- the birthday greeting (card) from KLM
- other birthday acknowledgements - champagne; desserts at Cafe Het Paleis and the cava at Gravina 51
- Cortijo La Haza - worth a repeat visit some day
- Patriek's excellent cooking / meals
- Flamenco de Triana, including the walk over Rio Guadilquivar to the Triana area of Sevilla
- the Alcazar; the intricate buildings and relaxing in the gardens
- preparations for the Semana Santa (Holy Week) ceremonies
- great service from Rafael and another enjoyable meal - pulpo ; lamb; artichokes and asparagus risotto - at Polear
- our meals at Barra Castizo, including the dancing / singing cook
- a number of wonderful tapas (pulpo in vichychoise; beef tenderloin; spinach and garbanzo beans) in Sevilla
- strolling through the pedestrian friendly streets of Sevilla
- flamingos - totally unexpected
- the donkey refugio, including friendly Colino
- Gravina 51, including its fantastic breakfasts
- the white villages
- the ever-present songs of the birds
- the stunning, seemingly never ending rolling green countryside - covered with olive trees
- the wildflowers
- the many wonderful people we met
- the sheep and goats, particularly when they take over the roads
- dinner at Frank's in Arriate, and
- KLM business class upgrade from Amsterdam to Toronto
- the beauty of Cortijo el Guarda and its surroundings
- the warm hospitality of Miranda and Hans
- enjoying possibly our last visit to Cortijo El Guarda,
- Hans' scrambled eggs, and really the entirety of breakfast, and
- being thankful for a last opportunity to visit with Miranda, Hans and Sam
Expenses (based on average exchange rate 1 euro = $1.55 Cdn):
Here are the costs of the of the trip (excluding airfare)
$ 2,496 lodging ($227 per night)
$ 1,107 food ($101 per day - primarily dinner and a few groceries / tapas)
$ 304 car rental ($201 rental or $18 per day) plus fuel ($103)
$ 80 entrances
$ 140 miscellaneous (primarily tips)
$ 4,127 for 11 days
The average cost per day (lodging, food, vehicle and miscellaneous) was $375.
Lodging ranged from a low of 96 euros to a high of 227 euros. Here is a list of where we stayed, their location, the amount we paid and links to their websites.
227 euros Gravina 51 Sevilla http://www.hotelgravina51.com/en/
96 Cortijo La Haza Iznajar https://cortijolahaza.com/en/home/
120 Cortijo el Guarda Alcala del Valle http://www.el-guarda.com/en/the-cortijo/MTIyOQ--
132 Hacienda de Los Jinetes Carmona http://www.haciendalosjinetes.com
Of course staying at a nice place in Sevilla comes with a price. 227 euros, or $350 Cdn is a chunk of change but we were very happy with our choice - a nice hotel in a nice location. Cortijo La Haza was a great spot as well, particularly with the availability of delicious well prepared meals each evening. Cortijo el Guarda - there is no need to say anything, and Hacienda de Los Jinetes served its purpose - a decent place within easy and quick access to the airport.
The lodging costs varied considerably with the average of $227 being in line with previous trips to Spain ($228 average in 2018 and $250 in 2017). The important thing is we were extremely happy with each place we stayed.
Overall, the average cost of this trip was the lowest of the past five to Spain. Not by a lot but still the lowest. The following reflects all costs other than airfare to/from and souvenirs, i.e. they include lodging, food, vehicle rental, fuel, miscellaneous and tours, if any.
$421 - 2013 Spain (Andalucia)
$399 - 2014 Portugal and Spain (Extramadura and Andalucia)
$408 - 2017 Spain (Andalucia, Murcia and Majorca)
$380 - 2018 Spain (Basques, Pyrenees and Menorca)
$375 - 2019 Spain (Andalucia)