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You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
............ 
Oct 20, 2014 04:00 PM Roman Merida
Bye- bye Seville! It took me 3 hours by bus and 13,50 euro ticket to get to Merida. Roman retired legionaires establish this settlement 25 years before Christ. Now it is the capital of Extremadura Region. But Roman remains are the highlites of the city.
Almost 800 m long stone bridge is a good introduction to the history. You will go through the bridge going from the bus station to the center. Alcazaba fortres is right after the bridge.
Let you know that in this city they are selling one ticket covering all attractions, so it is hard to save :) It costs 12 euro - 6 € with discount.
Roman theatre for 4000 people is a great place -well preserved, UNESCO World Heritage site - amphitheatre housing 14000 is just nearby,
Then there is a circo- means hippordom, aqueducts on the outskirts and Diana temple in the middle of the city.
Merida is off the beaten track and well worth to see. I have been before in other Merida in Mexico :)
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Oct 19, 2014 04:00 PM Torreros and flamenco
Do you like Bizet's "Carmen"? It is one of my favorite operas, I saw it many times. In Seville you can see the places where the action goes: the building of royal tobacco factory is converted now to the university, but on the arena Plaza de Toros there are still bull fightings. There are monuments of tha famous torreadores in front of the arena
But the tourist highlite of Seville is a huge cathedral with Giralda tower and C. Columbus grave inside. Long line of tourists wait to buy the ticket and to get in. What a times!
Alcazar palace is also worth to see and Plaza de España too. Let you know that on Monday afternoons they offer free entry to Alcazar and cathedral - you must book via cathedral website first. I was lucky to see Alcazar again after years. Normally they charge 10 euro, and 8 in the cathedral.
In the evening there are many places where you can drink a wine and see flamenco...
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Oct 18, 2014 04:00 PM Cordoba to Sevilla...
I use mostly ALSA leading company buses to travel through Spain. On the first one Malaga-Grenada there were free wi-fi, bottle of water and only 3 seats in the row. On the second only a water. And today - no water, no wifi and dirty seats...
A ticket for 2-hours Cordoba to Sevilla juurney cost me 12,32 euro. In Sevilla we landed on big Plaza de Armas terminal near Cachorro bridge
(in the net there is false info that you dissembark at Prado S.Sebastian)
It was 32 deg when I was walking to my Vergara Pension hidden in the narrow street of the old town. Hard to find but what a location. Last expensive room costs here 18 euro. Do not expect any daylight, expect a long way to the bath. But that's the life of budget traveller.
In the evening I took the walk along Guadalquivir river enjoing to see again the place opposite Torre de Oro where 43 years ago as a student I was sipping my first sangria. Memories...
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Oct 17, 2014 04:00 PM Mezquita in Cordoba
Arabs built here a big mosque. And then Catholic kings of Spain ordered to remove a part of the mosque' roof and to built-in the cathedral. And this is famous Mezquita. For 8 euros you can see a forests of columns and ornate altar of the cathedral.
But Cordoba has more to offer: romantic Roman Bridge and a labirynth of the narrow streets in the Old Quarter.
I stay in the tiny and very cozy Hostal Trinidad just 50 m from the wall of Mezquita. Clean single room with shared bath costs me 20 euro. The only problem is street noise - bring your earplugs for the night!
On Sundzy morning I was ready for the mas in Mezquita. But when I reported at 8 am at the gate they told me that the Sun mass is conducted on 12 and 1.30 pm. Do not trust Lonely Planet guide! :)
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Oct 16, 2014 04:00 PM In the shade of Alhambra
The sun was rising over Malaga when I disembarked the ship and started long walk to the long-distance bus stacion. It took me 55 min to get there. The bus to Granada was waiting at the platform. I was running to the ticket office. Ticket for Malaga - Grenada route costs already 13,75 euro. We started at 10 am and 1,5 hours hater I was in Grenada.
Once Granada was Arab city they built there sultan's castle with beautiful palace and gardens. Alhambra is till now the main attraction of the town. I was climbing the hill to see it again. Entry to the ticketed parts of Alhambra costs 14 euro and tickets are sold-out few days in advance. In the evening I was climbing narrow streets on the opsite hill to San Nicola mirador - that' the best place to photograph Alhambra.
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Oct 15, 2014 04:00 PM Day at blue sea
It is still sunny, but strong wind. We are sailing back - west - to Spanish Malaga. Visiting new places from the ship is very easy and convenient: no need to pack and unpack and to look for the transport. But you have to adjust to the schedule of the ship: you cannot stay longer at specific port if you like it. I - the independent traveller always feel on the ship like a prisonier :) It will change tomorrow -I will be free to travel onward according to my own schedule.
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Oct 14, 2014 04:00 PM Cagliari - Sardinia
Cagliari is lovely Mediteranean citti with the nice old citadel on the hill. It is still sunny. I am wondering narrow streets visiting churches and enjoying lay-down atmosphere. Palms, flowers, friendly people...
What a pity that the ship docks here only half a day!
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Oct 13, 2014 04:00 PM Smoggy Eternal City
Civitavecchia - the sea port for Rome is one hour drive from the capital of Italy to the northwest. The best idea if you go to the Rome is to take the train - you have to buy at tiny Civitavecchia station BIRG ticket for 12 euro - it gives you round trip ride on the train and unlimited usage od bus, tram and metro for the day - very good deal!
Rome did not change much since my last visit. Just let you know that the famous Trevi fountain is under restoration. Entrance to Colosseum costs 12 euro and long waiting in the line.
There worst for me is that there is more street traffic and more smog in the streets.
But it was nice to take one more walk through the one of the most important culture centers of the Europe.
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Oct 12, 2014 04:00 PM Corsica - where Napoleon was born
Ajaccio - the capital of Corsica has very nice location on the slopes and the ship stays in the middle of the town. Picturesque citadelle is ocuppied by military, but you are coming here first of all to see the house where Napoleon was born. They built few monuments of the emperor. The old town of Ajaccio is not large - just for 2 hours walk. They have plenty of street cafes an souvenir shops. Palms, lay down atmosphere... I like Ajaccio also because they offer here free wi-fi connection on main squares - just make a choice of orange network. The coast line around is nice. One more reason to come back :)
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Oct 11, 2014 04:00 PM Great cathedral of Palma
Palma de Mallorca is not friendly for the tourists.. In the cruise terminal you will not find Any information! In the city center there is an IT office but completly closed on Sundays. I took 3 km walk along the coast - great promenade!) to the old town where enormous cathedral is the main attraction. It was closed on Sunday for service. There is an Arab palace to visit and it is good to take a long walk exploring the narrow streets of the old town, but they do not have such a atmosphere like those in Valencia. Plaza Mayoy is small and unimpressve here. It was 34 deg Celsius when I was going back to the ship.
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