Our recent weekend in Ceuta, the Spanish city in North Africa
Photos by David Paul Appell unless otherwise noted
Both my husband and I have always had something of a fasci
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Andalusia´s Doñana National Park is one of "7 of the World´s Top Birdwatching Meccas"
Tyros.andi Animalia
In the province of Huelva at the mouth of the Guadalquivir River, Doñana is Europe´s most important wetland migration hub—so much so in fact that it´s a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The park covers about 210 square miles and supp
The common rosemary street scam in Spain
This is a story inspired by a particular type of travel scam, but because it´s one associated with a particular ethnic group, let me start with some background and context. The Romani people, known in Spain as Gitanos (gypsies) and Calé, are one of t
La Tomatina - Spain´s juiciest festival!
Ever dreamt of being part of a crazy food fight with thousands of people throwing ripe tomatoes at each other — all in good fun? Welcome to La Tomatina, Spain’s most iconic and colorful street festival, where getting messy is the whole point
Exploring Madrid´s little known medieval (Muslim) legacy
David Paul Appell
I've always had a fascinating for things medieval. Would never want to have actually lived back in the Middle Ages, mind you - perish the thought. But the architecture and atmosphere of the Romanesque and the Gothic have always capt
Read more…Flamenco: the soul of Spain?
Ask many people around the world what comes to mind when they think of Spain, and chances are flamenco will land near the top of the list. The sinuous moves; the rapid, hypnotic shoe tapping; the staccato hand-clapping; the mesmerising guitarwork; th
Read more…Spain's wonderful (and sometimes wild) west: Extremadura
Mariaplr
Hugging Spain's upper border with Portugal, the autonomous community of Extremadura, composed of the provinces of Cáceres and Badajoz, is well known to other Spaniards as a proud land of strong traditions; rich history; distinguished cuisi
What not to miss in Barcelona
walkerssk/pixabay
There's a good reason Spain's second largest city after Madrid is one of Europe's (indeed, the world's) most popular cities - famous and beloved for its art, architecture, culture, cuisine, and nightlife ever since hosting th
Madrid as one of Europe´s most LGBTQ/gay-welcoming cities
These days, Spain is one of the world's most socially progressive countries - for example, it was the third to legalise same-sex marriage, back in 2005 - and has legal safeguards in place for marriage equality, same-sex adoption rights, a
Read more…A poopy Christmas in Catalonia
Catalans are traditionally a bit scatological, and they’ve got not one but two traditions to prove it. First is a Christmas log called Tió de Nadal or Caga Tió (“pooping log”), a hollowed-out bit of rustic wood – usually around
Read more…Spain's 21 niftiest nude beaches
Thinking of coming to the playa in Spain this coming summer? Well, if you're also a fan of all-over tans, nude beaches mark nearly a half century in this country, which has sprouted a whopping 400 where you can swim starkers an
Read more…Canary Islands
A remote set of islands off the coast of northwest Africa, they're a beach destination hugely popular with Europeans, and offer lots of ecoutourism and history as well. From the hopping beaches of Gran Canaria, Tenerife and La Palma to the lower-key,
Read more…Córdoba and Burgos cited in '8 Gems among Europe's Lesser Known Cathedrals and Churches'
Notre Dame in Paris, London's St. Paul, St. Peter's in Rome - some of Europe's greatest cathedrals are justly famous and huge tourist draws. But of course Christian Europe offers myriad other cathedrals which are lesser known but als
For the 'aves': the art and sport of falconry in Spain
Feet firmly planted on the ground, left elbow out, forearm straight, hand and wrist covered with a thick leather glove, I looked apprehensively at the master falconer standing by my side. He had just sent a magnificent Harris's hawk into
Holiday cheer in 2 cities of Galicia
With just over a week to go before Christmas, cities across Spain, as many other cities in the world, are pulling out the stops and decking the halls with boughs of jolly. This blog has covered the festivities in biggies like Madrid and Barcelona
Read more…8 splendid stops along the Way of St. James
unmillondeelefantes
It’s that time of year again. In Spain, practically every day is the “feast day” of at least one Catholic saint. But the most famous of all is today, the Feast of Santiago (St. James the Greater), a disciple of Jesus Christ whos
Read more…The medieval 'Reconquest' of Spain still reverberates for visitors today
Yesterday marked the 528th anniversary of the fall of Islamic Granada to the armies of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, marking the culmination of the Reconquista from the Moors - whose Umayyad Caliphate forces had swept into the Iberian Penins
Read more…Spain's holiday nougat treat turrón in its Alicante birthplace
Turrón, Spain‘s traditional holiday sweet, is as iconic here as the Reyes Magos (Three Wise Men) who bring presents to children each 6 January. Spaniards won’t ask you where you spend Christmas, they will say, “where do you eat your turrón“? If it
Read more…10 Barcelona bucket-listers
The city most popular with visitors to Spain (and one of the most popular in the world, in fact) holds that status for very good reason. The capital of Catalonia is a truly terrific trove of history, culture, architecture, dining that's unique in
Read more…