27 Weekends (part 7)

Seville/Madrid June 08
Finally a bit of heat, breakfast in the sun. Tapas, cold beer and cheap wine. A backstreet tour to find some live Flamenco. A visit to the bull ring and to the beautiful gardens of the Alcazar. One of the largest cathedrals in the world, views from the tower and the tomb of Christopher Columbus. Sangria and dinner across the Rio Guadalquivir. Early morning running in Parque de Maria Luisa.
Off to Cordoba easy enough. Shame about the €120 first class tickets to Madrid in the afternoon. Beers in the lounge and a snack including Gazpacho tempered the blow. Cordoba with its winding alleys and flower pot filled houses. The moorish feel represented perfectly by the mamooth Mezquita. Another crossing of the Rio Guadalquivir via the stone washed Puente Romano.
Onwards to Madrid and the garden filled train station. Bocadillo Calamari expensive but tasty. Goya in the Prado. The Bernabau tour including a mention of the Real Madrid basketball team who are just as successful as the footballers. An understanding of the history and passion of the club. The impressive trophy room and cushioned bench. Wandering in the direction of the El Rastro market through some shall we say colourful neighbourhoods. A visit to the Palacio Real backing onto the enormous Campo del Moro. Hanging out in Plaza Mayor. Sangria and live piano in a Paloma recommended bar, shame about the smoke. Getting carried away with our dinner Tapas order. The quaint sherry bar opposite our Hotel, your bill written in chalk on the bar. Early morning running in the manicured Parque del Retiro. Madrids two famous fountains regularly the centre of Athletico and Real's victory celebrations.

Austria, Vienna and the Salzkammergut Region June 08
Euro 2008, Vienna's enormous fanzone. The delicately poised Croatia Turkey quarter final. Flares when Croatia scored and tears when the two Turkish goals went in late on. Petr Czech on the Wiener Risenrad in our running spot the Prater Park. Vienese coffee in Trotskys Cafe Central. Weiner Schnitzel that filled our plates. Weiss beer and more Weiss Beer. St Stephens cathederal and the Hofburg (Imperial Palace). A pleasant surprise in the form of a BMW 5 series. First stop Melk on the banks of the Danube. The gold laced Stift Melk and apple struddel for lunch. Another 30 degree plus day with more on the way. Through to the lake and mountain ladden Salzkammergut region. An afternoon dip in Wolfgansee from the town of Strobl. More Euro 2008 and the mid summer bonfire tradition atop the surrounding peaks. Early start for the Postalm half marathon. Seeing stars in the sun and the skin removing crash 1k from the finish. Post race sustenance of Wurst and Saurkraut. The picture postcard but slightly touristy St Wolfgang and another dip in the Wolfgansee lake. Exploring the lakes and onto the Unesco Heritage town of Halstatt. Lederhosen adorned waiters on the banks of the lake, Weiss beer and more Euro 2008. Early morning swim in the Hallstatter See. Dressing up in coloured overalls and sliding down mine shafts in the 7,000 year old salt mines. A very cold visit to the Dachstein ice caves, 30 degrees outside minus 2 in shorts and singlets inside. Another cable car ride a hike in a touch of snow and the spectacular view from the five fingers platform. Last stop Mozart and the Sound of Music town of Salzburg. The wooden shop signs of the old town. The Dom (cathederal) with sombering before and after shots of the WW2 bombings. St Peterskirche and Katakombs. A walk up to the Festung Hohensalzburg, a history of subtle building changes, dungeons and of course views of the hills and River Salzach below. Schloss Mirabell gardens Sinead singing "The Hills are alive." A beer with a view in the Munchsburg park. Dinner and steins in the cavernous Augustiner Braustubl.