My Dream Trip to SPAIN

One of the things my husband and I had always dreamed about doing was going to Spain.  We started talking about going there on our honeymoon 27 years ago.  At one point we were thinking about doing it for our 25th anniversary but ended up somewhere else instead.   My husband has always been when we go he wanted to spend a couple of weeks there. The trouble was my husband is now a CEO of a company and taking two weeks off was hard to do. Before that we just didn't have the money  So it was put on a back burner with hopes of us going when he finally retires.
    He has not retired but do to his success in business, he earned a rewards trip from a company that wishes not to be mentioned. (One thing I must clarify is that my husband does not work for this company but just has a business relationship with them.)  We were able to join about 90 other business associates to go on this dream vacation to Spain and have the company plan everything for us. All we had to do was sit back and enjoy.  All I can say now is THANK YOU!!
And Oh What a Dream Vacation it was!!!!  Over the next couple of days, I plan on posting things about this incredible trip. 

We flew into Madrid Spain from Atlanta GA.  Most of the trip over was cloudy or it was dark outside so I wasn't able to get any pictures. I was able to get a picture of the Madrid Airport.  It was neat to see how it was designed.  

Madrid Airport

 Then we flew from Madrid to Malaga in the Costa Del Sol region of Spain.  This time I was able to take few pictures after we took off.  But then the stewardess saw me taking some and wanted me to put up the camera.  She said 'no use of electronics and cellphones', I told her this was a camera that used batteries not a cellphone.  She didn't care she wanted me to put it up.  I didn't want to argue or get into trouble so I put it up seeing as how we were now in the clouds so there wasn't much to see anyway.  Here are a few of the shots I did get of Madrid's surrounding country side.

flying over Spain

flying over Spain

Another View of the Spanish country side before we entered into some clouds.

We landed in Magala and was greeted by our tour guides that helped us go through customs and then directed us to the coaches that were to take us to our hotel in Marbella. It sure was nice being with people that could speak both languages and help us when we needed it.

Marbella Spain town sign

As we drove there I was oohing and ahing over the mountains I was seeing.  Living in Louisiana I don't get to see a lot of mountains or road cuts. The whole time I was looking I was wishing we could stop and I could get a closer look at things. 

Road cut along A-7 from Malaga to Marbella, Spain

 While everyone else was oohing over the 'Mar Mediterraneo'.

I got to see 'Hoya De Malaga, Sierra Mijas, Sierra Parda & Negra, and the Sierra Blanca.

  I'm not too sure which Sierra is which with these pictures.

Sierra Blanca

Sierra Real?

Finally we got to our hotel: Hotel Puente Romano.

Hotel Puente Romano

The hotel was built around this bridge that was built by the Romans in the 1st century. It was so fascinating to see something so old.  We all commented upon how in the US anything over 200 years old is so rare. And here this bridge is 2000 years old!  I must admit after seeing the bridge I could see how it was built to last. 

The sign on the  Roman bridge

Roman bridge at Marbella Spain

The top of the Roman Bridge

Roman Bridge built in the 1st Century AD

 The Hotel was lovely with all sorts of interesting features.

The dining courtyard @ Hotel Puente Romano

 Here's an interesting water feature that used the water that flowed under the Roman Bridge

Water fountain at Hotel Puente Romano

Crane sculptures @ Hotel Puente Romano

It was also complete with swans

Swans at the hotel

Every time we walked by the swans were always there to greet you.  I must admit I did like watching them.  They were so pretty and graceful on the water.

Swans @ Hotel Puente Romano

 Another day in Spain.

Spanish Swan @ Hotel Puente Romano

Another sculpture at Hotel Puente Romano

 One of the things that made the place so pretty was the flowers were blooming everywhere.  Like this bougainvillea that we saw on one of the walls. 

bougainvillaea in bloom @ Hotel Puente Romano

One of things we wanted to do was to follow the water that ran through the center courtyard of the hotel. Since it was so interesting to see what they had done with it.

The water flowing through the center courtyard of the hotel

The creek area right before it empties onto the beach

  We walked following the water to the end of the hotel and was pleasantly surprised to see we were right on the beach of the Mediterranean Sea.  We thought we needed to walk awhile to get there.  It was so nice having the seat so close by.

The water flowing through the beach area

the creek at Hotel Puente Romano emptying into the Mediterranean Sea

 The river that the Roman bridge was built on emptying into the Mediterranean Sea. I liked seeing how clean the water was that was emptying into the Sea.  I wondered if they had a plant that treated the water before it emptied into the Sea or if its just naturally this clean all the time?

 One of the things that surprised some of the people that were there was how course the sand was.  To be honest I wasn't all that surprised, because the mountains were so close by there wasn't much travel distance for the grains to get broken down like they do from my neck of the woods with the the Red River.

 Hotel Puente Romano pier

There was a pier that had been built out where boats could dock and some to the hotel. If you look really closely you can see in the white section it has Hotel Puente Romano. It was so exciting to walk out this pier and to get this view of the Sea. And I must admit I couldn't resist putting my feet into the water.  It was cold to me.  I found out later it was in the high 60 to low 70's in temperature.  Too cold for me to swim in.

The Mediterranean Sea  from the Hotel Puente Romano pier.

There was a young family on the pier also.  We took their picture for them with their camera since they were passing the camera back and forth trying to get everyone in it.  They were so appreciative that we took their family photo they insisted on doing the same for us.  So here's my husband and I enjoying the Mediterranean Sea.  At least now I'll always have proof I was there.

I muse: The hotel was so nice I could have spent my whole time there, but I'm glad I didn't.
I muse:  I still can't believe I finally got to Spain - it all seemed like such a dream.  Now I'm glad I have these images so I can relive the memories.

New muse:  While surfing the internet I saw this quote:  "I believe that anyone who flies in an airplane and doesn't spend most of his time looking out the window is wasting his money." Marc Reisner.   I must admit I feel the same way.  I look when I can and can't stand seats over the wings that block your view.  Also I try my hardest to get  the window seat.