BARCELONA ...

Dear readers, this week, B is for Barcelona, Spain (seen from hotel, above) ...    

According to the recent annual Cities Survey from TripAdvisor, which collates the opinions of more than 54,000 travellers to the top 37 urban tourist destinations around the world, Barcelona came #3 in the 'overall experience' category. What's your favorite (vacation) destination?

                                         

                            So much to see here, both ancient and modern. 
                            One moment, you’re walking in Picasso’s footsteps
                            through medieval streets:

                                  Not forgetting the famous La Rambla

                 And then you’re confronted with such modernist wonders as these:

                                                        La Sagrada

                                                 

                                                and these buildings:

And, finally, thank you to all our dear readers who visited, commented or are new followers.

Enjoy!

NORA & LOLA:)

Nora-Johnson.com

AGAPANTHUS ...

Dear readers, this week, A is for Agapanthus which is bursting out all over here in gardens   

             

And, finally, thank you to all our dear readers who visited, commented or are new followers.

Enjoy!

NORA & LOLA:)

ANDALUCIA'S CRAFTS & CORK INDUSTRY ...

  Local crafts in Andalucia include products made from wicker, leather items and intricate lace designs.

                                       Like this lace appliqué waistcoat

                                           Lace making in Granada

                              And a master Cordoban leather worker practising his art

                                               and wickerwork 

                                               Err, fancy a test drive?

                              

                                    ORIGIN OF CORKS: ANDALUCIA'S CORK INDUSTRY

If you find yourself travelling in western Andalucia - anywhere from Gaucin to Ubrique, Ronda to Vejer next month between June 15 and August 15 - you might catch a glimpse of the most enigmatic (Legal) agricultural industry in Andalucia: the cork crop. Law forbids the cork oak collectors, usually employees of the cork factories from removing cork from the trees outside this brief priod, as it might damage the health of the trees. The men spend 2 years at college studying their subject before they Are so much as allowed near a tree with one of the array of special cork knives. Outside the 2 month harvesting period, the men all have different jobs in the processing factories for the rest of the year.

The iberian cork industry  - as well as bottle stoppers, it's also used in diverse processes from car construction to aeroplane insulation - is worth an estimated 2 billion dollars. Following the disastrous forest fires in Portugal in 2003, Spain has become the world's biggest single producer of cork.

Enjoy!

ANIMALS INDIGENOUS TO SPAIN (PART 2) ...

Animals indigenous to Spain (Part 2) - but which you're unlikely to come across on your hols if you stay on the coast ... However, just a short trek up into the hills above the costas in Andalucía  and you'll notice signs for "la caza prohibida" (no hunting) everywhere!

If you're lucky, you might even come across the lynx below.

The Spanish Lynx is a beautiful creature which, together with the Mediterranean Monk Seal (below), is listed as an endangered species. (However their figures have now trebled over the past 10 years.) The lynx can normally be found in Sierra Morena in Andalusia or in the Donana National Park:

          Not forgetting, the Andalusian Horse or PRE (Pura Raza Española) typical of the Iberian Peninsula

                                       btw The Spanish Black Vulture is the largest bird of prey 

                           indigenous to Europe (there are believed to be more than 400 in Spain)

Enjoy!