Off we go! Best Lyft ride to the airport yet, sign of good days ahead. Good food in Boston’s Logan Airport International Terminal too where we met the daughter of a former Red’s pitcher, Jim O’Toole.

After a sleepless night on the plane we find our way into the city by train and Metro and wander out into a lovely plaza. Only problem is that we failed to connect to airport WiFi and install our eSIMs so we are without internet and making our way with a paper map-so old school. We quickly regroup with the help of a lovely Taberna (with WiFi) and delicious food. A short nap at the apartment and we are soon quickly reminded of one of our favorite things about Spain- the food of course.

The streets of old town Madrid are a maze of angled routes that sometimes end in stairwells or open onto unexpected plazas. We made our way to a square that marked the oldest structure in Madrid and then on to the relatively new, but grand Cathedral de Santa Maria. The nearby Royal Palace is an enormous collection of overly opulent rooms that drip with silk, gilding, tapestries and frescoes. Too much to take in. We finished with a visit to an Egyptian temple donated to Madrid when its site was to be flooded by the Aswan Dam. Quite the odd collection of sites but all good. (Maybe not as good as dinner and drinks though.)

The Prado may not be among the largest museums in the world but its collection surely ranks near the top. There are rooms full of immense astonishing art from Spanish painters across centuries. Beautiful and exhausting but we head from there back toward the Gran Via where the architecture competes for attention even more than the Prado’s art or high-end retail. We finish our day with yet more good food and drink. What is not to love about Madrid.(Google translate still needs work)

We rather hated to leave our odd but nice apartment where everything was one or two steps up or down, but excited to be on our way to Senegal. Madrid’s international terminal is something you have to experience- a constant upstairs-downstairs thing and a rainbow of curving structures. Arrived after 9pm in Dakar and made our way to Ngor in darkness. Anticipation.

After an interesting morning getting a Gambia visa, we ventured onto the beach and took a small boat to Ngor Island for the afternoon. A lovely little car-free place with narrow, winding paths between courtyard homes, and spaces filled with tropical plants and artwork. The beachfront cafes offer food and drink with a tropical breeze. Perfect place to relax.

After breakfast on the beach we opted to explore Dakar on our own. It might have gone smoother if our taxi wasn’t stopped by the police and made to pay up so we could go on, but we made it to Kermel Market just the same. The busy 1860’s market is filled with fish, produce and a variety of food stuffs while a stalls outside sell crafts of all sorts. We lunched nearby, walked about, then visited the cathedral and the Museum of African Civilization. Full day.

Our group of 7-plus Toumba the guide-set out early for Goree Island. Historic-albeit much debated- former slave transit point now a lovely spot for a day trip. We managed to capture more of the atmosphere of Dakar too including markets, old neighborhoods, and monuments as wound our way through the streets. Ended our day at the westernmost point of the African continent.

The drive from north Dakar to Saint Louis is about 150 miles but it took us 10 hours with a stop at Lake Retba (Pink Lake) and at a market to grab snacks. The roads are less than adequate and traffic is heavy. We took a boat out on the Pink Lake to watch a worker stand in extremely salty shallow water to dig up salt from the lake bed. A most difficult way to earn a living. This time of year the baobabs have no leaves but the acacia are full- this will all \240reverse when the rains come in May.

Interesting day of contrasts. We began our day at Djoudj National Bird Park adjacent to the border with Mauritania. The park is home to numerous birds as well as caymans, crocodiles and warthogs. The huge gathering of pelicans, however, stole the show as they took off and landed all about the boat. Amazing.

On our return to Saint Louis in the afternoon we toured the island by horse drawn carriage. We visited historic sites before crossing onto the peninsula to the west. This area is home to the local fishermen and is the most densely populated area in Senegal. The streets and alleyways teem with activity-adults, children and goats everywhere. People are shopping, cooking, playing and gathering in numbers all about.

Not far from Saint Louis we stopped at a nomadic village. The guide brought sugar, rice, soap and chocolate and the villagers allowed us to visit. The extended family included several wives and many children all living in nine grass, domed huts. The men were out working, and only an elder male remained behind. Chickens and goats ran about while the women were washing and preparing food. It was an extremely simple existence and they will pack up and move on in a couple of months when the rains come. The children seemed happy but there was clearly no school or playground. Such a different life.

We arrived in Touba between calls to prayer and after donning head scarves we toured the Great Mosque. The mosque is the largest in Senegal and has seven minarets, the tallest nearly 285 feet high. Built over several decades the inside and out are clad in various marbles and decorated with painted plaster motifs. Worshippers lounged about on rugs escaping the intense heat between prayers. We finished the day along the Saloum River in Kaolack, a major crossroads point in Senegal.

We crossed the border from Senegal to The Gambia today. We were scanned, fingerprinted and questioned on both sides before being allowed to pass. The Gambia has more variety of trees and large expanses of wooded area than we saw in Senegal. Kunte Kinteh Island sits in the middle of the Gambia River. Nothing is there now but the ruins of an old fort used in the slave trade and made famous by the show Roots. The river at that point is incredibly wide with trees lining both banks. The country is essentially just the river and it’s adjacent banks either side, created by the British to control trade from all points east. We crossed by ferry into Banjul, a chaotic scene of vehicles and people. Oh, and we saw a huge pack of baboons on the way!

Banjul’s Albert Market was bustling with locals buying and selling everything from smoked fish to clothing to housewares to local crafts. The salespeople were friendly but could be quite persuasive and we found ourselves embroiled in bargaining and buying. A trip to the Gambian Museum and the odd Arch 22 rounded out the Banjul sites. Fun morning.

