Granada Street Sign - Adrian Brody
By Nancy Todd
1. I love Frank Gehry’s architectural masterpieces. He designed the Marqués de Riscal Hotel And Spa which is similiar to the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao. Hanging out in his art would be perfect for a one week stay at this five star. Located in the rolling vineyards of Rioja, I will walk the rows of vines late afternoon with the sun creating a halo around the leaves, get spa treatments everyday, and have dinner with Frank to pick his brain. More on Rioja from Liz.
2. To make a movie with Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz is not in it.
3. Regina loves the islands of Cies in northern Spain in the region of Galicia. Declared a national nature preserve in 1980, I will visit all three islands to hike, swim, enjoy the views of cliffs and mountains and eat lots of fish.
The Cies Islands In Galicia
4. Alicante Adventures await me in southeastern Spain. Morella is one of the oldest inhabited towns in Spain. I plan to prowl medieval streets and ride my bike through the countryside.
5. My Book Bucketlist for Spain is endless. I have read a few and there are more enticements: Gerald Brenan, South From Granada. Munoz-Rojas, Ashes and Granite. Leblon, Gypsies And Flamenco and more.
6. I will eat all the Spanish food I want and not gain an ounce. I will not feel guilty. Inside The Travel Lab has The Scoop on 8,000 calorie churros.
7. I will fly all friends and family to Seville, rent a grand hotel and party for two weeks. Advenurturous Kate has more on Seville.
8. Living on an island entices me and all four Baleric Islands are on the list: Fromentera, Menorca, Mallorca and Ibiza. Tough it out living in each one for three months; August, September, and October. August to get the tourist vibe, other months for the quiet. Pick lemons, go to horse festivals, drink wine, wander country lanes. Photograph lots of stuff.
9. The smartest investment Spain ever made to protect their architectural heritage was to buy old castles, convents, palaces, fortresses, etc., and refurbish them into hotels. Called Paradores, these are expensive and often located on hilltops and I will drive to these jewels in my red Jag convertible and buzz along many of the Paradores Routes: Cultural Route, Wine Route, and the Nautre Route. I will feast in their excellent restaurants without gaining a pound. Shaking up life in the convents is overdue (and how I will do that is my secret).
Parador lobby on the Alhambra grounds in Granada.
10. There are millions of orange trees in Southern Spain, not only in orchards, but city plazas. Blossoming in April, I will bask in their sultry, sweet fragrance while lounging in an outdoor cafe with Adrian Brody having intellectual conversations in English. Scribbler In Seville gives her take on the orange blossoms.
11. I will become fluent in Spanish and go beyond my one liner for coffee: ”Cafe con leche descafeinado, por favor.”
Nancy Todd
12. Loving the Andalucian horses, I will become an expert rider and you can bet I won’t be the woman behind the man riding side saddle wearing ruffles.
13. Become a famous author with my novel about my adventures living in Spain. Do the book circuit and become a millionaire.
For more on Bucketlists………
5 Comments
We share some of the same items on our Bucket Lists, Nancy! Javier Bardem, remote islands, publishing a book, and fabulous Spanish wine and food. Si, this makes for a juicy life! Ole!
It’s important to have goals! BTW ladies, Bardem is taken!
(He is hot though).
Reg
I’ve never eaten churros… It’s on my list too (together with so many other things).
Evelina, you must eat churros with chocolate or life will not be complete!
I have seen the outside of the Guggenheim in New York and Bilbao. I wasn’t able to go inside in Bilbao, since my friend and I were too absentminded to consider the schedule and arrived too late. But the one in Bilbao, from the outside, was more impressive to me. The grounds were what made it pleasant because the Spanish took great care to landscape it with lots of plants and water features. It’s definitely worth seeing, even if only from the outside!