Spanish harlem

It's almost 0500hrs and obviously, I am dreaming.I am leaving for Cameron Highlands tomorrow night and I've yet to pack. Work starts in 4 more hours. Argh.

This is me working towards a goal.

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11D SPAIN REDISCOVERY

Destinations: to spain Madrid Barcelona Granada
11 Days 10 Nights

From: 2999 SGD
Valid date: from 2008-03-01 to

Itinerary

Day 1: SINGAPORE-MADRID
Assemble at Singapore Changi Airport for your flight to Madrid.
Meals on Board

Day 2: MADRID-SEGOVIA-MADRID
Embark on a guided tour to the new and old sections of Madrid like Plaza Mayor, Cibeles Fountain, and Palacio Real where its plush decorations, furnishings and frescoes will fascinate you. When at Plaza de Toros de las Venas, you can take some photos for memories. Continue your journey to Segovia, declared as �Heritage of Mankind� by UNESCO. Your tour will include one of the city�s famous landmarks, the 2,000-year-old Roman queduct that cuts right through the centre of the town. Its symbol has served as the mint mark on all coins produced in Segovia for over 400 years. Next you will visit the majestic Alcazar Castle, which is the source of inspiration for Walt Disney�s Snow White Castle in Disneyland Paris.
Breakfast/Suckling Pig Lunch/Dinner

Day 3: MADRID-ZARRAGOZA-BARCELONA
After breakfast, enjoy a scenic drive to Zarragoza and visit the Basilica of El Pilar, the primary church of the Marian religious order in Spain dedicated to the Virgin of El Pilar (Blessed Virgin Mary) under her title, �Our Lady of the Pillar�. This is followed by a visit to the grand Plaza del Pilar, Town Hall and the Gothic-Plateresque old stock exchange building, La Lonja. Then continue your journey to Barcelona.
Breakfast/Dinner

Day 4: BARCELONA
Barcelona, the second largest city in Spain in both size and population, has a pleasant Mediterranean climate and stands on a plain that slopes gently down from Sierra de Collserola to the sea. Begin your tour with a visit to the city�s spectacular icon, Sagrada Familia (Basilica of the Holy Family), a large Roman Catholic church which is a grand unfinished project by Catalan architect, Antoni Gaud�. Next, view Gaudi�s Casa Mila, Casa Batlo and Parc Guell, a famous park that display Gaudi�s works of extraordinary imagination. In the afternoon, explore La Ramblas and Plaza De Catalunya, Spain�s most famous streets that are dotted with cafes, restaurants and kiosks as well as bustling with performing artists and people. If time permits, you may wish to visit the renowned Picasso Museum.
Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

Day 5: BARCELONA-VALENCIA-ALICANTE
This morning, you will travel to Valencia to experience the hustle and bustle of the Mercado Central. This huge iron, glass and tiled Art Nouveau building opened in 1928, is one of the largest and most attractive markets in Europe. Every morning, its thousand or so stalls are filled with a large variety of food and ingredients essential to making paella, a popular Valencian rice dish. View its famous landmarks such as Plaza Del Ayuntamiento (The Town Hall), Plaza de Toros (Bullring) and Estacion Del Norte (North Train Station). Next, you will head towards Alicante, the capital of Costa Blanca and is often associated with fun and relaxation. Alicante has wide boulevards, long white sandy beaches, a waterfront and Castillo de Santa Barbara, a 16th-century fortress that dominates the skyline.
Breakfast/Seafood Paella Lunch

Day 6: ALICANTE-GUADIX-GRANADA
A short drive from Alicante is the cathedral town of Guadix, signposted on the main street as �Bario Troglodyte�. It is a large bustling country town with a distinctive personality. Its most interesting feature is that almost half of the inhabitants of this large town live underground. View the cave houses in the remarkable Troglodyte Quarter, which houses 2000 caves that have been inhabited for many centuries. The inhabitants, known as �troglodytes�, are very friendly and also house proud, and in their case, �cave proud�. Then, proceed to Spain�s last Moorish kingdom, Granada. If time permits, you can enjoy the sunset view from the Albaicin quarter, just across Alhambra or attend an optional flamenco show in the evening at your own expense.
Breakfast/Dinner

Day 7: GRANADA-MALAGA-CORDOBA
Your tour of Granada includes the beautiful Alhambra and the adjoining Generalife Gardens. The palace is an Arabian fantasy of brilliant mosaics and tiles, and is considered as one of the greatest accomplishments of Islamic art and architecture. You will also see the dazzling fountains set in the Generalife Gardens. From Granada, your tour continues to Malaga, the second largest city in Andalusia, that is primarily untainted by the commercialism of its neighbouring resorts. The King�s palace, Alcazaba, which was built in the 11th century, is Malaga�s most important building of the Moorish epoch. What you will find worth visiting are its beautiful gardens with several fountains. Additionally, just outside the Alcazaba are the ruins of a Roman theatre. Restoration on these ruins is almost impossible as the Moors used the Roman blocks to build the Alcazaba.
Breakfast/Dinner

Day 8: CORDOBA-MADRID
Cordoba is a city populated by more than half a million people, and houses hundreds of mosques and a medina that once pulsated with the activity of the finest craftsmen. Its crown jewel is the Great Mosque, where part of it has been destroyed to make way for Mezquita, the great Mosque which was later converted to a Cathedral with nearly 1,000 columns. After the Christian re-conquest, a gothic cathedral was built within the mosque. The Patio de los Naranjos, an orange tree courtyard with its lovely gardens, forms part of this grand Islamic monument. Not to be missed are the stunning multilobed arches of Capilla de Villavicosa, which was the first Christian chapel built in the mosque in 1371 by Mudejar craftsmen. From Cordoba, proceed back to Madrid�s famous shopping district of Puerto del Sol to purchase local fashion and sample the local cuisine.
Breakfast/Lunch

Day 9: MADRID-CUENCA-MADRID
Start your day with a short drive to Cuenca to view the 14th-century Casas Colgadas, which was once used as a summer residence for the royal family. It is known as the �hanging house� as it clings to the side of the cliff, resting on the edge of the city in a gravity-defying effort to make the most out of every inch of land. Then, proceed to Torre Mangana, a lookout tower that lies on the site of an ancient Arabian Fortress. Situated at the top of the town, it provides panoramic views of the surroundings. In the afternoon, you can shop at Factory Madrid Getafe, the original factory outlet in Madrid.
Breakfast/Lunch

Day 10: MADRID-SINGAPORE
If time permits, you can do some last-minute shopping before you transfer to the airport for your flight home.
Breakfast/Meals on Board

Day 11: ARRIVE-IN-SINGAPORE


P/S: Check out the end of Day 2 - Suckling pig lunch!!@#@ Mwhahahaha!


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