After lunch we headed to the beach at Tanjeh where the fishermen bring in their catch. Dozens of long, narrow boats loaded with fishermen were arriving on the shore. Workers would wade out to offload the catch while others began taking in the nets. Thousands of people doing so many tasks all up and down the beach. Everyone had a job to do there and waited for their moment. Awesome.

A brief stop at a goat market and the on to the border where we entered Senegal’s Casamance region. The area is noted for its food production and there were fruit and nut trees, peanut farms and oyster farms all along the road. The mountains of peanuts were amazing. A lovely lunch in Ziguinchor and then we made our way to Mlomp where we met a local king- more like a mayor maybe. Arrived in Cap Skirring after a long day on the bus, and finished the day with a dining adventure on the beach. Perfect ending!

Free day in Cap Skirring, a small tourist-centered town along the ocean just north of the Guinea Bissau border. Walked into the main part of town via beach and road. The beach is a favorite hangout for local cows that live off dead fish and seaweed. The craft market was void of tourists so they were glad to see us and our money. Nice place to relax.

Visited an outdoor museum in a Kapok forest, detoured through Diembering, and finally made our way back to Ziguinchor for the night. Zignuichor seems more like a place on the Casamance River to stop between destinations but it is also home to a ferry that travels to Dakar. The river here is huge and home to dolphins and crocodiles among other wildlife. A huge memorial/museum has been built here to honor the nearly 2000 people that died in a ferry accident in 2002 on a boat designed for around 500. A national tragedy.

Doesn’t feel like St. Patrick’s Day today. Entering into The Gambia, crossing the Gambia River and then crossing back into Senegal took over 2 1/2 hours of border checks. No sites today just bus riding and people watching until we get to Saly.

Last day in Senegal. The beach at Saly is nice and the town has all the usual trappings except with more French expats. It was nice to relax and not have a schedule, except for that departing flight. The taxi driver made the trip to the airport interesting by detouring off the road to get around traffic. It was a wonderful visit.

Nice to be back in Madrid, and the beautiful weather is ideal for a stroll through El Retiro Park. Once the playground for the royals and the rich, now a lovely respite for all the people. At over 300 acres it includes formal gardens, beautiful old structures, lakes, ponds and more. A Montezuma cypress is reported to be over 400 years old- the oldest tree in Madrid.

First gloomy day, but ideal for a museum visit. The Museo Reina Sophia began as a hospital and was remade into a world class museum with major works from Picasso, Miro, Dali and more. It is Spain’s Nacional Centro de Arte and the spaces were filled with school groups on field trips. The adjacent modern addition adds restaurant, office and library spaces. All the day needed now was good food and drink and that was easy to find.

The train to Barcelona is only 3 hours and couldn’t be a more pleasant way to travel. A brief tour of the Gothic Quarter and a wonderful dinner and we were already sold on Barcelona.

We stumbled into the Festival of St. Josep of Oriol to find giant characters and performers all around. Could have stayed longer, but the architecture in Barcelona is amazing and we had much to see. The Palace of Catalan Music is an exuberant expression of the early 1900’s. Its style is a wild mix of motifs and materials that defy description. Followed this with a visit to the Palau Guell, the first major residence designed by Gaudi. The enormous home showcases some of the innovation and style that Gaudi would become famous for.

This entire day was devoted to Gaudi’s work. We started with the Sagrada Família, under construction for over 140 years. The tallest -and last- tower was recently completed leaving only the south facade unfinished. A truly astonishing and complex design that has taken generations of architects and artists to finish since Gaudi’s death. Visited two other residential projects that are each the size of a large apartment building. A bit of Gaudi overload.

Tossa de Mar sits on the Costa Brava about an hour and a half drive from Barcelona. Beautiful beaches with secluded coves, a charming old historic area, and plenty of places to eat and enjoy the sun. The old fortress on the hill is still a living community albeit mostly for the seasonal tourism. A lovely space to spend an idle day.

The north end of Barcelona’s \240waterfront housed the Olympic Village in 1992 and at the other end the 1931 cable car connected the waterfront to Montjuïc where the major venues were located. It is a lovely and lively beach area widely used by tourists and locals. The Barceloneta neighborhood is an interesting urban design with 5 story narrow apartment blocks separated by narrow streets lined with amenities on the first floors. Capped the day with a stop at the Picasso museum (who knew he had a dog?) and a visit to Parc de la Ciutadella.

Last day in Barcelona, a lazy day to wander about although the 270 steps to the top of the tower at Santa Maria del Pi was a workout. Ate well, drank more than enough, and even found a charming artist painting watercolors of Barcelona. Just what we needed. We need to come back to Barcelona.

Took the train to Valencia arriving midday. Beautiful streets filled with people. Seems there is a lovely view around every corner, and fancy pigeons too.

Beautiful day to visit the City of Arts and Sciences- an ambitious project designed by famed Valencian architect Santiago Calatrava. The site includes several huge structures- museums, opera hall, planetarium- and acres of landscape and water features. It appears to offer something of interest to everyone. Ended the day in our huge hotel lounge waving at curious passing tourists.

Leisurely day in Valencia- quiet for a Palm Sunday in Spain too. Still so much to see including an underground archaeological site dating to early Roman times from 100 BC.

After our slightly extended stay in Valencia we took a morning train back to Madrid. Such a great way to travel. Arrived with time to spend checking out new and familiar sites including the purported oldest restaurant in the world, El Botin.

Last day in Madrid. Beautiful weather, neant for wandering. It is such fun to just walk about a nice city like Madrid.

Flying back to Boston today.

A rainy, cold day in Boston.