on we passed by the former pavillons and finally had a guided tour across Santa Cruz quarter, until we were left at the cathedral, where we still had some spare time before returning to the hotel for lunch. Once more, lots of pensioners decided to keep strolling across and enjoying deliciously prepared tapas. In the afternoon everybody met again at the Torre de Oro, to start a little boat trip on the Guadalquivir, a nice end of our journey across Andalusia.
Another great and interesting holiday, with lots of new impressions and a lot of stress, too. The few who complained, were beginners, because everybody knows that Sant Benet´s trips and journeys are always great but extremely tiring, for offering “much to see, but only little time free.“
Thanks to the friendly and skilful driver and thanks to the friendly guide Estela, who gave us a lot of information.
In Granada, Córdoba and Sevilla there were always two guides, thus allowing our splitting into two groups. We got headphones, too, which made us hear everything quite clearly, without the guides´shouting.
Now everybody is waiting for the next trip, in spite of the stress!
We left Alcossebre at 8 o´clock in the morning and arrived, in the evening, after several stops, lunch included, at the hotel Reyes Zeríes, next to Albolote, in the surroundings of Granada. A nice hotel, we shared with two groups, where a buffet offered tasty and varied food.
The following morning we headed for the Alpujarra and had a first stop at Lanjarón, the entrance to the Alpujarra, and famous for its water. We took a little stroll across the streets and squares, and we admired the great many fountains with beautiful ceramic decoration and with words and poems of García Lorca. Some time later our bus went climbing up a road that was getting steeper and steeper, till we ended up at more than 1400 m, at Trevélez, one of the highest spots of Spain. The village is famous for its hams, which are treated and air-dried in special installations. We visited one of them, where we got a lot of information about the ham´s treatments and drying. Afterwards we had a tasty, regional meal, packed with calories; that´s why we really needed the walk that was waiting for us at Panameira, a picturesque, Moorish village at more than 1000 m, the last stronghold of the Moors of Granada before their expulsion. The white houses climb up a steep hillside, where we were permanently walking up and down steep, winding and narrow little streets. Quite a tiring walk, at the end of which we fell, exhausted, on the seats of the bus. Well, to be honest, there didn´t seem to be too much exhaustion, as, after supper, most pensioners got on a minibus, that brought them to one of the caves of Sacromonte, to enjoy a flamenco show, at whose end there was still a little walk to the nearby Albaicín, to have a look on the illuminated Alhambra. Finally, everybody went to bed, to get the strength back for the following day´s walk across Granada.
The following morning we left the bus at Sacromonte, took a little stroll, then went to the picturesque Albaicín, the oldest quarter of Granada, where we enjoyed the Alhambra´s view at daylight, and, finally, had a long visit of the town´s old area after whose end we got some free time before returning to the hotel for lunch. However, several pensioners decided to keep strolling about and have some tasty tapas, before everybody met again, in the afternoon, in front of the Alhambra waiting for a guided visit.
The following day we left the hotel quite early in the morning, heading for Córdoba, where we spent a lot of time in the mosque. There was just a little time left to stroll across the former Jewish quarter, before we met in a nice restaurant, where we enjoyed delicious, regional dishes. In the evening we arrived at the hotel Jardín de la Reina, in Torre La Reina, near Sevilla. a hotel somewhat like a youth hostel, with lots of little buildings, long tables and good, but simple food, offered behind an anti Covid glass buffet, where you indicated what you wanted.
On our last day we first had a guided stroll across the marvellous Plaza de España, built on the occasion of the Iberoamerican Exposition of 1929; later on we passed by the former pavillons and finally had a guided tour across Santa Cruz quarter, until we were left at the cathedral, where we still had some spare time before returning to the hotel for lunch. Once more, lots of pensioners decided to keep strolling across and enjoying deliciously prepared tapas. In the afternoon everybody met again at the Torre de Oro, to start a little boat trip on the Guadalquivir, a nice end of our journey across Andalusia.
Another great and interesting holiday, with lots of new impressions and a lot of stress, too. The few who complained, were beginners, because everybody knows that Sant Benet´s trips and journeys are always great but extremely tiring, for offering “much to see, but only little time free.“
Thanks to the friendly and skilful driver and thanks to the friendly guide Estela, who gave us a lot of information.
In Granada, Córdoba and Sevilla there were always two guides, thus allowing our splitting into two groups. We got headphones, too, which made us hear everything quite clearly, without the guides´shouting.
Now everybody is waiting for the next trip, in spite of the stress!
